Is express oil change open today

After approximately 48hrs of practice with my driving instructor (and only ~2-3hrs of private practice in my dad's car), I passed first time today! With 8 minor faults. These were:

1. Control – Gears (I was going uphill on 2nd gear and it was very jerky and I had to change to 1st to keep going)
2. Progress – Undue hesitation
3. Use of mirrors – Change speed (I turned right onto a dual carriageway from a side road and the light turned red as I was in the yellow box and I had to quickly finish my turn, so I accelerated really harshly to get up to 40mph in the dual carriageway and didn't check my centre mirror before accelerating)
4. Awareness / Planning
5. Use of mirrors – Change direction (x4)

So we finish the driving test (my instructor is sitting at the back), and we drive up to the test centre and park in a bay to finish. My examiner tells me that I've passed and I start smiling a lot and I look back at my instructor, and then my examiner tells me "however I have a question for you":

• "How often do you check your centre mirror?"
• "uhhhhhhhhhhhh"
• "How often do you check your centre mirror?"
• "uhhhhhhh... I check the centre mirror when I... turn right.. or left?" (I was thinking of M-S-M)
• "You might as well have done this" (and he then takes the centre mirror and points it up!!!)

(My instructor at the back later told me that he thought the examiner was about to snap his centre mirror off!)
The examiner told me that I rarely used the centre mirror when driving, and that I should have checked it at least every 5-10 seconds during normal driving. He told me that he would have failed me a given me a serious fault if he could (!). He then proceeded to sign the pass certificate, though I felt this aura inside the car that he did this very very begrudgingly and that if it was up to him he wouldn't have signed it. I still have the feeling that this examiner really wanted to fail me very badly.
I was genuinely shocked at this response. I have watched dozens upon dozens of videos on YouTube of driving instructors and mock tests, and nobody ever mentioned that you need to check your centre mirror every 5-10 seconds. Richard Fanders at Conquer Driving (which I treat like "The Bible") said the following:

You may have heard that you need to check your mirrors every 10 seconds, and make it super obvious that you’re checking them to pass the driving test. But that’s not true! Driving examiners are experts at knowing whether or not you have checked your mirrors and they would rather you keep your eyes on the road and only check them when it’s relevant because that is safer.
You may have been told to check your mirrors every so many seconds because your driving instructor is trying to play it safe, if you check them enough, hopefully you won’t miss an important mirror check. But in my opinion taking your eyes off the road more than you need to, isn’t a good idea

I can understand perhaps on why I got marked down for not checking my mirror before accelerating onto the dual carriageway, or undue hesitation, etc. But the behaviour of the examiner at the end was really off-putting, and given that he was dead silent throughout the entire test (didn't even ask me the ice breaker question), makes me think that he hated his job?
Another odd moment was when I was instructed to turn right after the second set of traffic lights, and the examiner told me this 5 times. There was a huge queue of cars waiting to turn right, and I realised that I need to be in the right lane to turn right, so I indicated and moved to the right lane just before the queue started (because in my head I kept worrying about getting a serious fault for being undertaken on a dual carriageway). But if he wanted to be helpful, couldn't he have said "You may find it easier to move over to the right lane"? What was going through his head?
He was very tight-lipped throughout the test. At the reverse parallel park manoeuvre I asked a simple "within a drain width's away from the kerb?", and he just repeated the script of "reasonably close to the kerb". Or another time we were driving on the road and he asked me to park up on the left and I said "park up on this road here, yeah?", and he just said "Please park up on the left anywhere safe".
I thought I failed a total of 3 times during the test.

1. I turned right from the main road onto a side road and I thought I cut off a Volkswagen (though I noticed he didn't slow down afterwards so I then thought I was fine). Then another time when we were
2. I was waiting at the set of red lights and it was very slow moving, I put the gear in neutral and pulled the handbrake up and went to drink some water from my bottle that was right next to me in the driver's door, and the examiner stopped me and said that I am not allowed to do that during the exam and that I have to be in full control of the vehicle at all times.
3. During the reverse parallel park manoeuvre, I touched the kerb slightly though I steered very quickly to adjust and I slotted in and finished the manoeuvre. I think I got off lucky on that one.

My experience learning to drive was good. I was in a very fortunate position as a university student where I had the funds available to pay for all the driving lessons (£31/hr!!), and I fully understand why only 37% of young people have a driving licence given how brutally hard it is to get a driving licence in this country in 2023. More importantly however, the DVSA really has let learners down with the ridiculous waiting lists. At my test centre in Sheffield (Middlewood), I had to wait 6 months for my driving test. I booked it back in December! If I failed, I would have to wait for months again before I could try again. This is absolutely insane.
I hope this writeup helps new learners on this subreddit. If I could give one tip, it would be to practice. Do lots of mock tests, do lots of driving around, and build experience and confidence behind the wheel. I felt confident as a driver before beginning the test, and I had trust in myself that I was a good drivers and I deserved to receive my licence. I am 100% certain that if I wasn't at that driving level and at that confidence level, I would have failed with this clearly unhelpful examiner.

