I’m half white and half Filipina and my mom came to the US in the 90s so there wasn’t as much pressure for her to assimilate as there was for people who came to the US earlier. I was brought up understanding Filipino culture, and thought I’m not fluent in Tagalog my mom never outright refused to teach me some words here and there and she wishes I was taught more when I was younger as my aunt was the one watching me when my mom would work so I didn’t get to be fluent as my aunt would talk to me more in English while occasionally saying some things in Tagalog.
I noticed other people of the same mix as me whose family came to the US decades before my mom had a different experience because of pressure to assimilate. I have a friend who’s a quarter Filipina and her Lola came to the US to be a nurse (idk when she immigrated but definitely at least a couple decades before my mom), and my friend’s mom didn’t learn as much about her culture because her Lola didn’t talk about it much with her mom due to pressure to assimilate. I know another girl who’s a little more than half Filipina who said her Lola refused to teach her Tagalog also as a result of pressure to assimilate.
This experience isn’t restricted to mixed people at all as I even knew a girl growing up who forgot Tagalog as she struggled to learn English so that added pressure for her to assimilate and stop speaking Tagalog. I use to not understand why people didn’t want to stay in touch with their culture or pass it onto their kids, but I failed to realize how much pressure was put on them to assimilate, and that my mom was lucky to not have to endure that pressure, along with me being privileged enough to not be expected to give up what I was brought up in.
Has anyone else had similar experiences? When did your family immigrate and how did that affect your understanding of your identity?

What the hell is a plob? I’ve been asking myself that for years now. I even did a “Google” search but found nothing. Of course, Google did ask me if I was thinking of another term, perhaps “plum” or even “blob”. But nothing that matched up with plob. So unfortunately, I can’t tell you exactly what one is. For the purposes of this story however, plob is me.
It all started innocently enough. One day my brothers Joe, Pat, Nick, and I were sitting around looking for something to do. I’m going to assume that if we had nothing to do, it probably meant that it was after dinner, and we couldn’t watch television (a privilege that I was assured every other child in the neighborhood had, but we were deprived of). I believe it was Joe who came up with the brilliant idea that we should organize how we made fun of each other. Brilliant! What an incredible concept! Even at a young age, my anal-retentive attributes were beginning to take form, and this idea appealed to that side of my growing neurosis.
“We need to have names for each other, ones that rhyme” Joe stated. While this seems a bit complicated for a boy who was probably no older than 11, later stories will explain this fascination with show tunes and Broadway musicals. We all agreed and began to explore what our names should be. Our creativity flowed quickly, and we came up with these gems of genius:
“Moe” (for Joe), “Fat” (for Pat), “Pick” (for Nick, though that one could have gone in an entirely
different direction if you ask me). Can you see where this is going? Plob was the moniker given to me. Soon after the names were given, the merrymaking commenced. “Hey Plob!” Joe and Pat berated me. “Yea, well you’re Moe!” I retorted. However, they would have none of that. “No, I don’t think so. You’re Plob! AH HA HA! Plob! Plob! Plob!”
I soon realized that I had been duped. I had unknowingly opened Pandora’s Box and released a name that would haunt my dreams and define most of my childhood: Plob was born. In the years that followed, Plob was brought to most family occasions and holiday get-togethers. Like a wound whose scar will never disappear, Plob is now a part of me, a badge of courage so-to-speak. At times, it’s also like a rash that comes back when you least expect it. I can always tell when one of my brother’s relationships has gotten serious when the “significant other” knows the third youngest brother as simply, Plob.
Perhaps the ultimate tribute to my alter-ego was when someone (the perpetrator’s identity was never revealed) decided to immortalize Plob through art. What was the artist’s choice of expression? Watercolor? Sepia tones? Both good choices, but he chose to select chalk as the brush, and our driveway as his palette. And as any good artist knows, a great creation is a great creation, no matter where you steal it. In this case, the theft victim was Underdog.

Oh, one day there was this Plob-Rob

He threw away a little frog

And then the frog threw away Plob-Rob
And then Plob-Rob turned into…UNDERPLOB!
UnderPlob! Speed of lightning, Strength of an Ant!
While I appreciated all the obvious effort that went into this artistic expressionism, I knew at the time that Plob was more than just a passing fancy. It was to be a permanent part of my life. Some 25 years after its creation, Plob has taken on a life of its own. I’m seriously thinking about a licensing deal with Happy Meal toys and corporate sponsorships. I look forward to the day when my children and even my grandchildren will ask me with an inquisitive glow in their eyes: Who the hell is Plob and how did you get such a stupid nickname?

The past week has been great i finally made some progress and yes there was some downs but overall it was a great week but i still feel down and i can't seem to ejnoy those achievements, no matter what i do i can't be happy.

