Restaurants near 120th and i 25

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Winter 4986, 22 Aoimoth
They never locked the door. She checked the handle just in case. Did they honestly expect Her to stay in this white room forever without locking Her in? She opened the door just a crack and peeked out. No one.
The Cleric coughed. She closed the door quickly and pretended to examine the altar of Hengist on a nearby shelf, Her neck itching. The kindly man finished straightening his papers, slipping them into a desk drawer and locking it. So they locked their documents away but not the door? Or did they think he alone would be enough to stop Her if She chose to go out?
She watched the Cleric out of the corner of Her eye as he stood and stretched, but looked quickly to the altar again when he walked Her way. He stopped beside Her, bringing his hands up in a short prayer. He seemed nice enough, and She found Herself wanting to trust him. But Archmage Morndancer had moments when he was nice too.
She scratched the scales on Her neck, still unaccustomed to having unimpeded access to the area. The collar had become so much a part of Her that She felt awkward without it, never mind that it had been used to keep Her in line. She wondered again how these Paladins planned on keeping Her under control and debated different ways to find out without going so far that She would end up tied to one of these beds and stuck full of needles.
“Do you pray, Miss?” the Cleric asked, eyes still closed.
She shrugged, “I don’t really like one-sided conversations.” She glanced at him, half hoping he would get angry, maybe punish Her just a little, so She would have a better idea what methods they might use.
He laughed, “Yes, I remember occasions, before I took my Oath, when I wondered if Hengist could hear me.” he reached down and held Her shoulder for a moment, as long as his heat tolerance would allow, before letting his hand fall back to his side, “It's hard to take the word of others sometimes, but I know he’s listening. He delivered you from the Warlocks...” he let the idea trail as if he expected Her to thank the god for his intervention. But if Hengist had really wanted Her free, then why not come sooner? Why not when they had isolated Her? Even just an hour sooner would have saved Her treasures…
“Perhaps, when you’re ready, I will take you to the chapel.” he continued to smile, “Or perhaps you will find a greater calling to one of the other gods,” the Cleric shrugged, “We are not ones to proselytize.” She could only return his shrug.
She moved back to the window, Her favorite place in the infirmary. Below, a group of boys, young men really, practiced with weapons too small for Her to see. One stood apart from the others and She wondered what he'd done to be ostracized from the rest. She hadn’t met any of them yet and wondered if they were being kept from Her intentionally. She'd met with the Major General, Selibra, as well as another high-ranking Paladin, a woman, and a handful of Mages. Seeing the Mages, She'd been sure they were about to take Her to another tower, to lock Her in the basement again. They'd assured Her that wasn’t the case, and explained the difference between Her Mages -Warlocks- and true Mages -Guild members- though She still had a hard time believing them.
She wasn’t afraid. She'd gone past fear. There wasn’t anything more they could take from Her that the Warlocks hadn’t already taken. Instead, She was curious, what would they do? And how would She work around it?
Behind Her, the Cleric cleared his throat, “I’m going to the chapel,” She nodded without looking at him. Brom and Ran would leave Her alone for most of the day. This was a new place, but some things would always be the same. The door opened, then clicked closed again.
She stood at the window for a while longer before turning around and tilting Her head at the door. He hadn’t locked it… It must have been a mistake. She moved for the door and cracked it open just in case… The hall beyond was empty.
She looked back into the room with all its white, then back into the hall. Well... She'd wanted to test Her limits. She slipped out of the infirmary.
No one stopped Her, and nothing happened. She walked slowly at first, glancing at each door as though She expected it to swing open and reveal one of the Mages, fingers ready to snap. In the distance, a set of Paladins rounded a corner, and She froze. They spoke to each other, one laughing at something the other said. She glanced around for somewhere to hide before remembering that this was exactly what She'd wanted. If they saw Her out of Her room, they would undoubtedly take Her back, and if She resisted, they would have to play their hand. She just hoped the friendly Cleric wouldn’t get in too much trouble for forgetting to lock the door.
The Paladins' steps faltered when they noticed Her. Exchanging glances, one stepped forward, “Are you lost, miss?”
“No,” She answered, looking over Her shoulder. For a heartbeat She expected Brom to be there. He wasn’t. He never would be again. She forced the thought away. Locking it somewhere it couldn’t interrupt Her exploration, focusing on the Paladins.
The knight exchanged another look with his companion, who shrugged, “Well, if you need any help, please don’t hesitate to ask.” they continued past Her.
Turning to watch them go, She tilted Her head to one side, then the other. Slowly, a grin began to spread over Her face. With a wicked giggle, She set off down the hall, ready to explore until someone stopped Her.
***
Shon stood well away from the others, his dagger clenched too tightly in his left hand. The first day back, Master Daunas had tried to include him in training as if nothing had changed. Then Shon had frozen the practice grounds, and no less than ten of the sixteen squires had fallen on their backsides, letting slip a variety of colorful curses that had them all doing pushups in full armor for at least five minutes straight. After that, he had been ordered to do drills alone while the others practiced. “Just until Ivelm finishes your item,” Master Daunas had assured him.
The little dragon that now followed Shon everywhere, whistled from the roof covering the weapons racks. Shon tried to loosen his grip on his dagger. He was getting sloppy, focusing too much on not extending the blade with an extra three inches of ice and not enough on the precision of his strikes. He tried to keep the power pulled in, but it made him tense, and he often found himself holding his breath unintentionally. Getting frustrated only made it worse. Instead of fighting his visualized opponent, he felt like he was fighting himself. And losing.
The pseudodragon swooped down and landed on Shon's extended arm, distracting him further. Growling, Shon tried to shoo it away, shaking his arm but only causing the tiny beast to dig its sharp claws deeper. "Not now," he hissed at the dragon, who hissed back, sending a wave of annoyance into Shon's mind to join his own. It walked up his arm to his shoulder, wrapping its tail around his neck to help keep itself balanced as Shon continued to try and finish his form.
He'd been confused but intrigued by the flying cat-like lizard on the night it had shown itself, but was quickly finding the thing to be as annoying as the Sorcerer magic it represented.
On the first day he'd resumed training, the little dragon had attached itself to his shoulder, as it did now, and wouldn't get off no matter how in the way it got. He'd asked, threatened, and begged, but at most, it would move from one shoulder to the other.
On the second day, he'd ordered it to stay in his room, closing the door quickly before it could slip out. Shon had been pulled out of drills for the first time since his arrival to clean and reclean his trashed room after the pseudodragon had dug through his uniform box and desk drawers.
On the third day, he had to physically resist the urge to grab the thing by the neck and throw it across the courtyard. Though to his surprise -and annoyance- Master Daunas had actually stepped in. Speaking to the pseudodragon kindly but firmly, the Weaponmaster ordered it to leave him alone during lessons at least. And for the most part, it obeyed. The fact that it was pestering him now meant the lesson had to be almost...
The bell for their break rang out from the tower high above the fortress. Shon snapped to attention with the others, the little dragon twittering happily and swaying with the motion. When dismissed, he was the first to return his dagger, then cleared off to give the others room to do the same.
No one said anything when he went to the water barrel instead of the fortress. His friends were still mostly supportive, but even they were growing annoyed by his occasional loss of control. Like freezing the running trail, so on the next pass, they had to dodge icy footprints.
Breaking the thin layer of ice that had formed over the top of the water barrel and splashing the back of his neck with it, Shon stared at his wavering reflection until the water stilled. Cold blue eyes stared back until the little dragon stuck its head in the way, smacking Shon's nose with its wing. He slapped the water, sending it splashing up into the pseudodragon's nose. The little dragon hissed, then scooped up a huge wing-full and splashed it over his face and chest. He could feel the little dragon's mirth as it chortled its clicking laugh.
Shon could only sigh, he'd come to cool off out of habit, not necessity. He didn't really feel hot in the same way as before. The exercise and exertion still made him sweat, but he only seemed to grow colder. Like even his body was acting out of habit...
He waited for the others to finish crowding into the fortress, most heading to the showers, some heading for their rooms, and a few to the library to play cards and socialize. Shon glanced towards the weapons storage -with the boxes of daggers and racks of various swords and polearms- but shook his head. He was in no mood to continue the fight with himself, and instead made for his rooms.
Squires laughed in the halls, and Shon stayed close to the wall to give them space as he walked. The pseudodragon draped itself over his shoulder like a scarf so it wouldn't hit the stone or passers-by. Apparently, sometimes, it was conscientious of Shon's desires. Once in his room, Shon retrieved his journal and opened it on the desk, but then focused out the window without sitting down. In early winter, the sun was already setting, painting the skies in colors he could never hope to match with simple pencils and white paper. He normally enjoyed this time of year, when the wind grew chill and snow occasionally fell as a promise for the deeper winter to come.
Now, he wanted to hate the cold. He wanted to toss it and everything like it to the wind. But not only could he not rid Clearhelm of winter, he also couldn’t convince himself to hate it. The little dragon sent a wave of concern over him, whistling quietly.
Closing his journal Shon scooped it up and left. Even if he opened the window, not much of a breeze would reach him from there, so he made for the stairs to the central tower.
Though now the tower was used only to house the hour bells, it was originally designed to be a lookout. It offered a complete view of the surrounding area through ten tall glassless windows around the perimeter.
He picked a window ledge facing west and sat with his journal closed, just enjoying the cool breeze. The knots in his stomach eased, and the power he could still feel swirling around him calmed. The pseudodragon purred, and he reached up to pet its side. It was okay to still enjoy the cold, wasn’t it? He just wished he didn’t inflict it on others who never seemed to like it as much as he did.
Someone hummed behind him, and Shon jumped, spinning in his seat. A girl with golden hair stepped up to his window. Her eyes were closed, and the wind blew her hair back, revealing three scarlet stripes across her right cheek. They merged together on her neck into a single line that disappeared below her white hospital dress.
She smiled, and Shon had to swallow, his mouth suddenly dry, “I was sure they wouldn’t let me up here,” she said, opening her eyes and looking at him, still smiling, “But I suppose if you’re up here, then I can come and enjoy the view too.” She perched herself on the sill next to him and tilted her head to the side, looking for all the world like a curious kitten. The pseudodragon mirrored the expression with an inquisitive chirp. Were her pupils slitted? "You have a pseudodragon... are you a Mage?" She asked.
Shon looked away, but the little dragon wrapped its tail around his neck and chirped again, "I'm a Squire," he stated, though if more to himself or the girl, he wasn't sure.
"Oh, so you're here to be a Paladin?" she accepted his answer without argument, and Shon looked her way again to find her still smiling, "I don't understand the appeal, but if it makes you happy," she shrugged, but then narrowed her eyes at him, leaning closer and squinting. Shon leaned back, keeping his distance. “Your eyes... You were there, weren’t you? At the tower?”
Shon blinked. She'd switched topics so suddenly. He nodded in answer, and she sighed, turning in her seat and bringing her knees up to her chest. She was probably annoyed he hadn't answered verbally...