Once Madeline and Billie had hauled themselves out of the lake it was time to get moving again. Lena had used the time they’d been “mucking about” in the medic’s words to plan out the next section of their route on the map.
Madeline struggled to pull on fresh socks over her shrivelled, soggy feet before hurriedly retying her trainers and hauling her bag onto her back. It was going to be odd walking in sodden clothes, but she was sure they’d dry soon. In fact, the cooling effect might even be a bonus — so long as the chafing wasn’t unbearable.
As the three of them made their way out of the valley, they converged slightly, all having to take the same path before they diverged out to a safe distance again so as to avoid detection by the Poiloogs. Lena went ahead, leaving Billie and Madeline to linger until they judged she was far enough away.
“Enjoy the swim?” Billie shouted over to her.
Madeline pointedly lifted her walkie-talkie to her lips and pressed the button. “Pardon?”
“I said did you enjoy the swim?” Billie’s voice came over the radio.
“You know I did!”
“Yeah, but it’s good to hear you say it.”
Madeline turned to face them more fully, glaring. As she did, she noticed their gaze skirt over her body and glanced down to realise her clothes were plastered to her skin. She instinctively went to wrap her arms around herself but paused. What point was there in being shy or ashamed of herself anymore? The world had practically ended. The apocalypse had come. Being alive was achievement enough without worrying about what your body looked like.
Heart fluttering at the brazenness of it, she let her own gaze slip down slightly, taking in Billie’s chiselled form underneath the wet fabric. Her lip twitched up as she noticed Billie’s arms jerk slightly, before falling to their sides just as hers had. It was nice to know that, as confident as her friend seemed, they all had their insecurities.
“Are you two coming, or not?” Lena’s voice jerked Madeline back to reality, and heat rapidly rose up her neck.
“Right behind you,” she said quickly, hurrying after the medic as Billie watched her go with a grin on their face.
The feared chafing soon reared its ugly head, wet fabric rubbing against her skin under the straps of her backpack, but it was a price worth paying for even a moment of fun. And there was plenty of time to take the journey slow, with lots of opportunities for breaks. They had to make the most of the time they had left, after all. Once they attempted their rescue mission, who knew what would happen?
Their next stop was at an old holiday park — a perfect place to stay the night. Once they’d performed a quick sweep of the area between them, they each chose a static caravan. The selection of keys hanging behind the front desk by the entrance made breaking in significantly easier than usual, and they were soon tucked away and getting settled.
Though there was still a little daylight left, they had a rule never to congregate before a night’s sleep. If a Poiloog detected them because of their proximity, they wouldn’t have long enough to disperse before darkness fell. Besides, they still weren’t sure how far away Poiloogs could sense them from. It might take a while for the creatures to turn up, and if they were already asleep by then…
If only they knew more about the Poiloogs. But even after sharing knowledge with Billie and the rest of the resistance — as she called them — there were still so many questions. How did they sense humans? Why was it easier for them when people were closer together and in larger groups? How did their mind control work? And what were they doing with the people they took away?
At least some answers might finally be on the horizon.
And until then, they had all their precautions to keep them safe amid the uncertainty.
Not wishing to dwell on questions that she could do nothing to answer just yet, Madeline settled onto one of the sofa beds in her caravan and tried to absorb herself in her book.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When morning came, and still with more than enough time to reach their destination, Madeline, Lena, and Billie decided to hang around a little before setting off for the day. After a lot of searching, they managed to find a caravan that still had gas left in the external canister. Billie fired up the stove as Lena and Madeline searched through their packs for anything that would make for a nice hot breakfast.
Between them, they came up with some baked beans and some tinned spam. It wasn’t exactly a full English breakfast, but it was as close as Madeline had managed in a while.
The more relaxed pace of the last few days had had many benefits. With all the sitting around outside, Madeline had managed to fully charge all her solar-powered battery packs. Now she’d be able to use her hot plate and her walkman without fear of running out of power. It was nice to feel at least a little on top of things rather than like she was continually drowning and just about scrambling to keep up.
Once they’d wolfed down the food, Billie left to patrol and keep watch while Madeline and Lena reclined in a pair of camping chairs. Though Madeline always enjoyed the other woman’s conversation, she also loved moments like this, sitting in comfortable, companionable silence. It felt like such an indulgence to enjoy the presence of someone else with no purpose. To just relax.
Of course, relaxation never lasted long when Billie was around. They returned from their patrolling at a jog. Madeline was halfway to her feet, sweat pricking at her skin and heart racing before Billie waved at her with a relaxed smile.
She slumped back into her chair, clutching a hand to her chest. “You scared me half to death!” she shouted. “I thought you must be running from something.”
“Nope,” Billie replied. “Just figured I’d enjoy this wonderful morning and make my patrolling more efficient by going for a jog.”
“Of course they did,” Lena said, throwing her a sidelong glance.
Madeline laughed. It was an oddly giddy giggle, bubbling up out of excess adrenaline that was no longer needed. “How silly of me,” she said. “I forgot for a moment that you were completely insane.”
“Not insane! Just… enthusiastic. There are some habits it’s hard to shake.” Billie grinned. “Did I ever tell you that I used to be a personal trainer?”
Suddenly, so many things clicked into place in Madeline’s mind. Another giggle bubbled up. “No, I don’t think you did,” she said. “But it makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right?” Lena climbed to her feet. “I suppose one of us should go and keep watch,” she said as she walked off. “I’ll come back when I’m bored. Or if I see anything dangerous.” She glanced over her shoulder, a grin pulling at her lips. “But I’ll try not to give you a heart attack when I do.”
“So,” Billie slumped into the now vacant chair, “what did you mean by ‘it makes perfect sense’?”
Madeline turned to face them, returning the challenge of their arched eyebrow with her most innocent expression — eyes wide with a slight smile. “Oh, you know,” she said. “Just that you’re insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Billie gaped at them. “Wow! Tell me what you really think.”
For a second, she worried that she might have gone too far in her teasing. It wasn’t too long ago that she’d managed to hurt her friend’s feelings and the experience had been unpleasant enough that she knew she never wanted to repeat it.
Then, Billie cracked a grin. “You know me so well, Mads. Or do you?” They dramatically whipped their head around to face her, narrowing their eyes in an accusatory stare. “Can you guess what my second job was?”
“Second job?” Madeline asked, buying time as she considered everything she knew about them. They were definitely into fitness, but that had already been covered. They were friendly and good with people, but that could lend itself to all kinds of roles.
“Yeah. The PT work could be a little sporadic so I had another way of making money.”
Coming up empty, Madeline spread her hands in a shrug. “I don’t know… delivery rider?”
“Aha! No!” They paused, eyes drifting up as they considered. “Okay, well, I might have done that for a bit. But it wasn’t what I was doing most recently.”
“So what was your second job?”
“Bartender. And I was damn good at it too.”
Just like before, as soon as Billie had said the words it all fit perfectly. She could imagine them behind the bar, charming customers, darting back and forward mixing drinks, and, of course, swiftly dealing with any inappropriate or violent behaviour.
“See,” they said, sitting back and folding their arms, “maybe you don’t know everything about me.”
“I’m certain I don’t,” Madeline replied. “You certainly don’t know everything about me.”
Billie instantly leaned forward again, rising to the challenge. “Oh really? I bet I can guess what you used to do!”
The childish excitement on their face at this new game made Madeline’s chest swell with warmth. “Go on then.”
“I think you were…” They stared at her, rubbing their chin as if deep in thought. “I think you were a librarian.”
“I wish!” Madeline scoffed.
“An English teacher?”
“What, with all those children? Hell no!”
“A writer? Journalist? Editor?”
Madeline clutched a hand to her heart in mock affront. “Wow! It’s almost as if you only know one thing about me!”
“Hey! I know lots about you!” Billie insisted. “It’s just that none of it is useful in figuring out what sort of job you’d have had. So are you going to put me out of my misery, or what?”
“I was a marketing executive,” she said with a sigh.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means sitting at the same desk every day coming up with ways to promote products to people who don’t need them.”
“Sounds fun!”
“It wasn’t.” Madeline shifted forward slightly in her chair, leaning her elbows onto her knees to be ever so slightly closer to her friend. “So what do you know about me then?”
Billie tilted their head quizzically. “Huh?”
“You said that you knew lots about me. So what is it you know?”
“Ah.” They leaned forward too, mirroring Madeline as they chewed their lip in thought. “I know that you love books — obviously. I know that you’re slow to trust, but that once you do you trust completely. I know that despite everything you’ve been through, you still put others before yourself to the point you're willing to risk your life for those you care about. I know that you’re smart, and like to plan things out properly. And that you hate it when things don’t go to plan. I know that you’re tough and fiercely independent, but that you crave connection even though you fear it. Oh, and I know that you favour your left foot and your right hand in a fight.”
Madeline stared at them, mouth hanging open slightly as she took in their view of her. It wasn’t that it was completely wrong. It was just that it seemed somewhat selective. Sure, she’d put her life on the line for Liam or Billie or Lena, but she was fairly certain she’d killed people, or that her actions had at least led to their deaths. She’d hoarded supplies for herself tucked away in the safety of her library without worrying about anyone else. She wasn’t sure whether she liked this view of herself, or if it sat in uncomfortably stark contrast with what she knew to be true.
Finally, her mind caught up with Billie’s words, reaching the final sentence. She snapped her mouth shut and forced her eyes to focus once more. “Hey!” she said. “How is it that you find a way to bring everything back to sparring or exercise?!”
“Because I’m insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Madeline rolled her eyes and groaned, but she couldn’t help the smile creeping across her face.
“Speaking of, how about we work on evening up your form a little now, eh? We’ve got a while before we have to get moving.” They pushed themselves up and started clearing a space.
“I’m going to regret ever saying that, aren’t I?” Madeline said as she got up to join them.
They grinned. “Definitely!”
The rest of the morning was spent sparring, interspersed with the occasional break when Lena stepped in for a turn. Madeline was soon sporting many a bruise, but she managed to inflict a few of her own too. She also got the satisfaction of seeing Billie visibly struggling against Lena. With the woman’s longer reach and well-practised form, she was a formidable opponent indeed.
It was nice to know that she had these two in her corner for whatever was coming next.
Next chapter hopefully on 8th June

Target User: u/flame_ss
URL: /Twittecomments/13xjpsx/what_dose_an_authentic_confirmation_code_and/
Title: What dose an authentic confirmation code and email look like?
Body:
I had one account, but so rarely used it could have been mistaken for a bot, that I last used in Fall of 2022. I can’t remember if I logged out or if I deleted the account or what, it’s been a while. The exact username punctuation is fuzzy even. Nevertheless, on May 11 I received some emails that were sent to this ancient email address I made way back when I was a teenager, and these emails began with a confirmation code message. Then I got another message telling me that there was a “Security alert for a new or suspicious login.” The last message informed me that some iPad somewhere had logged in. I didn’t actually open or read any of these emails, I just saw them as I scrolled on mobile. I screenshoted the subjects and deleted them. But I saw that on may 23, the same thing happened again: I had received more security alerts and a new code! Keep in mind none of this was occurring in real time, I only checked that old email a few days ago. I attempted to login to twitter using the username I remember having used last, with no luck. I figured if I did get hacked it would be changed anyway. The thing is: I don’t know if these emails are legitimate in the slightest or just scams. How is an actual email from Support structured? How many digits is the confirmation code they provide, if any? Also if they say “new login from (digit.doubledigit.digit.) on IPad” what does that number represent? Coordinates of some kind?

Hello all, and happy Pride month!
This year we will be rerunning our Liberation Dionysia!
The Liberation Dionysia is a time to honor deities that are seen as patrons of Queer people (or as Queer themselves), the gains made by the Queer Liberation movement, and the fight that continues today. Here is last year's announcement, gallery, & winners.
Share stories of Queer deities, your art and poetry of them, or depicting how they have supported you. The ritual category is more open, for rituals we may not have but may be interested in using. Please one submissions per category per person, except for rituals, which are unlimited.
Only rule is, anything submitted to prior Dionysias (Lesser, Greater, Autumnal, or Liberation) is ineligible. Show us something new!
The Five Categories:

• Art: Can be physical or digital!
• Poetry: Could be standard poetry, or songs, or hymns and prayers! (If you sing your song, it will be considered Performance!)
• Myth: A myth, retold or new. Can be in any format (play or prose).
• Performance: Dance, drag, or song!
• Ritual: This category will not be voted upon due to its personal nature - this is to submit wedding ceremonies, recognition/dedication/baptism ceremonies, or even just Queer rituals or spells you may have. We'd also love to see your Queer altars! As this isn't voted upon, there can be unlimited submissions by the same individual.

