I know there’s the OBS iPhone app, but it is plastered with a watermark. I’m just wondering if there’s a way to use my iPhones camera in place of my webcam with no watermark or lag on obs. Any help appreciated, Thanks!

[M]/Doing retro just in case, coz it took me much longer to lay this out lol/[M]

Canadian Federal Elections 101

Canada has inherited its political system from the United Kingdom, sticking to Westminster parliamentary system ever since. This means, that unlike in the United States, the outcome of Canadian elections are won by whichever party manages to elect the greatest number on Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of Canada, allowing the leader of this party to assume the office of Prime Minister.

The Senate of Canada provides for a stark contrast, since despite being originally designed to ensure provincial representation, the upper house remains unelected and is largely subjected to the politics in the House of Commons.

When no party is able to secure more than 50 per cent of seats in the House, a leader of a political party that is able to command more than 50 per cent of MPs, for example through singing supply and confidence or coalition agreements with other parties, becomes Prime Minister instead. Historically, however, the largest party in the House of Commons tends to form a monitory government, when it commands a plurality of MPs, rather than an outright majority. This allows the largest party to remain in power, but it has to rely on MPs from other political factions to pass crucial pieces of legislation, especially when it comes to votes that indicate parliamentary confidence, such as federal budgets. Losing those votes, would effectively mean that the current government has to either be completely re-staffed with new Cabinet Ministers, or call a snap election.
However, minority governments remained fairly uncommon in Canada, since the current voting system, called First-Past-the-Post (FPTP), allows for individual MPs to win their respective ridings - also known as constituencies - to be elected into the House of Commons with a simple plurality of votes. Thus, a political party can win most seats in the House of Commons through strategically placing their bets on ridings with very tight margins, where just one extra vote may allow their nominee to win a permanently seat, effectively making all votes for the opposition candidate in that riding meaningless.

General Backgrounder

For example, the Liberal Party of Canada has won the last two federal elections with a plurality of seats in the House of Commons, despite coming only 2nd to the Conservative Party of Canada during popular vote. The Liberals, despite becoming the largest party in the House still fell short of winning the majority of seats, being forced to rely on the New Democratic Party, that represented are more progressive social democratic part of the electorate, for crucial votes. Later, the Government has called a snap election aiming to get their desired majority, but failed, and had to sign a formal Supply and Confidence Agreement with the NDP, that included a massive package of social programmes, such as the recently implemented national dental care and prescription drug insurance.
However, while enjoying a steady lead in polls vis-a-vis, the federal Conservatives during the pandemic, the Liberals had experienced persistent slump as post-pandemic recovered coupled with sticky inflation and rapidly deteriorating housing crisis. As the Federal Conservatives have moved to the right following the election of a new leader, they have utilised concurrent economic challenges and liberal economic policy, blaming the current government's pandemic related emergency spending coupled with expansion of social programs as the root cause for inflation into collapsing housing affordability. As Canada had to respond to America's Inflation Reduction Act with a new public investment into green transition, conservative criticism of the Trudeau government has become ever more vocal, with fiscal deficits presumably exacerbating, concurrent inflationary pressures.
Liberal policies, especially introducing the federal backstop mechanism for carbon pricing, has also spurred, vicious opposition, among Conservatives, especially those living in the Western Canada, that culminated in the razor-thin re-election of the United Conservatives in the oil-producing province of Alberta. The federal response to the freedom, convoy protest, as well as the general push, forever wider collective community during the pandemic, has created some fertile soil for the opposition, Conservatives to capitalise on, especially as the more moderate leader of the party had been ousted shortly after the convoy protest.
After more than eight years in government, the liberal party has also been embroiled in several corruption and ethics candles, including the SNC-Lavallin affair, the pandemic-era ArriveCan App scandal, and, most recently, the accusations of Chinese electoral interference, and Chinese police stations operating in Canada.
In fact, the situation for the current government has become so dire. It's a point, but more than 80% of forecasters projected a Conservative minority government has the most probable outcome for the next election. According to some polls, the Liberals would be unable to form a government, even with the support of the New Democratic Party. The liberal convention in late spring 2023, didn't provide much of a relief either, how's the party continued to lack a comprehensive platform to combat the issue of housing and affordability - something that steadily climbed the rate of priorities for many Canadians, to become the most pressing issue, when deciding who to vote for. If anything, the Conservative party has become the most popular political force, among younger Canadians, with their laser, sharp focus on the issue of inflation and housing affordability.
The issue of housing affordability has become central to the Conservative Convention, where the Party has committed to "restoring" home ownership across the country, through planning laws deregulation and "removing resections on the supply of housing". This would see the federal government to tie federal spending on housing to municipalities shortening approval times, waive HST/GST for housing, as well as allow landlords to re-invest their profits into new housing tax-free. The Conservative convention also proposed federal infrastructure funding to be linked to higher-density housing construction.
What did, however, play in favour of the current government, what is the time. Within Canadian Parliamentary system, the Prime Minister can call an election effectively anytime, so long their term doesn't exceed the four year threshold, that was approaching at Fall 2025, supported by the Supply and Confidence Agreement with New Democrats. As inflation in North America has started slowly subsiding to return to the 2% target in early fall 2024, Trudeau has managed to re-gain some the economic credibility his government has seemingly lost. The Liberals have also continued their tilt to make some inroads into the NDP camp, with the Federal Budget 2024 going heavily on Net Zero and Green Transition.
However, the Liberals also had to deal with a political deadline, whether to call and election before or after the Budget 2025 would've been published. The former might allow the LPC to avoid the criticism of "buying up votes" that the party received after calling the snap election shortly after introducing their Federal Budget in 2021. However, Trudeau also had a stake at deferring the election for long as possible, hoping that waiving inflationary pressure might open up more space for the Liberals to re-gain the economic ground over the Conservatives.

