Concern of the day: 6-4-23 sunday
The gay/trans/cross dressing community:
weak times make weak men, strong times make strong men.
This is a weak time, no wars, no big conflicts in the usa so it is a weak time and has been for decades. Now we have to deal with the trans community, the lbtgq ...??? community, gay community demanding there rights!!!!!!
You would not have the rights that you have if it wasn't for the MEN WHO FOUGHT AND DIED FOR YOUR RIGHTS!!!!
why do you disregard these men of history who fought for your right to be idiots and un-manly and take away rights for the smart people of the world.
The people that are not a part of the zombie horde that is controlling the first world countries of the world...
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I, 18F and my boyfriend, 19M, lived in an apartment with my brother and his fiancee for 3 months before he decided to move and leave their 2 bedroom apartment with us. My mom, 45F, sister 26F who I will call Carly (not her real name) and her ex boyfriend 28M Derek (not his real name) moved in with us. The rent at our apartment is $1300 per month. Some background, when I was 17 I was kicked out of my home and moved in with my now ex boyfriend who then put me out and was turned away by my sister and Derek when I was homeless. The agreement with them living with us was my mom would get the master bedroom and pay no rent, I would keep my bedroom and Carley would make the living room into a bedroom for herself and we'd split the rent in half (my mom lives free, that's a different story). We've been living all together for one month and in this time neither of them would get a job but every Friday night would have money to go out to bars and clubs all night long, coming in loudly at 4 AM. Me and my boyfriend, Gary (not his real name), paid the full rent for this month and they still have made no attempt to get a job. My breaking point was last Friday, three days ago, when Carly and Derek came home with another friend and Carly came upstairs, drunk, and woke everyone in my house up, broke our moms bed frame, started screaming and crying about how she's does everything for everyone (forgetting that Gary and I paid all bills, gas, and for all food) and how all anyone does is stress her out and nobody cares about her. My brother's name is still on the lease and he did say that if I want to take over the apartment he will kick them out but my mother doesn't want to let us kick Carly out because she believes that it's unfair to Carly and she can't watch her kid go homeless. Every day I work 8-12 hours, a long with Gary and we come home to screaming, attitudes, we get walked on, and more than that we can never have any money after we get paid, as we are now trying to buy a car, since Carly and Derek blew the motor on our shared transportation. So WIBTA if I kicked them out when they have nowhere to go?

Our 6 month old german/lab/collie mix has been throwing up about an hour or two after maybe 75% of his meals/treats. We tried pumpkin puree and he kept that down, but puree with a handful of his kibble (same stuff he's been on for 4 months) came back up. He's still peeing and pooping regularly though his last one finished a bit looser than usual.
He's still super playful and energetic. We haven't seen him get into anything in the yard, and we keep a pretty careful eye on him. Nothing in the house but we keep a less close eye on him in the house at this point so it's certainly possible he got into the cat box. We don't keep any cleaning supplies out or any of the usual dog poisons (chocolate, grapes, gum, etc) out.
The only slightly notable thing is that he just got back from the vet and got a dose of heartworm medicine, but it's the same he's had once before.
At what point should we be concerned, and is there anything specific to be watching for or some easy thing we could do at home to try to help him keep his food down more consistently? It's only been about a day of this behavior, and I've had other dogs that go through these pukey phases but they were much older when they did.

Hey Hokies, my partner got accepted to grad school at VT starting in Fall 2023 and I'm in the process of hopefully nailing down a staff position also at VT.
As transplants from SC we were wondering what the best method of finding a smaller house or townhouse available in the Blacksburg/Christiansburg area for rent? We're hoping to avoid some of the noisier, more undergrad-focused apartment complexes if we can help it, especially since many of those rent by the bedroom and we'd like a place to ourselves.
Any advice or suggestions are welcome; we're 31M and 24F with two cats and a budget of ~$1300/month hoping for 2 bed, 1-1.5 bath if possible 🤞
Thanks again!

