State Farm said it will no longer accept new applications for home and business insurance in California because of an increase in catastrophic events and construction costs, the company announced Friday.
"State Farm General Insurance Company made this decision due to historic increases in construction costs outpacing inflation, rapidly growing catastrophe exposure, and a challenging reinsurance market," the insurance company said in a statement.
The new guideline took effect Saturday and includes all business and personal lines property and casualty insurance. It will not, however, impact State Farm's personal auto insurance policies, the company said.
State Farm's independent contractor agents will continue to serve current customers who already have property and casualty insurance with the company, meaning they can still make claims for property that is already covered by the company. The company has also not issued any non-renewals at this time.
In 2021, California experienced at least 7,396 wildfires, which burned nearly 2.6 million acres of land, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In 2022, the state experienced 7,490 wildfires that burned 362,455 acres.
State Farm, which was the largest property and casualty insurer in California in 2021, brought in over $7 billion in premiums that year, but incurred losses of about $4 billion, state data showed.
According to the California Department of Insurance (CDI), insurance companies covering property may be required to cover living expenses such as emergency shelter and food, personal property and valuables, damage to the property and other buildings or structures on it, the removal of trees, shrubs and debris, and water damage not caused by a flood.
The company said it will continue to work with CDI and evaluate the market over time, indicating that this new policy could change depending on the economy.
State Farm is not the first insurance company to stop or limit property insurance coverage in California due to the increase in wildfires and state regulations. According to reporting by the Wall Street Journal last year, American International Group (AIG) notified thousands in California that their policies would not be renewed.
"It's necessary to take these actions now to improve the company's financial strength," the statement said. "We will continue to evaluate our approach based on changing market conditions."
CDI told CBS News in a statement Saturday that State Farm's decision is the result of uncontrollable factors, and does not affect the decisions of other insurance companies in the state.
"While insurance companies prioritize their short-term financial goals, the long-term goal of the Department of Insurance is protecting consumers," the statement said. "The factors driving State Farm's decision are beyond our control, including climate change, reinsurance costs affecting the entire insurance industry, and global inflation."
Last year, CDI enacted a new state policy which requires insurers to provide insurance discounts for homeowners and businesses that take actions to reduce fire danger around their structures.

PIXIE
Hello MechMarket!
Introducing Pixie, the ultimate macropad for the true enthusiast. Made from high-quality ABS material, With two knobs and two switches.
Pixie gives you complete control over your keyboard, allowing you to fine-tune your settings and take your performance to the next level. Whether you're a gamer, programmer, or just someone who loves a good keyboard, Pixie is the perfect addition to your setup.
Here is link for IC page on Geekhack for more pictures.
Please fill out this IC Form if you're interested : https://www.binepad.com/pixie-ic-form
​
FEATURES
• Kailh Hot Swap PCB
• Programmable by VIA QMK configurator
• Type-C Port
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Available in two color
• White
• Black
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PIXIE SHIPS WITH
• 1 x PIXIE MACOPAD
• 1 x PREMIUM TYPE-C CABLE
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Pricing
$35 - $45
​
Please fill out this IC Form if you're interested : https://www.binepad.com/pixie-ic-form
​
GROUP BUY IS EXPECTED IN MID JUNE 2023
​
Where can I stay updated?
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/binepad/
Website: www.binepad.com
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/usebinepad

This is also a bit like AmIThe*sshole because I feel like I am ruining her trip but I am going to write down the whole story, even the previous ones. Please tell me what can I do better because I love her a lot and I know that she does too. She is the perfect partner for me(I think) and other than the fights we have when she is on a trip, we rarely ever fight.
Me(26M) and my girlfriend(22 F) have been dating for 10 months, she is Japanese and I am Turkish. I live in Turkey. I use Japanese to communicate as it was my major so not many problems with the language but definitely some because of the cultural difference. We met in Japan when I was doing my exchange and now I will most likely be able to move there in a few months. She is currently doing her own exchange in Australia.
Whenever she goes traveling, she is the type to not message much but expects the opposite from me whenever I go. If I stay at a friends, I talk to her everyday for at least an hour and message a lot. When I don't she either tells me sarcastically "is it that fun for you to be around this girl/guy that you forget me ?" Or just "I miss your voice", which I am both fine with honestly. If the amount isn't enough for her and I can increase, I will talk to her more just so she feels safe and at ease. This time I was the one that initiated the fight and she is not really talking to me right now.
She is now traveling with 2 of her friends to New Zealand. They are all Japanese and one is a guy. This guy, I do not really like because he talks bad about his girlfriend around other girls(this is what my gf told me) and I see it as a way to gain sympathy and I am wary of him. Whenever she is with this guy, she doesn't message me much but when she is with other girls, she can even call me on the phone when they are around. But very rarely with this guy. She says it is rude to talk to me or message me much when she is with other people so when she calls it has to be after they sleep or message me only twice-thrice during the day when the opportunity arises. This might be me overthinking too.
Now They are staying together at an airbnb type hotel, guy one room girls one room. She didn't message me much during the day, sent two photos with two messages related to them but I saw a lot more photos of a lot more places on her stories and told her that I wanted her to send me some like that. She didnt see my messages, it was around 8 pm. Then on her friends story I realized that they were drinking. I waited until 0 am but since there was no contact I called her twice. No reply. called her friend, my gf returned my call and asked what is up. I, very rudely, said that "I am sad and now I do not want to talk to you". I am wrong but she said that her drinking without no contact wouldn't happen and if I could, I could contact her friend if I can't reach her. We close the phone call, no message until 3 am. I am feeling nervous and bad, I ask her why she is not keeping her promises with me by writing a long message. The promises I will talk about on the next paragraph. At this point I start to feel like I am just a person talks to when she doesn't want to be alone.
She made me three promises on unrelated stuff this month but none of them she kept. She said that she would help me prepare for my interview after I asked her and she insisted that we do this as soon as we can, then she forgot. She even wished me good luck on the interview, forgetting that she wanted to help me. I made her remember at the last minute and then she decided to help saying sorry. She told me that she wanted to buy me a perfume for my birthday and had me order it before hand but even after 2 weeks passed she didn't pay for it. I reminded her this, but she said that she didn't forget. I told her that it is fine if she doesn't, her finances might have changed and that she just needs to tell me. Since I don't have much money because of Turkish Lira right now, I feel like I would have appreciated if she either kept her promise or just tell me sorry that she can't do it now. She also promised me that she would call me when she can on her trip and message me more often compared to the ones before.
She now doesn't want to talk to me, take her time. Her friend who I called and messaged(4 messages, 4 unanswered calls at the time), is also ghosting me. I apologized to both of them but not really any other messages I received. My GF is saying that this is the best she can do, she has done her best but cant put more work into messageing or calling me on a trip because it would be disrespectful to her friends.
A bit more background: She went to another trip before with the same friends and a few more and I would get almost no messages or calls during the whole trip. I got mad because when I went on a trip with a lot of people I called her morning and night with a lot of messages in between but she got mad at me, cried on the phone, saying that I had promised to not make her feel alone when I am at the trip. I thought that she was contradicting herself. We fought and reconciled after a time. She said that she was wrong when I was on the trip that time and forgot how easy it is to get caught up in the moment. She had also decided to come to Turkey once, then bailed out and went to Los Angeles thinking that it would be safer than coming here. There she didn't communicate much but was better than the previous trip. She went to her girl friend who is also doing an exchange. Then she said that she would also go to Europe with her next semester which made me sad and angry because I felt like she could also afford coming to Turkey if she can go on trips this much and I was sad that she didn't even consider that. Then after having a very bad experience in America because of her friend she said that she was sorry and should've thought better. She said she wanted to come to Turkey of course but maybe on the way back from Europe or she would tell me only when it was decided because she didn't want to disappoint me my not being able to come to Turkey again.
In general, we rarely ever fight. No other problems regarding communications, we talk and try to understand each other a lot but I am afraid that, maybe my paranoia or insecurity has gotten the best of me and I am losing her.
TLDR; Long Distance gf is on a trip, a guy I dont like is also there in the same hotel. She doesn't tell me that they are drinking and doesnt contact me at all into the night, I panic try to contact her, it takes a long while but when I can I then brush her off. I now regret it, I am trying to communicate with her but I might have f'ked up.
I want to do better because I love her and I don't want to lose her and I ask your advice on what is the best to do.

