Fruit smoothies near me

Don't Look Behind You, But...

2023.03.22 07:47 BurntSchmidt Don't Look Behind You, But...

It was a cold winter's night in Freeport. My husband and I were seated watching TV, he in his chair and I on the couch. Across the room (the length of our single-story ranch house) there is a single window looking directly into the living room from the yard. I noticed the figure approaching and subsequently ducking down sp that only the crest of his head down to his eyes were visible.
My heart began to race, and my blood pressure had catapulted so quickly that my head began to throb and pound, and, despite the internal hurricane taking place, I at first pretended not to notice. I kept my eyes fixed on my husband, chatting and laughing as if nothing horrifying was taking place. I kept the intruder in birds eye view for several minutes, hoping he'd just up and leave, taking no interest in our ordinary, sedate state of affairs. Let me also mention that it was six degrees outside.
I continued on with just the same frame of attitude as the time I was robbed at gunpoint years before. I learned that I have a unique ability to remain externally calm despite the fire in my veins and the quaking of my being. Outside, I'm ice, but inside, I'm a tree shaken of all its leaves. Verily, after about ten minutes (I swear that every time I looked at the blank face and noticed it was still there, peeping in a polar vortex, I nearly screamed) I made a decision. Inside, I was absolutely breaking. Each moment that I turned to the TV and then shifted back, my heart skipped several beats.
Finally, with my face turned away, I said to my husband through my teeth, "honey, do NOT look and do NOT react, but there is a man looking at us through the window right now. Don't look!". Despite my urging, his impulse got the better of him. The moment he rose from the chair and turned, the peeper had leaped from view. I told him we needed to call 911. However, before I could even turn on my screen, the knob to the front door began to tremble and shake convulsively.
My husband commanded me to run to our room, a command which he followed as well, which, in such a tumultuous moment, was our only defense - because by then, the intruder was throwing himself against the front door. The jamb and hinged were audibly cracking, all of the items on the glass living room refectory table had begun to tremble and clatter, and the walls all reverberated thunderously.
With all of my strength (my husband had fused disks in his back, so he was totally incapable of assisting), I grasped the bureau by the legs and with all my puny might dragged the son of a bitch across the floor and finally, in one final throe of desperation, pushed it against the door. In the midst of this midnight whirlwind, the front door had been kicked opened and the footsteps, incredibly heavy ones, had tramped down the hallway as if the footfalls were 200 pound blocks of ice, though it hadnt sunk in until I, fresh out of breath and flushed in icy hot sweat, had tumbled backwards onto the bed.
"I have a gun!", my husband shouted repeatedly as the intruder began throwing his weight against the door. Assuming he might also be armed, we slunk to the far side of the bed and ducked down. I phoned 911, and they assured me the police were currently in pursuit. It's an incredibly small, derelict steel town in Western Pennsylvania, hollowed out by the terminus of the steel boom. The police arrived imminently, but in between the call, the threats, and the arrival of PD, I noticed something strange. Something that truly chilled me to the bone.
At some point, the intruder halted, and in a shrill, gravelly tone that sounded devilishly feminine, shouted a few simple words, which had been repeated several times - "this isn't yyyyyourrrrr house! This is NOT YOURRRR HOUSE!". He pounded furiously on the door as he shouted (if you could even call it 'shouting') these words with an almost compendious conviction. My husband, who at the time had been battling bronchitis, was gasping for elusive gulps of air with such severity, I was afraid he might faint or, worse, succumb to asphyxiation.
In a flash, the police had arrived. The thousand pound footsteps retreated, but not before a throng of screams rang out from the front doorway. Shots were fired, and voices had gone frenetic. I removed the dresser and ran out. An officer was splayed out on his back half in and half out of the house and was screaming, screaming with every fiber of his soul. All I could see was blood everywhere. Smeared on the walls, even.
"Don't come out here!", shouted an officer as he called for a medic. But the image was burned in. The first-responding officer had been slashed from temple to chin, left to right, and was screaming and rolling chaotically, as if he was being immolated and had desperately taken to putting himself out. That haunting vision has only grown stronger and with greater clarity since. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't see the flashing terror in his eyes and the gaping of his mouth as he cried out, "I'm blind! Gary, I'm fucking blind! I'll never see her again! Diane! Diane!"
We watched out the window of the bedroom as flashlights played upon the black, frozen woods like strobes. Seeing them spread so broadly only made my heart sink, and soon after, an officer came calling.
"Do you have a friend or relative you could stay with tonight?".
This being a most disheartening sign, we went and stayed with our son and daughter - in - law for two nights until we could fortify the house with new doors, triple paned windows and a full alarm system. For weeks, months, even, we walked around on our toes while continuously throwing glances over our shoulders everywhere we went, but what was most disconcerting was that we felt more vulnerable locked behind closed doors.
To this day, the intruder hasn't been found. I looked into previous owners of our house. We had been living there 18 years by then, and the scent on the trail of discovery was nonexistent. I still don't know what about our house "isn't" ours, and I'm not sure I want to know. This occurred in 2020, just as COVID had begun to scorch the earth. One thing I know intuitively, however, is that no matter how much time passes, unless I grow a third eye on the back of my head, I will never be comfortable again.
submitted by BurntSchmidt to nosleep [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:45 douglassdimmadome Am I crazy?

