Uil state track meet 2022

Hi 👋🏽. I'm a 21 year old (just turned) Hawaiian/African American. I work in sales for Pepsi, I'm a part time mechanic/soldier, and I'm currently pursuing my BS in Aviation. In my free time I like to work on computers, play video games, work out, read books, [learn to] cook, and dive. (I wanna add working on cars to my hobbie list when I get back when I get back). In late 2022 I decided to join the national guard. I spent the last 7 months in combat and mechanic training. In 15 days I'm going back home to Texas and I'm really excited to get the next chapter of my life started. As I previously stated, I'm trying to get my BS in Aviation and I haven't been able to put much time into while in military training. With that out of the way I'm hoping to find someone to talk to. Mayhaps.... 

If you're interested in video games I play:
-World of tanks -War Thunder -Apex -Cyber punk -Hell let loose - Halo MCC -and a bunch of other games
If you want to play any with me you are gonna have to wait 2 weeks till I get back home. If you're into any of the other stuff I mentioned shoot me a pm and I'll try and get back to you when I can.

I was debating making this post now or waiting until more people put more time into the game. I do not expect most to agree with my points, at least yet. There is a lot of good and a lot of bad. The positive news is this is a far better state than Diablo 3 was at launch and the game has a good solid foundation going for it.
Please be aware I am focusing on the negatives here because that's what needs to be improved. I personally rate the game a 7/10. However, that's not going to make me come back for seasons, it's just an average game right now but I am sure many of this will be improved with time.
- Overall way too much walking, not enough action. World Tier 3 & 4 should be brimming with enemies in dangerous areas.
- No sense of power progression due to scaling. I don't feel any stronger at 72 than I did at 10. Scaling the open world is okay, but there needs to be far more things in the game that don't scale.
- World Tier 3/4 needs minimum level requirements. Seasons are just going to be rushing world tier 4.
- NPC placement in towns is bad, it seems every town has the NPCs too spread out.
- Gems take up too much inventory space.
- Cellars are pointless. Exact same layout with long loading screens (I have D4 on a NVMe SSD).
- World bosses just feel like big loot pinatas. Most kills I have done not a single person dies.
- I feel like there are only 5 zone events in the entire game that just repeat in different areas. I've done the same ones at least 50 times.
- Hellrifts don't have enough going on in them. It's just open world killing with packs spread out too much. Mount. Kill 10 enemies. Mount. Kill 10 enemies. Simply double the density in these events would improve fun tenfold. Reforge mats should also not be exclusive to this event.
- Reforging is waaaay too expensive. There are so many modifiers in D4 chances of getting the one you want is rare. I still have only successfully reforged 2 items into what I wanted. The rest I had to give up on because it quickly became 1+ million gold per respec. Put a hard cap on reforging costs at about 1 million gold and make it reach that cap much slower.
- Whispers (Bounties) are not rewarding enough. The caches don't even always drop a legendary when legendaries are plentiful on world tier 4. Why would I do these? At least move the waypoint right next to the tree.
- I dislike the "slow" combat even if it was intentional. This is an ARPG, not an RPG. Building resources for 6 swings just to attack once with a core ability shouldn't be how most builds play - especially in the endgame. All classes and most builds seem to suffer from it. Resource generation should be, attack 2-3 times, then cast a core ability 5-6 times, for most builds. The core abilities should just hit less and be more spammable.
- Overall too many items are dropping in later world tiers, one dungeon run fills your inventory and inventory management becomes tedious. This is not a problem in D2/D3 because you rarely need to loot anything (D2) or mass salvage without looking (D3). In this, you must look at almost everything carefully because rares can be best in slot. Items need to drop less but to compromise all drops should just be sacred or ascended based on difficulty and give more mats respectively. Remove the (Sacred) and (Ascended) text as well because it won't be needed if certain difficulties only drop those items.
- Dungeons are not worth doing. Never thought I'd say this but I honestly prefer rifts. Rift had density, didn't require running to, and didn't require much back tracking. Dungeons need to be more open, less linear, far more rewarding, far longer, and have more density. Most are just long linear-ish paths that require backtracking and most are inside only. Rifts had many outside and more open layouts. Dungeons should simply be "kill a ton of enemies enemies, kill a boss, kill a ton more enemies, kill another boss". They should have made far less dungeons but made them much larger in size with multiple bosses and more open layouts. They don't feel like dungeons at all. Also, "Kill all monsters in the area" objective needs to be turned into "kill most of the enemies" with a progress bar.
- Overall too much focus on story/quests/collecting (altar of liliths, etc). D2 had 6 quests per act, many were optional and just done by exploring. That's fine because this is an ARPG. If the amount of development time and money spent to put 300 side quests in the game went into ARPG gameplay mechanics and dungeons, we'd had a much better ARPG. Stop trying to make ARPGS something they aren't, most people aren't going to touch quests outside of their first character. Most ARPG fans just want fun builds and mass brainless killing.
I feel D4 has an identity crisis. They are trying to make an ARPG appeal to the masses when ARPGs will never appeal to the masses (and that's fine). The masses will simply beat the campaign and quit while the dedicated ARPG players will not like most of what D4's endgame currently offers because too much focus was given on systems they don't care about (campaign and side quests for example).
Thanks for reading if you made it this far.

The internet has become an integral part of modern life, and with it comes the need for privacy and anonymity. In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards using virtual private networks (VPNs), Tor networks, and other tools to ensure privacy and avoid surveillance. However, even these tools can be vulnerable to detection and tracking by internet service providers (ISPs), governments, and other entities.
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Shifter SOCKS5 is a new tool that aims to tackle this problem by providing a high level of anonymity and security for internet users. It is a SOCKS5 proxy service that encrypts all the data passed through it, making it virtually impossible for third parties to intercept or trace. By routing internet traffic through a secure proxy server located in a different geographic location, Shifter SOCKS5 allows users to access the internet anonymously and securely.
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ClonBrowser, on the other hand, takes a different approach to anonymity. It is a browser that is specifically designed to prevent detection and tracking by websites and other online platforms. ClonBrowser has a built-in feature that allows users to create multiple accounts and switch between them seamlessly. By doing so, it prevents websites from tracking users' browsing activities and building a digital fingerprint of their online behavior.
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Together, these tools offer new opportunities for internet users who value privacy and anonymity. Shifter SOCKS5 provides a secure and private internet connection, while ClonBrowser allows users to browse the internet without leaving a trace. This combination of tools offers a new level of anonymity and privacy that was previously unavailable.
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However, it is important to note that these tools should be used responsibly and ethically. While they offer valuable benefits, they can also be used for malicious purposes, such as cybercrime and online harassment. As with any technology, it is up to the users to ensure that they are using these tools in a responsible and legal manner.
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In conclusion, Shifter SOCKS5 and ClonBrowser are two innovative tools that offer new opportunities in the era of anonymous browsing. By providing a high level of privacy and security, they allow internet users to access the internet without fear of detection or surveillance. As the internet continues to evolve, it is likely that more tools like these will be developed to meet the growing demand for privacy and anonymity in the online world.

