Since the most familiar performance for many is the Lansbury/Hearn original run (but not original Sweeney), I have that in mind as a reference. Attending the Wednesday matinee I was concerned about understudies, but there were no replacements in the cast.
There were a few differences: The new production doesn't use the whistle (that shrieking sound at the start, often when there's a killing and other places). With a full orchestra, they tended to use instruments--orchestra hits or piccolo. They didn't include the very creepy Mea Culpa song for Judge Turpin with its implied, twisted sexual climax. (Google the Philip Quast version of the song.) Finally, the ravaging of Lucy was performed in silhouette and left vague, whereas IIRC, in some productions at least, it's staged quite clearly as a gang rape. I wonder if these changes make the overall production more palatable.
The staging was big, which is unusual, yet very sparse (which is not). The upper level was a stage-wide bridge lowered and raised (or angled) as needed. It served primarily as Joanna's bedroom and as Sweeney's barber shop. The other major element of the set was a narrow full-height tower that served as the stairs to the shop, rotated as the asylum, and rotated again as part of the bake house/basement. (Other basic smaller elements were brought in for the pie shop, barber contest, etc.) The shop featured a fully functioning chair (in Act 2) with actors sliding out and either going offstage or ending up in the bake house. The oven was huge and rose up out of the floor usually under the bridge, or, at the end, with a full-height, smoking chimney. The backdrop for almost the entire play was a huge semi-circle of the moon. Its color shifted throughout the performance. At the very end [don't read if you plan to see this production], Sweeney and Lovett don't close and slam a door--they make a sudden, surprise drop into the stage and disappear as if descending straight to Hell.
Costuming was much more muted than the original. Anthony, for example, wouldn't immediately be recognizable as a sailor. Joanna isn't dolled up quite as much. Pirelli doesn't have a cape. (And, despite the publicity photos implying otherwise, we never see Sweeney in a formal coat or with a top hat.)
On to the cast. Josh Groban is best known as a dulcent-toned crooner with a gift for cameos (see Muppets Most Wanted). The only problem with him being Sweeney is that it's distracting. It's hard to avoid thinking "That's Josh Groban." It would be as if Celine Dion played Mrs. Lovett. The acting was fine--when he flips at the end of Act 1 and decides "We All Deserve to Die," I believed it. There wasn't a false or weak note anywhere. He delivered the songs perfectly, never felt like a crooner, yet he was still there, with the beard, and it was just a distraction for me. They should have done more to alter his appearance.
Aside: Looking back, this shows how exceptional Angela Lansbury's skills were. I saw her on stage in A Little Night Music. I've seen other well-known actors on stage, such as Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline. These actors had a way of disappearing so that you didn't think about who they were. Groban was very good--but he didn't quite have that.
Annaleigh Ashford was just perfect throughout. It was a very Lansbury-esque performance but not to the point of outright imitation. Crazy hair, check. Clinging and strange attempts at seduction, check. Accent, check [if a bit more restrained]. But she inhabited it for herself. The audience was fantastic, as to be expected for a cult favorite in its first week, and she was responsible for most of the comedy that rippled through the crowd, usually through physical humor and {chef's kiss} perfect timing.
Galen Matarazzo (primarily known as Dustin in Stranger Things) was a surprise choice for Toby. When he was first announced, I thought it was stunt casting, but he was terrific on stage, and [spoiler] in the delicate ending where he finally finishes off Sweeney and is left traumatized and delirious. Maybe not quite as moving as Neil Patrick Harris, but very effective. "Not While I'm Around" is one of the most beautiful songs in Broadway's entire repertoire, and he covered it well (if some of the higher notes ("but in time...") were obvious falsetto), enacting Toby as a simpleton who really believed in monsters and would fight them all for the "nice" lady who took him in. He came across as a distant relative of Sam Gamgee.
The cast included Jordan Fisher as Anthony. He's played as more of a star-eyed lover and less naive than the original, but "I Feel You" was well delivered if not a standout.
Joanna was a concern of mine. In the original, I found it very hard to follow the very high soprano part, especially given the speed of some of her lines, but Joanna Bilbao's diction was fantastic, and I lost only a few words. If you don't like the shrieking soprano of the original, you'll be very glad to read this.
John Bapson played a delightfully vain Beadle Bamford, deliciously corrupt and not really even hiding it.
Without "Mea Culpa," Jamie Jackson as Judge Turpin had a lot less to do, mainly the duet with Sweeney on "Pretty Women" and the humming, etc. Worked perfectly well; his death scene was particularly effective.
Pirelli was enacted by Nicholas Christopher (also understudy for Sweeney), and he clearly enjoyed hamming it up, althought the sparse set left him with a bit less to work with.
That leaves Ruth Ann Miles as the Beggar Woman; my daughter hadn't finished watching the Hearn/Lansbury video, so [spoiler] the reveal as Lucy at the end took her by surprise.

I applied for a full time days Pro Desk Sales position. I then came to this sub and read through recent posts. I really like shopping at the nearby Lowe’s. I’ve lived in this area for about three years and about 80% of the staff are still there, and appear to have been there long before I moved to this area.
I’m a bit overqualified for the job but I’m tired of manager roles and all the stress of salary positions. I just want to go to work and come home and not stress on my time off.
Should I withdrawal my app? Anyone here have experience at the pro desk or know more about this role?

Me 38, (f) my SO of 20 years( -2 years)39 (m). We got together young had 2 kids. Then we fell into addiction. Our kids were taken when they were 4 & 6 because of the addiction. Long story short, I went to treatment, got better and got my kids back. My SO followed 2 years later. For years wehad a happy stable home and even had another kid. Life was great until my SO had a charge come back on him that was 5 years old. We had a good lawyer and even the assistant DA who fought with everything to keep him out of prison after hearing our amazing story of completely Turing our lives around, but ultimately the DA above the assistant gave him prison time. I have completely struggled since he has been gone and the kids have suffered. Since he has been in prison he has became a really good barber, the prison is giving him 900 hrs towards his state license. This is all he wants to do, I support that but only if he works a regular 9-5 while getting his barber license. He thinks he can come out, unlicensed work in a barber shop, charge more than what the shop charges, (because his skills are so great, people will pay more). He says I'm not supportive of him, he will not work anywhere he is not happy. I feel like I have suffered long enough, by myself to take care of 3 kids, while he has had a real job in a factory making $17hr. at the prison he is at, they save there money for when they get released & since I didn't have a child support order, I got nothing. After we turned our life around he worked but before that he never did. I'm I being unreasonable or is he not living in reality?

