Hookah lounges near me

First rude customer in a quite some time .. also DoorDash causes bad MOJO or something

2023.03.29 18:53 Educational-Ask-1454 First rude customer in a quite some time .. also DoorDash causes bad MOJO or something

I don't know, typical DoorDash, it assigns me a traffic jam order 12mi away by way of making it look like a 1mi order 🄓 but I go to pick it up thinking maybe I beat traffic jam time.. there's not any other orders, anyway, and this one ends well geographically
So not only do I not beat traffic jam time but a lane is closed for no apparent reason right at traffic jam time then and šŸ’„ I'ma now end up missing an appointment
Another thing is the car is upset about being in the traffic and getting too hot
So I let the customer know what happened, I already had let her know about the long distance and everything and she was cool .. and I told her that my car is overheating and I cannot make it
So she's all CAPS with the WAIT SO YOU'RE NOT BRINGING THE FOOD absence of question mark here
I don't know support told me to not drop the food off at the store, I told them I'm trying to make it back to my house and the KFC is on the way
Anyway I get free food for once and half pay And then the drink turns out to be diet and I'm all ... oh my Lord .. there's never one single thing which is correct when doordash is involved šŸ˜†
Perhaps it's human perception but the odds HAVE to be against so many impossibly stupid ridiculous perilous absurdly dumb things happening on nearly every delivery those doofy dastardly dunces at DoorDash send to their delivery driver dummies I'd say šŸ˜†šŸ˜†šŸ˜†
Can the discompassionate customer now rate me? Hopefully not.. if the order cancels no rating, I think???
submitted by Educational-Ask-1454 to doordash_drivers [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:53 Willam_Afton_ Kids can be scary

Kids can be scary submitted by Willam_Afton_ to Scary_WeridThings [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:52 IzayaKnowsEverything Living a toxic lifestyle with Toxic family members.

I was told I should post my issues here since I REALLY need some insight on these problems:
So basically I come from a third world country. I'm 21(F), living with a family of 7 (parents included). My parents are quite old. Father in his seventies and mother in her fifties. Both are pretty screwed from a medical stand point and my mother is clinically depressed. That goes without saying, they both do not work or earn for the family (which I have no right to blame them for obviously despite their negligence towards physical health-care)
Then there's my two oldest siblings, one of whom, female. The only one actually working and earning for the family. In her late twenties. Then there's my oldest brother, who is your classic 30 year old "wizard", very efficient at freeloading and being unemployed. Then there's me, my sister who is 2 years older than me and my younger brother who is 2 years younger. The 3 of us have our education on hold because we are struggling financially. My younger brother has given up on studying, my sister is having difficulties applying to universities (since we barely have the expenses) and I'm still trying to give high school exams (privately) so I can apply for scholarships.
The problem is... And it's pretty complicated to put it in words but
Over the course of 6-7 years of being broke, my family has pretty much isolated themselves from the outside world. My parents like I said, barely have the strength and energy to work so they most just do work inside the house or not do anything. My big brother is the same or rather towards extremes. He has an IT degree yet he still chooses to stay unemployed because he fears "earning" for the family and perhaps content with the fact that he gets to act like a king inside the house, since hoarding food and other necessities is what he excels at. He is the literal definition of lifeless and that's putting it lightly.. My mom on the other hand behaves similarly except not to the extent of my brother. For a woman, she's very misogynistic. Weird huh? Me and my 2 sisters, are always subjected to her verbal misogynistic abuse in the household and yet She barely says anything to my two brothers because my youngest brother basically lives for her, fulfills her every command while neglecting his own needs. My oldest brother though
He is very violent, so my mom caters to him as a way of keeping his violence at bay because if he wants, he can scream at or threaten anyone if he wanted to.
So here's where it gets weird.. Aside from my education and skilled based hobbies, I like to game as a way to relieve stress since that's the only way I can entertain myself. I'm not allowed to go out because I'm a female, according to my parents. Due to that I don't have an actual social life. I study and do things around in my room 24/7 (even working out). So in a way I'm lifeless as well since where I live, I'm not even eligible for jobs. If I was a male, I could get direct labour intensive jobs in a construction site to earn for myself. Because even just me trying to look for a job is somehow an offense to my older brother and my mom because they have the most vocal reactions when a woman:
Speaks for herself or tries to find a reason to venture outside the house because if they want to go out so badly they must want to do it for the wrong reasons (cultured-brainwashed mentality).
And most of the house work is just done by me and my sisters, while the males get to use up extra time they're privileged with just to waste it even more while me and my sisters who actually want to study and work. We are stuck spending hours on chores because as per my mother's request, the males should not work because they have more worth than the females.
And when me or my sisters talk about this unfairness. Both my big brother and mother get verbally violent to shut us up quickly so we have no way to refute their nonsensical-traditionally-brainwashed ideologies.
Earlier I mentioned I like to game right? So whenever an argument in the household happens, they like to "blackmail" me by saying they'll take my computer away since they know that's my only source of information and entertainment (they bought me the PC 9 years ago and they also know I can't afford to buy a new pc as well) furthermore they would even threatened to not pay for my exams.
So eventually I'm stuck feeling FRUSTRATED and UPSET every now and then at the helplessness that I can't speak up properly because I end up crying out in stress that I can't have anything in this household. Even once when I spoke up for my younger brother that he should be encouraged to study and use his time to do something productive with his life than to be a 24/7 errand boy for my mom and brother. Like I really want to emphasize the ridiculousness of my older brother: he would be standing near a water tank and still demand a glass of water from my younger brother who would be occupied doing his own thing. Like this kind of behaviour is so common in my household and watching this toxicity on a daily basis feels so wrong to me to the point I can't even handle it. I tried speaking up to my mother so many times even in a very soft manner(because with her, it's always me stepping on eggshells), it always results in her screaming at me and making me feel so extremely uncomfortable. In addition, claiming that there's no way a female such as myself has any right to speak to her mother or refute her in anyway....and yet she never tries to be so unbearably toxic towards her sons.. Heck! I made some male friends online and when I tried to voice chat with them, both my mom and big brother demoralised my action to the point that I don't even enjoy talking and gaming with my friends anymore. (They thought I would do something explicit or inappropriate over voice chat just because I was talking to males my own age...like where's the logic in that?)
Honestly I could go on and on about how toxic this family is. They all prefer to just stay indoors and feed their toxicity on a regular basis. Since none of the family members can go anywhere and be away from each other (since we also don't have our own car and Uber is costly for a regular outing) for a few days at least, having no break from each other in this household has made everyone so frustrated, immature and painfully obnoxious. I feel as though I can't really express the feelings of anguish and hopelessness I have stored within me for years. I don't want to say this but it has made me really suicidal despite how much I am trying to thrive in this little room. Trying so hard to make sure I'm eligible for jobs so I can be independent and hopefully.. Get the hell out of this country as soon as possible, I just can't live like a normal person here. It's either I somehow become numb to the regular toxicity or accept the fact that if I venture out in this country, knowing how high the crime and r*pe rate is, I probably die either way, mentally or physically.
I just need to pick my poison. It's worse knowing my sisters are going through the same thing but due to my own mental instability, I can barely provide them the comfort they deserve. We are stuck being treated like maids and aside from our needs, when there are times when we actually WANT something, we always get reminded of how poor we are
But sadly, The males in my family don't have to go through this...
Anyways, I believe I wrote too much, this is the first time I have written something like this in public, I believe I really wanted some help I guess? Or perhaps advice? I think I made my friends sick of having to listen to my rants since honestly it's pretty hard to remain unbothered by all of this. I also think, seeking help is better than succumbing to suicidal thoughts and frustration which cloud my mind on a daily basis and prevent me from focusing on the things I want to focus on. The finances my family currently have are going to run out one day, my sister who works, her salary literally pays all the bills for the month so expecting her to save more money is rather selfish.. So thinking about how grave the situation will be when we eventually lose everything, I'm not sure I'm prepared for it. But with the way my family has been living, I can be assured that, that day isn't too far away.
Thank you so much if you've read this far. I suppose I really needed some advice on this. I truly hope no one here has to go through such toxicity, I can't deny the possibility but I hope, like me, you'll reach out for help too cuz hey! If decent people don't exist around you, they probably exist elsewhere I hope.
submitted by IzayaKnowsEverything to Healthygamergg [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:52 rednaxela__ [online][CT][other][pbp] DM looking for 2 (ish) players for a thoughtful, detailed homebrew PBP

Before you read on, here is a quick tl;dr I am super excited to meet some great people but I know the wall of text is a lot:
  1. Most important, we have to mesh well, so this can last long term.
  2. New home built ruleset (do not let this scare you, they are meant to be simple).
  3. PBP, but we will have a specified time that we will meet (Super flexible)
  4. I am looking for exactly 2 players, more or less could be possible.
  5. Medieval or earlier setting, swords and sorcery type, Conan, LoTR, Solomon Kane.
  6. I will limit the races to the big 3, and while your backstory is important, the real depth of your character will come from the adventures you have in our game.
Ready to jump in just from that? Please fill out this form
Alright, now let me elaborate on all of that
  1. The game really comes second to enjoying the time we spend playing it, so I am looking for people I enjoy talking to who also enjoy talking to each other, who just so happen to also want to play a game. I want to find people who would be okay talking even if its not related to the game sometimes.
  2. I built a ruleset that needs some playtesting, rules will probably be tweaked and changed as we go along to make the game smoother.
    1. In general its built to allow more natural growth for everything from attributes to spells.
    2. The changes mean things are simplified, but the tradeoff is that you will have to be more detailed about the things you do.
    3. Rolls will be less often and have less effect, so you will need to be more roleplay oriented in describing the things you do, for example: "I search the room" *rolls d20 gets an 18* "what do I see" will be replaced with "I search the stone walls of the room with a candle, holding it near any cracks I see to see if the flame flickers from wind." No rolls would need to be made for that, and I would let you know what you find.
  3. I have a discord server, and messages can be sent at any point, but there will be an expectation that we will all be on between a specific time to play actively. Some days when we are all on it can last much longer at that set time. This allows things to constantly move forward at a slow pace, but be spurred ahead when we are all on at the required time. We'll work together to find a schedule that works for everyone, but generally we'll aim to play for a few hours on weekdays.
  4. The group being small allows for things to work more smoothly. If the right two people can be found, then the story has a fairly consistent goals between them. If you have a friend to bring along, that is great, otherwise we will all need to meet and chat for a bit before we start to make sure things mesh.
  5. The world is vast, filled with stories and quests large and small, NPCs, kingdoms, lands, and peoples. I build it all in my free time and have built up quite a lot. Anything you want to see can be added in, but it is all there for you to explore on your own. I will not force you in any direction, but the world might. What I mean by that, is that I will not make up things to push you in a direction, but your actions will have consequences that I will not alter for you. If you get stuck in a hole, I will leave you there to rot unless you can figure your own way out. That being said, you might die. If you do we will roll a new character and add them in so don't worry about not being able to play.
  6. The world is to be explored, not to have already been explored. You will start probably as a human, probably as a farmer. If you want to go out and explore then do it, you might come from money, or nothing, but the adventure is ahead of you, not behind you. What I mean by that is the cool things in your life will be role played through in our game, not just a sentence in your backstory. This adds real depth to the character, and not a shallow backstory that could mean anything. We are reading the hobbit from page 1, not page 200, and you are Bilbo.
PS: I have tried my best to get the most detail in here as possible, of course there will be questions on both ends, so reach out if there are! If you and I get along, then tweaks can be made to the game that can make it more enjoyable for both of us. If you have any hesitation please reach out here, or on discord, my username on discord is: rednaxela#9761
submitted by rednaxela__ to LFGno5e [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:52 Klokinator The Cryopod to Hell 481: The Hall of Heroes

