8501 west 95th street

Just moved to Chippendale near Redfern in November. Found a shockingly affordable one bedroom rental apt, walking distance to Victoria Park, great community and area for a single professional like myself. Apart from the abundance of street rubbish, living next to Redfern is nothing like the crime infested ghetto that my Australian friends prepared me for. I walk through Redfern every week to get coffee and these days it's very pleasant.
Unfortunately, the downsides have only become apparent the past few weeks: giant aggressive pitbulls with terrible problematic owners. This may have nothing to do with the neighborhood, but it wasn't as much of a problem where I used to live in the Inner West.
This morning, for the third time in as many weeks, we passed another guy struggling to control his gargantuan pitbull that was clearly ready to eat my little cocker spaniel mix. There is a standard look for these owners: neck tattoos or an overabundance of tattoos in some regard, less than a full shirt, vaping in crowded areas like outside of a coffee shop, very often gauged out ear piercings for some reason, flat brim hats are popular.
This guy was clearly very strong, but he was still barely able to hold his dog as it pulled to get closer to us while growling and drooling. Naturally, he had the cocky smirk of someone who thinks this situation made him look cool, instead of the more human-being acknowledgement that his dog is a problem and the embarrassment at having brought his attack dog to an area with other dogs and small children.
The worst part about these interactions is that the pitbull owners love to stand there pulling on the lead, putting the onus on everyone else to move away, instead of immediately taking his dog out of the area. It's like it's everyone else's fault not wanting to be attacked.
Unfortunately, after getting a coffee and taking a different route home I saw him again, this time struggling to get the pitbull into the front of his house only a block from my place. So we'll probably run into them again as long as I'm living here.
I wrote down his address and I'm going to report him as having a dangerous dog to whoever I can report it to. I'm also going to keep reporting him and every other similar dog I see as much as I can from now on. It's absolutely insane that I have to fear being attacked, not by stray dogs or wild animals, but by dogs owned by other people who deliberately choose to bring their dangerous animals to populated areas.
Let me be clear if you are one of these people: I will report you and your dog from now on without hesitation, and I hope your dog gets taken away. I do not give a flying fuck about you. The second you are putting myself and my dog in physical danger, and you don't give any indication that you understand the problem, you can get fucked.
When this guy was pushing his dog through his front gate with his knees, it almost got out. If that thing gets out, my dog is dead. Period. It would be over in 5 seconds.
Honestly, my pup is the only thing that keeps me going on some days. He's my whole world. If he was attacked by another dog and severely injured or killed, I really don't know if I could handle it. It's a nightmare to even think about, and this morning the only thing stopping that nightmare from becoming reality were the tattooed knees of some douchebag who thinks it's funny.
I'm not interested in any debate about pitties from the enthusiasts who want to insist there is nothing that can be done. You don't need to tell me it was "probably a staffie mix", it was a pittie. A big one with it's ears clipped. I'm not a moron, we all know what a pitbull is. And it really doesn't matter what the breed is. I've seen rottweilers and French mastiffs that are just as problematic. The issue is how to manage encounters with dangerous dogs, and the coincidence is that all of the ones I've run into in my neighborhood (and 99% of the ones I've run into throughout my life) just happen to look like pitbulls.
If you read this post and think to yourself that the real problem here is the stigma against pitbulls, then your problem is with the shitty owners like this who create the stigma, not the rest of us who just want to go about our day without fearing a violent attack. "It's the owners, not the dog." No shit. I'm not judging the dog's morals. For whatever reasons, there is a subset of humanity that thinks they are badass if they own a dangerous dog, and pitbulls happen to be their breed of choice. We all know which breed is filling up rescue centres, and which breed is the number one choice of dogfighters, and which breed every meathead with a TapouT shirt wants to own.
So what can I do to prepare when one of these monsters gets loose and does attack us? I've read that rubbing alcohol on a dogs nose will get them to release their grip, so I'm planning to carry a small bottle in my pocket. I've also learned that putting a dog in a chokehold will cause them to pass out and release the bite fairly quickly. Ideally, I'd like to know if there are any good tips for preventing the bite in the first place? Thanks.
TL;DR: What are some tips for keeping my dog and myself safe if & when we are attacked by a large, aggressive dog? I've heard rubbing alcohol and placing the aggressive dog in a chokehold can help stop an ongoing attack. Second to that, how good are animal control authorities or the police in Australia at dealing with reports of dangerous dogs? Is there anything else I can be doing now, before we get attacked, to help make the neighborhood and my dog a bit safer?

Ordered long line ladies cardigan, total cost £21 90. Had txt said tracking wanted me to join to get tracking app of course for fee. Money taken from my account. 8th March. 2023.
Read full report here

[F4F] Novella style RP for WLW!
Hey, come with a plot idea or inkling. I'll help collaborate with the plot idea, but having to brainstorm a plot with y'all is like pulling teeth. also please stop sending me dms asking if i'm still looking- just assume! I'm looking for a novella-style RP please!
SEND ME A SAMPLE FIRST.
I'm looking for an adv. literate roleplay involving my favorite trope: enemies to lovers! I just love characters who both loathe and reluctantly admire each other. I want them to be abrasive and even terrible to each other in the beginning and fall in love and ultimately get a bit of some softness as the roleplay progresses. I don't want your sweet, cinnamon roll romance. Give me a female character who is trying to decide if she wants to kiss or kill my character. No cutesy, weak women characters. Scheming femme fatales are one of my favorite types of women.
I also really love age and class differences associated with our characters. I'm a sucker for an older woman characters who drink expensive bourbon cocktail parties and having to deal with a rather inexperienced and impulsive street kid for example.
I am an advanced literate woman who wants some good characters and good writing (I generally write 3-5 paragraphs). I have years of experience and I want someone who is willing to plan and be active (make up side characters without asking input, make up lore, help plan and push the plot along). I'm very much a planning person and would prefer lot of OOC back and forth.
Additionally, I only roleplay over Discord and in 3rd Person. I will ask for a sample! Do not be offended.
I'm only searching for FxF.
Pitch me your plot but note that I despise Slice of Life and anything Realistic. Usually fantasy (I prefer low), historical, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi, etc.
Pitch me a plot!
Craving a Witcher RP or a Witcher Inspired RP

1. WitcheWitcher (Two monster hunters from different schools fall in love?)
2. WitcheSorceress (A witcher and a powerful sorceress work together to kill a king?)

Craving an Assassin Creed RP

1. Like the Odyssey/Valhalla/Ezio Trilogy Setting (OC's only)

Craving a On a Leash RP

1. Super niche, but if you read the manga, hit me up >_>

Craving a Wild West RP

1. A certain lady of the night and a gunslinger having to protect the town from a rival gang

Craving a Grey's Anatomy-esque RP

1. Two rival doctors who kinda hate each other but are also kinda attracted to each other

Craving a cyberpunk RP

1. A corpo and a street kid have to figure out how to pull an impossible heist

Craving a lycan x vampire Plot! (I want to be a lycan!)

1. An awkward blind date leads to something more.

Craving a weird Dark Souls/Elden Ring/Bloodborne/From Software RP

1. Basically a demi-god character that has to face a lone mortal many, many times because the mortal can resurrect.

Fallout New Vegas

1. Two NCR rangers - bitter rivals- find themselves fighting a common enemy.

Dragon Age

1. Orlesian Knight x Fereldan Knight during the Orlesian occupation
2. Dalish Warden x Human Noble Warden
3. Mage x Templar
4. Fem! Cullen x Warden or Inquisitor
5. Fem! Solas x Inquisitor
6. Pitch me a plot

Craving an ASOIAF plot

1. A princess x hedge knight?

I'm also into F! Canon x OC especially for any movies/games/or anything- an AU! of a plot