Please email all submissions to [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
The deadline for submissions is June 30th, Anywhere on Earth!
In addition to the contest, we will also be doing movie nights on our discord, AMAs, & a symposium or a workshop or two! More details to follow! If you are near Massachusetts, there will be a group marching in North Shore Pride on June 24th (More info here!)
~~~ Our Partners: ~~~
Cincinnati Friends of Dionysus (Reach out to u/Fabianzzz if curious for more info!)
Temple of Dionysus
Hellenic Herald
~~~ FAQ ~~~

• What is a Dionysia?
  • A Dionysia is a Dionysian festival where art (usually literary and dramatic, though increasingly not so) is created. Today, there is the Dionysia Ta Astika, in the Spring, and the Rural Dionysia, in the Fall, both on Tumblr.
• What if I’m not Queer?
  • No worries! Simply standing with us is standing up for us. But, if you have penned a wedding ritual, or even a renaming ceremony or a consecration for yourself after coming to Paganism, that has a value to us.
• How Queer do the submissions need to be?
  • There are no hard limits! The Queerer the better, but if you have something you think fits, please submit!
• What if I’m not a Dionysian, or even a Hellenist?
  • Though this is taking a leaf from the branch of Dionysian Hellenic tradition, it is open to all. If you have a prayer to Hindu deities for tolerance, a story of Queer Celtic deities or a non-religious ritual for self love after transition, by all means share!

<< First Chapter
< Previous Chapter Next Chapter >
Once Madeline and Billie had hauled themselves out of the lake it was time to get moving again. Lena had used the time they’d been “mucking about” in the medic’s words to plan out the next section of their route on the map.
Madeline struggled to pull on fresh socks over her shrivelled, soggy feet before hurriedly retying her trainers and hauling her bag onto her back. It was going to be odd walking in sodden clothes, but she was sure they’d dry soon. In fact, the cooling effect might even be a bonus — so long as the chafing wasn’t unbearable.
As the three of them made their way out of the valley, they converged slightly, all having to take the same path before they diverged out to a safe distance again so as to avoid detection by the Poiloogs. Lena went ahead, leaving Billie and Madeline to linger until they judged she was far enough away.
“Enjoy the swim?” Billie shouted over to her.
Madeline pointedly lifted her walkie-talkie to her lips and pressed the button. “Pardon?”
“I said did you enjoy the swim?” Billie’s voice came over the radio.
“You know I did!”
“Yeah, but it’s good to hear you say it.”
Madeline turned to face them more fully, glaring. As she did, she noticed their gaze skirt over her body and glanced down to realise her clothes were plastered to her skin. She instinctively went to wrap her arms around herself but paused. What point was there in being shy or ashamed of herself anymore? The world had practically ended. The apocalypse had come. Being alive was achievement enough without worrying about what your body looked like.
Heart fluttering at the brazenness of it, she let her own gaze slip down slightly, taking in Billie’s chiselled form underneath the wet fabric. Her lip twitched up as she noticed Billie’s arms jerk slightly, before falling to their sides just as hers had. It was nice to know that, as confident as her friend seemed, they all had their insecurities.
“Are you two coming, or not?” Lena’s voice jerked Madeline back to reality, and heat rapidly rose up her neck.
“Right behind you,” she said quickly, hurrying after the medic as Billie watched her go with a grin on their face.
The feared chafing soon reared its ugly head, wet fabric rubbing against her skin under the straps of her backpack, but it was a price worth paying for even a moment of fun. And there was plenty of time to take the journey slow, with lots of opportunities for breaks. They had to make the most of the time they had left, after all. Once they attempted their rescue mission, who knew what would happen?
Their next stop was at an old holiday park — a perfect place to stay the night. Once they’d performed a quick sweep of the area between them, they each chose a static caravan. The selection of keys hanging behind the front desk by the entrance made breaking in significantly easier than usual, and they were soon tucked away and getting settled.
Though there was still a little daylight left, they had a rule never to congregate before a night’s sleep. If a Poiloog detected them because of their proximity, they wouldn’t have long enough to disperse before darkness fell. Besides, they still weren’t sure how far away Poiloogs could sense them from. It might take a while for the creatures to turn up, and if they were already asleep by then…
If only they knew more about the Poiloogs. But even after sharing knowledge with Billie and the rest of the resistance — as she called them — there were still so many questions. How did they sense humans? Why was it easier for them when people were closer together and in larger groups? How did their mind control work? And what were they doing with the people they took away?
At least some answers might finally be on the horizon.
And until then, they had all their precautions to keep them safe amid the uncertainty.
Not wishing to dwell on questions that she could do nothing to answer just yet, Madeline settled onto one of the sofa beds in her caravan and tried to absorb herself in her book.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When morning came, and still with more than enough time to reach their destination, Madeline, Lena, and Billie decided to hang around a little before setting off for the day. After a lot of searching, they managed to find a caravan that still had gas left in the external canister. Billie fired up the stove as Lena and Madeline searched through their packs for anything that would make for a nice hot breakfast.
Between them, they came up with some baked beans and some tinned spam. It wasn’t exactly a full English breakfast, but it was as close as Madeline had managed in a while.
The more relaxed pace of the last few days had had many benefits. With all the sitting around outside, Madeline had managed to fully charge all her solar-powered battery packs. Now she’d be able to use her hot plate and her walkman without fear of running out of power. It was nice to feel at least a little on top of things rather than like she was continually drowning and just about scrambling to keep up.
Once they’d wolfed down the food, Billie left to patrol and keep watch while Madeline and Lena reclined in a pair of camping chairs. Though Madeline always enjoyed the other woman’s conversation, she also loved moments like this, sitting in comfortable, companionable silence. It felt like such an indulgence to enjoy the presence of someone else with no purpose. To just relax.
Of course, relaxation never lasted long when Billie was around. They returned from their patrolling at a jog. Madeline was halfway to her feet, sweat pricking at her skin and heart racing before Billie waved at her with a relaxed smile.
She slumped back into her chair, clutching a hand to her chest. “You scared me half to death!” she shouted. “I thought you must be running from something.”
“Nope,” Billie replied. “Just figured I’d enjoy this wonderful morning and make my patrolling more efficient by going for a jog.”
“Of course they did,” Lena said, throwing her a sidelong glance.
Madeline laughed. It was an oddly giddy giggle, bubbling up out of excess adrenaline that was no longer needed. “How silly of me,” she said. “I forgot for a moment that you were completely insane.”
“Not insane! Just… enthusiastic. There are some habits it’s hard to shake.” Billie grinned. “Did I ever tell you that I used to be a personal trainer?”
Suddenly, so many things clicked into place in Madeline’s mind. Another giggle bubbled up. “No, I don’t think you did,” she said. “But it makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right?” Lena climbed to her feet. “I suppose one of us should go and keep watch,” she said as she walked off. “I’ll come back when I’m bored. Or if I see anything dangerous.” She glanced over her shoulder, a grin pulling at her lips. “But I’ll try not to give you a heart attack when I do.”
“So,” Billie slumped into the now vacant chair, “what did you mean by ‘it makes perfect sense’?”
Madeline turned to face them, returning the challenge of their arched eyebrow with her most innocent expression — eyes wide with a slight smile. “Oh, you know,” she said. “Just that you’re insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Billie gaped at them. “Wow! Tell me what you really think.”
For a second, she worried that she might have gone too far in her teasing. It wasn’t too long ago that she’d managed to hurt her friend’s feelings and the experience had been unpleasant enough that she knew she never wanted to repeat it.
Then, Billie cracked a grin. “You know me so well, Mads. Or do you?” They dramatically whipped their head around to face her, narrowing their eyes in an accusatory stare. “Can you guess what my second job was?”
“Second job?” Madeline asked, buying time as she considered everything she knew about them. They were definitely into fitness, but that had already been covered. They were friendly and good with people, but that could lend itself to all kinds of roles.
“Yeah. The PT work could be a little sporadic so I had another way of making money.”
Coming up empty, Madeline spread her hands in a shrug. “I don’t know… delivery rider?”
“Aha! No!” They paused, eyes drifting up as they considered. “Okay, well, I might have done that for a bit. But it wasn’t what I was doing most recently.”
“So what was your second job?”
“Bartender. And I was damn good at it too.”
Just like before, as soon as Billie had said the words it all fit perfectly. She could imagine them behind the bar, charming customers, darting back and forward mixing drinks, and, of course, swiftly dealing with any inappropriate or violent behaviour.
“See,” they said, sitting back and folding their arms, “maybe you don’t know everything about me.”
“I’m certain I don’t,” Madeline replied. “You certainly don’t know everything about me.”
Billie instantly leaned forward again, rising to the challenge. “Oh really? I bet I can guess what you used to do!”
The childish excitement on their face at this new game made Madeline’s chest swell with warmth. “Go on then.”
“I think you were…” They stared at her, rubbing their chin as if deep in thought. “I think you were a librarian.”
“I wish!” Madeline scoffed.
“An English teacher?”
“What, with all those children? Hell no!”
“A writer? Journalist? Editor?”
Madeline clutched a hand to her heart in mock affront. “Wow! It’s almost as if you only know one thing about me!”
“Hey! I know lots about you!” Billie insisted. “It’s just that none of it is useful in figuring out what sort of job you’d have had. So are you going to put me out of my misery, or what?”
“I was a marketing executive,” she said with a sigh.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means sitting at the same desk every day coming up with ways to promote products to people who don’t need them.”
“Sounds fun!”
“It wasn’t.” Madeline shifted forward slightly in her chair, leaning her elbows onto her knees to be ever so slightly closer to her friend. “So what do you know about me then?”
Billie tilted their head quizzically. “Huh?”
“You said that you knew lots about me. So what is it you know?”
“Ah.” They leaned forward too, mirroring Madeline as they chewed their lip in thought. “I know that you love books — obviously. I know that you’re slow to trust, but that once you do you trust completely. I know that despite everything you’ve been through, you still put others before yourself to the point you're willing to risk your life for those you care about. I know that you’re smart, and like to plan things out properly. And that you hate it when things don’t go to plan. I know that you’re tough and fiercely independent, but that you crave connection even though you fear it. Oh, and I know that you favour your left foot and your right hand in a fight.”
Madeline stared at them, mouth hanging open slightly as she took in their view of her. It wasn’t that it was completely wrong. It was just that it seemed somewhat selective. Sure, she’d put her life on the line for Liam or Billie or Lena, but she was fairly certain she’d killed people, or that her actions had at least led to their deaths. She’d hoarded supplies for herself tucked away in the safety of her library without worrying about anyone else. She wasn’t sure whether she liked this view of herself, or if it sat in uncomfortably stark contrast with what she knew to be true.
Finally, her mind caught up with Billie’s words, reaching the final sentence. She snapped her mouth shut and forced her eyes to focus once more. “Hey!” she said. “How is it that you find a way to bring everything back to sparring or exercise?!”
“Because I’m insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Madeline rolled her eyes and groaned, but she couldn’t help the smile creeping across her face.
“Speaking of, how about we work on evening up your form a little now, eh? We’ve got a while before we have to get moving.” They pushed themselves up and started clearing a space.
“I’m going to regret ever saying that, aren’t I?” Madeline said as she got up to join them.
They grinned. “Definitely!”
The rest of the morning was spent sparring, interspersed with the occasional break when Lena stepped in for a turn. Madeline was soon sporting many a bruise, but she managed to inflict a few of her own too. She also got the satisfaction of seeing Billie visibly struggling against Lena. With the woman’s longer reach and well-practised form, she was a formidable opponent indeed.
It was nice to know that she had these two in her corner for whatever was coming next.
Author's Note: Next chapter to be posted 8th June (hopefully). This is an ongoing project so I welcome any feedback you might have.