Let me preface with i have been dealing with a lot of mental issues recently such as (anxiety, depression, PTSD, and as of today bipolar disorder) and writing this down really helps me process my emotions and think about how I could’ve been better.
The story begins when I [M23] matched with some cute girl wearing elf ears on bumble [F20]. At the time she seemed fun and different and I actually thought I might like her, which was rare because practically every other girl I’ve matched with I never really had too much interest in and was only talking to to pass the time or maybe get lucky. We talked for a little and I felt like we really hit it off. Eventually i got her number / snapchat and we proceeded to talk and try to plan a date. This went on for about month but my crippling anxiety kept getting in the way and I always chickened out because of the fear of being rejected or even worse the fear of falling in love. I knew that i would be moving in the near future and didn’t want to get attached to someone that would be living 300 miles away.
I then moved and went on with my life but still sometimes snap chatted or texted her on occasion. Eventually she started showing more and more interest and over the next 2 months our conversations got longer and more personal. We started chatting on discord and holy shit I don’t know if i was just desperate and craved the attention from a woman or what but she made me feel special. Over the next couple of weeks we played started playing some video games together such as Call of duty and Sims, where we were decorating a house together. It was so strange because she would show me all this attention give off all of the signs that she was interested and then go spotty for an evening or a couple days and leave me on delivered. I get it people have real lives and I know women can play games sometimes but I kind of thought she liked me enough to be like “hey can’t talk tonight” or “I’m busy”. So there I am falling head over heels for this girl frantically waiting the next text and getting emotionally attached too when I still wasn’t sure if the feelings were reciprocated.
Eventually the time comes and I ask if she wants to do something over the weekend and that I was going to drive the distance to take her out on a date. She agreed and said she’s free on Sunday so I grew some balls and actually committed and drove down that Friday afternoon to hangout with a friend. I asked her if she was busy that night and she responded with no because she was sore from the gym which I thought was a lame excuse and got me overthinking. Saturday comes and she’s not answering at all and I have a mental breakdown and drive home that night. During my drive she answers but I was already halfway and told my friend who’s couch I was sleeping on that I was going home, so I made up an excuse and said there was a family emergency and needed to go home.
The next week was even better was talked more and I told her that I coming back specifically so I can finally meet her and take her on a date. I asked when she was free and she said Saturday and Sunday so I was like cool I’ll be there, booked a hotel room with some credit card points and on drove down there on that Friday night. Saturday morning rolls around and I’m super nervous we talk and she asks to postpone the date a couple hours I immediately thought the worst and was already considering going back home.
BUT IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, we met up at a local mall, talked on a bench for a while, then went and got smoothies, then continued talking in my car for another several hours before she had to go to some previous commitment. She was pretty open about previous traumas so I really wanted to respect her boundaries and not try anything that would come off as too aggressive or like all I wanted was sex because it wasn’t. Right before she got out of my car she said “can I kiss you” and I literally lunged at her from my seat to hers kissing her multiple times before she left and I stayed in my car smiling for a good 10 minutes thinking well I guess the date went well.
I went back to my hotel room and eventually texted her that I had a great time and I want to see her again tomorrow. she responds with the worst thing imaginable “I’m drunk can’t hangout with you tomorrow.” So there I was I just went from the happiest I’ve been in years to thinking well I blew it and I’m never going to see this girl again in my life. So I did what any desperate man would do and I told her exactly how I felt, saying that she was pretty much my favorite person that I talked to and legitimately just wanted to make her happy. and she responded with that’s cute but I like you too, but then said she wanted to see me again, then wouldn’t answer again. This was not very reassuring so I went kind of manic and drove home listening to angry music wishing I was dead. I actually got pulled over and the cop asked if I was ok because I was going 25 over in the pouring rain.
Monday comes and we go back to our normal routine of talking and playing video games together, Tuesday she ignored me for most of the day, and Wednesday back to normal. So on Thursday I told her how I felt again and she said I was being insecure. I apologized and was like ok not gonna be so obsessive because it’s not attractive and makes me seems needy. But fuck all I wanted in this world was her and she knew that. I actually sent her a message on Snapchat pretty much saying that exact thing and she ignored it for 20 hours……
At this point I was sure she didn’t have feelings back so I blocked her on snap so I could have some peace of mind and get out of purgatory. We then got into an argument over text and started name calling each other and being very personal with our attacks. I tried to apologize later that night but she was not having it at all and was still very angry with me understandably since I blocked her first and yet needed closure. The next day I said some things that I really really really wish I could take back but said it anyways and then blocked her on text so we had no more ways to communicate. I then sat on it for a couple of days and apologized again and pretty much fessed up to all my wrong doings and admitted that I acted out and that I had mental illnesses, but know I will not get a response and that it is time to move on. I have so many questions though since I’m still confused, upset, and sad.
Based on all that, Did I get too attached to someone I barely knew? Does it seem like she was ever actually interested in me or was she just leading me on? How can I prevent this from happening again? Would you give me another chance if you were her?
submitted by douglassdimmadome to StoryTime [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:43 ThrowRA_Novel My (23F) boyfriend (25M) is obsessed with the idea of me loosing my virginity to him

