Large christmas tree skirt

Large tree knocked over in a windstorm hits three other trees. None struck the houses on either side.

2023.04.01 23:09 deepsea_muffdiver Large tree knocked over in a windstorm hits three other trees. None struck the houses on either side.

Large tree knocked over in a windstorm hits three other trees. None struck the houses on either side. submitted by deepsea_muffdiver to nevertellmetheodds [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 23:02 DocCrossHD Will Tarkov ever have match making?

I just started really playing seriously, and I'm finding that the skill gaps between the good players and the basic players is pretty massive. Either I am getting in extended firefights with people about my skill level and we each are getting numerous body shots before someone goes down, or I get instantly 1 shot killed (often top of the head through T3 helmet, or in the eyes) by some cracked player that I never even saw that shot me while I was on the run through the trees.
When I get into a longer fight that requires repositioning and pushing/retreating throughout the fight, I have a really good time. I love the armor system for the most part, and I love the health system for damaging limbs. All of that feels like pointless parts of the game though, because all the many many many good players in the game will literally simply shoot you in the head for an automatic kill. I've gone into several rounds with T6 armor and a T4 helmet, and both were in perfect condition on my dead body, because they don't matter the moment you run into one of the 50% of cracked players in the game that find headshots to be hilariously easy. While im happy for those players and their skills, I'd really like to not have to run into them over and over and over and over and over and over basically forcing my progression in the game to a screeching halt.
How am I supposed to survive to do tasks when the majority of active players are THAT much better than me? I know some people will probably say just practice and get better, but honestly, I'm not seeing that as an option when I can't so much as get a shot off in most engages. The recoil is insanely hard for me to control to hope for headshots, especially with the amount of gun sway when moving while aiming. I occasionally run into players at my skill level and the engagements are actually very fun to feel the rewards of bringing in better gear, but honestly, MOST of my opponents are just too much better than me. At this point, I just wish I could play it offline and progress on my own against AI. The scavs, raiders, and bosses would be plenty of fun challenge for a basic player like me. It is probably wrong of me to expect a hardcore game like this to pander to weaker players, but it also feels like the game wasn't necessarily intended to be 'every decent player just headshots every time'. Why else would they make armor and health such a large part of the game?
submitted by DocCrossHD to EscapefromTarkov [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 22:50 awelawdiy Free apple tree wood

I am doing a major pruning on my apple trees and have lots of branches and limbs small to large. Would (wood) be fantastic for furniture project, to chip/burn for smoking meats, magic wands, etc.
If interested please send me a message. Located in north county.
submitted by awelawdiy to Bellingham [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 22:49 DeathByFurries Vanilla Patchouli Scent Thunderdome/Reviews (Round 1, Pt 2)

Super late Part 2 of my vanilla/patchouli thunderdome! Link to part 1

vs.
Snake Smut, where do I begin, this stuff is so good. It's magical on my skin. Even when freshly applied, it is perfectly melded to the skin and has a "lived in" sort of feeling that other scents only reach during the dry down. The cardamom is a good balance of spicy and earthy, the leather well-worn and subtle, patch is present but blended in so well it's hard to pick out, and the musks blend it all into my skin. As it dries the cardamom steps down, and vanilla musk steps up. It becomes more like Snake Oil, but less powdery and sweeter + muskier. There is something biteable about this scent, take that as you will haha.
This is a scent for seduction, hedonism, and taking myself on dates. Overall: 100/100
Snake Oil goes on a bit powdery, but it's pleasant, not bathroom-powdery (it reminds me a tiny bit of Shalimar, except Shalimar goes unpleasant-powdery on my skin). It's a bit brighter than Snake Smut, less skin musky and more vanillic. I really adore it, it's a grown-up vanilla musk, with cozy powder and a hint of earthiness and spice (no spices listed in the notes but I do smell a subtle spiciness).
This is a scent for feeling elegant during a cozy night in. Overall: 90/100
Pitting anything against Snake Smut is unfair, given that it is a god tier scent in my collection, and the only thing I have ever bought a backup bottle of. Also, I am so sorry to sing such high-praises of a limited edition scent. Snake Smut wins!

vs.
Mr. Hessian opens with sweet spicy chai and a hefty dose of patch. I adore NAVA's patch, it reminds me of rich soil and tree roots in the best way. As it dries it gets sweeter and creamier. It truly feels like drinking a very rich chai in a cozy cabin. I love wearing this in the fall and winter (I always put a drop on my scarf). It makes me nostalgic for the winter of last year, when we had a lot of storms and I spent a lot of time doused in this scent.
This is a scent for coming home after along day of wicked deeds and getting cozy with some tea. 90/100
Witchboard opens with a huge cardamom note, and as it dries it sweetens and I get vanilla + patch. The patch goes really menthol as it dries on my skin, combined with the cardamom, it's almost metallic and it borders on giving me a headache. It's a very deep and spicy scent. Something about it just feels very dark and wicked. After more time, the amber comes out more and it gets sweeter and more vanillic. It's gorgeous and I want to love it so bad, but it's just a tiny bit too sharp/headachey for my tastes.
This is a scent for wicked deeds at night (except I had to go home early bc I had a headache and I'm sad about it). 70/100
Mr. Hessian wins! If it weren't for the headache, this would have been a very tough choice.

vs.
Voyageur is very smoky, with spiced black patchouli. There's more wood notes as it dries down, NAVA's oud reads pretty smoky to me as well. Smoke notes tend to go barbeque sauce on me, and this aaalmost does, but there is a subtle vanilla sweetness in the drydown that saves it from BBQ. The drydown is lovely, spicy, sweet vanilla and patch. At this stage it feels like a darker, punkier sibling to Mr. Hessian.
This is a scent for late-night motorcycle rides. Overall: 80/100
The Red Ribbon smells a bit like caramel when first applied. It then turns into what I can only describe as "luxurious spiced Christmas candle". It is creamy, rich, spicy, and reminds me of the holidays. As it dries there is kinda of a discordance between red musk, cream and incense. I can’t tell which note is the culprit, but it smells like a new age shop + a public restroom… after abt an hour the bathroom-ness goes away, and it’s just red musk + rich spice. It's pleasant at the end but the first hour is not worth it.
New age shop musk and… spicy bathroom powder Overall: 40/100
It's very clear, Voyageur wins!

vs.
Etherian Ambre starts off with a gorgeous slightly piney amber note (I am not familiar with either the NA studio amber or Bastet amber so cannot tell them apart, honestly it reminds me a bit of Solstice Scents Amber Coeur), with a lot of things in the background, it's complex but really well blended. I had to take a second to figure out what I was smelling because there is so much going on. The cola and sarsparilla notes are like drinking a sweet, spicy, vanilla cola with a lemon wedge in it (might be the piney-amber giving me a citrus impression). I don't really get any patch, but honestly I don't think I'd be able to tell it apart from the cola/sarsparilla/literally everything else. As it dries, it's pretty well-balanced between amber and cola. I love me some cola-scents, and this might give Prestosuchus a run for its money because I think I prefer this amber over the Limestone amber.
This is a scent for when you wish you were drinking HOT DR PEPPER inside of a cozy and ancient hollowed out pine tree. This will get a lot of wear come fall/winter. Overall: 90/100
As for Trick or Treat, I was not expecting these to be at all similar going in, but I think the cola/sarsparilla of Etherian Ambre and liquorice of this give them a similar feel, at least initially. This is a brighter, more herbal and citrusy scent, with no amber. It feels less like cola and more like a vanilla-ginger-lemonade concoction. As it dries the orange-peel/ginger chills out, the background notes show themselves. It's vanillic and woodsy, with a hefty herbal dose of black liquorice, and while it's very sweet, the oakmoss keeps it from smelling entirely like a dessert. This is a rare occasion where oakmoss has played well with my skin and not overtaken everything. I never thought I'd describe liquorice as being sexy, but this scent is a bit sexy.
This is a scent for when you feel mysterious and elegant, but also a little biteable. Overall: 85/100
I cannot resist cola scents, Etherian Ambre wins!
submitted by DeathByFurries to Indiemakeupandmore [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 22:39 Easternost4349 Sexy swingers Gina & Rachele Richey share big cock under the Christmas tree GP387

Sexy swingers Gina & Rachele Richey share big cock under the Christmas tree GP387 submitted by Easternost4349 to Jukloma12 [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 22:39 Scare12f Sexy swingers Gina & Rachele Richey share big cock under the Christmas tree GP387

Sexy swingers Gina & Rachele Richey share big cock under the Christmas tree GP387 submitted by Scare12f to NFKFN [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 22:38 WannabeAuthor777 Opening scene critique (3k words)

