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earwiggles

2019.08.08 03:36 noncongruent earwiggles

Place to post earwiggles by nursing critters
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2023.06.07 23:51 Major_Frozen Anyone else's radio/HVAC trim hard to clean? Any tips?

Anyone else's radio/HVAC trim hard to clean? Any tips? submitted by Major_Frozen to HondaElement [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 23:46 afflictedspeck I (29M) am considering ending the relationship with my (27F) girlfriend of 1.5 years after her roommate (25F) threatened me and we got into a huge fight

I would really appreciate some help here. I’m at a loss on what to do. Apologies for the really long post, TLDR below.
TLDR; I’m considering ending a relationship of 1.5 years with my girlfriend after her roommate and I got into several fights this past weekend over moving a couch into their apartment. Her roommate prohibited me from stepping foot inside ever again, threatened to call the cops on me, threatened to lawyer up, and accused me of aggravating her. She might have also punctured one of my car’s tires as it was flat the following day in their parking lot. My girlfriend has continuously said she understands the situation and will be coming to my place going forward, but I’m afraid of what might happen in the future since she shares her location with her roommate, have been friends for 17 years, have a matching tattoo together, and the roommate has shown to be a very explosive and volatile person. Her roommate has also been convicted in the past for assault and I’m afraid of what she might do. I feel like I don’t fully know my girlfriend and don’t know how to move forward. Should I leave the relationship or continue to fight?
A bit of a background
My girlfriend, let’s call her Ana, and I have been together for 1.5 years. We met through a cousin of mine at an outing back in December 2021 and started dating right away. Ana is caring, loyal, and has always listened to what I have to say. Our relationship has gone through some challenges, but nothing we have not talked through and somewhat agreed on - we see life differently to some extent when it comes to matters like politics and religion but have always sat down to talk through and resolve those issues. My parents did not get a good impression of Ana when I introduced them to each other, but she has worked hard to do so ever since. When we met I also asked her to go back to school to keep pursuing her degree, which she had stopped years ago, but listened to me and is currently on her second semester. It is important to note that Ana (and Betty, shortly introduced) was in a religion for 22 years that prohibited her from making friends outside of it. She left 5 years ago and had to cut all communication with her family.
While together, in June last year, I bought an apartment and moved about 1.5 hours north of her to be closer to my job. Ever since that happened we have had this sort of long distance relationship where we only see each other on the weekends - every other weekend Ana comes to visit me, staying overnight, while I do the same the weekends she does not.
Ana was living in an apartment by herself up until two months ago, when her lease was over and the landlord increased her rent by 30% or so. She had to go somewhere and asked if we could live together, to which I declined as I did not think we were ready - moving in together has been something I’ve refused to do because of a very sour experience with an ex-girlfriend. Since that was not an option, Ana decided to move into a new apartment with one of her best friends, Betty, who I barely knew. They decided to move about 30 minutes closer to me. Betty promised Ana she would take care of her, to some extent, by paying more than half of the rent and covering the security deposit. Ana does not make much money and has racked up some credit card debt which she is managing now, so the arrangement made her financially happy. It’s sort of important to note, however, that with the new arrangement Ana is paying about the same monthly rent. I helped her move out and into the new place with two other friends.
Betty and Ana have known each other for 17 or so years. They have traveled together and even during our relationship Ana, during the weekdays, has visited Betty overnight to watch movies and whatnot, without me there. At the start of our relationship Ana refused presenting me to Betty several times despite my insistence, because Betty had had serious fallouts with two of Ana’s friends and she was afraid I might not like her. Before meeting Betty I had a sense I would not like her when I noticed that Ana, when Betty texted, was afraid of not replying right away, which I thought was odd. I confronted her but she always ignored what I was saying. Other friends of Ana’s had also noticed the same. I ended up meeting Betty six months or so after Ana and I started dating, which was right after Betty’s ex broke up with her after almost five years of a verbal- and physically abusive relationship. Betty, I recently found out, has even been to jail before due to explosive episodes that have ended in physical aggression, and is currently trying to expunge her records. She was also adopted as a kid and her adoptive father has beat her for years in different occasions. Betty and I only hung out then, when we met for the first time, and one other time two months after, for her birthday. I never had any sort of altercation with her, but noticed she always had some fight with someone, always talking down on people and blaming others for her tragedies. Something that took me by surprise last year was when my girlfriend and Betty went one day to a tattoo parlor and got the same exact tattoo in the forearm as a sign of their friendship. Up until then my girlfriend only had two other tattoos that were very small - one by her ankle and another one by her ribcage. This one that she got with Betty is the only truly visible one. That day I remember being extremely surprised when she showed it to me, seeing how she had not even mentioned she was going to get a tattoo, but comes home with the biggest one she has had, and on the forearm.
Fast forward to Saturday: Betty and I lose it with each other
Moving forward to last weekend, I visited Ana at her apartment for only the second time in the last two months after she moved in. I drove over Saturday early in the morning and was greeted by my girlfriend making breakfast for me and her roommate. We all ate and Betty asked to spend the day with us, since she needed to go to the library to study for an exam, which my girlfriend and I had planned on doing, so that she could study for one of her classes. They also made me aware of a couch one of Betty’s friends was giving her for free, and Betty asked for my help to pick it up later. The day went well at the library (4 or so hours) but started to shift when we went out for late lunch after - Betty asked for spicy wings at a local bar and threw a fit when the wings came with not sauce, calling the manager of the place and insulting the cooks and staff. After that ordeal we went to UHAUL to rent a truck for the couch. Like idiots, we ended up breaking what we thought was the ignition key (it wasn’t, just an attached key for the back doors) inside the car’s key hole. This sent Betty screaming and insulting me, out of the blue, calling me an idiot and other words I cannot recall. I yelled back at her which only escalated the situation. UHAUL management stepped in and they got us a pickup truck at no additional cost. We live in a big city in South Florida. I drove with Ana in the middle seat and Betty on the passenger side for about 40 minutes to pick up the couch. It is 10PM on the dot when we get to the community where Betty’s friend lives. A security guard, as I parked the truck, approached us to say the HOA does not allow trucks at that time. Betty starts insulting him several times as I drive away and parked about half a block from the community, at a plaza right next to it. We proceeded, for the next two hours, to carry out the couch from a second floor to the first, moving it over a 5 feet wall (with me jumping over) to avoid going around the community, then walking with it for half a block and than putting it on the bed of the pickup truck. All in 90 degree humid weather.
As I am sweating and huffing while fastening the couch on the bed of the truck by myself, with Betty and Ana talking by the side of the truck, I notice Betty looks tired and miserable, to which I asked jokingly “why the long face?”. Betty proceeds to tell me I am not being funny with that question and starts to yell at Ana, saying how she is useless, how she herself (Betty) had to do everything regarding the couch and no one helped her, how “her man” (meaning me) was not able to afford a couch for her, and other stuff I cannot remember. She called me an idiot, and called me slick, and said I was not funny with my stupid jokes, and kept yelling I was not helpful. I started to yell back at her saying how it had been six hours since we had been helping her. I also, at that point, lost it all and said “where are your friends right now to help you? Holy shit, I am literally on the bed of this truck fastening your couch and you are so ungrateful”. I was yelling as she was yelling back, and in that moment the yelling match turned something like the following:
Betty - “you are so fucking useless, IT’S ALWAYS ME GETTING SHIT DONE, no help from anyone, ALWAYS ME”
Me - “what the fuck are you talking about? We are LITERALLY helping you right now, what the fuck”
Ana - “guys please stop, can’t we all just get along, please?”