I'm asking because I've seen this in a few different sports here on the Island (I am not from PE), which I find concerning/unfair to some of the kids who play in these different sports. I have noticed that parent involvement in the sport/league, whether it be coaching or behind the scenes, that the children (or other close family, like cousins) of these parents seem to be put on the "better" teams (eg. AAA VS A) no matter what skill level they are at. There's nothing wrong with kids being given some advantages but when you see some kids that work their behinds off, practice and are amazingly skilled at their chosen sport, are being bumped down to AA instead of AAA because there is limited space on the team and the involved parents kid (who is still improving their skills) gets a spot just because of who their mom/dad is. Why? Why can't a parent be involved and not have their own child pushed ahead intentionally? It's not ok to the other kids who have worked for it and have shown that they deserve it. It has happen recently to 2 children that I know of. I personally know one sport involved parent who had openly stated that they gave their child the advantage. Is this just how it is around here?

Like the title says, i can't find a reason to live. I must say i'm probably lucky and have better condition then many people but i'm suicidal. I'm saying this because i see people living in streets, i know people who lost their families and yet they still living. I got things those people don't have but they have a stronger will then i have.
I don't what to do. I don't leave my house if it is not necessary. I lost all my friends because i rejected to hang out with them so many times. I lost my interest in all my hobies. I became a masturbation addict because it's like a drug, it numbs my brain. Lucky i don't drink or use drugs.
My parents are emotionally disabled i think. They support me at all matters except emotions and stuff. I talk with them every week but they never ask me how i'm really doing. We never talk that stuff inside our family. So i have not even one soul to ask me how i'm really doing.
What should i do? Since i don't have any one to talk about these stuff i'm asking you guys? How do you handle, how should i handle?

So I’ve been with my partner for about five years and married for almost two. At first I always thought I’d want kids, like two to four of them. We talked about adopting (there’s a high chance I cant have kids naturally) and I was excited to one day start the adoption process.
I then got on Reddit and saw the child free forum. I read through a lot of posts and actually began thinking more logistically about kids. My partner and I are okay financially for the two of us but I don’t think we’re in a spot now (or any time soon) to have a child.
I also was born with a disability to one of my arms that isn’t noticeable unless I say something. The disability essentially makes my arm a lot weaker than my other and it’s sensitive. If someone so much as pokes it then it feels like a million needles going in my arm. Now I have been around babies in my family, I’ve held them, fed them, etc. I can’t hold them for very long without my are giving out. I can try to hold it for longer but then there are just pains in my arm for days. The good arm has to do so much to make up for what my other can’t but I can only do so much with it before I overuse it too. I say all that to say, I’m expected to be the at home parent and how can I do that when I can only hold the baby for max a few minutes before I’m in severe pain.
I also question whether I could mentally handle kids. At holidays and stuff I have to leave the room frequently to reset and calm down from how overwhelming it is.
My partner and I agreed we didn’t want kids after we’re 30 and they’re on board with just one kid and not four. They know that right now I 100% do not want a kid, but I don’t know how to broach the subject with them about never having a kid.
I love my nieces and nephews, but they go home with their parents and I only see them so often. I just think I’d be a bad parent because I’d get so overwhelmed with them.
I told my partner that I’d much rather regret not having children than have a child and regret having them. I don’t feel the need to be a parent and I don’t know how I’d feel if I had a kid and then felt indifferent to them or even worse, resented them.
My partner agreed to tell our nosy family that asks when we’re having kids that we’ll be childfree until further notice.
Anyway, I just wanted to get this off my chest and see if writing it would help me think more on it and figure out how to broach the subject with my partner.