Sorry, this might end up being a really long post because I am really feeling lost today and it seems like a lot to explain at once. I began to develop my BED when I was fifteen, by the time I was eighteen it had become fully-fledged and a big issue. I am now 26.
Since I was around seventeen/eighteen my family began to fight for me to get help with this. At first, I was seen by a psychologist whom I saw for about six weeks, who gave us some very basic ideas on how to prevent this from becoming an eating disorder. This included things like making sure I always had access to food that I might want to eat.
At this point, no one explained to me or my family why this was a good idea, and why we should be curbing the ED by allowing permanent access and replacing the mentality of starvation in the brain. Needless to say after about two weeks my Mum decided that this was ridiculous and we had to stop this because it just meant she was having to spend loads of money on food that I was just going to eat incredibly fast.
About a year after this, I was admitted to the hospital with almost DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) - I have been T1 Diabetic since I was 10. I didn't have acidic blood and was released the following day thankfully. In the hospital I was visited by one of the diabetes nurses, my Mum explained to her how much I was struggling and that my food issues seemed to have been the reason I ended up there.
From there I was sent to see a psychologist through the diabetes team. She was hopeless and knew nothing about eating disorders or my other diagnoses (I have a bit of a list but here the relevant ones were ASD and ADHD).
After this time there was a huge overhaul in the adult T1 diabetes team and I lost any type of contact point for the diabetes side of things.
From then I was placed on ADHD medications - after I asked my psychiatrist about it, he had no idea t could be used for EDs. Despite the reason I had asked to go on it I was trialled on two different drugs before I was given Vyvanse, the one which might have helped.
Despite the drug having no effect whatsoever on my ED it proved to be immensely helpful for my ADHD - I hadn't had any medication for this since I was maybe 7 or eight, and we had no idea it could be so helpful.
Back to the main story lol, I was then put on the waiting list for psychology again but through mental health, like the first time. A pandemic happened. I waited nearly five years to be seen by psychology again. (I may have the dates a little mixed in terms of when I was put back on the list but I know it was nearly five years)
I was filled with hope when I was first seen in September of last year but I came quite quickly back to realising that this, once more, would be no use. My psychologist is preparing to discharge me - and yes I have tried to make it clear on several occasions that I don't feel like I have got a lot better and that I don't feel they have given me any type of steps or structured guidance at all.
We looked at perspective-taking. We determined that it felt better to eat when I felt the desire to binge than it did not eat. We once looked at some of my positive traits and we have done a couple of sessions on mindful eating. They had an appointment with my mum where the purpose was to try and clarify all of the things we had looked at and discussed with her specifically. This was meant to help my mum to understand where she could help me and what would be of use.
My Mum has never really spoken to me about this appointment, but she has equally not begun to make any changes in the house as were previously suggested - like food I always have access to.
A few months ago in the height of some very bad anxiety - Anxiety which was based on the fact I was not getting the specific help I needed and was soon to be discharged yet again from psychology - I was hit with the realisation that the only way I might be able to fix this could well be by myself.
I have been passed around for so long, I have had small sections of help now and again but nothing concrete enough to really give me a chance and it's becoming more and more clear that there are no experts at all in my area and that they have no interest in finding them. I Have learned more about eating disorders on my own than I have from any of the professionals, I have been enlightened about things such as restriction - which was never discussed in much detail and is something I definitely have a problem with.
I was beginning to have a more positive outlook on it all but after spending 4 days in a spiral over what I should be doing and when; trying to work out which thoughts I am supposed to try and override and which to hold onto I feel really helpless again.
I live with my parents, I have never been able to live independently so far due to my combination of conditions as well as the ED being a danger to my health (thanks to diabetes). Many years ago we agreed that my Mum would keep control over most of my money, giving me what I needed/wanted as requested but preventing me from the option of continually eating all the money I had.
In the past year I got my first job, and each month I have been keeping a small amount of what I am paid for myself. I end up spending all of this usually on food.
And here's what started this post:
- I have read that I should avoid going out to buy food when I feel the desire to binge.
- If I don't go out to buy food when I have the money to do so then I have no access to food in the way it is advised - the whole thing of craving something that is rare and then when the brain realises its not rare it will calm down.
- My family has never had any form of useful support to explain why I need access to desirable food all the time, so they don't give me this option.
Then is there really any point in me trying to help myself? Is it actually possible to find a successful way through all of this without the help of my whole family?
I need some form of framework. I can't continue to try and help myself when I don't have steps I can work on one at a time. I need objectives and goals and I can't find a way to achieve all of these as needed without my family doing the things they should be doing. I feel stuck, constantly stuck, with no way of making my way out and there seems to not be any options to support me.

Hi folks! Happy Pride Month :)
We are looking into the process of bringing on a handful of new mods to the team in the coming months/medium term future. So, we thought we would post an open application for anyone that would like to express an interest in joining! We're primarily looking for folks that can help out across both of our platforms (this subreddit and also the discord server, if you are a regular user of both.)
Having said that, if you are mostly interested in moderating the subreddit, that's okay too! The mod team does most of our communicating on discord, so as long as you have an account and are happy to use it to communicate with us on there, you don't need to be an active mod of the server itself.
The link is below, looking forward to hearing from you!
https://forms.gle/GBNPZudUkWKffpoQA
We've got some things we want to sort out before we add any new members to the team, just to make the onboarding process as smooth and easy as possible, so if it takes a while to hear back from us, don't fret! As soon as we make any decisions we will contact everyone to let them know if they've been accepted or not. Even if you don't get accepted we will keep your application for the next time we are looking for new mods!
Cheers,
Nick-E

