So I (22) have been seeing this guy (34) for a few months now (since March I think), we started hooking up right away and since then we've had sex every weekend. He is a nice guy, the sex is amazing and we have sweet moments after it (we watch memes together, we kiss, we cuddle and I give him massages). I consider him a FWB and I enjoy this thing we have going on; we both have not had sex with anyone else since we met (Friday is like our day, we live nearby and it's just easy) although we both are on Grindr talking to other men everyday.
Said this, I don't want to be with him and I don't love him, there are many reasons why:
1- He is in the closet.
2- Age gap.
3- Very different personalities and ambitions
We never talk unless when it's for deciding when we are having sex next, we both send each other memes on IG and that's about. I am ashamed to admit that I have found myself in this last few weeks wanting his attention: I look when he is online or not, I get anxious when he takes long time to reply (although I make the conscious effort to reassure myself that he is busy), I feel a little bit bad the days right after we meet and I can't stop thinking about him (this last two days I've dreamed about him).
I am confused with myself because I don't feel like I love him (I've had a bf before) and I don't want to be with him, but I have started to have these weird feelings and I don't know what to think.
I know I probably sound stupid and childish or whatever but can any of you give me some advice or tell me if you relate to me? Thanks!

My ex got out of rehab yesterday. Prior to him going into rehab we had been broken up like 3-4 months. The break up was not my decision and I was pretty upset about it because I had JUST 100% emotionally supported him through 5 months of another rehab program and a year of his downward spiral into alcohol prior to that.
I thought him getting sober would mean that I would be getting my fun loving, great boyfriend back that I had for 3 years so I was heartbroken to say the least. But I eventually went no contact for a couple months after the breakup until I was having a tough time and reached out to him. Since he was sober he seemed pretty happy to hear from me and offered words of support. But I still kept my distance not wanting to get hurt.
Then the end of April the called me randomly and we had a weird conversation where he sounded overly happy and talked to me about meaningless stuff and I could tell he was drinking but I didn’t want to accuse him of anything since we weren’t talking much as it was. Then I didn’t hear from him.
About a week later I heard from a woman I’m friends with that he checked into rehab, she knew because she worked there. I was just happy that he was safe. When I say his drinking is bad, it’s BAD, he is a serious alcoholic with a serious problem. To get him to go to rehab the first time me and his family had to show up with a uHall and pack his apartment up, break his lease, and forceably get him out of his apartment because he literally stayed in there for a YEAR and drank 24/7.
Anywayss, I reached out to his mom about halfway through his stay to see how he was doing because it’s not like I don’t still love and care about his well being. So I was SHOCKED when she told me that his sister had died, which is what triggered his relapse. And even worse, she died from her alcohol problem. I was sad, I knew her well from holidays and what not, and I was even more sad for him and his mom. He had just lost his dad prior to his first relapse. She told me that he only wanted to stay in rehab for 30 days and she wanted him going to sober living. While I wished she pushed for a longer stay in rehab I thought that would be a good idea for sober living because that’s where he was living when he had long term sobriety when we met.
SO, I was surprised when he called me last night. I was really happy to hear from him first of all, I want to say that. A huge part of me really misses him, 4 months after a 3 year relationship isn’t a long time to get over someone that you’ve occasionally been talking to. We talked about how his stay was, his feelings about his sister, my life and then he told me HES STAYING IN HIS DEAD SISTERS APARTMENT. My first thought was “you have got to be kidding me!” His mom has always been kinda spacey and ridiculous. It was super hard for me during his first relapse to get her to do anything meaningful to help him other than her offer him words of encouragement. But considering she just lost her daughter to alcohol and she’s aware how serious his problem is I’m surprised she let him take over her lease. Especially considering we had just learned that his downfall was living alone and having the opportunity to drink in peace with no one watching him. The only way he got to rehab so fast this last time was because he moved in with his moms boyfriend and he was around him all the time and obviously noticed his relapse. From the phone call I gathered that all her stuff was still there too, all her clothes and medications, everything. He said “if the roles were reversed I’d want her to have my apartment” but in reality I think he wants to continue to be alone and that’s his excuse for making it okay for being there.
I’m extremely worried about him. I’m in recovery from alcohol myself and I know firsthand how many people relapse right out of rehab, especially if they didn’t want to be in rehab to begin with….he said he didn’t even remember being taken to rehab. I also want to note that my ex doesn’t have that many friends, if any. He lost most of them when he just stopped going to work (he had a lot of money) and the few friends he made in rehab don’t live here or have relapsed. He’s always had this sad mentality that he has to do things alone and be alone. I hate that for him. He really is a very personable, very attractive, fun, super fit guy when he is sober but when he drinks, he throws his entire life into it. And I just don’t think 30 days is enough to get over your sisters death and then MOVE INTO HER APARTMENT AROUND HER THINGS…wtf. I didn’t contact him today because I’m still in “I don’t want to get hurt” mode. But I worry so much about him. My friend thinks he needs me, from her time checking in on him when she was working. And a big part of me still wants to be with him. But I don’t want to seem like I’m nagging him like he’s a kid that needs to be checked on or that I’m actively trying to get back with him when I know he’s probably fragile and probably doesn’t want a relationship with anyone. Am I being reasonable for wanting to be back in his life? He told me last night that he was sorry for the last few months and not being there for me more and how even his life situations were no excuse for his behavior in the past towards me. What should I do? Do you think I have enough reason to worry as much as I am?

