Meier finds his way...
and maybe mankind will follow suit...
Memory Transcription Subject: Elias Meier, Secretary General of the UN
Date [Standardized human time]: November 4, 2136
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME?!?!
I’VE ORDERED THE GENOCIDE OF PEOPLE WHO HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ATTACK ON EARTH!!!
I’VE DEMANDED ENTIRE SPECIES BE SENT TO THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE!!!
I’M NOT A BROKEN MAN!!!
I’M A FUCKING MONSTER…
…
Their right…
We’re monsters…
…
We deserve extinction with what we let ourselves become…
…
Let me out… LET ME OUT
GET ME OUT OF THIS FUCKING BEAST!!!
I DON’T WANT TO BE THE MONSTER ANYMORE!!! I CAN’T TAKE IT!!!
____________________________________________________________________________
Memory Transcription Subject: Tarva, Governor of Venlil Republic
Date [Standardized human time]: November 4, 2136
We watch in utter terror as the extra heads begin to bite away at the Exosuit, causing sparks to fly… MEIER WAS TEARING HIMSELF APART!
The extra heads bit at every single piece of metal they could grab and rip off… piece by piece the exo suit was beginning to falter, every single bit of scrap torn off was thrown out in all directions, the other ambassadors backed away as the carnage unfolded. Meier was screaming in terror and wailed out in so much emotion that it began to physically hurt me, as well as many other ambassadors. Even the Duertien, who’s species was considered the most stoic, began to tear up at the sight of the one before us…
The “predator” was not a monster… for the man that he was before, and still is, is clawing his way out of this shell of a suit. This was probably the first time Meier opened his hardened heart after the battle of Earth. After several dozen seconds of watching the man claw his way out of the monster, the extra heads began to tear at themselves… until only one remained. He collapsed onto the ground, releasing the most pain ridden screech I’ve ever heard… A faint sobbing was heard…
That brought me to even more tears than I initially had for Elias… He needs comfort… Physical comfort…
There wasn’t the threat of the extra heads to bite at me, the last head that remained was limp from the damages done. I rushed towards Elias, and I repositioned him to sit up right. The other ambassadors surrounded him as he finally finished his maddened self-harm…
I was so happy to see so much concern from the others, this man before us needs all the comfort not just on the planet, but the entire galaxy.
I held the base of his helmet… and lifted it off of him, to see nothing but tearful eyes. There were tear marks that were ever so visible on his pale skin. He stared into my eyes, and I saw nothing but a broken soul… the others were shocked, not in fear at the forward-facing eyes, but all the concerning amounts of emotion captured within them… For once, they all seemed to agree that this was the lowest they've ever seen anyone.
“Elias…”
I say as tears begin to pour out of my eyes… I pull him close for a hug. The Yotul ambassador joined me in that regard, with tears all the same. The Dossur climbed up Meier’s back and held tightly to his head and nuzzled him in comfort… The Mazic placed his trunk upon Meier’s shoulder and the Thafki held his hand gently…
Meier began to sob once more, “thank you… thank you so… so much”. It was a faint whisper, but we all heard that phrase ever so loud and clear. Meier is finally free.
He rubbed his eyes, before addressing all the ambassadors at once. “I have made the worst kind of error… as you are willing to do as well, I will do my best to write my wrongs and truly do what I can to be better like I wanted. The plan I said before? Scrap it, it was made by a heartless monster. I will make a better treaty between us and truly aim to create a faction good for all the people involved… I promise.”
I nodded my head, “I have every ounce of faith that you will.”
We all stepped back from Meier as he stood up once more. He spoke, “I will have an ambassador arrive in three days to address to you all the plans… I promise it will be favorable for both us and you.”
He grabbed his helmet and began to walk towards the door out to the landing pad once more…
“And Tarva?”
I perked up as he called my name.
“Thank you… for saving me from myself…”
I gave a comforting tail wag as I looked at him with care, “Anything for my friend!”
Meier smiled, and turned to walk out the door once again…
…
I turned to look at the Harchen reporter who was along the side, who was here since the beginning of this whole shitshow of an event. Tears in her eyes as she all seemed so happy at Meier's reappearance. Her camera focused on the doorway as this might be one of the most important broadcasts yet.
That should make things a little easier for Meier to reconvince his people.
…
At least, I hope…
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Prev: Nature of Abandonment (14/?) : NatureofPredators (reddit.com)
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Opening line: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3
Opening name: Sicilian Defense Najdorf Variation
Board image: https://i.imgur.com/DEBeuq1.png
Lichess board: https://lichess.org/analysis/pgn/1.+e4+c5+2.+Nf3+d6+3.+d4+cxd4+4.+Nxd4+Nf6+5.+Nc3+a6+6.+Bg5+e6+7.+f4+Qb6+8.+Qd2+Qxb2+9.+Rb1+Qa3++
Wikibooks page: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Chess_Opening_Theory/1._e4/1...c5/2._Nf3/2...d6/3._d4/3...cxd4/4._Nxd4/4...Nf6/5._Nc3/5...a6/6._Bg5/6...e6/7._f4/7...Qb6/8._Qd2/8...Qxb2/9._Rb1/9...Qa3
Winning percenatages:
White: 878 (23.41%)
Black: 419 (11.17%)
Draws: 2453 (65.41%)
Sicilian Defence: Poisoned Pawn Variation
This is the only move for Black's queen, and so should be self explanatory. Another move, 9...Nxe4? drops a piece not to 10.Nxe4?? Qxb1+ and Black is winning, but 10.Rxb2 Nxd2 11.Kxd2 and White is winning.
Here White has a few choices. The most popular is 10.f5, applying direct pressure to e6. Then Black usually plays 10...Nc6 11.fxe6 fxe6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.e5 dxe5 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Ne4, when Black's best is 15...Qxa2 (or 15...Be7 16.Be2 h5 17.Rf1!, with a strong attack).
White's other choices are 10.e5 and 10.Bxf6.
No known responses found
Engine Evaluation
Depth: 51
Score: +0.22
Best Move: f5
PV Line: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. f5 Nc6 11. fxe6 fxe6 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Be2 Be7 14. O-O O-O
Puzzles based around Sicilian Defense Najdorf Variation
https://lichess.org/training/Sicilian_Defense_Najdorf_Variation
Historical games for Sicilian Defense Najdorf Variation

Game	Result	Year
Caruana, F.. (2842) vs Vachier Lagrave, M.. (2767)	1-0	2021
Caruana, F.. (2823) vs Vachier Lagrave, M.. (2784)	1-0	2021
Caruana, F. (2819) vs Vachier Lagrave, M. (2779)	1-0	2019
Karjakin, Sergey (2782) vs Anand, Viswanathan (2786)	1/2-1/2	2013
Nepomniachtchi, I.. (2789) vs Giri, A.. (2776)	1/2-1/2	2021
Nepomniachtchi, I.. (2789) vs Giri, A.. (2776)	1/2-1/2	2021
Ivanchuk, Vassily (2748) vs Carlsen, Magnus (2813)	1-0	2010
Radjabov, T.. (2765) vs Ding Liren (2791)	0-1	2020
Giri, A. (2779) vs Vachier Lagrave, M. (2775)	0-1	2019
Radjabov, T. (2731) vs Grischuk, A. (2810)	1-0	2015

Amapá Iron Ore Mine, Brazil [KDNC] [Flair]

• Cadence owns 30% of the Amapá Iron Ore System which is an integrated mine, railway and port which was previously owned by Anglo American, the mining operation generated profits of $171m in 2011 and $77m in 2012.
• The mine is a major source of employment in the state and when operating previously was the largest employer in the state and represented the largest contributor to the GDP of Amapá amounting to 20% on a turnover basis and 1-3% based on profitability. The mine will employ 600-800 workers and indirectly 4000 workers. The economic prosperity of the region is linked to the success of the mine.
• 2023-01-07 Recent progress podcast:
  • PFS Completed $949m NPV with 10% discount rate and 16 year mine life at 5.28mtpa with profit after tax of US$2.96 billion over Life of Mine
  • PFS allows Cadence to engage with off-take partners, possible JV partners and strategic investors at a project level.
  • "If there is a good opportunity from a strategic investor, the joint venture partners would consider taking that money and for us that would prevent any further dilution in terms of funding going into it by selling off investments that we didn't wish to or raising capital in the market"
  • Options to substantially increase the NPV by reducing CapEx at the port, and increasing mine life.
• 2023-03-01 Corporate Update:
  • DEV Mineração S.A. ("DEV") was unable to meet the 2022 payment schedule as per the settlement deed and although the bank creditors have reserved their rights, the settlement deed remains in full effect with all parties in discussions with a view to agree a new timetable in order to rephase payments so these can be met in light of market conditions.
  • With improving iron ore prices and stability returning to shipping costs, the sale of the 58% iron ore concentrate stockpile is now economically viable. We expect shipping to recommence in the next six months, with the net revenues being used to pay the bank creditors, as per the settlement agreement.

Sonora Lithium Project, Mexico (Ganfeng Joint Venture) [KDNC] [Flair]

• Cadence has a 30% Joint Venture interest in several of the tenements in the Sonora Lithium project. The DFS envisages a total of 3.6% of ore associated with Cadence being mined in years 9 to 19 in the current 17.5kt/35ktpa LCE mining plan. Should Ganfeng accelerate production or increase mine life then the Joint Venture areas will be required sooner and in greater volume. Cadence has 839Mt LCE of mineral reserves associated with its Joint ventures which is 18.58% of the total 4,515Mt LCE of that defined.
• 2022-07-02 Recent highlights:
  • Ganfeng plans to accelerate construction
  • Ganfeng reviewing plans for a production rate above 17.5ktpa and an additional 500 hectares of land acquired at the eastern end of the plant site location to allow for future plant expansions.
  • Sonora Phase 1 plan massively increased to 50kt/yr Lithium Hydroxide
  • Ganfeng eyes US OEMs for “strategic” stake in Mexican lithium project. Elon Musk tweets Price of lithium has gone to insane levels! Tesla might actually have to get into the mining & refining directly at scale, unless costs improve.
• 2022-08-14
  • BN Americas reports “Mexico looks to buy out existing additional rights held by UK exploration giant Bacanora”
  • US Inflation Reduction Act to benefit Mexican Automotive Industry
• 2023-03-01 Corporate Update:
  • In 2021, a decree was passed by the Mexican government to reform the domestic energy sector ("Decree"). The Decree stated that lithium would be included among the minerals considered strategic for an energy transition. As a result, no new concessions for lithium exploitation by private companies would be granted. Earlier this month, the Mexican government passed a presidential decree confirming that within a 900 square-mile lithium mining zone in northern Sonora state, existing concessions would "remain safe". This aligns with the general opinion that the Decree passed by the Senate only impacts licenses, concessions, or contracts to be granted, not already those granted, as is the case for the Sonora Lithium Project.

