Hey there, hope everyone’s doing well.
Looking to find someone to create a connection whilst doing fun things would be even better!
We talk, share our thoughts and what’s on our minds. We talk, share our thoughts and be a tad flirty and discuss interior designs because why not? We can also talk about everything from mundane everyday tasks to our deepest fears and secrets.
I’m really into fitness, sports and fashion. Finding a girl who’s going through a fitness journey or is super into fashion and football (soccer) would be ideal but not picky at all.
If you’re gay or bi then you’re also welcome to message!
We can motivate each other, track progress and, hold one another accountable. If we've got similar taste in games, we could even play those together. We can talk about outfit ideas and share our fitspos and the list is endless (sorta).
I’ll keep it at that about myself so we can figure each other out during the conversation. Hope you find this interesting enough to want to message.
Thanks and looking forward to hearing from you!

Summer is cancelled and Icewind Dale is screwed unless you can figure out what the hell is going on...

Hello, my friends! My name is Alex. I've run this campaign twice before and I'm pretty excited to see what kind of horrible wackiness we can get up to this time around! This will be an above average experience if I can help it and I hope to make tons of friends along the way! If you're into roleplaying, jokes, subversion of expectation, mystery, whimsy, or simply "clownin' around", if you like Dimension 20 or anything Brennan Lee Mulligan or Emily Axford does, or if you're looking for a D&D game with a mix of goofy, weird, stupid, and serious with a splash of storytelling pizzazz, then this is the game for you!!!I recognize that this is supposed to be an overall serious campaign, and it is, don't get me wrong! But I'm a pretty wacky guy and this game will lean less on the harsh atmosphere and more into the interconnected story threads, personal plots if they arise, and the fear that something more powerful than you could be hiding around any corner. Utilizing Foundry VTT, I've been able to enhance the adventure with musical themes and sound effects for most scenes, automation, and animations for tons of spells, quest tracking, and several leveled maps with dynamically changing walls, lighting, and 3d vision calculation!
Icewind Dale Player Commercial
Let me tell you a bit about myself, though...
I come from a writing, directing, and video production background and have been putting these skills to good use at my digital gaming table for over 3 years now. I'm hoping I can apply the skills I'm good at to provide an above average experience to new and experienced players alike. I love to get into character and on top of accents here and there, I have my video feed switch to show images of significant NPCs when possible, not to mention all the music I have picked out for each unique encounter. I spend time picking from backstories and integrating fun easter eggs/story content for each player.
Overall, I'm a goofy guy, looking to land a joke whenever possible, but I have a knack for narrative thread and always set out to weave an interesting tale.
"...The overall value on your end was worth it, 100%. You ran an engaging, entertaining game and I enjoyed being one of your players." - Previous Player
"...This has been one of the best roleplaying experiences I've had!" - Current Player
"...You are a great and creative DM. I appreciate the effort you put in." - Current Player
Read more reviews on my StartPlaying profile
To get a sense of my style, feel free to check out episodes of my previous Witchlight campaign where two of our players will be joining us from. The Wild Beyond Playlist

Game Details and Extras

• Open to players of all experience levels.
• I lean heavily on the concept of "yes, and..." I like to go with the flow of what you're putting down and tend not to "no, but..." unless it conflicts with existing world elements...
• I'll work with you outside (and inside) of the game to build a character that fits into the setting and story line. I like to spread bits of information out across players so they can roleplay to put them together.
• Character creation will be done on dndbeyond and you will have access to a vast majority of the sourcebook bundle to choose from, as far as races and classes go, for as long as you remain in the game.
• Previous games have been 60/40 roleplay/combat with the potential swings in either direction depending on the chapter, but the ending chapters do lean into combat much more.
• Although I'll be running the main essence of the module, I'll be adapting bits as necessary to help with story flow, mystery, and suspense, as well as incorporating character backstory here and there.
• We will be running the official Rime of the Frostmaiden module with all the included maps and artwork (that I've digitally enhanced), including a number of extra maps and NPC art I've collected or created personally. All of these with dynamic lighting effects and.
• A number of maps have been expanded utilizing Forgotten Adventures beautiful assets.
• Due to the voice and video content, our game will be played with voice and video through discord. Please have a decent microphone.
• We will be using Foundry VTT for play, but you will still create characters in dndbeyond to be imported over. Foundry has outdone Roll20 in my opinion and has a large number of modules to help with combat automation, attack animations, music, sound effects, lighting effects, time tracking, etc. Additionally, there are a number of per-user settings you can customize such as choosing your own on screen 3d dice, picking animations for the summoning of your various beast or familiars, turning down the music, etc
• I have collected a large number of sound effects, music, and ambiences that I incorporate into each scene. I like to hand pick songs to accompany each unique encounter, with variations depending on possible outcomes.
• I try to change my voice to imitate various monsters and NPCs and utilize imagery in my webcam for all significant characters who have art in the book.
• Foundry has the potential to be processor intensive and a decent computer is recommended, but there are settings that can be lowered to allow for some lower end machines.
• Sessions are streamed live on Twitch and then archived on YouTube.
• $15 per session.

How to Apply

Quick google form, post here, or DM me if you have questions.
Player Application

Summer is cancelled and Icewind Dale is screwed unless you can figure out what the hell is going on...

Hello, my friends! My name is Alex. I've run this campaign twice before and I'm pretty excited to see what kind of horrible wackiness we can get up to this time around! This will be an above average experience if I can help it and I hope to make tons of friends along the way! If you're into roleplaying, jokes, subversion of expectation, mystery, whimsy, or simply "clownin' around", if you like Dimension 20 or anything Brennan Lee Mulligan or Emily Axford does, or if you're looking for a D&D game with a mix of goofy, weird, stupid, and serious with a splash of storytelling pizzazz, then this is the game for you!!!I recognize that this is supposed to be an overall serious campaign, and it is, don't get me wrong! But I'm a pretty wacky guy and this game will lean less on the harsh atmosphere and more into the interconnected story threads, personal plots if they arise, and the fear that something more powerful than you could be hiding around any corner. Utilizing Foundry VTT, I've been able to enhance the adventure with musical themes and sound effects for most scenes, automation, and animations for tons of spells, quest tracking, and several leveled maps with dynamically changing walls, lighting, and 3d vision calculation!
Icewind Dale Player Commercial
Let me tell you a bit about myself, though...
I come from a writing, directing, and video production background and have been putting these skills to good use at my digital gaming table for over 3 years now. I'm hoping I can apply the skills I'm good at to provide an above average experience to new and experienced players alike. I love to get into character and on top of accents here and there, I have my video feed switch to show images of significant NPCs when possible, not to mention all the music I have picked out for each unique encounter. I spend time picking from backstories and integrating fun easter eggs/story content for each player.
Overall, I'm a goofy guy, looking to land a joke whenever possible, but I have a knack for narrative thread and always set out to weave an interesting tale.
"...The overall value on your end was worth it, 100%. You ran an engaging, entertaining game and I enjoyed being one of your players." - Previous Player
"...This has been one of the best roleplaying experiences I've had!" - Current Player
"...You are a great and creative DM. I appreciate the effort you put in." - Current Player
Read more reviews on my StartPlaying profile
To get a sense of my style, feel free to check out episodes of my previous Witchlight campaign where two of our players will be joining us from. The Wild Beyond Playlist

