Part time jobs in vallejo ca

Hi Mr Peterson. I am a 40 year old man from Oakville, On. In 2016, I started taking benzos after going trough a emotionally hard time in my professional life. Worked like a charm… for a couple of months. Fast forward, in 2018, after taking a dose before a speaking presentation that I was supposed to do in Quebec, I got totally confused. I can’t remember what happened but friends called an ambulance. What a chance because O stopped breathing once I got into the hospital. Woke up next morning, totally confused, my wife and best friend crying at my bedside. No one knew I was addicted. I ended up in rehab, lost my job and almost lost my mariage (and my life…). And then the shame of being looked at as a junkie and worst of all, the HELL of withdrawal… felt like dying would have been better so many time (and i don’t say it lightly). I found that a special combination of diet/exercise/ breathing techniques got me through this hell. I can’t believe that psychiatrists still prescribe this garbage… are they aware of whats going on? Are they that uninform that this is litteraly a loaded gun that they put into people hands?
Anyway, watching an interview with you discussing these issues this afternoon made me cry as i remembered how it was (and both our addiction and withdrawal happened at the same time 2016-2020). Thank you for being open and for being a voice to warn people of the dangers. Your experience (as bad as it was for you…) became a great incouragement for me today. Felt like someone understood me.
Thank you very much
Daniel

One too many times, I have waited on a scheduled phone call or sat in an empty zoom meeting, ultimately never receiving an explanation why. This is a blatant disrespect of my time and effort (and my makeup).
Like I get being ghosted after the interview or not receiving a follow up, but most of these appointments were confirmed as early as the day of! What is wrong with these employees? I am certain they wouldn't appreciate being in my shoes if given the chance.
It just adds another layer of the overall unpleasant experience of job hunting. Just getting it off my chest because it just happened to be again today. :,(

I was accepted to begin my 3 year MSW program in August. However, I am debating on changing my track to the 2 year program. I will be resigning from my full time job right before the semester starts and working was the main reason as to why I chose the 3 year track.
Can anyone give me some insight on the 2-year MSW program if you have gone through it or currently going through it? The only thing I worry about with the 2 year track is the field practicum being 16 hours a week for the first year.

So guys this happened with me that I study in Delhi and after taking the certificates from college back I shifted the room 2-3 times within 2 months and I lost my files which included my 10th memo now I have to apply it back it’s so hectic and I will do masters in 1 month and I will say this all happened with the circle I made trusting those two Telugu guys from hyderabad ruined my college life they never appear to college or class (same class) nor study I should have sticked with north east west whoever it would have been. I single handedly ruined my college life and career momentum I always had second thought about this company but I was surrounded with that Bollywood college life with these two should have stepped out of the shite show and should have sticked to my village roots. The city culture, girls, parties , road trips easily took away my studious side which I had till inter. I just can’t stand up to my father and say that these are my friends and I’m lucky to have them instead he will be thinking that I’m an idiot who fell for the Moh maya. The worst part is my mother works in edu dept in TS and father in district court both can fastrack the process but I will be never be viewed by my parents that they used to look upon me before.

I'm a pretty strong dude getting to that time in my life where I'm looking at myself. Idk if I'll ever have kids but my family has extremely good/dominant genes. I've got the itch to spread those genes. The men in my family are handsome, strong, and intelligent. My job keeps me traveling, but I think it'd be a real shame to let those genes go to waste. Contact me if you're a woman interested in this little experiment. Local to Florida, but like I said, I travel.

When I was in school, I was focused. They gave me assignments, projects, exams, they told me what to do. I knew what I had to do to succeed. It was extremely stressful but at least I knew what to do.
Now after graduation, I'm in the job market looking for my first job....and I am completely clueless. It's been almost a year. I don't know what exactly I'm supposed to be doing. I don't have a compass or a guide. If I do something, I always wonder if I'm even doing the right thing or wasting time. I spent the past 6 months working on a big personal project, and some people have said that recruiters don't even look at personal projects so there's no point. Or maybe its just a certain niche of recruiters who do.
The lack of stress is actually what scares me. Stress has always reminded me that I'm on the right track, but I'm not feeling any stress now. Only ambiguity. I wish there was someone who would just tell me what to do and if I do it, I'll end up in a job.

I hope this is the right subreddit for this, I could use some advice or words of encouragement. I just got out of inpatient recently a few weeks ago, where I found out most of what I was experiencing was dissociation along with anxiety and paranoia. That my diagnosis could all be wrong but since they were a very short term facility, they couldn’t diagnose me. I went to my follow up appointment with my therapist, and we talked about the memory problems, the anxiety, the feeling of having a plethora of masks or these parts of me that felt like characters waiting for their time on stage, that seem to influence and take over when I’m triggered, and these intense nightmares and paranoia of being hurt again. She said she is leaning on it being dissociative identity disorder but she doesn’t have much experience with it, and until we know what I truly have, she can’t fully help me. I personally don’t know if I have it or not, I rather not diagnose myself and get it wrong. So she is sending me inpatient again at a different facility to see if they can figure out what’s wrong and properly diagnose me. I’m not looking forward to it, mostly cause I’ve been in and out of hospitals, and gotten a passport of different diagnoses that seem to change with each new doctor. Has anyone else gone through this? I could use some advice or words of encouragement.

