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Hello!
39M in the Los Angeles area. Lately I've been in a weird spot in life. Career is fine, life is fine in general but I am finding myself more lonely than usual. A few years ago work consumed my life and I decided I needed a better work life balance, then the pandemic happened and I was busy non stop with work but I had more free time for hobbies and interests, the work-life balance really wasn't too bad. The last few months, I've regained a lot of work-life balance only to realize I don't have much of a life anymore...I really miss genuine friendship and companionship. I have friends that are local but it feels more like long distance friends as we're all busy with life or they have a growing family.
I want to try and meet new friends to do things with, like movies, explore, find new foods, go to food events, things centered around food. I enjoy theme parks, Marvel movies, some DC, Star Wars, Comedies, Action or thrillers. Horror might take me a minute to get me to go to one.
If any of this sounds interesting, feel free to message me. I am open to texting, chatting and voice calls. I would love it if you're local with the potential to meet up someday, if not anywhere in the US is good with me. I would like to keep in touch daily or every so often, send stupid memes, food pics, doggo pics and anything interesting to help pass the time.

Changelings
Changelings are mythical creatures, they are common in the myths of Britain/Ireland. They also exist elsewhere such as the Baltic countries etc.
You may be familiar with the concept. If you are not, changelings are imposters swapped by fairies.
For example, if you healthy baby that one day becomes very sickly... the people who believed these myths would say the fairies stole the healthy baby and replaced it with a sickly one.
The myth is fairly broad, it does not stop with children. Women can also be swapped by fairies. A woman would be said to be most vulnerable at liminal ("in between") stages of her life such as; Early marriage (new bride) or when she becomes pregnant for the first time (new mother).
It is my belief that GRRM was influenced by these myths and has weaved them into his stories.
Not only that, GRRM has made these concepts into a core part of his stories.
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Common characteristics of a "Changeling"
-Baby swapping (one baby is swapped for another)
-the baby is small in size for the baby's age (smaller than normal)
-the child is sickly (unhealthy)
-The child/character has uncanny insight
-Women in liminal states: new brides/new mothers (they are vulnerable to fairies swapping them)
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Wards as symbolic "changelings"
The taking of wards in ASOIAF is a big deal. We know the reason why families send their children to be wards. So we know there are benefits to this practice.
But our author also shows us that it's not without tradeoffs.
The wards of our story, like Theon Greyjoy, become (effectively) changelings. They get taken from their home. They are raised by someone else other than their true parents. And our author drives this idea home for us by sending Theon back to the Iron Islands. When he returns he is viewed as a stranger. His own father does not trust him or even view him as a proper son. When he says the Starks/greenlanders have made Theon theirs, he is essentially saying his "real son" has been swapped for an imposter.
We see Theon struggle with this issue. He has been gone from the islands so long he does not really recognizes anyone, not even his own sister. His father even chastises him for wearing gold for which he did not pay the "iron price".
As we can clearly see with Theon, being a ward changes the person. Their identity becomes a battleground. On the one hand, they come from one place and on the other they grew up at another.
Wards in ASOIAF are symbolically changelings. They are "swapped" children, taken away from their family and placed into another.
Brood Parasitism
"Changelings" natually occur in nature. It's nothing magical. It takes a lot of effort and resources to raise offspring. If you can "trick" another to do that for you? That'd be ideal. And certain animals try very hard to get others to raise their offspring for them. The issue is so serious, that it's caused an evolutionary arm's race between the two groups. Some species will even abandon all their offspring if they suspect one of them isn't their offspring.
The most famous example of this is the cuckoo bird, from which we derive the word "cuckold" (someone with an unfaithful partner).
I bring this up because there is a character who takes as his symbol the mockingbird (the bird the cowbird tricks to raise its children). Littlefinger.
Littlefinger
Littlefinger is associated with "changelings" in more ways than one.
-He was a ward to Hoster Tully (a swapped child).
-His symbol is the mockingbird (associated with brood parasitism).
-He kidnaps Catelyn's daughter (Tyrion's new bride.... new brides are also considered vulnerable to being swapped as changelings)
-He was front and center at the decision to block Jon Arryn sending Jon Arryn's heir away to be Stannis or Tywin Lannister's ward.
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I have listed below candidates who may be considered to "Changelings" based on certain characteristics. Some characters have multiple reasons for being considered to be changelings symbolically.
List of candidates that are symbolically "Changelings"
-Sweet Robin (sickly)**
-Tyrion* (small size, uncanny insight)**
-Theon (Ward)
-Sansa (new bride )
-Gilly/MonsteMance's son Aemon (new motheswapped child)
-Sandor Clegane (physical abuse by Fire... people would commonly mistreat children they thought were changelings with fire)
-Jon Snow (child "stealer" and, himself a stolen child)
-Ned Stark (Ward)
-Craster's sons (abducted children)
-Myrcella/Rosamund (child swap)
-Petyr Baelish (Ward)
-Samwell (not considered by Lord Tarly to be his son)
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*Changelings are associated with eggshells and, the only reference in the books to eggshells is in a Tyrion chapter.
**Doubtful paternity, brood parasitism

I am new to the area and I am well aware this sounds absolutely ridiculous. Are there really only one target and Walmart on the north end of the city? Are there alternative stores on the southern end or closer to the city center that I am unaware of? There seems to be a lot of shopping centers and grocery stores around but not many department type stores?

Hi all! I’m thinking of moving from London to Brighton. I loath living in London and cost of living has significantly increased since moving to the UK 2 years ago. I’ve lived in 4 countries and there’s nothing appealing about London to me.
I’m a young professional, just started my first big girl job earlier this year. I mostly WFH and only goes into the office once a week (honestly more like twice a month). I think moving out of London seems like the most logical option when my current lease ends. Any advice on commuting to London from Brighton? My office is in Waterloo.
Also would love any advice on meeting new people, things to do, etc in Brighton. I’ve been a hermit since moving to the UK because people in London (generally) aren’t very nice. I’ve literally only made one good friend in the past 2 years. And what is it like travelling (domestic or international) from Brighton? I’m hoping to explore more of Europe while I’m here and wondering if living outside of London is a hinderance for travels.
Appreciate any advice, cheers!