Author note: The Cryopod to Hell is a Reddit-exclusive story with over three years of editing and refining. As of this post, the total rewrite is 1,894,000+ words long! For more information, check out the link below:
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Join the Cryoverse Discord server!
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...................................
(Previous Part)
(Part 001)
...
Some time earlier, in a part of the Milky Way Galaxy hidden from the gods themselves...
The Hall of Heroes.
Hope Hiro's greatest construction hovers inside a void of brilliant luminosity: A golden palace of incredible size, capable of comfortably housing the thousand artifacts he seized from the Volgrim.
The Hall of Heroes resides within an alternate dimension not unlike Jason Hiro's 'Chrona Realm.' However, while Jason's special dimension has been maximally upgraded to a TDR (Time Dilation Ratio) of 250:1, Hope's has only reached a TDR of 100:1. As for why this is the case, the answer lays in the biggest difference between his realm and Jason's.
The Hall of Heroes... is filled with Heroes.
With so many powerful artifacts concentrated in one realm, Hope simply cannot accelerate the flow of time beyond a certain level without destabilizing reality and killing himself in the process. This judgment, delivered by Solomon himself, is what gives Hope the final assurance he can push no further.
After spending a few days with Solomon building the palace according to the Knowledge-Seeker's specifications, Hope finally takes a day to rest.
Inside this time-accelerated domain, a few days will only require an hour or two in the outside world. Hope strolls about with Solomon's corporeal figure, a much more realistic projection compared to the one Jason used to summon when he possessed the Crown.
"What now?" Hope asks.
"Now that we have built this Hall, you should begin a series of tasks to accelerate your learning process." Solomon responds. "I already spent six years training Jason. Inside a realm like this, you can leapfrog your other self and become a far more proficient combatant and leader compared to him."
"Right, I understand that much." Hope says, reaching out to pick up one of the artifacts at random, a pearl-like orb just big enough to fill up the palm of his hand. "I'm asking what I need to do specifically."
Solomon gestures to the relic in Hope's grasp. "You've obtained almost a thousand artifacts from the Volgrim. Frankly, I only recognized a tenth of them on my own. Luckily, the Volgrim knew of the vast majority of their identities, so that will alleviate much of our troubles with identifying them. You should spend one day with each artifact, learning who their original owners are, what abilities they can offer, and how you can integrate them into your future battles."
"One day for each..." Hope says slowly, as a frown crawls across his face. "But there are nearly a thousand! That'll take three years!"
Solomon shrugs. "Why do you think I had you construct this Hall of Heroes? You require time to assimilate your gains, boy. The Volgrim will be too fearful to make a move against you, for now, but I worry they might make a move against your woman. You should bring Amelia here, where they can't reach her. Then you won't be stuck with only me for the whole duration."
Hope's frown eases. "That's a good point. The Volgrim might target her... but what about Neil? Shouldn't I bring him here, too?"
"Tsk, tsk." Solomon clicks his tongue. "You've much to learn about projecting strength. Bringing Amelia here is more for your companionship than for the sake of protecting her. Ask yourself, boy, what sort of message will you be sending the Volgrim if you bring people you care about into a secret realm? It will tell them that you fear reprisal!"
Solomon and Hope walk into a large, lavish golden hall with a table capable of seating over a hundred people. As soon as Hope enters, several ethereal maids and butlers materialize, formed from the magical power contained within the Hall of Heroes. They quickly spread out and begin creating a delicious meal fit for a king while Hope walks over and sits at the head of the table.
"You're saying I should project fearlessness and strength." Hope says. "But will that truly deter Unarin? Everyone seems to think he's an extremely intelligent leader. What if he sees through my ploy?"
Solomon sits on Hope's right, at the seat of honor. The two of them together somehow make the dining hall feel even bigger and lonelier than it did before they entered.
"Your line of thinking is too simple." Solomon says slowly. "Let's recap the actions you've taken."
He pauses.
"First, you sneaked through all of Volgarius without raising any alarms. It can be seen by how the Volgrim did not confront you until your arrival on Serris that they were not even certain you were present. This indicates a lapse in their detection capabilities."
"Are you sure that's the case?" Hope asks. "Looking back, it's pretty obvious the Volgrim suspected I was on Volgarius. Sangin Lidra was probably the one to tip them off."
"That's right. They 'suspected' you were on Volgarius." Solomon says meaningfully. "But they did not know for certain. I believe none of them could actually detect your presence. Perhaps not even Founder Dosena herself! Only Confessor Vulpanix had the ability to do so."
"Too bad I couldn't kill her for good..." Hope mutters, his eyes narrowing to slits. "If she's the only one who can properly detect me, I should make sure to finish the job sometime in the future."
Solomon nods. "Returning to my previous point: The second action you took was to engage in dialogue with Confessor Vulpanix, a dialogue in which you easily outwitted her, crushed her spirit, and broke her mind and body. She fled in a manner most pathetic, bringing shame to the Volgrim Empire. This has demonstrated to the Volgrim that you are not a pushover like Jason, ready to go to any length to be their friend. You punished them for their words and misdeeds. You took decisive action!"
"A lot of that was just you feeding me what to do, though." Hope points out.
"So? Unarin is the thinker, and Dosena is his powerhouse. You and I can be thought of in much the same way. Few people are capable of being the brains and the brawn. Just look at Duke Bael, for instance. He may be one of the most powerful demons in terms of physical strength, but as for his brain, heh."
Hope nods. "If he ever wised up, he'd become a real threat."
Solomon nods. "The last action you took was to obliterate Serris. This sent a message to the Volgrim not only that you were capable of doing so, but willing to do so. The destruction of an entire planet is not a casual act. Anyone who can accomplish such a feat automatically elevates themselves to an extremely high threat level. The Volgrim know Jason destroyed Polaris with a Supernova, and now with your added feat, they will dread doing anything that might set you off again."
"I also set clear limitations." Hope points out. "The Volgrim will know, or soon realize, I only destroyed the planet because Vulpanix pissed me off. As long as they tread lightly, they will be safe."
"That's right." Solomon says, smiling encouragingly. "But, think of the message you will send if you immediately try to whisk away Amelia, Neil, and a bunch of other people close to you. What will the Volgrim think if after demonstrating such power, you begin hiding people from their wrath?"
"They'll think I'm scared..." Hope says slowly. "But won't they think that anyway if I bring Amelia here?"
"Not necessarily. She is your future spouse, after all. Having her by your side is only natural." Solomon replies. "The same is not true of Neil and the rest. Leaving Neil relatively unprotected serves as a sign of confidence. It won't be hard for the Volgrim to realize that you and him are close friends. If they were to capture and threaten him, they would have leverage over you, but that is also a terrible mistake they would never make. From Unarin's point of view, you should appear a cunning rationalist who is willing to go to any length to punish injustice... even the blatant murder of billions of Volgrim on Serris."
Hope nods, unbothered by the extreme actions he took only a few days earlier. "Alright. So let's assume I spent a few years mastering these artifacts. What then?"
"Do you want me to plan out your every move?" Solomon asks, raising an eyebrow. "I certainly can, but you are this era's current living Hero. It would not be entirely appropriate for me to coddle you."
"Right, yeah..." Hope mutters. "I have my own ideas. Well, for now, I think I'll bring Amelia here. Worry about the other stuff later. I've got time."
"Time aplenty, though not an eternity." Solomon affirms. "Take care to spend what time you do have efficiently."
Hope nods. He waves Solomon away, and after the old man has disappeared, he utters a Word of Power.
"Return."
An instant later, a figure materializes on his right side, hunched over.
"What the- aah!"
Amelia cries out in alarm, toppling over as she loses her balance. Hope jumps out of his chair.
"Oh, lord! I'm sorry, honey! I didn't realize you were- man I'm an idiot, sometimes."
Amelia rises to her feet with Hope's assistance. As he pulls her up, she gives him a pouty look of annoyance, followed immediately by a quick look of shock around the luxurious room filled with gold and jewels.
"Where the heck...? Where am I?"
"This is the Hall of Heroes." Hope explains. "A lot has happened. Sorry, I've been a bit busy over the last few days."
Hope launches into a brief but information-packed explanation of his recent exploits, causing Amelia's head to spin.
"You blew up an entire PLANET?!" Amelia cries, the blood draining from her face. "What is wrong with you? Hope! That's... that's EVIL!"
"They are our enemies." Hope says quietly, schooling his face. "You didn't see what the Volgrim did to the humans they captured. They kept cloning people, murdering them, then they would repeat the process again. It was barbaric."
Amelia inhales a quick breath. "But you've always told me that the actions I took when I was the Black Queen were evil and that I should seek redemption. Now you're going out and murdering planets too?? This is really screwed up!"
Hope winces. "Things aren't quite that cut and dry, Amelia... they're just not. But I can't say more right now. Just know that I had a good reason for doing everything I've done."
Amelia closes her eyes. She rubs her hand against her eyelids as if to try and scrub her memories clean.
"I don't get it... but... I guess I can't take the high ground here. I'm just as bad as you."
"No, no, that's not the case at all." Hope says, gently touching her shoulder. "There's a lot going on, alright? In a few years, you'll understand the ploy I've worked out. For now, I just needed to get you inside the Hall of Heroes so you'd be safe from the Volgrim."
"A few years?" Amelia asks, lifting her head. "What do you mean?"
"Ahaha... well... we're not exactly in the physical realm anymore." Hope replies.
He spends another few minutes bringing her up to speed not only on the events that have transpired, but also his plans for the near and far future.
"So you're going to master all of the Artifacts? And then you'll be able to stomp the Volgrim if they ever cross you?" Amelia asks.
Hope smiles. "Not just the Volgrim. The demons too... and most importantly, the Plague. As bad as the Volgrim are, the Plague is our worst nightmare. We can't allow it to strike humanity's worlds."
Hope invites her to sit at the table. With Solomon gone, Hope opts to sit beside his fiance. They calm down while the maids and butlers stroll in, plates full of piping hot food. Meats, vegetables, all sorts of entrees arrive, making Amelia raise an eyebrow.
"Bit wasteful, don't you think? We can't eat all this."
"Bah, we don't have to." Hope retorts. "I can just Wordsmith any leftovers back into their raw ingredients."
"Who are these people anyway?" Amelia asks, gesturing to the blank-eyed palace attendants.
"Constructs. Not unlike the ones Jason made, but mine are a bit simpler and easier to make."
The Second Wordsmith opens his mouth in an 'aha' expression. "That reminds me! I think it's about time I took care of business."
Amelia watches with a quizzical expression as Hope summons the mightiest artifact in existence to his palm.
Excalibur, the Divine Blade!
Hope uses a Word of Power to materialize the sword from elsewhere in the Hall of Heroes.
"Excalibur powers this entire realm." Hope explains. "And it still has tons of energy left over. It's actually ridiculous how much mana one little sword can wield. It's like a supergiant star that never runs out of juice."
Amelia curls her upper lip. "I don't like swords much. Certainly not that one."
"Huh? You don't?" Hope asks.
"No. It reminds me of Joan." Amelia says, her tone low. "Remember? Joan took over Arthur's body and... tortured me."
"Ah. Well, Arthur himself isn't like that." Hope says, turning his attention to the divine blade. "Projection."
With a single Word of Power, Hope reaches into Excalibur and activates the soul contained within.
King Arthur materializes a few feet away, his body appearing partially transparent but also surprisingly whole. The Hero-King glances around, then locks eyes with Amelia.
"Ah. Black Witch..."
Amelia slowly blinks her eyes. "Arthur."
Hope frowns.
"You know each other?"
"We fought." Arthur says. "A long time ago. She doesn't have the same aura anymore, that fearsome Hunger that used to be so evident on her face, but she was a terrible foe back in the day. I won't forget her for as long as I live."
Amelia faintly smiles. "I'm not 'technically' Amelia, if you must know."
She looks at Hope.
"Don't you remember? I'm the person who killed Arthur."
"WHAT?" Hope cries, leaning away from her. "No way! You never told me!"
"I didn't think I needed to. You have Jason's memories. Don't you remember when I summoned Arthur and Satan to fight Jason? I killed Arthur and seized his body, but I was unable to lay claim to his soul. So it entered Excalibur, leaving me with his mindless flesh-half."
"Black Witch." Arthur repeats. "Body thief. City eater. In the end, you met your demise. Now you're not even the same woman who slew me following my Greatest Sin. I hold no more animosity toward you."
"Yeah. I, or rather, the original Amelia, wasn't exactly in her right mind back then anyway." Amelia says, shrugging helplessly. "I kind of had a dragon inside me."
"Happens to the best of us." Arthur concludes.
Hope scratches his head. When he called his fiance here, he had completely overlooked her relationship with the Hero-King. In hindsight, it should have been obvious to him, making him feel a little foolish.
"Err, let's move on." Hope says, trying to wave away the slightly tense and awkward atmosphere. "Arthur! I brought you here because I've had something on my mind for a while now. Only now do I have the opportunity to make it happen."
The handsome golden-haired King crosses his arms and smiles. "Oh? Go on."
"I have a body for you. The perfect body." Hope says. "You can finally return to the real world to aid me by wielding Excalibur at its full power. I also plan to make bodies for all of the past Heroes, at least the ones who want them."
"Ah." Arthur says, immediately looking less interested. "Well, I appreciate the thought, young Hero, but my time is over. I've no interest in returning to a corporeal existence. I'd much rather continue to stay within the Divine Blade."
Hope grins. "I thought you might say that. But don't jump ahead of yourself! You've yet to see the body you can possess! And you don't have to possess it all the time. You could always jump into it during times of great danger. It would help me feel more at ease if you were available to help humanity."
"I don't really think it matters how suitable the body is." Arthur says, slowly shaking his head. "You misunderstand. I am undeserving of returning to reality. The sin I carry... the lives I've taken... I forfeited my right to be called a Hero. Let alone a Hero-King, such titles are unbefitting of me. I'm afraid I'll have to refuse."
Hope pauses. Slightly surprised by Arthur's insistence, he didn't expect the Hero-King to reject him so thoroughly.
"Well... look, just give the body a once-over, alright? Maybe you'll change your mind."
He pauses.
"Summon."
A moment later, Hope summons the Arthur Construct to his side from elsewhere in the Hall of Heroes. The Arthur Construct stands tall and proud, its physical appearance perfectly mimicking Arthur's soul-body. Even Amelia raises an eyebrow.
"It's a perfect replica of the man." Amelia says, before turning to Hope. "Well... except..."
"Haha..." Arthur laughs awkwardly. "You've gone to such an effort, it does make me feel a bit embarrassed to continue denying your request. This is indeed a mighty body."
"Right?" Hope says, suddenly feeling a little put-off by the looks Amelia and Arthur are giving him. "But you still don't want it?"
"I did not want the, ahem, the 'body' before, and that stands even more so now." Arthur says. "She's certainly a mighty warrior, to be sure."
"Right..." Hope says slowly. "Any particular reas- wait, did you say 'she'?"
Amelia and Arthur exchange glances.
The former Black Queen coughs into her fist.
"Ahem. Hope, uh... you... you do know there's a female soul inside of this body, right?"
"Huh?" Hope says, glancing at the construct, then back to the other two. "What do you mean? The construct is soulless."
Arthur squints at Hope, making a weird grimacing expression.
"Ahhh... so you haven't noticed. Well, that explains your... lack of manners. Indeed, there is a soul inside that body, boy. And it is female..."
Arthur turns his attention to the construct.
"I apologize for the Wordsmith's rudeness. He seems to be lacking in the... soul-sensing department."
The Construct says nothing. It slowly blinks, then nods at Arthur.
"You have a soul?" Hope asks, now visibly bewildered. "Can you speak?"
The Construct looks at Hope, then nods.
"But you've never said anything before!" Hope protests. "All this time!"
Finally, the construct opens its mouth.
"I did not feel comfortable doing so."
Finally hearing the Arthur Construct speak for the first time ever, Hope can practically feel his mind explode inside his skull. He stands up and stares in wide-eyed fascination.
"Well- I mean, I- I feel terrible! I've been talking about you all this time as if you were a robot or something!"
The Construct nods. "Yes. You were rude."
Despite its voice being masculine, as well as its appearance, Hope gets the impression the Construct might be... offended.
"Are you truly a woman?"
"I am." The Construct affirms. "And I do not like my appearance."
"Oh..." Hope mumbles.
Feeling a little dispirited, Hope scratches the back of his head.
"I wish you'd said something sooner. I didn't mean to give you a sense of... body dysphoria, or whatever."
"I didn't think you'd care." The Construct says slowly. "You needed a weapon. I am a weapon. I fight. I kill. That is all."
"Hope, you're such a jerk." Amelia teases. "I think you should make her look prettier, now."
Hope nods. "Would you... like to look more feminine?"
Immediately, the Arthur Construct takes a step toward Hope. She gets right in his face, her expression bland and unchanged.
"I would."
Hope takes a step back, feeling deeply intimidated by her stoic attitude.
"A-alright. Uh. One second..."
Hope closes his eyes to form a mental image of a female King Arthur. As he does, he happens to look inside his Mind Realm, where he sees King Arthur stifling a hearty laugh.
[The hell are you guffawing about?] Hope thinks. [WAIT! Did you know the whole time?!]
Solomon lets a little air escape his lips. [Pff. Pffff... yes... it was quite amusing, I must admit. Your inability to sense different types of souls is your funniest quality!]
[Dickhead.] Hope grumbles. [At least help me construct a new appearance for her.]
[Oh, certainly.] Solomon says. [I've been waiting for you to notice for ages! I already have one prepared.]
[You already had one... ugh.] Hope grumbles, even more annoyed.
He opens his eyes as images of a female face and body materialize in his mind.
"Appearance. Shift. Hair. Eyes. Face. Shoulders. Muscles. Torso. Breasts..."
He quickly fires off several dozen Words of Power, changing the female Arthur's body rapidly, causing her hair to become far longer, her eyes to expand, and her figure to become visibly more feminine.
After a full minute of transformation, Hope ceases his work. He glances at Amelia and Arthur, then back to the Construct.
"Well? What do you two think?"
Amelia blinks twice. Stars dance in her eyes. "Pretty..."
Arthur clears his throat. "So this is how I might have looked if I were born a woman, hm? I could fall for myself."
The new female Arthur stands just as tall and imposing as her original self. With a powerful, muscular body, she looks no less intimidating than Arthur himself. But now, her face appears much more beautiful and feminine, along with the rest of her body. Her long golden hair hangs down to her waist, and her sparkling blue eyes truly captivate one's imagination.
She turns to a nearby mirror hanging on the wall, then walks over to examine herself. After running her hands through her hair and lightly touching her face, she nods.
"Acceptable."
Hope chuckles. "You're not much for words, are you, uh..."
"Artoria." The Construct says. "My name will be Artoria. You will refer to me as such."
Despite her bland tone, Hope gets the impression she might actually be threatening him if he doesn't comply. He hurriedly nods.
"Right! Artoria Pendragon! We'll just say you're Arthur's... twin sister! How about that? Sorry for my earlier misunderstanding. I can be a tad dense sometimes."
Artoria walks over to Hope. She stares at him for a few seconds with the same unchanging, intense gaze she always does.
"Yes, you can. But I forgive you."
"Wow..." Hope mutters. "Somehow, you're way scarier when you talk."
submitted by Klokinator to HFY [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:52 Klokinator Cryopod Refresh 481: The Hall of Heroes

