During high school, I had a lot of shit happen. A. Lot. I was constantly overwhelmed, over performing, emotional. I experienced the death of a friend/first crush by suicide and it crushed me. I had zero support system, and in fact my parents made it worse. In hindsight, I can only describe my parents behavior as manipulative and selfish. I was very distraught and grieving over the death of my very good friend, and my mother decided it was best to send me to a mental health facility when I began to act out at home. (She said “I heard it was with a shotgun, that must have been a mess to clean” the day after it happened) My mother began to become extremely overbearing and developed (or maybe always had) control issues. Tracked my location 24/7 on my phone, literally watching it hour by hour. Going through my belongings/journal/phone/everything I own to find something incriminating. Wouldn’t let me hang out with friends under any circumstances. Even though I had straight A’s, took extra classes, stayed 6 hours every day after school for my extra curricular. (Lead roles in school performances, best ranked cellist in my state/first chair, varsity track and forensics/debate, 3rd best ACT scores in my class) Long ass story short, one day my mom deceived me by having the school counselor take me out to get McDonald’s, then to the hospital where my mom had lied to the police saying I had made suicide threats and told them I was abusing drugs. This fucking ruined me. The moment I realized who she really was was when I saw the look on her face when I was being dragged away in handcuffs. The police looked at me like I was dangerous and insane. I spent only a week there because I acted normal the entire time. But I still was given diagnosis of BPD Type 1 and prescriptions as well, and forced to take them or else I would be allowed to leave. Anyways, since then, I’ve realized I probably don’t have BPD and was just coerced into it to please my mother who payed all kinds of money for her weird form of punishment. (The first thing she said when I answered the phone at the mental facility was “are you ready to apologize yet?”) I haven’t taken the meds since I moved out and I haven’t had anything close to an episode. I hate that I was forced to believe I had this diagnosis just because of circumstance. It makes me feel so bad for so many people who are given false diagnosis’s just to check a box. I have a lot of resentment toward my mom, but I try so hard to remember she raised and fed me my whole life and payed for everything I needed. I don’t know what happened, but as I got older, the more control my mother needed over me. It was too much. I wish I could help my mom realize her mistakes but she’s too far gone. She can’t see any other perspective but her own and will lie and deceive to make sure her image is upheld, even at the cost of her child. For some closure, I ended up dropping out of high school when my mom kicked me out on Christmas. I only had .5 credit to graduate because of all the extra classes I had taken. I went to live with my dad but he didn’t let me leave the house for 5 months until I turned 18. right when I turned 18 I had to find an apartment, work full time, and work my ass off. Anyway, I got my GED, enrolled myself and college and currently working towards a major in Epistemology and a major in music. I guess I needed to get more off my chest than I thought but I am just so proud of myself that I pay my own bills, I pay my own apartment and car, work 12 hrs overnight, get A’s in all my college classes, and I am not even fuckin 21 yet. All by myself. Fuck u mom and dad and stepmom and stepdad saying I wouldn’t make it a week on my own after kicking me out. I did that shit. And I’m not bipolar. Just a lame ass way to put the blame on your kids reactions instead of your own actions.
If you made it here, I’m so sorry to have wasted your time. I have absolutely 0 people to talk to in life, and I’ve just wanted to get this off my chest.

I heard this movie mentioned on the Dopey Podcast, as the host Dave is a big fan and friend of Marc Maron. "To Leslie" is a story of the aftermath of a lottery winner who drank all of the money away. Marc plays one of the lead roles in the movie and for those who aren't familiar with him, talks about his recovery from drugs and alcohol on his podcast "WTF with Marc Maron."
It was a touching story and brought back some memories. You can see that alcohol has a power over the lead character in the movie. She steals, lies and even when things are going really bad for her, she keeps going back to the booze like she's on autopilot.
A lot of the movie brought back memories of the many years I spent drinking. One scene where she is trying to eat and her hands are shaking uncontrollably really hit home. Hanging out until closing time in dive bars was another flashback memory for me.
The story has a happy ending, but it really shows you the depths of a bad alcohol addiction and the path of destruction it can have on lives. It was loosely based on a true story. Writer, Ryan Binanco based it off his real-life mother and drew upon personal experiences of his mother to write the story. [To Leslie Wikipedia for more details]
For those that watched it, what did you think? If you haven't watched, it's worth checking out.

This is a list top 100 trance songs containing songs that are according to ChatGPT are both popular and or influential.
I have combed through to make sure they are trance for it to be on the list I have used Masterclass definitions of trance.
(Spoiler alert No Lasgo)
Note1: These are not my opinion Note2: There in no particular order Note3: this is not the songs I would have chosen
​