Game Details and Extras

• Open to players of all experience levels.
• I lean heavily on the concept of "yes, and..." I like to go with the flow of what you're putting down and tend not to "no, but..." unless it conflicts with existing world elements...
• I'll work with you outside (and inside) of the game to build a character that fits into the setting and story line. I like to spread bits of information out across players so they can roleplay to put them together.
• Character creation will be done on dndbeyond and you will have access to a vast majority of the sourcebook bundle to choose from, as far as races and classes go, for as long as you remain in the game.
• Previous games have been 60/40 roleplay/combat with the potential swings in either direction depending on the chapter, but the ending chapters do lean into combat much more.
• Although I'll be running the main essence of the module, I'll be adapting bits as necessary to help with story flow, mystery, and suspense, as well as incorporating character backstory here and there.
• We will be running the official Rime of the Frostmaiden module with all the included maps and artwork (that I've digitally enhanced), including a number of extra maps and NPC art I've collected or created personally. All of these with dynamic lighting effects and.
• A number of maps have been expanded utilizing Forgotten Adventures beautiful assets.
• Due to the voice and video content, our game will be played with voice and video through discord. Please have a decent microphone.
• We will be using Foundry VTT for play, but you will still create characters in dndbeyond to be imported over. Foundry has outdone Roll20 in my opinion and has a large number of modules to help with combat automation, attack animations, music, sound effects, lighting effects, time tracking, etc. Additionally, there are a number of per-user settings you can customize such as choosing your own on screen 3d dice, picking animations for the summoning of your various beast or familiars, turning down the music, etc
• I have collected a large number of sound effects, music, and ambiences that I incorporate into each scene. I like to hand pick songs to accompany each unique encounter, with variations depending on possible outcomes.
• I try to change my voice to imitate various monsters and NPCs and utilize imagery in my webcam for all significant characters who have art in the book.
• Foundry has the potential to be processor intensive and a decent computer is recommended, but there are settings that can be lowered to allow for some lower end machines.
• Sessions are streamed live on Twitch and then archived on YouTube.
• $15 per session.

How to Apply

Quick google form, post here, or DM me if you have questions.
Player Application

Sharn is under threat. The sahuagin flooded the Cogs in a sudden, unprovoked invasion. Sahuagin warriors attack lightning rails and warehouses in the lower levels, interrupting supply lines and stealing food. The Lower Levels clamor for the attention of the Sixty, the Watch, the Brelish military to drive out this threat. Only, it's not an invasion. These Sahuagin are scared, fleeing from the onslaught of a resurgent Lurker and his aboleths. They're desperately seeking to carve out safe harbor, despite the trials that Sha'argon sees fit to inflict on them. Aboleths have stolen the minds and wills of the leaders of the Eternal Dominion. Issuing forth now from the untold depths come still greater horrors. Leaders of the Lurker's army, these creatures shouldn't be able to exist. Perceiving their impossibility leaves lesions on your mind.
-My current campaign's hook - currently the party is 7 lvl 8 characters.
So there's the idea. I've been working on some eldritch horrors to make into the Lurker's primary minions. I have to say, I LOVE the Unspeakable horror's stat block. Now, according to their statblock they're only a CR 8 montser, which is actually lower than a standard aboleth. But what if they weren't? Additionally, what if they were CR 8, but you could make them FEEL far more menacing?
Using the customization options, an Unspeakable Horror with malleable mass, a beguiling or reality-stealing hex, and a re-flavored grasping tentacle or bone blade (why not both? Options!) could be absolutely horrifying. Imagine a mist-filled room, faces of the dead and your most dread nightmares shift all around you. You're disoriented. It's hard to tell which shapes are your friends and which are the horrors that assault you. You cast a fireball, the mist in that radius is dispelled, only to have that space immediately refilled. The bone blade is a psychic spike driven into your skull. The barbarian and fighter swing furiously at the mist. You rolled a twelve? You cleave through mist. You rolled a nat20? You REALLY cleaved through mist. It doesn't show any signs of damage or stopping. The effort feels entirely futile. Until suddenly, and without shrieks of pain or anguish, the smoke billows away. You can't really know whether it was defeated, or whether it simply came to play with you, got bored and left.
Now, since I have 7 players, one unspeakable horror would die very fast if I used the standard HP block, but I could have there be two or three and just have them travel within each other's space.
This obviously shouldn't be every fight. Your players should have moments of feeling strong, beheading the big evil thing, certain victory. It feels good.
I'm really happy about this idea though. I really want my players to just, feel the horror of not knowing what's happening, whether they're succeeding, how to handle it. I want creativity inspired by desperation.
Just wanted to share. Anyone else playing a LurkeEldritch Horror game? Any suggestions?

