Species: Cat
Age: 8-9 mo
Sex/Neuter status: Attempted, Cryptorchid
Breed: Domestic Short Hair
Body weight: 6lbs
History: Attempted to neuter at a small traveling clinic, couldn't complete due to lack of equipment. Brought into ER vet approx 3 weeks ago for same issue, imaging was done and showed no obstruction, worms, or perforation. Anti nausea delivered IV and fluids sub q. Probiotics and dewormer prescribed. Helped temporarily.
Clinical signs: Vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, lethargy, lip licking
Duration: Happened infrequent since we got him, rapidly progressing.
Your general location: Eau Claire, WI

I have been wanting to setup a healthy home office desk-chair setup. But the decent ones cost too much. Standing tables of 160x80 dimensions with single solid wooden plate cost over 400-500 euros And 2 chairs i heard the most about from my friends are : 1- Titan Evo - 650 euros purchase 2- Autonomous ergochair pro - 500 euros purchase
It is too much to spend on a table chair 1000-1200 euros. If i add a nice monitor 300-350 euros on top. Can someone please suggest me value for money options or atleast where to source cheap furniture from.
Based in Frankfurt

Now that the new across the spiderverse movie has been out for a few days, I wanted to reignite a discussion that’s happened multiple times before. Taking into account the new content we received from the new movie.
What are your thoughts on the miles x gwen ship?
Me personally? I know I’ll probably get flamed for it, but I don’t like it.
It’s nothing against the characters at all. I just don’t like how rushed and hastily put together their “relationship” feels.
Now let me explain.
The events of the first movie takes place over 2 Days (it could be more but I’m pretty sure it’s 2). And in those two days, they only spend a few hours together.
And it’s only at the end of the movie that they become friends before they are then separated for 18 months.
From what I’ve seen, lots of people are convinced that gwen has romantic feelings for miles due to the whole “gwen Stacy falls for Spider-Man” speech, and her being “jealous”, pulling miles away from spyderbyte.
Im sorry but If that’s the case and her having romantic feelings ends up being canon, in my opinion, that’s just lazy writing.
For real romantic feelings to develop, people need to spend lots of time together in order to bond and learn about each other. That can’t happen if you hang out with someone for less than 2 days and are then separated for over a year.
To me, It just wouldn’t make sense for gwen to have feelings for miles as of right now.
If they did spend more time together, and they actually developed their relationship. I’d be all for it, but for now? I’m not.

Here’s my theory on why some of them seem to have developed massive pillow face syndrome:

1. Filler - getting filled and refilled over and over when it migrates until they’re puffed up and ballooning
   
2. The real kicker - they’re supposed to be FAT! If it weren’t for the lipo, cool sculpt, even ozempic, these women would be very fat. Even rapid weight loss from restriction like ozempic may cause would likely see weight being lost everywhere but the face last (common in EDs etc.).
   

Sometimes when I look at one of them I see a massive fat girl that’s just been endlessly poked and prodded and remolded with plastic. Anyone else??

Hello, I just picked up a used Tarpon 140 over the weekend. Kind of bought it on a whim without doing any research since it was only $300. But now I’m thinking I could have gotten something better.
I see the Seaghost on sale now for $600 at places and thinking maybe I should have gone with that instead as I’ve heard they are known for being stable kayaks.
Is there anyone in here that have used both? What are your thoughts on their stability? I know they’re a lot different in length.
I’m a big guy weighing 275. The weight rating for these kayaks are only 25lbs different from each other.
Thank you.

Hi, everyone! Right now I’m just looking for friends, but if that friendship were to blossom into something more I’d be thrilled. I’m a heteroromantic female and dating-wise I’m attracted to men, I just don’t want to have sex with them! I’m from the southern United States (we can get more specific as we talk) but am looking for friends all over the world, and relationship-wise I am more than okay with a long-distance relationship, as long as one day we could be together in person. I’m nervous but excited to post this!
About me: - I’m single

• Seeking Relationship/Friends. If you’re interested in a relationship, we must be friends first.
  
• Romantic Orientation: Heteroromantic
  
• Gender: Female
  
• Pronouns: She/Her
  
• Age: 20
  
• Height/Build: 5’0-5’1, petite.
  
• Physical Description: I’m short, skinny but not scrawny, with long blonde hair, dark blue eyes. I have very mild cerebral palsy, so my right arm and leg are a bit shorter and skinnier than my left, but the majority of people can’t even tell! I’m happy to send pictures in a private chat if you do the same.
  
• Personality Description: Online I’m very talkative and bubbly, in-person I’m more reserved and shy but once I get to know you and am comfortable with you, I’m very open. I’m a hard worker and I’m very passionate about my interests and what I love. I’ve been compared to Elle Woods, Rapunzel, Heather McNamara, and most recently, Barbie! (Did you guys see Barbie and Ken are confirmed asexuals?? Jumping for joy!)
  
• Location: Southern United States
  
• Other: I’m a journalism student who hopes to one day be a magazine writer or editor. I love to write, watch movies, play board games and visit coffee shops. I love, love, love Disney and cartoons and traveling! My favorite Disney movies are Cinderella, Dumbo, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Tangled and Meet the Robinsons. I love The Muppets franchise too! My favorite places I’ve traveled to have been the British Isles, Italy, and Alaska. I’m possibly going to Iceland and Norway later this summer which would be a dream come true!
  

If you ever want to talk for hours on end about weird history facts, Disney parks, or cartoon conspiracy theories, I’m your girl!
As for relationships, I’d love for a long-term one. I don’t want to hurry and get married right away, but that is the end goal. Every almost-relationship I’m in, I’m turned down because the potential boyfriend-to-be doesn’t think you can be married to someone without having sex with them and/or biological children. I would love to get married, I just don’t want to have sex. I know there are some aces out there who are willing to have sex as long as it’s with their partner, but I don’t want sex at all and I want to be clear about that before starting any relationships. Hopefully there’s someone else who wants the same. Of course that’s way in the future though! Let’s chat for now! (:

I want to add French doors or glass doors of some kind to the back of my 7x16. It has a cable ramp door so this would need to be set inside the trailer a bit as I want to keep the ramp door also. Problem is the people that insulated the trailer before I bought it did so in a way that shortened it. The height in that area is like 65". I can't find doors that size and my husband isn't likely to fabricate something that requires cutting glass so what are my options? I'll add a comment with examples of what I'm hoping to do.

I've listened to several podcasts/talks where an individual will say he/she started a meditation practice with a particular school of meditation/thought. I want to do the same.
The central motif this summer is conquering myself. I'm reading Nietzche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra right now and a central theme is the idea of man conquering himself as the primary aim of existence and joy. This happens to be what I am aiming towards. I am working out, gaining weight and muscle, working a job, and reading more, but I lack a strong meditation practice.
I want to go beyond "focus on the breath" and "understand all events as appearing in one plane of consciousness".
I'm seeking a meditation practice that allows me to carry with me an implicit understanding of my existence every day. I'll read all these ideas about life and being, but in my day-to-day activites, I neglect them. I forget the strangeness of existence, the absurdness. I find these thoughts comforting, and I want to be mindful of them while grappling with life, not just in the silence of my room. I just don't know where to start.
I apologize if this post was rambling, but I just want to explain what i'm looking for in my meditation practice. Have a nice day, and thanks for reading.

Throw away account. This is a personal story that I’m just wanting to get off my chest. , and would prefer anyone I know in person doesn’t find out about the situation I am facing. Hoping posting this here we’ll bring new preservatives and some relief of the situation just getting it out there.

Can I have me and my father’s relationship was far from ideal he never having been someone I’d want to call family. He’s a deeply flawed man , the things he’s done to me having left scars in my mind I’m not sure I’ll be able to heal from. My home growing up filled with tension , constant argument , and a lack of love within the walls of are home. At 18 I left without looking back , feeling I had no reason to stay behind for a man who couldn’t find an ounce of love for me in his heart. It was best for me to find support else where. 

