Nelson funeral home in oswego ny

i’m still torn between villanova and fordham and idk what to choose. villanova has much better like post-college opportunities and i also know a professor there and ppl there that are encouraging me to go. but i really dk. i didn’t have the best social life in hs and i really want it to improve in college. villanova is so close to home which i don’t entirely love and fordhams campus is much more preferable. i also love NY my biggest issue is parties. id like to go to more social events like that in college bc i didn’t get that experience in hs and im scared that if i go to nova i won’t get it either. but i don’t wanna chose fordham specifically for the purpose of parties bc ik villanova is a better school. i really need help. (rn i’m at 18k for nova a year and like 40k for fordham. think this will change tho, still need to call fordham. next year i’ll prob have to pay reg price bc uodated parent-income)

Hey all, Got a couple DDR4 3200 kits (new in box) looking for a new home!
Looking for $30 each shipped / $50 shipped togetherWould also consider trading for a kit of 2x16GB DDR4 3600 (preferably newish as well).
Timestamp
Edit: meant to put in title [USA-NY] not [USA-MI] - Local is 14606

Hi everyone! I wanted to share my experience with Ketamine treatments through ISHA Health. I would like to state that I have not been compensated for any of my comments and this is purely my opinion to help others decide, as I know what it's like to feel lost among all these at-home Ketamine companies.
As a reminder, all my opinions about other companies is of Jan. 2023, and my opinion of ISHA Health is of June 2023. Since then, all of these companies may have changed pricing, policies, or availabilities when you're reading this. Confirm with them for the most accurate info! ISHA Health is currently only providing services in the following states: AZ, CA, CO, FL, NY
Back in Dec 2022, I was exploring ketamine therapy more seriously and was researching companies online to find the best one for me. I could not use anti-depressants as my career field does not permit them, so my only real medication option was Ketamine, and keeping it on the very down low (i.e. this is why I'm writing on a throwaway account).
Now I was in a really tricky situation as I am a poor college student. IV infusions were out of the question as they were thousands of dollars, and the closest town that had a clinic was 2 hours away; Aside from all that - I had no friends in person, especially ones that would be driving me twice a week for 4 weeks. So now I needed to find a company that was providing services for at-home treatment.
I was on this reddit thread for days, and I've heard of everyone and everything. Dr. Smith or whoever was a very popular option among fellow redditors, but his availability was so non-existent that the soonest appointment was a month and a half out. I was going through a heavy depressive episode post-first break up, so waiting a month and a half was out of the question. Furthermore, it just seemed too sketchy for me to go with him. He just seemed like he provided services just to give out scripts, at least that's the vibe I got from Reddit and his website.
Other companies I was considering was MindBloom, until I found out they wanted you to video call a counselor the first two times (something like that), AND have a trip sitter present. That seemed way too controlling for me, and I wanted to have more freedom. Having to video call someone from the company meant I was on their availability, and my only availability was post 7pm every day. That did not work out.
Then I found Better U, and they had an option for 8 sessions for a little over $1000. I spoke to a representative and he gave me a $100 discount and stated that I get 9 troche's, one extra to make sure my dose is right. Everything seemed great and I was about to go with them until I discovered ISHA Health. At first, I was avoiding a monthly type plan, but I realized that even two months of ISHA Health, was cheaper at around $800, then doing just one month through Better U. I also found out ISHA Health offered a FREE consult, with their only doctor so far (and CEO I believe) - Dr. Shimada. It was a whopping 40 minute long session. Not only did I feel not obligated to commit to anything, but I had so much free time for Dr. Shimada to reassure me and explain the process. I love to ask questions, and had a lot of hesitations going towards the psychedelics world as my family grew up anti-drugs. The 40 minutes was longer than anything I even get with my PCP, and it was perfect. At the end of the consult it was a no brainer to go with that company.
Also, to my recollection ISHA Health was the only company with a free consult. All the other companies wanted you to pay the full fee, then you get a partial reimbursement if you change your mind. Again, way too shady for me. I don't have the money to blow and mess around like that.
The consult availability was an impressive 2-3 days in advance, and from consult to first Ketamine session was only two weeks (this was due to the compound's pharmacy's slow prep time. Dr. Shimada sent off the script same day as my consult). I received 10 troches, a few extra as Dr. Shimada wanted me to slowly ease into treatment to make sure my body didn't have a negative reaction. Also, ISHA Health offers unlimited free 15 min check ins with Dr. Shimada, with availability being most of the weekdays (as of April 2023). I met with her nearly every week, at times even twice a week as I needed help navigating my treatment. I had Ketamine sessions that felt like nothing happened, and I had sessions that were life changing. We also spent a few weeks adjusting the dosage for me, eventually settling on mainly 150mg, and 200mg when needed for a more deeper experience (although a couple hours longer recovery). Dr. Shimada was also very quick on email replies. This honestly felt like the gold standard of telehealth care, you can't get better with that.
I ended up doing two months of treatment, because for me it took a whole month to discover my perfect dose, mindset, fasting procedure, etc. After all that, I could actually focus on my healing with the second month. I am currently finishing up treatment and have been tapering off per Dr. Shimada's instructions which has been going very well. I plan to be fully done by July. Even though it has been more than two months, Dr. Shimada still met with me outside what I paid for, as she understood I was a college student and gave me some leeway. I can happily say that the Ketamine has 100% cured my depression, and helped me deal with my break up at an extraordinary rate. I have nothing but positive opinions regarding ISHA Health, and Dr. Shimada. I couldn't be more thankful for her and her team for assisting me on this journey and being so incredibly flexible and understanding.
I decided to write about this because very little existed on ISHA Health back in January 2023, and that was understandable as it was a very new start up. I am not sure how busy they are now, but for the price point and the service, this is a no-brainer in choosing the company you want to go through.
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TLDR:
This is the best company in terms of service and price. I have zero regrets going with them. You will not be disappointed in their service.
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I do have to mention that my experience with Ketamine is and was unique, and it is for each person. Some may need a higher, or a lower dose. Some can only do a month, while others needs multiple months. And for some, Ketamine may not even work. So for specifically the Ketamine experience aspect, please set your expectations accordingly. Completing a consultation with a doctor will be the be best way you can visualize your treatment plan and see if this is for you.

Going through a divorce and it's ugly. We've been married 5 years, he's 13 years older than me. He has a 26 yr old son and a 15 yr old son and now he and I share a 4 month old son. All of his children have different mothers and there's another woman he was married to also, but they didn't have kids. I don't believe he ever wanted our son. He's said things like, "I'm too old for this shit", "I raised two kids already," "you're the one who wanted a baby." He's been totally detached since he was born. He took 6 weeks off when I did for maternity leave. We could not afford that so he made up a story about why we needed money to get financial help from his mother while neither of us were working. Anyway, if he spent that time bonding with us, it'd be one thing, but he slept in my stepsons room all day (he's only at our house 1 or 2 weekends a month) separate from us, playing on his phone, watching tv, but mostly sleepingand bitching if i asked for help. So, during my 6 week OB appointment, he was left alone with our son for only the 2nd time. The first was so i could attend my gradmas funeral. When I was on my way home from the appointment he called me frantically panicking saying something was wrong with our son. Long story short, we ended up in the children's hospital for 5 days. It was shaken baby syndrome. He has a long winded story about slipping on the stairs but I don't believe him. The social worker at the hospital ruled it an accident. I know I shouldn't accuse him but I just instinctively don't believe him and this platform (anonymously) is the only time I have voiced that belief. So later I find out he has relapsed and he started treating me with such contempt. Truthfully there were always difficult seasons when he'd be completely hateful, go days without speaking to me, and call me too sensitive if i cried or expressed how something made me feel....but this time was 100x worse abd felt like no end in sight. I truly felt unsafe. Toward the end, in absolutely every conversation (because every conversation became a conflict ) he'd tell me to get a divorce and slowly speak out directions to the courthouse. So I listened, and I moved out in March with our baby and filed for divorce. For 2 months he begged, pleaded, swore he would change, go to therapy, see a doc, etc. He's had multiple angry outbursts with slews of hateful messages and threats in between the apologies. Now, he's got a lawyer. They have not submitted their counter to the divorce papers I served him yet but he's threatened to ask for 50/50 custody. He said he wants 50/50 because he can't afford child support, but now of course he denies ever saying that abd acts like its because he wants our son.
He knows how to manipulate a urine screen and mouth swab drug test. He brags about that. I have a voice recording of him admitting to using xanax again that he buys off the street (his drug of choice) and also admitting Marijuana use. The xanax is my concern, obviously. I also have a text of him bragging about stopping the Marijuana use and "dosing down" from the pills. In the same recording we discussed the night he threw the bassinet across the room and all the times he left a loaded shotgun in my stepsons room on his weekends at our house. He's just careless with fire arms. I am not anti gun, but I am anti leaving a gun out, loaded, and so accessible to a child!
I'm terrified of our son being left alone with him. The thought of 50/50 scares me more than anything.
I have never kept our son from him. I let him see him whenever he wants, just not alone. I also wasn't even going to ask for child support. My lawyer and family convinced me to and my lawyer said a judge wouldn't want me having primary custody with no support anyway. I feel like the child support is my biggest road block and it's the only reason he wants 50/50. A while before I moved out and filed, I asked why he's never paid child support for his 15 yr old and he flat told me that when his other sons mother left, he threatened her by telling her if she came after him for child support then he'd take her to court for custody. They were never married, so they didn't have to do all of this and she's just nice letting him see their son without ever getting any help from my husband.
I'm sorry this is such a long story. Believe it or not, I've left a lot out. I just want to know if you guys think my evidence is enough to keep him from get 50/50 or any kind of unsupervised shared parenting for that matter. I'm really heartbroken just thinking of having to allow that. I don't think the judge will care much about the detachment or the verbal and emotional abuse, because that's probably just considered an opinion, but it's a major concern of mine too.
Thank you for reading. Please share anything you think might help.

Hello all,
I’m from San Francisco and am in NY for the month, I was having trouble finding an affordable home for my time in NY so opted for a shared apartment with June homes, as it appeared to be a turnkey service.
However, when I arrived, the previous tenant was still occupying my room, it was extremely dirty, and had an absolutely foul smell that had baked its way into every surface of my room and was leaking into the rest of the apartment. This smell rendered the room uninhabitable.
I was relocated to the only other available room which didn’t have any working lights, so I spent 4 days there in the dark until I found other accommodations.
I’ve sent in complaint after complaint to jume home support, but they have been unhelpful. I am demanding for a refund, but they say that the request has been elevated to a manager who is “reviewing” it. I’ve tried for multiple days to contact this manager, but they are not available or support staff cannot transfer me to a manager (two different stories from two different support reps). At this point it feels like they are purposefully ignoring me
Has anybody had a similar situation and what action did you take? Any and all advice on how I can get them to return my money would be much appreciated, thank you!

