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TL:DR - I like meeting people and I'm decently interesting I think at least, come say hey? :)
pretty much title honestly, my day was mostly rushed as I forgot I offered to do overtime this morning, so I started work still sweaty from the gym, and that is literally the most interesting thing I did today, I worked, made dinner and now I'm trying to decide what to do with my evening, so thought I'd see if I clicked with anyone :)
As for me as a person, I've been on a self improvement kick through everything. Working out (trying to lose the gut while still eating fun foods is tough tho :P) and trying to improve myself in general, languages (I tried both turkish and german respectively through lockdown, german went okay, turkish I sucked at), teaching myself stuff, trying creative things (painting/candle making). Beyond that, I live in England, I'm pretty keen on travelling, I did a 3 month sabbatical and did trips to a number of countries, with a Turkey trip again + Philippines and Singapore trip recently. I read and I'm a good but lazy cook. I'm the fairly typical TV/football/videogames fan, always enjoy a long walk, I follow politics/current affairs, but its gotten so depressing recently I've avoided it far more than ever before, I enjoy anime but it can be a struggle to get into. I've gotten deep into cryptocurrency (bitcoin etc) and investing in general I enjoy as cringe as it sounds. I worked retail for nearly 5 years, but moved into insurance sales in 2019, I'll likely gripe about work from time to time too. I'm pretty easy going and easy to talk to, though I would think that tbf
Honestly my only real hang up is when you get fond of someone and they disappear, I don't mind if its early on, maybe you're busy or there's no connection, but it does sting if one day you're like "I love speaking to you, you're so cute and fun!" and then next day you're gone for good. That does fuck me up. If you don't fancy talking anymore and we have spoke for a little while, I'd definitely prefer just a message as closure, but its the internet and things happen so eh.
I do prefer speaking to women but it's not a hard rule, I just find guys often get a bit intense online.
If you fancy talking feel free to drop me a PM, add your basic details, name, gender, location, age and so on, plus anything else you feel is relevant. I prefer talking on an app, WhatsApp and Snapchat but I've got most others too and speaking on here is fine too

