I soaked some chickpeas in the fridge a while ago, probably at least 3 weeks ago, and completely forgot about them. I found them today and they smelled and looked perfectly normal, so I boiled them as I usually would to make hummus and they still smell/look fine. I haven't tasted them yet because I ran out of time tonight so I've fridged them and will blend up the hummus tomorrow.
Should I be ok to eat them? My intuition is that the drying process kills any microorganisms, so rehydrating only introduces what is in the water, which is clean from my tap. Put another way, there is nothing living in the dried chickpeas nor in the tap water, so the modest baseline amount of microorganisms floating around the kitchen and fridge are the only things that would be multiplying in that container, and they are so few and the fridge is so cold that their growth is very slow / unnoticeable.
But I don't know! Leaving anything in the fridge for any extended amount of time also feels just wrong, so I'd like to get some scientific / culinary insight here. Should I be safe to use these chickpeas for cooking? And what is the theoretical upper limit on how long dried chickpeas can soak in the fridge?

My kitten is a 4 month old bangle male, not yet neutered and if I remember right he weighed either 5.9 or 6.9 pounds a couple weeks ago at the vet (the vet said he was at a healthy weight). He’s an indoor cat who has one sister kitty and they are both fully vaccinated, but do not have the vaccine required for outdoor cats as they’re both fully indoor. We are located in central California.
About a month ago Bugs had some really bad diarrhea (it was uncontrollable, he was dripping all around the house) and there was a bit of blood in it for just one night. Since then he has had diarrhea and poop with blood in it on and off. I took him to the vet right after the first diarrhea incident and the vet said it was probably just from me changing their food (I was trying to find a new one they both liked), so I stopped doing that but it persisted so I brought him back. I brought in a poop sample and it came back positive for Giardia:(
My vet unfortunately didn’t tell me about how adamantly I needed to clean everything everyday and I read even some isolate their cat, so I just gave him the medication they provided for a week as prescribed and didn’t find out until reading on Reddit how hard it is to get rid of Giardia!
Anyway, that was about 2 weeks ago, the vet asked me to bring in a poop sample 5 days after his last dose, but unfortunately I had to go out of the country last minute because I had a very sick family member. I asked my boyfriend to bring in the poop sample and I’ve just gotten back today to find out he never did. I am planning on calling the vet and bringing one in tomorrow and I am pretty sure he still has Giardia because I just cleaned the litter box and there was still blood in his poop:(
So, here is my new concern: I just noticed a white (it’s now hard like crusted, but very white) sort of discharge coming from both of his nostrils. I’m not sure how long he’s been having nasal discharge like this as I’ve been gone for over a week, but I’ve never seen this before so I’m just really worried about him and although I have no idea if it could be related to the Giardia it concerns me because he’s now had Giardia for so long. He has been acting completely normal— playing with his sister and eating as always. Could this be related to the Giardia and either way is it an emergency or will it be ok for me to talk to the vet about it tomorrow and make an appointment from there? Please let me know I love my baby and am gonna be up all night worrying!

I bought pillows from Winners at College Park 2 months ago. When I got home I took them out of the bag to look at them and then put them on my bedroom floor to wash the next day. That night when I got in bed 5 minutes later I felt something bite me and immediately had an itchy bump. I thought oh no maybe a bed mite or something. I woke up with a few more bites (not bedbugs I've dealt with that before a long time ago). So I washed my bedding and new pillows vacuumed my mattress and floors. I continued getting bitten I threw the pillows out and it continued to get worse. 12 days later I was dragging my loveseat recliner sofa out of my apartment at 3am. The infestation happed so quickly before I really understood how bad fleas were. It's been 2 months and I'm finally making progress but I know it could take another month or probably longer to get rid of fully. I've been cleaning vacuuming everywhere for hours every day it's been exhausting to deal with this. I've spent so much money on pesticide and laundry. I don't own pets so that makes it easier. I didn't tell my landlord mostly because I know even with pest control you still need to vacuum constantly and do everything I'm already doing. I'm just so mad that buying pillows could cause this, I didn't even contact the store because just surving this is hard on top of life and stress in general. They clearly don't have quality in their stores. I figure it was either infested from the manufacturer or someone returned them and then obviously they were put back on the shelf. Anyway just letting people know to be cautious buy bedding. I'm still in shock this actually even happening 😔