Once Madeline and Billie had hauled themselves out of the lake it was time to get moving again. Lena had used the time they’d been “mucking about” in the medic’s words to plan out the next section of their route on the map.
Madeline struggled to pull on fresh socks over her shrivelled, soggy feet before hurriedly retying her trainers and hauling her bag onto her back. It was going to be odd walking in sodden clothes, but she was sure they’d dry soon. In fact, the cooling effect might even be a bonus — so long as the chafing wasn’t unbearable.
As the three of them made their way out of the valley, they converged slightly, all having to take the same path before they diverged out to a safe distance again so as to avoid detection by the Poiloogs. Lena went ahead, leaving Billie and Madeline to linger until they judged she was far enough away.
“Enjoy the swim?” Billie shouted over to her.
Madeline pointedly lifted her walkie-talkie to her lips and pressed the button. “Pardon?”
“I said did you enjoy the swim?” Billie’s voice came over the radio.
“You know I did!”
“Yeah, but it’s good to hear you say it.”
Madeline turned to face them more fully, glaring. As she did, she noticed their gaze skirt over her body and glanced down to realise her clothes were plastered to her skin. She instinctively went to wrap her arms around herself but paused. What point was there in being shy or ashamed of herself anymore? The world had practically ended. The apocalypse had come. Being alive was achievement enough without worrying about what your body looked like.
Heart fluttering at the brazenness of it, she let her own gaze slip down slightly, taking in Billie’s chiselled form underneath the wet fabric. Her lip twitched up as she noticed Billie’s arms jerk slightly, before falling to their sides just as hers had. It was nice to know that, as confident as her friend seemed, they all had their insecurities.
“Are you two coming, or not?” Lena’s voice jerked Madeline back to reality, and heat rapidly rose up her neck.
“Right behind you,” she said quickly, hurrying after the medic as Billie watched her go with a grin on their face.
The feared chafing soon reared its ugly head, wet fabric rubbing against her skin under the straps of her backpack, but it was a price worth paying for even a moment of fun. And there was plenty of time to take the journey slow, with lots of opportunities for breaks. They had to make the most of the time they had left, after all. Once they attempted their rescue mission, who knew what would happen?
Their next stop was at an old holiday park — a perfect place to stay the night. Once they’d performed a quick sweep of the area between them, they each chose a static caravan. The selection of keys hanging behind the front desk by the entrance made breaking in significantly easier than usual, and they were soon tucked away and getting settled.
Though there was still a little daylight left, they had a rule never to congregate before a night’s sleep. If a Poiloog detected them because of their proximity, they wouldn’t have long enough to disperse before darkness fell. Besides, they still weren’t sure how far away Poiloogs could sense them from. It might take a while for the creatures to turn up, and if they were already asleep by then…
If only they knew more about the Poiloogs. But even after sharing knowledge with Billie and the rest of the resistance — as she called them — there were still so many questions. How did they sense humans? Why was it easier for them when people were closer together and in larger groups? How did their mind control work? And what were they doing with the people they took away?
At least some answers might finally be on the horizon.
And until then, they had all their precautions to keep them safe amid the uncertainty.
Not wishing to dwell on questions that she could do nothing to answer just yet, Madeline settled onto one of the sofa beds in her caravan and tried to absorb herself in her book.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When morning came, and still with more than enough time to reach their destination, Madeline, Lena, and Billie decided to hang around a little before setting off for the day. After a lot of searching, they managed to find a caravan that still had gas left in the external canister. Billie fired up the stove as Lena and Madeline searched through their packs for anything that would make for a nice hot breakfast.
Between them, they came up with some baked beans and some tinned spam. It wasn’t exactly a full English breakfast, but it was as close as Madeline had managed in a while.
The more relaxed pace of the last few days had had many benefits. With all the sitting around outside, Madeline had managed to fully charge all her solar-powered battery packs. Now she’d be able to use her hot plate and her walkman without fear of running out of power. It was nice to feel at least a little on top of things rather than like she was continually drowning and just about scrambling to keep up.
Once they’d wolfed down the food, Billie left to patrol and keep watch while Madeline and Lena reclined in a pair of camping chairs. Though Madeline always enjoyed the other woman’s conversation, she also loved moments like this, sitting in comfortable, companionable silence. It felt like such an indulgence to enjoy the presence of someone else with no purpose. To just relax.
Of course, relaxation never lasted long when Billie was around. They returned from their patrolling at a jog. Madeline was halfway to her feet, sweat pricking at her skin and heart racing before Billie waved at her with a relaxed smile.
She slumped back into her chair, clutching a hand to her chest. “You scared me half to death!” she shouted. “I thought you must be running from something.”
“Nope,” Billie replied. “Just figured I’d enjoy this wonderful morning and make my patrolling more efficient by going for a jog.”
“Of course they did,” Lena said, throwing her a sidelong glance.
Madeline laughed. It was an oddly giddy giggle, bubbling up out of excess adrenaline that was no longer needed. “How silly of me,” she said. “I forgot for a moment that you were completely insane.”
“Not insane! Just… enthusiastic. There are some habits it’s hard to shake.” Billie grinned. “Did I ever tell you that I used to be a personal trainer?”
Suddenly, so many things clicked into place in Madeline’s mind. Another giggle bubbled up. “No, I don’t think you did,” she said. “But it makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right?” Lena climbed to her feet. “I suppose one of us should go and keep watch,” she said as she walked off. “I’ll come back when I’m bored. Or if I see anything dangerous.” She glanced over her shoulder, a grin pulling at her lips. “But I’ll try not to give you a heart attack when I do.”
“So,” Billie slumped into the now vacant chair, “what did you mean by ‘it makes perfect sense’?”
Madeline turned to face them, returning the challenge of their arched eyebrow with her most innocent expression — eyes wide with a slight smile. “Oh, you know,” she said. “Just that you’re insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Billie gaped at them. “Wow! Tell me what you really think.”
For a second, she worried that she might have gone too far in her teasing. It wasn’t too long ago that she’d managed to hurt her friend’s feelings and the experience had been unpleasant enough that she knew she never wanted to repeat it.
Then, Billie cracked a grin. “You know me so well, Mads. Or do you?” They dramatically whipped their head around to face her, narrowing their eyes in an accusatory stare. “Can you guess what my second job was?”
“Second job?” Madeline asked, buying time as she considered everything she knew about them. They were definitely into fitness, but that had already been covered. They were friendly and good with people, but that could lend itself to all kinds of roles.
“Yeah. The PT work could be a little sporadic so I had another way of making money.”
Coming up empty, Madeline spread her hands in a shrug. “I don’t know… delivery rider?”
“Aha! No!” They paused, eyes drifting up as they considered. “Okay, well, I might have done that for a bit. But it wasn’t what I was doing most recently.”
“So what was your second job?”
“Bartender. And I was damn good at it too.”
Just like before, as soon as Billie had said the words it all fit perfectly. She could imagine them behind the bar, charming customers, darting back and forward mixing drinks, and, of course, swiftly dealing with any inappropriate or violent behaviour.
“See,” they said, sitting back and folding their arms, “maybe you don’t know everything about me.”
“I’m certain I don’t,” Madeline replied. “You certainly don’t know everything about me.”
Billie instantly leaned forward again, rising to the challenge. “Oh really? I bet I can guess what you used to do!”
The childish excitement on their face at this new game made Madeline’s chest swell with warmth. “Go on then.”
“I think you were…” They stared at her, rubbing their chin as if deep in thought. “I think you were a librarian.”
“I wish!” Madeline scoffed.
“An English teacher?”
“What, with all those children? Hell no!”
“A writer? Journalist? Editor?”
Madeline clutched a hand to her heart in mock affront. “Wow! It’s almost as if you only know one thing about me!”
“Hey! I know lots about you!” Billie insisted. “It’s just that none of it is useful in figuring out what sort of job you’d have had. So are you going to put me out of my misery, or what?”
“I was a marketing executive,” she said with a sigh.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means sitting at the same desk every day coming up with ways to promote products to people who don’t need them.”
“Sounds fun!”
“It wasn’t.” Madeline shifted forward slightly in her chair, leaning her elbows onto her knees to be ever so slightly closer to her friend. “So what do you know about me then?”
Billie tilted their head quizzically. “Huh?”
“You said that you knew lots about me. So what is it you know?”
“Ah.” They leaned forward too, mirroring Madeline as they chewed their lip in thought. “I know that you love books — obviously. I know that you’re slow to trust, but that once you do you trust completely. I know that despite everything you’ve been through, you still put others before yourself to the point you're willing to risk your life for those you care about. I know that you’re smart, and like to plan things out properly. And that you hate it when things don’t go to plan. I know that you’re tough and fiercely independent, but that you crave connection even though you fear it. Oh, and I know that you favour your left foot and your right hand in a fight.”
Madeline stared at them, mouth hanging open slightly as she took in their view of her. It wasn’t that it was completely wrong. It was just that it seemed somewhat selective. Sure, she’d put her life on the line for Liam or Billie or Lena, but she was fairly certain she’d killed people, or that her actions had at least led to their deaths. She’d hoarded supplies for herself tucked away in the safety of her library without worrying about anyone else. She wasn’t sure whether she liked this view of herself, or if it sat in uncomfortably stark contrast with what she knew to be true.
Finally, her mind caught up with Billie’s words, reaching the final sentence. She snapped her mouth shut and forced her eyes to focus once more. “Hey!” she said. “How is it that you find a way to bring everything back to sparring or exercise?!”
“Because I’m insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Madeline rolled her eyes and groaned, but she couldn’t help the smile creeping across her face.
“Speaking of, how about we work on evening up your form a little now, eh? We’ve got a while before we have to get moving.” They pushed themselves up and started clearing a space.
“I’m going to regret ever saying that, aren’t I?” Madeline said as she got up to join them.
They grinned. “Definitely!”
The rest of the morning was spent sparring, interspersed with the occasional break when Lena stepped in for a turn. Madeline was soon sporting many a bruise, but she managed to inflict a few of her own too. She also got the satisfaction of seeing Billie visibly struggling against Lena. With the woman’s longer reach and well-practised form, she was a formidable opponent indeed.
It was nice to know that she had these two in her corner for whatever was coming next.