Betty - “Bro you are not funny man, who the fuck said you are? I am so tired of your shit, your stupid comments and jokes throughout the day”
Me - “where the fuck are your friends to help you? You are so fucking ungrateful; you jump from dick to dick and will never find love, you have no fucking friends”
Betty - “WHAT THE FUCK. Your bitch is a whore man, she doesn’t even wear condoms. A fucking whore and a fucking submissive bitch, that’s why you are with her”
Ana - “guys please stop”
Me - “Don’t you fucking dare talk about Ana that way, be fucking respectful”
Betty - “A fucking whore is what she is, and submissive, and worthless”
At that point we are yelling at each other and Betty starts saying that I am assaulting her, and threatens to call the cops. She grabs her phone to make a call and I start filming with mine, making it very clear that at no point have I put my hands on her or planning to, at all. She starts yelling at me for recording her and bring up her lawyers and the cops, and how recording her without her consent is illegal. We are calling each other names and I continue to film. She is also in disbelief at how my girlfriend is “not defending HER”. In reality Ana was trying to stay out of it.
Needless to say, the way back to their apartment with the couch was extremely uncomfortable. It was very quiet for the first 20 minutes until Ana asked us why we can’t just get along, which made Betty go off again, yelling at how I am slick, worthless, and so many names I cannot remember. Betty said she does not want me to step foot in HER house, and continued to say she would break the lease and have my girlfriend’s stuff out of her place. When we got to the apartment I let them carry the couch inside and asked my girlfriend to bring my stuff (a backpack and a duffle bag) out of the apartment. I did not want to step foot inside for my own safety. Betty does not have a gun but I am sure she would have used it if she did, either to threaten or God knows what. As I was leaning on the frame of the door Betty asked if I would come in, to which I said no, and she also slammed the door on my face and prevented Ana from opening it, positioning herself in front of the door and yelling that “if she steps foot outside she would kick her out” to which I kept yelling that Ana is also in the lease. When Betty opened the door I told her I would call the cops if she tried one more time to hold Ana hostage inside. She went off again and threatened to lawyer up and kick Ana out. After much yelling and cries from Betty, I ended up stepping inside, closing the door behind me, and talking to them both to de-escalate the situation.
At this point it is 2AM and after much yelling I apologize to my girlfriend’s roommate for stepping over the line when I basically called her a whore. I was a total piece of shit in that regard and sincerely felt like apologizing. Betty did not apologize but she said I could stay over. She said she will forget about the whole situation and that all she needed was to cry and get over what I had said. She went to the balcony to smoke weed and I left the apartment to basically cry out of frustration. Ana followed me and after 30 minutes or so talking outside I told her I had to leave. I did not feel safe sleeping over and did not know if I could ever feel safe again in that space. I walked over to my car and drove home for an hour. I went to bed at 3:30AM and woke up at 6:50AM, took a shower, and headed back to my girlfriend’s apartment complex to return the truck which we had to do by 9AM.
Sunday: flat tire and location sharing
It’s now Sunday morning. I get to my girlfriend’s apartment at 8:15AM, where I leave my car parked, and with her on the passenger seat drive over to the UHAUL, which is about 20 minutes away, to return the truck. Everything is done on time and after getting my girlfriend’s car from the UHAUL parking lot we stop at a diner to have breakfast. We get back to her apartment at around 10:20AM and by 10:25AM we are driving over to my place, each of us in separate cars. About 10 minutes after leaving I get a flat tire notification on my car’s dashboard and pull over at a near gas station to see what was going on. The car had gone from 35PSI in one of the rear tires all the way to 15, and kept going down. I end up driving the car over to a TiresPlus close by, which later confirmed the flat tire was due to a hole on the outside which “had been caused by an object that went in and out, more than likely a screwdriver or a knife”. Needless to say I had to pay ~$200 for a new tire.
I told Ana there is no way this was coincidence and that I suspected Betty had done something to that tire. She said she did not think it could have been the case since there is no way Betty knew where I parked. I did not think that logic made sense since Betty knows exactly what car I drive and she was in the apartment, in her room, when Ana and I left earlier to return the truck. She basically had two hours to do anything. On top of that, I found out that Ana actively shares her location with Betty via iMessage, and vice versa. Ana and I also have that sort of arrangement. They have been doing it for years.
Ana and I spent the Sunday sleeping at my apartment pretty much. I could not get the situation out of my head and barely slept, but being together made me feel better. We talked about the future extensively and Ana promised me that she will cut all communication with Betty once the lease is over, but currently there is nothing she can do. She also brought up living together again, and the following day also told me how she was looking into jobs that are close to my place.
Monday: going on a break with Ana
Ana went to work on Monday morning (5AM) from my house and I worked from home. I did not get anything done thinking about the whole situation and later in the afternoon Ana and I continued to talk about it. Later at night, as Ana was sending me text messages on how she was cleaning the house, Betty was also posting on social media about it. I told the whole story to my best friend who seemed mortified about the situation and asked me to be careful. Monday night I sent Ana a long message explaining that I need some time to think about our relationship. I said that I could not trust her judgement and was afraid for what might happen if she still hangs with this crazy person not now, but in the future as we think of a life together. Will she be at our wedding? At her birthday parties? Will she be involved in our lives? Even though she has told me she will not, I know that Ana has been well aware of how Betty is but nothing has changed in their friendship these past 17 years. It has only become stronger.
Ana was very hurt from my message and called me right away. After a one hour conversation where she pushed me to decide on breaking up or continue the relationship she hung up when I told her to please give me until Friday. She does not understand how it is that I am re-thinking our relationship if it is that I love her. I do care so much about her, but have not been able to move past what happened and the fear that she might introduce me to similarly dangerous people or environments, be it with Betty or with someone else, is severely impacting my ability to think there is a future here. To keep the story short this is the third time Ana has tried to, or has introduced me to, people or situations that pose a danger to me and her. I also have not been able to get out of my head how it is that she is friends with this person, Betty, who is so visibly crazy and with whom she has a matching tattoo, years of friendship, experiences, etc.
Tuesday: Ana’s early morning call and social media login attempt
At 7:30AM of Tuesday, as I was getting ready for work, Ana called me to tell me she was sorry for blocking me on social media and on iMessage. By doing that I no longer have access to her location. I was not aware since she had done that at night, after I had asked for some time. She told me she “did not want me to think the posts from her story were directed toward me”. She also told me that “she wanted to have some sort of control seeing how I was having her wait for a decision and felt lost”. She also confessed she could not sleep and had gotten to work very early, thinking through everything in her car at her workplace parking lot. Ana begged me to please consider our relationship and after trying on the phone we hung up for the day, and have not talked since.
After hanging out with Ana I noticed I also had an unread message of a login attempt into my Instagram. That was never happened before and my mind instantly went to Betty. At this point I might be overthinking, however, after such an awful experience.
I am in a situation where I have to decide whether to have Ana move in with me, live with the fact that she is with a psycho for the next ten months, or simply leave it all behind despite how much I care about her. I don’t know if I am ignoring some red flags and that’s really the reason why I needed the time and am seeking some help on here. I don’t know if I am in the wrong and would like some clarification because I truly feel so lost. Ana has done so much for me in the sense that she listens and I know she loves me, but I am just afraid of her judgement and what she might bring into the relationship in the future. I also feel like I don’t know her like I thought.
Should I lie the relationship or continue to fight? Would sincerely, wholeheartedly appreciate some advice.
submitted by afflictedspeck to relationship_advice [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 23:40 BedoPlaysSat [H] Scarlet Nexus, Control, hellblade, Rocket League Credits, Resident evil, Deathloop, Lego, Fallout 76, Deep Rock, and more! [W] Ghostwire: Tokyo, Phoenix Wright, Paypal and TF2 Keys!

