I'm webdancer and I am a conservative. I'm mot a libertarian nor a full republican even though I vote that way, I am somewhere in between the two
I want to start a coffee clutch where people in the Southwest Missouri area particularly focusing on the tri-lakes area, can meet, have a great cup of coffee and sit have a discussions on what's going on.
If your interested you can contact me @ [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). I am not a racist, bigot or a supremacist, if you are then, well.....no need to answer. That's not at all what it's about!!!!
If you want to talk: the 2a, freedom seeds, politics then let's sit and talk
Thanks Webby

TL:DR - I need to talk to someone. I really don't want to kill myself, but I'm scared. Most of this post is skippable brain vomit. Basically, I'm having suicidal thoughts and losing control of everything in my life because everything feels meaningless. Sorry for the mess here.
​
Hey guys, hope you're all having a great day so far. I'm writing this because I am really confused and don't know what else to do, and you have helped me out before. I feel like my entire worldview is wrong and I'm watching a movie called consciousness. I've posted things like this before on this account, and I've received very helpful responses, so I wanna try it again now, when I feel I am at the lowest I've ever been mentally.
Before all else, I want to acknowledge that there are people whose lives are far worse than mine and that I am blessed beyond comprehension. I am eternally grateful for my life. I'm not rich or famous or powerful. I have a wonderful family, a home, and a prospective future lying ahead, not to mention countless things like my computer, our TV, my car, delicious food, a bike, a pool, and all the freedom I enjoy being a middle class American citizen. I am not suffering tangible difficulty or hardship. I'm not writing this to beg for sympathy or complain about my life. Rather, I'm seeking a different perspective on some issues I have been facing for a very long time that I are all increasingly causing me to want to end my life. If I come across as an attention seeker, I apologize and would love to know how I can correct myself.
It started in January when I had to leave my physical school and move to online school again for the remainder of my 12th grade year. I'm an extremely anxiety-prone person and a grand overthinker, and being alone makes these things flare up, as I learned painfully during Covid when I had similar issues. All of the problems I've ever faced I have created for myself, and I feel safe in saying that this is not an exaggeration.
Basically, I started overanalyzing the world around me, thinking of things so specific it started to scare me, like analyzing the cloud patterns and sunset and biological mechanisms driving my own brain and describing them scientifically in my own head UNWILLINGLY. I started hoarding all the receipts and little pieces of trash I could, like tags from clothes and such, because I feel sad at the thought of throwing them away. I couldn't bring myself to clean my room because I didn't know if there was even a right way to do so, or whether I should throw anything away. I started thinking a lot about the end of time, and the end of my life, and the nature of my own consciousness, and how meaningless everything is because one day it will all be gone.
The transient nature of everything became my only thought, and I can't help but obsess over it. I couldn't enjoy an evening at the park with my sister because my mind was full of unwarranted thoughts of how she, I, the park, all who built, and all who will ever visit it it will one day pass into oblivion. This has led me to start having severe panic attacks and sobbing fits, especially at night and in the shower, when I am totally secluded. I can't enjoy video games, music, reading, playing the piano, driving, talking to people, working out (I still work out, but it's just a routine at this point), coding, eating, watching science and engineering videos, or anything anymore. It all feels gray and dull to me. I am constantly overwhelmed by a feeling of impending doom.
All I can do is watch youtube and distract myself with focus-grabbing stimuli, like movies, eating, and porn (which I had come close to cutting out of my life before this), but I am losing my grip on my life. I am late on my assignments, have not decided on my college yet even though I have been accepted into a ton of them and earned some scholarships. I can't make any decisions. I fall asleep at 3am and wake up around 11am, though this varies greatly. I keep inventing and believing a ton of different bone-chilling scenarios, like being a brain in a vat or being in a simulation or being the incarnation of God himself, and it is terrifying me and I can't take it because it's all stuck in my head on repeat. Even worse, a lot of the time I am propelled into a euphoric high by some random motivation. I can't really describe it. Sometimes I get extremely motivated randomly by looking at something random like a leaf or an ant or a bluetooth speaker and my entire worldview and mindset shifts. Everything becomes oversaturated. I feel alive. Then I crash again and it all turns gray again. It feels weird. All of my goals don't motivate me anymore though, because they are overshadowed by my fear of the end and meaninglessness.
This was just some of the stuff I've been experiencing. I don't really know if I've described it well enough. I have gone to a counselor to try and talk to him about this stuff, but he hasn't really helped all that much, although I appreciate the experience and his friendliness. He was a very nice man. Every day is getting scarier because my mind seems to be digging an ever-widening hole that I just can't escape. It's all chaos. My only respite comes from unexpected places, like going for a drive listening to jazz, talking to my mom while her favorite Christian radio station is on, or working on a random project (like my sister's 4th grade science fair project). It's just that nothing seems to make sense anymore. It's all chaotic and unordered. Like there's no structure anymore. It's all just stuff, jumbled together, and whatever happens happens. My most terrifying moments are when I feel like I'm losing control of myself and waking up from the simulation and everything will be gone immediately and it's being unplugged. I'm alone in this and I feel like I've been stuck in the same place for years. Sometimes I feel like my memories are fabricated and not real. These types of panic attacks have been happening since I was like 10 or 11. I'm 18 now. I'm a boy.
I feel an immense mental, almost physical pressure in my head, and at night I burst into tears and all of my emotions stream through my head and I just pray to God asking for it to go away and most of the time it does. Sometimes I have an outburst and say things I regret to people I love. Sometimes I have a lot of fun with them and we are all happy. I have no ideals anymore because nothing makes any sense and there is no meaning, or so I'm beginning to believe.
The focal point of all of this negativity has been suicide. Every day, I obsess over the idea of not living anymore, of being carefree and just spectating the world rather than living in it only to die anyway, and I keep thinking of different ways I can kill myself. These thoughts are uninvited the majority of the time, and I am forced to endure them. I don't want to die, but I feel like I'm slipping into the hole. I feel like my life is slipping away very quickly and I have nothing left to live for and I've already missed out on it.
I now realize that all of my previous posts have been about this same issue, just in different circumstances. I'm really sorry if I come across in a negative way, as a selfish person or an attention seeker. Maybe I am. I don't know. I just want to be a normal, functional person who can live a meaningful life and die a meaningful death. I want to feel right. I want someone to tell me what to do. I want to stop being alone. I want friends who I can mess around with and not feel anxious while doing so. I want a girlfriend with whom I can share my life and whose trust, respect, and affection I can earn and in turn reciprocate my own. I want a meaningful career that I can leverage to make positive differences in the most crucial and overlooked parts of society, and in creative ways that will leave an impact.
I need someone to talk to. I don't want meds, or maybe I need them. I don't want to be told off, I don't want money or a fancy car or anything. I just want to feel like all of this matters and that someone understands me. I want to be nice to everyone. I don't want animosity. I want to find meaning. But there is something wrong with me. I want to feel like a human again. I just wish I'd grown up with one close friend to share this with. I wanna try going to a therapist, maybe I should.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings. I hope you continue to have a great day, and wish you all the best!

I have insomnia. It’s a curse, really. When the rest of the world falls asleep, I’m left alone with my thoughts. I decided to spend a few nights alone at my parents' cottage, hoping the change of scenery would do me some good. But last night, it only made things worse.
I couldn’t sleep, no matter how hard I tried. The darkness outside was oppressive, and the silence was deafening. Even my cat Lucy, who usually cuddles up to me and purrs me to sleep, seemed restless. And then, around 5 or 6 am, it happened.
I heard a voice, faint at first, but growing louder and more urgent with each passing second.
"Help!"
It sounded like an old man, and the desperation in his voice was palpable. I felt a chill run down my spine. I wasn’t used to hearing anything other than the gentle sound of the wind or the rustling of the trees.
I hesitated for a moment, my mind racing. Should I go outside and investigate? What if it was some kind of trap? But my conscience got the best of me, and I decided to check it out.
I walked to the patio door, feeling like I was moving through molasses. The air was cold and biting, and the darkness was like a physical presence.
"Help!"
The voice was louder now, coming from somewhere out there in the blackness. I took a deep breath and opened the door.
What I saw chilled me to the bone. There was a fresh layer of snow on the ground, and it was pristine except for a set of footprints leading away from the forest and towards the lake. But there were no footprints coming back.
I felt a wave of fear wash over me. What kind of person or creature could make a set of footprints leading in one direction, and then disappear? My heart raced as I scanned the area for any sign of the old man, but there was nothing.
Suddenly, I remembered the stories my grandparents used to tell me about the skinwalkers, a type of evil spirit that could take on the shape of any animal. I shuddered, remembering the legends of how they would lure people into the darkness, using their voices to lead them to their doom.
I quickly shut the patio door, locking it tight, and retreated to the safety of my room. I tried to calm myself down, telling myself that it was just my imagination getting the better of me. But the image of those footprints, leading to the middle of the lake, haunted me for the rest of the night
I can't shake the feeling that something's not right. I just saw something, something that I can't explain. Was it real or just my imagination? I don't know. Maybe it was just a trick of the light, or my mind playing tricks on me. But it felt so real, so tangible. The fear that gripped me was all too real. I keep replaying the scene over and over in my head, trying to make sense of it. But the more I think about it, the less sure I am. Was it just a figment of my imagination, or was there really something out there.