TLDR: I’m in the UK I don’t know how to find any of this out. I don’t remember his birthday or the know the date and cause of death. I only have his name and address. No one will tell me anything and it’s making my grieving process so so much harder I don’t know what to do.
The relationship with my Dad has been frosty. I was being abused by my sisters so I stood my ground with them and refused to attend family functions until they acknowledged their behaviour was abusive. My Dad wasn’t happy with this and felt I should retain my place as the family scapegoat. He stopped talking to me meaning I couldn’t easily retain contact with my Uncle as we live far away. He was sick and a boomer so didn’t use social media. I lost his phone number. Now it’s too late.
The last time I saw him we were supposed to hang out after my Grandads funeral but again - my sisters were being abusive, fighting screaming. I ended up leaving in tears without keeping my promise to him. His face lighting up when I asked him to come with me is the thing I remember.
My Dad answerd the phone to me for the first time in years. We had a conversation like o was a normal human. I said I wanted to grieve and go pay my respects at his home with him as someone hid my uncles death and has stolen his remains. My Dad agreed to see me for the first time in years. Me - a moron I messaged my sisters to ask if they were coming? Suddenly my Dad won’t answer the phone to me. My sisters are telling me I’m “interfering” and I’m not welcome and specifically told me I’m not allowed to know anything that’s happening. I sent my Father a text letting him know I’m still coming to visit him and the grandchildren. I asked when is a good time? After a week of ignoring me his tone suddenly changed back to being aggressive and nasty. He told me I’m not to come see him nor am I allowed see any of my family. I said again - I’m very upset about the death of my uncle, I also had an old friend die too and I’d already booked my (expensive) travel tickets and accommodation to visit. He’s ignoring me again. I feel like it’s only me & Dad that cared about my Uncle at all. They didn’t care at my grandparents funeral and used it as another opportunity for abuse. I’m upset on so many levels right now and have to grieve for him alone.
I’ve been looking for funeral and obituary announcements in his local newspaper and can’t find anything. I know he had friends and a girlfriend but they’re all kinda addicts so - I don’t know how he was treated while he was sick? what cancer killed him? did he know? Did he have a funeral? My uncle and grandparents were the only adults in my life I have happy memories of. They’re the only ones who treated me as a normal kid and not a scapegoat. My sisters were put on a pedestal so don’t appear to really care about them as they weren’t a big part of their life but they meant everything to me and I’m deeply cut up my Uncle died suffering, neglected and alone.
I’m partly writing this just to get it out. I don’t know anyone else that can understand how I feel right now. Also - if anyone knows how can I find out something by myself without any help please let me know. I live about 12 hours away but I’m thinking of going and knocking door to door asking about him to try and find out what happened. I can’t even find a photo of him. I looked on Ancestry.com and couldn’t find anything. All the people who would’ve been able to help me now are dead. I just want some closure.

I love experimental theatre and things that follow along the avant-garde movement. With this theatre typically may take place in unconventional or unusual locations and I want to see what the most bizarre one you've come across is. What was the play? What did you think of it?
I'll go first - the most bizarre place I've seen a peace of theatre happen in is actuallya show im directing now for the fall. It is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane inside of a funeral home .

To Whom it may concern, With the amount of disclosure and whistle blowing going on I feel compelled to share information as it was shared to be from my Grandmother before she passed away. NAME REMOVED (MJP) was my grandmother and served as a GS13 Civilian Employee with the Air Force at Wright Patterson Airforce Base. She referred to herself as The Author of the Air Force Inventory Control System. Her initials MJP appeared on every line of code that she either wrote or approved which was later discovered to be nearly 70% of all the COBOL code in the system. Her status and position within the Inventory Control System gave her access to many top secret details including Nuclear Arms Details, Aircraft Capabilities, Base Locations, etc... She once recounted a story during the Vietnam war about a plane that went missing that was carrying Nuclear Warheads. The entire pentagon (as she recalled) was worried because the plane was lost and they were worried that the technology could fall into the wrong hands. She was watching a nation news update on the war and they were reporting from a runway in Vietnam. The reporter was talking about how the rains had created so much mud that planes could no longer take off and they were stuck. In the background she noticed the tail number of the missing aircraft sitting there in a background shot of the camera and picked up the phone and called the Pentagon from her home phone. She was connected to the appropriate General and told him that she found thier missing plane and that the pilots were probably drunk somewhere not realizing that everyone is looking for them. (This is not the story I am wanting to share but rather an attempt to establish credibility and the status of my Grandmother within the Air Force). When I was 16 years old I spent a summer living with my grandmother. I lived there for just under 90 days, it was only the 2 of us. I spent many days board and besides trying to learn to play her organ and talking to my girlfriend long distance on the phone, I had lots of time to kill. While looking for movies I found a box of home recorded VCR tapes that were all about UFOs. I asked my Grandmother why she had all these recording and she told me that she was very interested in what people were reporting about UFO and she would try to record most of what she saw on TV on the topic. I asked her if there was anything interesting and she replied that she thought it was all interesting that's why she recorded it. I spent many hours watching through her box of recordings and eventually watched one about all the weird coincidences about Wright Patterson Airforce Base. Because I knew she worked there I asked her about it. Besides saying that there were always rumors that there were hidden "Layers" on the base and that she always remembered that tons of civilians worked on the base and that no one really knew what everyone doing (herself included). She recalled (just as the VCR Recording had just discussed) that there were rumors that companies were taking items off the base to research them. She talked about how her inventory had every asset the Air Force had and she had detailed information and that she struggled to see how people could remove items without her knowing, but she did know that there were secrets. She had some items in the inventory that had no additional information and just serial numbers. Those items most of the time would have locations associated with it, but they would move at times from base to base without proper transport information. When my uncle died many years later I went to her home for the funeral. During that time period I was asked to spend a day with her while everyone else worked out the funeral details. She was deep in thought as you can imagine after loosing a son and she began to tell me her life story. I'll skip to the Air Force Part. She started as a secretary but had very high eval scores and she would volunteer for any special project when they asked for her help. The first special project was to help standardize an inventory system for the punch cards that were being used in the mid 50s, shortly after they switched to magnetic reel and needed a new inventory system for that as well. Additionally they would receive computer updates on the telegraph machine. Not Morse Code but instead binary. They had an evaluation with the secretaries on accuracy of transferring the print outs of the telegraph binary into the computing machines. She was selected as one of the girls that would take the print outs and re input them into the computers. She realized that it was faster and more accurate to transfer the code if she read it like we read English and then just retype the English back into binary into the system. Worked like a charm. She was reading binary on a daily basis in the same way that anyone else would read the New York Times. Most of what she was reading was computer nonsense but the translation into letters made her very fast and accurate. She eventually became the head of computer storage inventory cataloguing all the reels and storing them in storage facilities. When the Air Force decided to turn their entire inventory into a digital system instead of a paper system she was selected with several other women to learn COBOL, a new computing language. After all the women were taught the new language her scores were the highest plus she already had experience in leading during the inventory management work she was already doing so they chose her to be the team lead. Her and that group of women would go on to write the first digital database for the Air Force. Their daily code would be sent out a night to 2 other bases (California and Virginia I believe) and those bases would build simultaneous software databases that later would receive nightly transmissions to keep them up to date with each other. She said that no one knew the Air Force inventory like her. She would be the one that pulled the data from the database and send it to the Pentagon for all the updates. She shared a funny story about how when Nixon was giving a State of the Union address he was giving an update about the Vietnam war and he started feeding false information. The Air Force losses were way higher then what he stated and she jumped up and started screaming and the TV that he was a lier, because she created the report for the president and she new what the real number were. Then after awhile she couldn't figure out who was lying. Was it the President? Or was it someone between her and the President? She went on to say that she new that there were secret bases and that there were item in inventory that someone was hiding what the items actually were. She couldn't understand that if she knew exactly how many nuclear bombs the Air Force had and exactly where they were located then what would they need to keep more secret then that. She suspected that it was aliens. There were rumors all over the base that the military had aliens and alien technology. That the loads of civilians on the base were working to crack the code on alien technology so that humans could use it, but she never had proof. On 2 different occasions she was asked to go to a private briefing room at Wright Patt. These were two different rooms in two different locations. The first time, the room had a wall filled with "Televisions" but they were the biggest Televisions she had ever seen. This was in the 60s and she had never experienced anything like it. They were also in Color. She noticed that the wall did not seem thick enough to hold all these TVs but that she was positive it was not a projector. Another time she went into a room and the briefing started on what can best be described as a white board. She said they often used chalk boards and she was very familiar with what a chalk board looked like. This one was different. For starters it wasn't the typical color of a chalk board and it didn't make the right noise when the person was writing. Later the instructor flipped over the board and said that they were going to watch a film. The other side of the board played a movie like she was at the theater. She looked around for a projector or at least the light of the lens and she couldn't find one. In the Late 90s when she got her first LCD TV she knew she had seem something like it before and couldn't believe that she now had alien technology in her house. While she was coding she had a routine. She would write code for 15 minutes then get up from her desk, light a cigarette and walk to the breakroom to refill her coffee. She would then take a lap and go back to her desk all of that took her about 10 minutes. She was in the breakroom so much that she got to know everyone in the building. She also told me that she was a lonely woman (her husband had died) and she secretly wished that one of the men would show interest in her, but she said no one did. This is the point of the story and I am missing a detail that I wish I remembered but I don't. One day she was in the breakroom one of her friends from the base was there and had a look on her face like something was terribly wrong. My Grandmother said that when you work for the government you learn to never ask questions, but the woman just looked offaul and maybe her mother had died or something and so my grandmother asked it she was okay. The Woman told my grandmother "Don't you know Jeanie (her nickname), The last one died today." My Grandmother said she kept on her poker face but had no idea what the woman was talking about. The woman continue "It's okay Jeanie we can talk about it. I know who you are, I know your clearance, I know that nothing happens here that you aren't aware of. The last alien died today. We have so much more that we want to learn." My Grandmother just sipped her coffee and said "I haden't heard." Then walked out the door. She went on to say that she was too scared to ever talk about it. She gave me the exact date of the conversation but I have sadly forgotten the date. She stated that after that she feared for her life. She didn't know how many more secrets she could keep. The government was constantly asking her to give them information and then doing coverups. This was during the Vietnam war and everything was very stressful. The stress was killing her and she started to develop ulcers. The ulcers eventually became chronic and she was forced into disability in 1976. She said that she learned to never trust what the government wants us to believe and that aliens are real. She also said she believed that companies were using alien technology to make all the advancements that we have now. She then pointed to items in her house like her TV and her laptop and said we couldn't have done all this without help. I know this is just a story but it's a true story from my life.

Hello All, Happy Monday evening!
My husband and I have been debating where to move for a while now and I think we finally have it narrowed down to two options: Grand Rapids, MI, or Rochester, NY (we would likely be living outside each city in the surrounding areas because we want a home on a larger lot - preferably at least half an acre).
We have been to Farmington (outside Rochester) and around the Finger Lakes and really liked that area. We have not been to Grand Rapids yet, but we have family a few hours away who think we would like it.
I need help identifying the differences between the two areas and which would suit us better.
Here is a little about us and what we are looking for:

• Mid-to-late 30s couple, no kids (and don’t plan on having any)
• Lean left politically
• Non-religious
• We love hiking, paddle boarding, and generally just getting outdoors, so access to nature is a huge necessity for us.
• We love farmers' markets, and coffee shops to chill at on the weekend.
• We love good restaurants, especially those with outdoor seating (for the summer, of course).
• We are not huge into nightlife or drinking, so that is not a necessity - but we do appreciate a brewery/winery with a good ambiance from time to time.
• Looking for a 3 bed, 2 bath house on a little land for <$500k
• We both have remote jobs, so we don’t need a robust job market

Thank you all so much! I really appreciate any help and input.