As she wrapped her arms around her legs, he saw that her red stripe continued out her left sleeve to break apart into three again along the back of her hand. Looking down, he noticed three more pointed stripes on her bare right foot that merged at her ankle to twist around and disappear back into her dress. Did they all meet somewhere in the middle? He had to shake himself to banish the mental image and turned to follow her gaze out over the horizon.
“Thank you…” she whispered, and he turned back to her, arching an eyebrow. It took her a moment to look away from the view and see his expression, but when she did, she continued without further prompting, “I don’t remember everything that happened, but I’m glad I wasn’t alone,” she smirked and looked back out to the horizon, continuing, “The Cleric thinks I should thank Hengist, but I don’t remember seeing him there, so I’d rather thank you instead.” Shon didn’t know what to think about that, but the girl didn’t seem to expect an answer.
The pseudodragon dug its claws into Shon's shirt and climbed down his chest, pulling at the fabric and scratching the skin beneath. It walked across his legs then over to the girl gingerly. Her giggle was small and quiet, and she didn't hesitate to reach out and pet the flying lizard, though she did so carefully with brief pats, "Careful little one, I'm not the safest person to touch..." she whispered down to it. Shon furrowed his brow in confusion at her words, and predictably the pseudodragon ignored them completely. Crawling up her knees until she lowered them again so it could reach her lap, where curled up like a cat, complete with purring.
She giggled again and stroked its back all the way down to its tail, "It doesn't even care..." she sounded in awe of the little dragon, and Shon couldn't blame her. He'd only ever heard stories of the beasties before he'd seen this one. But the dragon wasn't nearly as interesting anymore, not compared to this girl.
“What’s your name?” he blurted before thinking. And silently cursed himself into oblivion. He sounded like an idiot. Those were the first words he said? She was obviously content just petting the pseudodragon. Couldn’t he have at least waited for her to address him? Or ask something? She was probably up here to think. You have no idea what she’s been through; she probably wants to be alone…
But hadn’t she chosen to sit next to him? And she'd already spoken first...
As if to confirm his fears, she sighed in obvious annoyance, her head falling back to hit the side of the pillar with a whine. When she looked at him, he could somehow tell that if she was annoyed, it was with herself, “I know I should know it by now, but I don’t. Do you think I’m going to have to explain every time I meet someone new? It’s really embarrassing…”
Shon could only stare, trying to understand. She didn’t say she couldn’t remember her name, just that she didn’t ‘know’ it yet. But that didn't make any sense. “You don’t have a name?” he tried to confirm.
She shrugged, exaggerating the motion by bringing her shoulders all the way to her ears then letting them drop limply, “They always said that I would know my own name. But every time I tried to guess or make one up, they got mad at me. What’s your name?”
“Shon,” he answered slowly, still confused.
“And when did you know your name?” she tilted her head again, confirming Shon’s mental comparison with a kitten.
He shook his head, “No one just knows their name. They're given one when they’re babies.”
Her mouth fell open for a full heartbeat before it snapped shut again, and she glared into the setting sun. The air had grown strangely warm, the pseudodragon chittered, and Shon fumbled for something to say, “What did they call you if you don’t have a name?” She'd said 'they' had told her she would know her own name, so that must mean 'they' had spoken to her. He could only assume she meant the people at the tower. The memory of burned corpses flashed through his mind, and once again Shon regretted speaking.
She didn’t look at him as she answered, “Ran called me ‘Red,’ for my scales,” she ran the fingers of her right hand over the stripes on her left, “Brom called me ‘Goldy,’ for my hair,” she brought a lock over her shoulder and stroked it absently, “But the Archmages didn’t like it when they did that…” the pseudodragon watched her dangling hair, swaying its neck back and forth to follow its motion.
Those sounded like nicknames someone gave a pet… He remembered Ivelm saying something about her being experimented on, like an animal. Shon brought his hand up to run through his hair, thinking fast. “You could pick one.” she looked at him, and he rushed to continue, “No one can stop you, and it could be temporary, just until you know your true name." whatever that meant, "Even the gods used to have different names depending on the province.”
“A name,” her eyes glazed over as she stared into the setting sun and absently started petting the dragon again. It tilted its head up at her and whistled, “I don’t even know where to start…” she whispered.
Shon searched the horizon for inspiration but saw only trees and birds. “What’s your favorite flower?” he blurted.
She focused on him again, “Flowers have names?” she asked. When he nodded, her cheeks puffed out, and she glared at him. Looking away again, she grumbled, “Even flowers get names, and I just have to sit around and wait for one to come to me?”
Shon opened his journal, turning it to the side and drawing quickly. The girl stopped mumbling to herself and looked over his shoulder, the pseudodragon crawling to the edge of her knees so it too could tilt its head at his drawing. He usually hated when people tried to watch him draw, but -for some reason- was able to continue without being distracted. It was a drawing for her after all, it made sense that she should see it. Never mind that she was so close... close enough for him to feel the warmth from her skin... or perhaps that was his imagination.
Finishing the final flower, Shon turned the book towards her. “Which one do you like most?”
She stared transfixed at the six flowers depicted, and Shon suddenly felt self-conscious. He'd only personally seen four of them, the other two he'd copied from memories of other drawings in books. She reached out, and her fingers hovered over the rose for a moment before she rested it on a six-petaled lily. The little dragon trilled in approval.
“Lily,” Shon said, then tried to explain, “I trained with a girl named Daisy,” he tapped the daisy flower on the page, “Daisies were also her favorite flower, so I thought…”
“It’s so beautiful…” she whispered, then grabbed his hand, desperately searching his face, “Can I really use it as a name?”
Shon’s heart skipped a beat. Her hand was hot, and he felt his power flow to where she touched, cooling his skin and making it tingle. Even before his power had awakened, everyone else had gotten colder the longer he touched them. As if he were pulling the warmth from them.
Her heat seemed unending.
Even more transfixing was the desperation in her eyes, which were dark blue and slit, like the pseudodragon's, who had crawled from her lap onto his journal and was studying the other flowers. Finally, Shon managed a nod, adding, “You can have whatever name you want. It’s yours.”
She looked at the flowers again and whispered, “Lily…” she seemed to chew it over for a moment, then smiled. And Shon realized all those before hadn't been in true happiness. This was her first real smile. “Lily.” her joy lit up the darkening sky and caused Shon’s heart to race, making up for its lost beats, “My name is Lily!” Lily pulled his hand closer to her and gripped it with both of hers, “Thank you. Oh wow, thank you, Shon!”
He could bask in that smile for hours. He stared at her, trying to memorize every line. Then she finally looked down at his fingers, and her brow furrowed. Oh no…
“It doesn’t hurt?” she asked.
Shon pulled away from her, looking away so he wouldn’t have to see her rub her palms on her dress, “No.” he answered shortly. She'd held his hand longer than anyone even before his awakening, but she'd been distracted by picking her name. She was probably freezing now…
He didn’t want to see her trying to warm her fingers after holding his, so instead, he focused on his journal, pushing the pseudodragon gently off so it wouldn't scratch the papers, then slowly working the page with the flowers out of it.
The breeze picked up, and Shon ran his hand through his hair, stealing a glance Lily's way. Her eyes were closed and she'd turned to face the wind again, “Refreshing…” she whispered.
He sighed. He could still feel her hands wrapped around his, a phantom memory he would just have to hope would last. Shon held out the drawings to her. She blinked at them, then at him, then back down to the page again. “You can have it,” he told her.
Lily hugged him.
Shon stiffened instantly. He'd never been hugged like this before. She smelled like cinnamon… Before he could fully register the sensation, Lily pulled away and took the page carefully with just her fingertips, “I will treasure it…” Shon felt himself blush, looking away to try and hide his face. Luckily Lily didn't seem to notice because she asked, "What's its name?"
Shon turned to look at her questioningly, only to see her tilting her head down at the pseudodragon. Shon's blush deepened. She was so happy to have a name, and now he had to tell her, "It doesn't have..." shame burned his cheeks, and he actually flinched when she looked at him in shock.
"You're not going to make it come up with its own, are you?"
"I... I just haven't..." Shon stuttered around for an excuse, but he really didn't have one, "I didn't think about it..." he finally finished, defeated.
He expected Lily to get upset, maybe chastise him, but instead, she just clapped her hands and smiled, "Well, we can fix that now." reaching down, she scratched the little dragon's chin, "Any ideas?" the pseudodragon purred, then climbed back over to her lap, wrapping its long tail around Lily's forearm so she couldn't pull away from the scratches.
"Pest," Shon mumbled.
Lily giggled, "That's not a name," she tried to stop scratching only to have it reach up and grab her fingers, forcing it back to its chin with both clawed hands. She giggled again, "Could be a nickname, though." the little dragon huffed but still wouldn't let her stop petting it.
"Pest..." Shon told it directly. Feeling jealous; the realization almost made him blush again. He was doing an awful lot of that all of a sudden.
"Well, it's a tiny dragon..." Lily mused, "So maybe something in draconic?"
Shon arched an eyebrow at her, but Lily just tilted her head at his unspoken question. "Draconic? Isn't that a dead language?" dead with the dragons who spoke it, he asked.
"You mean you don't speak it?" she answered with her own questions, "How do you read books written in it if you can't speak it?"
Shon shook his head, "I don't know of any books written in draconic..." he was becoming more confused by Lily every moment. The provinces all had their own ancient languages, but learning it these days was only an old tradition. No one actually used it. And yet the ones who'd held her, the ones who hadn't given her a name, had taught her a second language? A dead language?
"That's so weird..." Lily said, looking back out over the horizon. Just when Shon was sure she wasn't going to say anything else, she hopped a little in her seat, shaking the pseudodragon in her lap, "What about Ryuuko?"
Once again, Shon's eyebrow went up and Lily explained with a giggle, "It means 'little dragon.' Not very creative, I know, but if it likes it..." she dipped her head, lifting the pseudodragon's face to her nose, "Do you like it, little one? It's a bit feminine with the 'ko' at the end, but..." the little dragon licked her nose and Shon felt a wave of approval from the creature.
"I think it likes it." He told Lily as she laughed, pulling the pseudodragon in for a real hug, rubbing her cheek along its scaled neck.
Around them the bells sounded at full volume. Shon and Lily covered their ears, and Ryuuko took off, flying in circles around the bell tower, chittering angrily at being surprised. Lily laughed, but Shon could only hear the resonating rings shaking him from his head to his toes as the bells counted out the hour.
When the last bell faded, Lily dropped her hands, her laugh turning to a snicker, “I suppose that means it’s dinner time.” her smile faded, disappearing over the course of a few heartbeats, “I should probably get back to my room…” she clutched the page Shon had given her to her chest as if afraid it would be snatched from her fingers.
Ryuuko landed on Shon's shoulder as he stood, and Lily slowly lowered her feet back to the ground as if heading towards a hangman’s noose. It had been at least six days since the incident that brought her to Hamerfoss. Had she been eating in the infirmary all this time?
Shon arched an eyebrow at her, and Lily met his expression with a confused tilt of her head again. Shon asked, “Come to dinner with us?” and Lily’s smile lit up the night.
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Thanks for making it this far, you are the real MVP