Trump's legal troubles extend far beyond Stormy Daniels case

As debate continues over the possible criminal indictment of former President Donald Trump regarding a $130,000 hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels, several other cases are poised to further complicate his 2024 presidential bid.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg appears set to make history by handing down the first-ever criminal indictment of a former president, potentially for falsifying business records to hide an alleged extramarital affair so as not to hurt his chances in the 2016 presidential election. Trump denies having had an affair with Daniels, and his legal team has brushed off the payments to her made via then-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen as a private matter. But that controversial felony charge, which carries a possible four-year prison sentence upon conviction, is unlikely to be the last legal hurdle for Trump.
Here's a rundown of the most prominent prospective legal actions facing the former president as well as the civil cases that are already underway.

Jan. 6 federal grand jury

More at the link at the top of this post...
The worst POTUS in the history of our great country is about to see his deeds go rewarded with several indictments and lawsuits finally heading his way....

Character Name	Description
Ace	Luffy's older brother and former commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' 2nd Division.
Akainu	Marine admiral and current Fleet Admiral.
Aokiji	Marine admiral and former member of the Navy HQ.
Bartolomeo	Captain of the Barto Club and a member of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet.
Boa Hancock	Captain of the Kuja Pirates and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Buggy	Former member of Gol D. Roger's crew and the leader of the Buggy Pirates.
Carrot	A rabbit mink and a member of the Straw Hat Pirates' temporary allies during the Whole Cake Island Arc.
Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom)	Captain of the Big Mom Pirates and one of the Four Emperors of the Sea.
Coby	Marine officer who was once Luffy's friend and rival.
Crocodile	Former president of the criminal organization Baroque Works and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Donquixote Doflamingo	Former king of Dressrosa and a former member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Dracule Mihawk	A swordsman and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea known as the "Greatest Swordsman in the World."
Edward Newgate (Whitebeard)	A legendary pirate and one of the Four Emperors of the Sea who was once the "strongest man in the world."
Eustass Kid	Captain of the Kid Pirates and a member of the Worst Generation.
Franky	Cyborg and shipwright of the Straw Hat Pirates who has a cola-powered body.
Fujitora	Marine admiral who has the power to control gravity.
Galdino (Mr. 3)	Former member of Baroque Works and user of the Wax-Wax Fruit.
Garp	Marine vice admiral and Luffy's grandfather.
Gol D. Roger	Former Pirate King who discovered the One Piece and started the Great Pirate Era.
Helmeppo	Marine officer and Coby's friend who was once a coward.
Jinbe	A fishman and a member of the Straw Hat Pirates.
Kaido	Captain of the Beasts Pirates and one of the Four Emperors of the Sea.
Kizaru	Marine admiral known as the "Yellow Monkey" who has the power to move at the speed of light.
Monkey D. Luffy	Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and a rubber man with a dream to become the Pirate King.
Mr. 2 Bon Clay	Former member of Baroque Works and leader of the Okama Army.
Nami	Navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates who has the ability to forecast the weather.
Nico Robin	Archaeologist and member of the Straw Hat Pirates who has the ability to create limbs and eyes from any surface.
Portgas D. Rouge	Ace's mother and the wife of Gol D. Roger.
Roronoa Zoro	Skilled swordsman and Luffy's first mate.
Sanji	Cook of the Straw Hat Pirates who uses kicks in battle.
Sabo	Luffy's adopted older brother and chief of staff of the Revolutionary Army.
Sengoku	Marine admiral and former Fleet Admiral.
Shanks	Powerful pirate and former member of Gol D. Roger's crew who gave Luffy his signature straw hat.
Silvers Rayleigh	Former member of Gol D. Roger's crew and the Dark King.
Smoker	Marine captain and the wielder of the Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit.
Tashigi	Marine officer and Zoro's frequent opponent.
Tony Tony Chopper	Reindeer who has eaten the Human-Human Fruit and can transform into a human/reindeer hybrid.
Trafalgar Law	Captain of the Heart Pirates and a member of the Worst Generation.
Usopp	Sniper of the Straw Hat Pirates and a compulsive liar.
Bepo	A bear mink and a member of the Heart Pirates.
Charlotte Katakuri	One of Big Mom's three sweet commanders and possessor of the Mochi-Mochi Fruit.
Diamante	A former executive of the Donquixote Pirates and user of the Flag-Flag Fruit.
Enel	The former "God" of Skypiea and user of the Goro-Goro no Mi.
Fisher Tiger	The founder and former captain of the Sun Pirates, a crew composed of fishmen and merfolk.
Gol D. Ace	A member of the Whitebeard Pirates and Luffy's older brother.
Hancock Sisters	Boa Hancock's younger sisters and members of the Kuja Pirates.
Inuarashi	A dog mink and one of the two rulers of the Mokomo Dukedom.
Jozu	A member of the Whitebeard Pirates and possessor of the Diamond-Diamond Fruit.
Kuma	A former Warlord of the Sea and one of the Revolutionary Army's commanders.
Arlong	A sawshark fishman and former captain of the Arlong Pirates.
Bartholomew Kuma	A former Warlord of the Sea and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea who became a Pacifista cyborg.
Bellamy	A former pirate and a member of the Donquixote Pirates' Diamante Army.
Big Mom Pirates	A powerful pirate crew led by Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom) and composed of a variety of unique characters.
Brogy and Dorry	Two giant warriors and captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates.
Burgess	A member of the Blackbeard Pirates and captain of the First Ship.
Capone Bege	A member of the Worst Generation and captain of the Fire Tank Pirates.
Caesar Clown	A mad scientist and former subordinate of the Big Mom Pirates.
Cavendish	A member of the Beautiful Pirates and possessor of the Superhuman-Human Fruit.
Corazon (Donquixote Rocinante)	The younger brother of Donquixote Doflamingo and former member of the Donquixote Pirates.
Crocus	A doctor and caretaker of the Twin Cape's lighthouse.
Dalton	A former king of the Sakura Kingdom and a bison mink.
Denjiro	A member of the Nine Red Scabbards and former retainer of the Kozuki Family.
Doflamingo Family	A powerful criminal organization led by Donquixote Doflamingo and composed of several officers with unique abilities.
Edward Weevil	A self-proclaimed son of Whitebeard and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Fukuro	A member of CP9 and user of the Rankyaku technique.
Gaimon	A pirate who was trapped inside a treasure chest on an island for 20 years.
Gin	A former member of the Baratie staff and captain of the Krieg Pirates.
Hannyabal	The vice warden of Impel Down and user of the Devil's Cane-Cane Fruit.
Hawkins	A member of the Worst Generation and captain of the Hawkins Pirates.
Ivankov	The "Queen" of the Kamabakka Kingdom and commander of the Revolutionary Army's Newkama Land forces.
Kaido's Calamities	Three of Kaido's most powerful and feared subordinates: Jack, Queen, and King.
Kin'emon	A samurai from Wano Country and a member of the Nine Red Scabbards.
Koby's Marines	A group of marines led by Coby, consisting of several individuals who have trained under Garp.
Kokoro	A mermaid and conductor of the Puffing Tom.
Krieg	The captain of the Krieg Pirates and an infamous pirate who used underhanded tactics to win battles.
Kuina	Zoro's childhood friend and a skilled swordsman who dreamt of becoming the world's strongest swordsman.
Marco	A member of the Whitebeard Pirates and possessor of the Phoenix-Phoenix Fruit.
Momonosuke	The son of Kozuki Oden and a member of the Kozuki Family.
Monet	A former officer of the Donquixote Pirates and user of the Snow-Snow Fruit.
Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas	A pair of Baroque Works agents who are skilled in explosives and wrestling, respectively.
Nekomamushi	A cat mink and one of the two rulers of the Minks.
Oars Jr.	An enormous giant and former member of the Thriller Bark Pirates.
Pell	A member of the Royal Guards of the Alabasta Kingdom and possessor of the Falcon-Falcon Fruit.
Pica	An executive of the Donquixote Pirates and possessor of the Stone-Stone Fruit.