​
tw// mentions of s*!c!d3
​
so its the beginning of second term and we just had our exams b4 the holidays. and i failed most of my pure science subs which is annoying enough alr but now i think my parents are putting too much pressure on to me. idk how to tell them. for example my dad completely stopped talking to me since yesterday bcs i got a 53 in my bahasa melayu (a language) IM NOT EVEN THAT FLUENT OMG I WANNA CRY. anyways i cant tell him i failed every subject like how am i gonna say that i failed legit im gonna get kicked out of school and my home. sometimes think about committing s*!cid3. and these weird feeling linger in my heart i tried to stop myself from thinking so negatively but i cant man imagine your dad not asking how are you and talking to you LIKE A NORMAL PERSON. just because i failed doesnt mean he should treat me like this i literally want to cry and d!e rn idk what to do or how to tell him im sorry. UGH i hate school and life

They got a few weird looks on the train, being two guys traveling with a baby. Still, mostly the trip was all right. Danny mostly slept, and when he did wake, Paul read to him quietly. By the time they arrived at Bath, he was getting sort of fussy; he needed a quick change at the station, and then they stopped for food.
Probably they could have just eaten once they got to the house, but with the way Danny was getting, Paul knew he would be wailing with hunger by then. They stopped in a little place and got milk, an egg, and a bun for Danny. Paul and Nick both had jam sandwiches and tea.
"Your folks' place far?" Nick asked.
"Not too. Outside the city, of course, but not a crazy distance."
"Hmm. Big place?"
"Ah, big enough for Mum and Dad and my sister and me when I was young. My sister's off somewhere in America now, and given the time of year, like I said, Mum 'n' Dad'll be in Cornwall. Should be plenty of room for us."
Their quick breakfast finished, they headed out again. They walked around Bath a little while, Paul giving an impromptu tour, and then they hitched a ride with some old Rocker out to the house. Paul figured he let them in his van because of Nick's guitar. Probably saw him as a kindred spirit.
The guy dropped them at the end of the lane, and Paul led the way along toward his childhood home.
"Pow?" Danny said.
"Hmm?"
"Walk? I walk."
"Ya sure, buddy?"
"I WALK!" the child declared.
And so Paul let the little guy down to walk. Before he fully released him, he loosely tied the belt of his coat around the little wrist.
"Hang on buddy, okay? No wandering off."
"'Kay," Danny nodded, and sure enough he kept a grip on the belt all the way, even if he did not need to.
As they rounded the last little bend, the house came into sight and Nick gasped.
"Whoa. I... You said it was big enough, not enormous."
Paul shrugged.
"It's not so big."
"Sure. Whatever you say."
They did not immediately head into the house proper, of course. Paul had long since lost his key, and even if not, he figured Mum and Dad might have changed locks. Of course, that would require them to have even a vague grip on the dangers of the world...
So the odd little trio sidled along to the cottage out back, where Paul hoped Old Trefont was still in charge. If someone new had taken over, they could be out of luck.
As Paul knocked at the cottage door, he felt a tug at the bottom of his coat. Danny was looking up at him with grave eyes.
"Up?" the baby sighed.
Paul untied the belt and lifted the kid into his arms.
After an age, the cottage door creaked open. Paul grinned to seen a familiar face.
"Hallo, Mr. Trefont."
The ancient man squinted, opening the door a hair wider and studying Paul a moment.
"I tol' 'em. Told your parents y'd be back, soon as London kicked your arse."
"I'm not back for good, probably," Paul explained. "Just wanted to visit the old stomping grounds."
"Nn-hnn. An' ya brought half o' London along?"
Old Trefont pointed to the baby, then to Nick who was hanging back awkwardly.
"These are just friends. Anyhow, I know my parents are probably away..."
"Be back next week."
"Good. Anyhow, 'til then, think you could let us in the house?"
Frowning, the caretaker at last nodded.
"I'll get m' keys."
The old fellow took his sweet time, and while he did so, it started to rain. Paul tucked Danny protectively into his coat, and he and Nick stood hunched near the door of the cottage until Trefont returned.
"C'mon," the caretaker said. "Haven't all day."
He trooped them to the rear of the house and let them in through Paul's dad's studio. As soon as they had stepped inside, he handed Paul a spare key, then spun on his heel and marched back to his cottage, grumbling all the way.
"He's a delight," Nick scoffed.
"He's about 100 years old, give or take a few decades," Paul said.
The house was pretty cozy for the time of year. Paul knew, just before he moved away, Dad and Mum were talking having some newfangled seals put on the doors and windows to stop the drafts around the place. They must have gone through with it.
"Come on," he nodded to Nick. "I'll show ya around."
Previous Chapter Table of Contents