Hastings Technology Metals, Australia (ASX:HAS) [KDNC] [Flair]

• 2023-03-01 Corporate Update:
  • On 25 January 2023, Cadence completed the sale of its 30% stake in several mineral concessions forming part of the Yangibana Rare Earths project for a consideration of 2.45 million Hastings shares, equating to approximately 1.9% Hastings issued share capital. This consideration was a premium over the Net Present Value ("NPV") of the Cadence portion of the mineable material, based on the definitive feasibility ("DFS") updated by Hastings on 21 February 2022
  • Hastings recently published an update on the Yangibana Rare Earth Project, highlights of which are as follows:
    • Significant progress during the last two months on enabling construction and ordering long lead critical items.
    • A total of $146 million in contractual commitments has been made to date, demonstrating the high degree of confidence by the Hastings Board in the future of the Yangibana project.
    • Ore Reserves increased 25% to 20.93Mt at 0.90% Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO) grade, increasing mine life to 17 years.

Evergreen Lithium, Australia (ASX:EG1) - [KDNC] [Flair]

• 2023-04-13 Notice of Initial Substantial Shareholder in Evergreen Lithium Limited
  • Evergreen was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange on 11 April 2023.
  • Cadence holds 15,830,138 million shares, equivalent to 8.74% of the issued share capital of Evergreen and is its largest shareholder.
  • A further AS$3.47 million (£1.86 million) of shares in Evergreen are due to Cadence on the achievement of certain performance milestones by Evergreen. The pricing of Evergreen shares associated with this consideration is based on a defined pricing mechanism linked to the VWAP and the date at which the performance milestones are achieved.

European Metal Holdings, Cinovec, Czech Republic (LSE:EMH) [KDNC] [Flair]

• 2022-07-02 Recent highlights:
  • Soft debt / EU grants and financing deals
  • Potential plans to double production (by using two shifts)
  • Updated PFS 75% increase in NPV to S$1.94B, using $17/kg. 16% production increase to 29,386tpa. 30% increase in Lithium Hydroxide to $22.1/kg would increase the NPV8 (post tax) to over $3B.
• 2022-10-31 Expect 10-20% reductions of the Lithium Chemical Plant CapEx and OpEx as a consequence of using a simplified hydrometallurgical process, for which a patent application has been filed.

Passive Equity Investments - Notable Developments [KDNC] [Flair]

See the above menus for company links and announcements - noting that additionally Macarthur holds 20% of spin off Infinity Mining ASX:IMI

Analyst Reports and Recommendations [KDNC]

Date	Link	Who	SP	Summary / Price Target
2023-02-28	Kemeny Capital	Kemeny Capital (investment research)	12.9p	"Cadence Minerals has built a robust portfolio of base and battery metals with ample opportunities for shareholder value creation. Recent developments have helped to substantially increase the potential of two of the group’s asset positions, while adding to the overall corporate valuation. Our sum-of-theparts (SotP) indicative fair value is 43.6p."
2023-02-02	W H Ireland Research	W H Ireland (broker)	14.5p	WHI View: Our assessment is that the Amapá mine could be company-maker for Cadence. We are firmly of the belief that the current market cap is more than covered by the legacy investments that Cadence holds in various new technology metal companies and projects and that the addition of the Amapá stake to its portfolio can only be value enhancing. In our opinion, the development of Amapá will be transformational for Cadence and we see fair value at 71p/sh with plenty of upside potential.
2022-07-24	Reddit Post	u/EV-BULL (private investor)	10.75p	Due diligence short term price target: 60p-80p; 1-2 year price target: 130p; Long term bull case price target: 300p+
2022-07-02	Reddit Post	u/Observer842 (private investor)	10.4p	Due diligence Near term: £37.5m (21.5p) - £92m (53p); Medium term: £160-420m; Longer term: £1-2B+
2022-02-18	Daily Mail	Anne Ashworth for the Daily Mail (Journalist)	20.4p	"The white gold rush appears to be an inviting prospect. But if you want to join, remember that fortunes are far from guaranteed in any foray into commodities. Options include the Aim-listed businesses Cadence Minerals and Zinnwald Lithium."
2022-02-18	Edison Group	Edison Group (investment research)	20.4p	QuickView report
2022-01-01	Daily Mail	Justin Urquhart Stewart (fund manager)	28p	Top pick for the Brave in 2022

ICYMI [Previous]

Date	Article	Comment & Quotes
2023-04-21	Cadence Minerals Q&A session with Kiran Morzaria	Most recent of the presentations and interviews with CEO Kiran Morzaria.
2023-04-13	The Vox Markets Podcast / Kiran Morzaria of Cadence Minerals: Evergreen had a very successful IPO and we are the largest shareholder
2023-03-29	Cadence Minerals Investor Presentation March 2023
2023-02-28	Cadence Minerals - value waiting to be unlocked - SoTP indicative fair value 43.6p	6 page analyst Research report from Kemeny Capital which can be obtained for free by qualifying investors.
2023-02-02	WH Ireland Research Report: Cadence Minerals - Developing Amapá iron ore mine and strategic new technology metal interests (sees fair value at 71p / share)	To obtain this 34 page Analyst Research Report for free, (optionally) first register for Research Tree, then whilst logged in, register for WH Ireland (optionally) using your Research Tree account.
2023-01-03	Completion of PFS on Amapá Iron Ore Project	Post-Tax Project NPV10 US$949 million, Internal Rate of Return of 34% and a Project Maiden Ore Reserve Estimate of 195.8 Mt (Cadence attributable of 58.74 Mt) at 39.34% Fe Declared

Anything missing or incorrect? Let us know in the comments or LSE chat - the mods.

So the title pretty much covers it. A little background. I'm a mechanical design engineer with 14 years of experience. I'm 37 so I have quite a bit of time left and I'm totally burnt out on my current career. My job mandates 43-45 hour work weeks and frequently ups the hours to 47-50 whenever a project looks like it is running behind. We are salary but they treat us like hourly. There is almost no option to work remotely. In general, every place I've worked has an office environment that feels like it's from 15 years ago. Any discussion of stress, burn out, work-life balance and then the old tropes start raining from the sky. No one wants to work anymore. We are a family here and we all have to make sacrifices. on and on and on. My job is almost always connected to a production floor or shop and every job I've worked at uses that as an excuse to treat the department the same way they do hourly labor "in order to be fair". I'm not knocking hourly labor, I'm just saying they are (unjustly) treated like shit and I want out. It always comes with the "good old boy" toxic masculinity tuff guy environment. I'm sick to death of some 60 year old shop guy going on about how "damn engineers don't know shit, I've seen a bolt half that size hold up and we have always done it this way"
So now that I'm done complaining about what I don't want. Can you guys please take a look at my work history and skills below and suggest different careers where I might be able to utilize my experience? My goals for a new career are: remote or hybrid if possible, a professional white-collar environment, a less "old school" setting where I'm treated as a partner and not a replacable drone.
Job 1: Custom designed mobile work equipment for railroads, utilities, heavy industry.
I became a jack of all trades here because it was a smaller department.
- Structural design: Designing the truck body to support cranes, heavy equipment, dump beds etc. Including reasonably extensive FEA
- Sheet metal design
-Electrical system design: Mostly 12v DC systems to control the machine. I became the "electrical guy" and managed the majority of the systems. I eventually redesigned their electrical achritecture to be more modern. Included a PLC, did some basic printed circuit board design
-Programming: This went along with being the "electrical guy". I did a good amount of ladder logic, PLC programming, learned a bit of structured text, hexidecimal messaging on the CAN bus networks that run modern vehicles.
-Hydraulics: I was also responsible for creating the hydraulic systems. Designed a few custom valves for the company. All the usual stuff. Pumps, valves, control systems. Open and closed center style systems.
Job 2: Custom automation machines for high volume consumer and medical products
-Continuous motion and a little indexing machine design
-Working extensively with machining processes: CNC, lathe, laser and water jet, wire EDM, etc.
-Pneumatic design
This was all high tolerance / high precision design work. The part control throughout the machine typically needed to be maintained within a few thousandths. Machines turned out between 200-1000 parts per minute. So component wear, heat management, and cycle time calculations were all mixed into the design.
I've had a few other jobs but all of them overlapped or share the same skill sets so I don't want to be redundant. I'm willing do learn more programming and move that direction if I can find something that doesn't invalidate all my previous experience. I.E hopefully not have to take a massive pay cut and start over again.

A person recently showed up in my dm and he was talking about donating money to a go fund me that he created for children in Uganda. I talked for a bit then he asked me if I could donate, I told him that I would ask my parents to do it, (I’m 14) and that I would tell him if they did. My parents where wary of it, and reasonably so, (to many fake go fund me pages, and you can’t wire money into Uganda), so I couldn’t donate. And now he is trying to guilt trip me into doing it, as well as using fear tactics like, “you’re going to hell because you have money that you won’t donate.” How should I respond to this, because he is doing gods work the devils way, aka, lying and bending the word of god. Any advice helps
Edit: I just looked through the conversation we had and his older messages where in perfect, fluent, and semi formal english, now it is broken, hard to understand, and just sounds like a poor attempt to act like a non native English speaker. Does this sound like a scam to you, or is it just me?