1. Energy 52 - Café Del Mar (Three 'N One Remix)
2. Paul van Dyk - For an Angel
3. Above & Beyond - Sun & Moon (feat. Richard Bedford)
4. Armin van Buuren - Communication
5. Tiësto - Adagio for Strings
6. Gareth Emery - Concrete Angel (feat. Christina Novelli)
7. Dash Berlin - Till the Sky Falls Down
8. Cosmic Gate - Exploration of Space
9. ATB - 9 PM (Till I Come)
10. Rui Da Silva Featuring Cassandra - Touch Me (Original 12 inch Mix)
11. Veracocha - Carte Blanche
12. Chicane - Saltwater
13. System F - Out Of The Blue
14. Markus Schulz - The New World
15. Aly & Fila - We Control the Sunlight (feat. Jwaydan)
16. Binary Finary - 1998
17. OceanLab - Satellite (Above & Beyond Remix)
18. Above & Beyond - Alone Tonight
19. Armin van Buuren - In and Out of Love (feat. Sharon den Adel)
20. Robert Miles - Children
21. Rank 1 - Airwave
22. Dash Berlin - Waiting (feat. Emma Hewitt)
23. Gouryella - Gouryella
24. BT - Flaming June
25. Paul van Dyk - Nothing But You (feat. Hemstock & Jennings)
26. Markus Schulz - Perception
27. Andy Moor & Ashley Wallbridge - Faces (feat. Meighan Nealon)
28. Super8 & Tab - Helsinki Scorchin'
29. Armin van Buuren - Shivers (feat. Susana)
30. Above & Beyond - Can't Sleep
31. ATB - Ecstasy
32. Tiesto - Traffic
33. Cosmic Gate - Be Your Sound (feat. Emma Hewitt)
34. Gareth Emery - Long Way Home
35. Solarstone - Seven Cities
36. Gaia - Tuvan
37. Ferry Corsten - Beautiful
38. Aly & Fila - Lost Language
39. Paul Oakenfold - Southern Sun
40. Lange - Drifting Away
41. Above & Beyond - Thing Called Love (feat. Richard Bedford)
42. Armin van Buuren - Burned with Desire (feat. Justine Suissa)
43. Andy Moor - Halcyon
44. Rank 1 - Awakening
45. Paul van Dyk - Time of Our Lives (feat. Vega 4)
46. Chicane - Offshore
47. Oceanlab - Clear Blue Water (Ferry Corsten Remix)
48. Aly & Fila - Eye of Horus (Ronski Speed Remix)
49. System F - Cry
50. Veracocha - Drafting
51. Dash Berlin - Never Cry Again
52. Above & Beyond - Home
53. Armin van Buuren - Blue Fear
54. Push - Strange World
55. Andy Moor - Fake Awake
56. Paul Oakenfold - Ready Steady Go
57. Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding - Miracle
58. John O'Callaghan - Big Sky (feat. Audrey Gallagher)
59. Above & Beyond - Sun In Your Eyes
60. Dash Berlin - Man On The Run (feat. Cerf, Mitiska & Jaren)
61. Solarstone & Clare Stagg - The Spell (Solarstone Pure Mix)
62. Andy Moor - Love Again (feat. Betsie Larkin)
63. Lange - Follow Me (feat. The Morrighan)
64. Gabriel & Dresden - Arcadia
65. Armin van Buuren - Serenity (feat. Jan Vayne)
66. OceanLab - Breaking Ties (Above & Beyond's Analog Heaven Mix)
67. Kyau & Albert - Are You Fine?
68. Super8 & Tab - Elektra
69. Rank 1 - L.E.D. There Be Light
70. ATB - Don't Stop
71. Chicane - Autumn Tactics
72. Giuseppe Ottaviani - Through Your Eyes
73. Lange - Out Of The Sky (feat. Sarah Howells)
74. Cosmic Gate - Melt to the Ocean
75. Above & Beyond - Good for Me (feat. Zoë Johnston)
76. Armin van Buuren - Fine Without You (feat. Jennifer Rene)
77. Talamasca - A Frenchman In Mumbai
78. Delerium feat. Sarah McLachlan - Silence (Tiesto Remix)
79. Faithless - Insomnia
80. Darude - Sandstorm
81. Alice Deejay - Better Off Alone
82. Astrix - Deep Jungle Walk
83. DJ Sakin & Friends - Protect Your Mind (Braveheart)
84. DJ Sammy & Yanou feat. Do - Heaven
85. Motorcycle - As The Rush Comes
86. Ian Van Dahl - Castles in the Sky
87. Three Drives - Greece 2000
88. Fragma - Toca Me
89. Filo and Peri feat. Eric Lumiere - Anthem
90. Sasha - Xpander
91. Jurgen Vries - The Theme
92. Gareth Emery feat. Bo Bruce - U
93. Tiësto - Lethal Industry
94. Push - Universal Nation
95. Chicane feat. Bryan Adams - Don't Give Up
96. Matt Darey feat. Marcella Woods - Beautiful
97. Lost Witness - Happiness Happening
98. Love Rush Uk fet. Bryan Adams - Tonight in Babylon
99. Sash! feat. Tina Cousins - Mysterious Times
100. Mauro Picotto - Komodo