ive been in love with this girl for a year and a half or so now, she is the best person i have ever met. i was able to see her a few days before she leaves for the whole summer to across the world from me and when i came home that night in complete tears i felt like i messed it all up and i wouldn’t be able to see her or talk to her for so long. she texts me later that night while i’m crying my eyes out and told me the attachment i felt for her was reflective of myself and there wasn’t anything special about her that i couldn’t find in anyone else. she told me she feels guilty on how deeply i feel about her and i have a tremendous capacity to love. i cried all night i felt horrible for loving her so much, she is the most irreplaceable person i’ve ever met, despite her seeing it as platonic, she was my first for so much. she is the first and only person to hold my hand for no reason at all, to tell me she felt the SAME way, to randomly tell me she loves me and i was special to her, to talk to for hours straight every single day and night without fail or being pushed away and ignored, i bought her flowers, i made her gifts, i gave her over twenty handwritten over fifty lines of words in my smallest handwritting i could, telling her how happy she makes me, concerts, to cuddle with me at night. TW S/A MENTION safety was a huge part of it. i never have felt safe with anyone doing these things with me. i’ve been molested multiple before and almost raped in third grade, it’s absolutely drove me away from any physical contact from people which i need so dearly. she helped me. and maybe it was that that made me love her even more, i’ve never felt this affection and overwhelming appreciation for anyone in my life before, i have always been so scared but she reassured me, she never hurt me on purpose or sexually touched me. and last night she broke my heart, after everything, “things are perfect as they are” i didn’t know being “just friends” meant treating eachother that you would of a significant other. she begged me to tell her if she’s misled me in anyway. apologizing in the morning completely unprompted if she had hurt me. i feel so guilty and pained i’m in tears writing this. please what do i do, i have tried for months to get over my feelings for her, i just can’t. i took her name out of my passcodes, her photos out of my home screens, my calendar, my multiple photo albums of her, her pets, and the things she loved. and yet every single day i wake up crying thinking about what i should’ve done differently.
i always have her space and listened to any requests she gave me, we have never fought or stopped talking with hard feelings. is there something i am doing wrong? i don’t know what it is. any insight or advice is really really appreciated. thank you

Hi, Could i get some advice on my current budget build, firstly have I made good choices considering the price i got these items for?
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/GTRnZw
​

NZXT H511 Flow Black Mid Tower Tempered Glass PC Gaming Case	£64.99
NZXT N5 Z690 - White	£99.99
NZXT T120 Air Cooler - White	£44.99
NZXT F120Q	£13.99
Kingston NV2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD 1TB M.2 Solid State Drive - SNV2S/1000G	£43.50
Total	£267.46

I think im looking to spend around £400 more, I have my eyes on Intel 13500 but that doesnt leave much for a GPU and PSU. Roughly going for this (Missing GPU as i have no idea) https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/cKLpyK
Could I get some insight into:

• Best way to complete the build?
• Is the motherboard i got a dud or is it good for the price?
• Happy to go 2nd hand for GPU, but how can i make sure its legit what are some UK 2nd had GPU prices?

Thanks

Yet again my unit has approved leave less than a month before I'm supposed to take it and now tickets are well out of my price range. I feel like I should've just bought the fucking things a month ago but everyone was telling me what a bad idea that was, well lookie now im probebly staying in my apartment for a vacation...again, getting drunk....again. Happy fucking holiday block leave everyone.

Happy home day! I'm currently breeding and hatching Fennekin in all the balls listed above to have timid nature, HA, and 4 EM. I'm looking to obtain the other 3 combos I'm missing. I also have USUM if you have them there.
Here is the link to my sheet if you are interested in something else for the Fennekins instead.
I'm open to other HA Aprimon I'm missing on my sheet but for the time being I am only trading the Fennekin listed in the title as I have other breeding projects I want to aquire.

The ancient Kingdom is/will mainly have something to do with ancient Greece.
Hear me out :D
I have long wondered why there is no nation directly referencing ancient Greece in One Piece. After all we have seen islands in One Piece representing different nations (France, Japan etc.). I also have to admit that, as a Greek myself, I felt a little left out (in a fun ODA SENPAI NOTICE ME PLEASE kinda way, not in the nationalist GREECE IS BETTER THAN EVERYONE AND YOU SHOULD INCLUDE IT IN YOUR STORIES way).
Lately there has been a series of clues that I believe directly connect our story with this idea. I have some serious evidence and some less serious speculation. I will start off with the less serious speculation.
Oda is a history nerd. We have seen him naming characters with real pirate names and (as I said above) representing different real nations with the way he draws the different countries. So, for a history nerd like him, I truly believe that at some point he will also draw an island/nation that will directly represent ancient Greece. That nation will be the ancient Kingdom.
I also think (and please correct me if I am wrong) that the Japanese have a love for Greece and especially ancient Greece? I am not very sure about this, it is just some WILD speculation. My Japanese friends, help me out here (much love, thank you for giving us Oda, Kurosawa and tentacle hentai)
Now for some serious evidence.

1. You remember the giant metal robot that Vegapunk has hidden in his laboratory? The one that attacked Mariejois? Well, in ancient Greek mythology, and you better believe that (I will leave the wikipedeia article here), there is a myth about a GIANT ROBOT (automaton) made of copper! Yep. His name was Tallos. We were taught about ancient Greek mythology in school and his name popped out once or twice.