I'm putting together a new build using an i5-12600K, and since I have a couple leftover parts from another LGA-1700 build a few years ago I thought I could reuse my cooler, a Cooler Master Hyper 212. Unfortunately this cooler doesn't fit my motherboard -- the holes in the mobo for the mounting bracket are spaced just a millimeter away from where they would need to be for the bracket to fit. Now that I've noticed this, I see that PcPartPicker offers a disclaimer about CPU cooler fit: "Some physical dimension constraints are currently not checked, such as CPU coolers and RAM clearance." I assumed there would be no problem fitting the old cooler to the new motherboard, since it used to be attached to an MSI LGA-1700 motherboard and my new board is also an MSI LGA-1700.
When buying a CPU cooler, is it just a crapshoot where you hope your cooler happens to fit? Or is there some way to guarantee you're buying one that will fit the board you have?

Chapter 2: A Feeling For Home
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After a few hours and weighing a few more of my options I found a suitable place for my core, on top of a shelf!
To be a bit more specific a shelf resting in the furthest room of my dungeon, the room itself had no windows and only one door making it the most defensible option. Moving it seems simple enough now that I had Tama. She seems to listen to orders more directly than the cats that the spawner continuously makes.
The graceful scion drops from the old stool she had been napping on and carefully took the core delicately between her teeth and set off to the designated room.
I did not that as Tama padded through the hallway a number of other cats took formation behind her, despite not having been ordered to. It quickly became clear Tama herself was directing them, as with a few muffled meows and a firm stomp of her paw the cats quickly set to work dragging a few bits of old cloth and ruined cotton into onto the shelf. Once the improvised bed was finished Tama leapt onto my new perch and gently laid my core in the center of the bedding.
"Excellent work Tama!" I praised towards her. Even if I wasn't sure she heard me word for word, I could tell she felt the praise as she took a second to pose.
​
The next order of business was categorizing what information I had, and prioritizing my next few steps for expanding my 'facilities.'
My cats and slugs have tags that list them as denizens, the frogs and beetles are labeled as invaders. Their interactions are my source of major income, with mana being drawn in whenever my units defeat theirs. An important note however is that nothing seems to be lost when my units are killed, but it was pretty clear to see in a more fast paced situation when all hands are needed, the cost of rapidly fielding replacement units would add up quickly.
I also have access to a few traps that can be scattered around my controlled zones.
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Bile Sack
Detectability - High
Activation Chance - Moderate
When an intruder approaches, the sack will expand and burst after a short moment. Intruders will be covered in sticky bile and slowed.
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The idea of covering some poor sap who blunders into this place with sticky bile didn't exactly sit right with me, but my sense of self preservation and long ingrained RTS tactics told me adding a few of these would be necessary. For just a small trickle of mana each I put a few of the grotesque pods around the door to my core, as well as a few in the hallway for good measure.
My next trap I would do without, security be damned.
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Vile Ichor
Detectability - Low
Passive Presence
An opaque purple ichor will ooze from nearby walls and crevices and coat the ground. This ichor is highly flammable and slippery.
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I want this place to eventually become a library or study of some kind, not a death trap! So for now I snub the rather malicious trap and return my focus back to my dungeon.
Having watched the cats deal with frog infestation in my upper floors, I felt a bit guilty when I looked back down to the slugs. The gooey little mollusk soldiers, keeping the seemingly growing swarms of beetles at bay.
The cost for a Slug Scion was still rather high, but the actual cost to upgrade the spawner was just a little less so. But seeing the little things try so hard, I bite the bullet and make the purchase. The reaction was a bit more volatile than just spawning Tama however. The coral like hive of the slugs snapped and crackled as it grew slightly, the slugs it began to produce were also quite a bit bigger than before, now about the size of a soda can.
The new slugs were also a little bit faster and they surged into the line of beetles with a vigor. Were before there was a rickety stalemate, now the slugs were driving back the chitinous swarms with ease! The large slugs water jets just splatter even the large beetles in one shot now, their smaller kin following in close groups around them and pick off the stragglers.
The small counter attack made for an excellent show as the slugs manage to push the swarms back out of the borders of my dungeon. I can still sense them actively swarming just outside my bounds, but they seem notably more hesitant to enter now.
While I don't have a scion to praise just yet, I instead make sure to give the little guys a bit of extra attention for a while.
​
With my borders now guarded and my core secured, I could finally take a breath. Up until this point I've been too distracted with all of my new functions and responsibilities, I hadn't taken enough time to fully get a good idea as to where I am or what I am.
I understand I am now a dungeon and that it's my duty to maintain and protect my controlled territory. But apart from some old ruined furniture and my denizens, I have no idea what else is in store for me in the place. The angel had said that I couldn't go back to Earth, so I doubt I'm anywhere familiar, but at the same time this building looks like it was made by people for people. The chairs and tables look to be about right for humans proportions, I can even see old faded tapestries and paintings but their details are too far gone to make out what may have been on them.
I want to turn this place into a library or similar institution, but I have no idea if the natives of this world can even read any languages I know! I've been browsing through my options and I can see that I have the ability to designate a room to a specific function, but none of them are for a library or study.
Workshop and Abbey
I don't see any point in having a workshop, as I doubt my cats and slugs would be very efficient on the assembly line.
But the idea of having an abbey doesn't seem so bad. I wasn't the most devout person back on earth, but I always did enjoy reading various books on religion, philosophy, and any sort of theistic concept really.
Tossing the idea around in my mind I thought about where I would even assign said abbey. Most of the rooms I had access to were about the size of a medium or smaller bedroom. My cores 'Sanctum' as it had been labeled was only about 4 feet on all sides.
As I drifted room to room, trying to pick one out for the abbey, I noticed that at each of the majors ends of my borders I had unique options.
I could expand myself?
Sure enough, as I felt along the walls of my dungeon I was given 3 options. The first was the option to expand outward and into the open expanse of this new world, the cost was rather high but it would be within my range after a few more days of bug stomping.
Next I had the option to take a new wing of the complex I was already apart of. I could afford this option right now, but it would leave me a bit light in the pockets. I also didn't know if this was the entire remaining space of the complex or just another wing. But it was more tempting than expanding outside, as I needed actual rooms for my library to eventually come to life after all.
The last option did not appeal to me at all however, down and also outside. I had to check to make sure it was a separate choice from the first but sure enough it was. I could feel that choosing this path would grant me a very large space, at a very high cost, and that it would not automatically conjoin with the first exterior expansion.
Filing the three options away for later, I also held off on purchasing the Abbey room as well. This seemed like a bit much for me. Even if I had the frogs and beetles managed, I had no idea what was waiting past my current borders. Would I get new denizens or invaders, and given my current financial situation, would I be able to afford them.
No, I needed to be careful and keep pace with myself, this wasn't a race. I still have a scion I need to get, as well as upgrade both spawners a few levels each.
​
ALERT - INTRUDERS APPROACHING
​
I was grateful I no longer had to worry about my asthma, or I would have been in a lot of trouble.
From next to, what was the closest approximation to my front door, Tama stood with her fur on end. Nearly every cat, save for Tama, darted into a hiding space. My brace scion stood ready to face whatever was approaching the old wooden door from the other side.
I ordered what few slugs weren't needed to hold the line, to move to protect the core. By now I could hear the muted sound of voices from the other side of the door. I couldn't make out anything being said, but I could tell there were multiple people just outside.
I eyed my mana again, I was so close but so far from being able to spawn my other scion!
________________
This story is a personal project and any criticism and advice is welcomed and appreciated, hope you enjoyed!

