Demographics

• Gender: female
• Race/Ethnicity: Asian-American (Chinese)
• Residence: DMV area
• Income Bracket: ~100k?
• Type of School: public, mid overall in county but top quartile in state maybe?
• Hooks (Recruited Athlete, URM, First-Gen, Geographic, Legacy, etc.): none lol

Intended Major(s): Chemical Engineering/Chemistry (basically applied ChemE to colleges with strong engineering schools and Chem to the rest)
Academics

• GPA (UW/W): 4.0/4.93
• Rank (or percentile): N/A (confirmed that I was part of the top 5% but didn't put it in my app since my school doesn't rank)
• # of Honors/AP/IB/Dual Enrollment/etc.: 13 AP classes, 3 honors (French)
• Senior Year Course Load: Wind Ensemble (band), AP Eng Lit, Science Lab Assistant, AP Bio, AP Psych, Linear Algebra (online), AP Physics C: E&M

Standardized Testing

• SAT (took once): 1560 (790 RW, 770 M)
• ACT (took once): 35 (36E, 33M, 35R, 34S)
• AP scores:
  • 10th grade: AP Gov (4), AP Chinese (5), AP Calc AB (4), AP Stats (5)
  • 11th grade: AP Chem (4), AP Physics C: Mech (4), AP English Lang (5), AP World History: Modern (5), AP Calc BC (5; AB subscore 5)
  • 12th grade (pending): AP Eng Lit, AP Bio, AP Psych, AP Physics C: E&M

Extracurriculars/Activities

1. Science Olympiad (9th-12th, officer since 11th) - spent an insane number of hours a week even though I only put 5 hwk on the Common App; led meetings, made presentations on upcoming comps and how to prepare for them (i.e. how to take notes), chose comps to compete at, placed top 6 at regionals and states individually and as a team
2. School Marching Band (9th-12th, section leader since 11th) - mentored new members, instructed on marching basics and led sectionals, also organized section bonding time (like we painted our nails and stuff hehe); played piccolo for the season
3. Intern @ CUA (summer 2022) - fabricated polymer membranes on microfluidics device via flow-assembly, conducted membrane strength testing, analyzed data for strength enhancement
4. Tutor for various honor societies and music (10th-12th) - tutored everything from high-school level math to AP Chem to flute, most of it was basically getting hours for different honor societies but I think it was pretty productive and meaningful
5. Cross country (9th-11th) - quit before senior year to focus on college apps ;-; I wasn't that fast, just average, but I led a small running group and ran 300+ miles each summer to prepare for the season
6. Various community service projects (10th-12th) - made face shields for healthcare workers (was reported by a local news network so I linked that in the Additional Info section of my Common App), crocheted/knitted rectangles to assemble into a blanket for the homeless
7. Policy Review Committee Chair (12th) - basically 2 or 3 other high schoolers and I (along with other adults) reviewed some curriculum policy that needed to be updated in terms of language and terms, didn't really do much but it was cool seeing the process of how it actually worked
8. Teen Leader for Christian youth fellowship (11th/12th) - kinda fell off of it senior year but I led meetings along with a couple other peers, I created slides and we facilitated intergenerational discussion
9. First Chair in Wind Ensemble (11th/12th) - yeah that's basically it T_T I played solos and stuff
10. Household Obligations (9th-12th) - cared for siblings, helped with their school assignments, did chores, translated for parents from English to Mandarin

Awards/Honors

1. State Science Olympiad Competition (1st - Ornithology, 8th - Environmental Chemistry) - 11th grade
2. Regional Science Olympiad Competition (2nd: Chemistry Lab, 2nd: Ornithology, 3rd: Environmental Chemistry) - 11th grade
3. County STEM Award - 11th grade (idrk how significant this was tbh it seemed like a throwaway kinda thing; it was for my performance in Science Olympiad but they got the competition name wrong on my certificate T_T)
4. Governor's Volunteer Service Award - 10th grade
5. State Seal of Biliteracy Recipient in English and Chinese - 11th grade

Essays

1. Common App essay - had 2 versions, one for EA and another for RD. I would rate my first version (basically I compared my identity to a sandwich and made it a love story it was kinda weird T_T) like a 7/10 if I'm being generous and a solid 9/10 for my second version (I talked about how my being officer of Science Olympiad challenged me and made me grow as a person; it sounds cliche but I used a unique format that I'm pretty proud of)
2. Supplemental essays - my EA supps were probably on average like a 6 or 7 out of 10, and my RD supps were an 8 to a 9. I tried to make them more creative/unique since I knew my ECs were on the weaker side when it came to the higher ranked schools and I knew that I was going to get in, my essays would play a major role in my acceptance. I spent so much time and so many rounds of editing with my dad asdfkljasd;lfkj

Letters of Recommendation

1. AP Chem teacheScience Olympiad coach (11/10) - She really liked me and she's honestly my mom atp... I'm also an aide for her this year so I help set up labs for her and the entire science dept. She also assigns me other labs to prepare just for funsies and bc she trusts me apparently ???? Hopefully she can speak to the diligence and time I put in as a Scioly officer and my performance in the AP Chem class. Might also be worth mentioning that I tutored one of her current AP Chem kids?
2. Wind Ensemble/Marching Band director (7.5/10) - I didn't have other STEM teachers as strong as my AP Chem teacher but my logic was that I would ask teachers who knew what I was like outside of school past the academic/stats/grades kind of thing; hopefully they could give some insight into my personality (ig that logic worked? idk) Since I was a section leader in marching band for 2 years I had some leadership in terms of that but I would often come in a couple minutes late to class tired asf cause we had band first period... Overall I still think he has a decent impression of me
3. Internship advisoprof (9/10) - He is a family friend of my parents and that's honestly how I got the internship T_T But he has a pretty good impression of me during the time I was there; I picked up things pretty quickly so I think that helped. Only submitted this to some schools I was applying to RD and some schools late in the EA cycle
4. (only submitted after waitlist) Science Lab Assistant Manager (8.5/10) - Set up labs for the science department, had an overall good impression of me since I volunteered to complete other tasks and extra things outside of the labs I had to set up
5. (only submitted after waitlist) School Principal (6.5/10) - Our class is ~650 people and he only became the principal my sophomore year so I doubt he knew me that well; I sent my resume to him so hopefully he did something with that T_T

Results (woohooo!!)
Catholic University of America (accepted)
CMU (accepted!!!)
Cornell (waitlisted -> accepted -> committed!!!!)
Duke (rejected rip)
Duke Kunshan (accepted somehow???)
Northwestern (rejected, lol this one kinda made me a bit sad)
Rice (waitlisted)
UD (accepted)
UIUC (accepted)
UMBC (accepted)
UMD (accepted)
UNC Chapel Hill (rejected ;-;)
UT Austin (accepted)
UVA (accepted)
Vandy (waitlisted)
Takeaways

• Start your essays early (preferably before senior year!) It helps to get ahead of the game and brainstorm, plus I find that I am dissatisfied with some part of an essay that i think needs editing a week or two after I finish
• Familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of the Common App layout, like what each section entails (you might be surprised to find that it's a lot of info to fill out)
• Look at examples of everything related to your application, whether it be the Common App, supplemental essays, and how to word your activities list
• Don't downplay your achievements, but don't overly embellish them, either!
• Think about your application as a whole. I cannot stress this enough! Is there an activity that is overly mentioned in your application? Try to balance your application out. Is there an aspect of yourself that you want to include but haven't yet? Try to touch on it in your supplemental essays. I go more in depth in this post here

Hello and welcome to the 23rd installment of The Great Spice Off! What is The Great Spice Off?
I love the scent of Old Spice, so much so that it's the only aftershave I use as I don't really feel a need to splash anything else on. But, as we all know, Old Spice no longer makes shaving soap. They do still make a cream but that's hardly a great soap and it doesn't actually smell like Old Spice. As such my plan is to test out all the Old Spice options that are out there on as many bases as possible both to try out a variety of bases from different soapmakers and to report back to you on who really nails the scent.
I'll be shaving three times with each soap, using a variety of brushes and razors, and blades. Yes, I know that means it won't be exactly scientific but this is going to take a while and I want to use all my other shit too. Soaps will be rated on a few factors and given points from 1-5 for each.

• Oldness: How much does the soap smell like OG Old Spice. This is the more analytical scent analysis and I'm comparing to an OG Old Spice aftershave I have and the Shulton aftershave from India.
• Spiciness: This is the je ne sais quois of Old Spice. Does the soap make me feel the nostalgia, warmth, and whatever it is about the scent that works. Is there something special about it that makes it stand out? Does it invoke a memory or make a new one? The most subjective of this list.
• Lather: You know, can I make a shave soap out of it.
• Shave: How's it work on the ol' face while shaving.
• Post: How's the scent profile after the event. How does my face feel.

Pinnacle Grooming The Good Ship OS

Pinnacle Grooming is a UK-based soapmaker with a pretty solid following around the wetshaving community. I couldn't find exactly when they launched but their Facebook page says it was created in October of 2019 and since we all know social media is nothing but a bastion of truth I'm going to say it was around then. They say their ingredients are ethically and sustainably sourced but it's a little hard to trust them on the whole for reasons we'll dive into in a few paragraphs. (That's called a teaser, now you have to keep reading to find out THE SHOCKING TRUTH).
The Good Ship OS was a late addition to the series despite launching in 2021, well before I began digging around for Old Spice dupes. That may be because, from what I've seen, Pinnacle Grooming released this soap on a limited release, meaning once it was gone it was gone and it appears that The Good Ship OS is gone (outside of The Razor Company's stock, which is where I picked the soap up). This actually seems to be something they do often as their site notes, in some awkwardly written English, that they release limited editions of scents in order to cater to their cutomer's needs. Those scents seem to range from the weird (nutmeg/green appple/rose) to their "take" on already established scents.
"Take" is, of course, a controversial word in the land of duping and there's no clear statement from them on if they're just using dupe scents they've bought or actually building their own but most soapmakers aren't very clear on that anyway. I think this is meant to be a straight dupe but they do list two scent notes that don't always appear in descriptions of Old Spice: Clary Sage and Frankincense. So in the top layer you have the addition of Clary Sage alongside the more normally listed notes of Orange, Lemon, Spices, Anise, and Aldehydes. The middle notes are all the same with Cinnamon, Carnation, Geranium, Jasmine, Heliotrope, and Pimento berry. Then the base notes add in Frankincense to accompany the traditional Vanilla, Musk, Cedarwood, Benzoin, Tonka, and Ambergris.
The base is a bit of a hodgepodge of stuff you find in shaving soaps, with a wide variety of oils, butters, and other soapy things tossed in. It honestly reads like the creation of a child in their dad's soapmaking lab who just pores everything into the pot and lucks out with creating a soap: Beef Tallow. Potassium Stearate. Mango Butter. Distilled Water. Avocado Oil. Castor Oil. Goats Milk. Olive Oil. Aloe Vera Juice. Kokum Butter. Vegetable Glycerine. Almond Oil. Shea Butter. Silk Amino Acid. Coconut Oil. Lanolin. Grape Seed Extract. Bentonite Clay. Cocoa Butter. Camellia Oil. Sodium Lactate. Vitamin E Pure. mica pigment s (CI77019, CI77891, CI77288) Fragrance & Essential Oils. Gotta give props as always for goats milk, though. The soap itself is on the harder side and a darker color, heading into dark brown territory.
On a side note, Pinnacle Grooming did something pretty awesome with this soap. For every purchase £2.00 was donated to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), which seems to be the British equivalent of the the U.S. Coast Guard... or maybe the Coast Guard is the U.S. equivalent of the RNLI. Anyway, it seems like a good cause and they even posted a picture of the donations being sent to their Facebook page.
Sadly, no matter how good this review is or isn't and no matter where some of the proceeds go, I can't recommend buying from Pinnacle as they appear to be thieves. I thought at first that Pinnacle Grooming had some of the coolest artwork around with a variety of unique images, unfortunatley that seems to be because they've stolen most of it. I ran about 10 searches on random artwork on their tubs and every single one of them came from either an artist's website, a literal official piece of character artwork, or one of those t-shirt design sites. This extends to The Good Ship OS artwork, which appears to be taken from an artist named Ian Gowdie. The piece itself is a fantastic rendition of what I assume to be an RNLI lifeboat cutting through a brisk sea, supposedly on its way to save someone's life while smelling really fucking good. I bet whomever it saves will instantly say something like, "Thank you for saving me, and damn you smell good." But despite being perfect for an Old Spice soap container, it's not theirs to use. They don't credit any of the artists anywhere on their page that I can see nor do they mention it on the tub so even if they did pay for a digital copy of every piece of art on a tub it's still pretty shitty and a total bummer.
Caveat: I would be happy, by the way, to be proven wrong about that and discover that they are paying the artists for their art but it seems unlikely. And now I've spent two hours doing research on a shaving soap company and the images on some fucking tubs, basically ruining my desire for the soap itself so... now I'm just grumpy. Let's get on with the review (which was actually written first and not influenced by any of the above).
Oldness: 3
While they may be aiming for a dupe, Pinnacle Grooming should really market this as a riff. They aren't veering far off from the original but the scent feels different. Off the puck, the soap is especially strong in the anise with the citrus playing hard in there as well. That settles down on the shave with the on-point middle notes and base coming through stronger but it still isn't a traditional Old Spice scent. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely an Old Spice scent but there's something a bit fresher and more modern to it. Maybe it's the Clary Sage but I couldn't tell you what that actually smells like or who this suspicious Clary person is and why he's got special sage.
Spiciness: 5
Honestly, I love this scent. It feels fresh and modern for some reason and at some point I'm going to have to buy some U.S. Old Spice to see if it maybe matches closer to that. Part of this is, of course, the fact that it's just something different enough from the OG scent I'm using all the time to stand out but it's also really great to smell. There's something incredibly refreshing about Good Ship OS that makes it actually fit with the sea-faring theme of Old Spice -- like a brisk breeze on the ocean air. It's not aquatic but it feels like something you would wear while on a boat, going fast, wearing a nautical-themed pashmina afghan.
Lather: 2
Pinnacle's Base builds up easily enough for sure but what it builds into is kind of lackluster. The lather is kind of airy no matter how long you work it. It's not so bad that it looks broken or overly thin but it never heats that glorious zone where the lather turns into a slick, fluffy mess. It's also super thirsty, which isn't always a bad thing but does mean that it can be tricky to dial in if you're not patient, which we all know is a strong suit of people shaving their faces at 6 a.m.
Shave: 3
Sometimes an airy lather can still deliver a great shave, which is one of the reasons that I separate shave and lather. The Good Ship OS kind of does. In fact, the shave is all sorts of "kind of." It's got kind of good cushion, and kind of good slickness, and kind of good face feel. Nothing stands out especially about it but it's definitely not delivering a bad shave either, plus it helps that the scent is so good. I will say that it doesn't do much in the residual slickness department but, again, it's not terrible.
Post: 2
Good Ship doesn't do anything to special on the face despite the presence of goat milk (and a bajillion other face-softening ingredients)! I'm not sure how that's possible but maybe they're getting their milk from lackluster goats. You know, the shady kind that eat the wrong kind of grass. Anyway, it's a perfectly fine post-shave feel but now we come to the real rub. This more "modern/brisk" verson of Old Spice doesn't play so well with the classic scent of the aftershaves. It's OK with the Indian version, where the elevated anise and crisper scents mingle fine, but put it with the vintage one and it goes together about as well as stolen art and a moral compass. (OK, that last sentence was edited post research it originally said "a fish and a bicycle.") While its score could easily be improved by one by just not using an aftershave that doesn't work with its scent, the point here is to use Old Spice as much as possible so I had to ding it.
Final Verdict: 15
Why, oh, why is this fantastic scent stuck in this middling soap (and attached to a crummy company). The Good Ship OS delivers one of my favorite takes on Old Spice but can't manage anything else great and has a shave that is simply on par. The soap is a cut above the truly terrible ones, easily, but it can't deliver anything special either. Maybe, outside of the confines of this review system, I'd like it more but within the bounds of The Great Spice Off it mostly misses the mark.
Previous Great Spice Offs:

1. 1940s Old Spice Shaving Soap in Vintage Mug (9)
2. 1973-91 Old Spice Shaving Soap (7)
3. Old Spice Shaving Cream (Original) (12)
4. Master Soap Creations Vintage Spice (19)
5. Black Ship Grooming Classic (17)
6. OSP Old Gold (19)
7. Chiseled Face Groomatorium Trade Winds (17)
8. Wholly Kaw Twice as Spice (17)
9. Barrister and Mann Barrister's Reserve Spice (21)
10. Mama Bear Aged Spice (10)
11. MERShaving Old Timer Spice (20)
12. Soap Commander Endurance (20)
13. Signature Soaps Novus Spice (17)
14. Hoffman's Shave and Soap Company Burn the Ships (19)
15. Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Cold Spice (15)
16. Hendrix Classics & Co Commodore (20)
17. Ginger's Garden Old Spice Type (15)
18. Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations Mariner (10)
19. Stone Field Shaving Company Ltd. No. 37 (18)
20. Cooper & French Old Goat (19)
21. The Holy Black Artisan Line Shaving Soap (21)
22. Stirling Soap Co. Stirling Spice (20)
23. Van Yulay Spicy Man (10)

I'm also looking for the below soaps if you've got any you're willing to sell/trade/donate:

• Wild West Shaving Co. Snake Oil
• Whickam Spice Trade
• Occult Grooming Essentials Modern Spice
• Artifact Soap Works Old Spice Type
• Wet the Face Spices From the Sea

I already have these soaps that I have not reviewed yet:

• Seaforth Spice
• Pinnacle Grooming The Good Ship
• Hendrix Classics & Co Commander
• Crowne & Crane The Spice
• Mystic Water Windjammer
• The Village Soap Smith Old Spice Type

Stereoplasm's Last Chance Clearance sale ends today so I thought I'd post a few reviews of things I retried this week!
Ballroom Cat - Predominantly pink grapefruit and shiny black leather. The organza note blends into the leather and is like a soft, fuzzy plastic. And the French 75 adds depth to the grapefruit and smells like herbal gin and boozy sugared lemon.
The Cake - Dense yellow cake, white frosting with tangerine zest (if you've ever zested a tangerine, it's softer and sweeter than orange), and some soft florals. This one appears to be sold out so I'll stop there.
Lemon Meringue Macaron - Creamy lemon with toasted almond, which leans a little coconutty, and I definitely get the meringue too - like fluffy sweet egg whites. Smells like a lemon meringue pie with an almond flour crust and maybe a bit of toasted coconut sprinkled on top.
Orange is Technicolour - Smells the way your hands do after peeling an orange. This is the most realistic citrus perfume I've ever smelled. It has a bit of a creamy, musky base but I mostly get straight up orange citrus rind and pith.
Yellowbird - Smells like a tropical fruit smoothie at a fancy brunch place: tangelo (smells like a tangerine with a bit of pomelo, which is similar to a sweet and mild grapefruit), candied pineapple, and creamy cool vanilla, in that order.
Yellowbird is actually part of the new release and therefore not in the clearance section. It's really beautifully blended, though, and is my favourite of the bunch!

Hello! I thought I'd lay out a smorgasbord of ideas. Hopefully some of them pique your fancy!

• Urban Fantasy - This can involve vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches, warlocks, and more. I like telling stories about a hidden world and how one might get sucked into it. I'm more than happy to do something with two supernatural beings; or with one of us playing a human who may not have previously known about the truth just beneath the surface of the everyday world.
  
• *** Tomb Raider - I've been roleplaying as Lara for a VERY long time. She's my favorite character - ever. <33 There's many, many adventures that our darling tomb raider can go on. I'm super into crossing her over into the MCU. She fits in a shockingly well there. I also really enjoyed 'The Batman,' and I think she'd work opposite that version of Bruce, too. However, I definitely prefer the MCU over DC stuff. I'm also open to other crossovers, if you have one in mind! And if playing canon characters doesn't interest you, I've been known to pair Lara with OC's. Admittedly, I can be a little picky when it comes to which original characters I put with her; but if you bring me something interesting and fresh, I'm down! Anyone who shows interest in this will be bumped to the front of the line, haha.
  
• Superheroes - Mmmmm. I love a good hero - and I love a good villain even more. I think it'd be fun if we did something with a hero/villain who interact with one another in their everyday lives not knowing that their acquaintance is the person trying to kill them with a freeze ray at night. We can go with a completely original concept; or we can play in an established universe like the MCU. There are quite a few canon MCU ladies that I'm up for writing! I'm flexible!
  
• Three's More Fun - Let's tell a story about a poly relationship. Not cheating. An actual, loving triad. MMF would be preferred. Feel free to mix this idea with any of the other prompts in here.
  
• The End of the World - "Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice." Isn't that how the old poem goes? I love to explore post-apocalyptic scenarios. I have a slight preference for something ala 'Fallout,' but I've always done fun scenarios involving zombies. One thing I'd really love to do is an outbreak scenario that begins just before shit hits the fan. I think the best zombie stories are always the ones that have emotional core. I want to follow this couple from the start of the disaster into the dangerous new world that emerges after.
  
• A Real Bodice Ripper - Give me tall, handsome strangers with scandalous secrets. Breathless ladies cinched up in their corsets. The romance and the glamour all on the backdrop of dreary London. Something lurking in the shadows - stalking the elegant upper class. Or perhaps there's no hidden monsters at all. Perhaps we can craft a story about an arranged marriage or forbidden love. Think along the lines of "Crimson Peak" or "Penny Dreadful."
  
• *** A Song of Ice and Fire - "House of the Dragon" has me back on my Westerosi bullshit. I'm totally down to figure out stories in this universe!
  

I'm open to other ideas, of course!

YOU MUST BE:

• Polite
• Creative.
• Enthusiastic.
• Able to write in 3rd person.
• Available on Discord.
• Over the age of 21.

Also, please don't reach out to me via Reddit Chat. I don't read them. I only check DM's. If you choose to DM me, please make the subject line your current favorite song, just so I know you've read this post from top to bottom. Thanks! 💖

WRITING SAMPLE:

Lara hated these functions.
No. 'Hate' wasn't the right word. She loathed them. This one in particular was a charity gala with the profits going to build a new childrens' ward in Surrey Parkside Hospital -- the very hospital she herself had been born in. That helped make the event a tad more palatable; but not enough to make it feel like anything other than a chore.
The estate of the Earl of Brixton was filled with socialites and nobility from all over Europe. They had all put on their best finery and their well-practiced courtesies. They made navigating these things look so effortless ... And, in a way, Lara was jealous of them for that. This had never come easy to her. Even now, she found herself wishing she had dirt under her nails rather than a French manicure.
At least she knew how to look the part. For all her perceived faults, no one could deny that the young woman cleaned up beautifully when she cared to put in the effort. Her petite figure was wrapped in a one-of-a-kind, crimson-colored dress designed for her by one of Paris's trendiest fashion houses. The bustline was particularly dramatic -- showing off more cleavage than most noblewomen would ever dare to. The back was also open, though the fabric had been draped across it in the semblance of a capelet -- making her seem more like a goddess of old rather than a modern Countess. She had overheard several women whispering about her choice to wear something so revealing; but she couldn't bring herself to care all that much.
"You're conflating the Maya with the Aztecs," she drolled in that elocution-trained accent as she finished what was her third glass of champagne thus far. A portly, older man had been bending her ear for the past twenty minutes attempting to impress her with tales of his private collection. Having claimed to be an expert on South American indigenous peoples, the correction made his face turn almost as red as her dress. He opened his mouth to say something; but before he had the chance, she gave a little shake of her now-empty glass.
"I need a refill. Pardon me, Sir." Before he had a chance to object, she made a hasty retreat from him. Along the way, she dropped the crystal flute onto the tray of a passing waiter and collected another. While her small stature did little to hold her back in the field -- if anything, it was an advantage -- but when it came to alcohol, it left her as something of a lightweight. She made a mental note to slow down; or else she risked the very real possibility of her already sharp tongue slicing a few more socialites to ribbons. That would truly defeat the purpose of her showing up to these things to preserve her reputation. Or, at least, preserve it as much as she could. Between herself and her late father, the name Croft had carried a dubious notoriety for quite some time. Some admired her for her ambition, intelligence, and bravery in the field. Others saw it as uncouth, at best -- destructive, at worst.
Lara took a moment to survey the room, noting how the majority of guests were preoccupied with the band that had begun to play a waltz. Perfect. She took the opportunity to sneak out of the ballroom and through the winding corridors of the estate. Before long, she found the door that led out to the rose garden. It was a chilly, damp English night; but she couldn't find herself to mind. If anything, it exhilarated her.
And it also kept the others from wandering out this way.
She tilted her head back to peer up at the full moon and stars above. She sipped her drink and took in the night air. She had needed this breather. She hadn't realized just how tightly coiled her muscles had become until she was away from the oppressive stuffiness of the party.

Hello I’m a fellow Dunkin employee and I was just curious cause this has been happening at the dunkin I work at. But we have been running out of stuff, we ran out of eggs, med/lar lids, we don’t have any swirls, milk, creamer, gloves, coconut milk, almond and oat milk, all together we are running out of stuff.
Basically everything to make drinks GONE we even ran out of French vanilla swirl and some of the collate syrups and from the meeting that I’ve heard it isn’t our fault but mostly the trucks and the main big business are cutting back on the orders we place and we are limited to what we can order, I don’t know if this is happening to everyone else but it’s happening to us and it’s causing lots of issues and everyone yelling at us for not having what they want.

With only days separating us from the Centenary Edition of the 24 Heures du Mans, it's time again for the Le Mans Primer thread! This is the place if you’ve got any questions about the 2023 Le Mans event, no matter how small! There are no dumb questions about Le Mans!

CONTENTS

• The Race
• Session Times
• The Track
• The Classes
• The Legends
• Videos and Documentaries
• Entry List and Spotters Guide
• Endurance Chat podcast
• Broadcast Details
• Social Media
• Live Timing
• Get Involved!

The Race

It all comes back to Le Mans. A century ago, people asked ‘Could a car continue to drive for 24 hours straight?’, an event was made to test that theory, and a legacy in racing, motorsport, and motoring was born. The 24 Heures du Mans is the holy grail of endurance motor racing, and brings up its Centenary edition this year. In its 100 year history, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is recognised as the most prestigious and gruelling test for innovations and improvements in motorsport technology. Technologies such as disk and air brakes, streamlined bodywork, fuel, oil, and lubricant improvements, improvements to engine efficiency and longevity, even things as simple as LED lighting and windscreen wiper blades have been trialled and tested at Le Mans. The normally hot conditions in the middle of June stretch the limits of reliability, with all the teams knowing that in order to beat their competitors, they must first beat the event. A variety of different engine configurations, displacements, positions, fuels, and hybrids have won over the history of the event. So far, petrol-fuelled traditional piston engines have been the most successful. Mazda managed to win using a Wankel Rotary engine in 1991 with the Mazda 787b (oh god listen to that sound!), while Audi was the first to win with an alternate fuel, taking victory in the diesel-powered R10 TDI in 2006. 2012 ushered in the era of the Hybrid, with Audi taking victory in the R18 e-tron Quattro, featuring a flywheel hybrid engine.

Qualifying

The Qualifying format for Le Mans is unique to the event, and called Hyperpole. In this format, all classes are permitted to use the track in the 1 hour qualifying session on Wednesday evening. The top 6 cars from each of the 4 classes then progress to the Hyperpole session on Thursday night, which sets the top of the grid for each class. This means that each class will be segregated on the final grid.