While it is true that there have always been evils, it is now also apparent that they have been relentlessly after us. And now with renewed concerted and direct methods, the world is nearly lost in their grasp. They have taken so many, and They seek to forever mute our Light, our birthright, and this will only become more and more dangerous and dire for all beings as the hold they have gets tighter and the very breath of Creation is all but smothered under the Darkness. The things that many of us have been witnessing and experiencing over the past 5 years or so (not to mention all our lives) are exactly what we've always thought. Spirit has been calling for us to be prepared, and we have all been growing and building our strength for the coming storm. We are being called to take up our place in Christ and let Jesus' teachings spring forth in our lives. My fellow Humans, I have been receiving a message for my whole life, but only have just been able to decipher it as of late. Four years ago I was privy to an experience that I've been denying myself to acknowledge out loud to almost anyone I've met, and now I know that I must end this Fear of failure and take up my duty to God and to you all, as I now have found the Truth within my Heart. I swore to uphold my duty, my responsibility to these Gifts and the Holy Spirit from which I've been given them, so now hear me. I promised to Great Spirit while in my darkest hour, whilst so caught up in believing that maybe everyone was right and i was losing it. Fooled into almost fully believing that All of the things i was seeing and feeling and knowing, were all either outlandish or sacrilegious depending on who i tried to talk to. All I could do was retreat into My Self and spent much time seeking answers within all the while peering out into the world, and as i did this I became more and more alienated from my children and family and friends. I'd moved us around the country thrice and we'd landed here in Colorado City, CO. Living in the basement of two of the kindest and trustworthy people who ever lived. True believers and followers of the Word of God. Mormons by choice, God's children by design. I'd been going through a transformation of spirit and mind, and had witnessed some incredible things that are described in other portions of my story. But when I finally opened my mind to the fact that I was being led to something, that i was on a path set before me by my Creator...... In a fit of tears walking alone in the foothills of southern Colorado, I looked to the sky and spoke to God for the first time since I was a small child. I called out to the Universe with every last bit of my ego leaving me with those words flying from my mouth. "Please! Please, Great Spirit I have to know what is happening to me! Are they a right about me? Am I going crazy? Please Just Give Me That! Is this an illusion or are my visions to become reality? Are there really monsters out here disguised as humans, some even being inside those we know and love? PLEASE JUST GIVE ME ANSWER OR EVEN A SIGN SO I KNOW WHETHER OR NOT TO TAKE MY WIFES ADVICE AND SEEK MEDICAL HELP OR JUST BLOW MY HEAD OFF AND SAVE THEM ALL FROM MY MADNESS!!
As soon as the last was out, I heard it. Even through my tears and the dirt blowing in my eyes, I could see the change. Just like a layer of fog or movie magic, a new dimension lowered down toward me. Like diving into water, but instead the pool is coming from above. I could see two worlds. The one upon which I stood was where I'd lived and grown and been led to this moment. The one coming slowly down, (now nearly to my head) was something like this one, but much different. My 3d view was a beautiful valley with wildflowers and all the colors and smells of spring in Colorado City. The new ?d world which was pouring over me now looked to have much the same geographic formation, but instead the ground was barren of life, the dirt and rocks covered with a brownish film of dirt and disgust. Across the path to my right i could see some remnants of the tree that had stood there moments ago. A giant pine tree with life just radiating from its every inch, it was now only a petrified stump with a few chunks of it Lying around. Long dead and forgotten, it had reached its final moments millions of years or minutes through an unknown multitude realms ago. There had been a great and awful kind of disaster here, and I knew deep down that this would be the case in every corner of the world in which I was now peering with squinting and dusty, tear filled eyes. Whatever happened, it had all but erased Life from the face of The Earth. But still, there was a sense of there still being something somewhere that yet lived. But there was no sense of Evil or darkness anywhere. Only the memory of it's passing, along with those beings which would not refute it and cast away the hold it had upon them, and the creatures which went with them into the ground to begin a new cycle of Creation once more. The descending layer was now at my waist, and i remembered holding my breath as it first covered my head. I gasped a lungful of another world and it sustained me, but tasted acrid and hot and so very old. As I drew my attention back to my own condition, I could see the layers of existence meeting as the strange new layer of reality stayed over me, and I had suddenly a thought to test my perception by ducking my body and head down out of the (pool?). Sure enough, as i squatted down i could see my body in its original place and time, and the stark difference beginning where the divide cut across my view. I could see the rippling base of the new world hovering above in all directions. I could see the ground under my feet and the valley before me, unchanged and beautiful beyond description. And looking up I saw the yellowed and half lit sky of a sun that had not broken through the haze for an untold length of time, causing a lack of essential life force to be withheld and the Earth to remain nearly desolate. For reference I will liken it to sepia vision above and true color below, I suppose that's pretty accurate and descriptive. So after I'd proved to myself that I was experiencing something real and ducked all the way out, after I'd looked up through the surface of this reality which had just come out of to gather my wits. I humbled myself and remembered that I'd asked for this. I had begged for this moment of realization and now I must face it for better or worse. I then closed my eyes for a moment, took a slow deep (possibly last) breath and stood once more gazing at the blasted landscape within the realm I'd been allowed to enter. I then openly acknowledged that the voice addressing Me in my heart and in my mind, sounding just like My own voice, ( the one I'd always called my conscience) was saying something, calling Me and my entire existence to take my focus and put it where it belongs. Speaking with a trembling and cracked yet affirmative and direct voice, I spake "Here I Am." The reply was instant and commanded my complete attention with such authority that cannot be described in any other way than to be likened to the very words of Creation; " NOW THEN, DO YOU NOT SEE? CAN YOU NOT SAY THAT YOUR SIGHT IS TRUE? DO YOU YET DENY THAT WHAT I HAVE LAIN BEFORE YOU IS TRULY BEFORE YOU? DO YOU DENY YOUR VERY CREATOR HIS PLAN FOR YOU ON THIS DAY? " I spake in reply to God Almighty, with wonder and fear and complete submission to the Power that was being awakened inside Me. "Im not crazy. I knew I wasn't crazy. I have always known that I can see more than most others, and that all of those who I'd tried to share my visions with must have just been lacking something fundamental that kept them from understanding or even trying to look and see for themselves." "But Great Spirit, what does it mean? Why Me? Why have i been given this Sight and why has it been so intense and mounting within Me over the past few years? Why does it seem like there is about to be an absolute shift and why does it feel so frightening and exciting at the same time? " The Voice Of God, Speaking with the sound of My own Voice but with more authority and more than just Power from within: " YOU ARE HERE BECAUSE I HAVE PUT YOU HERE. YOU CAN SEE BECAUSE I HAVE SHOWN YOU HOW. YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN SEEKING TRUTH BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE AND FINDING THINGS THAT OTHERS DO NOT. SO IS YOUR PURPOSE, AS I HAVE MADE IT TO BE" Aloud i said " Why Spirit, why do I have to be seen as a fool by the ones Whom I need the most to understand what is happening to me and all around to all of Us? I know something big is coming, something that will end many lives and change everything that we know And I don't want them to be unprepared. I just feel so sad and afraid that nobody else will listen and I will have failed them, failed everything, even You Dear God" Then I added " How can I show them how to see like me when they refuse even to look about without disdain and doubt? How do I get them to feel that which is so plainly about to be? I'm so confused and scared and I am losing Hope for All of Us." " YOU CAN SEE, SO YOU CAN SHARE. YOU HAVE ASKED, AND NOW YOU SHALL ANSWER." "WILL YOU TELL THEM WHAT I'VE SHOWN YOU HERE, WHAT YOU'VE BEEN ALLOWED FOR YOURSELF TO SEE? THIS I COMMAND OF YOU, FOR KNOWLEDGE OF LOVE AND TRUST IN YOUR MAKER IS TO SHARE WITH ALL WHO KNOW IT NOT. YOUR'S IS A VOICE THAT CAN BE HEARD, AS I HAVE MADE IT TO BE." "IF YOU WANT TO SAVE ANY ONE OF THEM, YOU MUST TEACH THEM ABOUT THE CYCLE AND WHERE YOUR PLACES ARE IN THIS ONE. AND YOU MUST CARRY MY LAWS WITH YOU TO TEACH AGAINST THE DARKNESS THAT SEEKS TO CLAIM EVERY SOUL FROM SALVATION" "DO YOU ACCEPT THIS PATH, NOW THAT YOU HAVE INSISTED ON ASKING OF ME THAT YOU MAY CATCH A GLIMPSE AHEAD TO KEEP FROM LOSING YOUR WAY?" "GIVE ANSWER, I COMMAND IT. OR TURN AWAY AND EMBRACE DAMNATION AS YOUR JUDGEMENT. FOR EVEN MY ELECT MAY BE LOST THIS TIME, FOR THIS CYCLE WILL BE THE LAST."
The fog was rising now, slowly up my stomach and chest. My tears were so many that my shirt was getting wet. Without hesitation, as I'd already known I would someday do. With all the Love and all of the Fear that makes Me what I am. I closed my eyes once more to the sights around Me and spoke once more: " I accept and I beg forgiveness for my doubt, Dear Lord. I shall make it my focus to fulfill My duty and answer My calling. I will gladly take My Creator's Path, which was laid before me even at the beginning of Time as You've Made it, Great Spirit. I will seek to to discern all Truth that I can using your gifts. Yes I, Your humbled and grateful Creation do swear that once I have the words to speak that I will find a way to reach all who will but hear them. I will not allow myself to be swayed by the darkness, for this is my lot and I Thank You for giving it to me to Have and to use for Your work."
..........
Just as I'd finished my words, the vision was gone. But the Sight was stronger than ever within Me, and I now am eager to tell of the things I have seen since that Day. Praise God and seek penance. These things I have not done enough. There can never be enough for any of Us. I think I understand that Now, four years and lifetimes later.