This case has already been covered, but I felt the write-up was a bit bareboned and could’ve gone further in depth. That write-up was around 500 words, my one has over 1800 words. I have linked their original reddit post, and I recommend you check it out, as they covered this case first.
https://www.reddit.com/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/dipz9h/karen_louise_wilson_missing_from_albany_ny_since/
Karen Louise Wilson was born on February 10th, 1963, to Taylor and Jennie Wilson. She was a popular student in high school and a cheer leader. She was then a full-time senior political science major at the State University of New York and an unpaid, full-time intern for state Assemblyman Samuel Coleman. She aspired to have a career in the foreign service.
On Wednesday the 27th of March 1985, the 22 year old vanished without a trace.
THE TIMELINE:
On the 27th, Karen went to the Colonie Center and bought a red t-shirt and a blue t-shirt to take with her on an upcoming spring break trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She may have also gotten a tan at the Tanning Hut; she had booked an appointment that day but no one at the tanning salon could remember seeing her.
She was last seen in the 1600 block of Central Avenue in Colonie, New York at approximately 7:20 pm. She also called her roommate around this time, and said she was on her way home for dinner.
It was initially believed that Karen got on a bus near the Butcher Block restaurant on Central Avenue and took it to Fuller Avenue, but it was later determined that she couldn’t have gotten on the bus and probably walked instead. 3 credible witnesses would later tell authorities that they had seen her on Fuller Avenue shortly afterwards.
THE LAST 3 SIGHTINGS:
SIGHTING 1: The first witness told authorities that she saw Karen traveling southbound on Fuller Rd after she turned from Central Ave at 8:15pm.
She stated that as she approached a gas station on her left (believed to be the Workingman’s Friend Gas Station), she passed a very slow-moving vehicle, also traveling southbound. She could not recall any specifics of the vehicle's description, except that the driver was a white male in his forties with an intent look on his face. The male had a beard, brown hair with a reddish tint, and a long nose and face.
The witness then saw a female believed to be Karen, walking near a guide rail along the west side of Fuller Road near Sysco Food. By the time the witness reached Fuller Rd at Railroad Ave, she had already driven past the female.
SIGHTING 2: The second witness saw someone they believed to be Karen on the west side of Fuller Road. This was between 8:10pm - 8:15pm.
She stated that the female was walking south of the entrance of Six Mile Waterworks (also known as Rensselaer Lake) near the construction road leading west off Fuller Road. This area is located just north of the I-90 underpass. The female was walking on the grassy portion of the sidewalk, with her head down.
A smaller person of unknown sex was walking along the female’s right side "almost shoulder to shoulder" seemingly urging her up an embankment or incline into the Six Mile area. The smaller person was described as between 5'5 - 5'8 (165-172cm), and between 120-140lbs (54-64kg). When the female turned her head to the left, the witness thought she appeared nervous.
The witness also described a white male following 50 to 100 feet behind the two subjects. He was walking at a steady pace, not seeming to be gaining on the two. He was described as about 5'11 (180cm) with a slim build, in his early 20's, wearing dark pants and a waist length jacket which may have been beige. He had light colored hair (gold to red), and a beard or some other type of facial hair. The couple then returned to the sidewalk and began walking in a normal manner southbound on Fuller Road.
After the witness stopped at the red light at the I-90 ramp, and then continued southbound, she saw the couple past the dirt construction road on the right, just out from the I90 underpass.
She also stated that she saw a stopped or disabled small unoccupied black vehicle at Fuller Rd at Washington Ave Ext. The vehicle had a New York plate bearing partial plate 239 with unknown letters. The car was sedan style and believed to be about five years old. The driver's window was down about 6" and the passenger window was down about 2". She thought this was odd because it looked like it was about to rain. Also noted on the driver's side window was a hole about ¼" in diameter with cracks radiating from it. She thought that it looked like a bullet hole.
SIGHTING 3: The last sighting of Karen was by a third witness at approximately 8:20pm as he left work at the SUNY Albany Campus, and was waiting at the traffic light on Washington Ave and Fuller Rd.
He was waiting for traffic to clear so that he could turn right, proceed north on Fuller Rd and access the I-90 entrance ramp across from the Six Mile entrance. The female was reportedly seen standing on the northwest corner of Fuller Road for about 10 seconds while the witness was waiting for the traffic to clear. He believed that the female appeared to be waiting for the traffic light to change.
When he made the right turn onto Fuller Rd, the witness saw a male crossing Fuller Rd from the west side to the east side, just south of the I-90 underpass. He took a few steps up the driveway where the construction trailers were on the east side of Fuller but seemed to change his mind. He then walked south on the east side of Fuller Rd. The male subject did not appear to be looking towards Karen.
He was described as a white male with "sandy or light brown, messy or curly" hair, with a couple of days growth of facial hair. He was of average height, about 18 - 25 years old, and was wearing a jean (denim?) or aviator type jacket, jeans, a flannel shirt, and high tan construction boots.
As the witness turned right onto the I-90 ramp, he saw a lime green Volkswagen Rabbit (estimated to be a 1981 or 1982) parked along the road. There was no one around the vehicle. This appears to have been the last sighting of her, and she hasn’t been heard from since.
Due to these witness accounts, authorities believe Karen likely walked south on Fuller Avenue towards State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany. They concluded she was likely abducted somewhere near Six-mile Waterworks, the entrance ramp to Interstate 90 westbound and the Northway. The night was not well lit, and the road was not heavily traveled, making it possible for someone to pull her into a vehicle within a matter of seconds without leaving witnesses.
DESCRIPTIONS & BELONGINGS:
Karen was a Caucasian female listed at 5’3 (160cm) and 114lbs (51kg) with brown hair and brown eyes.
Investigators were unable to locate the personal belongings she had with her when she disappeared. These included: A gray cloth notebook, a blue nylon wallet with a Velcro closure, a green and white plastic bag from Ups N Down, and possibly a blue knapsack containing a yellow dress.
She was wearing a Cream-colored raincoat, a light blue short-sleeve pullover, faded blue Levi jeans and white sneakers. She also had a 14k gold ring, size 5 ½, with a turquoise zircon in raised setting along with 1/5 carat diamond on each side, a Seiko watch with a black face and gold numerals and white plastic earrings. The ring was approximately 40-50 years old.
Her dental records are available.
SUSPECTS:
1. A strange man was seen in the area around the time Karen vanished. He has never been identified and authorities have sought him for questioning, at least as a witness or possibly even a suspect.
2. Authorities announced that another suspect in the case was killed in an accidental house fire in 2013. He was never able to be conclusively linked to the case, and it’s thought he couldn’t be the perpetrator as he had reported to work at 4:00am, just a few hours after Karen vanished.
(On a personal note, this conclusion makes little sense to me. Karen’s last confirmed sighting was at around 7:20 pm, leaving nearly 9 hours in between her last known sighting and the time he clocked in to work. The last witness reported seeing her at 8:20pm which still leaves slightly under 8 hours.)
3. Authorities investigated the possibility that convicted murderer and suspected child-serial killer Lewis Lent Jr may have been involved in Karen's disappearance, but determined it was unlikely since Lent's previous victims were all children. He has not been ruled out.
THEORIES:
1. Police did investigate the possibility that Karen traveled to Florida after her disappearance as she had planned but found no evidence that she had ever left New York.
2. Her case has possible links to Suzanne Lyall’s abduction. Both were young, dark haired SUNY students abducted in the same manner. Authorities have investigated a possible link between the two. Both cases are unsolved.
The general consensus is that Karen was abducted and murdered.
PERSONAL THEORIES:
1. Due to Unresolved Mysteries not letting me add photos to this write-up I am unable to provide a sketch of the strange man seen in the area at the time. However, he has an uncanny resemblance to convicted serial killer John Bittrolff. It might be possible he is linked to the case, but this is simply an observation.
2. 2 young women were found murdered and floating in the river close to where Karen disappeared at the same time she vanished. It might be possible that the cases were linked.
CONCLUSION:
During the first year after her disappearance, Karen's family, who now live out-of-state, mailed thousands of letters pleading for information and advertising their $10,000 reward for new details about her disappearance. They have now given up hope of their daughter coming back alive, and simply want to find her body, so they can give her a proper burial and finally know what happened to their daughter.
I don’t have much hope of a conclusion for this case any time soon. It seems clear she was abducted and murdered, and without a body there is no evidence that could lead to anything. Unless her body is found, or someone comes forward, I see this case being unsolved for years to come.
Karen Louise Wilson has been missing for 38 years. If she is still alive, she would be 60 years old.
If you have any information about Karen's disappearance, please contact New York State Police at 518-783-3212.
SOURCES:
https://oag.ca.gov/missing/person/karen-l-wilson
https://www.pressrepublican.com/news/local_news/family-pleads-for-details-in-1985-disappearance-of-their-daughtearticle_36801912-fb94-5152-894d-fd9de58c0502.html
https://www.timesunion.com/7dayarchive/article/Cold-Case-UAlbany-student-still-missing-after-32-11820083.php
https://troopers.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2021/03/karen-wilson.pdf
https://troopers.ny.gov/missing-wilson-karen-louise
https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/5695/details
https://charleyproject.org/case/karen-louise-wilson
https://int-missing.fandom.com/wiki/Karen_Wilson