Federal Election 2025

After long deliberation, the federal Cabinet has opened to hold an election in late March 2025, right at the time when a government would have normally tabled their budget. The election that both the Liberals and the Conservatives have approached after almost a year or neck-and-neck perforce in the polls, with Trudeau having a minuscule advantage in personal ratings.
The economy, especially housing affordability, have become two main issues during this election, closely followed by healthcare - namely access to family physicians and waiting times for selected procedures - and the issue of inflation still lingering at the back of the public debate.
Trudeau himself because a matter for the debate, with the Liberals banking on his personal likability, while Federal Conservatives continuously pressed with corruption and ethical scandals and corruption allegations, combined with the Liberal campaign continuously bringing up the "electability issue" of their opponents.

Housing

With the Tories enjoying slight lead on the matter of economic competence, the Liberals opted to treat the housing crisis as a matter of social policy, while banking heavily on personal popularity of Trudeau himself. From the policy-standpoint, LPC Election Platform has effectively copied the proposal originally voiced during the Conservative Convention. Namely, waiving GST/HST for housing construction, allowing landlords to re-invest their profits into constructing more units tax-free, as well as linking federal spending to new housing development and liberalising permitting process. The difference with the Conservatives was the focusing on new federal spending to combat housing affordability.
Liberal election promises involved the commitment for new federal housing construction to exceed population growth by the end of the first term, through the government directly contracting private developers to build more affordable housing, and task the Canada Infrastructure Development Corporation to provide funding to non-market housing in numbers meeting or exceeding population growth in larger metropolitan areas on Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and across Atlantic Canada.
Unlike the Tories, Trudeau also went further, promising the government would cover development charges for projects that included affordable housing. The Liberals have also committed to conducting of affordable rental housing, aimed at younger Canadians and those who are yet to start cloning the property ladder. Conservatives on the other hand emphasised Trudeau's poor track on housing affordability, combined focusing on making home ownership more affable through market-driven construction of new units for sale.
Both Team Blue and Team Red have committed to expediting the arrival of new skilled trades professionals, especially those working in the housing sector, including interest-free loans to have their qualifications recognised or to up-skill their existing credentials. Liberals however, took a step further, promising automatic Permanent Residency who has worked in residential construction after 1 year, as well issuing Open Work Permits - exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment - to anyone with construction work experience willing to come to Canada, so long they continue working in the construction sector for the majority of their time before obtaining permanent residency. The Tories on their part suggested granting PR automatically after they've worked in construction for at least 5 years.
On the matter of banning foreign buyers, both parties have committed to banning home purchases in Canada for those who do not hold Canadian citizenship or are not Permanent Residents of Canada, with Liberals maintaining existing exemptions, so long the person buying has invested an equivalent amount in affordable housing construction.
Rhetorically, the Liberals have echoed the National Housing Act 1938, suggesting their government would run fiscal deficits to finance nation-wide home construction, especially affordable rental units. CPC has openly accused Trudeau of "policy stealing" choosing to emphasis permitting deregulation, subsidies for new units, and investing more construction professionals.

Healthcare & Social Care

Federal Conservatives have focused their attack in increasing waiting times, as well as increasing shortage of medical professionals across the country. Liberals, however, aimed to conservative proposals to introduce more private providers into the system, while emphasising their expansion of public health insurance that now covers both dental care and prescription drugs. Both parties suggested increasing the immigration intake for doctors, nurses, medical researches, providing financial support to have their credentials recognised in Canada as well as to update their skills.
The Liberals have however suggested lowering tuition rates international students who come to study health, social care, and eduction, granted them access to domestic rates of tuition, as well as a designated pathway to Permanent Residency for health, eduction, and social care who have obtained at least 1560 hours of Canadian work experience, and received at least part of their eduction in Canada. This would come as a supplementary measure, with domestic students becoming eligible for federal student loan write off if they have accumulated at least 1 year of post-graduation work experience in health, social care, or education - so long their degree is in the same field.
The Liberals have also committed to covering a Royal Commission to introduce a national social care insurance programme for seniors and people with disabilities.