I'm (F20), my older sister is 24. We are four years apart from each other. Growing up, we were close, but as I've grown up, we've sort of became a little distant, and I've started to see her worst qualities over time (irresponsible with money, locks herself out of the apartment sometimes, won't EVER do the dishes her damn self, eats up all the food in the house two seconds after it was bought, spends her day surfing bad communities she says she hates but engages in anyway)...you get the gist.
She never went to college. And that's cool. People don't have to go to college. In fact, sometimes I wish I just went to community college and began my life from there. But her issue is, from 18 to 24, she not only stayed out of school, but refused to hold a job. She pretty much bummed off my parents for a good junk of her adult life. And as a result, she can't really do anything for herself. Did I mention she doesn't even have a license or have plans to take care of herself or move out?
Sometime ago, my parents got mad at her for being a freeloader and taking advantage of them. I defended her because, hey, even though were a little distant, she's still my sister. I proudly said, back then, that I'd let her live with me if they thought about kicking her out. That was before I saw the light.Now after seeing how she's throwing her life away and pretty much regressing into a dependent child who depends on others to take care of her, I don't think I can stomach spending the first few years of my adult life cleaning up after her.
In the fall of last year, my mother heard of me wanting to move out after college, and she was like "Oh, you should take your older sister with you", as if she wanted to remove the burden from her house and put her in my house instead. I said no, I don't think that would be a good idea. She's irresponsible, won't do anything without anyone telling her to do it, I already know she's HORRIBLE with her money, lazy, and has a list of phobias that would prevent me from actually doing the things I want, like getting pets or even protecting myself with a firearm (She can't handle dangerous weapons or being around them). My mom got upset with me and tried to guilt me. "But you guys were so close, why don't you want to have her in the house???" But I put my foot down and told her to fuck off, in a polite, respect your parents way. IE, I said, "Let's just stop talking about this".
Anyway, I'm gonna be graduating soon. My sister is still stuck in her ways and I'm not interested in being her secondary parent to "push her" to do what she's supposed to do. I've done it before and she either regressed backwards or she straight up ignored me and went back to old habits. I'm not interested in living with her or being near her for a while since most of my life has been with her. I need some time to breathe and be on my own. Not stay around cleaning up after her.
But, I thought about what my mom said. She hasn't asked me to let my sister move in in a while. But I'm sincerely worried it might come back up again. And I don't know how to tell her politely that I don't trust her to live with me enough right now and that I think we need to be apart. Because I don't want my sister to blow up and accuse me of hating her, and I don't want my parents to guilt me and make me feel bad for not wanting her around me right now.
Maybe if she shows more responsibility, I'll reconsider, but as it stands now, I can't even fathom her living with me.Would I be the asshole if I told my parents I didn't want her to live with me? I need other people's opinions on what to do.

So I was thinking one day it’s time to not let anyone walk all over me, I have made that mistake in the past and have learnt from it and I have come back stronger, I will never ever let anyone walk over me and force me to do something so that’s part of my story and why I came to Reddit to find a beautiful, long term, meaningful friendship.
I’m looking for friends who are interested in animals, wild life photography. I am also interested in Indian guys or anyone really it does not matter.
Please message me if interested, tell me a about yourself like your age/where you’re from and your favourite memory or experience from your life.
Please don’t mess me around, if you do I will not reply, also I hate people ghosting so none of that, please please only message me if you are actually serious.

Half the time or more, no one on our private server can send out their minions. I'm one of the lucky ones for whom it still works (after moving all my coffins closer to the throne/heart), but other times we get an endless stream of bugs: minions show up multiple times in the list, minions are tagged as inventory-full when they have nothing on them, minions simply cant be clicked on or added to a hunt area, minions simple don't show up at all on the list...the bugs go on and on and on. Proximity between heart/throne and coffins doesn't seem to matter for some people either.
Surely this is being prioritized for a fix by devs....right? It's a pretty big part of the game, especially in later stages of play, and not being able to use our minions is a big feelbad for us.