I started dating my boyfriend last April and graduated from university last year. My boyfriend, who I met through mutual friends did not attend college or university. We are both christians and he is not a virgin (he has had sex with a previous girlfriend). When we first met he told me it was important to him that he date “a good christian girl”. Lately he has been making comments to me about taking my virginity which have been increasing in frequency and intensity, how he will “teach me a lot of things” “show me how good sex can be” and more graphic stuff that I’d rather not repeat. At this point I think he gets off on the idea, however, I am not a virgin.
I participated in hookup culture while at university and had (safe) sex fairly often with men I met at bars/nightclubs or on tinder for nearly four years. I am almost a different person from who I was at university. I am much more soft-spoken and I dress more conservatively and no longer drink, smoke or do drugs. Which I believe has led to my boyfriend having this perception of me. What do I do? Should I let him continue to think I’m a virgin or tell him the truth and potentially ruin our relationship?
I feel like I should note that while find his comments cringy they don’t really bother me. And aside from this thing he’s great.
TLDR; My boyfriend really wants to take my virginity but I’m not a virgin, what should I do?
submitted by ThrowRA_Novel to relationship_advice [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:43 nadeemtravels taxi service Nadeem Travels

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submitted by nadeemtravels to u/nadeemtravels [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:42 Substantial_Fly_9384 Suggestions for a new owner? Im looking for 50 mi range and have to deal with some steep inclines.

I would appreciate a few suggestions from you experienced folks to get me going so I can focus my research.
Here are a few things I would like to achieve.
Much appreciated. Excited to join this club.
submitted by Substantial_Fly_9384 to ElectricScooters [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:41 Due_Raisin6255 Quest Dentistry near you in Houston, TX

Quest Dentistry is your trusted "dentist near me" in Houston, TX! Our dental clinic in Houston is conveniently located at 4835 Highway 6 North, making us easily accessible to those searching for a "dentist 77084" or a "dentist Houston TX." At Quest Dentistry, we offer a wide range of dental care services to meet all your needs, from routine check-ups and cleanings to emergency dental care. Our experienced team of experts provides exceptional dental care in a welcoming and comfortable environment
submitted by Due_Raisin6255 to u/Due_Raisin6255 [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:41 toughestaddiction I am in love with a girl i met online

