Smiley face aesthetic wallpapers

I'm under the impression that my 'sisters' do not like me.
For some insight, the sorority is seemingly split into cliques of their own, in which each clique hardly interacts with the other. Or sorority is united, but it's clearly split into groups and pairs which bothers me. We advocate to be a tight, strongly-bonded sisterhood, but we clearly aren't, and those looking at us from the outside are starting to notice. Several of our members have bad reputations, ranging from the nastiness of their attitudes towards others, to the way they mess around with the fraternities on campus. I recall one night, an older member that I wasn't familiar with, picked an argument with me about how I accidentally interrupted her sentence, and other small things I had did that night which I hadn't picked up on. Instead of confronting me in a quiet space, she proceeded to slap my drink out of my hand and continued to cause a scene in front of a good 20 people.
That altercation alone was further confirmation that my sorority isn't the one for me. She would've never done that if we were the 'sisters' we're supposed to be. As far as my pledge class goes, it consists of about thirty girls, and that's where I feel the most excluded. They don't respond when I offer to ride together to save money, they exclude me from their inner group chats where they plan trips and such, and they act like sitting next to me during chapter is a burden. I'm sick of these attitudes. Sure, I'm not white, as rich, or blonde, or have the whole tall-skinny combo going on, but if I'm busting my ass to pay dues, living paycheck to paycheck just to even have a seat in chapter, I deserve fair treatment.
When we're at mixers or parties, they'll literally shove me to the side for the attention of the same frat dudes they complain about. They ignore me and skip over me without saying 'Hi' or 'It's nice to see you'. I'm not included in their group photos or trips to, let's say Florida. I've witnessed them whispering in front of my face while looking directly at me and laughing hysterically. Only time they've ever, EVER privately messaged me for something is to borrow my clothes for a night out. They even let me go to clubs all alone and tell me they're on their way before arriving like 2-3 hours after. They simply don't care.
There are EIGHTY women in my sorority and only two of them are one's I feel safe with. There's even a clique in my PC and I'm tired of it. Why can't we all hang out and be close? I feel that there is extra avoidance to me because, like I said, I'm black, and they subconsciously discriminate against me. I've told a couple of my white friends about the vast amount of situation's I have had with the girls in a span of just 2 months and they say it's not normal.
They've never seen anything like me before; I talk like them, I dress like them, my makeup is done like their little 'clean girl aesthetic' stuff (it's just white girl makeup) and I still don't fit in.
Lastly, we have favorites in our sisterhood. We have girls who receive special treatment just because they are loud and have that 'Idgaf' attitude. And while the act is funny sometimes, I think it's childish. They refer to themselves as 'ratchet' and 'down-bad'. And I'm just thrown off by that even when I try not to be. Seriously. And it kills me how they think I'm introverted and quiet. IM NOT. I'm hella extroverted. I'm in several leadership positions and I call the shots in all of em' But when they're visibly excluding me, I simply have NO WORDS.
I think I'm going to drop if I don't like it after fall semester. Maybe I'm reaching guys, but this isn't for me. I'm a party girl and I love to be crazy and network around all at once, but this is next level BS. I should've joined the divine nine like my sister did. This just isn't it.
​

Reddit Account: u/MevilMevil
Discord Tag: Mevil#7118
Name and House: Wulfgor, Father of Thousands
Age: 56
Cultural Group: Free Folk
Appearance: He has a face hollowed out and marked by several wounds, long gray hair, an unkempt beard, and a mustache gathered in two braids. His physique is sculpted despite his age, forged by years of fighting and night running. His hands are large and his attitude is that of an inflexible leader with little inclination to forgive
Trait: Inspiring
Skill(s): THW (e), Tactician, Vanguard (e), Outrider, Footwork (e)
Talent(s): Standing in the cold with light clothes, Staring menacingly, Fathering Sons
Negative Trait(s): N/A
Starting Title(s): Chieftain of the Nightrunners
Starting Location: With the rest of the Free folk
Alternate Characters: Eden Oakheart, Gynir Greyjoy, Morgan Uller, Ilyn Crakehall, Luceon Lipps
Family Tree:
8 wives - 3 alive / 5 dead 52 sons - 31 males/21 females 39 alive/13 dead
BIOGRAPHY
We run in the night
For life, for death, for the Gods
Wulfgor was born during a storm, amid the glacial cold and heavy snowfall.
He was the son of a Nightrunner among the less fortunate and valiant in his village, who had managed to gain a wife after years and years of night runs.
Nevertheless, Wulfgor survived and grew up admiring and respecting the fastest and most tireless runners.
He ran in broken and ruined shoes, quickly worn out by the rough terrain he explored daily.
Running for the Gods
He was taught the way of his people, and Wulfgor diligently and inflexibly learned the dictates and mysteries of the Nightrunners.
He learned that by day one had to walk, one had to be strong and sure in the light; but as soon as dusk came one had to run, take with the spear what was necessary, and run away.
The demons of the night were dangerous, and those who did not run were caught.
These legends remained imprinted like fire in the mind of Wulfgor, who from that moment decided that he would become the best among his people.
His trust in the Old Gods was deep, and the first reason he ran was for them.
Running for Death
Years went by, and on turning 18 Wulfgor managed to win his first wife, who by tradition was left to the most powerful warrior.
Immediately she bore him a son, who was named Brogg in honor of the Chieftain who instructed Wulfgor and commanded the night runs.
He ran even faster than the others, and before long the number of wives and children increased.
A turning point in his life was the War of Ice and Fire, in which Chieftain Brogg was killed.
Taking up the axe of his late mentor, he faced in a duel a man who was standing out as one of the most powerful in the battle, Jeor Forrester.
Wulfgor managed to wound that Black Crow's eye, but they were interrupted before the fight was over.
Since that day he has held tightly in his heart the desire to face him again, to have a definite ending.
Wulfgor ran again for many years, carrying his axe and raids against all the peoples of the Free Folk.
His power was unstoppable, the second reason to run was death.
Running for Life
Wulfgor quickly became the new Chieftain, continuing his usual life and instructing his sons in the way of the Nightrunners.
In time he came to forget even their number, along with details of his past life.
His mind began to be less clear, and his bursting strength became less fulminant.
His daughter Seryn began to help him because of her formidable memory, standing by his side and learning to lead the Nightrunners' raids along with him.
Quickly his children grew in age, and many of them distinguished themselves by their prodigious abilities.
Holly for her healing talents, Brogg for his strength, Arrow with the bow, Dan for his charisma, Lancia for her accuracy and agility with the spear, Robb for his hand speed, and Yogg...
He loved even Yogg, although he was unable to do anything.
The last of his wives was Yarsa, who gave birth to the last of his children recently.
Wulfgor is now a different man, running for his people and his family to keep everyone safe.
The last reason he ran was for life.
TIMELINE
144 AC - Wulfgor is born, only son of Vekkon
150 AC - He starts running in impervious places, wearing out all his shoes and hurting himself several times
152/162 - Chieftain Brogg teaches him the way of the Nightrunners, preparing him to become his successor
165 - The War of Ice and Fire, Wulfgor obtains his mighty two-handed axe and maims Jeor Forrester in combat
167 - Wulfgor becomes the Chieftain of the Nightrunners and he continues fathering a new generation of strong sons
173/185 - Twelve years of night runs increase his prestige and combat experience, but cause the resentment of the majority of the people beyond the Wall
190 - Wulfgor begins to forget details of his life, such as the names of his sons or wives; the only memories that do not slowly disappear are those related to his night runs and the war
195 - Seryn begins to stand by his side, helping him remember details of his life
200 - His newest daughter is born, and he vows on the memory of his missing children to fight against the ice demons
NPCS

• Brogg / Warrior 38

First son of Wulfgor, strong and authoritative.
He is most loyal to his father and follows religiously whatever Wulgor says; the loss of his mother during his childhood is a wound he has not been able to overcome

• Seryn / General 19

Endowed with the finest intelligence and a memory bordering on perfection, Seryn has earned Wulfgor's trust and respect over time.
She has a bitter rivalry with Brogg, who is convinced that she manipulates her father by deceiving him and creating false memories in him.

• Holly / Medic 23

A pure and unspoiled soul, she loves nature and helping others with all her heart.
With her herbs and knowledge she is a key figure within her people, healing the wounded and assisting women about to give birth.

• Freccia / Marksman 19

Fire-red hair and a devilish mind, the uncontrollable daughter of Wulfgor prides herself on being the best with the bow.
Her words are venomous and she is convinced that being Wulfgor's daughter makes her worthy of unconditional admiration

• Dan / General 32

Soft eyes and warm words, Dan has always been able to convince minds with impressive ease.
Along with Brogg, he is one of the leading candidates to be his father's successor, although he prefers freedom to the narrow responsibilities of his path.

• Lancia / Warrior 18

"Should I be afraid of her?"
person naively walking toward his death
Lancia's prowess with any kind of weapon is uncanny, despite her inoffensive appearance her brothers quickly learned to fear and respect her.
She is the newest addition to their army, and a threat on the battlefield

• Robb / Bandit 34

Treacherous and untrustworthy, Robb is easily corruptible and despised by his brothers.
His plundering skills have often been useful, but he is always watched closely because of his treachery-prone nature.