So I was thinking one day it’s time to not let anyone walk all over me, I have made that mistake in the past and have learnt from it and I have come back stronger, I will never ever let anyone walk over me and force me to do something so that’s part of my story and why I came to Reddit to find a beautiful, long term, meaningful friendship.
I’m looking for friends who are interested in animals, wild life photography. I am also interested in Indian guys or anyone really it does not matter.
Please message me if interested, tell me a about yourself like your age/where you’re from and your favourite memory or experience from your life.
Please don’t mess me around, if you do I will not reply, also I hate people ghosting so none of that, please please only message me if you are actually serious.

TLDR: My manager who is older than me consistently texts me and we enjoy each others company.
I'm going to try and keep this short but there's a lot of background info to go over.
3 months ago I(16F) started a new job in fast food for summer, I instantly became friends w all my coworkers and enjoy the job a lot. One of my first friends there (18F who we will call Lily) was on the surface really nice. The more we hung out and I met other people, Lily wasn't as cool as she seemed. She sexualized me constantly(aswell as many other coworkers) and continue to pursue a relationship with me even after she started dating a different coworker. I ended separating myself from them.
Lily was at one point the “top of the foodchain” (AKA she slept with the whole store). She pinned me against my manager (19M who we will care George). She told me many times how George changed so much when he became a manager and he wasn't nice. They also had a history. For a long time I took Lilys word, but she ended up getting a second job and working less so I became closer with cooler coworkers.
This is where the weird stuff starts. Me and George ended up working nights together like everyday. He makes the schedule so I genuinely didn't think much of this. We talked a lot and he ended up becoming one of my favorite Co-Workers. Genuinely a funny guy. He's super genuine and has a wholesome heart and we laugh about stupid shit all shift.
One day George told me he has an cat, and I wanted to see it. So he added me on snap chat to show me. Ever since then we snapped a lot, soon becoming pretty high on the bestfriends list. I didn't think of it odd until he started today stuff that threw me off. He would call me pretty, ask if I was ok, always keep the conversation going, and make it a point to tell me he's not seeing anyone.
Now it maybe me overthinking, but I also feel like I can't tell anyone because there's a large age gap and it's my manager.

💥 Tuesday at 8 PM! 💥 Watch some of the city's funniest comics roast real life DM's of people sliding in and shooting their shot. Featuring Tamara Shevon, Aidan O'Loughlin, Jacob Balshin & Ben Bayfield.
"In The DM's" brings the chaotic energy of online flirting, bold pick-up lines, and hilarious dating fails right to the stage. So, grab your friends, colleagues, or even that special someone you've been messaging, and get ready for a night of laughter and bonding over the insane experience of online dating in the modern age.
Get your tickets here and don't miss your chance to be part of this unique comedy event!

So it’s been 8 months so far since I’ve been supporting my boyfriend while he does his sentence. We have another 8 months to go so we’re halfway there. But I’m TIRED.
The anxiety I get from waiting for his calls throughout my days, the anxiety from not knowing his exact release date just yet, going out and seeing other couples do things we would have fun doing, a new movie coming out knowing you can’t go on a movie date, the lack of organization and professionalism in the prison systems, sleeping alone, the constant worry about his safety, I can on and on. It’s just all too much…
I feel bad because I agreed to be with him while he’s in there so I should just accept everything that comes with it. But instead I complain to him all the time about how sad I am. Meanwhile he always tells me how happy and grateful he is for me. It’s not even that I want to date other people because I don’t. Even if we broke up I have no interest in getting to know anybody and I’m okay with that. I’m just not okay with not having my partner here with me. And part of me is still so angry that he got himself in this situation in the first place.
To sum it up, there’s just a lot of misplaced anger on my end and he just listens and tries to make me feel better. What do you guys do to get through this? There’s only 8 months left but I’m absolutely losing my mind. And not sure what to do about it.

This is part vent part advice welcome. I’m just tired of OCD just ruining all my good memories. I remember something and it twists and turns it to something awful, I hate the out of body experience I get in these moments, where it clearly takes over with intrusive thoughts and turns something I love, or something I’m proud of into a trigger.
I’m in therapy, I do exposure and talk therapy. And I should be celebrating all the growth that I’ve done over the last three years (I used to have these OCD episodes lasting weeks at a time, now it might last a day in the worst cases). But it feels like such a defeat when it hits back.
What I hate about this moments too is that I feel like my brain is intentionally looking for an opening to self sabotage, to go into re-assurance or in compulsive behavior. And I know it won’t really make me feel better, so it turns into this irritable mess of a human I don’t like.
I’m not sure what advice I’m looking for honestly. I guess success stories, anything that shows me there is a light at the end of this tunnel, tools and techniques.
Sending so much love to everyone here ❤️