T.W. suicide attempt/thoughts
I (24F) have started on the journey of healing but man is it tougher. I got out of my Nmom's place about 6 months ago after she had to move. My husband I are were married 10 months ago but lived with her for 4 months at the beginning of our marriage. We are building a home and in this economy needed to rely on family for a place to live. We now live with his family and it's so wonderful.
She moved country and now I am finally free. Super LC at the moment but feels like NC. I've started seeing a new psychologist who has been so wonderful. I finally got the courage to tell her I'm curious about an ADHD diagnosis. She can see why I would be interested and is encouraging me to explore this. She knows quite a bit about the history of trauma with my mom. For example when I was 21 I once had to call the police on her as she had stalked her ex-bf and found out he was nearby with a woman. She demanded I take her, or just go with her because "if you loved me you would." She wanted to harm him, she said she just wanted to confront him. She used to brag about when she was a teenager, she saw a cheating ex-bf at the shop so she threw him up the wall by the neck. I am crisis trained for work so I know how to handle these situations. Nothing worked and she kept screaming "you dont understand, if you love me you'll come with me." I remember mapping a route to take her keys and hide them in the hope I was faster than her. I was also prepared to attempt to restrain because she was ready to harm him. I knew it was a losing battle but I have always felt responsible for her. I remember breaking down. the inner child stepping forward as the last ditch effort to plead with her mother. She was only met with cold dark eyes. She hid that day and refused to trust again. I have never been so cold and clinical in my life.
She has not physically abused me, but emotions are a different story. Since moving away from her I have realised the full extent. I have spoken to my dad (they divorced 7 years ago) who's heart breaks for what happened after the divorce. He needed to leave. I felt I had to stay for her. She had no one. I dont blame him. I am proud of him. He is happier and I have the best relationship with him, he understands it all. I always kept myself busy, work, study etc. If I achieved well, I wouldnt get reprimanded. Dont get angry. Your not allowed to be angry at your mother. "I've done the best I could, but I guess i'm just a bad mother." She has attempted suicide and when she would tell me after, always said "I couldnt go through with it, I just kept thinking of you. If it wasnt for you, I dont know what I'd do." No child, 19 or not, should bear that weight of responsibility. Any message of love and adoration instantly triggers a response of "this is it, she's going to try again, you need to step in, drop everything, be with her, stop her."
I struggle to trust people. So this journey has been tough. I cried at work a lot yesterday feeling like I am not enough, too unstable, not capable for my role. I was too vulnerable with my colleague and boss yesterday. "Dont share personal struggles at work. No matter how wonderful they are, they say they care, they give you space, time off, support, understanding. They will use it against you, that's what people do" the anxiety is too much. Burnout is a bitch, undiagnosed ADHD is a bitch, my mother is a bitch. There is so much to work through. 24 years of pain. There are days I feel like giving up. I feel closer to my limit now I am out then when I was in it. I dont want her to win, but I dont want to hurt anymore.
Moving from trauma drive to a state of rest is uncomfortable. Its a long time to try and re-wire... my heart is with you all who feel the same. Don't let the bastards get you down. We are strong because we embrace weakness.

Link to Part 1.
(Reposted due to error in the title)

The Photo

My head was spinning.
The polaroid photo of Jared and I was sitting on my laptop. Less than a day after I received his emotional plea to investigate a haunting at his home. It was impossible. The whole thing was impossible! I don’t believe in ghosts, and that photo hasn’t seen the outside of a box in years.
I ripped open my storage closet. Underneath many boxes in the back corner was the small pink shoebox, where I kept all the mementos from college. I tore off the lid and rooted through the contents. The box contained many polaroids of friends, parties, everyday items I framed in an ‘artsy’ way, and a lot of questionable haifashion choices. No Jared photo. I examined the photo placed on my laptop again, it looked exactly like the others in the box. Yellowed from the years and covered in a light film of dust. I flipped it over, and saw a handwritten note. “Love you always - Jared”. His penmanship was almost illegible, and there was a heart beside his name. Wow.
As if I didn’t have enough confusing feelings to process right now. Desperate to hold onto a semblance of reality, I texted Sara asking if she moved my photos. That would make sense, right? She learned about Jared last night, maybe she dug up my boxes from college? My phone chimed. Sara questioned your message “Did you move any of my old college photos?” - for non-iOS users, that means she held down on my message and selected a question mark. Since she’s at work, that’s likely the best response I’ll get for a few hours, but it’s safe to assume Sara didn’t touch the photo.
After covering my shifts at the restaurant for the week, I decided to reply to Jared. I sent him a brief email informing him that I would be taking a ferry to Vancouver Island the next day. Afterwards I found myself writing down the entire experience. This is unlike me, I don’t journal, or keep a blog, or anything like that. I’m not sure what compelled me, but this event felt… significant.

The Ferry

I loaded up my crappy little car with all my equipment, and left at the ass-crack of dawn. Traffic wasn’t too bad this early in the morning, and I made it to the terminal with time to spare. I pulled up to the ticketing booth, and fumbled with my phone until I found my online reservation email. They gave me my lane number and I drove through. The booth opened up to a huge tarmac with around 20 different lanes, and I found my spot in line. I pulled in behind 10 other vehicles and turned off my engine.
Non-locals won’t know what I mean when I say this, but: BCFerries is a racket. It’s like $100 one way with a vehicle. As my bank account drained, I remembered why I don’t visit Vancouver Island all that often. Beautiful though it may be. Maybe I can write this off as a business expense, I just need to learn taxes, and… business. Don’t judge, I went to school to study grainy surveillance footage. On second thought, Jared can cover my ferry costs.
After a long period of waiting, the ferry started loading up cars and I parked on the lower vehicle decks. For those unfamiliar, these ferries aren’t cute little boats. These are massive ships that can fit dozens of vehicles, and hundreds of passengers. They’re several stories tall and contain a restaurant, gift shop, play areas for children, and more. I made my way up to the upper passenger deck and got in line for breakfast. A breakfast meal with coffee cost me $20, and it left me feeling sick for hours. The racket continues.
After breakfast, I waddled over to passenger seating and managed to score a window seat. As I settled in for the rest of my journey, I finalised my plans for Jared’s ghost problem.

