I see EPs everywhere but no people who pump and breastfeed like me ( is there even a name for it?). I do it because poor latcher. So are there any more mums like me? How did You get off this wagon eventually? Did it improve? How long did You carry on? I am 4 months in, 5 pumps a day. Would love to get down to 4:) wherever I see pumping shedule its for EPs so doesnt apply...
8-7 pumps a day played mental tricks on me. Whoever advise it to women should try it first for himself for some months. Nobody speaks of mental, physical and emotional toll.

I (F/16) turning 17 next month, have been struggling with school since I was a kid. I basically passed my elementary years with really bad grades and I don’t even know how. I’ve always had trouble learning and not just like other kids but I had actual issues with it. I just couldn’t learn no matter how hard I tried and my parents never did or cared to do anything about it (whole other story abt my childhood) cause of corona i passed 8th grade by basically cheating on all my exams because it was online classes, I passed. Ever since then I’ve been stuck in 9th grade. This is my third time trying to complete it but I physically just can’t. No matter what I do or how long I study, I always end up getting less than 60% on the important subjects (don’t judge Ik I’m dumb) this year I’m trying to do adult high school but I need advice on what to do to actually get ahead and if it’s too late for me to finish high school. I’ve tried to get help with my learning problems but I don’t know who to reach out to, my school can’t help all they did was give me counseling and I can’t go far since I don’t have my drivers license yet.
**I’m writing this because I genuinely need advice and I don’t want any hateful comments please! I know my situation is low-key pathetic but it’s my life

Hey everyone! Welcome to the Brawlcap BSC 2023 Mid-Season Power Rankings. We are halfway done with the season and we have seen a lot of tough competition in the last three months and I think it's fair to judge where each team deserves to be placed right now. Before we get into the rankings I just want to let you all know that I did make some changes on how many teams will be in the Power Rankings for each subregion. Here are the changes I made.
-SEA & India will list the Top 3 teams
-EMEA will list the Top 12 teams, but I will only list the Top 10 teams for now since only 10 teams have qualified for the Monthly Finals so far this year.
-SA East/West and NA East/West will list the Top 5 Teams.
I also have a BSC Top 25 Global Power Rankings prepared for you guys when this post goes live. Reminder that these power rankings are only taken from BSC events and no events outside of BSC so the Mobile Masters event that happened earlier this month will not count towards these rankings. I think you are going to be pretty surprised on who I have ranked in each spot. I will be doing these after every single Monthly Final from now on until the end of the season.
Also disclaimer that I actually made these Power Rankings a while back and we've had some roster changes recently and some teams that disbanded that will now not be on this list. I apologize for getting this out super late, but at least I got it out before the start of the next Championship Challenge.
Now without further ado, let's get ranking!

SEA

Tier 1: Solid Contender Tier 2: LCQ Contender

Rank	Team Name	Tier	BSC Points	Movement
1	Team Flash	1	318	0
2	Rising Sun SEA	1	228	0
3	BYE	2	152	+1

Team Flash are just unstoppable! They have won three straight Monthly Finals and are looking like they could easily qualify for the LCQ. Everything was going great for them, until they made some roster changes and let some players go. Out of nowhere, they let go two players on the team in Response and Prime leaving Hiroshii and X9Kay as the only two members left on the team. Even more bad news, wigglyspoo was also released from the team. I don't know why exactly they let those three go, but I feel like this might haunt them in the near future. Who's going to join them now? I guess we'll find out soon, but I feel like this was a questionable decision. Rising Sun SEA also look pretty strong as they managed to place 2nd in every Monthly Final so far this year and they have a pretty solid lead as well. However, this did come at the cost of losing pro player Bearbear to retirement, but they did manage to find a solid replacement in Meow who has played pretty well. Despite the roster change I think they should be fine.
BYE is easily the 3rd best team in this region, but I see them in a completely different tier until they make it to a Monthly Final. They moved up in these rankings mostly due to Umbrella Reforged failing to even qualify for Top 8 this month, but unless Rising Sun SEA falls apart, I expect them to stay in this spot for the remainder of the year.

India

Tier 1: Solid LCQ Contender Tier 2: LCQ Contender

Rank	Team Name	Tier	BSC Points	Movement
1	Revenant Esports	1	320	0
2	Marcos Gaming	2	194	0
3	Grinddizers	2	173	+1

I think we can all agree that Revenant Esports is easily the best team in India. They have yet to drop a single match yet so far this year and they are projected to easily be the #1 team in India. I don't think there is much else to be said. They should easily win 1st in this region.
Marcos Gaming has been playing really well recently as they made it to the last two Monthly Finals as they attempt to secure that 2nd LCQ spot. They will still have a lot of tough competition and unless they can best Revenant Esports at least once, they will have to climb their way to the Monthly Finals. They have the 2nd spot currently, but they will need to keep qualifying for the Monthly Finals if they want to secure it. A team like Grinddzers have a chance to claim that 2nd LCQ spot as well, but they have a lot of tough competition especially against Marcos Gaming. This race for 2nd sure will be fun to watch as we approach the 2nd half of the season.

East Asia

Tier 1: WF Contender Tier 2: LCQ Contender Tier 3: Long Shot

Rank	Team Name	Tier	BSC Points	Movement
1	Crazy Raccoon	1	272	+1
2	REJECT	1	262	-1
3	Aphelion Esports	2	190	0
4	Chasmac Gaming EA	2	172	0
5	Not Noob	3	124	0

Crazy Raccoon redeemed themselves and won another Monthly Final. They won their 2nd this year and may have even solidified themselves currently as the #1 team to beat in the world. Using the right data for drafting did them well in their Grands matchup against REJECT. Speaking of REJECT, they made it to Grands all 3 months to kick off the first half of the season which is pretty impressive considering this is arguably the highest skilled region in the world. Despite taking 2nd this month and moving down a spot, I believe they should be contenders for a Worlds spot this year. If they get 2nd, they should be fine in the LCQ. Can't wait to see who wins that Worlds spot.
For the Tier 2 teams, Aphelion Esports clearly deserves 3rd as they have beaten Crazy Raccoon once so far this year (although that was mainly because Crazy Raccoon forgot how to draft in March). Still a solid contender for that 2nd LCQ spot. Chasmac Gaming EA has gone off to a rough start to the year as they have yet to win a single match so far this year, but they played against REJECT in every Monthly Final so far this year. I think it's still possible for them to pull it off if they play Aphelion a couple of times this year, but if they can't beat them or get an unlucky bracket run in the 2nd half of the year, they might be the team to miss out in the LCQ.
Not Noob has so far been the most consistent team outside of the Top 4 as they ended up making it to Top 8 every single month so far this year. It might be tough for them to make a run to the LCQ, but if Aphelion and CMG slip a bit, they have a chance. This would mean they would have to place well in the Monthly Finals, and I'm sadly not expecting a miracle to happen for them.