This weekend, the "Transformers" franchise returns to take on reigning box-office champ Spider-Man ("Across the Spider-Verse") with a pop-culture icon of its own: Autobot leader Optimus Prime rolls out again, this time with some new metal friends called the Maximals. With a more down-to-earth narrative, Eva Longoria directs a real-life dramedy about the Mexican janitor who claims responsibility for Flamin' Hot Cheetos, while there's also a trio of good horror-tinged films, including a documentary on "A Nightmare on Elm Street" legend Robert Englund.
​
Here's a guide to new movies that will satisfy every cinematic taste, plus some noteworthy theatrical films making their streaming and on-demand debuts:
​
If you grew up loving Optimus Prime: 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts'
Optimus Primal (voiced by Ron Perlman, left) and Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) are a dynamic duo in "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts."
On paper, it sounds a little weird, even for a franchise about transforming alien robots – Pete Davidson as an illusion-casting Porsche? Michelle Yeoh as a talking metal falcon? – but a lot of the 1990s-set "Beasts" works with crowd-pleasing sci-fi adventure and wry humor. This time around, thankfully, well beyond the days of Michael Bay directing these things, Optimus Prime and the Autobots squad up with the animal-themed Maximals to thwart Unicron's plans to devour Earth.
​
​
Paramount’s films. It’s one meant to bring in both a young, new generation of fans and aging millennials with fond memories of cartoons from the ’80s and ’90s. Rise of the Beasts finds quite a bit of time to pay tribute to older, classic pieces of Transformers storytelling from places like the original Transformers animated movie from 1986. But when it comes to maximizing — which is to say capitalizing on and making interesting use of — the Beast Wars mythos Paramount implied would be a large part of its story, Rise of the Beast falls short, which is disappointing but not exactly a surprise.
​
Though Rise of the Beasts pulls together characters from both the far-flung past and the distant future, it’s primarily set in 1994 and tells — shockingly — the story of how an unsuspecting human ends up becoming one of the most important participants in a longstanding Cybertronian war. As a young army veteran, all Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) really wants is to find a job to be able to support his little brother Kris (Dean Scott Vazquez) and their mom Breanna (Luna Lauren Velez). With steady work being hard to come by, though, it makes more sense for Noah to get into boosting cars with his buddy Reek (Tobe Nwigwe) than to sit around waiting for recruiter calls that simply aren’t coming in.
​
It being the ’90s, an old-fashioned slim jim is all Noah needs to get into most cars, like the silver and blue Porsche 964 Carrera RS 3.8 he plans to drive off with the evening of his very first robbery. Right as he’s finally able to work up the nerve to get into the car, however, Noah’s shocked and horrified when the vehicle powers up on its own and starts driving off in response to a radio message calling for the Autobots to roll out.
​
​
Paramount
It should be said that, as predictable and somewhat clunky as Rise of the Beasts is, the movie isn’t without its charms, like the clever and flashy ways that it uses its first chase sequence to introduce you to Mirage (Pete Davidson), the Autobot who takes Noah’s attempt to steal him in stride and as a sign that they should probably be friends. Instead of just telling Noah flat-out that he’s an alien who merely looks like a car, Mirage uses the chase sequence to give his human companion an idea of where his code name comes from, and many of the chase’s smaller details, like the mirage-like clones of Noah the Autobot creates, work to illustrate his lighthearted sense of humor.
​
​
It’s quite clear from the jump that Noah and Mirage are going to be Rise of the Beasts’ emotional core. But rather than using its time judiciously to make sure that its human / alien robot friendship dynamic has enough juice to sustain this story, Rise of the Beasts splits its focus between Noah and the Autobots and Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback), an archaeologist and researcher of mysterious objects of indeterminate origin.
​
It’s actually Elena’s late-night tinkering with a strange, birdlike statue that actually sets the bulk of Rise of the Beasts’ story into motion. But unlike Noah, who always feels like he’s being moved from one scene carefully crafted to build up his heroic framing, Elena constantly seems like something of an afterthought who ends up being saddled with spiels of exposition for dialogue. Fishback is doing her best with what little Rise of the Beasts’ script gives her, but Ramos is able to shine as both a comedic and somewhat dramatic presence opposite Mirage, who mostly just feels like Davidson — dick jokes and all — in Autobot form.
​
Even though it’s a nod to Beast Wars, Rise of the Beasts’ central MacGuffin is every bit as memorable as those in previous Transformers movies, which is to say “not very much.” But it serves the purpose of bringing all of this story’s new players into focus very quickly, which helps keep Rise of the Beasts from ever feeling like it has major pacing issues.
​
​
Paramount
One significant problem the movie does have, unfortunately, is the way it starts to feel overfull and like it doesn’t know how to manage all of its characters once Mirage and Noah have linked up with Optimus and the other Autobots and once the movie’s villains all begin to mobilize.