The Plan

There are three major events to investigate. The Ten Knocks, the Floating Spoon, and the Shadow Man. Here are my plans for each:
The Ten Knocks: Ten loud knocks ripple through the home every night at exactly 3:24am. According to Jared, the sound seems to come from a different location each night. As you know Jared already has an existing surveillance system. On top of that, I’m going to set up two Zoom audio recorders, and an old phone of mine to record audio throughout the night. From there I’m going to attempt to make a map of the approximate knock locations, and see what data we can generate. I’m hoping we can discover a pattern and isolate the source of these noises. Last time I mentioned a friend of mine who specialises in Forensic Audio. I'm hoping he can help me with this, but at the moment I haven’t heard back from him. I’m not sure I blame him, honestly.
The Floating Spoon: Surveillance footage shows the utensil drawer opening in the kitchen, and a spoon levitating in the air. Since the spoon's movements were quite articulate, I’ll be looking for any evidence of wiring rigs. I also brought a compass for detecting magnetic fields. I’ll be insisting on seeing Jared’s computers, to see if they have software that could fake these things with CGI. I should note that there were a few other objects I caught moving in the raw surveillance footage, but those could be faked with a single string. Unlike the Floating Spoon, which moved in many directions.
The Shadow Man: I’m going to get Jared to stand exactly where the figure appeared in the video, and take measurements for scale. If this man-shaped figure happens to be exactly Jared’s size, that’ll be a strong sign the footage is fake. If they’ll let me, I’m also going to inspect Simon’s bruises. Finger-shaped bruises can be imitated with makeup. A sobering reality here to consider is that if Jared faked the Shadow Man footage, I may have to call Child Protective Services. Simon’s noises and movement in the video indicated he was in legitimate distress. If I do determine the footage is fake, I’ll be demanding a detailed explanation of the hoax from Jared. For Simon's sake.

The Drive

The ferry docked, and I made my way down to my vehicle. Cell reception returned as we got closer to the island, so I entered Jared’s address into Google Maps. For those unfamiliar with Vancouver Island, this isn’t a tiny island you can cruise around in a day. It’s home to over 850,000 people and bigger than the Hawaiian islands combined, or half the size of Ireland. It’s home to a few cities; the largest of which being BC’s capital city, Victoria, and many towns of various sizes. For privacy reasons, I won’t be sharing exactly where Jared lives, but for context I’ll say that it’s a small town.
I’ve driven through the Island a few times, but this visit felt ominous. Pouring rain from the grey skies splattered my windshield. The roads were flanked on both sides by towering evergreen trees, sprawling all the way across distant mountain ranges. As I left the cities and hit a winding stretch of highway, I couldn’t help feeling like I was in the opening scene of The Shining. My speakers blasted upbeat 90s classics to keep my spirits up, but the foreboding feeling was hard to shake.
As I approached the town where Jared lives, I decided to stop at a cute little coffee shop advertising free Wi-fi. Knowing you’re about to see your ex is nerve-wracking enough on its own. Let alone when you’re going to their home, meeting their wife, and presumably fighting ghosts. I ordered a latte, and found a quiet spot in the corner. As the rain pattered against the window, I called Sara on FaceTime. She answered, and I could tell she was walking home from the restaurant. After some small talk, I blurted out what was on my mind:
“Am I making a terrible mistake?” Sara stifled a laugh.
“I mean… How honest do you want me to be?” We both laughed this time, if a bit nervously on my end. “Look. Either you’re about to save a family and fight some ghosts, or somebody’s living in their walls, or your ex is pranking you. What’s your plan if things go to shit?”
“More like when things go to shit. Let’s just hope he pays me upfront.”
Sara knew me well enough to know I’m very safety-conscious. Working for a crime lab tends to have that effect. I had already shared Jared’s address with her, and called ahead to a local motel. I explained that I was staying with someone nearby, but had concerns about my safety. I would have preferred spending all my nights in a motel, but our ‘ghost’ only knocks in the middle of the night. Wendy, the manager, was lovely and agreed to hold a room for the first night. No charge unless I check in! It was their off season, and they had plenty of vacancies. I love small towns.
Sara and I decided on one final safety measure. If I feel unsafe at any time, I’ll text her a code phrase. Like ‘How was your job interview?’
Furthermore, we have a daily check-in, and if I don’t respond within 20 minutes, Sara will call the authorities. Realising Jared IS an authority, Sara wrote down the direct lines for EMT, Fire and RCMP in the hopes that someone will check on me. Our conversation came to a close.
“I love you, Sara.”
“Love you too Marn. Stay safe!”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
The call ended. I collected myself, pulled up the hood of my jacket, and ran out into the pouring rain to my car. I sent Jared a text letting him know I was close, and drove the rest of the way there.