Session Times

• Ligier European Series Practice 1 – Sunday June 4th, 08:00 Local, 06:00 UTC, 02:00 ET, 16:00 AEST – 45 Minutes
• Ligier European Series Qualifying 1 – Sunday June 4th, 09:15 Local, 07:15 UTC, 03:15 ET, 17:15 AEST – 20 Minutes
• Test Day Session 1 - Sunday June 4th, 10:00 Local, 08:00 UTC, 04:00 ET, 18:00 AEST – 3 Hours
• Ligier European Series Race - Sunday June 4th, 14:00 Local, 12:00 UTC, 08:00 ET, 22:00 AEST – 60 Minutes
• Test Day Session 2 - Sunday June 4th, 15:30 Local, 13:30 UTC, 09:30 ET, 23:30 AEST – 3 Hours
• Porsche Carrera Cup Practice 1 – Wednesday June 7th, 09:00 Local, 07:00 UTC, 03:00 ET, 17:00 AEST – 45 Minutes
• Ferrari Challenge Practice 1 – Wednesday June 7th, 10:15 Local, 08:15 UTC, 04:15 ET, 18:15 AEST - 45 Minutes
• Road To Le Mans Practice 1 – Wednesday June 7th, 11:30 Local, 09:30 UTC, 05:30 ET, 19:30 AEST – 1 Hour
• Free Practice 1 - Wednesday June 7th, 14:00 Local, 12:00 UTC, 08:00 ET, 22:00 AEST - 3 Hours
• Qualifying Practice - Wednesday June 7th. 19:00 Local, 17:00 UTC, 13:00 ET, Thursday 03:00 AEST - 1 Hour
• Road To Le Mans Practice 2 – Wednesday June 7th, 20:30 Local, 18:30 UTC, 14:30 ET, Thursday 04:30 AEST - 1 Hour
• Free Practice 2 - Wednesday June 7th, 22:00 Local, 20:00 UTC, 16:00 ET, Thursday 06:00 AEST - 2 Hours
• Ferrari Challenge Practice 2 – Thursday June 8th, 09:00 Local, 07:00 UTC, 03:00 ET, 17:00 AEST – 45 Minutes
• Porsche Carrera Cup Practice 2 – Thursday June 8th, 10:55 Local, 08:55 UTC, 04:55 ET, 18:55 AEST – 45 Minutes
• Road To Le Mans Qualifying Practice – Thursday June 8th, 12:55 Local, 10:55 UTC, 06:55 UTC, 20:55 AEST – 20 Minutes x 2 Classes
• Free Practice 3 - Thursday June 8th, 15:00 Local, 13:00 UTC, 09:00 ET, 23:00 AEST - 3 Hours
• Road To Le Mans Race 1 - Thursday June 8th, 18:30 Local, 16:30 UTC, 12:30 ET, Friday 02:30 AEST - 55 Minutes
• HYPERPOLE - Thursday June 8th, 20:00 Local, 18:00 UTC, 14:00 ET, Friday 04:00 AEST - 30 Minutes
• Free Practice 4 - Thursday June 8th, 22:00 Local, 20:00 UTC, 16:00 ET, Friday 06:00 AEST - 2 Hours
• Porsche Carrera Cup Qualifying – Friday June 9th, 09:00 Local, 07:00 UTC, 03:00 ET, 17:00 AEST – 45 Minutes
• Ferrari Challenge Qualifying – Friday June 9th, 10:15 Local, 08:15 UTC, 04:15 ET, 18:15 AEST – 45 Minutes
• Road To Le Mans Race 2 - Friday June 9th, 11:30 Local, 09:30 UTC, 05:30 ET, 19:30 AEST – 55 Minutes
• Ferrari Challenge Race 1 - Saturday June 10th, 09:30 Local, 07:30 UTC, 03:30 ET, 17:30 AEST - 45 Minutes
• Porsche Carrera Cup Race 1 - Saturday June 10th, 10:45 Local, 08:45 UTC, 04:45 ET, 18:45 AEST - 45 Minutes
• Warm Up - Saturday June 10th, 12:00 Local, 10:00 UTC, 06:00 ET, 20:00 AEST – 15 Minutes
• RACE START - **Saturday June 11th, 16:00 Local, 14:00 UTC, 10:00 ET, Sunday 00:00 AEST

The Track

The Circuit de la Sarthe covers 13.6 kilometres of the French country side. It combines the permanent race components of the Ford Chicanes, the pit straight, under the Dunlop Bridge and through to Tertre Rouge as well as the normal everyday roads of the Mulsanne straight through to Indianapolis and Arnage. The track has gone through many iterations over the years; originally, the cars raced into the heart of the city, turning just before the river Sarthe, before hurtling down the 8.6 kilometre straight. In 1932, the circuit removed the journey into the city, and more closely resembled the track we see today. Here’s a video of Mike Hawthorn touring the circuit with a camera and microphone attached in 1956, one year after his involvement in the Le Mans disaster. The addition of the Porsche Curves and the Ford Chicanes in 1972 added an extra dimension to the high speed, fast flowing track. In the late 80’s, the Group C prototype cars would reach over 400km/h, achieving average speeds of almost 250km/h in qualifying for the entire lap. This is an onboard of Derek Bell’s Porsche 956 in 1983, showing the ridiculous speeds on this configuration of the circuit. This configuration remained relatively unchanged right up to 1990, until FIA mandations required that for the circuit to be sanctioned, it must not have a straight longer than 2km. The 6km Mulsanne straight was cut down into three relatively equal length portions by two chicanes, giving the iteration of the circuit used today. Allan McNish takes you on an onboard lap of the 2008 circuit in this video. McNish is one of the gods of the modern prototype era, winning Le Mans 3 times; once with Porsche and twice with Audi. For a more comprehensive focus on the track, John Hindhaugh’s track walk takes you on a 30 minute exploration of the track, with in depth focus on corners like the Dunlop Esses, Tertre Rouge, Mulsanne Corner, and the Ford Chicanes.
For some modern on boards, check out the fastest ever lap in the Circuit de la Sarthe: Kamui Kobayashi's 3:14.791 in 2017 Q2, and last year’s Hyperpole lap, by Brendon Hartley, setting a 3:24.408
The Dunlop Bridge
The iconic Dunlop Bridge has been a part of the Le Mans track since 1932, making it the oldest Dunlop Bridge at any track. This part of the track requires a good launch out of the first chicane before cresting the brow of the hill, and plunging through the esses out onto the Mulsanne straight. As the LMP cars are much more maneuverable, caution must be taken passing the slower GT traffic, as Allan McNish discovered in 2011.
Tertre Rouge
Tertre Rouge is the corner that launches the cars onto the long Mulsanne straight. Maintaining momentum through this corner as it opens on exit is imperative to ensure maximum straight line speed heading down the first part of the Mulsanne. The undulation in the road makes for fantastic viewing at night, with some magic images of the Porsches throwing up sparks on the exit in 2014. Finally, this was the location of Allan Simonsen’s fatal crash in mixed conditions in the 2013 Le Mans. The Danish flags will fly at the corner in his memory.
Mulsanne Corner
After the incredibly long Mulsanne straight, the Mulsanne corner nowadays features a subtle right hand kink before the tight 90 degree turn. Here, the cars decelerate from 340 km/h down to below 100 km/h, resulting in a brilliant opportunity to overtake. Again, care must be taken overtaking slower traffic; unaware drivers have caught out faster cars attempting to pass through the kink, such as Anthony Davidson’s spectacular crash in 2012 resulting in a broken vertebra for Davidson.
Indianapolis and Arnage
The Indanapolis and Arnage complex is one of the most committed areas of the track. Hurtling down the hill from the Mulsanne Corner, the road suddenly bends to the right, a corner which only the bravest prototype drivers take flat out, followed by a beautifully cambered open left hander taken in third gear. A short sprint leads the cars into Arnage, the slowest point on the track. The tight right hander was the scene of heartbreak for Toyota in 2014 when the leading #7 broke down and had to be retired after an FIA sensor melted and shut off the electronics. Kazuki Nakajiima was unable to make it to the pits, leaving him stranded on the circuit.
The Porsche Curves
At a terrifyingly high speed, the Porsche Curves is the most committed part of the lap. Getting caught behind GT traffic in this section can mean losing phenomenal amounts of time. This was the site of Loic Duval’s horrific crash in practice for the 2014 event. Keeping momentum through the flowing right-left-right handers that lead into Maison Blanche requires 100% commitment and ultimate precision, with severe punishment for getting it wrong. The exit of the Porsche Curves underwent significant change in 2020, with additional run-off added in the middle part of the section. This has turned the treacherous and claustrophobic sweeping left-hander into an open and sweeping corner, encouraging every little bit of road to be used on the exit. What it hasn’t changed is the terrific consequences for making a mistake
The Ford Chicanes
The final chapter in the 13.6km rollercoaster that is Le Mans is the Ford Chicanes. Two tight left-right handers with massive kerbs are all that separates the driver from the finish line. Watching the cars bounce over the kerbs in beautiful slow motion is certainly something to behold, but 24 hours of mistreatment can lead to suspension and steering issues. The drivers have to be attentive until the very end, lest they throw it all away in the last minutes of the race.
The Circuit de la Sarthe requires over 85% of the lap on full throttle, with the cars accelerating from less than 100km/h to over 300km/h five times each lap. The challenge of having a car finish Le Mans is in itself, an achievement.

The Classes

The WEC consists of three classes on track at once, resulting in three separate races on track each in their own battle for 24 Hours. The classes are split based on their car type, with LMH and LMDh machinery facing off in the Hypercar class, purpose built prototypes with a spec engine and gearbox battling in LMP2, and GT machinery racing in GTE. Each class has its own set of regulations, driver requirements, and relevance for the Le Mans event.

Hypercar

The current top class of endurance sportscars is Hypercar, combining cars built to Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) and Le Mans Daytona (LMDh) specifications. Fighting it out will be LMH machinery from Toyota, Ferrari, Peugeot, Glickenhaus and Peugeot, while Porsche and Cadillac will be racing in LMDh cars. The LMH cars are bespoke sportscars, designed to a strict set of requirements dictating maximum power, drag coefficient, and weight, amongst other parameters, intended to limit the cost of the category. LMDh machines on the other hand are based on the future LMP2 chassis offerings, with manufacturers able to develop their own engines and bodywork, aligning with the power and drag coefficients of LMH. As part of cost-cutting, the Hypercar class is also subject to a Balance of Performance (BoP) formula, to level the playing field and ensure good racing! Hypercars are a little slower than their LMP1 predecessors, with lap times around the 3:24 mark for the Circuit de la Sarthe, which is on par with the 2014 LMP1 cars.

LMP2

The second prototype class is LMP2, and provides an excellent platform for endurance racing on a budget. The LMP2 class features a spec drivetrain and gearbox, using a Gibson V8 producing 400kW, and a selection of three chassis to choose from, of which the Oreca 07 has been the chassis of choice. This ensures that the competition in the class is very tight, and often comes down to the drivers and the team’s performance instead of just having the best car. While LMP2 was capable of 3:25 lap times in years previous, part of the ‘stratification’ of classes with Hypercar’s inclusion, the LMP2 class has lost some power and had some weight added. This should put LMP2 at the heels of the LMH pace, but with laptimes outside the 3:28 mark.
LMP2 is the first class that must feature amateur rated drivers. The Amateurs must drive for a minimum of 6 hours in the car over the course of the race. This means that there's an element of strategy of when to use your amateur driver throughout the race, as the amateur driver is generally slower than the Pros. The pro drivers in this class range from up and coming talent, former F1 drivers, and some of the best sportscar pilots in the world, and with 244 cars in this class, LMP2 is sure to be a hotbed of action over the 24 hours.

LMGTE-Am

GT class cars are cars that are derived from production models, and feature some of the most iconic cars and brands battling it out at the top of the field. The GTE cars are on the border of aero dependency, and can lap Le Mans in around 3:45 in a professional driver’s hands.
This year is the last year of the GTE class, and features 21 cars in a Pro-Am category, with cars from Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, and Chevrolet on the grid. Despite the lack of a Pro category, the driver quality in GTE-Am is still incredibly high, with factory drivers, young stars, experienced champions and every level of experience in between on the grid, with each car featuring two Bronze or Silver rated drivers. With two amateur drivers, the strategy considerations multiply. While GTE-Am might be the class focussed on the least over the course of the race, the stories that come from this class are phenomenal, and it's well worth following.
The GT classes feature a range of different cars and configurations, and to equalise each of these against each other, the class goes through a process called 'Balance of Performance' or BoP. The organisers can adjust each individual car's weight, fuel tank, air restrictor, turbo boost pressures, and aero performance to alter performance levels to enable the different cars to race competitively. This can sometimes be contentious as every team will feel hard done by, but it is a necessary evil to having the variety of cars on the grid.

Innovative Car

Each year, there is the option for an Innovative Car, with untested or innovative technology, allowed to enter in it’s own category. In years past, this has allowed for entries from the Deltawing, or a modified LMP2 to allow amputees to race.
This year, the Innovative Car entry is a modified Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Next-Gen NASCAR, run by Hendrick Motorsports. The Next-Gen NASCAR features modifications to allow it to run safely on the Circuit de la Sarthe, and will be driven by multiple NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button, and Le Mans Overall Winner Mike Rockenfeller.

The Legends

Part of the allure of the Le Mans 24 Hours is the history, and the legends steeped in history over the course of its 88 previous editions. The race has had many headline battles in its history - periods of time where two or three teams went toe to toe for years, with the drivers, cars, and brands embroiled in these battles given the chance to elevate themselves above the rest, and show their prowess.
In 2019, we at /WEC, took our normal Le Mans Legends celebrations to a new level; each week, members of the community have been writing reviews on some of the closest, most fascinating finishes in Le Mans history! You can check out these reports below!