LPI (LP Information)' newest research report, the “Railway Vehicle Door Controller Industry Forecast” looks at past sales and reviews total world Railway Vehicle Door Controller sales in 2022, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Railway Vehicle Door Controller sales for 2023 through 2029. With Railway Vehicle Door Controller sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Railway Vehicle Door Controller industry.
This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Railway Vehicle Door Controller landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyzes the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Railway Vehicle Door Controller portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms' unique position in an accelerating global Railway Vehicle Door Controller market.
This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Railway Vehicle Door Controller and breaks down the forecast by type, by application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Railway Vehicle Door Controller .
This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Railway Vehicle Door Controller market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries.
https://www.lpinformationdata.com/reports/729986/railway-vehicle-door-controller-2029
The main participants
Siemens
All Industrial Inc.
MSV elektronika
Wabtec Corporation
ElectroCraft
Schaltbau
Sécheron
ELMESY
EKE-Trainnet
Infineon Technologies
Segmentation by type
Electric Control
Pneumatic Control
Segmentation by application
Bus
Truck
Express Train
Others
Key Questions Addressed in this Report
What is the 10-year outlook for the global Railway Vehicle Door Controller market?
What factors are driving Railway Vehicle Door Controller market growth, globally and by region?
Which technologies are poised for the fastest growth by market and region?
How do Railway Vehicle Door Controller market opportunities vary by end market size?
How does Railway Vehicle Door Controller break out type, application?
What are the influences of COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine war?
LP INFORMATION (LPI) is a professional market report publisher based in America, providing high quality market research reports with competitive prices to help decision makers make informed decisions and take strategic actions to achieve excellent outcomes.We have an extensive library of reports on hundreds of technologies.Search for a specific term, or click on an industry to browse our reports by subject. Narrow down your results using our filters or sort by what’s important to you, such as publication date, price, or name.
LP INFORMATION
E-mail: [email protected]
Add: 17890 Castleton St. Suite 369 City of Industry, CA 91748 US
Website: https://www.lpinformationdata.com

I know idols go on music shows all the time to promote their latest title track. I was wondering if anyone knew what their typical schedule looked like. I know they have some down time where they can go out to meet other idols, but how much is spent getting ready, being in standby mode, and actually performing?
I'm just curious if anyone has any ideas. Thank for reading! <3

So let me preface this by saying I am estranged from my mother and have been for most of my life. She is a paranoid narcissist, a racist, a homophobe, a xenophobe, and just all around terrible person. She abused me growing up so I cut loose in high school, got emancipated and got on with my life. For years I had a happy queer relationship with another woman and we had a son together (I carried with a sperm donor). When my kid was 5 his other mom died and I was alone for 5 years before I met someone. A year later, that someone and I got married. Previous to said wedding my husband’s parents felt it would be important to meet my parents. My father died when I was 19 so that left my mother and her husband. I struggled over the decision to try and reconnect with my mom, knowing how bad this can get for me in these situations (I suffer severe ptsd from the abuse trauma).. but it was a wedding and everyone kept telling me it “was important to have family together.” So fine, let’s do this.
The problems started fast and furious. My mom came to our coast (we live on opposite coasts) to meet my fiancé and my son. Right away she was pulling my husband to the corner to tell him all the “dirt” she could on me, or conversely, telling him he better get me nice cars and plastic surgery. Then she stated calling all of her friends and putting my fiancé on the phone to “prove to them that her daughter was marrying a doctor” (even if he is a goyem (a Yiddish term for non-Jew. Has slightly derogatory tones).
Cut to lunch and my mother is asking how many tables she “gets” at the wedding. I ask “huh?” She explains she needs a least 5 tables at 10 per table for HER guests. I was really confused. I explained that our whole wedding venue seated 50 people total and those seats were spoken for. I had invited several people my mother asked me to have already. She went absolutely bananas demanding we change venue (we’re now 6 weeks from the wedding) to accommodate HER GUESTS. I painfully explained we can’t do that.. it’s not possible.. just no. She then switches gears like she always does and asks about our honeymoon. We were heading to Mexico for 2 weeks and my son would be staying with his donomyBFF. My mom screamed “what??? He needs to be with HIS FAMILY.” I reminded her that he was staying with family. She demanded time with my son so I half heartedly said she could have him half the time. (This will come back to haunt me later.)
Cut to the wedding. Did I mention my mom is a low key alkie? So it’s about 2pm and she’s in the bridal suite in the bathroom. I’m in the dress and the photographer is waiting for my mother to come and use an antique button-holer to button up my gown. I’m nervous and excited and emotional because I’m in the dress and this is my day. This is one of the photos we had pre-planned to take. I asked my mother if she would do the honors. Instead, my mother is in the bathroom half dressed with her fireball and ice screaming into the phone at her husband “you are so stupid, how can you not find it!? I put it on the damn dresser! I can’t f**ing believe I married you…” you get the picture. It’s so loud the guests in the living room can hear it. I finally give up and have my son do the buttonholing for me (the pics were so special). Thank goodness it wasn’t video because you would have her my mother screaming “Can anyone get me another drink?? Does this room even have room service??”
Cut to walking down the aisle. We do the ceremony, it’s perfect, and my delightful friend and officiant announces “Introducing Mr. & Mrs Jon— when suddenly my mom stands up and screams “It’s DOCTOR not MISTER, get it right!”
Now I knew we had a problem on our hands ahead of the big day so I put in some contingency plans in place to buffer her. My wedding planner was under strict instructions to not allow my mother to make a speech (she loves to humiliate me by saying personal things about me to anyone who will listen and then she loves to announce what a terrible daughter I am and how much of a disappointment to her.) Second plan was my SIL faking a heart attack if she got her hands on the mic. About half thru dinner my delightful planner comes to me crying saying she’s so sorry but my mom is demanding to make a speech. That’s right, this tiny demon of a woman made my wedding planner CRY. Right then she stood up (have no idea how she got the mic) and said, “So my daughter didn’t want me to say anything. I guess she gets embarrassed, but I’m her MOTHER, and I get to say whatever I want. I’m here to say that I always knew she was going to marry a doctor, it didn’t surprise me at all. What did surprise me is when I gave birth to her and the nurses told me she was a girl, but I didn’t believe them so I had to take her diaper off and spread her legs and look at her vagina to make sure she was a girl.” She illustrated this by spreading her two fingers open. You could here jaws dropping around the room. She then went on to say “how disappointed she was in me that I don’t see her more often and that she hopes now that I have a doctor husband I’ll be able to see her more frequently”. Sadly my SIL was in the loo and plan 2 failed.
Cut to the dancing. I am dancing with my husband and my friends. We’re all having a good time when somebody comes up to me and taps me on the shoulder and says “hey, I don’t wanna cause a scene or anything but you might want to look at your mom”. I look over at my mother and she has taken off the jacket to her dress and now she’s peeling off the shoulder straps one by one and waving her head around to the music saying “oh my goodness it’s getting so hot in here!” This b*tch was trying to take her clothes off on the dance floor. Oh, I forgot to mention earlier that she had a three drink maximum, but she was getting around this by asking other people to get drinks for her.
The next morning I of course got to hear alllllll the embarrassing stories from the night before. She asked why my friend married “an Arab,” called another guest “not Jewish enough to attend the wedding” and complained to anyone who would listen that I didn’t even allow her 50 guests, and the party would have been so much more fun if she had done it.
And the pièce derésistance? Right as we were leaving for our honeymoon I got a call from her saying “I know you need me to watch your kid, but not unless you do something for me. You’ll need to call your brother and make nice with him again.” My brother and I are estranged for reasons I can’t get into now. I said no, he’ll go to his real family, the one that cares for him without strings attached. There is so much more she did around my wedding but to would be way to long to include everything!
There you have it! One cluster fuck of a mother story! For anyone interested, we don’t talk anymore and I couldn’t be happier. Good riddance to bad rubbish!

LPI (LP Information)' newest research report, the “Railway Vehicle Braking System Industry Forecast” looks at past sales and reviews total world Railway Vehicle Braking System sales in 2022, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Railway Vehicle Braking System sales for 2023 through 2029. With Railway Vehicle Braking System sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Railway Vehicle Braking System industry.
This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Railway Vehicle Braking System landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyzes the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Railway Vehicle Braking System portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms' unique position in an accelerating global Railway Vehicle Braking System market.
This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Railway Vehicle Braking System and breaks down the forecast by type, by application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Railway Vehicle Braking System .
This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Railway Vehicle Braking System market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries.
https://www.lpinformationdata.com/reports/729985/railway-vehicle-braking-system-2029
The main participants
Nabtesco
Knorr-Bremse
Mitsubishi
New York Air Brake
Hanning
Voith Turbo
Benia Satrap Padideh Company
Wabtec Railway Electronics
Yujin Machinery
Dako-CZ
Siemens Mobility
Beijing Tianyishangjia
Tedrail
Greysham International
Huatie
JSC MTZ Transmash
Amsted
Segmentation by type
Air Brake System
Electro-pneumatic Brake System
Segmentation by application
Bus
Truck
Others
Key Questions Addressed in this Report
What is the 10-year outlook for the global Railway Vehicle Braking System market?
What factors are driving Railway Vehicle Braking System market growth, globally and by region?
Which technologies are poised for the fastest growth by market and region?
How do Railway Vehicle Braking System market opportunities vary by end market size?
How does Railway Vehicle Braking System break out type, application?
What are the influences of COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine war?
LP INFORMATION (LPI) is a professional market report publisher based in America, providing high quality market research reports with competitive prices to help decision makers make informed decisions and take strategic actions to achieve excellent outcomes.We have an extensive library of reports on hundreds of technologies.Search for a specific term, or click on an industry to browse our reports by subject. Narrow down your results using our filters or sort by what’s important to you, such as publication date, price, or name.
LP INFORMATION
E-mail: [email protected]
Add: 17890 Castleton St. Suite 369 City of Industry, CA 91748 US
Website: https://www.lpinformationdata.com