LPI (LP Information)' newest research report, the “Railway Vehicle Braking System Industry Forecast” looks at past sales and reviews total world Railway Vehicle Braking System sales in 2022, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Railway Vehicle Braking System sales for 2023 through 2029. With Railway Vehicle Braking System sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Railway Vehicle Braking System industry.
This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Railway Vehicle Braking System landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyzes the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Railway Vehicle Braking System portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms' unique position in an accelerating global Railway Vehicle Braking System market.
This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Railway Vehicle Braking System and breaks down the forecast by type, by application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Railway Vehicle Braking System .
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The main participants
Nabtesco
Knorr-Bremse
Mitsubishi
New York Air Brake
Hanning
Voith Turbo
Benia Satrap Padideh Company
Wabtec Railway Electronics
Yujin Machinery
Dako-CZ
Siemens Mobility
Beijing Tianyishangjia
Tedrail
Greysham International
Huatie
JSC MTZ Transmash
Amsted
Segmentation by type
Air Brake System
Electro-pneumatic Brake System
Segmentation by application
Bus
Truck
Others
Key Questions Addressed in this Report
What is the 10-year outlook for the global Railway Vehicle Braking System market?
What factors are driving Railway Vehicle Braking System market growth, globally and by region?
Which technologies are poised for the fastest growth by market and region?
How do Railway Vehicle Braking System market opportunities vary by end market size?
How does Railway Vehicle Braking System break out type, application?
What are the influences of COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine war?
LP INFORMATION (LPI) is a professional market report publisher based in America, providing high quality market research reports with competitive prices to help decision makers make informed decisions and take strategic actions to achieve excellent outcomes.We have an extensive library of reports on hundreds of technologies.Search for a specific term, or click on an industry to browse our reports by subject. Narrow down your results using our filters or sort by what’s important to you, such as publication date, price, or name.
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So I made a post on here about how my bf and I have been in a relationship that we basically decided to have just to have somebody, even though he wanted more with me, and since I knew he wanted a ltr with me but that I didn't see the compatibility, he was willing to do at least short term with me and take me on dates and all that, and about how now he's living with me and it's a tough situation to get out of as we are not financially equipped to have one or both of us move out so we are stuck with each other. Well, now it's gotten even MORE weird-- 2 days after I posted my last post, I found a tinder verification code text on his phone. When I asked him why, he said, "because you're abusive"-- which is true, I've been very emotionally abusive because he is very much a passive type and I am very much pro-communication in a relationship so even if I WAS a lot more patient, its always hard to tell him ANYTHING without him being sensitive, but I admit I've let myself go on and on far too much. Do you think finding him on Tinder is a forgivable offense? If you were in this situation, would you stay with him? I know it probably wouldn't be your situation because you probably would not be bitching at him constantly like I have, but IF this was your situation, and you bitched at him every day for 10-11 months, and then found out he had made a tinder, would you stay with him? He also made it clear he didn't regret it, not in a dickish way, but by the way he shut down and didnt wanna talk about it the multiple times I asked him if he regret it and would respond with things like, "I know I shouldn't have done it" instead, to spare my feelings. This is why I didn't respond to the last commenter like I wanted to, because I simply didn't have the energy for it after all of this. I also want to out others, I guess, now because I want to be with someone who wouldn't go on tinder when times get rough.. he said he only went out for validation which idk if it's true or not, and when we had the whole talk where he was like, "because you're abusive", he also said, "i wanted to see" and then, he went "if anyone else would like me" through tears, like he started crying in the middle of that sentence and it hurt to see. If I do date other people, is it WRONG of me to? I mean I'm still asking him to remain loyal to me since we're still in a relationship-thingy now, I mean we're practically stuck together, we're living together, and when financial times aren't as strained it would be dumb not to go on dates again to kill time. I've had permission to date from him for a while, though whenever I mention possibly doing it (I reiterate my interest to make sure I am not accidentally leading him on, and when I do this I try to be as gentle as possible, because it TRULY isn't personal to him, it's just lack of compatability) he gets sad but always gives me permission. So, since we're stuck living together for God knows how long, would it be RUDE of me to date others? What about having dates pick me up at the house, is that a no-go? Since right now things happened with the car as of 2 days ago, so idk how long that will take to situate. What should I tell my dates- I mean, I have this guy I'm LIVING with, that's a pretty huge deal, how should I tell my dates this? I know I shouldn't keep it from them long, but should I keep it from them for a VERY SHORT time, since it's not inherently deceitful/disrespectfu or immorall to be DATING (as in dating, not in a relationship) multiple men at once, it's completely normal to be dating multiple men so the guy I'm posting about just happens to be one man I'd be "dating", differences are just that I don't have long term compatibility with this man, and we're also stuck to our "relationship" just because we live together and it'd be kinda hard to not consider ourselves together. I'm really stuck and need advice

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I've time-traveled to Halloween to enjoy the joy of spooky day in advance 🎃 all are welcome to join!!
Things to do:

• Reactions!! If u don't already have the two spooky day reactions (scare & haunt) you can talk to any villager or jack and at some point they will teach u 1 new reaction at a time.
  