1. F! Rick O' Conner x Evie
2. Fem! Anakin Skywalker x Padme

I'm still very new to DnD but I like trying to immerse myself into a character with a solid backstory & have had a bash at a backstory for a new character I'm looking to play. A Human Paladin (branching into Oath-breaker)
My name is Ander-siggurdsen Eriksson, Anders for short and until recently I held the position of chief Lieutenant of the 'Immortals', a mercenary warband led by Valrius, a vicious and cunning being if ever you saw one & the men called him 'The Red Saint', on account of his love for violence and was something I suspect he was proud of.
My story began like most other unfortunates born into poverty, a life learning to survive on the streets and eeking out whatever semblance of happiness and comfort we could find, always opportunistic and on the look-out for an easy score, or easy target to rob in the darkened alleys of the city. I was around 17-18 when I first met Valrius while walking home one evening, I was cornered by three men, one of who has recognized me as being the one to have lifted his coin purse the day before and were now pressing and shoving me further towards an alleyway while laughing in a mocking tone about how I would pay & the torment I was about to be subjected to, when I heard a very calm, confident & deep voice from behind the three men simply say "Three on one's not a very fair fight now boys is it?" and as the three men turned to view who spoke the words I watched dumbfounded as this newcomer swing a mighty right hook knocking one man clean out cold, my gaze following his fall as his face slammed into the wall and grazed painfully down the course stone stripping skin and leaving a trail of blood as he went. Just as soon as my gaze swung back up, an uppercut sent a second man momentarily airborne before he too crashed heavily to the ground, all apparently happening in a mere heartbeat of time.
As we both turned to watch the third man flee into the alley, turning to this youth who couldn't of been much more than three to four years my senior, I offered my thanks and sticking out my hand he said, "Nice to meet you Ander-Siggurdsen, I'm Valrius, fancy a drink?" and so a great friendship was born, growing closer over the coming weeks and spending more time together, working along with several dozen other youths we knew, we formed a semblance of an organized gang 'The West End Bandits' we called ourselves, stupid looking back at it now, but we were fearless and proud, providing protection for the needy and taking from the rich and so this continued for the best part of ten years until one evening Valrius, myself and a handful of other senior gang members were sat around a table in a backroom of a tavern with Valrius having called a meeting several days prior and none of us having any inclination as to why or the intentions behind it, many of us slightly nervous as over the past few Months, Valrius had developed a dangerous short temper and was prone to uncontrollable fits of rage and violence for the smallest things including breaking a chair over the back of a youth no more than 14 summers old and then smashing his kneecap with the broken leg all because the youth had spilled a flask of wine on his shirt while filling his glass, we had known and worked with Valrius for years by now and he had saved our skins many times before, so we simply put it down to the stress of being the boss and didn't dare press him on the matter, our anxiety rising as we sat in silence awaiting Valrius to make his appearance.
Entering the room Valrius moved around the table slowly, taking time to place a hand on each mans shoulder as he started to speak, an eerie smile dancing on his lips, "Brothers, for years now we have worked together, forging strength in numbers and securing ourselves a life befitting that of even the nobles themselves, our loyalty to each other and 'The West End Bandits' has ensured no one within the city walls would dare even speak ill of our name, however it is not enough... I have recently come to see great potential within us and the strength we bring as a collective and the time is now Brothers, the time is now!", with his hand falling on my shoulder at these final words.
Valrius proceeded to lay out his vision and plans, all of us to a man entranced by his charisma and force of will as not a pin drop could be heard besides the charismatic trance of the words spilling from his mouth, eager eyes shining with greed and silent nods of consent growing in unison as the crescendo of the moment reached its climax as roars of excitement and echoes of support rang out around the room, I am ashamed now to admit I was one of the loudest in support of Valrius but at the time it did not feel there any other choice in the matter and with hindsight looking back, I am unsure whether we were under some illusion or trickery, but I will hold my hands up and concede that I certainly had my doubts, as Valrius had proposed we form 'The West End Bandits' into a professional and structured mercenary fighting unit called 'The Immortals' , to seek out riches and renown beyond imagination on the field of battle, for whoever would pay most coin for our services, idealistic perhaps, naive very possibly, insouciant most certainly, but here we were, what started as a collective group of youths who formed a street gang for protection and our very survival, now venturing forth in numbers to fields of battle and wars unknown simply because Valrius wished it so.
We still held an operation and control of the city with a small number of senior members tasked with an emphasis on recruitment of the youths into 'The West End Bandits' to progress, grow strong and learn the art of combat and eventually be sent to 'The Immortals' each year wherever we found ourselves to be located and in with other recruits joining in substantial numbers to surpass the number of men we lost in combat, our numbers quickly grew over the years to several thousand men strong, 2,854 men to be precise at last recollection, some bloodthirsty killers, rapists and renegades, but for the most part, good natured and misguided individuals simply looking for a better life, myself very much included!
For years we traversed the lands seeking out new pay-rolls, battles to fight, wars to wage all apparently in the name of riches, but very little of these riches our men ever saw, granted we were all very well fed and never went without equipment, armour and coin to spend at local taverns and brothels, but to the best of my reckoning, not being the most intelligent man by any means, the sum of coin we were receiving far surpassed the costs of running the warband, but we still trusted Valrius, our brother in arms for the past 15 years, having fought dozens of battles together on the front lines, not to mention the years eeking out an existence on the streets and forming bonds that could not be broken, or so I thought.....
Several of the senior officers, myself included, being particularly close with Valrius, had noticed a sharp decline in his willingness to listen to advice or even enter into discussion the matter of daily requirements and responsibilities, more often than not dispensing us with a mere wave of the hand, his disposition being dismissive and withdrawn and his mood always sour and angry, some unknown and unseen force or knowledge darkening the man I once knew into someone I struggle to connect to the man I once knew, but followed him loyalty we did without question even to the better of our judgements, recently more often than not.
It was a cool dusk afternoon in the town of Summerfalls, our most recent contract, having been hired by the local administrators to seek out and destroy a ravaging horde of Orc and Goblin raiders that had recently laid waste to surrounding settlements and had attempted to lay siege to the town, only pulling back as their scouts must of brought news of our approach. With Valrius dealing with the contract negotiations, he left his Lieutenants to issue orders to the various companies of men and we set out scouring the countryside for signs of this foe and it did not take long to discover tracks leading us into a dark forest approximately 10 miles from the settlement.
Gathering our forces, we set forth and within two days we tracked down and slaughtered this significantly outnumbered foe without mercy, rejoicing in such an easy victory and looking forward to several days to relax, spend some coin and swap tales of valour, however upon convening with the senior officers and Valrius back within the settlement walls Valrius was apoplectic, eyes gleaming with rage like I had never seen before, his voice raised to a shrill screech mumbling incoherent ramblings about "THEY LIED TO US!!", "THEY TRICKED US THEY DID!" "NO COIN TO PAY!" "FOOLISH MORTALS, THEY WILL PAY!!!" and the next thing I knew, Valrius was issuing orders to us to go forth and slaughter every single living being within the settlement walls, women, children, animals... anything that lived and breathed!
As the other Lieutenants blindly moved to carry out their orders, the shrill sounds of wailing and horrified screams swiftly beginning to echo through the warm dusk evening air, I found myself left alone with Valrius, a wave of nausea flooding over me at the implications of his orders and fighting an unforeseen force of will to bring myself to dare challenge my brother in arms.
"Valrius.... my Brother... This is madness? We don't have to...." "Anders.." as he turned to face me, a disturbing gleam in his eye piercing through my very soul. "Who the fuck do you think you are speaking to? Your brother Valrius? Hahahahaha! You are as stupid as you are ugly, but I see the way you always try to dispute my orders, you wish to usurp me do you? Do you think YOU capable of defeating me?!" "Valrius, I don't know what is happening or what has happened to you, but let me help Brother!" "Oh, you want to help me do you?" as I watch Valrius step within touching distance of me, placing his left hand on my shoulder I fail to notice the blade in his right hand as he swiftly struck into my midriff while embracing me tightly, the world darkening slowly as I slumber against his body, feeling him let me fall and the last thing I remember before succumbing to unconsciousness being his wicked and hideous laughter.
When I awoke the following day, every fibre of my body ached, I glanced down and upon seeing my blood drenched tunic, slowly slid a hand against the wound and was relieved to find the bleeding had stemmed and would not be fatal. Taking a moment to glance around the room, I saw a broken spear close by that I used to prop myself upright and ventured out of the tent into bright sunlight that tormented my eyes for a moment before they could adjust. The scene surrounding me was one of abject horror and disgust.... Women, children, men, dogs, cats, cattle... slaughtered without reason, the stench of death emanating through my very being as I slowly stumbled through the town looking for any semblance of life, my mind numb to the atrocities I was witnessing and fighting urges to vomit as wafts of decay and faecal matter blew in my direction.
Making my way to the centre of town I fell, all sense of reason escaping my soul as I wept uncontrollably, after a time, I glanced up and crawled a small distance to the small body of a child, sitting up and taking their delicate body in my arms I tenderly swept back their hair, my eyes streaming and voice trembling as I furiously called upon Hoar, the god of Vengeance and retribution and demanded them to grant me the power to seek revenge against the ill-justice done this day to these innocent people in their name.
Darkness overtook me again, awaking what must of been several hours later I opened my eyes and made out several figures wading through the utter destruction and devastation and immediately saw these were not the Immortals, but civilians who had perhaps been working the fields or out of town when the atrocities struck. Sitting up I felt an unconscious inclination to place both my hands on my head and immediately I felt my body revitalized and rejuvenated, the very essence of life flowing through me once again as I stood, slightly trembling at this occurrence but the burning desire for vengeance coming back to me almost at once.
Gazing down at the delicate form of the child I had cradled, I glanced at the nearest men to me and immediately instructed them to organize the burial and funerals for every citizen in town. Whether it was the tone of my voice with years being a chief Lieutenant in the Immortals or whether the man saw something else, his mouth agape he simply nodded and over the next several days we ensured that every civilian, pet and beast was buried with funeral rights for all.
And so my quest would start, with nothing but my sword, armour and implements I could scavenge from the town. I knew I could not take Valrius alone and knew the dedication the Immortals had towards him that I would need help, but I set forth with vengeance in my heart and Hoar at my side to put right the injustices and ensure nothing of the sort could ever happen again.
Any ideas & suggestions for embellishment or flair would be very much appreciated!

I'm still very new to DnD but I like trying to immerse myself into a character with a solid backstory & have had a bash at a backstory for a new character I'm looking to play. A Human Paladin (branching into Oath-breaker)