Hi all, I'm aiming to self publish by the end of the year and I'd love to hear some reactions to my opening chapter. Thanks for your time.
---------------------------------------------------------
The great bull dropped a hoof in the grass, splattering mud upon its lower leg. A dark nose lowered to the ground and sniffed at the foliage, before lazily grabbing a mouthful and chewing contentedly. A second creature, its fur lighter brown, stepped beside the first, and the bull lowed a greeting to his mate. Seven feet tall at the shoulder, and weighing nearly a ton, the aurochs were the largest cattle that had ever existed.
Obscured by nearby foliage, the paw of a mammalian hunter lightly stepped in the mud. Intelligent amber eyes regarded the aurochs, joined a moment later by a second pair, the carnivore’s hunting partner. The two painted wolves walked on tall, spindly legs, absorbed auditory information through wide, spoon-shaped ears, and, most strikingly, looked as if their bodies had been splashed with a mosaic of tan, black, and white hues – the inspiration for their namesake. The wolves were smaller than the immense cattle, standing only a couple of feet tall – but they were exceptional hunters.
The second of the pair stepped forward, snapping a twig under its paw. The aurochs looked up, alert. The male shook his head, displaying his horns.
Their cover blown, the wolves burst from the undergrowth, rushing the aurochs. The cattle bellowed in surprise, and the male rose to his hind legs, bringing his front hooves crashing down. The nimble predators leapt out of harm’s way, yipping and harassing their prey.
A howl distracted the canines, and they instantly perked up. A third wolf emerged from the bushes behind the aurochs – though she was much larger, standing even taller than the cattle. The pups yipped in excitement – this was the alpha, their mother. With her joining the hunt, their prey stood no chance.
“Oi! Trentus!” A man sitting atop the bull eyed the wolves in disgust. “Your mutts are harassing my cows again! Get them under control, for once!”
The mother wolf trotted past the two aurochs, who paid her no mind, and sternly nudged her puppies away. A moment later, a young boy, no older than eleven, rushed to the scene. “Sorry!” he called. “It won’t happen again!”
The aurochs rider simply rolled his eyes and steered the cattle forward, continuing to till the field.
The boy, dressed in simple rags, his skin lying somewhere between truly dark and truly light, turned his attention to the two smaller dogs, which were sitting sheepishly in their mother’s shadow. “Fenrir! Amarok!” Trentus said sternly, and the puppies shrank at the reprimand. “You know you’re not supposed to chase the aurochs!” Trentus managed to keep his stern façade for a few more seconds before he dropped to his knees and widened his arms. “All right, that’s enough. You’re still good dogs!”
The two animals merrily bounded into him, knocking the laughing boy over. As Trentus attempted to push the puppies off, their gargantuan mother tenderly lowered her head and sniffed the much smaller human. Trentus fearlessly lifted his arms and rubbed the canine’s ears. “Yes, Lupa, you were a good girl. Thanks for keeping them out of trouble.”
Seemingly satisfied, Lupa lifted her head and walked away from the smaller three, across the lush green fields of Kalosi. Modest wooden houses and barns in the center of the settlement were surrounded on all sides by fields of tropical crops, ranging from sugarcane and pineapple to muddy ponds of taro. Encompassing the entire community was thick jungle, unbroken save for a small dirt road, used for bringing goods in and out.
Mirovia was oft regarded as a vast, wild, and exotic expanse, with any civilized settlements being few and far between. All but the largest cities ran the risk of being swallowed by nature. Even by these standards, Kalosi was small and isolated. A particularly tiny town, in the middle of what most scholars referred to as ‘nowhere,’ it was born due to its proximity to a fresh spring that created ideal conditions for growing certain crops. Outsiders often found the thought of living in such an isolated region stifling, but most of Kalosi’s residents enjoyed a peaceful existence alongside nature.
Trentus ran across the fields, the dogs Amarok and Fenrir on his heels. Older residents walked around him: gathering crops, hauling cargo on domesticated aurochs, or scattering food to the colorful microraptors that ran beneath their feet. Larger, adult painted wolves strolled along the jungle’s edge, following the commands of men and women armed with crossbows: security, to ensure that roving predators thought twice before paying a visit.
“Trentus!” a stern voice rang out. Now it was the boy’s turn to sheepishly shrink. He meandered towards a small pond, where farmers were pulling taro plants from the knee-deep water. One of these was a middle-aged woman, similar features belying relation to Trentus. Lupa the great wolf lay in a sunny patch of grass beside the pond.
“Yes, mom?” Trentus asked.
The woman placed her hands on her hips. “What are you doing, running around already? Don’t you have work to do?”
“I already completed my section of the harvest!”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes! Five baskets’ full! I worked very hard.” Trentus pouted at her skepticism.
Anai’s frown turned to a smile, and she relaxed. “Okay, I’m sorry for pestering you. You’re a very good worker, you know that?”
“So I can go play?” he asked impatiently, gesturing at his dogs.
“Yes,” said Anai with a grin. “And how are the pups behaving today?”
“Not very well,” Trentus admitted. “They were bothering the aurochs again. Lupa had to step in.” The larger wolf raised her head lazily at the mention of her name.
Anai chuckled. “Don’t worry about that. Lupa’s the best painted wolf I’ve ever seen. She’ll straighten those two pups out, and they’ll turn into very responsible adults.” She wiped her hands dry on her shirt, stepped out of the pond, and ruffled her son’s hair. “Kind of like someone else I know, eh?” Trentus grumbled as he unsuccessfully tried to dodge her touch, and the woman then gave Lupa a friendly scratch behind the ears, who thumped her tail in appreciation. “While learning proper training for your dogs is important, Trentus, much more important to me is that you continue to grow your bond with them. Remember to always be kind to animals, and they’ll repay you in loyalty and kindness themselves. That’s how people became friends with these wolves, after all: we feed and take care of them, and in return they’re our companions, and help protect the village.”
Trentus smirked and crossed his arms. “I know this, mom. And I’m already great friends with Fenrir and Amarok. Just you wait – once they’re grown and large enough to ride, I’m going to join the beast hunts to fight off monsters and protect the town!”
Anai bit her lip and looked down at this. “What’s wrong?” Trentus pushed. “Look, I know you don’t like the beast hunts, but they’re for a good reason!”
“You know how I feel about the culls,” she said quietly. “And you know I don’t agree with them.”
“But if they’re helping–”
“The culls don’t target individual creatures that have attacked villages. They target entire species of animal, including creatures that have never harassed a person before. Hunters break into dens, attack babies, and use this as an excuse to kill the mother when she tries to protect her children. The entire practice is barbaric. Which side do you think are the real monsters in this scenario, Trentus?”
Trentus had raised his hands placatively, trying to stop his mother from falling into a rant. “Okay, okay, I get it. I won’t talk about it anymore.”
Anai sighed. “Just promise me you’ll keep in mind, Trentus, that people used to see our painted wolves as bloodthirsty beasts before we learned we could tame them. Beast hunts in the past would target and kill all the wolves they could find – including the puppies.”
Trentus stared at his two companions. “Seriously?”
“Yes. I think a lot of animals are deeper and more intelligent than people believe – what we call monsters may have, well, a soul.” Anai locked eyes with her son. “But don’t be mistaken, Trentus. Animals may not be evil, but they can be very, very dangerous. Any beast you find in the wild is not automatically going to be your friend – it may take time and lots of work to gain a beast’s loyalty, if it can be gained at all.” She sighed. “So yes, the danger is very real. I just think there are ways of handling it besides violence.”
Anai shook her head and smiled at her son. “Sorry if I got too serious there. Are you going to spend the rest of your day playing with your dogs?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Great. Have fun!” Trentus began to scamper off, when she called him back. “Wait, Trentus! I made you a pack!” She pointed to a small hide pouch in the grass, tied to a belt. “There are snacks inside, and veris leaves in case you get a scrape.”
“Thanks, mom!” Trentus tied the pack around his waist and took off running, Fenrir and Amarok bounding after him.