I (45M) met my partner (42M) in 2005. He moved in about 5 months into the relationship, things moved quickly. In hindsight, there were red flags; but when you fall for someone, it is hard to separate fear from a red flag. Things were really good. He was a fun, life of the party type of guy. His personality and smile would fill a room. He followed me through school and we both got our doctorates. Vacations, family trips, I was so happy. However, about 18 months into the relationship, intimacy kind of started to die. He seemed kind of uninterested. When we did have sex, it often felt more like a hookup or like a soul-less robot I was with. I couldn't figure it out. I chalked it up to stress and school. There was always another reason I could find. It was during these first few months and years that I noticed he had no friends outside of his younger brother. Despite that, he was my best friend, we got along very well and really didn't have big fights or disagreements.
Fast forward to 2015, he is about to graduate and start his career as a doctor; it was an exciting time. His demeanor changed rapidly. He began going to the gym a lot, but this time I wasn't invited. I still had a year of school left so I was too busy anyways. His gym outings started lasting 2-3 hours. I asked mutual friends about it out of suspicion, but they assured me he would never cheat. About two weeks before his graduation, he told me we needed to talk, he was leaving me. It was very cold and to the point. I asked if he had met someone, he said "no, I would never do that". He didn't cry, no emotion. Two days later he came out of the bedroom with a backpack and said he was leaving for "a day or two". He didn't come back.
There I was, trying to study for finals which required about 15 hours a day for weeks on end. Trying not to break down constantly and be productive to make sure I passed my finals. I downloaded a dating app, if just to feel not so alone and have someone to chat with. I remember how quiet it was in those first few weeks, the silence was deafening. I chatted with a few people. One guy I chatted with had a blank profile, but quickly sent a face pic. He looked familiar. I told him my situation, to which he replied, "well, obviously it sounds like he is cheating on you". I studied his photo again and then went out to Facebook to investigate. It was my partners newest Facebook friend. I immediately texted my partner, and asked who this friend of his was, and why he says you are cheating on me. He was furious. It was the guy he left me for, he was cheating. My partners graduation was the next evening, which I was supposed to attend with him at his request, because he hadn't told friends and family that we were separated because he didn't want to ruin the celebration. I didn't go and so he went to his graduation and his party alone. He was mad at me for that. I hypothesize that this guy told me because he didn't want me going to the graduation neither my ex.
Up until that point, my ex and I had still been communicating on a near daily basis. That ended at this point, I was broken. A couple of weeks went by and then the new mister-ess contacted me. They had already had a falling out and he wanted to talk to me, said there were things I should know. I told him that he was crazy, but that at this point, what the hell, right? We decided to meet for a drink at a local rooftop bar. He made me assure him that I wouldn't punch him in the face, but I told him that I would rather punch my ex.
We grabbed a drink around 8pm. He was a very good looking guy. Kind of a rough looking Jake Gyllenhaal. I Instantly felt both jealous and insecure about myself at the same time. Is this why he left? I wasn't good looking enough? (During those early months, I blamed myself a lot for the breakup) He began by telling me that my ex was a piece of shit, and they weren't talking. I'm still not sure what had happened between them. He told me that they had been seeing each other for about 3 months before my ex left me (gym time), and he went on to say that my ex was a piece of shit and I should run as fast as I could away from him. Now, initially, I kind of chuckled.. of course you want me out of the picture, things aren't working out and he is obviously afraid my ex will come back to me. He then said something that still gives me chills and has taken me years to wrap my brain around: "He doesn't love you and he never has, he told me that when we first met. When I told him that's not possible, he told me that he has been cheating on you since he first met you.". Ok, so that knocked me back, and I'm sure I had a look of disbelief on my face. I don't know what my response was at that point, I think I semi blacked out.. but he began following up with names, dates and places. He named a guy that we met in Mexico on our 1st vacation together in 2006. My ex had just moved in with me a few months before that trip. They apparently hooked up in a bathroom of our resort he informed me. He named a classmate of my ex.. My ex had invited that classmate to multiple parties with us and to our place. He named a creepy older guy that lived in our building. At this point I think I was in shock. I felt violated. Both by the actions of my ex and by the fact that this stranger knew more details about my relationship than I did, or so it seemed. I finished my drink and got up to leave. He asked me not to tell my ex what I had been told. He then went on to say we should "hang out sometime". I left.
I arrived at my ex's new place in about 3 1/2 minutes. He admitted to everything. There was no remorse, he was just calm about it, like everything was normal. I did not know this person. It was probably one of the scariest moments in my life. This person I knew, loved and trusted more than anyone, I knew nothing about them. He told me that he did say he never loved me, but that was only so he could impress this new guy, he didn't mean it he said. I wanted to believe that. I asked him how many times he had cheated. He said he couldn't remember. He said that whenever he did something "bad" that he would mentally block it out, and that he couldn't remember anything. (Although he conveniently remembered to tell this guy about it as evidence he didn't care about me)
The next few days and weeks were a daze. Reality seemed not real anymore. Looking back, I was in shock. Over the next several weeks classmates and friends confided in me that there were other people my partner had cheated with, 6 that I know of at least now. I was looking for something that made sense of it all. Nothing did. I was back home visiting my family for Father's day, everyone was there except for my ex. It felt empty. My brother and sister tried to console me. I was inconsolable. My brother and I hung out for several hours that day, that hadn't happened for a long time. He pulled up YouTube on the TV and played me a Sia video he loved; Elastic Heart. We took turns playing videos and talking about the meaning behind them. I recall that being both an amazing day with my brother and also strange, as he was never that open. He hugged me before he left, told me he loved me. He called me "doc" right before he got in his car, even though I didn't have my degree yet..
My brother would die two days later at the construction site he worked at. The 1000's of pounds of rebar the crane was lowering down above his head would come undone and come down on top of him. It was instantaneous they told us. It turned out they had hired an out of work teacher to help on the site, he didn't know how to secure the fittings on the rebar to the crane. The company was fined $15k I believe in OSHA violations, but what was done was done. I remember at this point being almost happy for the breakup, because I was already numb when this happened. I cried a lot, but there were almost no tears left to cry at that point.
I found out about the accident via my smartwatch while I was with a patient. I can't remember if I was sitting on the floor or was leaning against a wall, but the faculty got me into an office and got me seated. They called my ex to come and get me because they weren't going to let me drive. It was 10:30am. My ex told them it was his first day of work at his new job and that he didn't want to leave early because it would look bad (yeah, I know). A classmate of mine drove me home and stayed with me until my ex got off work. She helped me pack to go to my parents. My ex came and got me and drove me the 90 mins to my parents, I don't remember much about that ride. The next few days were a blur, the funeral seemed like a bad dream. My ex did go with me, but he never cried, never showed emotion. The night before the funeral I asked if he could hang out with me, but he blew me off, it turned out he had a date. He ended up telling me I needed to find a new support system when I got upset.
The sense of loss you feel when you lose two people this close to you is overwhelming. It was at this point that I decided I couldn't lose my ex. Whatever was wrong with him, whatever he was going through, I needed to help him. This brings me to the painful lesson I would eventually learn through all of this: you really can't help someone if they don't want to change, are incapable of change, or if they think there is nothing wrong with them. Some lessons are harder to learn than others, however.
I started reaching out to my ex, trying to spend time with him. He was still seeing his fling off and on. I got him into therapy. This went on for sometime, us being off and on. I realize now that I was the back burner, he was keeping me warm. I was in the perfect state for him, I would have done anything to make things work at this point, I was broken into pieces. In the realm of narcissistic personality disorder, I was the "supply", and I seemed more than willing to put myself through that meat grinder given the circumferences.
During this time of back and forth. My ex would tell me he wanted to make things work, and then I would catch him with this other guy again. He would say they were just friends, etc.. At one point, this guy started showing up at my condo in the middle of the night, he would message me and comment on what I was wearing. I would get a text saying, "I like that red shirt", and I'd look down and I was wearing a red shirt. It got creepy fast, I never knew when I was being watched. One of the dating apps would show how far away people were, down to feet. On multiple occasions I would get a message as I was going to bed, the distance would show under 20 feet away. Those moments were horrific, because it happened on dozens of occasions. I was being stalked.
The messages I was receiving got more and more threatening. I told my ex about it, but he said it wasn't his problem. After one particularly creepy night where it seemed like this guy was in my hallway, I showed my ex all of the messages the next day. He finally told me that this guy hated me with a passion, and said he "didn't think he would actually do anything". I asked him what things he said he was going to do, and then he casually mentioned that this guy had joked about killing me. A few days later I stopped by my ex's place and was ringing the door entry panel, when this guy approached me and started a fight.. he broke my nose and threw me down a flight of stairs. My ex called the police and told me I shouldn't have been there unannounced. He continued seeing this guy.
Now, this guy had been in my school, and had just started taking preliminary classes at the request of my ex. I went to the school counselors and filed a report, he was kicked out of school and banned for two years. I filed a restraining order, but he didn't show up to court for the hearing. The school took it very seriously. Security guards were given his photo and told not to allow him in the building. The stalking did stop finally though.
My ex finally ended things with him, as he started getting more and more violent. My ex would call me saying he was scared of him, that he was there trying to beat the door down. As I'm typing this, I realize that this was probably just a manipulation technique to work on my empathy and to pull me back in. It worked. We talked about how to cut this guy off and what we needed to do to protect my ex from this crazy guy. We started spending more and more time together.
Over the next few months we began spending most of the week together. Things were starting to feel normal again. My ex moved back in with me. Although I was happy, I also was scared, because I knew deep down there was something very wrong. We had already started counseling at my request. His mother was a borderline personality disorder, which we had kind of known before. What we didn't know was how that affected a child raised by one. It would take me a few more years to fully understand the damage she caused.
Things pretty quickly fell apart after he moved back in. The kind, fun person I had known the first 10 years no longer existed. In hindsight, I realize that the kind person was a facade, an act that was used to cover all of the pain and dysfunction that was hiding underneath. After 3 months of living together I asked him to move out in the fall of 2016. I helped him find an apartment and helped him move his things. There I was, alone again, broken..
Despite being separated, we never stopped seeing each other. We regularly made dinner for each other, went and saw movies, camping trips, vacations, family gatherings, etc. I think deep down I held onto hope that therapy would slowly work its magic. I was 39 at the time, and starting over just seemed impossible.
By the end of 2018 we were back in therapy, he had been going off and on since 2015 at this point.. The question was, we can't stop spending time together, where do we go from here? I trusted our therapist, she knew us well. Judging from our sessions and how she conducted them, it seemed as though she believed we could reconcile. I had my concerns, but allowed my fears of being alone and fear of going through the full pain of losing my partner guide my decision making process. I simply could not picture my life without him. I was still trying to get my life back that I knew before 2015. Our therapist told me for this to work, I needed to be fully committed, 100%. (Although, hell, have I not been at this point??) She told me he was likely was developing borderline personality disorder, but that if he continued counseling, he could overcome it.
We decided to give it another go. However, I had been in my small condo for 15 years at this point, and he was in his tiny apartment. We needed a new place, for new memories. I wanted children, it's something we had discussed for years. We decided to buy a house together. I know, I'm rolling my eyes right now too.. We found an amazing house, and within about 6 weeks we were moving in. I was back to feeling as happy as ever. Intimacy, however, never recovered.
For about 6 months, things seemed "normal". However, something this time was different. I was different. I was becoming aware of reality. He had quickly stopped counseling after buying the house, but didn't tell me immediately. I began to notice things he said, little arguments he would start. He would belittle me in small ways. Once I noticed this, I couldn't let it go. He would also gaslight me. He would say something or make plans, and then when I would bring it up later, I was "crazy", because he never said that. I would try to point these things that bothered me out to him, but it would get turned around on me. Why couldn't I let things go, he would say. Also, my items would disappear. Mail would get thrown away, kitchen gadgets tossed. One particular night I wanted to make waffles, and I had a really nice waffle maker my parents got me. I searched and searched, but couldn't find it anywhere. I asked him if he'd seen it, which started a fight. "I didn't touch it! Stop accusing me!". I had only asked him because he had reorganized the kitchen a few weeks earlier. I searched storage, the garage, went through box after box. I looked for several days. After a few days, he said it "might" have been thrown away. Might have?? He said he wasn't sure. After another day of searching, he finally told me he had thrown it away because I rarely used it. When I got upset, he told me that I was too materialistic, and placed too much value on items. This happened dozens of times, and somehow it was always my fault.
By fall of 2019, something strange began happening. I started getting stomache pains. It was enough pain that I thought I should see a doctor. However, I quickly realized that this pain would begin only when my partner was in the room. After that, if he would try to touch me or hold my hand, I would instinctively recoil. I felt horrible about it. I told him to give me space while I figured myself out. I spoke to my therapist about it, and she told me I should read the book, The Body Keeps The Score. I didn't, but it's on my list.
Over the next few months I read several books about relationships. One of them I read twice, Too Good To Leave, To Bad To Stay. I put a lot of effort into figuring out how we could mend and repair all the damage that had been done over the years. I had seen multiple therapists, even a sex therapist. I think I was out on the porch one day, reading my 4th or 5th book, punishing myself for not knowing how to fix things. It was at that point that I realized he was in the house playing video games, had read zero books, sought out no new counseling, had not wanted to initiate any conversations on the topic. Everything rested solely on my shoulders to fix. I realized I was in this relationship alone. It felt like I was living with a roommate because I WAS living with a roommate. This person I loved did not love me, at least not the way I did him. It was a rude awakening, one that I should have realized 5 years earlier.
A few days later I told him I was leaving him, he did not react, he just said ok. Over the next few days and weeks I cried harder than I have ever cried, he didn't. At one point I realized I was having what Oprah called, the ugly cry, it kind of felt good in a way. The pandemic hit a few weeks later, so we were together until June of that summer. We discussed here and there if there were ways to save things. At one point he told me if I worked out more, it might help. It was in moments like that that I knew I was doing the right thing. I was an object to him, if I was a bit shinier I might get more attention.. at least that's what I heard. A few weeks before he moved out, he asked if he could move up to the 3rd floor, because he was sad he wasn't going to get to live in the house anymore. He thought we could be roommates. The problem was, we already WERE roommates, except I was in love with him, and he wasn't with me. Hearing that the house was his biggest concern hurt me deeply. (I had offered to let him keep the house, but he couldn't afford it by himself)
I helped him look for apartments, frequently having to excuse myself as I would break down during the showings. I helped him move his furniture and belongings. However, even after all of this, we continued to spend time together. Movies, dinners, game nights.. I started to experience deep depression after each weekend we spent together. I sought counseling, and slowly I weaned myself from seeing him. I eventually limited myself to 2 hours per week. This made him very angry, even though he was not doing therapy, and wasn't working on the relationship at all.
I realized I was doing the right thing, but I was constantly in my head. How could I leave this person I loved so much. The intense back and forth battle in my head was ferocious. I kept going to counseling, and he helped me to sort those competing thoughts out. I had been maintaining this pristine image of my ex in my head, the facade he had created early on persisted in my mind, and I longed for that perfect person I once knew. Yet the person I know knew on my day to day was this twisted person who seemed foreign to me. It has taken several years for me to meld those two people into one person, the real person.
It's been 3 years since I left him this month. I haven't spoken to him in over a year now. It gets better. There have been days and weeks when I couldn't get out of bed, and felt like I couldn't go on. For a long period the cognitive dissonance was almost beyond what I could handle. I felt like I had passed into an alternate universe, having lost both my brother and my partner. I didn't recognize my life. I had to cut off most of our mutual friends to survive, because they couldn't respect my boundaries. So not only did I miss my ex, but I missed my friends as well.
Your life will collapse as you know it. However, it is this collapse that has to happen in order to build a new, better life. Kind of like a Phoenix, it has to burn before it can rise into it's final form. There were many dark days that I held onto that image in my mind as my depression and sadness raged. The more pain I felt, the more it felt like fire burning away my old life. Let it burn. Feel everything. If anyone who has read this far has been through anything similar, you know what I'm talking about. There is no way around the pain, so walk right through it and feel all of it. The only way around is through.
I truly believe I have been through this for a reason, for something better. This is preparation for what my future holds. I am not the same person now, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I used to fear that I would be alone forever, and it terrified me. Now, it doesn't terrify me as much, but I don't think I will be alone forever, I have a lot to offer.
It has taken a lot of time, but I know understand my ex to be a covert narcissist with BPD. I was manipulated throughout the relationship. I discovered so many lies he had told me during the aftermath of the breakup, it is astounding. I believed every word. When I initially asked him to move in with me, it turned out he had made up a story about his dad kicking him out, and said he couldn't afford an apartment by himself. We went and looked at apartments for several weekends, with him sad he couldn't afford it. It was all a manipulation to coherce me to ask him to move in. There are countless other mainpulations as well. Right before he moved out for the last time, in a moment of what seemed like honesty, he told me he had never loved me, and that he didn't know what love was, but he thought it was a weakness that people had. I still miss him every day, despite the things he did. I now understand that you can love someone, but it doesn't mean you have to keep them in your life.
I have spent the last 3 years learning about myself and improving myself. At 45, I'm in my best shape ever. I've always been athletic, but I took it to a new level. Find something that makes you feel better about yourself, and run with it. I'm planning on finally learning how to play guitar and learn Spanish. I've joined a softball team and a kickball team. You have a blank slate, paint with bright colors and paint a beautiful new life for yourself. Life looks totally different than it used to, but it's slowly beginning to feel like a life again. Dream big!