My name is Ander-siggurdsen Eriksson, Anders for short and until recently I held the position of chief Lieutenant of the 'Immortals', a mercenary warband led by Valrius, a vicious and cunning being if ever you saw one & the men called him 'The Red Saint', on account of his love for violence and was something I suspect he was proud of.
My story began like most other unfortunates born into poverty, a life learning to survive on the streets and eeking out whatever semblance of happiness and comfort we could find, always opportunistic and on the look-out for an easy score, or easy target to rob in the darkened alleys of the city. I was around 17-18 when I first met Valrius while walking home one evening, I was cornered by three men, one of who has recognized me as being the one to have lifted his coin purse the day before and were now pressing and shoving me further towards an alleyway while laughing in a mocking tone about how I would pay & the torment I was about to be subjected to, when I heard a very calm, confident & deep voice from behind the three men simply say "Three on one's not a very fair fight now boys is it?" and as the three men turned to view who spoke the words I watched dumbfounded as this newcomer swing a mighty right hook knocking one man clean out cold, my gaze following his fall as his face slammed into the wall and grazed painfully down the course stone stripping skin and leaving a trail of blood as he went. Just as soon as my gaze swung back up, an uppercut sent a second man momentarily airborne before he too crashed heavily to the ground, all apparently happening in a mere heartbeat of time.
As we both turned to watch the third man flee into the alley, turning to this youth who couldn't of been much more than three to four years my senior, I offered my thanks and sticking out my hand he said, "Nice to meet you Ander-Siggurdsen, I'm Valrius, fancy a drink?" and so a great friendship was born, growing closer over the coming weeks and spending more time together, working along with several dozen other youths we knew, we formed a semblance of an organized gang 'The West End Bandits' we called ourselves, stupid looking back at it now, but we were fearless and proud, providing protection for the needy and taking from the rich and so this continued for the best part of ten years until one evening Valrius, myself and a handful of other senior gang members were sat around a table in a backroom of a tavern with Valrius having called a meeting several days prior and none of us having any inclination as to why or the intentions behind it, many of us slightly nervous as over the past few Months, Valrius had developed a dangerous short temper and was prone to uncontrollable fits of rage and violence for the smallest things including breaking a chair over the back of a youth no more than 14 summers old and then smashing his kneecap with the broken leg all because the youth had spilled a flask of wine on his shirt while filling his glass, we had known and worked with Valrius for years by now and he had saved our skins many times before, so we simply put it down to the stress of being the boss and didn't dare press him on the matter, our anxiety rising as we sat in silence awaiting Valrius to make his appearance.
Entering the room Valrius moved around the table slowly, taking time to place a hand on each mans shoulder as he started to speak, an eerie smile dancing on his lips, "Brothers, for years now we have worked together, forging strength in numbers and securing ourselves a life befitting that of even the nobles themselves, our loyalty to each other and 'The West End Bandits' has ensured no one within the city walls would dare even speak ill of our name, however it is not enough... I have recently come to see great potential within us and the strength we bring as a collective and the time is now Brothers, the time is now!", with his hand falling on my shoulder at these final words.
Valrius proceeded to lay out his vision and plans, all of us to a man entranced by his charisma and force of will as not a pin drop could be heard besides the charismatic trance of the words spilling from his mouth, eager eyes shining with greed and silent nods of consent growing in unison as the crescendo of the moment reached its climax as roars of excitement and echoes of support rang out around the room, I am ashamed now to admit I was one of the loudest in support of Valrius but at the time it did not feel there any other choice in the matter and with hindsight looking back, I am unsure whether we were under some illusion or trickery, but I will hold my hands up and concede that I certainly had my doubts, as Valrius had proposed we form 'The West End Bandits' into a professional and structured mercenary fighting unit called 'The Immortals' , to seek out riches and renown beyond imagination on the field of battle, for whoever would pay most coin for our services, idealistic perhaps, naive very possibly, insouciant most certainly, but here we were, what started as a collective group of youths who formed a street gang for protection and our very survival, now venturing forth in numbers to fields of battle and wars unknown simply because Valrius wished it so.
We still held an operation and control of the city with a small number of senior members tasked with an emphasis on recruitment of the youths into 'The West End Bandits' to progress, grow strong and learn the art of combat and eventually be sent to 'The Immortals' each year wherever we found ourselves to be located and in with other recruits joining in substantial numbers to surpass the number of men we lost in combat, our numbers quickly grew over the years to several thousand men strong, 2,854 men to be precise at last recollection, some bloodthirsty killers, rapists and renegades, but for the most part, good natured and misguided individuals simply looking for a better life, myself very much included!
For years we traversed the lands seeking out new pay-rolls, battles to fight, wars to wage all apparently in the name of riches, but very little of these riches our men ever saw, granted we were all very well fed and never went without equipment, armour and coin to spend at local taverns and brothels, but to the best of my reckoning, not being the most intelligent man by any means, the sum of coin we were receiving far surpassed the costs of running the warband, but we still trusted Valrius, our brother in arms for the past 15 years, having fought dozens of battles together on the front lines, not to mention the years eeking out an existence on the streets and forming bonds that could not be broken, or so I thought.....
Several of the senior officers, myself included, being particularly close with Valrius, had noticed a sharp decline in his willingness to listen to advice or even enter into discussion the matter of daily requirements and responsibilities, more often than not dispensing us with a mere wave of the hand, his disposition being dismissive and withdrawn and his mood always sour and angry, some unknown and unseen force or knowledge darkening the man I once knew into someone I struggle to connect to the man I once knew, but followed him loyalty we did without question even to the better of our judgements, recently more often than not.
It was a cool dusk afternoon in the town of Summerfalls, our most recent contract, having been hired by the local administrators to seek out and destroy a ravaging horde of Orc and Goblin raiders that had recently laid waste to surrounding settlements and had attempted to lay siege to the town, only pulling back as their scouts must of brought news of our approach. With Valrius dealing with the contract negotiations, he left his Lieutenants to issue orders to the various companies of men and we set out scouring the countryside for signs of this foe and it did not take long to discover tracks leading us into a dark forest approximately 10 miles from the settlement.
Gathering our forces, we set forth and within two days we tracked down and slaughtered this significantly outnumbered foe without mercy, rejoicing in such an easy victory and looking forward to several days to relax, spend some coin and swap tales of valour, however upon convening with the senior officers and Valrius back within the settlement walls Valrius was apoplectic, eyes gleaming with rage like I had never seen before, his voice raised to a shrill screech mumbling incoherent ramblings about "THEY LIED TO US!!", "THEY TRICKED US THEY DID!" "NO COIN TO PAY!" "FOOLISH MORTALS, THEY WILL PAY!!!" and the next thing I knew, Valrius was issuing orders to us to go forth and slaughter every single living being within the settlement walls, women, children, animals... anything that lived and breathed!
As the other Lieutenants blindly moved to carry out their orders, the shrill sounds of wailing and horrified screams swiftly beginning to echo through the warm dusk evening air, I found myself left alone with Valrius, a wave of nausea flooding over me at the implications of his orders and fighting an unforeseen force of will to bring myself to dare challenge my brother in arms.
"Valrius.... my Brother... This is madness? We don't have to...." "Anders.." as he turned to face me, a disturbing gleam in his eye piercing through my very soul. "Who the fuck do you think you are speaking to? Your brother Valrius? Hahahahaha! You are as stupid as you are ugly, but I see the way you always try to dispute my orders, you wish to usurp me do you? Do you think YOU capable of defeating me?!" "Valrius, I don't know what is happening or what has happened to you, but let me help Brother!" "Oh, you want to help me do you?" as I watch Valrius step within touching distance of me, placing his left hand on my shoulder I fail to notice the blade in his right hand as he swiftly struck into my midriff while embracing me tightly, the world darkening slowly as I slumber against his body, feeling him let me fall and the last thing I remember before succumbing to unconsciousness being his wicked and hideous laughter.
When I awoke the following day, every fibre of my body ached, I glanced down and upon seeing my blood drenched tunic, slowly slid a hand against the wound and was relieved to find the bleeding had stemmed and would not be fatal. Taking a moment to glance around the room, I saw a broken spear close by that I used to prop myself upright and ventured out of the tent into bright sunlight that tormented my eyes for a moment before they could adjust. The scene surrounding me was one of abject horror and disgust.... Women, children, men, dogs, cats, cattle... slaughtered without reason, the stench of death emanating through my very being as I slowly stumbled through the town looking for any semblance of life, my mind numb to the atrocities I was witnessing and fighting urges to vomit as wafts of decay and faecal matter blew in my direction.
Making my way to the centre of town I fell, all sense of reason escaping my soul as I wept uncontrollably, after a time, I glanced up and crawled a small distance to the small body of a child, sitting up and taking their delicate body in my arms I tenderly swept back their hair, my eyes streaming and voice trembling as I furiously called upon Hoar, the god of Vengeance and retribution and demanded them to grant me the power to seek revenge against the ill-justice done this day to these innocent people in their name.
Darkness overtook me again, awaking what must of been several hours later I opened my eyes and made out several figures wading through the utter destruction and devastation and immediately saw these were not the Immortals, but civilians who had perhaps been working the fields or out of town when the atrocities struck. Sitting up I felt an unconscious inclination to place both my hands on my head and immediately I felt my body revitalized and rejuvenated, the very essence of life flowing through me once again as I stood, slightly trembling at this occurrence but the burning desire for vengeance coming back to me almost at once.
Gazing down at the delicate form of the child I had cradled, I glanced at the nearest men to me and immediately instructed them to organize the burial and funerals for every citizen in town. Whether it was the tone of my voice with years being a chief Lieutenant in the Immortals or whether the man saw something else, his mouth agape he simply nodded and over the next several days we ensured that every civilian, pet and beast was buried with funeral rights for all.
And so my quest would start, with nothing but my sword, armour and implements I could scavenge from the town. I knew I could not take Valrius alone and knew the dedication the Immortals had towards him that I would need help, but I set forth with vengeance in my heart and Hoar at my side to put right the injustices and ensure nothing of the sort could ever happen again.
Any ideas & suggestions for embellishment or flair would be very much appreciated!