Species: Dog Age: 2 years Sex: Male/Neutered Breed: Frenchie Body Weight: 35 lbs History: Up to date on vaccines, had BOAS surgery at university hospital a year past, is allergic to beef, dairy, etc. (see panel) and diet was changed to meet that at time of test and receives allergy shot monthly, tested for hypothyroidism about 50 days ago, came back low normal and was given 30 days on low dose hormone to see if it helped, 30 day return appointment is this Friday Clinical signs: skin changes on back flanks, hair is thinning, lethargy, loss of appetite Duration: 4-6 months General Location: WA state Links to results: I have photos of issues with coat and allergy panel, but can't attach them as others have
We have our dog on meds prescribed by vet to try out and see if they help. Vet informed us of side effects of the thyroid med including lethargy and loss of appetite. His check-in appointment is this Friday to retest bloodwork and see if the thyroid medication helped. His skin issues continue to progress with large patches of thinning fur on his sides.
See photos.

Earlier today I had this weird urge to log into my Facebook and look up LO #2. I actually didn’t know he had one until last week and I saw he had a girl on his pfp. I don’t think they’re dating but I hate that it bothered me. I deleted the app then and there. Today though I just had to see him I guess. This time when I looked it felt like I was looking at a stranger. Like I don’t remember anything about the real him. The actual person behind the screen. I probably never will.
It’s weird because for 3 years I’ve been in a LE. Within the span of 2 dudes. Leaving the details for another post but the most recent one LO #2 is the one that’s still fresh on my mind even though we stopped texting in Jan-March 2022. Basically for the majority of 2022 I was obsessed with him. He was in my dreams, daydreams and is even in all of my journals. Would constantly check his social media even when he turned it private. I would just stare at his profile to get a sign of life. Would even check all of his playlists on Spotify (which he never gave me).
Now that I’m no longer in that state, it’s like damn i actually have to live now in the real world. Starting from square fucking one because I was basically NEET and chronically on my phone the whole time. I guess it could’ve been worse idk how to end this post.

LPI (LP Information)' newest research report, the “Ship Host Remote Control System Industry Forecast” looks at past sales and reviews total world Ship Host Remote Control System sales in 2022, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Ship Host Remote Control System sales for 2023 through 2029. With Ship Host Remote Control System sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Ship Host Remote Control System industry.
This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Ship Host Remote Control System landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyzes the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Ship Host Remote Control System portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms' unique position in an accelerating global Ship Host Remote Control System market.
This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Ship Host Remote Control System and breaks down the forecast by type, by application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Ship Host Remote Control System .
This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Ship Host Remote Control System market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries.
https://www.lpinformationdata.com/reports/729984/ship-host-remote-control-system-2029
The main participants
Nabtesco
Sea Machines
Kongsberg Norcontrol
SELMA Ship Electric Marine Control
Kobelt
Dockmate
Nantong Navigation Machinery Group Co.
DNV
Rolls-Royce
Wartsila
Segmentation by type
Pneumatic Remote Control System
Electric Remote Control System
Microcomputer Remote Control System
Segmentation by application
Military Ship
Civilian Ship
Key Questions Addressed in this Report
What is the 10-year outlook for the global Ship Host Remote Control System market?
What factors are driving Ship Host Remote Control System market growth, globally and by region?
Which technologies are poised for the fastest growth by market and region?
How do Ship Host Remote Control System market opportunities vary by end market size?
How does Ship Host Remote Control System break out type, application?
What are the influences of COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine war?
LP INFORMATION (LPI) is a professional market report publisher based in America, providing high quality market research reports with competitive prices to help decision makers make informed decisions and take strategic actions to achieve excellent outcomes.We have an extensive library of reports on hundreds of technologies.Search for a specific term, or click on an industry to browse our reports by subject. Narrow down your results using our filters or sort by what’s important to you, such as publication date, price, or name.
LP INFORMATION
E-mail: [email protected]
Add: 17890 Castleton St. Suite 369 City of Industry, CA 91748 US
Website: https://www.lpinformationdata.com

It's weird how people bump into one another in places you wouldn't expect, right? Like you probably didn't expect to see that title when scrolling late at night, but here we are. And now we're having a conversation.
Well, not really, but we could be!
I'll be honest, this isn't the first post I've ever made here. It's probably not yours either. And that's totally okay. Sometimes things don't work out, or people don't see your post because you always decide the optimal time would be to post it at 10pm on a Sunday night. You know, there's all sorts of reasons we may find ourselves coming back here. But that's okay too! It's never too late to try again, right?
Hi. My name is Jeff. You probably already guessed that, but maybe not. I don't know, I'm not next to you. I was never good at these things, so, I guess here's a list of things about me. That's what people usually do when they don't know how to communicate their personality, right? So, let's see here:

• I am 27 years old. Very cool, pinnacle of life, right?
• I have a full time job that I enjoy. I won't go into specifics here but it has helped me come out of my shell over the past few years and I am very fortunate for the chances people have taken on me to help me with that. Maybe you will too and message me. Just not for a job, please. I'm happy where I am.
• I am what many would consider a 'gamer', except I just say it normally in my absolutely not an accent Midwesterner accent, and not like some people do mockingly. I enjoy playing games, and do it fairly regularly. I don't really know how else to say it. Mock me if you will if that's not acceptable, I'm still going to do what I enjoy.
• I make atleast one person laugh or smile a day. That's not an average, I'm afraid to say what the average is incase you're funnier than me and my quota isn't comparable. But sometimes people consider me funny. Sometimes.
• I tend to lean left, and am open to LGBT+ ect people. I am not necessarily looking for that romantically, but if you and someone you meet are, that's awesome and I hope the best for you. I don't tend to go into politics and such unless asked but just know if you are someone who tends to lean the other direction and or is vocal about being against those things, we probably won't really get along.
• I try to be creative, including writing stories, creating DnD campaign settings and running them, and just generally am usually thinking about something I could write or create. It's a fun hobby for me I've been doing to some extend dating back to my high school years, but has certainly ramped up and become more mature in recent years.
  • Before someone makes a joke of it, I'll beat you to it. No, I can't be a nerd because I'm not traditionally great at math, even with math rocks that go click clack. But, I like to make cool worlds, so there's that.

What am I looking for in a fellow person?

• Preferably within my 'age range', so we'll say 24-30? If you're older or younger I'm sure you're a great person, just not what I'm looking for.
• Someone who is open minded and patient. Sometimes I may not understand something and need clarification, or may just do something stupid unintentionally. I'm sorry, I'm aware and can be advised of such without unnecessary insults. However, if I forgot to pick up our sitcom kid from school for an entire day in the rain, perhaps it's warranted.
  
• Someone with a sense of humor, or who can deal with my sometimes dull sense of humor. If you've made it this far, you are probably doing a great job at this and somehow found this entertaining.
  
• Ideally, someone who can share in my hobbies and passions, and compliment them. If you're also a creative person, or enjoy similar hobbies, that could be a great way to bond and see how we mesh just as people.
  
• I am looking for anyone specifically within the US. While I'm not expecting to find someone down the street from this post, more local (within a few states) is certainly a plus, but by no means a deal-breaker. I am generally happy where I am, I'm not expecting to move anywhere at this point, but who knows what can change.
  

I'm sure there is plenty more that we could talk about, but I am traditionally yelled at on the rare interactions these posts bring that I am not clear enough and have too long of posts. So, I tried to make this one a bit more fun, even if you aren't interested in me. If nothing else if even a little bit of what you read made you laugh or go, "Wow, look at this guy. What a post." in a slightly mocking way (without needing to explicitly tell me), then I'll consider my job done.
On the off chance you want to see what I'm like in a normal, non-mocking conversation, by all means feel free to reach out and we'll go from there. That's about it, I'm sure I've gone on too long in some cases, but hopefully you enjoyed the title atleast nonetheless. For all those out there looking for something fulfilling in their life, I wish you all the best.