I'm sorry for the long post, am at a big loss.
​
TLDR: Intern accused by my employee of stealing from inventory, but not sure how to confront them, since they work the same shift and its just the two of them all the time.
​
Long story:
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I've been managing a small store of my relatives for a while, and we took on a non-paid intern who needed community service hours. He's been with us for a few weeks, does good work, and fits in great with the team.
Last week, he offered to tidy up our disorganized/messy inventory. After he was done, he asked if he could take a few items, which I allowed, he earned it. However, today was just him and another employee managing the store. The employee mentioned the intern was back organizing the inventory again, but I never gave him the keys (its tucked into my desk)?
Just a few minutes later, the intern texted if he could grab another item. This time, I said no, and asked what he’d like and I'd put it in his birthday present (coming next week).
A few hours later, the employee messaged me that she saw him taking items and placing them in a cardboard box, which he took with him when he clocked out. She mentioned how my keys (usually in the desk) was just sitting on my desk.
Our security camera has a blindspot. I checked the footage, see him unlock the inventory cabinet while holding a card box box, then, bending down, seemingly pretending to organize. He was out of sight, so there's no physical evidence of him putting items into the box. However, when he stood up, he takes the cardboard box. Unfortunately, our inventory count was a month ago, so the numbers aren’t accurate. I'm not sure if he did take any items.
I had planned to have a gentle conversation with the intern, but the other employee is concerned that this could complicate their relationship, as they often work together as the only two employees, and that’s the only shift suitable for her schedule.
After speaking with my relatives, I'm considering asking him about his actions near the inventory cabinet and why he took my keys without permission, but I don't want to risk falsely accusing him of theft without concrete evidence. Plus, his community service hour finishes up by this Friday, so is it really worth firing him, if he just needs a few more hours to graduate? Do I talk to his school?
​
Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you in advance :)

I was in Miami for this music week, and stopped at Zara in the Brickell City Centre mall to pick up my order. Idk her name but she is the sales associate / cashier at the Zara , damn I started imagining my life with you. She looks like she is Latin or something close. I returned to Zara before I fly out of the city on Monday just to see her and get her number. But if you ( the girl I’m describing) are seeing this I’m the guy whom u asked am I a south Asian and keeps exchanging looks. Too bad you clocked out way too soon on 23rd (Thursday) , I was literally searching for you in the store. Reddit you know what to do. Do your thing , help me find her.

Hello! i have a few items for sale. Any purchase over $100, shipping is included.
Willing to sell all as a lot for $1,189 shipping included!
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Pokemon Ruby Loose -> $76
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For context, I'm a huge Liverpool fan, and the song You'll Never Walk Alone has been really important for me for as long as I can remember, especially the lyric "at the end of the storm, there's a golden sky"
In the last 18 months, my dad got sick and nearly died. My nan was diagnosed with stage four cancer and passed away within 6 weeks of her diagnosis, which triggered a deep depression within me.
Things started to feel a little better, and I went to Anfield. I still cry when I think of that trip, and the joy that I felt in myself.
Then, the business I'm working for began the process of closing, and for a long time my future looked really uncertain. It felt like doing my law degree was pointless.
I hit my highest weight of over 300lbs and tried to lose it. I stumbled, again and again.
It's been rough, and through the entire process, I've binged, been harsh on myself because of my lack of progress and my inability to stop bingeing.
Then, I was offered a job. A really, really good job. I started therapy, and began to grow as a person. And now, today, was my last therapy session. I've said no to binging today, and today is the end of the storm - the golden sky. I've resisted the urge to binge all day. I've looked after myself by doing my skincare, going to the gym and preparing a homemade meal. I've stuck to my calorie budget. I'm going to relax in bed for the evening and journal. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I'm wiping the slate clean of all the negativity, the relapses and the harshness is gone. Today, I'm putting myself first. I refuse to waste the opportunity this job will give me. I refuse to ruin my chance at pure happiness. I want to see my nieces grow up, I want to look good and feel good. I want to eat food that makes me feel good, and enjoy it, instead of eating mindlessly.
So I will. Today is the end of my storm, and the beginning of my golden sky.