For background, I am approaching 40 hours, I am a level 52 druid, and I just completed the campaign. I will try not to give any spoilers but no guarantees so this is your warning.
The actual story was very cool, the process of going through it could have been better.
During the last couple of beta access I blazed through Act I and I wanted to treat release differently. I wanted to just explore and do quests as I got near them naturally. I felt like I had great freedom to explore on my own terms. I was level 30 before I actually started to focus on Act I a bit. I blinked and then I was level 43, but I still had only completed act one. There was so much else to do I didn't care for the quest at that point. Then I found out the mobs were capped in WT1/2 and I would soon out level them.
It felt like my only option was to blaze through the campaign racing against my level to get to WT3. I was worried that my level progression would essentially come to a halt and I would be wasting exp earned through the campaign or other activities. At this point I b-lined it through the story. I didn't stop at dungeons, cellars, events, side quests, or anything that was not directly in the campaign. Well as you can see I like to explore and take my time so I was not really enjoying the game as much anymore. I just wanted to finish the campaign so that I could do the other activities I enjoyed.
I was anxious to complete the campaign so I started skipping dialogue and cutscenes to finish quickly. It wasn't until the last Act that I started to feel less rushed. I was level 49 approaching 50. So I took my time again and completed the final Act +Capstone at level 51. The final act was incredible and I wish I could repeat that single act but that is a different discussion.
Anyways, when I got to WT3 I got a sacred weapon that was miles better than what I had and I understood that it was time for me to be in a higher difficulty. I guess I understand the level cap in WT1/2 as a way to make you progress to higher difficulties. My question is why did I need to rush the campaign to get there? I'm not asking for free difficulty increase. I'm okay with a level minimum or a method of unlocking it, but having to complete the story when it's far too easy to out level the story is silly. Why shouldn't I be able to continue the campaign in higher difficulties? Could the Capstone be available sooner? It didn't seem like the Capstone had any story spoilers. At least none that I caught.
Now I understand that this is only a first character problem and my other characters won't experience this but it's still lame as a first experience. I also know I can and will go back and complete all the side stuff. So in the end it doesn't matter but it made my experience a bit less enjoyable.w What are your thoughts?