In Greek mythology, Talos — also spelled Talus (/ˈteɪlɒs/;[1] Greek: Τάλως, Tálōs) or Talon (/ˈteɪlɒn, ən/; Greek: Τάλων, Tálōn) — was a giant automaton made of bronze to protect Europa in Crete from pirates and invaders. He circled the island's shores three times daily.
As you can see the most popular myth has him guarding Crete (an island in Greece).
Now what I did not know and learnt while reading this article is that Talos:
In the Cretan dialect, talôs was the equivalent of the Greek hêlios, the Sun: The lexicon of Hesychius of Alexandria notes simply "Talos is the Sun".[8]:126
Talos is the sun in the Cretan dialect.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talos
This last piece of information blew my mind and for me is vital. The ancient robot that guarded an island is the sun. So I believe that the robot in Vegapunk’s laboratory used to guard the ancient kingdom. At some point it attacked the land of the gods, perhaps when the ancient Kingdom tried to defend itself from its enemies. Additionally, the connection with the sun ties even more with the One-Piece story. Perhaps Joy Boy as the sun god ordered the robot, under his command (?) to attack Mariejois?

1. A second point is that since the name of one of the Five Elders dropped ( Saint Jay Garcia Saturn), Ohara in one of his videos ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q83KS-IZu-U I think this is the one) hypothesized that the war between the ancient Kingdom and the World Government 800 years ago reminds the war between Rome and the various Greek states (mainly during the 3rd 2nd and 1st century BC). He said that, based on the hypothetical names of the rest of the Five Elders (which will be the Roman gods) and the name of the ancient Greek gods, as seen in the ancient weapons (Pluton, Poseidon, Uranus). In Greek mythology, Uranus (/ˈjʊərənəs/ YOOR-ə-nəs, also /jʊˈreɪnəs/ yoo-RAY-nəs),[3] sometimes written Ouranos (Ancient Greek: Οὐρανός, lit. 'sky', [uːranós]), is the personification of the sky and one of the Greek primordial deities

Just to be clear here, the Romans gave Latin names to the Greek gods and changed or added to their stories. This was common practice in the Roman Empire, and everyone was happy, no one had a problem. But here we are basing this theory on a distinction among almost identical things. So, war between Roman-World Government Gods and Greek-ancient Kingdom Gods.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranus_(mythology)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman%E2%80%93Greek_wars
Now this is my main theory. I also have to add here that Shanks sword being named Gryphon can also be used to support my theory. I thought Gryphons were Greek mythical animals BUT in Wikipedia you can see that Gryphons are also Mesopotamian mythical animals.
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (Ancient Greek: γρύψ, gryps; Classical Latin: grȳps or grȳpus;[1] Late and Medieval Latin:[2] gryphes, grypho etc.; Old French: griffon) is a legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; and sometimes an eagle's talons as its front feet.
So perhaps I am wrong here.
But the interesting thing is that Gryphons «Since classical antiquity, griffins were known for guarding treasures and priceless possessions.»
Sooooo, Shanks has a sword with the name of a mythical creature that is known for guarding treasures… I believe this little sub-theory is another proof that Shanks has a huge secret.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffin
So my friends. For me the ancient kingdom is/will mainly have something to do with ancient Greece. Feel free to comment, discuss and correct me if I am wrong somewhere. I hope you find this theory interesting.
I also hope I did not steal someone else’s idea without knowing. I thought about these connections alone and I have not read or heard anything about it from someone else (mainly about the Tallos theory). Of course, the Graeco-Roman wars idea, came to my head after watching Ohara’s video. So I am hoping I did not accidentally steal someone’s idea. For me this original content. If by any chance I stole someone’s idea I am really sorry and I will delete this article.
Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful life! :D