Great news! Our PC66 is now in stock again!
For those who don't know what our PC66 is, PC66 is a keyboard that was inspired by IBM PCjr keyboard. We have modernized it and it could be used under wireless connection! (Bluetooth and 2.4GHz)
If you are looking for a vintage looking, hot swappable, 65% layout and with wireless functionality keyboard, PC66 is the one for you!
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https://preview.redd.it/nzumtb54pc0b1.jpg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=92ed42cd1f6377c26a52a416a3faee972823dc79
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PC66, a modernized PCjr
✅Triple-mode (Type-C, 2.4GHz, and Bluetooth 5.0)
✅Hot-swappable design, could choose from a wide selection of Cherry and Gateron switches to personalize your typing experience
✅Programmable via Vortexgear GUi, allowing for customized key mappings and macros to meet individual needs
✅Silicon dampening pads, absorb and cancel the unwanted noice, and makes the keyboard THOCK.
✅N-key rollover, ensure every keystroke is accurately registered.
✅OEM profile PBT Dye-sub keycaps
✅Compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems
✅Barebone version available
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ᴊᴏɪɴ ᴏᴜʀ ᴅɪsᴄᴏʀᴅ
https://discord.gg/ubptmZkKhf
ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡ ᴜs ᴏɴ ɪɴsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ
https://www.instagram.com/vortexkeyboard/

If you work as part of a team, and are looking to schedule a team building event this summer, Longhouse is running a pretty awesome deal.
This might be of interest for you and your team:
Summer Team Building Special
$1000/team (each team up to 8 people) capacity of 2 teams a day *note all times allow for the conducting of normal business
9:00-9:30 - Coffee, pastries, optional bloody Mary/mimosa bar
9:30 - 11:00 - Facilitated Discussion: personality type and creative problem solving
11:00 - 12:00 - team escape room activity
12:00 - 1:00 - Lunch in the arcade (we can make or you can bring in)
1:00 - 2:30 - Spirit tasting and cocktail making class (includes one cocktail per)
or, for groups that don't want to do an alcohol event
1:00 - 2:30 - Cooperative Board Game Challenge
2:30 - 4:00 - snacks and axe throwing
We can customize events like this for on-site (at the bar) or offsite (anywhere else in the world). Pricing is good for June-August, and these events will see a slight price increase during our winter season.
If you are looking for a fun way to reward your team or get them out of the office/shop for a day- this is a great deal for a great day.
Lots more coming, like a mobile axe trailer. You’ll see that soon too!
I’ll answer any questions here, but real inquiries can be sent through the website contact form.

I'm looking for someone else who is also depressed and lazy and lacks nearby friends like I do to form a therapeutic, longterm friendship. Like the type of friendship that never ends no matter how long we don't talk, and we can always talk at anytime about anything or we could sit quietly and do nothing together and still be happy.
Self description: Currently living in Austria. I'm a severely introverted loner with a cynical, sarcastic and surreal sense of humor. I don't get out much, but when I do it's usually to do something by myself where there are few people. My good qualities are I'm creative and resourceful and a good person. I like talking about politics, money/finances, music, games, new ideas, social issues, ...etc.
I like all colors of the rainbow and all genders and sexualities are welcome into the fold. If you are interested, dm me.

DISCLAIMER: I posted about this on roblox 2 months ago but my post was deleted since i couldnt make a post thats gonna start a long discusion so when i found out about this subreddit i realized that i should post here
Here is my copy and pasted post from 2 months ago:
I played a Roblox game quite a long time ago except i dont remember the name of it
From what i remember when you entered the game and clicked "play" you entered a little area that has a lotta cubes (the cubes can be different colors) spawning everywhere and you can use an item that will attract nearby cubes towards you like a magnet and thus if you attract them from under you then you will start flying on the cubes and im not sure if there was a goal where you had to get to a certain height or something like that
I also kinda remember there being clouds visible when you were pretty high up so maybe you had to get to there? I dont know really since i never got that high
(this game was also multiplayer)
The multiplayer part of this game makes me think that there was actually a certain height to get to with the cubes because you also had a rocket launcher item to shoot other players and if you shot them some of their cubes will either dissapear or fall back down because i dont remember which of those two actually happen
I also remember before you click "play" there was also a "shop" button but i dont remember what you could shop for exactly
These are all the things i may not have remembered correctly: -there being an item to attract the cubes
maybe the cubes automatically attracted to you instead of there being an item but i dont remember)
-there being clouds at a certain height
Its either there were clouds and you could actually get to them or there were clouds and they were only decorative or there actually werent any clouds at all
Thats about it for all the thing im uncertain of
Since i dont know if there was a certain height to get to i dont know if this was a type of racing game where you had to get to a specific height first or if it was something else
Im making this post in case someone actually remembers this game and knows the name of it so i can play it again
(i dont remember how long ago i actually played this game but im pretty sure it was sometime before 2020)
Thats about all i have to say about this
Goodbye!
(I'll edit this post if i have something to add or if something is discovered)

I, 24 female have a friend let’s call her Vivian. Vivian and I became friends in our sophomore year of college. She was a sweet friend at first, a little too exaggerated on her reactions like when she sees something that she finds pretty, she would squeal and slap your arm multiple times. Which I found funny at first but it got annoying later on. Anyway, after the pandemic we became roommates in our senior year for like a month, but during that month I was getting a vibe from her, like she would ask my boyfriend to pick up her laundry and do things for her like he’s her personal assistant but I didn’t say anything and my boyfriend didn’t complain to me too so I chose to keep quiet. I moved out of that apartment after a month due to a disagreement with the landlord, Vivian couldn’t afford to move out yet but I was adamant and found a new apartment just 3 days after deciding to move out and I’ve also found a new roommate (whom I loved) but she stated that she will be renting for just a month and Vivian wanted to take her place, but my roommate decided to stay until graduation, Vivian and our other friend would get together once a week and Vivian would always ask me, “When’s your roommate moving out? i thought she was just renting for a month?” 3 months after graduating, we needed to review for our upcoming licensure exams, my mom’s best friend offered me a room in their house in the city so I didn’t have to pay rent anymore and I only have to pay for electricity and water which is cheaper. Knowing Vivian couldn’t afford a place of her own, and me being a good friend, I asked my mom if Vivian could come and we could share the room since I didn’t mind sharing a room for 3 months. My mom’s bfriend said it was no problem and so we moved in. This is where I realized I didn’t like her. Vivian is a lazy ass bitch. I would cook our meals, refill the drinking water, and the butane that we were using for cooking and also clean the bathroom. It would take up a lot of my personal study time. But I was still getting high scores in our practice exams in the end of every subject lectures and I just knew that that pisses her off. There’s this one time, in january we were studying for a practice test, and as usual I was the one preparing the meals and she was studying all day. She gets break between meals that I prepared. It’s infuriating just thinking about it. Anyways, when the scores came out, Vivian got 10 points lower than my score and she kept bragging about on our way home saying, “I got a high score even though I didn’t finish studying.” Like— bitch I DIDNT FINISH STUDYING BECAUSE I WAS THE ONE PREPARING THE FUCKING FOOD SO YOU WONT STARVE WHILE STUDYING. Urrrrg. She would also say comments like, “I’m so relieved that I have a mom with me” she calls me her “mom” because I fucking cook for her and do shit for her! she’s also such a pick me, like when I dress up and put make up on she would be like “you are such a girl, you’re so lucky you know how to do make up bcs I don’t know how” Wtf. Anyway, when I had enough I confronted her and say if she could please help in doing chores. You know what she said to me? “Thank you for telling me, I’m sometimes too insensitive about these things.” Like bitch, you call me a mom bcs I cook for you? You can’t sense that something is wrong about that? I’m your fucking friend not your mom. Wtf. Anyway, after that confrontation she tried to make up for it, we took turns in terms of cooking but I’m just really exhausted having to take care of people and people apparently just expect me to take care of them! I vented to my boyfriend about this when I decided to cut her off after taking the licensure exam. And the relief in his face, he started venting too. He says he felt uncomfortable when she would take a picture of him post it in her ig stories making it look like they were a couple. (She’s been doing it alot and I just kept quiet, I’m not a jealous type but that felt weird), also he didn’t like it that she would order him around like a servant, so I apologized to my boyfriend and we decided to cut her off. So Am I the Asshole?