HAVE:
January 2023 Humble Choice
February 2023 Humble Choice
A Plague Tale: Innocence *
All-Star Fruit Racing
American Fugitive
Amerzone: The Explorer's Legacy
Ancestors legacy
As Far as the Eye
Atari vault
Batora: Lost Haven
Bionic Commando Rearmed
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Blue Fire
Book of Demons
Boomerang Fu
CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit
Calico
Call of the Sea
Carto
Celeste *
Cepheus Protocol
Control Ultimate Edition
Cook Serve Delicious
CryoFall
Dead Age
Dead End Job
Deathloop *
Deep rock galactic *
Degrees of Separation
Desolate
Doorways: Holy Mountains of Flesh
Drake Hollow
Dreamscaper
Dustforce DX
Effie
Emily is Away <3
Endless Space® 2 - Digital Deluxe Edition
F1 2018
Fury Unleashed
Gas Station Simulator
Gauntlet Slayer Edition + Lilith the Necromancer Pack
God's trigger
Grip Combat Racing
Guts and Glory
HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED ™
Helheim Hassle
Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice
Hello Neighbor
HoPiKo
Idle Champions Celeste's Starter Pack
In Other Waters
In Sound Mind
Indivisible
Iris and the Giant
Journey of a Roach
Last Oasis
Lego Harry Potter: Years 1 - 4
Lego Harry Potter: Years 5 - 7
Lego The Hobbit + DLCs
Lego The Lord of the Rings
Let Them Come
Lost Planet 3 Complete Pack
Lovecraft's Untold Stories
Mega Man Legacy Collection
MegaRace 1
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor GOTY
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War Definitive Edition
Mindustry
Minoria
Monster Train Collector's Edition
Moving Out
Nongunz: Doppelganger Edition
Not Tonight
Nowhere Prophet
OF MICE AND SAND -REVISED-
Omno
One Step from Eden
OneShift
Out of Space
Outward
Outward - The Soroboreans
Overcooked! 2
Overcooked! 2 - Surf 'n' Turf Pack
Overcooked! 2 - Too Many Cooks
Particula steam gift (LATAM)
Pathfinder Kingmaker Explorer Edition
Penarium
Per Aspera
Praey for the Gods
Project Wingman
Recovery Search & Rescue Simulation
Resident Evil HD Remaster
Resident Evil Revelations
Resident Evil Revelations 2 Episode 1
Reventure
Rocket League Credits/Items
Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos
SHENZHEN I/O
Sable
Scarlet Nexus *
Shining Resonance Refrain
Silence
Size Matters
Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts
Sonic 4 Episode I
Sonic 4 Episode II
Sonic Adventure DX
Space Pilgrim Academy: Year 3
Stealth Bastard deluxe
Strider
Struggling
Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse
Superliminal
Syberia: The World Before *
Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack
The Ascent
The Coma: Recut
The Hex
The Suicide of Rachel Foster
The Walking Dead - 400 Days
The Walking Dead 400 Days DLC
The Walking Dead Season 1
The Walking Dead Season 2
The Wild Eight
Tokyo Xanadu Ex +
Train Station Renovation
Train Valley
Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince
UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late
Unclaimed World
Valfaris
Valkyria Chronicles 4 Complete Edition *
Vampire of the Sands
Warhammer: The End Times - Vermentide
Warstone TD
We Need to Go Deeper
Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Heart of the Forest
Worms Armageddon
Yesterday Origins
Zombie Kill of the Week - Reborn
Zwei: The Arges Adventure
Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection
* (Only want TF2 keys or Good Deals)
Any offer is welcome but I would prefer paypal or tf2 keys
IGS Rep Page
submitted by BedoPlaysSat to indiegameswap [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 23:34 egoproject 35 [M4F] DC/MD/VA- I never liked the look of facial hair then it grew on me

Yes, it’s a terrible joke and I can’t guarantee that there won’t be similar dad jokes to follow it in the future, so put on your funderwear because you’re in for a treat!
Here’s a little bit about me: I’m a fun & nerdy 35 year old, single guy living in Maryland. I’m 6’6” tall, (I spend a lot of time ducking under doorways and trying to find pants that fit my long legs), with a slender build as I tend to go to the gym regularly. In case you’re curious about personality and need a firm basis to go off of my love languages are words of affirmation and physical touch, I’m an ENFP, a Libra, and a Ravenclaw; get all that important stuff out of the way!
I was raised by a single mother to be a gentleman and taught that chivalry isn’t dead; I say please and thank you, I give compliments, I’m affectionate with hugs and kisses, and I’ll strike up complete conversations with strangers at a gas station or grocery store.
I am a huge fan of comics, movies, and video gaming. There’s always a perfect moment to insert an appropriate movie quote into conversation. The most recent PC video game addictions are Lost Ark, FFXIV, Legends of Runeterra, Guild Wars 2, Magic Arena, and WoW. I also have a PlayStation and an Xbox I play fairly regularly. Other interests? Acting and performing, Marvel/DC, board games, conventions and concerts, DnD, Cosplay, going to the beach, Star Wars, PGH sports teams, Netflix, and listening to music. Speaking of music, my music taste is very eclectic and expansive. I listen to everything from Shakey Graves to James Brown to The Black Angels to Stick Figure and Rebelution to Breaking Benjamin and Disturbed to Cane Hill and Kublai Khan TX. I believe there is no such things as bad music as there’s music for every person and every mood.
I’m very 420 friendly and am incredibly passionate about the beneficial effects of medicinal and recreational cannabis usage, so it’d be nice to vibe with someone in that capacity, and if you consider yourself “vanilla” in the bedroom we probably won’t be a good match.
Before this becomes excessive, I think I’ll wrap it up here. Thank you so much for reading and please send me a message if you read anything that sparked your interest. Come with me if you want to live!
Here’s a picture of [me.]https://imgur.com/a/SsSeWzU
TL;DR- 35 year old tall guy who likes nerdy shit, has an eclectic taste in music, and is 420 friendly looking for friendships, relationships, and connections!
submitted by egoproject to cf4cf [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 23:26 colinsbay Gas station in Verona this afternoon

Gas station in Verona this afternoon submitted by colinsbay to KingstonOntario [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 23:24 Cold-Fondant-2548 I don’t want to leave my boyfriend, but I probably should.

I (22f) should probably leave my boyfriend. This is going to be a long post, I’m so sorry. My boyfriend (25m) and I have gotten into many fights recently after living together for four months now. We’ve been together for a year and a half. I love him so much, but the fights have gone too far. One time he actually choked me until I was dizzy and seeing stars. Another time he left me on the side of the road at a laundromat/gas station in the middle of nowhere. One time, he called 911 because he was being petty while we were arguing in his car and I ended up getting arrested because he claimed I hung up the 911 call. Now I’m being charged with a misdemeanor and technically the state placed a restraining order on me against going around him (he didn’t ask for it). Despite this, we got back together and just lay low. But today, we got into an argument because I asked why he was staring at another woman. I don’t know how it got so far, but he threatened me to call the police again if I did not get out of his car. He knows I will go to jail for over a month and be forced to drop out of school if that happened. I feel so betrayed and scared, but he’s at least taking me home now. I don’t know what will happen when we get to the house.
A lot of our fights begin because he is going through a financial situation and thinks I use it over his head. I don’t. I just refuse to support and help out a full grown man if he is disrespecting me in the house I bought. By disrespect, I mean talking over me, not respecting my feelings, and continuing to ogle at and like nudes on social media.
I don’t know what to do. I really love him so much but how can he justify any of this.
Is love enough to get past this?
submitted by Cold-Fondant-2548 to offmychest [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 23:14 Lazy_Mouse3803 Altercation turns physical at a Mapco gas station in Franklin KY

Altercation turns physical at a Mapco gas station in Franklin KY submitted by Lazy_Mouse3803 to facepalm [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 23:14 WriterJSLynch The Hedgewitch of Huntington (Fairy Dust Book 1) - WIP