• Trick or treating!! Visit my villager's houses (all redecorated :3) and each villager will give you a piece of candy. You give the candy to jack & villagers who are out & about (usually around the plaza) to get the spooky DIYs, pumpkins, and other spooky stuff. HOWEVER you must be in costume. To the villagers this looks like any of the mage clothing or the skeleton outfit, the impish horns, animal costumes, that kind of stuff. If you don't have costume items you can buy them from able's. If you have no bells I would b happy to give u some. I just want everyone to get to play :•)
  
• Explore Nosferatu!! My island is fully decorated & one of a kind. A dichotomy of pretty rainbows (happy pride 🌈👹✨) and burning corpses fill every corner 😹 i also have a ton of Tim Burton references, for instance, every room in kawaii's house is a reference to a Tim Burton film!
  
• Hang out with ppl who love the spooky!! My island is built for groups of ppl to play. So bring ur friends (plz do not give out the dodo w/o my permission tho) or make some new ones!! We are a playful & friendly crew always looking to meet new ACNH players ^{_^} u can follow us around the island & play with us if u want :3
  
• PLZ TAKE THE BELLS!!! In the weirdest flex/troll move I've ever seen, someone filled my island w bells 😹 I don't need them plz take them.
  

DM me for the dodo code!!

When I read Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany, I realized that Nonagon Infinity by psychedelic rock band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard is kind of the perfect album for reading it. Aside from both the album and the book looping back around to the beginning, they also share the overall vibe of an evil city of death and carnage. It felt like the perfect matchup to me. Similarly, I think the album I'm in your Mind Fuzz by the same band is good music for House of Leaves because of themes of mental illness and loneliness found in both the album and in Johnny Truant's story. Does anyone know of any albums that sorta match the vibe of Infinite Jest in this sort of way?

If you are interested in Iman Gadzhi – Copy Paste Agency contact us at +44 759 388 2116 on Telegram/Whatsapp.
I have Iman Gadzhi – Copy Paste Agency.
Iman Gadzhi – Copy Paste agency is the latest course by Iman Gadzhi.
Copy Paste Agency is designed for established agency owners, who can use these lessons to scale their business.
In Iman Gadzhi – Copy Paste Agency, you will learn:

• How to continue to run a multiple-six-figure agency from home with a skeleton staff and minimal expenses
  
• How to command higher retainers… and retain those clients for longer
  
• How to automate, delegate, and optimize every area of your agency from lead generation and sales to service delivery and client communication
  

To get Iman Gadzhi – Copy Paste Agency contact us on:
Whatsapp/Telegram: +44 759 388 2116 (Telegram: multistorecourses)
Reddit DM to u/CourseAccess
Email: silverlakestore[@]yandex.com (remove the brackets)