I have been researching catholicism and meditating on scripture, as well as researching church history and expanding my knowledge of catholicism and theology as a whole. I have become convinced that the catholic church is the one true church and I wish to join it.
I was protestant, part of the gospel halls which are an evangelical, sorta non denominational church which follows some presbyterian doctorines, but very few. It teaches that communion is nothing but a symbol, baptism is an outward expression of an inward faith, eternal security etc... It is very low church and any member may speak during the service and the structure is several elders within the church with no external authority. These elders control all of the church and are elected by one another.
I went through several experiences, my family recieved no support during covid and during my grandfathers funeral the elders attended and when they greeted us they had completely forgotten mine and my brothers name, bearing in mind this is small congregation and we are fairly involved.
Regardless I have been convinced in my heart to convert to catholocism after much prayer and study. I started to have doubts about protestantism and during covid we didnt attend church and the church virtually ceased all activity during covid. When visiting my grandmother i attended a few anglican services, which to my suprise I enjoyed, the liturgy and respect for the sacraments spoke to me, at this point I began looking at high church protestantism then catholicism.
My mother was anglican, then went to the afformentioned gospel hall after she married my father, recently she has become more open to catholicism. My father was presbyterian and then started attending the gospel hall, my father has been convinced that catholicism is wrong and the RCC is evil and has the devil in it (thinks liturgy is based in paganism etc...) and is in no way open to catholicism.
I am 17 and live in a country where catholicism and protestantism have political and paramilitary implications... hence my fathers apprehension I suspect. I cannot attend mass at this time, let alone have the oppurtunity to convert. My past church prevented me from becoming baptised, they do not practise infant baptism and I knew nothing different. I desire to reach full communion in the catholic church and feel like i haver received justification.
I am asking for advice on firstly how I could introduce the topic to my father, secondly whether I should wait to convert after I have left my home. From anyone willing to help, particularly from other converts with similar experiences and priests if they can.
TLDR: One parent is receptive to catholicism, the other is staunchly anti-catholic. I want to convert to catholicism as I am convinced that it is the true church of Christ. Priests and other converts with similar experiences please help.
Thank you and God bless you all.

House i’m moving into has bugs (a lot of them) was not cleaned at all, to the point where there is visible crumbs in the kitchen and everywhere else. visible cracks in walls and ceilings. Broken glass out front and garbage in the front and back yards. Can my roommates and I break the lease and get our money back? I looked up livability standards in NY and i listed a few that were broken. Please help i’m 20, 7 hours from home, and my roommates are foreign and the rental company is most likely taking advantage of that. Lease started today, June 5th, and I moved in after they closed (5pm EST).

31 stops 4.5 hour block to flushing if you are from NY you know what i mean 😪 First stop was 45 min away 25 of the stops were apartment buildings, not doing any mid day blocks anytime soon 😥 finished it in 4hrs 45min and still had to drive 55min to get home 😩

This was in December of last year.
She had previously tried to reach out to me through an old childhood friend. I asked him to not give her my contact info and he offered to communicate that I received the message.
A few months later she found my Reddit account. I'm pretty sure her finding my account was either due to luck or having paid someone to find me.
She sent me a message via Reddit. It referenced multiple life details she had gotten from reading through my account.
I decided to reply to her message. I thought it would be kind to give her something in writing that explained my perspective, in case it gave her some sort of closure or planted a seed for future reevaluation. Also, to be honest, I was shocked, uncomfortable, and kind of pissed off that she wouldn't just leave me alone.
Here is the exchange. Anything in italics is a note I've added.
Her message to me:
Hey [me], I tried to reach you a few months ago (and reach out every few years). Dad has terminal cancer and less than a year to live, he's wheelchair bound and things are really grim.
Everyone misses you and things are really different than when you left in 2015. I'd love to get coffee with you and have a relationship with you even if you don't want the full family experience. I live in [city] and have a little scruffy dog too. Proud of you for going back to school and having a healthy long term relationship, that's awesome to see and I'm glad you're doing well.
You and your partner would be welcomed with open arms. Time is running out with dad, and I don't know how else to say it but if you ever wanted to reconnect, the next 6 months would be your only chance with him. I know things got bad before you left but I also know he loves you so much and there was some good in there too. I hope you can open your heart to the possibility.
P.S. [SG] lives in [overseas country] and is not here. Grandma is still alive with dementia. [Maternal grandmother's husband] passed a few years ago. Mom is taking care of dad full time and managing the best she can. Here's [dog name] (mom and dad's dog) and [dog name] (my dog).
(Photo attached of dogs)
My response:
I'm sorry to hear about what's going on. The only times your attempts to contact me have gotten through to me is this time and the two times with [childhood friend]. (she tried once through the friend, my parents tried once through the same friend.) I don't wish terminal illness or suffering on anyone, including our parents.
I'm not mad or bitter. This is going to be a long and perhaps upsetting message that I hope helps to give you some closure. Even you if completely disagree with what I say here, please know that it is sincerely what I understand to be true. None of it is intended to be hurtful. I'm also just sort of blasting this out on the keyboard in one go so excuse any confusing phrasing or typos, as well as it being kind of a wall of text.
My fundamental belief that I have had since a couple years before I left - since my very late teens - is that mom has some sort of narcissistic personality disorder and dad enabled her to behave in a way that was abusive, especially towards [SG], throughout our childhood. I think dad additionally has an issue with empathy in terms of extending it beyond those he views as immediately close to him. He has explained basic social and ethical concepts to me in a way entirely framed by explicit self interest. I'm sure if he reads this he will not remember what I am talking about, but I do, very clearly. I think [SG] has spent a lot of time feeling hatred towards you and I because she blames us for what happened to her, when ultimately we were kids and her parents were to blame. And yes it became cyclical with [SG] lashing out at everyone during our childhood, but it was a cycle between a child and two adults. It's not surprising to me that she became such an unstable adult. I felt that you were unable to see things for how they were for whatever reason. I remember trying to explain it to you, I think when you were in your very early 20s, and I had an article printed out describing the dynamic I felt was at play, and you said (not an exact quote but close) 'I don't want to look at this, I like the way I see things right now.' When things got bad I was trying to get everyone to understand my perspective. Nobody did, and I what experienced in response (not from you, but from the rest) was extremely cruel. Then I started to feel unsafe at home with some things that happened with [SG]. I felt that mom and dad were, at best, completely uncaring save for managing the optics of the situation. There were some specific things with mom that felt like she was also putting me at risk. And like always dad was just sort of standing there letting it all happen, because - as he told me explicitly when I confronted him about mom's abuse of [SG]- his marriage has always been more important to him than his children (that is not an unflattering interpretation, but literally what he said).
At the end of the day I didn't feel like I could live the life I wanted to live and be the person I wanted to be unless I moved on and forged my own path. I thought about what a version of mom and dad who didn't have the problems I believed them to have would want me to do. And I knew the answer was to move on.
At this point I don't feel like I'm at a place where l'm comfortable going back on any of this. I feel like if we had a relationship there would be an extreme tension because a cornerstone of who I am at this point is the belief that mom and dad are people - human, not deserving of suffering, etc - but not good people, who probably should not have had kids (although I am obviously glad I exist) and traumatized me in a way I will never fully heal from. I know you love them to death, and as you are saying one is terminally ill.
(translation: in my experience, GC has a deep psychological need to see my parents as wonderful, whereas a foundation of my hard-fought-for mental health is an honest understanding of my parents, so any attempt at a relationship with GC would be at best extremely shallow and more likely end extremely badly. In addition to her personal emotional need to see our parents a certain way, she's so fiercely loyal to our parents that I'm honestly not even sure if her true motivation for reaching out to me was anything more than wanting to do something for them)
Your messages have not been rude or unkind, but - and I'm saying this without an intention to connote any sort of harassment - please leave me alone.
Further communication is not welcome, including this Reddit conversation. Please do not use people I know or used to know as intermediaries. This request also extends to mom, dad, and [SG] Thank you in advance for respecting my boundaries. (This last sentence was a somewhat dry reference to her claim that she 'hoped she wasn't crossing any boundaries' when she reached out to me through the childhood friend and undoubtedly got the message that I wasn't interested in contact, yet suddenly popped up later messaging me again in a sort of creepy way, what with just inexplicably finding my account and all)
Her response to me:
Good luck [me], I'll always love you and be here if you change your mind. My number is [phone number] and my email is [email]. [SG] by the way was finally diagnosed as severely bipolar at 29, getting on the right medication has changed a lot. (I'm not confident but this feels like a subtle attempt to refute my claim that our parents messed up SG. If so, the refutation neglects to consider that childhood abuse is a huge risk factor for developing bipolar) I wish nothing but the best for you and your life, I'll always be here, and will try not to reach out again.
I didn't reply, waited a few days, couldn't shake the feeling that I had somehow been violated, and consequently deleted my account.
So that's that. I'm not sure why I'm sharing this at all, let alone months later. Knowing that my dad is actively dying, it's hard to be aware of the fact that I am choosing to not reach out. I believe it is the right choice, but that doesn't make it easier. I will not be attending the funeral.
Whether they're evil, or broken, or some third option, I am not obligated to let any of these people into this life that I have worked so hard for, in terms of the person I've become and the people I've attracted, just to let them fucking ruin it.