The Hedgewitch of Huntington

(Fairy Dust - Book 1)

By J. S. Lynch

Chapter 1: Alex

Alex stared out the window of the Greyhound bus, watching the scenery change from urban to rural. She saw nothing but a blur of green and brown as if someone had smeared a dirty paintbrush across a canvas, with the occasional flash of red and yellow breaking the mottled monotony. Coupled with the drone from the bus’s AC and with the steady rumble of the tires on the blacktop, it would almost be enough to lull her to sleep. Except, she wouldn’t let herself fall asleep. The last time she dozed off, she had a nightmare: her mother being dragged away screaming by men in white coats. Technically, that was a memory, but at least she could force herself to not think about it while she was awake.
The scent of gasoline and sweat permeated the air. Alex’s mouth felt dry, and her saliva tasted bitter. She knew she had a bottle of water in her backpack, but it was too much of a hassle to dig it out from under her seat. Someone behind her sneezed.
Gross.
The air felt so stale and suffocating. She wished she could just open her window and get some fresh air. When she tried to pull it open earlier, the window jammed, leaving it just open enough to create a disproportionately annoying whistle for the rest of the trip. Alex was pretty sure the rock-hard seat digging into the back of her legs would leave a bruise. She felt trapped. She felt like a prisoner, being transferred to death row.
But maybe she deserved it; after all, this was her fault. It was her fault that her mom was gone; it was her fault that she was now on a bus to nowhere. Guilt warred with bitterness in Alex’s heart. On the one hand, she had just left behind everything she knew in Baltimore: her mother, her home, her school, her friends. On the other hand, it’s not like she had that many friends. Or a real home. Or a good school. Or a loving mother. But still, it was familiar. It was hers. And Alex had just flushed it all down the drain.
And now she was heading to Huntington, West Virginia, to live with a stranger. A stranger who just happened to be her biological father. A stranger who had abandoned Alex and her mother before she was even born. A stranger who had no idea who Alex really was, much less what he was getting himself into.
Alex glanced at the woman sitting next to her. Ms. Jones, a kind-faced woman with mocha skin and dark, curly hair that seemed to have a mind of its own, sat, sorting through some papers and humming to herself. She had a gentle voice and a friendly energy, but Alex didn’t trust her. Alex didn’t dislike her, she just couldn’t trust someone who acted as if they cared just “oh, so much.” But Ms. Jones was there to help her- she knew that. She was Alex’s caseworker and had been nothing if not kind to her since her mom had been committed.
Ever since I got her committed.
She stopped that train of thought immediately. There wasn’t much point, thinking about that now.
“Are you okay, Alex?” Ms. Jones asked, noticing Alex’s waning gaze.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Alex lied. She wasn’t, but it’s not like that mattered.
“We’ll be there soon,” Ms. Jones said, trying to sound reassuring. “Your father will be waiting for us at the bus station. I’m sure he’s very excited to meet you.”
“Yeah, sure he is,” Alex muttered under her breath.
Ms. Jones sighed and turned back to the folder on her lap, rifling through the papers.
“Here are some documents I will need you to look over,” she said, handing Alex a few papers. “They’re just formalities. You can look them over now, or we can go over them together once we meet up with your dad.”
Alex took the papers and scanned them briefly. They seemingly covered details about how the transfer would be expected to go and how CPS would follow up to ensure Alex was adjusting well and being taken care of. After skimming the papers for a few minutes and pretending to skim them even longer, Alex passed them back to Ms. Jones, who smiled and slipped them neatly into her folder. Alex gave her a tight-lipped smile in return.
“Thank you, Alex,” she said. “You’ve been very cooperative. I appreciate that.”
“No problem,” Alex said, shrugging and looking away.
Ms. Jones checked her watch and looked out the window.
“We should reach the rest stop in a few minutes,” she said. “Are you hungry? Do you want to get something to eat?”
“No, I’m okay,” Alex said, shaking her head. She couldn’t eat even if she wanted to. Her stomach felt like she had swallowed a brick of lead.
“Well, okay. Maybe later then,” Ms. Jones replied.
“Sure.”
Alex closed her eyes and pressed her head against the window, the pane of glass a little warmer than the air. Everything was just too overwhelming. There were too many noises, too many people. Too many thoughts and feelings were running through her head, not all of them her own. Occasionally, she would catch a glimpse, a fragment of a foreign thought or memory, or a quick stab of a random emotion. It was exhausting. It was painful. Alex wished they would all just shut up and leave her alone.
— — —
The intercom crackled, snapping Alex out of her stupor. The bus driver’s voice came through it, a rich and gravelly sound as if she had been smoking a pack a day since birth. It was weirdly comforting.
“Attention, passengers, we’ll be stopping soon to fuel up and let everyone stretch their legs. Please stay seated until the bus comes to a complete stop,” She intoned in a practiced-if-exasperated cadence. “We will be stopped for twenty-five minutes, and any passenger not on the bus by the time I close the doors will be left behind.”
As the driver spoke, Alex opened her eyes and looked around. They were pulling into the parking lot of some podunk truck stop in some nowhere-town.
“Would it have killed them to stop somewhere a little nicer?” Alex muttered to herself sarcastically.
As the bus rolled to a stop, Ms. Jones tapped Alex on the shoulder.
“Come on, Alex,” she said with a gentle smile. “Let’s go stretch our legs and get some fresh air.”
Alex nodded and followed her to the front of the bus. They stepped off the bus and into the gas station’s parking lot. It was a small, shabby place with a few pumps and a convenience store. An unlit sign read “Tony’s.”
Ms. Jones took out her wallet and handed Alex some money.
“Here, take this,” she said. “At least get yourself a snack or something to drink, okay? I’ll be right back.”
She then marched double-time toward the restroom, leaving Alex alone.
Alex looked at the money in her hand and felt a surge of bitterness. She didn’t need her pity or her charity- she didn’t want it. Stuffing the money in her pocket, she looked around at the people milling about the gas station: a couple of truck drivers filling up their tanks, a family with kids buying snacks at the store, a young woman with a dog sitting on a bench.
Alex wondered what their lives were like. Where were they going? Where did they come from? What sort of things did they care about? What kind of secrets were they keeping?
I could find out…
She glanced back toward the bus. The door was open and the driver was nowhere to be seen. Alex figured she would probably be smoking behind the store.
Walking toward the road, Alex stared at the cars and trucks rushing past along the highway. She could try to flag someone down and hitchhike. Or maybe she could pay someone at the gas station to give her a ride, to take her somewhere else. Somewhere far away from here. She retrieved the crumple bills Ms. Jones gave her from her pocket. Ten bucks. Alex sighed and put the money away. Maybe if she just made a run for it? Alex wondered how long it would take for Ms. Jones to come back.
Alex took another step toward the edge. Then she stopped, hesitating.
“How long would it be before anyone noticed I was gone? Would anyone even care?”
She stared down at the speeding traffic, the creeping realization that she had nowhere else to go pressing on her mind. She had nowhere to go, no one who cared about her, and there was nothing she could do. Nothing except go to Huntington and meet Noah.