As mentioned in the title, I had to do three parts to this job. I had to replace my alternator, coolant expansion tank, and radiator cooling fan all in one go.
I had to drain the coolant to remove the fan > expansion tank > alternator. Upon reinstalling everything and filling up the coolant and running it through the system for bubbles.
The AC now doesn't blow cold, just warm ambient - hot air temperature.
Any suggestions on what the issue may be? I know it's a closed loop system so I shouldn't have lost or had issues with the AC but I could be wrong. 🤷

Category:
Filed with family-based I-485 (NBC)
Timeline:
10/21/22 application received
3/20/23 1st I-765 expedite request (qualifications: national benefits)
4/4/23 2nd expedite request submitted (qualifications: healthcare worker+national benefits+financial) loss)
4/10/23 additional evidence requested; provided a job offer, cover letter, and bank statement
4/17 Case approved and the combo card was producing
I received a job offer and took some time to put together the cover letter along with the offer letter from my employer for the 2nd expedited request. However, my I485 is currently still pending after a RFE (responded almost 3 months ago)but I know I am very lucky already, especially with my extremely supportive wife during the process. And I hope to share this experience with whoever in the similar situation. Good luck!

I'm currently working a job with 12 hour shifts, aspiring to go to PA school. For those who also work 12hr shifts as Nurses, docs, PAs, etc, how do you find time in the 24 hours of your day to actively maintain a good workout regimen?