I hunted monsters for an international anomaly research center
Part 2
I decided instead of telling you about the next monster I’d planned I will tell you all what I did last week. I’d heard about this anomaly before, but that was because it was contained. Not by our organization but by one we work closely with. They’d been keeping it well in their Puerto Rico containment facility, but it managed to escape during a power outage. They’d insisted on trying to capture it themselves for a couple of days before they finally let me come in. Normally I’d be mad that they couldn’t catch it, but the Scape Ore Swamp Lizard Man is no walk in the park.
Standing 10 feet long, 8 feet tall, and pure muscle this thing is practically a walking tank. It has an almost inch-thick hide of small black snake-like scales. It stands on two legs but can switch to four when needed. It has a large head with a long muzzle full of sharp venomous teeth. Its face is always contorted into a scowl adding to its frightful appearance. Its back is covered in large spiked scutes which start at the head to the tip of the tail. On its two large four-fingered hands are two-inch-long nasty claws.
They deployed me the same way as always, and I landed with a light thud on the jungle floor after I was unlatched from the parachute and harness. I looked out at the darkening jungle around me. My search would be far from easy. I knew that, as I needed more information about where it was. However, after getting my sniper railgun ready I began my pursuit.
My pursuit was aimless and tiring. I had no direction, and the heat was slowly burning me alive. The jungle was full of loud squawking birds. At one point I looked up and saw in the evening light a small group of bats flying overhead.
I walked slowly and steadily scanning the quickly darkening ground for something, but as I suspected there was nothing in sight. No sigh from the lizardman. I walked on and on until finally, I found something. They were large three-toed tracks that almost looked like ones a T-rex would’ve made. My heart leaped in joy and excitement and I began following the footprints. They were easy to follow as the heavy feet had sunk deep into the wet muddy ground of the jungle. They followed no path and almost walked the way I had been walking aimlessly. Until like me, it seemed to have found something to follow.
Its path led in an almost perfect straight line, having trampled almost anything that wasn’t a tree out of its way. I noticed as I followed its tracks large claw marks in the trees. There were three and they were long and deep.
I followed for a good long while still tired but my determination had increased 10 fold now that there was a path to follow. As I walked along I began to hear something off in the distance. It was so faint it was hard to discern. At first, I thought it might be some sort of birdcall, but then it clicked in my head. It screamed. I started running as fast as I could through the jungle tripping at one point but pulling myself back up.
Eventually, I found myself running into a field. What I saw in that field I’ll never forget. I don’t know what it is, but I’ve never been bothered by dead humans before. In my youth when I’d go to funerals seeing the body never disturbed me. I’d be sure but the body itself never made me uncomfortable. And after I got this job I got completely desensitized, but something about dead animals. I could never handle seeing a dead animal. I don’t know exactly why. I guess it’s because it brought me back to my childhood.
My dad was born in Mexico in 1979, but he and his family moved to Puerto Rico 3 years later. My dad lived in Puerto Rico during the horrifying but short reign of the Chupacabra. When I was little he would tell me stories about it. Fields of livestock just on the ground dead wholly drained of blood. Those stories actually started me down the route of where I am today, but I don’t think I ever really comprehended what that looked like until I saw the massacre in the field I was now in.
It almost seemed as though a sheet of blood and muscle and meat had fallen over the field. It was absolutely everywhere and dispersed throughout this massacre I could see small bits of bones. Vertebrae there, or a rib over there. It almost looked like they’d all exploded from the inside at the same time, but I know that is not what happened. I saw the footprints in the ground, I saw the claw marks in the bones. I knew the only thing that could’ve done this was the horrible beast I was hunting.
I walked around through the massacre for a while in a sort of shock. Then I finally snapped out of it and looked around again. I saw a house separated only by a now broken wood fence to the field. I instantly knew where the screams had come from and what had likely happened. I ran toward the house and a story began to unfold as I got closer. The father or man of the house must’ve come outside to defend his family because I found his body ripped apart just outside the front door.
I stepped over the body and walked into the tiny house. It was absolutely destroyed. The walls were torn apart, furniture was left shattered on the ground, and there was lots of blood. I looked over and saw a partial body on the living room floor. I grimaced when I realized the poor thing had once been a big dog. Now it was nothing but torn meat and bones. One step at a time I made my way to the back of the house down a cramped hallway. In the bedrooms were the destroyed bodies of a woman and three children. The only peace I had was that these people died quickly. I noticed at the end of the hall was a shattered glass backdoor. I stepped through it, almost slipping on the shards of glass still on the floor, and walked into the backyard. It was a tiny cleared area surrounded by trees. The ground was littered with small dog toys and in the corner was a chicken coop. The roof of it had been ripped off and shattered. I peeked in through the hole and saw lots of blood-covered eggs. It looked like, unlike the other animals, the lizardman had actually stopped eating all the chickens. Maybe all of that butchering worked up an appetite. I thought.
After calling in for the investigation crew I continued on my trail. The sun had completely set and navigated the dense jungle even with my bright headlight showing the way. Not long into it rain began pouring which completely covered the tracks. In frustration, I turned around and made my way back to the farm.
Suddenly I heard something from the treetops. It sounded almost like a faint growl and before I could do anything else the large figure of the Lizardman jumped from the trees right in front of me. It immediately slashed at my chest and left arm tearing them open causing blood to start pouring through. I let out a scream of agony and fell to the ground.
With my good right arm, I reached for a gadget on my belt and pressed it. It instantly began spraying a strong wonderful smell of flowers into the air. If there’s one thing the lizardman cannot tolerate it is sweet solid smells. It roared in anger and then sprinted in the other direction. I lay there blood seeping from my wounds wondering if I was about to die. I’m not old, only 26, but for my line of work, I’m ancient; about half the guys die on their first or second mission. If you survive the first two you will probably last much longer, but even then people die within two years meanwhile I’ve been here for 5 years.
I lay there with my eyes slowly growing heavier and heavier and then they closed and I was consumed by the darkness.
I woke up in a bright white room. The light was so blinding I kept blinking but still could hardly see anything. I noticed a woman standing in the room who was like the room wearing all white.
“Am I dead?” I sputtered out in my half-dazed confusion.
The woman let out a slight chuckle: “No you’re not dead. You’re in the medical wing of our Puerto Rican location.” She explained.
As she was talking everything seemed to clear around me. It was a small hospital room and the woman was short in a doctor's coat with dark hair tied in a bun.
“Who’s we?” I asked.
“USDAC,” She said, busy with something at her table.
I knew USDAC they were the United States Department of Anomaly Containment. They were the ones the Lizardman had escaped from.
“Where’s my organization? Why didn’t they send the team out to get me?” I asked angrily.
“I’m not quite sure. They never even told us you went down. Our investigation team was looking around the jungle when they found you.” She said with a genuinely confused look on her face.
I scanned the room again and saw on a chair next to my bed all my gear laid out nicely. I reached for my walkie, grabbed it, and pulled it off of my belt.
“This is Trigger to dispatch, do you copy?” I asked through the device.
“We copy, you aren’t dead?” The receiver asked, obviously very confused.
“Not yet. Why didn’t you send the team out to get me?” I asked more confused than angry at this point.
“They said you were gone. They said the lizardman had got you.” He said.
“Well, he hasn’t got me yet,” I said defiantly then hung up.
“Mam, I’m going to go finish what I started, but I am going to need a few things.”
I suppose a few things were a bit of an understatement. I had them get the best tracker they could find out here, which they quickly got to do. I got a whole new set of equipment more specialized for the task at hand I filed a hasty but fierce resignation letter to my organization siting leaving me for dead as the primary cause. They never even got back to me and needless to say, I was pissed. I knew the moment USDAC found out I was no longer part of the organization they’d send me away, so I decided I’d better be quick with this operation.
I pulled the small Uhaul full of supplies down the dirt road. Next to me sat Santiago, an older Native American man with a long black salt and pepper braided ponytail. He’d worked with both my organization and USDAC for a number of years and had much experience in tracking beasties like this one.
“So, where exactly are we going?” I asked looking at him.
“Well we’re going to the most recent attack and I’m hoping to get there by noon so if you could step on it that would be lovely.” He said sounding rather harsh.
I nodded and pushed slightly more on the accelerator. I would’ve started flying down this road but this truck was not built for dirt roads so I had to do my best.
As I drove Santiago busied himself with a map. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he put small red x’s on certain spots. I assumed those were the previous attacks. Occasionally he would look up from his work to make sure I was still going in the right direction and finally, after he directed me to turn onto a smaller more unkept dirt road we arrived at the farm.
It was eerily similar to the other. The house was destroyed and the field was full of massacred goats. Although the main difference was this one was swarming with USDAC investigation teams. Four big black vans were parked in front of the home, almost blocking my view. I stopped the truck and me and Santiago both stepped out. We walked over to the house and one of the investigators met us at the door.
He was tall with a weathered face and a strong chin that made him look like an actor. He had nicely done silver hair, stubble, and hazel eyes. A slight grin appeared on his face when he saw us.
“You two must be the hunters, I’m Detective Slade.” He greeted, sticking his hand out for a shake.
I took his hand first. “Hello Slade, I’m Agent Biel,” I said shaking his hand with Santiago quickly doing the same.
After we finished with formalities Slade led us around the house and into the field behind it. It felt like deja vu looking at the field. It told almost the exact same story mine did. Dozens of torn-apart goats and a small now empty chicken coop. I looked at all of it in disgust. The animals had no time to defend themselves they were just destroyed.
Santiago began scanning the mess on the ground looking for tracks to follow. Meanwhile, I stood talking with Slade.
“This is the eighth attack in four days, it looks like it’s making two attacks every night.” Slade explained, “So far it has killed 37 people, 650 goats, 242 cows, and has eaten almost 300 chickens.”
“Have you noticed a pattern?” I asked.
“Besides attacking at night not really. It usually attacks the fields first, but even that isn’t always the case.”
“I found something.” Santiago interrupted.
He stood by the edge of the field that met the jungle. I saw the large tracks of the beast leading into the jungle.