Don't know if this is the place for this but here.
I woke up today and immediately thought of you. I opened my phone and backed up picture of you came up as a memory and I just couldn't take it.
Happy birthday. I'm unable to reach you and understandably so. But in hopes you somehow find this or see this, I wish you a happy birthday.
I know we're both in different places and it's been a while since we last talked and twice as long since I left, but I'm never going to be able to forget about. You were my first love and after these years and the relationships I've had I've never forgotten you. I know I had opportunities to truly reconcile things and I'm sorry I didn't. I will always wonder how things would be if I never left that day. I'll never be able to forget that day. As I left that last hug. I'll never forget it, how tight you held me, the way I made you feel, what you said, passing your dad down the stairs. I'm never going to forget that and will never forgive myself for what I did.
You gave me too many chances after that and I either ruined them or turned them down in fear I'd hurt you again. I wish I never set that stupid thing up on Snapchat, I wish you never blocked me but I understand.
You were the best thing that ever happened to me and you're a very special person. Not just to me but you as a person are just very special. You've had an incrediblely tough road and I know you're more resilient person.
I'm rambling here and realizing this is more of a sorry and I miss you post than anything but I'm just gonna keep going with what my mind comes up with.
I'm just so fucking sorry, so many memories, so many songs, there's still so many that I can't listen too. I'm never going to be able to listen to that highly suspect song without tearing up or changing the song.
I hope your able to find happiness where you are now, and that things are stable, happy and healthy. I worry about that often.
Idk where I'm going with this I'm a bit of a mess right now. I just wanted to say happy birthday L, I hope you're happy and doing well. I hope everyone around you appreciates and treats you how you deserve. I hope you succeed. And I'm proud of you. I miss you and will never forget you for the rest of my life. It's been over 5 years but I'll still think of you after 20 and more. I hope to hear from you sometime down the line, I don't expect it but hope. Idk, this is stupid. Have a safe birthday, don't go too crazy.

I booked the flight two months ago. I paid for a flight with a one hour layover in Chicago. Today, they sent me an email that my flight has been changed and now I have a nine hour layover in Chicago. What's worse, is that my original connecting flight is still available to book. They didn't cancel it or get rid of it. It's still there for other people to book tickets on. But, for some reason, my seat on that flight is gone. The one that I PAID FOR 2 MONTHS AGO. How can airlines get away with this? I paid for a seat and they just gave it away to someone else. This is criminal.

Hello, this is a throwaway account. I need some advice on what to do at my current job. Sorry if it’s long!
So I started this warehouse job 7 months ago because I’m trying to utilize their benefits and go back to school for free. I’ve had an issue with one of my leads (he’s not called a manager, but he’s higher than me) and there was a HR investigation because he was making unwanted comments towards me. I’m 30f but look young and he’s at least 25 years older than me and married. Nothing physical but his comments kept getting worse towards me over time. After the investigation which was 4 months ago, they didn’t really do much (I assume) but talk to him and tell him to stop because he still has the same exact schedule as me and they didn’t move him or anything. He did stop talking to me like that but he will still look at me from time to time and I just hate it. Well, they’re starting to train me on more indirect roles which would involve me having to go talk to him or ask him for help sometimes, way more than my current role. The thing is, I still feel very uncomfortable around him. Like I don’t want him near me, looking at me, or talking to me at all. Part of me wants to lay low and just finish school, deal with it and get the hell out of there. I also have been wanting to change my schedule so I don’t have the SAME exact schedule as him and they conveniently don’t have any openings. I told the manager I wanted to change and they acted like their hands were tied and I have to talk to HR which is not really present at my site. I would have to call the company HR. I could talk to my site lead but he is acting sort of weird towards me too. He used to greet me all the time and it seems like in the last two weeks, he was blatantly ignoring me, even though we made eye contact several times. He doesn’t have to talk to me or anything, but it’s weird that he went from 60 to 0. I’m worried that the lead talked to him and I don’t know, maybe the story got twisted somehow. I don’t know how much I should tolerate or should I just go directly to the company HR and demand my schedule to be changed. Even if I changed my schedule though, I would see him at least half a shift but that’s better than what it is now. I’m afraid that they’ll find some way to let me go because the lead is more valuable of a worker than I am. He often gives 110% but I feel like he’s sucking up. He is well-liked by a lot of the people there because he’s been there way longer than me.
Am I overreacting or should I just talk to my managers again or go directly to HR? I don’t want to make a big deal of it, I just want to get school done and get the hell out of there ASAP but I don’t know how long it will take. What would you guys do if you were in my situation?

If you wanna know the entire story of this, I invite you to have a look at my previous post in this sub.
I have updates.
I talked to her today. I wasn't comfortable but I managed to tell her that:
"If you're ready to be with me, knowing that I am too, let's be together...? I wanted to tell you face to face that I really, really, really like you (she smiled) and I know I'm not the most handsome or sociable guy but I wanted to tell you that I love you."
And she just said: "thank you it's kind"
...
I guess we still aren't in a relationship, nothing changed, we didn't hug or kiss, she never clearly told me she loves me too, etc.
I'm a bit upset :/ I always mess up...
Then a friend (which is a good friend of hers) came and told me "are you still with your gf?" me: "nah", he said: "oh I'm sorry. But is Justine (my crush) just a friend with who you talk?" me: "I guess yeah... but I like her."
His reaction upset me. He was smiling and saying "damn... wtf??! Damn it's incredible.. woah wtf" and I said: "what?" and he just said "nah nothing don't worry" me: "ok?" he: "I wish you luck fr"
Idk what he meant and why he reacted like that. Idk if my crush still likes me or not, if yes she doesn't seem to want to be in a relationship idk. Idk if I have to talk to her (it would be in like 2 minutes...) or if I might piss her off because she already knows I love her...
Idk

Hi want to build a pfsense machine able to support 2.5Gb WAN (1Gb connection) and and 2 2.5Gb LAN. Was going to add pci express cards to provide hi speed ports.
Found a dell optiplex 7050 6th gen with i7-6700 and 16gb ram but want to know what the power usage is likely to be?
Also open to other hardware suggestion.
Many thanks Damien

I’m sorry for posting here but given I don’t have experience in this situation I would like advice please.
My relationship started out wonderful, we understood each other, we communicated great, we were empathetic and we made sure we made time for the other.
It’s went downhill lately and I’m just finding I have more sad days than happy ones. I try to express I need more time and my partner is concerned with work more than anything. I try to call while they work to spend time together and there is a constant complaining how I take their time, how they can’t focus at work and how I am a baby.
I try to communicate my feelings and I’m name called and told that “I’m trying to change them.” I express that I don’t feel loved like I did before and it’s somehow my problem. They break up with me and then want me back. I try to communicate using skills I learned and they tell me I sound like a psycho.
Everything wrong in their life is my fault.
I feel just very unwanted, like I don’t matter and I am sad more day than I am happy. They blocked me on all social media platforms. Telling me that social media isn’t a big deal.
I’m a bit health sensitive so this behavior makes me never want to close the gap. Which I think makes them angrier.
I’m having a hard time after a diagnosis so I wanted support and called them, they work from home. I was made out to be a problem, and yelled at for distracting them. So they hung up on me.
I’m just missing what was and holding out hope they will wake up, but I don’t see it happening, and I think the realizations hurt more than what is happening. I feel like I’m mourning someone who I loved.