She tried to swallow but found her mouth still dry. There wasn’t any point in trying to run away, not anymore.
Resigned, Alex walked back toward the store. She might as well use that ten bucks.
— — —
As she entered, she was greeted by a blast of cold air and a jingling bell. The store was small and cramped, with shelves full of junk food, drinks, magazines, cigarettes, and lottery tickets. A TV mounted on the wall played some news channel.
She wandered around the store, looking at the items with little interest. She didn’t want anything, but she figured that buying something would at least get Ms. Jones off her back. Maybe just a candy bar or a soda.
She picked up a chocolate bar and examined it. A thin film of dust covered the wrapper. It must have been older than she was. Dropping it, she moved to the coolers. She scanned the shelves, but nothing looked good.
She wandered the aisles, eventually picking up a magazine. It was one of those gossip rags that had pictures of celebrities and their scandals. Flipping through it, she saw a headline that read “Hollywood’s Hottest Couples: Who’s In and Who’s Out?” She rolled her eyes and tossed it back on the rack.
She felt the faintest hint of a prickling at the back of her mind, barely an itch. Someone was watching her. Looking up, she saw a girl standing at the other end of the aisle, near the counter. The girl was about Alex’s age, maybe a year or two older. She had long blonde hair that fell in waves over her shoulders, blue eyes that sparkled like diamonds, and a perfect smile that showed off her white teeth. She wore a pink tank top that hugged her curves, denim shorts that showed off her legs, and flip-flops that matched her top. She had a silver necklace around her neck and a gold bracelet on her wrist. She looked like she had stepped out of one of those magazines Alex had just discarded.
The girl was holding a bottle of water and a pack of gum. She smiled at Alex and said, “Hi.”
Alex managed a meek “Hi” before quickly walking away, her cheeks burning red.
She felt like she had just seen everything she wasn’t, someone who was beautiful, confident, and happy.
Alex looked down at herself and felt ashamed. She wore an old T-shirt that was too big, jeans that were too tight, and sneakers that were too worn. Her face was plain; her short brown hair was messy and dull and desperately needed to be cut. She wore no makeup or jewelry except for a cheap watch that barely worked.
She headed towards the restroom at the back of the store. She needed to get away from everyone and everything for a while.
The women's restroom was occupied, so she slipped into the men's room instead, locking the door behind her. The room was small and dirty, with a sink, a toilet, a mirror, and a trash can. There was graffiti on the walls and stains on the floor. It reeked of piss and 409.
She felt exhaustion and despair wash over her and walked over to the sink and turned on the faucet. She splashed water on her face and stared into the mirror. Tired, brown eyes stared back at her. She saw a girl who looked lost and powerless. A girl who had no control over her life. A girl who had no future.
She hated what she saw.
She wished she could change it.
She wished she could change everything.
— — —
Back on the bus, she sat quietly, listening to music on her iPod Nano. It was three more hours before they reached Huntington. Ms. Jones tried making small talk a few times, but Alex wasn’t in the mood. The minutes, hours passed. Alex woke with a start when Ms. Jones shook her, not realizing she had even fallen asleep. At least she didn’t have the dream this time. Small blessing.
“Sorry, Alex, I didn’t mean to startle you. We’re here,” came Ms. Jones’ voice, muffled through Alex’s headphones.
Alex stopped her music, got up, and followed Ms. Jones off the bus, resigned to whatever fate awaited her. The bus station was small and crowded, with only a few benches and ticket counters. The air was thick with the smell of exhaust fumes and stale coffee. Alex looked around at all the people scurrying about. She idly wondered which one of them was her father. Obviously, not the angry mom arguing with the clerk. Not the little boy crashing toy cars together at her feet. Hopefully, it wasn’t the raggedy, older gentleman sleeping with his head on his suitcase. She figured it probably wasn’t the black guy in his early twenties playing games on a DS.
She wondered what he would look like, what he sounded like, what he acted like. She almost started to wonder if he would be anything like her mom but stopped herself, digging her nails into her palms.
Ms. Jones took out her phone and loaded a picture of Alex’s father. She scanned the crowd for his face, looking anxious. The older woman showed the picture to Alex and asked her to help look for him.
A wave of disappointment crashed into Alex when she saw it. He was a middle-aged man with brown hair and blue eyes. He had a scruffy beard and a crooked smile. He wore a work jacket and a faded blue Baltimore Ravens baseball cap. He looked like a loser.
“See him yet?” Ms. Jones asked after a few minutes of searching.
“Nope,” Alex said, shaking her head.
“Well, he was supposed to meet us here at the station,” Ms. Jones said, looking displeased. “-holding a sign with your name on it.”
Alex looked around again but didn’t see anyone with a sign. “Maybe he’s late,” Alex said, secretly hoping he wouldn’t show.
“Maybe,” Ms. Jones said, sounding doubtful.
Ms. Jones sighed and put away her phone. She put her hand on Alex’s shoulder with a gentle squeeze.
“Hey,” she said softly, “how are you feeling? Are you okay? Are you nervous?”
Alex shrugged off Ms. Jones’ hand and looked away.
“I'm fine,” she said, maybe a little too irritably.
Ms. Jones frowned and tried again.
“Alex, I know this is hard for you. Believe me. I know you’ve been through a lot. But this is a chance for you to start over. To have a family again.”
Something in Alex snapped.
“A family!? Do you really think I’m gonna live a Brady Bunch life with this guy? He left before I was even born! He didn’t even know I existed until, what? A few weeks ago?”
Ms. Jones opened her mouth to say something, but Alex cut her off.
“Just stop it,” she said bitterly. “I don’t wanna hear your promises about how I’m gonna have this perfect fairytale life from now on, okay? I’m just so sick of everyone lying to me!”
Ms. Jones closed her mouth and looked hurt.
“Alex,” she said softly. “I’m not lying to you. Please, just trust me on that. I won’t promise that everything is gonna be okay from now on ‘cause I have no idea how it’ll turn out. But you’re one of the toughest kids I know, Alex, and I know how much you’ve been hurt. You deserve a chance to start over and have an easy life, and this guy might be able to give you that. He signed the paperwork saying he wanted to be your parent, so can you at least give him a chance to try?”
Alex felt her rage falter like a rug had been pulled out from beneath her. It was weird to hear Ms. Jones speak so honestly, and it had disarmed her. Alex felt a little embarrassed- ashamed, really.
“I’m… I’m sorry,” Alex sputtered out with a sigh. “You’re right.”
“And if he turns out to be a jerk, I’ll let you help me kick his ass, okay?” Ms. Jones said with a conspiratorial smile. “We got a deal?”
“Deal,” replied Alex, with her own small smile.
“Now, where the hell is he?” huffed Ms. Jones as she began to look around again.
“Maybe he died,” Alex said with a wicked smirk and a shrug.
Ms. Jones grimaced and shook her head. She checked her phone, noticing a missed call from her office. She hurriedly punched in a phone number and hit the call button. A staticky voice picked up on the other end. Alex couldn’t hear what the other agent was saying, but she could tell by Ms. Jones’ expression that it wasn’t good news.
The older woman frowned and began to pace. Alex only heard Ms. Jones’s side of the conversation, “What? How? Why? Oh, gosh. What do we do now? Another placement? Okay. Alright. Thank you, I’ll talk to her..”
She ended the call and looked at Alex with a sad and sorry smile.
“Alex,” she said, taking a deep breath. “I have some bad news.”