EMEA

Tier 1: Solid WF Contender Tier 2: WF Contender Tier 3: Solid LCQ Contender Tier 4: LCQ Contender

Rank	Team Name	Tier	BSC Points	Movement
1	ZETA DIVISION	1	272	0
2	Reply Totem	2	193	0
3	NAVI	2	169	+6
4	ANR	2	155	-1
5	FUT Esports	3	134	-1
6	SK Gaming	3	102	+4
7	Dogster Lobster	3	157	-2
8	Team Queso	4	120	0
9	Am O Fantezie	4	142	-2
10	FA MrDoSa	4	105	-4

Despite getting reverse swept by SK Gaming in the first round in April, ZETA DIVISION did win back to back Monthly Finals back in February and March. Considering this is one of the more competitive regions and with their massive point lead ahead of Reply Totem, I believe they are easily the best team in EMEA as of right now. They will have a target on their back and they will need to do well in the 2nd half in order to secure that Worlds spot, but I think they should be fine as long as they don't collapse like they did in April.
I believe all of these teams have a realistic shot at making Worlds or at the very least the LCQ. I put Reply Totem in 2nd despite their poor performance in April. They have yet to win a Monthly Final so far this year and they originally looked like were are on the verge of decline, but their Mobile Masters championship win gave this team more hope for BSC. I think after that performance they should be looking to secure on of the World Finals spots. Let's hope they keep this up. NAVI rose really high in the rankings this month and it's all because of their huge Monthly Finals win to close out the first half. While their opponents weren't exactly the toughest, it was enough to put them in the Top 3 and in a good spot to get them back on track. All of the NAVI simps are popping off seeing them as a contender once again. Welcome back NAVI. As for ANR, despite not qualifying in April, they did go on some solid runs in the first two months of the season and there is a chance they are still a solid team heading into the 2nd half. Their performance in other events has me a little concerned, but I think they should be fine in the end. Don't panic yet ANR fans.
FUT Esports has been looking pretty solid as of late as they managed to get a reverse sweep on Reply Totem in April. Even though they couldn't beat SK Gaming, they are looking like the team we expected them to be at the start of the season. However this did come at a cost of star player OPE who was surprisingly cut from the team. From what I've heard it looks like LeNain is likely going to be his replacement, but this is not confirmed yet. Unfortunate for FUT fans, but let's hope this change doesn't screw them in the end. SK Gaming had a rough start, but ever since Jeton joined the team things have gotten better for them. They reverse swept the 2 time defending champs in ZETA DIVISION as well as beat FUT Esports. They did get swept in the end by NAVI, but I believe they found their missing piece to take them to at least the LCQ. They might be in 10th right now, but I see this team making noise in the 2nd half. Dogster Lobster has been playing alright recently, but I was not satisfied of their performance in April. Felt like they had some missed opportunities in their matchup against NAVI. The roster change I will say was definitely a good one as they added Cyclone to the team. They even brought Lukii back on the team so I'm guessing all is forgiven between him and the team. Xiaku might be gone, but I do think that was for the best of the team. It is rumored that this team will get signed by HMBLE to end the 2nd half of the year, but we'll wait and see if this is true in the coming weeks. Team Queso looked like a promising team to start the year until they got reverse swept by ZETA in the first round. After failing to qualify in March it was time they made a change. So far cutting AleSSJ and adding Blaksxy to the team has worked well as they managed to win their first Monthly Finals match of the year (despite it being against Am O Fantezie). They do have a lot of work to get, but I believe if they keep playing this well they should stay as an LCQ contender. Am O Fantezie finally got a Monthly Finals SET win which is a step in the right direction. They may not have won a Monthly Final match yet this season, but they have made it to the Monthly Finals every month so far. If they keep this up they may make it to the LCQ without winning a single match, but I would like to see this team start winning soon. MrDoSa is going to be the last team in this ranking for obvious reasons. Only made it to 2 Monthly Finals so far this year and they missed out on the most recent one. Not to mention they lost LeNain so now they are back to the original 3 members. From what I have seen from them, I think it'll be pretty hard for them to recover from this. It's not impossible, but I think it's unlikely they make it to the LCQ at this rate, but I could be wrong.

SA East

Tier 1: WF Contender Tier 2: LCQ Contender Tier 3: Long Shot

Rank	Team Name	Tier	BSC Points	Movement
1	ZEST	1	324	0
2	QLASH	2	213	+1
3	Bando De Loucos	2	194	-1
4	Super Renegados	2	174	0
5	Skull	3	126	0

ZEST is the clear #1 favorite to win that only Worlds spot for SA East. Not only do they look like the only good team in this region, but they also have won every single Monthly Finals so far this season. That alone is impressive. I think they can easily keep this up and secure it in the second half, but now they got a target on their back. As much as I would like to see someone else win a Monthly Final, I don't see them taking ZEST's throne as the best team in this region.
QLASH had a bit of a rough start to the season, but it looks like they are going back to their winning ways again. After a questionable performance in February and a concerning performance in March, QLASH managed to get very close to beating ZEST in April taking them to a 5th set, but they weren't able to finish them off. They are looking to be the team that takes that LCQ spot, but they will have a lot of competition for it. As long as they keep playing like they did in April they should be fine. Bando De Loucos look alright even after the rough loss against QLASH that put them in 3rd in the rankings. Now that Edinho has left the team they will have to finish strong without him. It might be tough with QLASH going back to their winning ways, but they are still in the race for at least the LCQ spot. As for Super Renegados, it's been a rough start to the season for them. They have yet to win a single match so far, but playing against ZEST for every single match so far would do that to you. I'm not gonna count them out yet unless they can't beat anyone else in their region. We'll see how they do in the 2nd half. Good luck!
I don't have much to say about Skull other than they are on this list mainly because they have made it to every Top 8 so far this season. If they make it to a Monthly Final in June, maybe they might have a shot, but so far it isn't looking good for them.