I am male 25. Things got worse lately and now I have rollercoaster of emotions towards my girlfriend. I also have to say we transformed to relationship from fwb (but we liked each there from the start) and at the start of our relationships I wasn’t really into it (I had to push myself to have a meeting with her or any other interactions) but then with time things naturally got better we got closer and prior to sudden change in my mental health towards her everything was ok (I felt naturally involved calmed and relaxed about our relationships).
So now everyday I feel like I love her very much and want to be with her and then in 20 minutes I feel like I don’t want to have this relationship. I think that we match in many ways and then in 20 mins I’m thinking about things we are really different in and things I don’t like about her. I also feel more obsessed with her now and feel too much involved while I don’t feel that level of involvement from her.
I also get easily hurt now by harmless actions of her of which she doesn’t even think can hurt me. Like I worry that she doesnt text me during day while she On a job (im unemployed) while I’m waiting from her at least just a single message asking how I am today (I am always asking those and initiate online communication), I worry that I told her that I be happy waking up to a message of her just saying good morning since she always wakes up earlier and she barely doing it, I worry that when she goes for a meeting with her friend/friends Im waiting for a message after how her meeting was and if I don’t ask first she could not message me back till next day or she can just say I’m tired good night.
I know I’m tripping in some way but why all these things make me genuinely feel hurt? I’m also scared of confronting her on things I dont agree with her. But when we spend time together in real life everything is good. She knows about my mental health and she respectfully and adequately answers my questions and give reasonable answers to my worries. But I feel a lot of anxiety and sadness and depression cuz of my unstable feelings and thoughts. I wanna cry actually. I also just started therapy. Any help advices thoughts etc are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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First, some background story: my parents were born in a country where during their times, people always had many children and because of the scarce economy, going to school was not popular and people’s existence was based on hard labour, so parents always relied on the help of their children. My mom escaped from this fate, but my dad had a pretty rough childhood. Both his parents didn’t have a high education, they married young and had 5 children ( I have 2 uncles and 2 aunts from his side), my father is the 3rd so basically the middle child, his father was a shepherd and his mother stayed at home. The thing is, my grandfather was a horrible person, he always exploited his children, didn’t let them go to school because they had to help him, he always beat them up and was always in a fight with my grandmother. But my grandmother was not an angel either, because after the fights with my grandfather she left her kids home alone for long periods of time, sometimes even days, and didn’t stand up for them when my grandfather beat them and choose to not divorce him because it’s a embarrassing thing, so that lead to basically her neglecting them.
While growing up my other uncles and aunts left the country one by one to work abroad and so did my father. There he met my mother through a mutual friend, and then they had me and then my brother. I lived 9 years in that country, but when my father started having health problems due to the country’s humidity and he couldn’t go to work, money became tight and my parents decided to move back to their hometown. My father came constantly to his hometown when we lived abroad and during the summer he worked rebuilding his childhood home, so when we came here, my family moved in the house while his parents lived in an annex attached to it.
After years of disputes between my father and my grandfather came to an end when my grandfather died, things started going downfall between me and my grandmother. I have to add a very crucial point, I have a cousin (we will name him “X”) that lived with my grandma, because my aunt didn’t know any better, and she married young and had him before divorcing her husband. X began to live with grandma after his mother dropped him like a piece of garbage and moved abroad to live the rest of her youth. He grew spoiled and in his teenage years he did nothing but party, did bad in school and treated grandma like sh*it, but because she raised him she turned a blind eye on all his actions.
Now, me and my brother were basically her slaves, we did everything for her, bring anything she wanted, ordered us around, made us buy her groceries, did work for her while threatening us she would tell on us to my father if we did not obey her, while X did nothing. I had to cancel plans to help her or delay them. We had to go to the store near 4 times a day to buy sh*t for her, and we started getting sick of being her personal workers so when my brother (8 at the time) refused to go to the store, my grandma lamented to my father and he beat my brother until he pissed himself and his shirt was torn. I started growing resentment towards her, and because I decided to not back down and my disputes with her started.
Well when I grew up things changed, because my other grandma (we will call her Y) came from abroad to live in the house she built while working, and we started living with her when my mother decided to go back every 3-4 months to work abroad while changing places with her mother (so when mother was home, Y wasn’t, and viceversa). And so every time Y came home, we had the chance to escape her.
Y was always sweet to my father’s mother so when one day I come back from school and learn that my father’s mother called Y and named her lazy and disrespectful for not coming to visit her I was furious. Keep in mind that during that period, my father was not home bc he was working abroad, and she was left alone and didn’t have her slaves to help her, and my father sent a package to us that I had to deliver to her. When I get there, I first took the keys and fed the dog and when I came back, I found her screaming at my brother and when she saw me she starts screaming and berating at me, so I start screaming back and confront her about the accusations towards my other grandma. She starts denying that that ever happened, calls me a liar and an ungrateful child and refused to accept the package that I had carried during winter and in a 50 minutes walk and kept tossing on the ground the keys that opened the gate where the dog stayed. I was shaking and I had no internet connection so when I called my mother with the wi-fi of one of my friends that lived at the end of the street she was shocked and she told me to leave the package there. Then the grandmother started complaining to other relatives that I assaulted her when that never happened, and so I had to defend myself at every family gathering.
When my father returned home with my mother, I could not stand seeing her so I decided to ignore her, no greetings, no eye contact, no helping, no touching etc. and because she is a petty person she did that too.
The current situation is giving me a lot of privileges: I don’t have to do what she wants, I don’t need to run errands for her, my father can’t force me to help her ( because he witnessed a lot of disputes where he realised his mother was really a b*tch), I have more time to myself and I can do whatever I want.
What I don’t like is my father that keeps pressuring me into apologising to her ( and i’m like for what?) because she is old and doesn’t realise what she is doing, but from my perspective she actually knows what her actions mean and their negative consequences and I consider the old age motive not reasonable enough to excuse years of bullying from her.

No clue if I even belong here or not nor if this question is even allowed but anyone here got any tips for getting rid of dysphoria and staying cis as my family is extremely anti LGBT and I have to rid myself of trans thoughts too stay alive. Yeah kind of a hot take in the context of here but I am getting desperate here as if I fall to the ways of the egg my family will kill me if I don't do that myself.
Anyway happy pride month reader hope your day is well <3

After ten years of being a mercenary, I thought I had finally found my forever shop.
At every shop, I had worked at prior, the shops couldn’t present enough work to keep me busy, at all times. At this shop, I couldn’t keep up with the amount of work. I was in my element.
The shop was salary, but I still busted my ass. My co-workers didn’t like me much at first. They thought I was crazy producing the amount of work I was doing. “C’s get degrees, Smoke.” Eventually they realized that work was my passion and we all got along just fine.
After a few months, I realized something was a little weird about the shop. The relationship between the employees and the owner was very cultish. If someone quit, or was fired we were to never mention that persons name ever again. “His name was Robert Paulson…” I can’t stress the aura of cult enough.
The owner would state his wildly conservative, almost nazi-like, thoughts and opinions, and everyone would just agree that he was right. I always disagreed and called him short sighted. I realize, looking back, he would have fired me just for my anti-his-cult rhetoric, if I wasnt producing more than anyone he ever hired. I just can’t not say something when someone tries to tell me about the blight of the black/Mexican man on America.
One morning, I had a coffee in hand and waited for the owner to hand me my next job. He looked at me, “do you know how much I want to hit that cup out of your hand?” In front of two other employees I responded, “what the fuck is that? You a fucking sociopath? Because that’s a sociopathic thought.” His face changed and he laughed it off.
I went straight into fight mode. I was instantly unhappy. This became our relationship. He would say something a serial killer would say and I would call him out on it. Sometimes it would scare me.
He would say things like, “you’re getting fat, you should go to the gym.” “Your wife is hot I’d fuck her.” And every time I would call him out. “I’m happy with my weight. If you’ve ever starved before you would be happy with some weight as well.” “She wouldn’t touch your ugly mug with a ten foot pole.”
One day, in front of several employees the owner said, “I want to fight you.” Immediately I responded with, “Oh, I’ll fuck you up, if you want. When and where?” He scoffed the comment off. I looked at a co-worker in disbelief. The co-worker’s head snapped away from my eye contact in a submissive fashion.
About a week later the owner approached me in the morning, while holding some UFC type fighting gloves. “I brought some gloves, at lunch we fight.” “Look dude, I’ma kick your fucking ass and I WILL put you in the hospital. I’m gunna get hurt, you’re gunna get hurt, why the fuck would you want that?” He smiled a psychopathic smile, “lunch time, it’s on.” He walked away.
I looked over to the tech working next to me and he looked SCARED. I took a breath, and continued with my work. I wanted to put the owner in the hospital for a lesson in respect. I thought, “if I’m kicking his ass they are going to jump me…” I found my center and remained calm.
Lunch time rolled around and I put a long 19mm wrench in my back pocket, and pulled my shirt over it. I had decided I was getting too old and tired to fight someone, and figured as he strapped his gloves on I would just cave in his skull and be done with the shit show. If I get jumped, I get jumped.
Lunch time came around and he never exited his office. I ate my lunch and took my break, and nothing happened.
The next day, nothing. A week went by and nothing. He never spoke about it again and I never brought it up.
After sometime he decided to start to invite me to his house for get togethers and to chill. I NEVER went. I would be very blunt in my responses as well. “I’m not doing that.” “Why not?” “Because I don’t fucking want to. I have my own life. If ten hours a day, five days a week isn’t enough quality time together, then I don’t know what to tell you.”
He insisted, one Friday, that I go over to his house and watch football with him on the weekend. I declined, like I always did. He texted me that Saturday and asked if I was coming over. I texted back, “nope, I’m busy today.” “The game is tomorrow.” “Oh…. well, shit. Still no.” “Come on man come watch the game.” “I’m not interested.” He didn’t text back.
That shop was weird. I left after a year and a half for more pay and a less cultish work place.
That place was so creepy looking back. I know I have been excommunicated there. Never have heard a word from any person from that place since.
Don’t get me wrong, there was never violence at that shop. It was actually pretty chill. I never seen someone actually fight or be violent, but that threat was always there. It hung in the air like a fog.
I still don’t know why the other techs work there. All of them were 3-10 years there. They had to have had some sort of relationship with the owner that kept them there. I just don’t know what that could have been.
Never leave the market place. Mercenary till death. Loyalty gets you fucked.