I'm still very new to DnD but I like trying to immerse myself into a character with a solid backstory & have had a bash at a backstory for a new character I'm looking to play. A Human Paladin (branching into Oath-breaker)
My name is Ander-siggurdsen Eriksson, Anders for short and until recently I held the position of chief Lieutenant of the 'Immortals', a mercenary warband led by Valrius, a vicious and cunning being if ever you saw one & the men called him 'The Red Saint', on account of his love for violence and was something I suspect he was proud of.
My story began like most other unfortunates born into poverty, a life learning to survive on the streets and eeking out whatever semblance of happiness and comfort we could find, always opportunistic and on the look-out for an easy score, or easy target to rob in the darkened alleys of the city. I was around 17-18 when I first met Valrius while walking home one evening, I was cornered by three men, one of who has recognized me as being the one to have lifted his coin purse the day before and were now pressing and shoving me further towards an alleyway while laughing in a mocking tone about how I would pay & the torment I was about to be subjected to, when I heard a very calm, confident & deep voice from behind the three men simply say "Three on one's not a very fair fight now boys is it?" and as the three men turned to view who spoke the words I watched dumbfounded as this newcomer swing a mighty right hook knocking one man clean out cold, my gaze following his fall as his face slammed into the wall and grazed painfully down the course stone stripping skin and leaving a trail of blood as he went. Just as soon as my gaze swung back up, an uppercut sent a second man momentarily airborne before he too crashed heavily to the ground, all apparently happening in a mere heartbeat of time.
As we both turned to watch the third man flee into the alley, turning to this youth who couldn't of been much more than three to four years my senior, I offered my thanks and sticking out my hand he said, "Nice to meet you Ander-Siggurdsen, I'm Valrius, fancy a drink?" and so a great friendship was born, growing closer over the coming weeks and spending more time together, working along with several dozen other youths we knew, we formed a semblance of an organized gang 'The West End Bandits' we called ourselves, stupid looking back at it now, but we were fearless and proud, providing protection for the needy and taking from the rich and so this continued for the best part of ten years until one evening Valrius, myself and a handful of other senior gang members were sat around a table in a backroom of a tavern with Valrius having called a meeting several days prior and none of us having any inclination as to why or the intentions behind it, many of us slightly nervous as over the past few Months, Valrius had developed a dangerous short temper and was prone to uncontrollable fits of rage and violence for the smallest things including breaking a chair over the back of a youth no more than 14 summers old and then smashing his kneecap with the broken leg all because the youth had spilled a flask of wine on his shirt while filling his glass, we had known and worked with Valrius for years by now and he had saved our skins many times before, so we simply put it down to the stress of being the boss and didn't dare press him on the matter, our anxiety rising as we sat in silence awaiting Valrius to make his appearance.
Entering the room Valrius moved around the table slowly, taking time to place a hand on each mans shoulder as he started to speak, an eerie smile dancing on his lips, "Brothers, for years now we have worked together, forging strength in numbers and securing ourselves a life befitting that of even the nobles themselves, our loyalty to each other and 'The West End Bandits' has ensured no one within the city walls would dare even speak ill of our name, however it is not enough... I have recently come to see great potential within us and the strength we bring as a collective and the time is now Brothers, the time is now!", with his hand falling on my shoulder at these final words.
Valrius proceeded to lay out his vision and plans, all of us to a man entranced by his charisma and force of will as not a pin drop could be heard besides the charismatic trance of the words spilling from his mouth, eager eyes shining with greed and silent nods of consent growing in unison as the crescendo of the moment reached its climax as roars of excitement and echoes of support rang out around the room, I am ashamed now to admit I was one of the loudest in support of Valrius but at the time it did not feel there any other choice in the matter and with hindsight looking back, I am unsure whether we were under some illusion or trickery, but I will hold my hands up and concede that I certainly had my doubts, as Valrius had proposed we form 'The West End Bandits' into a professional and structured mercenary fighting unit called 'The Immortals' , to seek out riches and renown beyond imagination on the field of battle, for whoever would pay most coin for our services, idealistic perhaps, naive very possibly, insouciant most certainly, but here we were, what started as a collective group of youths who formed a street gang for protection and our very survival, now venturing forth in numbers to fields of battle and wars unknown simply because Valrius wished it so.
We still held an operation and control of the city with a small number of senior members tasked with an emphasis on recruitment of the youths into 'The West End Bandits' to progress, grow strong and learn the art of combat and eventually be sent to 'The Immortals' each year wherever we found ourselves to be located and in with other recruits joining in substantial numbers to surpass the number of men we lost in combat, our numbers quickly grew over the years to several thousand men strong, 2,854 men to be precise at last recollection, some bloodthirsty killers, rapists and renegades, but for the most part, good natured and misguided individuals simply looking for a better life, myself very much included!
For years we traversed the lands seeking out new pay-rolls, battles to fight, wars to wage all apparently in the name of riches, but very little of these riches our men ever saw, granted we were all very well fed and never went without equipment, armour and coin to spend at local taverns and brothels, but to the best of my reckoning, not being the most intelligent man by any means, the sum of coin we were receiving far surpassed the costs of running the warband, but we still trusted Valrius, our brother in arms for the past 15 years, having fought dozens of battles together on the front lines, not to mention the years eeking out an existence on the streets and forming bonds that could not be broken, or so I thought.....
Several of the senior officers, myself included, being particularly close with Valrius, had noticed a sharp decline in his willingness to listen to advice or even enter into discussion the matter of daily requirements and responsibilities, more often than not dispensing us with a mere wave of the hand, his disposition being dismissive and withdrawn and his mood always sour and angry, some unknown and unseen force or knowledge darkening the man I once knew into someone I struggle to connect to the man I once knew, but followed him loyalty we did without question even to the better of our judgements, recently more often than not.
It was a cool dusk afternoon in the town of Summerfalls, our most recent contract, having been hired by the local administrators to seek out and destroy a ravaging horde of Orc and Goblin raiders that had recently laid waste to surrounding settlements and had attempted to lay siege to the town, only pulling back as their scouts must of brought news of our approach. With Valrius dealing with the contract negotiations, he left his Lieutenants to issue orders to the various companies of men and we set out scouring the countryside for signs of this foe and it did not take long to discover tracks leading us into a dark forest approximately 10 miles from the settlement.
Gathering our forces, we set forth and within two days we tracked down and slaughtered this significantly outnumbered foe without mercy, rejoicing in such an easy victory and looking forward to several days to relax, spend some coin and swap tales of valour, however upon convening with the senior officers and Valrius back within the settlement walls Valrius was apoplectic, eyes gleaming with rage like I had never seen before, his voice raised to a shrill screech mumbling incoherent ramblings about "THEY LIED TO US!!", "THEY TRICKED US THEY DID!" "NO COIN TO PAY!" "FOOLISH MORTALS, THEY WILL PAY!!!" and the next thing I knew, Valrius was issuing orders to us to go forth and slaughter every single living being within the settlement walls, women, children, animals... anything that lived and breathed!
As the other Lieutenants blindly moved to carry out their orders, the shrill sounds of wailing and horrified screams swiftly beginning to echo through the warm dusk evening air, I found myself left alone with Valrius, a wave of nausea flooding over me at the implications of his orders and fighting an unforeseen force of will to bring myself to dare challenge my brother in arms.
"Valrius.... my Brother... This is madness? We don't have to...." "Anders.." as he turned to face me, a disturbing gleam in his eye piercing through my very soul. "Who the fuck do you think you are speaking to? Your brother Valrius? Hahahahaha! You are as stupid as you are ugly, but I see the way you always try to dispute my orders, you wish to usurp me do you? Do you think YOU capable of defeating me?!" "Valrius, I don't know what is happening or what has happened to you, but let me help Brother!" "Oh, you want to help me do you?" as I watch Valrius step within touching distance of me, placing his left hand on my shoulder I fail to notice the blade in his right hand as he swiftly struck into my midriff while embracing me tightly, the world darkening slowly as I slumber against his body, feeling him let me fall and the last thing I remember before succumbing to unconsciousness being his wicked and hideous laughter.
When I awoke the following day, every fibre of my body ached, I glanced down and upon seeing my blood drenched tunic, slowly slid a hand against the wound and was relieved to find the bleeding had stemmed and would not be fatal. Taking a moment to glance around the room, I saw a broken spear close by that I used to prop myself upright and ventured out of the tent into bright sunlight that tormented my eyes for a moment before they could adjust. The scene surrounding me was one of abject horror and disgust.... Women, children, men, dogs, cats, cattle... slaughtered without reason, the stench of death emanating through my very being as I slowly stumbled through the town looking for any semblance of life, my mind numb to the atrocities I was witnessing and fighting urges to vomit as wafts of decay and faecal matter blew in my direction.
Making my way to the centre of town I fell, all sense of reason escaping my soul as I wept uncontrollably, after a time, I glanced up and crawled a small distance to the small body of a child, sitting up and taking their delicate body in my arms I tenderly swept back their hair, my eyes streaming and voice trembling as I furiously called upon Hoar, the god of Vengeance and retribution and demanded them to grant me the power to seek revenge against the ill-justice done this day to these innocent people in their name.
Darkness overtook me again, awaking what must of been several hours later I opened my eyes and made out several figures wading through the utter destruction and devastation and immediately saw these were not the Immortals, but civilians who had perhaps been working the fields or out of town when the atrocities struck. Sitting up I felt an unconscious inclination to place both my hands on my head and immediately I felt my body revitalized and rejuvenated, the very essence of life flowing through me once again as I stood, slightly trembling at this occurrence but the burning desire for vengeance coming back to me almost at once.
Gazing down at the delicate form of the child I had cradled, I glanced at the nearest men to me and immediately instructed them to organize the burial and funerals for every citizen in town. Whether it was the tone of my voice with years being a chief Lieutenant in the Immortals or whether the man saw something else, his mouth agape he simply nodded and over the next several days we ensured that every civilian, pet and beast was buried with funeral rights for all.
And so my quest would start, with nothing but my sword, armour and implements I could scavenge from the town. I knew I could not take Valrius alone and knew the dedication the Immortals had towards him that I would need help, but I set forth with vengeance in my heart and Hoar at my side to put right the injustices and ensure nothing of the sort could ever happen again.
Any ideas & suggestions for embellishment or flair would be very much appreciated!

I know these kinds of questions get asked frequently but was hoping to find some answers from people that maybe have been in my specific situation or close to it:
I’m currently in southern NJ, 26 queer male and I work remotely. Some of my income is based in NJ, so I would have to still be here 1-3 days a week, though, it doesn’t have to be anywhere in particular, just need somewhere to bring my laptop for an hour or two on those days.
I feel like I don’t really do anything right now (living in Cherry Hill about 20ish mins from Philly) unless it’s going into Philly, which is kind of a pain of driving and dealing with traffic and parking, or taking the subway which I’m just really not a fan of Phillys public transport. I lived in the West Philly for college, and I liked some of the benefits of living in a city, though, I still felt more car reliant and not particularly safe. In the suburbs I feel bored. I’m pretty open to roommates, and I really want to power through work weeks and go do fun free or cheap things during the weekend, maybe splurging once a month. I also have a cat which may or may not complicate things.
Does anybody have recommendations for neighborhoods that could be a good relative fit? Ive searched the internet and street easy but hard to get a good idea, especially in advance as I’m looking to move in august.
Currently I pay $1500 for a studio and make about 60-70k a year (I’m assuming this will increase over time, I’m working for a pretty small but extremely fast growing company, my job is also about as secure as it can be right now) and my budget is within 500 of that either way with or without roommates but preferably with so I have people to connect with. But I just don’t see what I currently pay for where I pay it as worth it.
If anybody has done this, especially from South Jersey, would you say it’s worth it? It’s not really like buying a house is foreseeable in my future or something I’d particularly want to do by myself if I wanted to. If anybody has really any tips or recommendations in general that’s great. Just hoping to make a decision relatively soon and stick with it.