Tldr: people suck, college doesnt like people who dont conform to their cookie cutter plan, and I cant seem to get ahead of constantly changing degree requirements.
So I, 25M, have been trying to finish my bachelor’s degree in mechanical and electrical engineering. It is a dual bachelors program that codenses 2, 4 year degrees into a single 4 year period.
I did 2 years full time. One year on campus, the other off.
My first year was already off to a rockey start, as the college wanted to put me in remedial math and english classes despite my 32 ACT score. I couldnt afford the english exam, or any of my AP test fees as my family made more than the allowable limit even though they refused to pay for it.
I argued with admissions and had to take a placement test to be placed into calculus 1, even though I had already taken AP cal in Highschool. They refused to change my English asignment so I was stuck in remedial English.
Towrds the end of my first year, my GPA went from 3.5 to 2.8 because I contracted mono and was down for 3 months while on campus. My family didnt want to drive and get me during holidays including summer, so I ended up having to stay on campus alone for the better part of a whole year. I had to pay a bunch of fees etc to stay on campus.
After setting up time with my advisoteacher to make up for workI missed while sick, he flat out told me that I would never be a engineer because "I dont think like his kids who are engineers".
I elected to work through the summer as a RND intern at a stove manufacturing company to get a car. My dad was charging me 200 a week to live with him while I worked and required me to pay for my own food and work on his farm. I worked 48 hours a week and tilled and plowed 5 acers of land, including bushwacking a small forest to make room for a horse pasture. He held onto my money to keep it safe till I had enough for a car. Only giving me enough for food.
By the time I had enough for the car, I found out he spent it all.
I kept working as a intern at the facility, changing my direct deposit to my own account. After being there for 2 months, I was fired, because the department had exceeded its budget for interns and I was the last one hired.
I got my money back from my father. I bought and fixed up a beater, and got my own place. My second year, I kept my apartment and switched from on campus to off.
I was met with excessive hostility from my college. They told me that I was required to still have the food plan and pay for a deposit on a dorm incase my apartment fell out. I wanted to live in a apartment off campus to save money. I did the math out and I was spending 30$ a meal for the meal plan the college offered, and was dropping 2k a month for housing. The meals offered included 5 day old recycled brisket pizza and still forzen broccoli.
I moved my girlfriend of the time into my apartment, and was working part time at a manufacturing facility down the road while going to school. The moment the dean of my college found out I was working there, he called the facility and requested them to let me go because he was concerned for my academic performance. I had a 2.9 GPA with a 21 credit corse load while working part time. The company was sponsoring some of the colleges equipment, and had intern programs for the manufacturing and engineering degree students. I was let go from the job, being told that they want me to come back once it was summer.
After I was let go my girlfriend at the time had a emotional break down and was sending me pictures of self harm, nooses etc. She quit her job and I had to take a full time night job at a restaurant to keep my apartment.
I was only taking 21 credits to try and expedite my degree, as my family was not paying for my college. My mother said she would cosign only for 2 years, but if I missed a payment she would sue me. I did everything I could to finish the bulk of my classes in that year.
Managing taking care of a apartment, two full grown adults, doing 21 credits at college and a full time job became too much. I finished my semester with a 2.0 gpa and reduced my course load to 13 credits. The moment I dropped below 16 credits, my student loans dropped from deferment and I was required to pay 800 a month to cover them. I called to see if they would go back into deferment if I went above 16 credits and they told me they wouldn't and if I couldn't pay I shouldn't have taken the loan.
My last semester of my second year, I had to take on another job and I finished the year at a 1.8 gpa.
Since then I have worked at a as a line cook and baker. I then got a job as a draftsmen and field analyst at a cleanroom certification and OEM equipment manufacturing company. After my first month there, they fired the lead engineer and I took on his role, without title or pay. I was running multuple multi million dollars projects. Part of my employment conditions was that the company would pay for me to finish my degree but when the time came, they didnt want too.
During covid my position was downgraded to contract only, so I left and got a job at one of my vendors companies. I was the youngest person ever to have this upper level management job at this company. The company was over 50 years old, and I got the highest position possible besides being the owner. I was doing aerospace engineering, project management and the company promised to pay for me to finish my degree. I had companies like Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics praising my work.
At this point I was taking 1 to 2 classes a semester and was almost done getting my associates degree. I changed my major to get the associates degree so I could transfer my credits to a different college. I was told by my academic advisor that none of my classes would be transfered to a different college unless I finished my degree.
The company I was working for never followed through with their promises, and I was stuck working 50+ hours a week managing 300 jobs at once. I had to be infaulable and a expert on every part and I was good at it. I formed a really positive mentopupil relationship with one of my coworkers, but any time I would make a slight spelling mistake or error on one of the thousands of pages of paper I was generating daily, he change and scream/berate me.
I ended up leaving my girlfriend from my college years, as the relationship never improved and I felt like I was a parent. I ended up reconnecting with someone who had always been by my side during college, but my girlfriend at the time made me choose between her or this friend, as she made her uncomfortable.
I only cut contact because I did have feelings for this friend, and I felt it was my duty to put my gf first. Once we re-connected I confessed my feelings to my friend, and she told me that she had the same feelings but wasnt going to be a homewrecker. We have been dating since and it has been wonderful.
She had a relative die, and I took time off from work to go with her to the funeral. On my way to the funeral, my co-worker found a large mistake that he thought was my doing. He called me up and berated me for it, and when I hanged up on him he texted me paragraphs. Turns out the mistake was his not mine.
That job never did pay for my classes, and I was fed up with the stess. I took a job at a corporation that offered me a lot of money and was going to pay for my degree. I gave 4 weeks notice, even though they required 6 months, and I got told I was a horrible human being and the worst kind of man by this coworker.
I have been working as a automation and controls technician for the past year now. I have gained a multitude of certificates on PLC, wireing and controls and have been enjoying the 120k salary. I finished my last semester with a 3.5 gpa, and am trying to finish the last two classes required for my degree.
Except my college just did a merger and now my degree requirements have changed. My new advisor has just informed me that the college would not recognize one of my english classes, and I now am required to take pre-algerbra 1 and 2 to get my degree ontop of the two classes I have yet to take. I have already taken calculus 1 and 2.
They told me they would wave the capstone project requirement for my degree if I can show them one of the not for your eyes military gun systems I worked on.
I just wanted to get a degree that would reduce the cost of a aerospace engineering degree. I am paying for college myself, and the only support I have is from my best friend and my girlfriend. This college feels like a waste of time and money, especially since every engineer I have worked with I have had to fix major flaws in their designs or implementations. I just want to make rocket engines. I have been developing one as a hobby since I was 12 but no one is going to even look at me if I dont have a degree.

I wanted to share about my experience with Nicotine(Ciggs/Vapes/heated tobacco/snus/NRT), and figured Reddit might be the place to do that.
I’m a 26M, and picked up smoking at 16-17. At the peak, 5/8 members of my household were using Nicotine products in some form. At my peak, I had a vape in my hand 24/7 (literally).
TLDR. I quit cold Turkey 4 months ago. If I told you it was easy, I would be lying. I tried to quit nicotine products 4-5 times using all kinds of methods - here’s what helped me.
1) Ask yourself:
At what point in time did you need nicotine to get through the day? Or enjoy an event? Or enjoy food?
You know the feeling of running out of pods/cigs/vape dies/etc. that panic? Don’t you think that feeling sucks?
2) Change your mindset
You have want to do it for yourself, and you have to want this badly enough. Nobody can force you, and nobody can convince you except yourself.
You’re probably on this subreddit because something within you is tugging at you to quit. That’s movement the right direction.
3) Set a date, manage your expectations
If you’re a moderate-hardcore user, your experience is going to suck. Days 3-5 was especially bad for me and I felt extremely anxious.
It will take way longer than 14 days for you to get accustomed to your new nicotine free life, expect that to take 1-2 months.
Should you wait for an easy time to quit? No. The hardest time to quit is best, because logically, everything else becomes easy.
4) Distractions
Go outside, go for a walk, exercise.
Deep breaths. When the cravings hit, just breathe slowly and deeply. You’ll notice that they won’t last longer than 1-2 minutes.
Call your friend or talk to your family.
5) NRT (Nicotine replacement therapy)
While NRT assists you in quitting the act of smoking, it still feeds the nicotine addiction.
When you stop smoking, it is the Nicotine addiction you are trying to kick, not the other way round.
NRT might work for you, but I felt like I was fooling myself.
I hope nobody finds this offensive or anything.
If I can do it, you can too. Good luck out there everyone.

I got a keyboard recently, it has a midi controller built in and has a USB port directly to my computer out. It has a 1/4 inch headphone jack on it, but I'm a cheapskate and would rather not spend $5 if I don't need to.
I have figured out how to get it to output to my laptop speakers, but with a ton of latency. I'm wondering if there is a piece of software that will just allow me to play midi straight out my laptops headphone jack with little to no latency.

Sunday, June 4, 2023
Ask Me Anything with u/humbledbyit
Welcome to this non-real time meeting of Overeaters Anonymous!
I’m u/CAM075. I’m pleased to introduce today’s OA Fellow u/humbledbyit who will be qualifying today:
Suggested guidelines for sharing:
As you share your experience and strength in OA, please also share your hope. Please confine your sharing to your experience with the disease of compulsive eating, the solution offered by OA, and your own recovery from the disease, rather than just the events of the day or week. If you are having difficulties, share how you use the program to deal with them. If you need to talk more about your difficulties and seek solutions, we suggest you speak to your sponsor and other members after the meeting.
Feedback, crosstalk, and advice giving are discouraged here. Cross talk during an OA meeting is giving advice to others who have already shared or speaking directly to another person rather than to the group. Feel free to reply to posts in this thread with questions for our AMA Speaker, and they will answer.
QUALIFER:
Since I was a child food and eating brought me comfort like nothing else. I was hooked. I used it to feel better when I felt out of place or just didn't feel right in my own skin. I used it to escape my feelings and numb out. However, my body showed signs of it & I was overweight as a child. Went on my first diet at age 12. That began my career as a "shape shifter." Throughout my life my body would undergo extremes of weight loss and gain and my closet had varying size of clothes because my weight was always a moving target. The ability to maintain a healthy weight was always out of my grasp for some reason. In college I was under a lot of stress to do well, compulsively ate a lot & became morbidly obese. I tried many things to control my eating and weight including therapy for eating disorder (mine was binge eating with compulsive exercising), hypnosis, pay & weigh programs, cutting out sugar and carbs, plant-based diet, personal trainer, nutritionist, energy healing, on and on. With many of these I lost weight and thought "I'm on my way.” That was until I reverted back to compulsive eating. When I hit rock bottom my mental obsession was in full force. Sometimes I’d wake up & my first thought would be of food or how disgusted I was with my body because of how I ate night prior, during the day what excited me was “what am I going to eat later” and sometimes I’d even dream about food.
A therapist suggested I try OA. When I came to OA I learned that I am not alone and that I have a broken "coper.” That when life happens I just don't know how to deal with it so eventually I "use.” I use food to numb out or escape my thoughts and feelings. I tried some ideas that were recommended to me in OA. What I learned is that food plan or any kind of controlling of food just causes me more mental obsessing about what to/not to eat. If I had learned anything up to that point it was that I can't stick to a plan of eating forever, I always fall off. I don't have the power to stick to any plan of eating for good and all. Also, I have a mental blind spot and I blank out on the consequences of compulsive eating & when it comes down to it I can compulsively eat any food. I discovered that ingredients such as sugar or food types like carbs aren’t my problem and I don’t have to cut out any food groups. My problem is behavioral in nature, it’s about what I do with food – I compulsively eat to make myself feel better.
As a result of getting a sponsor and working the 12 steps out of the big book I now have freedom and neutrality around all food. My mind is much more peaceful. I can actually eat in way that nourishes my body and it does not feel like a struggle at all. There is no white knuckling. I can still enjoy food without using it to cope with life or to comfort me. Also, I get to help other compulsive eaters, share the solution that worked for me and sponsor them. Now, I have a new way of dealing with life. I know this program works if I work it and I am so thankful to have found this solution. I am a grateful recovered sponsor and am happy to help! Feel free to DM message me if you would like to chat more.
Closing: By following the Twelve Steps, attending meetings regularly, and using the OA Tools, we are changing our lives. You will find hope and encouragement in Overeaters Anonymous. To the newcomer, we suggest attending at least six different meetings to learn the many ways OA can help you. The opinions expressed here today are those of individual OA members and do not represent OA as a whole. Let us all reach out by private message to newcomers, returning members, and each other. Together we get better.