SA West

Tier 1: Solid LCQ Contender Tier 2: LCQ Contender Tier 3: Long Shot

Rank	Team Name	Tier	BSC Points	Movement
1	LeaveNoWitness	1	276	0
2	SKCalalas SA	2	225	+1
3	Reconic Esports SA	2	216	-1
4	KDI Esports	3	80	NEW
5	Level eSports	3	144	0

It has been a chaotic first half of the season in SA West. It's so hard to choose a team that is #1 in this region, but I think despite the loss in the Semifinals against SKC, I would say LeaveNoWitness is the only team I'm confident in making to the LCQ. Them winning the first two Monthly Finals of the season as well as pulling multiple reverse sweeps is very impressive, however their loss in April did make them a little less invincible. I think in the end they deserve to be #1 for now, but with how chaotic this region is that might change on a dime.
SKCalalas SA Earned the #2 spot after their Monthly Final win in April. For now they are no longer chokers as they finally found a way to win on the big stage. Their spot isn't secured though and they still have a lot of work to do in the 2nd half. It's gonna be real fun to watch them and Reconic fight for that LCQ spot. Speaking of Reconic Esports SA, they ended up losing their first Semifinal match of the year as they got upset by the newly signed KDI Esports roster. Still think they deserve the #3 spot for their solid start to the year making it to the Grand Finals a couple of times, but like SKC they have a lot of work to do.
KDI Esports made it to the Grand Finals in their first appearance in the Monthly Finals. Why they weren't able to win it all, it still was enough to put them on a decent spot in this region. Despite how little points they have right now and them needing a miracle to make it to the LCQ, I think for now we celebrate them for winning a Monthly Finals match. Level eSports is a decent team overall, but like KDI it'll take a miracle for them to make it to the LCQ. I think currently it's a three team race and only 1 will sit out, but if Level surprises us and does what KDI did in April, there might be some hope.
This region is chaotic and needs more attention. Give them a Worlds Spot next year! That's all I'm gonna say.

NA East

Tier 1: WF Contender Tier 2: LCQ Contender Tier 3: Long Shot

Rank	Team Name	Tier	BSC Points	Movement
1	Tribe Gaming	1	266	0
2	Chasmac Gaming NA	2	226	+2
3	Motomamis F/A	2	226	-1
4	Untamable Beasts	2	180	-1
5	Team Jesus	3	92	+1

Tribe Gaming being #1 shouldn't be that surprising. They may have only won 1 Monthly Final all year long so far this year, but they are also the only team to make it to the Grand Finals in every single Monthly Final so far this year. Every single match they have played against Chasmac has come down to the wire and I think they will most likely be their biggest threat in the 2nd half. If they can handle them, they should be able to secure that Worlds spot.
We have a tie in points, but I'm going to pick the team I think is just slightly better right now and that is currently Chasmac Gaming NA. Their most recent win against Tribe Gaming to win the April Monthly Finals put them back in contention for the LCQ spot, but the job is not done yet. I feel if they can keep this up they should be able to play in the LCQ or maybe even the World Finals if they are good enough and beat Tribe a few more times. Motomamis F/A were looking good to start the year, but then they have been skidding a bit recently by losing in the first round of the Monthly Finals in March and April. They may be tied with Chasmac for now, but I feel like they are the weaker team in this scenario. Heck maybe even the weakest team of the Top 4 right now, but their Monthly Finals win back in February keeps them in the race for an LCQ spot for now. The Untamable Beasts are still in the race despite their only win being against a weak MTM team back in March. I think they have a chance to claim an LCQ spot as well, but I would like to see how well they play against Chasmac Gaming before deciding on their fate. Let's hope these thumbs down pin supporters stay alive in the race.
I couldn't think of another solid team that has a good chance at claiming an LCQ spot, but I have been impressed with Team Jesus and their performance in March and April. I think other teams have a shot at claiming the 5 spot, but I doubt any of them below the Untamable Beasts have a realistic shot at qualifying at this point.

NA West

Tier 1: WF Contender Tier 2: LCQ Contender Tier 3: Long Shot

Rank	Team Name	Tier	BSC Points	Movement
1	Dog Walkers	1	296	0
2	STMN	1	245	0
3	Reconic Esports NA	2	181	+1
4	Washed Team	2	176	-1
5	TLG West	3	142	0

I have to admit that the Dog Walkers have been off to a great start so far this year as they have been in the Grand Finals for every Monthly Final so far this year. Not only that, but they ended up beating STMN twice so far and they almost did it a third time in April, but they were unable to close it out this time. Still, they have a solid lead ahead of 3rd, but STMN isn't too far behind them so they will need to outperform them a few more times if they want to qualify for Worlds. STMN had a rough start to the season as they just couldn't find a way to beat the Dog Walkers. Now that they finally won a Monthly Final, they are still alive in the hunt for a Worlds spot, but they also have a solid lead for the LCQ spot. I doubt they will take the LCQ spot as this team is gonna be gunning for that Worlds spot so Dog Walkers should watch out cause here comes late season STMN coming in clutch... hopefully.
As for the teams below them it's a tight race for 3rd place, but nobody is really in a good spot to claim an LCQ spot right now. Reconic Esports NA looks like the best of the three so far, but they have yet to really beat anyone other than Washed Team. They are good, but losing Counter and creating a hole in their roster is an issue as there really aren't many good choices to pick up to fill in that third spot right now. I guess we'll see what happens in the coming days. Washed Team has looked Washed (laugh at horrible pun) so far as they have yet to win a Monthly Finals match so far this year. The old core wasn't working so cutting Frixi and replacing him with Alyanys should work out right? Well so far the results haven't changed much. Is it time to panic if you are Washed Team, or will they pick things up in the 2nd half?
As for TLG West, I don't have much to say about them other than they are the next best team in this subregion. I think for them like the other teams in 5th place the best case scenario for them would be them to secure that third spot. We'll see what happens, but I doubt they qualify for the LCQ this year.