How old are you? What's your gender? Give us a general description of yourself.
17, almost 18 (I know I also ask myself why im on reddit, corrupting my brain from such a young age), female.
Hello all. I'd say I'm kind of aloof, but competitive. I hate uncomfortable clothing, and honestly its a drag to get me to go outside. But if it's some game or sport, I'm absolutely down. I think one of the best human feelings is feeling the fresh air conditioner wind against your body as you destroy your 6 foot friend in badminton with your superior strategy and reflexes. In all seriousness, I'm heading into college to study mechanical engineering and actually thinking of using a ton of my AP credits to get out of classes and replace them with bio and chem classes to head to medical school after. Not that I am dissatisfied with engineering, in fact, my reasoning behind these seemingly weird plans is to get the full fundamental background of the engineering and doctor world. I feel anxious about my survival without it, if that makes any sense. I wasn't kidding about liking games and being competitive, I have been doing fencing for almost half my life, and I plan to continue fencing on a national level in college. But apart from that hobby which requires you to step foot outside the house, I genuinely have a hard time getting myself to touch grass. In fact, this weekend was an achievement when I touched grass 3 whole days in a row. Not joking. People noticed I got tanner lmao. Some people think I'm pretty quiet, while others feel im pretty obnoxious. This can be accredited to my ever changing energy levels and lack of filter and need to stfu sometimes. Though sometimes, I really do get quiet. I've grappled with trying to figure out whether my first function is introverted or extroverted, but honestly I end up gaslighting myself each time so it doesn't work. As for general hobbies, im a YouTube gremlin, a mathy science-y kinda kid, trying to get into chess more (im basically an average intermediate rn and by fear of being destroyed by an anonymous person across the world online really makes this process difficult), unfortunately watch anime, and secretly an art kid.
This is a tangent but I dont know maybe it will help diagnose my personality lmao, I feel that math and science is 10x more enjoyable when you learn the history of HOW the things come about. Like last week, I was kind of fed up with the notion of imagining Newton creating all of calculus on his own to help with his physics stuff, so I went looking into it and learned a lot about how the concept of infinity and infinitesimally small numbers was around even in the Greeks era, and that a LOT of foundation had already been made (not discrediting Newton btw, he was a beast its just kind of annoying that the history of how thought came to be isn't taught... how are we supposed to create new ideas when we're instilled with the easy path of memorization)
Also also, I feel that the "STEM FIELD" is being treated as a totally different entity from linguistics and philosophy, and that also kind of makes me feel robbed of the education people COULD receive. I think there's a lot to be said about how the skills from art and literature do in fact transfer creatively to the "strict" fields of mathematics.
Is there a medical diagnosis that may impact your mental stability somehow?
Nope, just me and my brain.
Describe your upbringing. Did it have any kind of religious or structured influence? How did you respond to it?
Parents aren't really religious at all though my mom claims she internally religious but doesn't really need to prove it externally, it's pretty chill. In that sense, my upbringing has had little to no influence from religion and was fairly unstructured. My parents gave me WAYYY more freedom than most kids, and I'm extremely thankful for it. This freedom is what has allowed me to test my limits of self control, my own self discipline, and has taught me much. Yes, freedom can backfire on some kids, but honestly as a kid most of my internet interests were genuinely educational, and with of course the load of Minecraft videos to binge watch. Honestly I feel im worse off now, where YouTube is becoming glorified tik Tok and I feel my brain rotting.
As for my actual upbringing in school, it wasn't the smoothest of rides. I don't know what it was, but it seemed that even since kindergarten, genders were split in friend groups, or friend groups split by races, even if it was unconscious. I was a kid who just wanted to run around and have fun, so it made sense that I would want to be with "the boys" LMAO, but its kind of impossible to insert yourself into such a group, especially when my social skills were absolute nil. Maybe it was because English was technically my second language, or maybe I just cognitively was slow, but I would miss directions in class, and overall got in trouble a little bit and was never a model student.
Something changed in middle school. With the shift to grades and my brain deciding to work, I became a good student and had some friends, but was still bullied on my bus constantly. I didn't care though, I just wanted to be friends with them, so I tried to not be left out and obviously it didn't work out. You know how kids figure out at one point that they can think about their own thoughts, and that the world doesn't revolve around them? Well, the former came to me really easily because I'd talk to myself in the backyard a ton. But the latter wasn't so simple. My family was supportive and made me feel intelligent and bright, but at school, I felt terribly insecure of my intelligence, my physique, my humor, my everything. So I studied the "cool" people, the "funny" people. I wanted to figure out what it took to be funny and to receive that validation from teachers and peers. I wanted to see how I could act smart and get people to notice me for being intelligent. Mix those feelings of envy and desperation with someone naturally competitive and a little arrogant, you get a pretty insecure little penguin.
Now as a senior in high school, retrospectively, I see that college isn't everything, that intelligences come in all sorts and shapes and honestly everyone is like a video game character with different perks and attributes. I learned that hard work is honestly probably one of the most over powered skills in the game of life, and best of all, I regained a lot of lost self worth, which allows me to actually empathize with people and engage with society in a more fulfilling manner. I say what I think and feel, even as a people pleaser, I just turn off that filter because why not, I can't really change that part of me. But I've definitely learned when to back off, how people want to be comforted, and what it means to actually care for others. Not that I didn't care before, I just couldn't see it and wouldn't acknowledge it because then in my mind I would have been weak.