Face forward to more of a recent past , im faced with my father yet again though he now in a more concerning chapter of his life. Recently, I discovered that he has joined a cult—an organization that preys on vulnerable individuals seeking solace and belonging.
When hearing about his enrollment , in a prominent cult I was shocked to say the least a whirlwind of emotions hitting me at an instant.
On one hand, I wanted to protect my father from the potential harm and manipulation that often accompanies cults. Yet , his past actions what have so deeply scared me remained fresh in my mind. A part of me , wanted to help yes but honestly but on the other hand , a deep - rooted bitterness and anger consumes me. I know it’s wrong but I can’t shake of this resentment after putting up so many years of his abuse a part of me feels this is his punishment
I found myself frozen, unable to take any action. I grappled with guilt over my lack of intervention, questioning whether I should have done something to protect him, regardless of our painful history.

As days turned into weeks and weeks into months, I watched my father sink further into the cult's grasp. The indoctrination became apparent, and it pained me to witness him blindly follow their teachings. I felt a profound sense of powerlessness , unable to stop what path my father has fallen into because of my own sense of anger towards him. 

Sharing this burden with friends or family proved futile, as they couldn't fully comprehend the complexities of my relationship with my father. I felt utterly alone in this turmoil, trapped with the weight of my decision or rather, indecision.
This post is not intended to seek validation or judgment; it serves as an outlet for my deepest pains. My heart aches as I reflect on the course of events and the implications of my inaction. Was it justified to allow my father to venture further down this dangerous path because of the pain he caused me? Should I have put my personal grievances aside and extended a helping hand, despite the immense difficulty it presented?

Hello sweet peeps! Ive been contemplating making a post here for ages, i always thought Since Theres tons and tons of m4f posts mine would just get overlooked but i should give it a shot!

1. About me:

Looks: 18 years old, 5'7, from Belgium, Medium/getting kinda long dark Brown hair, green/brown eyes, athletic.
What im like: I'm a super sweet and affectionate guy who wants a sweetheart in his life, ive never been in a relationship and i have so much love to give just no one to give it to. I'm kind of introverted and insecure about my height and looks, i love going to the gym, swimming, just being outdoors, nature, all animals, Dinosaurs, gaming, and i have 2 cats and 2 rabbits :D
What i'm looking for:
Looks: someone who cards about personal hygeïne, preferably medium to long hair, not chubby (i'd love to do active stuff together and just personal preference) also i quite like goth/alt styles, but thats not a requirement ofcourse. As a guy id be Lucky if i even get a response lol.
What she's like: a girl who is the 'cutesy type' lol, i dont really know how to Explain it, i also would prefer no one over 32 ish, and someone who loves giving and recieving affection (hugs, cuddles, kisses, etc)
Dm me if you want to get to know each other! Also a photo of you would be nice! I shall send one of me too!

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/7TmnucO
More Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/ksk5Wyu
All prices are net to me via PayPal, buyer pays any fees if applicable. ABSOLUTELY NO NOTES ON PAYPAL PER SUB RULES.
Sig P320 Legion Full Size Grip Module (standard medium size), with weight and magwell installed. Ran for 500 rounds and has sat since. Used but not abused. $190 shipped
Grey Ghost Precision full size (4.7”) p320 barrel with LCI cut. Ran for 500 rounds and has sat since. Normal wear and tear but rifling looks great. $85 shipped

Yesterday I had multiple people ask me to post this, and their comment has 552 likes at the time of me writing this, so I have spent the last day and a half editing, and adding information so it's up to standard. Overall, it has taken me close to a week to make. It probably isn't perfect, but I will edit it if I notice any mistakes. I hope you enjoy ❤
I would like to start this off by saying that this is an incredibly long write-up. This case spans 54 years, and this write-up is over 8650 words long, and is in fact so long that it exceeded the character limit, forcing me to make 2 parts. u/that1guywiththehat has already covered this case, and their write-up is much shorter. I will link it here, and you can check it out if you'd like. They did a fantastic job. 😊
https://www.reddit.com/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/g3wqcc/after_18yearold_annette_craver_vail_vanishes/
Secondly, this write-up borrows EXTENSIVELY from "Gone," a 35,500 word book about the life and crimes of Felix Vail. It contains information that you simply cannot find anywhere else, and I'd estimate that around 80% of this write-up uses it's information. While it's extremely long, being over 4 times the length of this write-up, it is well worth the read. I will also link it here so you can check it out if you'd like.
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/felixvailgone/2016/12/29/felix-vail-gone-one-wife-dead-two-other-missing-jerry-mitchell/95895894/
Now with that out of the way...

PART 1:

MARY HORTON:

​
Born on the 16th of February 1940 to Floyd and Lillie Horton, Mary was popular, beautiful, and well liked. She became homecoming queen at Eunice High School and wrote for the school newspaper. After graduating she began attending McNeese State University where she was so popular that all 5 sororities invited her to join. She eventually chose Chi Omega.
https://www.clarionledger.com/gcdn/-mm-/d313713be82928fb5c54a52348e9f0b6fbe9ca88/c=0-232-3288-4617/local/-/media/2016/12/27/JacksonMS/JacksonMS/636184665129485321-mary-horton-0001.jpg?width=300&height=401&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp(Mary Horton from 1957, as Eunice High School homecoming queen.)
A FATEFUL ENCOUNTER
In 1960 she began dating William Felix Vail Sr, who goes by Felix. He was 6’, slender and in the words of another sorority girl “looked like he’d been touched by heaven.” In her diaries and messages to friends, Mary spoke of being happy and excited. However, not everything was sunshine and rainbows for the young couple.
On June 20th, 1960, Mary confided in a friend “I really do love Felix, but I don’t think that I like him anymore. He really is sweet, but we don’t see eye to eye on things.” She requested that a friend set her up on a date with another man in the hopes that Felix would leave her.
In response to this date, he came to Mary saying he suffered from a disease. She asked what disease he had. He meant Mary.
The 2 had a conversation that Mary described as ‘Felix doing all the talking, and her just listening.’ He told her that he had changed, and she said that she had too.
The 2 began dating again, but Mary continued to see other people. She attended a house party with Kelley McFarland, who afterwards heard that Vail was so angry he ‘wanted to kill him.’ McFarland tracked him down, eventually meeting him in dark woods. The 2 exchanged no blows, and they went their separate ways.
After this incident, Mary described herself as “miserable” and Felix as “jealous”, although she reiterated her love for him. There was reportedly an incident at a pool party where Felix “walked up to Mary and just slapped the heck out of her,” according to Mary’s high school boyfriend Leonard Matt.
Despite everything, Mary continued to defend him, calling him a “wonderful person.”
THE MARRIAGE
On July 1, 1961, in Eunice, Louisiana, Mary Horton and Felix Vail got married.
https://www.clarionledger.com/gcdn/-mm-/3a212b032aef874dfc60297c45f3a63946f5aeee/c=0-304-1765-2658/local/-/media/2016/12/28/JacksonMS/JacksonMS/636185193505145184-1022maryhorton003.JPG?width=300&height=401&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp(Mary Horton in her wedding dress, July 1st, 1961.)
In the fall of that year, Mary began her job as a second-grade teacher at Moss Bluff Elementary School. That December, she found out she was pregnant. Another teacher, Myrtis Quinilty said Felix didn’t want a child.
Her sister-in-law, Sue Jordan, told Mary the only reason Vail believed she wanted to get married was to have a baby, and not because of him. Mary blamed herself, saying “I can see, looking back, from many things I said how they could have been misunderstood.” Mary insisted that the couple were happy but did comment on how unattractive she felt while pregnant, a sentiment that Felix shared.
On their anniversary, Mary gave birth to William Felix Vail Jr, who they called Bill.
https://www.clarionledger.com/gcdn/-mm-/c701d4cdc0e5ff127e79b575a1c137adfa57d585/c=0-0-180-240/local/-/media/2016/12/28/JacksonMS/JacksonMS/636185195986996911-TCLBrd-08-11-2016-ClarionLedger-1-A001-2016-08-10-IMG-636047953682196834-M-1-1-G0FAJ00I-L860703094-IMG-636047953682196834-M-1-1-G0FAJ00I.jpg?width=180&height=240&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp (Mary holding Bill in 1962)
Within a month, Mary suspected that she may be pregnant again. At this time, strange things began to happen in the couple’s apartment. One morning, the couple awoke to find their front door had been removed from its hinges. Another time, they found the front door of their apartment wide open. Nothing was stolen.
Mary began receiving threatening calls. The couple concluded that whoever was calling must be watching them because the caller only ever did it when Felix wasn’t home.
Mary spoke with her mother about divorcing Felix. Her mother, a devout Catholic, urged her daughter to stay and work things out. It would be a fatal mistake.
MARY'S DEATH
On October 28th, 1962, at 7:30pm, Felix Vail drove up to Shell Beach saying that his wife had fallen in the water of the Calcasieu River while they were running trot lines. It took 2 days to find her body, close to where Vail had said she disappeared.
Her funeral was held on October 31st. Vail never paid a cent for it.
On November 4th deputies arrested Vail at work, hauling him to jail and questioning him. He refused to take a lie detector test. The coroner ruled Mary’s death an “accidental drowning,” a sentiment not shared by the officers who found her body, or the community at large. Days later, Vail was released without charge, as the D.A declined to prosecute.
Months later, he picked up his son, Bill, from the Louisiana home of his late wife’s aunt and headed for Mississippi. According to Bill years later, Vail told him that he and Mary were out fishing, that a boat had come by and caused a big wave and knocked her out of the boat. Mary didn’t know how to swim, had no life jacket (despite being afraid of water) and so immediately sank and drowned. He said he had almost died trying to rescue her.
I will go further in depth into Mary’s death further down this write-up when I go through the investigation that followed, decades later. There are more details that I will cover there.
ROBIN SINCLAIR:
In this section I will cover his relationship with a girlfriend between the murders of Mary Horton and Sharon Hensley. Vail was a full-time scumbag and I want to illustrate that, as well as show some of the other lives he’s impacted, and other people he’s hurt. I will be covering multiple instances like this one. If you only want to read about the 3 murder victims, feel free to scroll down, I have them clearly marked for convenience.
AN 11 YEAR AGE GAP AND A DEAD-BEAT DAD
In 1967, Vail met a 17-year-old Robin Sinclair at a bus stop in San Diego. (Vail would have been 28 at this time. Large age gaps will be a theme in this write up.) She was spending the summer there with her sister, and the 2 began dating. When summer break ended, she left without him, returning home to San Francisco.
In October of 1968 while attending an Iron Butterflies concert, Vail appeared again. Sinclair took it as a sign that the 2 belonged together. He had his young son Bill, and the 3 bounced from place to place together. Sinclair would later describe how Bill was poorly looked after, neglected and that Vail would even give the young boy drugs. Bill would later recount his father giving him LSD as a child.
While watching over another couple’s home during the Christmas holidays, she learned she was pregnant and shared the news with Vail. He said, “Well, I don’t think you’re emotionally stable enough to handle the pregnancy.” The next morning, Vail and his young son had vanished. A friend told Sinclair that he went back to Mississippi, that it was time for his son to go to school and that he didn’t want to be with her.
Heartbroken, Sinclair would move in with her parents. In August of 1969 she gave birth to her daughter, who she named Simone. She wrote Vail an angry letter, and 2 months later he showed up on her doorstep. She told him to leave, and that she never wanted to see him again. She never did.

SHARON HENSLEY:

​
Sharon Hensley was born on December 20th, 1948. Growing up in the state capital of Bismarck, North Dakota, she dated football players and belonged to the high school’s 'Demonettes', an award-winning dance team founded by a former Rockette.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT-drYY1YZjqadja6gpHI_j8-zHNTiww7XDLwZ3pq-m&s
(A photo of Sharon Hensley.)
She graduated in 1966, and attended Bismarck Junior College, where she took classes in dance and acting, performing in a play with her older brother, Frank.
In 1967, aged 19, Sharon discovered she was pregnant. Wanting to escape her hometown, she followed her brother Frank and other classmates to San Francisco. After arriving, she stayed in a home for single mothers, where she gave birth to a girl she named “Cherry” after the popular Neil Diamond song. She told friends she wanted to keep the child but was unable to. Two years after leaving for California, Sharon was in jail and her mother, Peggy, headed there with a $5,000 cashier’s check to bail her out. When she returned, Sharon wasn’t with her.
“She said she had lost her daughter,” her younger brother Brian would later say. “She cried almost every night. She was never the same after that.”
MEETING VAIL
While house-sitting in a high-rise apartment, Vail would meet his future girlfriend, Sharon. She was 20, and attractive, having even modeled in her teens. They became friends, and then started a relationship despite the 10-year age gap.
While hitchhiking across California, Vail would confess to Hensley that he had killed Mary, something his son Bill overheard. Because of this, Bill would later go to the police to report his own father for murder. The police at first didn’t believe Bill, but after camping out on the front steps, one detective listened. He told the detective that he was hungry, tired of using the drugs his father gave him, that he wanted to go back to school, live like other kids, and that he had overheard his father admit to killing his mother.
At a beach along the Merced River, police found his father and Hensley, carrying a bag of LSD capsules. Police charged the couple with LSD possession and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Vail received a six-month jail sentence, plus three years’ probation, after pleading guilty to a lesser charge of LSD possession.
California police shared their information with Louisiana authorities. Once again, the district attorney in Lake Charles once again passed on prosecuting Vail for murder. Another fatal mistake.
Bill returned to Mississippi to live with his grandparents, who then gained full custody. On January 23rd, 1971, Vail and Sharon showed up in the driveway. Bill thought Vail was there to kill him, and his grandmother had to reassure him that he was safe.
The father and son eventually sat down and had a talk. Vail told Bill that he didn’t blame him for the time he spent in prison, but instead blamed Sharon, which the young boy found strange because “she had nothing to do with it.”
The family wondered how the couple could even legally be in Mississippi if they were supposed to be on probation in California. They couldn’t. After a visit from the Sheriff, the 2 were smuggled out of town and given enough money to get back to the West Coast.
In the Summer of 1972, the couple appeared unannounced at Sharon’s childhood home in Bismarck. The more the family saw of the couple, the more horrified they became. Sharon wore a mini skirt with no panties and had armpit hair and leg hair "like a man." She had been losing weight and losing clumps of hair.
Her younger brother Brian said it felt like his sister had been brainwashed. If someone asked her a question, “either Felix would answer the question for her, or she would look at Felix while she was giving the answer.”
The couple left then North Dakota and traveled to Mississippi, where they stayed with Vail’s family. On the dairy farm the family owned, they helped paint the home. The couple also sunbathed in the nude, drawing the ire of neighbors.
Peggy Hensley received a telephone call from Sharon, who said she and Vail were heading to New Orleans and then to Miami to make pornographic films. She believed it was a cry for help as “what daughter tells her mother she’s going to do a porno?” Sharon’s parents wanted to travel down to get their daughter back but couldn’t. (The 2 did end up shooting pornographic scenes together, but I won’t get into any of that.)
In early 1973, Sharon called and talked of traveling to South America with Vail, where they would eat natural foods and write a book. It was the last conversation the family would ever have with her. Soon after, she would send her final letter. It contained a photo of her holding a pen, captioned “making travel notes.” It was the last picture ever taken of Sharon Hensley.
https://www.clarionledger.com/gcdn/-mm-/94195697544ea2e63b0b95e33a6de88a8b4f1e2b/c=0-50-399-276/local/-/media/2016/12/28/JacksonMS/JacksonMS/636185487179588030-Sharon-Hensley.jpg?width=399&height=226&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp(The last photo ever taken of Sharon.)
THE DISAPPEARANCE
In March of 1974, Peggy received a letter from Vail, claiming he was in West Florida. He wrote that he last saw Sharon about a year before in Key West, with an Australian couple that was traveling around the world. All he recalled was the first names of the couple (John and Vanessa), who were talking with Sharon about “island hopping around South America, the West Indies, --- Hawaii for a while, maybe a couple of years in the Philippines, then India, Egypt and the Mediterranean islands and coasts. I don’t know which of these (if any) they decided on or in what order.” Peggy didn't believe a word of it.
In the fall of 1975, Vail’s mother wrote to the Hensley family, saying that her son was surprised the family hadn’t heard from Sharon during that time. Interestingly, Vail told his mother the names of the couple that Sharon left with were Frank and Sally, different names than he had given a year earlier. Vail explained to his mother that before Sharon left, she had burned all her identification cards, got new IDs, and declared that she would become a completely different person.
Bill recalled his father mentioning Sharon. “He said she would never bother anyone ever again.” The words upset Bill, who believed his father had just confessed to another murder. “There was not a soul I could tell about it because I had had my experience in court when I was 8, no one would believe me. It would be my word against his, and no one would believe a 13-year-old.”
​
SHARON CAMPBELL:
I want to talk about this relationship because of the egregious age difference. For reference, Campbell is only 4 years older than Vail’s son.
While riding a bus to north Mississippi in 1975, Vail sat next to 17-year-old Sharon Campbell. Despite being literally twice her age, he commented on how fit she looked, saying "he needed someone like her to keep him fit." In spite of this, she felt flattered and shared her telephone number with him. Not long after she got home, Vail appeared in a yellow Volkswagen bug.
Vail said he wanted Campbell to travel with him, and she told him the only way her parents would allow it was if they got married.
On July 24, 1975, they did, honeymooning in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
In court years later, she would tell prosecutors that they never consummated the marriage because “he was unable to obtain an erection.” (This isn’t relevant, I just wanted to include it out of spite because fuck this guy.)
Several weeks later, she went with Vail to visit his relatives in Louisiana. There, she said a niece told her, “You probably need to know that he killed his first wife --- they arrested him. We all believed that he did it, he drowned her out of a boat.”
Campbell didn't believe them, telling herself that he would be in prison if he was a murderer. But as the months passed by, she concluded that he “had no value in the female gender,” and that “he hated women.”
She later traveled with Vail to his parents’ home in Montpelier. While there, he was outdoors working on the Volkswagen and Campbell walked closer without him noticing. He opened a compartment, and she said she saw “sinister, surgical looking saws of all shapes and sizes in a neat formation.” To her, the sight screamed evil. “It scared me. I said, ‘I’m not going anywhere with you.’” She left, annulled the marriage, and never looked back. It was likely the best decision she ever made.
After the divorce he would marry a woman named Carolyn in 1977. The relationship would end after he cheated on her with a woman named Alexandra Christianson during a double date. When Carolyn called Vail’s mother and asked her if the behavior surprised her, she simply replied “no.”
After being served the divorce papers, Vail smashed his car into her MGB Sports Car. A month later he would call her saying “I love you.” She did not reciprocate. She would later describe Vail as “mentally deranged.”
​
ALEXANDRA CHRISTIANSON:
Alexandra is the woman Vail cheated on Carolyn with. She eventually got married to him in Mexico after he officially divorced Carolyn. Not long after their marriage, she heard that Vail was cheating on her.
After a motorcycle accident, he came to rest up at her condo in Costa Mesa, where she confronted him about the cheating. He reportedly got agitated and said, “you know my first wife died.” When she replied saying he’d told her she drowned, Vail shot back “I could have saved her, but I chose not to.”
After telling him to leave, she went to have a shower. While in the shower, Vail attacked her, wrapping his hands around her neck. Hearing her screams, Alexandra’s young brother came in, grabbing Vail and forcing him to the ground. Vail then left.
Soon after this, she found out she was pregnant. The child was still-born, and Alexandra was heart-broken. She would later lead important investigators to witnesses that were used in Vail's eventual trial.
In part 2, I will cover Vail's final victim Annette Craver, and the lengths her mother went to to finally secure justice.
Here is Part 2:
MY SOURCES:
https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/8284?nav
https://charleyproject.org/case/annette-michelle-craver-vail
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/felixvailgone/2016/12/29/felix-vail-gone-one-wife-dead-two-other-missing-jerry-mitchell/95895894/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5796622/mary-elizabeth-vail
https://charleyproject.org/case/sharon-hensley
https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/20525?nav