Parts 1, 2, and 3 can be found in this same subreddit at the links attached. Hopefully this part will live up to the insanity that inspired me to write about it!
There are…so many things that happen between 1988 and 1994 in one discipline of figure skating it is near comical. With Soviet domination of ice dance near assured during this era, the focus shifts from who will win to instead question how fast the Soviet dynasty can fall apart. The answer? Well…I guess you’ll have to see.
With Bestemianova/Bukin and Wilson/McCall opting to go to the pro ranks after their Olympic medals in 1988, Klimova/Ponomarenko seemed the de facto leaders of ice dance. Natalia Dubova now not only coached Klimova/Ponomarenko but also a married couple making their international debut in Maya Usova/Alexander Zhulin. The new rink situation pit the 2 couples against each other as each aimed to become the top couple in the world.
No one could deny Klimova/Ponomarenko in 1989 though. Skating to “Mack the Knife,” Klimova/Ponomarenko skated to victory with a more humorous and friendly free dance to expand their horizons. According to the media of the time though, this new styling for them wasn’t as beloved as their previous work. However, no one could deny their technical ability as they took the ice.
Their countrymates Usova/Zhulin nabbed the silver medal with a free dance skated to dramatic classical music. Usova/Zhulin were a team that felt like they encapsulated everything Dubova had ever aimed to bring to the ice. They floated across the ice in ways that only Klimova/Ponomarenko could sometimes achieve. They also had brilliant matching lines that Dubova liked to emphasize through her choreography. They tended to skate in a hold that had Usova in front with Zhulin wrapped behind her, consistently close together. Their gentle, lyrical skating made them a quick favorite for fans of the sport.
The Duchesnays improved from 8th at the Olympics to grab the bronze in 1989 on home ice in Paris. The Duchesnays were…the best way to describe them is that they’re the proto-French ice dance team. Their free dance was set to an instrumental version of Eleanor Rigby, and told the story of dreams and reality, where Isabelle represented dreams constantly being brought down to Paul’s reality. The Christopher Dean choreographed program was…noticeably easier in difficulty compared with the Soviets, featuring less holds overall and more lifts that took Isabelle off the ice. However, their eccentric concepts made them another crowd favorite in these years.
In 1989, Dubova also put together another Soviet team to compete against her top 2 skaters. Evgeni Platov, a 3-time World Junior champion, had just placed fifth in the world with his former partner before their split. Oksana Grishuk, coming off a World Junior title herself, moved from Natalia Linichuk’s school to pair with Platov after she split from her partner. The 2 began skating together in the summer of 1989, making Dubova the sole coach of the top 3 Soviet teams. What could possibly go wrong?
The 1990 season saw all 3 Soviet teams compete for the podium alongside the Duchesnays and, surprisingly, an American team who slipped up to 4th: Susan Wynne/Joseph Druar. For Wynne/Druar, it was the highest place finish for an American team since Blumberg/Seibert were still skating. Their free dance to “Hit the Road Jack” was a tribute to tap dance. Their style was distinctly North American, similar in style to that of Wilson/McCall, in that the woman appeared stronger on ice rather than the dainty appearance of women like Marina Klimova and Maya Usova (think Madi Hubbell compared with Gabi Papadakis for a more recent example). This style, wherein the woman was an equal on ice to her partner, was not popular with the judges of the time, so acted more as a precursor to the North American style than as a legitimate podium threat.
Klimova/Ponomarenko earned a second World title in 1990 skating to “My Fair Lady,” now fully bought into the idea of the one concept free dance but still maintaining the classical switching of rhythms within that one concept, marrying the traditions of ice dance with the post-Torvill/Dean landscape. Best described by the commentary of the time, Klimova/Ponomarenko were technically unmatched by their peers, even as their free featured less holds than had been their norm. However, their prowess still took the cake as they walked away with a second title.
The Duchesnays improved on their 1989 placement by earning silver in 1990. Skating to their first iteration of “Missing,” Isabelle and Paul truly embraced the avant garde. Dean gave his now girlfriend and her brother choreography that was simpler and easier to perform but striking in its repeated poses and lifts to make an unbreakable impression on the audience and judges, earning them first in the free dance. On a more…aesthetic note, this is the first time in my write up that I’ve seen a dress that looks like the skirt was shredded, which is just a fine precursor to the horrors of costuming to come.
Usova/Zhulin grabbed the bronze with a sophisticated tango to Piazzolla selections (naturally). Usova/Zhulin improved on their lyrical style to incorporate more speed and sharpness to their movements, which drew more attention to their matching body lines. However, the tango was far easier than their free dance the previous year, featuring more side by side skating rather than close holds. And in their senior debut as a pair, Grishuk/Platov earned 5th place with a free dance using music from “Zorba the Greek” (I truly wish I was joking). But regardless of the odd music choice, Grishuk/Platov were known for their skating skills, arguably the strongest of the next 8 years. While this free dance certainly didn’t show that off, the promise of the senior pair was apparent from the moment they stepped on the ice.
All good training rinks must carry with it insane amounts of drama though, for this is ice dance. And stuffing the top Soviet teams under one coach was bound to implode at some point. It was during this time that Dubova started to favor Usova/Zhulin for the Olympic gold in Albertville 1992. And with it, better program ideas. This came to a head when Klimova/Ponomarenko slipped to a silver medal in 1991, behind the Duchesnays. And that’s truly where the bubble burst.
The Duchesnays had an interesting season, debuting their Reflections FD which was actually a program originally meant for Torvill/Dean’s professional career before being scrapped and given to the Duchesnays…which should tell you all a lot about both Dean and the insanity that was this FD, where Isabelle and Paul were made to look like mirror images of each other. The free dance received a lukewarm reception, causing them to scrap the FD for the amateur ranks and instead opt for a second iteration of their “Missing” FD, aptly titled Missing II. Outrage from fans on behalf of Klimova/Ponomarenko was apparent, as the Duchesnays’ repeated lifts and tricks were inherently easier than the skating that Klimova/Ponomarenko were doing. But the lack of Dubova faith and the judges’ love of Christopher Dean worked in the Duchesnays’ favor.
Klimova/Ponomarenko skated to “Lawrence of Arabia,” entering the free dance in a surprising 3rd place after the original dance (OD), which had by now supplanted the OSP. After being behind Usova/Zhulin in the compulsories and behind both the Duchesnays and Usova/Zhulin in the OD, Klimova/Ponomarenko needed near perfect scores to retain their title. They would not get it. The pair attempted to expand their horizons even further with a more dramatic piece of music; Klimova/Ponomarenko put more emphasis on their lifts, which were vastly improved. But some media felt that they had lost their inherent qualities that identified them in favor of trying to prove their range. This would become a major sticking point in the Olympic year.
Usova/Zhulin meanwhile earned bronze at these Worlds, elegantly skating to “Variations” from Andrew Lloyd Webber. The couple’s lyrical and emotional interpretation entranced the audience in watching the leaders after the OD. Of course, Usova/Zhulin couldn’t hang onto their lead in the end, which really should’ve acted as effective foreshadowing of not only their competitive careers but also what was happening behind the scenes with their rinkmates Grishuk/Platov, who had placed 4th in the same event.
The summer of 1991 was absolute ice dance chaos. In a span of a few short months, all of this happened at once:
· Klimova finds out Dubova is giving preferential treatment to Usova/Zhulin. She cries in front of a Russian sports journalist.
· Andrei Bukin goes to Tarasova, begging her to take on Klimova/Ponomarenko so that they aren’t shut out of a gold. Tarasova agrees, and Klimova/Ponomarenko flee Dubova.
· Christopher Dean gets married to Isabelle Duchesnay and vows to choreograph them to Olympic glory (they later divorce in ’93)
· Alexander Zhulin, 28, begins his infamous affair with Oksana Grishuk, 19, putting a strain on the Usova/Zhulin partnership on and off ice. The affair becomes Grishuk’s fault in the media.
· The Soviet Union falls, leaving the Soviet skaters without a country to represent for a year
And those are just the heavy hitters boys and girls! Truly, an offseason to remember.
Tarasova took on Klimova/Ponomarenko and attempted to steer them toward gold amid heavy competition from Dean’s Duchesnays and Dubova’s Usova/Zhulin. A strong polka OD had Klimova/Ponomarenko in a comfortable lead going into the free dance, where they performed a lyrical and transcendent program to “Air” by Bach. The pair looked statuesque as they floated over the ice. Granted, the program had about as much substance as your average show program. But man if the couple didn’t make it look good. It was a return to form in a lot of ways for the pair, returning to their more classical roots but now with the experience of having done more dramatic works and being able to incorporate that emotion back into a lyrical program. Tarasova had her second Olympic gold medal winning team in the span of 2 Olympics, adding to her already storied career in ice dance (having led a pair to an Olympic medal in 4 of the 5 competed events at this point).
The Duchesnays settled for silver in a home Olympics in Albertville. Their free dance was set to the music of “West Side Story,” with the pair portraying the sibling duo of Tony and Maria (thank God). In a lot of ways, it was a call back to Dean’s past World title winning free dances based around Broadway musicals. And the choreography was meant to call to mind the intricate choreography of the musical, including some of the first instances of the reverse lifts naturally. However, the easier skating choreography caught up to the Duchesnays and their free program placement suffered for it. Hard to consider it a skating program if most of the dance was spent in the air or side by side.
Usova/Zhulin entered the ’92 Olympics incredibly strained. This was only exacerbated when Zhulin gave Grishuk his wedding ring for her to wear during the compulsories, to which Usova understandably lost her cool. With that in the back of their minds, it’s truly a wonder that they pulled through for a bronze medal. Their “Four Seasons” free dance was meant to tell the stories of two statues coming to life. Which seems apt for a couple whose chemistry had about as much warmth as two statues. Grishuk/Platov earned 4th place with a more modern free dance. It’s…very 80s, I don’t know how to describe it. But it was obvious that their partnership was finally flourishing in a way that their promise had predicted. Which is naturally the perfect time for more insanity to come between them.
After a Soviet podium sweep at Worlds, the summer of ’92 saw Zhulin and Grishuk’s affair escalate during the show season. Everything really hit the fan when Usova caught Zhulin and Grishuk at a restaurant together and “saw Grishuk sipping a margherita at a bar, came up behind her, grabbed her hair and smashed her head against the counter.” And although Usova later apologized, Dubova had had enough and expelled Grishuk from her camp for getting involved with Zhulin. While Grishuk headed back to Moscow, Dubova attempted to pair Platov with a young Tatiana Navka, who would’ve been around 17 and representing Belarus following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Ultimately though, Grishuk returned to former coach Natalia Linichuk and Platov followed, restoring their partnership before the 92-93 season.
The Soviets, now officially representing the newly reformed country of Russia, maintained their absolute stranglehold on the discipline. With Klimova/Ponomarenko retiring to focus on the pro circuit and starting a family as well as the Duchesnays’ retirement, all medalists slid up the rankings, with Usova/Zhulin finally earning their gold medal on the backs of a sultry blues free dance that kept the audience spellbound and where they pretended that they were into each other for 4 minutes.
As if to contrast the gold medalists, Grishuk/Platov skated to a more violent blues, which is admittedly one of my guilty pleasure skates. The free dance told the story of toxic lovers, even incorporating choreography where it looked like Platov was choking Grishuk. Their skating earned them their first medal at Worlds, a silver. And they also started to find that their strength was in the dramatic, even if they don’t go back to it for several years. It is at this time that the media picks up on the former Grishuk/Zhulin affair, but only mentions it during Grishuk/Platov’s programs.
Inter-country politics began early when Alla Shekhovtsova advocated to the judges for Anjelika Krylova and her former partner Vladmir Fedorov, coached by Linichuk, to be sent to Worlds in 93, threatening their judging careers if they put their competitors Elena Kustarova/Oleg Ovsiannikov in front. Naturally. Krylova/Fedorov were sent by one judge’s vote and earned a bronze at Worlds. Krylova was known for her amazing leg line, but this free dance doesn’t really do them justice on that end. After Krylova/Fedorov earned a medal in their debut, American and Canadian media started to become frustrated with lack of results from their ice dancers, insinuating that their lack of results was strictly because of the flag next to their names. In the ‘94 offseason, Krylova/Fedorov would break up and Ovsiannikov would be lured by Linichuk to pair with Krylova.
A little further down the standings, Susanna Rahkamo/Petri Kokko dazzled with a free dance to Valse Triste. The fourth place finishers were crowd favorites known primarily for their slow, methodical, lyrical dances. An innovative couple, their choreography featured harder lifts as well as well placed switching in height. However, their programs were often not as technically difficult as the Russians even as the passion on ice touched the audience.
In the 1993 offseason, a change was made to the rules for professional skaters, stating that those who took money from doing shows could still compete at the amateur ranks. The news was huge, allowing many of the skaters who had been held to professional competitions to compete again for an Olympic title. The biggest name to return to the ice, of course, were Torvill/Dean. Just about 10 years after their win in Sarajevo, Torvill/Dean were determined to earn another Olympic gold. But in the 10-year interval, a lot had changed about ice dance.
After Dubova refused to allow RusFed to see Usova/Zhulin’s programs ahead of the Olympic season, Russia silently started to get behind Grishuk/Platov. On top of that, Usova found out about Zhulin’s affair with a 19-year-old Navka around the Olympics. Navka’s then-partner found out and beat Navka for the affair, before Usova and Zhulin’s mothers started beating each other. So, Maya Usova was distracted to say the very least.
The competition also disallowed classical music for the free dance that year, instead opting to go more modern to appeal more to the audience. Torvill/Dean publicly worried about whether their routines would be suited to more modern music.
With all that happening, the Grishuk/Platov, Usova/Zhulin, Torvill/Dean showdown started in full swing at the European championships, when Usova/Zhulin won the compulsories, Torvill/Dean won the OD, and Grishuk/Platov won the free dance. It was the closest ice dance competition in history at that point and left many wondering who would ultimately take home the Olympic gold, even as Torvill/Dean came home with the European title.
The event lived up to the hype. The first compulsory, the Starlight Waltz, was won by Usova/Zhulin before Grishuk/Platov won the blues compulsory (which is absolutely gorgeous by the way, please watch it) and began to build their reputation as the best compulsory skaters of their generation. Torvill/Dean, unfortunately, looked a bit like their age in the compulsories that Olympics, coming up third in both. However, their rhumba OD was sensational and encapsulated the best of them, including their obvious chemistry on the ice. The original dance placed first in the segment, with Usova/Zhulin in second and Grishuk/Platov in third. The final placements would come down to the free dance.
Torvill/Dean would perform a free dance to “Let’s Face the Music,” which read a bit like a greatest hits free dance, incorporating choreography from some of their more famous programs. While the program did feature closed holds when skating, there was also a ton of lifts and tricks incorporated into the choreography, which seemed controversial among the judges. Usova/Zhulin competed with a free dance based on circus acts. A more humorous routine than their past entries, the free incorporated technical difficulty effectively but was a tad bland, which is truly a feat given what the program was supposed to be emulating. Ultimately, it came up short in their final Olympic competition.
Grishuk/Platov carried away the gold with a controversial free dance to “Rock Around the Clock” (also, side note, the spelling of Grishuk’s name as Grichtchuk in the video I’m looking at is just so obscene it needs to be mentioned). What was the controversial part of this free dance you ask? According to the rules of the time, all dance couples needed to be in hold for a certain amount of time during the free dance. Many media outlets and Torvill/Dean themselves felt that Grishuk/Platov did not meet the required amount of time in hold, to the point where Torvill is attributed to saying that “if the judges wanted a show program, we could’ve given them a show program.” The judges, however, loved the free dance, even giving the team four 5.9s in technical merit and a 6.0 in artistic impression. And so the team that nearly split just two years prior were walking home from Lillehammer with gold medals in their hands. And Linichuk finally earned a second gold medal, this time as a coach.
At Worlds that year, Rahkamo/Kokko earned a long-awaited bronze after 8 senior seasons at Worlds. A French couple, Sophia Moniotte/Pascal Lavanchy earned the silver. And so ended an overwhelming era of ice dance. But as skaters like Shae-Lynn Bourne/Victor Kraatz, Tatiana Navka, Margarita Drobiazko/Povilas Vanagas, and Elizabeth Punsalan/Jerod Swallow waited in the wings while Canadian and American media lamented the lack of variety at the top, only 1 thing could be stated for certain: the chaos that is ice dance was sure to continue far past 1994.