If you had to spend an entire weekend by yourself, how would you feel? Would you feel lonely or refreshed?
Ngl, this is most weekends, and I'm totally fine with it. I don't like going out because of the chore it takes to put on clothes and look all presentable and then deal with the humidity of the outside world. HOWEVER, I'm not going to lie, I do really enjoy going out with friends sometimes and it does make my week when I do. I feel most refreshed when I've gotten some social time done, but also some productive things done: like finishing that month overdue paper, and actually learning something for personal benefit.
What kinds of activities do you prefer? Do you like, and are you good at sports? Do you enjoy any other outdoor or indoor activities?
I really like windy weather, or like an air conditioned gym. I'm quite good at sports and attune pretty quickly to most. As I mentioned before, I'm a competitive fencer but I'm pretty good at ping pong, badminton, volleyball. Used to do track and was a 100m sprinter (was pretty spankin good) but then it got boring because there wasn't much of a GAME aspect to the sport. and also bad asthma lol.
How curious are you? Do you have more ideas then you can execute? What are your curiosities about? What are your ideas about - is it environmental or conceptual, and can you please elaborate?
People say I think of crazy ideas, but honestly one of my fears is that I'm not thinking of ENOUGH ideas. Whenever someone else needs an idea, poof, I got one. But for myself? My brain sabotages me.
I strongly like dealing with the conceptual. Conceptual things are just so much cooler and easier to deal with and generally speaking, more revolutionary and groundbreaking.
My ideas can range from dumb comic ideas about a brain being like a dog to strange tangents on how people's lives are interconnected, or how before we're born we can decide our life difficulty level, just weird things to think about to make excuses for any predicament XD
Would you enjoy taking on a leadership position? Do you think you would be good at it? What would your leadership style be?
It's awful honestly, I seem to dream of being in charge, but I'm god awful at it. I cannot for the love of god snake people out of money, or charisma people into believing a product works when it doesn't, or tell someone that they aren't working hard enough (pains me more honestly), it just doesn't work. My leadership only works in a controlled environment where everyone WANTS to get somewhere, but honestly, I think as a brain I'm better as someone on the sidelines thinking up funny things that might work.
Are you artistic? If yes, describe your art? If you are not particular artistic but can appreciate art please likewise describe what forums of art you enjoy. Please explain your answer.
My dad collects paintings, had a large exposure to art as a child. I draw pretty freakishly well for someone that doesn't practice much. I tend to draw on anything in the corner, but big pieces? Nah, not unless I have to make some gift or project. Used to be into animation, still am very into ink art, etching, anything black and white. But I love looking at sculptures and oils, honestly I'm never gonna make a good sculpture, im incapable, but its heckin' awesome when other people can.
What's your opinion about the past, present, and future? How do you deal with them?
I get too nostalgic, but I look back and look forward to get rid of the present so there's that. The future brings me some anxiety, so to ease it I'll write basic things I need to accomplish somewhat soon in my notes app to ease the black hole of the future. But nostalgia, man, it kills me. Worst part is when you can't tell if what you're remembering even happened. You gaslight yourself into a situation you can't even confirm. And then there's the issue of figuring out if you supposed to feel the way you feel when you look back on things, it a whole mess. Lately I've been looking forward mostly and consciously filtering out the things I look back on to achieve more happiness.
How do you act when others request your help to do something (anything)? If you would decide to help them, why would you do so?
love helping people. you need my homework? I gotchu. I don't know, I like acquaintances. I have no qualms about helping somebody out, I know I wish people would help me out when I asked. I hate the whole "you got to be friends first" kind of deal, we're all human aint we?
Do you control others, even if indirectly? How and why do you do that?
Nope. I need control of my life first lol
How good are you at strategizing? Do you easily break up projects into manageable tasks? Or do you have a tendency to wing projects and improvise as you go?
I break things down enough to where I can wing things. I'm a major procrastinator, but I get things done and I make sure they're done well. Very perfectionistic and self critical about anything I make, even if it's just for school.
What are your fears? What makes you uncomfortable? What do you hate? Why?
I've realized lately, my greatest fear is hating life and feeling unhappy. I absolute hate the feeling of not wanting to exist or losing self worth, its worse than any external loss. Of course though, I fear losing my family as well. As to hating things, I don't hate people. It's strange, but I keep on forgiving people far too easily. It's just that in every situation, there are always two sides, and I ALWAYS give them the benefit of the doubt. Because for me to do anything, I have to know I'm 100% right.
What do the "highs" in your life look like?
Feeling content, learning, talking, having control over my life and achieving new things and feeling a brighter future coming.
What do the "lows" in your life look like?
binging YouTube, not going outside, not learning new things, reaching out to people for entertainment and not willing to complete simple school tasks out of fear of confronting the amount of things I've laid off.
How attached are you to reality? Do you daydream often, or do you pay attention to what's around you? If you do daydream, are you aware of your surroundings while you do so?
Daydream wayyyyyy too often. I mean I've daydreamed I was a 9 year old being hired by Elon musk for 2 whole hours in front of my mirror. I know, it's not okay. Dunno how aware I am of the surroundings but I can snap out of it pretty fine. But daydreaming is really fun, problem is, I can't keep doing it because then I know im procrastinating on something and I feel guilty. day dreaming is awesome when you know there's nothing else to do so you might as well think about something cool.
​
Sorry for writing so much, just finished a statistics final project and just needed to distract myself.
Thank you so much for anyone that reads through this whole things, big thanks, and thank u for all the typers!