The Economy

The Conservatives suggest introducing "full expensing" allowing companies to deduct up 120 per cent of their expenses on machinery, equipment, and non-residential property, akin to UK's Super Deduction, to combat Canada's low investment levels. They also propose to introduce tax credits for Canadian companies to up-skill their workers, as well as increased federal funding to provinces to support job training and second career programmes and labour market integration.
The Liberals suggest increasing the minimum wage in federally-regulated institutions, linking as a proportion of executive pay. LPC also pledged to introduce at least 4 weeks of paid vacation after 1 year on employment, with additional increases in line with employee tenure, as outlined in their Convention 2023, while brining paid leave of up to 6 weeks a year, allowing recipients to tradition onto disability payments after that.
Both parties have committed to supporting Employee Ownership Trusts, as well as introduction of worker representation on corporate boards in federally-regulated industries. Team Red however to it a step further, suggesting they will employee ownership mandatory for large corporations , with the only exemption provided for profit-sharing schemes.
Both parties have also supported reforming Canada's Employment Insurance Program:
The Conservatives suggest introducing Individual EI Savings Accounts that any Canadian can access whenever they are let go of their job or decide to quit. The proposed accounts would be funded through mandatory employer and employee contributions and could also be used to pay for labour training and re-skilling, with means-tested federal assistance available for those who's exhausted their accounts. Tories also suggest expanding current marginal earnings projection to apply to both individual and household income. The party also suggests waiving EI Premiums and provide rebates for C/QPP Contribution rebates to those not paying federal income tax, to guarantee every Canadian can earn at least $1000 a month free of payroll deductions.
Trudeau on the other hand suggested making EI coverage universal, and providing up to 90 per cent wage replacement in the first month of claim, while also introducing EI Benefit Floor, where every Canadian would be entitled to a minimum benefit equal to federal minimum wage regardless of their original earnings, for as long as they have enough insurable hours. The Liberal plan also introduces expands "working while on claim" provision, allowing people collecting EI benefits to have their wages supplemented through the program so their total paycheque reaches at least 90 per cent of their average 5-year earnings at all times, regardless whether the claimant is eligible for EI Regular Benefits. EI Parental Benefits are set to be fixed at at least 60 per cent of the family's income, subject o the benefit floor. Liberals suggest paying for the programme through waiving maximum insurable earnings to levy EI Premiums on all income of an individual, while introducing cap on benefits linked to median regional wages. However, the basic exemption shall be aligned to the federal income tax minimum threshold. Surpluses generated should be used to pay for expanded WWoC provisions and putting EI Operating Account back into surplus.
Both parties also committed to brining in a Canada Savers' Credit that mirrors both the amounts and eligibly criteria of the GST/HST tax credit, but is instead deposited in people's Tax Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs) and automatically invested into corporate equity. Tories and Liberals also support introducing automatic enrolment for Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs), Registered Eduction Savings Plans (RESPs), Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSP), First Homebuyer Savings Accounts (FHSAs) and TFSAs upon either birth of obtaining Canadian tax residency for eligible non-Canadians. While the Conservative proposal would new accounts automatically linked to existing financial institutions the individual already has an account in, the Liberals instant new accounts should be automatically assigned to a new independent crown corporation, so long the primary account holder haven't decided to the move their registered accounts to an eligible financial institution.
Both parties pitch the policy as a potential interim solution to address Canada's sky-high household debt, through increased asset ownership and participation in stock markets.
When it comes to fiscal policy, the Liberal Government suggests they'll keep their "structural deficit" - as defined by tax revenues versus programme expedites - bellow the rate of economic growth over the 10 year period. LPC however is open they'll not restrain their spending on new housing construction, Ottawa set to absorb almost all the costs of housing under the liberal plan. The Conservatives on the other hand suggest introducing the $1 for $1 rule for federal expenditure, where every dollar of new spending has to be offset by a dollar in spending cuts or increased taxes, suggesting to balance the budget in their first 5 years in the office.
Somewhat comically, the Liberals seem to be attacking Conservative proposals on the grounds it may bring back the pain on the nighties - referring to the Chretien austerity era - especially in Atlantic Canada and the Regions of Quebec where benefit dependency ratios have traditionally been elevated.
The Liberals have also committed to expand existing childcare agreements, to make childcare services and spare available to anyone, and drastically reduce wait times for subsidised spots.

Energy & Environment

The issue has surprisingly played a somewhat muted role during this election, as CPC has contained to opposed federal price on carbon, pressuring the idea of turning Canada into a "natural resource superpower". Liberals on the other hand boasted about their massive investment into Net Zero Transition, while also attacking the Tories one potential fiscal penalties that the government would assume after cancelling the carbon tax. Team Red had also opened to cling to previous commitments of the Conserve Leader to ban overseas oil, which Ontario, and Quebec, as well as Atlantic Canada remain fairly dependent on, due to lack of oil transportation infrastructure from western oil production facilities. Considering the fact Quebec has remained one of Liberal strongholds even at the lowest, as well as the party's perceived electability in the province, CPC would've had even harder to fight for the votes in Quebec.

Tipping the Scales

However, what truly decided this election, was something that may in the future divide the country even more, namely the issue of the French language. Something that has been present in Canadian politics for generations, but something that this time brought a party over the finish line, while completely tanking their opponents.
While both leaders fluent in French, having French Canadian roots, combined with an almost unchallenged dominance of the local Bloc Québécois, it seemed quite unlikely either party would be able to gain any meaningful advantage in Quebec, until both parties have revealed their election manifestos.
Here was the moment the Liberals played their cards best. Namely, the party has committed to supplying French language both within and outside Quebec, through drastically bolstering access to Francophone eduction across the country. The Liberals has committed to introducing a brand-new federal agency tasked with facilitating access to French eduction and integration services - Francisation Canada.
The agency was set to provide free-at-use eduction in French, while also providing up to $1000 a month in finical assistance to immigrants who were willing to learn French. On top of that, the Liberals have committed to make existing Explore and Odyssey Programme universal, integrating them into school curriculums across the country. The Party has also committed to negotiating bilateral agreements with all provinces to provide additional funding and guarantee access to services, including eduction in French across Canada, while making French a mandatory subject for Early Learning & Childcare, as well as in secondary education. LPC would also waive tuition fees for post-secondary eduction in French, and negotiate agreements with other francophone countries, to facilitate French-speaking immigration into Canada and Quebec.