LPI (LP Information)' newest research report, the “Gynecological Irrigator Industry Forecast” looks at past sales and reviews total world Gynecological Irrigator sales in 2022, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Gynecological Irrigator sales for 2023 through 2029. With Gynecological Irrigator sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Gynecological Irrigator industry.
This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Gynecological Irrigator landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyzes the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Gynecological Irrigator portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms' unique position in an accelerating global Gynecological Irrigator market.
This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Gynecological Irrigator and breaks down the forecast by type, by application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Gynecological Irrigator .
This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Gynecological Irrigator market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries.
https://www.lpinformationdata.com/reports/729983/gynecological-irrigator-2029
The main participants
BOENMED
Trans Africa Medicals
Berry Global
Narang Medical Limited
IndoSurgicals Pvt. Ltd.
HEMC Medical
Desco Medical India
GPC Medical Ltd.
Cliniva Healthcare
AdvinHealthcare
Segmentation by type
Medical Polyethylene
Medical Polypropylene
Others
Segmentation by application
Hospital
Clinic
Household
Others
Key Questions Addressed in this Report
What is the 10-year outlook for the global Gynecological Irrigator market?
What factors are driving Gynecological Irrigator market growth, globally and by region?
Which technologies are poised for the fastest growth by market and region?
How do Gynecological Irrigator market opportunities vary by end market size?
How does Gynecological Irrigator break out type, application?
What are the influences of COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine war?
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If I seem interesting to you, please feel free to send me a chat request! Other than that, have a great day/night! Take care 😎