I'm curious about other people's experiences. Just a disclaimer... I am really into music and went to quite a few concerts when I was younger, so I have an easy time relating to some of these folks despite the fact that I'm usually a decade older than them.
Anyway, the Forbidden Kingdom festival is in Orlando right now. I worked a surge around the venue for a few hours last night, and I've worked near EDC and some others in the past. The money is always good, and the people you pick up are generally some of the chillest people you'll ever meet. Usually pretty considerate too. Being a straight male, there's the bonus of getting to see the scantily clad females, too. They always seem weary at first, but once they figure out I'm not a creeper, it usually ends up being a pretty fun ride😁 I even got a smiley face bracelet from 3 enormously attractive girls yesterday afternoon. It's like getting paid to have a good time!

"You seem surprised, Doctor. Please be assured that the change of equipment will not affect the completion of my mission. If you are really concerned, I can change back into my previous attire before entering Rhodes Island. No need? Good."
Basic Information

【 Codename 】	Executor
【 Gender 】	Male
【 Experience 】	7 years
【 Place of Birth 】	Laterano
【 Date of Birth 】	July 7th
【 Race 】	Sankta
【 Height 】	181 cm
【 Infection Status 】	Medical tests have confirmed that no infection is present.

Physical Examination

【 Strength 】	Excellent
【 Mobility 】	Standard
【 Endurance 】	Standard
【 Tactical acumen 】	Excellent
【 Combat skill 】	Excellent
【 Arts adaptability 】	Standard

Profile

Executor, the Laterano Notarial Hall's legal and professional executor, is in charge of enforcing the rights of the Laterano Citizen numbered one through thirteen.
He now has the title "Saint" bestowed upon him by the present Pope of Laterano, Yvangelista XI. Laterano has not barred this "Saint" from contacting us; the collaboration between the Laterano Notarial Hall and Rhodes Island is growing stronger by the day. Operator Executor is still under contract to serve Rhodes Island and carry out activities pertaining to the rights of Laterano citizens.

Clinical Analysis

Imaging tests reveal clear, normal outlines of internal organs, and no abnormal shadows have been detected. Originium granules have not been detected in the circulatory system and there are no other signs of infection. At this time, this operator can be confirmed to be uninfected.
[Cell-Originium Assimilation] 0% Operator Executor shows no signs of Oripathy infection.
[Blood Originium-Crystal Density] 0.13u/L A slight increase in blood Originium-Crystal density. It's not particularly dangerous, but it deserves more attention. So, what's the word, has his interpersonal relationship been trending upwards lately? Has anyone looked into it?--Medic Operator T.O.

Archive File 1

Despite the title "Saint", Operator Executor is still associated with the Laterano Notarial Hall. As an executor, the Notarial Hall retains the authority to send assignments to him, and the added special title does not appear to have had a significant impact on his work.
Executor, who has returned to Rhodes Island, has changed, at least in appearance, from what they were previously.
According to Executor, as well as the explanations and additions of several enthusiastic operators, we have learned that the clothing currently worn by Executor is provided entirely by the Lateran Church, and that the choice of materials for this carefully cut special clothing is very different from that of ordinary clothing, with emphasis not only on aesthetic comfort but also on its practicality——with Executor's permission, we have carried out a series of tests on his coat, which have shown that the uniforms provided by the Lateran church for Executor offers protection against impact and puncture, and even a degree of protection against explosives.
In addition to this, the two firearms carried by Executor also caught the attention of some of Sankta operators. When fighting with the two firearms, Executor's combat style becomes more aggressive and varied in his attacks than before.
"During the last mission, Federico used his gun to directly knock out any enemy that came near him." Operator Spuria commented, "I can see this guy finishing the mission even if he was given a stick or left empty-handed, his combat style isn't even related to his guns."
"Huh? Then why the special look, you ask?"
"Because everyone thinks it's more imposing, of course!"
[Engineering Department permission log]
Regarding the mechanical flying object that follows Executor around, I initially thought it was just some kind of unique looking drone. However, I've seen it in action in Executor's battle logs, and it was probably more than a mere support drone, it had more functions......
But even Executor himself didn't know much about it; according to him, it had been handed to him directly by his Holiness, their Pope.
What secrets are in this little thing? It's tickling, if only I could try to dismantle it sometime to see ......

Archive File 2

"Operator Executor has been asking more questions."
This is a sentiment shared by various operators within Rhodes recently.
Yes, certain changes with Executor have been visible in recent times - it's not that Executor has suddenly become emotionally outgoing and easy to read. That is by no means the case. Simply put, people don't react too strongly when a person who consistently receives 90 points receives an extra mark, but they do so when a person who consistently submits blank papers suddenly begins writing seriously. Of course, everyone would notice this immediately.
Such is the case of Executor. Many operators who had encountered Executor similarly mentioned in casual conversations - that Executor had started asking them questions.
"He asked me why I didn't just kidnap the client." "Haha, you're already lucky, he asked me why I didn't just blow up the building to prevent the mission target from escaping ......" "...... How did you respond?" "What else could I have replied with, I just decided to tell him the truth; it saves more of the hassle. Blowing up the building for a mission seems good and all, but it's the follow-up that makes it rather difficult to do!" "He listened?" "Yes. What about your side?" "Er, more or less, it's quick to kidnap people right away, but that would be too much trouble." "Executor he...... He said that although he couldn't understand, after taking everything else into consideration, he admitted that our method was more reasonable and efficient......
Executor's abnormal behavior has caused some concern, and combined with recent feedback from some operators, we can speculate that Executor is trying to incorporate more factors into his thinking about the reasonableness of his actions, and that he seems to be incorporating practice and constantly trying to accomplish tasks in a better and more reasonable way.
"I feel like he's just recently added some new algorithm. It's a bit better than before, but there are still times when he derives some strange results." "You mean the time he tackled a group of bandits, covered in blood and was still ready to pacify his target like you suggested, but ended up scaring people half to death because of his expressionless face?"
[Medical Department Work Record]
I have had feedback from my officers that Executor seems to be suspecting that he is suffering from some sort of illness, as evidenced by occasional actions that take precedence, some of which seem puzzling to Executor himself. As a result, he is visiting the medical department for regular medical check-ups rather unnecessarily frequently.
"It's right to focus on regular health checks, and that's a good thing." The medical officer who complained to us had a tone of helplessness: "But he really doesn't have anything wrong with him at all except his head. Really."
Off-topic:
Some of our department's officers were also pleased with the performance of Executor and are discussing to make him into a typical textbook example, to be used as a reminder to patients who really need to be checked but refuse to do so.

Archive File 3

[Transcript of internal conversation in Hall 5, 1]
Federico is an excellent executor. Yes, I can vouch for that. It is not clear why His Holiness would confer the title of "saint" on him at such a sensitive point, but if he is a good young man, I think he is capable of undertaking and meeting His Holiness's expectations.
About Federico's background? There are no problems with his background, I remember that his parents were also attached to the Fifth Office and the file should be at...... Just a moment, let me look for the records. Ah, here they are, the Giallo's, both legal executors attached to the Notarial Hall, very good and capable, but unfortunately both were killed in the line of duty during a mission fifteen years ago. Federico would have been about ten years old at the time? Poor kid.
So what made you suddenly look into Federico's affairs? Just because of the "saints"?
...... Arturia Giallo, you ask?
...... First of all, I must make one thing clear:
Federico's file was rigorously vetted at the time of his induction and there was no problem with the process.
Remember that. This is the premise on which we will move on.
Arturia Giallo, whose father and Federico's father were cousins, is very clearly documented in the file and there is nothing to hide. After the Giallo's were killed in the line of duty, Federico stayed in the home of this cousin for a period of time, about...... two to three years, I think, after which he entered secondary school and began to live there.
By the way, it was Federico, who was a newcomer at the time, to first find out about Arturia's crimes seven years earlier, which forced her to leave Laterano. As a result, Arturia's wanted mission has been in his hands all these years. The young man's first case always has a special significance, I think.
No, I don't think there's anything wrong with that. We did a detailed investigation during the time when Arturia first became wanted, and as far as I know, Federico and Arturia were never close to each other, and that doesn't affect his work; Federico's performance has always said it all. [Transcript of internal conversation in Hall 5, 2]
Arturia had a week's stay at the Ambrosius Abbey, after which we judged that she would go to Leithanien, the report of which I have submitted to the Notarial Hall.
I cannot reveal in advance the follow-up and related matters that His Holiness the Pope has arranged.
Sister?
In terms of kinship, Arturia is only a distant relative to whom I do not need to use such titles, questions like these are meaningless.