Conclusion

Thus, on the night of the election, the sudden realisation waived through the country. The Liberal Party managed to protect their urban ridings, even in West, as their pledge to "spend whether it takes to make houses and rents affordable for everyone" managed to persuade swing urban voters across the country, combined with their massive investment in green transition. The Tories has also lost their lead in Atlantic Canada, where an idea of a massive EI expansion has resonated with voters much more than the concept of individual accounts. Massive subsidies in battery production have also helped the Liberals to protect their seats across Ontario, especially in former industrial towns. However, what actually brought Trudeau over the finish line, was Quebec. The Combination of absolutely massive investments into green tech, coupled with new social programs, and proposed childcare expansion, on top of the Liberal pledge to "protect and promote the French language from Coast to Coast to Coast" allowed the party to make some significant inroads across the province, despite loosing some suburban ridings, Central Canada gave Trudeau yet another chance to form yet another minority Liberal government.
​

Party Name	Popular Vote	Seats in the House of Commons of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada (LPC)	33.8%	158
Conservative Party of Canada (CPC)	35.8%	140
New Democratic Party (NDP)	19%	20
Bloc Québécois (BQ)	6.2%	21
People's Party of Canada	1,5%	0

​

Acknowledgements

• https://energynow.ca/2022/04/energy-east-will-not-live-again-heres-why-jean-francois-thibault/
• https://2023.liberal.ca/policy/
• https://macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/erin-otoole-socialist-crusade
• https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/grenier-election-results-1.5330105
• https://tnc.news/2022/03/25/pierre-poilievre-proposes-ban-on-foreign-oil-within-five-years/
• https://nationalpost.com/news/why-does-pierre-poilievre-appeal-to-young-canadians-its-all-about-economics-2
• https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-conservatives-more-trusted-than-liberals-to-manage-federal-finances/
• https://centre.irpp.org/research-studies/amending-the-official-languages-act-a-new-vision-of-bilingualism/
• https://energynow.ca/2022/04/energy-east-will-not-live-again-heres-why-jean-francois-thibault/
• https://tnc.news/2022/06/22/poilievre-pay-as-you-go/
• https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/where-the-six-conservative-leadership-candidates-stand-on-key-policy-issues-1.5888530
• https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/elections/federal/2021/party-platforms/
• https://338canada.com/sim.htm

I purchased a vehicle in February this year when my Fico 8 score was 542. Needless to say I got a very high interest rate of 28.99% on a 36 month note plus they tacked on an additional $2k fee on top of the vehicle price of $6,900 and made me purchase their gap insurance for $700. So I really got raked over the coals but I didn't have any other options. I put $1,500 down and currently owe $9,500. The upside is the vehicle was purchased from a dealership just wanting to get rid of the vehicle because they generally didn't sell those types of vehicles but it is in pristine condition and so they sold it way under book and it's current estimated value is about $11K so I'm not really out a lot of money, but will be if I just make regular payments for the whole term.
Most of my credit score was lack of credit and a few medical bills in collections and 2 accounts that were in collections but those medical collections were under $500 and have now been removed from my credit history and I contested both of the other collections and one got removed.
Since February my credit score has increased now to 640 because of a small loan I took out and using a chime credit builder card plus the auto loan and making all the payments on time. I just got a small secured credit card that should be arriving in a week or two so I can have some real revolving credit and something to report credit utilization which is still absent from my report so I'm hoping my score will still make some decent gains in the next few months until it begins to level off.
I'm in a position that I could be making double or more payments to my vehicle loan starting this month if I wish to, but there's some legal things I want to get taken care of which will require a lawyer which is $1,750 and also have that single $175 collections account I want to wipe off my credit soon too, but I keep getting these emails and advertisements that I could probably qualify for a refinance loan on my automobile.
I have 7 hard credit pulls from the dealership trying their hardest to use a different auto loan provider because they knew the interest rate with them is insane and the fees they charge, but all of those places rejected me for an auto loan and show on my credit as a hard pulls. Is it a good idea to start looking at refinancing options right now? Am I likely to get a much better deal than I already have? Is there usually a fee or something for a refinance that I should be aware of and consider? Will making several more hard pulls to my credit be detrimental? Should I wait for a few months to see if my credit will get even higher and have a little more credit history and then try? Should I be making extra payments to my loan now if I should wait to refinance?
I know that's a lot of questions, but I've only refinanced one vehicle a long long time ago and it was through the bank I had the original loan through when I told them I was considering refinancing my vehicle with another company and they said they would beat that rate by 2% if I stayed with them which they did end up doing. This current auto loan is through a predatory loan company that's located in another state from where I am so I'm not guessing they would have the same consideration if I went to them and they've already made 2k in extra from tacking it on my loan.
Thanks for any advice that you give in advance.

So this has never happened but I ordered from a place and somehow it was set for pickup? Which I've literally never used pickup before so I have no idea how that happened. Anyways.. I don't drive and the place is far away and I called them and they told me I couldn't get a refund but I could come in there and get the food remade any time I wanted. Obviously I never made it in but it never occurred to me to call DoorDash customer service because I've never had to before. Can I still get a refund for it?

I got a level 70 evoker and I can't fly with my normal mounts outside of dragonlands place. Can't fly in bfa or legion or anything.

Fortunately, I'm expecting an offer to join Snap as a SWE new grad. At the beginning, they had told me I could choose between 4 offices - LA (I assume this is the Santa Monica HQ?), Palo Alto, Seattle and New York.
What are each of these like, in case you (the reader :)) work there? What kind of projects go on? Are there any pros/cons career-wise?
My initial instinct was to choose Palo Alto, if nothing else than to be in the heart of Silicon Valley. But I haven't been able to find any reviews or info about it except that it's a small building. Is it not that bustling? Is the work slow?
Seattle would be my last choice simply because of the weather. I need the sun.
Between LA and NY, I'm more inclined towards LA since it's the HQ. Is it safe to assume it would be the best place for growth?
Thank you in advance!