Chapter 2: Noah

A hateful sound, like that of a tone-deaf bell with a personal vendetta, jolted Noah awake. He shot up and immediately regretted it when a searing headache threatened to split his head open. Vertigo overtook him, and he had to fight down… whatever he had eaten last night. A barbed wire and sour milk stew? That was his best guess, based on the pain in his gut. He heaved. With his eyes shut so tight that it started to hurt, Noah took a very, very deep breath.
And then another.
And then another.
Slowly, he tried to open his eyes. Why am I on the ground? Noah blinked away the spots, rotating his head at a glacial pace. When his eyes finally focused, he saw Doris, a plump, older woman who worked at the-
Shit.
He finally noticed the metal bars separating him and Doris. Judging by the way she swiveled her head and smiled, Doris had noticed him noticing the bars. She took a satisfied sip from her big, metal mug. She had a glossy name badge hanging from a Bengals lanyard that read “Dispatcher.” Noah squinted when it caught the light.
“Heeyy, you. You finally awake? Get enough beauty rest?” She asked in her lilting, sing-song tone, which Noah learned long ago meant she was being condescending.
“Doris. What the hell happened?” Noah asked as he gently shifted to a sitting position. “What time is it?”
“It’s just after nine.” She answered. Then with a snort, she added: “And you got your ass beat, that’s what happened.”
“That doesn’t sound like me,” Noah said with a small laugh.
Then the amusement left her eyes. A frown settled on her face as she tilted her head ever so slightly upward. “What the hell, Noah? Why are you here?”
“I- I don’t know,” Noah shook his head. Bad idea. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean is: you’re a thirty-four-year-old man, not some frat boy, so why the hell are you getting into bar fights?”
Oooohh…
The previous night’s events slowly returned to him, meandering through his hazy mind. He had gone out drinking, and a fight broke out. He had been hit, so he hit back. And then he got hit again. And again. Which probably explained why everything hurt so much.
“It wasn’t my fault- some asshole punched me. I was just defending myself.”
“Yeah, I know. Bill and them got the security footage about two hours ago,” Doris huffed, seeming annoyed.
Bill was the local police chief, a pudgy, straight-laced kinda guy. Noah didn’t strictly dislike Bill. He knew the man was just doing his job, but he also knew he and Bill wouldn’t be sharing a milkshake with two straws anytime soon.
Doris continued: “They watched the video, took a statement from anyone sober enough to talk, and booked the guys who started the brawl. Everyone else is getting processed out.”
“What about me?” Asked Noah as he wiggled, trying to crack his spine.
“You’re toward the bottom of the list, and they’re short-staffed today, so it’s gonna be awhile.” Her demeanor softened. After a short pause, she sighed and added: “I’ll let ‘em know you’re awake. Someone will grab you and take your statement.”
“Thanks, Doris. Have I ever told you how much I love and appreciate you?” Noah teased.
Doris frowned, and Noah got the sinking feeling he had just made a mistake.
“Didn’t you have something important to do today?” She asked with a chiding undertone.
“What? No. I don’t think-” Then the memory resurfaced and hit Noah like a brick.
Shit.
“Shit.” Blurted Noah as he scrambled to his feet and to the bars. “Shit. Shitshitshitshitshit! Doris, I fucked up. You gotta let me outta here!”
“You know I can’t do that, Noah,” Doris said, flinching when Noah grabbed the bars. “Why? What’s going on?”
“My kid! I was supposed to pick up my kid today!” Noah shouted. He slowly sank to the ground, muttering to himself. “Oh, my god. Doris. Oh my god, this isn’t good. I’m so screwed.”
— — —
Noah stared down the clock on the wall, and the clock stared back, ticking, unblinking. A tiny part of Noah’s mind acknowledged how this felt like one of those stand-offs from old cowboy movies. If the rest of his mind hadn’t been focusing on stopping him from blowing a hole in the wall and running away, he probably would have been screaming his head off, trying to get someone to let him out.
Instead, Noah sat and waited. And waited. Watching the seconds tick slower just to spite him. He was seated on the bench, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped in front of his mouth.
submitted by WriterJSLynch to u/WriterJSLynch [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 22:58 magick1250 Bridal Shower Ambush for JNMIL's son

Hi all!
I was invited by SO's Aunt to go to their Grandma's bridal shower. She's getting remarried and I'm honestly very happy for her! They've been sweet to me, especially the aunt from the last dinner party.
On the day of the bridal shower, my SO asked if he could come along and drive down with me so I could drop him off at his cousin's to hang out. It's been a minute since it was just the two guys together. We drove into town 2 hours away and I dropped him off. Our plan was when the bridal shower was over, I pick him up from his cousin's house and we go back home that same night. After dropping him off, I arrived at the bridal shower. I was happily greeted by everyone- and given a wave and a "Hi" by JNMIL. Things seemed to go peacefully.
We started opening gifts and JNMIL was at the front sitting next to her mother, SO's grandma. Once Grandma received my present, JNMIL started to open the flood gates. Talking about how she missed SO so badly, how big of a man he is (he is 6'4). His Aunt replied "aww.." in the silence because no one really knew what to say.
She started going on about how feeling her body next to him was like touching his belly button because she is so short. She looked at me and said "you're tall, so you probably don't get the same feeling" Everyone started staring at me. I didn't know what to say, it was so awkwardly dead silent.
Oddly, she wanted to take a picture of the two of us to send to her man. I thought to myself "She finally has a guy to latch onto other than SO!! Yay!!" Nope lol. She said "her man" as I watched her send the photo to my SO on imessage. She tapped on my shoulder and waved her hand to the food on the table. Told me to go make "her man" a plate to bring home. She did not fail to repeat this, multiple times. I'm doing my best to keep the peace and not just walk out, for SO's Grandma.
This is where it got out of hand. I was on my way out and saying goodbye to his Aunt. I thought I was in the clear and I let it slip that I'm picking up SO at Cousin X's place. You could hear a pin drop and JNMIL ran to me. She almost was at the point of yelling: "SO's THERE??? HE IS THERE?? OMG" Her savior was in town!!! (from my old post) lol
I knew I fucked up and I immediately texted SO. There was still at least 15 people at this bridal shower when I was getting ready to walk out of the door. I guess it was practically over once I said this. I said goodbye again and was on my way to pick him up.
His city is still unfamilar to me and I didn't know the best routes. I just took what GPS said to do. I stopped by the gas station for a few snacks (besides the plate I made) for SO and filled the tank for our drive home.
I arrive at his cousin's and notice 3+ cars there, including JNMIL and his Grandma. How his family beat me there, I will never know. They had a party still at their house when I left. They were packed into Cousin X's place, sitting on the couch with SO. It didn't seem like his cousin was prepared for more than just SO to be there at all. Cousin was sitting at his dining table on his phone. SO didn't want to have a huge get-together, he only wanted to be with his cousin that day. He especially did not want people uninvited to another person's home.
Apparently, SO said that JNMIL and family knocked and his cousin felt obligated to let them in. I didn't stay longer than 5 minutes to pick SO up. It felt like I was ripping SO away from her arms. It was already late, I wanted to drive home, and I felt 200x more exhausted (and confused? i guess they told everyone to go home?. We exited and JNMIL left almost immediately after. SO texted his cousin at the car to apologize, but still so embarrassed about it. Whatever.. rant over!
submitted by magick1250 to JUSTNOMIL [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 22:56 Doesntknowhowtofight 3 people in solos simultaneously doing a Nuke contract after not needing any wins. What a slap in the face to some of the most committed players.

3 people in solos simultaneously doing a Nuke contract after not needing any wins. What a slap in the face to some of the most committed players. submitted by Doesntknowhowtofight to CODWarzone [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 22:55 TopRealz Enlan M025, the $13 EDC