The day seemed like it would be ordinary until the aeronautical community’s most sought after document showed up on my doorstep.
It came wrapped in brown kraft paper tied off with twine, and the exterior packaging had no return address nor any indication of a postage stamp. It was as though it had been simply bundled up and dropped into my wall-mounted mailbox by a random passerby.
No part of me was willing to surrender the strange parcel without opening it first. Regardless of who its contents truly belonged to, my eyes would be the first to see it. I removed the twine and then dug a thumb under a fold in the packaging paper before clawing it away to expose a brown tan notebook circa 1900. It was full grain buffalo leather with a crisscross of cord for the spine and a thick hand cut string keeping it sealed shut.
When I undid the string, the pages that had been gripped tight by the leather fanned out gently then returned to their original position, my eyes landing on the front page. It was without a printer’s mark and read in big handwritten type: “THE DIARY AND RECORD OF HENRY H. HELGELAND.”
I knew in that instant the package was in the hands of who it was rightfully sent out for. Not just because I’d recently lost my job as an associate at our city’s art museum but because of a separate, much deeper connection to the diary’s author.
Perhaps it’s in my best interests to turn it over to the National Archives, or the US Arctic Research Commission, or maybe even the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, but at the risk of seeing it blue-penciled to death, I’ve elected to instead share it here and now.
The world needs to know what happened.
---
Henry H. Helgeland — my great grandfather — was a severe looking man with a walrus mustache and a bone to pick with anyone who ever doubted him. He was born in Oakland, California in 1871 and was, by all available accounts relayed to me, well-behaved and well-liked. His father worked a lucrative job in the shipping industry, transporting timber between San Francisco and the Central Valley. Two years into Henry’s life, his mother would contract a fatal case of diphtheria and die shortly thereafter; when he was old enough to understand what had happened, Henry “yearn[ed] fervently for a reunion to mend [his] great anguish and sorrow.”
Near the turn of the 20th century, Henry attended Stanford University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, where he learned everything from thermodynamics to machine design. But it was a lecture about polar transportation that would ultimately kindle his interest in a separate enterprise: arctic exploration. Indeed, the race to the North Pole was well underway, with naval officers, geologists, and aeronauts around the globe vying for the chance to make history. My great grandfather, like many of his peers, propounded the theory that he, and he alone, would be the first to reach the Great White North.
In 1895, Henry graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and sought to expand the member list of the so called Ascension Society, a student organization he’d assembled to aid engineering graduates with materials science. Many of its constituents had engaged in research projects and experimental setups to hone their craft of mechanical systems, but in time, however, the venture would instead prove a hotspot for investors and philanthropists. Donations averaging up to $5,000 helped fund and promote the fantastic ambitions of my great grandfather. So long as the Ascension Society was gracing him with their support, he’d be the first to reach the North Pole.
In early 1898, armed with enough capital, Henry used the proceeds to purchase the materials required for the balloon.
---
A notable circus at the forefront of traveling attractions in the early twentieth century was The Fielding Troupe. With its impressive lineup of talent — from fire eaters and aerialists to equestrians and strongmen — the ensemble drew crowds from nearly every town in western America during its historic run. Its wide reach would ultimately reel in many notable faces, including my great grandfather.
Prior to a performance in Oakland, the Fielding Troupe led a procession through the town around Stanford University, announcing their arrival with a parade of wagons, floats, and animals. The strategy, as it were, was to drum up as much publicity and fanfare as possible. Evidently it worked, as a healthy fraction of the faculty and student body at Stanford made the trip over to Oakland in order to see the troupe in action.
Surrounding their arena with two hundred feet of heavy duty tent canvas, the troupe put on a show for the ages the night Henry was in attendance, with extravagant acrobatics, trained animal performances, and a special appearance from Curtis the Clown. Following a skillful display of juggling and good natured audience ribbing, Curtis’s master stroke was an intricate stunt involving balloons and wire flying. Firstly, he would inflate several multi-colored balloons and tie them off with string, securing them firmly in his grip. They served as a flashy distraction from the piece of flexible metal snaking out from the harness he had concealed under his equally flashy costume. Then, with a whisper of strength, a couple stagehands hoisted the balloon-carrying clown thirty feet into the air to make it appear as though he was levitating by virtue of the balloons alone. A separate performer — a marksman — showed off his sharpshooting skills with a Winchester model rifle and gunned down the balloons, exploding each one as the stagehands loosened their hold on Curtis’s harness until he was eased to the ground.
Henry watched the routine with eager delight. Seeing Curtis the Clown float above a hundred or so onlookers helped stir within him a plan. The ceiling of the Big Top Tent where Curtis had concluded his ascent represented more than the centerpiece of a traveling circus.
“Ascendancy,” Henry muttered to his wife Ruth. “This is how we get to the top of the world.”
---
The spherical vessel measured sixty-five feet in diameter, with a capacity of over 200,000 cubic feet. Its construction was overseen by Henry and a couple french engineers who installed in its gondola three berths and ample ballast to keep it stable. The gondola, a carefully constructed assemblage of wicker and chestnut wood, was built as such to bar any interference to the magnetic instruments of the explorers. Keeping it shielded against severe weather conditions was a varnished silk calotte and a vaselined net composed of over four-hundred hemp cords. A bamboo pole was attached bellow the carrying ring to attach the side sails and, perhaps most notably, the balloon was fitted with hemp and cocoa nut fiber guide ropes to help steer and maintain a consistent altitude.
After two years of exhaustive construction, work on the balloon was completed in 1900. Henry named it Ascension, after the society that funded its creation.
---
What follows are several selected passages lifted directly from Henry’s memorandum, transcribed by me. The first entry reads:
“At nine o'clock on the forenoon, May 5, 1900, under the auspices of the Ascension Society, we embarked from the 71st parallel on our quest of the Pole. Our great journey sets off from Point Barrow, Alaska following a grueling adventure aboard the steamer Sursum. I, Henry Helgeland, travel forth, accompanied by Charles Ringvold, esteemed navigator, and Edward Meyer, long celebrated physician, into the arctic wilderness. Together, our efforts will generate a most formidable team and an unwavering spirit. We will ascend.”
Indeed, the SS Sursum disembarked from a port in San Francisco in mid May of that year; it offered easy access to the Pacific Ocean and sailed through the Bering Strait, covering over 3,000 nautical miles before reaching Point Barrow on July 2.
When the balloon took off, carried by a fierce north east wind, it was to a thunderous applause from those that had come to bear witness to the bold endeavor. Among them were crew members of the SS Sursum, high ranking associates of the Ascension Society, and carpenters tasked with helping the balloon reach its initial phase of liftoff.
As it elevated to 300 hundred feet and passed around an onlooking whaler, Henry was reported to have shouted: “To the top of the world, hurrah!”
---
36 hours would elapse before a second entry was made.
“July 4, 1900, Lat. 77° 48' N, Long. 143° 4' W. We are soaring at a height of 600 feet above the Earth's surface, traveling at a speed of approximately seven kilometers per hour. Our morale remains similarly aloft. Charles relayed to me that, God willing, we anticipate reaching the pole in roughly 800 miles. Beyond the drag ropes lending their ballast to our journey, optimism is our guiding force. We will ascend.”
Turbulent air currents had a different plan in mind, however.
“July 5, 1900, Lat. 80° 8' N, Long. 138° 37' W. Alas! Our aerial journey came to an abrupt halt yestereve on the 80th parallel. We voyaged as many as 500 miles before a forceful downdraft spun our vehicle on its vertical axle and compelled it into a sharp descent; we had lost what we estimate to be just over 100 cubic feet of gas.
“Edward suffered severe injuries during the initial impact and claims his vertebrae have been shattered, leaving him immobile. We’re at the mercy of the floe on which we now rest, at the mercy of the Polar Sea. Should we face the specter of death, we shall meet it with unwavering honor. We will ascend.”
---
“July 6, 1900. We find ourselves solitary in the barren expanse, accompanied only by bergs, ice-fields, and majestic glaciers. Our rations encompass a container’s worth of hardtack, enough salted beef for approximately one week, canned stew, dried apricots, some chocolate bars, and seven bottles of ale.
“Edward’s outlook remains grim; he suspects he’ll never walk again. In witness of his current state, I’m beginning to share in such apprehensions. Edward, whom we have reposed on on of our sledges, fears that the opportunity to make known the great love he holds for his mistress Rebecca is one he’ll never be granted. ‘You shall be reunited at once,’ I assured him. ‘Our journey to triumph will not be thwarted by minor inconveniences.’
“We’ve plotted the course to our next destination: that being Herschel Island, located off the coast of Canada in the Beaufort Sea. Charles — who shares in Edward’s dismay — estimates a three month footslog spanning just under one thousand miles is in store for us, perhaps more given Edward’s ailment. I am determined to see this mission to its completion, yet survival remains a paramount desire. Who’s to recount our extraordinary journey should we fail?
“While establishing our encampment and scouting the local flora of the area for additional sources of sustenance, I happened upon a plant of an unknown species. Half a meter tall, bulbous tubers, and thin roots terminating in clusters of white flowers; intuition suggests this is a water hemlock, which precludes it from edibility. Nevertheless, I shall regard this finding as one of great fortune. A portent of divine value. We will ascend.”
---
Two days later, gold prospectors off the Alaskan coast at Nome beach were in the process of emptying their sluice boxes when from the sky flew a carrier pigeon directly to their mining site. It bore a label with the inscription “Helgeland” and contained the following dispatch:
“July 7, 1900. First dog watch. Three southerly traveling carrier-pigeons were sent off at approximately 7 h. 40 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, the following among them. This is Rear Admiral Charles Ringvold of the United States Navy and the Helgeland Balloon Expedition of 1900. Our hopes of reaching the pole have been reduced to naught. Assistance urgently needed. Our destinies have hitherto been unknown, and now my fears have been actualized. GO IN TERROR OF HENRY HELGELAND. He is not who he proclaims to be. I volunteered for a man of honorable stature and venturesome drive. The man before me betrays neither.”
The remainder of the message was a hasty scrawl, decrypted only by the best in linguistics and modern codebreaking.
“UNASSISTED WE WILL PERISH HELPED WE WILL PERSEVERE PLEASE GOD HELP US HENRY WILL KILL US ALL DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT HE PROCLAIMS.”
The communication was immediately passed off to the Smithsonian Institution, where word fell within the earshot of Ascension Society proponents and additional members of the US Navy. A follow-up expedition — a rescue team led by Captain S. P. Matthews — was put together at once with the authorization of the Secretary of War.
Months later, after a congressional bill introduced to secure grant funding for arctic exploration — and thereby a rescue mission for Helgeland’s lost expedition — was successfully passed, the USS Greenwich departed from the San Francisco Naval Shipyard with a crew of thirty boatswains, medics, and deck officers among others.
What they would ultimately uncover puzzled them all.
---
“July 7, 1900. The team has fractured. We are without our provisions and without the morale that has served us thusly.
“Charles and I set upon the pursuit and capture of a walrus, a most strenuous task in the Arctic Circle. Furnished with a Winchester model .40-82, the sport skews in our favor but we are in no short supply of peril. These are one ton beasts with the strength of a hundred strongmen as they stave the ice, and yet it is not them I should have feared.
“’I can’t allow you to proceed further.’ I heard the click clack racket of the Winchester as Charles chambered a round and raised the rifle, training its twenty inch barrel toward my back after I had volunteered — quite ignorantly — to take the vanguard.
“’Charles?’ I managed between clattering teeth.
“’You’re a man of bold stature. An honorable man at that. But not honorable enough to die for. And that’s it, Henry. I will not die for you.’
“’You speak out of distress, not rationality.’
“’I’m as rational as one permits when I say we won’t all make it to Canada. You can’t expect us to sledge Edward for the next month and retain our strength. Our sanities.” I could hear him gulp, ‘our lives.’
“’You’re not who you say you are.’ I realized in that moment. ‘Not even an ensign would renounce his own crew. Who are you really, Charles?’
“His credentials were a farce; a clever scheme to scrape through the expedition’s vetting process. He was no navy-man nor expert nor navigator and if you piled his life’s accomplishments on top of one another, they’d be equal to that of a cretin.
“’Doesn’t matter any more, Henry.’
“’Then why haven’t you shot me?’
“I sensed beyond his terror a hint of reluctance and felt within him the trepidation of an amateur. The man had never wielded a firearm in his life and wouldn’t start hence.
“’In Your infinite mercy, hear my prayer. In Your boundless grace, grant me Your forgiveness,’ he muttered below his breath. I could’ve believed he’d have squeezed the trigger if not for the unexpected convulsion that suddenly brought him to his knees. Befallen by the strange attack, Charles unhanded the Winchester and collapsed to the ice in the midst of a crippling seizure. And in a matter of moments, he had succumbed to death.
“With some activated charcoal or perhaps an emetic, he could have eluded such a painful demise. I stepped over to look upon his body, his pupils dilated to the size of dimes. Reviewing the immediate symptoms, intuition tells me he’s become the latest victim of hemlock poisoning, the kind of amateur mistake I’d expect from someone such as Charles. Ideal timing, if I may speak candidly.
“Hope remains alive. I will ascend.”
---
Investigators with the crew of S. P. Matthews found everything except answers.
It took them all of three months to zero in on the campsite left behind by Helgeland’s expedition. Any prospect of finding the balloon itself was dropped by the wayside to preserve manpower and time.
The camp was discovered on the 79th parallel, not in any particular state of disarray but with enough evidence to suggest conflict had broken out between the members. Edward was discovered in a tent with the rest of the rations and a bullet hole stamped in the side of his head. There was no telling how long he’d been dead for.
Forty-five meters away from the camp, buried under a stalagmitic gathering of ice and snow, was the body of Charles Ringvold. A followup inquiry would prove my great grandfather’s claims that he was a fraud, but like Charles himself, the truth is buried deep under the surface. Edward and Charles are commemorated for their failed — albeit honorable — efforts in the face of great opposition.
The body of my great grandfather, however, was never found. Theories thus abound in the saga of Henry H. Helgeland and we are no more the wiser now than we were a century ago. He is remembered for murdering his men in cold blood, deserting them, and then yielding to the elements somewhere in the frozen hell of the arctic. The carrier-pigeon message sent by Charles corroborated the apparent facts.
But I know the truth. Because only I have the answers.
“July 8, 1900. All that remains is me, for everyone else has vanished. Edward and I regaled each other with stories of our mistresses as night fell upon our place in the arctic wasteland. Rebecca, Edward’s beloved, works as an expert seamstress in San Francisco and will no doubt be devastated when news of his fate reaches her. But the great memories they shared together, I assured him, will serve her well in the years to come.
“‘You shall be reunited at once,’ I whispered to him once more before executing the dying man with the Winchester. It is my turn to face whatever awaits me on the ice.
“My great anguish and sorrow have been mended.
“Ruth is calling to me now. Our son promptly requires our presence.
“I shall go to them."
The fruitless search for my great grandfather peaked at last with the unearthing of a path of footprints snaking away from the tent where Edward’s body lay. Investigators followed them for approximately ten meters before they abruptly ceased. Captain Matthews is quoted as saying: “it was as though the walker had simply floated away.”
And indeed, it was our family that won in the end, for my great grandfather received exactly what he wanted. The final, undated entry of his diary is comprised of but three simple words:
“I have ascended.”