First post- https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/comments/13wy7qb/i_was_a_lab_assistant_of_sorts/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
Hey guys, I’m back again with an update.
It’s been a couple of days and the food is just about gone. Luckily, there’s a sink in the corner so I don’t have to worry about water. It tastes a little metaly but it hasn’t made me puke so I guess it’s fine. For some reason, there’s a bag of cat food in the corner so I guess if it comes down to it I can eat that.
Okay, now onto what you’re all really interested in.
The little potato dude is okay. He’s still a weird little guy, but I haven’t had to smash him yet. I know what he eats now, but that's getting ahead of myself a bit. We’ve come to an understanding but it definitely took us some time to get there.
The first day was the worst.
As I tried to find ways out of the little room, the little guy just kept screaming to be let out. The longer he screamed, the more he started to sound like a baby crying for food. I swear I could hear him through my headphones, and after they died, I was stuck with just the sound of him crying. I alternated between charging my phone and charging my earbud case, but sometimes I was still left listening to the little guy scream.
He cried till about midnight, and that's when I almost snapped.
I picked up the tank, now more like a fish tank and less like a jar, and stared through the glass at him. I must have been pretty scary because he stopped yelling and just stared back at me with his multiple eyes. He had so many, they were all over his body, and we had a little staring contest before I finally told him to shut up.
“Or else I will smash your little tank and squish you like a bug.”
He seemed to think about that, and when he nodded it was like his whole body nodding.
We had some silence after that as the two of us sat and made our little plans. I thought about calling campus security, but when I tried, they just thought I was goofing. I tried to explain to them where I was and what was going on, but they just told me not to play games and hung up on me. I tried 911 again, but they said the same thing. Heck, the lady on the 911 call threatened to call the police if I kept calling, and I told her to go right ahead. Maybe the police could find me better than campus security, but since they haven’t broken down the door yet, I guess not.
It was about three am when I finally thought to look at the tank and found him watching me.
“Well?” I asked, making the little guy jump, “Have you got any ideas?”
He seemed to think about it, but before he could say it, I cut him off.
“And don’t say let you out of the tank.”
“Fair enough,” he said, “In that case, I have nothing to add yet.”
“Terrific!” I said, putting my head in my hands and staring at the floor.
“Have you, perhaps, thought about vents or drains?”
I had, but they were all too small for me to climb into. There was a drain in the floor but I couldn’t even get a foot in there. The ventilation shafts were an idea, but most of them would be too snug for me. I’m a beefy guy, not muscular but kinda fat, and getting stuck in the vents sounded like a terrible way to die without anyone realizing it.
“Yeah, obviously. I’m too big to fit through those.”
“A problem I do not have.” the creature reminded me, more than a little smugly too.
“Back to that again,” I growled, “And what's to stop you from just leaving me hanging once you get out?”
The little dude didn’t say anything for a few minutes, contemplating his next move as I Googled like a madman. I was looking for blueprints for the college online since a place like this would have to have them filed. See, I’m not super smart when it comes to math and science, but I know a little bit about building permits and filing your blueprints with the city. If this place was built by the college, then it had to exist in the public sphere.
After an hour of looking with no results, I was ready to throw my phone down. I went and grabbed some kale chips out of the little fridge, munching them sullenly as I tried to come up with a plan. The little guy was back to looking at me again, and I couldn’t help but notice that something had changed. All the eyes on his body opened and closed but they were never all open at once. He also looked tired, maybe even a little pale. I looked down at the bag of chips and thought again about how I might have to feed this little guy at some point.
“Do you need to eat? It’s been about twenty-four hours since Doc was here, and I don’t think I’ve ever been here when he feeds you.”
The little creature pulled its lips up into a sad smile, “You couldn’t feed me what I want. I don’t eat normal food and you aren’t equipped to give me what I need.”
I started to get a little offended, “What's that supposed to mean?”
It looked at me, and I felt a little shudder ripple over my skin as it did.
“I feed on brain waves. Creative brain waves, to be precise. The Doctor feeds me by just being around me like his lab assistants did. You, however, don’t seem to create the same way he did. You look at your little device all the time and it makes your brain waves taste bland and unappetizing. That's why The Doctor’s Assistants kept getting headaches. The more they created, the more I fed. The Doctor doesn’t get them because his mind is like a wellspring. You, on the other hand, are incapable of nourishing me. You simply don’t think the same.”
I sat back, not sure whether to be happy that I couldn’t feed him or offended that he was sayin I was too dumb?
In the end, I guess I just decided to roll with it.
“Well, I guess we’re both stuck then. You need to eat brainwaves and I need to eat food. We can’t get either here, so what do we do about it?”
“Is there anything in here we could use to break open the door?” the creature asked hopefully.
“Checked already. There’s some lab equipment and the fridge, the table you're on, and the chair I’m sitting in. Other than that, not much. There are books, but none of them are gonna get us out of here.”
I kept searching on my phone for something that looked familiar in the blueprints, but it was getting frustrating.
“Ugh, if only I knew where we were. If I knew the name of the building I could find the right map or tell security where to find us!”
“Wait, is that all you need to get us out of here?” it asked, floating close to the side of the tank so it could look at me.
“Well yeah. If I knew where we were then I could tell security where we were stuck.”
“I know where we are,” it said, and it sounded less smug and more sinister when it said it.
I stared back at it for a few seconds, waiting for it to fill me in.
It sat there for a few seconds, waiting for me to ask the question.
“Well? Are you gonna tell me or what?”
“Why should I?” it said, “If I tell you, then you’ll just leave and I’ll be stuck here. What guarantee do I have that you won’t just leave me once you’ve gained your freedom.”
The little son of a bitch had me there. There would be nothing to stop me from just leaving him here to die in that tank. Without any brain wave to gobble, he’d shrivel up and die. Maybe that's what he deserved, but I just couldn’t bring myself to hate him like that. The little dude had never done me wrong, and I couldn’t mess up my karma by shafting him like that.
“I promise that if we get that door open, I’ll take you with me.”
“And release me?” he asked, hedging.
“Dude, if you get us out of here, I’ll take you to SeaWorld and release you, if that's what you want. The kale chips are going to run out soon, and if I starve, you are SOL little bud. You might not be able to eat my brain waves, but you can’t open your tank or dial my cell phone with those baby fingers either. Whether we like it or not, we kinda need each other right now.”
The creature nodded, bumping its little head against the side of the glass.
“Agreed. I will have to trust in your honor, I suppose.”
“Brah, I am chocked full of honor. I've never welched on a promise and I’m not gonna start now.”
“Very well then,” it said with a little smile, “The building is called Rashley Laboratories. At least that's what the assistants always thought of when they thought about it at all. One of them thought it was spooky when they walked through it to get here, and the images led me to believe that it might be abandoned.”
I already had the cell phone out and Googling as he finished. There was no Rashley Laboratories, but there was an R. Ashley Science Hall. It had been abandoned in the nineties after an explosion in the science wing, but the campus had never torn it down for some reason. It had been named a historic building in two thousand nine and while they had renovated the outside to make it prettier, the inside was pretty much untouched.
Sounded like a great place for a secret lab and a covert experiment.
Campus security picked up on the second ring, and I sighed when I realized it was the same guy I had dealt with the night before.
“Campus security, Officer Rob speaking, how may I help you?”
“Hey, yeah, we talked last night before you hung up on me. I still,”
“Hey, I remember you. Are you still playing this game? This has got to be getting old by now.”
“Look, just listen. We’re…I’m stuck in the R. Ashley Science Hall and I need help.”
There was silence as he digested this.
“Okay, nice try, but that building has been closed for years. I’m pretty sure the doors never open.
How exactly did you get in there, if you are actually stuck in there?”
“It’s hard to explain,” I said, looking at the little potato dude as I thought about how to start.
“I’ve got time, let's hear the whole story,” he said, pretending to be interested.
To hell with it, I decided, might as well lay it all on the line.
“I’m sitting down here with Doctor Crandler’s experiment, the one who got arrested for buying stuff to make. He pays me to sit down here and watch it at night, but the door is locked and I need someone to let me out.”
The line was quiet for a few seconds, and then Officer Rob started laughing.
“Wow, great story. I love the little name drop, but I’m kind of busy to be going down to an abandoned building and tromping through dust right now, why don’t you call back when,”
“Fine,” I said, deciding to take another direction, “maybe I’ll just call the Feds and let them know that I have a highly illegal experiment that Doctor Crandler was working on and that the college was probably helping to fund. Then, when they ask why campus security didn’t take the call, you can tell them how you thought it was a big joke and didn’t look into it. That's probably going to make you look really great.”
There was silence for a minute, then a big sigh from Rob.
“Okay, kid. It’s at least worth a look, I guess. Give me your cell phone number so I can call you from my security phone when I get there. You can help me find you since you’re so lost.”
I looked back at the potato dude, putting my hand over the phone as I whispered, “Got any other ideas about how to find us?”
He looked like he was thinking, before nodding and saying he could probably guide him to us.
So that's where we’re at now. Help seems to be on the way, and I’m updating you guys as I wait for the security dude to call back. I’ll post again when I have an update so stay tuned for more news. Wish me luck, hopefully, we make it out of here pretty soon cause one more kale chip and I might need a barf bucket.

Despite all my posts about stress and my massive rant post, I passed somehow. If you look through my account, I was basically a wreck for three weeks towards the test day.
For anyone who’s feeling anxious, I’ll be honest, there was no one-size-fits-all solution to eliminating my anxiety. I panicked, I didn’t sleep, I panicked some more, I cried, etc. This is all despite knowing that the driving test shouldn’t feel like a big deal, but my body felt like it was.
Nerves are going to be there, but just breathe and try your best. Trying is the most important thing, regardless of the outcome, regardless of anything else. If you tried your best despite all the nerves, that’s commendable, and that deserves respect beyond the test itself.
For anyone with their tests coming up, take a deep breath and good luck!