----------

The sun sunk behind emerald hills, casting long shadows on the town of Kalosi and bathing its fields in brilliant orange light.
Atop a watchtower on the settlement’s edge, a sentry placed an oliphant horn to their lips and let out a long, low blow. Any farmers still out in the fields looked up at this, some sighing in relief. Trentus, sitting on a log near the forest’s edge as he sketched one of the town’s domestic microraptors, sighed instead in disappointment. His model, a colorful bird-like creature pecking the ground, squawked in surprise.
The sun was falling, and soon it would be too dark to continue their work. Furthermore, the jungle’s carnivores became active at night, and no one wanted to contend with them. On the city’s perimeter, the guards chatted and laughed as they headed towards the town, their great painted wolves trotting behind them.
“Trentus! Time to come inside!” The boy’s mother waved from across the field.
“Okay! I’m coming!” Trentus closed his sketchbook, and his four-winged model skittered for the nearest tree, scaling the bark to roost for the night. Trentus called for his two wolves, who were lounging nearby, and they ran for the houses on the other side of the fields. Ensuring he was coming, Anai turned back to the buildings with a smile.
Halfway to the houses, Trentus froze. “Ah! My pouch!” He looked back and saw the bag leaning against the log he had been using. He sprinted back to retrieve it, the confused dogs in tow.
Trentus reached the jungle’s edge and secured the bag around his waist. Before he could do anything more, however, the sound of growling entered his ears. Trentus stared at Fenrir and Amarok in surprise, who were snarling at the darkness of the trees, their hackles raised to full height.
Trentus peered into the forest, whose thick canopy blocked nearly all of dusk’s dim light. Trentus shivered, feeling as if ice water were trickling down his spine.
Trentus tried to control his breathing. Ever so slowly, he took one step back. Then two. His eyes never left the void of shadow that the wolves were focused on.
One of the guards, halfway to the village, glanced back and noticed the boy. “Hey, you! Kid! We’re heading in for the night, c’mon!”
Trentus flinched at the call, but didn’t dare to tear his eyes from the undergrowth. He took another step backwards.
The guard groaned and turned to her companions. “I’ve got this. You go on.” She started jogging towards Trentus.
The boy’s eyes widened as he saw the jungle shadows shift. His breaths grew quick and panicky. “Amarok,” he squeaked. “Fenrir. Come here.”
“Kid! What are you doing?” The guard’s cry was still distant, though growing closer.
The shadows exploded from the foliage, a dark mass filling Trentus’ vision. He reactively collapsed, which inadvertently saved him as the entity sailed overhead. Fenrir and Amarok snarled and leapt onto the mass, latching onto its side and biting down. The beast unleashed a deep, mammalian yowl.
“Moorbeast!” The guard screamed.
Trentus’ mind raced. The moorbeast cat. He had heard of these. Even glimpsed one, when he was eight. One had wandered uncomfortably close to the village when farmers were still in the fields. He had heard a commotion, and looked up in time to see the guards chase a giant black cat into the trees. That event was odd, though. The cats were usually nocturnal. They preferred to hunt at night.
Or at dusk.
Trentus stared in horror as the great black beast leapt up and down, trying to shake the young wolves off. The creature was enormous, standing nearly ten feet tall at the shoulder. Its visage was lynx-like, with pointed ears, a short tail, and jet-black spots that could be made out even against its dark pelt. Far more muscular than a standard lynx, however, the beast was squatter and incredibly bulky, with hardly any neck and a muscular hunch atop its shoulders. Trentus heard shouting, and saw the contingent of guards and full-grown wolves charging in their direction.
The moorbeast managed to reach far enough behind itself to grab Amarok in its jaws, and flung the small dog to the ground. Trentus gasped in terror. Amarok whimpered and unsuccessfully tried to stand, as the great beast advanced upon him.
An adult wolf bolted across the field, charging past the others, and rammed into the cat. The moorbeast was thrown off course, the impact also jarring off Fenrir, who ran to his brother’s side. Lupa positioned herself between the cat and her puppies, staring down her foe. The moorbeast hissed. The full-grown wolf was just as long as the cat, but shorter and nowhere near as bulky. The dogs were built for agility, while the moorbeast was built for taking down large prey. Trentus knew a one-on-one fight wasn’t ideal, but reinforcements were coming.
The cat snarled again, and charged Lupa. She conceded, latching her jaws around the moorbeast’s neck as the larger beast fought to throw her to the ground. Trentus realized he was far too close to the battle and hastily scrambled backwards, towards the treeline. He struggled to rise but stumbled as his foot became tangled in vines. He frantically fought to free himself.
The moorbeast was still attempting to wrap its jaws around Lupa’s neck when an arrow hit its shoulder. The creature yowled, ripped away from the wolf, and turned to the town. The guards were now close enough to start firing, their wolves mere seconds away.
Trentus managed to wrench his foot free, and stumbled to his feet.
Several more dogs arrived, snapping and snarling at the cat. Sensing it was outnumbered, the animal hissed and stepped backwards. As more arrows sailed overhead, it turned back to the forest, locking eyes with the only thing standing between it and shelter.
“Run!” Trentus heard the guard scream. He did.
The moorbeast charged after him, and both were swallowed by the foliage.
Calls of screaming guards and barking dogs were drowned out in Trentus’ ears, replaced only by the sound of the great beast crashing through greenery behind him. Trentus panted in terror as he ducked beneath gnarled roots and weaved between draping vines. His small size was the only thing saving him from certain death, as the feline had to pause for precious seconds to tear through each obstacle.
Near blinded by fear and the fading light, Trentus couldn’t see the plant-covered cliff edge until the ground vanished beneath him, and he was tumbling down a slope. The moorbeast leapt after him and found itself freefalling as well. Trentus landed in a patch of brambles, leaves and stems scratching at his face. He heard a thud as the cat landed in the mud a few feet away. As it slowly clambered to its feet, the boy quickly pushed further into the bushes, hitting the cliff wall. He located a small enclave in the rock face, and squeezed as deeply into it as he could. Breathlessly, Trentus watched the great beast rise to its full height. Its movements were slow, as if the fall had harmed it. The arrow still sprouted from its right shoulder.
As his eyes adjusted to the dark space, Trentus saw that the cliff face surrounded them on all sides, and he realized he had fallen into a pit, one over thirty feet deep. Small streams of water trickled into the hole, leaving the floor damp and muddy before continuing deeper into the earth through a small crack in the wall. Excellent – now even if he wasn’t killed by the cat, he’d have to scale a thirty-foot slope.
He focused back on the moorbeast. Its breathing was laborious, its head hung low. The animal seemed to be in pain. As he watched it, the cat suddenly turned to face Trentus. He stifled a gasp.
The animal limped to the brambles and sniffed the plants that had broken Trentus’ fall. It followed the scent to the enclave. Trentus pushed as far back into it as he could, closing his eyes out of fear. When he opened them again, the moorbeast was staring directly at him.
Trentus gasped, and the cat stuck a paw into the enclave, trying to reach him. “No! Get back!” Trentus kicked at the paw, and the moorbeast retracted it, before trying to squeeze its head into the hole, as if it thought its bulk would fit. “I said go!” Trentus planted a kick directly on its face, and the cat pulled back with a grumble. Trentus watched as the animal walked through the brambles again, paced a couple of times around the pit’s walls, and paused to lap at the stream running through the center. After this, the animal headed back to Trentus’ enclave, and peered in once more.
“I – said – go!” Trentus screamed, and delivered another kick to the peering face. The cat gave another unhappy yowl, and limped to the far side of the pit. Trentus watched as it regarded the cliff face, before it crouched and leapt. The beast scrambled at the wall, but its strength seemed to give out, and it fell back to the ground, mud and dirt cascading over it. The cat shook the dirt off and leapt again, scrambling for purchase, but again collapsed, landing on its side. Trentus watched as dark mass’s side rose and fell with its breath. It was another full minute before the cat moved further. It painfully rose to its feet, looking ever weaker, and once more plodded to the stream. It lapped at the water, took one last glance towards Trentus, and flopped onto its side.
Trentus leaned against the stone. He couldn’t go out there, not with that monster, and even if he could, how would he escape? The walls were steep, slick, and didn’t look to have any good handholds. He absentmindedly wondered if this was once dug as a hunting pit, but then abandoned or forgotten.
Exhausted both mentally and physically, Trentus closed his eyes and felt sleep quickly overtake him.
submitted by WannabeAuthor777 to fantasywriters [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 22:37 StrivingJarl SGR: Saturn Era, Sky Sanctuary, & Cutscene 15

SGR: Saturn Era, Sky Sanctuary, & Cutscene 15
THE SATURN ERA:
Ah yes. Even though there was no mainline Sonic game for the Sega Saturn (Despite the failed attempts), this era of the series does have some importance. So, I’m including it here! Though, you may notice some…odd choices here. I’ll explain why I included them when I get to each of them, but to make a long story short: Not many games to work with when it comes to Sega Saturn Sonic games, which is part of why that system failed.
Plus, I wanted to have a more even split of Classic and Modern Sonic representation here. Six levels and bosses for each. That way, it doesn’t feel like either one is being sidelined here.
But regardless, let’s cover the first level here, and which was already featured in the Genesis Era of the original Generations!
Also, I should say that like the original Generations, this is the point where the player can go to whatever levels they want in whatever order. But we’ll go in the proper order for convenience.

SKY SANCTUARY (SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3/SONIC & KNUCKLES)
Although I could have cheated and given each half of Sonic 3 it’s own stage here, I wanted to be fair and just have one for each game. And while there’s plenty of great picks, like Angel Island, Hydrocity, Carnival Night, Ice Cap, Launch Base, Mushroom Hill, Flying Battery, Lava Reef, and Death Egg, Sky Sanctuary was chosen in the actual game for a good reason.
It’s got great story significance in it’s origin game, the aesthetic and music were great, there’s plenty of great set pieces and gimmicks, and in the actual Generations game, it was fantastic. So, there’s not much I want to change here, aside from two things:
  1. Don’t have the player go through Classic Sonic’s stage 3 times just to get each Red Star Ring at the end. Sure, it encourages exploring different pathways, but I just find that annoying.
  2. Have Mecha Sonic Mk ll make a return by showing up throughout the level and doing stuff like destroying the platforms, attacking you, or sending Egg Robos at you. That would be interesting.
Other than that, it’s pretty much great! Now, let’s move on to the scene that plays after beating both acts!
…Oh yeah, for anyone wondering why I’m including this game here in the Saturn Era, despite not being released initially on the Sega Saturn. Here’s my reasoning.
  1. There can only be 3 levels for each era, like in the original game, or else it’d be uneven. And since I wanted to include a CD level here, this level had to be pushed into here.
  2. Sonic 3 & Knuckles was on the Sega Saturn via Sonic Jam, so by technicality, this is a part of the Saturn Era.
  3. Sonic Heroes wasn’t on the Dreamcast, yet it was represented in the Dreamcast Era in the original game, which people pointed out. So, I see no problem with this.
Okay! Moving on!