Title. I own gen 2 AirPods. At first I thought the left charging pod didn’t work, causing the left AirPod to not charge. I was wrong.
In fact, it only slowed it down. The truth was, they both still work, and charge. But now they won’t pair together. They just have two connections, which makes absolutely zero sense.
For example, if I put the right AirPod in my ear, the bottom Bluetooth connection will activate. Vice-versa for the left AirPod.
I recently lost my backup‘s right earbud the other day (JBL endurance peak II, don’t buy them they suck), and now just want to have a pair earbuds, specifically my AirPods, work so I can listen to my music again. Anything helps.

Me and my friends have been studying and interacting with the LGBTQ+ offline and online for years. This article sums up our views towards some LGBTQ+-related issues. However, before coming to address that, I must insist on taking this position of mine without presuming that I am victimizing myself or intentionally unjustly painting the LGBTQ+ movement as a whole in bad image. The reason for this is that the people who instantly jump into such conclusions are also parts of the problem I am going to talk about. This post is going to be political (not American politics or online teenage banter), so if you are not happy to dwell into this area, decide for yourself before continuing.
Firstly, I would like to point out how oversexual many LGBTQ+ members are. By this, I do not mean that they must not argue for their rights, nor do I mean that every conversation they talk is about LGBTQ+ rights. Some people would take that as a reason to say the LGBTQ+ is forcing LGBTQ+ to their throats, but I do not think so. Our (me and my pals) problem is that almost every conversation which these LGBTQ+ folks participate in, they bring up wild sex without any sort of manner. Although they are not provoking us or something, neither is it that me and the fellers do not enjoy sex and attempt to find out the best methods for the finest sex, but we do not treat our daily life as mere sex. I also understand some non-LGBTQ+ people do talk about sex as much as these folks I mentioned, but not in my country, and my environment.
Here is the tricky part. For the person reading this, you must understand that whether or not a person is open to sexual conversations is, especially if you are from Europe or the United States, you may be completely fine, or mostly fine with having such talks daily. You believe that behavior is just, which I understand, that is your culture. I am not from the West, me and the folks are from what Western commenters enjoy calling the "third world." We have a different culture from the West, pretty much every other nation has different cultures from the West. Even the West has different cultures from other Western countries. So what you think as just might not be just for other countries. For example, if in your country, having a lot of body counts is a virtue while not in another country, you are obligated to respect that. For us, it is not just at all to have such an unregulated amount of sexual comments during the chatter. This is also a fact for everything other than sex, which I feel that a lot of people cannot grasp.
Unaccusingly speaking, the LGBTQ+ movement originates from the West. There, LGBTQ+ people are open to sex alongside a bunch of other stuff other cultures condemn. They talk about sex freely, and enjoy it freely. You can find a lot of articles from LGBTQ+ writers promoting sex and sexual styles. I understand, you do you in your country. The point is that Western powers colonized my country during the colonial era and it was also them who introduced the prostitutes and sexualized our women, as well as breaking our traditions and suppressing our religions and beliefs, while importing that of the West. The whole deal with the LGBTQ+ members in my country being too open towards sex seems a bit too familiar, considering the entirety of their lives surrounds what people from Western countries do. It is always "Western people do that, let us do that too." On LGBTQ+ subreddits, it is also very common for writers to condemn nations who have an apparently less open approach towards the LGBTQ+ movement. We can see a pattern of what the elites of a certain LGBTQ+ community have been attempting.
However, Western or not, globalization is happening and it is not only the West's culture that is affecting ours. We have viewed this through the lens of the struggle between nations, and it is only the matter of whether or not the readers of this post has done the same before coming to conclusions.
Secondly, it happens to an amount of LGBTQ+ people that somehow they are the center of the universe. Again, this is not meant to say that they do not have the right to address their oppression, however, I do believe this is both common for my country and the world that some LGBTQ+ folks are too egoistic for society's good. What I am trying to make clear is that, for example, my friend has been asked by a gay man whether or not he would want to date a gay man. He said no, and in a conversation with me, this gay person said my friend was just being jealous of not being as manly as he is. LGBTQ+ supporter pals also seem to cherish this guy's thoughts.
When men disagree with LGBTQ+ agendas, it is common for them to receive insults that they "are not a real man" from the community. When women do that, they also receive similar insults. It is a hypocrisy to fight for gender and sexual equality and liberation, but consider oneself the only true and just, while the others are mere barbarians looking for enlightenment.
Thirdly, a few LGBTQ+ sexual harassers have been rather more creepy than the average non-LGBTQ+ creeps, and they know how to take advantage of the LGBTQ+ movement. For instance, a few months ago, my middle-aged male colleague once was almost taken advantage of by a young male "genderfluid" person. It was at the end of the shift, and we were going home for lunch to prepare for the afternoon shift. I heard a lot of shouting voices from the department he worked in. It turned out that this genderfluid individual came to him and asked to have sex with him. He, of course, as much as he respected our culture and his duty to his wife and children, refused. The gender fluid person then grabbed his arm and insisted on having sex. My colleague, again, calmly said no. The other person had a breakdown and started calling my colleague a creep who been creeping on them for a long time. Other people heard the shouting and surrounded them. Insults were beginning to be thrown towards my colleague, a few people even went so far as to push my colleague around. It was only until the guards came that the truth was told. That genderfluid person did not come to work that afternoon. Our boss came to us and asked for what happened, he showed us screenshots of the genderfluid person claiming that we ganged up on him, sexually harassed him, insulted him, and attacked him physically. When our boss showed us the chat, the person has already unsent all of their messages.
This behavior is, to be honest, not uncommon at all. Online LGBTQ+ members and supporters have the same behavior when their agendas are questioned, or people dislike certain traits of their personalities, or when their wrongdoings are justly brought out to the light. Celebrities like Erza Miller have had similar breakdowns. Even certain United States politicians do that. Breakdowns are common for rude and egoistic people, but when gender, sexuality and a gender-based political movement is used as the justification, it is a much greater problem. Some people say such behaviors are understandable, because they root in the LGBTQ+'s oppression and mental health problems caused by abuse. That argument is but sophism.
Last but not least, it strikes us that certain parts of the pro-LGBTQ+ arguments usually found on online articles are misleading at best. For example, three years ago, movement supporters focused on attempting to prove that being an LGBTQ+ person was a biological necessity, however, a lot of LGBTQ+ members have now considered it to be simply a choice. In fact, it is a choice. Some members of the older generations also have sexual urges the LGBTQ+ have. However, they still decide to be the traditional male-female, male-to-female, and female-to-male. Supporters claim our parental generations are usually male-female only because the LGBTQ+ was more oppressed back then. However, this argument presumes that the older generations feel oppressed for not having the right to be the LGBTQ+, which is a fallacy.
It is a matter of fact that many people only become the LGBTQ+ after they have seen articles, or heard other people, or seen members of the movement promoting it. People usually adopt lifestyles they consider new, alien and exotic. In this day and age, that mentality is even more prominent than ever. It should not be hard to understand that lots of people only adopt LGBTQ+ lifestyles after they have seen it. This is not to mention that lots of teens and children are being groomed to become parts of the LGBTQ+ too.
Supporters give the argument that the media helps LGBTQ+ people find out their sexuality and gender. However, this argument makes the assumption that people are already LGBTQ+, which is also a fallacy. While there are a few (in contradiction to the numerous LGBTQ+ folks claiming to be nowadays) people who do have certain feelings leaning towards an LGBTQ+ lifestyle, as I have said, they can choose. In conclusion, the articles are not intended to "help" people "find out" anything, rather, they are written to lead people to adopt the intended sexuality and gender.
Another point to give is how some individuals only seem to have become more sensitive, felt upset, or go so far as to get depressed over gender issues after they have seen the media presenting them in such light. While it is true that a lot of people are harassed for being parts of the movement, however, if you pay attention, it is evident that the media has been influencing people to adopt extreme feelings. Notice the words that are used, the statistics, the images, the stories, the so-called evidences. Most articles are but designed.
That is all we have to say. You tell us what you think in the comment.