Some time earlier, in a part of the Milky Way Galaxy hidden from the gods themselves...
The Hall of Heroes.
Hope Hiro's greatest construction hovers inside a void of brilliant luminosity: A golden palace of incredible size, capable of comfortably housing the thousand artifacts he seized from the Volgrim.
The Hall of Heroes resides within an alternate dimension not unlike Jason Hiro's 'Chrona Realm.' However, while Jason's special dimension has been maximally upgraded to a TDR (Time Dilation Ratio) of 250:1, Hope's has only reached a TDR of 100:1. As for why this is the case, the answer lays in the biggest difference between his realm and Jason's.
The Hall of Heroes... is filled with Heroes.
With so many powerful artifacts concentrated in one realm, Hope simply cannot accelerate the flow of time beyond a certain level without destabilizing reality and killing himself in the process. This judgment, delivered by Solomon himself, is what gives Hope the final assurance he can push no further.
After spending a few days with Solomon building the palace according to the Knowledge-Seeker's specifications, Hope finally takes a day to rest.
Inside this time-accelerated domain, a few days will only require an hour or two in the outside world. Hope strolls about with Solomon's corporeal figure, a much more realistic projection compared to the one Jason used to summon when he possessed the Crown.
"What now?" Hope asks.
"Now that we have built this Hall, you should begin a series of tasks to accelerate your learning process." Solomon responds. "I already spent six years training Jason. Inside a realm like this, you can leapfrog your other self and become a far more proficient combatant and leader compared to him."
"Right, I understand that much." Hope says, reaching out to pick up one of the artifacts at random, a pearl-like orb just big enough to fill up the palm of his hand. "I'm asking what I need to do specifically."
Solomon gestures to the relic in Hope's grasp. "You've obtained almost a thousand artifacts from the Volgrim. Frankly, I only recognized a tenth of them on my own. Luckily, the Volgrim knew of the vast majority of their identities, so that will alleviate much of our troubles with identifying them. You should spend one day with each artifact, learning who their original owners are, what abilities they can offer, and how you can integrate them into your future battles."
"One day for each..." Hope says slowly, as a frown crawls across his face. "But there are nearly a thousand! That'll take three years!"
Solomon shrugs. "Why do you think I had you construct this Hall of Heroes? You require time to assimilate your gains, boy. The Volgrim will be too fearful to make a move against you, for now, but I worry they might make a move against your woman. You should bring Amelia here, where they can't reach her. Then you won't be stuck with only me for the whole duration."
Hope's frown eases. "That's a good point. The Volgrim might target her... but what about Neil? Shouldn't I bring him here, too?"
"Tsk, tsk." Solomon clicks his tongue. "You've much to learn about projecting strength. Bringing Amelia here is more for your companionship than for the sake of protecting her. Ask yourself, boy, what sort of message will you be sending the Volgrim if you bring people you care about into a secret realm? It will tell them that you fear reprisal!"
Solomon and Hope walk into a large, lavish golden hall with a table capable of seating over a hundred people. As soon as Hope enters, several ethereal maids and butlers materialize, formed from the magical power contained within the Hall of Heroes. They quickly spread out and begin creating a delicious meal fit for a king while Hope walks over and sits at the head of the table.
"You're saying I should project fearlessness and strength." Hope says. "But will that truly deter Unarin? Everyone seems to think he's an extremely intelligent leader. What if he sees through my ploy?"
Solomon sits on Hope's right, at the seat of honor. The two of them together somehow make the dining hall feel even bigger and lonelier than it did before they entered.
"Your line of thinking is too simple." Solomon says slowly. "Let's recap the actions you've taken."
He pauses.
"First, you sneaked through all of Volgarius without raising any alarms. It can be seen by how the Volgrim did not confront you until your arrival on Serris that they were not even certain you were present. This indicates a lapse in their detection capabilities."
"Are you sure that's the case?" Hope asks. "Looking back, it's pretty obvious the Volgrim suspected I was on Volgarius. Sangin Lidra was probably the one to tip them off."
"That's right. They 'suspected' you were on Volgarius." Solomon says meaningfully. "But they did not know for certain. I believe none of them could actually detect your presence. Perhaps not even Founder Dosena herself! Only Confessor Vulpanix had the ability to do so."
"Too bad I couldn't kill her for good..." Hope mutters, his eyes narrowing to slits. "If she's the only one who can properly detect me, I should make sure to finish the job sometime in the future."
Solomon nods. "Returning to my previous point: The second action you took was to engage in dialogue with Confessor Vulpanix, a dialogue in which you easily outwitted her, crushed her spirit, and broke her mind and body. She fled in a manner most pathetic, bringing shame to the Volgrim Empire. This has demonstrated to the Volgrim that you are not a pushover like Jason, ready to go to any length to be their friend. You punished them for their words and misdeeds. You took decisive action!"
"A lot of that was just you feeding me what to do, though." Hope points out.
"So? Unarin is the thinker, and Dosena is his powerhouse. You and I can be thought of in much the same way. Few people are capable of being the brains and the brawn. Just look at Duke Bael, for instance. He may be one of the most powerful demons in terms of physical strength, but as for his brain, heh."
Hope nods. "If he ever wised up, he'd become a real threat."
Solomon nods. "The last action you took was to obliterate Serris. This sent a message to the Volgrim not only that you were capable of doing so, but willing to do so. The destruction of an entire planet is not a casual act. Anyone who can accomplish such a feat automatically elevates themselves to an extremely high threat level. The Volgrim know Jason destroyed Polaris with a Supernova, and now with your added feat, they will dread doing anything that might set you off again."
"I also set clear limitations." Hope points out. "The Volgrim will know, or soon realize, I only destroyed the planet because Vulpanix pissed me off. As long as they tread lightly, they will be safe."
"That's right." Solomon says, smiling encouragingly. "But, think of the message you will send if you immediately try to whisk away Amelia, Neil, and a bunch of other people close to you. What will the Volgrim think if after demonstrating such power, you begin hiding people from their wrath?"
"They'll think I'm scared..." Hope says slowly. "But won't they think that anyway if I bring Amelia here?"
"Not necessarily. She is your future spouse, after all. Having her by your side is only natural." Solomon replies. "The same is not true of Neil and the rest. Leaving Neil relatively unprotected serves as a sign of confidence. It won't be hard for the Volgrim to realize that you and him are close friends. If they were to capture and threaten him, they would have leverage over you, but that is also a terrible mistake they would never make. From Unarin's point of view, you should appear a cunning rationalist who is willing to go to any length to punish injustice... even the blatant murder of billions of Volgrim on Serris."
Hope nods, unbothered by the extreme actions he took only a few days earlier. "Alright. So let's assume I spent a few years mastering these artifacts. What then?"
"Do you want me to plan out your every move?" Solomon asks, raising an eyebrow. "I certainly can, but you are this era's current living Hero. It would not be entirely appropriate for me to coddle you."
"Right, yeah..." Hope mutters. "I have my own ideas. Well, for now, I think I'll bring Amelia here. Worry about the other stuff later. I've got time."
"Time aplenty, though not an eternity." Solomon affirms. "Take care to spend what time you do have efficiently."
Hope nods. He waves Solomon away, and after the old man has disappeared, he utters a Word of Power.
"Return."
An instant later, a figure materializes on his right side, hunched over.
"What the- aah!"
Amelia cries out in alarm, toppling over as she loses her balance. Hope jumps out of his chair.
"Oh, lord! I'm sorry, honey! I didn't realize you were- man I'm an idiot, sometimes."
Amelia rises to her feet with Hope's assistance. As he pulls her up, she gives him a pouty look of annoyance, followed immediately by a quick look of shock around the luxurious room filled with gold and jewels.
"Where the heck...? Where am I?"
"This is the Hall of Heroes." Hope explains. "A lot has happened. Sorry, I've been a bit busy over the last few days."
Hope launches into a brief but information-packed explanation of his recent exploits, causing Amelia's head to spin.
"You blew up an entire PLANET?!" Amelia cries, the blood draining from her face. "What is wrong with you? Hope! That's... that's EVIL!"
"They are our enemies." Hope says quietly, schooling his face. "You didn't see what the Volgrim did to the humans they captured. They kept cloning people, murdering them, then they would repeat the process again. It was barbaric."
Amelia inhales a quick breath. "But you've always told me that the actions I took when I was the Black Queen were evil and that I should seek redemption. Now you're going out and murdering planets too?? This is really screwed up!"
Hope winces. "Things aren't quite that cut and dry, Amelia... they're just not. But I can't say more right now. Just know that I had a good reason for doing everything I've done."
Amelia closes her eyes. She rubs her hand against her eyelids as if to try and scrub her memories clean.
"I don't get it... but... I guess I can't take the high ground here. I'm just as bad as you."
"No, no, that's not the case at all." Hope says, gently touching her shoulder. "There's a lot going on, alright? In a few years, you'll understand the ploy I've worked out. For now, I just needed to get you inside the Hall of Heroes so you'd be safe from the Volgrim."
"A few years?" Amelia asks, lifting her head. "What do you mean?"
"Ahaha... well... we're not exactly in the physical realm anymore." Hope replies.
He spends another few minutes bringing her up to speed not only on the events that have transpired, but also his plans for the near and far future.
"So you're going to master all of the Artifacts? And then you'll be able to stomp the Volgrim if they ever cross you?" Amelia asks.
Hope smiles. "Not just the Volgrim. The demons too... and most importantly, the Plague. As bad as the Volgrim are, the Plague is our worst nightmare. We can't allow it to strike humanity's worlds."
Hope invites her to sit at the table. With Solomon gone, Hope opts to sit beside his fiance. They calm down while the maids and butlers stroll in, plates full of piping hot food. Meats, vegetables, all sorts of entrees arrive, making Amelia raise an eyebrow.
"Bit wasteful, don't you think? We can't eat all this."
"Bah, we don't have to." Hope retorts. "I can just Wordsmith any leftovers back into their raw ingredients."
"Who are these people anyway?" Amelia asks, gesturing to the blank-eyed palace attendants.
"Constructs. Not unlike the ones Jason made, but mine are a bit simpler and easier to make."
The Second Wordsmith opens his mouth in an 'aha' expression. "That reminds me! I think it's about time I took care of business."
Amelia watches with a quizzical expression as Hope summons the mightiest artifact in existence to his palm.
Excalibur, the Divine Blade!
Hope uses a Word of Power to materialize the sword from elsewhere in the Hall of Heroes.
"Excalibur powers this entire realm." Hope explains. "And it still has tons of energy left over. It's actually ridiculous how much mana one little sword can wield. It's like a supergiant star that never runs out of juice."
Amelia curls her upper lip. "I don't like swords much. Certainly not that one."
"Huh? You don't?" Hope asks.
"No. It reminds me of Joan." Amelia says, her tone low. "Remember? Joan took over Arthur's body and... tortured me."
"Ah. Well, Arthur himself isn't like that." Hope says, turning his attention to the divine blade. "Projection."
With a single Word of Power, Hope reaches into Excalibur and activates the soul contained within.
King Arthur materializes a few feet away, his body appearing partially transparent but also surprisingly whole. The Hero-King glances around, then locks eyes with Amelia.
"Ah. Black Witch..."
Amelia slowly blinks her eyes. "Arthur."
Hope frowns.
"You know each other?"
"We fought." Arthur says. "A long time ago. She doesn't have the same aura anymore, that fearsome Hunger that used to be so evident on her face, but she was a terrible foe back in the day. I won't forget her for as long as I live."
Amelia faintly smiles. "I'm not 'technically' Amelia, if you must know."
She looks at Hope.
"Don't you remember? I'm the person who killed Arthur."
"WHAT?" Hope cries, leaning away from her. "No way! You never told me!"
"I didn't think I needed to. You have Jason's memories. Don't you remember when I summoned Arthur and Satan to fight Jason? I killed Arthur and seized his body, but I was unable to lay claim to his soul. So it entered Excalibur, leaving me with his mindless flesh-half."
"Black Witch." Arthur repeats. "Body thief. City eater. In the end, you met your demise. Now you're not even the same woman who slew me following my Greatest Sin. I hold no more animosity toward you."
"Yeah. I, or rather, the original Amelia, wasn't exactly in her right mind back then anyway." Amelia says, shrugging helplessly. "I kind of had a dragon inside me."
"Happens to the best of us." Arthur concludes.
Hope scratches his head. When he called his fiance here, he had completely overlooked her relationship with the Hero-King. In hindsight, it should have been obvious to him, making him feel a little foolish.
"Err, let's move on." Hope says, trying to wave away the slightly tense and awkward atmosphere. "Arthur! I brought you here because I've had something on my mind for a while now. Only now do I have the opportunity to make it happen."
The handsome golden-haired King crosses his arms and smiles. "Oh? Go on."
"I have a body for you. The perfect body." Hope says. "You can finally return to the real world to aid me by wielding Excalibur at its full power. I also plan to make bodies for all of the past Heroes, at least the ones who want them."
"Ah." Arthur says, immediately looking less interested. "Well, I appreciate the thought, young Hero, but my time is over. I've no interest in returning to a corporeal existence. I'd much rather continue to stay within the Divine Blade."
Hope grins. "I thought you might say that. But don't jump ahead of yourself! You've yet to see the body you can possess! And you don't have to possess it all the time. You could always jump into it during times of great danger. It would help me feel more at ease if you were available to help humanity."
"I don't really think it matters how suitable the body is." Arthur says, slowly shaking his head. "You misunderstand. I am undeserving of returning to reality. The sin I carry... the lives I've taken... I forfeited my right to be called a Hero. Let alone a Hero-King, such titles are unbefitting of me. I'm afraid I'll have to refuse."
Hope pauses. Slightly surprised by Arthur's insistence, he didn't expect the Hero-King to reject him so thoroughly.
"Well... look, just give the body a once-over, alright? Maybe you'll change your mind."
He pauses.
"Summon."
A moment later, Hope summons the Arthur Construct to his side from elsewhere in the Hall of Heroes. The Arthur Construct stands tall and proud, its physical appearance perfectly mimicking Arthur's soul-body. Even Amelia raises an eyebrow.
"It's a perfect replica of the man." Amelia says, before turning to Hope. "Well... except..."
"Haha..." Arthur laughs awkwardly. "You've gone to such an effort, it does make me feel a bit embarrassed to continue denying your request. This is indeed a mighty body."
"Right?" Hope says, suddenly feeling a little put-off by the looks Amelia and Arthur are giving him. "But you still don't want it?"
"I did not want the, ahem, the 'body' before, and that stands even more so now." Arthur says. "She's certainly a mighty warrior, to be sure."
"Right..." Hope says slowly. "Any particular reas- wait, did you say 'she'?"
Amelia and Arthur exchange glances.
The former Black Queen coughs into her fist.
"Ahem. Hope, uh... you... you do know there's a female soul inside of this body, right?"
"Huh?" Hope says, glancing at the construct, then back to the other two. "What do you mean? The construct is soulless."
Arthur squints at Hope, making a weird grimacing expression.
"Ahhh... so you haven't noticed. Well, that explains your... lack of manners. Indeed, there is a soul inside that body, boy. And it is female..."
Arthur turns his attention to the construct.
"I apologize for the Wordsmith's rudeness. He seems to be lacking in the... soul-sensing department."
The Construct says nothing. It slowly blinks, then nods at Arthur.
"You have a soul?" Hope asks, now visibly bewildered. "Can you speak?"
The Construct looks at Hope, then nods.
"But you've never said anything before!" Hope protests. "All this time!"
Finally, the construct opens its mouth.
"I did not feel comfortable doing so."
Finally hearing the Arthur Construct speak for the first time ever, Hope can practically feel his mind explode inside his skull. He stands up and stares in wide-eyed fascination.
"Well- I mean, I- I feel terrible! I've been talking about you all this time as if you were a robot or something!"
The Construct nods. "Yes. You were rude."
Despite its voice being masculine, as well as its appearance, Hope gets the impression the Construct might be... offended.
"Are you truly a woman?"
"I am." The Construct affirms. "And I do not like my appearance."
"Oh..." Hope mumbles.
Feeling a little dispirited, Hope scratches the back of his head.
"I wish you'd said something sooner. I didn't mean to give you a sense of... body dysphoria, or whatever."
"I didn't think you'd care." The Construct says slowly. "You needed a weapon. I am a weapon. I fight. I kill. That is all."
"Hope, you're such a jerk." Amelia teases. "I think you should make her look prettier, now."
Hope nods. "Would you... like to look more feminine?"
Immediately, the Arthur Construct takes a step toward Hope. She gets right in his face, her expression bland and unchanged.
"I would."
Hope takes a step back, feeling deeply intimidated by her stoic attitude.
"A-alright. Uh. One second..."
Hope closes his eyes to form a mental image of a female King Arthur. As he does, he happens to look inside his Mind Realm, where he sees King Arthur stifling a hearty laugh.
[The hell are you guffawing about?] Hope thinks. [WAIT! Did you know the whole time?!]
Solomon lets a little air escape his lips. [Pff. Pffff... yes... it was quite amusing, I must admit. Your inability to sense different types of souls is your funniest quality!]
[Dickhead.] Hope grumbles. [At least help me construct a new appearance for her.]
[Oh, certainly.] Solomon says. [I've been waiting for you to notice for ages! I already have one prepared.]
[You already had one... ugh.] Hope grumbles, even more annoyed.
He opens his eyes as images of a female face and body materialize in his mind.
"Appearance. Shift. Hair. Eyes. Face. Shoulders. Muscles. Torso. Breasts..."
He quickly fires off several dozen Words of Power, changing the female Arthur's body rapidly, causing her hair to become far longer, her eyes to expand, and her figure to become visibly more feminine.
After a full minute of transformation, Hope ceases his work. He glances at Amelia and Arthur, then back to the Construct.
"Well? What do you two think?"
Amelia blinks twice. Stars dance in her eyes. "Pretty..."
Arthur clears his throat. "So this is how I might have looked if I were born a woman, hm? I could fall for myself."
The new female Arthur stands just as tall and imposing as her original self. With a powerful, muscular body, she looks no less intimidating than Arthur himself. But now, her face appears much more beautiful and feminine, along with the rest of her body. Her long golden hair hangs down to her waist, and her sparkling blue eyes truly captivate one's imagination.
She turns to a nearby mirror hanging on the wall, then walks over to examine herself. After running her hands through her hair and lightly touching her face, she nods.
"Acceptable."
Hope chuckles. "You're not much for words, are you, uh..."
"Artoria." The Construct says. "My name will be Artoria. You will refer to me as such."
Despite her bland tone, Hope gets the impression she might actually be threatening him if he doesn't comply. He hurriedly nods.
"Right! Artoria Pendragon! We'll just say you're Arthur's... twin sister! How about that? Sorry for my earlier misunderstanding. I can be a tad dense sometimes."
Artoria walks over to Hope. She stares at him for a few seconds with the same unchanging, intense gaze she always does.
"Yes, you can. But I forgive you."
"Wow..." Hope mutters. "Somehow, you're way scarier when you talk."
submitted by Klokinator to TheCryopodToHell [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:51 rednaxela__ [online][CT][other][pbp] DM looking for 2 (ish) players for a thoughtful, detailed homebrew PBP