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The Stretching Guide
Jewelry-
Wearing quality jewelry is one of the most important parts of the stretching journey. The best material(s) for stretching first and foremost are “Single-Flare Glass Plugs” or just glass jewelry in general; while single flare implant grade Titanium and Niobium are safe to use it is important to get it from a trusted makeseller to ensure the grade labeled is true to the product. Acrylic, silicone, cheap metal, double-flared as well as natural (e.g., wood, stone, horn) jewelry should never be used to stretch piercings let alone in freshy pierced flesh. Here’s why!
Acrylic: Materials like acrylic are quite easily scratched and dented even in packaging which can lead to irritation, and while acrylic is sold as jewelry it is not currently available in a biocompatible or “medical grade” version(s) in the jewelry trade, this means it is extremely hard to know the actual quality and with all the additives used to cheapen the product and worst case scenario leach these chemicals out of the jewelry. This honestly makes them a poor choice in all scenarios. Cheap Metals: Cheap metal jewelry can be safely presumed to be low quality in many ways, either being low polished, coated in low quality metals or just not the proper grade in general. This can lead to swelling and irritation in most cases. If you are going to choose to wear cheap/low-grade jewelry it is important to be sure the area for it to be used in is fully healed beforehand. Silicone: In this case there is a medical grade silicone jewelry provider, ‘Kaos Soft Wear’. Silicone is a poor choice for stretching as it can easily lead to micro-tears, blowouts, irritation, and infection. High-grade silicone is an excellent choice for healed piercings and after stretching has healed but not during either process. Natural Materials: These materials include wood, horn, stone, bamboo, and bone. Though these materials may surpass many types of jewelry in aesthetics they make a poor choice to stretch with and for initial piercings due to their porousness. This aids in trapping bacteria which of course can lead to the worst case, infections, if a blowout were to occur and irritation because of the larger pores in the surface. Having this happen during a stretch or initial piercing can make for a very poor experience which is why it is only recommended to wear these pieces in properly healed holes.
We always recommend buying your jewelry from a well-known manufacturer. Here are some quality jewelry manufacturers:
· Anometal
​

• Industrial Strength
• NeoMetal
• Glasswear Studios
• Gorilla Glass

Why Glass Single-Flare Plugs?-
Single-flare glass plugs are the best choice due to having a gentle but steep tapered end making insertion of the jewelry easy and comfortable when your body is ready. Being extremely smooth, non-porous, weighing less than other metal jewelry and with the ability to be autoclaved make it an excellent choice for stretching and fresh piercings alike!
O-Rings-
O-rings are regularly available in Nitrile and Silicone. Though usually safe, some people may have allergies to either of these materials. Signs of an allergy from your O-ring will usually result in redness or itchiness at the location of the O-ring, but it’s important to note not to confuse an allergy irritation with your ears not being ready to stretch as blowouts usually result in the days to come and not so much immediately after stretching. People who do use O-rings can often have trouble keeping them on, whether it be while sleeping or throughout the day, but there is a hopeful fix! The X-Ring - Nitrile No-Roll O-Rings. These O-rings stay where you need them much better than normal O-rings... Unfortunately, they only come in sizes from 8g to 1"(25mm)
Stretching Basics-
Keeping your Piercings Healthy:
Lubrication is necessary when stretching and with everyday maintenance/care. The products below are particularly good for keeping your lobes healthy & moisturized and when mixed with beeswax, they will work for twice as long!
​

• Jojoba Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Avocado Oil
• Emu Oil
• Raw Cocoa Butter
• Vitamin E oil

Always keep your lobes well lubricated!
Especially when inserting jewelry! This helps keep your skin happy and healthy, along with this the process of massaging the area is also beneficial in itself!
-How to Make "Ear Butter"
It is incredibly simple to make your own ear butter.
For it you’ll need the following ingredients:
​

• Coconut Oil = 1 TBSP
• Vitamin E Oil = 1 TBSP
• Jojoba Oil = 1 TBSP
• Raw Organic Cocoa Butter = 1 TBSP
• Emu Oil (AEA Certified Always) = 1 TBSP
• Organic Beeswax = 1 TBSP for a soft "butter," or 2 TBSP for a firmer mix

Instructions:
1. You will need two pots, a large pot filled with water, and a small pot to set inside the larger pot which will float on top of the water. This is how you make a double boiler.
2. Place pots on stove, on Low heat.
3. Add all ingredients to the small pot.
4. Slowly allow all the ingredients to melt together.
5. Stir thoroughly & pour into small mason jar or other container and allow to cool at room temperature.
6. When cooled, it should be creamy to slightly firm depending on the amount of beeswax you decide to use. *If it is too hard for your liking, melt mixture back down and add more oils. If it is too soft add more beeswax.*
When you’re stretching your ears and the area has healed, it’s important while oiling and massaging them to also practice being without them. This helps promote a healthier lobe by helping with circulation and prevention of thinning. However, some people may not be able to leave their plugs out for long periods of time but the point is to allow your lobes to rest each day while still being able to gently insert your jewelry again after said period of time. There are of course exceptions such as when you are planning to or have recently stretched already. You should be leaving your jewelry in while you sleep for two to four weeks before and after stretching but should still be removed for about an hour after showering or cleaning once a day to massage and lubricate them. While youre lobes are initially stretching try not to sleep on them and instead sleep on your back if possible or use a specially made pillow like a travel pillow.
· Ear Piercing Pillow
If you happen to have had a blowout that has healed and are trying to reduce the “cat-butt” look, lubricating, and massaging your lobes three times a day may prove to be beneficial, as well, downsizing, may prove beneficial and may also help thicken lobes!
How to stretch your Piercings:
When on your stretching journey patience is a virtue!
The longer you wait in-between stretching your newly loved piercing the better the results!
Below is an approximate timeline you can follow for soft tissue such as earlobes. Remember when in doubt, wait longer.
The following is the approximate time needed to wait in-between stretching softer tissue:
Fresh Piercing 6+ months 14g-12g 1+ month 12g-10g 1.5+ months 10g-8g 2+ months 8g-6g 3+ months 6g-4g 3+ month 4g-2g 3+ months 2g-7mm(1g) 4+ months 7mm-8mm(0g) 4+ months 8mm(0g)-9mm(00g) 4+ months 9mm(00g)-10mm(00g) 4+ months
When it comes to piercings located in cartilage and or other thicker tissues it is recommended to at least double the table above. To reiterate these are just general approximations. It is important to note that some people may need to go slower. It can be VERY hard to tell if you are going too fast sometimes. Stretching is not a race. The question should never be "How fast can I go?" But rather: "How slow should I go to avoid doing any damage."
Everyone’s body is different, the same goes for various locations of the body and stretching them. The smaller the increase in size the safer the stretch will be. You should never stretch more than 1mm at a time especially since it’s become quite easy to acquire glass plugs in 1.0mm and even 0.5mm increments. You can find incremental jewelry sizes here:

• Gorilla Glass .5mm Plugs
• Nirvana Glass .5mm Plugs
• Arctic Buffalo Glass 1mm Plugs
  -Dead Stretching is the process of using single-flare plugs of proper material and simply inserting it into the piercing at a slightly larger size than currently worn once the fresh piercing or previously stretched area is healed fully. You will see a slight gap between your skin and the jewelry when pulled lightly downward. At smaller sizes this may be less noticeable but indicates you are ready for the next size. Dead stretching should not be done with double-flared plugs as the flare is usually another 1-2mm wider in diameter than the size you are ordering. If you ever feel tingling sensations, burning, pain, or any other sensation after stretching, downsize immediately. -Taping is the process of using of using PTFE tape to gradually go up in size over time. Bondage tape is also used but is not always recommended due to it being almost two times as thick and over twice as wide. With this method you would start using this at larger sizes 0g(8mm)+ when you are healed from your last stretch and you start to have a small gap that won’t stretch up to the next size. You would wrap it around your jewelry about two times, lubricate your ears and insert the jewelry. You would then wait for the stretch to heal and proceed to the next available jewelry size. This method though not as safe as dead stretching is sometimes needed, that being said, the taping method can be more of a pain as you should be changing the tape daily to keep it clean which means removing the tape and rewrapping. To make this easier you could use a decent quality caliper to check the size of the jewelry with the tape after wrapping. Taping should be used as a last resort of sorts for people who have waited the appropriate amount of time but still can’t get to that next size. It is also used to help facilitate the stretching of cartilage in even smaller increments than 0.5mm. If you ever feel tingling sensations, burning, pain, or any other sensation after stretching, downsize immediately. -Weights are an addition or replacement of a heavier piece(s) of jewelry that can be used in numerous ways. Weights should always be avoided with new and freshly stretched piercings. Lighter weight can be used to help facilitate stretching in the form of stone plugs or even the addition of Captive Bead or Seamless Rings into sturdy tunnels. These small increments of weight can help get you to that next little step but it is important when using hanging weights to really keep track of how much they weigh. For example, a Rose Quartz 25mm double-flare plug weighs about 18grams, a 0g 5/8”steel captive bead ring weighs about 31grams, hanging weights can be found at about 6-50grams but knowing this also consider that instead of the weight being distributed more so properly like when we wear our plugs, hanging weights will be constantly pulling downward on the same spot of the ear which can lead to the thinning of the area and irritation this can still go for inserting heavier weights through tunnels. It’s important when considering hanging weights to use them temporarily, about 2-4 hours a day. Even heavier stone and extra rings through tunnels should be used in moderation, any excess weight pulling on a specific area can cause thinning if you leave it in long enough. If you ever feel tingling sensations, burning, pain, or any other sensation after stretching, downsize immediately. -Tapers(traditionally) should realistically be considered an instrument rather than a piece of jewelry. Tapers can cause (and often do) severe damage before you realize what has happened and this also includes tapered jewelry. This includes pinchers, spirals and twist pieces alike. Due to the very gradual increase in size this makes it easier to insert larger jewelry before the area is ready causing blowouts, tears, swelling and possibly infection. It’s also important to not wear these types of jewelry to bed as they can get stuck in blankets and pillows! Using tapers to stretch is extremely discouraged in most scenarios though there are some exceptions, being cartilage and other tougher tissue areas(e.g., upper ear, septums, some genital areas). Even though this is the case and stretching these areas is quite different than the standard earlobe it is still recommended to go slow, use half sizes, and be aware of how these areas should feel when stretching. Like any other piercings you can still cause blowouts, tears, and infection. If this is a new journey for you, it is STRONGLY recommended to see a piercer to stretch these areas for you the first few times to figure out how it should be done and feel. If you ever feel tingling sensations, burning, pain, or any other sensation after stretching, downsize immediately.
  