Hi everyone.
To Kill a Predator is a work of fan fiction set in the Nature of Predators universe originally created by SpacePaladin15 whose Patreon you should subscribe to.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Depiction does not equal endorsement.
Hope you enjoy it!
[First] [Previous]
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Memory transcription subject: Martin Russo, Human Refugee
Date [standardized human time]: January 10th, 2137
​
Without the girls, life settles into a boring rut. I talk to them as much as I can on the pad, but they’re busy on Earth, hitting the ground running.
There’s been a lot of ground to cover before they’re caught up to where everyone else will be, particularly for Vilek. She’s often had to pull double-claws of studying, working her fluffy ass off to gain a baseline understanding of psychology in record time. Thiva’s classes on VP by contrast have prepared her well for humanity’s relatively simple technology.
That, and they’ve had to get used to Earth. Earth food, Earth culture, and a planet full of omnivores with forward-facing eyes. I’ve been doing what little I can to help coach and encourage them.
For my own part I’ve been restless. Given that I’m not able to look for a job yet, that physical therapy kicks my ass every other paw, and that I’ve got nothing to do other than look forward to a half-hour of chatting with my friends… I’ve started up on software again. It’s something I can do even while laying prone. Particularly since I have a way to write without using my hands.
What do I do with that, anyway? I can read minds. I can even use the raw data from a full brain scan to extract memories. There’s got to be something useful to do with this. It’s practically the only part of this entire debacle I haven’t bothered telling the UN about.
Honestly after what I’ve been through, I can’t imagine trusting them, or the Venlil government, with this. Bastards would be prosecuting thought-crime by the end of the week.
​
Jarkim’s opened his business a couple of weeks back. Without an actual office, since he plans to simply operate out of Slavik’s farm. As I understand they tolerate it as long as he also helps out in return for food and board. I hope the arrangement works out for the both of them.
I gave Jarkim some help with his online presence. He wasn’t initially sure about the black and white picture of him in a fedora and a tie, or about the business name “Jarkim Krakotl, Private Eye”. But as soon as humans heard about Venlil Prime’s only Krakotl detective they’ve ended up coming to him with their problems.
He sent me a picture of his first solved case, some runaway kid who got lost and reunited with her mother. He was still wearing the hat. No tie, though.
​
Today is my paw off from Chasa’s torments, and it coincides with the launch of another exciting new business venture. So I take the time to visit Mosun.
“Hey Martin! Hold on a minute!” I see the Yotul wrangling a bunch of foam mats around the large, empty room. And its wall-length mirror. Fittingly the place look like the midway point between a dance studio and a martial arts dojo, except for the soft and spongy floor. It’s meant to safeguard against falls.
I glance around the room while he huffs and plops the last few ones down. There’s perhaps thirty-five or forty foam mats scattered on the floor. “So are you being optimistic, or did you get a good reception?”
He looks at me, bouncing with excitement. Though his ears signal a bit of nervousness. “Five Yotul have signed up so far! That’s almost half the Yotul in the entire town! And almost twenty humans! Hanya’s bringing a couple of Gojid friends too, and we’ve got a few Venlil coming along with their humans… Oh, and an Iftali, that was a surprise. Honestly I may be a little in over my head here; I’ve never taught crowds before! I’m not even sure how much will translate across species!”
“So you’ll be learning on the job. I have complete faith in you. Are the Exterminators going to give you any trouble?”
He barks a laugh. “Hah! No, Jarkim had a talk with the magister. I got permission from Vaska’s office to teach the classes in the name of cultural preservation, so those motherfuckers can’t touch me!”
I laugh as well. “You might need to censor your language a bit as a teacher.”
“Combat Dancing is about honesty and expression, Martin. If I can’t live it, how am I supposed to teach it?”
Well, he got me there. “Anything I can do to help?”
He glances at me, his voice gets a little uncomfortable. “Um, I don’t know. Can you carry heavy stuff right now?”
I shrug. “Probably not, no.”
“Then I’ll be fine. You’re not interested in taking the class?”
​
“I think my dancing days are over, for the foreseeable future.” I wryly lift my cane and wave it as a small reminder. It’s wood, and I’m quite fond of it. Chasa found a Venlil craftsman who wanted to be the first to make one for a human, and he made it out of the wood of some kind of tree called Lampan. The color reminds me of mahogany.
His ears droop a bit. “Ah yeah. How permanent is that looking?”
I shrug. “Finger dexterity on the right hand’s likely never going to be the same, but I’ll be able to play video games. Left arm should recover enough for daily use. Leg should get a full range of motion, but I won’t be going jogging. Thankfully I look dignified with a cane.”
He wags his tail teasingly and cocks his head as he regards me. “Do you? …Must be a human thing.”
“Piss off. Mind if I sit in on the class?”
“Of course not!”
Turns out first class of Yotul Combat Dancing is a quick demonstration, and then Mosun talking to the quite large and varied crowd. He talks about the history and cultural significance of Combat Dances to the Yotul, the philosophical underpinnings of the artform, and the mentality to be cultivated in practitioners.
Everyone is listening with rapt attention, and a few of the humans are even taking notes. When he opens the floor for questions, a Venlil asks “Isn’t this an expression of Predator Disease?”
To which Mosun answers “No. Next question?”
Which is honestly as much of a response as that warrants.
I talk with Hanya briefly after the class. She says that she’s been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and that human therapy is helping her out. She even talks excitedly about piloting shuttles again, someday soon. I’m glad for her.
​
Once I get back to the house, there’s a man in a suit waiting for me. He’s tall, bald, and has very dark skin. I don’t recognize him. He extends his hand toward me, and I shake it. He speaks English with an African accent, instead of letting the translator handle it. I’d guess western Africa, but I’m hardly an expert. “Bamidele Adeyemi.”
“Martin Russo. Can I help you?”
He indicates the door. “May I come in?”
“Sure. My Venlil hosts aren’t home right now.”
“Of course.”
Once he’s been let in, and I’ve given him something to drink, I wait patiently for him to explain his presence.
“I am the UN liason to the district magister’s office.”
I keep my tone neutral and politely curious. “What happened to Robert McGinley?”
He keeps his tone neutral too, but friendly. He smiles at me. “It was decided that he should be replaced.”
Oh no. Anyway. “Alright. But… No offense mister Adeyemi, but why are you here?”
​
He takes out a pad. “I have some documents that the UN and the District Magister would like you to sign.”
I sigh inwardly and make a quite heroic effort to not sigh outwardly. I look at the pad briefly anyway. As I expected, it’s about making myself legally liable should I speak up about what I’ve gone through. “I’m afraid you are wasting your time. McGinley told me to sign papers like this too, and I told him ‘no’.”
He nods, entirely unsurprised. “I understand you signed similar documents over a smaller… altercation with the Exterminators. Why the difference of response, if I may ask?”
“Because the first time he threatened to have me thrown out of the refugee center if I didn’t.”
Bamidele’s eyes widen briefly. “I see. That does explain why you told him to ‘fuck off’.”
“Yes.” I pause briefly. “…You’ve been polite enough that I don’t want to use the same language. But.”
He laughs briefly. “Haha, yes, I understand. Different circumstances, yes? My predecessor tried the stick. I am here to try the carrot. So tell me, mister Russo, what will it take for you to sign?”
“There’s nothing that…” I pause.
I sit down. I’m briefly quiet. I miss my friends so goddamn much. I swallow, mouth feeling dry as I tentatively reach for the proffered lifeline. “I… hear Sweden’s lovely this time of year.”
He flashes his teeth at me in a broad smile and chuckles pleasantly. “Hehe, I thought you might say that. But… You do realize it is January?”
​
​
Date [standardized human time]: January 12th, 2137
​
The thought of leaving this wretched planet and its wretched food and its wretched government and its wretched ever-present sun makes me feel like I’m already back in Earth’s lighter gravity.
I ended up paying Chasa back for all the pain and suffering she inflicted on me: The largest gift basket I could find online, filled with fruits, candies, and preserves of both Zurulian and human origin.
When I wake up at the start of the paw, my arch-nemesis has sent me two pictures. The first one is a schedule to keep for the next couple of months. In the second picture she’s put pillows and blankets in the basket and is using it as a bed, a paw raised in goodbye.