First post- https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/comments/13wy7qb/i_was_a_lab_assistant_of_sorts/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
Hey guys, I’m back again with an update.
It’s been a couple of days and the food is just about gone. Luckily, there’s a sink in the corner so I don’t have to worry about water. It tastes a little metaly but it hasn’t made me puke so I guess it’s fine. For some reason, there’s a bag of cat food in the corner so I guess if it comes down to it I can eat that.
Okay, now onto what you’re all really interested in.
The little potato dude is okay. He’s still a weird little guy, but I haven’t had to smash him yet. I know what he eats now, but that's getting ahead of myself a bit. We’ve come to an understanding but it definitely took us some time to get there.
The first day was the worst.
As I tried to find ways out of the little room, the little guy just kept screaming to be let out. The longer he screamed, the more he started to sound like a baby crying for food. I swear I could hear him through my headphones, and after they died, I was stuck with just the sound of him crying. I alternated between charging my phone and charging my earbud case, but sometimes I was still left listening to the little guy scream.
He cried till about midnight, and that's when I almost snapped.
I picked up the tank, now more like a fish tank and less like a jar, and stared through the glass at him. I must have been pretty scary because he stopped yelling and just stared back at me with his multiple eyes. He had so many, they were all over his body, and we had a little staring contest before I finally told him to shut up.
“Or else I will smash your little tank and squish you like a bug.”
He seemed to think about that, and when he nodded it was like his whole body nodding.
We had some silence after that as the two of us sat and made our little plans. I thought about calling campus security, but when I tried, they just thought I was goofing. I tried to explain to them where I was and what was going on, but they just told me not to play games and hung up on me. I tried 911 again, but they said the same thing. Heck, the lady on the 911 call threatened to call the police if I kept calling, and I told her to go right ahead. Maybe the police could find me better than campus security, but since they haven’t broken down the door yet, I guess not.
It was about three am when I finally thought to look at the tank and found him watching me.
“Well?” I asked, making the little guy jump, “Have you got any ideas?”
He seemed to think about it, but before he could say it, I cut him off.
“And don’t say let you out of the tank.”
“Fair enough,” he said, “In that case, I have nothing to add yet.”
“Terrific!” I said, putting my head in my hands and staring at the floor.
“Have you, perhaps, thought about vents or drains?”
I had, but they were all too small for me to climb into. There was a drain in the floor but I couldn’t even get a foot in there. The ventilation shafts were an idea, but most of them would be too snug for me. I’m a beefy guy, not muscular but kinda fat, and getting stuck in the vents sounded like a terrible way to die without anyone realizing it.
“Yeah, obviously. I’m too big to fit through those.”
“A problem I do not have.” the creature reminded me, more than a little smugly too.
“Back to that again,” I growled, “And what's to stop you from just leaving me hanging once you get out?”
The little dude didn’t say anything for a few minutes, contemplating his next move as I Googled like a madman. I was looking for blueprints for the college online since a place like this would have to have them filed. See, I’m not super smart when it comes to math and science, but I know a little bit about building permits and filing your blueprints with the city. If this place was built by the college, then it had to exist in the public sphere.
After an hour of looking with no results, I was ready to throw my phone down. I went and grabbed some kale chips out of the little fridge, munching them sullenly as I tried to come up with a plan. The little guy was back to looking at me again, and I couldn’t help but notice that something had changed. All the eyes on his body opened and closed but they were never all open at once. He also looked tired, maybe even a little pale. I looked down at the bag of chips and thought again about how I might have to feed this little guy at some point.
“Do you need to eat? It’s been about twenty-four hours since Doc was here, and I don’t think I’ve ever been here when he feeds you.”
The little creature pulled its lips up into a sad smile, “You couldn’t feed me what I want. I don’t eat normal food and you aren’t equipped to give me what I need.”
I started to get a little offended, “What's that supposed to mean?”
It looked at me, and I felt a little shudder ripple over my skin as it did.
“I feed on brain waves. Creative brain waves, to be precise. The Doctor feeds me by just being around me like his lab assistants did. You, however, don’t seem to create the same way he did. You look at your little device all the time and it makes your brain waves taste bland and unappetizing. That's why The Doctor’s Assistants kept getting headaches. The more they created, the more I fed. The Doctor doesn’t get them because his mind is like a wellspring. You, on the other hand, are incapable of nourishing me. You simply don’t think the same.”
I sat back, not sure whether to be happy that I couldn’t feed him or offended that he was sayin I was too dumb?
In the end, I guess I just decided to roll with it.
“Well, I guess we’re both stuck then. You need to eat brainwaves and I need to eat food. We can’t get either here, so what do we do about it?”
“Is there anything in here we could use to break open the door?” the creature asked hopefully.
“Checked already. There’s some lab equipment and the fridge, the table you're on, and the chair I’m sitting in. Other than that, not much. There are books, but none of them are gonna get us out of here.”
I kept searching on my phone for something that looked familiar in the blueprints, but it was getting frustrating.
“Ugh, if only I knew where we were. If I knew the name of the building I could find the right map or tell security where to find us!”
“Wait, is that all you need to get us out of here?” it asked, floating close to the side of the tank so it could look at me.
“Well yeah. If I knew where we were then I could tell security where we were stuck.”
“I know where we are,” it said, and it sounded less smug and more sinister when it said it.
I stared back at it for a few seconds, waiting for it to fill me in.
It sat there for a few seconds, waiting for me to ask the question.
“Well? Are you gonna tell me or what?”
“Why should I?” it said, “If I tell you, then you’ll just leave and I’ll be stuck here. What guarantee do I have that you won’t just leave me once you’ve gained your freedom.”
The little son of a bitch had me there. There would be nothing to stop me from just leaving him here to die in that tank. Without any brain wave to gobble, he’d shrivel up and die. Maybe that's what he deserved, but I just couldn’t bring myself to hate him like that. The little dude had never done me wrong, and I couldn’t mess up my karma by shafting him like that.
“I promise that if we get that door open, I’ll take you with me.”
“And release me?” he asked, hedging.
“Dude, if you get us out of here, I’ll take you to SeaWorld and release you, if that's what you want. The kale chips are going to run out soon, and if I starve, you are SOL little bud. You might not be able to eat my brain waves, but you can’t open your tank or dial my cell phone with those baby fingers either. Whether we like it or not, we kinda need each other right now.”
The creature nodded, bumping its little head against the side of the glass.
“Agreed. I will have to trust in your honor, I suppose.”
“Brah, I am chocked full of honor. I've never welched on a promise and I’m not gonna start now.”
“Very well then,” it said with a little smile, “The building is called Rashley Laboratories. At least that's what the assistants always thought of when they thought about it at all. One of them thought it was spooky when they walked through it to get here, and the images led me to believe that it might be abandoned.”
I already had the cell phone out and Googling as he finished. There was no Rashley Laboratories, but there was an R. Ashley Science Hall. It had been abandoned in the nineties after an explosion in the science wing, but the campus had never torn it down for some reason. It had been named a historic building in two thousand nine and while they had renovated the outside to make it prettier, the inside was pretty much untouched.
Sounded like a great place for a secret lab and a covert experiment.
Campus security picked up on the second ring, and I sighed when I realized it was the same guy I had dealt with the night before.
“Campus security, Officer Rob speaking, how may I help you?”
“Hey, yeah, we talked last night before you hung up on me. I still,”
“Hey, I remember you. Are you still playing this game? This has got to be getting old by now.”
“Look, just listen. We’re…I’m stuck in the R. Ashley Science Hall and I need help.”
There was silence as he digested this.
“Okay, nice try, but that building has been closed for years. I’m pretty sure the doors never open.
How exactly did you get in there, if you are actually stuck in there?”
“It’s hard to explain,” I said, looking at the little potato dude as I thought about how to start.
“I’ve got time, let's hear the whole story,” he said, pretending to be interested.
To hell with it, I decided, might as well lay it all on the line.
“I’m sitting down here with Doctor Crandler’s experiment, the one who got arrested for buying stuff to make. He pays me to sit down here and watch it at night, but the door is locked and I need someone to let me out.”
The line was quiet for a few seconds, and then Officer Rob started laughing.
“Wow, great story. I love the little name drop, but I’m kind of busy to be going down to an abandoned building and tromping through dust right now, why don’t you call back when,”
“Fine,” I said, deciding to take another direction, “maybe I’ll just call the Feds and let them know that I have a highly illegal experiment that Doctor Crandler was working on and that the college was probably helping to fund. Then, when they ask why campus security didn’t take the call, you can tell them how you thought it was a big joke and didn’t look into it. That's probably going to make you look really great.”
There was silence for a minute, then a big sigh from Rob.
“Okay, kid. It’s at least worth a look, I guess. Give me your cell phone number so I can call you from my security phone when I get there. You can help me find you since you’re so lost.”
I looked back at the potato dude, putting my hand over the phone as I whispered, “Got any other ideas about how to find us?”
He looked like he was thinking, before nodding and saying he could probably guide him to us.
So that's where we’re at now. Help seems to be on the way, and I’m updating you guys as I wait for the security dude to call back. I’ll post again when I have an update so stay tuned for more news. Wish me luck, hopefully, we make it out of here pretty soon cause one more kale chip and I might need a barf bucket.