I am a side sleeper and for some reason, after having the weirdest freaking dream, I woke up on my stomach. I think it's related? But anyway, I had a dream that I met DMX on an escalator and he was SIGNIFICANTLY shorter than me. I am 5'0". A lot more happened in this dream, but I can't get past the fact that DMX was in my dream as a 4'5" ish man. Why?
Some other details if you're interested: The setting was all in this giant mall like building. I joined an archer competition by pretending to be 14 years old and hit the bullseye. I met Louis Tomlinson even though I was never into One direction. He flirted with me but I rejected his advances. I also took pictures with him to use for clout lmfao. Oh, and I kept getting hit in the ankle with a giant stress ball.

https://minimalfreaks.co/2023/06/simon-dunmore-defected-selectors-june-2023/

1. Henrik Schwarz – Leave My Head Alone Brain (Osunlade Remix) 07:52 120bpm Gm
2. Bobby Womack – How Could You Break My Heart (Original Mix) 05:17 128bpm Am
3. Ultra Nate – Joy (Original Mix) 05:17 124bpm Gbm
4. Air Power – Be Yourself 06:16 128bpm Gm
5. James Brown – Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose (Original Mix) 06:09 114bpm Am
6. Aretha Franklin – Jump (Original Mix) 02:19 121bpm A
7. MJ Cole, Nova Caspar, Jay Dee – Sincere (Re-Cue’D) 05:38 132bpm
8. Fela Kuti – Shakara (Oloje) 13:25 120bpm Bbm
9. Chaka Khan – I Know You, I Live You 04:27 112bpm
10. Guru, DC Lee, Ronny Jordan – No Time To Play (Original Mix) 04:54 100bpm A
11. Donald Byrd – Places And Spaces 06:19 184bpm
12. Prince – Sign ‘O’ The Times (Original Mix) 05:02 99bpm Cm
13. Leroy Hutson – All Because of You (Single Edit) 03:29 87bpm
14. Mr. Fingers – Mystery of Love (Original Mix) 07:10 115bpm G
15. Stevie Wonder – Living For The City (Original Mix) 07:22 99bpm Gb
16. The Salsoul Orchestra – Ooh I Love It (Love Break) (Original Mix) 07:49 114bpm Bb
17. The Reese Project – Direct Me (Joey Negro Mix) 06:47 122bpm Dbm
18. Zak Abel, Tom Misch – Beautiful Escape feat. Zak Abel (Original Mix) 04:36 120bpm F
19. Soul II Soul, Rose Windross – Fairplay (Original Mix) 03:58 101bpm Cm
20. Gil Scott-Heron – The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (Original Mix) 03:07 88bpm C#m
21. Sounds Of Blackness – The Pressure (Frankie Knuckles Classic Mix) 08:24 127bpm Fm
22. David Bowie – Young Americans (2016 Remaster) 05:13 83bpm G
23. Bobby Womack – Give It Up (Original Mix) 04:38 96bpm D
24. Gabriels – Love and Hate in a Different Time (Original) 04:42 120bpm Dm
25. Digital Underground – Doowutchyalike (LP Version) 08:53 108bpm
26. Nuyorican Soul, Jocelyn Brown – It’s Alright, I Feel It 03:22 122bpm
27. Etienne De Crecy – Prix choc (Original Mix) 08:52 128bpm C
28. Inner Life – Moment Of My Life (12″ Version) 06:32 113bpm F#m
29. Daft Punk – Alive (Original Mix) 05:16 129bpm Bb
30. First Choice – Let No Man Put Asunder (Shep Pettibone 12″ Mix) 08:01 119bpm Dbm
31. Dennis Ferrer – Church Lady (Original Mix) 07:19 126bpm Gm
32. Masters At Work – To Be In Love (MAW ’99 Mix) 11:54 122bpm Cm
33. Clivilles & Cole – A Deeper Love (A Deeper Love Mix) 12:04 121bpm D#m
34. Archie Bell & The Drells – Where Will You Go When The Party’s Over (Original Mix) 04:05 117bpm Em
35. Womack & Womack – Baby I’m Scared of You 05:38 216bpm
36. The Style Council – My Ever Changing Moods 03:37 126bpm
37. Kathy Sledge – Take Me Back To Love Again (Shelter Me Mix) 06:51 123bpm A
38. Ashford & Simpson – Love Don’t Make It Right (Original Mix) 04:23 111bpm A
39. Blaze – My Beat (Original) 05:19 126bpm Gbm
40. Eighties Ladies – Turned on to You 05:28 bpm
41. Blaze – Wishing You Were Here (Original) 06:56 123bpm Cm
42. Coati Mundi – Que Pasa / Me No Pop I (Original Mix) 06:25 110bpm Db
43. Massive Attack – Safe From Harm (2012 Mix/Master) 05:19 165bpm Bm
44. Incognito, Jocelyn Brown – Always There (David Morales Remix) 06:36 115bpm
45. Lee Fields & The Expressions, Lee Fields – Ladies 04:17 176bpm
46. Marvin Gaye – Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) (Original Mix) 05:26 160bpm Ebm
47. CeCe Rogers – Someday (Original Mix) 07:17 119bpm Am
48. Honey Dijon, Nikki-O, Annette Bowen – Downtown feat. Annette Bowen feat. Nikki-O (Louie Vega Extended Raw Dub Mix) 03:33 126bpm Bb
49. Quartette Tres Bien – Boss Trés Bien 05:28 120bpm
50. Teddy Pendergrass, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – Don’t Leave Me This Way (Original Mix) 06:04 125bpm Gm
51. The Staple Singers – Trippin’ On Your Love 04:27 bpm
52. Curtis Mayfield – Back to the World (Original Mix) 06:50 164bpm Db
53. The Specials – A Message to You Rudy (Original Mix) 02:54 104bpm C
54. Black Coffee, Bucie – Turn Me On (Original Mix) 07:25 124bpm Cm
55. Bob Sinclar – My only love (Original) 04:34 123bpm Gbm
56. Love Unlimited – Move Me No Mountain (Original Mix) 03:55 90bpm Fm
57. River Ocean, India – Love & Happiness (Yemaya Y Ochùn) [feat. India] (12″ Club Mix) 09:51 119bpm Gm
58. Henrik Schwarz – Leave My Head Alone Brain (Original Mix) 08:00 123bpm Gm
59. D’Angelo – Brown Sugar (Edited) 04:22 83bpm A
60. Roisin Murphy – Incapable (Extended Mix) 08:25 114bpm Dm
61. Honey Dijon, Channel Tres, Sadie Walker – Show Me Some Love (feat. Sadie Walker) 03:52 126bpm D
62. Bobby Wilson – Deeper and Deeper 06:23 176bpm
63. Sharon Ridley – Where Did You Learn to Make Love the Way You Do 04:51 bpm
64. Alice Clark – Don’t You Care 02:50 bpm
65. Earth, Wind & Fire – Devotion (Live) 04:52 92bpm Am
66. Sharon Redd – Try My Love On For Size (Original Mix) 05:08 120bpm Am
67. Ten City – Right Back To You (Extended Version) 09:10 120bpm D#m
68. Incognito – Always There (David Morales Remix) 03:35 115bpm
69. Public Enemy – Can’t Truss It (Original Mix) 05:22 102bpm Bbm
70. Luther Vandross – Sugar and Spice (I Found Me a Girl) (Original Mix) 04:57 109bpm F
71. Grace Jones – La vie en rose 07:28 176bpm C
72. Ashford & Simpson – It Seems To Hang On (Original Mix) 05:12 114bpm Bm
73. Leroy Hutson – Love the Feeling (Original Mix) 02:53 97bpm Bb
74. Mr. Fingers – We Can Work It Out (Original Mix) 05:43 113bpm Gbm
75. Loleatta Holloway, Bastian Zacit – Love Sensation (Original Mix) 06:06 126bpm F
76. Adeva – Musical Freedom (Original Mix) 06:22 113bpm C
77. Yazoo – Situation (12″ Remix) 05:46 119bpm Db
78. Jamiroquai – Blow Your Mind (Original Mix) 08:32 105bpm Am
79. Arrested Development – Tennessee (Original Mix) 04:32 100bpm Ebm
80. Trussel – Love Injection (Original Mix) 07:56 112bpm Abm
81. Mary J. Blige – My Love (Original Mix) 04:12 86bpm F
82. De La Soul – Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin’s Revenge) 03:25 bpm
83. Maze, Frankie Beverly – Joy And Pain (Remastered) 07:14 106bpm Bm
84. Soulsearcher – Can’t Get Enough! (Vocal Club Mix) 06:53 128bpm Em
85. Whitney Houston – It’s Not Right but It’s Okay (KCC’s Release The Love Groove Bootleg Mix) 07:02 128bpm Cm
86. Patrice Rushen – Haven’t You Heard (Original Mix) 06:45 129bpm Dbm
87. The Salsoul Orchestra – Seconds (Original Mix) 08:58 105bpm Em
88. Lady Blackbird – It’s Not That Easy 03:00 bpm
89. Mass Order – Lift Every Voice (Take Me Away) (Classic Boot Mix) 07:25 bpm
90. Deep Dish – Flashdance (Original Club Mix UK Radio Version) 06:45 bpm
91. Malcolm McLaren – Double Dutch 04:42 119bpm
92. Junior Jack – Hola (Original Mix) 04:12 121bpm Am
93. Voices Of Life – The Word Is Love (Say The Word) (Silk’s Anthem Of Life) 08:10 bpm
94. Celeda, Danny Tenaglia – Music Is The Answer (Original Extended 12-inch Mix) 14:10 126bpm Abm
95. Talking Heads – Once in a Lifetime (2005 Remaster) 04:19 116bpm
96. Jungle Brothers – What “U” Waitin’ “4”? (Radio Edit) 04:04 110bpm Cm
97. Kings Of Tomorrow – Finally (Extended Mix) 05:58 125bpm C
98. Supershy – Change feat. Wayne Snow (Original Mix) 04:50 120bpm Cm
99. Hannah Wants, Clementine Douglas – Cure My Desire feat. Clementine Douglas (Extended Mix) 06:38 122bpm Ebm
100. Channel Tres – Just Can’t Get Enough (Original Mix) 05:03 121bpm Cm
101. Ziyon, El Payo – Tailor Made feat. Ziyon (Original Mix) 05:22 120bpm Eb
102. Close Counters – SNAP TO IT! (Original Mix) 03:30 131bpm Eb
103. Three Kings, Jaygun, Bashy – Shake Dat Booty feat. Jaygun feat. Bashy (Original Edit) 07:34 125bpm Dm
104. Felix Da Housecat, Chris Trucher – Chicago Love (Original Mix) 05:05 124bpm A
105. Benny Mussa – If You Want (Luke Solomon’s Body Remix) 07:07 128bpm Dm
106. Beyoncé, Madonna – BREAK MY SOUL (THE QUEENS REMIX) 05:56 120bpm Abm
107. Daphni – Cloudy (Original Mix) 06:51 128bpm Cm
108. Larse – A Part Of (Extended Mix) 04:38 128bpm Dm
109. Virginia – Funkert (Original Mix) 04:27 127bpm Dbm
110. ANOTR, Abel Balder – Vertigo (Original Mix) 04:16 132bpm Em