Archive File 4

The name "Saint" may remind us of the saints of the Iberian Inquisition, which, although originally a term of respect taken from the Laterano religion, has now been digested by Iberia and is known to the Iberian people as a unique cultural expression of its own.
For the Laterans, the term "Saint" is not simply a casual term.
In all the texts relating to Laterano history, there are accounts of the first generation of saints who built stone towers and founded sacred cities. This first group of Sanktas led the people to build the foundations of Laterano, and generations of people have continued to make peace for a thousand years, creating the peaceful Laterano that exists today, far from the fires of war.
Apart from the first sages who founded the city-state, it is only the Pope who is given the title of "Saint" at the time of his appointment, which is not only an honour but also an important responsibility to lead all Sanktas and guide the city. For thousands of years, the title of "Saint" has been passed down from one pope to the next without exception - and this millennium-old tradition was broken by the decision of Yvangelista XI.
Federico Giallo became the first Saint to be elected outside the millennium.
Why such a surprising election? Executor was, undoubtly, an excellent executor, but it's not as if there were no more valiant combatants in Laterano, no lack of more devout believers, no shortage of prestigious figures, and everyone had the same question - why Federico? Why would he be worthy of the title?
Despite Executor's remarkable performance, his seemingly unaffected attitude and the unique atmosphere of the Laterano made the event somewhat less shocking, there was no denying that His Holiness' decision was completely unorthodox and alarming.
For what reason did this wise and current Pope take this decision and what signal is he sending by doing so? Executor told us that the Pope had mentioned a disaster coming to this land, but what kind of disaster would make the holy city of Laterano, which has been at peace for a thousand years, take such urgent measures?
Federico Giallo was his first choice, what comes after that? Will we see a second or third unconventional saintly eminence elected in Laterano?
Dr Kal'tsit seems to be quite concerned about Executor and the news about Laterano, I think...... Perhaps we should prepare for this in advance as well.
[Excerpt from Kal'tsit's private journal]
There is no doubt that this is a warning from the machine in Laterano, that a disaster is coming, and we all know full well that Laterano cannot be left alone in it, or even ...... The disaster will be the first to destroy Laterano.
And the so-called "saints" were undoubtedly the solution chosen by Evangelista XI to deal with it.
"The Saints" ...... The one who guides all the Sanktas on their journey?
Well, there will never be just one guide, and perhaps soon we will see more of these exceptions, more of the unconventional Laterano "saints".
They will be the cornerstone of Laterano, the hope visible in the midst of calamity, the choice when all is naught.
As for the disaster......
I still cannot give a definite answer, although that answer is becoming clearer in my mind.
Too many precursors, too many traces.
It'll be coming soon, fast.

Promotion Record

Executor has noticed that he occasionally lapses into thought.
After the mission at the Ambrosius Abbey, his thoughts often lagged, and Executor decided that he had stumbled upon his most difficult situation to date.
Letting emotions get in the way of action was something Executor could not understand. The rationality of action, that was the dilemma that plagued him.
He had not yet reached a clear conclusion. But Executor knows exactly how to act - all he has to do is still do his job, no different from before.
If there is a problem, try to solve it.
If you have doubts, find someone to solve them.
[Transcript]
"I saw Executor the other day ...... Yes, that Executor."
"Ah, I know, it's the one all of you from the dorms were head over heels for, right?"
"We gave up a long time ago! But I saw, I saw him actually pondering over a flower ......"
"......Did one of you sneak off again?"
"No! That's not what happened! He had a weird serious look on his face, like he was thinking about some mega dilemma, and I didn't even dare to say hello to him."
"...... Hmmm ...... I get it then."
"What do you understand?"
"Calm down and think about it, it mustn't be a normal situation to have that Executor pondering so much."
"Oh, oh?"
"Can you really be sure that it's flowers he's holding? Not some kind of bomb or auxiliary prop? It's just in the form of a flower, so maybe it's some new kind of mine?"
"...... When you say it like that, it feels like it really could be that, sigh......"
"That's right, it shouldn't be some simple flower, it's very difficult to make sense of."
"That makes sense...... I saw him hand it to the Doctor afterwards, do you think it could have something to do with a classified mission?"

Hi guys. After 8 years I started to play Skyrim Se again.
For my mods I use "MO2" "Nemesis" "Loot" "Bodyslide" (FNIS)
After my first try with the mods my game crashed every 2 minutes. So I reinstalled everything. 15Hours later everything was set up and fine.
My game looks very good, new animations and so on.
I was able to play it, but it is not perfect.
Here are my MAIN PROBLEMS.

1. ks physics does not work. I used Bodyslike to implement them. (Hair physics)
   
2. CBPC equipment physics does not work.
   
3. I can't activate many mods ingame in my MCM, like "Smooth cam" settings or presets are not saved.
   
4. outfits and cloaks have no physics either. ( tries to implement them with bodyslide)
   