So every few days around 7am I walk to the gas station near my house to get a snack or a drink. Every time I go there I have this plan in mind to say something to the cashier, like, "Hi," "Good morning," "How are you?", "Have a good day," etc. I think doing that would be a good step in eventually overcoming my selective mutism.
However - I always end up freezing up and not saying anything. I am unsure what to say exactly and when the appropriate time to do so is. I am also worried that my tone or body language will be off when I say it, or that I will be too quiet, or they will respond with something and I will not know how to reply.
Am I overthinking this? Do you guys have any advice for me? If so it'd be very much appreciated :)

I have been working in Walmart for two years now, and nearly every single day I see Team Leads and Academy trainers standing around with the proverbial thumb up the ass doing nothing while there is only one or two people operating registers and the lines are long enough to start either curving to the sides or are going down the isles, they refuse to hop on and help. I finally get to start working in customer service, I go talk to an associate standing there to ask where do they need me since I was done covering for someone’s lunch break, they say that it’s a bad look to just be standing there talking to them while the lines are long. I just give them a look that clearly says ‘are you really saying that right now?’ Cause I caught them doing this all the time ever since I started working in this store.
And that our new manager hates having customers hanging out of the register lanes when they should be tended by our frontend workers, I told them that is going to happen regardless. Now I got a coaching for talking back, am I in the right for this or no?

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My Sony a80j that I bought for 1.7 years broke down lost month. I called a contractor in and they told me that the panel likely broke so therefore it is not worth it to fix the TV at all
Spent nearly 4k on it.
I was so upset until I realize I bought it with Amex CC.
Long story short I filed a claim and just followed their instructions. Got bestbuy geek squad to come over and double confirm that the TV is unfixable.
After a month I got my full refund including tax! Wow!

Hi Reddit, I'm in a bit of a dilemma. On one hand, I'm fully supportive of reducing car traffic and utilizing public transportation. However, on the other hand, the rising rental costs near transit hubs or downtown are making it difficult for me to continue living in the area.
Currently, I rent a place in downtown and do not own a vehicle. Although it can be inconvenient at times, I appreciate the proximity to my workplace and other essential shops, all within a 10-minute walk from my home. However, this summer, my rent is set to increase by an additional $350 per month. Unfortunately, I can't afford to spend more than half of my income on rent alone, so I'm contemplating moving to the suburbs and purchasing a car. While it's not an ideal solution, it's still cheaper than renting in the city center.
I understand the importance of reducing our carbon footprint and creating a sustainable environment, which is in line with our collective efforts. However, the city must provide affordable housing options with a comprehensive transit system to make it feasible for people like me to live in the area. Unfortunately, the rent near transit is much higher, making it difficult for many to rent nearby and utilize public transportation.
We need to strike a balance between promoting sustainability and ensuring that individuals have the means to practice eco-friendly living. I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on this matter. How do you believe we can arrive at a solution that benefits everyone?

I was watching 'Drive To Survive' on Netflix and learned that a top F1 driver (Max Verstappen) will earn $55M this year...
This sent me down an F1 Rabbit hole. I've learned a few things that I think are useful to builders:
Liberty Media is the strategic force behind F1. They bought the business for $4.4B in 2017. Since then, they've grown it into a $17B empire.
Here's The Business:
Meet - Liberty Media. Across its portfolio, it generates $12B/yr in revenue (F1, SiriusXM, The Atlanta Braves, Live Nation).
But how did they increase F1's value by $12B in just 6 years?
Here's How F1 makes Money:
It has 3 levers:
1) Race Promotion: In 2022, F1 secured 23 annual circuit contracts. Each pays an annual fee. For example - Saudi Arabia pays $55m/yr to host its race.
2) Media Rights: Broadcasters pay up for exclusive partnership deals with F1.

• Sky Sports paid £1B to extend its exclusive contract with F1 from 2019-24 to viewers in the UK and Ireland.
• ESPN pays $90m/yr a year for its US TV rights.