111. Sable Sheep – Upon Burning Skies (Original Mix) 08:24 123bpm Em
112. Dam Swindle – Good Woman (Edit) 03:35 125bpm Am
113. Ezel, Rona Ray – Don’t Know Yet (Original Mix) 07:26 125bpm Dbm
114. Honey Dijon, Sadie Walker, Channel Tres – Show Me Some Love feat. Sadie Walker (Extended Mix) 05:51 126bpm D
115. Shiba San – I Wanna (Tchami Remix) 03:35 127bpm Fm
116. Jamie Jones – My Paradise (Vintage Culture Extended Remix) 05:33 128bpm Bbm
117. OFFAIAH – Find A Way (Extended Mix) 06:29 124bpm Gm
118. Mr. V – Jus Dance (Dennis Quin Remix) 03:36 94bpm G
119. Alister Fawnwoda, Tyesha Blount – Starlight (Original Mix) 05:59 125bpm Em
120. Mistura, Dave Lee ZR, Jemini – Want Me Back (Jimpster Peak Time Deepness) 06:27 122bpm Db
121. Girls of the Internet – Sound Asleep 03:45 124bpm G
122. Tom Middleton – Cicadas (Maya Jane Coles Remix) 06:24 123bpm Dbm
123. Rampa, Keinemusik, chuala – Les Gout (Original Mix) 05:44 120bpm Fm
124. Crackazat – Demucha (Original Mix) 04:15 124bpm Cm
125. Mary J. Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous (Kelly G Morning Pose Dub Remix) 03:27 125bpm Bbm
126. Butch – Same Like Dope But Different (Original Mix) 04:41 123bpm Dbm
127. Kabbala – Ashewo Ara (Dave Lee Afro Fusion Mix) (Original Mix) 05:59 124bpm Am
128. Max Millan, Simon Adams – Mr. Franklin (Miguel Migs Salty Rub) 06:15 124bpm Am
129. Situation – Get To Know Me (Hot Toddy Dub) 05:46 117bpm Dm
130. Beanfield, Marzenka – Alone feat. Marzenka (Original) 07:29 122bpm G
131. Delano Smith, Diamondancer – A Message For the DJ featuring Diamondancer (Original Mix) 05:36 126bpm F
132. Clive From Accounts – 4 Time (Original Mix) 05:38 127bpm Dm
133. Jerk House Connection, Akram Sedkaoui – Each & Every Day (Life Goes On) feat. Akram Sedkaoui (Rocco Deeper Mix) 08:35 127bpm Gm
134. ANOTR, Abel Balder – Your Mind (Original Mix) 05:40 130bpm Gm
135. Rodney Hunter – Temperature’s Rising (Original Mix) 03:51 118bpm Dm
136. Pugs Atomz, Inkswel, Eliza Dickson – Why Don’t You Listen (Fred Everything Remix) 06:02 119bpm Fm
137. Folamour – Fearless (Original Mix) 05:23 122bpm Gm
138. Mr. Flip – Hit Different (Afefe Iku Remix) 04:51 113bpm Dm
139. Jonny Miller, Kid Fonque, ASAP Shembe – Connected Beings feat. ASAP Shembe (Jazzanova Remix) 05:56 120bpm C
140. Carlo Gambino – Dance For You (Original Mix) 07:27 122bpm Am
141. Gerd – We Bring U Muzik (Warehouse Mix) 06:08 126bpm Ab
142. Joeski – Rude Boy (Original Mix) 06:20 125bpm C
143. Musta, Venessa Jackson – Loving Me (Hot Toddy Remix) 08:00 84bpm Am
144. youANDme, Kristina Sheli – Moment 04:35 124bpm C#
145. OVEOUS, Don Kamares – Legacy (Original Mix) 05:35 123bpm Dm
146. KE, Risk Assessment – Feel That (Franck Roger Remix) 06:28 124bpm Ebm
147. Paperclip People – Throw (Original Mix) 06:47 127bpm C
148. Austin Ato – When Love Is Tender (Original Mix) 08:42 127bpm Ab
149. Francisco Allendes – What You Do (Original Mix) 06:49 127bpm D
150. Particle – Let It Go (Original Mix) 06:34 87bpm Cm
151. Afefe Iku – Sista Georgia (Original Mix) 11:35 122bpm Dm
152. Mike Steva, Stevo Atambire – Destiny Song (Pa’ala) feat. Stevo Atambire (Original Mix) 05:54 121bpm Bm
153. PAWSA – Room Service (24 Hour Mix) 04:44 130bpm Am
154. Kerri Chandler – Coro (DJ Spen Kaoz Re Edit) 06:30 124bpm Dm
155. Awen, Caiiro – Your Voice (Adam Port Remix) 04:20 122bpm Gbm
156. Inaya Day, Harry Romero – Rise Up (Extended Club Mix) 06:19 127bpm Cm
157. Pig&Dan – Rock You All Night (Original Mix) 03:27 123bpm Bm
158. Yousef, The Melody Men – Hear That Sound feat. The Melody Men (Club Mix) 05:56 128bpm D
159. GruuvElement’s – Boom Room (Original Mix) 06:39 94bpm Em
160. Dam Swindle – All I Want (Edit) 03:56 124bpm Dbm
161. Mike Dunn, LOA. – When The Dust Clears feat. LOA. (MD MixX) 03:42 124bpm F
162. Seamus Haji, Phebe Edwards – Better Come Again 04:00 120bpm Em
163. Suzanne Palmer, Mark Picchiotti, Craig J. Snider, The Absolute – I Believe feat. Suzanne Palmer feat. Craig J. Snider (DJ Spen & Michele Chiavarini’s Higher Love Dub Mix) 06:15 124bpm Eb
164. Paul Kalkbrenner – Bengang (Original Mix) 05:30 128bpm Dbm
165. Louie Vega, Robyn – All My Love (feat. Robyn) 05:58 127bpm Gb
166. Daniel Steinberg – Groove People (Original Mix) 05:29 125bpm C
167. Purple Disco Machine, Kaleta, Bosq – Wake Up! (Extended) 06:56 122bpm Dm
168. Kon, Fiorious, Saturday Love – 2 B Free (Oliver Dollar Remix) 04:31 123bpm Em
169. Lady Blackbird – Lost and Looking (Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy Cosmodelica Remix) 03:42 120bpm G
170. Kerri Chandler, Bluey Robinson – Tenacity (Main Vocal Edit) 04:25 124bpm D
171. Honey Dijon, Ramona Renea – Love Is A State Of Mind (Original Mix) 03:13 125bpm Cm
172. Adam Port, Alan Dixon – Forms Of Love (Original Mix) 06:03 122bpm Bb
173. Jamie Jones – My Paradise (Original Mix) 03:31 128bpm Bbm
174. Fka Mash, Sio – Bumblebee 03:38 116bpm Gm
175. Dennis Cruz – Ready For The Blues (Original Mix) 05:00 128bpm Cm
176. Ramin Rezaie – Searching (Original Mix) 03:57 131bpm Am
177. Tony Lionni – Out Of Sight (Special Edit By Jerome Sydenham) 06:15 124bpm C
178. HRDY, Paulo Maria – Connected (Original Mix) 05:42 124bpm Gm
179. Dario D’Attis – Tanzstube (Original Mix) 07:44 120bpm Bbm
180. AMP Fiddler, Andrés, Dames Brown – What Would You Do? feat. Andrés feat. Amp Fiddler (Two Soul Fusion Remix) 03:07 125bpm G
181. Low Steppa – Closer (Original Mix) 04:57 125bpm Bbm
182. Fred Everything – Searching (Original Mix) 08:03 120bpm C
183. Sophie Lloyd, Pauline Taylor – Angels By My Side feat. Pauline Taylor (Floorplan Remix) 03:28 125bpm Fm
184. S.A.M., Sarah Ikumu – Spotlight feat. Sarah Ikumu (Mousse T. Shizzle Mix) 03:20 123bpm Gbm
185. Malone – Time To Move (Original Mix) 03:08 125bpm Em
186. Steve Bug, Mr. V – Back To ’95 feat. Mr. V (Cinthie‘s ‘Just A Vibe’ Remix) 06:12 124bpm Gm
187. Khan, Julee Cruise – Say Goodbye feat. Julee Cruise (LoSoul ‘She’s Homeless’ Mix) 07:08 116bpm F
188. Dam Swindle – Hey Mister 03:59 126bpm Am
189. Julien Jabre – Voodance (Original Mix) 07:29 123bpm Dbm
190. B Beat Girls – For The Same Man (Nic Fanciulli Remix) 03:34 127bpm E
191. Mark Broom, Riva Starr, Star B – Fire (Ron Bacardi Remix) 05:42 126bpm Bb
192. Make A Dance – I Need Somebody (Original Mix) 03:20 122bpm Bm
193. Beyonce – BREAK MY SOUL (Original Mix) 04:38 115bpm Abm
194. Zach Witness – Frankie & Levan (Original Mix) 03:41 127bpm Am
195. Danny Tenaglia – The Brooklyn Gypsy (Original Mix) 07:41 153bpm Dm
196. Beau – Losing You 03:23 124bpm E
197. Felipe Gordon – The Love (Original Mix) 07:38 120bpm Gbm
198. Ferreck Dawn, Izzy Bizu – Life (Original Mix) 02:51 125bpm Cm
199. Kimberly Davis, The Shapeshifters – Love’s Been Waiting (7″ Version) 02:48 123bpm Gbm
200. ANOTR, Sebastian Kamae – Time To Smoke (Original Mix) 08:46 130bpm Gb
201. Daniel Anthony – Endless (Original Mix) 07:03 126bpm Dbm
202. Jamie Jones, AMEME – Pliva 04:04 123bpm Fm
203. Darius Syrossian, DJ Supreme – I’m The Joker (Original Mix) 02:36 129bpm Gm
204. Oliver Way – Stained Glass Shadows (Robert Hood Remix) 06:54 128bpm D
205. Sailor Jane, R.E.A.D. – Where’s My Phone? feat. Sailor Jane (Marco Faraone Remix) 03:35 128bpm Fm
206. Daniel Steinberg – Take My Hand (Original Mix) 05:17 130bpm Gm
207. AMP Fiddler, Andrés, Dames Brown – What Would You Do? feat. Andrés feat. Amp Fiddler (Folamour 12″ Remix) 04:30 121bpm Am
208. Brian Burnside – This Generation (Franck Roger Mix) 08:20 127bpm Dm
209. Chymamusique, Colbert, LaTique – Above My Head (Radio Mix) 04:34 118bpm Gbm
210. Brooklyn Baby – NYC (Original Mix) 05:04 128bpm Em
211. Marlon D – Jesus Creates Sound (Original Mix) 05:30 126bpm Ebm
212. Kiko Navarro – Dope High (Vocal Mix) 07:52 92bpm Fm
213. Franck Roger – Don’t Ever Luv Me (Original Mix) 06:44 124bpm Dm
214. 40 Thieves, Qzen – Don’t Turn It Off (Original Mix) 04:38 117bpm Em
215. Linkwood – Tears (Original Mix) 08:39 96bpm Bm
216. Mr. V – Somethin’ Wit Jazz (Dario D’Attis Extended Remix) 07:08 122bpm Bbm
217. David Morales, Elle Cato – Holding Me Touching Me feat. Elle Cato (Extended Mix) 06:58 126bpm Bbm
218. Bassfort – Moon Shadow (Joe ‘Joaquin’ Claussell Remix) 11:26 124bpm G
219. Close Counters – GET DOWN! (Original Mix) 04:17 122bpm Ebm
220. Steve Lawler, Marco Lys, Joy Farrukh – If Only You Knew feat. Joy Farrukh (Extended Mix) 05:37 126bpm Am
221. Todd Terry, Riva Starr – This Is The Sound (Original Mix) 06:07 126bpm Gm
222. Honey Dijon, Dope Earth Alien – It’s Quiet Now (Original Mix) 03:02 123bpm Cm
223. Jon Cutler, E-Man – It’s Yours (Kyri Markou Extended Remix) 05:39 126bpm Am
224. Thakzin – The Magnificent Dance (Original Mix) 07:05 88bpm F