Now this prescription drug definitely would not work for everyone just keep that in mine. I’m a 21 year old female who was diagnosed with complex ptsd at only 17. For those who don’t know CPTSD is just ptsd but instead of a single period or moment of trauma, it’s constant repeated trauma through your life. (Not the best description I know. Just tryna shorten it) CPTSD tends to mimic even some autism symptoms since it’s so extreme and is currently considered as “incurable” unlike ptsd.
I had my first sip of beer at 8, had my first full drink at 13, and had my first night of multiple drinks at 15. However, I didn’t have a period of nonstop or binge drinking until 17-18. I had a 6 month period late in that age where I’d be drinking a steady rate of vodka throughout the day (even at work) just to keep going. I had already lost a friend at 16 (suicide) and I myself had many urges to do the same thing they did, so I assumed I was just doing what was best for myself. “As long as you’re alive it’s ok”. During this time I had sexual relationships and nights with people i wasn’t even into, I was never creative despite having always been, I made myself the easiest ever target of assault (they legit just had to walk me out cause I was already acting like I was roofied), and I spent every day just rotting away watching shitty YouTube videos.
I was an on and off alcoholic like this from the ages of 18-21. I had even gone through such terrible withdrawal weeks where I’d get every symptom of withdrawal alcoholics are known to get. Luckily stopping just before the seizure symptom. Despite living with family, they were a partial cause of my diagnosis and my friends ran the second I seemed less like a bubbly pushover. The only ones left were my lifelong best friend and some guys who were just trying to get into my pants by pretending to be friends. Fast forward! At the end of the year I turned 21, things were bad as I was now legally allowed to get whatever I wanted to drink whenever. But around this time I really worked hard and tapered off with very specifically measured “doses” of vodka that I’d take from a spoon like medicine. Eventually I made it and got signed up for mental health services for the first time since I was diagnosed. My psychiatrist is a very sweet man and he calms me down so I don’t jump into asking for meds I don’t need. I eventually was prescribed with Naltrexone, Hydroxyzine (anti anxiety/ tranq), and an anti depressant. Naltrexone gets rid of the dopamine high from drinking and for me personally it also gives me more awareness of how drunk I am unlike before when I would feel mostly sober till I blacked out. These mental health professionals saved my life when I had no one on my side. Ever since we found the right dosage of every med and let them settle into my system for weeks, I’ve felt motivated to clean (I find it therapeutic and not a chore), I’ve finally gotten back into my many hobbies, I feel like I can finally bond with people without putting on a face, and most of all, I don’t wake up and start thinking of what I’m gonna drink next immediately.
Here’s the best part: I am writing this after taking 3 shots. I thought I’d never be able to drink without relapsing again but thanks to naltrexone mixed with great therapy, I can drink and not crave getting drunk. In fact, I sometimes have 1-2 beers and in my head say “nah I just wanna take a shower and paint now. No more alcohol”
If you try this medication please let your psychiatrists know if you intend to eventually develop a healthy relationship with alcohol rather than going sober if you are planning to! They’ll give you some great advice and/or tell you when they feel you should try to do so rather than rushing in too early and risking relapse.
Anyways, I’m about to go take my last shot of the night with my mother as I’ve just finished enrolling back into college to finish my degree. Thank you for reading. Thank you for being on here to even see this as it shows effort on your part.
Lots of love -Mia

I started writing this and didn’t count on it being so long. TLDR at the end. Very minor spoilers ahead.
But I am wondering if I should return to BotW, & am curious to see if anyone else had a similar experience(s) with it.
I (36m) grew up playing Zelda games, starting with the original on NES. Didn’t get to play Adventure of Link. Loved A Link to the Past (SNES), one of my favorites of all time.
Ocarina of Time blew my mind when it came out on the N64. I never got to play Majora’s Mask except for when I visited my friends’s house. Played Wind Waker & loved it, but my GameCube took a dive before I could finish.
All this to say, friends and family (other gamers) have been singing praises about BotW for years. And it looked incredible, of course. But they have all been telling me, “You need to play this. It’s one of the best games of all time. You don’t even know what you’re missing out on.”
I finally played it a couple years ago. Of course it was beautiful, pleasant, amazing, intense at times. But I felt a bit overwhelmed by the size of the world.
I saw a ton of gorgeous landscapes… but they were so vast I felt like I was constantly missing things or walking past secrets. Whenever I’ve played RPGs or adventure games in the past, I’m one of those people who feels like I need to explore everywhere. It’s like a weird version of FoMo but with gaming worlds.
Took me ages to beat Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time. Like… months, because of that.
BotW I put in a fair amount. Did a bunch of exploring, unlocked a bunch of shrines. Went out of my way to explore as much of the world as I could without pursuing the main quest line. I never resolved anything with the main characters (I don’t even know their names - the Zora, Goron, and Gerudo lady that I see in videos & screenshots online). I only even ever met the Zora Prince dude. I ended up getting myself stranded on some island where an entity took away all of my equipment/clothes and I had to escape using whatever I could scavenge.
That was pretty awesome. The combat was fun. Hyrule was more beautiful than I’d ever seen it.
But it just felt too big, and I was a little overwhelmed. Even just having to cook food, etc, watch my stamina, all that… Man, as a kid in the 90s-00s I used to fantasize about games “that would be that real someday.” I’m no stranger to open world games, but for Hyrule, it felt… empty, almost. I found it to be more of a pain in the ass than fun. Weapon durability, having to cook, body temperature, etc, made exploring Hyrule more of a chore than an adventure for me.
Maybe I’ve just become jaded or something? Maybe working full time and dealing with the world and it’s garbage BS for the last 20 years has affected by ability to lose myself in an adventure game?
Maybe I’m just getting old? But that’s not it either, cause I have tons of friends my age or older who adore this game.
Now TotK has come out, people are going nuts about how awesome it is. I was playing Smash Bros with my friends the other day & constant tell me I’m insane for not giving BotW a fair shot.
I don’t dislike the game. I absolutely respect BotW and recognize it’s contribution to gaming as a whole. There’s no denying it’s amazing.
I reinstalled, loaded up my save from a couple years ago, and after a few minutes of wandering the plains I just gave up. It had been too long. I didn’t really remember what was going on story-wise. I just kinda feel detached from it.
All this to say: am I alone in this? Did anyone else take a long break from the game and return later? Am I crazy, and missing out?
Should I return?
TLDR: I was overwhelmed by BotW when I first played it some years ago. Stopped early on, never returned, and don’t know if I’m making a huge mistake by not experiencing it.