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Summary: It’s that time of the year again. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, everything is blooming… and you’re out there, dying from hay fever. Today has been particularly awful because your job required you to be outdoors for several hours. After returning home, you’re a sneezing, itchy mess. Thankfully, your doting and caring partner is there to take care of you. They’ll do anything to make you feel better, even if it means going out to buy the entire stock of tissues at the grocery store.
*****
Key:
(Words in parenthesis): Sound effects
[Words in brackets]: The Speaker’s actions
“Words in quotation marks”: The Speaker’s lines
Words in italics: Scene change
*****
General Notes: This was a silly idea I had while working on my lengthier, more challenging projects. The inspiration for this one, unfortunately, comes from my current battle with seasonal allergies, haha. As a side note, in the script, I use the term, “Gesundheit” in place of “Bless you” after the Listener sneezes. For anyone who doesn’t know, the word means, “health”, or in this context, “good health.” I actually say, “Gesundheit” in real life, so I decided to write that in.
Notes on Usage: You may record this script for an audio, but I do need to be credited. I would very much like to listen to it, so please send me a link so I can follow up. Certain types of monetization are fine (like YouTube), but please do not paywall this or any of my scripts. As for the script itself, you may edit the genders and you may change the title to “Your Boyfriend or Girlfriend” if you would like to. Please keep the rest of the writing the same, however. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message. Thank you!
*****
Setting: The Speaker and the Listener’s home
(The front door opens and closes. Footsteps approach.)
“Welcome home, sweetheart! How was your…”
[Interrupted pause to take in the Listener’s appearance]
“…Your eyes are red, and so is your nose. You look like you’ve been crying. Did something happen at work that’s made you upset?”
[Pause]
“…Nothing bad happened?”
[Pause]
“I’m glad to hear there wasn’t a work catastrophe. That still doesn’t explain why it looks like you’ve had a rough day. You do know that if anything is bothering you, you can always come to me, right? Whatever it is, I’ll listen and help you through it. I promise.”
(A sneeze, coming from the Listener.)
“Gesundheit! Here, let me grab you a tissue…”
(A tissue is pulled from a box.)
“You’re welcome, sweetheart. Wait a minute…”
[Pause as the realization sinks in]
“It’s your allergies, isn’t it? They’re acting up today.”
[Pause]
“Why didn’t you just say that from the beginning?”
[Pause]
“It is a big deal. Allergies are nothing to downplay. I can tell you’re struggling, even though you’re putting on a brave face. This time of year is always difficult for you, but you seem more affected than usual. Did you spend a lot of time outside today?”
[Pause]
“You were out there for most of the morning and afternoon?”
[Pause]
“I’m so sorry. That must have been really exhausting and uncomfortable. Come here.”
[Pause for a hug and a gentle kiss]
“You’re home now, so you’re safe from all those nasty, harmful things outside. I’m here, sweetheart. I’m right here, and I’ll take care of you.”
[Pause]
“You don’t have to thank me. I’m always happy to take care of you. Now, for the first order of business, let’s get you out of these work clothes…”
[Pause]
“Oh, stop smirking at me. I didn’t mean it like that!”
[Pause to chuckle]
“You have such a dirty mind.”
[Pause]
“You’re right – I do love it. But, that’s beside the point.”
[Pause]
“Aww, don’t pout. We’ll have plenty of time for that later. Right now, I have to make sure you’re not going to die from your allergies.”
[Pause]
“You can give me your bedroom eyes all you want, but I’m still not going to change my mind. Let’s get you feeling better, and then you can have your wicked way with me, okay?”
[Pause]
“Good. As I was saying…you should remove your clothes because they probably have a lot of allergens on them.”
[Pause]
“Yes, you could put your pajamas on, but how about I draw you a bath first? That way, you can stretch out and relax for a while. After the day you’ve had, it sounds like you could use something to loosen and soothe your muscles.”
[Pause]
“Mhhm, I’d love to join you, but I have to run out to get a few items.”
[Pause]
“You want to know what we could possibly need?”
[Pause]
“Well, we’re going to need more tissues since we’re down to our last box. I also noticed that you finished your bottle of eyedrops last night, so I’ll replace that with a new one. Speaking of things that you've been doing at night, you’ve been drinking more of your ginger tea. At first, I wasn’t sure why, but now that I think about it, the tea probably helps to alleviate some of the symptoms, at least enough for you to sleep. I’ll stock up on that as well. And to be completely honest, I’m not sure how effective your current allergy med is. It hardly seems like it’s touching your allergies. I know how annoying it can be to change meds, but it might be time to try something new. I’ll pick up a couple of options, so you can see which one works for you.”
[Pause]
“…What’s with the look?”
[Pause]
“No, you’re definitely giving me a look. And I can’t decipher it. You have this adorable, little smile on your lips, but your eyebrows are furrowed, like you’re trying to figure something out. Was it what I said? Did it any of it weird you out?”
[Pause]
“No? Then, what is it? What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?”
[Pause]
“You’re…surprised that anyone would care enough to pay attention to the little things about you.”
[Pause]
“I do care. Very much so. As your partner, I’m supposed to know you, and that means learning and understanding your likes, dislikes, the subtleties in your behavior, and your quirks.”
[Pause]
“Thank you for saying that, but I’m the lucky one here.”
[Pause to kiss]
“Give me a couple of minutes and I’ll have that bath ready for you.”
(The sound of retreating footsteps. The water begins running in the bathroom. A flicker of a lighter to light some candles.)
“Sweetheart! You can come in now.”
[Pause to groan]
“You just had to wear your silk robe, didn’t you? You know what that does to me.”
[Pause to sigh]
“Exactly. You’re making it very difficult for me to concentrate.”
[Pause]
“Yes, really. And stop biting your lip like that. Your seduction tactics aren’t going to work on me. Not this time.”
[Pause]
“On the contrary, I find you extremely attractive right now, even with your sniffly nose and bloodshot eyes.”
[Pause]
“I’m not joking. You’re always gorgeous.”
[Pause]
“Of course I mean it.”
[Pause]
“We’re getting off-topic again. You’re here for a reason, and that is to take a nice, long soak. I just tested the temperature of the water, so it should still be hot. If you're not too congested, you should notice the scent in the water. It's from your favorite bubble bath - the lavender and mint one. And in case you’d like to do something while you’re relaxing, I left the novel you’re currently reading on the bathroom counter, along with a mug of your ginger tea and a plate of those shortbread cookies you like so much. Last, but certainly not least, I lit candles to add to the overall ambiance.”
[Pause]
“I’m glad you think it looks like paradise in here. Hopefully, it feels that way, too.”
[Pause to chuckle]
“I’m perfectly aware that I could join you and find out if this really feels like paradise, but I should get going. Don’t worry, I won’t be gone for too long.”
[Pause]
“Yes, I can handle dinner tonight. You didn’t even have to ask – I was planning on it anyway. Would you like me to cook something, or would you like to order takeout?”
[Pause]
“You’d like soup from the bistro around the corner?”
[Pause]