• The 1966 Dead Heat by kinkymulsanne
• 1983; Factory Porsche dominates with a 1-2 victory, but only just! by Floodman11
• 1987; The colossal struggle between Porsche and Jaguar (Part 1) by Lagiacrus7
• 2016; FUCK by Cybershrike
• 1979; Boogie Nights meets Days Of Thunder by SolHiemis
• 1991; the Hiroshima Screamer Prevails by AE_Racer
• 2010; the Day the Peugeots All Died by kiwichris1709
• 1999; The Le Mans Turning Point by starzonda
• 2011; The Final Audi vs Peugeot Rivalry by Stuff_And_More
• 1988; The colossal struggle between Porsche and Jaguar (part 2) by Lagiacrus7

Bonus CookieMonsterFL Write-Ups

• 3.5L: The Downfall of Group C
• Airborne Crashes

For a bite-sized history lesson on every Le Mans event, check out this post by u/JohannesMeanAd2, describing every Le Mans in a single sentence!
The early races were dominated by the Bentley company in their Speed 6, who won 5 of the first 7 races. Cars were separated into classes by their engine displacement, and the overall winner was based on distance covered. If two cars had finished with the same number of laps, the car with the smaller displacement was declared the winner. The race wasn't run during the second world war, and comparatively very little information is available on the stories of the early days of Le Mans.
After the second world war, teams such as Jaguar, Ferrari, Mercedes, and Aston Martin became the dominant teams. This era featured the legendary Jaguar D type, the Mercedes Benz 300 SLR, the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, and the Aston Martin DBR1. Jaguar won 5 times between 1951 and 1957, followed by an era of Ferrari dominance. Drivers such as Mike Hawthorn, Stirling Moss, Juan Manuel Fangio, and John Fitch became household names as Le Mans became a battle between German engineering and British "garagistas".
Ferrari and Ford was the story of the 60's, with Ferrari winning 6 times straight before Ford won four in a row with the GT40 Mk II, taking their first win in 1966. The story of their rivalry is legendary in it's own right - Henry Ford had almost successfully bought out the Ferrari motor company, only to be knocked back by Enzo himself at the 11th hour. In retaliation, Ford planned to hurt Ferrari where it mattered most; on the track. The Ford GT40 was so comprehensively dominant that it won the 1966 edition 21 laps ahead of the next car back - a Porsche 906/6. None of the Ferrari 330P3's finished the race. This battle gave drivers like Bruce Mclaren, Dan Gurney, and Jacky Ickx their first Le Mans victories, and propelled them to the forefront of motorsport stardom at the height of motorsport's popularity.
The 1970's saw the dawn of Porsche, with the 917k taking the brand's first win in 1970, with the same car winning the following year in the hands of Helmut Marko (yes, that Helmut Marko). It would be 5 years before Porsche would win again, with Matra taking 3 victories in the interim, each at the hands of Henri Pescarolo. Porsche returned with the 936 and the 956/962c dominating the race for the next 20 years. In fact, from 1970, Porsche won 12 times in 18 events, including 7 in a row, and they miiight have been a bit cheeky about it. Amongst these 12 wins, there were 4 for both Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell, and two for IMSA legend Hurley Haywood, as well as the first win for the Joest team in 1984. This era coincided with the introduction, and subsequent destruction of the Group C sportscar formula, widely regarded as the best Sportscar championship regulations of all time. Porsche’s dominance was eventually ended by Jaguar in the XJR-9LM, at the height of Group C’s magic. Ickx's 6 wins at this stage had earned him the nickname 'Mr Le Mans', a fitting title for one of the best drivers in the world at the time.
GT cars became a force to be reckoned with at the end of the Group C era, with classes being split into LMGTP and LMP. McLaren and Porsche had wins in GTP cars, in the F1 GTR and the 911 GT1 respectively, while Porsche, BMW and Peugeot scored LMP wins. 1997 saw the first win for Tom Kristensen, while the following year Allan McNish took his first victory, starting their journeys into the legend books of Le Mans.
The 2000’s ushered in the era of Audi, with all 13 of their wins coming since the turn of the century. GTP was disbanded due to safety issues, being replaced by GT1 and GT2. Audi picked up wins in the R8, the R10, the R15, and the R18, often dominating the might of the Peugeot 908. Audi's dominance elevated not only their drivers to legend status, but also their team managers, car designers, and race engineers. People like Reinhold Joest (team manager), Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Audisport director), Ulrich Baretzky (engine designer), Leena Gade, Howden Haynes (race engineers) behind the wall and Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen, Rinaldo Capello, Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer and Benoit Treluyer have become household names in the sport not only for their wins, but their longevity and domination. Audi's dominance was only broken by a win for Bentley in 2003, running basically an Audi under a British racing green skin, and Peugeot in 2009, before being ended for good by Porsche in 2015. After both Porsche and Audi left the top class, Toyota rose to dominance, taking the last 3 Le Mans events in a row!
Between 2015 and 2017, Porsche added to their victories, now holding a record 19 overall victories at the Circuit de la Sarthe. Audi trail with 13, with Ferrari, Jaguar and Bentley holding the next three positions. Toyota finally took their first overall victory in 2018, and have won every year since. Tom Kristensen is has the most victories at Le Mans, with 9 overall victories over his career with Porsche, Audi and Bentley, inheriting the title of Mr Le Mans.

Videos and Documentaries

• Truth in 24 and Truth in 24 II - The story of Audi’s victories against testing conditions and the might of Peugeot in 2008 and 2011.
  
• Le Mans - made in 1971, this movie follows a fictional Le Mans race in 1970, featuring fantastic footage and sounds of the Porsche 917 and the Ferrari 512 starring Steve McQueen
  
• Michael Fassbender:Road To Le Mans Season 1 - Season 2 - Season 3 - The journey that Michael Fassbender has taken from movie star to Porsche GTE-Am driver, detailing his racing through the ranks of Carrera Cup, Le Mans Cup, and ELMS.
  
• The Deadliest Crash - The BBC documentary on the 1955 Le Mans disaster. For more information, see CookieMonsteFL’s amazing post on the incident
  
• Our Return: A documentary of our road to Le Mans 2015 - Porsche’s youtube documentary chronicling their return to Le Mans and their eventual win.
  
• McLaren at Le Mans: Pursuit of Perfection - The story behind McLaren's 1995 victory
  
• The fastest ever lap at the Circuit de la Sarthe. Kamui Kobayashi's 3:14.791 in 2017 Q2
  
• Mark Blundell’s explosive lap - Blundell was going so fast, he was overheating the blowers in the car. After being told to turn down the engine and abandon the lap, in true racing driver fashion he simply turned off the radio.
  
• Clearwater Racing: Journey to the 24 hours of Le mans
  
• Cetilar Racing: The Italian Spirit of Le Mans - A documentary on Cetilar Villorba Corse's journey to Le Mans in 2018
  
• McLaren at Le Mans: Pursuit of Perfection - The McLaren F1 road car's story and development for the historic LeMans race of 1995.
  
• Ford vs Ferrari / Le Mans '66 - Coming out late 2019, this movie tells (a stylised version of) the story of the battle between Ford and Ferrari at Le Mans in the late 1960's. While there are some inaccuracies, the movie has been widely heralded as one of the best Motorsport themed movies ever made, and has been enjoyed by critics and motorsport fans alike.
  
• Michael Fassbender: Road To Le Mans Season 1 and 2, Season 3, Season 4 – Actor and Amateur Driver Michael Fassbender documents his 4 year journey from Porsche Carrera Cup into the ELMS and finally, to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
  

Entry List

Spotters Guide to be added when released!

Once again, /WEC will have a community spotters guide thanks to the efforts of Ziombel_444! The planned release date is the 6th of June, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Check out Ziombel_444's other work at Spotters.Guide, and support this great effort!

Endurance Chat

/WEC's podcast, Endurance Chat, will have four episodes in the lead up to Le Mans, as well as a Pre-Pre-Race show in the hours before the event. Watch this space for updates!

• Endurance Chat S8E11 – The Centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans Preview - History, context, and insight into this year’s edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours
  
• Endurance Chat S8E12 - The 2023 Le Mans 24 Hour Hypercar Class Guide – COMING SOON
  
• Endurance Chat S8E13 - The 2023 Le Mans 24 Hour LMP2 Class Guide – COMING SOON
  
• Endurance Chat S8E14 – The 2023 Le Mans 24 Hour LMGTE-Am Class Guide – COMING SOON
  

In addition, Endurance Chat made a series of features detailing the history of sportscars in the late 60’s and early 70’s, at the transition point of GT and Prototype machinery. The series details some of the machinery, events, and drivers in one of the fastest and most dangerous periods in racing history. You can find a playlist to these features here!

Streaming and Television

In the past, the FIAWEC Broadcast has started from Qualifying Practice. We are awaiting confirmation if that is the case this year – Streams for non-FIAWEC sessions after that point will be subject to the organisers of those series broadcasting those sessions.

• Official stream OUTSIDE US ONLY - The Le Mans package gives you access to all WEC sessions (Qualifying, Warm Up and the Race) with a choice of on boards, cross platform compatibility, and up to 5 devices connected at once. Additionally, replays of the event are free after the event. Official comms headed by Martin Haven, Anthony Davidson, and Graham Goodwin, who in my personal opinion properly nail the tone of the event. Has been known to get overloaded and crash however
• Eurosport will likely be broadcasting the event in a variety of locales throughout Europe. This will be updated when confirmed
• Radio Le Mans will be streaming live radio for every session

For American audiences, unfortunately the Official stream is geoblocked for your area. Information on how to watch will be updated when confirmed

• [Official TV Broadcast distribution](COMING SOON) Find out how to watch in your region!

Any further updates on TV or Streaming distribution will be added as they are released!

Social Media

If you're looking for more interaction, you can find most of the teams, drivers and commentators on Twitter, giving you instant interaction with those in the midst of the event.

If someone wants to make a twitter list for the teams/driveetc for this year, that would be greatly appreciated!

Live timing

• Official Live Timing

Be sure to join the discord for alternate timing solutions!

Get Involved!

By far the most fun you can have watching an endurance race is watching it with the official /WEC Discord! It's a lot of fun and a really great atmosphere to watch the race in!
If you want to have a go at picking who you think will be winning in each class, jump into mwclarkson's Fantasy Endurance Contest! It's free to enter, and if you win, you'll get the satisfaction and achievement of being right!
If there's anything you'd like us to add, or need clarification on, please comment below and we'll add it in!`

These should be spoiler-free reviews (those go live on June 2nd), but there's no guarantee that every review will be spoiler free. This thread will aim to capture as many reviews as possible. Please feel free to leave comments with any reviews and I will attempt to add them as quickly as I can!

Game Information

Game Title: Diablo IV
Platforms:

• PlayStation 5 (Jun 6, 2023)
• PlayStation 4 (Jun 6, 2023)
• PC (Jun 6, 2023)
• Xbox Series X/S (Jun 6, 2023)
• Xbox One (Jun 6, 2023)

Trailers:

• Diablo IV Launch Live Action Trailer
• Diablo IV Story Launch Trailer
• Diablo IV Gameplay Launch Trailer
• Diablo IV In-Game Intro Cinematic
• Diablo IV Official Release Date Trailer
• Diablo IV Official Gameplay Trailer
• Diablo IV Announce Cinematic By Three They Come

Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 90 average - 98% recommended - 72 reviews

Critic Reviews

CGMagazine - Brendan Frye - 10 / 10

Diablo IV's dark allure combines ingenious design choices to create an extraordinary Diablo that we couldn't have dreamed possible back in 1997.

Dexerto - Sam Smith - 5 / 5

Diablo 4 is a mighty sequel, but it can feel more like a grand buffet of tasty demon-slaying treats. It offers something for everyone but misses out on that acquired yet curated taste of the older entries. This doesn't take away from Diablo 4 representing the next evolution in the series. It is a stellar sequel – and one that works hard to appeal to every fan of this beloved franchise.

GameSpew - Richard Seagrave - 10 / 10

We had high expectations for Diablo 4, and we’re so happy to say that Blizzard has smashed them. This is a title that takes Diablo 3’s meaningful quality-of-life improvements and expands upon them with aplomb, while also bringing back the much-loved look and feel of Diablo 2. All the while, it’s not too focused on the past, taking the series into open world territory and making it more story-led than ever before. And what a story it tells: we never expected to be so invested. But more importantly, we can’t wait to start a new character and jump once again into the endgame. Diablo 4 is devilishly good – the best Diablo game yet, in fact – and it only stands to get better.

GamesRadar+ - Josh West - 5 / 5

"After sacrificing nearly 100 hours of my life to Diablo 4, I've barely scratched the surface of what it has to offer"

GamingTrend - Cassie Peterson, Ron Burke - 100 / 100

Diablo IV represents a massive shift for the series, moving to a more inclusive and open world that is somehow as inviting for new players as returning veterans. Complexity is mixed with flexibility to create a game that is sure to consume you for hundreds if not thousands of hours. Diablo IV is the game we've been waiting for, and a return to form for the Blizzard team.

PCGamesN - Lauren Bergin - 10 / 10

Diablo 4 embodies the essence of what makes Diablo so great, taking the best elements of its predecessors and sewing them together to create an ever-changing, ever-evolving chimera that we can't wait to play for years to come.

VGC - Jordan Middler - 5 / 5

Diablo 4's always-online requirement is a shame, and a few of the classes are somewhat slow to kick into high gear, but we're only able to muster minor complaints for what is easily a game-of-the-year frontrunner, and Blizzard’s best game since Diablo 3.

VideoGamer - Ford James - 10 / 10

Diablo 4 feels like the apex of the series, bringing together everything great about the previous entries. It isn't without its minor flaws, and the success of the endgame content is still up in the air, but for once Diablo has a gripping story, phenomenal graphics, and a gameplay loop that doesn't innovate too much but is certainly better than its predecessor.

Windows Central - Jez Corden - 5 / 5

Simply put, Diablo 4 may be Blizzard's best-ever game, and that's a really tough legacy to live up to. Immaculate storytelling meets stunning art, polished, bug-free gameplay, atop endlessly customizable combat with the promise of dozens, maybe hundreds of hours of content — Diablo 4 might be Blizzard's most important, pivotal game since World of Warcraft. Do yourself a favor and go in completely blind. Even if you're not a typical fan of isometric action RPGs, I'm confident that you won't be disappointed.

Multiplayer First - Vitor Braz - 9.5 / 10

Do yourself a favor: ditch your reservations and step into Sanctuary as soon as you can. It’s likely going to be literal hell during the launch queues, but you’ll have a beautifully grim and visceral adventure ahead, one where every leveling up sound will feel like music to your ears. Enjoy it to the best of your possibilities because an action-RPG of this caliber may only arrive in another decade or so, and missing out on Diablo 4 would be something that may just reserve you a spot in hell.

Oyungezer Online - Can Arabacı - Turkish - 9.5 / 10

Diablo IV is definitely one of the best games Blizzard has ever made. And possibly the best story they've ever told.

Rectify Gaming - Rebecca Ellis - 9.5 / 10

Diablo IV will usher a new generation of action RPGs into the modern era with its brilliance.

Seasoned Gaming - Ainsley Bowden - 9.5 / 10

Diablo 4 is a masterpiece. It's the culmination of decades of ARPG refinement and evolution, and it manages to pay homage to the IP's legendary namesake while successfully integrating modern RPG elements.