Remember when we had that argument about the same thing and you ended up hoppin out and I left for a few hours u were pregnant and had no cigs or vape no shit no money no phone service I feeling from our reunited restart to that point you were going to ditch me and go be with someone else, terrified really when I think bout it now .But I came back and walked the area for hours tryna find you ,I felt like shit.. Finally you decided to show urself. I hugged you and I could tell you fkn hated me. I wanted to die right there. I think I did inside. So I swallowed my sadness and said ok please forgive me for my part in that.. let's go get something to drink ok.. we did and ate too at chic FIL a. Everyone was so weird looking at us. But I looked mean you said ,u did too tho ... After that remember I was driving and we went and parked under the only shade around ,we sat together and tried to let go of what just happened what was said and realized bout some things ,and I started being emotional and told you I love you ,I really mean that ,I told you not just ur pussy or ur lip or ur face ,your heart I love your heart. I do know you in there u been hurt and unfairly treated by so many in ur life,u didn't deserve that shit .But how you have learned how to survive. I told you that were not each other's intimate soulmate.. you looked so surprised.. I told you how I meant it that it killed me to know I cannot give you what you want and need for you to be happy truly to be urs. You said no no stop it and I said no cuz I want you to be happy I want to be part of each other's lives forever I want to see you truly smile with joy when your man walks in I want you to feel like yourself with ur man I want you to be head over heels for each other I want him to be everything for you cuz I cannot. I asked if when that man comes along if you'd love me enuff to tell me that you've met him so I can step aside and be there to support you as someone so fkn special to me I didn't expect to feel fatherly over you knowing how ur dad loved me and you and had left this world. I asked you if ud do that for me and you said you would. You said but that don't mean ur gonna leave me now ,like what if that don't happen for me ? What if I get old and alone and ur not there and I want you to be ? LoL u said how bout ok if we don't meet that person we get married so we don't die alone ok ?? I said ofc I'd love that. I said I wanted to be the one to walk you to meet ur husband on wedding day and see you smile and cry cuz ur so happy. Cuz I love you that much not ur pussy ,I liked that alot but I LOVE YOU UR HEART UR MIND UR SOUL. at that time like ur dad who had lots of sex with you .. I said ok I got some shit to get done before u find ur person and he gotta take care of shit and got out of car to check out the car for leaks and check oil and cry without u watching me. Anyway it didn't go that way ,iknee u found him,but didn't say anything even with me persistently asking saying I knew u talking to somebody and u just wouldn't be honest with me it hurt so bad and made me so mad and resentful you wouldn't do that for me after the last time u know u fkd me up and we talked bout it u said u would tell me told you that would hurt me so bad .. so I withdrew grew cold AF to you and for that I am deeply sorry for hurting you that way. It's the only way I could handle that it hurt so fkn bad. ..Anyways I hope you find/found that person . I wish you loved me enuff to do that for me but it's all good. I just want for u to be happy. Ik I'm nothing to you and this don't mean shit to you but wanted to say I do know I hurt you too and how.ans take accountability I hope you can forgive me. I see each of our actions were results of the other ones. our emotions, fears wounds from others fkd our shit up. Thank you for trying. I know you may have felt scared to say what u were feeling and what was happening,I was too in alot of ways..I miss you ,I love you differently than I thought I could ,I'm stupid really... Im always here if you wanna talk to me or need me. I doubt you will and it's ok ,im still there,but won't bother you .I opened new Ig and requested to follow if u want to allow or not up to you. And here n messenger but won't even reach out if I'm dying..Ik you hate me . But u can if u need or want to.. Ight then...

Long story so hang in tight I can't post too many details as I don't want it boting me in the butt. My daughter has been friends with this lil girl from school for quite sometime. We'd never had any issues before, she doesn't live far so she'd go to her hpuse she'd come to our house to play. Friend invited my daughter over for a sleepover. We communicated had parents numbers etc. Well we got a call from our daughter she wasn't where she was supposed to be felt uncomfortable wanted to come home so naturally dad went right away and picked her up.
She got home and explained some questionable behavoirs from her friend and her family in the home. She was super visibly upset, scared and it all raised red flags. So naturally I reported all of it right away officers gave us contacts for victim advocates and said if she wanted to be checked out and have a kit done just in case she had 72hrs so for her comfort we definitely went in and had it done. Naturally victim advocate is a mandated reporter.
Now she was just worried something happened in her sleep, but never said anything happened to her for sure, she did give details about her friend that were most definitely concerning. So now cps has called me to set up a time for an interview with her. This worker was down right cold on the phone and honestly intimidating.
Is there anything I should be worried about? This was her first and only sleepover at this house, we picked her up immediately when something was off and validated her concerns by reorpting. I can't for the life of me understand why this worker spoke to me as if I was a monster? Anyway the thing that is weirding me out the most is the worker kept asking for her biological fathers information.... I do not have it he hasn't been in her life since pretty much birth. Maybe I am just paraniod but I am just wigged out.
Everyone else was very kind even the officers were greatful I took my daughters concerns seriously instead of waving em off..... so I just don't get it.

Hey guys, have you noticed the logo of Solana’s BONK meme token in the shooter game Ev.io?
I become pretty interested when some guy wrote about it on Reddit, implying that picking it up will earn you millions of BONK tokens, but only if you have a certain NFT-based player skin equipped. Is that true?
I didn't pay so much attention to this game, so I'm not so familiar with what's going on, I read that Reddit post, and after that I search for news to see what's the deal with Solana's token. I don't even play so much these games, with only one exception tbh - MagicCraft, my fav.
So, this news made me think I could check this game, I totally forgot about this game, it's interesting though.
I know that there was an in-game BONK event. As a teaser video shows, a player spots the floating BONK orb and picks it up, and then sees a bounty of 8 million BONK tokens added to their connected Solana wallet.
How do you like the game in general, is it worth playing?

So I got a cholesterol test done recently because my mum had very high cholesterol in her 50s (highest recorded was total: 7.9 and LDL 5.4) and mine came out high. Mum has undiagnosed heart problems that started in her late 50s/early 60s and her dad had angina and died of a heart attack in his 70s - so not concerningly young.
I know 5.4 Total and 3.4 LDL isn’t alarmingly high, but I’ve been tracking my food since I got the result and my daily saturated fat intake is 5-7g per day (except once a week when I have a frozen pizza and it’s 20g). Occasionally I’ll have a slice of cake or a packet of crisps, but it’s not a daily thing.
We are mostly vegetarians so I eat a lot of veggies, beans, lentils, rice etc.
I’ve switched out my breakfast toast for porridge but apart from cutting out the one pizza I’m struggling to see how I can lower my saturated fat intake any further. I do two runs a week and spend most of the weekend working at my allotment.
I suspect that my cholesterol will increase at a similar rate to my mum’s and it’ll be as high as hers by the time I’m in my 50s. I’ll get my first NHS cholesterol test at age 40 so maybe they’ll start me on statins then.
I’ve looked through the diet recommendations on the BHF website but I’ve already been doing most of them for years! Should I just not worry about it until I’m in my 40s?
Appreciate any thoughts - thanks!!