“Yeah, I can stop by after I visit the store. It’s no problem at all.”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Yes, I know which soup to order. You’ll also want the French baguette, rather than the oyster crackers.”
[Pause]
“Like I said, I know you. Your food preferences were one of the first things I learned about you, actually. Now, enjoy your bath, sweetheart. I’ll see you soon.”
[Pause to kiss]
(The sound of footsteps retreating. A car engine begins.)
A little while later, the Speaker arrives home, juggling what appears to be a massive number of bags.
(The front door opens and closes gently. The rustling of bags as they are set down.)
“Hey, sweetheart. What are you doing out here in the living room? I thought you’d be in the bathtub for a while longer.”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Okay, that is a valid excuse to leave. I don’t like it when my skin starts to prune, either.”
(The sound of the Listener going through the bags.)
“Oh, these? Um…I might have gotten a little carried away when I was at the store. In my defense, I wanted to make sure you had everything you could possibly want or need!”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Yes, it was absolutely necessary to buy out the entire stock of tissues. It wasn’t like they had that many anyway. It was just a few dozen.”
[Pause]
“C’mon, 48 boxes isn’t that bad.”
[Pause]
“All right, fine. It is a bit…much. The cashier was having a field day, though. He kept laughing at me, saying this was like The Great Toilet Paper Hoarding of 2020.”
[Pause]
“Stop laughing! I only did what I thought was best.”
[Pause]
“Yes, I know I’m ridiculous. Hey, you asked me out first, and you’re still dating me, three years later. So, really, who’s the ridiculous one here?”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Still me? That’s what I thought you’d say.”
[Slightly longer pause]
“How are you feeling? Did the bath help?”
[Pause]
“Good, I’m glad. You do look much more at ease than when you first arrived home. Your eyes are still red, though. Are they itchy at all?”
[Pause]
“A bit? Hmm, now is probably a good time to put some eye drops in. I purchased the same brand that you normally use.”
(Rustling of a bag as the Speaker reaches into it.)
“Here it is.”
[Pause]
“You look like you’re about to ask me something, but you’re hesitating. What is it, sweetheart?”
[Pause]
“You’d like me to help you with the eye drops?”
[Pause]
“Sure, I can do that. Just let me put these items away first, and then I’ll give you my undivided attention. Which spot is more comfortable for you to do this? The couch or the bedroom?”
[Pause]
“The couch? That works. Oh, I have your soup, too. Would you like that after the eye drops or later tonight?”
[Pause]
“Later it is then. I’ll keep it in the fridge for now.”
(Cabinets open and close.)
(Soft footsteps as the Speaker comes back into the living and sits on the couch.)
“Everything is all set. I’m ready to…”
(The Listener sneezes again.)
“Gesundheit!”
(Another tissue is pulled from the box.)
“Here’s another tissue.”
[Pause]
“Sweetheart, you are not a gross mess. I told you, you’re always beautiful.”
[Pause]
“Yes, you’re beautiful, even when you’re sneezing up a storm and blowing your nose. Only you could make any of that even remotely cute.”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Do you feel okay enough to lie down, so I can put the drops in?”
[Pause]
“Good. Here, place your head in my lap.”
[Pause]
“There you go. Are you comfortable?”
[Pause]
“Good. On the count of three, I’ll place two drops in the right eye, okay?”
[Pause]
“One…two…three.”
[Pause]
“I’m sorry. I know it stings, sweetheart. It’ll be over soon, I promise. Take a deep breath for me.”
(Sounds of breathing.)
“Are you all right?”
[Pause]
“Good. Are you ready for the other eye?”
[Pause]
“Okay, I’ll count to three again.”
[Pause]
“One…two…three.”
[Pause]
“You did a great job with that one. You hardly reacted at all.”
[Pause]
“Can you open your eyes so I can see if the redness has improved?”
[Pause]
“They’re looking much better now. Do they still itch?”
[Pause]
“No? That’s good. I’m relieved to hear that.”
[Pause]
“Sure, you can close your eyes. Relax, sweetheart. We can stay here for as long as you’d like to. There’s nowhere else I need to be, nor is there anything else I have to do. This time is all yours.”
[Pause]
“You like the sound of that? Mhhm, me too.”
[Pause]
“Would it be all right if I ran my fingers through your hair? It’s comforting for me, and I think it is for you, too.”
[Pause]
“Thank you.”
(Sounds of the Speaker’s fingers running through the Listener’s hair – light scratching.)
“How does that feel?”
[Pause]
“Like you’re on cloud nine? Hmm, that is a big compliment.”
[Pause to sigh, dreamily]
“Your hair is so soft and silky. I can’t get over how amazing it feels between my fingers.”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Yes, that’s why I make up every excuse to touch it. I especially love it when you first wake up and roll over. You always have a strand of hair that falls across your forehead, and I tuck it behind your ear each morning.”
[Pause]
“Mhmm, that is a part of our morning routine, you’re right. Well, that and the ton of kisses that follow it.”
[Pause]
“I love every part of our routine, sweetheart. Even the part where you throw me out of bed because I’ve made us late for work…again.”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Speaking of things we usually do every day, tell me about your day. How was work?”
[Pause]
“Wait, that’s why you were outdoors for so long?”
[Pause]
“Your boss thought it was a great day for team building, so you had to travel by foot to complete a scavenger hunt around town?”
[Pause to chuckle in disbelief]
“Wow, and I thought my workplace was strange. The last time we tried team building, someone got punched, and that was a whole HR nightmare. Do you remember the Escape Room Incident last fall?”
[Pause]
“Yeah, that’s the one. We’re still dealing with the repercussions from that. Anyway, did you have fun doing the scavenger hunt, at least?”
[Pause]
“That’s good. It sounds like your sneezing and itchy eyes weren’t completely in vain then. Still, I’m sorry your allergies made things more difficult today. Hopefully, switching to a new med will help. There are two kinds that you haven’t tried yet, so I bought both. They’re in the medicine cabinet now.”
[Pause]
“What do you mean you’ll really get a chance to put a new med to the test? Will you be outside for another extended period of time?”
[Pause]
“You have a team building exercise on Friday? What is it this time?”
[Pause to chuckle in disbelief]
“Kickball, really?”
[Pause]
“Okay, your company takes the cake for being the weirdest. Although… if I’m being honest, it’s probably the most enjoyable as well.”
[Pause]
“Oh, the game is open to the employees’ spouses and partners? Do you mean as spectators or players?”
[Pause]
“I see. They're allowed to be players. That is pretty cool. You know, you’re doing that thing where you’re trying to be coy, but I can see right through it. This your way of asking if I’ll play, isn’t it?”
[Pause]
“I’d love to. But, wait… if this is a team-building exercise, then wouldn’t you be with your coworkers? That would mean… all the spouses and partners would be on the same team. So…we’d be competing against each other.”
[Pause]
“No, I’m not scared! Far from it. You’re the one who should be afraid. I’m going to destroy you at kickball. Just you wait.”
[Pause]
“Mhhm, wanna bet on it?”
[Pause]
“Yeah? If that’s what you want, then I’d be stupid to refuse. And what do I get if I win?”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Oh, I’ll definitely agree to those terms.”
[Slightly longer pause]
“You’re starting to look sleepy, sweetheart. Today has taken a toll on you, so you’re probably ready for a well-deserved nap. We’ll come back to this conversation, all right? For now, just rest. I’ve got you.”
[Pause]
“I’m sure. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Sleep well, sweetheart. I love you.”
[Pause to kiss gently]