I've been clean from a nearly 20 year addiction for about 6 weeks(ish) now (I don't know my exact quit date - when I quit I never knew what day of the week it was!) and at times I feel like I'm happy, almost normal?
Other times I am extremely, extremely anxious to the point where I feel like I'm just crazy and I feel bad for driving my husband crazy. We just took a long trip to see relatives and the entire time I felt varying degrees of anxiety over leaving my 6 cats with a cat sitter for 9 days. The cat sitter checked in daily while we were gone. She sent updates about the cats - she actually stayed overnight in the house with the cats and she did nothing wrong. She's a great cat sitter!
Towards the end of the trip I tried to hide it but the anxiety I felt was... just I can't even describe. I have no children and these cats mean a great deal to me. I tried to act normal but at times relatives would ask if I'm OK or if I was having a good time. Every time I was asked this - I was just fretting about the cats but not verbalizing my concerns because deep down I felt like I was acting crazy inside and my fears were completely unjustified.
I had nightmares about coming home to an empty house with no cats. On the drive to the airport to go home my husband helped me by turning on the radio and I'd sing along to songs so I'd have to think about music instead of these cat concerns.
When I got home I couldn't take it anymore. It was an hour drive from the airport home and I felt physically ill in the car. I told myself hundreds of times - they are OK. When we got home I saw 3 of the 6 right away, then two more but my favorite lil fatty cat was hiding. I couldn't find him for 30 mins. He usually runs out right away. I had a panic attack. I was crying. I called my cat sitter and she is an angel, she acted like crazy people call her with cat anxiety all the time and she said very calming words and calmed me down.
As she was assuring me she did a cat count before she left (this probably sounds so ridiculous to people with real children but these fears felt so intense for me) my husband came out carrying lil fatty cat and I just cried tears of joy. I literally hugged that kitty crying (no wonder he hides from me).
Now it's hours later. 1AM. I should be asleep but I'm up going over all this wondering what the heck is wrong with me? All this worrying and drama for nothing. I need advice.
Should I go see a doctor and try to get on some kind of medication? I feel the way I'm acting is not normal. Is my brain just messed up because I'm off the dope? When I was doing dope I was at times a bit anxious but more like what I'd consider anxious over normal things that were more valid concerns. Actually when I began using meth one benefit I saw was I felt numbed to things I'd normally worry about and felt I was helping my anxiety by taking it. Now I realize it has been harmful in so many other ways and doesn't even work the way it once did to reduce my anxiety.
Should I just give myself more clean time? If I do go to the doctor do I tell them about my addiction or just that I'm anxious and tell them the crazy stuff about the cats (this is just one example - there are other issues I worry about but I've already written a novel here)?
Lastly has anyone experienced stuff like this and does anyone have tips on what might help? I'm going to try to get sleep now but will check back and thanks in advance if you took the time to look through all this. I won't go back to using but I don't want to feel like this any more over stupid stuff.

By Chris Diana
Have you ever seen something so real and yet so illogical you think you are loosing your mind, only to find out it wasn't all in your head?
Several years ago I was working in a large wholesale store. They called me "The Flower Lady" because I was the vendor who sold the fresh flowers. It was the start of my shift and the store would be opening soon. Part of my job was to clean the plastic vases the bouquets of flowers were displayed in and that's why I was in the back of the warehouse in the maintenance area.
I was just finishing up; I only had a small handful of flower debris to throw away. And since the trash compactor was also in the back, I decided to just toss it in there instead of finding a trash can.
As I approached it there was a hollowness to the compactor that gave me the impression it was empty. But right as I was about to toss the wilted petals in I heard what sounded like a small animal moving inside. I hesitated, because normally I would toss in my trash and hit the big red button to start the compactor, more out of habit then necessity, but the idea of crushing a mouse or other small creature made me sick.
I heard the small rustle again. I got on my tip toes and stretched as far as I could into the opening, trying in vain to see the bottom. All I could make out was the lip at the end of the long chute. The noise stopped.
Not knowing what else to do I tossed the debris inside. It was too light to make it all the way down and instead it clung on the bottom edge of the shaft.
I turned to walk away when I heard a scraping noise. I looked back down the hole only this time I did see something. Something so unnatural I stood there gaping at it, unable to make sense of what I was seeing.
From the depths of the trash compactor, human fingers reached up. Stretching out like a claw, they scraped at the flower waste and dragged it over the edge back into the darkness below.
I backed away slowly, repeating to myself, "that did not just happen". None of it made sense. I clearly saw a hand grab the flower pieces but only a hand. I couldn’t see any other part of a body, not even the top of someones head? And if it really was a person why would they be in there? If they were stuck they would have been calling for help. Even if they were just hiding in there why wouldn't they say anything when I walked up? I could have dumped a whole load of trash on their head!
But then an even darker realization hit me. If there was someone in there, what would have happened if I had hit the big red button, like I normally do? What if I hadn't paid attention, didn't think it was a rodent and just tossed in the trash and hit the compactor button?
No. No I must be hallucinating. That was the only logical explanation. I began gathering up my supplies trying to calm my nerves as I now thought about my mental health and how vivid that hallucination was.
Just as I was about to leave my attention was sharply drawn back to the compactor. From within I heard... Bang. Bang. Bang.
No cries for help, no words at all just three solid knocks. I stood their staring, waiting, wondering if that too was a hallucination or something else.
Then outside the building on the other side of the trash compactor I heard a new noise. A rumble accompanied by the distinct beeping that large trucks make when backing up.
It made sense now! Someone from the disposal company had been in there, most likely cleaning it. Still the lingering thought remained. What if I hit the compactor button?
I was later told by an employee that they have a main shutoff outside the building for the compactor but you would think if someone was climbing inside they would do a lockout-tagout. What if I had thrown something heavy in? What if they forgot to shut it down? I still wonder to this day what might have happened if I had hit that button.