The House

Jared and Jenny’s house is tucked in the back corner of an upper class, surrounded by woods. I pulled up the driveway, feeling very out of place in my crappy sedan. An old woman standing outside in a neighbouring front yard eyed my poor ass with suspicion. I ignored her. The house was modern, bright white with black accents, and completely unassuming. The rain had lifted, and a sliver of sunlight made the house seem positively welcoming. Despite seeing the house in videos and pictures, a part of my brain expected some sort of haunted castle. Which couldn’t be further from the truth.
I had barely gotten out of my car when Jared and Jenny came outside to greet me. It’s always a little awkward sussing out the etiquette when meeting up with your ex after several years. Do we shake hands, or hug, or exchange an explosive fist bump? I was panicking a little, but Jenny cut right through that by springing an enthusiastic hug on me.
“Oh my god hiii!” Jenny had that gorgeous, effortless, hippy-island-girl thing going on. Her shoulder-length straight hair was blonde, and she wore a long, flowing olive cardigan, and black leggings with sneakers. “It’s so nice to meet you! Thank you so much for coming.”
Jared was standing behind her and gave a small wave, “Hey, Marn.” He looked exactly like the video. We exchanged a brief hug. I’m not sure if everyone else over-analyzes every single social interaction they’re in, but I was very cognizant of not letting that hug linger. A professional hug. Jenny chimed in.
“I love your videos!” Jenny’s enthusiasm seemed genuine. “After uh, all this started happening, I went deep down the YouTube rabbit hole. There’s a lot of stuff out there, but your videos made me feel sane.”
“Yeah, I came into the room and saw you on the TV. I was like, whoa, I dated her in college!” Jared added.
“I didn’t believe him at first, but he had proof!” Jenny gave him a playful smack on the arm.
“Evidence is important.”
Jenny laughed at Jared’s terrible cop joke. I could see why he liked her, Jenny’s sunny disposition was infectious. In comparison, Jared and I were two people with very dry senses of humour.
We exchanged pleasantries, and the couple helped me bring my bags into the guest room. Jared gave me something of a tour of the home. Having studied their surveillance footage in detail, I had no issue navigating their home. It was easy to forget I hadn’t been here before. When we got to the kitchen, I made a mental note of the ceiling. Adorned with several wooden beams, perfect for stringing up wires to say, make a spoon dance in the air. Interesting.
Walking down the hallway to the master bedroom, and nursery, Jared pointed out a small blind spot in the cameras. I made a note to place one of my cameras there to cover that gap. While the knocks occurred in different locations each night, the main hallway was where the most activity occurred. I decided that this would be a good spot for my thermal camera, a piece of equipment I’ve owned for several years but never had a good excuse to use. According to the lore, ghosts can affect temperature. I guess we’ll see.
As Jared showed me the nursery, he explained that Simon would be staying at his sister-in-laws for the foreseeable future. I had hoped to take a look at his bruises, but this didn’t feel like the time to mention Simon’s injuries, or the Shadow Man. Jenny’s expression darkened, and she brought it up without my prompting.
“After Jared showed me…” her voice quavered. She paused before collecting herself. “...The video, I didn’t feel safe having him here any more. We visit him every day.”
Jenny’s eyes welled up, and she excused herself. Left alone with Jared for the first time, there was an awkward pause. Wanting to avoid awkwardness at all costs, I asked Jared if he could do me a favour: Stand where the Shadow Man stood, and imitate his movements. For scale, I told him, and that was true. If Jared’s measurements match the Shadow Man, there’s a good chance he faked the footage, either with CGI or some sort of lighting rig. Jared seemed surprised, but he complied. I think he understood where I was going with this.
I grappled with my emotions versus my logic. On one hand, this ‘ghost’ should have a rational explanation, and the most rational explanation was that this was a hoax. On the other hand, Jared’s wife is crying because she doesn’t feel like her child is safe in her home. If this is a prank, to what end? My relationship with Jared ended amicably. Hell, he was the one who ended it. It didn’t make sense. None of it did.
After playing Shadow Man charades, I inquired about Jared’s security system. I wanted to see how he viewed surveillance footage. Jared darted into the bedroom and grabbed his laptop, a Macbook that was several years old. His security cameras uploaded over wi-fi to the cloud, and he was able to access that footage via an app. This app deletes the videos after a period of time, so Jared had been downloading them onto his computer. I noted he had several external hard drives, video files take up a lot of space so this made sense. I asked if I could borrow his laptop for a moment.
“Sure, do whatever you want.” Jared handed me the laptop, which I took into the guest bedroom where I was staying. I took this opportunity to see if his computer had any visual effects, or video editing apps. All he had was iMovie, not a particularly powerful option.
I spent a few hours reviewing the laptop, and then editing some B-roll footage I had shot earlier on my own computer. Jared knocked on the door. I looked up to see him in full police gear, and he let me know he was going to work. After Jared left, Jenny poked her head in the doorway and asked if I’d like to go out for dinner tonight, just the two of us. I agreed. All I had eaten was sickening ferry-food for breakfast, and Jenny seemed nice enough.

The Dinner

Jenny drove us to this amazing little Italian restaurant, and we had a fantastic time! She pushed many appetisers on me (so much bread), and the main course was delicious. I had linguine pescatora, and Jenny had gnocchi. Jenny had one glass, and I had the rest of the wine bottle. The dinner was a little awkward at first, but by the end of the night we felt like old friends. For Jenny’s sake, I won’t discuss every single thing she told me, but here are the relevant bits:
I previously described Jenny as a seamstress. While that is true, it’s under-selling what she does. Jenny knows some specific, technical dress-making techniques. She has her own business, targeted towards Renaissance Fairs and cosplayers. Her work eventually attracted the attention of Hollywood productions. Now she makes beautiful clothing for feature films (period pieces), and high-end clients. I wondered how she and Jared could afford their beautiful home, she appears to be the reason.
Jared and Jenny met a little over 3 years ago. Jared was a few years out of the academy, and got stationed in their small town. By coincidence, he had moved into her apartment building. They struck up a conversation one day when Jared offered to help her haul several bags of dresses to her car. She liked him, and asked him out for coffee. They married two years later, and she got pregnant with Simon around that time.
At one point later in the evening, we got onto the subject of ghosts. Jenny’s always been a spiritual person, her office is full of crystals, and she loves astrology. I also learned she believes she saw a ghost as a child. As she describes it, she was in bed and a bearded old man in a white three-piece suit appeared in the room. He loomed over her with an intense stare, and they locked eyes for a long time. Jenny rolled to her side, and when she looked back he was gone. I asked if she ever saw the man again, and she answered no. I spoke to her about the phenomena of sleep paralysis, and she conceded that was possible. I’m not sure if she believed that or not. Regardless, I could see myself being good friends with Jenny.

