So many of the restaurants in my local apps say 3.5 miles, 5 miles etc from pick-up to drop-off, but it's just not true. Half of the restaurants featured in app are nearly in an entirely different city, but they're still labeled as nearby spots.
I learned quickly. It really upset me to realize my driver had to come 7, 8, almost 10 miles outside of their usual routes AND THROUGH HEAVY TRAFFIC to bring me food, because I trusted the apps supposed distance. I will never make that mistake again.

Hi, and thank you in advance for taking the time to read. Let me start by saying I swear I'm not having a mid-life crisis. Everything is fine I'm just super indecisive.
So, my son (8m), my fiance (24f) and I (32m) live together in a 3 bedroom townhouse owned by her father. This essentially means we're getting a brea on the rent (paying $1350 per month when it should be around $1900-$2100). Back when covid hit and I got laid off I decided to leave the union and quit iron-working. I found a government grant that paid for me to go to Hvac school for free.
I graduated and made $100k my first year and around $135k my second. Iron-working I was making about $70k-$75k so this was a huge bump.
The only amoun of "splurging" I've done is paid roughly $30k to build the 1963 Chevy II SS I've been dragging around with me since I was 16, and the upcmoing wedding in October costing around $20k (FIL is contributing $10k and MIL is contributing $5k) so only $5k out of pocket for me.
Now keep in mind, before switching to Hvac I had virtually no savings and was living paycheck to paycheck. Currently I have about $18k in a roth ira account because my new employer doesnt offer 401k and I had to move out of my previoud employers provider. I have about $28k between my checkings and savings, another $70k in cash, about $10k in silver, and another $5k between a robinhood, wealthfront and charles schwab investment account. At the moment im averaging about $3.5k per week in gross revenue.
Heres the issue.
I am bored beyond belief and I dont feel i make anywhere near the amount of money I want/need to in order to retire by 40 (soft goal). I’m super insecure about my financial portfolio. I am chock full of ideas; some of which I feel could easily be multi-million dollar companies if they aren't already. I am hyper motivated but feeling discouraged after three failed business attempts.
The issues is I have zero network. I grew up super poor and was not by any means a model citizen growing up and have worked very hard and spent hundreds of hours in therapy to sperate myself from not only that lifestyle but from the people I grew up with so I dont have many friends left or at least no "lifers" that I've known for 18+ years or whatever.
I just feel like im at a platue now and I cant figure out what to do to take the next step. I want to take the $130k per year and make it $260k per year. That's what I've done my entire life. My entire resume is level-up list where every new Job I've acquired I've made more money than the lasy or at least improved my quality of living substantially compared to the previous situation and I’m ready for that. I want to have more children with this girl that I love. I want to get big ol house with some land and chickens and more dogs and have toys to fuck around on. I refuse to be one of the antiwork people and cower the the climate of hyper capitalism. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it happens I’m just waiting for that one opportunity to come along. I even have an llc just sitting there doing nothing atm. At the very least I’d love some advice on how best to allocate the $70k cash I have and put that money to work.
Any advice or input is appreciated and I'd love to discuss anything further in the comments! Also my location is Lv, NV.

Bed sharing with the baby got much needed sleep for my household and, quite frankly, saved my marriage. I know it’s not ideal so please don’t come here to condemn me. I want to get the baby into his own bed. He’s a couple weeks shy of being 6 months old, and currently he nurses to sleep. All of these habits are residual of when I was in survival mode (I don’t live near any family who could help me get some rest, so I had to do what I had to do). So now I have a baby who feeds to sleep and sleeps next to me. I need to know the best way to get him into his own bed. I have two options and am curious what others would do in my situation. I have a bassinet next to the bed, but it honestly has a lopsided mattress and he’s never slept well in it- the thing is kind of a piece of junk (it’s the Koola Baby Bassinet on Amazon, I do not recommend). And the other option is the crib in his own bedroom, but I know it’s early to be in his own room. What would you all do, and how would you go about doing it?? Please give me some advice. I’m a FTM, and just trying my best. I need the baby in his own safe space and my husband and I need our bed back. Thank you.

SilverKappa here. I don’t have it in me to look for a funny image to use for the intro today.
This is the RDA Recap.
INTRO
Jimmy Whispers – “Ice Cream Truck/Stray Dogs”
INVISIBLES
2nd Grade – “Teenage Overpopulation”
Louise Post – “What About”
Kate Miller-Heidke – “The Last Day On Earth”
Juliana Hatfield – “Don’t Bring Me Down”
SET 1
Tina Turner – “We Don’t Need Another Hero”
Dire Straits – “Sultans of Swing”
Neil Cicierega – Guide to the Lord of the Rings
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – “Gila Monster”
SET 2
CHVRCHES - “Graffiti”
Joe Satriani – “Satch Boogie”
AQUA – “Barbie Girl”
Tina Turner – “Acid Queen”
Nouvelle Vague – “The Killing Moon”
SET 3
The Cure – “Why Can’t I Be You?”
Band-Maid - “Sense”
Christopher Lee – “Name Your Poison”
Ruby Haunt - “Foolproof”
WTFIWWY
STORY 1: Multimillionaire's alleged plot to escape from a Florida jail and return to France unravels
STORY 2: A lawyer used ChatGPT and now has to answer for its 'bogus' citations
STORY 3: Black bear takes 60 cupcakes from US bakery, scaring staff
STORY 4: Man arrested for airdropping naked photos to strangers
STORY 5: Pa. man in jail after nearly burning his house down trying to kill spiders
STORY 6: India official drains entire dam to retrieve phone
SET 4
Dominic Noble – The Fellowship of the Ring ~ Lost in Adaptation
Talking Heads – “And She Was”
Sonic Youth - “Incinerate”
Weird Al Yankovic – “Hardware Store”
Lionel Richie – “All Night Long”
SET 5
Magdalen Rose – Why are Millennials Becoming Hobbits?
Tina Turner - “Goldeneye”
The Romantics – “Talking In Your Sleep”
Joel Haver – Trent is way out of line this time.
Yellow Magic Orchestra - “Rydeen”
OUTRO
Nirvana - “Silver”