**Me and Santiago lugged the heavy equipment through the jungle we were tired and hot, but we continued knowing that the lizardman was likely close by. The sun had begun to sink low in the sky as we marched on. I was surprised at the path of the lizardman it had literally walked a straight line for miles upon miles. Only ever turning for a large tree or a hill. We were hoping we would get to the things nest before it went on its next night excursion but we weren’t extremely hopeful. I could only hope that the wretched thing was still wherever it rests.** **Suddenly their hike was interrupted by a loud call. I looked above to see a large tropical bird eyeing me from a branch. It was brightly colored vaguely reminding me of a parrot. Oddly I gave the bird a nod and then caught up to Santiago who’d ignored the bird and kept walking.** **Eventually, the sun set and we both had to turn our lights on. My body was beginning to grow heavy and I could tell it was the same for Santiago, but right as we seemed to the point of giving up we arrived at the edge of a lake. It was small and had short sandy beaches separating it from the jungle. Perfectly outlined in the sand were the feet of the lizardman. It had clear as day walked straight into the lake. We both looked at each other. He was clearly as unsure about the situation as I was. We stood there contemplating when I noticed something.** **The lake had a few logs floating in it but one didn’t look like the other. It was far too symmetrical. I scanned my light over it and realized the texture I’d thought of as bark was actually scaled. Then suddenly my light scanned over to the head and its bright red eyes opened wide. It let out a roar and started swimming toward us. I dropped my bag and hurriedly put my remaining gear on. Santiago dropped his and took aim with his rifle.** **BANG! The shot echoed through the quiet air and I saw it clearly hit the thing right in the center of the forehead. The bullet tinked off like it had hit thick steel. The Lizardman swam closer and as the water got shallower it transitioned from swimming to sprinting. The second it took a step on shore I struck. I slammed one of my gauntlet-bearing fists into the thing's face. There was a loud audible crack as it fell over. It quickly stood back up and slashed at my thick steel armor. It did nothing but scrape off some paint and I pulled my fist back and punched it again. It stumbled again and before it could recover I punched it again and again.** **Immediately after the punch it lunged forward its jaws latching on to either side of my helmet. I heard the sounds of it and felt the metal beginning to bend in on itself. I kicked the thing where I knew it would hurt. It unlatched from my face and I uppercut it right in the lower jaw. It fell into the water letting out a whimper-type noise as it did.** **I stood over the beast having misjudged it as defeated. In a second wind, it grabbed me by the leg and threw me into a tree. I heard my suit crack and crunch having been badly damaged. The lizardman started over at me threateningly and in a quick burst of speed it charged over to me.** **BANG! BANG! BANG! His first shot struck the side of its head getting its attention, and as it turned the second bullet struck it directly in its left eye. The third and final bullet struck its nose harmlessly. It roar in pain and charged towards Santiago, but I jumped up and grabbed it by the tail. I held it still for a moment before it did something that caught me off, guard. It turned around and bit off its own tail. It then continued charging toward Santiago. His bullets struck it again and again but its hide was far too strong. Quickly I dropped the tail and pulled out a canister pulling the pin and throwing it. A wonderful smell erupted from it as it soared through the air and landed right in front of Santiago.** **The Lizardman backed away from him dizzy from the overpowering smell. I pulled myself off the ground and charged towards it. I jumped on top of the thing pinning it to the ground.** **“Meds!” I yelled to him as the Lizardman was already struggling.** **Santiago reached into its mouth that I held open and shoved the tranquilizer down its throat. After another minute of shaking and struggling it finally blacked out. I pulled out my walkie and called in dispatch.** **“The lizard is down,” I said simply.** **Within minutes they had a dozen helicopters out there and had the creature properly restrained.** **I walked over to the man who appeared to be in charge. He was average height with blonde hair combed to the side, aviator glasses, and a nice gray suit. “I’d recommend you step up the security on that thing,” I suggested.** **He turned around and looked at me for a moment, almost studying me.** 

“We will be.” He said finally. “I am personally seeing that it is brought to our most secure location.”
“Good, good, I don’t want to ever deal with that thing again.” I chuckled.
He looked closer at me after I said that and it seemed to click in his head who I was.
“Agent Biel, I’m very happy to see you. I got word of your resignation at UARF.” He said sounding oddly sad.
I prepared for the worst as I was technically not supposed to be here.
“Yeah, I wasn’t exactly happy with being left for dead,” I grumbled.
“Well sir I promise if you take my offer you won’t be left for dead,” He said smiling now.
I paused for a moment unsure what he meant. Then it seemed to click he was hiring me and I took his hand and shook it vigorously.
“I do accept your offer, sir,” I yelled excitedly.
“You can call me Dr.Barclay,” He said politely shaking my hand back.
So that is how I was hired here at USDAC and I’ve already discovered that they do things quite differently here but that is a story for another day. Biel out.

I hunted monsters for an international anomaly research center
Part 2
I decided instead of telling you about the next monster I’d planned I will tell you all what I did last week. I’d heard about this anomaly before, but that was because it was contained. Not by our organization but by one we work closely with. They’d been keeping it well in their Puerto Rico containment facility, but it managed to escape during a power outage. They’d insisted on trying to capture it themselves for a couple of days before they finally let me come in. Normally I’d be mad that they couldn’t catch it, but the Scape Ore Swamp Lizard Man is no walk in the park.
Standing 10 feet long, 8 feet tall, and pure muscle this thing is practically a walking tank. It has an almost inch-thick hide of small black snake-like scales. It stands on two legs but can switch to four when needed. It has a large head with a long muzzle full of sharp venomous teeth. Its face is always contorted into a scowl adding to its frightful appearance. Its back is covered in large spiked scutes which start at the head to the tip of the tail. On its two large four-fingered hands are two-inch-long nasty claws.
They deployed me the same way as always, and I landed with a light thud on the jungle floor after I was unlatched from the parachute and harness. I looked out at the darkening jungle around me. My search would be far from easy. I knew that, as I needed more information about where it was. However, after getting my sniper railgun ready I began my pursuit.
My pursuit was aimless and tiring. I had no direction, and the heat was slowly burning me alive. The jungle was full of loud squawking birds. At one point I looked up and saw in the evening light a small group of bats flying overhead.
I walked slowly and steadily scanning the quickly darkening ground for something, but as I suspected there was nothing in sight. No sigh from the lizardman. I walked on and on until finally, I found something. They were large three-toed tracks that almost looked like ones a T-rex would’ve made. My heart leaped in joy and excitement and I began following the footprints. They were easy to follow as the heavy feet had sunk deep into the wet muddy ground of the jungle. They followed no path and almost walked the way I had been walking aimlessly. Until like me, it seemed to have found something to follow.
Its path led in an almost perfect straight line, having trampled almost anything that wasn’t a tree out of its way. I noticed as I followed its tracks large claw marks in the trees. There were three and they were long and deep.
I followed for a good long while still tired but my determination had increased 10 fold now that there was a path to follow. As I walked along I began to hear something off in the distance. It was so faint it was hard to discern. At first, I thought it might be some sort of birdcall, but then it clicked in my head. It screamed. I started running as fast as I could through the jungle tripping at one point but pulling myself back up.
Eventually, I found myself running into a field. What I saw in that field I’ll never forget. I don’t know what it is, but I’ve never been bothered by dead humans before. In my youth when I’d go to funerals seeing the body never disturbed me. I’d be sure but the body itself never made me uncomfortable. And after I got this job I got completely desensitized, but something about dead animals. I could never handle seeing a dead animal. I don’t know exactly why. I guess it’s because it brought me back to my childhood.
My dad was born in Mexico in 1979, but he and his family moved to Puerto Rico 3 years later. My dad lived in Puerto Rico during the horrifying but short reign of the Chupacabra. When I was little he would tell me stories about it. Fields of livestock just on the ground dead wholly drained of blood. Those stories actually started me down the route of where I am today, but I don’t think I ever really comprehended what that looked like until I saw the massacre in the field I was now in.
It almost seemed as though a sheet of blood and muscle and meat had fallen over the field. It was absolutely everywhere and dispersed throughout this massacre I could see small bits of bones. Vertebrae there, or a rib over there. It almost looked like they’d all exploded from the inside at the same time, but I know that is not what happened. I saw the footprints in the ground, I saw the claw marks in the bones. I knew the only thing that could’ve done this was the horrible beast I was hunting.
I walked around through the massacre for a while in a sort of shock. Then I finally snapped out of it and looked around again. I saw a house separated only by a now broken wood fence to the field. I instantly knew where the screams had come from and what had likely happened. I ran toward the house and a story began to unfold as I got closer. The father or man of the house must’ve come outside to defend his family because I found his body ripped apart just outside the front door.
I stepped over the body and walked into the tiny house. It was absolutely destroyed. The walls were torn apart, furniture was left shattered on the ground, and there was lots of blood. I looked over and saw a partial body on the living room floor. I grimaced when I realized the poor thing had once been a big dog. Now it was nothing but torn meat and bones. One step at a time I made my way to the back of the house down a cramped hallway. In the bedrooms were the destroyed bodies of a woman and three children. The only peace I had was that these people died quickly. I noticed at the end of the hall was a shattered glass backdoor. I stepped through it, almost slipping on the shards of glass still on the floor, and walked into the backyard. It was a tiny cleared area surrounded by trees. The ground was littered with small dog toys and in the corner was a chicken coop. The roof of it had been ripped off and shattered. I peeked in through the hole and saw lots of blood-covered eggs. It looked like, unlike the other animals, the lizardman had actually stopped eating all the chickens. Maybe all of that butchering worked up an appetite. I thought.
After calling in for the investigation crew I continued on my trail. The sun had completely set and navigated the dense jungle even with my bright headlight showing the way. Not long into it rain began pouring which completely covered the tracks. In frustration, I turned around and made my way back to the farm.
Suddenly I heard something from the treetops. It sounded almost like a faint growl and before I could do anything else the large figure of the Lizardman jumped from the trees right in front of me. It immediately slashed at my chest and left arm tearing them open causing blood to start pouring through. I let out a scream of agony and fell to the ground.
With my good right arm, I reached for a gadget on my belt and pressed it. It instantly began spraying a strong wonderful smell of flowers into the air. If there’s one thing the lizardman cannot tolerate it is sweet solid smells. It roared in anger and then sprinted in the other direction. I lay there blood seeping from my wounds wondering if I was about to die. I’m not old, only 26, but for my line of work, I’m ancient; about half the guys die on their first or second mission. If you survive the first two you will probably last much longer, but even then people die within two years meanwhile I’ve been here for 5 years.
I lay there with my eyes slowly growing heavier and heavier and then they closed and I was consumed by the darkness.
I woke up in a bright white room. The light was so blinding I kept blinking but still could hardly see anything. I noticed a woman standing in the room who was like the room wearing all white.
“Am I dead?” I sputtered out in my half-dazed confusion.
The woman let out a slight chuckle: “No you’re not dead. You’re in the medical wing of our Puerto Rican location.” She explained.
As she was talking everything seemed to clear around me. It was a small hospital room and the woman was short in a doctor's coat with dark hair tied in a bun.
“Who’s we?” I asked.
“USDAC,” She said, busy with something at her table.
I knew USDAC they were the United States Department of Anomaly Containment. They were the ones the Lizardman had escaped from.
“Where’s my organization? Why didn’t they send the team out to get me?” I asked angrily.
“I’m not quite sure. They never even told us you went down. Our investigation team was looking around the jungle when they found you.” She said with a genuinely confused look on her face.
I scanned the room again and saw on a chair next to my bed all my gear laid out nicely. I reached for my walkie, grabbed it, and pulled it off of my belt.
“This is Trigger to dispatch, do you copy?” I asked through the device.
“We copy, you aren’t dead?” The receiver asked, obviously very confused.
“Not yet. Why didn’t you send the team out to get me?” I asked more confused than angry at this point.
“They said you were gone. They said the lizardman had got you.” He said.
“Well, he hasn’t got me yet,” I said defiantly then hung up.
“Mam, I’m going to go finish what I started, but I am going to need a few things.”
I suppose a few things were a bit of an understatement. I had them get the best tracker they could find out here, which they quickly got to do. I got a whole new set of equipment more specialized for the task at hand I filed a hasty but fierce resignation letter to my organization siting leaving me for dead as the primary cause. They never even got back to me and needless to say, I was pissed. I knew the moment USDAC found out I was no longer part of the organization they’d send me away, so I decided I’d better be quick with this operation.
I pulled the small Uhaul full of supplies down the dirt road. Next to me sat Santiago, an older Native American man with a long black salt and pepper braided ponytail. He’d worked with both my organization and USDAC for a number of years and had much experience in tracking beasties like this one.
“So, where exactly are we going?” I asked looking at him.
“Well we’re going to the most recent attack and I’m hoping to get there by noon so if you could step on it that would be lovely.” He said sounding rather harsh.
I nodded and pushed slightly more on the accelerator. I would’ve started flying down this road but this truck was not built for dirt roads so I had to do my best.
As I drove Santiago busied himself with a map. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he put small red x’s on certain spots. I assumed those were the previous attacks. Occasionally he would look up from his work to make sure I was still going in the right direction and finally, after he directed me to turn onto a smaller more unkept dirt road we arrived at the farm.
It was eerily similar to the other. The house was destroyed and the field was full of massacred goats. Although the main difference was this one was swarming with USDAC investigation teams. Four big black vans were parked in front of the home, almost blocking my view. I stopped the truck and me and Santiago both stepped out. We walked over to the house and one of the investigators met us at the door.
He was tall with a weathered face and a strong chin that made him look like an actor. He had nicely done silver hair, stubble, and hazel eyes. A slight grin appeared on his face when he saw us.
“You two must be the hunters, I’m Detective Slade.” He greeted, sticking his hand out for a shake.
I took his hand first. “Hello Slade, I’m Agent Biel,” I said shaking his hand with Santiago quickly doing the same.
After we finished with formalities Slade led us around the house and into the field behind it. It felt like deja vu looking at the field. It told almost the exact same story mine did. Dozens of torn-apart goats and a small now empty chicken coop. I looked at all of it in disgust. The animals had no time to defend themselves they were just destroyed.
Santiago began scanning the mess on the ground looking for tracks to follow. Meanwhile, I stood talking with Slade.
“This is the eighth attack in four days, it looks like it’s making two attacks every night.” Slade explained, “So far it has killed 37 people, 650 goats, 242 cows, and has eaten almost 300 chickens.”
“Have you noticed a pattern?” I asked.
“Besides attacking at night not really. It usually attacks the fields first, but even that isn’t always the case.”
“I found something.” Santiago interrupted.
He stood by the edge of the field that met the jungle. I saw the large tracks of the beast leading into the jungle.
Me and Santiago lugged the heavy equipment through the jungle we were tired and hot, but we continued knowing that the lizardman was likely close by. The sun had begun to sink low in the sky as we marched on. I was surprised at the path of the lizardman it had literally walked a straight line for miles upon miles. Only ever turning for a large tree or a hill. We were hoping we would get to the things nest before it went on its next night excursion but we weren’t extremely hopeful. I could only hope that the wretched thing was still wherever it rests.
Suddenly their hike was interrupted by a loud call. I looked above to see a large tropical bird eyeing me from a branch. It was brightly colored vaguely reminding me of a parrot. Oddly I gave the bird a nod and then caught up to Santiago who’d ignored the bird and kept walking.
Eventually, the sun set and we both had to turn our lights on. My body was beginning to grow heavy and I could tell it was the same for Santiago, but right as we seemed to the point of giving up we arrived at the edge of a lake. It was small and had short sandy beaches separating it from the jungle. Perfectly outlined in the sand were the feet of the lizardman. It had clear as day walked straight into the lake. We both looked at each other. He was clearly as unsure about the situation as I was. We stood there contemplating when I noticed something.
The lake had a few logs floating in it but one didn’t look like the other. It was far too symmetrical. I scanned my light over it and realized the texture I’d thought of as bark was actually scaled. Then suddenly my light scanned over to the head and its bright red eyes opened wide. It let out a roar and started swimming toward us. I dropped my bag and hurriedly put my remaining gear on. Santiago dropped his and took aim with his rifle.
BANG! The shot echoed through the quiet air and I saw it clearly hit the thing right in the center of the forehead. The bullet tinked off like it had hit thick steel. The Lizardman swam closer and as the water got shallower it transitioned from swimming to sprinting. The second it took a step on shore I struck. I slammed one of my gauntlet-bearing fists into the thing's face. There was a loud audible crack as it fell over. It quickly stood back up and slashed at my thick steel armor. It did nothing but scrape off some paint and I pulled my fist back and punched it again. It stumbled again and before it could recover I punched it again and again.
Immediately after the punch it lunged forward its jaws latching on to either side of my helmet. I heard the sounds of it and felt the metal beginning to bend in on itself. I kicked the thing where I knew it would hurt. It unlatched from my face and I uppercut it right in the lower jaw. It fell into the water letting out a whimper-type noise as it did.
I stood over the beast having misjudged it as defeated. In a second wind, it grabbed me by the leg and threw me into a tree. I heard my suit crack and crunch having been badly damaged. The lizardman started over at me threateningly and in a quick burst of speed it charged over to me.
BANG! BANG! BANG! His first shot struck the side of its head getting its attention, and as it turned the second bullet struck it directly in its left eye. The third and final bullet struck its nose harmlessly. It roar in pain and charged towards Santiago, but I jumped up and grabbed it by the tail. I held it still for a moment before it did something that caught me off, guard. It turned around and bit off its own tail. It then continued charging toward Santiago. His bullets struck it again and again but its hide was far too strong. Quickly I dropped the tail and pulled out a canister pulling the pin and throwing it. A wonderful smell erupted from it as it soared through the air and landed right in front of Santiago.
The Lizardman backed away from him dizzy from the overpowering smell. I pulled myself off the ground and charged towards it. I jumped on top of the thing pinning it to the ground.
“Meds!” I yelled to him as the Lizardman was already struggling.
Santiago reached into its mouth that I held open and shoved the tranquilizer down its throat. After another minute of shaking and struggling it finally blacked out. I pulled out my walkie and called in dispatch.
“The lizard is down,” I said simply.
Within minutes they had a dozen helicopters out there and had the creature properly restrained.
I walked over to the man who appeared to be in charge. He was average height with blonde hair combed to the side, aviator glasses, and a nice gray suit. “I’d recommend you step up the security on that thing,” I suggested.
He turned around and looked at me for a moment, almost studying me.
“We will be.” He said finally. “I am personally seeing that it is brought to our most secure location.”
“Good, good, I don’t want to ever deal with that thing again.” I chuckled.
He looked closer at me after I said that and it seemed to click in his head who I was.
“Agent Biel, I’m very happy to see you. I got word of your resignation at UARF.” He said sounding oddly sad.
I prepared for the worst as I was technically not supposed to be here.
“Yeah, I wasn’t exactly happy with being left for dead,” I grumbled.
“Well sir I promise if you take my offer you won’t be left for dead,” He said smiling now.
I paused for a moment unsure what he meant. Then it seemed to click he was hiring me and I took his hand and shook it vigorously.
“I do accept your offer, sir,” I yelled excitedly.
“You can call me Dr.Barclay,” He said politely shaking my hand back.
So that is how I was hired here at USDAC and I’ve already discovered that they do things quite differently here but that is a story for another day. Biel out.