Predictions (EMEA killed my picks this month)

REGION	HOW I DID THIS MONTH	HOW I HAVE DONE ALL YEAR
SEA	1/1	3/3
India	1/1	3/3
East Asia	3/3	7/9
EMEA	2/7 (end me)	13/21
SA East	3/3	7/9
SA West	1/3	6/9
NA East	2/3	5/9
NA West	3/3	6/9
Mobile Masters	-	8/14
TOTAL	16/24	58/86

I actually improved in all of my predictions this month except for a couple. For the first time, I managed to get every single pick correct for a region and that was for APAC. My biggest flex this month was taking SK over ZETA as not many people predicted an upset would happen, yet I somehow got it right. Can't say the same for the rest of my picks for EMEA, but I really did not believe NAVI could pull it off. Because of that, I am now sitting at a 67% correct pick rate on the year which isn't looking good for me. Reminder that if I get under 75% on the year I will have to do a punishment of some sort. Here's hoping I do better in the 2nd half of the year.
As for my predictions for the Snapdragon Mobile Masters event, I did ok, but I sucked in Day 2 as I only got 1 pick right (me being biased towards NA didn't work). Day 1 was alright, but I feel like 4 of the matches were free. I think you know which ones were free.
That sucks. I really hope I can bounce back for the 2nd half of the season. I will only count up to the final Monthly Final of the year so I must do really well in the 2nd half of the year. Let's hope this happens. If not, I will reveal the punishment in September and do the deed in October. I already know what I'm gonna do for it btw, but I won't share it until September.
Thank you for reading this and I hope you are excited for the 2nd half of the season to start in June. Hopefully the 2nd half of the season will be better for me.
Take care and have a good one.

My brothers girlfriend moved in a few months ago. She got in to a big fight with her family and they kicked her out. Shes not 18 yet and just finishing high school and my mom felt really bad for her. My brother is only 19. My mom had two rules ,she'd contribute 200$ in rent and she'd sleep in her own room. I live with my parents and pay them market rent , it's convenient from me as i travel out of the country for half the year for work and to visit my girlfriend who is abroad. A short background: Everything was fine at first, then my brothers girlfriend started monopolizing the bathroom and started doing an insane amount of laundry (like 3 loads a day washing stuffed animals, blankets, etc, everyday) . A few weeks later the washer broke. We have two washer and dryers in our house and so the situation was that the washer that was in my brothers room worked and the dryer in the basement worked . My brother knew we might go in his room to do laundry when he decided to move in to the room with the laundry machine . So anyways the laundry situation was difficult for a while and we tried not to disturb my brother. Then at somepoint my brothers girlfriend offered to have a friend come over and move the washer to the basement . When her friend arrived she told my mom her friend would only move the washer down stairs if my mom let her also move the dryer downstairs. My mom didnt agree. The became a big problem cause my brother wasnt letting us do laundry , at one point he would tell us to leave cloths at the door and he would put out wet cloths in the hallway the next day for us to dry. This created a huge hassle for everyone. The girlfriend started getting nasty with my mom dad and me , constantly slamming doors especially when we tried to talk to her or my brother she'd slam the door in our face. My mom gave her an eviction notice. She tried to "improve" cleaned the bathroom once and started sleeping in her room which was what was originally agreed to. My parents went away on a vacation then my brother invited an only fans porn star over to have a orgy . I was home and had to listen to obnoxiously loud sex till 3 am , then i heard puking all night./ Tried to drown it out with music. I told my parents , they confronted my brother and girlfriend , the girlfriend gloated to my parents about the orgy . My parents told her she needs to leave . My brother and girlfriend are now staying somewhere else but left all their stuff at my parents house. This weekend my brother was gonna have a yard sale to sell their shit, at 10:30 pm the day before he sends a group text to my parents and myself asking my parents to move their car my parents are usually in bed by 9 , but my dad replies and says he'll do it in the morning and my brother says "Were starting setup at 4am i wouldnt suggest that" . I read as a bit confrontational and immediately reply calling out my brother and demanding he have a little respect for his parents. The next day i confront him about being confrontational with his parents and that it's bullshit that he was threatening to wake my parents up at 4am. He then called me some insult and told me he made that comment cause the noise of him moving the cars at 4am would wake my parents up. And i think he was gaslighting me cause moving the cars wouldnt wake my parents up but moving a bunch of shit out of the house at 4am to setup for a yard sale would. I didnt reply and just dropped it. I feel like maybe i overreacted . But then again he was pretty damn rude and i would never talk that way to my parents . So reddit how do you deal with this shit? Is it the age? I remember being 18 once and i still would never treat my parents like this. And if my girlfriend acted this way towards my family , she wouldnt be my girlfriend anymore. I love my brother and really wish he would leave this witch ..but i know that is out of my control.

'Oh, this is what loneliness feels like.'
It was a feeling I got when I visited my favourite park in KL a week ago. Maybe because everyone around me were spending time with their families, friends or significant others.
I was there by myself. I am always by myself.
And I remembered that I was regretful that I went out on that day, I should have just spent my time in my room doing my final year project.
On that night, I had a barrage of negative emotions, even passively suicidal. I want to self isolate myself and 'be alone.' I think of my previous relationship, and thought to myself what a painful one it was, maybe it would be better if we wouldn't met each other in the first place, or even I wanted to visit my mom but felt very conflicted because of my dad's health condition and how it would affect mine.
I give it a different thought a few days ago.
1) Socialize
It does feel lonely at times. Yes. And I must learn to navigate this feeling. If I am lonely, does it mean I need to 'put myself out there' and socialize more? Idk about that yet, I am not ready to meet people because I am still trying to understand myself. After my break up months ago, I still feel like I am still lost as a person. I don't understand myself that well. The only hobby/interest I am still love is running while others comes and goes. Hence, I am still figuring out how to be my authentic self.
And, I am also trying to stick to a strict monetary budget. I am paid a minimum allowance doing my internship at a tech company, thus eating outs, transportation or any other extra fees should be taken into consideration when going out with other people, when my goal is to try to save some money.
2) Romantic Relationship
I am not interested for any romantic relationships. Eversince I got into my first relationship in 2018, it feels like my world revolved around my love interests a lot, so I want to try loving myself again. Not searching any of that missing pieces in other people but my own.
It does feel very lonesome, or even at times I feel touch starved at times but I am not gonna let anyone to fill this void of mine, for worse - out of horniness or loneliness. I deserve better, and you too deserve better.
I can see myself being a single woman for a very long time. My utmost concern right now is how am I gonna have a lot of meaningful experience as a single woman.
Whenever I feel like I yearn for 'someone' to come and save me, or to complete me, I always remind myself that I am here for me. I am present. I have had two romantic relationships in the past, I am grateful for the good moments but the awful times got me into therapy. Hence, it is enough. I had it, attempts at love and it is enough, thank you for the experience. Self partnering moving forward.
3) Hobbies
I am trying to read more these days. Right now, I am reading 'Attached' by Dr Adam Levine and just ordered 'Braving the Wilderness'. I began to consume again a lot of J stuffs, from manga to music. I am reconsidering to pick up Japanese but idk. So much on my plates atm. Or I dislike myself who always change her interests often. Running out of gas kinda thing. Running feels like the most consistent thing in my life from 2019. I run regularly and have a fit body. Running does help me with keeping negative thoughts at bay. Other than that, I am trying to improve myself with programming, so I got that to fill up my time with.
4) People that Matters to Me
I just lost my dad few days ago. Both sadness and relief given the relationship that we had. However, more the reasons for me to connect with my mom and take her out. I want to keep in touch with her more often so that both of us won't feel too lonely. Me living in a different state.
Corné, Windsor and Lawrence are people that are dear to me. During my PMDD every month, I tend to isolate and reject myself. However, these are the people who are always by myside, so I must be very kind to myself and other people who are there for me.
And whenever I feel so lost, I still have my family. I am not truly alone.
During my lowest times, when I feel very lonely, I must remind myself that craving for human connection is a normal feeling not a weakness. I should navigate this feeling with something or someone whom made me feel safe, comfortable and happy. And when I have better standing in my career, I would love to afford mental health services and treatments.