• Proper Tapering set w/ in-between sizes
  
• Snap Plug Stretching Kit 4g-0g, 0g-1/2”
  

Snap-Plugs are a not mentioned very often now adays but are a safer alternative to tapers when/where they can be applied. These plugs snap together in small increments, more so than tapers. For example tapers in mm starting from 4g-0g would be 5, 5.5, 6, 7, 8mm with half sizes, whereas the snap-plugs from 4g-0g would consist of ten steps making it less likely for blowouts or tears when of course used properly.
Stretching Cartilage and Other Areas:
When considering stretching cartilage and other tougher areas it’s important to note that this is quite a different experience than stretching tissue like the standard earlobe. As mentioned above, healing and stretching time is about doubled when it comes these tougher areas whether it be septums, upper portions of the ear or even genital piercings like the apadravya. If you plan to stretch these areas you should consider how large you want to go with your stretching journey. If you only plan to go up a couple sizes from the initial piercing, stretching over time is definitely feasible where others who may want to go larger may consider a larger needle gauge or even get it done with a dermal/biopsy punch, area dependent. When it comes to these piercings it’s always recommended when stretching to see your piercer to make sure this is done properly even if only to get a feeling of how it is supposed to go. Stretching these areas even when going about it properly you can and usually will experience some slight pain and thereafter, redness along with tenderness in the area. Just the same, stretching these areas should never involve bleeding, swelling, consistent sharp pain, and shouldn’t feel tender for more than a week or so depending on the person and location. Using tapers should be done slowly, and with respect. Most of you have at least witnessed what happens when ears blowout and the damage improper taper use can cause, adding that experience to cartilage or other tougher areas and you can see why we are so strict with how/when tapers should be used.
Gauge and Sizes:
Once you reach about 2g you should realistically ignore “gauge” sizes as well as fractions of an inch and focus on using millimeters (mm). You can get yourself a decent caliper to measure your jewelry diameter as well as its overall and wearable area to be sure youre receiving and ordering the correct products.

• Quality Digital Caliper

There is nothing worse than buying a new set of plugs or other body jewelry only to find out it doesn’t fit properly.
Remember: It's Not a Race! Be Safe!
* I do not claim to be a professional piercer nor do I work in the body modification industry. If you are a professional and there are any improvements which could be made to this guide, PLEASE message me!* *Some additions may be made to this guide in the future* *Special thanks to TribalMethods who made the original stretching guide we have built upon! It was a huge help to a plethora of people through the years and we know it was greatly appreciated*

So I went to the luthier today to get my bridge fixed and when I arrived there was a person still talking to the luthier. I just casually started listening to their conversation while waiting and witnessed the worst violin abuse I’ve ever heard of.
They talked about this persons violin, apparently an old baroque instrument, that had to get the varnish fixed. The person went on to ask the luthier about completely revarnishing the violin and the luthier refused to do it. He explained that he can’t do it because it would be like changing the colour of something on a Rembrandt painting because you don’t like the colour.
The person said something along the lines of „it would raise the value immensely.“, the luthier once again said no.
He told them that fixing the varnish they SCRAPED OFF would cost about 1000€ and they said that that’s too much (as if revarnishing a whole instrument would be cheaper lol). He then proceeded to tell her to just use some clear tape to protect the wood she already damaged since the tape (for like books and stuff) wouldn’t damage the instrument. They then said that they won’t use tape since it’s so unnatural to just stick plastic on such an old instrument.
The luthier told her that he could have removed the rosin from the violin without damaging the varnish and they responded that they scraped it off because of the rosin since it would be easier.
When it was my turn the luthier looked at my violin and told me: There is a lot of rosin stuck to your violin, might wanna get that fixed in some time. He smiled at me and said: I hope you won’t scrape it off in the meantime.
I simply couldn’t have kept a straight face like he did, probably would have burst into tears lol.

I (24m) have been with my gf (23f) for 5 months now. You all already heard this story before, I met her and we clicked instantly. We are both in the same career field, have many things in common, and a lot of similar interests. We started dating after 2 weeks and we moved in together after 3 months. We love each other deeply and I truly feel like she could be the one. Before I go on my rant I want to disclose that the positives she brings to the table severely outweigh the negatives. She does so much for me that I cannot even begin to express how grateful and appreciative I am of her. She shows me everyday through her actions that she loves me. I could go on for hours about this.
Getting right into it, she has a extensive past with other men. A lot of causal hookups, especially with guys that she works with. Some early red flags I found were her having many guy friends, going on one-on-one “dates” with these guys, still speaking to some of the guys that she has hooked up with, going out to the clubs a lot, not posting me on social media, and getting so drunk that she can’t “control herself” and doesn’t remember half the night. She has since compromised on all these things and we are very open with each other now. However, it took me finding out that she still talks to these guys she has slept with and piecing things together to then call her out and get her to realize that this is all single behavior. But we both set healthy boundaries and things are fine. I am no angel either.
A while ago she disclosed that she “emotionally cheated” on one of her old boyfriends by going on lunch dates and spending a lot of time with another guy she worked with behind his back. She eventually broke up with her old boyfriend and started dating the guy she worked with. I got upset because although I know people can change, I am a firm believer of past behavior influencing future behavior. And once a cheater, always a cheater. She had a hard time understanding this so I broke it down for her. I don’t like her having a lot of guy friend because I know how they are, most of them only are nice to you because they want to sleep with you. I don’t like her going on one-on-one dates with these guys because it can lead to other things, like it did in her past with her old boyfriend. I don’t like her dressing revealingly and going to clubs without me because they are filled with horny men trying to get you drunk so they can take you home. Plus she already disclosed how she has hooked up with someone at her work from going out to the club. I don’t like her getting that drunk because I have seen in person my gf getting this drunk and start feeling up on other girls while I’m there next to her. So I don’t even want to know what she would do if I wasn’t there to stop her. And I felt that not posting me on social media was a red flag especially because guys from her work are constantly following her and messaging her, plus she used to post her old boyfriend all the time. After this long talk, she claimed to understand and we moved on.
Recently I went through one of her old journals and found an entry that made me sick to my stomach. I know I should not have gone through her stuff and she even told me not to but I felt so compelled. As of now we have full access to each others phones but before we came to that agreement, I caught her going through mine. This doesn’t justify my actions but I thought screw it since she did it to me first. Most of the entries were harmless and it was just her venting about her ex’s. But one really disturbed me. She stated that things weren’t going well with her boyfriend (we’ll call Mat). Mat was the one she was going on lunch dates with behind her old boyfriend’s back. She said that Mat was stressed bc he felt that he had to keep her a secret and that she was stressed bc he was telling a lot of people at their work. This led to my gf losing a unknown type of relationship with someone we’ll call Jon (who she also works with). She stated Jon was not good for her bc he could be her father but she doesn’t care. She asked “The Lord” to please bring him back into her life the exact same way they used to be (unknown). She said please let me at least fuck him once, or allow Jon to be her constant sex buddy. She ended the entry asking God to give her the strength to breakup with Mat and/or lie really well to get Jon. This made me sick as my gf is a religious person and is asking God to help her cheat on her old boyfriend and lie behind his back. This entry was 6 months before we met so not a lot of time has gone by. I don’t know what to do now. Yeah it’s in the past, but all this happened not too long ago. How much could she have possibly changed in this time frame?
She is actively trying to leave her job and claims she hates the people she works with. We have been arguing about stupid things a lot recently but we are always able to talk through them. It just makes me wonder what she could be doing behind my back if she went behind now 2 of her previous boyfriend’s backs. She has never given me a reason to not trust her in the present and I have never suspected her of cheating. I’m in a tough spot. The love is there but her past is so rocky it’s hard to see past. Need help.

I traded for a Lycanroc today using a Pokémon HOME, but I would like it’s ability to be different. Is there any items I can use to change its ability to the Hidden Ability? And how would I get this item? Keep in mind I do not have the DLC and I own Shield.

Hi. Cousins laptop shit itself and all her assignments are on it. We r both pretty desperate to fix this today lol. I followed some steps I found n figured out what the gist of it might be, changing the order of the boot options and allat. I am not tech genius lol my b.
However when i got there i could only find one. In all the guides I watched they had more of em. No matter how many times i entered and messed around the BIOs i couldn't get it to work. This is what it looks like^ girl help. Model is ASUS X550CC or something, it's all I could find on the back. Shit is ancient