Before you read on, here is a quick tl;dr I am super excited to meet some great people but I know the wall of text is a lot:
  1. Most important, we have to mesh well, so this can last long term.
  2. New home built ruleset (do not let this scare you, they are meant to be simple).
  3. PBP, but we will have a specified time that we will meet (Super flexible)
  4. I am looking for exactly 2 players, more or less could be possible.
  5. Medieval or earlier setting, swords and sorcery type, Conan, LoTR, Solomon Kane.
  6. I will limit the races to the big 3, and while your backstory is important, the real depth of your character will come from the adventures you have in our game.
Ready to jump in just from that? Please fill out this form
Alright, now let me elaborate on all of that
  1. The game really comes second to enjoying the time we spend playing it, so I am looking for people I enjoy talking to who also enjoy talking to each other, who just so happen to also want to play a game. I want to find people who would be okay talking even if its not related to the game sometimes.
  2. I built a ruleset that needs some playtesting, rules will probably be tweaked and changed as we go along to make the game smoother.
    1. In general its built to allow more natural growth for everything from attributes to spells.
    2. The changes mean things are simplified, but the tradeoff is that you will have to be more detailed about the things you do.
    3. Rolls will be less often and have less effect, so you will need to be more roleplay oriented in describing the things you do, for example: "I search the room" *rolls d20 gets an 18* "what do I see" will be replaced with "I search the stone walls of the room with a candle, holding it near any cracks I see to see if the flame flickers from wind." No rolls would need to be made for that, and I would let you know what you find.
  3. I have a discord server, and messages can be sent at any point, but there will be an expectation that we will all be on between a specific time to play actively. Some days when we are all on it can last much longer at that set time. This allows things to constantly move forward at a slow pace, but be spurred ahead when we are all on at the required time. We'll work together to find a schedule that works for everyone, but generally we'll aim to play for a few hours on weekdays.
  4. The group being small allows for things to work more smoothly. If the right two people can be found, then the story has a fairly consistent goals between them. If you have a friend to bring along, that is great, otherwise we will all need to meet and chat for a bit before we start to make sure things mesh.
  5. The world is vast, filled with stories and quests large and small, NPCs, kingdoms, lands, and peoples. I build it all in my free time and have built up quite a lot. Anything you want to see can be added in, but it is all there for you to explore on your own. I will not force you in any direction, but the world might. What I mean by that, is that I will not make up things to push you in a direction, but your actions will have consequences that I will not alter for you. If you get stuck in a hole, I will leave you there to rot unless you can figure your own way out. That being said, you might die. If you do we will roll a new character and add them in so don't worry about not being able to play.
  6. The world is to be explored, not to have already been explored. You will start probably as a human, probably as a farmer. If you want to go out and explore then do it, you might come from money, or nothing, but the adventure is ahead of you, not behind you. What I mean by that is the cool things in your life will be role played through in our game, not just a sentence in your backstory. This adds real depth to the character, and not a shallow backstory that could mean anything. We are reading the hobbit from page 1, not page 200, and you are Bilbo.
PS: I have tried my best to get the most detail in here as possible, of course there will be questions on both ends, so reach out if there are! If you and I get along, then tweaks can be made to the game that can make it more enjoyable for both of us. If you have any hesitation please reach out here, or on discord, my username on discord is: rednaxela#9761
submitted by rednaxela__ to lfgmisc [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:51 Pristine-Fly2620 Lost Workphone