We are in need of lots of help with our 8 year old cat. We have had her since she was a kitten, she was found by a friend and given to us. She has always been very affectionate with my husband and I- sitting in our laps and sleeping with us. Despite that at times she has had periods of severe aggression- attacking us, howling, and being inconsolable. She doesn't try to run away during these episodes but will follow us around the house and draw blood. These episodes got very severe and frequent at one point and she was evaluated by a vet who found nothing wrong and suggested it was purely behavioral. We treated her with gabapentin for a time but it made her very sedated. The episodes seemed to be triggered by us going into the basement or us leaving for work (we work long shift work). So we brought home another cat thinking she was lonely. This significantly improved her mood and lessened the episodes to very rare unless we had visitors. Now we have a newborn baby. We were very nervous how she would react to the baby, but she initially seemed great. She watches the baby in the bassinet and while we feed him. She has also not been aggressive with our influx of family visitors since the baby was born, which is very out of character. However tonight she accidentally got into the basement while we were doing laundry and I closed her in there for around 30 minutes. When I realized and let her out she attacked us and was screaming. She caused my husband to bleed quite a bit and we had to wrestle her back in the basement out of fear she would hurt the baby. I don't want to have to get rid of her and honestly do not think she would tolerate another home. Besides gabapentin, what else should we be doing? Is a cat behaviorist actually helpful in these circumstances? I just want to keep our family safe and out cat happy.

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

We have been together 5 years. We share a lot of the same interests and enjoy each others company. We have had a lot of fun together, but I have been getting increasingly anxious about settling down with him.
I grew up with a deadbeat and explosive stepfather in a broken home always on the brink of homelessness. I’m terrified of financial insecurity and creating an unstable home for my children because of my lack of calculated planning.
I feel as if it is almost irresponsible to marry my best friend just because we love each other. After all that’s what my mom did and it turned into a terrible decades-long mistake. How do I navigate this and how can I tell if we will be okay?
TLDR: Cold feet before wedding is causing me to panic and I need advice on how to deal with the anxiety.

I don't really understand why we have to be alive. Is the general rule that suicide is never the answer?? But what if you're a shitty person. What if you have done just absolutely horrible things in your life? Do you still tell that person that they shouldn't kill themselves?? Why is it that people only care about you staying alive once you want to end it?? What is so important with keeping this life alive??? I honestly don't understand it. I know some people may say "well you stay alive because of the family and friends that would miss you if you left." But how is that really a justifiable answer?? I'm supposed to stay alive BECAUSE OF OTHERS?!?!? What happened to living for myself. I don't want to be living if the only reason I'm living is because my cat will miss me or something. I want to live because I'm excited to live. But I'm not excited to live. What do I have to look forward to this year??? Working in retail?? Wow so great. I just want to know, when is the point where you see another person's life and you think "wow yeah. You're life isn't going well. Suicide may be your best option?" I just don't get it. All of this. I don't even know what I'm saying. I just don't want to feel like a failure anymore. My failures mock me in the face everyday and it hurts to find any self confidence anymore. I can't even look people in the eyes anymore. I just keep my head down now. Why does it seem that we must look for happiness but the sadness is always there. Lurking, waiting to ruin your day. Why did she leave

i recently wrote out all my symptoms and a few examples i could think of and if made me realize how real this really is. i’ve been quite sure i have bpd for a long time but writing down a lot of my experiences and how often i can see how history repeats has made me realize how much of a problem this is. the way i deal with my emotions is not working. it’s way too extreme and it’s becoming very disruptive. my mindset has recently changed where i feel that it is pointless to even try with other people because they will just abandon me. i feel like i will only make their lives worse and once they realize how crazy i am they will give up. i’m too much work for other people. i’ve been trying to fight these thoughts but they feel so true so i feel like i’m fighting a losing battle. I’m worried to talk to my mom about this because it’s a lot. it’s a big deal. but it’s becoming very disruptive and hard to live my life so i think i need to finally just do it. i have depression and anxiety but bpd feels a lot more extreme if you know what i mean? i’m worried that maybe she’ll brush it off and i never will get help for this or she’ll just dismiss that i feel like this. i was thinking maybe i could show her the list i made? it’s very personal though, because i did not want to lie. i don’t know if i can be that open with her and have her still trust me. eghhh i don’t know what to do 😭😭 idk i talk about stealing alcohol from her sometimes and how i used to think she was abusive (she’s not) because of splitting. i’m worried she’ll never look at me the same, but i’m worried if i don’t tell her i’ll never get help (whether or not i have bpd or not). i would love some advice!!

I live alone and almost always eat my meals while watching something. I realized that I eat quickly, and I eat more by doing this. Then I remembered reading something about how and when I eat meals (maybe while setting up loseit or noom app). The thing is, food tastes better with entertainment, and this ritual is one of my comfort activity as a solo person. I don’t mind eating with others in person, but I don’t enjoy eating while talking to someone on the phone. Nevertheless, the YouTube and eating combo seems to be a bad habit, so I’d like to get some suggestions on how to eat more mindfully. My alternative so far is listening to a podcast, but I follow only a select few so new episodes are limited.