3) Sponsorships: The stickers you see on the cars & tracks are expensive. Advertisers like Rolex, DHL, Heineken, and Crypto .com paid F1 a total of $650M in 2022.
So how did Liberty Media create so much value in so little time?
Here's How They Revived The Business:
1) Budget Caps - In 2019, Mercedes spent $443M on its team. Williams (last place) could only afford $132M. Top teams would reinvest everything to win and recoup profits through indirect sales of their core products (e.g Ferrari, McLaren, RedBull).
2) "Build in public" - Next, they broke the secrecy behind F1 and partnered w/ Netflix: - The show "Drive to Survive" attracted 16M viewers. - US viewership went from 537k (2018) to 1.4M (2022).
3) Be Accessible - They doubled down on the US market by aggressively adding new locations. Miami & Las Vegas are their most recent additions.
Why Does It Matter?
Even F1, one of the largest and oldest (Founded in 1950) sports organizations in the world, can take their eye off the ball. By reassessing its business it was able to ~4x its value in 6 years.
This is what stood out to me:
1) Use Data To Improve Your Product - If you let your biggest customer make the product decisions, you may miss the obvious. For F1, its "product" is your attention that it can sell to advertisers. If they just listened to their biggest partners (Mercedes & Ferarri) there would be no product evolution.
2) Increase awareness by "building in public" - The Netflix show 'drive to survive' lifted the curtain and removed the secrecy behind the sport. This opened up an entirely new audience. We can all build in public (I'm about to).
3) Increase accessibility - Your goal as an entrepreneur is to understand what part of your product brings value to your customer and get them to that point in as few steps (or clicks) as possible. By putting new racetracks in top cities across the US they've dramatically increased customer access.
Thanks all! Lemme know what you think.
I research companies & share my learnings here.

I have been dating Carol since the summer of 2017. What began as a fleeting affair in the Iloilo countryside soon developed into a genuine connection that shattered all my former conceptions of what creatures like her are truly like. After a year of long-distance (I had to return to Metro Manila for my collegiate duties), we agreed that it would be best for our relationship if she moved to the city to live with me, and the rest is history.
In the nearly-six years me and Carol have spent together, I have slowly but surely garnered a deep appreciation for Manananggalian culture and tradition. So, as a lifestyle writer, I thought it would be appropriate for me to impart to the world all the benefits of having one of these exotic, erotic creatures as your lifetime companion.
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1. They can be your personal bodyguard

Walking down the crowded streets of Binondo is always frightening, especially for a certified probinsyana like me. However, ever since Carol and I moved in together, I have never felt more secure and assured of my personal safety. Despite their diminutive frame, the strength of a manananggal far exceeds that of the average man. Carol knows I dislike violence, but there is something so cathartic about seeing her, in the shape of a slender, beautiful woman, slice through the wrist of a creepy jackass letching after us as we pass. Despite their reputation, manananggal are actually very protective of those close to them and are willing to kill to keep their partners safe.

1. Their tiktik birds make for excellent guard pets

Just like a witch would have her black cat, manananggal are often accompanied by small, dark-feathered avians colloquially known as tiktik birds. Though disheveled and frankly unattractive in appearance, their intelligence is nonpareil and they have complete understanding of human speech. We named ours “Manyak”. It’s always convenient to have Manyak guard the house when we’re not around. In fact, I’m certain that his presence has single-handedly reduced the crime rate in our neighborhood, as word got around that a hideous bird would disfigure anyone who tried to break into a home there. This is false, as he only disfigures those who break into ours, but I keep my mouth shut.

1. They will make you Internet-famous (@mananang.gals)

During the pandemic, Carol and I decided to mess around and create our own TikTok account, cheekily called mananang.gals (please follow!). When I wasn’t busy with work, we would create stupid skits about what it was like living with a manananggal. At first, our videos weren’t getting much positive attention, and multiple people tried to expose us for being “fake”. However, after our video where we recreated a scene from Shake, Rattle & Roll IV a little too realistically, our account gained hundreds of thousands of followers overnight. Since then, multiple paranormal investigators have tried to dox us and break into our household, but after the first few were permanently marred by Manyak, they eventually gave up. We don’t post very frequently anymore.

1. They appear normal to everyone else

While a manananggal in her “true” form is bound to elicit looks of horror whilst walking among humans, they have the ability to circumvent this by taking the shape of a regular human girl. In this form, they are basically indistinguishable from their human cousins. The pointed, elven ears are the only real giveaway, which are often obscured anyway by their thick, dark hair.
Carol first came to me in this form, dressed in an elegant floral duster, as I was bawling my eyes out beside the chicken coop at my uncle’s farm. Who cries beside a chicken coop? Me, apparently. Anyway, for reasons I prefer to remain undisclosed, I was in a very vulnerable state at the time, mentally and physically bruised, and just when it seemed like nobody else would, Carol sat down and listened to me. She then introduced herself as a harvester at my uncle’s farm. That seemed about right, as I recalled seeing her in the fields, interacting with the other workers, so I kept speaking with her as a normal human. It was only when I confronted her with the information that my uncle had never hired anyone named Carol that she was forced to reveal to me her true identity.

1. They can take you on piggyback rides over the night sky

One night when I came home from work so exhausted that I looked almost as monstrous as my living partner, she swiftly offered to take me for a ride on her back to help clear my head. My jaw dropped in shock; at that point, unless it was for videos, Carol rarely ever presented herself to me in the form of a manananggal, but it sounded like a sweet offer, so I accepted. As she promised, Carol shapeshifted into her natural form, bisected herself, and gestured at me to hop on.
Growing up in the province, I never cared for the hustle and bustle of city life, but in that moment, thousands of feet above the surface, tightly embracing the only woman that has ever shown me genuine care, it was beautiful. Even now, whenever I look back at it, the image of the landscape permeates my memory just as vividly. After that experience, I honestly would have been content to live the rest of my life without another fantastical sky excursion, but to my delight, we did it again. Then again. And then again.