Introduction

I've been a part of this community for long enough that maybe 3 people recognize the color of my shave towels when I post on /wicked_edge (they're purple). In /wetshaving, I occasionally make dick jokes with mammothben.
As a result, I've spent about an hour ruminating on this post and how to make the Maggard Meetup as awkward as possible. These are my memes and mine alone. I have rejected several cash offers to not post these findings, and I will not be stopped.

Grievance #1: Ending the Base Race

Background

In the before-fore times, the meta for soapmaking that every soapmaker followed was to get a handful of main scents that they keep the same, and release small tweaks to their soap base every 6 months to render the community's collection obsolete and generate a buying spree where people now had to get their favorite scents in the "latest and greatest" soap base.
Many consider this era the golden age of wetshaving, and Barrister and Mann was an active contributor to the base race. White Label/Black Label base, Glissant base, Latha base, Reserve base, Soft Heart base, and Excelsior base all helped encourage wetshavers across the world buy Seville multiple times in the hopes for better slickness, improved cushion (which is totally a thing), and the ultimate post-shave feel.
Then everything changed when the Omniberries attacked.

Omnibus

On September 29, 2021, a nuclear salvo was unleashed from the halls of barristerandmann.com. Leviathan was released in the Omnibus base, and soapmakers around the world waved the white flag on the base race.
Declaration Grooming's Milksteak, Sus Artisan Accoutrement's CK-6, Boob-label & Evans' Kaizen K2. These mainstays of American soap bases have remained stagnant ever since. Omnibus effectively ended the base race across the entire market, and led to the community consensus becoming "chase scents, not bases."

Why This Matters

This alone isn't problematic, having a stable set of great bases to choose from and allowing premiere soapmakers to focus on releasing more interesting scents in smaller batches is good for the community, for the industry, and the world.
The problem arises when old, established brands like Tabac take the end of the base race as a signal from the market that they can cut costs by moving their soaps onto to inferior bases. I'm not saying that it's Will's fault that tallow Tabac is now unobtanium, but you could make the argument that it's Will's fault that tallow Tabac is now unobtanium.

The Solution

The best way the community can address this issue is to write daily letters to Maurer & Wirtz that they need to bring back the tallow base for Tabac, and buy out Maggad Razors' stock of 4.1/4.2 base Saponificio Varesino soaps so they can restock everything in the 4.3 base.

Grievance #2: Financial Abuse

Background

Every few years, the copyright expiration date on Mickey Mouse looms near and Disney lobbies the US government to extend the copyright expiration date so that Disney can maintain their stranglehold on The Mouse, despite their eager use of public domain IP like Sherlock Holmes and King Arthur. Is Will literally Big Soap? I'm not saying he is, I'm just asking questions.

Mousse de Saxe

Will has a whole blog post on how he came about his formulation of Mousse de Saxe, and while it's a very interesting story and his formulation of MdS has become catnip for wetshavers, it's also become something of a crutch in his soapmaking. MdS features in Beadelaire, Full Measure of Man, Lavanille, Le Grand Chypre, and most recently in Vespers.

Why This Matters

Although many of us in the community have no thrill anymore, MdS remains the inimitable constant source of thrill at all of /wetshaving cannot resist. L'appel du mousse is the compelling urge one feels to buy at least a sample (I just need a taste!) of Will's latest release featuring Mousse de Saxe. Will knows this fact about us. He knows it well. My sources tell me Will has bought several jetskis with the money he's earned from abusing this fact about us. And he can't keep getting away with it.

The Solution

Since the turn of the new millennium, sex strikes have proven effective in Colombia, The Phillippines, South Sudan, Togo, and elsewhere. By withholding that which their oppressors desire until behavior is changed, peace can be achieved. So to everyone at the Maggard Meetup, I call upon you to refrain from complimenting Will's scent-making until he releases Mousse de Saxe as a standalone dropper that can be added to soaps and aftershaves a la Declaration Grooming's menthol dropper. Si se puede!

Grievance #3: Olfactory Abuse

Background

It is at this point in the post that I must concede, Will is the superior meme-meister. This absolute madlad is at the gigabrain Dr. Manhattan level of the soapmaking world, except instead of moving to Mars he's decided to dead-ass fuck with us. Seville prints more money than the Nintendo Switch, he's got MdS for whenever he wants the cash to buy another jetski, and Omnibus ensures no other soapmaker will encroach on his soap base superiority. How do I know he's decided to stunt on our noses? Because of 2 scent notes.