I recently came across a post about an expat who participated in a night wedding. After reading the accounts I began to do research on my own. Not because I believe in any of that stuff. I'm a magician after all. Illusion is my bread and butter. And I can detect trickery better than most. Which in my line of work has its benefits. But old traditions are the best places to pick up new techniques. Old ways that are new to others that delight and even scare people. Because, if I can make them afraid. Make them look away. For even a second. I can pull off some astounding magic.
My gig at the cruise line was coming to an end as we neared the port of Shanghai. And for my last several shows, where I'd normally start to include my greatest tricks in order to leave a lasting impression. I developed a new act that I called "The Sneaky Bride", it involved a mannequin in a wedding dress, a beautiful train, veil, flowers on the ground - the whole nine yards some would say. The trick was that the bride would sneak bites as my assistants who are dressed as servers pass by with their trays.
I begin the trick by placing a mannequin center stage for all to see so that they know it's a dummy. I show them there are no holes, and the entire thing is solid. Then we dress it up and set the stage for a wedding. And with a bit of lighting, another assistant switches places with the mannequin and is being fed under the veil. We later changed it to more slight of hand techniques as the assistant complained she wasn't able to chew fast enough as the items of course have to get larger and larger for comedic effect as the guests were wowed by the disappearing act as the fake wedding progressed.
At the end we even invited the unmarried men up to the stage and then threw out a fake bouquet, and watched them clamber over each other in good fun to catch it. The act was an instant hit and had the crowd roaring every night. Which was why I decided to take a firsthand look at the original, and see if there were any other staging techniques I could learn from this old tradition.
With some help from Bing and its ChatGPT features I was able to get a relatively good idea of where it was practiced. So I booked the next flight out to begin my quest for a real night wedding.
Upon arrival at my hotel, I asked the concierge for information about the local practice.
"Yes. I know of this one. We practice it often for children who were taken too early."
"But they are all scams?"
The concierge smiled, "In most cases the pouches mean no harm, and they're simply for families who want to provide peace for themselves and to complete a lasting tradition. Sometimes the dowries are quite lucrative as well, and it is the families who are scammed by those who go and collect these ghost wives as concubines. We call it a blue procession for the trail of ghosts the husband leaves behind wherever he goes." He leans in, "But between you and me? They're mostly all scams."
I laughed, and I can't stress this next part enough, tip your concierge! Which I did. "Thank you, and also. Do you know where I could get a good start on finding more information about these ghost dowries? Or even find one of these pouches myself?"
"The temple down this first street to the left, about half a kilometer, would be a good place to start. But finding a pouch is a bit more difficult as they pop up sporadically. However, if traditions are to be believed it is the pouch who chooses the spouse."
I thanked him again and began to make my way through the early morning rush toward the temple. The streets were lined with open markets full of food from local farmers, which were common in the morning in this part of the world. They would disappear before the afternoon and then return again to sell wares at night when it was cooler. It made the city feel as if it were breathing as the locals rose and ebbed outside with day and night.
On my way, I searched the ground and around alleys for loose pouches. But I had no such luck by the time I arrived at the temple. Large red pillars that were thicker than any tree I've personally had the pleasure of meeting held up the high ceiling. Inside, the locals were already starting to disperse as the work hours were amongst us. Which left me nearly alone in this temple at about 8:00 in the morning.
A monk or priest was kneeling on a mat in front of a wooden shrine, throwing pieces of wood in the shape of dumplings on the floor. I waited patiently for him to finish. Taking in the sights and the delicate features of the temple. When he rose I approached him.
"You don't speak English by any chance do you?"
He smiled.
"What about the middle tongue?" I asked in Mandarin.
"Oh," he seemed surprised. "Yes. How may I be of assistance?"
"What were you doing just now?"
He held out his hand and showed me two red wooden pieces that were, with closer inspection, in the shape of moons. "Jiaobei," he told me. "We use these to seek divine guidance."
"How does it work?"
The monk shows me the two sides, one was smooth and flat, the other side rounded. "You ask a question and then throw it on the ground. One block flat and one block round, means yes. Both blocks showing round means no. Or depending on the question. Anger from the Gods. Or crying in sadness as it is commonly known. And finally, both blocks showing flat means laughter. Which could mean a number of things." He hands them to me, "You throw it three times to get a better answer."
"I'm guessing if it's the same all three times, the answer is definitive?"
The monk nodded.
"Will I..."
"Ah ah ah, in silence."
I didn't want my first question to be too convoluted or difficult. So I kept it simple and asked if I was a good magician. Then I threw the Jiaobei on the floor. It clattered and rolled on its rounded back, showing two flat sides.
The monk smiled.
"That usually happens the first time anyone tries Jiaobei. But in my experience, it generally means you asked a pure question."
"What happens if I didn't ask a pure question and it came back as angry?"
"The gods will remember it. They will remember you."
"No bad first impression then huh," I whispered under my breath. "Okay. Do I need to throw it two more times or can I ask a different question?"
"You may ask a different question or throw it twice more."
"What is my name?" I threw it on the floor. And to my surprise, as the ends are pointed and difficult to balance, one of the damn things stood tall and erect.
The monk bowed to the pieces. "Truly you have been picked by the gods to be answered. Lijiao or a standing answer like this is uncommonly rare. The gods generally choose to laugh at a nonsensical question. And often get angry if you throw it two more times. And rarely do they ever answer ones asked aloud."
I bent forward, skeptical, though a temple this was, at how the thing worked. In my head I could only think that the switchboard guy was quick on his feet. But looking around I couldn't find any cameras. Though in this day an age, they're made smaller than a fly. So it was difficult to tell. I picked up the pieces, feeling for any sense of magnetism, but there were none.
I asked one last question before I left that day. I asked their gods, would I find the real deal? And I threw it on the ground three times. All three times it came up yes. But for two months I scoured the city, and the country side. And I did chance upon several pouches. Some were obviously scams as I watched each bag carefully before approaching. Especially noticeable are the ones in the city which would be laying on the sidewalk, filled with bills for people passing by. But I observed that if a local went to go pick it up, two or three men from around the corner would come and threaten him to put it back. But if a foreigner picked it up, an old man or woman would come and start calling them son before leading them away.
There were of course others that were genuinely following tradition. I chanced upon several of them and was married several times. But each one was playful almost. And performed by their parents in the day. Leaving me with several small bags of pocket change, a good dinner, as I went on my way.
During one of these fake night weddings I even saw a child playfully munching on a corn cob in the corner under one of the tables as I fed the effigy they constructed of my fake bride. Which was when I think I decided to call it quits. Believing that I'd never find the real deal. Although I did learn a lot as tradition can be translated by me into performance. Which helped me ground 'The Sneaky Bride' act further. All in all, this was time well spent.
My visa was coming to an end and I had mostly been enjoying the sights, the city, and their way of life. When on one the last day, as I was leaving from a faraway eatery that the concierge had recommended, that I saw a red pouch made of silk with a thick yarn around its throat, stuffed full of money. I looked around and didn't see a single person there, nothing except flat farmland and water gullies for miles.
Odd, I thought to myself, as it looked truly abandoned.
For a second I played with the idea of picking it up. Wondering if somehow a relative of the deceased would pop up magically next to me and I could change the world of magic by studying their technique. But I didn't want to spend my few hours chasing ghosts. I wanted to enjoy my time. So I kept walking.
I got back to the city and spent the remainder of my day eating and drinking, meeting new friends at the bar, newfound lads who I invited a hundred times to visit me in Melbourne one day. Who all agreed that if fate ever brought us back together we would drink until the sun rose. So yeah, I was fairly drunk when I got back to my hotel room, and didn't believe what I saw when I opened the door. It was a red pouch sitting on my coffee table.
"Someone's trying to play a trick on me," I mused. "They must have heard me talking at the bar." I circled the table studying the pouch. Any magician worth his smoke, likes a good bag. So there was no doubt to me that this was the same one I saw earlier. Which made me start putting two and two together. "It must be the concierge. He's the one who sent me out that far." I laughed and picked up the bag, even though I knew the rules. I opened it and thumbed through the bills. "It's much more than what I tipped him. Much more." Curious, I wondered what he would have done if I didn't return this to him. It must have been quite a few months worth of wages. I threw the bag up in the air and caught it as if I were juggling before I tossed it on my nightstand. "I'm going to let him sweat for a little bit and pretend I didn't find it tomorrow as I check out," I mused as I went to go take a shower.
I opened the door and felt the words stick to the roof of my mouth as the bag appeared on the counter next to the sink. I shot a glance back to the nightstand and indeed the bag I had just thrown on there was missing.