In short this movie is about a young man with a passion for films and meets the love of his life in his hometown. They separate after a sudden disappearance from each other. He becomes a big shot in the film industry and returns to his hometown after 30 years.
The first time I watched this movie was my junior year of high school in film analysis class. I didn’t cry once when I watched the movie, I think this is due to me having a cold heart when I was younger. When the movie finished, so many boys in my class were crying. Even then I knew it was a very powerful piece of work.
I watched it again today because I’ve always wanted to show my grandma the movie. She was hesitant at first because she’s very picky but when I stopped the movie halfway for an intermission, she was so eager to keep watching it. When the movie was over she called him pendejo 😂. It melted my grinch heart and I must have cried 5 times and my eyes got watery countless times.
I am not a fan of The Notebook or The Vow as a twin flame movie. I think that shit is toxic and corny.
Spoiler:
They eventually reunite and discover they were separated because of miscommunication and people getting in the way of the relationship. Salvatore always waited for her and never settled down but Elena moved on with her life. I think a lot of you would be disappointed that it’s not a happily ever after movie but this movie goes to show you have to keep living life for yourself because life doesn’t wait and even if you wait for the other person and do everything right, you can’t control how a person chooses to live their life. It’s sad but you torture yourself when you pine over someone.

How do you guys keep your economy from crashing after an army conquers a new world , in middle of a war?
When my armies finished a planet, the economy of the said planet will take a toll towards my empire’s economy due to its own existing buildings, districts & pops.
I have tried deleting/deactivate buildings & resettling but the pops are too much until my empire could not fit those jobless pops. Not to mention those species don’t fit my major worlds habitability. Even my ecu world is full.
Since this war is Crisis related, what I can do is ill just conquer one planet, stabilize my economy, maybe some waiting, then proceed to conquer next planet. That will take a long time since the planets/habitats qty are alot from AI.
Im playing the default UNE empire with standard civics. Unfortunately the World destroyer techs is not available yet. Cant purge. I rushed conquer so many planets and eventually all of them revolted back to the enemy holdings due to Low stability and my economy cannot support them at all.

This is the exact position I’ve always wanted to land since I was a little kid. It was one of those silly dreams that I was even dumber to try, but somehow it worked out. The job itself is great, and I am working on amazing things, but I’m having trouble adjusting to this new type of living.
I miss college, with all my friends and professors I’ve gotten to know for 4 years. I miss all my other friends who I could always count on. I miss my family, and it’s been so weird to not see them after living with them for over 20 years. I also wonder about my remaining grandparents and how much time I have left with them. Maybe I won’t see them again. I miss my old city, and all its little quirks that made it home. I miss the random people I would bump into, like the cashiers at the place I liked to stop for food that knew my order or people I would see on walks. I miss my old coworkers and feel like I messed up by leaving them.
Now I’m all alone in an empty apartment struggling to make friends. I’ve been trying to go out and explore the city, but every time I do I’m reminded of how alone I am. I used to enjoy doing things alone, but that’s because I used to be secure in the relationships I had. Being alone used to be a choice, and now it’s all I can do.
I feel stupid, and I hope as time goes on I’ll get settled and make more friends, but I was nothing but excited to start this job and never expected to feel this way.

Hi all :)
Personally, I believe that people should strive to apologize for whatever they may have done. Even if it's a while ago there's always the chance that it may help that person somehow. We have no idea how our words or actions may have affected someone else, and it's better safe than sorry to go through with an apology just in case.
Is this naive? Would an apology do more harm than good?
Edited for simplicity.