Welcome to Twisted metal mini 2012. With 4 teams of vehicles battling for a prize.
Each team having 3 vehicles driven by one of there members, this will be interesting.
Let the first battle begin
Arena: Boggs Canyon
Option 1
Driver Name: Eliza Rosewood
Appearance: a tall (6 foot 2) woman with dark red hair and dark skin she wears a rastacap a tye dye shirt torn jeans and sandals she has two tattoos one of a raspberry crown (the wasp) on her left shoulder and on her stomach just above her belly button the ying Yang sign
Gang: The Naturalists (A Group of eco terrorists most of them have tattoos of the Ying Yang symbol and long hair)
Backstory: Mary owns a free love community that was destroyed during a twisted metal tournament infuriated by the tournament she gets together the cars of her hippy friends and began to modify them for a war against the tournament
Vehicle 1: Fungus Vehicle type: VW Campervan with flowers and peace symbols painted all over it Special: Spore bombs from a rare breed of mushroom growing in fungus can be thrown they explode on contact
Vehicle 2: Flower Power Vehicle type: 1959 Volvo PV544 Special: Flower of Power: A giant flower that seeks out her victim and delivers a powerful, pollinated blast.
Vehicle Hornet Vehicle type: Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Velonce Special: Hornet deploys special stinger middles that look like wasps to track and sting oppents
Option 2
Driver: Michaelangelo Castillo (hispanic name, Floridian soul since he's pretty unhinged.)
Appearance: think of Inosuke from Demon Slayer with some kickass sunglasses, black jeans, red shirt and a badass leather jacket, oh, and his hair is orange and black instead of blue, and always has the meanest stank look, only when he drives.
Attitude: absolute berserk behind the wheel, but chill, funny kinda guy when he's not going 390 MPH, really enjoys blasting loud Metal whenever he drives, and is a pretty good chef for whatever reason.
Gang: Metal Maniacs (YES, THOSE.)
Backstory: (cant think of one yet, i do have an alternate one but it dosent fit the context at all.)
Vehicle 1: a Spinebuster clone, but without the cut fenders and large furnace on the side, also has a Killswitch Engage sticker on the rear, right on top of the exhausts.
Special: Ripping Bullets
a giant chainsaw busts out of the top of the front bumper and 2 chainguns come out the sides, the chainsaw can move up and down to make a clean cut right through its enemies
Vehicle 2: Boombox
A Hummer H2 painted in dark blue and yellow with a snowplow mounted on the front, with twin side exhaust and a gigantic V8 blower sticking out the hood.
Special: Ear Murderer
A large set of 30 something speakers flip out of the rear end and play staggeringly loud music (Metal to be more specific.) that sends shockwaves and can be heard for miles, the closer you get to the enemies, the harder you sting the living f*ck out of them.
Vehicle 3: Firestorm
Twinduction, the HW Fantasy model, with 2 machine guns incorporated into the intakes, black paint, flame paintjob like Razor's mustang from NFS MW and a thick red tear running across the top with white outlines, the car also runs on NASCAR type rims and has Redlines on the tires.
Special: Raining Pain
2 miniguns break out the sides, the twin induction on the front turns into a fucking RPG launcher, a giant rusty spear comes out of the front, 2 chainsaws come out where the headlights are and a set of 5 missiles come out the top, how are they supposed to be used? I dont fucking know do i? Its called raining pain because its supposed to be fired at random so you hit not only one but nearly every other competitor out in the field, so, launch top missiles first, they'll scatter around and lock on to a random enemy, use the Rpg launcher and miniguns to hit 2 other enemies, use the spear to ram the enemy's car and harpoon it right in front of you, blast it to smithereens with the RPGs and use the chainsaws to slice and dice what is left.
View Poll

Hey everyone, I am an international student studying at a university in Perth. I am overall good with my mental health. I never had any big stress moments where I was having dark thoughts. I am really passionate about my uni course and I am really good with my Academic grades as well (Distinction). As a part of my university course, I was required to do my placement at a centre in Perth for 30 days. I was really excited for my placement. 2 weeks back, I started working at the centre and in the first week, the staff was really welcoming and friendly. I was working at the centre from 9am till 6pm for 5 days, and as i was on my placement, I was not getting paid. There were lots of documents that I had to fill every single day after coming back home. I used to come home around 6:30pm and then take half an hour break to relax. After that, my whole night used to go in writing documents and templates given by uni. I also did not had any other job that pays my bills or help me financially. I used to do Uber before, but after starting my placement, I didn’t had enough energy and time to do Uber as well. After few days of working at the centre, I could see that the staff was being bit rude with me. But as I was just wanted to be there for 30 days, I didn't let that bother me. I kept working 5 days for 1st week and on weekends, I used to work on my uni assignments. On 2nd week, the centre staff was telling me to do more cleaning stuff, which again, I don't mind doing. I was doing whatever they were telling me to do. I noticed that each day, different staff member used to do cleaning tasks. But few staff members always used to tell me to do the cleaning tasks which they were supposed to do. There were times when one staff member was assigned to do some task and they used to tell me to do it while they can sit on chair and relax. One day, I didn't do the tasks as I was on my break and I was busy doing my documentation. It was also some other staff member turn to do it today. They came to me and asked me why I didn't do the task. I said because no one told me to and I thought it is not my duty today and someone else is supposed to do it. They said that I have to do it every day without them telling me. The way they were treating me was really unprofessional. Like, I am here on my placement, I have to do so much of writing and go through documents. I am not your servant. I am here to learn how everything works and not just stick with cleaning tasks. I need time to write my daily journal too about how my day goes at the centre. After working for 15 days, my mentor had to fill in a report saying that I did some specific tasks during my placement or not. Surprisingly, she write most of the points in the report as NOT DEMONSTRATED, even tho I clearly demonstrated all points. My mentor was never there to actually observe me during my placement, half of the time she used to stay busy with her own stuff and she only used to get 2 or 3 hours to observe me. She even added a comment in the report saying that some staff members think that I am talking rudely with them. I never said No to them about anything. If they wanted me to do something, I did it without any hesitation. I always talked with them in polite way as well. My mentor also mentioned more comments which I can not relate to such as not doing tasks when we tell him. She basically failed me in my mid report and then told my uni advisor about how she put me at risk because I am not performing well. I decided to schedule a meeting with my mentor and my advisor about discussing my report and how I was not evaluated properly. during the meeting, I bring up points where I was being polite with staff and it is staff who was being unprofessional with me. After meeting ended, I told my advisor that I cannot work at this centre and i would like to change my centre. I told them that, I am fully committed to my placement and have been putting in daily efforts to fulfil my responsibilities. The environment at the centre was both physically and mentally draining for me. I have faced stress due to the unprofessional behaviour of some staff members. The disrespectful manner in which they communicate has made it difficult for me to feel comfortable and confident in my role. Furthermore, I believe my hard work has not been correctly recognised by my mentor. Even with my efforts, it seems that my work has gone unnoticed. I believe that a supportive and learning environment is necessary for my growth and development during this placement. Unfortunately, my current centre fails to provide such environment, and it makes me feel unsupported in the overall progress of my placement. My advisor said that if i choose to change the centre, I have to do 30 days full at different centre as well. So there was a chance to change my centre. I was more than happy to do it as long as the staff is treating me right and I am being evaluated properly. Later, i got a response from my placement team saying that I cannot change my centre as it will be withdrawal from my placement and they will fail me. This is really stressful for me. I don't want to fail at any unit and I want to keep my academic report good. I am having stress for past week and I already had chat with my uni but they clearly don't understand how I was being treated. I had chat with some uni friends and they said that they know someone with similar issue and uni changed their centre easily. I am not sure why my uni is doing this with me. If i get a mental health certificate, is it going to help me? Any help will be appreciated.