Cilantro and Cum

Let's start with Cilantro. When the Four Horsemen series was announced, the wetshaving community was awash with curiosity and speculation about what each of the four horsemen would smell like. Would it be like how Noble Otter tackled the "Firefighter" theme without actually making a soap that smelled like a fire?
No. War would smell like an actual war crime. How does one scent a war crime? Apparently with Cilantro. I have it on good authority that Will devised the scent profile for War when eating tacos for taco tuesday and the topic of how cilantro tastes like soap to some people with a specific gene. "Well what would happen if I added an ingredient that tastes like soap to my actual soap?" and off he went. His friends and family didn't see him for days. The Cleveland Browns found a post-it note that had "Cilantro No Matter What" scribbled on it. And some time later, a scent that could curdle Wholly Kaw's Creme Fraiche base was brought to market. Will knew that we'd buy all 4 scents, get all matchy-matchy, and even dickhole the aftershaves. And then the SOTD's began. "My wife hates this," "my cat peed on the tub when I left it open to dry," "why has god forsaken me?" Guess who was laughing his ass off from Mars? Our very own Dr. Manhattan.
For those of us familiar with Pear Tree blossoms, they have a very particular scent. The kind of scent that makes guys inspect their pant leg and say "I'm fairly certain I didn't miss." The kind of scent that makes women think "Oh gross, honey I told you to change your underwear after last night." That's right, Pear Tree blossoms smell like cum. So when Will was considering what scent to re-release for Spring 2023, did he select fan favorite Paganini's Violin or the fruity fougere Passiflora? (Both of which he relased bath soaps for in February). No, he chose the cum soap. The soap that's supposed to remind you of the time you took a walk through Central Park and rounded a corner only to be accosted by a masturbating homeless man.
I tried to give Will the benefit of the doubt, and asked point blank "Is the pear blossom accord in Rhapsody going to be as, well... pear blossom-y as the original Rhapsody formulation?" to which he responded "Why would I change it?" He knew. He knew what he was doing when he originally released the soap, and he knew why I was asking if he had changed it in the re-release. Dr. Manhattan was laughing on Mars again.

Why This Matters

This matters because Will still hasn't re-released Roam and I need the matching aftershave in my life. There are only so many fresh tubs of Roam out there that j33pguy13 can source for me. Instead, Will chooses to re-release Rhapsody and put together what may go down in history as the most infamous multi-scent meme soap release in history with the Four Horsemen. This is a personal attack on my love for Roam and I will not stand for it.

The Solution

Will, re-release Roam and all is forgiven.

Grievance #4: Feet

Preface

I'm a heterosexual male, but that shouldn't matter when it comes to shaving products or labels. Yes, we drank beer. My friends and I. Boys and girls. Yes, we drank beer. I liked beer. Still like beer. We drank beer.

The Problem

Lavender, Interrupted has been to Will as At the Mountains of Madness has been to Guillermo Del Toro. Everyone wants to see it. Will wants to make it. But the creative ambition of the project makes the promised project almost un-makeable. Lavender, Interrupted had been long promised as an evolution of the lauded Lavanille scent, but faced delays and reformulations, and further delays.
And now, today, many of you will go to the Maggard Meetup anticipating getting a full bottle or sample of the long awaited fragrance. And I can't say I'm not jealous.
I'm really jealous.
But lets wind the clock back to Tuesday March 21, 2023 and remember the Deals/New Products thread from that day.
"Happy Tuesday!
Just wanted to drop in quickly to let you all know that the Q2 2023 Release Schedule is now posted on our blog and that it features a sneak peek at a mockup for Lavender, Interrupted packaging."
Will wanted us to see the packaging. Not a new blog post on how he put the final touches on the fragrance. Not a picture of the bottle it would be sold in. He wanted us to see the picture of sexy feet he put on the box. He postponed Lavender, Interrupted and strung us along just so that his feet pics could get maximum exposure with minimum heat. Are those Will's feet on the box of Lavender, Interrupted? Why does will want us to see pictures of his feet in thigh-high stockings? I'm not saying they are Will's feet on the packaging of Lavender, Interrupted. I'm just asking questions.

The Solution

Nothing really to be done about this other than be mad about discovering new about ourselves. Just accept that we're all going to love this fragrance and that the box with sexy feet on it will be in many wetshavers' dens, delighting Will that his feet pics are going to be all over the sub's mail call threads for years to come.

Conclusion

I'm not sure why you read this far. It's lot to take in, I know. I'm intentionally avoiding a few smaller topics of less import, like... Night Music having poo notes. I'm not going to critique Will/Barrister and Mann beyond that, because it's already been established that he's straight up fucking with us with some of these scents and I am 100% here for it.
I've been wracked with guilt holding onto this knowledge while wetshavers around the world continue to buy Will's wonderful products, but I realized the potential hilarity of pointing out Will's sexy feet pics the morning of the Maggard Meetup was too much to pass up. My intention is just to meme on everyone tangentially related to what I've posted here, and to get Roam a proper re-release. I will not source any of my claims, and I expect you to do your own research. Take my word for it.
After all of this though, I am convinced that Will is an absolute gigachad in the wetshaving world. Please join me in encouraging Will to re-release Roam.
TL;DR Does this sub even have mods anymore? Why is this post still up?

One of my two gerbils passed away 2 months ago, I waited to see if he was fine without him or not and at first he seemed really happy even without him but now he is really clingy with me but I can't be all day with him and he's starting to feel lonely so I want to adopt 2 new little boys for him to have friends but I'm really scared that they might not get along or that they might fight, and I also don't know how to introduce them and how long does it take before they can live in the same cage. If someone has some advice on the topic I would really appreciate it.