1. They become open and honest once they warm up to you

Somehow, after that series of ravishing nights above the Metro Manila cityscape, a switch flipped in our relationship. From thereon, Carol would assume her human form less and less, instead opting to remain as a manananggal when we were at home. Furthermore, she began to open up to me about the hardships that her kind faces in modern human society. For example, illegal logging in the Visayas region has resulted in their habitats being destroyed, forcing the manananggal to have to integrate themselves among the human populace. She also mentioned how they face discrimination due to the traditions of their ancestors, which are no longer seen as ethical by the species’ youth. It took some time, but I finally felt like Carol had given me her full trust, which I value greatly.

1. They have strong connections to other Filipino creatures

While manananggal aren’t commonly regarded as social beings, they actually have ties to other Philippine-endemic creatures. When we got the chance to retreat to Iloilo for the holidays, Carol introduced me to her childhood friends: an agta, an engkanto, and two other manananggal. As the only human in the group, of course I was intimidated at first, but after a few drinks, we really began hitting it off! In truth, I was a reclusive child and I never exactly belonged to a “group of friends”, even in my adolescence. But for whatever reason, this odd bunch of pariahs made me feel welcomed like no human ever has. Who knew that dating a manananggal could increase your social capital?

1. They have delicious cuisine

During our days in the city, Carol often satiates herself with grilled chicken livers and pork intestines, but when we last went back to the countryside, she wanted to treat herself to something more… authentic. See, it turns out that modern manananggal no longer prefer to eat pregnant women’s unborn fetuses for a meal. Instead, they feed on society’s most depraved—rapists, torturers, the like—murdering them in their own homes. I had obviously never tasted human meat before then, but I was surprised to find that when roasted, it has a flavor comparable to that of a beef tenderloin: lean, buttery, and practically melts in your mouth. Due to their fatal dietary restrictions, they cannot prepare it with salt or garlic, but a squeeze of citrus usually does the trick. What makes it all the more satisfying is the knowledge that the source of the meat had done things to justify their mutilation. What did chickens and pigs ever do to deserve that?

1. They can kill your adversaries on your behalf

While returning to Iloilo is a welcome break from the clamor of Metro Manila, I’m not going to pretend that being there does not conjure up memories which I wish would have stayed repressed. Given that I spent sixteen years of my life there, it shouldn’t come as a surprise where, or more importantly, who my trauma stems from.
My uncle was a peculiar man. He remained unmarried for the entirety of his life, and the townspeople would often gossip about how he gave them the creeps (looking back, that’s probably part of the reason people avoided me as well). I can’t blame them. Despite being the only parental figure I’ve ever had, my uncle always made me uncomfortable, and that was before he began encroaching on my private space. I continued to return to his farm during the holidays because I had nowhere else to sleep. I’ll give him credit, he maintained a beautiful and prosperous farmland, but I always imagined how better the place would be without him.
One night, during a drinking session with Carol and the gang, I said “I think I know of a man who fits your criteria.”

1. They can help you become one yourself!

Recently, Carol told me about a special procedure that could end up changing both of our lives forever. Apparently, if one recites a specific incantation, anoints themself with oil, and obtains an egg containing a black chick, a human woman may be transformed into a manananggal. As extreme as it sounds, this decision is a no-brainer for me. If I were a manananggal, I could soar the night sky alongside Carol instead of having to cling to her back. I would have the ability to defend myself against harm without needing to rely on others. I wouldn’t have to work or worry about living expenses because I would be able to hunt for my own food. On top of all that, I could still walk amongst men as a human girl by shapeshifting. Is there even a drawback to this?
I no longer wish to be human. What has being human ever gotten me? Certainly not the love and respect of other human beings. Besides, humans are weak, frail, and vulnerable. Weak. Frail. Vulnerable.
For transparency, this might very well be the last article I write for this website. Carol and I are still in the process of acquiring a black chick egg, but with her connections, that shouldn’t take very long. Either way, we hope that this article will inspire at least one of you to consider looking for a single manananggal in your area to take on your next date. And perhaps, like me, you will eventually feel compelled to become one of us yourself.
Thank you for reading! - Steph and Carol

I self harmed once when I was 15. It was pretty bad but I managed to convince my family that I had simply gotten hurt at school. They didn't believe me, but since it was just one time they let it go.
Fast forward to now nearly 7 years later. I was feeling very low and I relapsed. Same method, not as badly. And I thought that was the end of it. But recently it's escalated. Before, I would run a wet cloth across my thigh repeatedly. But now I've started punching myself.
At first I thought "oh, I need to get out of bed, but I don't want to but I need to". And I started I punching my leg until I forced myself out of bed. I've done this a few times now. The bruises are pretty noticeable, but I wear pants constantly.
I don't know what to do as it's become a habit. As I said self harm was always just the one time 7 years ago for me. But now I can't see how to kick it as a habit.
I know it's not healthy but it seems like the only way to get me to move and do the things I need.