Enlan M025, the $13 EDC
Ordered this guy from AliExpress after seeing a review here for another Enlan model. Prior to that I wasn’t really aware of the brand. Anyway I waited the amount of time you wait when you order direct from China and pay $2 for S&H to the States and then I had it in hand
It’s a small, but I’d say very reasonable sized EDC, with a 2 13/16” (72mm) blade and a 3 13/16” (97mm) closed length. It’s very close to the dimensions of most of the ‘3/4/7’ pocketknives I carry for daily use. It sports a very grippy G10 handle with full steel liners (not nested) and additional texturing milled into the scales —plus chamfering all the way round. The 8Cr13MoV blade is something of a cross between a sheepsfoot and a drop point, with a swedge and a fairly high flat grind. The stock is right about .10” thick so despite the geometry not being ‘super slicey’ the blade still slices well. It also pierces effectively even though the point is below the centerline of the handle. Both edge and point seem to walk a good balance between being fine and robust enough for harder use
It has a single-position clip, oriented for tip down carry (meh) but it is a sturdy one that functioned well right out of the box. It’s got a nice finish as well and doesn’t feel flimsy or look ‘chintzy’. And most importantly it will last, not scratch off like a painted black or bead blast finish
Similarly both the action and sharpness were very good out of the box. It was shaving sharp, though I did keen it up a little as I find many factory edges to be over-polished even when razor sharp. They seem to have done a good job with the heat treat as it easily takes and holds a keen edge that bites into material at the slightest touch
The pivot uses a combination of phosphor bronze and nylon washers (looks like PB on one side and nylon on the other). It has a very smooth and easy action using the nicely machined, and reversible, thumbstud. Detent is light but you can flick it out nicely, though I found myself preferring a fast slow-roll given how light and small the blade is. It locks up very solidly. Like, this is one of the more robust liner locks I’ve ever handled. The (fairly thick) liner springs into full contact with the tang but stays ‘early’ giving plenty of room for wear. There is no play whatsoever in any direction. Oh,, and the blade is perfectly centered when closed
Really the whole thing is put together like the folks who made it knew what they were doing, and cared. It isn’t a flashy knife at all and does look “budget” especially in its simplicity. But it also looks and feels like it will last a long time and put up with some pretty rough use. I was impressed to see where their priorities lie here. It’s kind of the opposite of the infamous “gas station knife”. Or rather, this is the kind of knife I’d like to see them selling at gas stations instead. Not sure what retail price I’d put on it as it’s value in a western market. But is it worth $13? Oh heck yes.
submitted by TopRealz to knives [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 22:48 Lazy_Mouse3803 Altercation turns physical at a Mapco gas station in Franklin KY.

Altercation turns physical at a Mapco gas station in Franklin KY. submitted by Lazy_Mouse3803 to PublicFreakout [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 22:42 Individual_Oil_2435 Spotted this yellow fellow at the gas station.

Spotted this yellow fellow at the gas station. submitted by Individual_Oil_2435 to JDM [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 22:40 This_Description_445 AITA for expecting to be celebrated?

My husband and I have been together for a total of 10 years. He knows me better than anyone but is lazy/doesn’t put any thought or planning when it comes to special occasions - birthdays, anniversaries, Mothers Day, etc.
I realize celebrations and days like that are not special to everyone but I’ve always made it a point - in a non pushy/naggy way - to let him know those days ARE very important to me. I consider myself a very chill person who doesn’t ask or expect much from anyone but this is my husband and after years of disappointment, I’m starting to get really frustrated.
I have a big birthday coming up and he’s done nothing to plan it. It’s two months away and I’ve made it very clear that I’d love to get away. We’re tight on money right now which I’m very much aware of and it doesn’t have to be something pricey. He didn’t get me anything for Mothers Day (he did however take my son out for most of the day so I could get some rest and had breakfast delivered to me), nothing for Christmas. Again, we’re tight on money and the money we would spend on each other, we’d rather spend on our son but even the smallest attempt would mean a lot to me. For example, for Christmas I got him new house slippers and rechargeable batteries (not exactly fun but needed) because I wanted him to have SOMETHING to open that day. For Fathers Day, I’m getting him a shirt and hat that say “Best Dad” from “our son” - he’s 3 so he’s definitely not paying - and I’m going to take him out to a nice dinner. I was going to get him a massage but since he does the least for me on these days, I’m holding off. I’m not usually tit for tat but again, he’s kind of starting to piss me off.
I make these days big and special for everyone around me, I’ve let him know gifts are my love language (it can literally be a Kit Kat from the gas station) and yet still. I have to let it be known he’s not a horrible human or I wouldn’t be with him. He’s very supportive, nurturing and an amazing parent and equal partner. I honestly hate even having to “remind” him of these things as it takes away from the specialness of it all. I’ve talked to him about this. I’m not a yeller and I don’t do guilt trips but I told him it really hurts me when these days go by like any other day. He always feels bad about it and when the day comes he’ll tell me how bad he feels that he couldn’t afford to do something for me and promises next year will be better but these days come year after year and nothing.
I know he’s not a planner but after years of seeing your significant other being disappointed and not celebrated, maybe plan ahead? How would you go about this?? Planning it myself is not what I mean either.
submitted by This_Description_445 to AmItheAsshole [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 22:37 Halla24 Gas station lighter from the first game in Sons of the forest

I've felt that the new purple lighters in Sons of the forest feel a little out of place. It makes sense for them to be the lighter you spawn with since it fits the Puffcorp kit but i would however like to see the old gas station lighter back as an item you can find and swap with the standard lighter in the same way that you can set the flashlight to the L key. I think it made the first games caves alot more eerie and "neutral" compared to the purple light. Am i the only one thinking this?
submitted by Halla24 to SonsOfTheForest [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 22:31 Rubber-tree JC Robbery Update - JCPD: 2 charged with murder in death of gas station clerk

submitted by Rubber-tree to tricities [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 22:26 ToastysignalRTD Who has noticed the increased prices on drinks?

A Mountain Dew at a gas station is $2.70. Just 2021 they were $2.30. I remember back in the late 2000’s they were $1.30 and everybody thought that was high.
submitted by ToastysignalRTD to mountaindew [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 22:24 charlottethegoat Thank you fine shopkeepers of Burlington with community boards!

I was out promoting the Vermont Pro Wrestling Entertainment show in the ONE next Saturday and everyone I chatted with was so kind. Most places were happy to put up a flyer and wished me luck making my debut in the ring. Maybe they'll show up?!
Everyone knows someone who likes wrestling, it was nice to be so well received. Thanks to Henry St, CrossFit, City Market, Bessery's, Handy's Lunch, Dot's, NOMAD, Switchback, and shoutout to the cool gas stations.
submitted by charlottethegoat to burlington [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 22:21 gurukulofcivil What is Tunnel Engineering and Tunnel Design? 7 Important Points

Table of Contents
What is Tunnel Engineering?
What is the purpose of the Tunnel?
What is Tunnel design?
What is the well-known tunnel design Software?
What are the methods of Tunneling?
Cut and Cover Method
Bored Tunnel Method
Clay Kicking Method
Shaft Method of Tunnel Construction
Pipe Jacking Method
What are the different types of tunnels?
Tunnel for traffic
Tunnel for Hydropower
Tunnel for Public Utility

What is Tunnel Engineering?

Underground construction and tunnel engineering are genuinely interdisciplinary processes, requiring knowledge and skills from civil engineering, geological engineering, and mining engineering, as well as mechanical engineering, geophysics, electrical engineering, geology, etc.
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Students must learn to design, build, rehabilitate, and maintain structures peculiar to the underground space, and the use of tunnels for commercial, transportation, water, wastewater, and utility, etc in addition to typical construction procedures.

What is the purpose of the Tunnel?

Tunnels are passages beneath the ground that are utilized for transportation. They might be used to transport freight and passengers, as well as water and sewage. Beyond a certain depth, tunnels are more cost-effective than open cuttings. During the construction stage, tunnels normally undisturbed the surface activities like live traffic, open recreational activities, etc.
Tunnels are considered to be less expensive than bridges or open steep earthwork cuttings for highway projects or transporting public utility services such as water and wastewater or gas line. The inability of these structures to be built out of natural resources such as rock and soil leads to their failure.
Geological factors are expected to play a significant effect on their long-term stability. Aspects that are extremely important are such as ground and sub-ground conditions, construction sequencing, construction period, construction cost, etc. All these factors play a very important role in determining the feasibility of a tunnel project.
Read More:
What is Earthquake Resistant Building Structure? 8 Important Points
What is the Function of Bridge Foundation or Pier and its Types? 5 Important Points

What is Tunnel design?