Hello,
I have a question about SSI approval that my parents just got after 8 months of the application. They are almost 70 and their total SS is around $500 total. So they applied for SSI. To my understanding, their maximum benefits should be $1371 per month as a couple in year 2023 from here https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/SSI.html. However, when I add up both of their both SS + SSI that they are approved for, it comes up to be $914 exactly. They still have not received an official approval letter in the mail. However, I am scratching my head over this, did SSA make a mistake and counted them as an individual? or am I missing something? If they made a mistake, what are our options now? appeal? or any other easier option? Side note, they do get EBT, would that count toward resources?
Thank you all for your help!

Hi! I’m a 19M working part-time in college. I don’t have much financial support from my parents, but I do get a good amount of money from scholarship refund checks. I make my entire year’s rent in one semester from my refund. My fall and spring refunds are the same (around $8000) and my summer ranges based on the number of classes I take. I would try to co-sign with my dad since he makes a decent amount, but his credit is bad so we’ve been struggling to get any pre-approvals from direct lenders. I go to school far from home and need a reliable car that i don’t have to do much maintenance for in the time that I have it. Do you guys have any tips for how to get lower rates and financing at my age for used/certified pre-owned vehicles (2018 and up, preferably 2018+ Honda Civic, 2020+ Kia Forte, or 2021+ Hyundai Elantra)?
Some more info: my income from work and my refunds are about $35k a year, I have a 740 credit score, and I plan on buying in South Florida.
Any tips and advice, thoughts, or opinions that you find helpful would be greatly appreciated. Also if there’s any other people who’ve been in my situation in the recent market, if you were successful, what did you do and what did you find useful??
Thank you in advance!