TLDR: My bf (M22) said he was turned off by a silly picture of me (F22) being a “bro” and called me masculine.
Context: I just got back into boxing today and when I finished working-out at the gym I sent a silly picture of myself making a “gym bro” kinda face to my bf of 6 months. (Scrunched up nose and frowning lol) I was drinking a red colored electrolyte and I captioned the picture “drinking the blood of my enemies 😂🥊” which is clearly satire.
His first response was “you look like your on roids here…”
I responded by asking “how do I look like I’m on roids 🤣🤣” and he said “I dont like when you make jokes like that and make masculine faces … you acting masculine is kind of a big turn off .. you’re not usually like this.. I prefer when you’re ur usual cute self”
It’s clearly a joke, and I’d consider myself a pretty feminine person 😅. I don’t even see how the joke is considered “behaving masculine” when it’s satire…
Also it hurts coz I grew up with an Asian mom who would constantly criticize me as not feminine enough because I like sports and I pursued school and I’m very independent. (She’s a house wife and didn’t finish high school and hates sports lol)
Would love to here your honest opinions !

I (18M) probably broke the once close relationship I had with my mom after being referred to as ‘a horrible son’. When I was around 8, my parents divorced and my life and by the age of 10, my small family usually consisted of me, my dad, his new wife, and my 1 year old younger half sister. Although I will credit my mom for being a great co parent and a mother, she had her flaws. They divorced on good terms but she really resented him after.
To break these down and get to the main part, I’ll speed these parts up. When I was 14, my mom started seeing this girl, who was a fairly nice looking girl for her age. It wasn’t that really long until they started hitting it off. When I turned 15, my dad passed away by a heart attack. I fell into a depression and I’m still fighting these demons now. While my mom didn’t have any care for her ex husband, she didn’t acknowledge my pain as her son that is going through loosing his own father.
It was most dad’s wife, who’ll I’ll call Krystie who helped me through it. Seeing her mourn, I felt connected and could relate to her through our same loss of losing someone so dear to us. And typing this, that was what made us so close.
Back to SM, she wasn’t necessarily a bad person, neither was my mom. I had more closer relationship with my mom than SM. SM always tried to get close to me but it was like we didn’t know how to connect to each other. And to be honest, I missed it when it was just me and my mom. But that’s my mom life and I agreed to myself that I won’t meddle with her happiness.
Fast forward to last week, I was given the privilege to speak at my high school graduation after receiving top scores and having multiple scholarships. My whole family was happy and they all attended. During my speech, I briefly mentioned my mom and Krystie, thanking them and stating that they both were like mothers to me and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without them. While reading my speech, I looked up to see my family and I got the most disgusted look from mom and SM.
When I got to mom’s house, she had put me on blast for not mentioning my SM, saying how hurt SM is for not even being mentioned or acknowledged. She also said SM sacrificed so much for me when she had never done squat. SM also started going after Krystie and said how she’s also just a step mom to me and she shouldn’t get these exceptions and better treatment. What crossed the line was talking about dad but I won’t say, all I can say it ended with me now staying with Krystie and helping with my half sister.

As the title says I am removing my Parrot OS as I don't use it as much as I used to. If anything I have gone back to using the most common method of using a VM (Virtual Machine), whether that is using Kali Linux or Parrot OS. The other part being that I am re-installing Ubuntu which I have been using a lot more recently. So I decided to remove Parrot OS and re-install Ubuntu which I have been using for a while now (well since my last post basically - after installing Ubuntu) but not consistently. I am aware that there are many other posts like this one, but as a person who likes to do thigs properly and some what by the books I want to make sure I get this right so I don't have to mess with it again.
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Question 1

• My first question is more for my curiosity but, should I install the "Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS" or the "Ubuntu 23.04"?
  • Since I'm basically a beginner and plan to use Ubuntu more often like a daily drivemain OS which is for both work and possibly gaming, which version would you suggest for me to use?

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Question 2

• This second question is more about setting Ubuntu up, Should I just let Ubuntu automatically partition the drives how it wants to, or is it better to manually partition the drives my self?
  • The reason I'm asking this is because I'm going to give Ubuntu the full 500GB, but I want to make sure that it is partitioned/setup correctly. Obviously there are many different ways in which people have setup their manual partitions, but I was wondering if there is a more official way of doing it.

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Here are my PC specs for anyone who wants to know:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7
RAM: 32GB, 3600MHZ, 2 X 16
Motherboard: MSI
GPU: GeForce RTX 30 Series
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Here is an example below of what I have found:

• ROOT
  • Size: 30000MB, Type: Primary, Location: Beginning of Space, Use: Ext4 journaling file system, Mount: /
• SWAP - Changed size compared to the YouTube video
  • Size: 128000MB, Type: Primary, Location: Beginning of Space, Use: Swap area
• HOME
  • Size: Rest of the Drive, Type: Logical, Location: Beginning of Space, Use: Ext4 journaling file system, Mount: /home

Source (URL at current time): https://youtu.be/A3au3qrNf9A?t=148
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Question 3

• My final question is more about graphics, colour settings and gaming. As I already know that it is possible to play steam games on Ubuntu with the off few changes, I was wondering if there is a way in which the output display can have its saturation increased?
  • The reason I'm asking this is because I have already set my saturation high on my Windows 10 through the GeForce Control Panel, but I cant seem to find a way to do it on Ubuntu.

​
Hopefully I'm able to get some help and thank you for taking the time to read and help me even if the solution or methods doesn't work.
Post Added On Date: 28/May/2023

I, 24 female have a friend let’s call her Vivian. Vivian and I became friends in our sophomore year of college. She was a sweet friend at first, a little too exaggerated on her reactions like when she sees something that she finds pretty, she would squeal and slap your arm multiple times. Which I found funny at first but it got annoying later on. Anyway, after the pandemic we became roommates in our senior year for like a month, but during that month I was getting a vibe from her, like she would ask my boyfriend to pick up her laundry and do things for her like he’s her personal assistant but I didn’t say anything and my boyfriend didn’t complain to me too so I chose to keep quiet. I moved out of that apartment after a month due to a disagreement with the landlord, Vivian couldn’t afford to move out yet but I was adamant and found a new apartment just 3 days after deciding to move out and I’ve also found a new roommate (whom I loved) but she stated that she will be renting for just a month and Vivian wanted to take her place, but my roommate decided to stay until graduation, Vivian and our other friend would get together once a week and Vivian would always ask me, “When’s your roommate moving out? i thought she was just renting for a month?” 3 months after graduating, we needed to review for our upcoming licensure exams, my mom’s best friend offered me a room in their house in the city so I didn’t have to pay rent anymore and I only have to pay for electricity and water which is cheaper. Knowing Vivian couldn’t afford a place of her own, and me being a good friend, I asked my mom if Vivian could come and we could share the room since I didn’t mind sharing a room for 3 months. My mom’s bfriend said it was no problem and so we moved in. This is where I realized I didn’t like her. Vivian is a lazy ass bitch. I would cook our meals, refill the drinking water, and the butane that we were using for cooking and also clean the bathroom. It would take up a lot of my personal study time. But I was still getting high scores in our practice exams in the end of every subject lectures and I just knew that that pisses her off. There’s this one time, in january we were studying for a practice test, and as usual I was the one preparing the meals and she was studying all day. She gets break between meals that I prepared. It’s infuriating just thinking about it. Anyways, when the scores came out, Vivian got 10 points lower than my score and she kept bragging about on our way home saying, “I got a high score even though I didn’t finish studying.” Like— bitch I DIDNT FINISH STUDYING BECAUSE I WAS THE ONE PREPARING THE FUCKING FOOD SO YOU WONT STARVE WHILE STUDYING. Urrrrg. She would also say comments like, “I’m so relieved that I have a mom with me” she calls me her “mom” because I fucking cook for her and do shit for her! she’s also such a pick me, like when I dress up and put make up on she would be like “you are such a girl, you’re so lucky you know how to do make up bcs I don’t know how” Wtf. Anyway, when I had enough I confronted her and say if she could please help in doing chores. You know what she said to me? “Thank you for telling me, I’m sometimes too insensitive about these things.” Like bitch, you call me a mom bcs I cook for you? You can’t sense that something is wrong about that? I’m your fucking friend not your mom. Wtf. Anyway, after that confrontation she tried to make up for it, we took turns in terms of cooking but I’m just really exhausted having to take care of people and people apparently just expect me to take care of them! I vented to my boyfriend about this when I decided to cut her off after taking the licensure exam. And the relief in his face, he started venting too. He says he felt uncomfortable when she would take a picture of him post it in her ig stories making it look like they were a couple. (She’s been doing it alot and I just kept quiet, I’m not a jealous type but that felt weird), also he didn’t like it that she would order him around like a servant, so I apologized to my boyfriend and we decided to cut her off. So Am I the Asshole?