Night One

We had such a lovely time at dinner, my reason for visiting had all but slipped my mind. It wasn’t until our drive home that I realised we were heading back to (for all intents and purposes) a haunted house. A pit began to form in my stomach as we pulled into the driveway. At night, the house took on an eerie presence, and the surrounding woods had me feeling like something could leap out at me at any moment. Jenny must have been feeling the same way, as we hurried into the house. Jared still wasn’t back yet, as he worked 12 hour shifts.
I asked Jenny if she wanted to help me set up some of my equipment before bed, and her expression darkened. She declined. She opened up a drawer and pulled out a massive bag of earplugs, offering me some. This seems to be her solution to the nightly knocking sounds. I took some earplugs, though I forgot them on the counter. I got to work setting up my cameras and audio recording devices. I placed one of my cameras to cover the blind spot Jared showed me, and set the thermal camera in the main hallway. I was more than a little tipsy, but I managed to get the job done. After triple-checking that everything was recording, I shuffled back to the guest bedroom to sleep. It was around 10:30 pm, and I was dead tired, but knowing why I was there, I set an alarm for 3:15 am, hoping to be awake for the knocks.
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!
I shut the alarm off, and groaned. I barely registered falling asleep. It was one of those sleeps where it feels like you’ve blinked, and all of a sudden it’s several hours later. Awful. I grabbed my phone, pulled myself out of bed, and left my room. I checked the time, 3:20 am. I shuffled into the main hallway, and waited. The minutes felt like an eternity as I stood around, waiting for a noise. It was dead quiet. Impatient, I found myself checking my phone. While waiting for a ghostly knocking. Something must be wrong with my brain. As my phone’s clock read 3:23, I put my phone away and listened.
I couldn’t hear any footfalls, or doors opening. No strange noises from the plumbing or AC units. As I lingered in the silence, I wondered if this would be the night when the noises stopped. Did I scare the ghost away?
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG ! BANG!
I screamed, startled by the incredible volume of noise that surrounded me. It felt like the banging was right beside my head, as if the very walls were screaming at me. Then it started again.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG ! BANG!
I whirled around, searching for a source to this thunderous sound. No such source was obvious to me. Jared came out of the bedroom in his pyjamas, and stared at me for a moment. As if to say, ‘Told you so’, but no lecture came. If anything, he looked sad. Disheartened that this horrible noise was real, not some sort of shared hallucination. He took a step towards me.
“Oh my god…” Was all that came out of my mouth.
“Let’s talk in the morning.” Jared said, shivering a little before heading back to bed. It’s clear he's used to this, but my heart was pounding out of my chest. After a pause, I followed suit, and returned to the guest bedroom. It took a long time to fall back asleep after that. I wished I took Jenny up on her offer of earplugs.

Reviewing the Evidence

I awoke around 8:30 to a gentle knock on my door, and an offer I couldn’t refuse.
“There’s fresh coffee, if you want some.” Jenny announced. God yes.
As I sat down for coffee, nectar of the gods, I couldn’t help but focus on the empty high chair at the kitchen table. There wasn’t much conversation in the morning, but Jenny did tell me she was spending the day at her sister’s with Simon. Later Jared would go there after work to spend the night with him. My heart hurts for them. As Jenny left, Jared encouraged me to check my footage from last night. He did the same with his security system.
I scrubbed through my three audio recordings. The ear-shattering knocks were definitely coming from the main hallway. I marked down where I was standing on my sound map. I checked my blind spot camera, and scrubbed through the night’s events. Nothing of note until I enter the hallway at 3:20, stare at my phone and then jump into the air at the sound of the knocks. As I finished up with this, Jared came into the room. He told me there wasn’t anything noteworthy on his cameras, just the knocks, but he would send me the footage to review. He was about to leave the room, when I asked him if he wanted to stick around to watch the thermal camera footage with me. I opened up the video file.
The thermal camera was pointing straight down the main hallway, now visible in various shades of orange, and purple. The walls were brighter than the doorways, and the lights appeared brightest. I scrubbed through the hours of footage. It captured Jared going into the bedroom around 12:35 am, having finished work at midnight. As the timestamp hits 3:20, I come into frame, my skin orange, and my hair and clothes closer to purple. I watch myself pull out my phone, and I shoot an awkward smile at Jared, who seems unphased. At 3:23, right before the knocking sound, a dark blue spot appears on the floor in front of me.
The dark blue mass starts rising, getting taller and taller until it looms over me. The deep blue shape becomes humanoid.
“What the fuck?” Jared interjects over my shoulder.
At exactly 3:24, I jump at the knocks, and the man-shape follows my movement. It doesn’t have a face, but I can tell that it’s… staring at me. In the video, Jared comes out of the bedroom. The blue mass is still in front of him, but you can see the blue colour turn closer to purple as Jared stands behind it.
As Jared takes a step forward, he walks right through the mass. He shivers, affected by the temperature difference, before he walks back into the room. As I exit the hallway, the mass ‘looks’ at me, its’ featureless head tilting in my direction.
It just stands there. I scrub forward several hours. A distinct man shape, motionless. It’s not until 6 am, when Jenny comes out of the bedroom, that the figure drops back down into the floor. The temperature readings become normal again. The video ends a few hours later, when I come to collect the camera’s memory card.
Jared and I stared at each other for a moment. He collected himself.
“So, in your professional opinion, what, uh… what the hell was that?”
“In my professional opinion?” He nodded.
“Jared,” I stated. “Your house is fucking haunted.”

Hey all. Looking for suggestions for a barber shop that does walk in beard trimming. Straight razor would be cool as I've never had one, but is not a requirement. Thanks in advance!

I only ask because we don’t turn down anyone at my place…but when people come in with an 18 month old who is screaming bloody murder it disrupts the entire shop for the next 20-30 minutes they are there and then obviously taking a toll on the barber cutting their hair. We are all for not cutting deals for kids, but if your kid can’t sit still or quietly I just don’t understand why they need to come to a barbershop. Could just be me, but I’ll never understand.