Everytime me and her talk i feel a strong tense with her idk if it just me but i think she feels the same way. What i dont inderstand is how she acting towards me she always stares at me from a distance i caught her biting her lower lips while staring at me. Whats weird when i am near her she will start copying my arm movements. She copies my speech on the way i talk or interact with people. She stares at me like A LOT she doesnt really do this with other people. In all she is in a relationship. So, i am keeping my feelings to myself out repect for her relationship. But i feel she wants me to ask her out i am uncertain she keeps giving me eye contact and keeps copying me on what i wear what i eat how i dress and it at work too. A little weird. Always stares at me from a distance for a long time. My question is she trying to mock me make fun of me? Or she may feel some interest towards me?

I don't know what to do or know why I won't just leave. I have a car, a good job/finances, and alternative housing immediately available.
I know I'm in a toxic relationship. I hate admitting it, but it is definitely abusive too. I am not sure if it is mutually abusive or if I am just a victim.
I started dating this person a year ago. It's been a rollercoaster from the beginning. We both have extensive childhood trauma. I have done over a decade of therapy for mine. When we met, they had been in therapy for a year. I have been very aware of how my actions in relationships were unhealthy and abusive. I know I have complex PTSD but I never used that as an excuse for my behavior. I know things I've said to past partners were absolutely uncalled for and traumatizing. It's been over 5 years since I have lashed out at someone in an emotionally/psychologically abusive way. I have never spoken to or lashed out at my current partner in the ways I have in the past. What I have done is be paranoid but not in an accusing way. I have not accused my partner of cheating or talking to others; but I have asked them about it. I have never told my partner they couldn't talk to or see anyone. I have been curious about their life and, depending on the situation, have asked whether they were interested in someone as more than friends. They consider my questions as paranoia and controlling.
Background: when we started dating they made it clear that they were going to want to fuck other people eventually. They lied to me by omission about sleeping with someone and then slept with me the same day (which really pissed me off). After that incident, I realized I would have to ask very specific and direct questions. At this point, they have told me multiple times that they don't want to fuck around and they only want me but it's been hard for me to truly believe them.
Other background info: This person is really sick, physically. They have a chronic debilitating condition that is preventing them from working right now. Their parents take care of them financially. A couple of months after we started dating they contracted HSV1 from me (which I was open about having the whole time) and because of their underlying health condition, the HSV almost killed them. It was incredibly traumatizing. They were home-bound for over a month and I was their caregiver. They continue to have problems with it but not nearly as horrible as then.
Their behavior: They have always had difficulty letting me leave when I wanted to go home. It was endearing at first. I liked that they wanted to keep me around so much. I liked the attention and extra love they gave me when they were asking me to stay. The extra attention turned into them becoming upset if I persisted in trying to leave. They would get very pouty, say "no" and bump into me in a way I now consider a push/shove. Other things they did/do that caught my attention but brushed off are teasing me a lot and even though I've complained, they continue to say "it was just a joke, lighten up", and get mad at me for not being cheerful around their friends all the time. They also grab me hard around the arms and neck to pull me in certain directions. If I'm upset and being loud/talking fast they cover my mouth. They insist I be around them all the time when we are together, including when they are showering. If i'm showering they are free to do whatever they want, but if they are they continually ask me to be in the bathroom with them and get upset if I attempt not to be. They ask me specific questions about my conversations with my friends/what i've talked about in therapy; basically, they want a lot of details about my life but if I ask about theirs they might accuse me of being paranoid and controlling. Also, they blow up my phone if I am not responding to them when we are in conflict and away from each other and they have come to my house when i didn't respond.
Their behavior has become increasingly violent. I stopped excusing it and started pointing it out to them. They always denied it at first, which just led to us arguing about it. When we are in conflict I just want to get away. I do have a hard time saying something like "I'm leaving, i'll be back at X time" and instead I am frantically packing my things and just trying to leave, which they say triggers their behavior. They refuse to let me leave though. They physically stop me, they have taken my keys, they have thrown my stuff around many times, and the pushing has gotten a lot worse.
Where we are now: I have begun fighting back and it is a lot worse now. I have lost it. A month ago, they chased me down in a parking lot and shoved me against a store wall demanding I fix things immediately (this conflict started because I didn't support them enough when they were upset at another driver). When we got back to their place, they pushed me against the corner of a closet and I got a huge bruise on my ass. This bruise is what finally opened my eyes to how bad things are getting. They have thrown me on the bed by my neck, which they still deny. Out of anger at being denied so much (after the second incident of this) I showed them what they did to me by doing the same thing and now if I ever bring it up they say, "yeah, well you did the same thing to me". In the past month they have moved to another apartment. Now they live alone. We have not been able to go a week without a physical altercation. After the incident that resulted in a bruised ass, I confided in a friend about some of their behavior. I also recorded some of the moments they were yelling at me.
This past weekend we really fought. There was a fight earlier in the week, which included them refusing to let me leave, throwing my stuff on the ground and backing me into the fridge. I fell to the ground as well and was crawling away. They grabbed my shirt, pulling me back (choking me) and wrapped their arm around my neck to pull me off the ground. I got a scratch on my neck from this and some other bruises/scratches on my arm. Some days later we fought again and I don't remember what happened but I ended up telling them that I told my friend they have been pushing me around. This really upset them and they started saying I couldn't hang out with her the following day or go to her birthday party since now they couldn't go. I explained to them how hurtful and telling it was that they were more concerned about my friend knowing than how their actual behavior is affecting me (the person they say they love more than anyone). The next day they were super sweet and apologetic (they always are afterward, which I'm wondering if i'm addicted to this part), and wrote me a letter apologizing for lots of things. I read the letter Friday night. Saturday morning I woke up and snuggled them in bed for an hour before waking them up. I had my party to go to but was still trying to spend time with them by getting breakfast together. I had to wake them up for the timing to work out. Shortly after waking up they made a joke about how they didn't invite this one person out last night when they were with their friends (this is in reference to a previous conflict we had because at one point I wasn't allowed to hang out with their friends because I'm moody and I found out this other girl met up with them and they had been messaging through disappearing messages, so of course I had feelings about this). My response was, "well I hope you didn't secretly invite anyone else out" and they turned over and got pouty and all of a sudden I was the bad person and I was in a bad mood upon waking up. They ended up taking a shower and having a mental breakdown, screaming and what not. I was confused and angry. Really angry that they accused me of being in a bad mood when I had just been cuddling them for an hour trying to gently wake them. So I was unavailable to ease their emotional distress. At some point, they got out of the shower and I am over everything. I shoved them out of my way and they fell pretty hard and from there it's "look at what you did". They start acting completely different, talking in a small voice and saying things like "i'll do whatever you want, it's going to be okay." It was a trauma response. Seemed like they age regressed. And while I have sympathy and remorse, It made me angry that they were responding to me like this since I have been putting up with them shoving me and more for the past year. I am not sure what happened next but we kept fighting and then trying to de-escalate over and over again. At one point I made the remark, "yeah well I have plenty of recordings of you" and this is where things became very scary. They lost it and we fought fought over my phone. They were fighting me and trying to prevent me from leaving the room. They kept saying, "what kind of person would record another person" and forcing me to give them my phone passcode. At some point I bit them because they had their hands around me and they bit me back so hard I have a massive bruise because of it. They pulled out chunks of my hair. We both body slammed each other onto the bed/ground multiple times. I had my arm pressed against their neck at some point too when they were wrestling me. They choked me with their hands wrapped around my neck to the point I couldn't breathe. At some point they pinned me down and sat on me and refused to get up until they could access my phone again (it got locked because they were trying to get in it). I was defeated. After they erased all the evidence I had of them I decided I was going to look at their phone. They flipped their shit on me again and we started fighting more. At this point I was certain they were hiding something because of how violent they were being and not allowing me access their phone. They ended up slapping me after throwing me down onto the bathroom floor. Turns out they didn't want me to access their phone cuz they recorded me arguing with them after I shoved them that morning - literally the worst fight of my life began by them demanding i give them my phone and them making me feel like I was the worst for recording them when they did the same exact thing. They then went on to self-harm, and I insisted they go to the party with me becuase I was scared of what they would do to themselves.
I can count over 10 bruises/scratches from the past couple weeks of fighting. My partner has one bruise from when I shoved them Saturday morning. I do not want to minimize my violence towards them. I am just incredibly upset about how they are reacting about the bruise I gave them. When I bring up the marks they left on my body they usually respond with a sorry, but also with an "you bruise like a banana. And I'm not like one of those people who beats the shit out of their wives.", which i feel like dismisses my experience and pain.
OMG this was long, and it still doesn't convey everything. I am at work now and in shock. Been having panic attacks all day. I don't know what to do, and I am really confused about why I am staying in this relationship.