Note: Since this opinion is about Reddit itself, I am unfortunately limited to where I can post it. I am aware this sub is participating in the blackout but hopefully mods are okay with dissenting opinions. But anyway:
For those out if the loop, a large number of subreddits have announced they will be temporarily (or indefinitely) closed in protest of some of Reddit's announced changes. Briefly: by charging a high price for their API, third-party apps and tools may have to shut down or begin charging users high fees to cover their costs. Since many users rely on these, they are upset and want Reddit to go back on their plan.
The only thing this blackout will accomplish is mildly inconveniencing users for two days (maybe longer). Reddit doesn't care nearly enough for there to be an impact because a huge portion of the people that care already use the third party apps and so won't affect their bottom line in the slightest. Those that don't care will still use Reddit just the same (the vast majority don't even know it's happening) and will see the same number of ads, just on different subs. Also, Reddit has the power to just forciby open the subs whenever they want, which is much cheaper than changing their policy. I don't see how this can possibly help anything.
I will also add that I do not think that Reddit is being unreasonable. However disappointing, they are well within their rights to charge for the product they provide, and they lose out on money from other apps. Yes, I know, apparently the official app is awful (I'm curious if the people saying this use it enough to know?) and there are other implications as well. But then why not try negotiating with Reddit on those issues (i.e. improving accessibility options) instead of pushing back on everything? To me, it feels like these mods and other users are acting a little bit spoiled. Add-ons are nice and I appreciate them, but we aren't entitled to having everything. Most people don't seem to know how little money Reddit makes and I would not be surprised if it went under and shut down completely without making drastic changes like increasing API fees. I'd rather have an imperfect Reddit than no Reddit at all. Call me a shill, whatever, but I guarantee everyone will forget after a while (remember the whole net neutrality thing?)
I see a common point about how going without Reddit for two days isn't a big deal so we shouldn't care. I agree that going without some subs for a few days isn't the end of the world as I am not a heavily frequent Reddit user. But if it's not a big deal, why should Reddit care about it? Another thing is that some participating subs actually are very important to people. While I'm not one to name names, some people rely on these subs for financial or emotional support on short notice. I think that the mods closing such subs are being selfish. But a similar concept extends to all subs - why should the users be inconvenienced, however mildly, by being dragged into a protest?
Over the past few years, it seems like people (particularly Americans) have forgotten how to have a good protest. The point is to directly inconvenience the people/group you are protesting against so that they are incentivized to make a change. One example that personally sticks with me is the student walkout for gun control in the US a few years back that was made out to be a big deal beforehand but went nowhere because it didn’t affect corporations or politicians in the slightest. These types of "protests" serve only as showmanship and are far too common when people could actually be doing something meaningful instead. For example, look at the ongoing Writers Guild strike. Now that's much more effective.
My main issue can be summed up as the participants caring so much more about image than change. With the internet, many people are obsessed with their image and fitting in (whether a large or small group) and so things that only end up feeling hollow. But here's the other thing: even if this blackout proves somewhat successful in this one instance, it doesn't change the unfortunate modern trend of poor protests. While I don't particularly have an issue with people disagreeing with Reddit's announced policy, the way mods are going about it via the blackout feels childish and petulant. I just don't see any honesty in this, just theater that only negatively affects the users, not the target.