https://imgur.com/a/aNN3xLG
u/Moose_Maleficent x 2 Thank you so much for the super creative handmade Pi Day card! I adore your heart & am honestly not surprised you wouldn’t exact revenge against Bridezilla hahaha! Yessss I thought of “The Help” too lol!!! I’m also bananas for the insanely awesome Hot Cross Buns card - it’s sooooo my smile & makes me so happy when I look at it!!!! It’s heartbreakingly cute. I’m so happy to have met you & to remember you forevermore as my first recipient (or hopefully soon) of international mail - that’s the most excitement I’ve had in years hahaha!!!! u/thecaledonianrose x 2 OMG this cuuuute kitty birthday card is so sweet!!! I was especially touched by your beautiful words wishing me so many amazing things! What a kind soul you are - THANK YOU so much!!! I also love the fun stickers, the neat-o washi stamp style stickers, the mini thank-you, & the delicious passion flower tea!!! Thank you so much for the super precious Easter card of the bunny & the birds!! This bunny is just a sweetheart with that dreamy expression & smile! I just love the colors & the positive vibes jumping out at me from the card & your sweet thoughts! Yesssss, I’m really happy we sorta have a spring in my state - sadly it doesn’t last long. But I’m so grateful it’s not a billion degrees yet! Thank you also for the ****cuuuuute**** bunny & Easter stickers, the Perfect Peach tea (I’m so jazzed to try it - how perfect is that flavor for Spring?!?!?) & the pretty Flowers Bingo card with the too cute floral bingo mini placemarkers!!! Wishing you the sweetest Spring full of fanciful flowers! u/fightshrubb Thank you so much for the adorable handmade aliens-themed Pi Day card - soooo cute!!! I love your energy!! Also love that you used different fun & bright colors of ink to write! I so hear you with the endless array of craft supplies lol!! To answer your question…I love watercolor!!! I have zero skills & was trying to learn when I happily stumbled upon RAoC so watercolor took a backseat to carding. ;) Hope you had an awesome Pi Day full of pizza discounts haha! ;) u/emptyparkinglot Thanks for the Gauguin postcard with your hilarious observation, “Paul Gauguin was honestly a creep in his personal life but he sure did know how to use color.” Hahaha, right?!? I loved your thoughts on art & appreciate them especially because I have a deep desire to learn more about art & how to articulate artistic concepts. You did that so beautifully with your analysis of Gauguin’s work! Wishing you lots of bliss as you create your own works of art! =) u/o0oiwio0o Thank you for the awesome sassy slanderous card of the Bernadine Bridge over the Vilnia!!! Your handwriting - oh my GORGEOUS!!! It’s so classy! And I have NEVER seen more fun & vibrant punctuation marks!!! I love your style! And the slander about the National Stadium is truly hilarious. I love how you turned the slander into a motivational gem hahaha!!!! I just loved your creative prompt & felt so fortunate to be a recipient of such fresh, fancy slander LOL! I also love the adorable elephant sticker you included. Thank you. =) Wishing you infinite saucy slanderous thoughts because they are so fun & phenomenal!!! =) u/travel4me22 x 2 Thank you for WHAAAAT?!?!? This incredible, gorgeous postcard you upcycled from a Van Gogh paper bag!!!! So creative - I absolutely loooove it!!!! I appreciate your resourcefulness & creativity so much! Thank you for the *beautiful* illustrated card of the strong, powerful women!! The colors are so fun. This card & your kind affirmations are just brimming with so many positive vibes!! I’m also excited you share my thoughts on Helen Keller. Thank you for spreading awesome cheer on International Women’s Day & beyond! u/onlycompletely Thanks for the adorable “Espresso Yourself” postcard!! u/drivingogre Thank you so much for the cute bear doodle postcard with all the fun facts about Disney actors & cats! You have such sweet vibes!! u/TigerLady x 4 Thanks for the adorable bunny & flower Easter card! LOVE the stamp embellishments you included & the cute way you decorated the inside of the card with the cut out words. Thanks also for the hug in the mail “nothing new” card with the awesome passion clouds worksheet & delicious recipe - I’ll definitely try it. :) Thank you for the hilarious 100% organic gangster card! Loved hearing your BFF was about to visit. Hope y’all had a fabulous time together and that y’all will meet up again soon! You asked about my BFF. Thank you - we met at the University of Texas when she was a transfer student & I was a freshman. She boldly came right up to me as I was having lunch alone to ask if she could join me. It was so cool of her to be so brave! She lives hundreds of miles away & the pandemic has made it a pain to get together but we keep in touch. Wishing you a beautiful spring, beautiful friend! u/YuletideWitch Thank you for the adorable vintage Disney World postcard! I’m so sad you shot yourself in the head…I shouldn’t have given that to you as an option for the Macarena prompt. But I shall remember your bravery in the face of dance adversity forevermore! Haha, thank you for indulging me with the silly prompt :) u/royalewithtees Thanks for the awesome “Breaking Bad” postcard - I didn’t know that cool fact about the 62nd element…so awesome!!! Happy to have met someone who has awesome taste in shows like me hahahaha!!! And I LOVE the cool BB decorative stamp!!! Thank you!! u/mickey_is_bored Thank you so much to you & your sweet friends for cheering on complete strangers!!! I wish that back in college, I had the type of friend you & your pals are for carding crafternoons! So precious. Thinking of you & your friend & sending lots of healing vibes. Thanks for spreading cheer :) u/hato_mailing Thank you for the sweet wax seals on the lovely barnacle goose postcard - love the Denmark bird stamp embellishment! u/elliearbus Thank you so much for this AWESOME handmade watercolor card - you are so insanely talented!!! I love it!!!!! I’m a sucker for not only watercolor art, but illustrations of craft supplies so this card is absolutely a terrific treasure for me. It’s just adorable & brimming with energy! Thanks again. Wishing you endless joy as you create your wondrous watercolor work!! u/gillbhai x 2 I’m so happy & relieved I finally found you, my mystery sender! Thank you so much for both of the gorgeous floral cards in my favorite bright colors! The pinks, oranges, & blues are just so cheery & happy! I also love the book rec & the Sharif poetry you wonderfully shared with me. I’ll have to read & re-read it to truly understand all the layers as you & Sharif are so amazingly deep! I would highly recommend the historical fiction book “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles. It’s the best book I’ve read in many years. Wishing you joyous reads & a peaceful rest of 2023. Thank you so much for brightening my day with your lovely thoughts & beautiful cards!! u/RoxanneBarton Thanks for the beautifully-illustrated pen & pencils “Snail Mail Club” postcard - I’m obsessed with illustrated cards & love it so much!!! I have to catch up with SG films too. LOVE your pretty handwriting! =) Wishing you fragrant bouquets of lilacs this spring, sweet friend. u/purpleteasoul x 2 Thanks for the sweet purple floral thank you card - it was my pleasure to send you birthday mail! Thanks also “Welcome book lover…” postcard! Hahaha yes you’re right, I read your postcard from my little nook at the library! Wishing you the best of reads!! u/littlehoneybeebuzz Thanks for the romantic Paris postcard! I love to read in dreary weather. Wishing you sunny skies this spring! =) u/brittybear94 x 2 How cute you are is so apparent from your extraordinarily cute mail!! Thanks so much for the fun RAoC b-day wishes!! I’m madly in LOVE with the cuuuutest little Peanuts “Nuts About You” card, the adorable Cookie Monster sticker, & the incredibly festive colorful RAoC personalized rainbow mail sticker…SO SO cuuute!! Even the envelope was decorated in one thing - CUTE. Thanks for gracing my mailbox with such pretty things!!! =) Wishing you the crunchiest & chewiest of chocolate chip cookies, my cute friend!!! u/Jane_Q Thanks for the lovely illustrated postcard of the Field Tulips in Holland! Even lovelier - how much you wrote on the back of the postcard! OMG my southern sensibilities woulda been smacked too had I gone through the nonsense you described! WTH?!? As Jerry Maguire would say, “These fish have manners.” Seriously whack!! But I was so happy you shared, thank you! Wishing you zero car issues so you never have to deal with mannerless buffoons ever again hahaha! u/OkayFlan Thanks for the sweet “I am Grateful” postcard - I sure am grateful to have met you here & hope you’re having tons of fun with all your cool new card tech supplies! u/falloutboy01 Thank you for the awesome handmade Easter card - the cutout with the hidden lime green layer is sooooo creative & pretty!!! I’m guessing you used Cricut - wow. The effect is amazing.The colors you used complement each other so well, especially for spring! Thanks also for the adorable stickers. Wishing you a splendid spring, kind friend!! u/sunfireninety9 - Thank you for the beautiful Asian art illustration postcard! I LOVE all the neat stamps you used on the card. Wow, that is so neat about the 1991 vintage rose stamp! I’m so sorry to learn the glue tasted icky - but you made so many people happy (including me) with your kind happy mail lol! Wishing you tastier stamps next time haha, maybe cupcake flavored ones? ;) u/feellikebeingajerk x 4 Thanks for the sweet handmade St. Patrick’s Day wishes & the cool President’s Day postcard of Monticello! It’s cool to appreciate our history & I’m glad you’re able to see historical figures through multiple lenses. I’m crazy about the pretty spring-y washi tape you used. Wishing you lots of pretty weather & sunny smiles this spring! THANKS a million for the awesome raspberry pie card & the throwback Holly Hobbie beauty (apologies no pics of these 2 sweeties - they’re elsewhere at the time I’m submitting this) - both of these sweeeeet cards made my day!!!! u/Soleiletta Thank you for the fabulous card from Wednesday Addams - you totally channeled her so awesomely! You should write for the show!! =) I loved the cute Tarot stickers you used to decorate the card. And that handwriting - it’s just glorious!!! It’s somehow both modern & vintage too?!?? Just gorgeous! Thank you for sharing your fun prompt creativity with me. =) u/1398_days Thank you for the pretty pastel thank you card!!! It was my absolute pleasure to think of you on your birthday & I’m so touched it cheered you up! Your kind thank you card lifted my spirits & made me feel super happy! It’s so bright & colorful - just my fave color palette! I sure hope you’ve been having cheerful days since your birthday & that you will remind me when it’s your big day next year for more birthday greetings!! =) u/somedrawer Thanks for the adorable doggie Easter card! Such fun stamps & washi decorations on the card - the baked confectionaries washi is sooo delicious! Love the positive affirmation you wrote: “I am capable of creating positive change in the world.” So uplifting! Here’s one for you: “I am a creator. I create my reality.” u/its_top_secret x 2 Thank you for the sweet Seigensha postcard! And I love your spirit - you wanting to dance no matter what is so inspiring! I also love your willingness to be brave & embellish when no one is watching hahaha! Thank you for the vintage-y shrine postcard with your beautiful handwriting! Love how you would have searched for legendary figures if you had the chance to time travel. =) Wishing you a happy future & past too if you dare to explore haha! u/aepeyc Thank you for the sweet Saint Patrick’s Day greetings with the pretty feather! Wishing you lots of luck not just on the 17th of each year, but each day as well. :) u/missnettiemoore Thank you so much for this GORGEOUS cartoon Saint Patrick’s Day card!!! The sweet smiling critters are so charming!!! I also love the fun fact you wrote: “The odds in finding a 4-leaf clover are about 1 in 10,000.” I had no idea - that’s so mindblowing!!! Thank you for brightening my day with your sweet card. Wishing you a breezy, beautiful spring & that you chance across those rare 4 leaf clovers for lots of luck! =) u/FollowingTheBeat You had me at the exquisite envelope decorated with your precious handmade cherry blossom tree! So pretty. I’m terrible at drawing trees so I’m especially excited by your talent. But that was just the appetizer. I’m in love with this gorgeous pink-themed floral feast of a card!!! Thank you! This card instantly makes me happy with all the bright colors & the pretty sticker you used to decorate it. This card is soooo beautiful, & so are you for including such sweet spring wishes for so many lovely things, including “beauty”! What an awesome wish. Wishing you a spring full of the same love & beautiful birds that serenade you & make you smile! u/RayneKitten Thank you so much for the beautiful postcard to color - it’ll be a joy! I also love the quote. I appreciate your kindness! Wishing you lots of masterpieces! u/PM_me_oak_trees Thank you for the *hilarious* April Fool’s Day card - the teaching English quip is priceless hahaha!!! I also love the awesome motivational quotes & funny jokes you wrote. OMG “I was going to write a time-travel joke, but you did not like it” - rahahahahahahaha! I’m so stealing that one! I really appreciated your creativity in sending “junk mail” - what a neato thing to do! Hope you had a beautiful April Fool’s Day - thanks for making mine special! u/FancyBeadedPlacemat Thank you so much for the potato postcard! I was laughing when I received it because I only tagged potato pals & didn’t request one since merely *looking* at potatoes makes me gain weight LOL! But I was so glad you sent it to me because I had no idea about the fun history fact!!! That’s so cool that Marie Antoinette would wear potato blossoms in her hair!!! So thank you for sharing that awesome historical gem with me!!! u/wabisabi_sf Thank you so much for this perfect postcard TREAT of Julia Child along with the fun facts about her life! It’s just a postcard dream as far as postcards go. I’m nuts for fun illustrations so this is a real treasure. I also love the fun vintage stamps you used. Thanks so much for thinking of me with your wonderful offer & for making me giddy by picking me to receive this scrumptious postcard!! =) u/orangewolpertinger x 2 Thank you for the absolutely precious homemade cards!!!! The cuuuute pink kawaii candy themed card just made me melt!!! I love the combo of black & pink colors along with the pink & red themed scrapbook paper! The fox Saint Patrick’s Day card is soooo adorable too! Love the fun stickers you used to decorate the card! I also love & appreciate the kind stamps you included. You’re also so cute to take that Squishmallow personality quiz hahaha! So you’re Hans the Hedgehog? Although I agree that Hans is cute, he doesn’t hold up a cute candle compared to you & your endless card love!!! Thank you so much for these sweet treats!!! Wishing you lots of love & joy! u/Bowies-solid-speech x 2 I’m so happy I found you, my fabulous obituary mystery sender!!!! I even tried looking for you with a search for “obituary” on Reddit but didn’t find any relevant hits…Reddit is so goofy. I loved your creative, thoughtful obituary so much! You have such a fun brain - thank you for brightening my day with the fake obit hahaha! Your creativity is so very charming!!! I also admired how eager you were to write in depth! I also LOVE the adorable postcard of the critter looking at himself in the mirror. Thank you! The pastel colors & illustration are awesome! I was drawn to it because of one of my favorite Kabir quotes: “But if a mirror ever makes you sad, you should know that it does not know you.” Wishing you lots of joy as you check your beautiful self out in the mirror!! u/Slavkan12 THANK you so much for this gorgeous handmade “Dream Space” postcard that’s so bright & bouncy with the gorgeous array of blooming plants!!! It’s so pretty & makes me ache to have my own “Dream Space”!!! I love how you upcycled the calendar to create it. So cool & creative. But the front of the card isn’t where the magic ends - WOW!! I was **blown away** by your amazing illustration inside the card with the stunning self-portrait & the pretty pink & green plant!!! Your art skills are sublime! I love all the colors you used (such pretty pink hair & I love the color of your shirt). I wish so much I could draw like you but am grateful that even though I can’t, I’m a lucky recipient of this super cool gift!!!! I also love all the festive stickers you included & how you decorated the envelope with the unique bird/owl stickers. =) Thank you so much for this magnificent, magical mail! Wishing you lots of success in your art & beyond, kind friend! u/jules_abroad How did you do it? Never before your gorgeous card would I have ever thought I would have called a card with toilet paper & poop on it “gorgeous”. But that’s what you did with your INSANE TALENT & ADORABLE poop & tp handmade wacky wonderful card!!! I’m honestly in awe even though poop & tp usually make me wanna throw up! I LOVE IT SO SO MUCH hahaha! Thank you for brightening my day with poop of all things! I’m including a highlighted picture of it with the link above. ;) I wish I could draw & watercolor like you do…this is so going in a frame in my future dream home bathroom!! =) Wishing you the softest, squishiest, most cloud-like tp ever, sweet friend!