If the medi-teddies ever learn to weaponize their cuteness, humanity is in real trouble.
Packing is easy. I don’t have a lot. A band shirt from when I went to see ‘Where Angels Fear’, a few bad sketches of fruit, my dad's chess set, my pad, and a neural scanner.
​
Date [standardized human time]: January 13th, 2137
​
The space flight actually lands directly in Sweden, somewhere north of the polar circle at a place called Esrange. I immediately realize that winter’s back on the menu, as the cold makes my left leg and arm ache like hell. It’s the dead of night, too… But I’ve missed night. So has everyone else, as despite the cold people are walking straight out into the snow to just stare up into the starry sky and stare in open awe at the sky, where the stars form a backdrop for the northern lights. I join them.
A poetic whimsy falls over me, making me grin at the cheesiness. It’s like the sky itself is welcoming us back home.
From Esrange we take cars to Kiruna, Sweden’s northernmost city. From there it’s a long train ride south. I’ve gotten a sleeper cabin. With the generous stipend from the UN, I have no need to scrimp.
Even so, it takes significantly longer to travel 1400 kilometers across Sweden than it did to travel 16 light-years from Gliese 832. I’ve got almost twenty hours to appreciate the irony.
​
Date [standardized human time]: January 14th, 2137
​
I’m met at the train station in Lund by a man holding a sign with my name on it. His car takes me directly to the university. Everything feels very… ordinary, except I’m a bit dazed at having so many humans around me again.
We arrive a little before 8 in the morning. Excited students scurry to and fro, eager and hopeful for the first day of spring term. The driver is named Markus, and very kindly helps me find my way to my meeting. I’m left outside a door, standing around awkwardly.
The man I’m meeting with is Jonas Falck, and he’s the head of the department of computer science. While the UN has ‘encouraged’ the university to take me in despite it being so close to the term start, the decision remains with him.
I really wanted to see the girls first, but the meeting time was set for me. I desperately wish I had thought to shave beforehand. I’ve been using my beard to hide my weak chin, but it probably looks more unprofessional than-
“Hey, are you Martin Russo?”
Ah, I see.
Mister Falck is holding two cups of coffee and offers one of them to me with a smile. He’s got a full beard, a full belly, hair past his shoulders, and a pink hawaiian shirt to go with his khaki shorts and flip-flops. This man is clearly one of the most talented professionals working in the field today.
​
“So, do you mind if I ask…” He motions to my cane while I take a seat.
“How that happened?”
“Yes.”
“That’s classified. I’m not even joking.”
He nods once, like that was more or less what he expected to hear. He leans back in his chair, which creaks a bit, and takes a slow drink from his coffee while reading on his computer. “So you studied at Columbia University before the Bombing?”
“Yes.”
“And your family lived in New York?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” He doesn’t say it unkindly, but he does say it as rote. ‘Oh you’re from one of the places that doesn’t exist anymore? Sorry to hear that.’
I nod awkwardly. “Yes.”
“And you were focusing on studying brain-computer interfacing?”
I feel like a recording. “Yes.”
“It’s very uncommon to add a student this late. The term begins today.”
“Yes.”
“We can’t provide housing for you on such a short notice, for one.”
“I have that handled, sir.”
He scrunches his face up. “Jonas, please. Americans are so formal.”
“Alright, er, Jonas.”
“So, Martin, what I’m asking for is a reason. To take you in right now, I mean, instead of next year.”
I nod. This is thankfully something I had planned for. My hand slips into my pocket, fingering the box holding the scanner electrodes. “Well, Jonas… I think there’s something you should take a look at.”
​
Handling paperwork and basic orientation takes most of the morning. I manage to get morning-and-evening classes to share my time off with the lambchops. That only works because most people don’t want evening classes. Evenings are for partying if you’re a student, so late classes are mostly for adults with jobs.
I end up standing around nervously by the entrance to the university building, counting down the time. I watch people passing by as calmly as I can, still checking my pad every minute or so for any messages and jerking my head around like a bird at anything that’s even a bit of a shade of gray.
I can tell the alien girls are coming even before I see them, since everyone is glancing curiously their way. I straighten my back and shift my weight from foot to foot. I feel like a dog at an airport, waiting for the return of its owner.
They’re looking around as I see them, and Thiva’s the first to spot me. Her ears perk up and Vilek immediately looks to me as well. As they speed up into a sprint, I’m a bit surprised to see them both wearing clothes. Both girls are wearing custom boots made to fit their digitigrade legs.
They’re both wearing coveralls, Vilek’s in a hospital teal and Thiva’s in a bright red. It’s been explained to me that many at the university have a student culture of wearing colorful coveralls that they decorate with patches, called ‘Ovve’, and that Thiva’s red marks her as a mechanical engineering student. Vileks’s teal, presumably, mark her as studying healthcare. Or specifically therapy, perhaps. I need to look it up.
Seeing as computer science students are apparently expected to wear pink ones, I’m thinking I might sit out this grand and colorful tradition. On the other hand according to the Internet it’s an informal rule to cut a bit from the ‘Ovve’ of anyone you’ve exchanged body fluids with and patch it onto your own. So I suppose I could be convinced.
The girls collide with me, thankfully gently. Their tails are wagging like crazy out of the back of their outfits, and they’re clinging to me. I inhale deeply, take in the distinct and pleasant scent of my cute Venlil friends, and cling to them as well. My fingers stroke through their thick fur, and I hear their happy wordless bleating and whistling.
I close my eyes and enjoy the moment, not giving one whit for the passersby watching the scene.
“Oh, girls, I-” Vilek punches me in the arm unexpectedly. The right one, thankfully.
“Ow!”
Even though her ears signal joy and her tail is wagging, her voice is still stern. “We learned what ‘lambchops’ means!”
Ah.
​
The student flat isn’t very expansive, but it’s larger than the one we shared on Venlil Prime. Probably because humans are just plain larger.
It’s currently sparsely furnished. There’s a couple of desks, a couch, a table, a beanbag chair, and a bunk bed. I take my shoes off in the hallway, as the girls do. When in Lund.
They help me unpack. There’s not a lot, but they had already set aside a little corner for me. I’ve got the beanbag chair instead of a desk, which I’m perfectly fine with.
I sigh and lean against a wall briefly. “I’m… so glad to be home.”
Thiva turns her head a little, flicking an ear in question. “You missed being on Earth?”
I chuckle, and pinch her ear-tip lightly. I lean over to give Vilek one too, for fairness. It earns me a pair of bleeps from them, and I go on the offensive to rub their heads and scratch their ears and do everything I can to make the lambchops squeal happily. They thankfully oblige. “I missed being with my herd.”
My friends are safe, they’re here with me, and we all have paths forward. I’ve fought and bled for this opportunity. I’m allowed to enjoy it.
I sit down on the couch with a quiet groan of satisfaction, finally getting to put my cane aside. “So, girls… how are you feeling about Earth so far?”
They grumble immediately. “It is so freaking cold!” “Snow! We do not like the snow!”
“It’s only for another couple of… Months.” They’re undressing right in front of me. I am left briefly stunned.
Oh right they don’t normally wear clothes.
Reminding myself of that doesn’t help. The context is what it is. They’re my best friends and my two favorite girls and they’re stripping naked before me.
My brain fails me. “…Okay, so, uhh. Um. Hmmh. Huh.”
Mother of God there’s nothing different! They’re naked. They’re always naked! It hasn’t been a problem on VP, it won’t be a problem here! Man up!
I take a deep and steadying breath and resolutely refuse to think of patches of white and red on a set of pink coveralls, with pink patches on their matching ones.
“I guess we should… buy some food? And some clothes for me to use? And…”
And they turn their heads toward me, staring at me with one eye each. Side by side. Making me feel like I'm being stared down by a single creature. One with forward-facing eyes. And an orange blush.
They take slow steps closer. Thiva speaks first with an amused lilt to her voice. “Or maybe this is a good time to talk. You know, about the house rules.”
Vilek speaks as well, moving her tail sinuously in a teasing motion. “Relationship statuses.”
Thiva comes in with the finisher, practically purring. “Sleeping arrangements.”
Ah.
​
---
And that's the end! Thank you all so much for reading, and check the comments for a small request from yours truly!
[First] [Previous]