I quit my job recently working as an usher at a mid-sized theater chain, basically a glorified janitor that tells people where to go and holds the door for them. I got promoted to supervisor right at the moment when corporate decided that stuffing a bunch of theaters together, and lowering the amount of labor we're allowed to use was a good idea(rumor was they were trying to get out of debt from buying a bunch of smaller theaters). For the first two weekends in my new position, rushing to get these auditoriums of 100+ people cleaned minutes between each with a team that was way too small, I came home feeling like I was hit by train. Once summer came around, and the schedule still wasn't changed to accommodate I walked out from the frustration, I didn't want to kill myself over some company making mistakes.
I felt guilty since I genuinely did care for a lot of people there, and I hope they decide to seek a place that treats them better. I thought the job early on was bearable enough, even though the pay was bad, especially with previous bad experiences with jobs, but now this was ruined too.

First off this is gonna be a little long, it’s kind of my way venting…
I’m 19(M) and I’ve reached the breaking point of pretending to be fine being alone
Ever since middle school I rarely talked to friends outside of school. I would maybe sometimes play some basketball with people but they weren’t necessarily looking to hang out with me. Same thing happened in high school. And y’all know that adult saying “your not gonna be talking to all those friends after high school, but you’ll have a couple real friends”. Well I ain’t have any.
But for a good amount of time I was having that mindset of “I don’t need anybody else, I’m chillin alone, working out, and getting money”. I was starting to gain muscle, was dressing up better, and my confidence was at an all time high. I legit ain’t give af in a good way, I was truly at peace.
Well I have no real friends, the one person I do talk to(We’ve known each other since we were little because of our moms) always makes excuses when I try to hang out. And just yesterday he said he was going to the lake and I was like “that’s great, maybe I’ll try to go” and he said he would lmk which lake. So today I called and I said “yo Watcha doin” and he said he was going to the lake and I asked which one and he said “idk” so at point I was a really bummed out, and tbh a little pissed off. I really wanted to hang out with him because he’s moving to the other side of the country so I was trying to have that last hoorah.
I got pissed off to the point that I’m thinking about cutting him off because he’s never really invited me anywhere, I’ve even once told him that if he’s ever hanging out with his other friends that it would be awesome if he invited me, because than I could make more friends. But everytime I ask if he wants to hang out he says “ahh nah sorry man, imma be hanging out with some other people”. So I’m just thinking in my head “well damn I can’t hang out with y’all”
Ok now is the thing that really f*cked me up
Just a month ago I met a girl online and we started hanging out on a couple of dates. And it was my first time going on a date so I was really nervous. The first two dates went well, we even cuddled on the 2nd one at the movies. She was even sending me snaps without me having to initiate the convo. So I felt good.
But than we had the 3rd date and I asked if she wanted to watch the sunset, and tbh I fucked up with that decision because I suck at talking a lot, and that requires a lot of talking. And I didn’t make a move because I didn’t want it to feel forced. So the next day I asked if he wanted to hang out and she said she’s busy the rest of the week and she would let me know at the end of the week. Now I wasn’t mad at her for saying she’s busy, but it was just because of how the 3rd date ended. So those next couple days I just couldn’t sleep because the whole time I was thinking “what did I do wrong? Did I seem like a creep? I shoulda just made a move”. The days went so slow. I stopped going to the gym, I lost 10 lbs because I wasn’t eating. I wasn’t eating, and I couldn’t think straight when I was at work.
So than came Sunday and she texted me saying she was able to hang out, so I was thinking “SWEET”. So I set up the date and we were gonna go Tuesday. So the whole time before I was still a little nervous but I promised myself that I was gonna make a move. Than came the next day and she sent me a snap, now don’t think I’m weird for saying this… but she sent me a pic of her wearing a swimsuit. So I was thinking “holy sh*t she’s definitely interested”.
So the next I picked her up and we just went for a quick bite at some ice cream place. But man the date was a little awkward. I ruined it because the whole time I was thinking about making a move so there would be moments of silence. We were maybe at the ice cream place for like 15 min. Than we left and I finally decided to make a move in the car and we held hands. Than that feeling of peace finally came back and the the pain in my chest went away. We were even singing “Don’t go breaking my heart” my Elton John together 😅. Than we got to her house and I gave her a hug and a kiss on the forehead. Than I left and she sent me a “:)” text and man was I hyped up. I was yelling in the car like Ric Flair yelling “WOOOOO”. So I’m just thinking that I’m about to have the most fun summer ever.
Than the next day came and I asked if she wanted to hang out on the weekend, she didn’t respond right away. But than during the night time I was just having a normal convo with my dad and than I got a notification saying “____ is typing” so I was thinking “YAY she’s texting” but than 20 seconds went by and I was like “oh no she’s still typing🫤”. And she said that it wasn’t gonna work out and that she’s not ready for something serious and that deserve somebody that puts the same amount of effort, and that I’m super sweet and that I did nothing wrong. She also said that she was gonna be busy with family and friends. And I quickly agreed with her, because I didn’t want to beg for her to hang out. But it was still tough. And after that text I just left home and started balling my eyes out. I cried like an infant, and I don’t think I’ve ever cried like that before.
Ever since that day I’ve been feeling so alone. And it sucks because I experienced for the first time that somebody was actually interested in hanging with me. And holding her hand made me the happiest guy on earth, but just a day later and I was the saddest guy on earth.
I just wish I could rewind so than we could just become friends. Because tbh, I’m not looking for just a girlfriend, I rather just find a really good friend. And I feel like that was the best opportunity to make one without having to force it. And I sometimes wish that I never met her because I woulda been vibin if we didn’t meet.
So yea that’s pretty much it… I wish I could find that peace of being alone. But it doesn’t feel peaceful anymore, it straight up feels lonely.