Bromos, I’m in desperate need of help with my toddlers behavioral problems.
Before I start, you are probably gonna read this and be like “damn this kid needs to see a professional.” ….Duh. Currently in the process of applying for Medicaid + being connected with child psychologist and early interventionists who take Medicaid but this shit is complicated and they all have absolutely insane waiting lists so. My baby will see a specialist but it won’t happen tomorrow. And this problem needed to be addressed like.. yesterday.
Anyways on to the issue. My 3 year old is an absolute nightmare. I know most toddlers tend to be pretty hard to deal with but I am certain this goes past the normal scope. If you have read any of my previous posts you know I just left an extremely abusive relationship. Well any day where both me and my ex were at home consisted of me acting as a buffer between my children and him. He had virtually no patience for them and was very quick to anger. Judging by the injuries he inflicted upon me I knew how violent he could get very quickly and I needed to keep him from ever putting his hands on one of my girls.
What would end up happening is he would very rarely engage with my toddler so he had no idea how to handle her. His fuse was short and I would see him grow impatient at any sort of normal toddlerhood defiance and immediately remove her from the situation. He was extremely irritated at the sound of her crying so usually this resulted in me sticking her in front of a screen and giving into her demands. Whatever she wanted she got. I needed to keep her in a good mood at all times because I knew what might happen if my husband even overheard a meltdown. When he was away, I was so exhausted and beat down physically and emotionally that I couldn’t handle any type of boundary setting and the tantrums that would ensue. Seriously I don’t think this kid has ever heard the word no in her life until quite recently. Long story short, I let her run the house and walk all over me to keep her safe.
But now we are out and day by day I slowly but surely find my way out of survival mode and into real parenting. My daughter is really struggling. She has been having meltdowns every couple hours. She will refuse to do any and everything I ask of her even if it’s something that she wouldn’t have had an issue with before. She is screaming and crying all the time. Every time we get in the car she will scream te entire ride. It’s exhausting and I don’t know how much more of this I can take. Constant negotiations. She won’t sleep at all/ will barely eat and nothing has worked. I try to stand my ground and remain firm on my boundaries but I honestly don’t think she takes me serious at all. She knows that if she puts up enough of a fight she gets what she wants. She’s right, that’s how it’s always been. Why would things be different now?
Arguably the most concerning is her acts of violence (physical and verbal) towards me and others. I worry that her little brain picked up on her dads behavior. He would often yell obscenities and berate me in front of her. Recently when she gets upset of disregulated she will lash out and say very hurtful things to me (ex: fucking bitch, useless slut, annoying bitch, I wish you would die, threatening to hurt/punish me, etc) that she could have only heard from him. She will also throw things, hit, and bite herself and others when she is upset with the goal of injury.
It’s gotten to the point where I do not feel comfortable letting her play with the other toddlers (my friends kids) in the home because she has such a short temper and I am scared she will harm them. I also don’t even want to take her out in public because I am embarrassed of her huge meltdowns and she gets so overstimulated. Not to mention hearing her call me those things and try to physically harm me has been extremely triggering for me.
I am also in the middle of a custody legal pursuit with the girls father and caring for my colicky infant. I am so exhausted and i don’t know how much longer I can go on like this. Getting her professional help is my number 1 top priority, but I need to know what I can do. How do I start?? She’s not going to be permanently like this right?? I didn’t raise a tiny version of my ex, did I..?