Heya! You can just call me Llama for now. I am looking for something long term, but I also understand that it's important not to jump into anything carelessly. So let's chat!
A little about me:
I am 34M living in the Upstate New York, Albany/Schenectady area. Born and raised. I am 5' 11" and have a slim/fit build, around 160-170 lbs. Long brown hair and a beard. Green hazel eyes. Laid back and low maintenance. Pseudo-minimalist. Goofball, guh-hyuck!
I love Dungeons & Dragons and other TTRPGs, board games, video games, graphic novels, fiction books, podcasts, fantasy stuff, sci-fi stuff, etc.
I love animals (dog person, but they are all great), love nature and hiking, riding bikes, camping, BBQs with good friends, mental health and self-care. I love all sorts of different music. I love food and I love to cook. Science is really cool. I am also a wannabe writer. I am trying to learn Español. Necesito ayuda para aprender Español.
I work in general contracting, so I know my way around tools and how to maintain a home. I am in the process of starting my own residential painting business.
A little about you:
You are open minded and a critical thinker. You are a nerd. You like animals. You like nature and the outdoors. You are into self-care and healthy living. You are passionate and warmhearted. You enjoy the little things in life. You are not afraid to ask for what you want. You have a healthy relationship with exploring intimacy. Prefer someone who has a similar slim/fit body type as me. Prefer someone who doesn't have kids.
Maybe you are an artist? Maybe you have a huge pokemon card collection? Maybe you are into amphibians? Whatever it is you are passionate about, I wanna hear about it!
Soo let's start with that! I am more or less an open book, so lets chat! Even if you don't check all the boxes, everyone has knowledge to share and lessons to learn! :)
https://imgur.com/a/xH0VXdd

Using an alt for personal reasons & TLDR at bottom
A little background: I traveled 5 hours to stay with an old friend We have never been romantically interested previously, and haven’t spent any meaningful time communicating over the past 6-7 years.
Over the death of a friend we reconnected, and on a whim I went to stay with him up north for the long weekend.
We spent the first night hanging, chatting, and gaming. When it came time to lay down we shared a bed. We were both tossing and turning all night, a restless sleep. I could certainly feel the sparks and I think he could too, but neither of us were ready to make the first move.
After a long while we both finally snagged some sleep, but when morning finally came the sparks that came with it were even brighter.
I felt drawn to him and positioned myself right at his lips, but I hesitated. At this moment he closed the distance and we shared a long, passionate kiss. We spend the entire day in bed together joking with each other, talking about life, and making love.
It’s my second day here and he is sleeping peacefully beside me. He has shown himself to be a kind, and attentive lover. His words of affirmation give me goosebumps and sets a fire inside of me.
The refrigerator full of groceries, the extra toiletries, and all the other accommodations he went out of his way to make happen for my short visit speak volumes toward his character.
The way he gently loves and cares for his cats just makes me smile so much.
I am 30 and have wanted so long to feel cared for like this. To be looked after by such a gentle yet strong man. A man with a darkness in his heart to match my own.
I am dreading our farewell, I don’t want this to end. I didn’t expect to hear the word “love” in my head over and over again. It feels like madness creeping in.
My work isn’t transferable, and he owns his house. So we are both stuck in our own towns.
He also doesn’t know, maybe, that I feel this way. And I don’t know if I should tell him.
Long distance? That sounds sad and more lonely than being single as long as I have already been. Even now as he sleeps I long for his touch. I love the gentle moans he makes as I rub his back between thoughts while typing this.
To call him “my love” and not have these things everyday would just be too painful.
I’m just posting my thoughts before he wakes up so I can’t hopefully spend the rest of our time here unburdened by the impending farewell.
TLDR: I fell in love for the first time with someone who lives 5 hours away and long distance sounds too painful.