Hey everyone,
I am an international student studying at a university in Perth. I am overall good with my mental health. I never had any big stress moments where I was having dark thoughts. I am really passionate about my uni course and I am really good with my Academic grades as well (Distinction). As a part of my university course, I was required to do my placement at a centre in Perth for 30 days. I was really excited for my placement.
2 weeks back, I started working at the centre and in the first week, the staff was really welcoming and friendly. I was working at the centre from 9am till 6pm for 5 days, and as i was on my placement, I was not getting paid. There were lots of documents that I had to fill every single day after coming back home. I used to come home around 6:30pm and then take half an hour break to relax. After that, my whole night used to go in writing documents and templates given by uni. I also did not had any other job that pays my bills or help me financially. I used to do Uber before, but after starting my placement, I didn’t had enough energy and time to do Uber as well.
After few days of working at the centre, I could see that the staff was being bit rude with me. But as I was just wanted to be there for 30 days, I didn't let that bother me. I kept working 5 days for 1st week and on weekends, I used to work on my uni assignments. On 2nd week, the centre staff was telling me to do more cleaning stuff, which again, I don't mind doing. I was doing whatever they were telling me to do. I noticed that each day, different staff member used to do cleaning tasks. But few staff members always used to tell me to do the cleaning tasks which they were supposed to do. There were times when one staff member was assigned to do some task and they used to tell me to do it while they can sit on chair and relax. One day, I didn't do the tasks as I was on my break and I was busy doing my documentation. It was also some other staff member turn to do it today. They came to me and asked me why I didn't do the task. I said because no one told me to and I thought it is not my duty today and someone else is supposed to do it. They said that I have to do it every day without them telling me. The way they were treating me was really unprofessional. Like, I am here on my placement, I have to do so much of writing and go through documents. I am not your servant. I am here to learn how everything works and not just stick with cleaning tasks. I need time to write my daily journal too about how my day goes at the centre.
After working for 15 days, my mentor had to fill in a report saying that I did some specific tasks during my placement or not. Surprisingly, she write most of the points in the report as NOT DEMONSTRATED, even tho I clearly demonstrated all points. My mentor was never there to actually observe me during my placement, half of the time she used to stay busy with her own stuff and she only used to get 2 or 3 hours to observe me. She even added a comment in the report saying that some staff members think that I am talking rudely with them. I never said No to them about anything. If they wanted me to do something, I did it without any hesitation. I always talked with them in polite way as well. My mentor also mentioned more comments which I can not relate to such as not doing tasks when we tell him. She basically failed me in my mid report and then told my uni advisor about how she put me at risk because I am not performing well.
I decided to schedule a meeting with my mentor and my advisor about discussing my report and how I was not evaluated properly. during the meeting, I bring up points where I was being polite with staff and it is staff who was being unprofessional with me. After meeting ended, I told my advisor that I cannot work at this centre and i would like to change my centre.
I told them that, I am fully committed to my placement and have been putting in daily efforts to fulfil my responsibilities. The environment at the centre was both physically and mentally draining for me. I have faced stress due to the unprofessional behaviour of some staff members. The disrespectful manner in which they communicate has made it difficult for me to feel comfortable and confident in my role. Furthermore, I believe my hard work has not been correctly recognised by my mentor. Even with my efforts, it seems that my work has gone unnoticed. I believe that a supportive and learning environment is necessary for my growth and development during this placement. Unfortunately, my current centre fails to provide such environment, and it makes me feel unsupported in the overall progress of my placement.
My advisor said that if i choose to change the centre, I have to do 30 days full at different centre as well. So there was a chance to change my centre. I was more than happy to do it as long as the staff is treating me right and I am being evaluated properly. Later, i got a response from my placement team saying that I cannot change my centre as it will be withdrawal from my placement and they will fail me.
This is really stressful for me. I don't want to fail at any unit and I want to keep my academic report good. I am having stress for past week and I already had chat with my uni but they clearly don't understand how I was being treated. I had chat with some uni friends and they said that they know someone with similar issue and uni changed their centre easily. I am not sure why my uni is doing this with me.
If i get a mental health certificate, is it going to help me? Any help will be appreciated.