Hey everyone I could really use some help!
So I recently started fostering some kittens (two 6 weeks olds 🤩) and from the moment I got them, one of them in particular totally imprinted on me. She was completely lovey, always wanting to be held, following me everywhere, snuggling me, sleeping on me at night, etc., overall just very strongly attached.
Recently, I had to start treating her for a URI that she got at the humane society and her energy has returned to normal. However, I’ve noticed in the last few days she no longer likes to be held, and while her “safe spot” used to be on my shoulders—she used to even balance on my shoulders when I’d walk around, now she tries to jump off almost as soon she gets up there. I’ve also noticed she’s no longer naps on/ near me and even started napping under the bed and more out of sight in the last few days. As her energy returns to normal, she is always playing with the other kitten and I’m sure that has something to do with it.
I would typically attribute this to URI and feeling better, but even before the symptoms of the URI she was super playful and attached to me.
of course realize this may sound ridiculous, but I was about 99% sure I was going to adopt her and as her foster stay is nearing its end, I don’t want to make a bad decision in either direction.
These are my first foster kittens so truly doing my best to make sure they’re happy and enriched but am I just being ridiculous?
Any input is appreciated 😩

From The Ashley:
On cheating on her partners & having a “revolving door of men” in her life:
“I get a lot of s**t because I do cheat, or I have cheated,” Kail said.
Kail pointed to her childhood trauma as a possible reason for her cheating, but stated that she also refuses to be unhappy in a relationship.
“I also leave if I’m not satisfied or happy and I think that people don’t like that. People don’t like that I leave,” she said. “I’m not gonna stay somewhere I’m not happy. So it does kind of look like [I have] a revolving door of men, but also I know when and when not to introduce them to my kids.
“There’s people who date all the time and they don’t get s**t for it.”
On why she almost got an abortion with her fourth son, Creed:
Kail also discussed her time with Chris, which she called “by far, my most tumultuous, toxic relationship.”
“When I met Chris, it started off very toxic. I would say about six months in, I had already had a miscarriage with him. At that point, I had found out that he had two other girlfriends, full-time girlfriends. These were not side chicks. All three of us were main f**king girlfriends…I found out when I was pregnant with my son Lux. None of us knew about each other.”
Kail claimed that Chris was living with her full-time during this period.
On finding out Chris was having a baby with his other girlfriend:
“That was really hard for me to learn that he was having a baby with her,” Kail said. “I had a mental breakdown that day…I called my therapist on an emergency basis and she talked me through it. I basically blacked out. I don’t even remember what the conversation was. I accepted that he was having this child and from that point forward, I never looked back.”
Kail said she hasn’t had a good relationship with Chris since.
“I’ve never hooked up with him, we don’t talk, we don’t hang out, we’re not friendly. There’s been one or two friendly times where we’ve tried to be cordial but it ultimately just goes to s**t every time. It’s hard,” she said.
On the only reason she doesn’t try to get with Chris anymore:
Kail— who, earlier in the podcast, stated that she loved Chris more than she’s ever loved anyone she’s dated— admitted that she would probably still be trying to get with Chris if it wasn’t for one thing.
‘Here’s the thing: I don’t date men with kids. And if it wasn’t for that, I don’t think I would be done with him today,” she said.
On the real reasons she left ‘Teen Mom 2’:
“It was a really hard decision for me but I had been really struggling with the fact that I went through such a public divorce. And then the stuff with Chris was so messy. My kids are getting older, Isaac really didn’t want to film anymore. So I was just kind of feeling like, ‘Maybe this is time for me to move on,'” she said.
“My kids didn’t want to film. I just wanted the privacy and to kind of just move on,” she added.
On whether or not she would return to a ‘Teen Mom’ show:
Kail has made it clear that she is interested in coming back to reality TV, but says it won’t be on a ‘Teen Mom’ show.
“They’ve asked me a couple times to come back, but I’m so far removed from that now that I can’t see myself going back to the show, specifically,” Kail said, although she stated that she would “absolutely” be down to star on her own reality show.
On plastic surgery:
Kail also talked about the plastic surgery she’s gotten over the years, including a tummy tuck, Lipo 360 and the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) she got live on Snapchat by Dr. Miami in 2016.
“I love plastic surgery,” Kail said. “The only regret I have is not waiting until I was done having kids. I had the Mommy Makeover after my second son and I could definitely go for another.”
One thing Kail regrets, though, is getting her BBL, which she says has not aged well.
“I don’t love [my BBL]. I want it removed immediately,” she said. “Gravity is kind of pulling it down a little bit.”
When I did the BBL and I did the Lipo 360 I wanted everything to match because I felt like, ‘I can’t have a huge butt and then have my waist be small and my arms big.’ So I had it in my arms. My butt and my arms have grown insane. But now what? I don’t know what I can do about it. Gravity pulls down your butt a little bit and it just looks crazy and I can’t find jeans that fit me.
On having even more kids:
Kail has four kids currently, (and it’s been intensely speculated that she gave birth to a fifth child by her current boyfriend Elijah Scott around November 2022, but she’s never confirmed it). However, she said she’s willing to grow her litter even more.
“I am in a relationship now and yes [I’m open to having more kids]…[Elijah] deserves kids of his own,” she said.
https://www.theashleysrealityroundup.com/2023/06/02/kail-lowry-talks-to-bunnie-xo-about-her-revolving-door-of-men-why-she-really-quit-teen-mom-2-what-plastic-surgery-she-regrets-getting/

Hello! I’m originally from the US but I’ve been living in Switzerland for several years now. It’s been very difficult to make close friends here, so maybe one of you lovely people would like to be my friend :)
A little bit about me: I’m doing a master in environmental change and sustainability, and my goal is to become a paleoclimatologist and do research that can make a difference for modern climate change. I like painting happy little landscapes, reading murder mysteries and time travel sci fi, hiking, exercising, cats, magic mushrooms, and learning German. I struggle a lot with anxiety and a fear of opening up to people so I’m hoping this will help me be less afraid. I’d like to find someone open-minded and kind who is looking to develop the same kind of deep friendship. I would prefer someone around the same age as me/in a similar stage of life (nothing romantic, I’m married).
If this fits you, send me a message with a little bit about you :) I would really like to send physical letters and I can send the first one within the next few days

There are plenty of divine figures and each of them has a vision of how the world must look like and mortals they want to succeed. There are many disagreements within godly community. Compramissions can't be made, but war of such powerful beings would demolish the whole universe and looking for new one would be tiresome. Instead, every group of divine figures in any universe have something, that looks like game. Such games have different names and rules, but always are about manipulating mortals to achieve their goals without direct interventions. They may look like game of chess, but they aren't even remotely similar.
Members of divine game in Dream SMP:

1. DreamXD. First guardian of Dream SMP. The one, who created it's world and gave it the name. Created the rules for it's divine game, that every other members agreed with. One of three best players. Stole Foolish from Mother Innit(she didn't mind it). Pretends to be divine patron of Dream, but in fact patronise George. He believe that stories have meaning only if they have end and so want every mortal to die, bringing the end to his perfect symphony
   
2. Mother Innit. Goddess of Life. One of three best players. In fact, she was so good, that XD could outsmart her only after years of trying to put her guard down. Divine patron of Tommy. Want the world to evolve on it's own, but will make sure, that her son would be safe and happy. Brought Kristin, her business(if it can be called like that) partner, to Game
   
3. Kristin. Goddess of Death. Qualified player, but does not take game seriously. She has her own realm to give little care about the world of living. Divine patron of Philza and, basically, just tries to make sure, that he will be happy in the end. During game, give some advices to Sally
   
4. Sally. Goddess of Ocean. Has literally no idea how to play, but tries her best(and still every move is terrible). At first was divine patron of Wilbur, but lost faith in him and began to patronize Fundy. It didn't help him mich. Youngest of Gods, if we don't count Karl Major. Appreciate Kristin's mentoring
   
5. Karl Major. God of Time. At first, was just ordinary Karl Jacobs, the Time Traveler. After Incident learnt everything about time traveling that Inbetween could teach and spent so many years trying to fix everything with those powers, but failing every time. Each time he tried, he lost parts of connection to the Time(he learnt, how to keep memories, but sacrifices are needed), until ascended above it. Now, tries to create the best timeline from new position. Divine patron of Karl Minor, his younger version. Stole Overseers of Inbetween and Other Side from DreamXD. Dream didn't like it. While others play "Chess", he plays "5D chess with multi universal time traveling", still failing in most timelines
   
6. Blood God. Pretty self-explanatory(Not just blood tho, power, rage, war and justice all are his symbols. In a way, Nether is his domain). Divine patron if Techno. With Mother Innit about allowing the world to evolve on it's own, but want to create a system, that will make this evolving just and fair. Created a fragile faction with Kristin And Mother Innit due to similar views
   
7. Egg. Creature of Corruption. Pet of DreamXD. NOT A PLAYER, but comes from time to time to flip the table. When it happens, everyone shout at it and tries to put away.
   

It was September 2019 (I think). At the time, I just finished my Bachelor's thesis. To complete my entire study, I just had to finish one more exam, namely Mobilkommunikationstechnik. Yes, it is in German, because I studied at a German university. Well, I was already wondering what to do next at the time, since it would not be long before I graduated. There are several options here: doing a Master, working, or going back to Indonesia (my home country). I applied for a Master's at RWTH Aachen University and got admitted. I was happy and already began to look for a community of students to start the journey. Things were great.
It was time for preparing the last exam that I had. At the same time, I was personally conducting research on Reinforcement Learning. Everyone said that it is an easy exam, and there is nothing to worry about. So it is what I did. I did not give too much care, and just aimed to pass.
It was exam time. There was approx. 15 multiple-choice questions to solve. Each requires a thorough calculation to answer. I was not sure that I answered everything correctly. Plus the questions were actually very difficult and were not even taught in the lectures. Note that we did not even have any actual lectures, it was just scripts that we all read. The reason we did not have any physical lectures is COVID-19. But at least a virtual lecture was not actually out-of-reach. Anyway, before the exam finished, there was one question that I was not sure I answered right. I wanted to change the answer, but very hesitant to do so. Eventually, I kept the answer as it was.
The result of the exam came out a few days later. I failed. That was surprising, but I kept my calm. I then asked for introspection from the professor, so I could evaluate what I did wrong. And, just right, if I were to switch the answer to that one god-damn option C, I would have passed!

Well, then, why this event changed my life forever?

Since I couldn't wrap up my Bachelor's degree within that semester, the University didn't let me into their master's program. I tried asking for a postponement, but they shot me down. So, I ended up with a whole semester just to focus on one darn exam.
Being the Samuel that I was, I began to think about what I could do for a semester. I decided to at least have a part-time job. I had been wanting to work for an AI startup, called ML6. I knew this company several years earlier from a seminar in Düsseldorf. After contacting the contact point that I knew and several forwarded E-mails from/to other people later, I finally was requested to apply for a full-time position in Berlin. As I had nothing else to do, I did their code challenge for the job application and got 100% accuracy in their Machine Learning challenge. After several interviews later, I was accepted. I would be the first engineer for their Berlin branch office.
Moving to Berlin for a full-time needs some risk-taking though. I did not even complete my Bachelor's yet, meaning if I move to Berlin and fail my last exam, then I would have to move back to Duisburg. And moving out to another city is just a pain in the ass here in Germany. We need to look for an apartment, which is high-demand and low-supply. To make things worse, I do not even know if my student visa allows me to have a full-time yet. I thought I could though, as the hours of full-time - considering I pass the exam three months after I join - are still under the allowed amount of working hours, but quite frankly was not 100% certain.
I decided to take the risk and move to Berlin. For around 2 months, I was preparing the Mobilkommunikations exam as hard as I could. There were more than 200 pages of exercises that I solved, doing at every single free time I had. I also read all of lecture scripts, and also some video lectures coming from a university in India (Youtube baby!). Eventually, I passed the exam, not even with a good mark. By the way, they totally changed the kind of questions topic again. Since then, I never looked back, and currently I even already switched company from ML6 to Bosch Stuttgart.
One question in an exam changes my life path forever, literally. From planning to do a Master, to directly full-time for years and years to come. Of course, I would still do full-time given I did my Master's at the time, but it would be with a different company, etc. The level of discomfort of the whole experience, the hardship of even finding an apartment in Berlin, and the fresh experience as a worker as a Bachelor, all gave me a brand different perspectives than if I would have worked after my Master's degree instead.