"This is a good fucking trick. That, or I'm drunker than I thought." I started questioning did I somehow fall asleep beforehand? Or walked into the bathroom and put it there as I mused my little scheme of making the concierge nervous at the lost pouch? Had I somehow in my drunken state done something without realizing it? No. That couldn't be it. I touched my chest to check my heart rate and put my fingers on my face. A bit flushed, but heart rate adequate. I was fine for the most part. Just drunk.
I looked at the pouch on the counter, and peered gingerly into the bathroom as if I've never stepped foot in one, before deciding to grab the bag and close the door. "Okay," I said loudly. "Whoever's doing this. Come on out." Of course no one appeared, not that I expected them to because the credo I lived by is that a good magician never reveals his trick.
"Okay, let's see how good you guys really are," I mused. Going over to my closet and placed the pouch on the shelf. Closing the door. Then I went back to the bathroom and opened the door. It was empty. I checked the nightstand drawer, mpty. I looked all over, and it was still mty. I breathed a sigh and went over to the closet door, "I guess you're just a bag after all." Except when I looked inside. MT. I couldn't find the bag behind any other nook or cranny. I know, I checked them all. And they were all .
I stumbled backwards and looked around, glancing at the ceiling corners in case someone had crawled up there. And even looked under the bed. But there was no one else here. I felt my chest tighten as I tried to make sense of what was happening. "Its got to be the walls I reasoned." And so for the next half hour I scoured the entire room with my hands, pushing, pressing, pulling anywhere and everywhere I could. Using all my years of experience to figure out what was going on. But there was nothing.
I couldn't stay in that room another minute so I rushed outside and nearly stepped on it! The bag! It was right at the foot of my doorstep.
My mind tried to wrap around how that was possible, "It's got to be a dupe. They've got more than one bag. I've been had, that has to be it. And the furniture inside, they have secret compartments. God, they really put a lot of effort into this," I laughed. "I have to know how this trick is done." So I opened the pouch and pulled out the note inside.
The notes generally contained their name, their current would-be age (she was 20 this year, older than most), what time they were born (8:07), a picture if they had one (she did), and how old they when they died (5). If the deceased were a bit older, perhaps a tidbit from their family is included about their personality. But most importantly, it always contained their address.
I looked at my watch, it was late and my flight was in the morning but perhaps I could still make it. So I gathered the rest of my things, my luggage, the mannequin for my act, and other bag of tricks in case I needed to go to the airport right after. "Come on," I yelled out loud to my pranksters. "Let's go see what other tricks you have up your sleeve."
I went down to the lobby and had the front desk call me a cab. I looked around for the concierge but he was nowhere to be found. So I left a note for him. And then left.
The cab drove until the city faded away. We were practically on the other side of the island by the time its tires skipped to a stop. I got out and knocked on the giant half circle doors of the address. I noticed that we were deep in the countryside. There were hardly any lights dotting the night.
I knocked several more times before I heard shuffling behind the door. And then it opened. An old man stood in front of me in his drawers.
"What do you want," he asked angrily. "Do you know what time it is?"
"I'm sorry for disturbing you at such a late hour. But," I pulled out the pouch. And his eyes widened up.
"Meju-eh. You're back." He looked at me up and down. "What are you supposed to be," he asked but then shook his head. "No, no. Come in. Come in, please."
"I don't have much time," I told him. "I have to leave in the morning."
"Sit, sit." He ushered me to a chair in the courtyard.
I placed the bag on the table next to it, "I have a flight in the morning, so if we're going to do this. We have to do it now."
Instead of fighting me, he nodded, "Yes. I agree. I don't have much time either. And Meju-eh is older than most ghost brides. The bull demon might not let her through his gets if she gets any older. And then she'll be a husbandless spinster for eternity." He ushered around, "We don't have many living relatives either. So it shouldn't be too troublesome to hurry this along." He called into the house and a young woman came out, "This is my granddaughter. Ah-ahn. Meju-eh's older sister. They were close as children."
Ah-ahn was quite beautiful. I almost couldn't take my eyes off of her.
"Go and start preparations and rouse anyone you can get a hold of. We must have the wedding tonight. Even if it isn't grand as I would like."
"Will we make it in time," I asked. "It's a lot of work for one person. Perhaps I could help?"
The old man nodded, "That's a good idea. But forgive me, I must retire for now. Or else have no energy for the wedding." He turned to his granddaughter, "Fetch me when the preparations are ready." As he left us alone in the courtyard.
"What can I do," I asked her.
"We're going to need flowers for decoration."
I pulled a rose out from behind her ear, "I happen to have a case of these on hand at all times." I put the flower in her hair.
She smiled, "Thank you."
"What else?"
"Um, we already have tables for family gatherings. There should be enough food in the freezers that we can just heat up. I need to call my aunt to come help. And wake up some of the kids. Also...we kind of need a statue of some sort, as a stand-in for my sister."
"Statue? I think I have just the thing."
Hours went by and it was the dead of the night, but watching all the people bustling around the courtyard, the kids in excited whispers, you'd never guess that all of us should have been sleeping. Soon the tables were set, the food was hot, even the decorations were strung, and I had procured my mannequin from my luggage and a few of the menfolk were putting it together inside the main living room.
Several times I found myself laughing and having a good time with the others, although chasing that hen made me look quite ridiculous, and several times I bumped into Ah-ahn and we would talk and exchange a few words. In the beginning she talked mostly about her sister. How she was troublesome as a child. Always hiding things. I told her about the pouch appearing and disappearing in my hotel. And we both had a good laugh. Eventually we talked about ourselves. I learned she wanted to get away from here, "To see the world," she told me. The more we talked the closer we got. I could feel it. Soon we were bumping into each other just to feel our bodies touch. But before anything else transpired the wedding preparations were complete.
The old man was retrieved from his bedroom and everyone gathered outside in the courtyard, looking into the main living room. There was a wooden shrine in the back of the room and the mannequin had been traditionally dressed. From an old box the grandfather retrieved several personal items that belonged to Meju. And I was then asked to enter the living room.
The grandfather said a few words, and then gave us his blessing. Ah-ahn handed me a bowl of sticky rice ball soup. I had been through this process before and knew what to do. I ate one of the pink balls and then went to go feed my new bride.
Now I've traveled with this mannequin for some time. Seen it at a dozen of my own shows. Slept with it in the room. Knew that it was in fact a dummy for all intents and purposes. However, as I started moving my spoon toward it. I swear I saw it's chest rise as if it were breathing.
I couldn't tell if it was from the alcohol ebbing away from earlier or a trick of the light. But even its shoulders looked softer than usual. My hand started shaking as it got closer to her mouth. It was like watching an out of body experience as the spoon inched under her veil. And then the CRUNCH. It scared the fucking shit out of me. I looked around hoping to see some kid in the corner playing a dumb joke. But there were none. And I didn't believe what I was seeing even as the veil started moving as her jaws chewed the sticky material back and forth.
"No way," I shook. "There's just no way." My hand was so close to the veil. "Oh God. Please. I have to know how this is done." I ripped off the veil.
Meju looked very much like her picture. But older. And then older. And older. As if her face was starting to rot away as it contorted. People behind me screamed. The lightbulbs we had strung popped. Kids were running around and the grandfather fell to the floor clutching his heart.
I backed away, the spoon clattering to the ground as I watched the mannequin crick and crack as its arms and legs bent in a tangled mess until it was walking on all fours!
The thing grabbed the bent down to the grandfather and started chewing!
I turned around and saw the other guests were piling out of the courtyard. The tables were upturned and only the dim crescent light of the moon bore down on us. Everyone was screaming trying to get out. I ran and bumped into Ah-ahn. She whirled terrified and then realized it was me. She yelled, "You never! Look at the bride before it's time!"
"I'm so sorry! I didn't know. I thought it was a trick!"
She grabbed her face, her nails leaving streaks behind as she clawed at her skin, "Now she's going to kill every living blood relative. And then you." Ah-ahn laughed manically. "She's going to torture you!"
The people kept pushing around us until we got separated. Her final words still ringing in my ears as I took to the dirt road outside and started running. I ran for nearly a mile before I spotted a cab sitting outside of someone's house. I banged on their door and then begged them to take me to the airport. Throwing at them all the money from the dowry.
When I arrived at the airport I hurried through the TSA. Relieved at the lights and normal looking people. I boarded my flight. Tapping my foot nervously the entire time, staring out the small squarish window as we prepared to take off. The sun was starting to rise as the engine roared. I took one last look at the island as we flew away. Still trying to catch my breath at what I had just caused.
My mind was reeling as I heard two knocking noises, they sounded oddly familiar, and for a second I thought that Meju had finished with her family and had somehow come boarded. But then I realized the noise was coming from my carry-on. I reached inside and pulled out two red shaped crescents that the Monk at the temple had given to me. And I realized that if I ever needed any form of divine guidance this was it.
So right there in the tiny aisle. I asked the gods if I had escaped and threw the Jiaobei.
No.
I asked the gods if I would be safe.
No.
I asked them would Meju kill me.
Both flat.
Both flat.
Both flat.
s