My fiance and I are pretty big meat eaters, we both adore a good steak and anything fish. Sushi, poke, filets, etc. For our wedding, we are not 100% sure what catering we are going with but we are shopping around to include these dishes we love. As we've been wedding planning my future MIL and my fiance's aunt keeps reminding us we must get a vegan option for his aunt.
Ordinarily, I wouldn't mind providing a vegan option but she's the only vegan in attendance. Literally, no one else going is vegan.
My fiance's sister just got married a few months ago and she provided their aunt with a full vegan dish (it was buffet style). Only two people had any of the vegan food, just his aunt and myself because I felt bad they had spent all that money on the vegan options and no one was eating it. I know my family and friends well enough to know they aren't going to eat a vegan dish when there is fish, sushi, or steak available.
We will end up providing something GF because multiple members of my family and a few of our friends (I can think of at least 5) are sensitive to gluten. Also, some of the dishes we want, like steak and most sushi rolls, are usually already gluten-free, so there really shouldn't be much difficulty providing GF dinners and no extra expense.
I've been talking to catering companies and most of them won't make 1 dinner vegan or if they do it is crazy expensive. As far as sushi, I doubt she'd want to eat avocado rolls all night.
The part that is tripping me up with this is my fiance makes significantly more money than me and as a result will be paying for more of the wedding. I'm still paying for it but it isn't split 50/50. I do feel things in the wedding that are important to me and my fiance will be cut to budget in her dinner.
If I talked to my fiance will I be a bridezilla? Is it unreasonable to ask her to bring her own food to the wedding? Should I just suck it up and let some of the budget be taken away from things we want for this?
Edit: Thank you all for suggesting vegan side dishes, this could be a wonderful middle-ground. This is something I think would 100% work because I think a side dish is more likely to get eaten. I also want to clarify, the issue is not paying for 1 vegan plate, it is what we would have to pay for a whole main dish vs. how many people would actually eat it. None of the caterers I've talked have options for making 1 plate of different food without it being an outrageous price (like better off door dashing 5 vegan meals to the venue lol).
I saw people talking about the price to go to a wedding so I wanted to provide more context. We are doing our wedding 8 hours away from us to be closer to my family and his (including his aunt). We are not doing a wedding with gifts as we have been living together for so long that it feels unnecessary to have family replace our toaster and other things around the house. We are asking for an optional donation to a local animal shelter instead, so that cost would be up to each person but there is no obligation. The drive should be no more than 35-45 minutes for his aunt so she's probably going to spend a nominal amount of money on gas. We also are already planning to put her and a few other of his family members up in a hotel so they feel more comfortable drinking and ubering 5 minutes to a nearby hotel. We didn't want anyone to catch a DUI charge or pay an outrageous uber fee to get home. As far as my family, we have a few people will be under 21 so they won't need a hotel. The hotels for his family are also coming out of our budget.

People who wear their extroversion, “tell it how it is” personality must realize how cringe they are. It feels like they are overcompensating for their own perceived shortcomings by acting like a weird amalgamation of their favourite celebrities and movie characters.
“Charisma” is dead, it’s bullshit. Or at least, so damn elusive that everyone chasing it fails to capture its essence and ends up looking like a clown by forcing the issue.
Online dating, coffee shops, bars, restaurants, and gyms are a horrible place for me because of characters who want me to believe this strange narrative. They are loud and desperately need the quiet people like me minding my own business to overhear their bullshit and approve. Many people are inauthentic with ego-driven behaviour designed to extract attention like currency.
The less you try to impress, the less you try and force and manipulate others’ opinions of you, the better the perceptions will be.
Take it from me, growing up I was a class clown. One summer I realized no one really liked me and how annoying my need for validation was. Nowadays, I have people approaching me and looking at me to talk to them, and I never need to ask for attention. But if I was acting loud and brazen, people want me to go away. It’s a paradox.
Act like a clown, I’m going to avoid the fuck out of you. Him, her, they, black, yellow, brown, tall, short, fat or skinny. Do you own thing. Just leave me out of it if I’m existing nearby quietly. Don’t follow me anywhere, zero “chance encounters.”
Guys, no need to measure up, show off, crip walk, spit on the ground, rev your engine, laugh loud and fake, or compete in any way with me. Nothing to prove here.
What happened to “don’t talk to strangers?” Now everyone is up in each others damn business.
Sincerely, INTJ 31 M who wants people to leave him alone.

Thanks to Connect-Abalone3863 for doing my job for me, but here's the full info for folks that want it...
When: 3pm-7pm every Thursday from March 30th (THIS THURSDAY) to November 2nd
Where: Tipperary Park - next to City Hall
How: the 106 bus stops nearby, we're quite central if you fancy a walk (weather should be really... oh... no... mustn't jinx it), cycle (we have bike racks!) or, if you must, drive (there's parking on Queens, Royal and 3rd)
What: well, that changes every week. You'll see some of your favourite vendors with us every week of the season and some others will come and go according to the season. But I CAN tell you that this Thursday will be our big Season Opener Block Party!
"Season Opener Block Party?" you ask.
Yes! Season Opener Block Party!

• We have FREE COOKIES for the first 100 customers!
• We have LIVE MUSIC from Sue Breton!
• We have Food Trucks!
• We have face painting and balloons from 4-6pm!
• We have a living statue performer!
• We have Member Appreciation Day discounts!
• Free music classes for under 5s by Music Box at 4 & 5pm!
• Lawn games!
• Crafts!
• Oh... so much! So much!

Seriously, there's too much happening for my little fingers but, if you wanted to know about everything every week then the best thing you could do would be... you know don't you because you've already done it... ok... sing along with me... sign up for our newsletter by clicking the banner on our website at https://newwestfarmers.ca/ - that will get you an email a week with our vendor list for that week - a full day before we announce it to other less-lucky folks. And go find us on Facebook and Instagram for more prettily formatted news postings.
On the subject of Instagram, we're also holding an Instagram contest. Tag @newwestfarmers in your market haul pics on Instagram for your chance to win $20 in Market Money! Make sure to post your pic and tag us within 24 hours of the market and we'll draw a name to pick up at our following market on April 6th!
But wait... what was that about Member Appreciation Day discounts? Well, if you're a member of the Farmers Market you get MONEY SAVING DEALS!
Where?