Hello everyone!
My friends and I run a server on 1.19.4. The server difficulty is set to “Hard,” but we have the gamerule “KeepInventory” enabled across all dimensions. This gives players the freedom to play the game without the stress that comes with the possibility of losing all of your items in a lava pit. Enderman, Creeper, and Ghast griefing is disabled, but villagers and piglins will still be able to pick up items off of the ground so that players can build farms or interact with mobs normally without needing to fear their builds being destroyed.
We have two plugins installed on the server. The only one that seriously affects gameplay is a classic combat plugin. This plugin reverts the combat changes that Mojang implemented back in Java version 1.9. Combat works in a similar fashion to the way that it does on Hypixel; click as quickly as you can and use W-tapping to reset your sprint and combo your opponents. The one thing that we did not revert was the right-click to block functionality that used to exist with swords; if you want to block, you’ll need to craft a shield.
The other plugin that we have installed is DiscordSRV. DiscordSRV allows for the integration of Minecraft server chat and Discord server chat, meaning that you can always interact with people on the server as long as you have Discord installed on your computer or mobile device.
We typically have a server-wide event once every month or two. Participation in the events is not required, but it is a fun way to get involved in the community and interact with others/make some new friends. The events tend to be centered around popular Minecraft minigames like Survival Games, TNT run, Parkour challenges, and more.
If you are interested in joining or have questions about the server, feel free to message me on Discord at DangBandang#3397! We hope to see you soon.