Galactic Year 30.09.2948.3
It is recorded that humanity first detected the possibility of alien life nearly five centuries ago. Even back then, our only option was to send messages to these mysterious beings in the hopes of building relations. Everything from attempts at binary to sending atomic shapes like the hydrogen atom.
The thing was, for whatever reason, the aliens never sent intentional replies. It was only errant broadcasts. Researchers at the time put it down to multiple possibilities. ‘They may have only developed radio technology’. ‘They might be far more advanced than us and not monitoring such primitive communications’.
The most wary of researchers, though posited that they did not send replies because they did not want to. That they saw humanity as a threat. So many alluded to the Dark Forest hypothesis. Regardless humanity pressed on. That was till funding dried up. It was often hard to justify the expense of sending messages that’d take fifty years to arrive, only for no replies to consistently return.
It was four hundred years post-detection that enough momentum and technological advancement that the idea of an exploration of this supposedly inhabited world was suggested. With the new inertial dampers and engines capable of 0.5C, Humanity bravely took its first steps into the universe.
An expedition that has finally reached its conclusion. The ship had only just stopped its forward momentum when it arrived in the solar system. The system itself had only five planets, and after sending out probes, it was discovered the signals originated from the fourth planet.
With great trepidation, the expedition sent out messages to the world, hoping to allay any fears. To let them know humanity came in peace, that they were there to extend a hand in friendship. Still, though, no reply came.
From the drones, they could see a world with magnificent cities. Architecture and spiral towers that boggled the mind, made from materials the AIs could not identify. It was here the idea humanity was likely too far behind for them to detect our attempts at contact reemerged.
So it was decided humanity would send envoys to meet with this alien race. An actual first contact scenario, a thing that would be immortalised in history books. Only when humanity landed, there was no one to greet us. No military, no government, not even an itinerant farmer.
It was then the team pressed on; they had picked a remote open area to land to show as little hostility as possible. Maybe it was too far? Only when they arrived in the city they found no one. It was entirely abandoned. Everyone and everything that had looked to be lively was, in fact, only automated systems still running.
It is with this disappointment humanity accepted this was why we received no reply. Simply because there was no one to send a reply. With little else to do, we began to settle the world. The first extrasolar colony with several cities ready and waiting to be inhabited.
—--------------------------------------------
Galactic Year 02.10.3000.1
It had been over fifty years since the first extrasolar colony of humanity was settled. In the past half-century, with the help of researchers, engineers, and various other professions, society had advanced leaps and bounds.
Despite the abandoned nature of the world, its technology was so far superior that it was almost scary. Regardless a journey that had initially taken nearly a hundred years to traverse could now be done in a single year. Such was the strange technology of the race that were now referred to as ‘The Lost Ones’.
With the FTL drives and new material sciences, humanity looked once more to the stars. Ever wondering who these aliens were and why did they vanish? Studying the records they left behind only spoke of an approaching calamity. One that would lead to extinction. One they had no way of safely stopping.
It seemed in the face of this calamity that even they, with their technology, could not face left them the only option of fleeing. But this only left humanity with more questions. What was it they were running from, and would it come for humanity?
It was in the face of these questions many observatories were re-established with the hopes of finding other aliens. Still, though, many researchers maintained the Dark Forest hypothesis. That there was a danger out there and actively broadcasting ourselves would only draw them in like moths to a flame.
It was during this time that humanity did detect a new world that had the signs of life. Broadcasts into space were frequent, and there was even a growing culture of enjoying alien entertainment and music. It was then the Great Sol Council decided to attempt contact once more.
Once again, there was no reply. Much to the relief of all, though, their entertainment broadcasts continued. Enough that humans had begun to decipher the language far quicker than the language of the world now named Gungnir.
After much deliberation, it was decided that a fresh expedition would be sent to this newly discovered world. The journey, even with the FTL drive, would take years. But to truly establish first contact was becoming the deepest hope of humanity.
In a Pinta-Class exploration cruiser, humanity set off to the stars with hope in their heart. They arrived in the system far quicker than anyone expected, as it seemed there was what the reversed engineer AI described as a warp corridor.
Arriving in the system, humanity once again broadcast its arrival and sent probes. This time they did not find a hive of activity. This world, like Gungnir, was abandoned. Crazier still was the world turned out to be an ecumenopolis. A city covering an entire world was abandoned.
The entertainment that humanity had been so enjoying had been automatically set to broadcast while the aliens fled. Examining the records, they to spoke of a great evil approaching them. That this great evil had grown considerably stronger and, if they arrived, it would be the end of all life.
It was at this time some suggested that humanity may actually be this horror. But many still pointed out humanity was far less advanced than these aliens. If we were truly the threat they spoke of with such fear, they could’ve easily wiped us out.
It was with great sorrow that humanity learnt, yet another race was lost. The new planet became a hive of migration for the rapidly overpopulating worlds that humanity lived upon. The City would eventually become known as Eldorado for the golden hue the buildings took when the sun was setting.
—----------------------------------
Galactic Year 24.08.3200.0
It was the bicentennial of the settling of Eldorado when the most heavily encrypted files of the race now known to be named the Kue were broken. It was a file teeming with information on a dozen worlds, all inhabited by other races.
This was exactly what humanity had been so desperate for. They knew they weren’t alone, and humanity did not like being lonely. They wanted to interact with the greater universe. Though since the initial files warning of a significant threat were published, many wished to remain silent.
So many spoke of the Dark Forest and how we were already making too much noise. That we would inevitably draw the attention of whatever it was that two advanced civilisations had fled from. Still, the human spirit to explore could not be squashed so easily.
So humans did what humans would always do. Groups and organisations independent of the government of the Council of Human Systems control sent out trade missions to these newly identified worlds.
For many of these megacorporations, it had become a competition to be the one who made first contact. Despite the government warnings, twelve ships, each of the ‘Golden Hinde’ class, set off down the warp corridor to their designated worlds.
It was a joyous time for much of humanity, with many gambling on which group would succeed. Some though wagered they would all find empty worlds. That they would all fail and return like their forebears.
Sadly these people were correct. One by one, the ships returned with news of empty worlds. Some even reported the planets themselves had been blown up, and all they found were asteroid fields. Though they all carried the same warning from each world's records.
The threat was spreading far faster than ever expected. Worlds will be destroyed if encountered. These words alone sent shockwaves through the community, and even the most hopeful of people began to echo the sentiments of the Dark Forest hypothesis.
They had discovered worlds literally blown to pieces, and the records speaking of a danger that would end worlds. Humanity decided on the path forward. They would colonise the remaining worlds and hope for the aliens to return. They would also begin to expand the military-industrial complex.
If this unknown threat turned its sights on humanity, then humanity must be able to fight back no matter the odds. Luckily with all the technology recovered, humanity accelerated the rate of its advancements.
​
—-------------------------------------------------
Galactic Year 24.12.3300.0
It was time for a new expeditionary force to set off. Over the past hundred years, humanity had discovered countless worlds, all that used to be inhabited but all either abandoned or destroyed. It was this destruction that led to humankind not only spreading out far more rapidly but also becoming more heavily militarized.
Weapons that could cut small moons in two, bombs that could harness the power of a star, along with countless more powerful weapons than even the aliens had managed, were developed. With these new tools, the fears of this unknown enemy began to abate as a new age of exploration continued.
With the sheer number of worlds now colonised and available and waiting for human populations to catch up to colonise. Humanity had declared itself a Galactic empire. Though to who it was declared is unknown as so far humanity had only ever found traces of other races.
The strangest development was an ecumenopolis that was transformed into a museum for each of the lost races. The New British Museum took artefacts from the countless abandoned and destroyed worlds and displayed them in Memorium for those lost and unknown.
It was in this age a truly massive artificial structure like a Dyson sphere was discovered. It had broadcasts detected, and with new scanner tools, life was also being detected. It was seeing this impossible structure that humanity began to wonder if it had finally found the enemy at last.
With confidence, the great fleets of humanity gathered and set off on a punitive expedition towards the structure to bring justice for those that could not do so themselves. So many times, humanity had hoped to meet another race only to have it stolen from them.
Centuries of frustration had finally reached its boiling point, and now it had a target. Arriving in the system, the fleet was met with a vast armada of countless ships of all designs imaginable. But before the brutality of the human military, they quickly became nothing but space dust. The result of a uniquely human weapon named the supernova bomb.
It was then that a broadcast appeared on the scanners. It was a communication request from the structure. The admiral in charge of the fleet hesitated as this was the first chance at first contact, but it would also be with their enemies.
“Please, Jivalis, we wish you to stay away!!!” a panicking Kue begged as their image appeared on display. Their voice being automatically translated by the onboard AI systems.
Seeing a Kue, which even to this day had a popular following of their entertainment, shocked the admiral. Had the Kue been the enemy all along? Only what had the Kue called them. A Jivalis? That was the title given to the oncoming enemy.
Throughout the centuries, it had been suggested many times humanity might be the enemy they all feared. But time and again, it would be pointed out that these aliens could’ve easily wiped out humanity with relative ease. Well, not anymore, but at the time, it was a truth.
“Are you a Kue?” the Admiral asked.
“AGHHHH!!!” The Kue looked panicked. “The Jivalis knows of us!!!!”
“Please, we do not mean you harm!!!”
“You have destroyed the great unity fleet. We have been amassing men and tools to face your threat, only for you to sweep them aside!!!”
“Why do you believe us to be this Jivalis?” the Admiral asked, looking perturbed that they were seen to be the great enemy. The display shifted to show an alien with a star-shaped head. It was a race that they didn’t have a name for, but there was artwork on numerous worlds depicting them.
“Because you are the Jivalis, Earthling!” the alien declared in an accusatory tone.
“But we have never meant any harm to anybody. We sent messages and wished for peaceful contact only to find your worlds abandoned?”
“That is because every being from your world is death!”
“You meant Earth is a deathworld?”
“Indeed, Earth was a planet that was used for scientific experiments long ago before life even existed on its surface. A foolish empire that no longer lives created a weaponised virus. One it tested on prisoners left on Earth.”
“But if that was before life evolved, surely it was billions of years ago?!”
“Indeed, but the virus was too strong and endured. When life seeded itself on your world, the virus awoke from its dormant state and latched onto it. Life on your world did not survive… near all life died.”
“The first great extinction?” the Admiral asked, remembering a bit of history.
“Yes, that is an apt description. The beings that survived the virus became asymptomatic carriers. Beings within whom the virus-encoded itself into the very DNA.”
“So you think we carry this virus?”
“Indeed. We have tried many times to wipe out all life on Earth. Many times we have failed. On our last attempt, we sent an asteroid to wipe out all life.” The Admiral held back a choking noise, hearing the aliens were behind the extinction of dinosaurs.
“Sadly, the virus only grew in strength as life continued to evolve. Where at first it only did this,” the display changed to show horrific scenes of agony from an unknown alien race.
“To this,” the scene changes to show what looked like an early human was locked in a room with another alien. The Alien rapidly turned to dust just in the humans' presence.
“If but one human steps on a world, all life not of Earth will rapidly die.”
“Why didn’t you just kill us?” the admiral asked.
“It evolved by vast amounts with each attempt. Many feared should we eliminate humanity, it would evolve further and no longer require a host free to wander the galaxy as dust. It was decided humanity would be ignored and isolated. You were simple and primitive. Only for your species to develop enough to travel to the closest world.”
“So you fled?”
“Yes, we fled; even an errant cell of the virus can survive the vacuum of space, and if it landed, all life would die. We of the alliance chose to flee in the face of humanity. It seems that we only accelerated your expansion by gifting you worlds ready to settle with technology to advance you.”
“What if we leave you in peace. We will create a quarantine zone that humans cannot cross. We would not need to come into conflict? We can even return worlds to you.”
“Jivalis!!! You do not listen… any world a human has visited can no longer be inhabited by non-earthlings. We have nowhere else to go; every warp corridor leads to Earthling worlds.”
“We may not be able to return your worlds, but we can still leave you in peace.”
“We will accept this offer… though we have little choice. Our entire fleet was destroyed, and we have no means to build more. We will live in this sanctuary… though I expect the deathworld shall visit us sooner or later.”
“We will make it a case that it is impossible!” the admiral declared.
“Like the Twelve Heavenly Stars?” The Admiral could not retort this one. The twelve worlds found centuries ago were all part of one group, and they had been known as holy sites in what had been translated.
“We will do our best… that is all I can promise.”
“That is all I can demand," The Alien let out a long sigh. "That is all we can hope to demand."