Just came her to vent as I have no hope in finding my vest
Every night when I come back from work, I check my best to see how heavy it is, check my pockets so I can make sure everything is in my vest, one day I came up with the idea to leave my work phone with all of my work stuff to avoid losing it since I use it for absolutely the majority of my shift and charge it on my last day off
Needed light to see in the dark? I can amp up the brightness of my iPad.
Needed me @ Walmart to update bank info? Use the my personal iPad.
I made sure I didn’t take the work phone out of my work vest.
The last day of my off day my moms wallet went missing and so did my workphone. (It was all around a bad luck day as my moms car broke down in Walmarts parking, my sister had to walk home from home from Walmart while it was snowing and brother nearly died but that’s besides the point)
My team lead doesn’t want to believe that it was stolen and wants to believe that it was me who lost it.
One day after work I place down my glasses on kitchen table cause I got headache and forgot that I left it there, that’s on me, I’m forgetful that’s why I was being extra careful with the workphone in the first place. When she saw me without glasses she asked me about my glasses then my work phone and her face had an aha moment.
Yesterday she had me do grunt work when I told her I’m still looking for it and I’ve been so stressed about it that I actually had multiple dreams last night of finding it. 🄲 still can’t find the workphone
submitted by Pristine-Fly2620 to walmart [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:51 Material_Trainer_ HBAR token from Hedera Hashgraph a responsibly governed decentralized network

The current conjuncture turns HBAR into a "golden share".
In the next couple of weeks, you should pay close attention to the HBAR token from Hedera Hashgraph. Based on market analysis, HBAR is about to become a bull that can pull its value high enough - and this moment needs to be caught. It is not known whether HBAR will be able to reach $10 per token, as a number of analysts predicted at the beginning of 2023, but few doubt that the cost will increase by 50%. Here is their website: https://hedera.com
This confidence is based on several facts.
Most recently, HBAR successfully coped with a powerful attack using an exploit. Hackers tried to use the code of the smart contract service of the main Hedera network to withdraw tokens, but did not succeed. Nevertheless, the volume of the total value locked (TVL) has sunk, along with the value of HBAR - which means that a rebound will occur soon.
In the last few days, the Hedera price has been consolidating near the demand zone and demonstrates the formation of a short-term base.
The first and main element of the inevitable demand for HBAR is the Hedera Hashgraph project itself. Hashgraph is not a typical bitcoin blockchain, but its own algorithm that is maximally configured for trading. Instead of adding combined transaction blocks to the network, Hedera uses a protocol called "gossip about gossip" (DAG) to check the time sequence and validity before entering individual transactions into the registry.
Hashgraph differs from the blockchain in several very important features for trading.
- Qualitatively new bandwidth. Hedera Hashgraph is capable of processing up to 5 million transactions daily. Now the throughput has reached 10k transactions per second, but thanks to network segmentation, the frequency of transactions is in principle unlimited. Each operation takes from 3 to 5 seconds.
- It's cheaper. HBAR owners pay only $0.001 per transaction, and the energy consumption for processing each transaction does not exceed 0.000003 kWh. A striking difference compared to the average 885 kW for BTC and 102 kW for ETH.
- This is a full-fledged stock exchange asset, since the Hedera Hashgraph management board includes Google, IBM, LG, Boeing, Deutsche Telekom and a number of others.
If we study such standard schemes for token analysis as Moving Average (for 200 days), Parabolic SAR and Falling Wedge, then the bullish trend of HBAR becomes obvious.
There are at least three serious factors that ensure HBAR growth by several tens of percent in the near future. And the Hedera Hashgraph background guarantees that the value of HBAR will definitely not go to zero. It looks like a promising asset.
There's something else. HBAR successfully overcame a major attack launched in mid-March. The attackers used an exploit and were able to reduce the parameter of the total blocked value (TVL) in dApps and blockchain.
However, the margin of safety of HBAR turned out to be exceptionally high, the coin just lay on the bottom for a while, and is now preparing to make a powerful jump.
The markets agree with this assessment, as can be seen in the table. The level of trust in HBAR and HEDERA is exceptionally high.
Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice. Always conduct your own research and due diligence before making any investment decisions, I just deep dive into crypto ideas I like. Also, I'm just some random dude on the interwebs. You probably should not listen to me :)
submitted by Material_Trainer_ to CryptoMoonShots [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:50 goodmorningsunshines My partner has ADHD and I am having trouble coping