Hey everyone! My friends and I run a server on 1.19.4. The server is very simple, with only two plugins: a plugin that reverts the combat changes introduced in MC version 1.9 and a plugin that allows Discord members to communicate with players on the server through a text channel.
KeepInventory is ENABLED on the server! You will not need to worry about losing your hard-earned items when you die. Mob griefing is DISABLED, but it is still possible to breed villagers by feeding them bread. We require applicants to be aged 16+. Most of our players are between 16 and 25 years old, although there are a few members that are in their late 20s and early 30s. Players are required to behave in a mature, respectful, and appropriate manner.
We try to have a server-wide event once every month or two for the entire server to take part in. Participation in these events is not required, but the events are always a fun way for people to get involved in the community and interact with others/make some new friends. Events tend to be centered around classic Minecraft minigames like Survival Games, Parkour challenges, Ice boat racing, and more.
If you are interested in joining or have questions about the server, feel free to message me on Discord at DangBandang#3397! We hope to see you soon.

​

PRODUCTS	PRICE/DETAILS
Windows 11 & 10 Keys	$3.5 - Win11 or 10 Pro & Home (Pro upgrades Home to Pro and Activates)
Office 2021 Pro Plus Keys	$3 (Phone activation), $5 (Online Activation), $10 Bind Key(Binds to your email)
Office 2019 Pro Plus Keys	$3 for telephone activation, $5 (Online Activation) and $12 Office 2019 Bind Key for windows (Binds to your email)
Office 365 Private Account	$3 (Private, lifetime, up to 5 devices).
Office 2021 or 2019 Pro Plus 5PC Keys	$12 for 2021, $12 for 2019
Office 2021 or 2019 Home and Business for Mac	$10 for Bind key (Binds to your email)
CourseHero 15 Unlocks Private Account	$4 - one Month duration
Bitdefender 3 Months Keys	$1 (Works on new accounts only)
Malwarebyte Keys	$7 - Original lifetime Windows or $6 - 1 year any OS, $4 for 6 months
Kaspersky 200-360+ days Keys	$8 - Total Security / $7 - Internet Security
Microsoft Server 2022/2019/2016 Data CenteStandard 2PC Keys	$4 (2019/2016) or $5 (2022)
Microsoft Visio Pro 2021/2019/2016 2PC Keys	$5 for 2021, $4 for 2019/2016
Microsoft Project Pro 2021/2019/2016 2PC Keys	$5 for 2021, $4 for 2019/2016
Real Phone SMS Verification Service, Non-VOIP	From $1 & Have numbers for almost all Services and Most countries, just ask
Edu Email	$5 Private, Outlook or Gmail login, Amazon Prime and co.
Autodesk Keys	$15+ Contact me for products and prices
VMware Workstation 16 Pro	$5