TechRaptor - Austin Suther - 9.5 / 10

Diablo IV might just go down as one of Blizzard's best games. It delivers exciting and accessible ARPG gameplay, a stunning world and engaging narrative to experience, and so many activities to keep you hooked for hours on end.

XboxEra - Jesse Norris - 9.5 / 10

Diablo IV is a triumph. It fulfills its promise, combining the aesthetics and feeling of Diablo II with the fantastic gameplay of III. It is dark and gory, featuring a meaty campaign and endgame that should delight fans of the series for hundreds if not thousands of hours.

ZTGD - Terrence Johnson - 9.5 / 10

Diablo 4 is a massive game dropping in a year chock FULL of massive games. 2023 has already seen Nintendo’s behemoth drop by way of Tears of the Kingdom which has been dominating charts and peoples’ times. Now Diablo 4 is going to come bursting in and demanding that same type of time commitment with a sprawling game world to explore on foot or horseback. Between dungeons, world events, side quests and even the main quests players will never be too far from something interesting to inspect or kill in Sanctuary. Diablo 4 feels like a wonderful homecoming, with its darker tone and sublime cutscenes which Blizzard has always been wonderful at; the whole game just feels like a love letter to us fans who have waited so long to return to Hell and defeat its denizens once more.

COGconnected - Mark Steighner - 94 / 100

Diablo IV is the true successor to the second game, returning the franchise to its dark, gothic roots with a wild, operatic narrative and bold characters. Gameplay is as addictive as ever, and the sprawling campaign is only the start of a massive amount of content to experience. While Blizzard keeps nudging Diablo’s design towards MMORPG-style multiplayer and co-op, there’s no lack of fun for solo players, even if some bosses are better with friends. With off-the-charts production values and compelling characters and combat, Diablo IV is just about as good as the genre can get.

GamePro - Kevin Itzinger - German - 94 / 100

With Diablo 4, Blizzard has created a genre masterpiece that does almost everything right.

Fextralife - Fexelea - 9.3 / 10

Diablo 4 is an excellent game and a fantastic next step for the ARPG genre. Smartly melding Open World and Online elements with traditional dungeon crawling and loot farming, this game will become the favorite time-sink of millions for years to come.

Marooners' Rock - Andrew Peggs - 9.2 / 10

Diablo IV has done a good job of delivering an exciting and enjoyable storyline and providing hours of exciting entertainment, whether playing alone or with companions.

ComicBook.com - Adam Barnhardt - 4.5 / 5

Diablo 4 is perfect for both franchise mainstays and newcomers alike. The lore of Sanctuary expands drastically while the game, story and all, is large enough to keep new players busy. The game is built to allow the developers to scale it with ease with battle passes and seasons for a new generation, but it's nowhere close to being empty.

Forbes - Paul Tassi - 9 / 10

Though in theory, an “endgame” playthrough of Diablo 4 is probably 100-200 hours across a larger span of classes, I feel like I can judge what I’ve seen. My impressions are overwhelmingly positive based on what I’ve experienced so far, from the map to the gameplay to the new systems to even the story, which I was not expecting. Blizzard really seems like they’ve nailed this, and I’m going to say the only way this will be poorly received at launch is if technical issues kill people’s ability to play. But once it gets rolling? Yes, I think you’re going to like Diablo 4.

GGRecon - Joshua Boyles - 4.5 / 5

Diablo 4 has taken everything that fans love about the ARPG format and elevated it to new heights. With a fascinating world to explore, a strong cast of characters, and purposeful combat, it sets a new standard for the genre.
The wheel hasn’t been reinvented, and is remains to be seen how the series will adapt to a live service model. Nevertheless, anyone picking up Diablo 4 at launch will find themselves playing a very strong package with plenty of promise.

GRYOnline.pl - Hubert Sosnowski - Polish - 9 / 10

What are we getting? An excellent game that reeks of a game-as-a-service, with tons of satisfying content. Diablo 4 looks like the best hack’n’slash on the market. The best h’n’s for me, a guy well versed in three previous Diablos, Divine Divinity and a bit of Grim Dawn.

Game Rant - Shane Robert Moyer - 4.5 / 5

Blizzard has taken twenty years of game design lessons and put all of them into Diablo 4. The variety of things to do in the game and the plethora of build choices feel like they come from a company that has experienced the highest highs and lowest lows in game development and taken some of those hard-learned lessons to heart. There is a lot of love built into every aspect of Diablo 4, and users will find it in every system and corner of Sanctuary. With the first simultaneous release on PC and consoles in the series' history, Diablo players are finally getting back into the fight between Heaven and Hell, and they will more than likely still be fighting for many years to come.

God is a Geek - Mick Fraser - 9 / 10

Diablo 4 may not be the huge leap forward some were hoping for, but it still offers an incredible adventure through a dark, compelling world.

Hardcore Gamer - Chris Shive - 4.5 / 5

Based on the franchise's history, Diablo IV has large boots to fill, but does an admiral job of meeting this longtime fan's expectations.

Hobby Consolas - David Rodriguez - Spanish - 90 / 100

Diablo 4 is the triumphant return of the saga. The game manages to bring back the dark style of Diablo II while boasting a good narrative, gameplay as addictive as ever and some interesting novelties. It only remains to be seen how Blizzard will keep the game, but we can say that the time-eater has returned in style.

IGN - Travis Northup - 9 / 10

Diablo 4 is a stunning sequel with near perfect endgame and progression design that makes it absolutely excruciating to put down.

IGN Spain - Álex Pareja - Spanish - 9 / 10

Diablo IV is tremendously addictive, its combat is formidable and the character building is excellent. More MMO than ever in a new path for the saga.

INVEN - Jaihoon Jeong - Korean - 9 / 10

While the fusion of Diablo franchise and the open world sounded rather unfamiliar at first, the game has succeeded in capturing the charm of both. You can't say the game is perfect as of its initial release, Diablo4 still is one of the strongest quarter view action RPGs.

Kakuchopurei - Jonathan Leo - 90 / 100

[Diablo 4] looks and feels great to play, it's full of content without being way too overburdened with systems and age-old mechanics, it's accessible but also gets really hard and challenging for action RPG standards, and it's really great with more people in your party, with a good amount of classes to play around with and tailor to your playstyle. A highly-polished loot-filled gateway drug for newbies and veterans alike; not terribly innovative but incredibly fun to get into.

Merlin'in Kazanı - Samet Basri Taşlı - Turkish - 90 / 100

Diablo IV has successfully brought everything we wished to be in the 3rd game and has the potential to be the best game in the series.

Niche Gamer - Jonathan White - 9 / 10

It ain’t perfect, but provided they continue the course Diablo IV is currently on, this might be the game that bridges the gap and makes Diablo the most accessible and ultimately the most fun it has ever been to players from any background.

Press Start - Harry Kalogirou - 9 / 10

Diablo IV is an unquestionable win for Blizzard and one of their foundational franchises when it needed it most. An unrelenting commitment to vision, redefined Sanctuary, never-ending player progression, and excellent boss fights are just a few of the reasons Diablo IV isn't held back by uneven pacing and recycled content.

Prima Games - Daphne Fama - 9 / 10

Diablo IV is a game with a deeply involved combat system, a complex and well-established world, and all the hallmarks of my next gaming obsession.

Pure Xbox - Liam Doolan - 9 / 10

You can see why it's taken Blizzard over six years to get this one out the gate when you look at the end product. Diablo 4 is a natural evolution of the series with its new open-world design and gameplay, enhanced social and multiplayer experience, and a live service that promises to keep players returning to the world of Sanctuary for years to come. These strong foundations and scale of the whole experience, combined with the five unique classes and seemingly limitless customisation options for builds, should keep even the most diehard demon slayers busy for a very long time. With all of this in consideration, Diablo 4 is a must-play if you're a veteran of the series and it's a great starting point for newcomers. We can't wait to jump back in! Now, fingers crossed we just don't have another 'Error 37' at launch.

Push Square - Khayl Adam - 9 / 10

Diablo 4 is the true successor to the bad old days of action RPGs and oozes quality in its frenetic combat and deep, engaging character development. It tells a complex, gritty narrative set in the darkly beautiful world of Sanctuary. Even better, it provides a solid foundation for years of Diablo content to come.

Screen Rant - Carrie Lambertsen - 4.5 / 5

Ultimately, Diablo 4 is a must-play experience for any fan of dungeon-crawler ARPGs.

Sirus Gaming - Kimberly Mae Go - 9 / 10

Diablo 4 presents an epic and visually stunning adventure, enveloping players in a cinematic journey through its immersive open-world. While some areas, like repetitive dungeons and class imbalances, leave room for improvement; Blizzard has laid a solid groundwork that sparks excitement for further exploration of the vast realm of Sanctuary.

TrueGaming - Arabic - 9 / 10

Diablo IV brings you a captivating story, a lot of freedom in your class building and a massive world full of monsters to pulverize and dungeons to explore that will keep you playing for lots of hours to come.

Twinfinite - Zhiqing Wan - 4.5 / 5

An incredible looter experience overall. I cannot overstate just how satisfying it is to play Diablo IV on a moment-to-moment basis, and with so much replay value to be had from its various classes and build possibilities within those classes, Diablo IV feels like a true return to form for the series.

We Got This Covered - David Morgan - 4.5 / 5

Diablo IV tows several lines masterfully, be it in its mechanical complexity or the moral ambiguity of its plot. Its greatest achievement, however, is being a great Diablo game.

GAMES.CH - Steffen Haubner - German - 89%

The irresistible gloom is now no longer opposed by hurdles in the form of confusing item and skill management. We enthusiastically throw ourselves against Lilith's hordes and once again sink hour after hour into perfecting our character. Overall, however, there could have been a bit more innovation.

Geek Culture - Jake Su - 8.6 / 10

The worry remaining is that the balance needs to be struck well in order to maintain Diablo IV as a viable and long-lasting adventure that doesn’t lose its freshness or that the incessant rush to get more powerful gear becomes a chore rather than a thrill. At this juncture, there’s much for players both old and new to dive into, making combat and exploration exciting times, all while pushing the story forward in a new chapter for Sanctuary. The hope is that this will last, and that Blizzard will continue to support the game in all ways. After all, Lilith is coming, and all hail the Mother.

DualShockers - Emma Ward - 8.5 / 10

Your favorite Action Role Playing Game is back and bloodier than ever. Diablo 4 improves upon nearly every core gameplay mechanic from Diablo 3 while introducing a few great quality-of-life features that make this journey to Sanctuary the best yet. While some of the quest systems seem dated, the main story is delivered beautifully, breathing new life into the series.

Everyeye.it - Antonello Gaeta - Italian - 8.5 / 10

Diablo 4 is a canvas on which developers could, over the next few months, paint a true masterpiece.

Gamer Guides - Nathan Garvin - 8.5 / 10

With a compelling new antagonist, a serviceable, character-driven story, and a familiarly satisfying gameplay loop with an incredible amount of depth, Diablo 4 is a worthy entry into the franchise that threatens to burn away many hours of your life.

PSX Brasil - Paulo Roberto Montanaro - Portuguese - 85 / 100

Diablo IV is, without a doubt, a great success that takes the best of its previous iterations, especially Diablo II, and takes advantage of the potential of an intense open world. With mechanics refined for today, hundreds of hours of gameplay, and the promise of an aggressive post-launch content, this game is the ultimate in the eternal battle between evil and… the other party.

Wccftech - Alessio Palumbo - 8.5 / 10

Diablo IV is a return to form at a much needed time for Blizzard. It delivers incredibly fun hack and slash action combat, a greatly improved skill system, and a ton of things to do, not to mention the best story told in the franchise yet. It also looks awesome, sounds great, and runs well (except for rare instances of traversal stuttering).

WellPlayed - Ash Wayling - 8.5 / 10

Diablo IV is a must-play for fans of the series and newcomers alike. It invites you to lose yourself in a world of darkness and embark on a thrilling journey filled with relentless battles, captivating storytelling, and a hauntingly beautiful audio-visual symphony. Just ignore the extraneous limb reaching for your wallet.

Xbox Achievements - Dan Webb - 85%

Diablo IV boasts a new look, with its new open-world and online format, but at its heart, it’s very much a classic Diablo experience. A little old-school still, sure, but the core combat is still as fun and addictive as ever, and there’s RPG mechanics for days to sink your teeth into. What’s not to love?

Destructoid - Timothy Monbleau - 8 / 10

Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.

Digital Trends - Gabriel Moss - 4 / 5

Diablo 4's wealth of loot and meaningful customization systems make up for most of its frustrating MMO concessions.

GameSpot - Alessandro Barbosa - 8 / 10

Diablo IV's surprisingly moving and engrossing story encapsulates gameplay systems that have learnt all the right lessons from entries past.

Gameblog - French - 8 / 10

Diablo 4 is extremely generous. A clear evolution of the franchise and a real comeback.

GamesHub - Emily Spindler - 4 / 5

Diablo 4 is a behemoth of a game, boasting a gothic world that goes beyond the engaging hack-and-slash gameplay loop.

PlayStation Universe - Neil Bolt - 8 / 10

Diablo IV takes the series to new heights, but also spends plenty of time covering familar ground. The compelling rush for loot is as strong as it has ever been, and visually, the game is spectacular. It doesn't exactly feel like a massive leap from Diablo III yet its focus on the series' core strengths ensures that's likely more than enough for long-time fans.

Saudi Gamer - Arabic - 8 / 10

So far, the Diablo 4 experience has been nothing short of very good, the story has been very interesting and it finally returns to what distinguished the series in terms of storytelling before the release of the third installment. The game offered a very solid base of content, activities, addictive gameplay, and a variety of character-building ways that any Action RPG should offer. This is knowing that there are some important issues that appeared at the beginning of the experiment as we mentioned in the full review.

Shacknews - Josh Broadwell - 8 / 10

Blizzard opts for refinement over innovation with Diablo 4, but it's still a devilishly good time.

Siliconera - Kazuma Hashimoto - 8 / 10

Diablo IV features a compelling antagonist in Lilith, and while it tries to present more interesting ideas into the series by the way of story, it ends up retreading old ground in more ways than one.

VG247 - Connor Makar - 4 / 5

It's a damn good entry to the series as a whole, and will give the vast majority of its players a bloody good time.