I recently found a python code to control your mouse with the help of your webcam. So I decided to write my own code with different functionalities. Unfortunately I just cannot manage to merge both scripts into one single script because they are structured so differently. Here is my code: https://pastebin.com/RzaPXUTJ The other code is from https://copyassignment.com/control-mouse-with-hand-gestures-detection-python/, https://pastebin.com/2ZqFwE2E . Both scripts work for themselves. I would be very happy to receive some help as I am new with python. Thanks in advance!

Hello all. I have learned my elderly mother, a UK citizen and current resident, is suffering for the early signs of dementia. I'd like to explore bringing her here to the US so she can live with our family. As background, she was a permanent resident card holder and lived in the US from the late 1970s until 2005 when my father passed. At that time, she started spending more time back in the UK. Around 2012, when attempting to visit me in the US, she was stopped by ICE at the Atlanta airport and had her permanent resident card seized. Apparently, she had spend too much time outside of the US, causing her to lose her permanent resident status. Since then, she's visited using the tourist/ESTA process. The last time she visited was late last year.
Does anyone know of a process that would accommodate the above situation? I'm not sure the former permanent resident card status is relevant, but maybe there's a way to reapply for the status?

The details of the disagreement do not matter, because of course with narcissists they are absurd and often untrue, but basically my parent's dad and stepmom are low contact with my parent and immediate family generally, and my while immediate family is fully on my parent's side - while I absolutely see them as my grandparents and was raised to believe that (despite claims/implications otherwise from my grandparents) they have never been very involved and supportive like my other relatives have been and I do not appreciate how they make my parent feel.
But for the bulk of the buildup to the current low contact situation, I was kind of separated from my family life altogether. When I got close to them again, I wanted to make a gift for my family and extended family to show appreciation for our mostly good connections that I felt I had dismissed for a few years. I knew about the problems between my parent and their parents but included them anyways since nothing happened between me and them and it was more of "to the good ole times" kind of gesture. I think my grandma took this as a sign that I was friendly enough towards her that I could be used in whatever manipulation is being attempted.
So far this hasn't really been a problem but I feel like it could be. It's only been a slight uptick in texting me than she did before which was already rare. I am worried that by not saying hey, I don't like how you treated my parent and I can be cordial but I need you to understand I'm upset with you, I missed the time for that since they are low contact and not fighting now. I'm worried that in a couple years when they don't get invitations to my wedding it will blow up into a fight between them and me and my parent that was just avoided like the plague beforehand. And I don't want that to happen during some time when we should be happy. I want to be able to have them understand I don't want that friction on an important day or at least get the fight over with and be no contact before that happens.... Idk. I can talk to my parent about this to a certain extent but they tend to rant/get really invested in details not solutions, though they are doing really well considering the number that was done on them for decades.
TIA

My dad very sadly died a couple of years ago as a result of contracting mesothelioma at work.
My siblings and I have been offered (and accepted) a payment that amounts to around £29k each.
Can anyone advise if I will need to pay tax on this sum? I work full time on about £40k if that’s a factor.
Google has presented conflicting information so I’m hoping someone can clarify.

Hello all!
I was gifted a 10 gallon tank (20 x 10 x 12) without a lid. I know that betta also 'breathe' air, so I was unsure of a full-coverage plastic or acrylic top. I looked at mesh lids as well, but would need to cut the mesh to get airtubing / filters to fit in the tank; which might leave 'sharper' pieces of mesh exposed. This poses a threat to Bettas, who might jump.
I'm curious to see how others have gone about getting there 20 x 10 lids to function and have a very happy fish!
Thanks in advance for any help.
(P.s. before any fish will be added, the tank will be fully cycled, so filtelid combos are also great information)

I’ve started my first ever army and am happy to say I chose the blood brothers. Are there any general tips anyone has to make them look overall better. Even if it’s small.