I have tried many things but I don't know what to do. I am frustrated
Here is my mod list.
​
#Mod_Priority,#Mod_Status,#Mod_Name
"0000","+","Creation Club: ccQDRSSE001-SurvivalMode"
"0001","+","Creation Club: ccBGSSSE037-Curios"
"0002","+","Creation Club: ccBGSSSE025-AdvDSGS"
"0003","+","Creation Club: ccBGSSSE001-Fish"
"0004","+","DLC: HearthFires"
"0005","+","DLC: Dragonborn"
"0006","+","DLC: Dawnguard"
"0007","+","Nemesis Unlimited Behavior Engine"
"0008","+","Precision"
"0009","+","KS Hairdos - HDT SMP (Physics)"
"0010","-","TK Dodge RE-OnlyDodge"
"0011","+","Caliente's Beautiful Bodies Enhancer -CBBE-"
"0012","+","XP32 Maximum Skeleton Special Extended"
"0013","+","Simple Dual Sheath for 1.6.629 and newer"
"0014","+","CBPC Equipment Physics"
"0015","+","CBPC - Physics with Collisions"
"0016","+","All in one"
"0017","-","TK Dodge SE"
"0018","+","MCM Helper SE"
"0019","+","SkyUI_5_2_SE"
"0020","+","DynamicAnimationReplacerAE v1.1.3 for Skyrim 16629"
"0021","+","CBBE 3BA"
"0022","+","Animation Motion Revolution"
"0023","+","Payload Interpreter"
"0024","+","Papyrus Ini Manipulator"
"0025","+","dTry's Key Utils SE"
"0026","+","Elden Power Attack"
"0027","+","oneclickmodified v"
"0028","+","Attack MCO-DXP"
"0029","+","All in one (Anniversary Edition)"
"0030","-","IFrame Generator RE"
"0031","+","SCAR - Skyrim Combos AI Revolution"
"0032","+","SCAR AE Support"
"0033","-","Combat Pathing Revolution"
"0034","+","Behavior Data Injector"
"0035","+","Enhanced Enemy AI"
"0036","+","No Recoil"
"0037","+","Bash Behaviors Overhaul"
"0038","+","TrueHUD"
"0039","+","True Directional Movement"
"0040","+","Disable Turn Animation SE I AE"
"0041","+","Combat behavior improved"
"0042","-","Retimed Hit Frames"
"0043","+","1"
"0044","+","Valhalla Combat"
"0045","+","Behavior Data Injector Universal Support"
"0046","+","Skyrim Priority SE AE"
"0047","-","(Part 1) SSE Engine Fixes for 1.5.39 - 1.5.97"
"0048","-","PapyrusUtil SE - Scripting Utility Functions"
"0049","+","PapyrusUtil AE SE - Scripting Utility Functions"
"0050","+","IFrame Generator RE AE Support"
"0051","-","(Part 1) SSE Engine Fixes for 1.6.629 and newer"
"0052","+","Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch"
"0053","+","Odin 2.0.1"
"0054","+","MergeMapper"
"0055","+","powerofthree's Tweaks"
"0056","+","Spell Perk Item Distributor"
"0057","+","Resistances and Weaknesses - Main File"
"0058","+","TDF Equipment Restriction v2_6_8 SE"
"0059","+","Magic Sneak Attacks"
"0060","+","Airgetlam -Modern Magic Sounds Rework- 4.1 Redesigned"
"0061","-","Finally First Person Magic Animation"
"0062","+","Embers XD"
"0063","+","ENB Light"
"0064","+","Visual Animated Enchants"
"0065","+","Goetia Animations - Magic Spell Casting"
"0066","+","Goetia Animations - Enchanted Staves"
"0067","+","Conditional Armor Type Animations - CATA"
"0068","+","Goetia Animations - Sprint"
"0069","+","Animation Queue Fix"
"0070","+","Goetia Animations - Female Idle Walk And Run"
"0071","+","Deadly Spell Impacts"
"0072","+","1. Ultimate HD Fire Effects SSE - Ultra Resolution"
"0073","+","Spell Rune Retexture - Full SSE Port - 2k"
"0074","+","Realistic Skin and Hair Shaders - Giants"
"0075","+","Arctic - Frost Effects Redux"
"0076","+","Realistic Skin Shaders- Falmer and Hagraven"
"0077","+","powerofthree's Papyrus Extender"
"0078","+","Mysticism - A Magic Overhaul"
"0079","+","Simple Scroll Transcribing - Mysticism"
"0080","+","Equipable Spell Tomes - Redone"
"0081","+","Simple Wearable Lanterns"
"0082","+","Frozen Electrocuted Combustion"
"0083","+","Wizard Hats - Full"
"0084","+","Archmage SE - Johnskyrim - 2k"
"0085","+","Battle Mage Armour"
"0086","+","Skyrim 3D StoneWalls"
"0087","+","Fortified Whiterun"
"0088","+","ENB Helper SE 1.5 for SSE 1.5.97"
"0089","+","Water for ENB Particle Patch"
"0090","+","EVLaS"
"0091","+","Less Distracting Blowing Snow Effects 1.0"
"0092","+","Obsidian Mountain Fogs 1.01.zip"
"0093","+","Ennead Banners 2K.7z"
"0094","+","RUSTIC SOULGEMS - Special Edition - 2K Unsorted"
"0095","+","Point The Way"
"0096","-","EEKs Renthal Flora Collection"
"0097","+","Cathedral - 3D Lavender - Vanilla Size"
"0098","+","TB's Metal Chains 2K Performance SSE Variant"
"0099","+","Medieval Spirits"
"0100","+","Riekling Barrels SMIM"
"0101","+","Rudy HQ - More Lights for ENB SE - Soulgems"
"0102","+","SMIM Barrel Expansion - Mead Barrel - Oil Barrel - Butter Churn"
"0103","-","4K SMIM Carriage Seat"
"0104","+","Static Mesh Improvement Mod"
"0105","+","Particle Patch for ENB"
"0106","+","Cathedral - Weathers"
"0107","+","Lanterns Of Skyrim II"
"0108","+","Skyrim Horses Renewal SSE 1.0.1"
"0109","+","Skyrim 3D Windmill"
"0110","+","Blended Roads"
"0111","+","Simple Sacks SE"
"0112","+","ETHEREAL CLOUDS SE - 2K"
"0113","+","Waterplants - lily only"
"0114","+","tanningrack001 real skin"
"0115","+","Holy Cows - 4K (Performance Version)"
"0116","+","Purple Tail Fix for Skyrim Horses Renewal SE"
"0117","+","Campfire Backpack HD"
"0118","+","Campfire 1.12.1SEVR Release"
"0119","+","A Quality World Map - Classic with All Roads"
"0120","+","Cutting Room Floor"
"0121","+","No Snow Under The Roof 3.2"
"0122","+","Cutting Room Floor - No Snow Under the Roof"
"0123","+","Rudy HQ - Falling Leaves and Needles for ENB SE"
"0124","+","Skyrim 3D Furniture"
"0125","+","Water for ENB"
"0126","+","Windy Grass - Multiplier 7"
"0127","+","Cathedral - 3D Mountain Flowers"
"0128","+","Origins Of Forest - 3D Forest Grass"
"0129","-","Folkvangr - Grass and Landscape Overhaul"
"0130","+","Rudy ENB Cathedral Weathers ADDONS and REQUiRED Files"
"0131","+","Wonders of Weather"
"0132","+","Smoother Skies"
"0133","+","Fluffy Snow - 2K"
"0134","+","Enhanced Blood Textures"
"0135","+","Skyrim 3D Rocks"
"0136","+","Bent Pines II"
"0137","+","2K Ulvenwald 3.1 - Forest Overhaul"
"0138","-","Northern Grass"
"0139","+","JK's Riverwood V1.3d - SSE"
"0140","+","DynDOLOD Resources SE"
"0141","+","DynDOLOD DLL SE - Scripts"
"0142","+","DynDOLOD DLL SE - SKSE64 Plugin - Skyrim Special Edition 1.6.40"
"0143","+","Xyn's Elemental Cloak Spells"
"0144","+","BURP Spell Tomes"
"0145","-","Majestic Mountains Darkside"
"0146","+","BodySlide and Outfit Studio -"
"0147","+","Simplicity of Snow"
"0148","-","HDT-SMP for SSE 1.5.97"
"0149","+","Faster HDT-SMP"
"0150","+","RaceMenu Anniversary Edition"
"0151","+","Bijin Warmaidens SE"
"0152","+","Bijin Wives SE 1.1.2"
"0153","+","Bijin NPCs SE 1.2.1"
"0154","+","High Poly Head SE"
"0155","+","Greek Goddess - All in One"
"0156","+","Expressive Facegen Morphs SE"
"0157","-","Hvergelmir's Aesthetics - Brows"
"0158","-","Northborn Scars"
"0159","+","Female Makeup Suite - Face - 2K"
"0160","+","(3) Community Overlays 1 - Main - CBBE 2K"
"0161","+","KS Hairdos SSE"
"0162","+","Better Female wrists hands ankles and leg ratio twists for XPMSSE"
"0163","+","SkFO SE -Skin Feature Overlays- 4K"
"0164","+","Wood elf K preset for bijin"
"0165","+","SE SG Brows"
"0166","+","Improved Eyes Skyrim"
"0167","+","The Eyes of Beauty SSE"
"0168","+","Bijin Skin - CBBE"
"0169","+","Northborn Scars - High Poly Head"
"0170","+","More Scar Sliders for High Poly Head"
"0171","+","The Great Cities - Resources"
"0172","+","SmoothCam - Modern Camera Preset"
"0173","+","Real Mountains - fomod"
"0174","-","Wearable Lanterns 4.0.3 Release"
"0175","+","Immersive Fallen Trees SSE"
"0176","+","Immersive Patrols (11 vs 11 Battles)"
"0177","+","Run For Your Lives"
"0178","+","Immersive Fallen Trees Patch"
"0179","+","Better Jumping SE"
"0180","+","VolcanicHeatHaze-by-fadingsignal.rar"
"0181","+","Immersive Citizens - AI Overhaul"
"0182","+","Immersive Laundry 1.0d SSE"
"0183","+","Flying Crows SSE ESPFE"
"0184","+","Morning Fogs SSE - Thick Fog"
"0185","+","Book Covers Skyrim SE - Desaturated.7z"
"0186","+","ElSopa Big Backpack"
"0187","-","Wet and Cold SE"
"0188","-","Artesian Cloaks of Skyrim"
"0189","+","Sexy Skyrim SE Statues"
"0190","+","2k-4k. New Statue of Talos SE 1.2.1"
"0191","+","JContainers SE"
"0192","+","Base Object Swapper"
"0193","+","Diverse Dragons Collection SE"
"0194","+","Elevated NPCs"
"0195","+","Cloaks Of Skyrim Retextured 2k"
"0196","-","Cloaks of Skyrim SSE"
"0197","+","ScaleformTranslationPP"
"0198","+","Whose Quest Is It Anyway"
"0199","+","Nocturnal Moths"
"0200","+","Volumetric Mists"
"0201","+","Immersive Wenches SE"
"0202","-","Blowing in the Wind"
"0203","-","Immersive Equipment Displays for 1.5.39 - 1.6.353"
"0204","+","Immersive Equipment Displays for 1.6.629 and newer"
"0205","+","Civil War Battlefields"
"0206","+","Footsteps Sounds Overhaul"
"0207","+","Northgirl Armor UNP"
"0208","+","TL_ElvenArmorSA - SSE CBBE-NEW-2-Slider.7z"
"0209","-","Wind Ruler Armor - Female helmet no hair SE"
"0210","+","1WRSE"
"0211","+","DX Dark Knight Armor - My Final Version by Xtudo SE CBBE"
"0212","+","SkyTEST - RealisticAnimals and Predators 1_65_02 - CCSM (CreationClub Survival Mode)"
"0213","+","Eviscerate"
"0214","+","Daedric Cloaks"
"0215","+","Footprints 1.6.1"
"0216","+","Skeleton Replacer HD"
"0217","+","NORDIC UI - Interface Overhaul"
"0218","-","Wearable Lanters Fix"
"0219","+","Night Skies - Natural Fantasy (8K) - No Cross Stars"
"0220","+","Better Dynamic Snow SE"
"0221","+","Skyrim Remastered - Glaciers and Ice Quality Version"
"0222","+","Skyrim Bridges"
"0223","+","Rudy HQ - Nordic Ruins SE version"
"0224","+","Kurone CBBE Body"
"0225","+","Wood Elf preset A High poly"
"0226","+","Expressive Facial Animation - Female Edition"
"0227","+","Kala's Eyes"
"0228","+","Diamond Textures CBBE v2 based on FSC"
"0229","+","Realistic Haircolors FINAL"
"0230","+","Ethel face preset"
"0231","+","High elf preset Mid high poly"
"0232","+","Dark elf commoner"
"0233","+","Koralina's Makeup Tweaks 2k ESL"
"0234","+","Ariel Nyr - High Poly Character Preset - RaceMenu"
"0235","+","Deadly Dragons"
"0236","+","High Poly Project"
"0237","+","Dark Elf Lantern ENB Light"
"0238","+","Real Rabbits HD - Fluffy"
"0239","+","Cloaks and Capes SMP"
"0240","+","SPID-ified - HDT-SMP for Cloaks and Capes"
"0241","-","Cloaks and Capes RETEX"
"0242","-","Even More Brows HPH"
"0243","-","Better Third Person Selection (AE - SE)"
"0244","+","BTPS - Nordic UI (E) Activation Button Replacer"
"0245","+","Birds and Flocks"
"0246","+","Dungeon Darkness SE"
"0247","-","Smooth Magic Casting Animation"
"0248","+","EVG Animation Variance"
"0249","-","The Joy of Perspective"
"0250","+","The Joy of Perspective SSE"
"0251","-","Smooth Random Magic idle Animation 2.0"
"0252","+","Vanargand Animations - Sneak Archery"
"0253","+","Vanargand Animations - Archery"
"0254","+","Vanargand Animations - Sneak Idle Walk and Run"
"0255","+","Dynamic Random Spell Idle - Player NPC All"
"0256","+","Headhunter - Bounties Redone"
"0257","+","Landscapes - Cathedral Concept"
"0258","+","VioLens - A Killmove Mod SE"
"0259","-","FNIS Behavior SE 7_6"
"0260","-","FNIS - Output"
"0261","+","Verdant - A Skyrim Grass Plugin - ESP"
"0262","+","Immersive Armors 8.1 SSE Test"
"0263","+","Wild Witch"
"0264","+","Viridian Knight Armor"
"0265","+","Nemesis Output"
"0266","+","IED - Weapons Repositioner"
"0267","+","Modern Brawl Bug Fix"
"0268","+","BackshieldsSE"
"0269","+","Backshields position patch for Cloaks of Skyrim"
"0270","+","Immersive Equipment Displays - Mura Presets"
"0271","+","Improved Alternate Conversation Camera SE"
"0272","+","SmoothCam"
"0273","+","Sound Record Distributor"
"0274","+","Bowlegged jump fix"
"0275","+","A Bow's Whisper - Vanilla"
"0276","+","Immersive Sounds - Compendium"
"0277","+","No snow under the roof - Bug fixes v1.4"
"0278","+","Landscape Fixes For Grass Mods"
"0279","+","EmbersXD - Campfire Patch"
"0280","+","Immersive Armor"
"0281","-","Main File"
"0282","-","DMCO Sound Replacer DS1"
"0283","+","Dodge MCO-DXP"
"0284","+","Infinity Dodge"
"0285","+","Bug Fixes SSE (Special Edition)"
"0286","+","XPMSSE - Nemesis - Script Fix - SE"
"0287","+","D13 Faster Get Up Stand Up SSE"
"0288","+","XP32 Maximum Skeleton Special Extended - Fixed Scripts"
"0289","+","Gesture Animation Remix (DAR) - main archive"
"0290","+","No Spinning Death Animation"
"0291","-","360 Movement behavior fixes"
"0292","+","360 Movement Behavior"
"0293","-","Pretty Combat Animations (SE)"
"0294","-","Pretty Combat Animations - Spell Master (SE)"

Hi!
So a while ago I lost most of my files on my old PC (RIP, buddy), and I had this Bioshock Infinite wallpaper that was my favorite thing. I was hoping someone here could help me find it again, as I downloaded it from internet (Steam screenshots, I think, but I can't find it there), so it must be around somewhere.
The screenshot was of Elizabeth standing on the long airship dock (must have been at Soldier's Field where you first board the First Lady Airship based on the aesthetic) looking out at the horizon with her back to the camera. The person who took it must have used free cam to take it, as we usually don't get to go there. I tried to recreate it back when I still had the picture, but Elizabeth wouldn't follow me :(
I know this is like searching for a needle in a haystack, but if anyone can help me with the search it is ppl in this community :)

Looking back on Wind Waker, a lot of the overarching themes seems to be learning to let go and accepting times changing and winds of change.
At the beginning of the game, Links Grandma was in denial. She refused to believe something happened to her granddaughter and pretended that she must be out playing with the gulls like she always is despite knowing something had happened. Who later comes to accept that everything will be okay and has faith in Link.
We of course see Ganondorf who after all this time still covets a dead kingdom. And in his last breath, he simply states the winds are blowing, possibly accepting his death and finally coming to terms with reality.
We see the dead Sages accepting their deaths but wanting to pass on their knowledge to their descendants to carry on a legacy.
And the most profound was at the very end, during the second, and final flooding of Hyrule, when Tetra tells the King that they can find a new land, and that can be the new Hyrule. The King simply smiles and tells them that will not be Hyrule and that it will be your land, ending with the King fading from sight as Link ascends to the surface.
All the characters and themes is about acceptance and moving on from the past and looking forward to the future. So why dont I like new Hyrule?
One of the most striking themes of Wind Waker was its visual design. Its incredibly different from what we've seen making old Hyrule that much more striking of a contrast to the surface. The issue is that New Hyrule doesnt seem to take any inspiration from Wind Wakers building or aesthetics.
New Hyrule, is just a complete copy of Old Hyrule straight down to its governing system all the way down to another Royal Family. This flies in the face of the message of accepting change and new things and makes the tragedy less impactful when they just make another direct copy of Old Hyrule and feels like Link and Zelda themselves were just as obsessed with the past as Ganondorf and Danphnes was but were unable to move on.