Just been struggling to stay ahead and I do have more money coming in the near future. I need a small loan or installment loan. At this point I am willing to accept any terms or rate bc I cannot get anyone to approve me for just $500. Please leave suggestions or companies that could help me. Greatly appreciate it!

I keep finding myself struggling to keep going. I work so hard to make things happen that others just have to fall in their lap. I don't mean I should win the lottery. I don't mean to be given a house. I mean why can't I file an insurance claim and just get a car repaired simply from someone that hit me? Why does something that's super reliable for everyone else just break for me? Why do I have to have anxiety every day to look a certain way when people just WAKE UP with that body style? Why can't I have that "right place, right time" moment? Why do people who put in so little effort get so much farther than me so quickly?
I don't have a bad outlook on life but I'm quickly spiraling these past few months. I'm losing hair from stress and I'm 20. I have a loving partner and a roof over my head and food in my stomach but good God, why does everyone around me have SOMETHING that was just handed to them? I'm not asking for handouts. I just don't understand why I need to kill myself every single day to make something happen that just HAPPENS for people. Things just LAND in people's lap and why can't something like that happen to me? I consider myself an optimist but I just can't NOT see it. So many people are just "at the right place at the right time". They're just "lucky". And my reply to asking this question is usually along the lines to "Change my outlook." or "To look on the bright side". It's not jealousy. Or at least I don't think. I don't desire to have these things HAPPEN to me, per se. I just want a break. I can't catch one. Not since I moved out at 18 because I was saving for nearly a decade before when others just managed to find a deal on foreclosure and bought a house with a few grand. I bought my car with money I got from a job I rode my bike to. I got my current job by busting my ASS for 3 years while battling depression. I fought to maintain my LIFE itself as my best friend was taken from me at 10 years old by abusive parents. Medications, medications, medications, Therapy, therapy, therapy. I can't LIVE harmoniously. There isn't a day where I can enjoy mental silence. Everything is so loud. I turn off my phone and I have to keep my mind busy with other tasks. I don't sleep well anymore without exhausting myself beforehand. Is this spoiled thinking? Am I being needy? I need raw and unfiltered advice. Anything helps.