I want to register for CNA training classes next month so I can start gaining patient care hours for PA school. I was going to stay at my off campus apartment in Massachusetts year-round for work, but I'm having a hard time finding programs nearby (closest one is 45m away and their next class overlaps with my college courses) and the facilities & hospitals I looked into won't hire until I'm licensed. I decided to check out the programs/schools back home in New York instead and there are a lot more options for me there, plus a little cheaper.
So I did some googling on reciprocity, technically I could get certified in NY and then transfer my license to MA right? What if I wanted to return home to NY for summer and winter breaks, but also still work in MA during school semesters? Would it be possible to work in both states like that or do I have to pick one?

A
ABABCd
Acarine The Acrid Corpse
All is Known
Alluda Majaka
Altered Beast I
Altered Beast II
Altered Beast III
Altered Beast IV
Alter Me I
Alter Me II
Alter Me III
Ambergris
Am I in Heaven?
Anamnesis
A New World
Anoxia
Astroturf
Ataraxia
Automation
B
The Balrog
12 Bar Bruise
Barefoot Desert
Beginner’s Luck
Big Fig Wasp
The Bird Song
Billabong Valley
The Bitter Boogie
Black Hot Soup
Blame It on the Weather
Boogieman Sam
The Book
Black Tooth
Bloody Ripper
Blue Morpho
Bone
Butterfly 3000
C
Candles
The Castle in the Air
Catching Smoke
Cellophane
Change
Cold Cadaver
Countdown
Cranes, Planes, Migraines
Crookedile
The Cruel Millennial
Crumbling Castle
Crying
Cut Throat Boogie
Cyboogie
D
Danger $$$
D-Day
Deat-Beat
Deserted Dunes Welcome Weary Feet
Digital Black
Dirt
Doom City
Down the Sink
Dragon
Dreams
The Dripping Tap
Drum Run
Dusk to Dawn on Lygon Street
Dustbin Fletcher
Dust in the Wind
E
East West Link
Elbow
Empty
Evil Death Roll
Evilest Man
Evil Man
Evil Star
Exploding Suns
Eyes Like the Sky
F
Fishing for Fishies
Float Along - Fill Your Lungs
The Floating Fire
Flying Microtonal Banana
Footy Footy
Fort Whipple
The Fourth Colour
The Funeral
G
Gaia
Gamma Knife
Garage Liddiard
The Garden Goblin
Gila Monster
Gliese 710
God is Calling Me Back Home
God is in the Rhythm
The God Man’s Goat Lust
Gondii
The Great Chain of Being
Greenhouse Heat Death
The Grim Reaper
Guns & Horses
H
Han-Tyumi, The Confused Cyborg
Hate Dancin’
Head On/Pill
Hell
Hell’s Itch
Her and I (Slow Jam 2)
High Hopes Low
Honey
Homeless Man in Adidas
Horology
Hot Water
Hot Wax
The Hungry Wolf of Fate
Hypertension
I
I am not a Man Unless I Have a Woman
Ice V
If Not Now, Then When?
I’m in Your Mind
I’m in Your Mind Fuzz
I’m Not in Your Mind
I’m Sleepin’ In
Infinite Rise
Inner Cell
Interior People
Intrasport
Invisible Face
Iron Lung
It’s Got Old
J
A Journey to (S)Hell
K
Kepler-22b
K.G.L.W. (Intro)
K.G.L.W. (Outro)
2.02 Killer Year
The Killing Ground
L
The Land Before Timeland
The Last Oasis
Lava
Let it Bleed
Let Me Mend the Past
Life / Death
Lonely Steel Sheet Flyer
The Lord of Lightning
Loyalty
Lunch Meat
M
Magenta Mountain
Magma
Mars for the Rich
Melting
Minimum Brain Size
Most of What I Like
Mr. Beat
Muckraker
Muddy Water
Murder of the Universe
Mycelium
Mystery Jack
N
Nein
N.G.R.I (Bloodstain)
No Body
Nuclear Fusion
O
Oddlife
Oddments
O.N.E.
Ontology
Open Water
Organ Farmer
P
Paper Mâché
Paper Mâché Dream Balloon
30 Past 7
People-Vultures
Perihelion
Persistence
Pipe-Dream
Planet B
Plastic Boogie
Pleura
Polygondwanaland
Pop in My Step
Predator X
Presumptuous
Q
Quarantine
R
The Raid
Rattlesnake
Real’s Not Real
Red Smoke
The Reticent Raconteur
The River
Road Train
Robot Stop
Rolling Stoned
S
Sadie Sorceress
Sam Cherry’s Last Shot
Satan Speeds Up
Sea of Trees
Searching
See Me
Self-Immolate
Sense
Shanghai
Short Change
Sketches of Brunswick East I
Sketches of Brunswick East II
Sketches of Brunswick East III
Sleep Drifter
Sleepwalker
Slow Jam 1
Smoke & Mirrors
Some Context
Some of Us
Soy-Protein Munt Machine
The Spider and Me
Static Electricity
Stoned Mullet
Straws in the Wind
Stressin’
Superbug
Superposition
Supreme Ascendancy
T
Tetrachromacy
Tezeta
This Thing
Time = $$$
Time = Fate
Timeland
Trapdoor
U
Uh Oh, I Called Mum
V
Vegemite
Venusian 1
Venusian 2
Vomit Coffin
W
Wah Wah
Welcome to an Altered Future
The Wheel
Willoughby’s Beach
Work This Time
X
N/A
Y
Ya Love
Year of Our Lord
You Can Be Your Silhouette
Yours
Z
N/A