Cutscene 15: Rougher Than The Rest Of Them! (Classic Version)
https://preview.redd.it/7miv1dr21cra1.jpg?width=2560&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac30efaa8c318e9544d71707528b044872abcea1
As Modern Sonic (MS) and Classic Sonic (CS) make their way across Sky Sanctuary via bashing Egg Robos, using different tricks, and moving across many structures, they have a somewhat casual chat.
Classic Sonic: “You know, I always wondered where Carnival Night came from.”
Classic Sonic: “Like, is it a place Eggman made?”
Modern Sonic: “Probably. Or maybe Knuckles likes to go on theme-park rides every now and then?”
Classic Sonic: “Pssh! That guy could certainly use more fun in his life, considering what he does all day!”
Classic Sonic: “Does he ever put that aside to help you guys out?”
Modern Sonic: “A couple of times, surprisingly. Mainly because he just takes…?”
MS’ words wander off as he notices something in the far corner of his eye, which CS picks up on too. So, the two of them make their way to the platform with the thing that caught their attention. Immediately, they see a pale-white Echidna statue underneath a grape-tree, holding his fists up in a defensive pose.
Having a bit of a playful smirk, MS knows who this is, with CS easily being able to tell.
Classic Sonic: “So, this is your Knuckles…he looks about the same as the one I know.”
Modern Sonic: “Heheh. He’s not gonna be happy about having to be saved by us.”
Classic Sonic: “Eh. We both know he’s secretly a bit of a softie!”
CS’ words make MS chuckle a bit, as the two walk towards the frozen Knuckles. However, something suddenly crashes onto the platform, in front of the two hedgehogs, creating a dust cloud.
Classic Sonic: “Oh boy…”
Modern Sonic: “First Mecha Mk l…then Metal…and now this one…”
When the dust clears, a particularly bulky, blue machine with hedgehog-like features and a red visor for eyes stands before the two Sonic’s. A mighty machine that’s prepared to crush any opposition to his creator…
Mecha Sonic Mk ll…
https://preview.redd.it/cbfzlmha1cra1.jpg?width=781&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21e5c94319510c8e8ed13ccb7c078d907ec34a3f
Mecha Sonic Mk ll: “THERE ARE TWO TARGETS IDENTIFIED AS SONIC THE HEDGEHOG. ILLOGICAL.”
Mecha Sonic Mk ll: “LOGIC IGNORED. ALL ENEMIES TO THE ROBOTNIK EMPIRE MUST BE CRUSHED.”
Modern Sonic: “Heh! Been a long time since I fought this copy-hog! I remember him being pretty tough!”
Classic Sonic: “Right. But I can take him on, no problem!”
Modern Sonic: “Wait, maybe we should-?”
Without listening, CS charges up a spindash and attacks Mecha Mk ll, only for the robot to suddenly punt the young hedgehog backwards with a single fist, with MS helping him back up.
Classic Sonic: “Owww…I don’t remember him packing THAT big a punch!”
Modern Sonic: “Me either. Something’s up.”
Mecha Sonic Mk ll: “AFFIRMATIVE. THIS UNIT HAS ACQUIRED A GREAT POWER SOURCE SINCE ARRIVING HERE.”
Opening his chest cavity, Mecha Mk ll pulls out a dark green Emerald. Though, it’s not an exact diamond cut, like the Chaos Emeralds, which MS recognizes.
https://preview.redd.it/0dx8vifd1cra1.png?width=899&format=png&auto=webp&s=f2d6998f1ae1100e47af29d76e05df9f466ad20d
Classic Sonic: “So THAT’S what it is! He’s got a Chaos Emerald!”
Modern Sonic: “No. That’s the Master Emerald! He must have taken it from Knuckles when they got here!”
Classic Sonic: “Really? Why is it so small?”
Closing up it’s chest cavity, Mecha Mk ll starts surging with energy in a golden aura, before bursting into it’s super form, catching both Sonic’s off-guard.
Source: Nibroc-Rock on DeviantArt.
Modern Sonic: “Okay, I don’t remember him being able to do THAT!”
Classic Sonic: “Me either!”
Mecha Sonic Mk ll: “SONIC THE HEDGEHOG. I WILL CRUSH YOU.”
These words cause CS to sweat a bit, while MS seems a little taken back. However, before either side can do anything, a new challenger comes in from above.
???: “HANDS OFF MY EMERALD!”
Super Mecha Mk ll gets hit in the face with a spiky fist, which sends him back a bit, but does no damage. Meanwhile, his attacker gets sent back to where the frozen Knuckles is. Immediately, CS can tell who it is, smirking.
Source: Nibroc-Rock on DeviantArt.
Classic Sonic: “I was wondering if you were gonna show up, Knucklehead!”
Classic Knuckles: “Not in the mood for your jokes, Sonic! What kind of trouble have you dragged me into this time!? And why is there another you!?”
Modern Sonic: “Punch first, ask later!”
Classic Knuckles: “Tch! I was already planning on it!”
Mecha Sonic Mk ll: “KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA…YOU WILL ALSO BE CRUSHED.”
Super Mecha Mk ll rushes in to attack Classic Knuckles (CK), who has to fight on the backfoot, but manages to hold himself well. CS is about to jump in, but MS stops him.
Modern Sonic: “You go free my Knuckles first! I’ll back up yours!”
Classic Sonic: “Right! I got it!”
While MS jumps into the fight, CS runs up to the frozen Modern Knuckles (MK) and uses the clock hand to free him. Once he’s conscious, he looks around irritated.
Source: Nibroc-Rock on DeviantArt.
Modern Knuckles: “Agh! Where is-!?”
Modern Knuckles: “Wait…I’m back at Sky Sanctuary…?”
A few seconds after, he notices CS, and has a confused expression.
Modern Knuckles: “...Why are you smaller now? And…rounder?”
Classic Sonic: “*Sigh*...”
Annoyed, CS points at the fight going on between Super Mecha Mk ll, MS, and CK. The older hedgehog is the main attacker, while CK acts as support. However, despite making good progress, it’s clear the power of the Master Emerald is more than enough to deal with them. MK is surprised at the event, particularly when seeing the smaller him, but quickly puts on a more aggressive expression.
Modern Sonic: “Okay, I’m a little lost on the whole ‘using the Master Emerald to power itself’ thing!”
Classic Knuckles: “A while back, this junk-heap tried using it to take me down! But it needed to recharge after a few seconds!”
Modern Sonic: “Pretty sure it’s been longer than a few seconds!”
Mecha Sonic Mk ll: “WITH THE MASTER EMERALD INTEGRATED INTO MY SYSTEMS, THERE IS NO NEED FOR A RECHARGE PERIOD.”
Mecha Sonic Mk ll: “WHICH MEANS ALL OF YOU WILL SOON BE-”
As if to shut him up, MK comes in and punches Super Mecha Mk ll so hard in the chest that not only is the robot sent flying back, but the Master Emerald pops out of him, and is then caught by MK. While CK looks dumbfounded at seeing another him come in all of a sudden, while also finding it kinda cool, MS just smiles.
Modern Sonic: “Now, where have I seen THAT before?”
Modern Knuckles: “Not the time to reminisce, Sonic. That machine’s not done with us yet.”
Right after saying that, Mecha Mk ll flies back in, with a crunched chest from the blow dealt to him by MK. Though, he’s still functional, and ready for battle, with the heroes feeling similarly.
Mecha Sonic Mk ll: “MUST REGAIN POWER SOURCE…MUST CRUSH ALL OPPOSITION…”
Classic Sonic: “Oh yeah? You and what army, Mecha?”
Classic Sonic: “Because there’s four of us, and only-”
Suddenly, both Knuckles’ rush in with the two Sonic’s surprised and annoyed by this. Quickly, the two Echidna’s deliver a mighty punch that connects with Mecha Mk ll, destroying him and sending his remains all across the area.
Once done, the two Knuckles’ look back at each other, proud of what they just did.
Modern Knuckles: “Heh. Not a bad punch.”
Classic Knuckles: “...Same to you.”
MK and CK do a fist-bump, and the two Sonic’s go up to them with unamused expressions.
Modern Sonic: “You really had to steal the win, didn’t you?”
Modern Knuckles: “You get the wins ALL the time, Sonic. Or are you jealous?”
Classic Knuckles: “Hey, now that the junk-heap is taken care of, can I know what the heck is going on?”
Classic Sonic: “Time-travel stuff.”
Classic Knuckles: “Time-travel? Like, going to the past and stuff?”
Modern Sonic: “Basically. Do you remember what you were doing before all this happened?”
Classic Knuckles: “Ugh. I was thinking about moving the Master Emerald to another shrine on Angel Island so I can better look out for threats.”
Classic Knuckles: “Then, this weird purple energy came towards me, and now I’m suddenly here!”
Classic Knuckles: “You two didn’t do anything stupid, did you?”
Modern Knuckles: “Calm down. Some shadow creature is causing all this chaos. It’s got nothing to do with Sonic.”
Classic Knuckles: “...Okay…sorry…”
Classic Knuckles: “Though, why do you have the Master Emerald on hand? You know it’s dangerous to have it on you!”
Modern Knuckles: “Better than leaving it unguarded when my help is needed.”
Classic Sonic: “You two can debate on this another time. We ought to head back to the others.”
Classic Sonic: “Then, we can-”
All of a sudden, a purple time portal appears next to CS, surprising everyone there, and quickly, a Big Arm grabs the young hedgehog and drags him in, with the portal closing right after. Needless to say, everyone’s confused.
Modern Knuckles: “...What just happened?”
Modern Sonic: “Pretty sure the younger me’s gonna have to deal with Eggman again.”
Classic Knuckles: “Eggman? Is he the one behind all this?”
Modern Sonic: “We don’t know yet, but he at least knows something about what’s going on.”
Modern Sonic: “As the other me was just about to say, we should head back to White Space, and wait until he’s done with whatever keeps him busy. He can get back to us with the clock hand.”
Modern Knuckles: “Right. If he’s anything like you, he’ll have no problem getting it done.”
MS nods, and the three heroes head off. Though, the two Knuckles’ have a chat on the way.
Classic Knuckles: “Just how many more adventures am I dragged into because of Sonic and Eggman?”
Modern Knuckles: “Eh. Plenty of times.”
Modern Knuckles: “But at this point, I’m willing to let go of my duties every once in a while for my friends.”
Modern Knuckles: “Sure. My home and the Master Emerald come first, and I prefer being alone most of the time, but…”
Modern Knuckles: “...I don’t mind a little company every once in a while.”
Classic Knuckles: “...Mm…”
Though CK doesn’t make any sort of response that shows he agrees with what MK is saying, he does look somewhat receptive to the idea. But the two just continue on with MS as the scene ends, leading to the boss fight…