All I ever wanted was for my wife and I to live comfortably. But the longer we stayed together, the higher our bills increased. We’d already fought off debts from college, barely scraping by. Even after we paid them off, we were only able to afford a tiny apartment on the outskirts of New York City.
Sidewalks laid cracked everywhere while condemned buildings sat sadly against their crooked foundations. Crooked lampposts would hang only by electrical wires. Graffiti marked every street corner in bland art that existed without rhyme or reason. Homeless people could be found on every street corner, a constant reminder of what would happen if my wife and I failed to keep up with our payments.
However, I managed to make somewhat decent money as a plumber. But even then, it sometimes wasn’t enough to deal with loan sharks, the hefty utility bills, food prices, and gas money. I was willing to do anything to get us out.
And that is where I encountered gambling. I was willing to take the risks. I’d take any chance to obtain a reward, even just a small one. It started out with just a handful of poker games. Then I moved on to scratch tickets and slot machines. All I needed was enough to get by. Unfortunately, obtaining a payday from the casinos was impossible. I started growing desperate, which only led to more debt. The whole cycle sucked me down like Odysseus’ ship in Charybdis’ maw. And just like that, my relationship with my wife began to tear us apart.
My wife and I were once so close together. Before we married, there would be days where we’d work together at wood shops, creating 3D prints of various sci-fi characters and video games. Other times we’d study the components of circuits and use them to create elaborate lighting displays whenever Christmas arrived. Our wedding day was supposed to be the greatest day of our lives. Instead of relying on the help of others back like we did in college, we relied on ourselves.
But my actions tore all that apart. I didn’t know what else to do, either.
—
A few nights ago, I arrived at my shitty apartment, having completed a ten hour shift fixing the drains of several upper class folks. I rested my hand on the knob, expecting the worst from my wife. Sighing, I pushed the door. The moment I did, she was already in the front hall. Her eyes were scrunched and she was holding a bank statement, smacking it for emphasis.
“Care for an explanation?” She demanded.
I rubbed my temples, removing my scum covered overalls and plopping them right into the nearest laundry hamper. We locked eyes. Breaking eye contact with her would only ignite her anger further. She was holding another piece of evidence of my failures. My failure to strike it rich. All I could do was stand there sheepishly, tail tucked behind me, and wait to get ripped a new one. No words could come out of my mouth.
She marched up to me, holding it in my face. “Frank, you wasted three-thousand dollars at the casino AGAIN?!” my wife bellowed.
I set my tool box down and washed the pipe gunk from my hands, looking down just for a bit.
“Turn around and look me in the eyes.”
Resting a hand on my eyes, I glanced over at her petite frame. Then, I began to speak. “We can live comfortably if you just give-“
“Enough of the excuses! We nearly lost our apartment twice by you betting on slots, you wasted our heating money on roulette, and now this!”
I held up my hands reassuringly. “Look, just let me figure this out! I’ll think of some way to get the money!”
“You’d better. Otherwise we’re getting a divorce. Got it?”
Without another word, I put on a casual outfit, exiting for some fresh air. Shutting the door behind me, I gazed back at the unpolished apartment number on the frame. Wincing, I clenched a fist and descended the rickety stairs. Eventually, my boots hit the cracked pavement, and I headed off.
---
I had only made it a few blocks from my apartment, when I noticed shadows lurking in one of the alleyways. Picking up my stride, I try to evade the figures. They drew closer and closer. My stride changed into a sprint. Another alleyway comes into my sights. I make a break for it, hoping for an opportunity to escape. Only a dead end greets me. Before long, the figures cornered me. The light from a street lamp illuminated two shady faces. Loan sharks. Before I could react, the duo held me up by my throat.
“What the hell are you guys doing?!” I strained, feebly kicking back one of the thugs. He jammed a fist right under my rib cage. My lips pursed as I lost my breath. The other grabbed me by the chin, grinning like a maniac and revealing his tobacco rotted jaw. I gulped.
“Frank, calm down. Take it easy,” every word he said ground my inner ears. Brown saliva sprayed on my cheeks. “We just want to have a little talk…” I didn’t have the courage to speak up. All I could do was let them tell me everything.
“Your landlord is getting rather impatient with your payments. We just came to send a little message. He has some demands.” The other guy snarled.
I tugged on my collar. “What…demands?”
“The landlord wants you to cough up $18,000 for your next payment!”
My hands grew clammy. Were they out of their minds? I was a plumber, not a heart surgeon! I didn’t have that kind of money! Besides, the rent was only $500 a month.
“You have until the end of the month,” one of the goons croaked.
That was only two weeks! I couldn’t have made that kind of money with such constraints! I’d barely be able to afford food and electricity! Negotiating was out of the question. God knows what would have happened to me if I dared speak up.
“The landlord has given you chance after chance to pay up. But you’ve never followed through. He’s let it slide for three months. You haven’t paid shit in that time frame. Do you realize how much he has to pay for his own apartment? If you fail to pay at that time, there will be consequences…” He makes a capiche gesture.
I nodded. The moment I complied, they released me, disappearing into the smog.
—
I stood outside a graffiti covered subway station, pacing around, hands in my pockets. My fists constricted as I pounded a nearby wall. There’s no way I would have been able to make that kind of money! Craps were too unpredictable, arcade machines were always rigged, and roulette was too high in stakes. Seeing red, I screamed and kicked a wall as hard as I could. My foot throbbed and once I was done with my fit, I broke down sobbing. The sidewalk darkened with my tears. I pressed my head against it, clawing at it until my fingernails turned crimson.
Then, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Wiping the tears away, I glanced over my shoulder. A card was lying on the floor. Its borders were covered in green dollar symbols. The rest of the card was a silver color shiny enough to reflect my face in it. Written in gold letters were the following:
ACES HIGH CASINO
WIN ONE ROUND OF BLACKJACK
AND EARN FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS!
NO MONETARY WAGER NEEDED
TABLE 777
My eyes lit up. All I had to do was win one game of blackjack, and I’d be rich? Dimples formed on my cheeks and I pumped my fist. I nearly clicked my heels in joy, but decided against it. I’d already caused enough of a scene already, and I wanted to make sure nobody knew my secret. When I flipped it around, it had an address also written in golden letters.
---
Despite the address being in an unknown area, I still managed to pull it up on my phone’s map and arrived without any struggle. The casino itself was a pigsty, to say the least. Smokers polluted the air in the prison gray interior. Slot machines with broken lights clicked and whirred while cheap dice clattered against tables with peeling felt. Meanwhile, the concrete floor was covered in colonies of roaches while neglected beer bottles sat against the rungs of several tables. The only thing that was kept well was the bar and a room draped with navy blue curtains with golden sashes. Emblazoned above the doorway was the number 777.
This was the first time I had entered a casino smiling. For once, I thought that this was my lucky night.
When I pushed the curtains away, they revealed a room with ornate black wallpaper, an assortment of oak desks and other furniture. The walls were covered in fine Baroque paintings. On the floor was a single blue carpet covered in opulent tapestry. I followed the back wall to a single dealer table coated in green felt. Two seats were present with one patron taking the seat on the left. He was shaking with what I assumed was excitement.
Behind him was the dealer, a trim man with long blond hair and a top hat over his nose and eyes. He wore a dapper tuxedo free of blemishes that shimmered in the light of a single hanging glass lamp. His skin was pure and free of moles, glistening with slight amounts of glitter.
“Why, hello there…” The man spoke in a voice slicker than the gel in his hair. “Are you here to win big?” Unlike the loan sharks, his teeth were cleaner than a freshly washed plate.
“Yup. Deal me in.” I said, straightening my back, shuffling into the last seat. The other player had his jaw locked together. His eyes were drooping and bloodshot. Sweat pooled around his brow like glass beads. Just like him, I always felt nervous about losing, so their reaction was understandable.
“You know the rules of blackjack. I deal out cards. You can say ‘hit me’ if you want more cards. Get closest to twenty one without going over. Dealer only draws two cards. And you can also surrender your cards for half your bet. When you don’t want any more cards, say the word ‘stand.’” The dealer said, shuffling the cards through his hands and manipulating them like a sculptor with a ceramic pot.
I double blinked. Wager? “What do I bet with?”
The mysterious man just focused on passing out his cards. First, he brought out two cards for himself and dealt two more to each player. Instantly, he flipped over his cards. A jack and a king. Twenty.
I clutched the velvet backed cards, seeing what I was dealt.
A ten and a seven of hearts. I forced my face into a neutral smile. My stomach twisted. There was no way I could get twenty one that easily. “Surrender,” I said, pushing my cards to the dealer. All he did was reshuffle the cards and toss me two more. They didn’t even bother looking back up at me during the process.
The other player started clutching his stomach. My smile vanished. I carefully looked over the left guy’s cards. A seven and a two of clubs.
“Hit me…” the guy on the left choked out. An ace of spades. A total of ten. Sweat trickled down his head like a shower in April. His eyes welled up with tears while foam developed around his mouth. I raised a brow, wondering what his deal was.
I knew the stakes of gambling, but my sixth sense kept telling me something was just not right. No. That couldn’t be true. Even if there was some kind of string attached or fine print I didn’t read, I couldn’t risk giving up that money. Besides, this might have been my only chance to obtain such a vast award without much risk.
“Hit me…” The man wheezed. A five of hearts. His teeth chattered.
While I waited for my turn, I stood up and walked around the room, getting a closer look at all the ornate gadgets and such. My eyes focused on a painting on the leftmost wall. It resembled a man in rich military regalia. But something made my hair stand on end. Their upturned white mustache looked damp, and their face sagged like they were crying. Linear, stick-like shadows were cast on the sleeves. Edging forward, they came into focus.
Hands. I followed their forms outward, which extended into oily, dripping arms.
“Husssssssssh…” A faint noise echoed from somewhere in the room.
“What?” I mouthed, turning an ear to the source.
“Husssssssssh…” It came from the painting. I backed away, hands out at my sides. Was someone dragged in that painting?
“Where are you going? You forgot to pay up!” The dealer yelled back, hands slamming on the table and pulling out a sack of navy blue poker chips.
I double took. “I thought the card said there was no monetary wager needed?”
“There isn’t.”
Then, I looked at the ground. There was a second rug on the ground. The tapestry matched, but its patterns didn’t match with the other rug. It was off center from the rest of the decorations, like someone didn’t even bother setting it up properly. Taking a closer look, I could hear faint whispers coming from it, too. When I looked back up, the guy on the left was gone. I rushed over, checking his cards. A total of twenty five.
Swallowing saliva, I stood in confusion, wondering what to do next. I scraped my fingernails against my palms. I needed that money. If I didn’t get it, I’d lose my wife and my apartment. And what about the loan sharks? Only God knew what would happen to me if I didn’t pay up. What was I going to do? What would happen if I lost? Would I turn into another object just like the other guy? Or would I be in for a worse fate?
“That’s because there isn’t a MONETARY wager. I’m still taking half of what you owe.”
A sharp pain punched my left side. My left side felt heavier than before, like my veins were replaced with tungsten. I grabbed my fingers around my chest. The area around the pain almost felt solid like a tumor. Brushing around the area, I could make out a cylindrical mass. I tried to inspect it some more, but the pain overwhelmed me, and I crumpled to the ground.
I crouched down on all fours, trying to get back to my seat, but the pain froze me in place. Reaching out a hand, I called out for help. Nothing.
Slithering away, I pulled back the curtains to the entrance of the casino. I spat on the ground from the bludgeoning pain.
“Don’t feel out of luck. You can still surrender once more and you still have two chances left!” The dealer smiled, adjusting his hat. It was only a glimpse, but I caught a look at his upper face. His eyes were on his hat and his forehead was blank. The dealer looked like they were plucked straight out of an Alice in Wonderland book. What or who was this dealer?
“Think long and hard about this. I saw you arguing with your wife. And those ruffians nearly killed you.”
I clambered back to my seat. I still didn’t know what that dealer did to me. Something in me forced me to get back up and keep playing. More questions ate at me the longer I played. How did he know that information?
Then, I remembered feeling a tap back at Grand Central Station. And the card that brought me here. He couldn’t have been human. Was he some kind of demon? I didn’t bother asking. There wasn’t any way he would spill the beans about his nature.
After what seemed like hours, I managed to writhe back into my seat, slumping over the table like I’d just had the worst hangover.
“Ready to try again?” The charming man said, resting his chin on his interlocked hands.
Reluctantly, I gave him a thumbs up. He took back the cards and began manipulating the split deck once more. I analyzed every move he made. None of the cards were tricked. He wasn’t second dealing and didn’t have any aces up his sleeve. Never revealed anything under the table, either. The only thing that brought me reassurance was that he was honest. Still, keeping an eye out was critical.
The dealer revealed his cards. Two tens again. One of spades, one of hearts. His face was harder than diamond and glowed like one, too. Not a pleasing glow, but one that would hex anyone that dared gaze at it for too long.
I looked at my cards. An ace and a seven. Eighteen. Gripping my lower abdomen, I stayed crumpled in agony. The odds of getting a blackjack were slim and the stabbing pain skewed my thoughts.
“Surrender…” I wheezed. The words slipped out of my mouth like the dying breath of a wounded soldier. The dealer smiled, holding a pile of blue poker chips around him. He waved his hand over the mound and made an inaudible chant. Then, they vanished.
I held my hands over my face, bracing myself. Suddenly, the pain doubled, shifting to my right like a mudslide down a hill. Now I knew everything the previous player was going through.
I vomited out something hard and blue. A poker chip. Suddenly, my guts turned and another seven spilled out. My esophagus wound itself into knots more contorted than cobwebs. “I…forfeit!”
The man started to smile. “Without these?” With a thud, the hat faced dealer pulled out a jar filled with a kidney and a piece of liver. They still were oozing with blood that plumed and fit their containers. I remembered how the dealer said that there was no monetary wager. He never said there wasn’t a wager at all. My wager…was my organs.
“You want them back? Win them.” He set them back on the ground.
Now there was no choice. My fate was sealed if I tried to leave. I started to shed tears. If I didn’t get these organs back and fast, I was done for. Even if someone saw me passed out on the floor, finding donors for organs wasn’t guaranteed. And even then, I’d be put further in debt. Nothing would be solved. Then again, was trying to beat this guy even worth it? No. The reward was too great. Taking a few deep breaths, I sat back down. Reluctantly, I asked that he proceed.
The dealer drew out cards just like before. He took the cards and gave them a good shuffle. Plucking two cards out of the stack, he revealed them. A king and a nine. Another poker chip tumbled out my throat. I spat it out in a red and blue plastic heap. Not paying attention to the mess I made, he handed me two cards. A jack and a two. Twelve.
“Hit…me.” An ace. Aces could count as one or eleven depending on what other cards were drawn. I still had a fighting chance.
“Hit me.” A five.
His dead stare tore at my soul. I scratched against the felt, the wounds in my fingers reopening. From the corner of my eyes, I could see him frowning. “Are you going to play, or do you want all that money to go to waste?”
I gritted my teeth. “Shut up…Hit me…” Swallowing saliva, I watched the dealer play out my last card. A queen.
“You lose.” The dealer said coldly, grabbing a pile of poker chips and holding them close. He waved his hand over the mound and made another incantation. Then, they vanished once more. Everywhere at once, burning pain sears my skin, making me blackout.
---
When I wake up and feel my arms, they are covered in something hard, blue and plastic. My clothes were gone. I examined my extremities and my torso.
My skin was missing and replaced with poker chips. They were shaped to fit every part of my body. Cracks filled with blood gushed out with each slight movement I made. Horrified, I spilled my guts. More poker chips slid out my throat. Piles of skin laid clumped on the side of the table in hideous pink and blood red sheets.
“I think you know what’s at stake now. One try left. Better make it count. You want to end up in an object for an eternity?” He taunted.
The rigidity of my plastic coated skin made each movement expose more of the cracks, searing my muscles. I groaned as I raised myself up. Crimson liquid dampened the table. I pounded at the table. This was it. I either walked out with my money and saved my marriage and tied up all those knots. Or I lost and suffered a fate worse than death. Giving up was not an option. I gave the mysterious man a death glare, not even bothered by his resistance.
He plucks out two cards. A nine and a ten. This was my chance.
Then, my cards were revealed. A ten and a two. Fingers rattling, I took a deep breath and let calmness seep into me.
“Hit…Me…” I sputtered. Another two.
Huffing, I opened my mouth to speak again. The dealer just stared into me, tilting his head like a vulture waiting for roadkill. The poker chips rattled again, grinding against each other.
“Hit…” I paused for a moment, recollecting my thoughts. At a value of fourteen, I needed at least a six to beat the dealer. But an eight or higher would result in disaster. Gulping down another chaser of saliva, I spoke. “Hit…me.”
To my chagrin, a five slipped out of the hand. I was now tied. Staring at the pile of skin and my other organs, I closed my eyes and shook in horror. An ace or a two were the only cards I could draw in order to win. I looked down at my cards, sweat dripping on the table. With a quick glance, I gazed at the eyes on the man’s silk hat.
“Don’t keep me waiting.” The man demanded.
I’d begun hyperventilating. His stare grew more intense the longer I waited. His confident smile turned into a frown of irritation. Eyebrows and mouth twisted into a hideous snarl. He rattled his fingers against the dealing table. The cacophony made my ears go numb.
Then, I whispered my answer.
“Hit…me…”
The man darted up, smiling back in anticipation. “I’m sorry, what was that?”
I closed my eyes, expecting the worst.
“HIT ME!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.
Then, the last card was revealed:
A two.
I’d won!
My mouth dropped. The sheets of skin unfurled themselves and flattened over me. Two organ jars spilled over, their contents rising in a beam of white and torpedoing back into my body. Immediately, I yelped at the top of my lungs, skipping my heels and doing a jig. I regained my strength, instantly looking around for traces of my prize. For several minutes, I wasn’t able to uncover anything. Staring directly at the dealer’s face, I asked him to reveal my prize.
“I don’t have it with me.” He said, blankly.
Not listening, I scrutinized every inch of the room, looking behind his station, checking under the table, everything.
I searched everywhere for my prize, my happiness dissipating. With each step I took, my smile faded even further, twisting into a frown. My nose crinkled. “Where is the fifty million?” I demanded, overturning the table, ripping off the ornate paintings and yanking the tasseled rugs off the floor. “You promised me fifty million dollars if I beat you! Do you realize what’s gonna happen to me if I don’t get that money, you charlatan?!”
The strange man just stood there, not even acknowledging my pleas.
“YOU PROMISED ME MONEY! You’re a thief!” I roared, pointing an accusing finger at him. “I only did this for my wife, to save my marriage! I almost gave up my life trying to help my family out! How can you take that away from me?!”
The demon stuck his hands behind his back and shook his head. He rolled his eyes back in thought. Something was up with him. “You aren’t like the other gamblers.” He said.
“Other gamblers?” I said, stepping back.
“They all wanted the money for worthless things. A mansion with fountains and a view, hookers, a trip to Tahiti…” He paced around me. His face was rather relaxed and calm. Never once did he lose eye contact with me. “But you had so much determination to help your wife out that you would risk it all. I admire that. It took me a while to figure out that you were actually a kind hearted person.”
I saw red and tried to punch him. He grabbed my fist, shoving it back.
“Listen to me. I understand your rage. There never was a prize in the first place. It was nothing but a lure to capture those that wasted their lives away. But there is one thing that you don’t understand.”
I saw red and I thrusted my hands back. “You nearly killed me all for nothing?!”
“Yes, but that was before I saw you the way you really were. Listen to my words.”
Slowly, I relaxed my posture, but still remained firm. “Why should I listen to you?”
“I can help you out of your situation.” The man said.
My nostrils flared. “You owe me money you snake!”
“You never needed the money in the first place.”
Taken aback, I retreated. “What do you mean?” My arms relaxed once more.
“You are a plumber, aren’t you? I saw you come home from work, just barely catching a glimpse of your schedule. Forty hours a week for thirty-eight dollars an hour for five days a week. That’s $15200 a week for two weeks. You already have everything you need.”
“But you don’t understand. They need $18000!” I pleaded.
He wouldn’t budge. “Trying to earn this money via dumb risks and chances will not get you anywhere. Look at all the things that you’ve done wrong.”
Tears began to well up. “And I want to change that.” I wiped my eyes. “But what am I supposed to do now?”
“The only way you can earn that money is through grit and spit,” He said, walking around me. “You aren’t going to find solace through good luck alone. You have to work for it. And you already have the tools that some people don’t have. If you give up now, you might as well have lost. Think about it.” With those last words, he raised his hand and snapped it, disappearing without a trace. Slowly, I gathered my things and walked out of the casino, head hanging low.
---
The following day, I sat outside an old woman’s faucet, inspecting how to fix a leak. I wondered what the demon’s words meant to me. Before I stuck the wrench up to a U trap, I remembered my pay. If I worked the same amount of hours as before, I’d only make $15200. But if I pulled off some overtime and worked several extra hours, I might just be able to pay off my debts.
I started staying up much later than before. Not long after, my wife started to become suspicious. Eventually, she confronted me.
“Frank, you’ve been staying up late. Are you going back to the casinos again?” she asked, hands on her hips.
I closed my eyes. Instead of fear, calmness filled my veins and my blood stilled. “Not this time. I’ve been working overtime.”
Her face loosened up for just a moment before hardening back up. I held my hands up and motioned my palms downward. “Listen, I have been horrible lately. All my gambling did was drown us in deeper debt.”
Her expression began to soften up again, her frown vanishing.
“I want to change things. We used to work so well together, doing everything to help each other. Instead of fighting against each other, it’s time we made peace. And we bring us out of our debt, together.” I held out my hand for her to shake it. She kept her arm pulled back and folded like the pincer of a mantis. Inch by inch, she extended it and took it.
The following day, my wife convinced me to go to therapy to get out of my addiction, which I gladly obliged. Simultaneously, she decided to start up another job working as an electrician. Day by day passed and we pooled all our resources as one. Before our eyes, bills were paid and debt disappeared faster than eye floaters. Our financial status wasn’t the only thing that changed. Her once crusty mood lightened up and she began to smile more. She began to believe my words and began to respect the changes I made.
And then, we paid off our rent. We got a letter from our landlord, saying that we now were even. The moment that letter came in, we embraced each other. The only question now was, what were we going to do with this extra money?
Not too long ago, we ended up earning enough money to create another 3d project, this time of a Companion Cube. Day after day, we created more projects. Although we weren’t as happy as our days back in college, we still could make the best with what we had. In retrospect, the hat-faced man put up a good fight, but I managed to come out of a casino with more than I came in with. It wasn’t exactly money, but it wasn’t worthless, either.