Part 1
I stood up, awaken from my sleep from the knocking sound on the elevator door. My friends stood up with me as we all heard it. The sound of banging became so much louder. Giggling can be heard with it. What's behind the door is unknown and I'd rather not face it than die to this thing. In the edges of the door, thin fingers began to seep through it. Such horrible looking fingers. I watched the door getting turned into a broken mess. Something grabbed my hand and I saw it was Rishika's. I looked at her and saw fear and sadness on her face.
Questioning death can be answered by judgement, revenge, luck, curse, or just nothing. The concept fate over people sounds so simple that people think that it's ok that fate exists. Is it ok if I was in this situation? What if one of your loved ones died right in front of you by a murderer? You won't like it and you'd definitely blame god for that.
The door is beginning to make an opening. Sweat rapidly runs down on my forehead. My eyes widened with terror as I see the creature's face. It's as accurately described from the documentary. Its teeth shines like bright white marbles and its eyes are like melted butter. The creature's face slowly gets closer, while we stepped far back until there's no space for us to move anymore.
I can feel the cold shivering breath from its mouth. The breath that smells empty. From what I've heard, it's much stronger than the one we just ran away from. Ronald immediately punches the creature's face with his metallic fist. Steam pulses out from the gaps of it. He kept punching at it again and again but to no avail. It still not injured nor shown any pain. He only manages to recoil it farther back.
With a one quick slice, Ronald's hands fell to the ground. His scream was painful and terrifying to hear. I can see his face was in pain. Eyes widened with tears flowing down to his cheek. "Ronald!!" I heard Billy screamed out loud. Of course, this doesn't make any difference as the creature slowly crept closer and closer to us. I witness Ronald dying with his sockets bleeding so much blood. His eyes faded of life. If only he hadn't try to kill it out of bravery, he would've lived longer with us before our lives are taken away.
Its jaw started to open. The sounds of bone cracking can be heard within its teeth. The smile on its face grew more and more eerie. It laughs like a maniac ready to pounce on their victims. Such insanity can break people's minds with a laugh. I froze in place by the laugh. There's nowhere else me and my friends can escape from. What else can we do. Our weapons are futile here and this creature is far beyond comprehension.
Its many arms spread around the elevator room, trying to grab us with its menacing hands. We're going to die here and that's that. This would've been a goodbye to the world. I don't know the dead world in this universe. Many different universes should have a different afterlife. Here, I don't think there's a safe place after death.
Then, something happened right in front of our eyes. The creature was being pulled back by something. Something inside the darkness. I can hear it's the same women who saved me from the pale face. We couldn't see anything in the darkness but Billy's flames can surely help us along the way. I took his flamethrower and a torch. Lighting up the torch with it carefully. Not wanting to burn us. Turning off the flamethrower, I lighted the area with my torch in hand and saw them clashing each other with blade like arms.
We stepped out of the elevator with Ronald's dead body on Cody's arms. Why would Cody keep holding on to him for? He's already dead and there's no way for us to say a better goodbye. I guess maybe he wanted to bury him somewhere which I honored that idea.
She cuts the jaw of the creature that it screams the way a person should. I can see the whole body of the creature. It was humanoid and tall. About 9 feet tall and its body is dark skeletal human. It grabbed her with its large hand and threw her off into the wall. She crushes onto the wall with such heavy force. A groan can be heard from her before a blade penetrates through her abdomen. Her screams are both man and woman at the same time.
It's horrifying to hear someone scream like that if they're just human. In fact, it'll be much terrifying if she'd sounded like millions of voices.
She grabbed its face with her free arm and tears its face off. Its eyes bounces to the ground with a flesh grinding mush sound. The screams that came from within its voice box made a deafening pain in our ears that we both covered them with our hands.
The woman digs her sharp fingers into the creature eye sockets with the sound of digging flesh. She then splits its head with the pull of her hands. Black and bloody flesh spread onto the walls and ground. One of its discarded flesh landed on my shoe. My stomach twists and turns. Watching her brutally kill it while flesh and blood spills. I gagged, watching her 3 fingered hands dig into its throat and pulled out its large heart.
Geralt vomited to the ground, spilling the acid from his stomach. That didn't bother me. Instead I watched her feast on the heart. The sound of chewing on flesh and blood made me sick to my stomach from an imaginary smell of rotten flesh. The creature's body slowly melts away to the ground. Rendering it to be dead into a puddle of flesh and bone. There's now nothing left of it. Just a puddle.
"Holy shit." With just one word came out from Billy's mouth, the woman turns her head to look at us. Her eyes seemingly looked bright and harmless. Not sure whether or not if this is a tactic to hunt or it's really her instinct. The familiar color of her right eye caught my attention.
She fell to the ground with a big gap in her abdomen. Heavy breaths came out from her voice as she slowly gets back up on her feet. The light from my torch reveals her hoodie to be grey and the gap in her abdomen slowly began to heal itself. Small tendrils from the sides of the gap stitching back together.
I stepped back, giving ourselves space in order for us to escape if she'd attack us. I held my hammer high and so does my friends with their weapons. "Darwin wait!" Did I just heard her say my name? I didn't know what to do or how to react. Either it's just a hallucination or trickery. "How did you know my name?" I asked with the fear in my voice.
"I uh. I just guessed I suppose." Her eyes were on the dead Ronald in Cody's arms. She looked saddened by it. Even grieved. She shook her head and went back to to us with a clear voice. "But that doesn't matter. You all need to get out of here before he gets here."
"Who's he?" Geralt asked with both curious and nerving tone in his voice. Her eyes are widened in fear. An expression I never thought she could do and feel about. "Cain. He's coming here and you all need to get out of here."
I've heard about Cain before. You might know this story from a book. It's about 2 brothers, sons of Adam and Eve. Abel being the most favored man of god, while Cain being the least favorite and jealous. Cain killed his brother out of jealousy. God is not happy about this and he casted him away with a curse. He's just a man. Maybe who she was saying was someone who is also named Cain.
"How are we supposed to get out?" Said Cody.
"I can help you get out. We just need to go outside and find the pool of clean water. But, it'll be far away, so we need to hurry up." She walked passed us quickly in a hurry. Billy was going to ask but I lay his shoulders, giving him a metaphor of saying no. Of course, he grunted from that. Rishika gave a face wash to Geralt. He gladly takes it and wipes his mouth and stained jacket.
We followed her through the hallways of the darkness. Our torches lighted brightly around the darkness. I was behind the woman whose guiding us to the exit. I haven't thought of asking her name. For someone like her, she should have. The voids blood doesn't seem to affect her mind but I don't think that's really the case.
The image of her blue eyes makes me recollect the memories of my long distant past. I still don't understand. How could she be so familiar to me, even know my name. We never met each other and we're from different worlds. Either it could be she had mind reading powers or just a simple guess. "Thanks for saving us back there. What's your name."
"My name's..." She looked unsure as to what to say or even know her name. I think she was hiding her true identity which I can understand that. Hiding your own identity from other people is a good way to keep yourself safe. But you needed to plan and design your own disguise. You need to come up with a story that doesn't give confusion or any cracks for people to get suspicious. Famous people like movie stars or scientist or anybody related to that stuff mostly do this to avoid getting attention.
With a warm and calm voice, she answered. "My name is Enid."
"Sounds good. Why did you save us? How are you still in control of yourself?"
"I saved you because I wanted to save you all. I was never the kind of hero or something but I still have the heart to save you all. And I'm losing a bit of my strength holding myself together. Everyday, I have to eat the creatures here. You've encountered them before. If I don't eat them, I'm going to turn into them. Turn into the void. But the more I eat, the closer I'm going to turn myself in. I'm glad you guys are safe, but I feel bad to see your friend die. Sorry that I'm too late to save all of you in one piece."
"Yeah. Wished he had enough time for you to arrive. He was a brave and cool friend to have a part of the team. He's always telling stories about greek gods and mythologies. He's a boxer too. I think he would consider you to be one of us."
"Really?"
"Yeah, of course. He kinda sometimes look scary to me in the night but he's a really good man." Geralt joins with us with a nervous look on his face. His eyes are tired as ours but they're wide enough for us to see his shining eyes. Enid returned smile on her face, but it faded away quickly in a short amount of time.
We finally left the building safely with her guidance. The bright shining sky brightens around us. Giving us the comfort of our safety. But still, we grieved the death of Ronald. Billy grieved the most out of everyone else. He kept muttering all over and over while we were following Enid. His mutterings, from what I can hear are apologize. "Billy. It's not your fault. I think he knew as well."
"No it is. I kept saying mean and horrible things to many of you but mostly it's on him. I just wanted him to think I'm strong and all. I'm lost Darwin. And I shouldn't have said those awful things. All I want was to show you all that I'm strong. But look at me. I'm bloody weak and I can't do anything to protect you all. All I can do is to just stand still and spout bullshit."
He began sobbing so terribly that it shocks me to my core. His face turning red and he fell to his knees, unable to stand back up. We all stopped to try to at least give him the comfort we wanted give him. We've never seen him in such a state like this. Throughout our times together, he always acts like a jerk but now he's crying right in front of us. I didn't know what else to do except to sit down next to him. Ronald's body is now pale in Cody's arms. His eyes were shut.
"I know how it feels, Billy." Rishika, already knelt down in front of Billy, said with a warm tone in her voice. This has got to be the 3rd or 4th time I've heard her say a full sentence. Either way, it was encouraging. Billy doesn't seem to be able to reply. None of us does. "I used to be harsh and cruel to others because I wanted them to accept me. But I was wrong because that's not how it works. We can both change together. It's ok to be on your good side. It won't be too bad. I think Ronald would like that too."
"Look at me. Do I look like I can?"
"We all can. It's just how we grow in life."
"I don't know. Ronald's dead and I'm left to be the one who carries his death on my back. I don't think he'll ever forgive me."
"No. We don't know that. But what matters is that you move on instead of staying behind. I know it's hard but you have to if you want to change. It's ok to be scared. We're all scared."
"Yeah. Even me too. I get scared a few times but that doesn't mean that others will look down on me." Geralt stutters a bit in his voice but kept the strength to say those words.
"Same here. Even that I'm this, I'm still scared too." Enid joins in with a sad look on her face. For someone like her, I thought she never felt fear. I guess there are others like her can feel that way.
I wanted to tell him something too. Something that feels connecting to each other that I don't want him to be left alone. "You don't have to do this alone. I'm scared too and that's alright because that's human. We can help you Billy. You're our friend. And I think Ronald would consider you as a friend too."
Billy wipes his tears away with his sleeve. We all sat there for a few seconds before Cody lays his hand on his shoulder, which makes Billy hug him back. "It's ok. We're here." Ronald's body lay on the boulder 5 feet away from us. Cody reaches his arms as a gesture for us to join in. We all did. So is Enid. I didn't think anything else but to be on Billy's side.
Suddenly, our moment was interrupted by a thunderous noise came out of nowhere. Enid's eyes are widened in terror. The world around us shook from the thunder. In the sky, the small clouds started to turn from grey to the color of blood. Enid jumps right up, catching a look above as we all stare into the sky. What I saw gave me enough imagination to fear whatever the unknown has.
Large gigantic shining eyes watch over the world below us from the sky. Its pupils are too big that they nearly reached the edge of their sockets. The grin of that thing gave me enough horror to freeze in my tracks. How nightmarish it is to see a gigantic abomination such as this in the morning and night. People would definitely scream and run all over the place while the cloud's face watches over them like a eldritch god.
By the time I stepped back, it turned its menacing eyes towards me. I felt like it was staring into my soul. My very soul in my body. Its own saliva dripping from its mouth. Hungry for our souls. It didn't move nor spoke a word. Thunderous noises kept coming from the abomination. They were red lightning and menacing. If people get hit by them, I'm pretty sure they'll turn into whatever nightmarish flesh creature they'll turn into.
"Guys! We have to go! There's not much time!" Edin ran and so we followed. Cody picked up Ronald's body with us. Billy gained back his strength to run. And I slowly started to run as I kept staring at its menacing eyes. It doesn't leave me alone. I don't see it following me or do anything than to smile with evil intentions. This is different than the ones we encountered. Not because of their looks. It's because I knew its intentions and the void creatures, I don't.
A great thunderous red beam shot out from the abomination's mouth and a loud boom can be heard far away from us. The sound snapped me out and I began to run as fast as I can, trying to keep up the pace of my friends and Enid.
Nothing else happened as we run to our exit. The thunderous noises kept booming around us as the clouds above slowly turned into blood red. A drop of rain hit my forehead. I touched it with my finger tip and saw blood. The rain is full of blood. I nearly slipped to the ground but my jacket was caught by Geralt. "Don't worry Darwin! I got you!" He pulled me up and ran.
The feeling of getting closer to something crept inside my chest that I began to feel the sensation of hope. Hope is said to be for the weak but I say otherwise. Hope may be a blind way to believe in something but sometimes it can be true to which we reach to something we can achieve.
Enid stopped in her tracks. There, right in front of us, was a pool of clean water. It doesn't make sense. It's raining blood and there, at the pool, it's clean. Droplets of blood dripped into the pool, then faded away into the clean water. We were shocked to see the pool to be clean in the middle of a shower of blood. The atmosphere suddenly turned red. Dark red flames started emerging around the world. It's everywhere and I can hear the distant screams behind me. The screams are hard for me to explain. They're like mixed with many variety of species all together into a rhyme of symphony.
I turned around to see something dark falling from the sky above into the ground like a falling star. The world shakes beneath us. I knelt down to get balance as I kept watching the falling darkness land onto the world. Far away, a dark silhouette rises from the ground. It looked to be tall. I could guess it's 4 feet taller than us. My eyes can't see clearly due to the silhouette being too far away. More of them began to rise as more fell from the abomination.
I turned myself around, nearly losing my balance. Cody held Rishika by the arm and Billy knelt beside Geralt. Enid reached her hands out into the pool. Sparks of bright light emitted from her arms, spreading light around her. The pool began to slowly swirl into a vortex as the sparks of light began to increase. The harsh blow of the wind hits us, making me fall to the ground.
Then, a bolt of light sparked into life in Enid's grip. The bolt was so bright that I shielded my eyes from it. It's so that I won't get blinded by the light. I looked back to see that something is walking towards us from far away of our tracks. I don't know if it's just me hallucinating or if it's really real. I think I can hear laughter. A humane laughter. It's like it came from a demon king. The dark silhouettes at the sky fly around with their wings.
Their wings are of a bat and their body was humanoid and blood red. Their mouths are menacingly enough to make me push myself away from it as far as I can. It shrieks so loudly that I can hear it from that distance. It began to fly towards us and its claws like a hawks are ready to grab one of us to feast on. I stood back up as the world turned still. I pulled out my hammer, ready to defend myself from it.
The demon nearly scratched my face before a bullet teared through the side of its brain. I turned my head to see Rishika, already wielding her sniper rifle. "I got you." She turned around and shot another bullet at another demon.
I heard a crushing noise coming from Cody. He slams his club right at a demons head, exploding it on impact. The demon wore an armor set of dark stones that could come from hell itself. It was carrying a blade that shines pure diamond. Geralt penetrating his spear at the demons chest, electrocuting it from a high voltage. "Holy shit! This is crazy!" A shout came from his voice. A voice of panic.
I turned around when I felt something was approaching me. There was a demon with 4 arms and held a large hammer, bigger than the one I wielded. Its face full of hatred that Its eyes glared into my soul. I quickly swung my hammer by the time it swings its own at me. Our hammers clashes together, making a loud slam around us. It swung again but I jumped away from its heavy blow. It's the good thing we had those boots. They're able to give us enough push to jump twice higher than the original person can.
I then swung my hammer directly at its face. I made impact as its face tears apart from the slam of my hammer. A crunching sound can be heard from its skull. Its head exploded into a pool of blood with scattered flesh and bones.
I landed on my feet and watched the world turned into the new hell as dark flames emitted everywhere around the buildings and the ground. More demons are rushing towards us in a pack. So many of them with many horrifying different forms. My body is shaking from the fear I had in me. I nearly dropped my hammer as sweat begins to appear on my hands. I bumped my back as I stepped behind. Geralt, Rishika, Cody, and myself are close together with our weapons in hand. They're all sweating with fear on their faces. There's too many of them for us to take them down. "Come on! Let's show those freaks what we're made of!" Shouted Geralt. By the times we raised our weapons and the demons now 10 feet away from us, a bright blue flame blazes the demons. They scream in pain and hatred as they slowly melted into a sludge of fried flesh.
"I'm not going to let those bloody fuckers take you all away from me!" Billy's face is mixed with fear and anger. Feeling very glad that he joined us. If not for him, we would be brutally killed by the horrifying demons. Then, a loud burst of water and electricity emerged from behind us. Enid faces us with wide eyes. "Get in now!"
"Will it take us home!?" Geralt asks with a panic in his voice. I can see the sweat pouring down on Enid's face as she stares back at us in a hurry. "No but it'll take you somewhere safe! Somewhere you can start a new life!"
Cody, with Ronald's body in his arms, is the first to get in the portal. By the time he jumps into the portal in the pool, a flash of blue energy can be seen emerging out of it. Then goes for Geralt. He was scared at first as he cowers back. "Will I be hurt if I fall?"
"Don't worry. You'll be fine." And so, he jumps in and flashes of light emerges out.
Then goes for Billy. He looked back at Enid for a moment before he jumps into the portal.
Lastly, Rishika stops near the edges of the pool. She turned around to see Enid with a hurried look on her face but also with relief. "Thank you Eddie." Then she jumps into the portal.
Did I just heard her right? Did she just said my lost friend's name. "What did she just say?"
She looked at me with a sad look in her blue eye. I felt a connection between us, as if we've known each other. I don't understand. Why would Rishika say his name. Enid is a woman to say the least or she's really something else. A sudden memory flashed before my eyes.
I remembered the time Eddie shape shifted into the Ice cream man. It was a time when we were young. We both got the ice cream we wanted just for free without anyone noticing. It was funny but also worrying because we could get caught. But that never happened and still felt funny every time I remember that day.
"Eddie? You're Eddie." She nodded in reply. A gesture of yes. Then, right in front of my eyes, she formed into a grown up version of Eddie. The Eddie I remembered. My heart felt shocked as to what I've just learned. I ran to her and hugged her deeply than I could've ever done. We both hugged for a moment until she gently pushes me off. Tears started to appear beneath my eyes. I don't know what I was feeling but what I can say was joy. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I knew you would drag me with you If I tell you. You have to understand that I have to stay here. This is where I belong and I'm too dangerous to be with you."
"But we can figure things out together! We can go back to hanging out with each other! Play video games! Explore the world! Everything!"
"No Darwin. We can't. I'm a part of the void and I'm slowly losing myself. My left part of my face is nearly turning into the void."
"But we can fix that! We just need to find the answers to how we can get you better! I can't! I don't want to lose you again! I-"
"Darwin!" A shout came from his voice. I stopped with chills freezing behind my back. He looked at me in the eye with sadness. "I can't go back. I'm sorry I was never there for you when you graduated. I'm sorry for never waiting for you outside of school. I'm sorry for everything we could've done but we haven't! I have to save you. Even if it costs me my life. I don't want to lose you either. You have to go Darwin. There's nothing that can change my mind."
I thought I could finally bring him back. To do the things we've never have yet done. Here and now, this is our last time together. This is our last time to see each other again. He protected me wherever I go here. He saved me in order for me to live. I can't let him die here. I don't want him to be gone from me.
I hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go. Tears dripped down from his eyes and onto my head. I can feel the pain in my chest starting to rise but I didn't let go. "I'm sorry Darwin. You have to let me go. You can choose. I won't stop you."
He's right. I can't keep him with me. Throughout my life I wanted to see him again. Every night, I look out the window to see if he's there but there's no one but cars and houses. I can't keep doing this. I really have to let go. Tears pours rapidly beneath my eyes. I let go and wiped the tears from my face. "I guess this is a goodbye then."
A sad smile plastered on his face. The world around us slowly turned into darkness. The kind of darkness in hell. "It is Darwin. I'm so happy to see you again."
"Well oh well!! Look at what we have here!" A very modern European accent voice of a man emerged from the world before us. We turned to see a man with a worn off brown coat. His hat looked to be as old as the ancient times. And his face. His face made my stomach turn. Bandages wrapped around his face, except for his terrifying grin. His teeth rotten to the very core of his rotten body. I stepped behind Eddie with the hammer in my hands. The man grins much wider than I anticipated.
"You must be wondering. Who am I? Well. I'm the one and only, Cain. You might've heard me from a very recognizable book. Also, I'm afraid you two are coming with me. We have a lot to discuss and a ton of things to do together." With that, he started laughing like a total maniac. His herds of demons followed with a laugh.
"Goodbye Darwin." Eddie suddenly pushes me off into the bright blue vortex that'll be my exit. I took one last glimpse of Eddie standing before Cain. As I fell into the portal, I can hear the echoing laughter of Cain and his demons. I screamed out for Eddie but my voice was out of reach.
Then, I landed on my back on the ground. The portal disappeared before me. I quickly stood back up and reached to where the portal had opened. It was gone. I looked around to see that I'm on a hill. The dark blue night sky displayed above me with the stars shining above. My mind racing with thoughts and fear. Witnessing Eddie being alone to fight against the evil we are meant to escape from. I screamed into the sky as tears rapidly starts to appear. I fell to my knees onto the grass floor and slam my hands at the ground as I wept. I kept screaming and sobbing until I was too exhausted that I fell to the ground. I heard footsteps before me. There were many.
My body being picked up by Billy in the arm as he carries me with him. "Darwin. What happened?"
The only words I can say now were."He's gone."
​
It's been 2 years since we left that world. The world we now stand upon was nearly the same as ours. What I mean by nearly was that there are strange phenomenons happening nearly every month. A girl who can turn into a form of a robot and killed a cancerous beast in Queensland. A military war criminal who considers killing the supernatural as a job. Even the real life wendigo sightings are on the news papers. Still though, the place is still good in the morning. Except in the night, there are sometimes threats we don't know in the dark.
We built a team together, even gather some new friends along the way. Rishika grew to be more expressive and a lot more kinder to us. The time we killed a literal Bigfoot, she gave me a fist bump. Gave me a chuckle and a smile on my face.
Billy was getting better everyday. He responds to us with kind words than insults like before. After Cody had buried Ronald's body in a proper, he said his words of goodbye to him and gave him the picture he secretly held with him. It was a picture of us hanging out in a movie place. It's heart warming and depressing to witness what he did there.
Cody went off to work as a psychologist. He's still with us. It's just that he wanted to help people's mental health issues. He did really well on that one and he even gave us some advice for a change. I wouldn't consider mostly on his advice but some I can really try. That's also where he met the girl who can turn into a robot. We've met after the news broke out about an incident of a wild destruction at Queensland. Forgot to mention, we're at Australia. Just to let you all know where we are.
Finally, Geralt took pictures everywhere we go and writes down in his diary. The reason he does this is that we're in another world and thought he could take pictures of them and reflect on them. Sometimes we even got to have a photograph of us in the middle of the good times. He said it was to keep memories of our times together. A frame with a picture of literally us huddled together in a bright sunny day in Canberra.
Me? I was building a portal device, for me to teleport to different worlds. It's going to take a long time for me yes. Been building other things lately with Rishika too. Weaponry, gadgets, devices, and fixing stuff. I stuck around with my friends and we've made a great team. Made new friends along the way and learnt many things too.
2 years ago, after my moment of grief, I woke up from my exhausted moment to see my friends standing before me with a relief on their faces. I nearly cried by the picture of that moment. After that, we both watched tv together in my new bedroom inside of a hotel room. After Rishika finds a new home for us, we moved out to Melbourne Victoria as a new place of our home. We moved in to a farm house where there is a larger basement for us to do our stuff. We knew we had to get a job at this point, so we did what we can to find one. It's a good thing there's a city nearby.
Rishika, Geralt, Billy, and I took the job as being a part of an investigation of the paranormal. That's how we managed to meet up with a bunch of new friends.
I missed Eddie. I wished he could come with me and didn't have to die. But, I learnt that I can't drag him with me. He wanted to stay there. I can understand that. I know he's gone already. It's hard to let go. But sometimes we have to. To live out our lives well. I have to look forward. To better myself through experience.
This is my message to you. My readers.
You better to stay where you are now. Don't go to other universes. Because maybe, you'll end up in the most horrifying places you never want to go.