This one’s definitely one of my favorites. Here’s why.
First, a trend I make throughout many of these kinds of scenes is having Classic and Modern Sonic talk about different stuff, like events from different games, certain characters, that kind of thing. It’s really fun, and it kind of builds character.
Second, Mecha Sonic Mk ll! Sure, it’s not the same as the death machine from SMBZ, but I certainly made a reference or two! And it’s just cool to bring him back here! Too bad he didn’t get any sort of boss fight here. But he DID have a cool scene at least!
Third, Classic Knuckles is here this time! Because when you put in Classic Amy, you might as well add in Rad Red! Plus, as a Knuckles fan, it was just fun and cool to have these two versions of the character beat up Mecha Sonic Mk ll, banter with their Sonic’s, and talk about their duties to their friends and their home. It’s really cool!
Speaking of cool, you probably already know what the boss fight is for this level!
BIG ARMS (SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3/SONIC & KNUCKLES)
This time around, I’m pulling a representative from the 3DS version of Sonic Generations! Sure, I could have gone with the Giant Eggman Robo, but I already have the Death Egg Robot here, so it’d kinda feel repetitive. And while a fight between Classic & Modern Knuckles would be awesome, I think it just makes more sense to use Big Arms here. He’s probably the most infamous boss in Sonic 3 for it’s design, attack patterns, aesthetic and music, and the fact it can hurt Super Sonic.
Plus, how could I NOT keep the absolute BANGER of a music track that is the remix of this thing’s theme song!? It’s SOOOOO good! And you bet I’m gonna make the fight harder and longer so that people can actually listen to it for more than 30 seconds!
Anyways, you’d obviously fight the thing on the Launch Base platform from the original fight, and the first phase would be about the same as both the original battle, and the 3DS Generations battle, such as:
  • Moving from left to right, and vice-versa, in order to grab Sonic with it’s giant hands. If precise enough, Sonic can jump above the hands and hit the cockpit, like in the original fight. But if he gets caught, Big Arms will slam him down onto the platform.
  • Going above the platform and hovering over Sonic as he moves around, before sticking to the spot he was just at, and releasing a strong punch at the platform. He does this 2 more times, and on the third try, his fist will get stuck in the platform, leaving him open to getting hit.
  • Moving into the background, and shooting missiles from it’s arms that go across the platform, which Sonic can jump over.
Overall, not too different and not too difficult. But that changes after 4 hits.
See, while the Death Egg Robot is the first boss to have a Chaos Emerald, Big Arms is the first to actually use one during the fight. Using the Red Chaos Emerald, it powers itself up to make it’s attacks hit harder, along with gaining some new ones.
Either on the left or right side, Big Arms will prepare to launch at Sonic, following his vertical position. Then, he sticks at the position he was just at, before dashing past the platform, attempting to grab him, and leaving no openings for damage. He’ll try it again on the other side, and then on the third attempt, when he’s about to zip past again, he’ll instead come close and clap his hands together in order to hurt Sonic.
However, when he’s about to do it, his cockpit is open to a quick attack. And after doing the clap attack, the machine will seemingly malfunction a bit, which also leaves him open to damage. But if any of the attempts to grab Sonic are successful, the machine will throw him up a bit into the air, before smacking him down onto the platform.
Hovering over Sonic and following his horizontal position on the platform, Big Arms will instead use a chain-knuckle punch from each arm to try and hit him. There’s a cooldown for a bit after each attack, and he’ll do about 3 of these before doing a two-handed fist-slam on Sonic’s last position, which creates a bit of a shockwave that the hedgehog will have to stay away from.
After doing that fist-slam, the hands will be stuck in the platform for a few seconds, leaving Big Arms open to getting hurt.
Going into the background, Big Arms shoots missiles from it’s arms at Sonic’s current position on the platform. Think of it like what the Egg Dragoon does in Sonic Forces, only a little bit faster.
Big Arms calls in an Egg Robo, riding it’s own Egg Mobile, and it flies high above the platform, dropping off bombs in order to distract Sonic while the main threat attempts another move. But after dropping 3 or so bombs when moving to the right or left, it’ll lower and try to reload. This is an opening for Sonic to hit it once, which is all it takes to destroy it.
Big Arms can also destroy the Egg Robo with it’s own attacks, since it’s only focus is on Sonic.
The camera extends to either the left or right side, where Big Arms moves a little bit away from the platform and charges up an energy beam from it’s hands using the Chaos Emerald. When ready, it’ll fire a beam that Sonic will have to dodge by either jumping above it, or ducking under it. Think of it kinda like the beam the Giant Eggman Robo uses in Death Egg Zone during Sonic 3K, only not as large.
He fires one from one hand, then another from the other hand, and then does one last one with both hands together, before having a cool-down period. However, while this happens, the machine accidentally floats towards the platform, where he’s open to getting hit by Sonic.
With 3 more hits dealt, Big Arms starts to spaz out, sparking electricity and letting off steam, before suddenly shooting missiles at the steel rods that connect the platform to the Death Egg above. This causes it to fall down to the Launch Base area, along with some other nearby debris from the Death Egg, and Big Arms is seen in the background, ready for one more, desperate attack:
  • He starts by shooting missles similarly to the second phase missile attack.
  • Then, he’ll shoot Chaos Energy-powered beams that move to the left and right, which Sonic has to dodge by moving to the left or right.
  • And finally, he prepares for one last rush towards Sonic in whatever position he’s at, arms ready to grab him. And once he’s ready, he goes straight towards the platform and attempts to catch him, only to be a second late, since the hedgehog has likely moved out of the way. This leaves the machine worn down and spazzing out, unable to defend itself from one last hit, which makes it crumble to pieces.
After that comes the ending scene, where Big Arms is spazzing out and pieces of him keep falling off, as Eggman is furiously slamming the controls, trying to make it work again. This leads to Sonic smirking, as he jumps across the nearby falling debris, landing on the cockpit, and then jumping into the air above, only to quickly crash down, causing the machine to explode.
This then leads to Sonic falling from the sky, now becoming clear and sunny, while Eggman in his destroyed Egg Mobile spirals down in a burning and smoking mess. The hedgehog eventually lands onto the metallic floor of the Launch Base, while the broken machine parts, the platform, debris, and finally the Red Chaos Emerald land around him. Victorious and confident, Sonic smirks and wipes his nose, as the results screen is shown.
Sounds a lot more fun, doesn’t it? It’s longer, more difficult, more varied, and overall, I just really like this concept! I would love to actually play this battle! But sadly, it only exists as a fun concept…but let’s just move on to the scene that plays after.
Cutscene 16: Suspicion…
https://preview.redd.it/sjwuqd833cra1.png?width=320&format=png&auto=webp&s=f4ec9b4fb190dbf6ec2a80abd126041b2bce1942
In Launch Base, Classic Sonic (CS) stands among the remains of Big Arms, the platform attached to the Death Egg, a few pieces that broke off the Death Egg, and the Red Chaos Emerald, lying down on the ground.
https://preview.redd.it/7bmy5v8s2cra1.png?width=694&format=png&auto=webp&s=837f178173bd501ccaf47b243ddb280c2745c279
And not too far away, Classic Eggman/Robotnik (CE) crashes into the ground in his Egg Mobile, fumbling out of the cockpit and laying down, worn-out and angry at losing once again to his spiky adversary. After grabbing the Emerald, CS goes up to CE, who’s trying to sit up, and ranting about his loss.
Robotnik: “I can’t believe this! I should have been able to crush you easily with the Chaos Emerald’s power!”
Sonic: “Well, I’ll at least give you some credit. That certainly was one of your better machines.”
Sonic: “But you should know at this point that no matter the circumstances, there’s no topping me!”
Sonic: “Though…now that we have a chance to talk again, I need to ask you about something that’s been bothering me.”
When CS says this, CE raises an eyebrow in confusion.
Robotnik: “What do you mean?”
Sonic: “Come on, Eggman. You know I’m not stupid, and I know you aren’t either.”
Robotnik: “Tch! Of course not! I have an IQ of 300, and an unparalleled level of scientific and mechanical mastery!”
Sonic: “Yeah, sure, whatever.”
Sonic: “Anyways, you definitely are the same Eggman I fought back at South Island and the Death Egg before. And I doubt you would ever pass up an opportunity to take advantage of a situation like this.”
Robotnik: “And your point is?”
Looking CE dead in the eye, CS says what’s on his mind with a stern expression.
Sonic: “What are you REALLY trying to do here?”
Robotnik: “...”
For a moment…no words are exchanged…but then…
Robotnik: “...Heh…heheheh…!”
Robotnik: “Hahahahahaha!”
CE just laughs to himself, which leaves CS confused and annoyed.
Sonic: “What’s so funny?”
Robotnik: “Heheh…oh, nothing…”
Robotnik: “It’s just amusing that you think you still have power over me, or that I’d willingly tell you anything I knew.”
Sonic: “Why not? Do you WANT all of time and space to collapse?”
Robotnik: “Obviously not! But I’m certainly not gonna work with you to fix that!”
Robotnik: “Not when I have BIGGER plans in mind!”
This comment catches CS’ attention.
Sonic: “Bigger plans? Just what are-!?”
Before any more questions can be asked, CE disappears in a flash of purple, leaving the young hedgehog alone, but still confused and irritated.
Sonic: “Well, that wasn’t a very fruitful investigation…”
Sonic: “But…I got another Chaos Emerald at least…”
Looking at the red gem in his hands, CS smiles, before heading off and ending the scene…