Just figured y’all could appreciate this. I found Sufjan after weeks of having a snippet of Chicago stuck in my head after watching Little Miss Sunshine. I somehow found Sufjan and was transported. My parents were divorcing and suddenly I was asked to go on a road trip to rural Georgia for a lake house visit. I convinced my mom to let me buy Illinoise on iTunes because “it’s a good deal to get 20 songs for $10”. I listened to it the whole way there, along beautiful backroads, and now it’s the only thing I think of on long drives, and I’m 13 again. What ways has Sufjan stamped himself on your development?

SUMMARY
The Finch app is an evidence based option for quick but effective self-care. I have no affiliation with the app. Just an enthusiastic user. Core functions are free, it is a nonprofit with the goal of improving mental health through gamefying self care and goal setting.
I think it could be helpful for caregivers as they cope with the stresses and try to juggle many demands. It may also head off depression that hits the majority of caregivers or at least give earlier notice so contact with professional help can come sooner.
The activities are small and easy to work into a busy day and it can be used for getting some dopamine for the daily tasks of caregiving.
More details follow and then a quick overview of the app interface. Im not an expert but can try to explain
REVIEW
Im just a user of the app, no other association but Ive found it really helpful. The app is Finch and it can be used on Android or iPhone. The free version is generous and you can do all the basics without a subscription. The activities are based on science on what improves mood.
It is first self-care but also a goal setting app. You sign in and receive a baby bird as a friend. The bird goes on adventures and encourages you. (I think there is science behind that--we identify more with less detailed faces).
It asks what "journeys" you want to go on and these will be global goals like self-care, tidy house or care for others. After you pick one or 2 then it suggests some simple goals for each journey and you can pick what works for you. For example. I picked Tidy up and it suggested make your bed and also return 1 thing to its place. You can also make your own goals (of course keep them simple, modeled on the "size" of theirs).
You will get a list of your goals. Each time you check off one as successful you get confetti, your bird dances and you earn some diamonds you can "spend" in the store for bird clothes and decor and buy different colors to turn your bird into whatever you want (eg cardinal, oriole, invented bird etc) with more options. The more you check in, the more options. I thought I wouldnt care about that but it is just amusing enough to bring me back. A lot of users say they didnt expect the bird to have that much of an effect.
Self-care activities can take as little as a minute (or less if you do a 1 word reflection on what is going on). They include: tracking your mood (see next paragraph), breathing, movement soundscapes, reflections, etc...you can choose what works for you.
Each time you enter it asks you to rate your mood and at the end of each week it reports back on how you were doing and what was associated with better feelings. Speaking of data they also have a number of quality self measures you can take as much as you want, such as on anxiety or depression.
I thought the app was good for caregivers as you can have journeys for yourself and a journey for your care recipient and you get confetti and a happy bird for all the small steps that otherwise get overlooked.
They encourage reflection but dont require it. They dont require anything. Nothing happens if you do nothing. The bird doesn't die, you dont get fined or guilted.
They also have what they call a seasonal event (monthly)-you get diamonds or something for your bird each day you check in and click on the treasure chest. The season is in the upper right.
GUIDE to the APP
Journeys are selected or created (also) in the upper right. And 3 dots mean edit whatever you are looking at. Goals have a good number of options like repeat or time of day.
You do want to routinely save a backup copy because they dont keep the information (privacy)-set a goal to do that weekly. See Settings.
Lower right is your list of your goals. The big Plus in the bottom middle gets you to goal options and activities.
Across the middle of the main screen is backpack (everything your bird owns).
Pawprints-your bird gets a pet and you collect them across journeys.
Tree- You can have friends of 2 types. 1 is just names you add of your support network. The other type are other Finch members.
However! the birds only exchange scripted positive messages and you dont get any other information about them. At most you see the outfit their bird is wearing. This makes it safe for young people (and you). If you go to Finch social media you will see many offerings of people who want to add friends. If you add a person new to Finch that is worth more but connecting to others is encouraged. I think that could help with the isolation that can accompany caregiving.
*If you want to try adding someone My name in Finch is Beth and my bird is Boudicca. Here is my friend code 8DJF7D8ZZX. Write the code down then you can type it into the designated spot with the tree insignia.
Mailbox is where weekly reports come.
The shopping cart is the store where you can see how many diamonds you have and purchase items for your bird to wear or for the birds house or body colors. You can also sell items back to the store (that may be a reward for sticking around long enough to grow your bird from a baby to a toddler or child). Click on all the options to see what they do.
You can switch back and forth between "Finchie Forrest" where the bird has adventurea with friends and your bird's house that you can decorate. A button/lever in that middle section does the switching.
That is a quick overview. Ask as you have questions and if I dont know soneone at finch will.
Thanks for reading this far. Hope some of you find this helpful. But if you dont, that is fine too. It is all good.

I've time-traveled to Halloween to enjoy the joy of spooky day in advance 🎃 all are welcome to join!!
Things to do:

• Reactions!! If u don't already have the two spooky day reactions (scare & haunt) you can talk to any villager or jack and at some point they will teach u 1 new reaction at a time.
  