Before I begin my story I must maintain that my sentence to death was a wrong and vile thing to do. I maintain that I am not a killer. I did not kill the schoolchildren the authorities decided to hang me for.
My sentence to death, I must maintain, is a huge misunderstanding. There must be forces out there against me, who conspired to put me in prison for this very experiment, this accursed expedition.
I am not deranged. I am not insane.
The man in the odd multicolored sweater paid me a visit a week before my scheduled execution date. “You are the former schoolteacher Chet Adami?” he asked, polite, offering me a plastic cup of coffee.
I nodded, taking a sip. “I didn’t kill those kids,” I reiterated, for about the thousandth time. “Are you the uh, priest guy? That comes before-”
He shook his head and waved away the guards. “My name is Canopy Hydrangea,” he introduced, extending a hand. I shook it. “I understand you may not be guilty, despite what the state believes.”
I nodded. “Finally, someone who-”
He cut me off. “I’m not interested in your story. Whether you die or not is of no consequence to the people I represent,” he continued. “But I am here to offer you a deal. There’s a place the people I represent need exploring, and I need volunteers.”
He produced a sheet of paper and a pen. “This agreement,” he clasped it into my hands, “has you join a team of expendable, uh, volunteers such as yourself on this expedition. You get in, get the things we need, and get out- and you’re free for life.”
This was better than dying in prison.
I asked him what place this was that I’d be sent to. He told me I had to sign the form first. “I’ll do it, then,” I cheered, signing the document.
He smiled and patted me on the shoulder. “We’ll even give you a whole new identity,” he offered. And with that, he seized the document away from me and left the building.
Within hours I was blindfolded, sedated, and transported. When I awoke I was strapped to a bed in a helicopter, with four others beside me, all beginning to wake up.
The man who’d offered me the deal was there too, sucking on a lollipop while rearranging documents and photographs.
These images, I assumed, was the place they wanted us to explore. They were mostly all aerial photos, a sea of endless green and the occasional bird. And yet, there was more- images of impossible landscapes, dreamlike beings.
“Ah, you guys are awake!” he clapped once, and walked over.
The next few moments were a flash as he re-injected us with some sort of blue, wriggling substance. It was cold, and I swear it pulsed inside my arm.
Then we had landed, and the group was quickly taken inside a compound. We were freed and sat down in some sort of meeting room. More people were inside.
A blue haired lady joined the man.
“Welcome, volunteers,” he announced, pointing to a projector. “You are all, save for one, prisoners on death row,” he reminded. “This offer today is simple- you enter the forest, travel to an outpost we have recently lost contact with,” he turned on the projector, displayed a bright red cylinder labeled ‘SYSTEM RECORDER-A32’, “and recover this data module.”
The woman spoke next. “Easy, right?” she counted us. “We’ll provide maps,” she gestured to tablets. “But this forest is different.”
They proceeded to explain the reason they need ‘volunteers’ for the assignment then.
We were on an island somewhere in the Java Sea. The island had a massive forest in the center, one that at first glance seemed as normal as ever. This changed when an international mining company sent in a team of geologists to determine if there was anything of note beyond the forest.
This team never returned.
Nor did a second team, armed with weapons. Or an environmentalist group that ventured in to document new species. So then the organization our recruiters had come from entered the forest.
We were on the outskirts of the forest, at a place they were calling Ake Base.
Over the past month, they had begun to map the forest and determine why so many hadn’t returned. The reason was illogical- the forest was bigger than the island itself.
Drones that ventured in should have come out the other side- yet remained inside the forest, encountering bizarre phenomena and creatures undocumented.
Every so often, the forest would slope downwards, revealing a new layer with new and distinct ecosystems.
“Recently though,” Canopy concluded, “we’ve lost contact with several outposts in the third layer to eighth layers.” He changed the slide to one of the lost outposts, standing alone amidst a vibrant, alien forest. “You enter the forest, get to your team’s assigned outpost, get back out with the data and you’ll be set for life.”
“Does anyone choose to rescind their agreement?” the woman asked. “It’s either death, or this, and frankly, your chances here aren’t that better.”
There were some who raised their hands. “Hell no!” a man shouted. “I’m goin’ back to life!” The woman had them taken away. We heard gunfire outdoors. No life row for him.
Whoever they were- they were serious about this.
They started to call out names and assign teams.
My team, was small, four of us. There was a mercenary named Leo who kept talking about the food the organization had brought us. He seemed pleasant, charismatic, and I almost forgot he was a criminal.
There was a scientist called Anya who, as she joked, was ‘serving infinite life sentences’ for crimes against humanity. She was given the codes and a booklet of things to watch out for in what they called the ‘Sea of Green’.
Then there was Gail. She was quieter than the three of us, and had an almost eerie vibe to her. She didn’t tell us what she’d done to get here, but she was there nonetheless.
Thankfully, we were given the closest- and safest outpost. A little place in Layer Three, marked by the map as only a few hours walk away.
We set off the next day.
The forest, in the beginning, seemed to almost invite us in. The birds chirped and danced, unafraid of mankind. We even fed them the nuts we’d been given as breakfast rations, which they seemed to enjoy.
About an hour in, things changed. The light from the sun barely pierced the canopy, and at times, we had to utilize our flashlights to see what was in front of us. Leo took the lead, hacking away at the branch and vine in front of us.
The forest was starting to look like a jungle- and yet, as we traversed it never seemed to choose which one it wanted to be.
“Wait!” Anya hissed, as we crossed a stream that seemed oddly familiar. She read from the booklet, then to the map on tablets we’d been given. “We’ve made a circle.”
Leo shook his head. “That’s impossible,” he insisted. “I don’t remember turning.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, catching up from behind.
Anya shared the booklet. “It’s one first phenomena researchers encounter,” she explained. “This place plays tricks on us- we need to follow the stream.”
“But then,” Gail pointed out, “we’d be going in the wrong direction.”
“Trust the book,” Anya concluded. We followed the stream then, and the path started to grow denser, as if the forest hated us for traveling further. But the path was right, and the forest changed as we journeyed.
An hour later the forest had changed. It had sloped downwards a bit, inviting us to the second layer of the maze. The trees seemed higher, and the light was now gone completely.
This was when we started to hear it. Click-click.
“What was that?” I asked, turning. Click-click.
Anya rushed through the book. “It’s not documented.”
Click-click. And then we saw lights in the distance, lights that as we continued walking, were revealed to us as bulbous fruit on the trees that glowed an eerie electric blue.
Click-click. “You sure it’s not in that book?” Leo questioned, switching his machete out for a gun. Click-click.
The clicks were getting louder, each one sending a jolt of uneasy fear down my spine. We moved closer together now, fearing the unknown that were in these- A bush in front of us rustled. Leo aimed his weapon.
A deer- no, something like a deer popped out, gently squawking. It was… wrong in every sense, but it seemed more occupied in chewing a flower than us.
The small creature had the antlers of a deer, yes, but it also had the face of an old man. Not to mention six fists full of thumbs at the end of its legs. It inspected a glowing fruit with it’s odd thumbs.
“Ew,” Gail commented, disgusted. “What the hell is that?”
Anya didn’t have time to look for answers before a black, insectine limp shot out of one of the bulbous fruits and impaled the deer-thing. It screamed an all too human scream and struggled.
We backed away- and by then, the noise was overwhelming. Click-clickClick-clickClick-clickClickclickClickclickClick-clickClick-click. They erupted from every single one of the bulbous fruits, and things began to pour out of them.
The limbs, see, were attached to a head. The a simple sphere that opened into buzzsaws of teeth that grotesquely clicked as they opened. The face-deer only screamed as the clicking creatures devoured it.
“Run!” Leo reminded, shooting as some started to near us. “Run!”
That shook us out, and we ran, terror in our very veins. They seemed more interested in the fallen deer than us- but we still ran until we could no longer.
Actually, it was until I fell off and entered the third layer.
A weight appeared on my chest and I fought it off, thinking I was about to die- but the soft, furry creature atop me jumped off. It wasn’t one of the clicking monsters.
And then I realized the third layer was bright. The trees themselves were glowing now, not the insect fruits of before. And there were a whole host of new, bizarre creatures.
The thing I’d pushed off was some sort of rabbit, covered in glowing blue stripes. If layer two had been a forest of darkness this was it’s very opposite.
In the skies there were ribbons of glowing creatures- thin kites on an unseen wind. The trees were alive with all sorts of furried friends, darting here and there and eating odd colored berries that didn’t seem real.
Anya pointed and spoke, “Look!” It was the outpost, in ruins.
“But what attacked it?” Gail murmured, as we walked over.
We entered through a hole in the wall. The place was oddly peaceful, calming, now home to bioluminescent little ants that dotted the place. Occasionally, one or two of the face-deer would appear, licking the dots up with twin tongues that emerged from it’s too-human face.
“Cute,” Leo joked, picking one up and stroking it. It screamed back at him, chilling and he dropped it. “Never doing that again.”
The place was… too peaceful. And- “what happened to their bodies?” I posited. “If they were attacked- where’s their blood? Their corpses?”
Anya shrugged. “It is odd- perhaps they got devoured.” She gestured to the many oddities around us. “But you’re right, there should be bones, at least.”
This was when we heard the screaming. And all of a sudden every single creature retreated away, disappearing from view, save for the tiny ants inside with us. The screaming was a cacophony of voices, realer than the ones we’d heard from the face-deer.
“I think we need to go,” Leo whispered, holding out the red ‘data module’ in his hands. “Now.”
The screaming got ever closer, and the trees in front of the outpost, beyond a window, started to shake. “I concur.”
We were backing away when we heard the squelching of something loud and heavy. Turning around, we saw the screaming creature we’d heard. It was massive, fleshy, and filled with tiny gaping holes, some filled with eyes, all rising, breathing as one.
I nearly threw up. But that was for a different reason.
The holes were one thing. But the screaming, severed bodies of dozens of people attached the the eye-full monster was another. They screamed and screamed, their bodies unneatly joined and sown into the creature.
It sniffed the air and walked over to the glass, looking in as we hid. “What is it?” I squealed. “What the hell is that?”
The face of a victim in military clothes appeared at the window, screaming, face slowly popping, skin repairing and being digested all at once. Anya flipped through the pages. “They called it a Fleshweave. It absorbs bodies and eats them that way.”
That would explain the lack of bodies we’d seen.
The window shattered- and the thing began to force itself on it, flesh turning to churned cylinders through the window. The bodies, crushed further, screamed some more.
So we ran as the beasts fell into the room with a plop. And despite it’s heavy, gluttonous form it charged forwards, faster than it looked.
Out the outpost we went. I felt a meaty hand hit me and then I fell. It stalked towards me, but a gunshot from Leo burst it’s pus-ridden hand, covered my in grotesque, viscous liquid.
I picked myself up and ran from the screaming thing, up the steep slope and climbing onto the second layer.
I fell again, but Anya caught me, helping me up.
Leo did the same for Gail- but she slipped and fell back into the third layer. The thing approached her, all of it’s pulsing eyes upon her. “Help me!” she bellowed. “Don’t leave me-”
Leo prepared to jump down- but it was too late. The Fleshweave simply picked her up and it opened it’s skin, forging her into her body- er, her top half,- it severed the rest.
“Go!” I snapped, dragging the mercenary to action. The creature behind us lifted itself onto the dark forest and continued to follow.
Gail, merged with the other unfortunate bodies, screamed. I almost stopped in terror from the sound, but flight-or-fight forced me to continue.
Click-click. We found ourselves back in the center of the abode with the insect fruit. And the insects were clearly attracted to the stench of decay the monster emanated. Limbs emerged, and the face-beetles jumped up and swarmed the creatures.
I don't know if the creature was killed by it. I only remember Gail’s face as the insects started to pick her body- and so many others like her- apart.
The way out seemed harder than going in, but we made it. We survived. We reached the outpost and handed our data module to the man who’d offered us the deal. “Impressive,” he congratulated. “You’re the first team back.”
“I want out now,” I panted. “Back to real life.”
He patted me on the shoulder and gave me a sad smile. “According to the world you’ve already died by suicide in your cell,” he informed. “See, there’s a way the people I work for have operated so cleanly for the past few centuries.” He paused and took a step back. “We can’t afford loose ends, see, and you’ve shown us you have the guts to survive Bandai La- er, the Sea of Green.”
I took a step back, panicking. “What do you mean?”
He sighed. “We can’t give you a new life and risk exposing our operation here,” he explained. “And we still need ah, expendable people to lead us to whatever’s in the center of the island.” He handed me a can of soda. “Welcome to your new life. The Company really values your dedication as a treasured employee.”
​
​
But I don’t want this. I was promised freedom. And they can’t keep me from exposing them- I’ve typed this up and Anya did something to the tablet so I can receive and post things online.
I’m not sure if this’ll work. But if it is: I’m on an island somewhere in the Java Sea. There’s a forest that goes on forever and I’m being held as some sort of explorer by some Company.
Find me. Before I die.