look I have quite literally fucked just about everything up in my life that I possibly could. If I didn't i'd end up fucking it up anyway because that's just how it is and I’m always stuck in this endless loop too where I think I finally have hope for my life, but then I see, hear, or even remember something that takes me back to reality. I am trapped in an endless loop of despair and hope, but despair will triumph in the end and I dont want to be stuck in this draining cycle.
i cant do anything and if i could, my parents and life in general has fucked it up for me so much that i couldnt ever do anything myself and i cant make myself do anything either.
I have 0 social skills due to being insanely sheltered and homeschooled my whole life and I go silent at times when things get overwhelming, scary or stressful. i just cannot talk so how am i suppose to live in this world as a functioning person if i already have that one little thing, but a vital thing to any human interaction, wrong with me and where I find that just about everything is scary?
i mess up all and every friendship i've had (only had online ones mostly, never really had any irl ones) cause im afraid and get tired, and my life in general is so unpredictable, I am unpredictable and horrible and it is unfair to others... i just am not a good friend to have or person to know... and sometimes I just don't want friends, even thought it feels like i need them but then I'll just wished they would leave because it’s not like i ever truly give anything good to them back and I think it's better off that no one gets close to me and I should stay alone because I will just hurt and hurt and only hurt some more, and i feel bad and sorry for anyone whos ever known me because even i cant stand myself or the things that i do.... but i feel so out of control and this only makes me afraid for my future where I know there's nothing good there for me.
i feel like my entire mindset is broken and I dont know if it’s me or the world but me and the world don’t fit together.
my dad ruined me too, he is a pedo and he is selfish, he is selfish, he is selfish and i hate him but i cant help but love him still and i feel horrible and confused.. but i know he cant really love me if he was able to do the stuff he has and now ive constantly looked for someone else who can fill that place for me, which most times they arent good people but I desperately just wanted my dad to love me like normal and I know he never will, and I know that no one else can either. I just feel like I will be endlessly haunted by these feelings, possibly even getting in dangerous situations and I cant handle it.
and i also deal with anorexia which is kind of a coping mechanism and an addiction... i have tried so hard to recover countless times but i cant its something that is only gonna stay with me perpetually and I know it is. every time I've 'recovered' I really only pushed those thoughts behind and well when stuff bad happens they push their way forward again.. it's a never ending cycle and that is also exhausting.
now this is getting to be a lot of writing, well just wait, theres even more.
i will never be able to be as independent as i would want to be.... i mean, I am independent when dealing with my own shit but thats because no one really cares... but life stuff? no. i have a hard time walking sometimes and have other problems which ive felt like ive burdened other people with my health stuff... i can’t help them with any of their stuff, i tend to isolate from them and things and i just wish i didn’t have to be a human being. and I hate when people worry about me too... I've felt like ive already fucked up all that I can, I dont need anyone to worry and feel worse about themselves because of me. i try to be there for everyone, to be someone for them to talk to because I know how it is to have no one.. but its been for sooo long I really have just been getting exhausted of it....that it's just been pushing me away and honestly making me so much more sad and drained but if I feel selfish if I try to help myself and tell them that I can't be the one to be there for you right now...
and also that my dad has quite literally trapped everyone in this house and is an abusive pos, stripped everyone here of their independence, it feels like im just a robot now. because of this and other things, my mom has even attempted suicide 2 times, and my sister has attempted suicide once. Not sure about my brothers but I wouldn't be surprised if they have felt like this.
Still though, I don't want to be hurting anyone here but im getting tired of worrying and caring... its just not me, to not care, but i feel like one of these times i just will do it. Im not afraid of death, ive accepted it as a thing that happens and it kinda comforts me... I pathetically, like 2 years ago, attempted suicide with a dog leash. Obviously that didnt work and no one knows I did that, I kept it to myself ... but people will know if I OD'ed and I'm nervous of that if I did survive.
i am not even 14 yet.... but I cant stand it here, living, and i won't ever get out im too messed up to even try. I feel like I will just fall into a bunch of terrible addictions if I was ever even let out of this house and im terrified of that, i think id just go off the rails and end up killing myself anyway... I already take benzos which has sort of become an addiction and I've become reliant on to make me sleep, which is what I kind of always do because the days are unbearably slow.
i just feel so guilty somehow that i even exist. it feels awful, i just wish my body would dissolve or something. i can’t even name all the things i think are wrong because i just feel like my entire existence is a problem to everyone else. all i do is ruin things, for myself and for others.
I have this bottle of oxycodone and i just want to down it all... im not even sure if it would work how I want it to or if id need some anti emetics too.. which i do have and may as well just take those just in case.. but I'm just not sure if it would be the outcome I'd want.
I feel horrible for this, I feel horrible for everyone, but honestly can they blame me? everyone here is miserable, can they really blame me for doing this? I know they'll feel terrible and will probably think this is all there fault. I blame no one. There is a lot of stuff that is wrong but I cant even blame my dad, I feel guilty for it.
I wish that things were different and maybe if they were, i might feel like i deserve to live... but it doesn't, and i don't. I want to feel like i deserve to live but there's already so much in my life that has gone wrong and i am already so fucked up... this all just shows me that i really don't think I was meant to live. I don't think I'm cut out for life really
I wish i could just rot.
(if you read this far damn I'm sorry lmao)