[I M17 is in love with this girl F19]Yeah, I don't know why i fell in love with this girl (she's not a dude) i have confirmed it but yeah i absolutely fell in love while talking to her, we started talking closely near 2020 online and these two years we have been in touch and so. I have never met her but yeah i have her number. I am currently trying to fight the addiction i have and trying to be better so i can ask out in future. I hope i get this girl, she's from my state but like 23 Miles away lol 😭 she is the most funniest person on the planet i have clicked with and I'll get better just for her 💯
If you ever finds this post, i absolutely love you i don't care how you look, you absolutely look fine ass to me ❗❗I won't care what everybody thinks about you, you are a fine girl to me
I don't know what will happen in future but I'll try hard 💯
submitted by toughestaddiction to offmychest [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:41 zildjiaaaan Surgical tech programs/schools in the LA area?

I want to apply for a surgical tech program near me but it seems like all the colleges in LA for this profession are unaccredited or expensive/scammy.
I was looking into American Career College but the reviews for it don't look promising. Does anyone know any schools/programs for surgical tech in LA?
submitted by zildjiaaaan to scrubtech [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:41 Fosstarian Arkansas Thelemites?

Are there any O.T.O. in Arkansas? The closest I’ve found near me is in Memphis.
submitted by Fosstarian to thelema [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:39 AndOutOfThisWorld Removing Fruit Trees from Council Parks?

Hello everyone, long time lurker here with finally something to ask! This is a bit of a weird one and I would really appreciate anyone's help with this as me and my partner are stumped.
Last year we moved into a new flat opposite a small park. It's a fairly nice park, well maintained, play equipment, and a huge apple tree right in the middle. Now a couple months pass and we are nicely settled, it's coming to the end of summer and BOOM - quite literally, something hits our double doors. And again. And again. Turns out when you place a fruit tree in the middle of a park where kids and teens hang out, and then that fruit drops, it becomes perfect ammo to start slinging around and at people's houses.
This happened near daily for weeks, we called 111 when it hit the windows, doors, and even cars - we were then told to call the police, but by the time they got here the kids had scarpered. We've tried recording but it's slightly too far to get a good photo, and I'm sure it's not the same kids each time. We've contacted the council and forestry department SO many times with different forms and complaints, and we are in contact with some local councillors but apparently nothing can be done in regards to pruning the tree or anything else. It ended up with my partner going out and throwing away each load of apples which had dropped daily, but new ones dropped by the evenings and it would happen again. Our main concern is the tree, not the kids - kids will be kids, but if we can prune the tree or remove the temptation then brilliant - but apparently trying to get the council to do anything about a tree is like getting blood from a stone.
Now it's coming up again in a few months, and we have a baby this time round. We are so anxious about it scaring her or even hitting her one day, as one nearly hit me when I was pregnant last year. My partner will still be going out daily to clear the apples before work but is there anything else we can do? Ideally we'd like a permanent solution but does it look like we will be stuck being apple farmers for the foreseeable future?
I really appreciate if you've read this far, and if there's a more appropriate sub to post this on then please let me know.
Sincerely, a worried mum who now absolutely hates apples
submitted by AndOutOfThisWorld to AskUK [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:38 Zach-attack_4237 The Nightmare I Remember the Most