I seem to call out to the wind quite so often.. hoping that someone out there, hears my cries and listens.
Are you listening?
I come here often, peeking behind the curtains, seeing if what I’m looking for is out there. It seems like it isn’t, yet, I’m the kind of person who’s stubborn and I continuously keep screaming out into the wind - begging, for someone to listen.
Because if the wind listens, surely someone out there will too.
I’m probably young enough to be your daughter and I have a mouth that more often than not gets me in trouble but I promise I’m still someone who’s soft enough to keep around.
With that being said, this is what I’m looking for:
Someone who takes absolute pleasure in discovering others. And by that, I don’t mean asking about their favorite color and all that small, dry talk.
I mean, go in depth. It is depth that allows words to stop being simply words after all.
I’d love to write digital letters or some form of shared journal entries with someone. Although, I ask you be patient and allow me to take my time to get back to you, since yknow, life gets in the way sometimes.
I tend to pour myself out into my writing so therefore, I’m seeking someone who can do that too.
I want to be able to see you through every word, every line, paragraph, you speak to me.
So, I’ll begin..
Dear stranger,
I find it difficult to shut the voices up late at night when my distractions go to sleep.
I stay up until I can’t no more, until my eyes burn and my fight against sleep, finally comes to an end.
‘I’m a fighter’ I tell myself..
So, I pick unnecessary battles to prove it to myself.
Like my battle against sleep. However, it’s always a lost battle. I lose and surrender to a deep slumber that helps aid me back to life.
Back to a life that doesn’t belong to me.
A life, that’s not for me.
I wonder, do you too often ignore the bowl in you burning to be filled?