Discord server - https://discord.gg/GUfzzJH6G3
Contact me via PM/Chat or Telegram @ ABCsella for purchase or more information. I sell streaming accounts, MAK and bulk windows keys as well as other keys at a discounted rate. Contact me to discuss if you need bulk.
*2PC means the key will work on (activate) 2 devices.

​

PRODUCTS	PRICE/DETAILS
Windows 11 & 10 Keys	$3.5 - Win11 or 10 Pro & Home (Pro upgrades Home to Pro and Activates)
Office 2021 Pro Plus Keys	$3 (Phone activation), $5 (Online Activation), $10 Bind Key(Binds to your email)
Office 2019 Pro Plus Keys	$3 for telephone activation, $5 (Online Activation) and $12 Office 2019 Bind Key for windows (Binds to your email)
Office 365 Private Account	$3 (Private, lifetime, up to 5 devices).
Office 2021 or 2019 Pro Plus 5PC Keys	$12 for 2021, $12 for 2019
Office 2021 or 2019 Home and Business for Mac	$10 for Bind key (Binds to your email)
CourseHero 15 Unlocks Private Account	$4 - one Month duration
Bitdefender 3 Months Keys	$1 (Works on new accounts only)
Malwarebyte Keys	$7 - Original lifetime Windows or $6 - 1 year any OS, $4 for 6 months
Kaspersky 200-360+ days Keys	$8 - Total Security / $7 - Internet Security
Microsoft Server 2022/2019/2016 Data CenteStandard 2PC Keys	$4 (2019/2016) or $5 (2022)
Microsoft Visio Pro 2021/2019/2016 2PC Keys	$5 for 2021, $4 for 2019/2016
Microsoft Project Pro 2021/2019/2016 2PC Keys	$5 for 2021, $4 for 2019/2016
Real Phone SMS Verification Service, Non-VOIP	From $1 & Have numbers for almost all Services and Most countries, just ask
Edu Email	$5 Private, Outlook or Gmail login, Amazon Prime and co.
Autodesk Keys	$15+ Contact me for products and prices
VMware Workstation 16 Pro	$5

Discord server - https://discord.gg/GUfzzJH6G3
Contact me via PM/Chat or Telegram @ ABCsella for purchase or more information. I sell streaming accounts, MAK and bulk windows keys as well as other keys at a discounted rate. Contact me to discuss if you need bulk.
*2PC means the key will work on (activate) 2 devices.

I recently installed a new transmission that came with a computer already programmed. We cranked up the car and drove it around. After a couple of days, the car won't start. The lights come on, and there is a clicking noise but won't turn over. I tested the battery (still good) and tried jumping it off. I looked up several videos online that suggested checking the brake switch and keyfob. The brake isn't hard to push and the lights do come on. The car recognizes the key fob. I called the dealership and asked if it could be the transmission's new computer. The service center gentleman said that wouldn't affect it not turning on, just the car's acceleration during shifting. I live in the countryside so it is very expensive to tow it to the dealership. If anyone has any advice it will be greatly appreciated.

FENCING. I know this is a subject all its own (surprised there's no Reddit on this, at least as far as I can tell). This year’s goal is to build a more aesthetic and functional fence. We're in Year #3 of the garden, and problem pests have been (in order of headache): rabbits and groundhogs, chipmunks (sucked all the tomatoes last year in the heat/drought), mice (in supply bin), possum (occasional), raccoons (not in garden), and deer (also not in garden). We have coyotes and fisher cats in the area and lots of green space so, I guess, it feels like there’s not a *lot* of determined infiltration.
The design to date is 4' u-posts with standard coated welded wire fencing along with 2' of chicken wire at the bottom (1' comes up the face of the fence and 1' flares out into the yard and grows down into the grass). Deer don't seem interested in jumping the fence, but chipmunks and anything small have free reign. Most of the rest of the pest issues have to do with a poor door, but I have a good plan on that.
Where I really want to 'nail it' is a new perimeter fence. Thinking of sinking 4x4 posts to 4’ high with cattle panels in between. Then, add a finer mesh lower down and below ground. I'm thinking of also facing the post bottoms with 1x6 boards to create a growing opportunity along the fence itself (as well as another barrier). I'd reuse the chicken wire and splay it out into the yard to prevent digging at the fence itself.
Cross-sectional view from inside out: 1x6 board >> spacer >> 4x4 post >> cattle panel >> finer mesh >> chicken wire (mostly flared out into yard but anchored by post and 1x6) >> outside 1x6 board.
Main question is "How well will this work?" More detailed questions are "For the finer mesh at the very bottom and below grade, what material (hardware cloth?), what size mesh, how tall above ground, and how deep below ground?"
I get pests are a common, evolving situation. Like everyone, want to keep everything out. We're not growing food for them -- We're growing for us.
Also, I’ve considered whether to make panels and even posts removable to make for a cleaner space/view during the winter. Has anyone done anything like that, even if just to remove a panel for start/end-of-year activities?

Hello all,
A few weeks ago my sweet husky decided that the bottom of our door needed some remodeling, we disagree with his improvements and want to replace the door. We got a door off of my FIL, but the main issue is the door knob slot is about 3" too low/high from center no matter how it's oriented.
I am trying to see if anyone knows of plugs that can be ordered, or if I just have to carve out a new mortise.
​
Thanks for any information or tips, pretty new to having to do anything home repair focused.

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