I am seeking advice from anyone who can relate in any way, but mostly need to vent because this stuff actually lays heavy on me.
So, I (28f) have 2 siblings. My older sister (36), and younger brother (26). My parents have been together since they were 17. However their relationship/marriage has been anything but exemplary. My dad has always been very physically abusive towards my mother. I lived in one of those households where everyone feared my dad. Given my sister is 8 years older than I am, she witnessed and experienced way more in my home than I ever did in those short years before I was born. I have memories of seeing my dad beating my mom and sister on numerous occasions and for any reason. Sometimes it felt like he didn’t even need a reason. However, things in my household worked like a slinky going down stairs sometimes; where my dad would hurt my mom, my mom would in turn become offensive towards my sister and she turned around and was slightly abusive towards me. I was pretty depressed from an early age. For a period of time when I was small I truly felt like my family didn’t love me and I would often pretend to run away. My family found it funny at the time (I was probably about 5 or 6 when I felt this the most). My sis ended up leaving the house at 18, which was somewhat of a relief for me because she was always picking on me. A whole lot has changed since I was little. My dad is still a grouch, but he hasn’t hit my mom or anyone else since I was about 18. He grew up in a family that cusses a whole lot, and he remains that way to this day. But compared to all the physical stuff, words are just words at my parents house now. I’m sure anyone in that house would prefer to tolerate verbal abuse over anything else we have lived through on any given day.
It wasn’t until I was about 16 that my sister started showing more interest in building a closer relationship with me. Despite the way she used to treat me, it felt nice to finally have a good relationship with her. So we became close. She would let me in on the family secrets and gossip, and we would talk about our lives growing up. Eventually I brought up what she put me through as a kid in a conversation and she apologized. She also told me she had gone through the same type of conversation with my parents, where she confronted them for the way she was brought up. From what I gathered, there were lots of tears and apologies from both my parents.
Her family started growing pretty rapidly around that time, and as a single aunt I absolutely adored her children. She ended up moving to a neighboring city (about a 30 min drive), and it became slightly harder to visit her because of the distance. I basically went from being at her house every week- because she was about a 7 min walking distance away- to only being able to go over about once every 3 or 4 months due to the fact that our schedules hardly ever line up now. Sadly, I feel like we aren’t very close anymore.
Now to update you on more recent years; my sister now has 3 kids (16, 8, and 6). My younger brother has two kids (4 and 1), and I also have two kiddos (5 and 1). My brother- being 2 years younger- has always had the closest bond with me. We did everything together growing up, and now that we have kids all relatively close in age, we hangout about once a week or are in constant communication (we communicate through meme sharing on IG). Lol. My brother and I have a pretty close relationship with my mom. When we get together its nice. We have become a little tight knit family and help each other out whenever we need it. My dad and my sister have sort of decided to isolate themselves from the rest of the family though. My sis is very much “the black sheep” of our family, and my dad would rather just be alone. Speaking to him feels slightly awkward as he doesn’t really initiate conversation or express any interest in us. I feel like he might even be depressed, but because he has never really shown any true love for his family, none of us really bother to check up on him much. Still, I actually feel a little guilty for that too.
Things haven’t really started to bother me about my family until recently. Almost two years ago I got pregnant with my second child. Then a few months later we found out my brother was also expecting a child with his wife. Everyone was excited and of course we shared this news with our older sister, and she seemed happy for us when we announced it to her. However, she was a complete no show for both of our baby showers with zero explanations. We tried not to feel sour about it even though we knew for a fact she was off from work on those exact days. Then fast forward to this past winter. I got married. The venue we had chosen was coincidentally down the street from her house, literally like a 2 minute drive. However, she only stayed at the event long enough for me to see that she was present and she just upped and left with her whole family almost right after the whole bouquet toss thing. According to my brother who was sitting at the same table as her and her family, she left without even saying a word. I also wanted to mention how my father was nicely planted on a chair throughout most of the reception, and didn’t talk to anyone at all. He kinda just stared off into space or was fidgeting with a napkin on the table every time I caught a glimpse of him. I don’t know if I’m making it a bigger deal than it really was, but overall it was hard to not be a bit upset at them. I had a blast at my wedding regardless of this. I sure as heck wasn’t about to allow that from ruining what is supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life.
Then, after that it has just been nothing but no shows for the most part from both my sister and my Father. - My kids’ bday celebration held earlier this year; both didn’t show. - Easter family gathering; again. Both of them didn’t show. - My brother and his daughter’s bday celebration; Our dad finally showed. Sister did not.
At this point, my brother is fed up of trying to include our sister or our father in anything. Both have shown that they clearly don’t want to be involved in anything we do as a family. Even when it comes to doing something as simple as texting them just to know how they are… if someone else from the family doesn’t initiate the text, we will literally never hear from either of them. However, the only reason I keep insisting that we shouldn’t stop inviting her is because her children love spending time with us and all their little cousins. I have literally heard all of them begging their mom to bring them over to spend time with us. Not to mention that I have a pretty close relationship with my teenage niece (She kinda sees me as her ‘cool auntie’ and closest family member).
Should I just let my sister be? Should I keep pushing this idea that we could all one day become one big happy family? Like, it literally breaks my heart to think about our children not growing up around each other. The very few times that we have gotten together as a big family, it was so awesome. Everyone was so happy. I think?
I really don’t know what to think of all this. Any thoughts or advice on what to do would be nice. Sorry if this became very long to read or hard to follow. I just feel so strongly about my family and my thoughts about them are so jumbled.