• Gary’s Kettle Corn- $1 off large bags
• PuppyPower SuperTreats - 10% off
• Homemade by Harris - 10% off
• Mandair Farms - 1 free jar of plain jam or pickled brussel sprouts with each purchase of $20 or more
• Occasionally Honey - $1 off frozen desserts
• Outwest Ranches - $2.00 off beef roast 3.5 lb+
• Sweet U Macarons - 1 free macaron per purchase for the first 100 customers
• Hett Creek Sourdough - Buy 2 loaves and get 10% off
• Rockweld Farm - Bone in, skin on chicken quarters are 25% off
• Spark Foods - 10% off

How?
Become a member! It's easy... hand over $10 at the pretty green info tent and you'll get a card and you'll get discounts at our monthly Member Appreciation Days for a whole year (usually first market of the month but not 6th April because we're bringing it forward a week). You also get other things like the ability to vote at our AGM but I know you're really here for the discounts.
OK, one last thing... this week's vendor list (and remember: mailing list... early access etc etc)
Artisans and Pet Products:

Artsy Candle Bonorlea Hearth and Home MeNom PuppyPower SuperTreats 

Bakeries:

BAK'd Cookies Gabi and Jules Hett Creek Sourdough Homemade By Harris Occasionally Honey Sweet U Macaroons Twins Donuts Waffled 

Beverages:

Festina Lente Gingeraki Mainland Whisky Studio Brewing Top Hat Kombucha 

Produce/Flower Farmers:

Mandair Farms Whistler Harvest 

Dairy:

Golden Ears Cheesecrafters 

Prepared Foods:

Angkor Harvest Anne's Kitchen Churchkela Empanada Gal Gary's Kettle Corn Mamma Musey Pierogi Mandi's Mickles Origo Pastaggio Pretty Bird Kitchen Spark Foods Tamaly Shop With/On Kimchi 

Meat & Fish:

Island Jerky Outwest Ranches Rockweld Farms The Butchers Guild Vancouver Smoked Foods Wild West Coast Seafoods 

Food Court: (Moved to Queens Ave for this season)

Bread and Cheese Crema Ice Cream and Desserts 

PS. Yes I know there's not many farms. We get asked that every year in March :) They'll be along in good time. The strawberries are always worth the wait.
PPS. Yes, I know we're a little smaller than last year but never fear... come the summer we'll expand again and take over the world the park as we did last year.
PPPS. And yes we have a portaloo. Huh? You think it would be nice if there was a permanent set of washrooms in Tipperary Park? Hmmm - us too!
PPPPS. If you got all the way through you deserve a prize. You don't get one but you MIGHT if you enter our Instagram contest.

I stepped into the small, dimly lit antique shop, intrigued by the odd collection of items displayed in the dusty windows. The sun had just dipped below the horizon, casting eerie shadows across the narrow streets. I had moved to this town just a week ago, seeking refuge from a life filled with judgment and misunderstanding. This town, with its ancient charm and friendly locals, seemed like a haven where I could finally embrace my true self.
As I wandered through the labyrinthine aisles, I came across a beautiful, ornate mirror hanging on the wall. The mirror's frame was intricately carved with twisting vines and delicate flowers, and its gilded surface seemed to emit a soft, golden light. I felt drawn to the mirror, unable to look away.
I stared into the reflective surface, and a strange sensation washed over me. It was as if the mirror was showing me my deepest desires and fears, the parts of myself I had kept hidden away for so long. I saw myself, but different – stronger, more confident, and at peace with my identity. The mirror revealed to me the person I had always longed to be.
As I stood there, captivated by the reflection, a movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention. Through the shop's window, I saw a tall figure standing across the street, their face hidden beneath a disturbing mask. The mask was a grotesque representation of human features, twisted and distorted, its empty eyes staring unblinkingly at me. Fear crept into my heart, but before I could react, the shopkeeper distracted me with a question about the mirror. When I looked back, the figure had vanished.
Feeling unsettled, I purchased the mirror and hurried back to my new home. The streets were empty, and the darkness seemed to press in around me, making me feel as if I were being watched. As I got into bed that night, my thoughts were consumed by the masked figure, and sleep eluded me.
Just as I was about to drift off, I heard a tapping on my window. I bolted upright, heart pounding, but saw nothing outside. Fear gripped me, and I called 911, but they dismissed my concerns, suggesting it was probably just an animal and that the line needed to be open for real emergencies. Feeling helpless, I eventually managed to fall into a fitful sleep.
The next day, I tried to put the previous night's events out of my mind. However, as the sun began to set, my unease returned. I locked my doors and windows, feeling vulnerable and exposed. And then, I heard it again – the tapping on my window.
I cautiously approached the window, peering out into the darkness. There, standing in my yard, was the masked figure. They stared at me, unflinching, their intentions unclear. Terror coursed through me, and I knew I had to confront this intruder.
I grabbed a heavy flashlight from a nearby drawer, the weight of it providing a small comfort. Clutching the mirror in my other hand, I stepped outside, my heart pounding in my chest. The mirror's power had given me courage earlier, and I hoped it would do the same now, even if I didn't know how it would help against this mysterious figure.
The figure remained motionless, their eyes locked on mine. Armed with the flashlight, I approached them, trying to project as much confidence as I could muster. "Who are you and why are you stalking me?" I demanded, my voice trembling despite my best efforts.
The figure offered no response, and my fear turned to anger. "Get off my property!" I shouted. But instead of leaving, the figure lunged at me, initiating a struggle.
We grappled, and I desperately tried to fend them off with the flashlight. In the chaos of the fight, the mirror slipped from my grasp, its reflective surface catching the moonlight. As the mirror's golden light danced across the figure's face, they suddenly stopped, their eyes wide with shock.
For a moment, I saw a flicker of vulnerability, of recognition, before they tore their gaze away. They stumbled back, their resolve wavering, and I realized that the mirror had somehow revealed something to them – something they couldn't bear to face.
Seizing the opportunity, I pressed forward, demanding once again to know who they were and why they had been stalking me. The figure hesitated, then slowly reached up to remove the mask. Beneath it, I saw the face of someone I had once considered a friend, someone I thought I had left behind in my old life.
As the truth unfolded, I understood that the mirror's power had unexpectedly intervened, forcing the figure to confront their own hidden truths and insecurities. It had not only given me courage but had also shed light on the darkness lurking beneath the mask.
My former friend's voice was barely a whisper as they confessed that they had followed me to this town, unable to accept my transformation and the change it represented. The mirror had shown them the truth about themselves – their own fears, insecurities, and deeply-rooted prejudices. They had been unable to confront their own demons, and instead, had chosen to terrorize me in an attempt to regain a sense of control.
As they stood there, trembling under the weight of their own revelations, I found myself feeling a strange mix of pity and anger. I wanted to scream at them for what they had done, but I also knew that their actions were rooted in their own pain and confusion.
I took a deep breath, and with as much kindness as I could muster, I told them that they needed to face their own fears and find a way to heal. I urged them to seek help and to learn to accept people for who they truly are, not just who they appear to be on the surface.
My former friend nodded, tears streaming down their face, and without another word, they turned and walked away into the night. As I watched them disappear into the darkness, I felt a wave of relief wash over me, knowing that the masked figure would no longer haunt my life.
In the days that followed, I hung the mirror in my new home, a symbol of my resilience and determination. I became more active in the local community, reaching out to others who had faced their own battles with discrimination and prejudice. We formed a support group, a safe space where we could share our experiences and help each other heal.
The events with the masked figure had shaken the town, but it also became an opportunity for growth and understanding. The figure's unmasking sparked conversations about empathy and acceptance, and slowly, people began to change their attitudes towards those who were different.
Together, our small group of survivors formed a beacon of hope and understanding in the town. We worked to educate others about the importance of empathy and acceptance, and in time, the town began to change. The once-dim streets began to fill with light and laughter, as people from all walks of life found a sense of belonging and unity.
Though the scars of our past would never fully fade, we knew that we had the power to shape our own future. The mirror's gift of self-discovery and acceptance had not only transformed my life but had also sparked a change in the hearts of those around me. And in the face of fear and adversity, we stood together, our bonds forged in the crucible of shared experience, ready to face whatever darkness may come.