• Trick or treating!! Visit my villager's houses (all redecorated :3) and each villager will give you a piece of candy. You give the candy to jack & villagers who are out & about (usually around the plaza) to get the spooky DIYs, pumpkins, and other spooky stuff. HOWEVER you must be in costume. To the villagers this looks like any of the mage clothing or the skeleton outfit, the impish horns, animal costumes, that kind of stuff. If you don't have costume items you can buy them from able's. If you have no bells I would b happy to give u some. I just want everyone to get to play :•)
  
• Explore Nosferatu!! My island is fully decorated & one of a kind. A dichotomy of pretty rainbows (happy pride 🌈👹✨) and burning corpses fill every corner 😹 i also have a ton of Tim Burton references, for instance, every room in kawaii's house is a reference to a Tim Burton film!
  
• Hang out with ppl who love the spooky!! My island is built for groups of ppl to play. So bring ur friends (plz do not give out the dodo w/o my permission tho) or make some new ones!! We are a playful & friendly crew always looking to meet new ACNH players ^{_^} u can follow us around the island & play with us if u want :3
  
• PLZ TAKE THE BELLS!!! In the weirdest flex/troll move I've ever seen, someone filled my island w bells 😹 I don't need them plz take them.
  

DM me for the dodo code!!

8 year old Russian blue named Henry. He goes outside regularly and doesn’t usually fight with the other cats. But he has a couple of times. Several weeks ago, he got a “cyst” on his neck. (My mom grew up with outdoor cats and said they would get them all the time from fighting, so she wasn’t worried) it popped a couple of days later and healed and he was fine. But he has another now, on the side of his head by his jaw. She said he’s acting weird, he’s not eating as much, he's not affectionate, hes started sleeping in the garage instead of at my moms feet in bed. He’s acting skittish, eyes dilated, and jumpy. And the cyst still hasn’t popped, and it’s been there for about a week. She’s worried but can’t afford a visit unless it’s absolutely necessary for him to live. Any thoughts, advice or opinions? Thanks for reading!

Audible is having a massive sale on almost all their audiobooks this month so it seems like the perfect time to recommend your favorite audiobooks so others may pick them up. Please share and share alike in hopes of spreading the love. As an audiobook author myself, I want to make sure as many lesser loved works get the attention they deserve as the big names.
Superhero Fiction

• Velveteen Versus by Seanan Maguire: About a former child hero on the run from the evil version of Disney.
• Super Powered by Drew Hayes: The perfect college experience for those training to be heroes but terrified of washing out.
• Wearing the Cape by Marion G. Harmon: A Supergirl EXPY struggles to get her groove once she acquires her powers.
• Dreadnought by April Daniels: Perfect for Pride month as well as the sale. A young trans youth gets the chance to have the body she always wanted. Too bad not everyone is willing to accept the world's most powerful hero is trans.
• Andrea Vernon and the Superhero Industrial Complex by Alexander C. Kane: Andrea Vernon takes a secretary job at New York's largest superhero company.

Cyberpunk/Dystopian SciFi

• Bubbles in Paradise by SC Jensen: The worst cyberpunk detective of all time escapes from her enemies by taking on a space cruise. It gets worse.
• Behind Blue Eyes by Anna Mocikat: A assassin cyborg temporarily gets her free will back and must struggle with learning to be human again.
• The Immorality Clause by Brian Parker: A detective in New Orleans in 2060s investigates the many vice related crimes of cyborgs and androids. But never sleep with a robot.
• Technomancer: To Beat the Devil by MK Gibson: A post apocalypse snarky wiseass like Harry Dresden lives in a world where the Biblical Revelation happened--and God didn't show up. Now the world is a science fiction hellhole ruled by demons. Our hero? He's just a courier.
• Prime Suspects: A Clone Detective Mystery by Jim Bernheimer: A man is cloned to solve his own murder on a far away space colony. He's also the most likely suspect.
• Mercury's Son by Luke Hindmarsh: A post apocalypse thriller where the world's last cyborg works for a Luddite cult that employs him as a legbreaker.

Urban Fantasy/Fantasy

• Bill the Vampire by Rick Guallatiri: The hilariously irreverent stories of a nerdy vampire created as cannon fodder who turns out to have a very useful ability: he can't be mind controlled.
• Get Bent by Rick Gualtieri: Bentley is a daughter of a werewolf and a witch. Which is a forbidden romance that only her small town cares about--until it comes out she's not adopted.
• Fred the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes: I absolutely love these books as cozy urban fantasy. Nuff said.
• Steel, Fire, and Blood by Allan Batchelder: A retired mercenary is brought out of his funk to deal with a genocidal warlord. So he gets the band back together.

Share the books you'd love more people to read.