My wife lived with her mom most of her adult life, and a few years after we married we had the opportunity to buy the house just next door. People always make the same jokes about living nextdoor to your MIL, but actually we get along well and respect each other's privacy too.
It's coming up on time to replace the fence at my mother in law's house, and I'm weighing the pros and cons of changing the fence between our properties from a privacy fence (wood) to chain link. We would still be keeping a privacy fence around the rest of the perimeter, just making it possible to see between the two properties.
The main idea there is I'm thinking it would make it easier to do yard work around that part of the fence - as well as see when it needs to be done. My wife does most of the yard work for both yards (because she likes doing it).
When we moved here we had joked about removing the partition and sharing one huge yard (our backyard is already quite large). However my mother in law later got a dog, and I am empathetically Not A Dog Person. So I feel like I dodged a bullet not having removed the partition already.
I think a chain link fence would make it visually like a larger joined space, while still keeping the dog contained and a reminder where the border is. On the other hand I'm not completely sure if I want to be able to see the other yard, since my mother in law is much more willing to leave random things out in the yard that would drive me nuts if they were left out in our yard. (Like tools discarded to rust in the rain after use, or folding chairs never put up.)

Happy Wednesday my fellow beautiful redditors!! What better way to start the day than browsing R4R 😂 because of this, it seems like whoever I end up talking to/meeting we're off to a good start already!
First time making a post/ad on here, but I've responded and posted on multiple other subs on my main account. Just made a throwaway account strictly for this purpose lol
What I'm looking for can be put simply as a good time but of course we're all here for the specifics lol. I want (moreso need at this point 🥴) someone who is like me in that they take pleasure in giving almost more than recieving. Someone who will leave the sheets soaked to the point they are a safety hazard 😂
As far as looks go, I'm not really picky at all lmao so all I can suggest is winning me over in your message somehow. I've always been a gal who gives out major points for a good sense of humor lol
FWB >> Relationships at this point of my life so a no strings attached situation is ideal. Don't catch feelings and I promise I won't either lol
Message me if this sounds ideal and you think we can --uh mesh, for lack of a better word

Hello everyone!
I’m a genealogist & I am trained in discovering local Michigan family lineages and stories through vital records, census records, and newspapers.
This is the interest form I put together for anyone interested in learning more about their personal Michigan family history. I create family trees, ancestral maps, and historical road trip itineraries based on YOUR personal family history! It’s a great way to connect with your heritage and wonderful knowledge pass down to future generations.
LINK TO INTEREST FORM: Family History Interest Form
Here are some things you can discover from my research:

• Newspaper articles about your ancestors (Crime? Scandal? Who knows!)
• Custom ancestral mapping showing your approximate ethnic admixture
• United States migration mapping showing how your ancestors migrated throughout the country
• Your great-great-great grandparents’ names
• Physical descriptions of your ancestors from census records and war draft cards
• Six full generations back of your family tree
• Photographs of your ancestors you have never seen before (Found in Newspaper archives, I have subscriptions to several newspaper websites)

I have a degree in Anthropology and have spent several years working for a professional genealogy company. I have been working as an individual genealogist for about 6 years. If you have any questions about my research, please fill out an interest form or email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
For those of you with ancestry outside of Michigan, please send me a message. I’d be happy to help you or direct you to a better suited genealogist. Thanks!
Ancestral Origins Map Example
https://preview.redd.it/11s3471a7n4b1.png?width=962&format=png&auto=webp&s=9c0cf09661198f78fda90b75235398cab54abe18
USA Origins Map Example
https://preview.redd.it/hj8biwia7n4b1.png?width=973&format=png&auto=webp&s=2f33c060ba5462c18493c27c47bbd2e4542121b7
LINK TO INTEREST FORM: Family History Interest Form

I recently posted this as a comment on a post about Unpopular Opinions regarding Hitman and I was curious how others felt. These are the things that most consistently pop into my head while playing. What do you think?
I love Hitman and I've been playing the franchise since i was a kid but it is not a perfect game. None of these are a big deal, just small complaints I've had over the years. I'm curious how many will agree with me here.
The Gun/Shooting mechanics are not that great for 2023. I know some people will say Hitman isn't a true "Shooter" but objectively speaking, shooting is a pretty substantial part of the game. Even if it's just shooting out cameras or silently picking off guards, It just feels sort of outdated and bland for such a great game. Most guns feel exactly the same outside of the little perks and a slight difference in reticle size to imply the guns accuracy. There should 10000% be a selector switch for automatic weapons. It's so annoying that I have to fire 3 rounds whenever I tap the trigger of an SMG or AR as opposed to being able to fire a single round for stealth and precision purposes as well as the "Perfect Shooter" objective.
The Weapon/Item wheel is kind of a mess. It seems simple but if you're on a long mission where you've picked up a ton of stuff, it feels like it takes 30 seconds to cycle thru and find the thing I'm looking for. There definitely should be some sorting feature or some way to have Weapons/Tools separate from things like a Hammer that have no action associated to them. Again, it feels sort of outdated and sort of tedious.
Freelancer specific: Suppliers should have a range of items they keep on them at all times. Poisons, certain tools, maybe even a bomb or certain guns. Even if you already have them at the safehouse, it would be nice to be able to run to the supplier and grab a Poison syringe that I forgot to bring with me. To avoid having multiple of that item, when you get back to the safehouse, you just lose it so you don't end up with 80 lockpicks and negate the overall items system for Freelancer. Or maybe even gain merces for repeat items or something. At this stage, the supplier is completely useless to me because my safehouse is full. Have him keep a small set of items we can go grab in a pinch.
Lastly, it would be really nice to have some more variability to the maps. Maybe 2 or 3 slightly different variations of each map to help keep things feeling fresh and help it stay a bit more challenging. Even if it's as subtle as the Night version of Morocco or the Pre and Post Update versions of New York. Have them both! Add a bit of randomness that we have to adapt to on the fly. Move items around a tiny bit, so i don't know EXACTLY where that screwdriver is on a massive map. It doesn't need to be complete chaos but I think a little variability would go a long way in a game that naturally has you play the same maps over and over and over. Mix it up a tiny bit, make it interesting.
Again, none of these are huge issues. Just a few small fixes that I think would improve the game a considerable amount.