I (36F) have been trying to figure myself out - who I want to be, what I need in life and for the foreseeable future. Part of this process is this feeling that my current job, which I've been dedicated to for almost 8 years, no longer serves me and that maybe it's time to move on. I can't shake my feeling that my time in the company is drawing to an end in a good way.
I've been trying to practice acceptance and in doing so came to the conclusion that my needs aren't in the best interest of my current employers or even feasible at this time and for a while. A year or two ago, I would have been pissed about it and looked for jobs out of spite. I would have insisted that my bosses owe me and screwed me over or took advantage of my dedication/loyalty. I don't necessarily think that's the case, nor would it do me any good (or matter) to think that way.
My employers are good friends of mine and have always been open to and address my concerns/needs. They offered me my current position a couple of years ago, knowing I wanted to get my foot in the door and back into the system full-time. I am compensated well in my benefits package and my pay is standard for my degree and experience levels in our state. My hours are okay, my work/life balance is great. My team is small and we have been out on our own little island for the most part for years. We support each other and I try to advocate for their needs/issues as much as I can.
I am in a dual patient care and leadership position, which leans more toward the leadership end. It feels more like a customer service gig - especially lately - which pulls me away from clinical practice. I spend a lot of time doing damage control and making sure our providers get their notes done, fix any of their errors, and remember to send in prescriptions/do paperwork. In the past year, one of our office branches has been dealing with quite a few issues which takes up time and resources of upper management and has affected my location to some degree. I didn't get the job transfer I was promised because of it. There's no room for growth unless I get my NP license, which I have no interest in. I haven't been happy here for these reasons plus a few others I left out because you would be reading this post all day otherwise. I have been open with my discontent with my supervisors.
I know upper management is very busy - not just trying to catch things before they hit the floor at our sister branch, trying to get everything back in order there, but also their lives outside of work. I've had a lot of email correspondence with my supervisor about my concerns and frustrations. He gave me plenty of positive feedback and validated my concerns for a while. He is very optimistic that things will work out and our branch will flourish again, and he will make sure what has happened to our sister branch won't happen to us. But his correspondence about these things has started feeling kind of empty or trying to explain himself for not being as present. His problems are pretty big compared to mine and honestly, I feel like I'm just complaining to him more than anything at this point. He always says we need to have a meeting with the other higher ups to figure these things out together, but these meetings never happen. No one has the time.
So, I decided in the last few weeks to start seeking employment elsewhere. A job opening popped up while I was casually looking and it's something I'm really interested in, I qualify for, has good hours, and great benefits. I applied for it. I was notified that my application was forwarded to hiring manager already, which means I may be contacted for an interview. I used my supervisor as a professional reference and let him know he will likely get a call about it. He told me he appreciated the heads up and transparency. Some of my colleagues see this as an opportunity for me to use my potential departure as leverage and asked if supervisor made a counteroffer, but that isn't my intention and he didn't, nor did I expect him to. They have to do what's best for them, I have to do what's best for me. And that's okay.

To fight an endless war within the Wastes of Mordor, Tallon once thought it would be easy. The sting of betrayal, the knowledge of his eventual fall, and the quiet desire to see his family once more...all could be pushed aside.
To delve deep into the endless war would hide all from him, allow him to bury it all. Leading Orcs, killing Orcs, fighting Nazgul, it would always be enough.
But more and more, he finds himself within the tower of Minas Morgul, uneeded. Sitting among the artifacts of Gondor, sitting alone. Lulls in the wars.
Sitting alone, and allowing the worst feeling of all to spirit up onto his tainted, cursed form: loneliness. Orcs were good company in fights, but their daily lives were far from desirable. Once upon a time, Celebrimbor was the voice to keep him happy, and sane.
And now, though he does not know it himself, he finds he cannot live without another to accompany him. He knows it will only end badly. One day the ring will take him, and he will be a Ringwraith.
But being alone scares him far more than that.
...
Who will accompany a doomed Talion? Another spirit? An escaped human capture of Sauron's Orcs? Anybody, who will help a desperate Talion in his selfish desires for a friend.
He deserves that much, doesn't he?

My partner (33m) and I (31F) just got back from a cruise yesterday and it was a lot of fun but there was one issue. I don't like photos of myself so I have one rule - you can take photos of me just don't show me.
Why you ask?
Because I hate looking at myself. Not because I am overweight (which I am but am taking steps to better myself) but I honestly hate the way my face looks, just everything about it so I don't really want to see it unless I'm getting ready for work.
My partner wanted to document the whole trip which is understandable and I was happy to take photos for him but he kept sending them to me "just in case you want to look at them later!" I gently reminded him that I really don't like photos of myself but if he wants to take them fine just please don't show me! He said shrugged and said ok. Only for the next day to take more photos of me and show me again!
Here's where I may be an asshole, the next day after that we got off the ship for a day tour and he wanted to pose with some locals but I just walked past and said "nope!" Over my shoulder leaving him to take a photo alone. That night he sulked and barely spoke to me until after dinner he snapped and said it wouldn't of killed me to take the photo. I feel pretty bad about it but I'm also sick of him ignoring the one thing I asked him not to do.
So AITA?

Seen this post this morning and after many attempts at reading it I understood what she is saying here.
Her friend has a huge accomplishment in life. It wasnt enough to just be happy for her she had to say...you guessed it because nobody knew...she had a baby!!
Move on WR. Yes he laid the pipe you had a baby. It takes zero effort at all on your part. Pregnancy is wonderful and a miracle but at this point GET OVER IT. Start being a mother.
But she's a narcissistic bitch. That baby is just there to serve Alex's needs as she sees fit and when she sees fit. I'm truly worried how in fact Alex has not TrAnSeNdEd into motherhood. She's still shocked she actually had a baby. Yes great Alex. You had a baby. Its almost 3 months. Most mothers are over the fact they had a baby and are actually too busy being a mother to marvel at how their body done exactly what it should of. It's a friggin miracle Ari made it this far with all the odds stacked against her all from her mother. The drinking and drug use leading up to pregnancy and lack of prenatal care. WHY IS SHE SO PROUD for "unhousing life" still.
Get over it. Move on. Time to get off your phone and be a god damn mother to that baby you had to only brag about the fact you had sex.