LevelUp - Luis Sánchez - Spanish - 7 / 10

Diablo IV remained stuck in the past while trying to find innovation without generating friction with fans who have played the franchise for over two decades; It feels like the ghost of Diablo Immortal continues to haunt the halls of Blizzard. The game is more of a reinvention of the classic experience, focusing on a games-as-a-service format to ensure another decade of content for Diablo.

Ars Technica - Aaron Zimmerman - Unscored

Each class has a gimmick-or "specialization"-that unlocks as you progress through the game. The Barbarian, for instance, can lug around a huge arsenal of weapons and gains "expertise" with each as you use them, granting buffs and special effects. The Necromancer can choose between different types of minions or sacrifice them to extract their power. The Rogue has three specialization options, one of which is a WoW-like combo-points system. Every class has its own personality and quirks, and they're all a blast to play.

Checkpoint Gaming - Elliot Attard - Unscored

Whilst Diablo IV could have done more to advance the genre or perfect its writing and tone across the entire experience, there’s no denying just how impactful this release is, especially for those of us who grew up alongside the series.

Console Creatures - David Pietrangelo - Recommended

Diablo 4 is an impressive and massive conquest of demons, loot, exploration, and wildly fun mechanics. It's already clear that this game brings tons of new content to the franchise and handles it incredibly well.

Game Informer - Marcus Stewart - Unscored

While it remains to be seen how the experience handles the incoming flood of players once the lights are turned on, I think Diablo fans, old and new, are in for a treat.

PC Gamer - Tyler Colp - Unscored

An exciting, modern version of Diablo is in here—I can see parts of it poking through the surface—but I'm starting to lose patience waiting for it to show its face.

Polygon - Alexis Ong - Unscored

More busywork doesn’t lessen the series-signature lootfest appeal

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Alice Bell - Unscored

Diablo IV is a beautiful, frictionless grey toybox that puts nothing in the way of you playing it for hours and wondering what you've done with your life.

SIFTER - Adam Christou - Worth your time

Diablo IV offers a strong opening impression. It has a rich, detailed story campaign, filled with spectacle and gore. Its combat and game-feel is so satisfying. The classes feel distinct and play quite differently from each other. It feels so good to burst down screens of demons with spells and swords. Will it live up to other competitors in the ARPG space? It’s too soon to tell, but what’s here so far is extremely promising especially for players looking to enjoy an impressive horror story.

Others from comments (may be duplicate)

Gaming Review Sites

• GameRant: 4.5/5 https://gamerant.com/diablo-4-review/
• WindowsCentral: 5/5 https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/diablo-4-review
• WGTC: https://wegotthiscovered.com/reviews/review-diablo-iv-is-a-complex-and-beautiful-hell/
• Video Games Chronicle: 5/5 https://www.videogameschronicle.com/review/diablo-4/
• TechRadar: 5/5 https://www.techradar.com/reviews/diablo-4-review
• Destructoid: 8/10 https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-diablo-4/

YouTube Reviews

• DM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4Wajt6hcGY
• Fextralife https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs4SDn7HP_8
• Dbrunski https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW2Ur3bDeKo
• Force https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ay_3bp29ds
• IGN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZTeEGhqh-k
• EuroGamer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNO-M-yCcRU
• Slaydra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZWtUEauGHc
• Press Start Australia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7iDTOyrECQ
• Khraze: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9vVncU-iVE
• Datmodz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PNsyFql5I4
• Gamespot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_S9rnIUQ3I
• Seasoned Gaming: https://youtu.be/Mz0cxdx2a_Y
• Rhykker: https://youtu.be/WJM3y-4tDhQ

Non-English Reviews

• Gamestar (German) https://www.gamestar.de/artikel/diablo-4-test-review-wertung,3394628.html GamePro from Germany gave 94/100:
• GamePro (German) https://www.gamepro.de/artikel/diablo-4-test-review,3394866,wertung.html
• Jeuxvideo.com (French) 17/20: https://www.jeuxvideo.com/test/1755365/diablo-4-le-meilleur-de-tous-les-episodes-de-la-saga.htm

I’m super excited!

Happy Memorial Day! Trying to trade parts of my collection for items that I would like to play more!
If you're interested in something listed, please shoot me your list!
[Have]
Consoles
Silver DS Lite, No Stylus Or Charger, one scratch on top screen, few scratches on outer shell
Black Friday Mario New 3DS Black Faceplate (3DS and Charger Only)
New Nintendo 3DS XL Samus Returns Edition (3DS and Charger Only)
New Nintendo 3DS XL Galaxy Edition (3DS and Charger Only, Modded, Back Screw Missing)
Wii U With all Wires and Gamepad(looks like there may be some yellowing on a white screen)
Switch Games
A Hat in Time, code used
Darkest Dungeon Collectors Edition
Diablo 3
Disgae 5 Complete Loose
Dragonball Fighterz Loose
Fire Emblem Three Houses Sealed
Gunvolt Chronicles Luminous Avenger ix
Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild Sealed
Momodora Reverie Under The Moonlight Sealed LGR #37
Pokemon Shield Loose
Pokemon Violet
Pokemon Violet French Copy
Octopath Traveler 2 Sealed
Resident Evil Revelations Collection Sealed
SkullGirls 2nd Encore Sealed
Shantae Genie Hero Ultimate Edition
The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince Loose
Tokyo Mirage Sessions FE Encore
3DS Games
Sealed Animal Crossing Happy Home Designe
Fire Emblem Fates Special Edition Cart Only
Kingdom Hearts 3D Dream Drop Distance
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds( No manual)
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (Selects version)
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Loose
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon CIB
Kid Icarus Uprising CIB (No AR Cards and not Big Box)
Kid Icarus Uprising Big Box CIB
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Loose
DS Games
Chrono Trigger CIB (Just no Poster)
Pokémon White 2 CIB (Few small dents on the art cover)
​
Amiibo
Amiibo With Scuffs
Mario (Weird Whiting On Fireball)
Peach (Small Scuff On Back Side)
Lil Mac (Paint Mark On Shorts On The Back Side)
Pacman (Scuffs On Back Side)
Sonic (Marking on Gloves)
Donkey Kong (Small Scuff On Lip)
Bowser Jr. (Has a Few Paint Chips On Shell, and Marks On White Part)
Banjo & Kazzoie (Paint On Nails Is a Bit Faded On a Few Nails)
Duck Hunt (Missing Left Ear)
Game and Watch (Only Has One Face)
R.O.B (Yellowing)
All Amiibos
R.O.B
Duck Hunt
Toon Link
Olimar
Wii Fit Trainer
Ryu
Bayonetta Player 1
Game and Watch
Villager
Diddy Kong
Dr. Mario
Mega Man
Jigglypuff
​
PS5
Elden Ring Collectors Edition Sealed
Accessories
Switch Pro Controller (No Box)
Sealed Daruk Amiibo
Bloodborne Future Press Collectors Edition Hardcover Guide
[Want]
Pokemon Legends Of Arcues
Pokemon Sword and Shield Big Box Only [No Games]
Kirby And The Forgotten Land
Xenoblade 2/3 Special Edition
Legend Of Zelda WindWaker HD Wii U Console CIB
Pokemon Sun and Moon 3DS XL CIB
​
Legend Of Zelda The Breath Of The Wild Masters Edition CIB
Your Lists!

[SELL][CANADA to USA & Canada][PERFUME]

$15 Minimum Please!
TAT 3 calendar days or less
SHIPPING TO USA:$11 without tracking and $15.75 with tracking. I'm shipping from Canada.
SHIPPING TO CANADA:For samples only, $4. With tracking, it starts at $15. Tracked shipping price in Canada varies by region.
All samples or decants, unless marked as FS.
All purchased new, unless marked as RIS.
ALL PRICES ARE IN USD. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASTRID

• ALCHEMY & SURF, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $4.25: Aquatic ozone, metallic gold accord, vetiver, rosemary, benzoin, fig, and moss.
• AQUAMARINE, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $4.25: Peach blossom, cucumber, water lily, green cognac, a blend of citrus, blue musk, Japanese peppermint, and sunny sea water accord.
• COVER, 1/4 Bottle, RIS, $6: An enveloping blanket of rice flower, sandalwood, cream, and a touch of cooling bergamot mint.
• FLOATING ON THE WAVES FOREVER AND EVER, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $4.25: Honeydew melon, aquatic ozone, jasmine, lemon, and wild lilies.
• MERCI #27, decant in a thick vial, $2.75, RIS: Lotus, orchid, banana, tropical ivy, and torrential rain accord
• RAIN ON THE OCEAN, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $4.25: Aloe, salt water accord, juniper, pale patchouli, white musk, eucalyptus, and a whisper of spearmint.
• SPELLCASTING ON THE ROCK, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $4.25: Sun-warmed wood, sand, amber, rose geranium, and patchouli.

BPAL (all purchased new)

• A WINTER'S WALK IN THE CEMETERY, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $5.5: Lilith’s lavender and my Dorian on a rambling walk through soft, sweet grass, cypress trees, piles of maple leaves, and bright bouquets of lilies and roses.
• CYCLING FOR PLEASURE, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $5.5: Sea water, sea salt-dusted cypress, pink carnation, oakmoss, and white vetiver.
• O HUSHED OCTOBER MORNING MILD, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $5.5: Dried forest pansy leaves, grape vine, grass, lavender buds, thyme, creeping fig, paw-squished soil, and a whiff of coffee drifting down from the kitchen.
• RING OF LIGHT, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $5.5: Radiant pale musk, artemisia, white lavender, neroli, white pepper, and zingy white aldehydes.
• SKATE PUNKS, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $5.5: Crabgrass, dandelion sap, white clover, purslane, and soil unsettled by skateboard wheels.
• SURPRISE EJACULATION, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $5.5: White pear, white champaca, pink grapefruit, and effervescent white musk.
• THE LAST SYLLABLE, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $5.5: Photos pinned to cool plaster walls, discarded papers, a web of strings, a mirror, a doll, singed straw, scattered books, and unfurled magnetic tape.
• UPSLOPE FOG, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $5.5: Moist clouds rolling lazily up and down low hills of wild grasses, sagebrush, and wildflowers, curling gently around gnarled oaks, majestic pines, and craggy stones.
• URBAN UNDINE, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $5.5: Ocean spray, sea salt, ambergris accord, and lavender.
• WATER OF NOTRE DAME direct , $3.5: Aquatic

DECONSTRUCTING EDEN (all purchased brand new)

• AD ASTRA, $2.5: Sunflowers in a field, under a night sky, gentle wind, softest earth, and wheat.
• ADAM $2: Cedar, balsam, warm skin musks, teak, bergamot, coriander, pepper, tonka bean, and earth.
• ALCUIN, $2.75: White musks and white amber, the pale greens and grays of his marque, with moss and a chypre accord and a base of soft wood.
• AQUARIUS $2: a blend of air with an undercurrent of water, topped with sparkling aldehydes.
• HOMESICK, $2.75: Dogwood, wisteria, tulips, sunflowers ocean air.
• INSOMNIAC, $2.75: white nightgowns, clean sheets, lavender buds, a drop of chamomile, wood floors, skin musks
• JEUNE SAINTE AU LYS $2: pale skin, muted notes of polar, pine, and wood, pale white lilies
• MASTER OF THE STRAITS, $2.75: Stormy sea water, driftwood, bay rum, oakmoss and a couple of drops of hyacinth.
• MOULIN ROUGE, $2.75: a frou-frou of red satin, a frisson of velvet, wooden floorboards, blonde tobacco, red wine, and a drop of absinthe.
• MY GIRLFRIEND’S GIRLFRIEND, $2.75: white musk forms the base. Heart notes of jasmine, soft rose, freesia, lily and black currant. Top notes of pink grapefruit, bergamot and mandarin orange.
• NERVE, $2.75: Blue musk, green clover, soft grey suede, jet fuel, and, white peach tea
• OCTOBER RUST, $2.75: "Cool rusting metal, the last of the maple leaves, black agarwood, crisp air, incense, bonfire smoke, blonde woods, and dark amber."
• SECOND SKIN, $10 (almost half left in 15 mL Bottle): Cold skin, fog, combat boots, cashmeran, metal accord, raindrops, wet stone
• SEVEN STARS, $2.75: Midnight blue sky, sparkling stars, rice, white cedar, and, Buddha’s Hand Citrus
• SILKWORM, $2.75: Silk threads, mulberry leaves, fruit, and branches, salt tears
• SNOW WHITE, $2.75: Clean white musk, blood-red roses, ebony wood, and a touch of the forest, and that infamous apple.
• TALENT, $2.75: Crisp linen, beeswax coated silken threads, Alban rose, and Earl Grey tea.
• WATER ME, $2.75: coconut, dark amber, skin musks, clean water, and satin sheets

FANTOME (all purchased new) $5.5 each

• BUNE: Damp subterranean air, nagarmotha, smooth cave walls, davana, a cold marble altar, & glittering green dragon scales
• COYOCAN, $2: Desert wind, sweet nectar, cool stone, Mexican vanilla, creosote, hibiscus, sage
• KUPALA: Morning dew, davana, fern flower, bonfire smoke, birch leaves, warm summer air
• STOLAS: Bluebells, an unburnt cedar offering, cool night air, lavender, soft owl feathers, blueberries, & a hint of dark chocolate

NAVA

• COUNT CHOCO, Ajevie Slink, $4: Count ChocoCocoa Absolute of Persia, India and the West Indies, Cocoa liquor, Wheat, Cocoa Powder, Vanilla Powder, Mallow and Chocolate Soy Milk.

NUI COBALT DESIGNS (all purchased new)

• DEEP HEALING, 1.15 ml, $3.5: Deep ocean water, bracing wind, cold clary sage, and fresh rain-drenched greens.
• DENDROPHILIA - THE LOVE OF TREES, 1.15 ml, $3.5: The love of Trees.Moss-covered deadfall, birchwood and pine, lingering resins and sunlight through the leaves, a trace of woodsmoke, the memory of vetiver and cedar.
• FROST GIANT , 1.15 ml, $3.5: Himalayan cedar, towering oak, nagarmotha, frozen sage, moss-covered stone, cucumber, and fog.
• GREY WOLF, 1.15 ml, $3.5: White sandalwood, black amber, icy sage, cashmere, stone musk, lichen, softly smoked birchwood, grey suede, mountain springwater, and white peppercorn.
• MERFOLK, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials), $3.75: The mineral scent of sand, salt, and shells upon the mist, ambergris accord, turquoise musk, warm orris, olive trees, and neroli.
• ORNITHOPHILIA - THE LOVE OF BIRDS, 1.15 ml, $3.5: A wistful effusion of angelica, kava kava, elderflower, linden, mugwort, saffron, acacia wood, purple heliotrope, and mugwort.