Here are some meetups that are on the radar, both physical and virtual:

on background: The coronavirus pandemic looks to be transitioning to endemic status across the world. The data repository that the NY Times created to track the pandemic has now closed.¹ Others continue to monitor, including the CDC. Attend meetups at your own risk.

• Last Week, March 25

online

• Saturday-Sunday April 1-2, 10:00a, LDS General Conference, online and in person in Salt Lake City
  
  • October 2022 link to last discussion thread at reddit
  • [Saturday, 10:00a MDT](pending)
  • [Saturday, 2:00p](pending)
  • [Saturday, 6:00p](pending)
  • [Sunday, 10:00a](pending)
  • [Sunday, 2:00p](pending)
• Sunday, April 2, 9:00a MDT: Thrive, casual discussion on zoom verify
  

Idaho

• Sunday, April 2, 10:30a MDT: Idaho Falls, casual meetup at Panera Bread at 2820 South 25th Street E. verify
  
• Sunday, April 2, 11:00a MDT: Pocatello, casual meetup at Unitarian Universalists' building at 426 W Lewis Street verify
  

Utah

• Sunday, April 2, 10:00a MDT: Davis County, casual meetup at Harmons at 200 Station Pkwy in Farmington. Meet in the cafe upstairs.
  
• Sunday, April 2, 10:00a MDT: North Utah County, casual meetup at Harmons at 1750 W Traverse Pkwy in Lehi. Combining AF/Saratoga Springs/Lehi meetups at new location; check link for notes.
  
• Sunday, April 2, 10:00a MDT: Provo, casual meetup near the Starbucks inside of the Marriott Hotel at 101 West 100 North verify
  
• Sunday, April 2, 1:00p MDT: St. George, casual meetup of Southern Utah Post-Mormon Support Group at Switchpoint Community Resource Center located at 948 N. 1300 W. verify
  

Wyoming

• Saturday, April 1, 10:00a MDT: Rock Springs, casual meetup at Starbucks at 118 Westland Way verify

Upcoming week and Advance Notice:

• Sunday, TBD, 11:00a MDT: Post Mission Support Group, on Zoom chat. Point of Contact vibecat. paused.
  
• Athens, Georgia ...last Sunday
  
• Idaho Falls ...first Sunday
  
• Las Vegas
  
• Salt Lake Valley postmos
  
• Salt Lake Valley Religious Transition Group, Next meeting: April 23
  
• Seattle
  

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Beginnings of a FAQ about meetups:

• rules for publicizing a meetup on reddit platform
• what happens at these meetups?
• solidified50 gave some general advice for starting a meetup and keeping it going.

Offering Charming Private Room in West Oakland, CA
ADA: Second floor apartment. Not wheelchair accessible. 1 cat in home.
-Available April 1st.
-$1100/month + 1/4 utilities shared with roommate and downstairs tenants.
-6 Month Lease
-First/last months rent and $500 cleaning deposit. $2700 total for move in.
-Room is 100sqft.
-No pets
-Single occupancy only
Charming 1 room for rent in West Oakland, CA. Freshly painted and hardwood floors freshly refinished. Window has good morning light for plants. Antique doorknobs & chandelier, very high ceilings (a loft bed would be great for this room).
Utilities altogether (PG&E, Water, Internet, Trash) are generally ~$200 a month per person, higher in the winter.
Full kitchen, cozy living room w/ TV (Netflix, Hulu, Paramount+, & more), quirky dining room/craft area. 1.5 baths, big tub. In-unit washedryer free to use. Small amount of storage available in kitchen/back shed. Backyard.
You're encouraged to use the rest of the house, just be respectful. :)
Singular roommate is owner (25 y/o non-binary, they/them pronouns). Lots of privacy. Big friendly indoooutdoor tomcat who would love some company. Plants and fish tanks in the house. No additional pets at this time.
I host a game night/DnD on Monday nights that go until midnight usually. You're welcome to join in!
Very close to bay bridge and Emeryville shopping center. Target, Safeway, Best Buy, etc. 15min drive from UC Berkeley. 10min walk to West Oakland and Macarthur BART. Quiet street with lots of street parking.

The cues The cues are insane. This police state. THIS STATE. Alabama. It’s beautiful here but I’ve got to get out.
This area. These street signs. These team colors. These cues.
I want to live in Dallas. Or Houston — Houston would be most apt I’m sure.
But really the mid-west would be nice, or Oklahoma. I was first concocted there in that boiling pot of tornadoes.
Being in the belly of the beast makes me feel like lunch.