I was watching 'Drive To Survive' on Netflix and learned that a top F1 driver (Max Verstappen) will earn $55M this year...
This sent me down an F1 Rabbit hole. I've learned a few things that I think are useful to builders:
Liberty Media is the strategic force behind F1. They bought the business for $4.4B in 2017. Since then, they've grown it into a $17B empire.
Here's The Business:
Meet - Liberty Media. Across its portfolio, it generates $12B/yr in revenue (F1, SiriusXM, The Atlanta Braves, Live Nation).
But how did they increase F1's value by $12B in just 6 years?
Here's How F1 makes Money:
It has 3 levers:
1) Race Promotion: In 2022, F1 secured 23 annual circuit contracts. Each pays an annual fee. For example - Saudi Arabia pays $55m/yr to host its race.
2) Media Rights: Broadcasters pay up for exclusive partnership deals with F1.

• Sky Sports paid £1B to extend its exclusive contract with F1 from 2019-24 to viewers in the UK and Ireland.
• ESPN pays $90m/yr a year for its US TV rights.

3) Sponsorships: The stickers you see on the cars & tracks are expensive. Advertisers like Rolex, DHL, Heineken, and Crypto .com paid F1 a total of $650M in 2022.
So how did Liberty Media create so much value in so little time?
Here's How They Revived The Business:
1) Budget Caps - In 2019, Mercedes spent $443M on its team. Williams (last place) could only afford $132M. Top teams would reinvest everything to win and recoup profits through indirect sales of their core products (e.g Ferrari, McLaren, RedBull).
2) "Build in public" - Next, they broke the secrecy behind F1 and partnered w/ Netflix: - The show "Drive to Survive" attracted 16M viewers. - US viewership went from 537k (2018) to 1.4M (2022).
3) Be Accessible - They doubled down on the US market by aggressively adding new locations. Miami & Las Vegas are their most recent additions.
Why Does It Matter?
Even F1, one of the largest and oldest (Founded in 1950) sports organizations in the world, can take their eye off the ball. By reassessing its business it was able to ~4x its value in 6 years.
This is what stood out to me:
1) Use Data To Improve Your Product - If you let your biggest customer make the product decisions, you may miss the obvious. For F1, its "product" is your attention that it can sell to advertisers. If they just listened to their biggest partners (Mercedes & Ferarri) there would be no product evolution.
2) Increase awareness by "building in public" - The Netflix show 'drive to survive' lifted the curtain and removed the secrecy behind the sport. This opened up an entirely new audience. We can all build in public (I'm about to).
3) Increase accessibility - Your goal as an entrepreneur is to understand what part of your product brings value to your customer and get them to that point in as few steps (or clicks) as possible. By putting new racetracks in top cities across the US they've dramatically increased customer access.
Thanks all! Lemme know what you think.
I research companies & share the learnings here.

Greetings to all in the community. I’m a local musician and developer looking to get more involved in community work.
I’ve been planning both an in-person and online game dev group, specially for youth and beginners. Would love to go over the basics of making simple games in both 2D (construct 3) and 3D (Unity).
This would be near the Jamaica Plain area, specifically the community center at Stony Brook for in-person meetings.
I would love to know if there is any beginner or parent interested in this initiative and would like to join or help out.
Game design, along the other skills required to make games are really helpful for developing teamwork, critical thinking, and math skills among others.
Let me know your thoughts and feel free to reach out through DM, comments or email: [email protected]

I'm in my 40s, good looking, fit, well hung, shoot a heavy load, 5'10, blue eyes, with a Germanic genetic background. I'm d/d free, non-smoker, and I'm an experienced bull and breeder.
I'm going to be cycling through Djibouti, then Bliss in the relatively near future as my deployment winds down. I've been focused like a laser on my duties for the past 9 months, and can finally look to relax some and indulge.
I'd love to find someone in Djibouti, or Bliss open to being used hard and bred deep. Your situation doesn't matter to me (or rank), all that I care about is you are adult enough to be discreet of course, as I am.
Drop me a line with any questions you might have.

I have 6 months left on my lease, and my offer was just accepted and the signed contract has been sent to my lender and title company. my agent told me that its VERY unlikely that my financing will fall through, and this is an estate sale so it should be an easy transaction.
However, I'm unsure of when I should tell my leasing manager than I'm moving out. I haven't contacted the leasing manager yet. My partner is getting a letter from his employer saying that he's being relocated and it'll be a 50+ mi commute from where we currently are so that we can lawfully terminate the lease early with a 60 day notice (I am located in Maryland). I dont want to notify them too early in case closing gets extended (closing date is 4/18), and end up with no where to live. also, I dont want to notify them too late and Im paying two housing fees for a couple of months