Yeah, not much happens here, but…it’s clear Robotnik is up to something here. But what, you’ll see later on! So, next post, we'll get to the next Saturn Era level!

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submitted by StrivingJarl to u/StrivingJarl [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 22:29 5YNTH3T1K Dreasm part 02

Woke up and yes... I was overbaked. again.
I was shouting at a small printed circuit board with light emitting diodes and Surface mounted devices that was giving me static about some shit that I was doing when they are actually a junior officer etc... I told then we would go to my superior officer to sort this shit out once and for all. I was super angy.
What had happened to spur my shouting so much ( I like shouting !) was the fuck up with the reactor core loading operation. The short version is that bank C had caused critical alarms in core 4 bank A and alerts in several other cores in Banks A and B, standard operating procedure is to remove the last inserted bank and tray a new bank but some operators freaked the fuck out and tried to abandon their positions.
To provide a clear timeline of events I a started create a document to hand up stairs when the smoke cleared. This was proving a bit difficult with the pen that I was being quite shit. and the paper was the back of some regional information brochure which was not taking the ink very well. Some homless guy came to help me with the gift of an unreasonably large ink marker. This was exceptional under the circumstances but I could not use it due to the lines being like an inch wide. They came back in minutes with a really amazing technical pen that was leaking. I had no idea where they were getting these pens from or even where they had come from themselves as we were isolated in zone far from safety.
I never managed to get back to the reactor cores to fix the problem, this may have been a blessing as I am sure those things are bad for you. They change you. The Strugatsky effect is still not fully understood.
Were we at war ? Did R. Heinlein invade my secure-ee-nooze tm sleep module again ? Text underfoot breaks like snapping rods of ice to over strain. No thinks to the break of a new dawn lights shine beacon drifting through time like a lost can of soup to the brain matter journey alpha plus. can you dig it?
I shove the bunker door open with a final heave and the morning gloom of mist and shit invaded my eyes. I could smell the fresh watering the air like fine droplets caressing my cheeks. The air was not toxic and the ground around the area seemed to be evacuated of debris for change. There were actual trees this time. Thought they seems to all be moving in the same lock step motion. Ignore that for the time. Cane I ano you will they I am not sure but this is time. Again. It's a bit cold and brisk I rub my hands together and hunt around in the jacket full of pockets for my woolen gloves. Maybe I ought to climb out and check the surrounding area. They might still be here, it;'s hard to tell at times. Them.
There is silence in the house, all the floor boards are riddled with tiny holes the insect make, the appliances are down to save energy. I shudder and brace myself for the cold water cleansing ritual. The shock of the cold splashing on the face. Wake up you slug you are gonna live another day. Gasping for air and muscles tense all over, it's a glorious way to meet the day and serve. The front lines of reality are knitting together like the broken bones fit tendrils of calcium mosaic crystal structure linking together to remake the new voids open junctures. Blink at the gaunt face staring out of the mirror. They are there again in the looking glass. Magic. Older. Wiser? I am not sure. Dripping water onto the floor and chilling down. Scrape the rough towel and get into the gears. Hurry up it's time to move.
The slugs are on patrol.
Electron passing through the brain cause determination to wain. The speed of light but a glow.
Fully locked red light stares unblinking at me.
Time to move.
Take care this day! xxx
submitted by 5YNTH3T1K to ShrugLifeSyndicate [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 22:21 DeadPsychonaut Having visual issues with Sceptre U55 4K TV

My sister bought a 4K TV for my family last Christmas and it’s begun to have some minor visual issues that are slowly getting worse. In the top and bottom right corners of the screen there are horizontal, flickering lines that reach almost to the other end of the screen. These lines are more pronounced on bright, solid colors and almost unnoticeable on muted grays. They are not set in one position instead they flicker while the image moves, so I don’t think it’s physical damage. On top of that there is this weird streaking or shadow effect, where, when a bright object moves across the screen, it leaves several after images. I have tried factory resetting it, powering it off for a while then turning it back on, using different hdmi cables and ports. But the issue doesn’t fix. I’m assuming this is just a cheap tv being pushed past its limits to run in HD at such a large resolution. If that’s the case is there a cheap part I could by to fix this? Or should I just deal with it until we can afford a new tv? If it’s not the case what other solutions can I try? (I’ll post pictures and videos of the issues in actions in the comments) Thanks!
submitted by DeadPsychonaut to techsupport [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 22:21 My_Poor_Nerves AITG for not getting a tree trimmed

We recently had the tree trimmers out to remove quite a few dead branches and a couple of dead limbs from about half of our oak trees (20ish out of 45ish), specifically those overhanging our driveway and yard (for those of you who don't know, oaks will shed these at random so it felt like a necessary safety issue). The ring count on the limbs we had taken down show that just the limbs are over 100 years old, so these are big, old trees and the bill for just what we had done was about $5,000, more than half of that being for the two limbs as they required special equipment to take them down.
Anyway, after the service was done I ran into one of our neighbors and she asked why we didn't have the large limb taken down that overhangs our next door neighbors home, and said we should really have had that taken care of. I sort of murbled something about having that part of the yard taken care of next time and moved on.
But, honestly, we're not planning on it because that is a living limb and based on it's size (bigger than the ones we had taken down) and that it is directly over the neighbor's home it would likely be around $2,000 to have it removed which is not exactly pocket change (in fact that's a lot of money!), but since it's apparently a topic of conversation around the neighborhood and there seems to be an expectation that we get it taken care of, I'm wondering if we're grassholes.
submitted by My_Poor_Nerves to AmItheGrasshole [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 22:17 Hummerous writing fiction, tropical climates and home

writing fiction, tropical climates and home submitted by Hummerous to CuratedTumblr [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 22:17 Defyingtoitle How I get through it, and how you can too.