A screw top corona. Not my first choice, but handed to me cold, so I wasn’t going to decline. An apartment party is not somewhere that I ventured too often, but I had just gotten back in town after a 4-month bender abroad, an annoying sentence, I know. Being apart from my friends, I was willing to oblige to their desired evening of fun. Drinking was not atop my priority list, but I was happy to be back with the crew.
It was summer in a sleepy college town. Not a lot to do and not a lot of places to find trouble, so to the apartment party we went, my half empty corona in hand.
Peter and I had met on Halloween 6 months prior to this evening. There was an instant connection. I have never cry laughed more or felt more myself than when I’m with him. Everyone loved Peter. What’s not to love? He made everyone feel like a friend, funny and witty, welcoming, and kind. Once I got to know him on a deeper level, I quickly realized that there was a sad part of him, and I think that is why we connected so well. We were the life of the party, but sad inside to no one’s wiser. We never talked about it, but I know one another’s company made us both feel at home. I quickly knew that I wanted this friendship to last forever. A week after we met, I knew I would have to let him know that I was not romantically interested in him so we could get on with being friends. At 22, a boy doesn’t want to hear that. Now, some 10 years later, he is thankful for the decision I made for us all those years ago. My older brother, my safe space.
Peter liked to party. It was not odd to go to a party with one another and end the night, separated (and by separated, I mean, Peter getting too drunk and leaving a party with out telling anyone or getting kicked out of a bar). We always found our way back to each other the next morning. Breakfast and a gossip session over the events of the night before.
You can hear the music and the beer pong from the ground floor. Peter and I enter the buzzing apartment. I immediately see an old friend that I have not seen since I’ve returned. I am elated. I run over to Thomas and smoother him in the biggest hug imaginable. His face lights up, shocked to see me. We hold up in a corner, laughing and swapping stories from the semester. Thomas and I have had every single class together since freshman year. Our classroom friendship, turned study buddies, turned into a real-life friendship outside of the hallways and the late-night papers. One of the most genuine people I had during college. I was so happy to be reunited. We had so much to catch up on.
Thomas was shy. He never had a ton to say, which is why we got along so well, I can’t shut up, and he’s a great listener. I think he liked how I just forced my friendship onto him, he didn’t really have a say in the matter. We were spending so much of our academic hours together, which made me want to be friends all of the time. He didn’t seem opposed, and we’ve been friends ever since. The extrovert adopts the introvert, a true match made.
I feel a tap on my shoulder. It’s a familiar face from freshman year. Matt. He was friends with some of my older friends. Nice guy, weird he was at this party. Hasn’t he graduated? I thought to myself.
“Sadie, how to hell are you girl?” he screamed into my ear as he embraced me. Matt was an enthusiastic guy. Happy about everything, until he got too drunk, and enthusiasm turned into extremely annoying, very quickly. We exchanged small talk, until we were approached by another figure.
“Chad, what the fuck is up man, come here. Do you know Sadie? Greatest girl on earth, you have to meet her?!” Matt yelled as he embraced Chad. I knew Chad. He had messaged me while I was away for the semester. A random message, considering I had been at my university for 3.5 years and never heard of him until his Instagram DM. I chalked it up to him hearing about my recent break up. It’s a small town, the dating pool is subpar, and we ran in different circles. I put two and two together, Thomas and Matt are in the same frat, and I’m now learning that that is how Chad fits into this circle. We spoke a couple times while I was away, nothing serious, and left it at “see ya around”. I guess “around” was happening right now.
“I am hopping to get to know her a lot more” Chad smirked. Matt turned to me and continued to tell me about awesome Chas is and how crazy it was that our paths have never crossed.
Everyone knew the answer to that. I had dated the same guy all of college, and up until a few months ago, I didn’t know who the cute, single guys were on campus. I quickly learned that Chad, was one of them. Maybe this was my chance to have a little fun as I entered my senior year. I was going to have an easy year and after a very bad break up, no strings attached fun was exactly what I needed.
“Let me get you a drink” Chad suggested. That’s right, my corona. I had finished it on the ride over here and was too busy talking with Thomas to get another. Chad appeared with a red solo cup of what he called “the house drink”. I took the half-filled cup and took a sip. It tasted like every other party juice that college kids make. Likely an entire bottle of cheap brunettes’ vodka and whatever juice they had in the fridge. I now find myself in another corner, completely enchanted with Chad.
I don’t know how much time has passed; I tell him I need to use the restroom. I push past the crowd of strangers and dodge flying ping pong balls. I find myself in a bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror. Am I having a good time? I ask myself with a smile. It’s been almost 4 years of college and the bad times have unfortunately clouded my memories of the fun times. At 21 years old, I find myself struggling with dark, overwhelming emotions that I have absolutely no idea how to navigate. It’s refreshing to be sober and having fun, especially with a cute boy. I kind of want to go home with Chad? If that’s what this leads to, I think as I wash my hands and reapply my lip gloss. He’s a 22 year old guy, of course he wants me to come home with him. I’ve never done that before. Gone home with someone I barley know? It’s college, I’m single, this is exactly what I can and want to do I think to myself as I place the lip gloss back into my bag.
Anyway, I need to get back out there. I toss the gross rag back onto the counter. Give my hair a fluff and open the door. Thomas is standing right outside the door as I open it. “Stop talking to him” he whispers to me. “What?” I screamed over the blaring music. Thomas mumbles when he’s been drinking so I have no idea what he’s getting on about. “That guy is bad news, just warning you” he says looking at me with the coldest stare he’s ever given. Thomas has never had an opinion on my dating or social life, ever. That’s the best thing about our friendship. It’s just a fun, healthy, no bad energy kind of flow. We don’t talk boys or girls and we can just be ourselves with each other. Hearing him say something about Chad is odd. “He’s nice, we’re just talking” I assure him and prance back to my corner.
I always wonder how different my life would be if Thomas was a girl. If a girlfriend told me to be worried about a guy and not talk to them, I would listen. I would have never gone back over to that guy. I trust my girlfriends with my life. In that moment, I thought Thomas was drunk and crushing on me and didn’t like seeing me with a guy that he deemed to be a “douche bag.” I always wonder if Matt didn’t see me that night, would Chad have even approached us talking. I always wonder if Peter didn’t want to go out that night, I would have never ended up in the apartment. I always wonder if I didn’t take a drink of that juice and vodka, the events of that night would have played out differently. I can’t ask myself those questions these days. I don’t handle “what ifs” very well.
I get back to my corner. I’m feeling flushed. It’s probably the juice in the drink, I’ve never liked a sweet drink. Makes my head hurt. Chad is almost as charming as I think I am. My charm comes in the form of sarcasm and dancing around the line of just being mean. Boys love that.
“I’m having a great time, I don’t even care that we’re at this party, do you want to maybe come back to my place and keep talking? I just live down the street” Chad leans into me closer as he asks with the most soft but confident tone. I don’t even think before I answer, an excited “Yes” slips from my glossed lips.
“My roommate is here actually; he doesn’t drink so he can drive us.” His roommate appears out of thin air, like he was a fly on the wall, waiting for his cue. It's like he had it planned.
I don’t tell Peter and Thomas I’m leaving. The last thing I want to hear from them is all the reasons I shouldn’t. I scan the room; Peter isn’t even in the apartment. Classic. Thomas must be in the room I left him in, I don’t say bye. I take Chad’s hand and we’re getting in his roommates’ car. He sits in the back with me, even though there isn’t a 4th person coming with us. I think it’s odd, making your roommate be your driver? I don’t think about it again. I’m dizzy. It’s probably the car, I do get car sick.
The roommate jumps out of the car before the head lights even turn off and heads inside, it’s like he was trying to run away from us. Again, odd. Maybe he’s just an awkward guy. We get up to his second-floor apartment. It’s a typical boy apartment. The TV to couch ratio is off and there are empty whiskey bottles lining the top of the kitchen counters. I roll my eyes.
Why am I here? My heart is racing out of my chest. I feel like I could run a marathon but, I can barely keep my eyes open. I’ve never felt like this before. I don’t even remember the car ride over here? Which is strange, considering I had 1 corona 2 hours ago and half a class of juicy vodka over the last hour. I keep doing “drink math” in head as it spins in circles. Trying to understand why this blanket of fog and discomfit comes over so quickly. I don’t want to get sick, how embarrassing would that be? Especially in front of this cute guy that I’ve just met.
He walks me into his room. We’re kissing. That’s fine. I sit down on the bed, his palms grabbing either side of my face. I’m good with that. I pull back, “I don’t want to have sex” I said nervously. I’m up front, I wanted him to know that that’s not why I came back here. I just wanted to see how things were, just the two of us. “Then we don’t have to” he smiled as he went back to kissing me.
Darkness. I can’t see anything. I know things are happening, I couldn’t tell you exactly what. Are my eyes even open? I’m trying to open them. I’m trying to talk. I can’t hear myself. It’s like all motor functions just slipped away without me knowing. Like I’m a baby that wants to communicate but can only make a few sounds. I can’t get my point across. It’s extremely frustrating. I can’t even tell if I can move my arms. Panic sets in. I hear an exhausted “NO” escape my lips. I think? I hope.
Darkness. I don’t know how much time has passed. Am I coming in and out of consciousness? I don’t even know what that feeling is like, I’ve never experienced what’s happening to me before. I’m in a bathroom? Why? I look up and see myself in the mirror. I’m naked. I tilt my head up a little further and I see him, behind me, naked as well.
He’s Inside of me. I realize what is happening.
Why are we in the bathroom? Did you need to watch me in the mirror? Did I run in here and you followed me to continue what you had started in the darkness.
“NO, get off me” finally. I heard that. It was loud. Good. I run back into the room. Why are my clothes off? Where is my purse? God why do I always wear so much jewelry, it’s everywhere. I can buy new stuff. No, this is new stuff, get it off the floor. I toss myself together, shoes and bag in hand. I run.
Darkness.
I’m on the phone.
Darkness.
Now, I’m in a car.
Darkness.
Now, I’m swallowing a pill, eating a taco, drinking water out of a glass, and laying in Monica’s bed. She seems very stressed out. How did I get here? I asked myself as I examine my familiar surroundings.
The next morning, we treated it like a normal morning.
Monica was my best friend. Looking back at our friendship, she was more like a mother. A mother with attachment issues. She was in and out of relationships or flings, always obsessing over the ex she dumped. She was an only child, selfishness came natural to her. She was only a couple years older than me. I thought she hung the moon. I had never had a friendship like this before. We were rarely apart. After my break up, I basically lived with Monica. I would have done anything for her, and to be honest, at that moment in time, she would have done anything for me. it’s the only time I had ever felt like she truly cared about me.
Peter and Jake met Monica and I at breakfast. Over the past 6 months, the 4 of us did everything together. We were the life of every party. They were the ying to our yang. This breakfast however, was not like our normal Sunday hungover gossip sessions.
“Are you going to tell them or should I?” Monica blurted out once we all got our drinks. I felt the redness flush over my cheeks. I couldn’t say that word. I couldn’t tell Peter what happened. I couldn’t look him in the eyes. I didn’t even want to tell Monica what happened. She told me she found me in a parking lot of an apartment building that we had never even been to before. She knew. I didn’t have to say anything. I wanted it to vanish out of my memory. I could barley remember anything so if I continued to push it out of my brain, it would be gone like a dream sooner rather than later.
I don’t remember the rest of that breakfast. I don’t remember the rest of that summer. If we’re being honest, looking back, I don’t remember most of college. It’s like that one night triggered something so dark inside of me that it erased everything from my memory. They call it trauma in therapy, but I call it protection.
​
Of course, I remember things here and there. Funny stories, my walks to class. But conversations, nights out with friends, the day-to-day life of what was supposed to be the greatest 4 years of your life was magically gone.
Not only did it trigger something dark inside of me, but it altered every cell in my body. The extrovert became an introvert. I couldn’t speak with a man with out a chip on my shoulder. I was moody and tired and completely unamused with everything. It’s like a was making poor decisions in my life on purpose because I was addicted to the pain and suffering. Sadness and shame were my new normal. I didn’t want to be happy, that felt like way too much work. I was good at being miserable.
I stayed like this for almost 3 years. I graduated, moved to a new city, made new friends, continued to make awful choices, got into another toxic relationship that wasn’t even a relationship and pushed away a lot of people. Monica and I had our inevitable break up. Thomas was still back in our college town, I didn’t see him often. Peter moved to the west coast the month before I moved to the east coast. An entire country apart. He still came to visit me. He checked on me. We missed each other so much, I know it hurt us both, but we would never tell each other. A simple “miss you” even though I knew it was more than that. I needed him. I needed someone there that loved me like I used to love me.