So I (28F) had an back & forth with my PCP's receptionist back in Nov/Dec 2022 over the phone. I have been getting Vyvanse from my psychiatrist due to ADHD and by the time I needed a refill, my psychiatrist was out of the office and the pharmacy didn't have the medication in stock. So my psychiatrist's office recommended me to try and ask my PCP to see if they can prescribe 2-3 pills with no refill until my psychiatrist was back in the office. I really needed the medication because it's difficult for me to function normally with energy or focus.
So I contacted my PCP office and spoke with the receptionist who was clearly rude and didn't want to help. She then said she will ask the doctor and get back to me. It was getting near their closing time, so I called again and the receptionist said that the NP who I saw at my PCP could not prescribe it and I need to speak with the psychiatrist she referred me to. I was confused because she never referred me to a psychiatrist. I just assumed the receptionist did not know what she was talking about because no referral like that should exist. Anyways, I was getting very antsy with the uncertain and confused-sounding receptionist and I asked her if I can know the reason why the NP can't prescribe it. The receptionist's tone was so rude...anyways, she said she will ask the NP and get back to me. They close at 2pm on Saturday and I just missed their call around 1:50pm, so I call back at 1:55pm, 1:56pm, 1:58pm, and they don't answer. I leave them an email because their voicemail is full. I got my medication issue resolved on Monday with my psychiatrist.
I never heard back from the PCP office. So I call them on Tues or Wed and asked them why they never answered on Saturday, or called me back on Monday or Tuesday, or even respond to my email. She says she assumed that my problems were resolved and so she didn't bother responding. I got upset about that. I worked at a PCP, OBGYN, and dental office as a receptionist and MA so I know that was extremely irresponsible of her. She seemed annoyed that I called her and so I told her I didn't appreciate the way she was handling this situation and the way she spoke to me. So I asked her for her name and said I will let the office manager know about this. She didn't care and hung up.
I emailed the office and, of course, I never heard back. The email consisted of the entire situation of what happened and I also stated that it is irresponsible of the receptionist to make assumptions on behalf of the patient by thinking that my problems were resolved and not getting back to me.
Today, I tried making an appointment and someone else picked up and said they can no longer make an appointment for me. I asked them why and she said "it looks like something happened with your medication last year." I asked her to confirm "Am I dismissed from the office?" and she said yes. So I asked her for the reason, because I never was notified of this. She said the office manager will call me later today.
I was with this PCP since I was born, and my entire family goes there, so I'm quite surprised. I'm not sure if the actual doctor is aware of this or not. Anyways, is this okay for them to do this? To just dismiss me? (I might have overreacted with the medication, and I even apologized to the receptionist but I do know that they are reputable for being condescending and lack customer service skills since they tend to a lot of Medicare patients). But still...Did I do something wrong with emailing them the complaint?

Hi all, maybe there’s a wiki or list I missed- but I’m hoping to gather a list of brands to look into….
I was going to go for a bearby but then I saw several folks had a mediocre experience and ripping on the blanket sooo I’m looking for other brands but honestly, I’m a little overwhelmed of where to start.
I’m in the US….the blanket is for my partner…he’s like 265lbs rn and has restless legs so when he tosses and turns, it drives me pretty crazy…weighted blankets help us both sleep better…
We first tested and currently he has a: teeny tiny twin weighted blanket of 15lbs that we got an a ridiculous sale at a cvs (it was $5, and im convinced they mislabeled it)…
Anyways, we’re looking for: a bigger blanket to cover him fully, he’s a large man. Ideally a cooler type of blanket so that he could use in the summer (that’s why I thought of the cable knit bearby)….tbh I prefer it’s not beaded weights….I’m the one that does the laundry and cleaning, and the possibility of the beads falling out already gets me annoyed lol
Could use recs from folks…thank you all I’m advance
TLDR: looking for list of recommended brands in the US and/or recs for a non beaded larger blanket. Please and thank you

i’ve (18m) had issues with picking my skin since i was a kid. i think it’s from my anxiety disorder + ocd tendencies. i pick every day, usually after school or work, and i go until my face is red, swollen and painful. i can pick for hours on end without realizing.
i decided to change my skin care routine on a whim. my mom bought me some new skin products and i’ve been using them, which has given me the inspiration to not pick, as i cannot apply some of it over open wounds. i still do pick, but it’s only at scabs that have basically already fallen off or dead skin that is very ready to come off. seeing that my skin is looking less red is helping me stay inspired, but seeing the very squeezable zits is torture. i almost gave up yesterday, i was so frustrated. nothing could describe the mental torture i was in trying not to go at my skin.
my skin is a mix of very oily and very dry, and i also have eczema. also some red, peeling, flaky skin near my nose at times, and constantly at my hairline on my forehead. i used to pick at this relentlessly, but now i’ve gotten to the point where i gently comb out the loose flakes and do my best to leave it alone.
i’m using skincare that is exfoliating and uses some kind of acid (i forgot the name of it, brain fart. a very common acid used for skin care), and since my skin is sensitive as all hell (itchy from contact w anything at all), my skin is so itchy. i’m not allergic to the stuff, this is just textbook irritation from not being used to the skincare routine i have now. i need to find a way to get past the intense cravings to pick. it’s so hard when i’m itchy.
i’ve found that clenching my fists really works for me. and i mean clenching them HARD. otherwise, i go into my room and sit on the floor, unscrew the end of a broom and use the sweep thing to slowly sweep my floor. seeing dust/dog fur collecting into a pile helps me as well. any tips are appreciated!

i live in BC atm but seems like its impossible to find a session without having to be on a waitlist for hours. sucks lingering around always waiting for an unknown amount of time trying not to spend money elsewhere in the casino... casinos near me only have 1-4 tables all will have you on a waitlist if youre not there to register when the doors open at 11am with the shitregs and seniors ...for a game that claims to start registering at 6:30 pm...
was thinking of making a trip to parq in vancouver to play one of the daily tournaments but have been turned off after reading some reviews and apparently they got waitlist and cheating problems there...
i havent lived here long enough to find private games....
dont trust online...
i just wanna punt off some stax man....
whats an action player to do around here????