Hi. I don't speak much in person but I'm going to try to speak my mind here. BPD people have left me fragmented my entire life, my mom is undiagnosed and as a result, I went through my early childhood living directly through this kind of pain. I got into relationships and close friendships with many BPD people, and because I'm decently attractive and successful I've been a large target for them. I've had people spend more time trying to leverage my life than I've had actually living my life, so let me give you all the tips and tricks I use to skirt through life. I studied this in college to survive, so some descriptions will be more advanced and some will be simpler. Where I could've been incredibly successful as an individual, I have had to abandon my dreams at every turn to not only live but survive. I'm trying to use what I've learned to change the environment you guys live in. I'm tired. Here's what I know. Happy to help fix communication errors - I have to kinda turn off emotions to be able to talk about this stuff so expressions might not be emphasized in full. The great part about dealing with so many BPD people, I've learned to be able to flick the mental switch that turns off emotions as they can. I just have the moral conscious to use it for good instead of personal desires!
It boils down to them being insecure person. You may think this is obvious, but the understanding of insecurity they have is one that you or I may not immediately understand. Take a second to google Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - at some point in the person with BPD's life their Physiological needs were not guaranteed - this creates the stress response they keep for the rest of their life.As the stress response from this is so large and we have such a shoddy understanding of mental health - You will not be dealing with rational behavior EVER. The parts that are "mature" in your eyes have been created that way as a direct result of your childhood insecurities. You are dating the reflection of your home environment, and it is being leveraged by someone who is a reflection of their home environment, not the person standing in front of you today, yesterday, or tomorrow. Your rose-colored glasses are in areas you don't have a full understanding of - and because someone else may have more understanding or a worse "reality" you've grown to trust them (trauma bonding, sometimes done on accident, sometimes on purpose.) - regardless of what you eventually learn to be healthy. These people usually specialize in one very specific niche and dare to stray from it, creating their own demand. You'll notice that people are grasping at straws to be "unique" - for each person creating success, you have another 19 chasing them, copying their personality in hopes the 'archetype' works for them as well. Sometimes the number trying to copy doesn't stop. It scales based on how desperate people are for success, and how successful they think the person they're copying is. Remember that their thoughts have been proven to not be based on reality.
Many people like to think down on people with BPD, and the truth is that they are probably smarter than you or I. They just have so much extra brain space being utilized to help them 'escape' from either real or false fears, that they can't spend this space on progressing themselves or society. Until they outgrow the fear from this environment - it will be expressed ON YOU, the one choosing to interact with them. You may be able to have dates, vacations, and long-standing plans, but when this person gets re-stressed by their childhood insecurities you are GONE. You are no longer the reality they are living in, the sources of stress from their childhood are the reality they ultimately will end up reliving until their problems are fixed. This shows us they have been trying to escape Reality by living disconnected since their childhood. When the reality around them tries to embrace the personality they've made in a disconnected headspace, they can either double down that they have no problems or finally embrace their problems. With time, generations of families, changes in the environment, and personal factors, the problems become weighted and skewed with time to the point they aren't reflected honestly when voiced today. A problem 40 years ago may be expressed through a few unemotional words, if any words at that. I know people who have come to me silent who I've worked with to get them to talk, and they have lived some of the most traumatic shit I've ever heard in my life. They don't know how to bring it up in today's society, which is another post for another time on my end. I'm working on that in the background to give them a place to be heard, yet for YOU, HERE, TODAY:
What does that leave us with? A new resource - one that they can't value for their life. Time.Someone with BPD has to stay constant, and actively engaged, or else their natural fear complex sets in. The level of fear they live in daily EXCEEDS the amount a brain can healthily adapt to daily. Sleeping no longer resets their tolerance - rather degrades their long-standing habits until the stress overwhelms even these foundational ideas. As a result - their attention span is greatly decreased. Where you and I can relax, spend time to ourselves and chill, their attention span is almost negative if anything. They need constant visual input to stimulate their mind - and platforms like TikTok are normalizing this speed of consumption. If you think of TikTok as the end result of mental health problems rather than the source - you can truly see how widespread attention problems are in society. Mental health is being monetized before its being solved, which will evidently lead to it never being solved. Not only how they've been normalized, but how it's starting to affect the lives of others based on one's perspectives and expectations.

I'm tired of fixing their problems for them, it's time for a true understanding that you can step out of their control and spend your time where it's important - yourself. Stop half-assing a relationship that won't be real in a few years, full-ass your relationship with yourself and you'll find better people with time. If each person reading this spent a year loving themselves instead of those around them - you would learn you don't have to tolerate those kinds of people. A year gives you time to not only reflect on your past but work out any bad habits and attempt to unlearn them/relearn good ones. Habits take a few weeks, so even if you have an ungodly list of 20 bad ones, enjoy your year working for yourself instead of someone faking a future with you. Build the future you want, and stop relying on others. They are utilizing your dependency on attention to avoid problems as a crutch - keep your time spent on yourself. They want you to fall into the same trap they have, and will drag you there as a result. They know what you will go through, and having the experience already will know exactly how to leverage you during that time.

You ever wonder why their conversations jump from the past to the future, to the present, all in a circle to get you confused? Their brain doesn't let them sit on the stress of being the problem in the here and now. So they resort to different frames of time in order to rationalize it to themselves. The stress is so overwhelming they don't care if it doesn't make sense to you - they are purely trying to escape it with no regard for others. These people do not need relationships. They need mental health reform. It is not smart to get into relationships knowing there are these bombs waiting out there - with barely even half being able to understand their own problems. Why are we being forced to solve the problems of those who don't have consequences?
In the meantime - try to understand that added political disorganization in the USA is driving the normalization of these people. Soon we are going to lose the generation able to reflect on their challenges and rather have to embrace the lack of reality those with BPD are trying to embrace. You and I can't live at that pace, being on this forum indicate that, so we need to come together to work against this problem. Many people with BPD will weaponize the shitty mental health climate in America - weaponizing false promises or inaction in taking care of themselves. They can tell themselves subconsciously they are the problem, but as the socio-political climate of the nation endorses consistent, rapid interactions, it is easy for these people to escape into new pockets socially. They are consciously choosing to spend their time ignoring their problems at any cost - sometimes even losing their own touch with reality.
To fix this and no longer be influenced we would need to:
Reform the mental health culture - with the current understanding of mental health, these people are scared of embracing their problems for fear that they truly finally lose themselves in the process. They grasp at strings hoping to make it day to day, so taking faith in a system with notoriously bad experiences will only accelerate the problems from their perspective. They know that giving in to the current half-assed mental health industry (that may or may not beprofit-driven) may certainly end their life faster than they could themselves. BPD is the attempt of control a life that would otherwise be lost to the environmental and socio-political pressures around them.
Stop having a god complex around relationships. Our brain's understanding of emotions really excels around 25 years old, up to that point you are still growing and past that point, it is maintenance mode instead of growth. While you're meant to be growing uninfluenced, you've been spoon-fed the idea of a family sometimes even before you are fully emotionally mature. You are then going out and finding other emotionally immature people who then further complicate your own problems. well before you can even wrap your head around the complex emotions ongoing, you now have to deal with someone else's childhood insecurities haunting your thoughts the rest of your life. If you are younger than 25 - work on understanding yourself and your emotions. If you are older than 25 - work on not only understanding this but also how its going to interact with others. Base your actions on your body, instead of the fucked up expectations others have around us. Trust yourself for once, its a nice feeling :)
Remember, the BPD person wants you to feel isolated and alone. You are not alone. Someone is always out there, working for you, looking after you. We are almost done with dealing with these people, tough it out a little longer as you've done for years and you'll see the fruits of your labors soon. Where everyone else is focusing on their own lives, jobs, health, and money, you should know that you have someone fighting alongside you the entire time.
submitted by Defyingtoitle to BPDlovedones [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 22:06 FreakZoneGames Could the original photo be a fire station?? Is this a fireman's pole?

Could the original photo be a fire station?? Is this a fireman's pole?
I've studied this photo a lot ever since I first stumbled on the whole Backrooms thing, and the mystery of where the photo comes from. I have a few theories, including the idea that the wallpaper is actually white and blue and we're seeing a bad photo (or that the lights are very yellow), but I've been curious about a particular part of the photo for a while, which people don't seem to bring up, a circular shape in the ceiling, just above a vertical line.
A lot of people have thought of the vertical line as being loose wallpaper but the line (two lines, actually) casts a shadow on the floor further back. Some have said they think it's another partition wall, but the colour is different, and seems to line up exactly with that circle on the ceiling. I was thinking they looked like poles, and at first I thought "pole fitness studio?" but that would be covered in mirrors and probably wouldn't use industrial lighting.
The 'circle' is a sort of dark shape with a rim around it, oddly large for a fire sprinkler or even a camera. So I thought about fireman's poles. Could the dark circle in the ceiling be the hole which a fireman's pole goes through? When I looked up fireman's poles, sure enough, they tend to go through circular holes which usually have a rim around them. See image.
https://preview.redd.it/bv83of4cubra1.png?width=1292&format=png&auto=webp&s=10cd697db644f418ab0dced24a974720b44b286d
Maybe it's a long shot, but the more I think about that, the more other strange things about this photo makes sense. It would explain the huge, wide open but empty room, the terrible state of the flooring, the random different wallpapers and wooden cable covers, the abysmal state of the flooring... The only part which doesn't is the fact that the floor is carpet... or is it?
I mentioned above that I think the walls are white and not yellow - Well, my evidence for that is mainly that the wall outlet appears an ugly mustard yellow in the picture, and unless they are coated in bromine causing them to yellow horribly over the years (incidentally, bromine coating that you get on old games consoles etc. which causes them to turn yellow is there to make them flame retardant), it must be a photo either tinted badly by the lighting or by the camera that took it. Think of it like "the dress" from back in 2005, which was blue and black but appeared white and gold to many people due to the lighting and the photo itself. So I did my best to colour correct the image to the point where the wall outlet had colour closer to that which you might expect one to be:
https://preview.redd.it/zne5pml9wbra1.png?width=640&format=png&auto=webp&s=9260d336e7f05cd637375543793f6302d8cd0488
Well, even more things make sense now. That white and blue chevron wallpaper, I've seen that before. The multiple different wallpaper designs? Well, it'd be a lot easier to find a bunch of white wallpapers with different patterns than ones which all have the exact same sickly yellow to them. The ceiling becomes closer to the colour you would expect ceiling panels to be and the carpet... Well it doesn't really look so much like a carpet anymore... It could quite easily be stone or rubber, and the filthy wet patches make a lot more sense this way too.
I'm probably completely 'barking up the wrong tree', so to speak, but I'd like to add this to the pool of theories about the photo, and maybe it could help people with their search?
(The only other thing I can think of where there would be metal poles, wide open spaces and a load of different wallpapers is a night club...)
UPDATE: Obviously not the actual backrooms but when searching for old fire station interiors, the London Road Fire Station in Manchester has a fun Backrooms/Liminal Space sort of vibe to it. https://notquitelight.com/london-road-fire-station/ - And that did make me think about how many old fire stations get turned into offices or apartments. The backrooms photo could be in that transition.
submitted by FreakZoneGames to backrooms [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 22:00 PLANT_NATIVE_TREES PSA: Japanese Maples should not be planted outside of their native range

PSA: Japanese Maples should not be planted outside of their native range submitted by PLANT_NATIVE_TREES to sfwtrees [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 21:57 PLANT_NATIVE_TREES Why Japanese maples don't belong in gardens outside of East Asia! help repost this PSA

Why Japanese maples don't belong in gardens outside of East Asia! help repost this PSA submitted by PLANT_NATIVE_TREES to NativePlantGardening [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 21:55 PLANT_NATIVE_TREES Why Japanese Maples should NOT be planted outside of East Asia

Why Japanese Maples should NOT be planted outside of East Asia submitted by PLANT_NATIVE_TREES to marijuanaenthusiasts [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 21:51 harris0n11 Does Fort Wayne pick up limbs, logs, etc from downed trees at the curb?