A screw top corona. Not my first choice, but handed to me cold, so I wasn’t going to decline. An apartment party is not somewhere that I ventured too often, but I had just gotten back in town after a 4-month bender abroad, an annoying sentence, I know. Being apart from my friends, I was willing to oblige to their desired evening of fun. Drinking was not atop my priority list, but I was happy to be back with the crew.
It was summer in a sleepy college town. Not a lot to do and not a lot of places to find trouble, so to the apartment party we went, my half empty corona in hand.
Peter and I had met on Halloween 6 months prior to this evening. There was an instant connection. I have never cry laughed more or felt more myself than when I’m with him. Everyone loved Peter. What’s not to love? He made everyone feel like a friend, funny and witty, welcoming, and kind. Once I got to know him on a deeper level, I quickly realized that there was a sad part of him, and I think that is why we connected so well. We were the life of the party, but sad inside to no one’s wiser. We never talked about it, but I know one another’s company made us both feel at home. I quickly knew that I wanted this friendship to last forever. A week after we met, I knew I would have to let him know that I was not romantically interested in him so we could get on with being friends. At 22, a boy doesn’t want to hear that. Now, some 10 years later, he is thankful for the decision I made for us all those years ago. My older brother, my safe space.
Peter liked to party. It was not odd to go to a party with one another and end the night, separated (and by separated, I mean, Peter getting too drunk and leaving a party with out telling anyone or getting kicked out of a bar). We always found our way back to each other the next morning. Breakfast and a gossip session over the events of the night before.
You can hear the music and the beer pong from the ground floor. Peter and I enter the buzzing apartment. I immediately see an old friend that I have not seen since I’ve returned. I am elated. I run over to Thomas and smoother him in the biggest hug imaginable. His face lights up, shocked to see me. We hold up in a corner, laughing and swapping stories from the semester. Thomas and I have had every single class together since freshman year. Our classroom friendship, turned study buddies, turned into a real-life friendship outside of the hallways and the late-night papers. One of the most genuine people I had during college. I was so happy to be reunited. We had so much to catch up on.
Thomas was shy. He never had a ton to say, which is why we got along so well, I can’t shut up, and he’s a great listener. I think he liked how I just forced my friendship onto him, he didn’t really have a say in the matter. We were spending so much of our academic hours together, which made me want to be friends all of the time. He didn’t seem opposed, and we’ve been friends ever since. The extrovert adopts the introvert, a true match made.
I feel a tap on my shoulder. It’s a familiar face from freshman year. Matt. He was friends with some of my older friends. Nice guy, weird he was at this party. Hasn’t he graduated? I thought to myself.
“Sadie, how to hell are you girl?” he screamed into my ear as he embraced me. Matt was an enthusiastic guy. Happy about everything, until he got too drunk, and enthusiasm turned into extremely annoying, very quickly. We exchanged small talk, until we were approached by another figure.
“Chad, what the fuck is up man, come here. Do you know Sadie? Greatest girl on earth, you have to meet her?!” Matt yelled as he embraced Chad. I knew Chad. He had messaged me while I was away for the semester. A random message, considering I had been at my university for 3.5 years and never heard of him until his Instagram DM. I chalked it up to him hearing about my recent break up. It’s a small town, the dating pool is subpar, and we ran in different circles. I put two and two together, Thomas and Matt are in the same frat, and I’m now learning that that is how Chad fits into this circle. We spoke a couple times while I was away, nothing serious, and left it at “see ya around”. I guess “around” was happening right now.
“I am hopping to get to know her a lot more” Chad smirked. Matt turned to me and continued to tell me about awesome Chas is and how crazy it was that our paths have never crossed.
Everyone knew the answer to that. I had dated the same guy all of college, and up until a few months ago, I didn’t know who the cute, single guys were on campus. I quickly learned that Chad, was one of them. Maybe this was my chance to have a little fun as I entered my senior year. I was going to have an easy year and after a very bad break up, no strings attached fun was exactly what I needed.
“Let me get you a drink” Chad suggested. That’s right, my corona. I had finished it on the ride over here and was too busy talking with Thomas to get another. Chad appeared with a red solo cup of what he called “the house drink”. I took the half-filled cup and took a sip. It tasted like every other party juice that college kids make. Likely an entire bottle of cheap brunettes’ vodka and whatever juice they had in the fridge. I now find myself in another corner, completely enchanted with Chad.
I don’t know how much time has passed; I tell him I need to use the restroom. I push past the crowd of strangers and dodge flying ping pong balls. I find myself in a bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror. Am I having a good time? I ask myself with a smile. It’s been almost 4 years of college and the bad times have unfortunately clouded my memories of the fun times. At 21 years old, I find myself struggling with dark, overwhelming emotions that I have absolutely no idea how to navigate. It’s refreshing to be sober and having fun, especially with a cute boy. I kind of want to go home with Chad? If that’s what this leads to, I think as I wash my hands and reapply my lip gloss. He’s a 22 year old guy, of course he wants me to come home with him. I’ve never done that before. Gone home with someone I barley know? It’s college, I’m single, this is exactly what I can and want to do I think to myself as I place the lip gloss back into my bag.
Anyway, I need to get back out there. I toss the gross rag back onto the counter. Give my hair a fluff and open the door. Thomas is standing right outside the door as I open it. “Stop talking to him” he whispers to me. “What?” I screamed over the blaring music. Thomas mumbles when he’s been drinking so I have no idea what he’s getting on about. “That guy is bad news, just warning you” he says looking at me with the coldest stare he’s ever given. Thomas has never had an opinion on my dating or social life, ever. That’s the best thing about our friendship. It’s just a fun, healthy, no bad energy kind of flow. We don’t talk boys or girls and we can just be ourselves with each other. Hearing him say something about Chad is odd. “He’s nice, we’re just talking” I assure him and prance back to my corner.
I always wonder how different my life would be if Thomas was a girl. If a girlfriend told me to be worried about a guy and not talk to them, I would listen. I would have never gone back over to that guy. I trust my girlfriends with my life. In that moment, I thought Thomas was drunk and crushing on me and didn’t like seeing me with a guy that he deemed to be a “douche bag.” I always wonder if Matt didn’t see me that night, would Chad have even approached us talking. I always wonder if Peter didn’t want to go out that night, I would have never ended up in the apartment. I always wonder if I didn’t take a drink of that juice and vodka, the events of that night would have played out differently. I can’t ask myself those questions these days. I don’t handle “what ifs” very well.
I get back to my corner. I’m feeling flushed. It’s probably the juice in the drink, I’ve never liked a sweet drink. Makes my head hurt. Chad is almost as charming as I think I am. My charm comes in the form of sarcasm and dancing around the line of just being mean. Boys love that.
“I’m having a great time, I don’t even care that we’re at this party, do you want to maybe come back to my place and keep talking? I just live down the street” Chad leans into me closer as he asks with the most soft but confident tone. I don’t even think before I answer, an excited “Yes” slips from my glossed lips.
“My roommate is here actually; he doesn’t drink so he can drive us.” His roommate appears out of thin air, like he was a fly on the wall, waiting for his cue. It's like he had it planned.
I don’t tell Peter and Thomas I’m leaving. The last thing I want to hear from them is all the reasons I shouldn’t. I scan the room; Peter isn’t even in the apartment. Classic. Thomas must be in the room I left him in, I don’t say bye. I take Chad’s hand and we’re getting in his roommates’ car. He sits in the back with me, even though there isn’t a 4th person coming with us. I think it’s odd, making your roommate be your driver? I don’t think about it again. I’m dizzy. It’s probably the car, I do get car sick.
The roommate jumps out of the car before the head lights even turn off and heads inside, it’s like he was trying to run away from us. Again, odd. Maybe he’s just an awkward guy. We get up to his second-floor apartment. It’s a typical boy apartment. The TV to couch ratio is off and there are empty whiskey bottles lining the top of the kitchen counters. I roll my eyes.
Why am I here? My heart is racing out of my chest. I feel like I could run a marathon but, I can barely keep my eyes open. I’ve never felt like this before. I don’t even remember the car ride over here? Which is strange, considering I had 1 corona 2 hours ago and half a class of juicy vodka over the last hour. I keep doing “drink math” in head as it spins in circles. Trying to understand why this blanket of fog and discomfit comes over so quickly. I don’t want to get sick, how embarrassing would that be? Especially in front of this cute guy that I’ve just met.
He walks me into his room. We’re kissing. That’s fine. I sit down on the bed, his palms grabbing either side of my face. I’m good with that. I pull back, “I don’t want to have sex” I said nervously. I’m up front, I wanted him to know that that’s not why I came back here. I just wanted to see how things were, just the two of us. “Then we don’t have to” he smiled as he went back to kissing me.
Darkness. I can’t see anything. I know things are happening, I couldn’t tell you exactly what. Are my eyes even open? I’m trying to open them. I’m trying to talk. I can’t hear myself. It’s like all motor functions just slipped away without me knowing. Like I’m a baby that wants to communicate but can only make a few sounds. I can’t get my point across. It’s extremely frustrating. I can’t even tell if I can move my arms. Panic sets in. I hear an exhausted “NO” escape my lips. I think? I hope.
Darkness. I don’t know how much time has passed. Am I coming in and out of consciousness? I don’t even know what that feeling is like, I’ve never experienced what’s happening to me before. I’m in a bathroom? Why? I look up and see myself in the mirror. I’m naked. I tilt my head up a little further and I see him, behind me, naked as well.
He’s Inside of me. I realize what is happening.
Why are we in the bathroom? Did you need to watch me in the mirror? Did I run in here and you followed me to continue what you had started in the darkness.
“NO, get off me” finally. I heard that. It was loud. Good. I run back into the room. Why are my clothes off? Where is my purse? God why do I always wear so much jewelry, it’s everywhere. I can buy new stuff. No, this is new stuff, get it off the floor. I toss myself together, shoes and bag in hand. I run.
Darkness.
I’m on the phone.
Darkness.
Now, I’m in a car.
Darkness.
Now, I’m swallowing a pill, eating a taco, drinking water out of a glass, and laying in Monica’s bed. She seems very stressed out. How did I get here? I asked myself as I examine my familiar surroundings.
The next morning, we treated it like a normal morning.
Monica was my best friend. Looking back at our friendship, she was more like a mother. A mother with attachment issues. She was in and out of relationships or flings, always obsessing over the ex she dumped. She was an only child, selfishness came natural to her. She was only a couple years older than me. I thought she hung the moon. I had never had a friendship like this before. We were rarely apart. After my break up, I basically lived with Monica. I would have done anything for her, and to be honest, at that moment in time, she would have done anything for me. it’s the only time I had ever felt like she truly cared about me.
Peter and Jake met Monica and I at breakfast. Over the past 6 months, the 4 of us did everything together. We were the life of every party. They were the ying to our yang. This breakfast however, was not like our normal Sunday hungover gossip sessions.
“Are you going to tell them or should I?” Monica blurted out once we all got our drinks. I felt the redness flush over my cheeks. I couldn’t say that word. I couldn’t tell Peter what happened. I couldn’t look him in the eyes. I didn’t even want to tell Monica what happened. She told me she found me in a parking lot of an apartment building that we had never even been to before. She knew. I didn’t have to say anything. I wanted it to vanish out of my memory. I could barley remember anything so if I continued to push it out of my brain, it would be gone like a dream sooner rather than later.
I don’t remember the rest of that breakfast. I don’t remember the rest of that summer. If we’re being honest, looking back, I don’t remember most of college. It’s like that one night triggered something so dark inside of me that it erased everything from my memory. They call it trauma in therapy, but I call it protection.
​
Of course, I remember things here and there. Funny stories, my walks to class. But conversations, nights out with friends, the day-to-day life of what was supposed to be the greatest 4 years of your life was magically gone.
Not only did it trigger something dark inside of me, but it altered every cell in my body. The extrovert became an introvert. I couldn’t speak with a man with out a chip on my shoulder. I was moody and tired and completely unamused with everything. It’s like a was making poor decisions in my life on purpose because I was addicted to the pain and suffering. Sadness and shame were my new normal. I didn’t want to be happy, that felt like way too much work. I was good at being miserable.
I stayed like this for almost 3 years. I graduated, moved to a new city, made new friends, continued to make awful choices, got into another toxic relationship that wasn’t even a relationship and pushed away a lot of people. Monica and I had our inevitable break up. Thomas was still back in our college town, I didn’t see him often. Peter moved to the west coast the month before I moved to the east coast. An entire country apart. He still came to visit me. He checked on me. We missed each other so much, I know it hurt us both, but we would never tell each other. A simple “miss you” even though I knew it was more than that. I needed him. I needed someone there that loved me like I used to love me.