Hello everyone!
I’m a genealogist & I am trained in discovering local Michigan family lineages and stories through vital records, census records, and newspapers.
This is the interest form I put together for anyone interested in learning more about their personal Michigan family history. I create family trees, ancestral maps, and historical road trip itineraries based on YOUR personal family history! It’s a great way to connect with your heritage and wonderful knowledge pass down to future generations.
LINK TO INTEREST FORM: Family History Interest Form
Here are some things you can discover from my research:

• Newspaper articles about your ancestors (Crime? Scandal? Who knows!)
• Custom ancestral mapping showing your approximate ethnic admixture
• United States migration mapping showing how your ancestors migrated throughout the country
• Your great-great-great grandparents’ names
• Physical descriptions of your ancestors from census records and war draft cards
• Six full generations back of your family tree
• Photographs of your ancestors you have never seen before (Found in Newspaper archives, I have subscriptions to several newspaper websites)

I have a degree in Anthropology and have spent several years working for a professional genealogy company. I have been working as an individual genealogist for about 6 years. If you have any questions about my research, please fill out an interest form or email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
For those of you with ancestry outside of Michigan, please send me a message. I’d be happy to help you or direct you to a better suited genealogist. Thanks!
Ancestral Origins Map Example
https://preview.redd.it/yku65r537n4b1.png?width=962&format=png&auto=webp&s=1514033e3fe8f490c997dfc8d0a9c70f8c067a0c
USA Origins Map Example
https://preview.redd.it/cws8w3p37n4b1.png?width=973&format=png&auto=webp&s=71a61cc6067b26c295ab69572c08e79a040f32ad
LINK TO INTEREST FORM: Family History Interest Form

We’ve only been talking for a month but we both seem to have really deep feelings for one another. So… I(27) matched with this guy(30)on tinder who I honestly thought was just going to be a hookup. When we first started talking we were both very adamant about keeping things casual but after meeting we really just could not stop talking/texting one another. Of course the attraction was there but the chemistry and comfort was also immediate. There’s been a really odd amount of openness and we’ve shared some pretty deep and personal bits. We’ve been able to bond over the similarities in our childhood, family life, and how that has shaped us as individuals. We are opposite in a way that keeps things interesting but it’s crazy how similar we are when it comes to how we think, how we communicate, and what we want. Also, I won’t go into too much detail about the sex but it’s unlike anything I’ve ever had. Like, I swear my soul leaves my body each time 😅 but the sex isn’t really the basis of what we have going on. We’ve spoken about how easy and organic all of this feels but is all of this too much too soon? Do you think this is just infatuation? Has anyone else had an immediate connection like this with someone? And if so, are they still apart of your life or did it end?

SF6 is sitting at 70-60k concurrent users right now on Steam. It released to unanimous acclaim and there is no question that the top fighter across multiple platforms has been crowned.
I am going as far to say that World Tour mode is a large part of this success. The presence of world tour mode, I feel, completely changed the formula of "what makes a successful fighter."
What FGers have wanted for a long time was a COMPLETE PACKAGE. For a long time, fighting games have been minimalist content packages with high prices and new character DLC. Many fighting games have over 100$ price tags and only contain functions for competitive play.
Prior to world tour mode, the only game that had a semblance of single player content to SF6 was Mortal Kombat. Mortal Kombat is the only franchise to ever eclipse the overall success of street fighter by a comparison of 50 million franchise units compared to MK's 70 million - which may be beat by SF6s high level of success and rampant sales.
For FG creators taking notes:

• A high degree of polished content (whether this is single player or rolled through other modes) is required for large scale FG success. The game needs to feel like a full package. While something like world tour may not be a hard requirement, it is a very effective way to meet this requirement. Good examples were MK single player content and Soul Caliber's create a soul content.

While there may be some disagreements, for single player FG material, World Tour mode is exceptionally good and complete.

• The majority of complaints from World Tour come from FGC veterans that are solely focused on competitive play -many of which are chasing the 1 million dollar pot. World Tour was NOT created for them. It was created for the new generation of Street Fighter players, for the players that have never touched a FG or don't even know how to DP.
• RPG elements of World Tour mode allow low skilled FG players to advance it to completion and use an advancing chapter approach to slowly teach new players key skills such as drive usage. Players coming out of World Tour gain a good amount of general FG fundamentals.

Some places where World Tour is very successful is:

• Personalizing the Street Fighter experience and World. Sure the story is pretty campy but no one can deny that the World is straight Street Fighter. Everyone loves to fight, tests of strength are everywhere, there are loads of nostalgia to other in World Street Fighter franchises like Final Fight. You can even play those games in the World Tour mode through scattered arcade cabinets. Being able to create your own character (or monstrosity) to immerse yourself in the Street Fighter world is very cool. People that don't know anything about Street Fighter lore quickly get a feel for the world and its characters.
• Fighting games succeed or die on their characters and their personalities. World Tour mode deepens the presentation of the characters, especially to new comers. There are very few interactions that are out of character for the cast you meet in World Tour. Enrolling with a master and deepening ties gives you all sorts of interesting tidbits about your master, gives good rewards that include art and nostalgic costumes, and being able to fight with them through aid calls is all a very personal experience.
• World Tour mode is a very good story send off for the OG cast, as many of the original SF2 fighters are retired and World Tour acts as a great epilogue to their stories. It's like of like the ending to a really good RPG where you see where all the characters settled and what they are doing with their lives at the end of an epic journey (which so many RPGs forget to do). And these characters are passing the torch to you, the next generation of street fighter, to carry on the fight. The important thing is that the characters were done justice.

Would SF6 be successful without World Tour? Absolutely. However, this mode and all the care put into it propels the game to further levels of success and world immersion. I hope all new FGs put in this level of effort into their content. For old and new fans, World Tour is an excellent addition to the game that brings the package to beyond completion.