Pudding	A member of the Big Mom Pirates and one of Big Mom's daughters, who has the ability to manipulate memories.
Rayleigh	A former member of Gol D. Roger's crew and the Dark King.
Rebecca	The gladiator champion of the Corrida Colosseum and a member of the Riku Family.
Rockstar	A member of the Red Hair Pirates and possessor of the Float-Float Fruit.
Ryuuma	A legendary swordsman from Wano Country and possessor of the Shusui sword.
Saboady Archipelago Supernovas	A group of rookie pirates known as the Worst Generation, consisting of Eustass Kid, Scratchmen Apoo, Capone Bege, Basil Hawkins, and Urouge.
Saint Charlos	A World Noble who was responsible for the enslavement of the Fishman Island.
Sabo's Revolutionary Army	A group of revolutionaries led by Sabo, consisting of several individuals who oppose the World Government.
Sabo's Family	The family members of Sabo, including his adopted father and brother.
Scratchmen Apoo	A member of the Worst Generation and captain of the On Air Pirates.
Senor Pink	An officer of the Donquixote Pirates and user of the Nui-Nui Fruit.
Shakky	A former pirate and current owner of Shakky's Rip-off Bar.
Shiki	A former member of the Roger Pirates and the captain of the Golden Lion Pirates.
Silvers Rayleigh's Crew	The crew that accompanied Rayleigh during his time as a pirate, including Zephyr.
Spandam	A former member of CP9 and director of the Cipher Pol organization.
Stelly	The current king of the Goa Kingdom and Sabo's adopted younger brother.
Straw Hat Grand Fleet	A fleet of ships and pirate crews who allied themselves with the Straw Hat Pirates, consisting of the Barto Club, Happo Navy, Ideo Pirates, Tonta Corps, Yonta Maria Grand Fleet, and Beautiful Pirates.
T-Bone	A Marine commodore and commander of the 77th Marine Branch.
Tom	The shipwright who built the Oro Jackson, Gol D. Roger's ship.
Tsuru	A Marine vice admiral and commander of the Navy's Marine Headquarters.
Urouge	A member of the Worst Generation and captain of the Fallen Monk Pirates.
Vergo	A high-ranking officer of the Donquixote Pirates and undercover agent in the Marines.
Wapol	A former king of the Drum Island and user of the Baku-Baku Fruit.
Wapol's Family	The family members of Wapol, including his father and brother.
X Drake's Marine Fleet	A fleet of ships led by X Drake, who defected from the Navy and joined the Beast Pirates.
Yonko	The four most powerful pirate captains in the world: Shanks, Big Mom, Kaido, and Blackbeard.
Zephyr	A former Marine admiral and leader of the Neo Marines.
Alvida	A pirate captain and the first person Luffy defeated after setting sail.
Baby 5	An officer of the Donquixote Pirates and user of the Buki-Buki no Mi.
Basil Hawkins' Crew	The crew that accompanies Basil Hawkins, consisting of several individuals with unique abilities.
Bellemere	The adoptive mother of Nami and a former Marine.
Blackbeard Pirates	A powerful pirate crew led by Blackbeard, consisting of several officers with unique abilities.
Bonney	A member of the Worst Generation and captain of the Bonney Pirates.
Buggy's Delivery	A delivery service run by Buggy, who employs former members of the Baroque Works.
Carrot	A rabbit mink and a member of the Mokomo Dukedom.
Chaka	A member of the Royal Guards of the Alabasta Kingdom and possessor of the Inu-Inu no Mi, Model: Jackal.
Charlotte Amande	One of Big Mom's daughters and a member of the Big Mom Pirates.
Charlotte Brûlée	One of Big Mom's daughters and a member of the Big Mom Pirates, who has the ability to create and manipulate mirrors.
Charlotte Compote	One of Big Mom's daughters and a member of the Big Mom Pirates.
Coby's Mentor	A Marine vice admiral who served as Coby's mentor during his time at the Marine Academy.
Dadan	The leader of the mountain bandits on Mt. Colubo and the adoptive mother of Ace and Luffy.
Daz Bones	A former officer of Baroque Works and user of the Supa-Supa no Mi.
Doberman	A Marine vice admiral and commander of the G-1 Marine Base.
Drake	A former Marine admiral and captain of the Drake Pirates.
Edward Newgate (Whitebeard)	The captain of the Whitebeard Pirates and one of the Four Emperors of the Sea.
Foxy	The captain of the Foxy Pirates and user of the Noro-Noro no Mi.
Fukaboshi	A prince of the Ryugu Kingdom and a shark merman.
Gaimon's Friend	A friend of Gaimon who was stuck inside a treasure chest on an island.
Gatz	The host of the Corrida Colosseum and a member of Dressrosa's ruling family.
Gedatsu	A member of the Shandia tribe and former priest of the Skypieans.
Gladius	An executive of the Donquixote Pirates and user of the Pamu-Pamu no Mi.
Gloriosa	The former queen of the Alabasta Kingdom and Nefertari Cobra's predecessor.
Hajrudin	A giant warrior and captain of the New Giant Warrior Pirates.
Hina	A Marine captain and user of the Ori-Ori no Mi.
Hyogoro	A former yakuza boss and member of the yakuza alliance led by the Kozuki Family.
Ikaros Much	A member of CP9 and user of the Mogu-Mogu no Mi.
Jaguar D. Saul	A giant warrior and former Marine vice admiral who befriended Robin.
Jinbe	A former member of the Shichibukai and captain of the Sun Pirates.
Kabuto	A member of the Revolutionary Army and a former Revolutionary Army commander.
Kaido's Army	The army of subordinates who follow Kaido, consisting of a variety of powerful and unique characters.

Kaid

I've been scribbling stories (Novels, novellas, short story collections) for quite a few years now, and self publishing. I've got a company who is enthusiastic about and has been publishing everything I write (11 books to date) for free. Why? Because I'm a Literary Prizewinner and I can actually write. I write what most consider to be unusual/off the wall stories (which, to me, is a definite plus) choosing subjects I consider need to explored, shining a light where it need to be shone, reflecting the screwed up world we live in, where a kind heart and good intentions are most likely to get you mugged, exploited and generally taken advantage of by the multitudes of unscrupulous bastards out there in the world looking after number one. Oops, I have digressed already.
The point of this missive is to explain that, regardless of a stack of great reviews for my work and the fact that all who read my offerings much enjoy them, I am unable to gain ground and let the world know that I and my work exist. The reason? The entire literary machine is based on gouging the pockets of we writers who produce the material on which the multi billion dollar empire sits. Yes, we not only supply the material but must pay enormous sums over time just to get noticed. This end of the industry is one enormous leach, sucking the life blood from all who, as artists, are driven to create the best possible stories we can possible conjure. Because of the way things are rigged, I have a stack of, in some cases exceptional, work, sitting collecting dust as so many other authors do, and as someone existing on a disability pension the chances of me ever making dollar one for my efforts are about zero, purely because I cannot possibly find the necessary money to promote this collection.
As a last and desperate measure I am swallowing my pride, as much for the benefit of my everlovin' and longs suffering wife as to the principal of getting what I consider as absolutely worthy material out into the world, and, hopefully, in the process dragging us both out of this poverty trap.
So, Yes, you guessed it. I am looking for a well heeled philanthropist with an interest in literature, writing and publishing (art, in fewer words), and, hopefully, who would like to eyeball what I have been producing these past 25 -30 years, and to perhaps help get the ball rolling as far as finding a filmmaker and/or mainstream publisher to do their bit and get this material, in its finished form, to the deserving public. And when I say deserving, I'm implying that the consumers, the readers, moviegoers and movie viewers of this world deserve a whole lot better than what companies such as NetFlix and others have been rolling out. There is so much good material lying in wait, written by so many skillful, deeply thoughtful and deserving writers, but which will likely never see the light of day for no other reason than the inability of the factory styled, greed based function of the entertainment industry of the 21st Century. And if it continues this way the public are going to be left with only second and third rate material currently pouring out of the machine for no better reason than those creators/writers succeeding are the ones with sufficient wherewithal to push their material through to the end. It's everybody loss, I promise you.
www.thomasjamestaylorbooks.com and https://thomasjamestaylorbooks.com/book-store