I have had countless nightmares throughout my life, typically occurring every other night. My most recent one, and one of the worst I've had in a while, happened during a vacation I just got home from. I will need to put some context into this, and this story will be rather long, so bear with me here.
In my most recent nightmare I mentioned above, I woke up normally in my house. It was the middle of the night, but I was hungry, and decided to sneak down the stairs and into the kitchen to grab a snack without waking up my family. Once I was a few feet from the refrigerator, I heard footsteps from several entities behind me. I turned around to see just a few black figures, huddled tightly in a group. I knew who three of the five were by the outlines. They were all hostile animatronics, the ones from the horror video game, Five Nights at Freddy's 4. The video game franchise as a whole does not scare me, nor do really any horror movies or games, so it was weird seeing them watching me grab my snack. I saw the animatronic bear, chicken, and rabbit, but not the fox, and I had no idea who the other 2 figures were. Their eyes were not glowing in the slightest, and they were not approaching me, but only moving exactly as I do, and never getting too close. This did not concern me in the slightest, as a typical hallucination looks just like that for me. I went back to my room to eat my snack and fall sleep, when they stopped moving in their typical pattern, and spread out around the house.
Once I was back in my room, and I had tucked myself back into bed, and I felt the worst sense of sudden dread in my life, as if something terrible was about to happen. I knew by some nightmare logic that the figures really were hunting me down, and then I got scared, knowing that I do feel pain in my nightmares. Indeed, I was about to suffer. I sat in my bed, paralyzed with fear about the situation, and planned to just sit there and pray until sunrise. Worst of all, my door was wide open, and with my bed right next to it, an attack could be too sudden. I was going to have to be lucky, as the animatronics were moving in random patterns, entering rooms around the house. 15 minutes later, I heard footsteps coming to my door. I was paralyzed with fear and dread, because there was one animatronic in particular that I knew was going to take his time and torture me if I was ever caught by him. The animatronic entered my room, but luckily it was not the one I feared most. It was certainly about to kill me still, so I was rapidly planning ways of how I could make my death as fast as it could be. I threw my head into it's jaws, reached my arms out, and crunched it's teeth down into my head. It was fast and painless.
Of course, it's a nightmare, and it was not nearly over yet. That was the easy part done. I woke up again after death, in the same situation again, but outside, in an open field on my land. The layout of the field made the experience worse in a way, as it was mostly open, but with a strip of dense forest running through the middle that takes up about one third of the field. At the bottom and and top were ways through it, without having to go through the brush. This is all on about 5 acres of land, so I did not have much of a place to hide from my now sprinting animatronic pursuers. I woke up with the animatronics in a full sprint everywhere in the field. They were sprinting at all times, even if I had not been seen. I got up, ran, and hid in the densely forested area, and in a thick bush. I waited and got spotted eventually, so I got up and ran until I could no longer run. Eventually, I was caught again, but my death would hurt this time. I died via stab wounds to the gut, and all around the torso, but I was stabbed mercifully fast.
This experience, being a nightmare, meant I still had to die another time. This death would be very different, though. I woke up for the third time, but with the worst dread of my life. The fear this time was unspeakable. For no apparent reason, I was far more scared this time around. I was in the house again, and in my bed, but I stayed in bed and never got out. I just sat up, and waited for sunrise again. I had more hope this time, as the sun was only about twenty minutes from officially rising. I was starting to see light in the sky, but with more fear than I have ever had before, bad instincts kicked in. You see, in the house was a system of 6 radio-like devices me and the family used for communication. I held the "Talk" button, and spoke a message into all the rooms in the house, hoping for my family to respond. As you could imagine this was idiotic. I kept staring at my radio, waiting for a reply, when I heard a reply from my family, but something was awfully wrong. The reply came from the radio I was at, and from directly behind me, on the other side of the bed. I turned around and saw the one animatronic I hoped would never get me, and I was about to suffer.
I backed out of my bed, and into the corner of the room. It approached me awfully slow, giving me the opportunity to run at it, and deliver multiple two foot kicks to the body. I hoped these would do something, but the animatronic was utterly un-phased. Here, I finally saw a red glow in the animatronic's eyes, as it still slowly closed the distance to me. It got to me, put it's hands on my shoulder, and looked down at me, with eyes flickering on and off. This was about to be it, the worst pain of my life. There, I was tortured for minutes upon minutes. It peeled the skin off my arms and legs like giant gloves, sliced tendons and ligaments, and cracked all of my ribs, while keeping me alive. All my other bones were being fractured, and I was getting big cuts in my chest all over the place. It kept me alive until I had looked like a mangled corpse smeared on the ground.
Finally, I got to wake up, and I stayed up for about 2 hours before going back to sleep. Once I woke up, I really was unaffected, and not scared anymore, even in the dark room. When I did go back to sleep, however, I started dreaming again. I woke up in a continuation of that same dream, but this time, in the middle of an unknown forest...