Note: I'm only going to post a summary.
The episode starts with Jim, and Randal questioning if the whole thing is a government experiment. Randal believe that it could be a government, and he doesn't believe that people actually died. Jim mentioned Tom, and Brick's death, and that Sara killed her brother Nathan. Randal tells Jim that he didn't see it happen so how does he know it's real? He asked have he seen one once of proof that anyone here has actually died. Jim tells him about Nathan, and how Sara slit his throat. Randal tells him that could mean one of 2 things. They push Sara so far that she actually killed someone, or like everything else, the whole thing with Nathan, him arriving just in time to save your kid, what if that's all for show?
Cut to Boyd talk to Sara: Sara wants to go back, and live in the woods. She tells Boyd that there's no place for her here. At least out there she could do some good,and find some answers. Boyd tell her she just running away. They can find her something to do here so she can be useful.
Cut to Tabitha &Jade:
Tabitha tells Jade she saw him symbols down in the tunnel where the monster live. Jade ask if she ever heard of the chaos theory. He explained that two events appear entirely unrelated, but in reality there is an intricate set of connections. He tells her that they need more information. Jade & Tabitha wants to talk to Victor.
Victor goes to see Ethan. Victor brought him a warm Jacket to wear that use to be his . He tells him that he needs a coat because it will be cold soon. He tells him that the cost use to be his. Ethan gives Victor a picture he drew. Victor doesn't want the picture. He said that picture are for things that are gone.
Boyd visit Ellis at colony house. Ellis is doing fine. He feels great. Donna ask Boyd was he looking for her. Boyd say yes. He wants Donna to find something to do for Sara. Donna agree to do it. Meanwhile she tells him that she about Elgin almost drown,and his nightmare. Boyd talk to Elgin about his nightmare.
Jade & Tabitha confront Victor:
Jade ask Victor why he didn't tell him about the symbols in the tunnel. Victor doesn't want to talk about it. But Jade not letting up.
Jim& Randal talking to Sara.
They started asking her all kinds of questions. Than they ask if her brother still alive. They get Sara upset for she doesn't know what they talking about. Donna see this and kick them both out. Than Randal goes in on Donna. He tells her she has a little power, a little pul but she's nothing but a toll booth operators. They leave. Jim ask Randal what that's all about? Jim tells him that he saw the look on Sara's face. She didn't know anything. Randal says, but Donna might. Jim tells him we shouldn't go accusing everyone. Jim tells they need to watch. See what happens at night. He tells Randal to go back to the bus ,and go about his normal day. When it gets close to dark , you sneak out and meet me at the Rv . Maybe see some things that they don't want us to see. Jim goes home Ethan & Julie tells Him that Tabitha went to check on Victor. Jim tells Julie that he's going to spending the night in the RV. He has a talisman, and ask her to tell her mom.
Boyd comfort Jim about what happened with Sara. He warns Him about Randal being a power keg.
Tabitha & Victor:
Tabitha talks to Victor about what happened. Victor said that people shouldn't go looking for answers because they do come back. Tabitha tells him that bad things happen no matter what. Victor tells her that his mother said that they were going home. Tabitha ask him what did she say. Victor doesn't remember, but he say pictures might. He said he put the pictures some places where he doesn't have to look at them. So no one else will die.
Cut to Boyd:
Mari was down in the basement. There some bugs/ cicadas crawling out of the body. She tells Boyd about her dream. She said when the music box started playing one of them jump out at her and burn her. Are you honestly saying that our dreams can hurt us?
Donna finds out that Boyd killed a monster. Donna tells them they need to burn the body. But not let people see them do it. (Note: Donna been complaining about having a headache)
Victor & Tabitha:
Victor tell Tabitha that his mom told him that she need him to be brave , and look after his little sister. She told him to stay there , and don't leave no matter what happenes . You stay there all night , and when I come back we're gonna go home . His sister, Eloise ran after her mom. Victor call after her, but he didn't go after her. He was so scared. He stayed until morning. Tabitha point to a picture and ask what this. Victor tells her that Eloise that's where my mother went at night. She went to save the children locked in the tower.
Boyd: Boyd hear screaming. Help me , please! Help
Randall? Jim? Randal , what the fuck.
End
Souce:
https://www.opensubtitles.org/en/ssearch/sublanguageid-all/idmovie-1110760

No one has to read this, I'm saying it right off the bat. I just needed a place to talk about him because I'm not sure what else to do. I just miss him, and all I want is for him is to be back home. But that probably won't happen. So here I am. Sorry if I don't make anything too clear, I'm still kind of all over the place.
Hi name is Duke. I didn't pick it out, but it suited him so well that I kept it as is. Plus I was probably going to name him something dumb like Chocolate or a candy bar. He's a yorkie, and I got him a couple weeks before my tenth birthday. My dad felt guilty about having to miss it I guess, and I remember that day being the absolute worst. Everything was going wrong and I complained to him and he said to just wait and see what happens during the rest of the day. My mom came home and said they had an early birthday present for me. I opened the box and I thought I got one of those toy dogs. Then he started moving and I started freaking out. I'd always wanted a dog, especially a yorkie. We spent the day getting used to each other, me watching him chew on a small tree stump and getting him to trust me. I'm almost nineteen now, and he turned nine on May 5th.
He loved to lie out in the sun, even if it wasn't outside. He liked watching out the door windows, too. He could spend at least an hour just watching. He especially liked watching the deer that would roam in our backyard, and would go crazy if one of them tried to get near the house. My mom said he had Little Dog Syndrome, where he was tiny but he thought that he could take on anything, no matter the size. He wasn't great at socializing with other dogs. We didn't have a lot of areas to take him around where there were other dogs. He would try and sniff their butt but then growl at them when they tried to do the same. He was a horrible fetcher. Once you threw the ball he either lost interest and wouldn't give it back. He's been getting better at giving it back these last couple of months. I think it's because I'm finally home and he actually wants the game to continue. He has severe separation anxiety, starts crying whenever he sees suitcases or we pack up his stuff. I almost cry every time I have to drop him off at a kennel. He likes riding in the car, but especially when he sits on my lap while I'm driving. he loves the pup cups from Starbucks, but I always make sure that he waits until we get home to have it so he can drink water with it. He is a scavenger. He waits around at dinnertime in the kitchen just in case someone drops something, and he'll do the same while we are eating. Not begging, just waiting underneath out feet, completely silent. When we first sit down for dinner, he'll eat a couple bites of his food as his way of joining us. He loves to burrow. Any blankets or jackets of ours left on the ground are his to snuggle his way in, even if his bed with two blankets is right there. He just prefers our stuff. He also loves our water. Doesn't matter if the water is same in both his bowl and our cups, he'll drink out of our cups every time if he has the chance. He also loves human food. He is very mad at you if you don't give him some of the shredded cheese you just used, and he will beg for popcorn and pretzels. He isn't very good at catching things in his mouth. He'll just put his head down and let it fall on his head.
I remember one time, my entire family was sick with the stomach flu, including me. He came in my room and laid at the edge of my bed. He didn't want to get anywhere near me while I was sick, but anytime I made a noise he would watch me until I settled again and then go back to sleep, never leaving me. He absolutely loved getting neck scratches, but he also loved me holding his head and rubbing his ears. Whenever I did that I made sure to tell him he was a good boy, my best boy. One time, when it was raining and thundering and the house was shaking with wind, I had to leave. He stood in front of the door and refused to let me leave. He had been scared all evening hiding underneath a desk but came out so I wouldn't go outside. He loves coming into our rooms and waking us up. One time I got him a jacket with a fleece lining for Christmas as opposed to his usual sweaters, and for the rest of the day he refused to take it off, taking naps in it laid down with his front paws tucked inside. Another Christmas he found the squeaky rubber toys I got him in my room, and when I took them away he through a tantrum like an actual toddler, stamping his paw and crying at me. Every time we would go sledding, he would chase us down. Whenever I took him on a walk I would stop a couple houses away. I would look at his and say, "you wanna raaaacccceeee?" and he would immediately start barking and jumping. Then I would say, "on your mark, get set, go!" and he would get ready by grabbing the leash and preparing to run. Then we would sprint back to the house with him holding the leash. The race wouldn't be over until I said either I win or You win. My mom said he looked like a rat a lot of the time but I always thought that he was the cutest and most handsome dog ever. He would only ever let me touch his paws or near his eyes or let me put him on my chest. I love just holding him and him falling asleep or going with my everywhere I went.
There is just so much more that I could say, but I don't know how. On Sunday he ran away in the morning and he didn't come back. I only got back from a trip a few hours later, and I thought he would come back. He has run away before but he always came back after an hour or two. He's a smart dog, he knows the way home. It was sunny that day, he's perfectly healthy. I looked for him but I honestly had no idea where he went. My parent's say that at this point, something probably got him and killed him. At first I just refused to entertain that idea, but now I just think I know that it's true. I've heard a lot of dogs yelping at night, and we have coyotes and he's a small dog. And he's a good boy, he would come back. But now I don't know what to do. It feels awful to even think about giving up hope, but what else can I do? I've been crying and sleeping on and off for the last couple days. I didn't even say goodbye to him when I left for my trip, I just yelled it from the car window. He probably thought I just disappeared. He was getting older so I did try and prepare myself for the day when he would die. I thought that he would be old and it would be time. I thought I would be able to hold him, and he would feel safe and I would tell him he was a good boy and that I love him. He would know that I was with him. But I didn't get to do any of that. My dad says that whatever got him probably went for the kill and he probably wasn't scared or hurting. But what if he was? What if, for just that second, he was in pain and scared and he didn't know where I was? And I don't even know for sure. There is a hopeful part of me that thinks that maybe he will still run up to the front door or maybe someone will find him and call. But most of me doesn't think that's true. Yes we live near the mountains but it's still suburbia. And know I keep thinking that if he is dead, then it doesn't matter. He still deserves to be home. It's been raining out these last few days and I just keep thinking that he doesn't deserve to be left in the cold and the rain, even if it's just his body. And I know it's irrational for hating something that is probably just an animal doing what they do, but I hate it for existing. I hate whatever thing took my baby away and hurt him and might be eating him and then just left him out there. I can't stop thinking about it. I don't even have his collar. At least then I could bring a part of him home. I keep his toy that I gave him in my bed, but I can't leave my room. Everytime I do I see his bed and his blanket and his food and water bowl. I've just been crying and forcing my brain to watch TV and my phone at the same time so I have no room to think about it. When I'm driving or at work and there is nothing like that I just start crying. Even when I left my room for dinner my first thought was Duke. To go pick him up and give him a hug. But I couldn't do that. Luckily I work for my parents this summer so they let me just take these days off. I know they love him too, and they are giving me space. I just want him back. I hate that he meant to come back. He's a good boy, he just likes exploring. He meant to come home but he couldn't and now I can't bring him home at all. He's been there for me for every hard time I've had from the time I was ten. How am I supposed to come home and live here everyday when he isn't?
If you read all this, thanks for doing so. I just need to get it out somewhere.