I'm an electronics geek. I would hoard old technology for what I felt would be future use. It would be everything from connectors, wires, adapters, various tools, RF modulators, etc.
As I left a rather cluttered home for a more satisfying, clean living area I was able to focus more on my bipoladepression/ anxiety and get myself on the right meds.
The process you may ask?
When us hoarders are moving from one place to another, we pack our crap into bins and do our best. Well the best piece of advice I can give you, is moving to a smaller space for only what you really need. Don't focus on oodles and oodles of space or that creates opportunity for more hoarding.
I was forced into a low income rental. Beautiful two-story townhouse style apartment. Can't complain, but it's what I needed to break the cycle.
Chances are, you can give away or throw away most of any junk or possessions you took with you if you plan on not using them within 6 months. I'm still a work in progress. I have a cluttered mind, therefore it's hard to focus on organizing and getting rid of things I know I'll never need or use. There are breakthroughs you can accomplish, but it takes a matter of getting therapy, the right meds, eating well and finding ways to hyperfocus on all the possessions you wish to give away or throw away. Best to find a local group online where they support giveaways in the local area. Sometimes one person's junk is another person's treasure. It all takes time. I've been at my rental for 6 going on 7 years and it's still not done yet, but everytime I empty a bin from moving day and organize my things, I giveaway the bin so that I'm not tempted to just store stuff. It takes time and patience.

I’m competing in Data Analysis and want to get an idea of how much I need to up my game to make it to top 10. It’s my first time doing Nationals and I don’t have any seniors to ask these questions to so….here I am lol. I got a 198/200 for state and place second. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

So I went on a first date with a guy from Tinder and he seemed a bit off. He’s super cute, like 10/10 but socially awkward. I get in the car, and we’re trying to figure out where to go or what to do. I suggest a bunch of things but he turns them all down, and we sit in the car for 20 minutes while he looks at the maps trying to figure out where to go, and we’re kinda making small talk too but I’m wondering why we’ve been sitting there for so long, and that point I’m just like “we can go anywhere, just pick a place!” So we finally go, and he decides to just drive around and talk to me. Then we go back to his place, since this is a casual hookup kinda thing, and the sex is great until he stops in the middle of it to tell me that he didn’t take me out anywhere and was stalling in the car because my outfit was “too eccentric” and had too much of the color pink and strawberries all over it and he dresses very plainly so I guess he didn’t wanna be seen with me, which is basically what he said.. which made me feel very bad, and then he apologized profusely and said it was nothing personal, he just wished I dressed more basic or plainly because he didn’t want all of that attention to drawn to him because he has social anxiety. I’m very confused by this interaction and not sure whether to be offended or not? Like at first I was very offended but then I thought what if he’s autistic or something. Then does that make it okay? Am I overreacting by being offended? Or am I losing all self-respect if I dress down for him the next time so he actually takes me out? This is a weird situation to be in. I felt super cute before I went out and him saying that absolutely crushed me, but now I’m wondering if my eccentric, bold and bright colored fashion is a big turn off for most guys. So my main questions are should I be offended? And do I need to tone down my fashion choices because it’s a turn off for men?

Hi all,
Here to report back after my stay at the Langham in Pasadena. Some of you may remember my post. This is not a review of the property, and solely of my experience with the benefits and perks from the collection since there isn’t much posted on this.
Overall, it was an excellent experience. I checked in at 1pm, got upgraded, and the property credit and breakfast credit were very easy to use.
I booked a standard king room, and got upgraded to a corner room.
$100 experience credit offset some charges I made to the room, and the breakfast credit was effectively the same thing, but $86 for 2 people. Breakfast was easily $100, but the credit made it such a more enjoyable stay by starting the day on such a nice note.
I didn’t bother with Wifi cause I wanted to be disconnected, but did notice a $10 credit for wifi on my checkout paperwork.
I also had places to be today so I didn’t check out late, but I probably could have easily with the smoothness if the stay overall.
All in all a great experience and it seems the hotel treated it on par with Amex FHR, based on the way the people explained everything. Just can’t stack Hilton/Marriot rewards like with FHR.
Will be keeping the premier collection in mind when booking again.