For those who do not know what I am talking about, below is an image of the being that killed me for the third time in my nightmare. I know this is rather ridiculous, but that's just the way it happened.

https://preview.redd.it/rtwrkdj1k8pa1.png?width=250&format=png&auto=webp&s=155c9d12603e5fa8c53bb2b7347169b409966e5a
submitted by Zach-attack_4237 to Nightmares [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:38 Howling_Lotus Family emergency need me back in my hometown and away from PC. It’s nearly 2am here and I can’t sleep so meme time.

Family emergency need me back in my hometown and away from PC. It’s nearly 2am here and I can’t sleep so meme time. submitted by Howling_Lotus to VirtualYoutubers [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:37 Ok_Rip_1567 bad day into worse day

hello - thanks for reading! its 2 am please excuse any typos
at about midnight last night my 60 mother (loves six hours away near my sister) was admitted to the er after having recovered from covid due to coughing up blood and black stool. i am trying to stay positive about that.
today was bad due to heat, i really dislike heat. and then after dinner i was wlcomed by a bad headache and stomach pain. no clue on the cause - we just had blts and i got all the seeds out of tomato slices i had.
roommates gather together and we discuss the bad rent situation we have (backlog of unpaid rent while waiting on rental assistance, no clue on what to due if it doesnt go through) absurd amount of money to think about with stomach pain, actually cannot stand due to anxiety knots caused by it.
cant sleep now - i might fall right asleep in about ten minutes, who knows. i wanted my birthday week to start uneventful and chill, but now this is gonna sit with me for a few more days
i hope youre all having good days, readers, we take em for granted sometimes
submitted by Ok_Rip_1567 to Vent [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:35 No_Chocolate_6455 [M4F] The Knight and The Assassin [Medieval-Fantasy]