Ok, so I will say a few for context, first of all, English isn't my first language so forgive any grammatical errors, I hope I won't make a lot.
Sorry, I've been too excited, the big last paragraph is where I describe my experience if you don't want to read everything.
I've been trying to shift for a year and a half now, first it was out of curiosity, I didn't really believed in it but I always had a really weird history about dreaming (like I had a all lore and world of dreams really constructed from my 18 to 22 years old which I joined every night and I believed I've never met someone with that before but it's another topic, it was draining and I did my best to erase it because my sleep at a point wasn't effective enough. I did nothing to have that, it just appears one night, and I'm sure it's because I was really depressed and anxious so my subconscient made me this world to comfort me during my sleep. But it was years ago (I'm getting old)) and over since I've decided to push it over.
So I learn about reality shift, I'm curious, I try it, but I didn't have any script I was just like "Ok if it works, it's nice" and most of all, the meditation was really getting me in that sweet deep state of sleep which I love.
But when I've stopped trying to do it, I had the first really vivid lucid dream of a magical world I've had since my "lore" (which I've previously explained). It was crazy, I've spend a few weeks in it, but I'm sure it was a dream even if it looks so real. Enough to have the first part of a book (which I'm writing haha) the lore of this world was so detailed and made so much sense (The handmaid's tale meet Lord of the ring, I can't describe it better)
So I NEEDED to comeback to this world one way or another, so I guess shifting to it as well as trying to induce again this dream wasn't so delusional.
For a few months the last year I've tried but I guess I wasn't really convinced and then I just didn't tried again. I mean, I had already the first book, my imagination had created the world, I managed to end the story.
BUT, then two months ago I've discovered Red redemption 2, and like a lot of people I have been so into it. I'm in a period of unemployment so I said, let's go, this time I have plenty of time to try, I'm gonna do it, I'm going to shift, get a horse and explore the wild west.
(omg sorry for the ramble, I'm so excited I don't know how to put words on it)
So since a few weeks I've been trying a lot of methods, at a lot of times in the day with various subliminal, hypnosis etc... But today I've decided to lose a bit. I've been reading people saying that trying to push wasn't the way neither trying to stay awake, that you have to sleep but be kind of conscious you're sleeping to induce the shifting process. I've put one of my favorite meditation and when I've started to sleep, I didn't fight it, I kept repeating that it was ok, that I was ok, I was calm and regularly my mind awaken with the sound of the music. Then at one moment I felt my mind awake for the last time and I simply thought "Let go". This is where the funny stuff begin. Immediately I felt a rush like I was coming back to my body, then I saw myself leaving my body. It was reaaaally weird. But I got no time to think, my "shadowy conscious body" fell into darkness and I felt absorb like across the universe. I ended up in a place very futuristic and I was feeling the presence of an help. I awake on a bed in a room on a futuristic loft, I've came to take a look at a window and it looked like Coruscant in Star Wars, a very develloped mega futuristic city. Which was definitely not the vibe I was going for. So I've sayed out loud "No I don't want to be here, this is not what I've scripted." and the rush came again, I was being absorb somewhere else to another bed by the guiding presence. I was like "Hum.... Still not where I want to be?" (at this point it looked like a tower of terraces which each one was with a bed on it) but I've trusted the guiding presence and get inside the bed, closed my eyes. When I tried to open them, I started to see my cr bed superposed to another vision, so I closed them again to ground me and when I opened them again, that's it, I was in the hotel room of Strawberry, ready to be a bounty hunter and do camping trip accross New Hanover. But suddenly, I heard the music of the meditation in my earphones, I tried to get them away and wake up in my CR. (Btw, really weird, because I wasn't hearing the music neither the voice of the meditation during all of the process, when I wake up I was an hour in the meditation but I discover this morning that the voice never stop, I guess I just managed to block the voice but not the music ?)
It was the first time I've lived something like that. I can't describe it, it felt so, so real. It was raining and I was cold, and I could hear horses walking in the street, and I was pushing the sheets to make sure it was real and I was really feeling it. It was brief but awesome.
But I'm so confuse, like what was that the futuristic universe with a guiding presence? I'm like a Newby at terms of reality shift, so was it a waiting room? But I didn't script or supposed to have one. Or perhaps it was just a very lucid dream which I've jumped from? And what about the "out of body" experience is it suppose to do that? I always supposed you just "open your eyes in a new reality" not being dragged like a puppet accross the universe lol. I don't know but I would love to have feedback about my experience.
I can't believed it just happen, to be honest I really wished it was true but I had doubts, now I'm more than ever convince and ready to shift again, for real and for a good amount of time next time !
Again, forgive my mistakes, I've tried to correct a few but I'm really bad at correctly use past/present. I do hope it had not made reading me a nightmare.

Ordered 2 kneebraces from Destinak. Came in and too small (they role). No way to return them. Seems to be an Amazon facility but I don't believe that. Have dealt with Amazon for years and never had problems.
Read full report here

Former CIA station chief Dan Hoffman explains Russia’s likely reasoning for arresting Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. The Fox News contributor told ‘America Reports’ that Russia wants to silence the press, ignite ‘anti-West’ feeling in Russia and hold Gershkovich for a trade. WALL STREET JOURNAL DEFENDS REPORTER AFTER HE’S ARRESTED BY RUSSIA ON SUSPICION … Continue reading Putin wants to ‘make a trade’ for detained WSJ reporter: Dan Hoffman

from the Daily Advertiser:
"We need to redefine habits," Bowen said. "Instead of taking cars in and out of the driveway all day, people could take the bus for 15 cents. That includes riding all day. Good quality transit systems are the answer to many of the city's problems."
Full article:
Lafayette Daily Advertiser
5/23/1980
NEW CITY BUS ROUTES PLANNED
By HELEN SPEAR, Advertiser Staff Writer
The lumbering city bus, seen daily on Lafayette city streets, may sometimes be a source of irritation to car drivers, but it's also the main form of transportation for many people.
The city now owns 22 buses and will increase that number by four at the end of May. Along with the four new vehicles, two new bus routes will add about 200 miles to the present 1,600 miles daily, including service to Acadiana Mall. The new routes go into effect June 9. The buses and new routes are part of a plan for Lafayette called the Transit Building Phase I.
In a meeting at City Hall yesterday with Mayor Kenny Bowen, acting Chief Administrative Officer Gerald Breaux, Felix Fremin, City Transit Manager; and Pat Logan, Capital Improvements Director, the routes advantages of the additional buses, and community goodwill of the service were discussed.
"There are about 7,000 to 7,500 passengers riding the buses now," Breaux said. "We expect the new routes to increase that number by 12 or 15 per cent."
"Each bus will cost about $78,000," Breaux pointed out. "The federal government pays 80 percent of the funds; the city pays the other 20 percent."
Logan explained, "We receive operating and federal funds from the government which subsidizes one-half of the operating deficit."
One of the new routes will extend from Johnston Street down Highway 167. The other route will travel in a loop around Guilbeau, Eraste Landry, Bertrand Drive and West Congress.
Other possible traffic generators, or places passengers commute to or from, including the Acadiana Health Center, (the new Charity Hospital), Lafayette State Regional Vocational Institute, Lafayette High School, Plaza Village, and various apartment buildings along the route.
"The buses will be running a 30-minute leg-run feeder line to the Johnston Street busline," Fremin said. "Right now, there's a bus running every 30 minutes to the downtown terminal, but we plan to make some changes regarding the terminal."
"A Johnston Street terminal as a transfer point will be necessary because of traffic," Fremin added.
Before the new routes begin, the new staff members will have enough time to train, and the public will be educated about the new system, Fremin said.
Another improvement in the offing for city transportation, to be implemented within a year to a year-and-a-half, is the addition of eight more buses to the existing fleet.
The purchase of these buses is made possible through a grant which recently came from the Urban Mass Transit Administrative Grant.
These buses are part of the Transit Building Phase II plan, which will enlarge existing routes to cover the north side of the city.
"The vehicles will be equipped with modern facilities, and will also contain conveniences for the handicapped," Logan said. "However, they won't be added to the system for several months because of bids that must be received before they are built.
"The city is allowed to spend as much as $100,000 for each bus, and these, with additional facilities, will cost $90,000. The federal government will pay 80 per cent of the funds, the city the remaining 20 per cent."
The city at present spends $100,000 annually on the transit system.
However, the increase in cost will be worth the improvement in the safety of the existing buses, according to Logan.
"These eight buses will replace the old ones, some of which are around 13 years old, with over 300,000 miles on them," he said. "With the new buses, we can have a more reliable fleet."
Though the new transportation will modernize the system, Bowen commented that the present bus service is faring well.
"It's had good maintenance up to now," the mayor said. "It's a good, solid, dependable, clean, safe transit system."
The bus line is efficient in the use of energy, the mayor said, because "when you consider the fuel each person spends on his car daily, and put several of those people on one bus, you're saving energy."
"The buses never have any problem getting fuel," the mayor noted. "In 1974, when we had those gas lines and fuel shortage, they were the only source of transportation for some people who couldn't get fuel for their cars."
Currently, the transit system runs six days a week, the standard fare is 15 cents, and the elderly ride for a nickel. In the summertime, youngsters who are enrolled in recreational programs ride buses at no cost.
"We need to redefine habits," Bowen said. "Instead of taking cars in and out of the driveway all day, people could take the bus for 15 cents. That includes riding all day.
"Good quality transit systems are the answer to many of the city's problems."