Today I was out meeting a trans friend and when I parked my car, I accidentally left the lights on. (It's a really old car) When I got back, I couldn't start it.
I had dressed cute for my coffee date, with a short wool wrap skirt and bucket hat.
I was trying to be responsible and make sure I got the car back to my place, so I called a friend to help me. Because of where I parked, the car had to be moved before we could jump it. The community where I was has a pretty queer vibe overall. Many of the shops have progress flags, and the cafe right there hosts drag sometimes.
When my friend got there, I couldn't have her push the car, and I thought I could do it, but I'm tiny (52kg/115lbs). There was just a slight incline, and it's a very light car.
I had her pilot the car, and we got in position. I could easily hold the car from rolling back, and I thought I had pushed it forward a bit. But after we got the wheel turned, it was much harder to push. It didn't need to go far, maybe 10m across one street.
I thought I looked pretty silly trying to push this car in a skirt, I've never done that before! I was trying not to worry about the aesthetics of the moment and just deal with the issue, but it wasn't lost on me that this situation had a strangely "gendered" feeling. Pushing a broken down car as a woman at a busy intersection definitely feels different than doing the same action as a man.
When I went to push I leaned in and I realized I wasn't actually going to be able to push it. I was just about to have my friend put the brake back on and look for another plan when...
This beautiful person, with leather tattoos and piercings was walking across the street and called out "Hey! Do you need help?". They were kinda butch femme, and just obviously much fitter than I am.
Before I knew it they were helping me, and the car was moved over in only a few seconds.
I thanked them, and they didn't even miss the walk light as they caught up to their friend.
As I got away and drove home, I thought about how affirming and awesome this little interaction was. In this queer little community I love, my old silly car broke down and my skinny transfemme butt was too weak to push it, thus becoming a damsel in distress. Then in a move which I can only really describe as pride month divine intervention, a person doing gender and queer in a different (and thankfully more muscular) way than I am was sent to help me.
Anyway, I just love my community. All my trans community, all my queer community, specifically this awesome local community. You all rule for making me feel awesome about being me.

October 19 was the worst day of my life. The day my precious baby, my everything, my reason for living, was taken from me. I don’t consider myself a victim but the system and the company that was suppose to be helping me fucked me over.
My daughter was suppose to be returned to me already but my trial keeps getting moved from February to April and now July. When my daughter was 2 months old, I was getting treatment for my opioid use but the company DCFS set me up, let’s called them “L” company, with made a court date on October 4 trying to get her removed from my care because I didn’t want to do one month inpatient treatment at this ghetto rehab, I tried going for one day and felt extremely uncomfortable, everyone constantly talked about getting high and the facility was so ghetto, it felt like being in jail, no phones, no visitors, no TV.. from the first day I met L company at the end of August, I could tell they were extremely judgmental and were not there to help and their motive was to take my child away. On October 4, after a very intensive court hearing and interviews with multiple people from social services and DCFS, they all stated the baby was well cared for by me and was healthy/happy when they would visit our home which was several times a week, my DCFS caseworker even said she feels like there is no need to remove the child from my care. The judge ruled in my favor, which everyone was surprised since that usually doesn’t happen, and told me to keep working with “L” company and stay off the opioids. I started working with a doctor and drug counselor to wean me off the opioids and do methadone treatment. Two weeks later and two failed drug tests later, (I was getting tapered off opioids), L company found out my caseworker was on vacation so they made an sneak court date, didn’t inform me of it so I couldn’t defend myself, told the judge a bunch of half truths/half lies to get my baby removed from my care because I didn’t want to do a one month inpatient thing they were pushing for and they were on a power trip because they didn’t get their way the first time the judge ruled in my favor. This was a different judge and I wasn’t informed of the court date to attend and defend myself so he sided with whatever bullshit they fed him. They were against me from day one and didn’t care to help. They visited my home multiple times a week and if the baby was neglected or in danger, they definitely would have called the police immediately. They knew my child was well cared for and safe with me because they would us visit 2-3 a week. This was a power trip about them getting their way and punishing me for not wanting to do one month inpatient. But that’s beside the point.. after the sneak court they booked without informing me, they lied and made it seem like she couldn’t be in the same building as me and didn’t place her with my mom since we live in the same building so they placed her with a foster family. They tried making it seem like the judge said that but the judge never said that, I later found out that was something they completely made up. So they placed her in foster care and from October up until now, I only get to see my daughter twice a week for 2 hours each time at a library. We had a discovery court hearing in January where the judge approved she could stay with relatives, but we didn’t tell my boyfriends parents what was going on out of guilt and shame, so we didn’t move her to stay with his parents. We thought we would have our trial in February and that she would be back home then which is why we didn’t inform his parents. After our court date kept getting moved, we finally told them and they agreed to take her and care for her until we get custody back. We have a new caseworker and our old caseworker didn’t put in the file they the judge approved her being moved with relatives so she’s still in the foster home, we’re trying to obtain court transcripts to prove the judge allowed her to be moved to stay with relatives.
These past 7.5 months have been hell. I love my daughter more than life itself. I’m sober and have done all the treatment that was required of me but my court date keeps getting moved because they have too many cases. I’ve spoken to professionals that have experience with my cases and they all said I am a clear example of what it means to get fucked over by the system. I don’t consider myself a victim though, I just want my baby back home already. I bring her clothes, food, medicine and toys to our visits. I bring two huge book bags filled with toys, books, snacks and a large blanket to each visit, I don’t drive so I take it on the train with me and I get weird looks sometimes but I don’t really care lol. I cherish the 4 hours I have with her a week, but I want to hold her in my arms all day long and wake up to her beautiful smile in the morning. I want to tell her how sorry I am for everything and that I will never let her down again.
I’ve been extremely depressed and can’t even go outside because I see constantly babies and their parents and think “that should be me and my baby girl”. I recently went and bought a bunch of summer clothes and adorable little bathing suites for her for when she gets to come home next month. I can’t wait to have my baby back home with me. I promise to spend the rest of my life making it up to her. I try to remind myself that when she’s back home, I’ll have the rest of our lives to build wonderful memories with her, but missing out on her first and most important year of life, and all the milestones that come with it, is something that can never be replaced.. I love my baby girl more than anything and I can’t wait to give her a beautiful, stable and bright future.