I'm new to SillyTavern (installed it a few days ago) and the whole thing was quite confusing because there isn't nearly enough information for mac users.. so here's the guide, written by a non-tech savvy potato brain.
Step 1: Download the mac installer, agreeagreeinstall yadayada
Link: https://nodejs.org/en/download/current
Step 2: Open terminal from the launchpad (should be in the 'other's folder.
Step 3: Enter these lines, click enter each time:

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/install.sh bash export NVM_DIR="$([ -z "${XDG_CONFIG_HOME-}" ] && printf %s "${HOME}/.nvm" printf %s "${XDG_CONFIG_HOME}/nvm")" [ -s "$NVM_DInvm.sh" ] && \. "$NVM_DInvm.sh" nvm install node git clone -b dev https://github.com/Cohee1207/SillyTavern && cd SillyTavern npm i && node server.js 

This should open up a new window on your browser or whatever, and ST can be used now.
Reopening ST was the real challenge for me, and took me a while to figure it out. There isn't really information on the website afaik.
Step 1: Open terminal
Step 2: INSTEAD OF using the lines from before, use these instead. Remember to press enter each time, and don't worry when it doesn't return anything.

export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm" [ -s "$NVM_DInvm.sh" ] && \. "$NVM_DInvm.sh" [ -s "$NVM_DIbash_completion" ] && \. "$NVM_DIbash_completion" cd SillyTavern npm i && node server.js 

Please let me know if it works (or if it doesn't!)!
Reference:
https://docs.alpindale.dev/pygmalion-extras/sillytavern/#android-installation

Just curious if anyone knows where I can find an explanation on how damage vs higher level mobs scales? My barb is level 69 currently and I’m starting to really smash torment but I haven’t had any significant gear improvements in nearly 10 levels now. I’m wondering how much of that is due to my paragon/small upgrades and how much of it is due to me actually starting to approach the monster level(73)? I’m guessing there’s damage reduction to higher level targets but my googlefu is failing me.

So I've accidentally fallen in love with a watch well out of my price range, and made the mistake of gushing about it to my partner who wants to get it in return for the fancy engagement ring coming soon to a hand near her. I love every bit of the design, and the caller GMT is a sweet and useful feature for a couple with international jobs and family on three continents, who find ourselves in different time zones about four times a year. I could see wearing it nearly every day of my life (though ironically not at the wedding).
The only question, given my dainty-ish wrists, is how would the thing actually wear? I'd love any input before dealing with importing something I might return, so:

1. Anyone here have the 8315 or 5303 and ≤6.25" wrists? I'm more worried about the lug-to-lug than anything, so does it risk overhanging or sit nicely? Photos would be brilliant if you've got them.
2. Any good suggestions for similarly sized watches I can try on to compare? I swung by a Tudor AD and tried on the similar-on-paper BB58, and it just about fits but gives off some serious chunk. My hope would be that the curving & carved lugs and the relatively shallower case (due to a thicker bezel than on the BB) might make the 8315 wear smaller.
3. Anyone in the Montréal (QC) area have one and fancy meeting for coffee? On the slim chance anyone nearby has one and was willing to offer a try-on, I'd love to meet up and buy you a coffee/drink/lunch somewhere public that you trust enough to hand over a watch! Possibly also could do Atlanta (GA) or Oxford/London (UK) in the next year.

Any input welcome. Cheers all!

Hello, I will be an upcoming 4th year undergraduate. I am looking for any female fall quarter sublease in/near Irvine. Preferably a single bedroom and an ACC apartment, however, I’d be open to many different options so if you have any offers please message me and lmk :)

Big win
Just left my RDs office... I've lost 14lbs in 10 weeks. Total loss 94lbs.
SW 318 CW 224 GW 180
When I first started, trying to lose nearly 150lbs seemed impossible. A year and a half later, losing 44lbs to meet my goal seems TOTALLY POSSIBLE.
I'm so pumped and proud of myself. I don't have a ton of people to share with, so I thought I'd post here.
Biggest thing I have learned... no matter what, just keep going. Plateau? Keep going. Gained 2lbs? Just keep going. Screwed up and downed half a pizza? Just keep going.

From the scriptures I am about to provide, there is no other logical conclusion. Jesus says that a house divided against itself cannot stand. This is his answer to the Pharisees who are saying he casts out demons in the name of Beelzebub
Matthew 12:22-30
22 Then one possessed with a demon was brought to Him, blind and mute, and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 All the people were amazed and said, “Is He not the Son of David?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This Man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons.”
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. And every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. Then how will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29 “Or else how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
30 “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.
He says if Satan casts out Satan he is divided against himself. However we then see that the Apostles deliver people to Satan so that Satan can correct and teach them.
1 Timothy 1:20
20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
It's also extremely important to note that 1 Timothy is a written letter from the apostle Paul to Timothy. Paul is the main author of the new testament with 14 of the 27 books being attributed to him. Why is an apostle of Jesus dividing what is said to be the Kingdom of God? Why is he sending them to Satan in order for Satan to teach them? Wouldn't the Kingdom of God have its own teachers and methods of correction that don't involve the Adversary of God? This is an act done by Paul and written down by him. Jesus said if Satan casts out Satan he is divided against himself. By thst logic, if Satan teaches men the apostles sent to him, thereby working with the apostles, the only logical conclusion is that their Kingdom is of Satan and not of God.
Also remember the word God is often used by people to denote different gods. Some people may be referring to the Tetragrammaton, others may be referring to the initial creator referred to as Elohim, others may be referring to the unknowable God who is the father in heaven referred to by Jesus.
Any other opinions aside, it is impossible, after reading these scriptures, to deny thst the chief writer of the New Testament viewed Satan as a teacher and sent people to him thereby dividing the Kingdom of God. If you wonder why Christianity is so divided and that so many people are searching for God but cannot find him, this should answer the question as to why that is so. So many Christians are so quick to call out other schools of thought and say they are of the devil or that people are working with Satan when the chief writer of the book they use, quote, and worship was written by someone who worked with Satan. What makes you feel that the majority of the new testament was written to hand others over to Satan as well? A way to mask the true message and teachings from the profane?