[Chapter One]
​
Prev and Next
​
Rosifo Girtwoud woke up feeling sore and exhausted. He slept well, but never as long as he’d have liked. He could hear his roommates moving around and getting ready for their days. Sitting up in bed, he stretched and took stock. His new job was physically demanding, but it was the best job he’d ever had. By a lot. He loved having his own room in a nice place, all thanks to his generous new salary! He could even afford to eat as much as he wanted, a luxury he’d not even dreamed was possible. Last night he ate three helpings of honey glazed pork at the pub! Still clumsy from sleep, Ros shrugged on a tunic and clean slacks, pausing for a second to appreciate the lordly quality of the garments. He still couldn’t believe he owned such nice things, and the Chief just gave it to him! Well, everyone got a few, but that didn’t make it any less special. Ros put on his belt as he went downstairs to the kitchen, where a few of his roommates were eating breakfast and the landlady was pulling some fresh buns out of the wood fired oven.
“Hey there’s the champ now!” called out Rikad, his housemate and co-worker.
“Heh, there are some perks to being the lightest guy on the squad!” Ros replied, referring to the agility drill he had won at work yesterday. Three days a week of training was by far the hardest part of the job, being trained by the Chief was like weathering a storm. Terrifying and dangerous, but something you could be proud of surviving. The other three days a week they worked were a holiday in comparison. Sitting on carts and standing by warehouses was easy.
Ros devoured his huge bowl of sweetened oats and then three buttered fresh buns. Pushing back from the long table with a satisfied sigh, he got up to leave for work with Rikad. The spring morning air was brisk, and they made sure to stay out of the way of loaded carts and riders that zipped by on the narrow cobblestone streets.
“What do you reckon the Chief will have us do today?” Rikad asked.
Ros snorted, “Quit embarrassing ourselves and pick up the pace?”
“Hah! That’s hardly a guess! I liked the knife throwing we did a few weeks ago, that was fun. I hope it’s not all runs and drills, I’m still aching from yesterday,” Rikad said.
“Yeah, I like combat drills. Other than when I have to spar with the Chief. He’s like a mountain that’s fast. I think the day I get a point on him, I’ll buy the whole team a beer!” Ros motioned a lunging jab as they walked.
“We’ll be too old to drink by then!” Rikad teased.
They were in for a typical training routine, a morning lecture on tactics and formations, some solo weapon drills, a short run, then a hearty lunch delivered from the nearby deli. Other days they just called a food cart into the yard with them, but Ros liked the deli lunches better. Also the novelty of someone else buying his lunches was thrilling. Ros assumed that this must be how pretty girls felt all the time. Maybe less sore and less yelled at. But maybe not.
The real highlight of the day was Ros got to see the owner of the whole company when he came out to observe their exercises. Ros hadn’t seen a real lord up close before he started at Pandemonium, and he thought it was one of the biggest perks. Mostly he looked like a tired doctor or shopkeeper, but Ros wasn’t disappointed. He had a nobility of his bearing, clarity in his eyes and an aura of authority. Even the Chief changed when he was around him! Seeing the him defer to anyone spoke volumes to their importance. Not only was he the lord of a whole company, he was also a mage! They were super rare even before the Church started purging all those heresies in their College of Magic, but now he wasn’t even sure there were any in the city!
“Agility drills are done! Imma talk to Mage Thippily, so you lot do some king of the hill sparring; Sword ‘n board! Ros and Kedril start!” boomed Chief of Security Stanisk.
Ros staggered exhaustedly to the equipment racks to get an arming jacket, leather helm, training sword and shield.
“Mage Thippliy is watching,” he whispered reverentially to himself as he geared up.
“Mind your tone or he’ll turn you into a turnip!” called Rikad.
Kedril grinned, “Hah, He’ll turn you into a turnip, Rik. He’ll just look at Ros and see his work is already done!”
Ros used to despise Kedril. He embodied everything Ros had yearned to become: handsome, confident, affluent, and sharp-witted. The team's dynamic was confrontational, rife with competition; they raced, fought, and scored against one another all day, three days a week. It had taken Ros a while to grasp that they were, in fact, a team. Kedril, infuriatingly attractive, devoted time to helping Ros in a few drills last week and offered valuable advice. So, albeit begrudgingly, Ros began to admire him. Kedril was older by a few years, substantially larger, and appeared to be one of the few who already had some training in arms. The prospect of sparring with him didn’t excite Ros.
Fresh from drills and immediately thrown into sparring, sweat trickled into Ros's eyes. The sting impaired his vision. He repeated to himself, 'Elbows in, shield up, tip forward, hips back,’ partially to fix his stance, partially to focus. Kedril was typically in better shape than him, but now appeared even more worn out. His guard was lax and messy, creating a gaping opening. Ros seized the opportunity and struck with a swift, precise jab. In the fleeting instant the jab took, Kedril's shield snapped into position, and his tip dealt a solid blow to Ros's ribs just beneath his sword arm. It was a feint - a brilliantly executed display of weakness where he was most prepared, exactly the tactic Stanisk had explained yesterday.
“Mashed Turnip!” Kedril shouted to the cheers of the others.
“Ros! You lost because your stance is awful! Keep lower! Coiled spring, lad!” the Chief shouted from across the yard.
Ros raised his hands over his head to cede the point and sat at the end of the bench. He hated losing, but he had expected to lose. He gratefully grabbed a cup of water and watched Kedril make short work of a few more challengers. It seemed like they were picking on him, but Ros was coming to understand they were also bonding with him, and these might be the closest friends he’d ever had. Not that it was a high bar, and he didn’t like all of them, but they had his back, and that meant a lot. Finally Jourgun, the biggest lad on the team, tore into Kedril with so much energy and fury that no amount of clever tactics could stop him. Even though he knew these were his friends, seeing Kedril getting bashed in the face with a shield was almost as good as seeing a real mage!