A thread for new collectors to ask basic questions of the community.
Frequently Asked Questions below!
A longer version of the subreddit rules is here.
For questions specifically concerning bootlegs or vendor legitimacy, please ask in the Bootleg Megathread.
NSFW & Spoiler Guidelines

• For Self Posts: include a bolded NSFW note next to links in that post.
• For Links to sites/images: If the figure is NSFW, or the website has any NSFW content (including ads) be sure to tag your post NSFW and use the appropriate link flair.

Bootlegs
Any collection posts containing bootlegs, comments advocating buying bootlegs, or links to sites selling bootlegs, recasts, or unlicensed merchandise will be removed.
People often ask about the legitimacy and/or safety of a number of websites which sell large resin statues. The more commonly-asked of those deal primarily in resins from studios which do not have a license from the Japanese IP holders to produce merchandise. Therefore links to those sites are not permitted here. Another sign is if MyFigureCollection doesn't list the either the statue, its manufacturer, or the shop it's being sold on.
MyFigureCollection
My Figure Collection is like MyAnimeList... but for figures! Their database includes thousands of items which been produced during the last couple of decades, along with reviews of shops and other helpful articles. One can also list their own collection and post gallery photos.
Shops

Retailers:
AmiAmi HobbySearch Mandarake (sells rare figures) Good Smile Company Online Shop (often has exclusives) Good Smile Company US shop Crunchyroll Shop Hobby Link Japan (aka HLJ) Solaris Japan (MFC partner) BigBadToyStore (MFC partner, US retailer) Big in Japan (also has proxy service) Tokyo Otaku Mode Right Stuf FigureHaven Archonia (EU) Yorokonde (EU) Figuya (EU) Dekai Anime (UK) Gamersheek (UK) Jungle
List of retailers on MFC
/AnimeFigures' List of Retailers
Community Guide to Shopping in Japan

Blogs/News:

Nekomagic (News/Previews) NyaaFigurines (Reviews/Releases) Kahotan's Blog (News/Reviews) Figma Blog (JP)

Buying & Shipping

1. What’s the best place to buy my anime figures from?
That’s going to depend a lot on what works for you, but most people around here buy them from Amiami, Big in Japan, Hobby Search, HobbyLink Japan, or Tokyo Otaku Mode. If none of those work for you for whatever reason, there’s a list of reputable retailers in the sidebar that you can check out at any time. Be extra careful when ordering figures from websites like Amazon or ebay, as there are a lot of bootlegs on those sites. Don’t be afraid to ask in our Bootleg Megathread if you’re unsure.
2. What differences are there between the shipping options I get from most Japanese shops?
Below is a rundown of the main shipping choices you’ll get at most retailers. Keep in mind that if an order is large enough you will be forced to use one of the more expensive options, as SAL shipments have lower size and weight restrictions.