Hey all! I applied for and got two Schengen visas in the last couple of months, and had to spend a lot of time each time creating a whole itinerary, write a cover letter, book flight/ hotel reservations.
To help visa applications become way smoother, I created an AI tool to start with helping generate cover letters and itineraries (we currently have people look it over to make any edits). We also assist with the overall visa process such as booking a refundable reservation and picking health insurance. Would love for you to check it out here!
The generated cover letters have been saving a lot of time, here's an snippet:
The details of my trip are as follows: Travel Dates: 09/18/2023 to 09/30/2023 Duration in France: 09/18/2023 to 09/25/2023 Duration in Italy: 09/25/2023 to 09/30/2023 Daily Itinerary: Day 1 (Paris): Visit the Eiffel Tower, explore the Louvre Museum and stroll along the Champs-Elysées. Day 2 (Paris): Visit Notre-Dame Cathedral, take a boat cruise on the Seine River, and spend an evening at Montmartre. Day 3 (Nice): Explore the Promenade des Anglais, relax at the beaches of Nice. Visit the Castle Hill in the afternoon. ...
Let me know if you're applying for visas that require a lot of supporting documentation such as Schengen! If you've recently applied to one, would love to hear what you think and what part of the application is most time consuming. (We'd love to help automate it and make it smoother)

hello! 23F type 1 diabetic for 15 years, hashimotos, suspected POTS but haven’t done tilt table test yet. on metoprolol 25mg ER 2x a day for tachycardia, florinef for low BP, synthroid for hashimotos
i’ve been dealing with a lot of lightheadedness that has been attributed to suspected POTS but i’m trying to do whatever i can to help it. my PCP ordered a vitamin panel.
my ferritin is 25 ng/mL iron is 73 mcg/dL TIBC is 315 mcg/dL Iron Saturation is 23%
my doctor hasn’t said anything about the results and they are within range, but from my understanding my ferritin is on the lower end. i’ll ask my PCP about it but my next appointment is a month away. would it be safe/useful/suggested to take iron supplements?

Holy cow! Bought my car 3/28. Carvana priced it way too low but didn't catch it until after I purchased it and it was delivered. They attempted to force me to return the car by slow rolling the registration process, and telling me the only thing they could do to help me was take the car back. Temp tags expired 5/11. Carvana again told me I had to return the car. I told them no, and contacted the attorney general. Carvana started registration 5/25 (finally). License plates finally came today! Happy I can finally legally drive this car again!

by Aryn Fields • June 6, 2023A federal district court today issued an order blocking enforcement of Florida state Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine rules banning established medical care for transgender adolescents as well as provisions in SB 254 that codify those rules into state law with added criminal and civil penalties. Today’s order allows Florida parents challenging the ban to access necessary medical care for their transgender children while the legal challenge to the bans continues.
“My husband and I have been heartbroken and worried sick about not being able to care for our daughter in the way we know she needs. I’m sure most any parent can imagine the sense of powerlessness that comes from being unable to do something as basic as get medical care for your child. Today my entire family is breathing a huge sigh of relief knowing we can now access the treatment that we know will keep Susan healthy and allow her to continue being the happy, confident child she has been,” said Jane Doe, who is challenging the ban on behalf of herself and her daughter, Susan.
The families are represented by Southern Legal Counsel, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and the Human Rights Campaign, which issued the following statement:
“Today’s ruling is a powerful affirmation of the humanity of transgender people, the efficacy of well-established, science-based medical care, and of the rights of parents to make informed healthcare decisions for their children. The court recognized the profound harm the state of Florida is causing by forcing parents to watch their kids suffer rather than provide them with safe and effective care that will allow them to thrive. We are incredibly relieved that these Florida parents can continue to get healthcare for their children while we proceed to challenge these bans and eventually see them fully overturned.”
In today’s ruling the court indicated that the plaintiff parents are likely to succeed in their claims that SB 254 and the Boards of Medicine rules unconstitutionally strip them of the right to make informed decisions about their children’s medical treatment and violate the equal protection rights of transgender youth by denying them medically necessary, doctor-recommended healthcare.
The challenge to the Boards of Medicine and SB 254 healthcare bans is likely to proceed quickly to trial.

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flnd.460963/gov.uscourts.flnd.460963.90.0.pdf
Furthermore, some quotes from the injunction linked above:

The clinical evidence would support, though certainly not mandate, a
decision by a reasonable patient and parent, in consultation with properly trained
practitioners, to use GnRH agonists at or near the onset of puberty and to use
cross-sex hormones later, even when fully apprised of the current state of medical
knowledge and all attendant risks. There is no rational basis for a state to
categorically ban these treatments.
The record includes no evidence that these treatments have caused
substantial adverse clinical results in properly screened and treated patients.
The overwhelming weight of medical authority supports treatment of
transgender patients with GnRH agonists and cross-sex hormones in appropriate
circumstances. Organizations who have formally recognized this include the
American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Physicians, American
Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, and at least a dozen
more. The record also includes statements from hundreds of professionals
supporting this care. At least as shown by this record, not a single reputable
medical association has taken a contrary position.
The plaintiffs also assert a claim under the Due Process Clause, which
protects a parent’s right to control a child’s medical treatment. See, e.g., Troxel v.
Granville, 530 U.S. 57 (2000) (plurality); Parham v. J.R., 442 U.S. 584, 602–03
(1979); Maddox v. Stephens, 727 F.3d 1109, 1118–19 (11th Cir. 2013); Bendiburg
v. Dempsey, 909 F.2d 463, 470 (11th Cir. 1990).
The defendants say a parent’s right to control a child’s medical treatment
does not give the parent a right to insist on treatment that is properly prohibited on
other grounds. Quite so. If the state could properly prohibit the treatments at issue
as unsafe, parents would have no right to override the state’s decision. But as set
out above, there is no rational basis, let alone a basis that would survive heightened
scrutiny, for prohibiting these treatments in appropriate circumstances.
The plaintiffs are likely to prevail on their parental-rights claim.
A methodology often used for evaluating medical studies—for evaluating
research-generated evidence on the safety and efficacy of any given course of
treatment—is known as Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development,
and Evaluation (“GRADE”). The defendants stridently assert that the evidence
supporting the treatments at issue is “low” or “very low” quality as those terms are
used in the GRADE system. But the evidence on the other side—the evidence
purportedly showing these treatments are ineffective or unsafe—is far weaker, not
just of “low” or “very low” quality. Indeed, evidence suggesting these treatments
are ineffective is nonexistent.
Moreover, the fact that research-generated evidence supporting these
treatments gets classified as “low” or “very low” quality on the GRADE scale does
not mean the evidence is not persuasive, or that it is not the best available researchgenerated evidence on the question of how to treat gender dysphoria, or that
medical treatments should not be provided consistent with the research results and
clinical evidence.
It is commonplace for medical treatments to be provided even when
supported only by research producing evidence classified as “low” or “very low”
on this scale.58 The record includes unrebutted testimony that only about 13.5% of
accepted medical treatments across all disciplines are supported by “high” quality
evidence on the GRADE scale. The defendants’ assertion that treatment should
be banned based on the supporting research’s GRADE score is a misuse of the
GRADE system.