I have a house in Albany but I knew I was going to be gone for about a year and wouldn’t need to drive my car so I canceled car insurance. In order to do that, they had me turn in my license plate. Then I left my car parked in the small parking lot on my property.
Fast forward to last week, I get back to Albany prepared to get my car checked up by a mechanic & get license plates… and my car is not there. I call the cops, they think the whole thing is weird and can’t tell me why it was towed. Eventually they find out they were told by code enforcement that it was a code violation so they had it towed. They give me the phone number of the code office.
Well I just got off the phone with an unbelievably rude guy from the code office who cited code NYS PMC 302.8 and said I can’t have an unregistered vehicle on my property. I asked if they sent out a notice and he read off that they sent a notice to an address all the way in California that I’ve never heard of or lived near.
After I hung up, I looked up the code it and says “not more than one inoperative or unlicensed motor vehicle shall be parked, kept or stored on any premises, and no vehicle shall at any time be in a state of major disassembly, disrepair, or in the process of being stripped or dismantled”
Not more than one. I only had one. And it was not in a state of disassembly/disrepaietc. So I called back to get clarification and he said no the code says you can’t have unregistered vehicle. Then he hung up on me.
I don’t even know where to go from here. It was towed 2 months ago and it’ll cost over $2500 to get it out of the tow place. Is this guy being truthful that I violated a code? If so, which code? And if this was a mistake, what do I do?
Thanks in advance for any help or insight you provide.