Greetings, gaming enthusiasts!
Are you an avid gamer looking for an exciting opportunity to earn rewards while doing what you love? Look no further! We are thrilled to introduce the OGz Club Affiliate Program, a platform where your gaming passion can help you unlock a world of rewards.
What makes the OGz Club Affiliate Program unique? At the OGz Club, we believe in the power of community and the joy of gaming. Our Affiliate Program is designed to harness that power and reward those who contribute to our growing family. By becoming an affiliate, you'll not only earn rewards but also become an integral part of our vibrant gaming community.
How does it work? Joining the OGz Club Affiliate Program is a breeze. Once you sign up, you'll receive a unique referral link that you can share with your friends, fellow gamers, and gaming communities across various platforms. Every time someone joins the OGz Club through your link, you'll earn commission and unlock fantastic rewards!
What can you earn? As an affiliate, your hard work won't go unnoticed. For every successful referral, you'll earn a commission. But it doesn't stop there! The more referrals you make, the more perks and bonuses you'll unlock, including exclusive in-game items, access to premium content, early game releases, and much more!
Join us on this exciting journey! Don't miss out on the chance to turn your gaming passion into tangible rewards. Join the OGz Club Affiliate Program today and become part of a dynamic community that values and rewards your efforts. Together, we can create a gaming paradise for all!
Visit our website to sign up, access promotional materials, and learn more about the program. If you have any questions or need assistance, our friendly support team is always here to help.
Let's level up together with the OGz Club Affiliate Program - because gaming is more rewarding when shared! $OGZ #TheOGzClub #Gem #Binance #ETH #Ethereum #MemeFi

Meme marketing service is a fun and creative way for brands to connect with their audience. Here are some examples of successful campaigns from top Meme marketing Agencies and Content marketing agencies:

1. Netflix - Bird Box Challenge: This campaign, which warned against people doing dangerous stunts inspired by the movie, was a great example of how Meme marketing service can go viral.
   
2. Denny's - Tumblr Meme Campaign: By using Tumblr and collaborating with influencers, Denny's created humorous memes that resonated with millennials.
   
3. Old Spice - The Man Your Man Could Smell Like This iconic campaign used humor to generate buzz and increase sales for the brand.
   
4. Wendy's - Twitter Roasts: Wendy's is known for its sassy social media presence, and by roasting their competitors on Twitter, they were able to engage with its audience and build a loyal following.
   
5. NASA - Mars Rover Meme: Even government agencies can use Meme marketing services to promote their brand! NASA's tweet about the Mars Rover went viral and increased their social media engagement.
   

If you're looking for a way to make your brand more relatable and connect with your audience, consider working with a Meme marketing service provider or Influencer marketing agency. They can help you create engaging content that stands out from the competition. And if you're looking for a full-service marketing agency, a Top Ad shoot agency like Creativefuel can provide a range of services to meet your needs.

Sorry if I don’t make sense. Thinking about him still kind of makes me anxious. I’m sorry if this is long. 2 years ago, my first ex reached out to me. For context, we had dated long distance when I was 12. He was 15. I knew in the beginning that it was all a bad idea and I had rejected him the first time he asked me to be his girlfriend.
We were friends first and I knew he had a lot of mental health issues but he didn’t go into detail about what’s really going on in his life. I never asked because I wanted to respect his privacy and make him smile instead of reminding him of the stuff he’s going through. All I know is that he had went through multiple girlfriends that would accept him and suddenly break up. I admit I knew that it was probably because they couldn’t handle his mental health. He was suicidal and quick to change moods. He genuinely believed at the time that the only way he could be loved was if he was loved by someone he was dating. I was just a kid but I knew that wasn’t true and that love comes in all forms like family and friendship.
When I rejected him, he was upset but seemed understanding and I applauded him for that then we went to bed. Next day, he wasn’t online. We spoke daily and this silence gave me a very bad feeling. I started panicking and hoped he would be okay. 4 days later, he came online and I immediately told him I would be his girlfriend as long as he stayed alive and I was sorry. He was happy but I had to beg him to tell me the truth why he was gone. He had spiraled after I rejected him and attempted to end his life. He was gone for 4 days because his dad took him to the hospital. We started dating from that day. I know I didn’t love him but I really cared about him as a friend. But me dating him didn’t stop him from attempting again. He asked me to do things that I was too young to understand or feel. He kept begging me for pictures but I kept saying no. He got worse and I eventually sent a pic. Nothing crazy though which I’m glad for. I finally confided in my new best friend at the time what was going on. I’m very thankful she begged me to break up with him and that was that. I only blocked his phone number and his facebook but we never spoke again. She helped me trying not to think about it after.
Unfortunately, I didn’t know at the time but I was traumatized and couldn’t say “I love you” to anybody that wasn’t family without feeling like I was cursing them to die. I felt sick whenever I had a crush on anybody or if anyone had feelings for me. I’m not sure the extent of how much it impacted my life but relationships were really hard for me and it took a long time to even feel okay to hold hands. I never spoke to anyone about it. I didn’t know how much he had hurt me or what it was like to be “normal”. Since then I have identified as asexual but I’m not sure if that’s related. My mom thinks it’s always been in my family but I disagree.
Now to 2 years ago, I was 19 and school was over. I hadn’t been on one of my old online accounts in a while so I logged in on it to show my friends some of my old stuff and noticed I had one new message. I opened it and realized it was from him. He barely changed in how he talked but he seemed happier. He asked if I remember him. The bad feelings came back and I consulted my best friend, the same one who helped me break up with him, and our other best friend, she came after it happened, what I should do. I decided to message him back and tell him that I hope his life improved but I can not be friends with him because of what happened that I tried my best healing from but can never be normal again and wished him a good life. I also said I will block him shortly after he sees the message. Few hours later, I see he saw it and I blocked him.
Even though he hurt me and left behind trauma, I don’t hate him for what he did. I saw him as a troubled teenager that needed love and help. He didn’t have any bad intentions, he was in a lot of pain and there was no one to guide him. It was just unfortunate I was there and naively did something I shouldn’t have. I sometimes wish it didn’t happen so I didn’t have to go through all those difficulties in learning about relationships and dating but I hope I left a positive impact. I did some things too when I was a mentally ill teen because I didn’t know how to get better. I didn’t do things to the extent he did but I know that love would’ve helped me. All I needed was support and patience to figure out what I needed. Fortunately, I did have some people looking out for me online when everyone around me couldn’t be there for me the way I needed them to. I’ve forgiven them too. My relationship with my family is better now.
Today, I’m 21 and have an amazing partner of over 1 1/2 years and about to finish college to start a great career. It was a struggle to get here but I feel really proud of myself! I’m really hopeful for my future and growing more as a person.