A photographer reached out to me about doing a shoot that is 3 hours away from where I live (but in the same state). He asked for my rates and I gave him my “your work is mid” rates. He also asked if I have a travel fee or if I charge that hourly rate for travel time. How do you handle travel? How do y’all charge for travel?
For context, he lives in a city that is halfway between me and the location. So I would drive 1.5 hours to meet him, then we’d carpool another 1.5 hours to the location.
Any input would be lovely!! I’ve never traveled more than 1.5 hours for a shoot before and no one has ever asked about travel fees.

It's weird how people bump into one another in places you wouldn't expect, right? Like you probably didn't expect to see that title when scrolling late at night, but here we are. And now we're having a conversation.
Well, not really, but we could be!
I'll be honest, this isn't the first post I've ever made here. It's probably not yours either. And that's totally okay. Sometimes things don't work out, or people don't see your post because you always decide the optimal time would be to post it at 10pm on a Sunday night. You know, there's all sorts of reasons we may find ourselves coming back here. But that's okay too! It's never too late to try again, right?
Hi. My name is Jeff. You probably already guessed that, but maybe not. I don't know, I'm not next to you. I was never good at these things, so, I guess here's a list of things about me. That's what people usually do when they don't know how to communicate their personality, right? So, let's see here:

• I am 27 years old. Very cool, pinnacle of life, right?
• I have a full time job that I enjoy. I won't go into specifics here but it has helped me come out of my shell over the past few years and I am very fortunate for the chances people have taken on me to help me with that. Maybe you will too and message me. Just not for a job, please. I'm happy where I am.
• I am what many would consider a 'gamer', except I just say it normally in my absolutely not an accent Midwesterner accent, and not like some people do mockingly. I enjoy playing games, and do it fairly regularly. I don't really know how else to say it. Mock me if you will if that's not acceptable, I'm still going to do what I enjoy.
  • Side note, you can make these semicolon's underneath. How neat. I guess since I'm here I range from shooters to semi-strategy games, to a bit of everything but mobile games. Currently Sea of Thieves has ruled my free time, so ahoy me fellow pirates. Also, please stop sinking me. :)
• I make atleast one person laugh or smile a day. That's not an average, I'm afraid to say what the average is incase you're funnier than me and my quota isn't comparable. But sometimes people consider me funny. Sometimes.
• I tend to lean left, and am open to LGBT+ ect people. I am not necessarily looking for that romantically, but if you and someone you meet are, that's awesome and I hope the best for you. I don't tend to go into politics and such unless asked but just know if you are someone who tends to lean the other direction and or is vocal about being against those things, we probably won't really get along.
• I try to be creative, including writing stories, creating DnD campaign settings and running them, and just generally am usually thinking about something I could write or create. It's a fun hobby for me I've been doing to some extend dating back to my high school years, but has certainly ramped up and become more mature in recent years.
  • Before someone makes a joke of it, I'll beat you to it. No, I can't be a nerd because I'm not traditionally great at math, even with math rocks that go click clack. But, I like to make cool worlds, so there's that.

​

• What am I looking for in a fellow person?
• Preferably within my 'age range', so we'll say 24-30? If you're older or younger I'm sure you're a great person, just not what I'm looking for.
• Someone who is open minded and patient. Sometimes I may not understand something and need clarification, or may just do something stupid unintentionally. I'm sorry, I'm aware and can be advised of such without unnecessary insults. However, if I forgot to pick up our sitcom kid from school for an entire day in the rain, perhaps it's warranted.
• I would like to get a feel for our personalities before pursuing anything serious. Just because we may not be romantic doesn't mean we can't be two cool people who just enjoy talking to one another. I am generally a quick replier, although sometimes struggle with the confidence to reach out to others first. It's something I hope to get more used to with more actual experience meeting people.
  • On that note, I'm not looking for any sexy time hookups, so on the very slim chance you made it this far and that was the deal-breaker, my apologies.
• Someone with a sense of humor, or who can deal with my sometimes dull sense of humor. If you've made it this far, you are probably doing a great job at this and somehow found this entertaining.
• Ideally, someone who can share in my hobbies and passions, and compliment them. If you're also a creative person, or enjoy similar hobbies, that could be a great way to bond and see how we mesh just as people.
• I am looking for anyone specifically within the US. While I'm not expecting to find someone down the street from this post, more local (within a few states) is certainly a plus, but by no means a deal-breaker. I am generally happy where I am, I'm not expecting to move anywhere at this point, but who knows what can change.

I'm sure there is plenty more that we could talk about, but I am traditionally yelled at on the rare interactions these posts bring that I am not clear enough and have too long of posts. So, I tried to make this one a bit more fun, even if you aren't interested in me. If nothing else if even a little bit of what you read made you laugh or go, "Wow, look at this guy. What a post." in a slightly mocking way (without needing to explicitly tell me), then I'll consider my job done.
On the off chance you want to see what I'm like in a normal, non-mocking conversation, by all means feel free to reach out and we'll go from there. That's about it, I'm sure I've gone on too long in some cases, but hopefully you enjoyed the title atleast nonetheless. For all those out there looking for something fulfilling in their life, I wish you all the best.

LPI (LP Information)' newest research report, the “Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine Industry Forecast” looks at past sales and reviews total world Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine sales in 2022, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine sales for 2023 through 2029. With Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine industry.
This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyzes the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms' unique position in an accelerating global Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine market.
This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine and breaks down the forecast by type, by application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine .
This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries.
https://www.lpinformationdata.com/reports/729981/intelligent-animal-anesthesia-machine-2029
The main participants
Animalab
RWD
Scintica
Kent Scientific
Scitech Korea Inc.
Veterian Key
BiosebLab
Segmentation by type
Oxygen
Air
Segmentation by application
Pet Hospital
Pet Clinic
Laboratory
Others
Key Questions Addressed in this Report
What is the 10-year outlook for the global Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine market?
What factors are driving Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine market growth, globally and by region?
Which technologies are poised for the fastest growth by market and region?
How do Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine market opportunities vary by end market size?
How does Intelligent Animal Anesthesia Machine break out type, application?
What are the influences of COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine war?
LP INFORMATION (LPI) is a professional market report publisher based in America, providing high quality market research reports with competitive prices to help decision makers make informed decisions and take strategic actions to achieve excellent outcomes.We have an extensive library of reports on hundreds of technologies.Search for a specific term, or click on an industry to browse our reports by subject. Narrow down your results using our filters or sort by what’s important to you, such as publication date, price, or name.
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