31m live in Scotland (near Edinburgh) with my girlfriend.
I worked in heavy industry for 8 years earning £50k/yr for most of that in an environmental professional capacity. A profession that I fell out of touch with politically and personally. I quit and took up a simple admin job with the civil service that pays £23k/yr. I only have a £50k mortgage left on my property as I’ve always saved and overpaid, so it’s currently a liveable salary. I also have no other debt which helps. I was going to KMS if I stayed in my previous job. My new job is incredibly relaxed, no stress, but very monotonous and unfulfilling.
I fear that both me and my gf may lose respect for me if I don’t start making moves towards a greater purpose/career path. I’ve been for long thoughtful walks, listened to podcasts, I’ve journaled, I’ve recently been to a careers event in my local city (Edinburgh) and I have absolutely nothing! I just can’t summon interest or passion for anything from my soul and it’s depressing the hell out of me. I feel completely stagnant and worthless. The only thing I have any extra curricular interest in is Pokémon cards, but I already have a side hustle doing that. Im very agreeable in nature and admittedly do not handle high amounts of stress or pressure that well, so I definitely couldn’t go through the climbing the corporate ladder path.
If anyone can give me some practical / psychological advice as to how to wrench genuine passion out of my soul I would be eternally grateful.

Hi! I'm trying to build a Tymna Kodama deck. I didn't set a budget, since I'll be getting the cards I need as I can (I may also proxy it to test before actually buying anything). This deck is meant to control the early with stax pieces such as Rule of Law, Drannith Magistrate, etc; as I draw cards through Tymna mainly. After that it's turn to cast Kodama, and combo off Restoration Angel and Felidar Guardian, with Sidisi to find Acererak and win this way (Acererak would bounce itself as I wouldn't complete the Tomb of Anihilation, and the blinks between Felidar and Restoration would give me nearly infinite Kodama triggers). Another way of winning is through Protean lines, assembling one with a creature like Corpse Knight and the infinite blinks from before. Those are two examples but for sure there are more.
I've already built the base of the deck, however, I need to finish fine tuning it. I didn't get to play it before (I may pretty soon though). I don't expect a particular meta since I'll play in different groups. In one of them they're more likely to play either stax or turbo decks, with some Kinnan thrown in there. In another one they play from Krarkashima to Rocco pod or even Old Stickyfingers. This is the decklist:
https://www.moxfield.com/decks/AyOnkZO9hE-fJ16FqrCgyQ
Thank you all!

I'm new to using uber and was planning on using it during an upcoming trip, so we took one to the mall yesterday. Scheduled it the night before, it got picked up by a driver in 15 minutes or less, great. That ride was fantastic. Now, when we went to leave the mall, we tried to get a ride for an hour and had to give up and call my in-laws for a ride home. I tried different classes of vehicles to no avail. We live on the edge of the metro area, but only about 11 minutes' drive from this mall. Is this why no driver would pick up our request? I confirmed the car type and price and then the app showed me nearby drivers near our pin, but that was it. I didn't do anything wrong with the app, did I? When it got to the map screen there were no other options to select. Any insight into this would be appreciated. Best I can figure is that no driver wanted to take us home because they likely wouldn't find a pickup near our house and have to backtrack to the busier area we were in. ?