Good morning lovely people,
Remote worker here, find it hard to build similar social connections to what exists in the office but still see remote work as the better lifestyle so far for my well-being. I am sure I am not the only one here so I wanted to start a discord group where we can arrange different hangouts after work or during lunch breaks, maybe meet at a cafe or a restaurant in Steglitz, go to parks or even share memes :D
Who is a remote worker? anyone working at a company remotely or a contractor or a freelancer.
Some about me, I am a 29M, been living in Berlin for like 3.5 years. I am into board games, museums, art, history, science and finance and started to get into fitness and mental health. I work as a remote worker in tech as a software developer and have a freelance gig on the side.
I have created a discord channel, if this interests you, let's hangout
https://discord.gg/VdsTpBsS

Is that something weird? I'm from another country, I visited Australia with my family as a teenager and I fondly remember my visit to Tasmania. Now that I am an adult, I live in a big city in my country, but I'm not happy. My wife and I can't stand the constant noise, the eternal fear of crime, air pollution, how expensive everything is and how hard it is to find a quiet place to rest. I've been having dreams about Australia lately, my dad used to like to take me for walks along the beaches of a small town whose name I don't remember. There were penguins, silence and everything felt so dreamlike. I've talked to my partner and she supports my decision to migrate to Australia but i can't stop thinking that maybe I'm just chasing a fantasy. It doesn't bother me to work on whatever it takes, I just wish I could breathe without fear even if it's a single day of my life before I die. Tell me, am I crazy for wanting to find a quiet place for me and my partner, whom I love so much?

Our relationship (28m)(32f) was phenomenal (3 yrs. yah i know). Best relationship i could ask for. 7 months pregnant she said "i think im getting postpartum". As a first time dad (her 2nd) it went right over my head. We had an argument the night before going to the hospital about her communication and not keeping me in the loop (semi-long distance relationship). One week in the hospital and not a single word to me was spoken unless im asking her a question. She even put her last name in the baby's last name "just in case it don't work out" she claims. While still in the hospital, I ask if she still loves me "idk", do u still want to be a family? "Idk". She is now 3 months postpartum and in those 3 months nothings changed. Still not a single word. Avoids me everywhere i go. Disgusted whenever im around. Knowing what's going on in her head (I've been researching for months now) i still brush it off my shoulder and do the best i can. Always showing my love, talking to her nice, taking care of her and the 2 kids. Tryna give her the break she needs. But it wasnt enough. Last week she called it off. Its better we coparent she says. I told her that i want to be a family and raise my family together. I ask her if she willing to try and stick it out at least until her mind clears. I even offered her to go counseling. Shes refusing and says I always misunderstand her and the relationship isn't going to get any better the route we're going. And worst, her family is on her side. She gets defensive if i bring up anything to do with postpartum To call it off 3 months after giving birth blows my mind. I think shes holding onto that argument still. Will she ever realize she's acting out of hand when the dust settles?

I'm addicted to this show. Just started watching it and I've nearly binged the whole thing. I'm so annoyed with all the unfulfilled cliffhangers though. Where did Gabriel go? And Melinda's not dad? And I just watched an episode about a haunting in a morgue, but I don't think the next episode is gonna catch a resolution with that ghost - which made me realise there were lots of episodes of her witnessing ghosts, paying attention to them, making it seem like they'll be a problem, but they are never mentioned again so who knows if she ever solved those problems. I'm on the 5th season which makes me think I won't get all the answers. Just sucks. Had the potential to be a much better show, better storylines, ya know? I wanted to see Melinda juggle having a baby and dealing with ghosts lol Just a lot of missed opportunities. Would've been nice if they'd stretched it out.

Copy-pasting from another post. Original Source here!

-------------------------------------------------

Don't Let Reddit Kill 3rd Party Apps!

📷What's going on?
A recent Reddit policy change threatens to kill many beloved third-party mobile apps, making a great many quality-of-life features not seen in the official mobile app permanently inaccessible to users.
On May 31, 2023, Reddit announced they were raising the price to make calls to their API from being free to a level that will kill every third party app on Reddit, from Apollo to Reddit is Fun to Narwhal to BaconReader.
Even if you're not a mobile user and don't use any of those apps, this is a step toward killing other ways of customizing Reddit, such as Reddit Enhancement Suite or the use of the old.reddit.com desktop interface .
This isn't only a problem on the user level: many subreddit moderators depend on tools only available outside the official app to keep their communities on-topic and spam-free.
What's the plan?
On June 12th, many subreddits will be going dark to protest this policy. Some will return after 48 hours: others will go away permanently unless the issue is adequately addressed, since many moderators aren't able to put in the work they do with the poor tools available through the official app. This isn't something any of us do lightly: we do what we do because we love Reddit, and we truly believe this change will make it impossible to keep doing what we love.
The two-day blackout isn't the goal, and it isn't the end. Should things reach the 14th with no sign of Reddit choosing to fix what they've broken, we'll use the community and buzz we've built between then and now as a tool for further action.
What can you do?