Chikmagalur is eminent for its serene environmental factors, verdant woods, and high mountains. It is now and again alluded to as the espresso area of Karnataka and is very notable for its espresso.
An experience all by itself, remaining at one of the notable espresso ranches in Chikmagalur. These espresso domains commonly incorporate old, frontier engineering and stick to rare inside plan patterns to cause you to feel like you’ve turned back the clock. These domains, which are among the top areas to visit in Chikmagalur, give a magnificent chance to encounter the grand idea of the district and its extravagant quality since they are ordinarily situated on quiet slopes from the city’s traffic.
As well as remaining in one of the memorable homestays, you can choose to encounter neighborhood culture. According to the viewpoint of local people, it is an incredible chance to find Chikmagalur’s less popular destinations.
Chikmagalur is the profoundly preferred place for its quietness and flaunts a pristine emblem of pleasant, peaceful fields. It has an image of a wonderful scene with hypnotizing regular glory that entices everybody. This area is no exemption from being a famous end-of-the-week holiday destination for city inhabitants because of its great regular attraction and rich history. Recorded beneath are luxury resorts in Chikmagalur, every one of which catches the region’s tranquility and peacefulness.
Trivik Inns and Resorts
We investigate every possibility in offering the best support, eating, and diversion to make your visit a significant one. We invest wholeheartedly in providing you with the ideal mixture of extravagance, relaxation, and comfort across our properties in general, while flawlessly mixing in with our regular territory. We ensure that we care for the climate and live as one with the air of harmony and peacefulness given to us by our beautiful environmental factors. This is a luxury homestay in Chikmagalur.
The rich Trivik Resorts, one of Chikmagalur’s eco-accommodating hotels, is encircled by espresso estates and gives top-notch conveniences notwithstanding a pleasurable stay. The Chikmagalur Resort invites you to extensive, rich rooms that have extravagant couches, minibars, tea/espresso creators, and plenty of other in-room comforts. Notwithstanding, the feature of your visit here will without a doubt be awakening to the foreboding dawn and shocking mountain sees!
The 1200 square foot suites are outfitted with a changing area, gallery, and a Jacuzzi to give your excursion a more extravagant feel. You can choose a Nursery Suite, an Espresso Suite, a Mountain Suite, or a Family Suite relying on the view you’d like to awaken to.
Trivik gives free estate visits and breakfast, and there is likewise a boundless pool, a café serving global cooking, a bar, an exercise center, a huge fire pit, and an indoor jungle gym for youngsters. It’s the ideal luxury hotel in Chikmagalur for everybody!

/LonghornNation Daily Off Topic Free Talk Thread

Today: 3/22/2023

Last Thread

Current Austin Weather: 68° and Clouds

Seven Day Forecast:

3/22	3/23	3/24	3/25	3/26	3/27	3/28
75°, Clouds	85°, Clouds	84°, Rain	81°, Clear	77°, Rain	74°, Rain	74°, Rain

Your go-to place to talk about whatever you want. From the dumb shit aggies do on a near daily basis, to the latest whatever happening wherever. What ya got?

Recent Longhorn Tweets

1. @sehlinger3 GREAT day to be Longhorn🤘🏼 #HookEm https://t.co/hGlgsCsG0T
2. @CoachTomHerman RT @TexasFootball: Welcome to the Texas family Darion Dunn (@Darion_dunn1)!🤘 #TrUTh21 https://t.co/iwzjBdhK3x
3. @TexasFootball It’s a battle in the trenches 😤 https://t.co/qtiTSCeRri
4. @MikeRoach247 Just became a College Park fan. Not many people better out there than @Coach_Coats. Tremendous coach and dude. https://t.co/Mqj9RmJrrG
5. @_delconte Mother Nature needs to hold off just a tad longer 🌧… let’s go boys 🤘🏽 https://t.co/WH8215ARvQ

Trending on Reddit

/All

1. Ohtani strikes out his Angel teammate Mike Trout for the final out and wins the WBC for Japan!
2. Stabilised footage of the Bigfoot film from 1967.
3. To dance with the girl
4. Bouncer potentially saves a lot of lives. Stops armed man in devils mask from entering strip club wielding a firearm and flashlight.
5. ‘Don’t Say Gay’ lawmaker pleads guilty to COVID relief fraud

/CFB

1. The Twelfth Annual /CollegeBasketball Bracket Challenge
2. Alabama's Tony Mitchell drove 141 mph before arrest
3. [Kollmann] USC’s field is basically a lake right now and the indoor facility is apparently not long enough for a 40 so they have to do [pro day] out here.
4. 2024 4 star running back Jordan Marshall commits to Michigan
5. Pac-12 has ‘solidarity’ between remaining members, Utah president Taylor Randall says
6. Per Jon Wilner: The PAC 12 Presidents didnt meet today.

/LonghornNation

1. [3/21/2023] Tuesday Off Topic Free Talk Thread
2. [Post Game Thread] ⚾ Texas defeats Incarnate Word, 17-11
3. Hopefully this puts any Ewers/Arch QB battling to rest
4. [Game Thread] ⚾ Texas vs. Incarnate Word - 6:30 pm
5. Steve Sarkisian Media Availability [March 21st, 2023]
6. Vic Schaefer: "I need to apologize to the University of Texas for today and how my team played. I'm accountable for that. I'm the head coach. It's my responsibility to make sure we play a lot better than that. This university deserves better than that."
7. [3/21/2023] Tuesday's Sports Talk Thread

LonghornBot: you can get a list of commands you can give for the bot by commenting ".help". You will receive a private message with the commands.
This thread was programmatically generated and posted on 3/22/2023 12:03 AM. If you have any questions or comments, please contact brihoang or chrislabeard

Hi!
Today we're continuing the topic of content with the car🚗
​
And now we're going to talk about a new stereotype that's ingrained in us thanks to movies.
This is about a sexy car wash🧼
https://preview.redd.it/4vcre1tz18pa1.jpg?width=950&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=74424319f3535b0dfdf8fa21671f5c5dbf65fbd4
Yes, yes, today we're going to combine business with pleasure!
​
Remember how often in movies or cartoons girls appeared in tops and short shorts and washed the car. It always looks beautiful and sexy. So why not do it again and you, if you have the opportunity?
https://preview.redd.it/itgb1gh128pa1.jpg?width=950&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0531e19f5f9fb28a3e0f967a5050935e78ccc505
Dress in the shortest and most provocative clothes or underwear. You can also shoot this content completely naked. Do not forget the foam, lots of foam.
​
https://preview.redd.it/8261vdr228pa1.jpg?width=690&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=360fdfc10e404822d8bdc0bb2a6929f45ce16b6c
A great continuation would also be if after washing the car you start washing yourself, gradually getting naked. From this you can make a great photo set, or make a video.
​
https://preview.redd.it/ls3e8gt828pa1.jpg?width=950&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cb109421877d6a0a2e34bdba85a98cf49f52faf5
https://preview.redd.it/r2835st828pa1.jpg?width=950&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3ab404fa8457f0ae1f37afbc700e50cb46337fb2
https://preview.redd.it/57yvwut828pa1.jpg?width=950&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86d182bbb75833a419e2cc5a44848fdf91139c19
https://preview.redd.it/2n4qcvt828pa1.jpg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=10caccd41f6699d19ba39615d130589085f65174
https://preview.redd.it/d46tywt828pa1.jpg?width=950&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bc9027aa58b8be7c1592b37746fdff78bc61210d
https://preview.redd.it/u9zn2rt828pa1.jpg?width=950&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=60a64c8ab5446f2fdfb8d456272ff616350fc5e2
Put an upvote to this post if you like it. Write a comment if you like the idea.
We'll be following up with more car content ideas soon.
​
See you soon!
Rockstar Agency🌟