Do not give out phone numbers or any type of personal information through vinted!!!
Got sent a link and inside they told me that in order to receive the amount of money I had to put the card number. They stole 333€ from me!!!
DO NOT EVER GIVE YOUR INFO OUTSIDE THE APP OR TO PEOPLE INSIDE IT!
AS SOON AS YOU SUBSCRIBE YOU GET SENT MESSAGES ASKING FOR PHONE NUMBER - DO NOT GIVE IT!

Tagged as a funny story because I was diagnosed late in my life at 27 after I’d believed everyone’s opinion that my bullshit was “just being an artist” - I shoulda got a professional eval considering not all my classmates were chaotic slobs that took entire days to complete 1-3hr assignments.
I did that whole thing where you adapt insanely absurd ways to function and you assume everyone must do these things to “adult”. Thank god I met a psychiatrist who diagnosed and educated me about how this works(?) I was put on meds but it took an extreme change in my living environment and career to make me realize meds only do so much.
I made a niave choice to move two years ago. Damn did I get a wake up call.
I ended up living with abusive compulsive types and learned to function to maintain peace in hostile environments where I was scared, threatened, and denigrated into functioning as proficient as exhaustingly possible. I was eventually cleaner and more organized than the assholes. Not advocating this but I can’t deny it was an amazingly effective strategy.
I’ve changed my living environment and the person I share it with I love deeply but they’re who I got my adhd from. It doesn’t help they they won’t work more to deal with their hoarding and disorganization issues and act like because they know what has to be done they’ll do it - but neverarely eventually do it …then I end up having to do it …only for things to be undone again…
I’m feeling defeated and overwhelmed. In a sad way I’ve achieved a decent level of executive functioning that can cover two people but I don’t have the energy to try to be Sisyphus all the time. It’s so damaging and demotivating to invest so much in cleaning only to see your efforts be ruined within minutes because it’s their world and fuck me I guess.
I’ve taken my therapists advice and restricted my efforts to work on areas that I immediately occupy and share. I’m on less medication and struggling even when I’m medicated to keep up with anything or exert that three second effort to clean as I go. I get so frustrated when I’ve done what I needed and then it’s immediately undone.
I’m all about working smarter not harder. Are there any cheat codes for keeping your shit together when everything feels overwhelming? How do you manage a stubborn family member who has the worst antithesis (ocd/hoarding/untreated adhd) to your disorder?
Apologies if I came off harsh on my loved one but it takes so much to do what I need to and do extra to show my love and it’s like it doesn’t fucking matter - old dogs won’t learn new tricks and I’m stuck feeling like a bitch because I’d like a healthy living environment for the both of us … you’d think someone with a psyche doctorate would not live this way.
Make it make sense