1. Complain. Message the mods of reddit.com, who are the admins of the site: message reddit: submit a support request: comment in relevant threads on reddit, such as this one, leave a negative review on their official iOS or Android app- and sign your username in support to this post.
2. Spread the word. Rabble-rouse on related subreddits. Meme it up, make it spicy. Bitch about it to your cat. Suggest anyone you know who moderates a subreddit join us at our sister sub at ModCoord - but please don't pester mods you don't know by simply spamming their modmail.
3. Boycott and spread the word...to Reddit's competition! Stay off Reddit entirely on June 12th through the 13th- instead, take to your favorite non-Reddit platform of choice and make some noise in support!
4. Don't be a jerk. As upsetting this may be, threats, profanity and vandalism will be worse than useless in getting people on our side. Please make every effort to be as restrained, polite, reasonable and law-abiding as possible. This includes not harassing moderators of subreddits who have chosen not to take part: no one likes a missionary, a used-car salesman, or a flame warrior.

Not sure if this qualifies, but it scared the shit out of me when I was 16.
When I was 16, we lived next to this old abandoned two story house that had, at one time, been a boarding house or hotel. I had only ever seen one family move into that two story house in all the time we lived next to it. They stayed there a few months, but left rather suddenly. By the time of this event the house had been abandoned for years.
I had gone out to feed my dog, Rowdy, after dinner and was starting to get dark. Now normally Rowdy came running up to me as all good boys do. But this night he was stood at the fence growling towards the two story house. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I spoke to Rowdy, he looked up at me and wagged his tail. Then he immediately positioned himself between me and the house next door and resumed his growling.
I looked towards the house, not really noticing anything at first. Then I looked up towards one of the second story windows. And there looking back at me was this tall thin figure staring at me. His face was pale and gaunt and his eyes were sunk in and glimmered red. For a moment I thought they blinked. His hair was long, white and straggly. This figure was dressed like someone straight out of the late 1800's. Think of how Kurt Russel was dressed in "Tombstone" and that would be very close.
Upon seeing this, I ran for it, vaulting over the fence and clamored into my home. I don't even remember opening the screen door. My dad took one look at me and I could see the concern on his face. I told him of what I had seen ( leaving out the part about the blinking red eyes, as I wasn't sure I had actually seen that or not ) and he immediately picked up the phone and called the cops.
It took a little while for the cops to show up, but when they did they took my statement and after saying it was probably just some kids or a vagrant they walked towards the house next door. Sometime later they returned to tell us that there were signs that the house had been broken into, but that there were no signs of anyone being there recently.
It was suggested that I, a 16 year old, had just imagined it or that it was a reflection of a passing car. As far as the adults were concerned, all was well.
It took a few days to muster up the courage but when I did, I went to have a look for myself. I simply had to prove to myself that I wasn't seeing things or hoped that I was. The front door was locked, but the backdoor was still ajar, but only just. It took some doing, but I managed to force it open. The bottom of the door scraped along the floor as I did so.
The floor was coated with a layer of dust and detritus, but I could make out footprints here and there where the cops had made their way through the house. The place smelled musty with a hint of mold and rat droppings.
In the corner of one of the front rooms, it looked like someone had been squatting in the house. An old camping lantern, a sleeping bag, some discarded clothing and some trash. But, you could easily tell that these items hadn't been used recently. The rest of the house proved empty save a few pieces of old furniture, lots of cobwebs and even more dust.
Following the footsteps upstairs, I found the room corresponding with the window where I had seen the gaunt figure. Immediately, every hair on my body pricked and I got an overwhelming sense of dread. A feeling that I should not be there. My fight or flight was in overdrive but couldn't figure out which way to go.
The door creaked as I pushed it open and that certainly didn't help my current state of mind. But I persevered. I grit my teeth and walked toward the window half expecting something to jump out at me, but nothing did. When I got to the window I stood there for a moment looking down into my own back yard. I could see my dog tossing his food bowl around and chase after it.
Across the way, I could see cars going over the railroad tracks and their brake lights lit up as they slowed down to cross the tracks. I thought to myself, maybe I did just see a reflection. The brake lights would certainly explain the red eyes I saw, but not the face. And certainly not the tall figure dressed like the late 1800's.
I had almost convinced myself that none of it had been real and was about to turn to leave when I saw; just for the merest sliver of a split second; in broad daylight ; an image of the man I had seen in the window. It was almost like I was looking in a mirror, except the face I saw wasn't my own. Had I blinked in that moment I would have missed it, but I hadn't blinked.
In a jolt, my fight or flight made up it's mind and I, as they say, vacated post haste.
This event triggered a series of serial nightmares, lasting several years. Not every night mind you, but every month or so I'd have a nightmare picking up where the last one left off.
And to this day I can still recall the image of that ghastly figure well enough to describe everything about him in perfect detail. Right down to the brownish paisley pattern of his vest.
Now dear reader, what do you think? Did I imagine it or do you think I might have seen something?

Hi folks
So a month or so ago I bought a Joetisserie for my KJC3, enticed by the idea of perfectly crispy chicken, pork crackling and duck every time.
I’ve tried all of these carefully following videos from smoking dad or John setzler and no matter what I do I cannot seem to get crispy skin.
Last week I cooked a pork shoulder, dried it out in the fridge for 2 days, salt brined about 24 hours before cooking, pay dry any excess moisture and spun it - to get it crispy I ended up having to amp up the flames and practically burn it to get some crackle.
I’ve tried chicken twice both times following the dry brine method and the chicken is great but the skin is rubbery.
Similar situation with a duck I’ve cooked today.
I end up having to abandon ship because the internal temp is perfect but the skin is not.
What am doing wrong?