If I were to volunteer at a wildlife refuge near me, would that help with being able to get my foot in the door? I have experience already in my field so I was mostly wondering if “volunteer at FWS” being on my resume would help me stand out more. Or does it not really matter?

It was suppose to be an airtight plan, quick, easy and painless, I removed the catalytic converters, ran and airtight hose from the exhaust into the sunroof, took a bunch of sleeping pills and turned the car on. I sat there for nearly 4 hours with my throat and eyes stinging, 4 hours and that should've been enough to kill me yet neither the carbon monoxide or sleeping pills even knocked me out, how on earth did I even manage to fail at my own suicide? Wtf kind of sick joke is this? I must of been Hitler in my past life. And it's just great because I honestly believed I'd die, so now I am sitting here with a failed attempt and no plan on what to do now, do I just go back to planning? Maybe benzos this time? Starve myself to death Or try again? It's just not fair.

I'll briefly explain my hair loss and treatment timeline, then explain the conclusion my hair surgery and treatment clinic in New Zealand came to, as I'm curious about others thoughts on their summary.
Early 20's - Began noticing some thinning to the sides of my front hairline, and crown. Slight itching
By Mid 20's thinning got slightly more aggressive, however I also started getting a very oily and itchy scalp, but only in the locations on the scalp I was thinning, not all over. This was the first time I started to suspect that the scalp oil/itch and hair loss must be related, otherwise why would the oil/itch only be in the same spots and not everywhere like normal dandruff.
I kept the itchy scalp at bay using anti-dandruff shampoos, was still oily though. this was the way that it was for the next 13 or so years till my late 30's when I said enough was enough and looked into medical treatment again. I had looked at finasteride in my mid 20's but got scared off by the side effects, even though in hindsight the % of people who experience them is less than 5%, and I could have stopped taking it if I did get sides. Again in hindsight there was nothing to lose, shame I didn't think about it harder at the time. Anyway...
So I got prescribed finasteride 1mg from my doctor and began taking it. 3 months later there was no improvement to my hair quality (wasn't surprised as I knew it takes 9-12 months of follicle shedding/regrowth cycles to start seeing results. however, the itchy/oily scalp hadn't stopped either and because it was isolated to my thinning areas, I began to suspect finasteride was doing nothing, or wasn't strong enough.
I stumbled across dutasteride after reading about its higher potency due to the multiple 5-AR enzymes it targets and its much longer metabolic half life (5 weeks for dutasteride vs 6-8 hours for finasteride). So after approaching my doctor for an off label use prescription, I began taking 0.5mg daily. 2 weeks later, my scalp itch completely disappeared! 6 months or so later my hair quality had improved so much it looked as good at it did in my mid 20s!
I kept this dosage for the next 5 years until one day I went to fill a prescription and dutasteride had been discontinued in New Zealand, and began to panic. I reluctantly went back to my doctor and asked if he could prescribe me 5mg daily dose of finasteride as a substitute, which he gave me. However after 2 months off dutasteride and taking the elevated 5mg daily dose of finasteride, the scalp itch returned with a vengeance, and a few months after that my hair began to thin again. Eventually I contacted a hair clinic with surgeons who had offices in Australia and New Zealand. They said they could prescribe me dutasteride in Australia and have an Australian pharmacy send it to me in New Zealand. Perfectly legal so long as its personal use and no more than 3 months supply. Fine by me. So I'm back on dutasteride, scalp itch has gone again and now I'm just waiting for my hair to recover.
Conclusion from the hair clinic - They said normally dutasteride works for some people because their DHT overproduction is so high that finasteride can't keep up with it because of its short half life in your, so dutasteride stays longer in your system and builds up to give better suppression. In my case however they said the cause was probably different, and the scalp itch/oil was the giveaway.
The clinics summary was that DHT is produced in the scalp from hair follicle via the type 2 variant of the 5AR enzyme, and from the sebaceous glands via the type 1 variant of the 5AR enzyme. Overproduction of DHT in the sebaceous glands causes hyperactivity in the gland causing it to become inflamed and overproduce scalp oil. The scalp oil is a superfood for the dandruff fungus (which explains the itch). The scalp oil is apparently loaded with DHT and makes its way into the hair follicle via the oil. So their conclusion was that most likely in my case, dutasteride worked so well not necessarily because of how long it lasts in the system, but because it blocks both type 1 and 2 enzymes and therefore the DHT produced in the hair follicle as well as the sebaceous gland, whereas finasteride can only target DHT in the follicle. They said that with my condition, I could have taken 10x the daily dose of finasteride and it wouldn't likely have helped, because the cause was likely coming from the sebaceous gland over producing DHT and not the follicle. Again, this conclusion was strongly indicated by the accompanying scalp irritation and oil production which also ceased once I started on dutasteride.
So, to anyone out there who not only has hair loss in specific areas of the scalp, but also has itchy oily hair in the same areas, it's entirely possible that you could be better off on dutasteride. My suggestion aside from speaking to a professional is to try finasteride first for a few months, and if the scalp itch doesn't go away it could be time to switch gears to dutasteride and see if it helps. But try finasteride first as it's nowhere near as potent and therefore much safer.