When I first met my partner, he seemed to have everything under control. He was capable of making decisions, romantic, considerate, thoughtful, the like.
I now realize that this was him masking, and as the years go on, more and more of the mask comes off. What I'm left with now is someone who can barely function outside of eating and going to work and exercising. He does not listen to a single thing I say - or rather, he does, he just either doesn't even respond to me and instead answers me in his head, or he forgets almost immediately.
This means that if I have to rely on him for planning anything, I can't because he's forgotten (even if I write it down and leave it somewhere that he frequently sees), we are chronically late for everything if he does remember because he won't get ready until the absolute last second and then everything is my fault or he gets shitty and pissy at me when he forgets important items because I "didn't give him enough time" (A week's notice wasn't enough?!?).
I'm just really struggling with being understanding while also maintaining my own boundaries. I'm not his mother, I refuse to act like his mother, but when his plans and schedules get all messed up due to his own lack of executive function it's like he will do everything he can to try and place blame on me (ex: I wouldn't be running late if you didn't have to shower!) Except he's perfectly capable of doing stuff to get ready while I'm showering, even if he has to supervise the kids. I know lots of people will probably make the argument that the lack of executive functioning makes it hard to watch kids and get ready, but most of the time he's zoned out on his phone he's not even actually doing anything else related to the kids (they're at the age now where really you can kind of just observe them while they do their own thing, you don't really have to actively participate with them 100% of the time, and everything is baby-proofed).
When I explain that his lateness and disorganization is not my fault, again, he'll try to rationalize that my behaviours are the reason he got distracted or sidetracked etc. before conceding and agreeing that it actually wasn't my fault. But it's always the same sort of deflection at first and no personal accountability without bickering about it first.
He is currently unmedicated. He has the opportunity to meet with a psychiatrist to get medication, but he has to fill out intake paperwork first. And there's always an excuse as to why he hasn't or can't or doesn't have time despite the fact that he has literally all the time in the world. I refuse to do it for him, and he keeps saying he will but it's literally been over a year now.
I'm tired of this dynamic. I do not want to break up my family over this but I'm nearing the end of my rope. I know he loves us desperately but at this point it's really hard to not see his behaviour as intentionally dismissive after literally mentioning it and talking about it extensively every few days. I feel like I'm beating a dead horse. I don't know what to do. Is really the only thing that will help the "g*n-to-the-head" option of threatening divorce? I don't want to do that, I think that's so cruel, but being gentle and loving and understanding is obviously not helping.
Can someone help me? Would anything have kicked your ass into gear other than a nuclear option? I'm so lost. I want to be in love with my husband again but he's making it so hard, and it's just getting worse the longer it goes untreated.
submitted by goodmorningsunshines to ADHD [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:49 rednaxela__ [online][CT][other][pbp] DM looking for 2 (ish) players for a thoughtful, detailed homebrew PBP

Before you read on, here is a quick tl;dr I am super excited to meet some great people but I know the wall of text is a lot:
  1. Most important, we have to mesh well, so this can last long term.
  2. New home built ruleset (do not let this scare you, they are meant to be simple).
  3. PBP, but we will have a specified time that we will meet (Super flexible)
  4. I am looking for exactly 2 players, more or less could be possible.
  5. Medieval or earlier setting, swords and sorcery type, Conan, LoTR, Solomon Kane.
  6. I will limit the races to the big 3, and while your backstory is important, the real depth of your character will come from the adventures you have in our game.
Ready to jump in just from that? Please fill out this form
Alright, now let me elaborate on all of that
  1. The game really comes second to enjoying the time we spend playing it, so I am looking for people I enjoy talking to who also enjoy talking to each other, who just so happen to also want to play a game. I want to find people who would be okay talking even if its not related to the game sometimes.
  2. I built a ruleset that needs some playtesting, rules will probably be tweaked and changed as we go along to make the game smoother.
    1. In general its built to allow more natural growth for everything from attributes to spells.
    2. The changes mean things are simplified, but the tradeoff is that you will have to be more detailed about the things you do.
    3. Rolls will be less often and have less effect, so you will need to be more roleplay oriented in describing the things you do, for example: "I search the room" *rolls d20 gets an 18* "what do I see" will be replaced with "I search the stone walls of the room with a candle, holding it near any cracks I see to see if the flame flickers from wind." No rolls would need to be made for that, and I would let you know what you find.
  3. I have a discord server, and messages can be sent at any point, but there will be an expectation that we will all be on between a specific time to play actively. Some days when we are all on it can last much longer at that set time. This allows things to constantly move forward at a slow pace, but be spurred ahead when we are all on at the required time. We'll work together to find a schedule that works for everyone, but generally we'll aim to play for a few hours on weekdays.
  4. The group being small allows for things to work more smoothly. If the right two people can be found, then the story has a fairly consistent goals between them. If you have a friend to bring along, that is great, otherwise we will all need to meet and chat for a bit before we start to make sure things mesh.
  5. The world is vast, filled with stories and quests large and small, NPCs, kingdoms, lands, and peoples. I build it all in my free time and have built up quite a lot. Anything you want to see can be added in, but it is all there for you to explore on your own. I will not force you in any direction, but the world might. What I mean by that, is that I will not make up things to push you in a direction, but your actions will have consequences that I will not alter for you. If you get stuck in a hole, I will leave you there to rot unless you can figure your own way out. That being said, you might die. If you do we will roll a new character and add them in so don't worry about not being able to play.
  6. The world is to be explored, not to have already been explored. You will start probably as a human, probably as a farmer. If you want to go out and explore then do it, you might come from money, or nothing, but the adventure is ahead of you, not behind you. What I mean by that is the cool things in your life will be role played through in our game, not just a sentence in your backstory. This adds real depth to the character, and not a shallow backstory that could mean anything. We are reading the hobbit from page 1, not page 200, and you are Bilbo.
PS: I have tried my best to get the most detail in here as possible, of course there will be questions on both ends, so reach out if there are! If you and I get along, then tweaks can be made to the game that can make it more enjoyable for both of us. If you have any hesitation please reach out here, or on discord, my username on discord is: rednaxela#9761
submitted by rednaxela__ to pbp [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:48 Haunting_Argument206 How do people get over the fear of death?

I finally started figuring things out about myself.
I’ve learned how to better manage my depression. I finally love who I am and I don’t have any problems with how I’m living. If I do, I make the necessary changes to lead a more healthy life.
Now that I’ve figured this stuff out, I just have this feeling of impending doom. I feel like something bad is going to happen to me and I have no idea what it could be.
I’ve never pissed anyone off. At least not since I was a child. I really try to be good to people.
I could just use some advice and this sub has some of the most insightful people i’ve ever seen. I hope this doesn’t break sub rules but this sub really does have some good people.
I’m going to trip sometime in the next month or so, some advice about how to approach death without causing a bad trip would be helpful as well.
I’ve never broken through on DMT and people say that’s pretty near death so maybe that’ll help me in some way. But I don’t want to use DMT as an escape. I can’t help feeling like I’d just be trying to get a high or something. Even though that’s not my intention at all.
All responses are helpful.
submitted by Haunting_Argument206 to LSD [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:48 allstudybuddy Looking for the Best Math Tuition in Brampton? Here's What to Consider

If you're looking for the Best math tuition in brampton , you're in luck - there are many excellent options available. But with so many choices, how do you know which one is right for you or your child? Here are a few factors to consider when choosing a math tutor or tuition center:
  1. Qualifications: Look for a tutor or tuition center with experienced, qualified instructors who have a strong understanding of math concepts and teaching strategies. Check their credentials and ask about their teaching experience.
  2. Customized instruction: Choose a tutor or tuition center that offers personalized instruction tailored to the student's needs and learning style. This ensures that the student is able to grasp concepts and make progress at a pace that works for them.
  3. Curriculum: Look for a tutor or tuition center that uses a curriculum that aligns with your needs and goals. Whether you're preparing for an exam or looking to build a strong foundation in math, make sure the curriculum is designed to help you achieve your objectives.
  4. Flexibility: Consider the scheduling options and flexibility of the tutor or tuition center. Choose one that works with your busy schedule and offers flexible scheduling options.
  5. Reputation: Look for a tutor or tuition center with a good reputation and positive reviews from past students and parents. This is a good indication that the instructor is effective and provides a high-quality learning experience.
  6. Price: Consider the cost of the tuition or tutoring and make sure it fits within your budget. Keep in mind that the cheapest option may not always be the best, and investing in a quality math education can pay off in the long run.
By considering these factors and doing your research, you can find the best math tuition in Brampton that meets your needs and helps you achieve your math goals.
Best English Speaking Course Online Reading tutors near me Best Tutor in Brampton teaching english online
submitted by allstudybuddy to u/allstudybuddy [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:48 North_Cartoonist_846 Zeitarbeit / racketeering / making pressure ( Legal Rights discussion )

Hello everyone !Let me put this as short as possible since I need advice on only one element of this.So , I started working for a certain Zeitfirma in wider Hamburg area (Schleswig Holstein) and as my first employment they sent me to a food production plant near the place I live. At first everything was running smooth except for two days where I got sent off for certain problems regarding my girlfriend being COVID positive and I had a virosis induced diarrhea so working with food came out of any question. Since they still haven`t made my insurance running at the moment of this they stated how I can stay at home but they won`t count that in and I won't get paid. I am quite desperate with finding a job at the moment so I said fine and this had passed without any further complications.In the third week of my employment in this food factory I was in nightshift from 22 to 6.00 it was Thursday and a co-worker whom is not there from the Zeitfirma had came to work with visible Corona symptoms and was showing highly unsanitary conduct ( picking his nose , coughing and leaving tissues everywhere etc. ) and we work with a lot of food on the floor. It was around 5 in the morning and I started feeling very weak , my throat was burning and my nose was dry , it was clear to me that I have contracted COVID. I warned my floor manager about it to which he just swiped his hand and gave me a corny joke "Yes yes here this man he is Corona! " and sent me off to wrap up my shift. Ok, I found this quite condescending, also very irresponsible but nevertheless I finished my shift and went to the train station afterwards. In the train station the very man that I suspected of coming in sick almost braggingly stated in front of some work colleagues and another floor shift leader how he has COVID, to which the floor team leader asked him "And , did you get tested?" to which the latter stated "No I haven't!" and they all had a cheerful laugh while they were getting into a train full to the brim of unsuspecting passengers. When I got home I tested myself and of course I was positive.I Immediately warned my Zeitfirma about the irregularities and how one of people there brought sickness to the workplace and how they should warn them since it is food industry , to which to my utmost surprise the Zeitfirma worker said condescendingly " Na ja, sie haben ihren Feierabend, jetzt rufe ich sie am Montag an! Gute Besserung Tschus! " which was a schoking reply to me since it was Friday and people would show up there to work one more day with a risk of getting sick and contamingating food. So I also reported everything to the company itself and their boss.
So this is where it starts to get really interesting!Since I have heavy symptoms, as a matter of fact I am still sick I got a Krankmeldung and got a sick leave until Friday. Zeitfirma leader contacted me to inform me how they let me off in this food factory and how it was not good what I did notifying them of sickness in the factory and they started turning the blame towards me how it is my fault that I got sick and how they had to send me off for not showing up for work and having a sick leave longer than they can handle it. Also the lady was very passive aggresive and was angry about me reporting these irregularities to the food factory management. They also informed me how from next Monday they will be sending me to another company to which I agreed to, but because of all their super dodgy practices and only calling in the phone to discuss things knowing that my German is not so good I sent them an email stating how from now on I will only accept communication with them in written form (SMS or E-mail) , to which I got another very passive aggressive email which I am going to leave here in full :
Hallo Herr yxz,
vielen Dank für Ihre Mail.
Ich habe auch nicht gesagt, dass Sie etwas falsch gemacht haben, sondern nur gemeint, dass eine Mail an die "Generic Food Factory Name" nicht unbedingt von Nƶten war. Da wir Ihr Arbeitgeber sind und alles wichtige mit uns besprochen werden sollte.
Eine Zusammenarbeit, bei der wir nur über Mail oder allgemein schriftlich kommunizieren wird bei uns schwierig. Manche Dinge müssen schnell und unkompliziert am Telefon besprochen werden. (Krankmeldungen, EinsƤtze besprechen und eventuell erklƤren, Nachfragen von beiden Seiten…) Sollte dies also nicht für Sie mƶglich sein, kƶnnte eine weitere Zusammenarbeit schwierig werden.
Bitte geben Sie mir hierzu eine Rückmeldung. Am besten, Sie rufen einmal an.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Kind regards
So practically they are again threatening me and trying to gaslight me again into obedience and doing with me however they please with a threat of firing me in full if I don't take their phone calls since it is making their amazingly hard job harder. LOL
My question here is , is it my right to hold the communication with them only on E-mail and SMS to have written evidence of our communication ? Since getting phone calls at any times in my free time and no trace of their actions I find quite "Cosa Nostra" like.
What should I do ?Thank you all very much for your replies in advance.
submitted by North_Cartoonist_846 to germany [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:48 nebula-eternia How do I appeal DPS decision?