I've been reading SSHG fan fics since young. I probably started when I was about 14 or 15, back in the mid-2000s. (Gosh it doesn't make me feel any younger!)
When I started, I read in French because it's my first language. I only knew enough English to comfortably read stories in that language when I was about 18. I was shocked when I saw that Severus' last name was not the same in the original language as in the French translation. I grew up with Severus Rogue, and it took me a while to adjust to Severus Snape! But learning English opened doors to me for a bigger variety of contents, and I'm now more comfortable with Snape than Rogue. Afterall, Severus is English, not French!
So here is a list of fan fics I've enjoyed throughout the years, in no particular order!

1. Unfinished Business - by Ramoshttps://www.fanfiction.net/s/2230284/1/Unfinished-Business13 chapters. Something goes wrong during potion class and Hermione dies. She comes back as a ghost and haunts the classroom, so Severus is stuck with her. They grow attached to each other overtime. I read this one soooo long ago. It's really bittersweet. I read it translated in French back then. I plan to re-read it in English sometimes soon!
2. The Professor's Discretion - by Twelve Years in Azkabanhttps://www.fanfiction.net/s/5441799/1/The-Professor-s-Discretion22 chapters. Hermione and Severus work together in secret to help Harry in his quest against Voldemort. Slow burn and no direct romance. Despite the lack of direct romance, I absolutely loved it. It's worth it! I plan to re-read it soon.
3. Not Only a Granger - by FerPotterhttps://www.fanfiction.net/s/2542183/1/Not-Only-a-Granger37 chapters. Warning : mature scenes. Hermione is a single mother and her son will soon start Hogwarts. She's reluctant to let him go to Hogwarts at first, because Severus still works there. See, Severus is Nathan's father and only she knows about it. I read this fic in French a long time ago and I still remember clearly a lot of the key scenes!
4. What if - by Schnurblehttps://archiveofourown.org/works/27590243/chapters/674928446 chapters. Warning : non-con is implied. Severus accidentally makes a wish to a Leprechaun. The whole world changes around him and he wants it back the way it was. There is no romance between Hermione and Severus in this one, but I love their dynamic in the new universe.
5. When a Lioness Fights - by Kayly Silverstormhttps://www.fanfiction.net/s/2162474/1/When-A-Lioness-Fights80 chapters. Warning : mature content. Hermione takes over Severus' position as spy despite his protest. He helps her adjust to it from Hogwarts since his spying status was revealed. It's a really long fic, that I read in French a long, long time ago. I was a teenager and loved it, I remember there was a lot of pain/angst/edgy themes. I think I didn't even finish it back then because it was in the process of being published and I got busy with my life or something. I honestly don't know if I'm brave enough to read 80 chapters today!
6. The Underground - by chiwilacapybarahttps://www.fanfiction.net/s/14182105/1/The-UndergroundOne shot. Warning : mature content. It's been a few years and Voldemort is still around, terrorizing society. Hermione and Harry are still hiding in Grimmauld Place, Ron is dead. Then they capture Severus almost killing him, who reveals the truth about why he killed Dumbledore. Hermione and Harry takes care of him while he heals and something develops between Severus and Hermione. This is the most recent I've read and absolutely loved it. I especially liked the idea that Hermione and Severus saw hiding in Grimmauld place differently : Hermione feels imprisoned, while Severus feels freed.

That's about it for the fan fictions that left a strong impression on me over time. Some of them are old and yet, I still remember the scenes in my head!
I hope I'll have helped people discover fan fics they like!

So for the last two or three weeks every time my wife and I have a phone conversation(She also has an IPhone 14 PM) the audio is extremely choppy, Similar to when you have poor network connection when utilizing FaceTime. I experience it the odd time with other calls but definitely most prevalent when I’m talking with my wife. Other conversations I have with people are crystal clear most of the time and people who talk with my wife say they have no issue from her phone.
We are both in 4 bars of 5G areas.
We have both restarted phones, updated to latest software, disabled wifi calling. Closed all apps to alleviate RAM issues. Problem persists whether we are on Bluetooth devices, speaker phone, or direct iPhone.
Drives me bonkers trying to have conversation with her due to the fact I only hear about half of what she’s saying. Any ideas?? I’ll try and record our next convo with my work phone to show what it sounds like.

Escrow for u/dietz12
Gareth Bull 2.75” Zirc Spiro Shamwari - 190 @ $10
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I did this upgrade in two stages. The first was a complete swap of the existing 6 speakers. I went with Infinity Reference all-around based on recommendations online. I got the required speaker harnesses to use the existing factory connection rather than splicing wires. Here are the speakers installed:
Front Dash: Infinity Reference REF-3032CFX 3-1/2 2-way - $45/pair renewed on Amazon
Front and Rear Doors: Infinity Reference 9633IX - 6" x 9" Three-way - $100/pair on Amazon
A couple of notes about these speakers. They’re extremely bright even when you run them on the 0db mode rather than +3db. There is a switch on the tweeter to change the mode. I first installed the dash and ran it for a couple days waiting for the door speakers to arrive. Just the dash swap made the sound so much better. However, once I installed the front doors I knew instantly it was tweeter overkill. I’ll probably end up swapping the front doors for a 6x9 component driver and let the dash handle the highs. I’ll leave the 3-ways in the rear so passengers get the full range back there.
Second note is that while they sound great and you can hear them hitting some low notes, they’re not loud below the mid-range. Now that my highs were shining I needed to fill in the lows. I settled on a Skar Audio setup to keep my budget in check. I’m not looking to win car audio competitions, just fill out the low end. Here is what I ended up with:
Skar 2019-2022 Ram 1500 (5th Gen) Crew Cab Compatible Single 12" Ported Subwoofer Enclosure - $140
Skar Audio VD-12 D4 12" 800W Max Power Dual 4 Ohm Shallow Mount Car Subwoofer - $100
Skar Audio RP-800.1D Monoblock Class D MOSFET Amplifier 800W - $130
Skar Audio 4 Gauge CCA Complete Amplifier Installation Wiring Kit, SKAR4ANL-CCA - $30
So I’m $645 into this upgrade for a complete speaker overhaul and added 12” subwoofer. I think that’s pretty good for the incredible difference in sound. The box is a perfect fit under the passenger rear seat. My only gripe is the ugly white stitching of the Skar logo on the box. I used a black Sharpie to fill it in the best I could. It’s still visible if you look, but it doesn’t draw attention to itself anymore.
I’ll probably get the bug to add a 4 channel amp for the Infinitys, but it will be really easy since I installed the ANC bypass module under the driver’s seat. The module bypasses the truck’s active noise cancellation while also providing a tap point for the input and output of all of the speakers.
A few tips:

1. Get a LOC (Line Out Converter) that also generates a remote wire signal. I first bought the PAC LOC 3.2 and I would have had to tap into the fuse box for an accessory remote wire. I returned it for 7.2.
2. The firewall has a rubber grommet with an extra port for a wire. I had to cut the nipple off the port on the engine side and still had a hell of a time pulling 4 gauge wire through with a coat hanger. Running the power wire was the hardest part of the entire install.
3. The fuse box lid in the engine next to the battery is a great place to screw down the amp fuse. I also used split loom for the power wire in the engine bay and it looks clean and professional.
4. I used Posi-tap connectors for the speaker connections between the LOC and the ANC bypass harness. I got everything connected and didn’t hear any sound so double-checked these and sure enough, had to redo them. I may have used too large a size because the pin that punctures the wire kept going to the side of the wire. I had to manually puncture the wire with the pin before screwing the Posi-tap down.

Hope all of this helps somebody else. The system absolutely slams now!

Being told to deal with the Sorcerers now by the shadowy cabal of Asgorath-worshiping monks, I proceeded to do just that.
Well, more specifically, I looked for wherever the hell they holed themselves up in.
The faithful of Bahamut shot me frosty glares as I walked around the city unimpeded, though I did very pointedly give them a very strongly worded letter about spying on me and ambushing me, and that if Nakk wasn't going to tolerate their shit, he wasn't going to tolerate mine.
Hopefully, that bought me some breathing room.
Now, the Sorcerers hadn't fucked off elsewhere, or I would have gotten a lot of questions as to where they went. They still operated in the town, still used their magic appropriately, so it wasn't like they were being assholes about it.
But, considering I was being warned about them specifically, shit was about to go down.
Now, I didn't go alone. Not specifically. I had my Warlocks move about, searching for any clues as to the whereabouts of the Sorcerers.
Naturally, they were extremely dodgy about where they were going.
But, the more we looked, the more we found clues, the more we got closer until we realized they were gathering under the Council Chamber.
So there they were, all nine of them, not counting the however many probably awoke due to my machinations. Nine Sorcerers, Nine Warlocks, and me.
They were gathered around some sort of sacrificial altar that was stained with blood, on which they were very pointedly bleeding on.
"You know-" I said, startling them and causing them to look at me. "-If you'd just been respectful to my Master, you might have gotten more than you could have ever dreamed of."
"Ruuk, what are you doing here!?" Goss hissed.
"Looking for you before you get yourselves killed." I said. "I've been warned twice that you were getting into some shit, and here I find you bleeding all over an altar that isn't even configured right, you fucking idiots."
They shared looks, first shocked, then angry. They started yelling, my Warlocks screamed into their heads to shut up, which caused them all to rub their heads.
"Which one of you has the highest Level?" I asked. "Goss? Taklak? Kashak?"
"I am a solid Level 4!" Molo bragged.
"That's it?" I asked. "Fuck's sake, I'm Level 6. I've been out there busting my fucking ass. We got invaded while you were playing fucking secret society! People died!"
"We wouldn't have lost anyone, if Kurtulmak gave us power!" Hagnar snapped.
"No, we would have lost more." I said. "If you actually cared about the Warren, you would have been out there, leading rather than plotting."
"Says the man who's clearly getting boosted by Kurtulmak!"
I strode toward them, my patience wearing thin. "I want to make something very clear now." I said. "You've wasted more time trying to get stronger than it took me. You think hard work hardly works? Hit me." I removed my armor. "I'm wide open."
They didn't do anything, they just stared at me with wide eyes. "Oh, this? This isn't armor." I said. "It's a sign of my fealty to my Master. Now, Hit me."
The spells were flung at me, and most of them did hurt. "Nine of you." I said, grinning. "And you couldn't even hit me properly. Kneel."
They began backing away.
"I said kneel!" I roared.
They all fell over themselves as they tried to kneel. They all looked terrified.
"I am going to give you exactly one chance to make up for your foolish behavior." I said. "I will call you out one by one, you will approach, you will kiss my hand, and you will swear your undying loyalty to me, your Imperator, and the Empire that our Master will raise. If you refuse, I will end your pathetic excuse for a life right then and there. And if even one of you attacks me, my Warlocks will make that scream in your mind feel like a gentle tickle."
I held my hand out. "Goss." He scrambled over to me and knelt. He took my hand and kissed it. "I swear my loyalty to you, my Imperator, and the Empire our Master will raise." He said.
"Good. Stand among my Warlocks. Arix."
One by one I called their names, and they came. They spoke their vows, all nine of them.
I put my armor back on and said, "Excellent. From this moment on, every hour, one of you will go to my Tower, you will pledge your fealty to our Master, and you will allow him to mark you such that you can never disobey him again." I looked at them. "And if even one of you tries to escape, I will track you down as easily as I have now. You are marked, each and every one of you. I will make your deaths as slow and miserable as I see fit. My Empire has no room for traitors."
"Yes, Imperator!" They said.
"Dismissed."
They all left, clearly trying not to piss themselves or run. I felt a wonderfully powerful sense of pleasure and smiled. "Warlocks." I said. "Continue about your day."
I cleaned up the mess the Sorcerers had made left the Councilor Chamber. I ran into Tallyn on the way out.
"Brother." He said.
"Sibling." I replied.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.
"The Sorcerers were trying to summon a Demon for power." I said. "Considering they tried to petition my Master for power as well- he denied them, rightly noticing they did not care how they got power- I threatened to kill them if they kept trying, ordered them to submit to my Master, whereupon they will be marked such that they will no longer be a threat to the Warren."
He stared at me in utter shock. "Did you-? Do you hear yourself?" He asked in a horrified whisper.
"Brother." I said. "This is an outright Demon we're talking about. We're lucky they're fucking idiots and didn't make their altar correctly, so they were just bleeding on a fucking slab of rock with pentagrams and shit on it. They attacked me. That on top of your fellow Paladins ambushing me and accusing me of conspiracy-" I gave him a pointed look, "-my capacity of mercy is very low at the moment."
"Ruuk... What happened to you?" He asked.
"You and your Temple tried to kill me." I replied. "For the sins of compassion and mercy." I shrugged. "I've tried meeting you and yours half way, I sought atonement out of guilt, to rectify what I had done. I've tried to walk the path of good, and the cold, simply truth is, you and your order have not given me much incentive to continue to walk that path."
He was silent.
"Tallyn." I said, taking hold of his hands. "I miss the days when you were the good brother." I was able to see the exact moment when his heart ripped right in half. I walked right past him. I was tired of his shit, and at that moment, I wasn't going to play his or his Temple's game anymore.
I took a deep breath to try and center myself, as I started heading back for my Tower.
"Has it become your mission in life to leap merrily from the slippery slope?" A familiar voice asked me. I turned around, coming face to face with a gray-scaled Kobold, behind him were seven others with ruddy yellow scales.
"You've certainly changed since I last saw you." Bahamut stated. "A turn for the worse, it would seem."
I gave him a reverential bow. "I take it the Fizban persona wouldn't work now." I remarked.
"No, it wouldn't." He said. "All your doing, it would seem."
"Indeed. My doing." I couldn't help but smile.
"And with such pride as well. Walk with me, and understand I speak with you only because what I have to say is important."
I nodded and walked beside him, his seven companions following as inconspicuously as a septet of yellow Kobolds could- which I had to admit was surprisingly good.
"I am not happy." He stated.
"I sincerely doubt you would." I replied.
"With you, I expected it." He remarked dryly. "My followers have been playing fast and loose with their morals, day by day, their actions speak louder than their affirmations of faith, and what they say is, 'We are only concerned with our own power'. Does that amuse you?"
"No." I replied. "In fact, it pisses me off."
"The gradual corruption of a sect of holy warriors disgusts you?" He asked, his tone carrying a hint of surprise. "For all your posturing about, you still manage to get things done, even if they're via less morally sound standpoints."
"Is there a purpose to this beyond chatting?" I asked.
"Yes." He said. "One way or another, this Warren will become a theocratic nation, your faith spreads like wildfire, while the faith of my followers tapers off. You've manipulated events such that you are winning, and my followers have nobody to blame but themselves."
We stopped in front of the Temples, he looked at them. "Kurtulmak is relapsing." He said. "And you are walking a narrow rope between good and evil. Between judicious rule and tyranny." He looked at me. "And unfortunately, in spite of my best efforts, it is becoming harder and harder to maintain contact with this world."
He paused, then added, "I will, of course, be supporting my faithful, trying to keep them on the correct path, but in the event they utterly fail, and the only option left is you, I would rather the lesser evil of you win than the greater evil that is my sister. This is not tolerance, this is ensuring that no matter what, the forces of good can always pick up the pieces."
"I understand." I said. "And Bahamut... I am sorry things turned out this way."
"Your apology is sincere." He remarked, surprised. "I am sorry for the way I treated you in Darastrixthurhi, I chose the wrong course of action."
"You don't deal in words, but actions." I said. "Therefore your apology is sincere."
"Within the mines, there is a yet-untouched vein of platinum in your Warren's mine, enough to supply enough holy symbols for my Clerics, and to forge one sword, fifth level down, three lefts, and at the far end. I leave it up to you how you will handle that information. And Ruuk, remember the entire point of you remaining down there was because you believed Kurtulmak could be redeemed. Do not forget that can apply to you as well."
He walked away, followed by his cadre of Kobolds.
'I sure as hell don't like his followers...' I thought as I headed for the mines. 'But I definitely respect him a lot more.'
My gear compelled me to do good, and right now, I was in a better mood. I gathered a few miners and told them to follow me. They did so hesitantly, but dug where I indicated. I watched as they dug maybe a half-mile before they yapped.
"There's ore here!"
"I know." I said. "Mine out the entire vein and take it to the Artificers. It's platinum, they're going to need it soon."
I left them to their work and headed for the Artificers. Once there, I had them gather around.
"You will be receiving a shipment of Platinum, once it comes in, you are to create enough Holy Symbols of Bahamut to equip each Cleric, as well as one sword. Once they have finished, you will deliver them immediately to my Tower. Do not tell anyone what they are. Understood?"