KITCHENER — A teen gunman who shot up a Subway shop in Waterloo and a month later fled from police with a loaded Glock in his pocket was sentenced to three more years as a young offender. The prosecution had argued Justice Craig Parry consider sentencing the youth as an adult because of the brazen shooting which saw 35 bullets fired into the King Street North restaurant on Good Friday two years ago just as people were leaving nearby bars after last call. Seventeen people were in the Subway restaurant and one man was shot in both forearms. Many others suffered psychological harm.
Parry told the court in a zoom meeting Friday that the attack was “orchestrated and targeted” and that the youth was a gunman in the “violent shooting” but the evidence did not show the degree to which he took part in the “conception, planning and orchestration of the attack.” Parry said the youth did not possess the maturity, sophistication or judgment of an adult. “I am unable to discern whether he was a low-ranking foot soldier or a field general,” he said. “I certainly accept he knew his conduct was wrong. Any six-year-old would know that.” “I have no basis to conclude that he was anything more than a foot soldier, albeit one that fired his weapon,” Parry said.
At the end of his official judgment, Parry praised the youth, who is weeks shy of his 20th birthday, for embracing his time in custody and being a mentor for others.
Parry said he hopes that three years from now the youth will have put his crime life behind him. Parry said the men who he looked up to were more like a gang who would have seen him as expendable. “I hope you understand that those people did not have your welfare in mind and they were not truly loyal to you,” he said. Instead, Parry said his parents and family are the people “who truly love you, will be there for you” throughout your lifetime. Parry congratulated the youth for his hard work while in custody by taking all his high school credits and moving on to post-secondary education. “You did things in your best interest,” Parry said. “You show us what is possible when you put your mind into it.” The youth, who has remained quiet throughout most of his court appearances, said to Parry, “Thanks so much. I appreciate it.” Court heard that the youth was among a group of men who came from Toronto to a condo in Waterloo and deliberately set out to shoot the Subway shop in the university district at 2 a.m. on April 19, 2019. Then about a month later, on May 16, police stopped the youth driving a BMW on King Street at Fairway Road in Kitchener at about 11 a.m. for using his cellphone while driving. He fled and crashed into a traffic pole about a kilometre away. He than ran off into a wooded lot. Police found his jacket with a loaded Glock pistol in the pocket. In the trunk of the car was a large amount of marijuana. The youth was found guilty of a slew of charges including discharging a weapon with intent to endanger life, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm, discharge a firearm while being reckless as the life or safety of another.
For the May 16 incident, he was found guilty of more charges including possession of a loaded prohibited weapon, possessing a firearm with the serial number removed and dangerous driving. In his remarks, Parry said youths are sentenced under the Youth Criminal Justice Act because there is a presumption of “diminished moral culpability” and a diminished level of maturity. The act presumes youth have a lower degree of maturity, lower moral sophistication and a decreased capacity for independent judgment than adults. Parry said the youth was part of a list of “unforced errors” including driving while using a cellphone and having a trunk full of marijuana and gun on him, driving poorly and with a parking ticket under the windshield wiper, and fleeing shoeless when his shoes got stuck in the mud when he was running from police. Parry said the teen “preened” for photos with jewelry and clothing “befitting an aspiring street gangster” who was seduced by the “alluring glamour of a criminal lifestyle.” The behaviour is not a hallmark of maturity, he said.
Parry said the teen, who came to Canada with his family as a refugee from Somalia at 13, struggled in school, was bullied and consequently found a “mirage of acceptance” with a negative, anti-social peer group.

I feel like we're seeing more and more bad things going on, but what can individual do to make a small difference daily? Here's some things I've thought of:
- Stop and buy gas as the local mom and pop gas station if one still exists
- Reduce your use of single use plastic (water bottles, plastic shopping bags, etc).
- Adopt a senior shelter pet instead of a puppy or kitten
- Return your shopping cart and another nearby cart to the cart rack at the supermarket
- Smile at the stranger you pass on your walk
- Take your neighbor a plate of cookies, etc.
- Turn off water when brushing your teeth
What are some of your favorite ways to make the world a little better?

My sweet little boy, 4, have been in hospital, GOSH, for the last 2 weeks and for the last few days he has been asking me to take him to the shop to buy “chocolate” and finally today after getting a go ahead from his doctors we were allowed to walk to the nearby shop out in the street.
He was very excited. We walked out me holding his hands, still with his cannula in his hand and NG tube in his nose. After like 5,6 minutes of walking we found a shop he wanted to go in. Went in bought him what he wanted but by the time we are about to leave it was pouring rain so I quickly called out a black cab and told him Gosh hospital please
The driver didn’t say anything and just drove us. Once we got there as I asked for how much he smiled and replied “No charge for a mum with her sick child”
I almost broke down. These past few weeks have been absolutely horrible and I thought it was really kind of him. Thank you Sir!

Looking to get a tattoo that is designed around the movie “The Corpse Bride”. Does anyone know what tattoo shop to go to for this? Preferably in Tampa but nearby could also work.