• Unregistered SAL: Sometimes referred to as uSAL, is usually the cheapest method. It does not come with any tracking or insurance. Usually takes up 2-4 weeks for delivery.
• Registered SAL: Sometimes referred to as rSAL, is insured for the declared value up to 6,000 yen. It comes with a tracking number and usually takes 2-4 weeks for delivery.
• EMS: This method of shipping is much faster than either SAL options, usually arriving within a week of shipment. EMS shipments are insured for the declared value up to 2,000,000 yen.
• Airmail
• E-packet
• Surface: Shops don't offer this very often. It's an actual cargo ship and slow as a result.
  
• DHL: Becoming more available as an alternative to EMS on AmiAmi and other sites. Can be less expensive than EMS and of comparable speed, but may be more reliant on the specific geographical area being shipped to. The price is also determined by the size of the box. Offers their own tracking.
  

3. I placed two+ orders for figures at different times. Will my items be shipped together, or will I have to pay shipping twice?
Most shops will ask you to pay shipping on a per-order basis, but here are some that will allow combined shipping:

• Amiami: You can combine orders here, as long as the orders ship in the same month. It doesn’t matter if the item is new or preowned. Any preorders that are set for that month can also be combined with other orders for that month. However, be aware that if the preorder gets delayed, Amiami will remove that item from that month’s shipment and place it on a new order. To combine orders on Amiami, use the “Combine Orders” feature under “My Account”.
  
• Hobby Search: Hobby Search will let you combine orders that release in the same month, but you cannot combine in stock items with preorders. If you want to combine multiple preorders, or multiple in stock items, you can do so using the “Order Recombination” feature on your account page.
  
• HobbyLink Japan: At HLJ, you have the option to send paid orders to their “Private Warehouse”, where you can store them for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to ship the items, you simply select which items to ship and HLJ will combine them into one shipment for you. To use this, just select the “Private Warehouse” option as shipping when you order.
  

If you’re unsure about whether or not a shop we haven’t listed will combine your orders, please refer to their individual FAQs.
4. When will I get charged for my preorder?
Most Japanese shops charge you once the item is in stock and ready for shipment. When that happens, they will send you an email asking for payment. Some shops (mostly overseas ones), will allow you to pay for the item up front though, if you’d like. A few with that option are:

• Big in Japan (Japanese store)
• Tokyo Otaku Mode
• Anime Island
• Crunchyroll

Keep in mind that overseas stores will likely get the figure a few months after Japanese ones, so pay attention to the release date stated on the website you are buying from so as to avoid that confusion.
5. Should I expect to pay customs fees when importing figures?
That depends on where you live. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Australia: 10% GST is now assessed up front.
• Canada: Minimum declared value for charges is around CAD$20 for regular shipments, and CAD$60 for gifts (gifting something only seems to lower the declared value by about CAD$40, not deplete it completely). When using Amiami, try their Small Air Packet option. It comes with tracking, gets there in about the same time as EMS, and is better at avoiding customs.
• European Union: As of 1st July 2021, VAT has to be paid on all goods imported from outside of the EU. Retailers are supposed charge VAT for purchases under €150, however many Japanese retailers currently do not, so VAT will be charged when your order arrives in the EU. Orders that are >€150, VAT and duty will be charged by your local customs.
• UK: As of 1st January 2021, VAT is to be charged by retailers for orders <£135. However, customs isn't currently charging VAT on parcels valued at <£135, even if the VAT hasn't been paid. Goods >£135 will have their VAT and duty calculated and charged by customs.
• Mexico: Minimum declared value for customs fees is USD$300 for shipments by post, and USD$50 for shipments by courier.
• United States: A shipment has to have a declared value of USD$2,000 before customs starts hitting you with fees, so you most likely won’t have to worry about them at all.

6. The figure I want is an exclusive, how do I go about ordering one outside of Japan?
You have three options for this:
A. Big in Japan is known to stock exclusive figures and ship to other countries. Usually the price is higher because they build in their proxy fees, but it’s easier than worrying about using a forwarder or proxy service. If you live in the US, Crunchyroll, Right Stuf, and Tokyo Otaku Mode also get exclusives sometimes, but out of the states the shipping can get expensive.
B. Forwarding Services: A forwarder is someone who you ship an exclusive item to so that they can forward the package on to you, usually for a flat fee + shipping. When using a forwarder you still make the purchase yourself, and enter their address into the shipping field. When the box arrives at the forwarder they will then stick your address onto the package and send it on its way.
Some popular forwarders are:

• Big in Japan
• Tenso

Be sure to read each sites instructions on forwarding carefully!
C. Proxy Services: With a proxy, you tell them what the item you’re looking for is and they will purchase it in your stead. This is handy for when a company doesn’t accept foreign credit cards, or you’re having trouble navigating a Japanese website.
Some popular proxies are:

• Big in Japan (Won’t proxy for Yahoo Auctions)
• From Japan

Again, be sure you thoroughly read through each sites proxy instructions.
7. I see a bunch of really cheap figures that ship from China on ebay. Are those okay to buy?
Generally, no. They’re most likely bootlegs. If you want a second opinion on that, feel free to ask in the Bootleg Megathread that’s always stickied at the top of the sub.
8. What’s a bootleg, and how can I avoid buying them?
A bootleg is a counterfeit figure often made using rejected molds of the official product. They are usually priced significantly lower than the genuine article, and in order to make their profit, bootleggers use lower quality materials and have less attention to detail- resulting in a substandard figure.
The Bootleg Megathread that I mentioned in question 7 is a great tool to avoid buying any bootlegs. It has a few tips and tricks to avoiding them to begin with, and a few more on how to spot them if you’re worried you might already own one.
9. Does anyone know when figure X is going to be released? How do I know if it was delayed?
My Figure Collection (sometimes referred to as MFC) does an excellent job of staying on top of information like release dates and delays. If you’re curious about an upcoming figures release date, check there first. This information can be found directly under the “Releases” section on a figure’s entry. If you only see a month and a year in that section, it means the release date has not yet been announced by the manufacturer, and there is still a chance the figure could be delayed.
If you make an account on MFC you can also subscribe to comments, changes, and pictures via a checkbox on the right hand side of a figure’s listing. Subscribing to any of these things will allow MFC to send you an email anytime the subscription in question updates. Subscribing to “changes” is a great way to keep up with release dates and delays, among other things.
10. The figure I want is long sold out at normal retailers! What’s the best place to pick it up in the aftermarket?
A list of reputable retailers can be found under the “Shops” section of the /AnimeFigures sidebar. They all sell legitimate products, and many of them also sell figures second hand. However, the most frequently suggested second hand sites are Mandarake and Amiami- who has a preowned section that they update every night save Sundays and Japanese holidays around 1PM JST and again around 6PM JST.
AmiAmi grades their pre-owned items on a letter scale. The general consensus from buyers is that their ratings are conservative, so unless the item and/or packaging is specifically indicated as having significant flaws, pre-owned items from them are usually in at least as good a condition as their rating suggests.
Note: When you search Mandarake, you’ll get the best results by using the Japanese characters for whatever you are searching. If you don’t know them, you can find them on MFC by clicking on any of the “details” in that figure’s listing.
11. Amiami has a figure I’m interested in labeled as “For sale in Japan only”. Does this mean I can’t order it without a proxy or forwarder?
No, you can still order it. Amiami’s English site has that warning on many items, and it’s mostly meant to inform you that this product was made for a Japanese market, and as such, will have Japanese speaking/writing in it- so don’t expect any instructions to be in English. If Amiami doesn’t want foreigners buying a certain product, they won’t even list it on their English site.

Displaying Your Figures

12. What display cases do you recommend?
If you live near an Ikea try out one of these:

• Detolf *
• Klingsbo
• Billy (Often used with Morliden doors and glass shelves.)

*If you decided on a Detolf, you might find that there is a lot of wasted space. Here are a few tutorials on raising the shelves or and adding extra ones in.