POSSETS (ALL PURCHASED NEW; unless marked as FS, all are samples from direct or decant from Ajevie that are $2.5 each)

• 4 SEASONS OF SUMMER: Bamboo, silk, Japanese incense, a hint of water, and fresh green shoots, and a small introduction of sandalwood in the mix to send a cooling breeze your way.
• ALASKA: the chill in the air, but also the perfume of the riot of summer blossoms as they race the sun every year.
• ARC OF VENUS, FS, Brand New Never Used, $16: Sexy sandalwood base, black lavender, calendula, “abstract” musk, sharp grey musk
• BERENICE: Champagne musk, pink grapefruit, a dash of lemon zest, a veil of dragons' blood
• BIRTH OF VENUS: jasmine, aquatic blend, light citrus blend
• BRIDAL CHORUS, FS, Brand New Never Used, $16: a lot of Hawthorne here, a very sugary musk, a kiss of a ""silky musk"" and it's all about silky skin
• DANCE WITH ME, FS, Brand New Never Used, $16: A classy variation of everyone's favorite lavender vanilla but substituting grapefruit for lavender and under-girding it with white musk.
• FASCINATOR: sparkling, very high-key bright crystalline musk, emollient backup musk, sandalwood, cedar and rosewood.
• FLYING HORSE: Bamboo, grated ginger, green tea, luan wood, white floral note
• FROG PRINCESS: To an aquatic base, subtle hints of coconut and mint are added.
• HATSHEPSUT: Bitter beautiful galbanum pairs with the smoothness of labdanum, a bit of oude gum, and a very small amount of the best skin amber.
• HEATHCLIFFE AND CATHERINE EARNSHAW: Heather of the moors, lavender of English, a drop of wildness, oude
• HYLAS AND THE NYMPH: pooled water, lush vegetation, and sneaking scent of sex
• ISABELLA: rose are combined with a light resin, white tea leaf and a rare honey/milky/cream musk. A light dusting of familiar spices.
• LOLA MONTEZ: green of Irish grass accord, deeply green aquatic note, dark and thick labdenum, tonka infusion, animalic musk.
• LOTUS OF THE NILE: The lotus is the prime fragrance in the bouquet, but it is followed by bits of roseate beauty, a sort of dark incense which has been winnowed through the air, and faint aquatic background scent.
• SHIP OF FOOLS: tang of the sea and added a bit of refined leather to get things started, a roll of key lime zest and a goodly portion of faux ambergris.
• SWAN: cool with a light kiss of olive leaf, a blend of three blue musks (from light to dark and a mid tone one), a bit of cork (!) extract, a small amount of osmanthus.
• TERRA NOCTURNA: violet, vetiver, leather, ozone, pepper, sugar, and a crystal musk
• THE WATER BURNS: The essence of earth and high greenery--a hint of smoke but smelled from far away, boxwood, galbanum, and a light hint of Mysore sandalwood.
• XUONG CUONG: A cold green leaf bats against a ghost wood, a lash of green chlorophyll and crystal musk, a bit of luan wood, and a soft ambient earth scent, finished off with sandalwood and yuzu, the latter adds an air of almost black walnut and nutwood-like nuance to the whole.

SIXTEEN92 (all purchased new unless marked as RIS)

• ALL IS BRIGHT Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials). $4: Quiet snowfall, brisk winter ozone, warm peppermint tea, tightly laced ice skates on a glistening frozen pond
• ALL IS BRIGHT, $5: Quiet snowfall, brisk winter ozone, warm peppermint tea, tightly laced ice skates on a glistening frozen pond
• ANDROCTONUS AUSTRALIS, $5: Rum, wild fig, dry papyrus, sweet tobacco, oud
• AQUILA, $5: Juniper, chilld white tea, mountain laurel, soft cotton, airy musks
• AQUILA, $5: Juniper, chilld white tea, mountain laurel, soft cotton, airy musks
• AQUILA, $5: Juniper, chilld white tea, mountain laurel, soft cotton, airy musks
• BEAUTIFUL. POPULAR. LOVED. FEARED. Ajevie 2020 Half Slink, $1.5: Moonflower, tiare, bitter almond, blond woods, heat lightning, asphalt
• BEFANA, $3.5 (decanted into a thicker vial that’s approximately 2/3 full but measured to be around 1/5 of a bottle): Black currant and dried fig, black pepper, forest berries, pressed flower petals, creamy amber, winter spices
• BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR, Ajevie Slonk (cute screw-top vials). $4: Dusty magic shop shelves, dried sage leaf, crystal ball, darkened amber musks, a puff of smoke
• BOOK OF STARS, $3 (decanted into a thicker vial that’s approximately 1/4 full): The smell of space (meteor dust, ozone, metal, ethyl formate) blended with grounding white sandalwood, papyrus, & earthy musks.
• CHILLED CHAMPAGNE, $3.5 (decanted into a thicker vial that’s approximately 2/3 full but measured to be around 1/5 of a bottle)
• CHIROMANCY, $5: Orris, worn leather, ink, porcelain, black truffle
• COCONUT FLAN, FREE (original bottle with a few drops left) - just ask!
• FOOL FOR LOVE, $5: Leather jacket, chipped black nail polish, burning roses, bad poetry
• GRETA, $5: Frosted glass, chilly aldehydes, citrus blossom, elderflower, snow accord
• GRASS HARP, $3.5 (decanted into a thicker vial that’s approximately 2/3 full but measured to be around 1/5 of a bottle): Orange blossom, clover, hyacinth, ruby red grapefruit, sweet basil
• HELIOPHOBIA, decant in chonky vial, $3: Climbing ivy, faded magnolia blooms, moonlit vines, cracked solarium glass, splintered wood, peeling wallpaper, humid air, fog & shadow, feral musk
• I AM ATREYU!, $5: The hopes of all Fantasia: Luck dragon fur, glimmering gold and worn suede, sumac, fire, equine musk
• I AM ATREYU!, $5: The hopes of all Fantasia: Luck dragon fur, glimmering gold and worn suede, sumac, fire, equine musk
• LOUISE, Direct, $5: Sultry amber, red ink, black kohl, night blooms, Tonkin musk (synthetic), wormwood, soft suede, glistening strands of pearls
• LYCANTHROPE, Direct, $5: Monkshood, warm fur, tuber, elm bark, artemisia, galbanum, weathered rock, silver moonlight
• LYCANTHROPE, Direct, $5: Monkshood, warm fur, tuber, elm bark, artemisia, galbanum, weathered rock, silver moonlight
• LYRA, $5: Misty aldehydes, mandora blossom, spring hyacinth, forsythia, new leaves, melted snow
• MIDWINTER DUSK, $5: Chilled evergreen boughs and bunches of mistletoe, a blanket of evening frost, distant sleigh bells, the soft glow of gas lamps on snowy cobblestone streets
• MIDWINTER DUSK, $5: Chilled evergreen boughs and bunches of mistletoe, a blanket of evening frost, distant sleigh bells, the soft glow of gas lamps on snowy cobblestone streets
• SAVE FERRIS, Ajevie Slink, $3.5: "Funnel cakes & lemonade from Wrigley field, salted pretzels, bright blue skies, cool Lake Michigan breeze, Bueller… Bueller… "
• SINTERKLAAS, $3.5 (decanted into a thicker vial that’s approximately 2/3 full but measured to be around 1/5 of a bottle): Cake flour and sugared dough, royal icing, mulled wine, foil-wrapped candies, speculaas cookies, a cozy hearth
• SOLSTICE BONFIRE, $5: Dark rum, grey ash, black amber, firewood bales, pine needle, charcoal, cedar, & billowing smoke on crisp winter air
• TALIA, $5: Vanilla, moss, ivy, soft musk, stone
• THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER, RES BATCH, half decant in a thicker vial, $3.5 (decanted into a thicker vial that’s approximately 2/3 full but measured to be around 1/5 of a bottle): Tuberose absolute, soft skin musk, oakmoss, fresh earth, vanilla, iris
• THE NOTHING, $5: The emptiness that’s left: Black clouds, stormy winds, broken mirrors, deep water, rock dust, I will just sit here and let it take me away too
• TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT, $5: Swirls of tranquil incense, flickering farolitos, piñon and juniper wood, far-off carols drifting on desert wind
• TURTLE DOVES, Ajevie Slink, $3.5: Frasier fir, frozen sidewalks, snowy park benches, twinkling fairy lights and silver bells, a flurry of soft feathers, warm mittens, a wooden toy chest, delicate porcelain musk
• VILLAINS, $5: Candle soot, pine rosin, blood red pomegranate, howling forest winds, darkened crystals, sacred herbs
• VULPECULA, $5: Pools of rainwater, soaked pebbles, tomato leaf, decaying tree bark, wild brambles, dusty fur
• WAKING IN WINTER, half decant in a thicker vial, $3.5 (decanted into a thicker vial that’s approximately 2/3 full but measured to be around 1/5 of a bottle): fir needle, hemlock, soft snow, pale woods, delicate mint, frost-blanketed leaves, cold metal, distant hearthsmoke

SORCELLERIE all Sorcellerie are RIS (some cheaper than others to account for fill level differences)

• A PARTY OR SOMETHING, $1: Marigolds, yellow cake, white chocolate, pistachio buttercream, Iso E Super, Cashmeran
• WHAT BIG EYES YOU HAVE, $2.75: Immortelle absolute, lemon meringue pie, pearlescent vanilla musk

STEREOPLASM

• ENCHANTED DEW DROPS, 4.5 mL Roller, $9.5: (dew/jade/light smoke/stone moss) - A glowing vial containing healing dew from the misty peak of treacherous Mount Eumedes (will appear in rain during spring equinox if an acceptable offering of fire is made).
• KING MOONRACER, Doll Size, $3: Oceanic musk, cool night air, sea salt, pu-erh tea and night-blooming jasmine.
• OGOPOGO, Doll Size, $3: Cool Rippling lake, water lily, seaweed and snake skin.
• OPALINE, Mini Roller, $3: Iridescent and heavy stones of opalized amber, birds of paradise, frozen yucca and lacquered teak[pearl-stone/opal-amber accord/birds of paradise/cold yucca/camphorous teak]
• PÊCHE IMMORTELLE, 4.5 mL Roller, $9.5: Saturn peach and aged cognac enclosed in humid jade glass, unearthed after midnight alongside dewy blooms of star jasmine and clary sage
• PEEL, Mini Roller, $3: Spiraled peels of heaven scent Valencia orange, lumia lemon and perfectly ripe strawberries and banana[orange/strawberry/banana/fruity ozone/lemon]
• PICKEREL FROG (LITHOBATES PALUSTRIS), 4.5 mL Roller, $9.5: Night blooming jasmine, wet grass, algae, and tomato leaf.
• POTTED CHIPTUNIA, YellingCat Decant, $1.5: (petunia/leaf/fresh soil/clay/static) - A refreshing, inhibiting flower, grown and engineered in Chiptown.
• REVERIE, Doll Size, $3: Frozen pollen, prickly gooseberry vine, raw cashmere wool and midnight blooming primrose[aldehydic-powdery floral musk/gooseberry fougere/cashmere/wild primrose]
• SCAREDY CATS, 4.5 mL Roller, $9.5: Sheet white marshmallow, midnight sugar cookies and an extinguished candle squares on a hot rainy day.
• SOLAR CROAKUS, Mini Roller, $3: An inner effervescence heightened by notes of warm patchouli, bronze crocus, dry sandalwood, sun flare ozone and warm skin musk[patchouli/sandalwood/bronze crocus/warm ozone/skin musk]
• TOTALLY IN LOVE 4.5 mL Roller, $9.5: Soft purple and glowing from within; raspberry cotton candy with a delicate bouquet of jasmine, rose and heliotrope while shadows dance at sunset.
• UNHOLY WATER, Mini Roller, $3: Barbed wire and rust, sacrificial blood orange, cursed saffron licked by flames of a burning chapel.

Hi! I've never done my nails before but thought I could treat myself! I've booked a time for tomorrow and wanted a burgundy colour. Should I go with coffin shape or almond? Don't want too long but not gonna go short either. Is the coffin out of style? I have no one to ask, I'd love to know your thoughts, thank you!