"Sure, but why?"
"Simple." I said. "I need them to get the fuck off my case and start realizing they're only hurting the Warren. Their God saw fit to speak with me, so it's in my hands whether or not they continue to measure out rope to hang themselves with."
It was several hours before the crates came in. I wordlessly picked them up and carried them to the Temple.
The Paladins were, of course, pissed when they saw me approaching. "Stop right there!" They snapped. "By the High Priest's orders, you are not allowed in here!"
"Your weapons and your faith isn't enough to stop me." I said. "Fucking try me."
I walked straight up to them, and my attempt at intimidation worked, as they backed away while I walked in.
Galax immediately noticed my entry, as did every Cleric and Paladin in the room.
"Who let you in!?" Galax roared. "I have expressly forbidden you from entry!"
"I let myself in." I said. I walked toward him, glanced around, and sighed. "Do you guys just not believe in tables, or is the whole ascetic aesthetic really this fucking sparse?"
"I am warning you, Stingtail, if you do not leave this Holy Temple, I will have no choice but to kill you."
I wreched the top off the crate I brought in, he glanced at them, then his eyes widened in complete shock. "What..? Those are..."
"Holy symbols to Bahamut, made from the vein of platinum I directed the workers to." I said. He stared at me, clearly incapable of comprehending what I'd done.
"Why..?" He asked.
"Because you've been playing fast and loose with your morals." I said, paraphrasing what Bahamut stated. "Even though you preach Bahamut's words, you've forgotten that actions are how you pray. You've become so enamored with bringing about the perfect theocratic kingdom of Bahamut, that you don't even realize you're telling the people you're only concerned with power."
I handed him the sword crate, which he opened.
"I want you to understand, Galax." I said. "Bahamut came to me and told me where the platinum was. I could have kept it secret, or I could have used it for literally anything else. Because as much as Bahamut was disappointed in you, he wasn't giving up on you. And as much as he's rooting for you, he understands if you fall, it's either the lesser evil in me, or the greater evil in Tiamat. And honestly? I'll gladly leap headlong into Hell if it means keeping this Warren safe. This is your last chance from Bahamut, and your last warning from me. Understood?"
"I understand." He said soberly. He approached me and hugged me. "Ruuk, oh Ruuk... I thought we had lost you."
"You did." I said. "And I'm not coming back into your fold." He let go of me. "I don't know what the fuck you need a platinum sword for, but whatever it is, if it's aimed anywhere near me, I'm exploding people's heads."
I turned around and left the Temple.
Returning to my Tower, I felt the anger I'd been holding in just melt away. I went upstairs and smiled when I was my Emperor was finishing up another armor set.
"That makes seven." He said. "Still far too little, but it's more than we had before."
"Tireless and industrious." I remarked as I approached him. I knelt. "I have news, some you likely won't like."
"Tell me this bad news first." He said.
"Bahamut decided to speak with me." I said. He tensed, his eyes widened as he looked at me. "Thus far, he's not particularly pleased with my... progress, but he's at least indicated he'd rather us winning over Tiamat." I paused. "He also told me of the location of some platinum. I deigned to give his worshipers holy symbols and a sword, as he had directed. As nice as it would be to have them fall under their own stupidity, we still need them."
My Emperor nodded. "There was no correct way." He said. "Keeping Bahamut less inclined to try and smite us is better than his Temple getting holy symbols. Was there anything else?"
"Yeah. I told them what he told me, he wasn't pleased with what they were doing, that they were acting like they only care about power, and that Bahamut came to me rather than them."
"I see." He said. "That devious old bastard."
"What is it, my Emperor?" I asked.
"It's unimportant." He said. "Was there anything else?"
I told him about the ambush, the Shadowscale Clan, and the Sorcerers- he indicated that a few had shown up and pledged their fealty to him, and that due to their transgressions, he ensured they would never disobey him.
"I made them some collars." He said, smirking. "Any time they go against my will, or they try something that will harm the Warren, it chokes them long enough to make them stop." He leered at me and added, "I should have done the same to yours. I'd never have it choke you, but the knowledge alone would have excited you, yes?"
"Not really, my Emperor." I admitted. "I'm terrified of choking."
"Is that so? All the better that I didn't, then." He looked thoughtful. "Tell me, was there any particular logic to your choice of giving Bahamut's Clerics holy symbols and a sword?"
I shrugged. "I don't like his followers." I said. "I told you what I said to Tallyn, I'm sick and tired of them being paranoid about me. Like, yeah, I admit that they have every right to be at this point, but when it was just you and me, they didn't even really give me a chance. It just felt like them going mask off and showing themselves to be no different than any other religion I've had the unfortunate experience to try."
"Yet you respect their God." He mused.
"Yeah." I said. "I do. Everything I've done out of spite was because of those hypocrites, every good word I've spoken to them was a challenge for them to get their shit together. I've never once done anything to spite Bahamut himself- though whether that was simple pragmatism on my part, or some latent desire to serve the first God to accept my challenge to prove they exist... I don't know. All I know is that I don't regret choosing you."
"As should be." He remarked. "These Monks, these followers of Asgorath, have you any thoughts on them?"
"As long as they are true to their word, I could see them having a place in our Empire." I said. "Having a group that's willing to deal with you if you go off the deep end and start oppressing the very people you started out wanting to protect is useful. At the very least, I'll potentially have a warning."
"And do you think Bahamut's Temple has a place in our Empire?" He asked.
"Maybe if they got their shit together." I replied. I looked at him. "My Emperor, was there ever a point you honestly considered compromise?"
"Yes, in honor of a fool who would choose to consign his life to a God he barely knew, simply out of compassion. I am ruthless, yes, I may be a liar when it is convenient for me, and I most assuredly will twist such compromise such that the letter, but not the spirit, is carried out. But when I make a solemn vow, I hold true to it. If you cannot keep a promise, nobody will believe you again."
"And nudging me toward evil?" I asked.
"You took the first step." He said. "Some actions transcend morality. Kindness to one's family, it is not merely good. It is an act that ensures survival, an act that builds trust. There is always room for kindness when it is deserved."
I nodded. "My Emperor... Do you see a place for Bahamut's Temple in our Empire?" I asked.
"Anything can have its place." He replied. "The only grudge I have held for him is that he- self-proclaimed Justicemaker- did nothing simply because our people were born of Chromatic Dragons. Perhaps in those days, we were born into evil, perhaps in those days, we were enemies... Yet they raged, knowing what Garl did was wrong... heinous even. It was targeted retaliation for something his children did first, for the natural result of- I believe the term is 'fucking around and finding out'."
"Good old FAFO." I remarked.
I heard the door open, followed by Molo meekly coming up the stairs. When he saw me, he looked terrified. He approached my Emperor and pledged himself, was collared, and sent on his way.
"Seven out of nine so far." My Emperor mused.
"Good, it means most of them got the memo." I replied. I heard the door open, then shut, followed by footsteps approaching us.
It was the Rogue from earlier. He knelt and said, "Master, Imperator, I am here to report that we have successfully managed to leave beyond the wall and enter our enemies' base of operations. We have managed to do this without being spotted. Our Leader is waiting for you."
I nodded. "By your leave, my Emperor." I said.
My Emperor nodded and I followed the Rogue down a street I've been on countless times, one that was open and public. I recognized the house I was led to as Nakk's, the rogue knocked, and the door opened.
"Councilor Ruuk, thank you for coming. I'm sorry to divert you just to fix some of my stuff." Nakk said amiably, gesturing for me to enter.
I simply nodded and went inside. The moment the door shut, he dropped the amiable demeanor and said, "Thank you for coming, Imperator. This way."
He led me into his house, then into a closet. I didn't expect the floor to move underneath us, but it led us down into a large room.
"You have a basement." I observed.
"This is my base of operations." He said. "This was where our sewer system used to be, cleaning it out was a headache and a half, but since we moved onto more sustainable means of addressing waste- Merti's idea to use it as fertilizer and the Artificers' Guild designing a means of filtering and cleansing urine being particularly inspired- we decided to make use of the existing architecture to ensure our stealthy movement through the town."
"That explains why nobody's really wised up to how you've been spying on everyone." I remarked. "What were your plans, before I found our Emperor?"
"Keep everything stable." He replied. I noticed there were a few Kobold Monks present among the dozens of Rogues. "Rogue, Monk, we're all Shadowscale." He said. "That being said, our Monks are strictly neutral, they made it clear they won't align themselves to a singular ideal, their only interest is ensuring the Warren does not devolve into infighting."
"As I've already seen." I remarked.
"They're happy with how you handled the Temple, though they can't fathom how you found the platinum."
"Bahamut visited me." I said. "I honestly thought he was being obvious."
"That would explain it." I didn't notice the Monk walking on my other side, but it sure as hell startled me. "You are here regarding the recent mission's success, we ensured nobody was detected."
"Our Monks do not identify themselves." Nakk spoke. "I don't understand it, but it's what they agreed was the right course of action, so we just go along with it."
"For the sake of convenience, you may call me Fox." The Monk spoke. "And before you ask, we have all elected to live apart from the Warren. We may walk the streets, but until things have achieved equilibrium, we will continue to observe from the shadows."
I nodded.
We came over to an area where a handful of Rogues were sat. They stood up as soon as they noticed us, and began casting spells to show the interior of our enemy's base of operations. It felt like a punch to the gut, seeing not only electricity clearly being supplied to them, but also having established sinks and refrigerators.
They glut themselves on what we struggled to provide for ourselves, things that needed miracles just to sustain us. Through tears of hatred, I spat out my incantation.
​
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Hello!
I'm 25 and currently living in London, and I'm looking for someone who shares similar interests as me to see where it takes us! Of course, I am open-minded to explore and experience even more — so if you have some unique things or hobbies, I wanna know!
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