*Geliton Man walks into the mercenary contract center posed as a sleezy, grimy bar that he learned about on a website. The place stank of cigarettes, hard liquor and pure adrenaline, the wallpaper was lumpy from years of wood rot, mold and what seemed like grease. Vague hints of dried blood was splattered on the floor as the florescent lights hummed and buzzed with one in the left corner flickering on and off. The bartender looks up at the new face on this strange slug of a man and analyze him*
Bartender: "Name's Jorden, the hell you doin' here?"
Gelly: "Good Moro my fine gentleman and gum under the government's shoe, I'm here for 2 things, a job to kill someone and your strongest alcohol." *All eyes in the bar now lay on this rotund stranger*
Jorden: "1) All we got is cheap booze and 2) other than the drunken fights that lead to death, we don't get anyone to kill someone else."
Gelly: "But the website... Oh I see! I need to prove myself, show that I'm able to tango with you ruffians." *Jorden looks at Gelly with confusion as the fat guy walks over to the biggest man in the bar the locals and website call "The Billdozer" the 34 consecutive Merc of the Month*
Billdozer: "HAHAHA! You really think a tiny boy like you can take me down?!" *The 7' 5" man stands and clearly towers over Gelly as he cracks his knuckles* "I can literally break a person in half like a twig! I don't wear body armor cuz I can flex, and bullets bounce off me!"
Gelly: "Actually, I'm a man, says so on my name tag AND all my stationary." *He forms multiple hands out of his fingers as he pulls out a random assortment of office supplies out of, what seems like, nowhere* "See, 'MAAAAN-NUH'!"
*Bill is taken aback by the strange abilities of this man, but quickly brushes it off as he starts to attack, lunging his giant meat hook of a hand into Gelly's face palm open. He grabs Gelly's head and squeezes it, cracking his skull like an egg and squishing his brain like macaroni salad as blood practically explodes out of the once smug and smartass head. The headless body falls backwards to the floor and Bill goes back to his chair to finish his drink. Suddenly, the head chunks start moving to the body and begin reforming the head as the body rises opposite of how it fell*
Gelly: "Fuck you man, now I've got a tuft of hair growing out of my brain! It itches like hell." *His brain begins to hurt more as he feels a memory reform, a feminine face he can't place the name of or how he knows her*
Gelly Thinking: "Who the hell? Ugh what a headache. But no matter, time to teach this loony loser a lesson."
*Bill is mortified by his opponent's resurrection* Bill: "How is this possible?"
Gelly: "Get ready big boi, for pain...without end!" *Gelly throws his stationary away and morphs his toes into 1 spike, and kicks Bill in the groin which also stabs him there. Bill's face goes pale white as he lets out a high-pitched wince and begins to faint, but Gelly grabs his head and shoves it downward into Bill's body, same with his arms, then his legs until Bill was nothing but a torso. He then picks the turtle-ified body up* "Hmm, I think this would make a cool trophy on my mantle."
*Jorden pops up from his hiding spot under the bar* "WHY THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT?!"
Gelly *confused*: "Toooo prove my mettle? Job interview style?"
Jorden: "More like prison style. Beside dumbass, all you needed to do if you wanted to be a mercenary is say the password and I would have put you thru some tests."
Gelly: "Oh.... So do I got the job?"
Jorden: *sigh* "Sure man, whateva, just get the hell outta here and I'll call you when a contract opens."
Gelly: "Amazingable, welp, till next time fellow scum of the universe!" *Gelly joyfully strolls out as he hums Peace of Mind by Imagine Dragons with his torso trophy under his arm*
Jorden: "I'm gonna need so much Ibuprofen with this guy."