Basically title. I’ve found conflicting and outdated posts on the 311 site. I know generally they’ll pick up sticks that are cut and bundled but I’m talking like large logs and pine tree limbs. Any information would be helpful thanks!
submitted by harris0n11 to fortwayne [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 21:49 ScarletFireFox Lilapsophobia

The fear of tornadoes and hurricanes is known as lilapsophobia. I have no doubt that I'm suffering from that. Yes, tornadoes are to be feared because they are dangerous. We all know that. I like to watch coverage of tornadoes as it is fascinating learning about something scary. I started watching the weather channel coverage of tornado outbreaks when I was living in California where I never had to worry about those kinds of storms. When I had to move back to Tennessee 2 years ago, I had my childhood fears return. Whenever we were under threat for tornadic weather, I would start having panic attacks. I would be scared before the weather would start. When it comes to a slight chance for that kind of weather, I'm calm. Whenever we are put under an enhanced risk, I start getting scared and upset. I live in Rutherford County in Middle TN, so we don't live in classic tornado alley like Oklahoma, Nebraska, or Texas. However, I do know that the strongest tornadoes can happen, but are pretty rare. Yesterday was just what I feared. We may have not been in the worst of the threat, but a strong tornado was possible for Middle TN. To make matters worse, it was expected to take place in the middle of the night. Usually on days like that, a thin vertical line of storms gust through and are over before we know it. The takeaway I got from watching coverage of killer tornadoes is that the supercells that are more scattered and horizontal would be the ones that would produce the really bad tornadoes. It would be shaped like bird wings with a little notch or circle behind it and that is where the tornado would be. Yesterday, it was looking just as I feared and these cells were more horizontal as they marched across the Volunteer State. Things I tried telling myself to calm myself down was that the odds of a large tornado hitting our exact location were very slim and how our county was on the edge of the tornado watch and not in the bullseye. FYI, before anyone assumes I'm a dependent, I'm not still living with my parents because I'm dependent; They depend on me(I basically had to move back here to help my Grandfather after I lost my Grandmother in January 2021). I was watching live coverage(Ryan Hall Ya'll on Youtube) and there was this storm that was several counties over producing a large and destructive tornado. A wedge tornado was reported(one of those big, wide ones). I woke up my Mom. She was at first annoyed, but decided to stay up and watch knowing how terrified I was. I rounded up our two cats(we didn't have a cage for them, so it was extra stressful). My parents went to get my Grandfather. We were to hunker beneath the stairs in our laundry room. I was crazy hysterical and delirious. I did not like how I handled it at all. It was a close call. The supposed tornado was passed about a mile north to us. At that moment it lifted before it would touch town again and cause damage to houses a town over. I was shaken(I was also a little tipsy as it was Friday night, so that may have made me act extra nutty where I at one point was chanting "ohmygodidontwannadieidontwannadie It cannot end like this!"). I was never more scared in my life, hearing the wind and the thunder and that terrible alarm going off on our phones. After that was over, I was weeping myself to sleep, from relief and feeling traumatized by what would have been one of my greatest fears coming true. Before, I looked up "storm anxiety" and lilapsophobia on Youtube to find helpful advice and hearing from other people who struggle with it. I can't figure out why it is so bad for me. I have never seen a tornado in my life(throughout my childhood in TN or FL and certainly not in California), let alone actually been in one. I would feel bad to declare myself as traumatized from last night because it is not like I was walking out of rubble. I heard accounts from other people with this fear who actually survived something. The only damage around here were to trees. Readyville was not so lucky. I'm a firm believer in the Law of Attraction and I wondered if me focusing so much on the weather may have gotten me that big scare last night. I know I shouldn't think like that. I started getting more into the weather after last Friday's Rolling Fork, MS disaster. Otherwise, I want to focus more on things that I enjoy instead of those nightmares. I would not be nearly as afraid if we had a basement. From the years of watching coverage, I learned that underground is the only safe place to be in the case for the strongest tornadoes. I wonder if anyone else around here has this fear and how do they cope?
submitted by ScarletFireFox to tornado [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 21:49 Daksport2525 Large tree with a thick stump at the local greenhouse

Large tree with a thick stump at the local greenhouse submitted by Daksport2525 to matureplants [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 21:45 Blue_Gamer18 [TotK] Stop. Worrying. Do you really think Nintendo spent 6yrs on just Skylands and Fusion combat?

I'm so tired of people acting like they aren't getting this game or saying there's nothing new and nothing's changed.
The OG Map
Nintendo went into TotK with a full, created map. They didn't spend any time needing to create a world. They must have jumped in immediately going, "Ok, now how does Hyrule recover in a post Calamity time of peace/dramatically change upon Ganondorf's revival?" There's no way Hyrule hasn't seen a large change in its world. BotW's empty and ruined sprawled world made sense for the story/feeling of exploration.
There were many, many ruined locations that could be now built up to new villages or new locations. Either maybe we the player help with this via Bolosns crew or a number have already been out together. Fusion and building settlements sounds like an amazing lengthy sidequest. I'm really hoping the Annuki from Phantom Hourglass/Spirit Tracks come out of some deep hiding in the Hebra Mountains and they are reintroduced with a village. Hebra Mountains needs a settlement or two.
Upon Ganondorf's apparent resurrection, the world changes even more. This, IMO, causes the most changes in Hyrule. Malice spewing out of Eldon Volcano. Likely opening into deep chasems. One of the criticisms was a lack of explorable caves. I'm sure caves open as a result of this. The Deku Fores/Tree apparently missing. Hryule castle rising along side other parts of Hryle?
Aonuma in the recent gameplay demonstration has talked about an "unexplored Hyrule" which I think leads to my next point....
HYRULES UNDERGROUND
I know this is still just a theory, but I really believe that the big expansion of Hryule they spent time on that involves a deep, intricate cave/tunnel system that spans the entirety of Hyrule. Our very first look at the game shows us that there's an underground system that leads to Ganondorf under Hyrule Castle. Zelda falls further into the earth from here.
In the most recent trailer, there was what looks to be an undergrad area with Bokoblins mining. You can even here an echo. I feel this has to be part of an Underground system.
Zelda isn't unfamiliar with two worlds/themes of duality in the franchise. I think we're going to be exploring both the light heavens in the Skylands while diving deep into the dark, once forgotten Hryule Underground.
Zonai in the Skylands and Ganondorf/demons in the Underground. With the Surface being the neutral middle ground stuck between both trying to live through it all
Nintendo is just holding this reveal close to their chests because it's just that big of an expansion to the world/gameplay IMO. And I believe it's something fans have been wanting to see.
SKYLANDS
I believe Skylands will vary from small patches to larger ones like seen the in the recent gameplay session, but like so many seem to worry, I don't see them being the main new addition to Hryule in TotK. They definitely took time, but they weren't the only additions in 6 years of development.
TRADITIONAL DUNGEONS
Ok, I admit there's not much to weigh down fears here, but I think Nintendo definitely paid attention to feedback to BotW. Divine Beasts were Nintendo's first take on a "in any order dungeon" format. They worked for what they were, but didn't scratch that itch. Zelda isn't Zelda without thematic, uniquely designed dungeons.
Going back to my first point, having a base Hyrule created meant more time to focus elsewhere. I believe brainstorming and creating classic dungeons was a big part of immediate development.
With the September trailer and those 7 symbols ("tears" ?) I believe they will be the McGuffins for each dungeon. Through changes in the world and Ganondorf's return, these new dungeons will appear throughout the Skylands, Surface, and Underground.
I believe that via Fuse/Ascend/Rewind, this will be how Nintendo handles unique gimmicks for each dungeon in any order. Each dungeon will have its own theme as before and "key dungeon items/materials" that you can use with Fuse for puzzles/combat/boss weakness. Maybe upon beating the dungeon, you can start to find these unique items elsewhere. Maybe there's a Shadow dungeon and it's gimmick is needing to use light/fire materials/items for puzzles/comat.
This way, each dungeon still has its own atmosphere but Links new abilities still allow for completion in any order. Similar to how Runes could have worked IMO if you found more unique ones like a Hookshot.
Please, for the love of Hylia, stop worrying and claiming it's "just fancy DLC"
submitted by Blue_Gamer18 to zelda [link] [comments]


2023.04.01 21:43 Ambi4r Jolly teeny fucks oldman while decorating Christmas tree

Jolly teeny fucks oldman while decorating Christmas tree submitted by Ambi4r to ot9706 [link] [comments]