Let's see? It all started when I was working for something like 7 months in the city of Coquimbo in Chile. Specifically, I was working as a journalist for a local newspaper and a small news channel, it was not the best job in the world but it was not so terrible if we consider that my dream was to be a writer. One day I was being required travel outside the city, particularly to Salamanca and do a report of those that you find at the very end of the newspaper or when you can't sleep and you're lying down watching TV in the middle of the night just to give visibility to small towns and communities, filled with some random ads and stuff, again, it was not the best job in the world, but I guess everyone else started with something like this.
I needed to be there in the morning so I mentally prepared myself with a good cup of coffee and some cigarettes, threw only what was necessary for the luggage rack and managed to say goodbye to my relatives, may sound like a dumb tradition but you never know ... on the road shit happens and for me, that isn't something new, I lived day by day in the office writing columns and sending reports where the number of deaths, the causes of the crashes and the photos, makes you wonder it could have been you or someone you know. But, despite that I preferred to go in my own car, I have never been able to fall asleep inside a bus on the road and moreover, it seems that almost all accidents occurred on these buses, in a certain way, my job was making me go all paranoid.
the car's engine started at 9:00 p.m. and there was a little drizzle but nothing serious, folk music on the radio was a good accompaniment while the city nightlife looked at me with his blinding lights in my attempt to escape the "fish smell" of Coquimbo. I drove for a while until I was entering the sister city of La Serena, and I stopped to eat some fast food, I tried to get in fast to avoid getting wet, I ordered another coffee and french fries to eat.
-Hey young man, where are you going at this hour with this rain, everyone else is at their homes sleeping and resting, do you want to catch a cold? I haven't noticed that an elderly woman was attending me. -I'm going to Salamanca. -And what do you intend to do in Salamanca? that's no place for nosy people or city dwellers The lady left me intrigued and I didn't even have to ask her to answer me. -some people there don't like to be disturbed you know, you can get an evil glance there, some "evil eye" stuff you know. - No, ma'am, I'm going to report a news story, I'm a journalist and besides that, I'm a little skeptical about that kind of thing.
The old-lady ended the conversation with a crooked smile and continued with his own things but deep down myself, the answer he gave me left me with chills, I was not a superstitious person but the seriousness of his face unsettled me. I took the last sips of coffee to wake up and said goodbye to my french fries trying to awkwardly get into the car. The conversation haunted me for a couple more miles, for some reason I was left with a feeling of latent nervousness and with the last lights of the city fading in the rear-view mirror, I began to remember the stories that my grandparents told me as a child... The witches of Salamanca, the cave of Manquehua, and other stories that were part of the folklore began to settle in my head. It was interesting to me to imagine these characters, covered in their black cloaks, walking hidden paths through the forests to celebrate within their covens in Manquehua in the middle of the night. Occasionally I was assaulted by the idea of ​​running into a "Tue Tue *" bird of bad omen on the way to Salamanca, or that a "chupacabra" jumped from the bushes onto the road, it is curious how "ghastly" this can be yet so interesting at the same time despite causing us fear.
The electrifying sound of white noise coming from the radio interrupted my thoughts, I was reaching the famous dead zones of the road. From time to time I noticed that there were abandoned houses, fenced lands, among other things but nothing out of the ordinary; It is very common for people to live in these rural areas for a while and then leave to look for jobs in the big cities, especially considering that the urbanization and modernization of our country had only happened a couple of decades ago, more precisely in the year 1970.
I look at the time and it is already 11:30 p.m. This trip is getting too slow for me, to make things worse the rain got stronger, the hours go by and I pass through a couple of towns, so I decided to park my car to smoke a cigarette before reporting to my family by phone, it's funny how people automatically have an infinite amount of topics for conversation when you're away, but they hardly even speak when you are close, later than ever I cut the call and the lights where extinguishing behind the vehicle again and disappeared in the middle of the dark, again it's just me and the road. The headlights of my car were fighting to illuminate against the darkness. The clock arrives at 02:42 A.M and The yawns start to escape from my mouth, there is no radio or telephone signal anymore, at this time you only occasionally see buses passing by on the road, a couple of cars if you are lucky enough but most of the time the road is abandoned. The rain gives me an unpleasant sensation now that there is so little light. Again I picked up the wrongest moment to remember the conversation I had with that old lady...
-you can get an evil glance there, some "evil eye" stuff you know.
A shriek on the side of the road scared the shit out of me, I saw a shadow rushing against my car and I stepped on the brake with all my strength next thing I know was the sound of the car window crashing and everything went black... pitch black.
It felt like time has stopped and I could only hear the rain, I don't know how much time passed by but it felt like a dream or perhaps, maybe a nightmare? I woke up with a terrible headache but apparently my body was intact, the glass was shattered all around the car and the clock said that it was 03:00 A.M. drops are falling inside the car, I try to sit up still scared to look outside but I notice that the lights were destroyed, I see nothing but shadows. I feel a stabbing pain in my face and it seems that I cut part of my face in the accident. I get out of the car nervous and listen as the glass chips on the pavement creak, maybe I could have driven over a horse or maybe some farmer. I try to illuminate a little with the cell phone flashlight and I notice part of the front glass scattered on the asphalt, a slight dent but there are no traces of blood, I try to calm down and take a couple of steps through the rain to see further and between the rain and the nothingness I could see with my eyes a body in the middle of the road.
I thought I must help, maybe I broke one of his legs or worse. walking a little bit faster I managed to get close enough, I was shouting at the body expecting some reply or at least some whining but no one answered and I feared the worst. My heart stopped for a second, I took a step forward to see the face of this body and everything seemed so surreal, it was a mannequin with hollow eyes.
I didn't know what where happening, a mannequin dressed in an old poncho in the middle of the road away from everything, a fucking mannequin. Fear seized me, I looked in all directions searching and searching but I couldn't see anything, what the hell was a mannequin doing in the middle of the nowhere? My head was spinning, and the sound of the rain wasn't helping. until I realized something. The question was not, what was the mannequin doing on the road? But who brought it? For a moment I gazed at the mannequin's empty sockets and then I heard a breath close to me, I wasn't alone.
My heart was racing, maybe they wanted to rob me or some crazy shit, I tried to take a glass from the floor and use the phone light to see around me to get back into the car, the seconds seemed like hours as I slowly walked, I thought about running but I felt that it could be worse, I felt stalked and when my legs began to tremble It was not very helpful either. A little before I got to the car I noticed several footsteps moving around me, they were watching me closely. I heard a sound behind me and the mannequin had disappeared, I was definitely not understanding a shit and I couldn't overcome the anguish anymore so I ran desperately towards the car but someone pushed me. I hit my face with the cold ground and tried to get up as I could throwing punches into the air trying to hit whoever was there, but it was in vain. The radio of the car started emitting white noise again with some random mumbling, I was not seeing damn shit and while I was trying to place the cell phone shining directly in front of me something had gripped me by my hand. I felt another blow and this time my cell phone hit the wet asphalt, lighting someone's shoes, with one stomp they broke the phone. I could only notice my car thanks to the taillights and I was completely blind now.
The rain seemed to be falling in slow motion and every second seemed eternal to me. My hands trembled trying to prepare a decent punch, a decent cut, or anything to whatever it was out here to defend myself. My head was spinning and my heart was racing and then someone took me by the shoulder, I could not see anything but I threw punches and kicks that got everywhere, they tried to grab my feet and I tried to get free the fastest I could until I finally managed to nail that fucking piece of glass and I was released, I fell my back to the floor. A murmur began to sound louder and I could feel someone breathing and gasping around me; I ran as I could towards the car again with my heart beating a thousand times per hour. I almost plunged into the vehicle and without thinking I start the car. A groan of pain was heard along with a loud buzzing and I closed all the doors and I shit you not the damned car didn't want to start, the rain only became even worse and my nerves were about to explode when a hand smashed against the car windows, then two hands and seconds later all the windows were covered, they were trying to break into the vehicle, I could no longer bear the fear, I started screaming like a crazy, I jumped on the seat and I screamed until my mouth hurts; With a kind of tantrum I started to force the car to start with kicks and blows, the vehicle roared and I hit the accelerator. When I looked straight ahead I saw a figure that shouldn't have been there and my throat felt tight; wrapped in a black cloak, just where the damn mannequin was, someone was holding his shoulder where perhaps I had nailed the piece of broken glass. The lack of front light and the rain did not allow me to distinguish his face.
I accelerated as fast as I could, flailing inside the car from side to side, I didn't care about anything anymore, I rolled everything that was ahead. I heard a couple of crunches, a gasp, and the car started to jump until a dead silence was present, I turned to look back and all sense of logic disappeared while a death-cold chill was traveling my spine. The yellowish taillights dimly illuminated a highway full of motionless bodies that shouldn't be there, couldn't be there; They were a bunch of mannequins totally still, lined up in my direction. I put my head down and hid it between my shoulders so I couldn't look anywhere, I felt like a little boy, I felt tiny inside the car in the middle of the blackness of the road knowing that the mannequins were behind me, I kept like this several minutes trying to focus on anything else while the car kept accelerating, my back felt cold, the truth is that I was sweating cold, I did not understand anything and the stabbing pain in my forehead returned to me; It was a superficial but fairly long cut, it was a miracle I didn't pass out and was able to drive straight with all this shit happening.
The rain insisted on reminding me of the conversation with the old woman at the fast food place, maybe she was right. -Why the hell did I have to come to Salamanca, maybe the witches had something to do with it !? Lots of ideas pounded my head as the car lost into the blackness, now I was alone again. I thought about reviewing what had happened and recovering my composure, I tried to play dumb and ignore everything until I noticed little orange lights on the black horizon; I had arrived into Salamanca and I went straight to the 1st town police station to report what had happened. I Poorly parked the car and launched myself into the station to seek some help.
It was already 07:00 A.M and the sun was about to rise, I lost track of time completely, I don't know how long I was on the road or how much time I spent at the police station. I nervously told the officers everything that had happened, they looked at each other and took me to the local hospital to verify injuries; Throughout the process, I noticed that they were looking at me strangely but there was a certain secret look in them, those kinds of looks that as a journalist you can notice. The day was cloudy and the sun did not appear, the rain was losing strength and I tried to assert my right to report until they ended opening an investigation by sending a patrol. With 3 points on my eyebrow and bruised face I tried to find somewhere to rest and eat something to close my trip, there was a middle-aged gentleman who, while eating, took the opportunity to ask me what had happened to me, I told him almost everything, at least I could Let me vent more openly without looking like a drunk or crazy inside a police station.
After a while where the man listened attentively to me, he sighed and took out a pack of cigarettes, finished lighting him and said: -Maybe they wanted to rob you. Maybe he was right, but his face changed completely when I insisted on the mannequin again. He took a glance over my shoulder and then fixed his eyes with mines. -Son, look. These things are not discussed here, do what you have to do and leave later, lest you end up traveling in a box to Manquehua. Again a chill settled on the back of my neck, and I decided not to ask any more questions. I didn't want to make my situation even worse. –Hey, and don't you know where I can rest? He finished smoking my cigar and this time he offered one to me.
Standing still in a town in the middle of nowhere smoking a cigarette a fucked up car? at least things can't get worse, I could watch the smoke and forget everything for a moment.
I arrived at the hostel that the man with the cigarettes recommended to me and slept for a while but I was still nervous so I took advantage and realized that there was a mechanic nearby, got a deal with him and I left my car for a few weeks under repair, took everything I was carrying in the luggage rack and I went straight to the earliest bus back to Coquimbo, I was no longer interested in the news or the job, I just wanted to get away from this place as soon as possible and whatever the fuck the Salamanca people hides, I don't care if they were witches or someone wanting to assault me, I know what I saw.
The local police called me later that day because the investigation did not show anything more than the possibility of an attempted assault on the road, they dismissed everything for lack of imputable candidates, but the truth is that at this point I don't give a damn; I am cornered to the window of this bus trying to forget and the orange light that glimpses within the clouds that remain, reassures me a little and helps me not to think about what my bosses would tell me for not attending the report and arriving empty-handed. I lost myself looking at the landscape while it stops raining and I found a moment of peace but, for some reason, among all the things that can be seen on the road, my eyes fell directly on a small scruffy cabin in the middle of this vast nothingness and in its windows I got to see a lot of mannequins looking towards the highway, right to where I was now. There were a lot of hollow eyes waiting for me somewhere on the road of Salamanca.

Hey, I just want to preface this post by saying that I'm french, so you will excuse my mistakes and errors when it comes down to my ability (or inability) to write in english, and also I don't know if the post is NSFW, but I use some words that you don't want your child to know.
I realised that I was gay, when I was 8 (I could explain how on a different post, but it doesn't have anything to do with my question), and I stayed in the closet form over 8 years (16 yo), then I came out to my best friend. She was ok, a little too supportive by sending me picture of pride merche every time she saw a tee shirt with a raindbow on. Then I came out via a snap chat story. Maybe 12 people saw it (my older brother, my younger sister, a cousin that live far away, and some friends) at that specific moment I tought that I was Bisexual, beacause I was obsessed with Sarah Paulson (wich is the gayest shit I've ever done). During that time period I questionned my gender identity, the jury is still out. I realised probably a year ago, when i turned 17, that I was gay, because I was despise by the idea of having sex with a woman, and I don't see my self daiting someone that I couldn't have sex with ( kind of audacious coming from a virgin). And it's not me beeing a white f*g on twitter, like: "vaginas are gross", I wouldn't mind having sex with a trans guy, and I couldn't f*uck with a trans girl, so it's not about someone's genitals it's really about me having straight sex.
So, since I started to identify as queer (16 yo), I've developed that part of my identity as a opposition of straightness and heterosexuality in general. I was activaly trying to distance my self from the straights and from heterosexuality. Like it wouldn't have been a problem to stop listenning to a specific song because too many straight where using it on Tik Tok, or because they really liked it. For a very long time it was that kind of "petty" things, to get my revenge for their homophobics attitudes, but the more the time went by the more that attitude became toxic and mean spirited.
As an exemple, I some time hear stories of women, who's been cheated on by their ex-boyfriend, and I'm livilg for them, like I'm actually happy that their able to rebuild their life after being betrayed. But every time the post ends by them talking about their new loving boyfriend, I instantly take the like back, dislike if it's a possibility, and some time even block the account. I also block a lot of straight men who are, in my opinion, a little bit too comfortable making gay joke, or are trying to "destroy gender norms" by painting their nails black, but get mad when people assume that they're queer. In addition I block every Gay4Pay actors on twitter (yes I also use twitter for that kind of stuff, don't look at me like that), and I'm desgusted by myself, if at some point I liked the content they've posted.
Here is my problem with the situation, it starts to have a very negative impact on me and my mental health.
CW; Self harm
I self harmed, in the past, but stopped probably 6 months ago, but that hatered and disgust make me really willing to start again. I honestly don't know how to say it correctly, but always being mad at some one is exhausting. I really don't like being the bad person, and I know that I'm not being the niciest. I don't know how to wrap my head around, because I've always considered queer people the victims of the cis/het, but now I'm being the one harming the other (obviously it's not really comparable, because in one case I'm sad in my bedroom and I block people on twitter, and in the other case, they kill use). The only moments in wich, I don't feel extremely guilty are when I'm with my only queer friend, even then, I'm still very negative and not really nice when she speak about her friends (the straight ones). I don't know how to get outside of that "mental space".
If you want to make me feel bad because "it's because of you that we don't have allies, and that the straights don't want to be nice to us", I really don't think that A person only could possibly make some one less of an ally, that just mean that they weren't a real one in the first place. If you want to give an advice, don't say anything on the lines of "but they're people too" because it's to the point where I have no empathy left, for them.
I'm doing that for me not for the cis/het.
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Once again, I'm sorry if my post isn't the best and if there's a lot of mistakes but I didn't prepared myself, and english is also not my first language. And I'm sorry if I didn't use correctly a CW, I've never posted here before.