One thing Ros appreciated about training days was that they were shorter. After the sparring, Stanisk pulled aside Kedril and Jourgun for additional work, and dismissed the rest of the men. Ros trailed behind some of his newfound friends to a peculiar place where one would sit, fully naked, in a steam-filled room, all for two glucks.
“This is a sex thing, right?” Ros asked Rikad cautiously.
“What?! Light, no! It’s to relax and heal," Rikad explained. "They place herbs on hot rocks, we sit there, sweat, and breathe in the steam. It’s excellent, you’ll love it!”
“Sounds like we’re all naked and sweaty, though?” Ros remained convinced this was some intimate activity he wasn’t fully grasping. Rikad rolled his eyes and even paid Ros’s entry fee.
Inside the dim, tiled room was surprisingly comfortable. The steam smelled slightly of herbs and medicine, and it was so thick he couldn’t even see the far wall. A quick survey of the others revealed they were just as covered in bruises as he was, which gave Ros a fresh sense of camaraderie. They towelled off, dressed, drank some cold water, and left the strange business without any hint of the carnal encounter Ros had suspected. Despite his lingering confusion about the whole place, Ros liked it and wanted to come back. He appreciated his squadmates not making a single steamed turnip joke. He was hoping that didn’t stick as a nickname, he felt it didn’t remotely suit him.
After the steam, their muscles relaxed and the day's tension eased away. Ros and Rikad were starving. It had been hours since lunch, so they headed to a nearby tavern for drinks and dinner. Being able to simply enjoy food and drink without concern for the price was an intoxicatingly fresh experience. In fact, Ros enjoyed this newfound freedom even more than the meal itself.
After a huge dinner and a few beers Ros paused, and opened up a little.
"Did you know this is the pub where I talked the Chief into hiring me?"
"Really? To be honest, I've always wondered about that. No offence, but you're a lot smaller than the rest of us." Rikad pushed away his empty plate, taking a long drink of his beer.
"Yeah, I saw the Chief in here, dressed like a shining champion, buying ladies drinks and rounds for the whole bar. He was so confident and kind and relaxed. But also obviously dangerous. I’d never seen anyone like him!" Ros gestured to the tavern maid for a refill. "I must have been a sight. My clothes were more patch than original cloth, I was so skinny you could've counted my ribs through a sweater. Not that I had sweater money!" Ros reflected on the lean muscle he'd gained in recent months with inward satisfaction.
"Did the Chief take you for a beggar?"
Ros bristled at the suggestion. "Hell no! I've never begged in my life, I've always earned my keep!" his brief flare of indignation faded immediately. "No, he thought I was a refugee, from some starving backwater. Of course, I corrected him—after he bought me dinner!"
"Hah! The proper sequence," Rikad agreed, laughing.
"Anyway, he asked about my plans. I told him I was waiting till I was eighteen to join the army and serve the Emperor."
"You've certainly filled out since I met you, but I'm not sure you'd pass the army physical even now," Rikad cautiously speculated.
"The Chief was blunter about it. 'Yer so scrawny, a necromancer would find ya offputting, the army ain't gonna waste rations on ya.'" Ros imitated Stanisk’s gruff rural northerner accent.
"Hah! That sounds about right. Which makes your wearing company purple less clear than ever!" Rikad replied.
"Well, he asked if I knew my way around the city. I said I've tread every cobblestone here, so he offered me a job running letters and picking up parcels. Better work than sweeping alleys for a half-gluck and stale bread. I figured a fancy man like him would pay alright."
The waitress finally brought the next round, and Ros paused to take a long drink. Setting his mug down, he continued. "I walked into the Chief's office, and there he was behind that tiny desk with his book and quill. He looked like a cave troll trying to be a librarian. But I wasn't gonna laugh—it was still the Chief. He said, 'We don’t got a lot for now but I’ll give you a list in the morning, and see that it gets done.' I said ain’t fancy, I don’t know how to read! He didn't lose his cool. He simply nodded and said, 'Alright, just report to me in the morning, and we’ll get you started.' Oh, and he warned me never to speak to the Mage unless spoken to, which suited me fine."
Ros took another drink of his beer, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and continued. "I was hoping for five gee a day. I’d probably have done it for a lone gluck, to be honest. So imagine my shock when he apologised that he could only offer me twenty glucks a day!"
"Where were you living, that five would've been enough?" Rikad asked, curious.
Ros, slightly flushed from the beer, leaned forward. "Under a bloody hedge!" He burst into laughter at his own expense.
"That's rough man," Rikad commented, shaking his head.
Ros nodded. "It was, but it's behind me now. After a month or so of running errands, the Chief finally let me join the crew he was training. That's how I ended up a part of the elite guard of a learned lord mage."
Rikad, his face ruddy, pointed his finger at Ros’s chest. "It’s your attitude! You always train the hardest. It’s changed the whole team's tone."
Ros nodded again, serious. "I gotta! The fifteen hundred gee I make every month now is probably more than I did in the last decade. Total! I bet we make as much as a knight commander does leading a thousand soldiers!"
Rikad looked at him suspiciously. "Wait, a decade? Aren't you still a teenager?"
Ros shrugged. "It's been a long, hard time. Anyway, I know I promised to go to see that folk band with you tonight, but I'm spent. I think I might call it an early night." He finished the beer in two long gulps and stood up.
"I get it. Besides, tomorrow's Sunday. We can finally sleep in!" Rikad pointed out.
******
Ros woke to a frantic pounding on his bedroom door. It was still dark out.
“Go away! Keep it down! You’ll wake the whole house!” Ros grumbled, mostly asleep.
“Come on man! Emergency meeting at the training yard. We gotta go now!” Rikad hoarsely whispered.
“Ah, that’s not good!” Ros threw on some clothes and headed out the door with his friend.
“Think it has something to do with what Kedril and Jourgun were doing after work?” Ros asked.
“Maybe? That was hours and hours ago, and those guys are great, and they were with the Chief,” Rikad countered.
They jogged through the mostly empty streets. The moons were behind clouds, and the dew made the cobblestones slick. The faint flickering of their leviathan oil lamp cast strange shadows in the foggy night. The city felt on edge, too many people on the streets in the middle of the night, whispering. A few times Ros thought he heard something about thunder and demons, which did nothing to calm his growing panic.