Introduction

1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs? * No. Have pretty much always had a dog. Have done basic obedience training. Nothing fancy. 2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a [reputable breeder]( http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/identifying-reputable-breeder.html)? * We have a preference for a pup. We are unlikely to get a pup as a rescue, so will likely need to go through a reputable breeder. 3) Describe your ideal dog. * Good tempered with kids, cuddly, friendly, quiet and a bit lazy, low maintenance. Easy to train and will be obedient to all adult and children human family members. 4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why? * Most important to us is a dog that will be happy with what our family has to offer. We don't mind what that is. 5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do? * sit, stay, walk on a lead, good recall, eat on command. Nothing fancy. Basic obedience. 6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport? * No. **Care Commitments** 7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day? * Training and actively playing, 30 mins some days. A couple of hours on others. Depends on the day. Chilling and hanging out, most of the day (except for a couple of days per week when noone is home). E.g. would love it to cuddle up in my lap or on my feet amd snooze when I am working from home. 8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park? * Walking (not running) with humans. Can incorporate some off leash running for the dog while the humans walk for sniffing of good smells or ball chasing. Wouldn't go to dog park regularly, but might sometimes. Likely to encounter other dogs while exercising. Realistically, some days we may only manage a short walk. 9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly? * Prefer a dog that needs minimal grooming. **Personal Preferences** 10) What size dog are you looking for? * Small or medium with a preference for medium. Potentially could consider larger if it was quite placid. 11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle? * Prefer not too much of any of those. 12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area? * Important but not essential. We have some nice places we walk where our old dog would enjoy being off leash to have a bit of an explore and a sniff. We would like our new dog to enjoy this too. Additionally, there are physical limitations on the humans running, so it's better if the dog can be trained to go off leash (I.e. good recall) so that it can have a run. **Dog Personality and Behavior** 13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space? * Snuggly 14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please? * We want a dog that wants to hang with the humans but also won't be anxious when left home alone. We aren't the most amazing trainers, so one that is easy to train and happy to be obedient would be great. 15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors? * We do not want an aggressive dog at all. We would like the dog not to jump on visitors in excitement either. 16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs? * No. 17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid? * Excessive barking, jumping on people, or aggression would be very difficult for certain members of our family. **Lifestyle** 18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone? * up to two days per week for a full work day 19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog? * This will be a family dog, so the thoughts of the whole family are reflected in all of the questions. 20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they? * We have a cat. She likes to lie nearby, but not cuddle. She also likes to swipe living beings as they pass. She's a bit flighty. We cannot have a breed that will harm the cat. 21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly? * Yes, the dog will live with several children aged later primary schooland up. This includes a child with dog anxiety and also a very rambunctious child. 22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease? * No. We live in our own home and there are no restrictions. We have a big fenced yard. 23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds? * There are no dog breed restrictions where we live. 24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live? * Average high in summer is 29 degrees average low in winter is 0 degrees. Note, temperatures are in Celsius. We have heating and cooling. **Additional Information and Questions** 25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant. * a funny/entertaining dog would be a nice bonus, but not essential. 26) Feel free to ask any questions below. 

37 Bi chub Latino bottom guy from NJ looking to connect with other guys. 5’9 265 lbs. Very loyal and talkative person. I enjoy going out, traveling, movies, comics and some sports. I tend to be funny and sarcastic and give good advice. Open minded. Enjoy also music all types but favorite is bachata and hip hop. Hit me up if you want to talk.

Hello fellow Knicks fans. Last year I had a lot of fun writing up reviews for each player, and I decided I’ll make it a yearly thing. Format will be a little different to keep it fresh but same goals; evaluate players based on how they looked, their numbers, advanced stats, team stats, and an eye to next year. I will go player by player until I cover all major players on the Knicks roster. Enjoy! If you wanna check out Grimes and previous write up, click here.
Player Profile: Obadiah Toppin
Age: 25
Contract Remaining: 1 year at $6.8M, extension eligible
Last Seasons “Room for Improvement for Next Season”: “...closed the year hot from 3, but his outside shooting needs to become far more consistent. ..learn to be a better help defender, as he was often the player too late on rotating throughout the season... continue to improve his handles, as he showed some solid ability as a passer.”
Well one big improvement that Obi made from last year was that he certainly shot the ball way better from 3, hitting a career high 34% of his threes and doing so on double the volume he had in the past. Unfortunately, of the other aspects I personally listed, Obi did not do much more to improve his game, especially on the defensive end. Let’s take a deeper look
2022-23 Season 76 GP, 5GS, 15.7MPG
7.4PTS, 2.4REB, 1AST, .3STL, .2BLK, .6TOV per game.
44%/34%/80% Shooting splits
There’s no stoppin’ Obi Toppin! Except for, well, Obi Toppin. A popular refrain is that Thibs quick hook is the reason why Toppin never gets a chance to show his stuff. After three full years in the league, I think it’s quite clear; Obi Toppin doesn’t stay on the floor for long stretches because he is just an awkward NBA player. The ONE thing I will say in his defense is that Thibs offense is the worst one possible for him, ISO heavy and slow pace. But outside of that, Obi does not do himself any favors. He’s athletic, but he’s not bulky enough to bang with other front court players. He has an improved outside shot but he’s not good enough to manipulate off the dribble to get to the basket. He’s got length but no post game. Despite his incredible athletic tools his defense is shoddy and despite big hops barely blocks any shots. He’s the most classic “tweener” specimen one could have. None of his abilities matchup with his physical gifts. You would think with the way he looks and plays that he could have some low end Shawn Marion 2.0 in him, but he just doesn’t. Even despite the much improved outside shooting, Obi just could not stay on the floor. The only time he got extended run was the end of the year silly season minutes and just like last year, he showed that he’s a great AAAA player, capable of beating up on other regular NBA scrubs. The fact that his minutes went down despite Hartenstein being the only front court help the Knicks brought in is a problem and red flag.
Advanced Stats: VORP: .4 WS/48: .095 PER: 13.6 TS%: 56
Well, the advanced stats are stoppin’ Obi Toppin as well. Obi took steps backwards in every single advanced statistic from last year. That’s despite playing more or less the same role/level of minutes. His win share rate, PER, true shooting % and VORP all went down, indicating that Obi without a doubt went backwards. The biggest problem is that his DPM was in the red, the first time it has happened in its career. For all you wondering why Obi always got the “quick hook” from Thibs, it's simple, his defense absolutely sucks. Obi ranked roughly 70th in defensive rating of players that played at least 50 games and 15min per game, but like a broken record, that’s just one stat I use and by no means paints a full picture.
What’s interesting is that Obi appears in 4 of our top 10 defensive lineups, but in only 1 of our lowest 10 defensive lineups. I can only imagine this has more to do with who he is playing with than his individual performance. Obi also just doesn’t play a lot of minutes, so it creates a wider margin for error than a player that would be out there for 30min a night. I’m not saying Obi is incapable of defense, but between his numbers and the eye test, I just can’t bring myself to say he can do it. Feel free to prove me wrong though.
2023 Playoffs: 7PTS, 3.5REB, .6AST, .7STL, .3BLK, .7TOV per game
43%/30%/80% from the field
0.2 VORP WS/48 .115 PER 14.5
Obi was slightly better in the playoffs compared to his regular season self, but not by much. His defense was better and his offensive game was kept afloat by being the Knicks 5th best 3 point shooter in the playoffs at 30% (yeah, that’s not a good sign). Like the rest of the team, unless your name was Jalen Brunson, Obi struggled to score.
2023 Off season
Unfortunately Obi seems to be dogged by the same problems year after year. Again, part of that is fit, if he was playing on a Mike D’Antoni type team I have a feeling he would be a high flyer and putting up some decent numbers. But you need to do the best with what you got. Obi just needs to be a better scorer, period. His 3 point shot getting better is good, but with his subpar handles despite solid athleticism, he can’t take advantage of teams starting to respect his shooting more. But for Obi its really all about defense. He needs to add some type of defensive rigor to his game, whether it means bulking up a tad to take on more banging in the post or focusing down with better footwork to guard more wings on the perimeter.
Overall Grade for 2022-23 season: C-
It was nice to see Obi showcase a 3 point shot and as always he has highlight worthy dunks, but unfortunately the accolades mostly stop there. Obi is more or less where he was when the Knicks drafted him; stuck behind Julius Randle and doesn’t show enough on either side of the ball to warrant being on the court more. He is the most likely Knick to be traded this offseason in a package as I cannot imagine the team will hand him an extension.
More to come soon. Let’s go Knicks!