How, if at all, will Florida social conservatives counter this?

What exactly defines a country? It is a region of land that must have borders, law, authority, and a population, and it must at least claim to have sovereignty to be a country. London is a city in the UK. It has borders, law, authority, and a population, but London does not declare itself to be an independent country. Palestine is a country but many countries choose to not recognize it because they fell for Zionist propaganda or spread it themselves. Israel is not a country but many recognize it. Exactly what is and what isn't a country is always up for debate. Just look at Russia's friend, South Ossetia.
Now, with that being said, we shall learn about the Muslim country in North America with Sharia Law and nearly 2,000 citizens!
Yes, alhamdulillah, you heard that right! There are Muslims from this Ummah today who can freely practice Islam and openly follow the divine legislation of the Quran without fear of oppression. The Islamic Sultanate of Qarsherskiy is a self-declared country, meaning it declared independence itself, but it isn't recognized as an independent nation by any country on Earth. The Islamic Sultanate of Qarsherskiy has its roots in 1991 but it wasn't until 28th of March 2023 that Qarsherskiy declared independence. While not everyone in Qarsherskiy is Muslim and Qarsherskiy is secular and allows non-Muslims to live there and freely practice their beliefs, much like the Ottomans, Qarsherskiy's law is the Quran and the constitution of Qarsherskiy states this. The Islamic Sultanate of Qarsherskiy is 13 square kilometers in size and has full control over the land it claims which is surrounded by the US city of Newport News, Virginia and York County. Qarsherskiy also claims overseas territories where Qarsherskiyan citizens live in autonomous small areas of land with their own local leaders and laws. Anyone can apply to annex their land into Qarsherskiy's overseas territories and appoint a leader. The Islamic Sultanate of Qarsherskiy has 1,947 citizens, most of whom applied for citizenship online and were trustworthy enough to get it accepted. Qarsherskiy also controls Aidenistan Autonomous Province in West Virginia and was named after Aiden Stalnik, a Qarsherskiyan non-Muslim who helped the mujahedeen of Qarsherskiy learn the layout of the land in 2022 and was made an honorary citizen. Lake 'Aydn County in mainland Qarsherskiy near the American border was also named after him. Qarsherskiy as a nation makes about 3.4 million USD annually with Wax Myrtle leaves and berries making up a large chunk of the GDP. The goal of Qarsherskiy is to create a homeland and safe space for Muslims in North America as well as a few other persecuted minorities such as Eastern Orthodox Christians and Alawites, although many local Qarsherskiyan citizens dislike Alawites for worshipping Ali Ibn Abi Talib (Peace Be Upon Him). Qarsherskiy has a flag, coat of arms, currency, and government which includes an intelligence agency, an army of 25 people, a navy with 19 people and some kayaks and boats, an airforce with 45+ people and some small planes, and a police department that doubles as a fire department and investigation agency with more than 200 employees. Qarsherskiy also has an Emir, "Powerplant" Ali, as he is known, who acts as a vice president under the leadership of His Highness, Sultan 'Ali Aq-Qarsherskiyy At-Tariq AL-Akbar, whom is a conservative Sunni Muslim who peacefully prevented several possible Sunni-Shi'a Civil Wars and did the impossible job of governing and leading a North American Muslim nation to success.
Qarsherskiy has a few problems though and isn't all perfect. A few problems include:
-Qarsherskiy isn't recognized by any country and the Qarsherskiy Passport is useless because of this
-Qarsherskiy had to fight a group of neo-Nazis but the USA would've invaded and shut Qarsherskiy down so they could only use water balloons and nerf guns, which are harmless, and it took 2 months for Qarsherskiy to win
-Alawite separatist movements with plans to overthrow the sultan exist, and you've probably seen the alawite separatists on Tiktok working with Atheists and Christians to make videos doing shirk and worshipping Ali, Kanye West, Bashar Al Assad, and Isa (PBUH).
-Qarsherskiy's sultan is 17 and a Muslim convert, and it has been hard for him to study the deen as Shi'a and Sunni Muslims constantly argued and tried to get him to side up with one or the other, creating confusion in him, despite being a Sunni
-The Ahmadiyya/Qadiani community in Qarsherskiy is trying to destroy the country because they are labelled as kafirs by every based Qarsherskiyan.
-Qarsherskiy's internet prominence has shrunken by 48% and few people support or even know about Qarsherskiy
-Despite defeating the neo-Nazis, Qarsherskiy still deals with "lone-wolf" neo-Nazi attacks on their trade routes that connect Qarsherskiy to the USA and Canadian global market economies
-Qarsherskiy's Autonomous overseas province of IslamOhio Beach on the coast of Lake Erie between Vermilion and Lorain, Ohio has been under surveillance by the police due to suspected smuggling allegations as locals exported Opium poppies across Lake Erie to Canada. (It also has a problem with a struggle to fairly elect a new local leader but that's being worked on.)

Hello friends! I ran a computer selling business throughout high school and the hardwareswap community has been by far the most integral part of my success. THANK YOU ALL for continued support throughout my journey. You guys are seriously the best.
I graduated high school last week and I'm selling my hardware inventory prepare for college. A lot of these parts have been rotting in my closet for the past couple years and I'm hoping some of you can give them a new life.
I prefer local sales (ZIP 20854) but I am happy to ship. Prices do not include shipping. Prices negotiable.