• Using metal clips
• Using acrylic supports and PVC pipe

If you don’t live near an Ikea, Amazon has a few display options, though they are more expensive. Also keep an eye on your local Craigslist (or your country’s equivalent) and stores near you that are closing up.
13. What lighting do you guys recommend?
Ikea’s Dioder LED strips were discontinued after a long run. A current version is the Vattensten, if you're inclined to buy your case and lights at the same time.
LED strips have become very commonly available in recent years; most hardware and home furnishing stores carry a selection now. Just make sure that the lights don’t get too hot!
14. What are those clear plastic boxes that I see under everyone’s figures in their collection posts, and where can I get them?
Those are called risers. Most of us use standard acrylic risers like these. Some other, easy to find things that have been suggested are:

• Plastic picture cubes
• Card Deck Boxes
• If you’re feeling adventurous, try making your own!

Check your local hobby store for the first 2 options, or your local hardware store if you want to make your own.
Another common suggestion is to visit The Container Store if you have one near you. They have a lot of things to choose from that can suit a variety of needs. Be sure to check out their standard acrylic risers, their Amac boxes, and the various display cases they sell (baseball cases, mini car cases. hockey puck cases, etc).
15. Should I keep my figures sealed?
That is, of course, up to you really, but here are a few things to keep in mind when debating this question:

• Keeping it sealed can actually damage your figure. PVC figures usually have something called plasticizer in them, and that plasticizer needs to be able to breath. If a PVC figure isn’t exposed to oxygen, after a period of time the plasticizer starts to break down and form a sticky substance on the surface of the figure. Simply opening your figures and taking them out of the box prevents this from happening. If you happen to find plasticizer goo on one of your figures, Kahotan has a handy guide for dealing with it.
• Unlike some other figure markets, keeping an anime figure sealed won’t raise its value by a whole lot. In fact, because of the plasticizer problem mentioned above, your figure could actually be in better condition if you open it versus keeping it sealed.

Finding the Right Figure(s) for You

16. What are "scales" and "prizes"? What is the difference between them?
Those are classifications for figures based on a few factors.

• "Prizes" are generally more simply produced figures which are intended to be given as prizes for playing arcade games. They are inexpensive and lack the detail of scale figures, though some prize figure lines have standouts which may approach lower-end scales in quality. That is uncommon and often depends on the individual figure.
• "Scales" are called such because they are nominally designed to be proportional to the dimensions of the character which they are based on. They are generally of much better manufacture and materials than prize figures, allowing for more detail in painting, accessories, or complex poses.
• "Trading" figures appear in gashapon machines or as blind boxes on shop counters, often as sets which include multiple characters. As suggested by the class name, the randomness encourages trading. They are usually very inexpensively-produced, though as with prizes, some series are better than others.
• "Non-scale" encompasses a variety of other categories. It is often used to describe poseable figure lines such as figma and Nendoroids.

In recent years producers such as Good Smile Company attempted to further bridge the gap between prize quality and scales by introducing figure lines which are intended to be moderately-priced while retaining a higher level of detail than the typical prize figure, to varying levels of success.
17. There are so many figure companies! Who makes good figures?!
Obviously this is a very subjective question, but as a general starting point, here are a few well renowned figure companies:

• Alter
• Max Factory
• Good Smile Company
• Kotobukiya (usually hit or miss for people. Use your best judgement based off of the prototype)
• Flare
• Stronger

18. I really love “series X / character X”- how can I check if any figures were ever made for it?
My Figure Collection can be your best friend here. Simply do a search on the name of the series or character using the search bar located at the top right of the screen, and all associated figures pop up!
Alternatively, if you’re looking at a figure’s MFC entry, most of the text under the “Details” section can be clicked on and used to run a search.
19. How can I commission a custom figure?
None of the major figure companies (Alter, Kotobukiya, Good Smile Company, etc.) will take a commission for a single figure. This thread has a few websites in it that you can check out, or you can look into garage kits. Some kit painters would be willing to resculpt, frankenstein together, or otherwise modify kits for the right price.
If you're looking for help completing a garage kit, /brushforhire may be useful.

Keeping Up with New Announcements

20. How can I keep up with figure news (announcements, updates, etc.)?
Most people use a MFC combined with any or all of the following news sites:

• Neko Magic
• Alter’s Blog (In Japanese)
• Kahotan’s Blog (Only GSC and their sister companies)

Many figure companies are active on Twitter, so following them there is recommended for quicker news.
To use MFC for this I’ll quote question #9.

If you make an account on MFC you can also subscribe to comments, changes, and pictures via a checkbox on the right hand side of a figure’s listing. Subscribing to any of these things will allow MFC to send you an email anytime the subscription in question updates. Subscribing to “changes” is a great way to keep up with release dates and delays, among other things.

Most companies have one or more Twitter accounts. Some examples: Good Smile Company sales, Good Smile's USA branch, Max Factory, AmiAmi Hobby News.
21. Everyone’s excited about something called Wonfes….. what the heck is that?!
WonFes (short for Wonder Festival) is a biannual figure expo where many figure producers (both large and small) show off new sculpts and updates to figures already under way. Most companies save their most exciting announcements for WonFes, so we all look forward to the expo whenever it rolls around! Winter Wonder Festival is usually held in February, while Summer Wonder Festival is usually in July. The event has also spread to Shanghai, in the late spring.
22. One or two (or 15) figures were announced at WonFes that I’m really excited about! How can I keep track of their progress once the event is over?
MFC is always really quick about getting new WonFes announcements (or any others throughout the year, for that matter) listed in their database, so we suggest using that. To find a figure from the event you can search any number of things, including the name of the character or the name of the show. You can also use the tag search to search “WonderFestival 20xx_[season]” to see all items announced at that event.

I’m a 30 year old male. Probably pushing 420 pounds now. I recently got hired at a new job. I’ve been out of work for months. Nobody would hire me and it’s been a tough time. I’m on feet probably 7 hours a day and getting a lot more movement in. Drinking a whole lot more water. Eating a lot better, well most days. Weight doesn’t seem to coming off as fast as I’d like and when I come home I’m beat. My feet, ankles, knees hurt bad. I want do more but I just can’t. I’m in pain at the end of the day. Curious anybody had any help or tips? Be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

I recently watched a Thomas DeLauer video on Keto in 2023, and he recommended to now have you protein intake be 40-50% of your calories. I currently use MyFitness Pal and my protein is at 30%. Does anyone follow the 40-50% and what is your experience?
For context, I am 5'11 155 lbs. I have been doing a body recomp, lift weights 5-6x a week. Eating 2700 calories a day, consistently eat ~210g of protein and ~50g net carbs. If I made the switch I would eat around 270g of protein, and cutting out all the nuts I eat I would have a lot lower net carbs too. Any thoughts would be appreciated, thanks!

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/x7r5MGA
This scope is brand new in box minus being mount on some vortex pro series 1in height rings. I mounted it to my rifle but it went right back in the box since it was a place holder till my nightforce came in. No scratches or anything brand new.
Comes with the box and everything from factory aswell as the pro series rings, subrev throw lever and the vortex scope caps.
Looking to get $700 shipped for the whole package

It’s nice out, the weather is amazing, and it’s the perfect time of year to enjoy the beginnings of a passionate and discreet relationship with *you ~
I’m interested in getting to know a lovely woman… I’m an average looking older MWM, (maybe a bit better than AVERAGE, but don’t we all think that!?) … I’m average height, in good shape with a nice body ~ funny, sexy, flirtatious, fun, fit, intelligent, and interesting.
I’d love to find someone special, someone who is attractive, maybe “out of my league” who would cater to me, be affectionate with, and submissive to me - someone who will make me the center of her attention… and in return she’ll feel appreciated, understood, desired, and as fulfilled as possible during our time together…
I’m looking for a long term relationship, friendship, a mutual benefit-ship that stays in the discreet shadows where we secretly count the minutes until our next rendezvous, anxious and excited for our next moment together, our next stolen kiss, our next hour hidden away from the world ~
I’m looking for a special kind of witchcraft, and I’m hoping that I might find it in you ~