“What if something happened to Mage Thippily? Are we all unemployed now?” Ros asked, knowing Rikad knew as much as he did.
“What is the business we guard? Something to do with magically formed super secret goods that no one was allowed to talk about. I think? I should have asked,” Rikad lamented.
Finally they made it to the yard, and Kedril was standing at the gate, torch held aloft.
“Good lads! Go into the workshop and take a seat. The Chief has some tea on.” Kedril’s voice was as calm and steady as ever, but his face was pale and drawn, and his eyes never focused on them, just scanned the night intently.
“Inside? Are you sure?” Ros had never gone inside; that was the single biggest rule.
Kedril just nodded. Ros and Rikad looked at each other for courage and moved forward. The big yard door to the workshop opened a crack, and warm light was spilling out. Rikad motioned Ros to go first, and he poked his head in, fully expecting to lose it.
“Oy, is that Ros? Git your scrawny ass in here,” Chief Stanisk rumbled.
The two men felt like flies exploring a web, but inside was surprisingly normal. Five other guards were already there, and the room was a lot like any other workshop. It had planked floors, shelves and tables and one corner was even converted into a kitchen. There were a few simple stools set up, and two incredibly luxurious loungers. Like everyone else, Ros and Rikad took a stool. The Chief gestured to a kettle and mugs for the tea, but no one seemed interested.
“What’s happening, is everyone okay?” Ros finally asked.
“Short answer is yes, for now.” Stanisk said calmly. “We’ll give the other lads a few minutes to get here, then I’ll explain.”
“Holy light, sir! You aren’t wearing your armour!” This unsettled Ros more than anything he’d seen all night, it was like seeing a bear shaved. Chief was just sitting there in trousers and a shirt, sipping tea. He’d never seen the Chief without armour.
“Needs cleaned,” he answered cryptically.
Follow up questions were interrupted by the rest of the men arriving, followed by Kedril and then Jourgun, who must have been watching the far gate.
“Alright, gather round, at ease.” Stanisk started. He looked relaxed which was probably a good sign.
“You lot were hired to protect the interests of our operations. There was an attempt on Mage Thippliy’s life tonight, at his meeting. Security Specialists Kedril and Jourgun did excellent work, and I have full confidence in all of your growing abilities. Our concern is there will be additional attempts."
There was a murmur of apprehension. The mage was the company. Without him there was nothing to guard. No one here wanted to lose their jobs, but they had been suspicious from the start. The pay didn’t match the work.
Stanisk paused as Mage Thipply and the elv, that had only been speculated to exist, came down the ladder from the loft. The mage was dressed like normal, in his brown pants and a white shirt, frameless glasses and a short well maintained beard streaked with grey. The elv was wearing an oversized sweater and long stockings. It had the effect of making her upper body look human, but with the long spindly legs of a shore bird. Her huge nocturnal eyes stared at them all unblinkingly, and her long narrow fingers with too many segments wrapped around a mug of tea. Ros was both intimidated and repulsed. It was like a bird or an insect pretending to be a person, but with eyes that had intelligence and cruelty.
“Ah! Um, thank you all for coming!” The mage was directly addressing them, Ros grinned despite his fears and worries. “There have been events over the last week or so that have culminated tonight, and I no longer think that our operation in Jagged Cove is viable.” The mage saw the reaction of the crowd turn sharply negative. He hastily added, “Of course I’m not closing up shop, we’re just moving to another location. A location outside of the capital region, and I’d like you all to join us.”
Ros sighed and leaned back in relief. This wasn’t bad news at all. He’d gladly move to the bottom of the sea for the Mage. He could feel his pulse returning to normal, as other people started asking questions.
“What? I can’t leave the city, I got a wife and kids!” a guard named Theros said.
“Oh, I just started dating a baker's apprentice, is there an option to stay?” Jourgun asked.
The elv stood up, and addressed the room with an icy indifference. “This is not a negotiation. There is a ship that is leaving in about six hours. If you are on it, you will remain employed. We have also made considerations for your families. They are welcome on the ship, and you can find new homes in the town we relocate to.” She subtly nodded to the Chief before continuing. “Chief Stanisk values your skills so highly that he convinced the board of directors to offer each of you a five year contract. The contract will have some additional employment conditions, but there will be a 5000 glindi signing bonus. Follow Chief Stanisk’s instructions to get on the boat, and we’ll see you there. Or not.”
She returned to the ornate chair, and the room erupted into chaos.
“Holy light! That’s so much!”
“I’d be insane not to sign!”
“Where are we even going?”
Ros grinned from ear to ear, what’s to decide? This was the best possible outcome! Free money to see the world! Packing his bags would take no time, and he could carry everything that mattered in one trip.
Stanisk took command of the room, “You with young ‘uns, we got the company wagons for you waiting, get a move on. I’ll take the mage’s personal wagon and do a loop to Kedril’s, Eowin’s and Klive’s. The rest of you, leg it! Meet back here in three hours and tell anyone what asks, that you took a job out of the city. Be vague! Come on, pick up the pace you helpless kittens!"
​
​
Prev and Next

So I was thinking one day it’s time to not let anyone walk all over me, I have made that mistake in the past and have learnt from it and I have come back stronger, I will never ever let anyone walk over me and force me to do something so that’s part of my story and why I came to Reddit to find a beautiful, long term, meaningful friendship.
I’m looking for friends who are interested in animals, wild life photography. I am also interested in Indian guys or anyone really it does not matter.
Please message me if interested, tell me a about yourself like your age/where you’re from and your favourite memory or experience from your life.
Please don’t mess me around, if you do I will not reply, also I hate people ghosting so none of that, please please only message me if you are actually serious.