Currently Saxenda is only being approved if someone meets the following criteria:
1) BMI of 35+ AND 2.1)High risk of cardiovascular disease (cholesterol and high blood pressure tests needed) Or 2.2) Prediabetic (Fasting glucose and HbA1C test)
I've managed to lose nearly 100lbs so far. And as as a result my blood pressure/cholesterol/glucose levels are all perfect for my height/age. However my bmi is still 49 and my doctor says I'm still higher risk for illness and would benefit from Saxenda to help break my plateau(been struggling to lose for over a year now)
However the HSE has denied my application.
It doesn't make sense to me, we're constantly told how being obese ends up costing taxpayers in the long run and how preventative measures save governments billions. But when we try to avail of the tools we need to lose weight, we're blocked. It's so frustrating.
Does anyone know how to appeal this?
Thanks
submitted by nebula-eternia to ireland [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:48 MollyDooker99 5 months of waiting for a replacement battery and still no ETA. What do I do at this point?

I was wondering if anyone had any advice as to what I should do about my leaf. In late October my local Nissan dealership put in a warranty request for a replacement battery for my 2017 Nissan leaf. Between the degraded health and the cold weather the car became nearly useless to me as most of my driving was to a neighboring town. Nissan corporation provided me no loaner car, and said I had to work that out with a local dealership if I needed one. How that makes any sense I don't know as it's not the dealers fault Nissan has no batteries.
Anyways I was told by Nissan Consumer affairs that they'd have a battery for me by late March. It was a long wait but what choice did I have. I drove around in my old truck and spent a ton of money on gas. When I called them yesterday however they said they had no idea why someone told me late March for a replacement battery and they still had no ETA on when one would arrive.
I am just wondering what to do at this point. I am sick of making car payments on a car I can't drive, and I think I've been more than patient considering how long it's been.
Does anyone have any tips? The only thing I can think of is after 6 months taking it to the local news to see if they'd want to make a local interest story about it.
If it helps I live in California USA
Thanks for any relevant tips.
submitted by MollyDooker99 to leaf [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:48 Top_Freedom2611 Scammer! Admirable-Act-7311. Saw from multiple people he was legit but scammed me!

Scammer! Admirable-Act-7311. Saw from multiple people he was legit but scammed me!
Blocked my number and blocked me on Reddit as well
submitted by Top_Freedom2611 to FortniteAccountsSale [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:47 justuravragekitten not having a phone is giving me social anxiety. 16 yrs old btw

up until i was 13 I never had any screens, not even a TV. than when I turned 13 I got a ipad that I could only look at books on, than a year later, I got an actual ipad with time restrictions. now I have a computer that I use whenever I dont got shit to do (I dont use it all the time tho). My parents have a rule that I am not aloud to have a phone until im 18 but im not feeling the benifits of not being glued to a phone, I only feel more isolated. A couple of years ago this wouldnt have been a problem since there were at least more people like me but nowadays it seems impossible to make any friends. also I am homeschooled which adds on more to the loneliness. I try to get my mom to get me to do more social things but its really hard. The main to things I feel that are missing without a phone are my lack of being available and the second thing is, I feel jelous when people are on their phone texting or playing games, the fomo really gets to me, so does not going to public school, but I know for that there are pros and cons. can anyone give me advice on what to do. also im not aloud to have any social media or video games on my computer. I still do browser games tho and chess.com. and pinterest if you could even call that social media. Also I have fortnite bc I couldnt stand the fortnite suppression any longer. she uninstalls it and i just install it rigt back.
I have some social anxiety but I try to do my best around people. I think not having a phone hasnt benifited me socially and has only made my social anxiety worse.
I understand why they are so controlling, but this isnt the same age they grew up in and its near impossible to make friends without a phone.
btw the first console i ever got was when I was 14 and it was a wii lol. still grateful for it though.
I know this post isnt directly related to social anxiety but I would still like some advice.
submitted by justuravragekitten to socialanxiety [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:47 Gabux332 VENT: At this point I'm convinced that it's impossible for me to get better

I feel hopeless. Every time I try to implement the techniques my therapist suggests or even advice from other mental health professionals online the longest I can manage is two weeks. Then I'm back in my depressive slump with no motivation to get out of bed or do anything, slowly losing any progress I make. It's like my brain refuses to understand that social situations aren't dangerous. At this point I'm convinced that there is something fundamentally wrong with me as a person and that it isn't simply just my anxiety. I just don't belong near people who aren't my family.
Right now I'm sitting and trying to remind myself of all the techniques I've learned and write a list of all the situations I could restart exposure therapy with but it all just feels futile. Why even bother if I can't stick with it enough to get any better. I feel like I will always be alone. I don't see anything of value that I could provide for others. I don't know what to do anymore.
submitted by Gabux332 to socialanxiety [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:46 taliacaram Life Advice

25F, work is consuming my life. I have no reason to meet anyone. Currently, surrendering to God any chance of having a partner or family.
There’s a gentleman at work, younger, who I clearly enjoy when he’s near. Even though I have seniority with the company, he is a position above.
What do I do? He will touch my hand out of nowhere, and it’s like a language between us. I’m not showing too much personality wise because I really am trying to grow in my profession and focus on work. The feeling is most likely mutual with him.
Help me find clarity! What should I do?
submitted by taliacaram to workrelationships [link] [comments]


2023.03.29 18:45 throwawaylurker012 CMBS Pass-Through Certificates = Repackaged Jenga Tower CDOs 2.0? Need some eyes & wrinkles on my initial pass-through (heh) on [Redacted]'s awesome CMBS/MBS find!

CMBS Pass-Through Certificates = Repackaged Jenga Tower CDOs 2.0? Need some eyes & wrinkles on my initial pass-through (heh) on [Redacted]'s awesome CMBS/MBS find!
TL;DR:
  • [Redacted] found a series of new potential CMBS issuances being posted to the SEC site. From my understanding, it seems that there is a series of CMBS loans under the header "BANK" that have existed since 2020. It seems to consist of 3 banks: BoFA (Bank of America), Wells Fargo, and Morgan Stanley. However, despite the name, BANK =/= BoFA everytime.
  • Many CMBS loans are meant to mature by 2023, so this could be part of an innocuous/"harmless" process of shoving old CMBS properties into new Jenga Towers of loans...You might see this in Millenium Boston Retail, a major CMBS property that was taken from the CMBS Jenga Tower known as BAML 2013-C7 and shoved into BANK 2023-BNK45.
  • However, this isn't the case for ALL OF THEM: Concord Mills was featured in the loan that another [redacted] user found...and it seems to have matured in 2022 then shoved into that 2023-made BANK loan. I have no idea just yet if there is any "fishy" situation as CMBS gets downgraded and some properties get shuffled, but was hoping for more eyes.

Hi y'all, will get right into it.

This awesome ape called [redacted] or rather 8128th expensive-est two found this awesome find earlier today: https://www.reddit.com/Superstonk/comments/125ebqk/attn_wrinkles_bank_20xxbnkxx_could_be/
https://preview.redd.it/ge784lvn9pqa1.png?width=1170&format=png&auto=webp&s=6e5a8e34b21a8312d914a1ee33c66714262d3408
There are lots of odd filings using the nomenclature in the title, one of them just made ~4 hours ago (this is #26 below- the one that got me trying to dig into this)
All seem to be CMBS, MBS, ABS, ā€œCommercial Mortgage Pass-Through Certificatesā€, ā€œAsset Backed Pass-Through Certificatesā€, etc
Here are some examples to search of anyone knows how to dig into this:
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Asec.gov+BNK45
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Asec.gov+BNK26
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Asec.gov+BNK44
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Asec.gov+BNK43
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Asec.gov+BNK42
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Asec.gov+BNK41
Another wrinkle known as [redacted] or the bartender called woody found one such sample:
https://preview.redd.it/hvlap4k0apqa1.png?width=1108&format=png&auto=webp&s=9936d5f62d62d0cd9eba22a3c591fce7796ecd1d
I found a $600MM CMBS Pass-through agreement which was made up of 30% office space. Wonder how that’s working out for them? BoA Merril , wells, Morgan.
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgadata/1005007/000153949723000335/n3430_x10-424b2.htm

I started digging into this a bit early, and was hoping I could have some more eyes on this as well.

From what I've seen, I have no idea if swaps are being used against these properties (as we know, Rostin Benihana and the CFTC have hid swaps through 2025). It would not surprise me if they have swaps open on these.
HOWEVER, this looks so far like the naming protocol used in most CMBS classes. I wrote about it in one of my "The Big Mall Short" posts ( "The Big Mall Short #7: From the Window to the Walmart, till the Sweat drips down my Ballmart" :https://www.reddit.com/Superstonk/comments/t5br7k/the_big_mall_short_7_from_the_window_to_the/)

https://preview.redd.it/4ci7qralapqa1.png?width=965&format=png&auto=webp&s=4ed1dcda08278f1114d4c678bf84288b0845cf8a

I was able to find a small list of GameStop leases of ~130 GME stores that I was able to pull from a publicly available source. Each GameStop store is linked to a CMBS loan. (Each of these CMBS loans is searchable on a Bloomberg Terminal as each CMBS loan = Bloomberg ID.)
As of the source which published in 2019, Schostak Bros. were connected to 33 out of the 130 GME leases I found. ALL 33 were part of Walmart Shadow Anchored Portfolios–and accordingly–CMBS loans.
This specific GME loan in Iowa was chopped up and sent to CMBS loans WFCM 2016-C37 and WFCM 2016-LC25. You can even see a picture of the GameStop store attached to this Fort Dodge CMBS loan on their site:

https://preview.redd.it/t1x79bxiapqa1.png?width=921&format=png&auto=webp&s=663fcd0f58303f5228bad052c4dcfb72d80c2bc4
If you notice above, there is a specific naming mechanism to these CMBS loans, it goes:
[BANK ] [START YEAR OF PACKAGE] -[other code, including who else was involved]

The Fort Dodge Iowa code WFCM 2016-LC25 for example might stand for this:

WFCM = Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage
2016 = year
LC = Ladder Capital (crime infused fuckwards involved in CMBS)

if you're unfamiliar, Ladder Capital and UBS were featured in \"The Intercept's The Bigger Short on CMBS fraud\"
It's very telling that now there are now NO IDENTIFIERS on either side.

I also decided to look into what a pass-through certificate is, and I'm not entirely sure but this is what it looks like so far:

A large percentage of mortgages that have been issued to borrowers are sold in the secondary mortgage markets to institutional investors or government agencies that buy and package these loans into investable securities. These securities are then offered for sale to investors who expect to receive periodic interest payments and a principal repayment upon maturity of the securities.
An investor that invests in asset-backed security (ABS), such as a mortgage-backed security (MBS) is given a pass-through certificate. The pass-through certificate is the evidence of interest or participation in a pool of assets and signifies the transfer of interest payments in receivables in favor of the holders of the pass-through certificate.
A pass-through certificate does not mean that the holder owns the securities; it only means that the holder is entitled to any income earned from the securitized finance product. Mortgage-backed certificates are the most common types of pass-through certificates, in which homeowners' payments pass from the original bank through a government agency or investment bank to investors.
Alternate definition: https://digitalcommons.law.umaryland.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1292&context=jbtl

There are two common types of MBS. The first type of MBS issued by Ginnie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae are pass-through MBS, in which investors receive a pro rata fraction of monthly principal and interest payments from the underlying loans.55 The second type of MBS, which developed as the MBS market grew, are collateralized mortgage or debt obligations....
Part of the appeal of pass-through securitization was its ability to avoid tax: https://www.oecd.org/finance/financial-markets/41942872.pdf

Why was mortgage securitisation in subprime more pronounced in the USA?
Third, the 1986 tax reform act included the Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit (REMIC) rules which can issue multiple-class pass through securities without an entity-level tax. This greatly enhanced the attractiveness of mortgage securitisation.
At first glance, it seems like these are used perhaps in part when a CMBS Jenga Tower might not be fully done (many CMBS loans were going away this year in 2023 IIRC). I tried to see if there were any similar things that happened with pass-through certificates in 2008: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgadata/1653542/000153949716002662/exh3322wfctsas.htm

https://preview.redd.it/xsaufiskbpqa1.png?width=1284&format=png&auto=webp&s=835b16051e646485cbfb27435e3a7e00ab60f883
I think as many of you, the first thought I had about pass-through certificates growing was the following:

[redacted] at the ratings agencies!
OBLIGATORY TIMESTAMP FOR REFERENCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbiDrzTd8fE&t=260s

So again, why is this weird? All previous CMBS loans had the originator name, as in Wells Fargo did beforehand:

wells far-go fuck yourself

Remember that coding for that GME loan in that Fort Dodge, IOWA storefront? WFCM 2016-C37 and WFCM 2016-LC25?
Well, what’s WFCM? That stands for Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage, and Wells Fargo was the originator (person who sets everything up) for alllll the GME stores that were connected to these Walmarts courtesy of the fucking liars at Ladder Capital.
ā€œSteven Lowery, a senior vice president in Wells Fargo's Chicago office, agrees: ā€œThese retailers [Walmart] are very powerful and these are the types of deals that they want to do. We see more shadow-anchored deals today than we ever have.ā€
Wells Fargo has provided construction financing for four shadow-anchored deals in the past two months. ā€œWe tend to take a look at the whole project and if we know that the shadow anchor is a strong draw, we're very comfortable providing the construction financing,ā€ Lowery says.