/Ottawa will be going dark on June 12th and June 13th. Why?

We will be joining in on the June 12th-14th protest of Reddit's API changes that will essentially kill all 3rd party Reddit apps.

What's going on?

A recent Reddit policy change threatens to kill many beloved third-party mobile apps, making a great many quality-of-life features not seen in the official mobile app permanently inaccessible to users.
On May 31, 2023, Reddit announced they were raising the price to make calls to their API from being free to a level that will kill every third party app on Reddit, from Apollo to Reddit is Fun to Narwhal to BaconReader.
Even if you're not a mobile user and don't use any of those apps, this is a step toward killing other ways of customizing Reddit, such as Reddit Enhancement Suite or the use of the old.reddit.com desktop interface , and folks with accessibility requirements such as those who are visually impaired.
This isn't only a problem on the user level: many subreddit moderators depend on tools only available outside the official app to keep their communities on-topic and spam-free.

What's the plan?

On June 12th, many subreddits will be going dark to protest this policy. Some will return after 48 hours: others will go away permanently unless the issue is adequately addressed, since many moderators aren't able to put in the work they do with the poor tools available through the official app. This isn't something any of us do lightly: we do what we do because we love Reddit, and we truly believe this change will make it impossible to keep doing what we love.
The two-day blackout isn't the goal, and it isn't the end. Should things reach the 14th with no sign of Reddit choosing to fix what they've broken, we'll use the community and buzz we've built between then and now as a tool for further action.

What can you do as a user?

• Complain. Message the mods of /reddit.com, who are the admins of the site: message reddit: submit a support request: comment in relevant threads on /reddit, such as this one, leave a negative review on their official iOS or Android app- and sign your username in support to this post.
  
• Spread the word. Rabble-rouse on related subreddits. Meme it up, make it spicy. Bitch about it to your cat. Suggest anyone you know who moderates a subreddit join the coordinated mod effort at /ModCoord.
  
• Boycott and spread the word...to Reddit's competition! Stay off Reddit entirely on June 12th through the 13th- instead, take to your favorite non-Reddit platform of choice and make some noise in support!
  
• Don't be a jerk. As upsetting this may be, threats, profanity and vandalism will be worse than useless in getting people on our side. Please make every effort to be as restrained, polite, reasonable and law-abiding as possible.
  

What can you do as a moderator?

• Join the coordinated effort over at /ModCoord
  
• Make a sticky post showing your support, A template has been created here you can use or modify to your liking, and be sure to crosspost it to /ModCoord.
  

Thank you for your patience in the matter,
- /Ottawa Mod Team
We can only have 2 stickies at a time. The post about LRT closures will return after the protest. For now, here is a link:

Summary of O-Train Line 1 partial closures, 5 June to 19 June 2023

Did I tell you that I never said "I love you" to anyone? Thought my avoidance was due to my cultural environment as well as my personality. When I heard this in the American movie Ghost, I was surprised and intrigued. https://youtu.be/3orSzPUIVJw?t=41

MOLLY: Do you love me, Sam? ... How come you never say it? ... You say "ditto". It's not the same.
SAM: People say "I love you" all the time. It doesn't mean anything.

I feel personally attacked (lol). I can relate since I also noticed the same about myself. I always say "Me, too, thank you (!)" in that situation. Always. Unlike Sam, I say the phrase means something. It just has never fit in my life even when I create the power of love and being full of love.
In my view, he doesn't downplay "I love you," either. He just doesn't like ppl saying it too casually since he values the meaning of it. Maybe in the beginning he doesn't "love" her in his strict definition. So he just doesn't lie.
This brings me to another thought. Which will I say to you now?
- I need you.
- I want you.
- I love you.
I carefully examine the meanings and the feels of those words generally and personally. Can you guess which one? Maybe I "needed" you when I was talking about our old fairytales like a madman. Now surprisingly, I find myself choosing "I want you." Sure, it feels weird. Sadly or not, I say that not always sexually but not platonically, either. Maybe because the distance or the void keeps creating a thirst and longing when you are out of my league or me out of your planetary system. Though I know I exist somewhere in your universe.
[Sometime later] ... Well, that (above) was the thought last night. At dawn, my words look surreal. Maybe the moon in the dark affected me. Under the ray of the morning light, I find myself smiling and saying "I need you." LOL.
I'm not playing a game! I'm a philosopher that is careful about words. You know, I never said "Good bye" or "this is the last letter" etc. to you even when I felt depressed. Coz I'm serious and strict about the meanings of those words. When I want to use them, I have to be ready. Once they are uttered, I have to follow what I said. I am not criticizing you, but I'm telling we are different. Remember that the movie is a story about an emotional pottery artist and a realist banker.
I like you a lot, IDK how, not as a friend, not as a lover. (Note: I posted this part yesterday.) My gaze on you shows obsession. But I don't think I am qualified to say "I love you." What hinders me isn't my past trauma, but I feel something is lacking. Will it be found on the top of the mountain?
It's still a long way to "I love you. I've always loved you." Hope I don't have to die for that. But maybe.
S.
PS. Yes, I always try not to lie! Do you think "Me, too. Thank you" is a lie? Nope. Those who say "I love you" to me is a liar. So my response "me, too" is just a reflection of their words. I am not a liar!