Item	Price	Notes	Timestamps
DIY PC S2-W-RGB New in Box	$55		https://i.imgur.com/as9y0Gl.jpg
Ryzen 5 1600 + ASROCK B350M PRO4 Motherboard (with IO)	$100	I have DDR4 ram for sale below if you want a combined deal!	https://imgur.com/6VKkIFt, https://imgur.com/EDbLggO, https://imgur.com/I8nxR65
i5-4690k	$20		https://i.imgur.com/CaYaYYw.jpg
i7 4790	$35		https://i.imgur.com/ocyUfS2.jpg
i7-920 + EVGA X58 FTW3 Motherboard (with IO)	$45	Pair with the DDR3 listed below!	https://i.imgur.com/uWc4Js9.jpg,
i3-2100 + Intel OEM Micro-ATX Motherboard (with IO)	$15	Pair with the DDR3 listed below!	https://i.imgur.com/1vFswXk.jpg,
i5-2400 + Intel OEM Micro-ATX Motherboard	$25	Pair with the DDR3 listed below!	https://i.imgur.com/84HqjPe.jpg
OLOY Warhawk 2x8gb DDR4 RGB RED, New in box	$35		https://i.imgur.com/uYEiag2.jpg
5x4gb Corsair Vengeance DDR3	$30 for all, $7/stick		https://i.imgur.com/uYEiag2.jpg
2x4gb Ballistix DDR3	$10		https://i.imgur.com/uYEiag2.jpg
2x4gb Kingston DDR3	$10		https://i.imgur.com/uYEiag2.jpg
2x4gb OEM DDR3	$10		https://i.imgur.com/uYEiag2.jpg
2x2gb OEM DDR3	Free to pair with another purchase		https://i.imgur.com/uYEiag2.jpg
Apevia In-Case RGB Lighting System with Remote (3-fans, 1-strip)	$30		https://i.imgur.com/skz1lng.jpg
New Ryzen AM4 OEM Cooler	$5 with another purchase		https://i.imgur.com/b5988Ob.jpg?1
Cooler Master i71C New In Box	$25		https://i.imgur.com/D8PtgXW.jpg
Other assorted coolers missing brackets (including a Cryorig H7)	Free with another purchase	Missing brackets	https://i.imgur.com/D8PtgXW.jpg
EVGA 600W 80+Bronze PSU	$40		https://imgur.com/xnqK1x1
Antec 380W 80+Bronze PSU	$30		https://imgur.com/xnqK1x1
Thermaltake TR2 600W PSU	$28	No rating	https://imgur.com/xnqK1x1
60GB SSD	$10	Good to pair with HDD	https://i.imgur.com/v9cdmxL.jpg
500GB WD HDD	Free with another purchase		https://i.imgur.com/v9cdmxL.jpg
Goofy ahh gaming mouse, new in box	Free with another purchase		https://i.imgur.com/sDNfRqp.jpg
Cables	I'll throw in cables with purchases

DISCLAIMER: I bought all of these parts in working condition, but I haven't tested them since I purchased them. I no longer have the resources to test each individual part. However, they should all work fine, and I am more than glad to offer returns for non-functional parts.

It was 2 AM. I realized that my sleep was over when someone was already the third time calling me on my phone. Sleepy, I got up, rubbed my eyes, and saw, that my friend "Michael" was calling me. Understandably, I was angry. But I decided, because it was my friend that I need to pick up the phone As I picked up, he said this:
"Ayo, so I have a problem... My car stalled near the forest on the outskirts of the city.. can you pick me up, please. I'll send the coordinates." I swear, in his voice, something was.. a little bit strange. I thought it was because of stress that his car was stalled.. actually, how did he get there? I looked at my phone, as he sent the coordinates. It was 70km away from the city. Before I even asked something he got offline and didn't answer the calls. Even though it was a long way there, I decided to drive there. My worst error.
I put on the jacket, opened the front door of my house, passed the garden, closed the door, and sat in my Chevrolet. As I started the car, I saw that nobody was driving that night time. After I left the city I saw a black figure, that quickly disappeared into the forest. As I came closer, I saw my friend's old BMW. I opened the doors of my Chevrolet and knocked on Michael's car's left window. I saw him, sitting in his car. The first time he ignored me and then turned to me. He silently left his car, slowly coming to me. As I saw, his car was in minimum damage from the accident. He didn't even try to start it when I drive. As he came to me, he said "thanks" and sat in my car. He didn't answer most questions, and when I asked about how he got there he answered "I was going to my grandma." Perhaps he was sleepy... As I started the car, we move forward but the road was the same even though we moved. Then I saw this - I saw another BMW, the same one that my friend has. As I looked into Michael's eyes, I left the car and I came to the same BMW car. This BMW was extremely damaged, and I saw the body of Michael...
Then who is the one I picked up? I was feared to turn around and even got paralyzed because of that situation. As I turn around I saw Michael standing near my car. In a matter of seconds, his skin starts to get off like a costume. I stand paralyzed for some seconds but when his skin lay on the road, I saw the true one - tall, like my friend's body, sharp claws and jar with long sharp teeth. His eyes were pure white and he ran at me, soonly after he would scream that my ears were hurt. I run and hide behind Michael's BMW. It was all dark, only the headlamp of my car lighted the bumper of the BMW. Then I heard noises behind me. As I turned, the monster was already 10m back from me. As I looked into his eyes he ran at me. I had no other choices as I run forward, soonly after hopping into my car and trying to start it. I lost track of the monster and turned off the headlights and light in the car and hide in the back seats. Soonly after, my eyes used to darkness and I saw the monster, standing near my car. Then, I saw Mercedes driving near the road as its doors would open. As the men left, Monster attacked the men, ripping his internal organs on the road. as the blood would spill everywhere. I used this to run away. I started my car successfully, and at full speed, I'd drive on the road, so only after losing track of the monster. So only after, I would drive into a village... I was surprised, and my calmness ended when I looked back. The monster was already in the back of my car. Then the car stalled. On the windows of the car, I would see shadows. Then, the monster broke the frontal window and plunged his claws into my shoulder. I shouted, as my warm blood would be spilled everywhere. I already thought that my life was over, but then I would see the sunrise.
As the sun set, everything disappeared. I fell on the road, exhausted and having no powers whatsoever. I was happy, that monster didn't rip my organs, but soonly, I saw a car. Then, I don't remember anything, but I woke up at the hospital, with the bandage on my shoulder. I didn't say a word. Then, I woke up and the doctors told me that the operation is done.
Should I post more?

hello! 23F type 1 diabetic for 15 years, hashimotos, suspected POTS but haven’t done tilt table test yet. on metoprolol 25mg ER 2x a day for tachycardia, florinef for low BP, synthroid for hashimotos
i’ve been dealing with a lot of lightheadedness that has been attributed to suspected POTS but i’m trying to do whatever i can to help it. my PCP ordered a vitamin panel.
my ferritin is 25 ng/mL iron is 73 mcg/dL TIBC is 315 mcg/dL Iron Saturation is 23%
my doctor hasn’t said anything about the results and they are within range, but from my understanding my ferritin is on the lower end. i’ll ask my PCP about it but my next appointment is a month away. would it be safe/useful/suggested to take iron supplements?