Longtime lurker on this sub. Been practicing 5 years and having a tough time dealing with the disappointment of deciding to pursue dental. I started with corp, tried private practice and now CHC and despite the variety, haven’t felt content. I live in a HCOL area so the compensation at the CHC is killing me. I don’t have confidence in my abilities, and I know I’m not unique when I say that going to work every day gives me immense anxiety. I see these posts all the time about regret amongst dentists, it’s a challenging career a lot of days. I’m just wondering, how do I get past this sentiment that I’ve chosen the wrong profession? Have any of you been this dejected and somehow turned it around? I’m wanting to acquire a practice and hoping that changes a lot for me. Any CE recs that have genuinely advanced your skills? Have you received external support in the form of therapy (feel like I’ve seen posts about issues with disability insurance when seeking mental health support)? Would welcome any tips, book recs, lifestyle changes that can help me alter my mindset.

As long as I can remember, my family has mentioned that my grandmother studied architecture in Hawaii but never graduated. When I asked for more information, my family generally responded that they assumed she just liked architecture. I always wondered how she ended up in this situation, being a woman born in the 1920s. Architecture is a male dominated field even today, and would have been even more so in her time. It would have been extremely uncommon for her to have studied architecture as a woman, especially a woman of color.
My grandmother’s birthday just passed, and it occurred to me that she would have been 18 in 1944. So not only do we have the gendeethnicity factors, but also we have to consider WWII and what Hawaii was like in the few years after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Presumably there was a need for builders to recover from the bombing, but as with other fields besides architecture there were few men available to do the job.
I found this lecture describing women in the building industry during WWII, but focuses on women in London. Unfortunately, the lecturer mentions that there is very little documentation of women who took over jobs for men who left during the war.
I suspect that my grandmother didn’t “study architecture,” per se, but may have had an architectural or construction Rosie the Riveter type of job. It would explain how and why she was in architecture as a woman, and why she didn’t obtain any kind of degree.
It may be a long shot, but I thought I’d ask here anyway: What do we know about women in Architecture in the United States during WWII? Do we know anything about this in Hawaii specifically? If the info available is vague or incomplete, is there enough circumstantial info that might support my theory about how my grandmother may have “studied architecture” in 1944 in Hawaii?

I know we don’t have exact dates, but do we know roughly how long after the death of Lucerys blood and cheese happened?

I’m heading back home to the UK for a week soon and am looking to upgrade my phone (currently using Huawei P30 pro) but I noticed androids bought outside of Japan don’t have FeliCa capabilities, so I can’t use my phone for quicker transactions. I was considering getting a new phone when I went back (was considering Google Pixel 7) but I remember hearing that iPhone 8 had the technology regardless of where you bought it. Is this still the case for the iPhone 13 or 14? If this is the case, I might just get an iPhone when I get back home (I used to use iPhones before my Huawei).
Also, as an extra question, is it easy to change store location on iPhone? If I buy my phone in the UK it’ll solely use the UK’s store but since I live in Japan, would I be able to change it over? Was able to do it on Android after a long process, but wanted to check if it was possible on iPhones too.