Hey everyone,
I am an international student studying at a university in Perth. I am overall good with my mental health. I never had any big stress moments where I was having dark thoughts. I am really passionate about my uni course and I am really good with my Academic grades as well (Distinction). As a part of my university course, I was required to do my placement at a centre in Perth for 30 days. I was really excited for my placement.
2 weeks back, I started working at the centre and in the first week, the staff was really welcoming and friendly. I was working at the centre from 9am till 6pm for 5 days, and as i was on my placement, I was not getting paid. There were lots of documents that I had to fill every single day after coming back home. I used to come home around 6:30pm and then take half an hour break to relax. After that, my whole night used to go in writing documents and templates given by uni. I also did not had any other job that pays my bills or help me financially. I used to do Uber before, but after starting my placement, I didn’t had enough energy and time to do Uber as well.
After few days of working at the centre, I could see that the staff was being bit rude with me. But as I was just wanted to be there for 30 days, I didn't let that bother me. I kept working 5 days for 1st week and on weekends, I used to work on my uni assignments. On 2nd week, the centre staff was telling me to do more cleaning stuff, which again, I don't mind doing. I was doing whatever they were telling me to do. I noticed that each day, different staff member used to do cleaning tasks. But few staff members always used to tell me to do the cleaning tasks which they were supposed to do. There were times when one staff member was assigned to do some task and they used to tell me to do it while they can sit on chair and relax. One day, I didn't do the tasks as I was on my break and I was busy doing my documentation. It was also some other staff member turn to do it today. They came to me and asked me why I didn't do the task. I said because no one told me to and I thought it is not my duty today and someone else is supposed to do it. They said that I have to do it every day without them telling me. The way they were treating me was really unprofessional. Like, I am here on my placement, I have to do so much of writing and go through documents. I am not your servant. I am here to learn how everything works and not just stick with cleaning tasks. I need time to write my daily journal too about how my day goes at the centre.
After working for 15 days, my mentor had to fill in a report saying that I did some specific tasks during my placement or not. Surprisingly, she write most of the points in the report as NOT DEMONSTRATED, even tho I clearly demonstrated all points. My mentor was never there to actually observe me during my placement, half of the time she used to stay busy with her own stuff and she only used to get 2 or 3 hours to observe me. She even added a comment in the report saying that some staff members think that I am talking rudely with them. I never said No to them about anything. If they wanted me to do something, I did it without any hesitation. I always talked with them in polite way as well. My mentor also mentioned more comments which I can not relate to such as not doing tasks when we tell him. She basically failed me in my mid report and then told my uni advisor about how she put me at risk because I am not performing well.
I decided to schedule a meeting with my mentor and my advisor about discussing my report and how I was not evaluated properly. during the meeting, I bring up points where I was being polite with staff and it is staff who was being unprofessional with me. After meeting ended, I told my advisor that I cannot work at this centre and i would like to change my centre.
I told them that, I am fully committed to my placement and have been putting in daily efforts to fulfil my responsibilities. The environment at the centre was both physically and mentally draining for me. I have faced stress due to the unprofessional behaviour of some staff members. The disrespectful manner in which they communicate has made it difficult for me to feel comfortable and confident in my role. Furthermore, I believe my hard work has not been correctly recognised by my mentor. Even with my efforts, it seems that my work has gone unnoticed. I believe that a supportive and learning environment is necessary for my growth and development during this placement. Unfortunately, my current centre fails to provide such environment, and it makes me feel unsupported in the overall progress of my placement.
My advisor said that if i choose to change the centre, I have to do 30 days full at different centre as well. So there was a chance to change my centre. I was more than happy to do it as long as the staff is treating me right and I am being evaluated properly. Later, i got a response from my placement team saying that I cannot change my centre as it will be withdrawal from my placement and they will fail me.
This is really stressful for me. I don't want to fail at any unit and I want to keep my academic report good. I am having stress for past week and I already had chat with my uni but they clearly don't understand how I was being treated. I had chat with some uni friends and they said that they know someone with similar issue and uni changed their centre easily. I am not sure why my uni is doing this with me.
If i get a mental health certificate, is it going to help me? Any help will be appreciated.

Brief Introduction and Disclaimers:

Last week I was asked, "How can I start my own journey to reading shells?"-- and I thought that this was a great opportunity to create a resource for others to reference.
I was introduced to the cowrie shells as a tool of divination through a close friend's sibling. I wasn’t called to use them or even look into them until a couple of years later when I started to write a book on divination and divinatory practices.
Obi divination or cowrie shell divination is a culturally rich and specific type of Conchomancy— divination using seashells. In Obi Cowrie Shell divination, the primary tool used is a type of cowrie shell (Cypraea obvelata or Cypraea moneta). These shells are relatively flat and have a natural opening at one end.
Obi Cowrie shell divination, also known as Obi divination is primarily practiced in the West African Yoruba tradition, particularly within the Ifá and Orisha religious systems. It is a popular form of divination among Yoruba people and their descendants in Nigeria, Cuba, Brazil, Trinidad, and other regions influenced by Yoruba culture— Including the Santeria (of Cuba).
It should be noted, that any divinatory practice that originates in a specific culture should honor the traditions and the divinatory system so as to appreciate the practice and culture rather than appropriate the practice and culture. Please note that this is my personal interpretation of the divinatory tool, and this experience may not align with other valid and experienced practitioners. It is always my intent to honor and respect any spiritual practice that is not directly linked to my personal culture.
Differences between Obi Cowrie Shell Divination and Diloggun Divination
Obi Divination differs from Diloggun Divination (which also uses cowrie shells). Obi Divination is similar to several other types of yes or no divinatory practices using natural and simple objects (You can perform this using coffee beans, coconuts, buttons, coins, or suitable dice). It is my understanding that Diloggun Divination however is much more rooted in Yoruba tradition and has stronger cultural/religious elements and a more formal initiation process.