The first name is the bank who ORIGINATES THE LOANS. So why the fuck is staying blank??!?!
I'm not sure, but this might relate to the following, called the "originiate-to-distribute" model:
"The OTD model allowed them to benefit from the origination fees without bearing the ultimate credit risk of the borrowers."
So who is originating or underwriting these loans? Is no one?

If you look back at Woody's link, this is what it looks like:


https://preview.redd.it/fuq3n7wwdpqa1.png?width=2846&format=png&auto=webp&s=7f0e8fa5879f6d9fae1d63a3003974fbe42022e9
It seems, to have an issuing entity according to the text seen here: http://pdf.secdatabase.com/2898/0001539497-23-000337.pdf
On February 23, 2023, Banc of America Merrill Lynch Commercial Mortgage Inc. (the ā€œRegistrantā€) caused the issuance, pursuant to a Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated and effective as of February 1, 2023 (the ā€œPooling and Servicing Agreementā€), among the Registrant, as depositor, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as master servicer, LNR Partners, LLC, as special servicer, Computershare Trust Company, National Association, as certificate administrator and as trustee, and Park Bridge Lender Services LLC, as operating advisor and as asset representations reviewer, of BANK 2023-BNK45, Commercial Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates,...
The Privately Offered Certificates were sold to BOAS, WFS, Morgan Stanley, Academy and Drexel, as initial purchasers (collectively, in such capacities, the ā€œInitial Purchasersā€), pursuant to a Certificate Purchase Agreement, dated as of February 9, 2023, among the Registrant, BANA and the Initial Purchasers. The Privately Offered Certificates were sold in transactions exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Again, why wouldn't BoFa (deez nuts) just use their regular name?

https://preview.redd.it/09u3pu35fpqa1.png?width=1375&format=png&auto=webp&s=57ef87436742db903d5323600c5136360157aa10
Another thing that stood out is the following phrase in Woody's find: credit enhancement.

Credit enhancement will be provided solely by certain classes of subordinate certificates that will be subordinate to certain classes of senior certificates as described under ā€œDescription of the Certificates—Subordination; Allocation of Realized Losses**ā€**. Each class of certificates will be entitled to receive monthly distributions of interest and/or principal on the 4th business day following the 11th day of each month (or if the 11th day is not a business day, the next business day), commencing in March 2023.
Soooo I Thought I already dropped a CMBS post talking about CMBSes and credit enhancement from my "The Big Mall Short" series but seems that I didn't...looked through my drafts for future posts and here's the part that's relevant:

https://preview.redd.it/vwo1kbhefpqa1.png?width=2175&format=png&auto=webp&s=286cf91c676dfcf9e7225394a1deb9b41aa2b889

4. Credit Reduction
First, a mini-ELI5 (!) on risk-reduction in the CMBS (and even MBS world)! In a perfect world, credit enhancement techniques can be used to protect against potential losses in a portfolio through risk-reduction techniques.

Common techniques include subordination (allocating losses to lower rated junior bonds to protect better rated senior bonds), overcollateralization (having the value of your bond that might be worth $1000 in properties actually be backed up by more properties–maybe worth $1100–to help cushion blows), and excess spread (making a rainy day fund almost from the mortgage you get from a property if it pays 10% a month, while you need to pay out 5% in interest…using that 10%-5% difference to get yo rainy day fund on). It’s kinda of like putting a giant inflatable sex doll underneath your basket of loans, cushioning against absorbing any defaults from loan defaults or collateral loss.

Again, this could all be boiler plate language, but for any CMBS mortgages that usually have names like COMM2023--LC92 and not this weird "BANK" stuff, I would need to compare what's going on across other of these "BANK" finds.
One initial guess I have is "harmless": that some of the loans locked up in CMBS Jenga Towers needed to be shoved into something else.
Another guess could be that some of the ORIGINAL Jenga Towers containing these loans were being downgraded, and you can hide those downgrades under NEW NAMES. Woody's find showed the following property in that BANK 2023-BNK25 Jenga Tower. For example, I found the following here to start:

The CX – 250 Water Street mortgage loan (7.8%) is part of a whole loan that was co-originated by Bank of America, National Association, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, Goldman Sachs Bank USA and 3650 Real Estate Investment Trust 2 LLC
I couldn't find much on this property, but other properties in that new BANK loan I could. Such as this property in Boston: Millenium Boston Retail.

https://preview.redd.it/xv49nak0gpqa1.png?width=1500&format=png&auto=webp&s=e2d906de4a9e42c46494def088c2b549be8635cc
You can read it about it here, it used to exist on Morgan Stanley BAML Trust 2013-C7 (MSBAM 2013-C7). Notice the year is 2013, so it must have been expiring...but notice what this article says. Hint, look at the title: "Morgan Stanley BAML Trust 2013-C7 -- Moody's affirms seven and downgrades six classes of MSBAM 2013-C7":
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/morgan-stanley-baml-trust-2013-180606663.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGyMQj8L_D7cFVfMA0-Fyz13EM0Xr0n9ZJ5Xr22nyCyFA2yFnOIwuR5IhxeGL0C5tJyKk7zJAdM3jfBxMSiFbFi9fR1fXd8lz2vaAdUbqYk32EMS9_uHLKzRQUvmBRWo15yd_9bcheVTVJIlGP2rIH8-4V1CdlxaLT47V45mhzd_

https://preview.redd.it/qrqhpsu4gpqa1.png?width=2574&format=png&auto=webp&s=9a9c20cf26a8bb9fa797ba77a2604e5053cd5630

The second largest loan is the Millennium Boston Retail Loan ($93.2 million -- 9.2% of the pool), which is secured by nine commercial condominium units contained within three buildings, totaling 282,000 SF of mixed use space in the Midtown/Theater District area of downtown Boston, Massachusetts. The properties were 95% leased as of June 2020. The loan benefits from amortization, having amortized nearly 12% since securitization. The property's largest tenants include a two-level, 19-screen [popcorn] Theater and a second story Sports Club/ LA - Boston health club. The [popcorn] Theater recently executed two five-year extensions, extending their lease to July 2031...
Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") has affirmed the ratings on seven classes and downgraded the ratings on six classes in Morgan Stanley Bank of America Merrill Lynch Trust 2013-C7, Commercial Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates as follows

So again, this old loan was in a MSBAM 2013-C7, but now listed under BANK. Why?
All of the pass-through certificates seem to feature the following:
  • Bank of America
  • Wells Fargo
  • Morgan Stanley


https://preview.redd.it/ps2kycrpgpqa1.png?width=2842&format=png&auto=webp&s=f0253ff5d60b63dd653e1622bd80e71c3a9fc7d1
Some of these have been existing as 2020. So one thing we will need to determine for certain is--since BOFA is involved--is this putting the weight on BOFA as the main actor, or is there a reason why Morgan, BOFA, and Wells Fargo have been working together like a Megazord of CMBS loans?
The naming is not consistent per se where it's let's say JUST Bofa leading this. Here's one file: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgadata/1005007/000153949723000335/n3430_x10-424b2.htm
Banc of America Merrill Lynch Commercial Mortgage Inc. is offering certain classes of the Commercial Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2023-BNK45 consisting of the certificate classes identified in the table below.
Here's another:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgadata/1547361/000153949722001847/n3327_x9-424b2.htm
Morgan Stanley Capital I Inc. is offering certain classes of the Commercial Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2022-BNK44 consisting of the certificate classes identified in the table below.

So any one have any idea what could have been found here? These 3 banks have been seemingly part of their own trifecta of CMBS issuance for at least up until 2020. It could be innocuous (again, they are just "renewing" old properties in CMBS loans).

BUT as we saw, there are properties that are being shoved from one Jenga Tower (Millenium Retail Boston from BAML 2013-C7 into BANK 2023-BNK45).

Concord Mills, featuring popcorn, and other retail including bath towel
However, this doesn't seem to be clean the whole way through. That BANK loan that [redacted] found features Concord Mills, a loan that supposedly matured in 2022 (WFRBS 2012-C10) but now is featured in that new 2023 loan: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgadata/850779/000153949712000709/n156_fwpx3.htm

https://preview.redd.it/cdhsez8nipqa1.png?width=2818&format=png&auto=webp&s=294277ccf96a88bb5c082e7e81b6fe06d258394b

So even though there might be the case that SOME loans are maturing in 2023 and being shoved into another new loan right on time, that doesn't explain cases like Concord Mills above AFAIK.

Like I said, this could be "by the books" or not, but either way, hoping for some eyes. Throwawaylurker012 out!

TL;DR:
  • [Redacted] found a series of new potential CMBS issuances being posted to the SEC site. From my understanding, it seems that there is a series of CMBS loans under the header "BANK" that have existed since 2020. It seems to consist of 3 banks: BoFA (Bank of America), Wells Fargo, and Morgan Stanley. However, despite the name, BANK =/= BoFA everytime.
  • Many CMBS loans are meant to mature by 2023, so this could be part of an innocuous/"harmless" process of shoving old CMBS properties into new Jenga Towers of loans...You might see this in Millenium Boston Retail, a major CMBS property that was taken from the CMBS Jenga Tower known as BAML 2013-C7 and shoved into BANK 2023-BNK45.
  • However, this isn't the case for ALL OF THEM: Concord Mills was featured in the loan that another [redacted] user found...and it seems to have matured in 2022 then shoved into that 2023-made BANK loan. I have no idea just yet if there is any "fishy" situation as CMBS gets downgraded and some properties get shuffled, but was hoping for more eyes.
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2023.03.29 18:45 dunkurs1987 [ASK NC] first NAS choice

[HELP] Hi, Looking to purchase my first NAS for home. It will sit in the electronics cabinet near my modem, router, switch and PLEX server. The cabinet is located in my living room where my TV is. Needs to run quietly. Watched a dozen of your videos on possible choices (great job BTW) and decided the Synology product line may be my best choice. The QNAP TS-233 was a neck and neck competitor with quiet performance. I'm leaning toward the Synology product line due to their easier (newbie) UI and their commitment to addressing security breaches quickly. That brings me to two choices, the new DS233 or the older DS220+ model. The 220+ looks like it has much more capable hardware, but is it getting pretty dated in 2023? What would be your thoughts on the these two choices and any other Synology box that I may have missed? I would likely populate the NAS with two 4TB WD Red Plus HDDs. Good price point, and relatively quiet operation (from your TS-233 sound video. regards, Karl Shubert
from NAScompares.com - Data Storage Blog
submitted by dunkurs1987 to NAScompares [link] [comments]