Struggled for a long while in the 2nd and "only" finished on 12-25 shooting, but came up with some big buckets in crunch time to lead the team at long last to .500. A huge win for the young Thunder team over a strong Clippers team who challenged them in a great back-and-forth battle
https://www.espn.com/nba/game?gameId=401469237

Hi, I just started playing this game in an attempt to escape from the hell hole that is Warthunder naval. I'm having trouble figuring out what to do though- right now I'm using the Aoba but I'm about to unlock the Myoko as well.
-How do I make more of an impact on the battle? It seems like most of my games are just skirting the edge of the map shooting HE at enemy BBs that pop up. I can't seem to hit DDs at all at range, and when me and a DD do manage to surprise each other coming around an island at close range, they just pop smoke and get a bunch of free damage on me if I can't get to cover fast enough.
-If I follow my team's small ships to outside a cap, I end up getting spotted by a DD and trapped behind an island while enemy ships are shooting at me from 2 sides, but if I just run around the whole game keeping all enemies 14km away from me, I miss a bunch of my shots, and sometimes my team just falls apart as well. How do you find that middle ground?
-Subs and CVs? If one of these fuckers happens to focus me at any point in the game, it always seems like it's game over. I can't figure out how to avoid them consistently and it really doesn't feel like even popping the AA boost + fighter consumables deters CVs at all. I can never seem to hit subs with the depth charge planes, and even when I(rarely) manage to, it just tickles them as they send another salvo of homing torps at me that takes off 10k of my health. Even if I just immediately turn tail and run away the torps still catch up most of the time. Any tips?

Greetings, Huntsmen, Huntresses, and gender neutral Hunters! Welcome to another week of writing prompts! If you are new here, this is a community-driven weekly event, and the purpose is primarily to generate creativity and have fun while doing so (whether you are a 100% real-meat person or not, we don't judge).

If you missed the news, /RWBY and the discord both have new moderators! Be sure to give them all a warm welcome! :)

What will be involved Special Note for Spoilers!:

Each week, three RWBY-related topics will be posted (subject to ties and special events!). Participants can write a short piece of fiction or dialogue based on that prompt. When writing, the suggestion is to aim for 1k-3k words, however, this is not a requirement. There is no goal - this is not a popularity contest - just write and have fun! If you have any questions, feel free to ask! :)
SPOILERS:
You may write spoilers for the most recent episode into your works. However, we ask that you treat it like NSFW entries and post elsewhere (FFN, wattpad, etc.), link to it here, and provide proper warnings, okay? Great! <3

Rules (gore, NSFW, spoilers etc.)

The rules are the same as the sub's posting guidelines. Nobody here wants to see your story taken down, so please refer to them before contributing! If someone chooses to ignore these rules, the post will be removed.

Additional information

Pre-writing is welcome! /rwbyprompts is a sub with writing as a focus - there you will find an archive of all the threads as well as a somewhat fleshed-out wiki with odds and ends. :) A detailed spreadsheet of WPW things is here! Keep in mind that this houses a lot of the old prompts, but it also has links and things like early participation to previous WPW threads. We're trying this whole week-to-week thing in the face of the bajillion prompts we had built up. We might do something with them, or people might cycle them back in, who knows what could happen??
Find us on Discord at The Qrow's Nest! The permanent invite has been deleted due to Discord bot shenanigans, so dm shand if you want an invite!

The Prompts!:

This week is dedicated to Spring Break, which means we're going freeform! The theme is obviously every student's favorite time of year - write what you like (but try to behave yourselves haha!)

Next Week's Poll:

The annual Spring Break Beach episode is on, so we're still on last week's poll! :)
The Poll!

Last Week:

Some of the older threads keep getting updates - if you spotted a to be continued, you might wanna go back and have a peek! ;)
The [thread]()
The Prompts:

• Team RWBY always gets the lowest scores on "survival and evasion" exercises. Finally, somebody from another team has to explain that a trail of wanton destruction isn't evasion.
• The Rwby crew (can include villains or not) play among us.
• Yang's arm gets a Prosthetic Yang to replace the Yang it lost.

Alternate-Secondary Prompts:

• An AU where Pyrrha is Jaune's childhood friend.
• Pyrrha's ghost possesses Ruby so she could interact with Jaune. (Nothing "unsafe" happens, though)
• The tragic story of a young huntress (or huntsman), the ravenous horde of Grimm (s)he has fallen in love with, and the disapproving society keeping them apart.
• Team WTCH abridges a RWBY episode of your choice (btw the comment isnt stickied).
• The history of SDC corporate branding.
• RWBY/HI FI RUSH Crossover!
• Rather than be inspired by Qrow, Ruby instead bases her weapon(s) and combat style off of a different scythe wielder (not necessarily from the RWBY-verse).
• Top GeaGrand Tour Remnant Special, featuring Yang Xiao Long. Hilarity ensues, as is the usual for Top GeaGrand Tour.
• Young Maria going for tryouts at Haven Academy.
• One character has something in their teeth, and another JUST. CAN'T. STOP. STARING at it.
• JN_R visits the neighborhood where Pyrrha grew up.
• Yang finds a Terran main battle tank. Chaos ensues.
• When Crocea Mors was created, a soul was born in it. This secret is known by the Arc Family only, with the exception of Jaune. So when the sword reawakened, it introduced itself to Jaune while in front to Team JNPR.

Upcoming Events:

Next week is Spring Break!

Important Stuff and Things!

I have managed to rescue /RWBYFanfiction from an untimely demise! If you would like to share your fanfic or make recommendations, head on over there! I know that I've said something special was coming for this, but Ruby on Rails is hard and not cheap to operate. The fanfiction indexer that I was trying to set up just isn't working and probably needs someone with more experience in RoR programming/design. I haven't completely put it to bed, but it might be a while before I can circle back to it. In the meantime, the fanfic sub has actually had a decent amount of postings - head on over and say hi! :)
No matter how bad things may get, words will always have meaning. Now get out there and write something, but most importantly, have fun! :)

Contributing my own experiences as I got a lot of helpful information on this sub!
Went to Osaka - Kyoto - Nara - Fukuoka - Nagasaki - Hiroshima - Matsuyama - Okayama - Himeji - Wakayama.
Will mainly be writing about highlights for each place after some general info:
General:

• Solo traveller in my early 20s from Australia. Travelling as an end of uni celebration for myself before I start my career. I am fluent in conversational Japanese, however reading and writing skills are at the level of primary school lol - google translate camera helped.
• I mainly travelled with one 32L backpack (used a light drawstring backpack on day trips when I left my 32L at hostels/ coin lockers). I did take a mostly empty suitcase to take souvenirs and just for some extra space at the end of my travels, but I left this at a friend's house while I was going around. And also to take my hiking boots for when I did the Kumano. Travelling light was amazing.
• JR pass was totally worth it as I used trains and shinkansen extensively. Also forgot my luggage like an idiot in a different city once and the JR pass saved me on a lot of time and money when I had to go back and retrieve it.
• I stayed in the cheapest hostels - great places to meet people and I met up with a few later on in my trip, which broke up the occasional boredom/loneliness of solo travel. Also went to izakaya and hot pot places with them where more = merrier.
• Got Mobal unlimited SIM card - however keep in mind that data speed slows SIGNIFICANTLY after going through the first 7GB, might as well not have been unlimited. I should have used free Wifi whenever possible.
• Withdrawing cash - major fuck up of mine, I only withdrew 10,000 to 20,000yen each time, so wasted a lot of money on transaction fees. Next time will cash out bigger amounts, especially as risk of theft in Japan is relatively low. Am counting this as a lesson for a first time traveller.
• Overall expenses including plane tickets, food/ entertainment expenses, accommodation, travel insurance (via RACV), transport, SIM card = $4000 AUD for 4 weeks (I did minimal shopping, also stayed with friends for free for 1 week).