Investing in a solid wood bed is a wise choice that adds both beauty and durability to your bedroom. Solid wood furniture requires proper care to maintain its natural charm and ensure its longevity. Here are some essential tips on how to take good care of solid wood bed, along with general wooden furniture care guidelines.

1. Dusting and Cleaning: Regular dusting is crucial to prevent the accumulation of dirt and debris on your solid wood bed. Use a soft, lint-free cloth or a microfiber duster to gently remove dust from the surface. Avoid using abrasive materials or harsh chemical cleaners that may damage the wood. For occasional deep cleaning, dampen a cloth with mild soapy water, wring it out well and wipe the bed frame. Remember to dry the wood immediately to prevent moisture absorption.
   
2. Avoid Direct Sunlight: Direct sunlight can cause fading and discolouration of the wood over time. Position your solid wood bed away from windows or use curtains or blinds to block the harsh rays. If sunlight exposure is unavoidable, consider using window films or UV-protective coatings to minimize damage.
   
3. Protect from Spills and Heat: Place coasters or mats on your solid wood bed to protect it from spills, water rings and hot objects. Wipe up any spills immediately to prevent moisture from seeping into the wood and causing damage. Avoid placing hot items directly on the surface to prevent burns or discolouration.
   
4. Polish and Condition: Periodically polish your solid wood bed to maintain its natural lustre. Choose a high-quality furniture polish specifically designed for wooden furniture. Apply the polish using a soft cloth in the direction of the wood grain and buff gently for a shiny finish. Additionally, consider using wood conditioning products to nourish and protect the wood from drying out.
   

When it comes to caring for your solid wood bed, following these guidelines will help preserve its beauty and extend its lifespan. Brands like Doctor Dreams offer a range of high-quality solid wood furniture, including acacia solid wood bed, known for their craftsmanship and durability.
In conclusion, taking good care of your solid wood bed is essential to maintain its natural beauty and ensure its longevity. Regular dusting, avoiding direct sunlight and spills, maintaining optimal humidity levels, polishing and conditioning and handling with care are all crucial aspects of wooden furniture care. By following these tips, you can enjoy the timeless elegance and comfort of your solid wood bed for years to come.

Hello guys,
Me and some of my friends are very interested in watching sunrise at the bluffers park. What we are planning :-
Go there at late after midnight 1-2am/ early morning like 3-4am and stay till sunrise. The parking nearest to the beach won’t be open so we will be walking there. (Is the any parking nearby?)
Some concerns I would appreciate you all to provide your feedback to:-
1)Is it safe to do so? 2) is there any other beach than bluffers that gives the best experience? 3) is having a small bonfire allowed at that time? 4) is there any place we can park at that time? I understand there is a big parking spot before we get on that skinny road to the beach. 5) any other concerns I should be looking at?
I am open to any better idea :)
Thank you kind people of askTO 🙏

I got out my milligram scale and weighed out the dose for my trip, and added it to my banger, I then did my usual breathing exercise to get the biggest hit I possibly could and took the first hit, at first it wasnt very intense, but everything was definitely different. I quickly got myself back together enough to go in for the second hit, did my breathing exercises and took it. This time around I got very intense CEV’s but I wanted something more, I was feeling good about my trip and decided to go a bit further, and I did. I took the third rip, and this hit was a big one, the dab rig was still milky white after I inhaled as much smoke as I could and I held it in for long enough for me to lay down in my bed and as soon as I was in my bed I exhaled the hit. Things started getting weird, walls started moving and shifting in and out of this reality and into another, then all of a sudden the walls weren’t there and neither was I neither was anything but this crazy yellow fractal pattern all over the place going crazy shifting into a being, it was a fat Buddha looking god, he was yellow at first and very calm. He then noticed my presence in his realm and reacted very powerfully and angrily almost, he shifted all around and made the calm yellow fractals get much more agressive with more color like green, then only his head appeared, spinning around super super fast going crazy while the background around him was intense crazy purple and green fractals. This went on for a good 5 or more minutes, then after he left and I started to see my actual room I was still tripping, and for some reason the hallucinations kept coming in waves for a good half a hour or more, like out of nowhere my room would be fine and then everything would start getting wavy like the entity was trying to pull me back in, I didn’t want to go back though because his prescence was the most intense thing I’ve ever felt it was scary and I didn’t think it would ever end. This was definitely a very meaningful powerful experience.

Hello Let me explain I'm basically locked out of my account because of steams stupid amount of security.
I tried to reset my password I removed the authenticator and put in the codes they sent me through email and mobile.. fine.. until it logged me out asking ke to sign in.. which I can't do because I forgot my password which is why I was resetting it in the first place.
I then tried going online but funny that the CAPTCHA constantly tells me I'm wrong now I have exceeded the number of tries for CAPTCHA.
I tried going and making a support ticket ahh but funny that you jeed to sign in to do that and since I can't remember my password I can't even make a support ticket.
I tired using the support email address but of course they do not monitor that email anymore.
So I'm locked out, unable to contact anyone or do anything. This is ridiculous all because I tried changing my password. What a joke.
Now all I can do is wait for the CAPTCHA timer and hope it works. In other words my account recovery lies in the hands of a robot software.
I'm going insane at whoevers idiotic idea It was to remove the email outside of the steam support ticket creation section. Or that it requires you to log in. So bizzare.
If anyone has any clue of what I can do by all means comment because I don't see a way.