I (21F) just am so overwhelmed and I have a wonderful boyfriend and some nice friends but they come from a different world. I just need a space out of them to vent.
Anyways life has been a tad unconventional for me. Addict bio dad out of the picture by age 3, chaotic and abusive young mom, hardly any familial ties out of my mother and paternal grandparents past age 6. Often acted as a caretaker for my significantly younger siblings one of whom has behavioral problems (adored them both though dearly). Started working at 14 and contributed to family finances/my schooling. Household became abusive in pretty much all the ways.
16 had a mental break and was hospitalized and institutionalized for about 6-7 months total. That's it's own can of worms. Left home at 16 after being back for a month due to a horrible event, ran away and moved in w/ paternal grandparents. Vaguely homeless for a bit at 17, then hospitalized and institutionalized myself at age 18. Horrible experience at the first center, abusive relationship, drug use got worse, clinical abuse blah blah. Finally made the decision for a higher level of care hours away in a smaller facility.
Whole life changed for the better, finally everything was clicking. Went to a sober living after and finally got an apartment with some folks. Sadly this was in SoCal and my roomies were older (30's) and were ready for a new chapter. I couldn't afford rent with no help and had to move in with a coworker and share a bed with her little sister. Finally it was time to let them get on with their lives and I felt guilty enough needing so much help.
Back with paternal grandparents who moved ~2 hours away from where I grew up. I sleep on a twin air mattress in their small office with no door. I appreciate it obviously but it is not ideal and we are not compatible housemates. I sustained a pretty decent injury that required surgery and got to stay in my uncle and his wife's guest room. (Grandparents stay in a small in-law unit in the back) however there is pushback on this even as I'm still healing.
I am constantly scrambling and trying to find anywhere to live. Obviously I would prefer a studio or single room apartment but they are so outrageously priced. $1,600 seems to be the LOW end. There are hardly any rooms for rent even and the one I just almost had rejected me as one housemate's gf was uncomfortable a girl (me) was wanting to move in. My grandmother picked up a job again to help me with half my rent so I can go to school full time finally.
All I want is to focus on school, I come from a family that isn't highly educated. That mostly came from poverty/low-income lifestyle's. I am (not to toot my horn much) quite intelligent and love to learn and have attainable dreams. I haven't had the time to just be my age. And when I do act my age I am ridiculed because I don't have that luxury. And tbh this is true, I don't.
I appreciate the help I am getting. But unfortunately it's just not seeming to be working. I have no financial support other than myself (and eventual help with half my rent ofc) I cannot physically work until July/August. I am on disability pay and nobody is willing to teach me to drive so I'm just stuck. I am so scared and stressed and it is overwhelming me. I haven't had to take my anxiety meds in months but have had to nearly daily the past few weeks. (They are as needed, all safe no worries!)
I also am just so lonely. My boyfriend is wonderful and listens and helps as much as he can. But I'm new here in this town. I don't have a strong support circle. I cannot only rely on him and thankfully I AM in therapy, at least the weeks I can afford it lol.
Anyways I don't know what I'm looking for, it just feels nice to put it out there. If there is any advice I'd appreciate it. I am trying my best. For school I enrolled in FAFSA, got approved for that as well as 2 state grants. I applied for our EOPS program last week. I start school for the first time in over a year in 2 weeks. So I suppose that IS a silver lining. And my boyfriend and dog also are. I shouldn't say there isn't any, and I'm lucky to have my grandparents. I just am scared and feel utterly small.
EDIT: grammar mistakes

Kendall is denial obviously
Shiv is bargaining, trading away family relationships, back with Tom despite everything, bargaining away her soul to be near the CEO
And Roman - he’s the only one that went through the entire grieving process after their dad died. He wailed and screamed at the funeral, went out and got beat the fuck up, went to his moms to process. In the final scene between the three of them, he says it’s all bullshit, it’s over. Then he sits with his legs crossed and just says “Ok. Ok.”
So he’s acceptance. He made it through the entire grieving process and can go be ok now.
Just something that occurred to me.

My health is bad. Real bad.
Mental and physical.
I nearly had a stroke today because I found out my bank account was overdrawn. My head and my chest hurt like crazy, but eventually went back to normal. I can already tell that I'm probably not going to make it through this year.
I'm out of money. My power bill is due very soon. If I disappear, that's why. I don't know if and when I'll be able to afford to live properly again. I'm screwed.
It sucks, you know? I only found out the thing I wanted most in life was to be some kind of software developer. I realized that just in the past few years. I grew up thinking I wanted to be something dramatic like a "game developer" only to realize that was just the younger me being attracted to games specifically.

Looks like the Bee saw my earlier post.
They call attention to the fact that, for the most part, people enjoyed outdoor dining during the pandemic. Today, the program that's supposed to make outdoor dining permanent is crumbling.
How does Reddit feel about this? Personally, I'm dismayed that the Al Fresco program is inefficient, and I consider it a failure. The only thing it has accomplished is removing parklets and outdoor dining from the grid. Summer is here, and I would really love to enjoy dining on R street, or in the pop-up near Beast and Bounty. And who doesn't love the Rind's parklet? While I understand the need to change it to be ADA compliant and what not, its unfortunate that the Al Fresco program is prohibitively expensive to allow for the Rind to retro-fit their parklet. From the article:
"Yet $20,000 won’t cover retrofitting all patios to meet city codes. That’s one reason The Rind is removing its L Street patio, owner Sara Arbabian said, along with the strain it put on her small restaurant’s kitchen staff. To be compliant with the city’s new requirements, The Rind’s lifted wood patio needed a ramp or wheelchair lift, better drainage and to ensure that their structure didn’t stress the roots of a large tree that sat in the center. It’d cost $30,000-$40,00 to renovate on top of sunk costs".
The article mentions that some restaurants have managed to make the Al Fresco program work for them, but these restaurants seem like exceptions to the rule. At this point in the year, it's mind-boggling to me that we are still this far behind and no new parklets have been completed. Of the 85 restaurants that applied for the initial temporary grants, only one of them has applied for the formal program. This makes me think that the new program is prohibitively expensive.
Serious reform is needed here IMO. Open to your thoughts as well. Going to paste the article in the comments.