OSAKA

• Churaisai: Okinawan cuisine restaurant - went on a friend's recommendation. Delicious, one of my favourite restaurants now. In Takatsuki, only a couple minutes walk from Settsu-Tonda Station.
• Mister Donut and Duskin Museum - small, however can decorate or make your own donuts if you book (which I didn't). Actually found the upstairs Duskin cleaning museum more fascinating.
• Namba, Dotonbori, Umeda - busiest part of Osaka, loved the vibes, great street food and shopping. Definitely get some takoyaki.
• Hattori Ryokuchi Koen - in Suita. Open air museum of old Japanese farmhouses, found it surprisingly very interesting to imagine how people must've lived. Beautiful plum blossoms in bloom as well.
• Minoh Koen - Beautiful landscape. Must try the momiji tempura (deep fried maple leaves).

NARA

• Super fast mochi pounding - see up close and then enjoy the freshly pounded delicious yomogi mochi filled with anko paste and covered in kinako powder.
• Todaiji - one of the largest bronze statues of Buddha.
• Horyuji - arrived 20 minutes before closing, was rushed through but also there were absolutely no other tourists left and the atmosphere of the quiet temple was something else.
• Kofun - ancient tombs/ graves for important people, interesting if you are into history.

KYOTO

• Arashiyama - beautiful bamboo forest but busy with tourists. My favourite part was the Monkey Park (requires a fair uphill hike but beautiful view of Arashiyama town). Tenryuji Garden was also very pretty and peaceful. Lot of food and souvenir stores.
• Kinkakuji - beautiful shrine covered in gold.
• Byodoin - tranquil garden and shrine. Located in Uji which is famous for its green tea.

FUKUOKA

• Best tonkotsu ramen I've ever had at a place called Kirin ramen. Fukuoka is famous for hakata ramen!
• Uminonakamichi Seaside Park - rented a bicycle and cycled around, is on a scenic island connected to the mainland. Then walked to Shikanoshima (which is further along the island) to the beach and Shimanoumi Jinja.
• Motsunabe at a place called Miyamoto, staff were super friendly and the food was so good! Convinced some people I met at the hostel to eat with me as nabe is something you can't really eat alone, and the place was only across the road. We had an unfinished bottle of sake there and they let us take it back to the hostel.
• Dazaifu - main temple sadly under construction but had umegae mochi (so good!). Pretty plum blossom trees. Line of shops leading to temple from the station selling souvenirs and other goodies.
• Ainoshima Cat Island - caught the ferry here with a new friend from the hostel. Beautiful ocean scenery. Friendly cats. Delicious roast curry for lunch at this hidden away restaurant, awesome vibes, they gave us pieces of sea glass to take home at the end. Very cute.
• Yatai - small mobile food stalls alongside the river in Fukuoka. The one we went to had great gyoza and vibes.

NAGASAKI

• Bomb Museum and Peace Park - heartbreaking and thought-provoking. I have been to the Hiroshima one before but this museum is definitely worth going to as well. Cheap admission, very well structured, very interesting and important lessons.
• Urakami Cathedral - beautiful cathedral but emphasised that it is not a tourist attraction.
• Oka Masaharu Museum - small 3 storey home exhibit tucked away, a shame it is not better known or advertised. I was the only one there and it looked closed from the outside when I was looking for it. Very detailed and informative sources on the war crimes committed by Japan on Korea and China.
• Dejima - open air museum of the preserved former trading Dutch post. Reconstructed buildings and exhibitions inside. Open til late.
• Champon at Lao Lee in Nagasaki's Chinatown. Must try
• Unzen Onsen - debated whether worthwhile the 1.5hr bus ride from Nagasaki but glad I went. Bubbling mud and vapour clouds. Wish I had planned better and went early enough to hike. Soaked in the onsen. Had to get used to the sulphur smell but very cool place.
• Toruko rice is a Nagasaki specialty with spaghetti, beef sauce, tonkatsu and curry pilaf on the one plate. Tasted great.
• Inusayama Observatory - took ropeway to the top of the mountain to see one of the top 3 night views in Japan.

HIROSHIMA

• Note: only time I stayed in a capsule hotel and didn't enjoy as much as my other accom. Something like 30 beds in one room, lots of business people coming and going at odd times, people not as friendly as a guesthouse. Obviously this is not relevant just to Hiroshima.
• Miyajima - ate Hiroshimayaki, climbed Mt Misen (very steep! Took around 75mins to climb 2.5km but view was worth it). Must eat age momiji manju.
• Fukuyama - went to the castle grounds, and the art museum. 2 exhibits in the art museum plus an additional special katana exhibit which we unfortunately didn't have time for. But art exhibits were cheap and I enjoyed it.

SHIMANAMI KAIDO CYCLING: ONOMICHI to IMABARI 76km

• Stayed in Onomichi the night before - small seaside town. Cinema Museum and History Museum were small but interesting, especially the cinema museum. However there is no English information so found it a bit inaccessible.
• Left early to rent the bicycle and catch the ferry across to the cycle starting point. Would recommend anyone in the area to do the cycle, it is absolutely beautiful going across the 7 islands between Honshu and Shikoku, biking across the ocean on the bridges connecting the land. I am not a cyclist but relatively fit so I finished in about 6 hours, and only stopped briefly for breaks. Because I left so early many of the stores weren't open for the first half of the trip. Doable for beginners as well, you can cycle part of it and go back or catch a bus, split it into two days by staying a night somewhere, or cruise along the whole thing in about 10 hours. Path is incredibly well marked and easy to follow, roads are safe and lead all the way to Imabari station, the finishing point.
• Area is famous for citrus, lots of citrus desserts even in the konbini.

MATSUYAMA

• Caught the train to Dogo Onsen after my cycle. Unfortunately the main onsen was under construction, and only allowing limited numbers to a restricted area. I opted to go to the two smaller onsens connected to it called Tsubakinoyu (soooooo hot! Couldn't stay in longer than 5 minutes at a time. Awesome for my fatigued muscles) and Asukanoyu (the newest of the three onsens, very clean and very warm).

OKAYAMA

• I may have been getting tired of travel at this point but felt like there wasn't much to enjoy here. Okayama Castle was pretty from the outside, they had English resources but I still found it a bit hard to follow. I should've also eaten beforehand as there was only a small cafe inside. Korakuen Garden is famous and huge but the grass looked a bit dead when I went. Still beautiful though, nice place for a picnic.
• Kurashiki was very cool! Old preserved merchant town with buildings converted into museums, shops and restaurants. Area is famous for producing denim. Easy access via train from Okayama.
• Kibiji / Kibi plans - rented a mamachari (bicycle) but I got lost and didn't make it the whole 17km between Bizen-Ichinomiya station and Sojo station as I didn't have enough time. Easy to get lost if not paying attention to signs. Pleasant trail meandering through rice fields, going past historical sites.

HIMEJI

• One of the few surviving castles in Japan. Obviously maintained and refurbished but walls still intact after hundreds of years! Beautiful structure, extensive and fascinating history exhibits. Definitely worth going.
• An artist called Yuki Matsuoka had a little exhibition in the shopping street between Himeji station and the castle. Was some really cool art, and artist is hella friendly.

WAKAYAMA - KUMANO KODO PILGRIMAGE HIKE, NAKAHECHI ROUTE

• Spent one night in Tanabe, then hiked 4 full days (80km total for me) staying in Tsugizakura, Yunomine onsen, Koguchi and Shingu.
• World Heritage Site. Beautiful and challenging hike across mountains. Saw 2 wild deer, felt very lucky. Visited the three Grand Shinto Shrines in the region: Hongu Taisha, Nachi Taisha and Hayatama Taisha, as well as Nachi Falls, the tallest single-tier waterfall in Japan.
• Required extensive planning as minimal food available, accommodation is limited and needs to be booked early. If staying in Yunomine Onsen my hostel had 3 of its own private onsens inside included in accommodation fee. Blissful after a day of hiking.
• I regret not collecting stamps from the very start, as if you do this and the Camino de Santiago they award you with a 'dual pilgrim' recognition, as they are the only two pilgrimage routes listed as World Heritage sites. Also the stamps are very detailed and unique to each area.
• I caught the train back to Tanabe from Shingu along the coast - stunning ocean scenery and beach areas. Stayed another night in Tanabe before heading to Kansai Airport to return home.

Had the most wonderful time :)) Just missed the cherry blossom season but also means I missed the peak tourist season too so am content. Would love to explore the north and east areas of Japan next time I travel!