Accepting the inherent ambiguity linked with subterranean conditions that can be defined but never really known is a prerequisite for the tunnel design and construction process.
A typical tunnel project starts from the exploration of suitable ground conditions and then testing the engineering parameters, then moves to the selection process of tunnel excavation methods, then moves to the development of liner design parameters, and estimating surface settlements, and finally covers their effects on adjacent structures.
It uses various case studies of successfully executed completed projects to frame out the risks and mitigation strategies, lesson learned activities for the proposed project.

What is the well-known tunnel design Software?

📷

What are the methods of Tunneling?

Cut and Cover Method

Shallow tunnels are often built using the cut and cover method of tunnel construction. This approach involves excavating a trench in the ground and covering it with support capable of supporting the load. There are two methods for the cut and cover method. One is the bottom-up method, in which a tunnel is excavated beneath the surface and supported by the ground.
Another way is the top-down method, in which the side support walls are built first, either via slurry walling or contiguous bored piling. The roof is then installed on top of the walls, and excavation is completed. Finally, the base slab is built. The majority of underground metro rail stations are built utilizing the cut-and-cover approach.

Bored Tunnel Method

The method of using a bored tunnel is cutting-edge expertise. Tunnel boring machines are used for this method, which works automatically and makes the entire tunnelling procedure easier. It is also a more efficient and effective way of tunnel construction in urban, heavy trafficked locations where traffic diversion, and traffic management during construction is a highly difficult and expensive task.
Tunnel boring machines (TBMs) come in a variety of shapes and sizes to meet various ground conditions. These machines can work in challenging environments, such as below the water table. TBM can work in below-water-table circumstances because of a specific pressurized container.

Clay Kicking Method

This procedure is utilized when there is a lot of clay in the soil. This is a traditional approach that is still used for little jobs such as installing sewage pipes. In this procedure, a hole is dug into the earth, and then a depth tunnel is constructed by the clay kicker, which is mounted on a plank at a 450 angle. Under the clay kicker foot, there is a digging tool.
This is well-known since it was the method employed by Englishmen during World War I to bury mines.
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Shaft Method of Tunnel Construction

In this method, the tunnel is constructed at a greater depth from the ground surface. The shaft is placed to a depth where the tunnel is required. The shaft is a long-term construction that works well with concrete walls. TBMs are deployed to excavate tunnels to the appropriate depth.
Tunnels have shafts at both ends. If the tunnel is excessively long, intermediate shafts are constructed. These shafts can be utilized for ventilation purposes and for emergency exits once the construction of the tunnel is completed.

Pipe Jacking Method

The pipe jacking method is recommended to build tunnels beneath existing facilities such as roads and railways. Hydraulic jacks are deployed to drive specifically designed pipes into the ground. Tunnels can have a maximum diameter of 3.2 meters.

What are the different types of tunnels?

Tunnels can be grouped into three main categories based on their intended use:

Tunnel for traffic

Tunnels are constructed to transfer traffic load from surface to subsurface channels for a brief period of time in order to facilitate congestion-free traffic movements. Traffic tunnels are structures that allow traffic to move at a chosen pace, with optimum ease, and at a minimal cost.
There are three types of traffic tunnels:

Tunnel for Hydropower

These tunnels are constructed for hydropower generating, as the name suggests. They are hammered into rocks, allowing gravity to convey the water.

Tunnel for Public Utility

These tunnels are constructed for a specific function, such as the disposal of municipal trash, the transportation of pipelines, cables, and oil supplies, as well as water. In today's heavily populated cosmopolitan cities, they are also constructed for underground parking and storage.
Tunnel Engineering online courses Being a unique engineering discipline, Tunnel Engineering courses are expensive and are very few available in the market. Following are some well-known courses in Tunnel Engineering:
Gcelab.com also offers a unique Tunnel Engineering online course. The course covers various key aspects of Tunnel Engineering and assists the student to learn Tunnel Engineering and move forward in the right direction to make Tunnel engineering an aspiring career option.
I hope this blog offers you adequate information about Tunnel Engineering and Tunnel Design.
Please feel free to like, share and comment about it.
Admin, gcelab.com Please see our Pillar Post to know why we founded gcelab.com.
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2023.06.07 22:09 Collapse2038 Highway 4 detour

Highway 4 remains closed at Cameron Lake Bluff due to wildfire affecting the area.
A detour is in place and drivers are strongly encouraged to avoid travel in the area unless essential.
The detour will route traffic from Port Alberni through to Lake Cowichan via Bamfield using forest-service and privately owned industrial roads. The gravel detour route has narrow sections, sharp curves, single-lane bridges and challenging terrain. There is no cell service, gas stations or washroom facilities on the detour route.
Regular passenger vehicles, such as cars, vans and commercial vehicles weighing less than 14,500 kilograms, can travel through the detour corridor. No over-height or over-weight vehicles will be permitted.
The detour route extends travel by four hours and includes difficult driving conditions. It is strongly encouraged to wait to travel if possible.
For drivers who must travel for essential purposes, the Province urges preparation and patience. Drivers should fuel up, bring extra supplies, food and water to be prepared for the high temperatures at this time of year, and note that conditions can change quickly. Drivers are encouraged to plan trips during daylight hours and to drive with caution.
Detour signage and traffic-control personnel will direct travellers through the detour at key decision points. Government staff and maintenance contractors will regularly patrol the detour to assist motorists if required.
Information checkpoints for travellers will be set up at Youbou Road near Lake Cowichan and at Highway 4 at Aspeden Road near Port Alberni.
A map of the detour route will be available through an Emergency Travel Information button on the DriveBC homepage to help travellers make an informed decision about using the detour route. Drivers are reminded to use caution and respect the direction of traffic-control personnel in the area.
For up-to-date information about driving conditions, visit: https://www.DriveBC.ca
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2023.06.07 22:08 Hunterthehusky Ferrari 458 ended up in a laser scan we did for a Shell gas station

Ferrari 458 ended up in a laser scan we did for a Shell gas station submitted by Hunterthehusky to Ferrari [link] [comments]


2023.06.07 21:59 PritchettRobert506 [HIRING] 25 Jobs in NH Hiring Now!

Company Name Title City
Town of Durham Administrative Assistant Durham
MCCLURE, RON Carpenter Bedford
MCCLURE, RON Carpenter Bennington
MCCLURE, RON Formsetter Bennington
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp) Baker, 2nd Shift - Bedford, NH Bedford
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp) Baker, 2nd Shift - Derry Derry
L.L.Bean Store Team Leader - Operations & Productivity Dover
UniFirst Maintenance Technician I - UniFirst ($5,000 Sign On) Lebanon
UniFirst Maintenance Supervisor - UniFirst ($5,000 Sign On) Lebanon
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp) Baker, 2nd Shift - West Lebanon, NH Lebanon
Walmart Cart Retrieval Littleton
Walmart Retail Team Member Littleton
Walmart Janitor Littleton
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp) Baker, 2nd Shift - Salem, NH Manchester
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp) Baker, 2nd Shift - Nashua Nashua
L.L.Bean Keyholder North Hampton
L.L.Bean Store Supervisor North Hampton
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp) Baker, 2nd Shift - Plaistow, NH Plaistow
The Middlesex Corporation Foreman - Pile Driver (Req #: 1420) Portsmouth
Panera Bread (PR Management Corp) Car Hop Salem
Walmart Shopper West Lebanon
Walmart Cashier West Lebanon
Walmart Janitor West Lebanon
Walmart Janitor Woodsville
Walmart Cashier Woodsville
Hey guys, here are some recent job openings in nh. Feel free to comment here or send me a private message if you have any questions, I'm at the community's disposal! If you encounter any problems with any of these job openings please let me know that I will modify the table accordingly. Thanks!
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