How to begin working with Cowrie Shells for divination:

Cleanse
The cowrie shells are consecrated and charged with spiritual energy before being used in divination. For these shells, you can wash them under water and then pat them dry with a clean microfiber or cotton cloth (something soft and absorbent to capture any excess water in the mouth of the shell). You can also place them underneath the smoke of a herb or incense of your choice (Palo Santo wood or Sage bundles are commonly used for smoke cleansing).
Your relationship with the shells can begin the moment you begin to express an interest in working with the shells. Start by looking into where you could find or ethically purchase your shells. I researched the type I wanted before purchasing, and it took a long time before I came into contact with the shells that I eventually chose. I chose a larger brown Cypraea moneta variation for my shells. When they arrived I cleansed them, meditated with and upon them before placing them in a sacred wooden jar that I had cleansed.
Charge
Part of the charging process for most of my divinatory practices is finding a soft and accessible space for the tool to reside in; for this reason, I also sewed a soft liner for the inside of the wooden jar, so that the shells had a soft place to land and rest in. As I stitched the liner, I sat and put great care and intention into the protection and connection of my shells to my intentions of divination (for both self and others).
Your cleaning and charging practice may not look exactly like this but it is important to treat each of these shells and any natural objects-- as important spiritual representatives of connection to the living world (past present and future versions). This reverence will allow the Spirit and or Deities, (non-physical) to flow through the shells and offer you guidance along your path. This reverence will also honor the use of the tool as sacred and diminish the risk of cultural appropriation.
Connect
After you have cleansed and blessed the shells/their container, now it is time to ground your own energy and prepare to use the shells. Once you have achieved a sense of inner stillness and are ready, you can call in the benevolent beings, ancestors, angels, and spirit team to help guide you on your journey.
Once you are ready, begin to think of your problem. I find it useful to write or journal beforehand in order to gain more clarity on what guidance I am seeking. Once you have thought of your question in great detail and you have a specific “Yes” or “No” question in mind, begin by holding the cowrie shells in your hands and focusing on the question or issue. You can simply hold four cowrie shells in your hand, rub your hands with the shells together gently, or shake the shells between two cupped hands. The shells are then cast onto a clean, consecrated divination mat, tray, or container of some sort (in my case the wooden jar with a soft liner).

Interpretations:

The patterns formed by the shells as they fall onto the mat are then interpreted by the diviner. The shells will fall in an open (mouth of the shell landing up) or closed position (mouth of the shell facing down). There are five possible outcomes that the shells may produce:

1. Alafia (4 open - 0 closed mouth(s)): Strong “Yes” with an abundance of blessings. Sometimes this “abundance” can be interpreted as being a significant amount of energy. Some sources () suggest that this excess of energy could use an additional confirmation throw as the “eagerness of the delivery” may be too forceful. The second fall should be an Alfa or Ejife to be understood as a final confirmed “yes” to your question.
2. Etawa / Etagua (3 open- 1 closed mouth(s)): “Maybe”, “Uncertain”, “Unstable”, “Throw Again”. The second throw is an accurate response to your question. If the second throw is Etawa again, then the shells are asking you to reflect on the details or validity of your question. Sometimes this double “maybe” can indicate that you are ignoring the answer already given to you by your intuition/gut. Alternatively, your question may be too vague or may require further elaboration/specificity to yield a more productive response from the shells.
3. Ejife (2 open - 2 closed mouth(s)): Balanced and Centered “Yes”. Balance of light and dark, open and closed— receiving both two up and two down indicated that there is likely universal forces of ebb and flow at play. There may be both positive and negative experiences related to your question. It may involve learning a lesson or require an additional investment of time or energy to see the full yields of your desire.
4. Okanran/Okana (1 open - 3 closed mouth(s)): Soft and Humble “No”. For this response, this is a curt but direct indication from the shells that you have more negative influence over your thoughts and desires regarding the question than positive. This response is an invitation to find the positive (the one open mouth) in the situation and use it to try and re-establish your connection to self, Spirit, and the belief in your desires.
5. Oyekun (0 open - 4 closed mouth(s)): Strong “No”. This response requires a pause. This response suggests that the reader or querent is out of touch with one’s own mind, body, or spirit. This suggests that their current sense of direction and attention are not of the highest good and should be tended to before divining further. Find a way to take care of your body, energy, and space. Ground yourself in activities that lighten your mood and cleanse your spiritual alter or take time to connect with your spirit before asking the question again.

Closing the Practice and Final Notes:

After you have completed your practice and have received a confirmed answer to your question, you can close the practice by thanking the shells, and placing them back in their sacred space or if you feel it necessary, cleansing them either by the previously mentioned methods.
There are several other aspects of working with the shells that I cannot fully cover here, but learning to listen to the call of any divinatory tool and method is a practice of listening to your intuition. Developing a relationship with the shells can take time, and they will correct you if your interpretations veer too far off course from their original responses.

Resources:

Please feel free to look at the following websites below. Note the variations between each and allow yourself to come up with your own unique relationship with the shells, and do forget to be flexible to allow change and curiosity as you move through the process. Please note that some of these resources also cover Diloggun— which may have some risks of cultural appropriation. Read and practice with care.