I have not been shooting very long on digital, but I loved it at the start. I would bring my Canon R10 everywhere with the 18-150mm lens. granted, it did not produce the sort of look I was going for, but most things looked good, and some things still do, to my beginner eyes.
A few months ago, I got injured, and could not go out to shoot. It was a bummer, since I was getting into it, and was shooting almost daily. As my injury healed, I went back, but I couldn't feel what I felt. The joy of being out there, taking photos of anything felt like it dwindled away.
Recently, I decided to get into film photography, after purchasing a disposable FujiFilm camera. I had some of the most fun I've had, and decided to bite the bullet and purchase and SLR. I got myself a Canon F-1 and a 50mm 1.8.
This decision made my recent "work" (I wouldn't call it work just yet, nothing too great since I'm only starting out) much more enjoyable to shoot. I've been outside almost everyday, either with my SLR or my R10.
Film photography helped me slow down. It find purpose and work on telling stories through my images. It helped me be intentional with what I was doing. The joy of shooting is stronger than ever, and has been for a while for me personally. Something that affected me quite a bit was using a prime lens. Due to me purchasing an SLR, I inevitably found out that the older lenses could be adapted to my modern camera. So, that's what I did. This made me realize that joy was not coming from the tool, but rather the actions needed to take a photo. Especially, when being slow and methodical with your approach. Having a prime lens helped me find things and sparked my creativity like nothing else.
Before this, I would zoom in to make something look okay. After my experience with film, having only 36 exposures I had to be patient. I had to learn to accept that somethings just don't look good.
If you are reading this, and have not tried film photography, I would highly encourage it. If anything, I may even prioritize this over my digital photography.

Hello! This was supposed to be a series of videos, each discussing Ninjago media but I ran into technical difficulties and I was forced to make this as massive posts. I'm using the script I wrote for the videos so sorry if the wording seems a bit weird. I've changed it as much as I can. This segment was written on the spot. This post will discuss the pilots. So without further ado, let's dive into this. The pilots were released on 14th January 2011 and are the first official part of the Ninjago canon. They consist of two 22-minute episodes or four 11-minute episodes depending on where you view it. Most people have seen it as 2 episodes tho including me so I'll be talking with that configuration in mind. The first pilot is called "Way of the Ninja". This is basically the foundation of the show. The first shot we get is a beautiful landscape with a blacksmith shop at sight and an old man, who we will soon find out is Wu, walking towards it. Then we meet our main protagonist for the pilots, Kai - a young boy with a fiery temper and a desire to be the best at everything. We see his impatience when he pulls the sword out the fire the wrong way and it doesn't turn out straight. Then we meet the catalyst for Kai's journey as a ninja- his younger sister Nya. At first glance we can see she is much more patient and even tho she is younger, she's much more mature than him. Through the dialogue we find out that their parents are gone or presumed dead but that is later to be discussed. After the revelation of this fact we can imagine they lived on their own their entire lives. And now we see the old man approaching. The viewers witness a short brawl with words between Kai and the elder. Kai's hot-headedness is at full display in the next couple of scenes when the main antagonist of the pilots is revealed through dialogue. The sky goes dark as the Skullkin approach with their skeleton-themed vehicles. Then we meet 3 of the Skullkin, Kruncha and Nuckal, the comic reliefs, and Samukai - the general. As Kai gets ready to fight he warns his sister to stay back, showing his protective nature towards the people he loves. After a short fight tho, Nya joins the battle. Unfortunately she soon gets kidnapped by the skeletons. Wu saves Kai. Then we get this confrontation between the two contrasting personalities. Kai, angry and ready to fight wants to follow the enemies and save Nya but the wise old man who reveals himself as Sensei Wu tells him that he stands no chance and he can't follow them into the place they live in, the Underworld. So he invites Kai to become his pupil. Kai accepts with the intention of saving his sister. And so his hero journey begins. We get the iconic "Long before time had a name" monologue in which we find out Wu is the FSM's younger son and his older brother, Garmadon was corrupted. He is the one who ordered the kidnapping of Nya. We get a fun little training montage with all of Kai's failures but as times goes on he studies all the difficulties in the course and soon masters them. This shows his adaptability to new situations. Kai is impatient to learn Spinjitzu so he can fight off the Skullkin and asks when is he going to learn it but Wu isn't impressed and leaves his question hanging. The next scene is in the evening. Kai is getting ready for bed when he gets attacked by mysterious men in black. After a brief fight between them Sensei Wu stops them and reveals that those are his other pupils. Then we witness the iconic scene of Wu using Spinjitzu to give the ninja their signature colours. The trio of ninja change their gi from black to their respective colour and Kai gets his own gi in firehouse red. Then we get introduced to the new characters. Jay, the one in blue, master of lightning, with a sense of humor and loves dabbling in cooking and model building. Cole, the black ninja and master of earth. He is the rock foundation of the team and the natural leader. And Zane, the white ninja, master of ice with untouched potential. Wu tells them about the four golden weapons and how each of them has to retrieve one of them. So they go for the Scythe of Quakes first. On the way the ninja chat about how each met Wu. Jay met him on top of a building, drinking tea and Jay crashed into him while testing his mechanical wings. Cole met him on top of a mountain he climbed. Zane met him meditating on the bottom of a frozen lake. Soon the team has arrived in front of the place where the Scythe of Quakes is kept safe. There are Skullkin all around the place. Wu tells them that when they get the weapon they mustn't use it. Meanwhile Kai runs off first. The others follow him and Cole says that he shouldn't run off like that or he'll blow their cover. They enter a cave where the scythe is but they bump right into Samukai. Then a battle unfolds as Jay realises that the way to unlocking Spinjitzu is just repeating the training course. Everyone unlocks Spinjitzu and the Skullkin escape. The team's celebration is short-lived when the guardian of the scythe shows up- a giant earth dragon. Quickly, Kai grabs the scythe and uses it, thus ignoring Wu's prohibition. As the ninja escape through a hole in the mountain, Wu greets them and scolds Kai for using the scythe against his words. This sets up Kai's arc about learning that not everything centers around him and he must let others help him. Samukai explains the situation to Garmadon. We don't see him, we only hear his menacing voice which amplifies his presence. The mere fact that we don't know how he looks and what to expect from him makes him more threatening. This is how the episode ends. Episode 2 is called King of Shadows. The episode starts with a ship sailing between two icebergs. The ninja are on the ship and they are traveling to the place where the Shurikens of Ice are kept. Then we get a montage where the ninja obtain the shurikens and the Nunchucks of Lightning. The next scene is the ninja having a break and dancing to some music. Then they go to sleep. But Kai sees Nya in the woods and he runs after her. Suddenly he is in front of the Fire Temple. He follows Nya in the building only to find her tied with chains above lava. Without thinking Kai jumped ahead and obtained the Sword of Fire from the pedestal and freed his sister. But then the unthinkable happens, Lord Garmadon himself shows up in his giant shadowy form. He transforms himself into Kai's shadow and beats up Kai pretty easily. But then Sensei Wu appears and fights the shadows. He takes the sword and falls with it down in the volcano of the temple to prevent Garmadon from getting it. Meanwhile, the Skullkin steal the rest of the Golden Weapons while the ninja are sleeping. They wake up and go after them but fail to retrieve the weapons. Turns out that the volcano that Wu fell in actually leads to the Underworld. When the ninja get to the temple they are greeted by Kai and Nya riding the fire dragon. Jay falls for her. Kai tells everyone that they need to befriend the dragons because they are the only creatures who can travel to the Underworld. The next shot is the ninja riding the dragons as they open a portal to the Underworld. They go through various different tunnels until they reach a massive cave with a skeleton base guarded by it's inhabitants. There are giant spiders everywhere. The ninja get quickly spotted and they attempt to form the Tornado of Creation successfully. With it they create a skeleton-themed ferris wheel with all the Skullkin trapped inside. The heroes move forward. Inside the base they find Wu fighting Samukai with the Sword of Fire while Samukai wields the rest of the weapons. Samukai obtains the 4 weapons and we see Garmadon for the first time in physical form. He doesn't seem worried about Samukai gaining the powerful objects tho. He's actually planned it all along. As Samukai spins with the four weapons he dissolves into dust. No one can handle all the power of the weapons at once. But after the general a portal opens and Garmadon enters it claiming he will return more powerful. The team is left with the weapons. In the next scene the ninja are back at the blacksmith shop celebrating temporary victory. Kai promises the villagers that they will be ready when Garmadon comes back. And we finish the pilots with the full team shot. This was so so long and I'm sorry for that but congratulations if you read through it all! Idk when I'll make the next post about S1 but seeing how 2 episodes took me so much time to write about, I'll try to shorten the post more or I'll be making a whole novel just for one season. I just wanted to take my time on the pilots, the next posts will discuss only the highlights. Anyways, have a nice day and till the next post!