First, thank you to everyone on this subreddit. You kept me sane, while I waited and waited and waited… here’s my story:
5/31/22 - applied for PSLF to the Dept of Ed - employer refused to certify. Submitted application with all of the W2s I had (11 years)
Loans transferred to Mohela last summer, I was told the application would transfer too. It didn’t
8/2022 - resubmitted the same application to Mohela.
Radio silence
11/2022 - called, application is under supervisory review. “Please give another 90 days”.
2/2023 - called and waited for over an hour to speak to a supervisor, who found that my application was just floating in some supervisory ether. They stated that the application would now be prioritized to review, and an answer should be expected within a week.
3/2023 - application cancelled. When I called, they stated I didn’t provide proof of employment.
3/2023 - filed a BBB complaint
4/2023 - applied again with the new electronic system, new representative at employer agreed to sign!
5/2023 - receive payment count letter, then payment counts update to 126!
5/28/2023 - balance changes from positive to negative. FSA changes to 0.
6/82023 - Mohela finally gives me a smiley face.
I don’t know if I will be receiving a refund (negative balance), but even if I don’t, having this long drawn out process that brought me to tears multiple times is now in my rear view mirror. I wholeheartedly think the only reason it was expedited was because I reapplied right after the new electronic process was implemented. Don’t give up fellow public service workers. 🙌

So I met a guy around 28 yrs old, and I really liked him, thought he was very interesting and attractive so we exchanged info like phone numbers and such. After a few weeks he casually brought up he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar. I was a little caught off guard bc he didn't act like someone that I had the impression one would act if they were schizophrenic. But I had already developed some feelings by that point so it was absolutely not a deal breaker for me.
So it's going around 2 months since we met. He lives a little far from me so we see eachother about twice a week and talk daily. What makes things difficult is that he comes across as very hot and cold. One minute he wants to be in a relationship with me wants me to even move in with him (which was definitely a little weird bc it's way too soon, also even talked about us having kids). It just seemed like he was very excited to start something. Then the next minute he will want us to be beat friends that are intimate lol which is basically the same thing only without the lables...overall he is just constantly going back and forth with what he says he wants and how he acts. One day he will be incredibly sweet, affectionate and really just an epic sweetheart. The next day he will be very, very distant and even act a little awkward, will intentionally not even want to kiss. Rather than take any of this personally, I'm trying to be understanding and patient while also very much guarding myself from falling for someone who seems to be very unsure of what he wants out of this. In the meantime I want to learn more about schizophrenia and what to expect from someone who is struggling with this who I care for and would love to be a person that is there for him and supportive, even if it turns out romantically things die out.
Question about apathy: I've learned this is a common symptom and it's something he recently has struggled with. The other day when I went to visit him, it was the opposite of a few days prior where he was incredibly affectionate and sweet the entire day. Instead he was distant, almost anti social and seemed like he couldn't wait for me to leave. After I left I sent him a text saying "you seemed like you couldn't get rid of me quick enough. I don't know if I did something to annoy or piss you off but if I did, I'm sorry." He said not at all and he was glad I came. I told him "well I will just have to take your word for it bc I can't read minds (he's expressed that he believes people can read minds before) so I can only go off the vibe which felt totally off". He said he felt the vibe too and felt a wave of depression as he watched me leave but he appreciated that I didn't get angry with him for the way it was. Anyway, the next night, pretty late, he kept calling me over and over and right after saying hey, he would just hang up. This happened a few times in a row before I got annoyed and stopped answering the calls. I sent him a text instead that asked "are you ok?". He wrote back "off the record?" And then said "I can't think, I can't feel, I can't kill myself. What am I supposed to do call my mother? I love her like an angel" ( he also has a thing with angels). I sent him some texts trying to be supportive and told him to call me again if he needs to talk. But I didn't get any response or hear anything at all until around noon the next day. My last text was "I'm here for you no matter what, if you need anything at all I got you. I care about you as a person and friend and I'm a little worried about you. So please get back to me when you get this just to let me know if you're ok". When he responded around noon it was a smiley face and the way he communicated after that he seemed fine.
-So, when you experience apathy, how long does it usually last?
-In the moment, I know apathy means you really don't care about anything or anyone but that doesn't mean you will permanently stop caring about a person right?
-When experiencing apathy and you are reaching out for help, what is something someone who is in your support group can do to help?
-I got nervous about the "I can't kill myself" part that he texted me but he has never ever expressed any intention of harming himself before. Is it common to think about suicide while experiencing apathy?
-In general, is this just a bad idea on my part, to even involve myself? I can't help that I do care about him. And I genuinely WANT to be there for him. But is it pointless and doomed? Like, will he eventually get to a point where he just wants to entirely isolate himself from me for good?
Any thoughts or insights, I would be incredibly grateful. I'm literally on my way to visit him for the day right now. I have no idea what to expect, what kind of day we will have. I'm ok with that even though it gives me a little anxiety. Bc when it's good it's amazing and what makes it all worth it.

I recently ran across this video by Audrey Coyne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GIEaCnjI_E. It's a couple of years old, so apologies if it's already been discussed here, but I thought it was an interesting and rare opportunity to compare the results of different style systems.
The different stylists are:
Elyssa (elyssa_aesthetic) uses her own system which is based on McJimsey and types Audrey as a "Gentle Classic."
Frani (authenticbyfrani) and Nona (thealignedlover) both use Kibbe and type Audrey as a Flamboyant Gamine.
Rachel (truth-is-beauty) uses a system based on Kitchener but focuses on "dressing for the face" (not the body) and types Audrey as Ethereal-Classic-Ingenue (with a little natural).
As for the results, I think the two Kibbe stylists produced the most successful looks. When I saw collages that Elyssa had put together, I thought that the outfits would look great on Audrey, but in reality they fell a bit flat. Admittedly, that may be because the particular garments Audrey was wearing needed a slight tweaks. I bet if the white t-shirt had been more fitted, and the puff sleeves on the sweater had been puffier, the outfits would have worked better. Rachel's two looks seems a bit dowdy to me - especially the first one. I think she nailed Audrey's essence blend, but the elements aren't being put together in the right way. I think the ingenue element of the first look was the small-scale pattern, but I would have brought in ingenue with a slightly shorter hemline because of Audrey's petite frame.
What do y'all think?