• Website 1: Readers and Rootworkers - Obi and Diloggun Divination
• Website 2: Original Botanica - Cowrie Shell Divination
• Website 3: Sacramento Press - "Four Shells, Five Answers"

There are also several books listed here for reference:

• Book 1: African Cowrie Shells Divination Practice
• Book 2: Cowrie Shell Divination Magick (Kindle Unlimited)
• Book 3: Divination with Diloggún: A Beginner's Guide to Diloggún and Obi

I hope you find this helpful. As always, feel free to comment or direct message me with any questions or concerns.
Starrgazer

My fiancé started the island, so right now I am playing both characters, but I am wondering if I should just start the game over. As the secondary player does what I do have and impact? Can I make a 5 star island as the secondary player?

I just secured my ticket to see The Flash movie later this week, I’ve been excited about for this movie for a very long time so my excitement is through the roof. I Been a fan of Andrés Muschietti ever since I saw IT part 1 so I hope I’m not disappointed…

I bought it in november 2021, so it has been nearly 2 years now. Its the model with the 165 hz screen in case you were wondering. Following are the questions that I have :-

• [This](https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/insignia-portable-adjustable-laptop-stand-only-at-best-buy/14916781) stand I have been using for a while. Will this make my laptop flex and the chassis bend?
• Is it okay to leave the laptop on the aforementioned stand all day?
• How many more years can I expect this laptop to last?
• How often should I clean it? (I usually clean it every 6 months or so by taking off the back cover and cleaning dust with compressed air)
• How long will the USB ports remain firm and functional?
• How future proof is the laptop 3060? (This laptop has a 130w tgp gpu)
• What is the name of the panel used in the laptop? What is the response time for this panel?
• I have a laptop stand and a [cooling pad](https://www.newegg.ca/thermaltake-massive-14-coolep/N82E16834966313). Which one is better for day to day use? The cooling pad has a certain amount of flex to it and on the stand I can see the laptop screen subtly shake as I type. Will this cause the hinge to wear out out any faster?

Thank you, that is all. Please feel free to ask for any extra info if you need. I apologize for any grammatical or spelling mistakes in advance. Would love to hear from other G15 owners as well. Hardware wise the laptop has been good but there have been some software issues in the past. There is also a screen brightness issue which is yet to be resolved.

Hello/Bonjour!
I hope you guys are doing well.
I recently moved to Montreal, specifically the West Island and have been struggling to get started in my new life here.
I’ll be honest in saying that I moved here predominantly to close a long distance relationship, but have visited the city before. I thoroughly enjoyed my week long vacation here, doing all sorts of touristy activities last winter. However, my direction was clear then. I was a tourist! It was really easy to have fun and I done a LOT of things.
I have been here for almost three weeks now. My time up until this point has been focused on adult things like finding a new job, organising a place to stay, figuring out how to get around, doing some grocery shopping, being with my partner and just overall settling in to a whole new life, which takes time in itself to come to terms with. It’s been a rollercoaster.
Regardless of where you are in the world, this is always a challenge. Making friends has never been a strong point of mine, job opportunities are still up in the air, having access to a new city is overwhelming at times and my previous hobbies died with me the day I left. Now that im starting to find my feet, it’s time to start creating a new lifestyle.
I have a lot of downtime outside of the three evenings a week my partner and I do things together, and some time on the weekends. My partner still attends his regular life schedule and most of my time is spent wondering what to do rather than actually getting out there and doing something. It’s a personal issue of mine. It’s like the world is in the palm of my hands yet I don’t know how to handle it. I don’t know how to start.
I’m from a very small town in Ireland, so living in a big city is sometimes hard to navigate. It also means that the simplest of things, that may seem silly to you, are absolutely incredible to me. I’m easily pleased, what can I say!
I guess im looking for some direction, maybe a push to get out there and do something, some things to try, things to do and how to do it!! It can literally be anything..
How do you start building a new life for yourself here?
How can I start putting myself out there to connect with new people?
What kind of hobbies can I start considering taking up this summer?
Thank you guys! I would appreciate any input if you could spare the time 😊

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Hello everyone, I would appreciate some opinions on a situation I'm facing to determine if I'm being unreasonable. My partner and I have been married for three years, and we moved to a different country together two years ago. During this time, my partner decided to pursue a new profession, and I have been supportive in every possible way, including financially supporting their courses and covering all our bills.
However, after two years, my partner has been unable to secure a job and is hesitant to work part-time at a coffee shop or restaurant to contribute to our finances. They prefer to focus solely on their career, spending long hours at the computer in pursuit of a job.
Meanwhile, I have been working full-time and bearing the financial burden of paying all the bills and rent in an expensive suburb near the city centre. Additionally, I've hired a cleaner every fortnight to ensure our home remains tidy, allowing both of us to concentrate on our careers. To save money, I've also taken on the responsibility of cooking on weekends, as my partner dislikes cooking and prefers dining out.
The issue of household chores has also arisen. Tired of having to cook and clean up afterward, I bought a dishwasher to eliminate any conflicts regarding dishwashing duties. Furthermore, my partner complained about having to handle all the laundry, so I suggested that we each take care of our own laundry, which they agreed to.
However, when I mentioned that it's been two years and it's time for my partner to start contributing equally to the bills, they reacted negatively and became upset with me. I believe it is fair for us to split the financial responsibilities evenly, just like the household chores. I suggested that if they cannot afford to contribute financially, they could take on a greater share of the housework. However, my partner dismissed this idea and accused me of promoting patriarchal ideals.
This situation has left me feeling exhausted and contemplating the possibility of ending the marriage. I find it unfair to be solely responsible for our financial well-being while also taking care of all the household chores. I am more than willing to split everything equally, including both the bills and the housework.