Last year, I purchased my very first dog- a toy poodle. She is amazing and I haven’t had any problems with her. I tried to do a ton of research on ethical breeders beforehand. I ended up purchasing from a woman named Elaine Craig who owns Sunset Acres Kennels in Butler Missouri.
I got my dog for $2.5k. It was pricey but I figured it was worth it because I was impressed with the breeder. She was located in Missouri and I was in Texas so I spoke with her over FaceTime/email multiple times and she met me at the airport to deliver my dog. When I got her, she was wonderfully groomed and came with a ton of toys, food, and all of her records and parents certificates.
The breeder is an older woman and has been breeding since 1974. From what I can tell, she runs a pretty large operation and does have staff members to help her. She is registered with the AKC and part of their Bred with H.E.A.R.T. program. Both of my puppies parents came with OFA and eye certifications. My puppies grandparents were grand champions. Her dogs are regularly shown in conformation events. I got a pedigree going back multiple generations.
The breeder had me wait until my dog was 12 weeks old to go home which was a good sign. She had her vaccines but I had to get them redone at my vet since they were given by the breeder and not a vet. I’ve read this is common with larger scale breeders who do the vaccines themselves.
Anyway, everything seemed to be great when I got my dog and I haven’t had any problems. Out of curiosity, I went on her website again just to see the puppies. There is a new litter with the same parents as my dog but it’s been a year since my dog was born so I figured that’s enough time for the mom to recover. However, I did see a few puppies from a poodle and maltipoo cross. That concerned me since before she was just breeding toy poodles and yorkies. I decided to look up her on Google and I found this published in a website from just last month about puppy mills selling to pet stores. When I saw this, my heart dropped and I felt sick to my stomach. I have no idea how accurate this info is, could you guys look at it and tell me what you think?
Breeder website: https://sunsetacrespuppies.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwq-WgBhBMEiwAzKSH6AE2WAfNlKQBS2a5818pqHKA-VI86jkQOyBAhuvWIGvNZj779ZYhexoCgwoQAvD_BwE
Puppy mill allegation:
https://bailingoutbenji.com/puppy-mill-maps/cvi-data/arizona/
I just feel so awful and I’m really hoping that this breeder is ethical. The health tests, conformation, HEART certificate, and experience made me think this was a good choice. My question is, is it possible to be a large scale breeder with staff but still be ethical? The allegations combined with a mixed breed litter have me very concerned. I don’t even know if the allegations are true but I’m so scared.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!

Last year, I purchased my very first dog- a toy poodle. She is amazing and I haven’t had any problems with her. I tried to do a ton of research on ethical breeders beforehand. I ended up purchasing from a woman named Elaine Craig who owns Sunset Acres Kennels in Butler Missouri.
I got my dog for $2.5k. It was pricey but I figured it was worth it because I was impressed with the breeder. She was located in Missouri and I was in Texas so I spoke with her over FaceTime/email multiple times and she met me at the airport to deliver my dog. When I got her, she was wonderfully groomed and came with a ton of toys, food, and all of her records and parents certificates.
The breeder is an older woman and has been breeding since 1974. From what I can tell, she runs a pretty large operation and does have staff members to help her. She is registered with the AKC and part of their Bred with H.E.A.R.T. program. Both of my puppies parents came with OFA and eye certifications. My puppies grandparents were grand champions. Her dogs are regularly shown in conformation events. I got a pedigree going back multiple generations.
The breeder had me wait until my dog was 12 weeks old to go home which was a good sign. She had her vaccines but I had to get them redone at my vet since they were given by the breeder and not a vet. I’ve read this is common with larger scale breeders who do the vaccines themselves.
Anyway, everything seemed to be great when I got my dog and I haven’t had any problems. Out of curiosity, I went on her website again just to see the puppies. There is a new litter with the same parents as my dog but it’s been a year since my dog was born so I figured that’s enough time for the mom to recover. However, I did see a few puppies from a poodle and maltipoo cross. That concerned me since before she was just breeding toy poodles and yorkies. I decided to look up her on Google and I found this published in a website from just last month about puppy mills selling to pet stores. When I saw this, my heart dropped and I felt sick to my stomach. I have no idea how accurate this info is, could you guys look at it and tell me what you think?
Breeder website: https://sunsetacrespuppies.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwq-WgBhBMEiwAzKSH6AE2WAfNlKQBS2a5818pqHKA-VI86jkQOyBAhuvWIGvNZj779ZYhexoCgwoQAvD_BwE
Puppy mill allegation:
https://bailingoutbenji.com/puppy-mill-maps/cvi-data/arizona/
I just feel so awful and I’m really hoping that this breeder is ethical. The health tests, conformation, HEART certificate, and experience made me think this was a good choice. My question is, is it possible to be a large scale breeder with staff but still be ethical? The allegations combined with a mixed breed litter have me very concerned. I don’t even know if the allegations are true but I’m so scared.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!

Well located, spacious 2 Bedroom 1 Bathroom (900 sqft) apartment available for a lease takeover in Adams Point Oakland from May 1st to October 31st for 2350 per month. I can't figure out how to add pictures on here, and am not allowed to link to my craigslist ad so DM me if interested and I will send over pictures.
About the apartment:
​

• Secure garage parking available at extra cost
  
• Plenty of street parking
  
• Onsite laundry
  
• Elevator
  
• Fantastic neighbors/community
  
• 5 minute walk from Lake Merritt, Whole Foods, Grand Avenue
  
• 10 minute walk from Paramount Theater
  
• 15 minute walk from Bart
  

An individual or multiple people are welcome to apply. The starting date is flexible (with a preference for earlier). Please reach out for a video/in-person tour if interested. There is an option for the apartment to come furnished.

I'm writing a script to a video on trade routes and I've hit a wall with my research and need some help. Mainly on helping me define how the trade route buffs for the golden gate bridge and panama canal work. In game when describing the wonder it meantions that "routes passing through multiply the gold from districts at the destination." So when trying to find out how it works specifically I came to discover there was no mention of this buff on the wiki for trade routes nor the pages for the wonders themselves.
The page on trade routes covers every other trade wonder perfectly: great Zimbabwe, Torre de Belem, and university of Sankhore. But there is no mention of GGB and Panama Canal is only mentioned twice because of it being a canal, nothing on the trade multiplier.
What the wiki does state on trade route buffs is this:
"In Gathering Storm all Trade Routes passing through water tiles gain bonus Gold(Civ6)). Also, routes passing through advanced engineering features (such as a Railroad), Canal) or Mountain Tunnel)) gain additional Gold(Civ6)) bonuses. It is calculated as follows (remember that this percentage-based bonus only applies to basic Gold(Civ6)) yields from Trade Routes a.k.a. the Gold(Civ6)) yield based on the District) present at the destination, it will not enhance unique Trade Route bonuses or bonuses from policy cards):

• Water tiles (Lake, Coast or Ocean), Canal tiles, and Railroad tiles grant 2 "efficiency" points when a Trader passes through.
• Mountain Tunnel tiles or Qhapaq Ñan tiles grant 15 "efficiency" points when a Trader passes through.
• The exact bonus depends on the ratio of "efficiency" points versus the distance traversed by the Trader from the origin to the destination. For example, a Trade Route that earns 8 efficiency points on a 16-tile distance will earn 50% bonus toward its base Gold_(Civ6)) yield. This bonus caps at 100%."

I am lead to believe that these two wonders just give 2 efficiency points for each tile they take up as even a regular canal has the district multiplier description in-game, but is explained to only give efficiency points on the wiki, which makes sense. I could see the panama canal giving 4-6 efficiency points by technically being 2-3 canal tiles, and I suppose the GGB would give 2 efficiency points like a rail road, but I want to make sure of all this information before going forward and recording the video. Last thing I would want to do is confuse a new player or spread mis-information.
Also if you help me figure this out your comment gets to be in the video or something idk, but until then I'll see you in the next era.