Despite the early afternoon hours, the jovial Iron Tankard tavern was packed full with noisy patrons. Mostly regulars, craftsmen, artificers, merchants, off-duty guards, though an occasional mercenary misfit could also be spotted, scurrying around the bounty board or chatting down the innkeeper for job suggestions. The walled town of Ashenfort was relatively small, it being a passing, yet reputable, trade-post along the main road that connected the capital city and the coast-line settlements. Travelers came and went by the hour, never staying for long, turning over goods and coin, but also services. If one was in search for an uncanny set of hands to help along a most arduous task, then this was certainly the place to look.
The joyous, drunken and merry chattering continued through the crowded chamber, with the tavern workers doing their utmost to squeeze past the countless customers and bring the desired orders to their tables. Everyone seemed so keenly busy, to the point nobody noticed the unseemly figure push their way through the front door.
Taking but a single step further, Sir Andrew of the noble house Medellin, had to visually keep himself from recoiling. Unused to the tavern stench, the fickle smell of alcohol, combined with sweat, grease and perhaps even vomit, assaulted his noble nostrils and almost triggered a gag reflex "By the king.." He grumbled under his breath, fixing that ragged traveling-cloak that flapped over his chest and hiding the armored plate underneath. His deep-sea eyes peered across the board, eyeing for someone it seemed, before his gloved hand rose to his lips, covering them as he adamantly cleared his throat. Ignored. Taking a deep breath, the knight stepped forward, brushing his wave-like, sand-blonde hair behind his ear before trying again "Excuse me, gentlemen-"
Dismissed, again, with only a few pitiful glances being thrown his way, more out of irritation for being too close to the table than anything else. The young knight huffed in annoyance, briefly closing his eyes, before opening them as his stern, dramatic voice cried out
"Hear me, men and women of Valeron! I am Sir Andrew Medellin, sword-paladin to the arch-duke of the western-fold, banner-man to his holy grace- Augustus Percivalus Drakefort the third. I was quested by our noble king with slaying the terrible dragon that's been ravaging our western borders, laying waste to our precious serfdom and leaving nothing but scorched earth behind. Though I accepted the task honorably and in good faith, my sword yearning to pierce the foul dragon's wicked heart, I will admit that I find myself outmatched. The dragon's vision is far and great, its breath a flaming sundering.. I have no hope of meeting it face to face in the open. For this, I require to enter the lair of the beast and catch it off-guard.. I require assistance, from one of you, noble characters, someone versed in the art of.. Stealth and deceit, whom could perhaps assist in shrouding my noble approach into the jaws of evil?"
Silence, attention, all eyes on him. The tavern had its breath taken away by the man's speech, but just as a smile of triumph crept onto his tender lips, Andrew was bombarded by a chortling choir of laughter. Amused, some within the crowd nearly choked on their drinks, while Andrew's grumbling expression faded in excitement. After another moment of silence on his side, he added, though with far less enthusiasm in his sighing voice, enough only for a select few to hear- Or rather, anyone that paid attention still.
"I am also willing to compensate you for your troubles.. 2000 coins up front, plus another 8000 when the quest is done. Additionally, the king has given me leave me with issuing amnesty to any.. Unsavory characters that had a run in with our law in the past, pardoning all of their heinous crimes in return for assisting me."
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Simple and, relatively short, premise to a medieval-fantasy prompt that revolves around a pair of unlikely allies teaming up to stop a much bigger, looming threat! If you have any ideas/suggestions or thoughts of your own that you'd like us cleared in advance, feel free to let me know. World-wise this is more or less a blank slate, so in regards to races, magic, politics, geography etc. we'll be able to include a variety.
For this story I'd really like to explore the relationship between a noble, religiously truthful, honorably overzealous, naive knight and a deceitful, witty and playful sort of rogue-like character contrast. My own pitch idea would be an assassin character, perhaps someone who already had a close-encounter with the lord of Medellin in the past, a fact that will be brought up and/or revealed at a crucial moment to intensify their situation or perhaps even strengthen their bond? I have a soft-spot for enemies-turned-friends-turned-lovers sort of dynamics, so this is what I was trying to go for with- Judge me all you want~
I'd preferably not know much about your character in advance, wanting to explore their pasts and stories through the RP, but if you feel it crucial and/or want to take your character in a completely different direction- Do let me know.
I normally write 2-3 paragraphs of detail, with the range mostly varying from how fast the scene is progressing. I prefer quality over quantity and will never nag you if you require more time to reply. I will, however, be nit-picky if you respond to a full-fledged, action-packed, word-exploding essay with a meager 3 line reply -.-
I mostly prefer writing on Discord and Reddit PM's (easiest for me to manage and read), and use chat only to make contact so we can exchange ID's
I am alright with including NSFW themes in regards to story progression and character development, but they are *completely* optional and in no way necessary. Feel free to let me know in advance, otherwise I will assume they are to be omitted.
Hope to hear from you wonderful writers soon!~
submitted by No_Chocolate_6455 to DiscordRP [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:34 w_actual Eastlakes Shopping Centre

Me and the family recently went to Eastlakes for a messy play event for kids. We appreciated the free all day parking at Eastlakes Shopping Centre but were shocked at the state of the plaza. I'd say half the shops weren't open on a Saturday. The rest looked closed or out of business. The floor looked like it hadn't been buffed/cleaned in months and trash anywhere. Couple of mums nearly had a punch up in the car park too.
Anyone know if there are plans to demolish or revitalise that space? I've seen old shopping centres but they are normally kept somewhat clean and maintained. This places was just neglected and depressing.
submitted by w_actual to sydney [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:32 Usagichan9239 My agoraphobia is getting to the point where I am experiencing fight or flight more often lately. Any tips?

Hi everyone. I noticed my anxiety and agoraphobia over the past couple months has gotten worse. I used to maintain decently w cbd here and there, but I find that I'm getting frustrated or my fight or flight is seriously kicking in. People seem to have no situational awareness and I know logically it's a minor thing, but it's something that is really effecting my mental health when I'm out in public.
For context, just shopping in a store the other day. I'm reaching for a can of food and my bf is near me. Suddenly, a middle aged man w a cart barrels through towards me and an employee is inches from me, reaching for items directly below me. I suddenly moved so I wouldn't be touched or run over by this guy w the cart. No 'pardon me' 'excuse me', nothing.
This morning I come to do my laundry at my local laundromat. I usually chat w a little old lady here but she usually gets in my personal space to clean literally crumbs from the floor.
I am putting laundry in and I'm suddenly butt-to-butt with the laundry attendant, a woman comes in w a body bag sized laundry bag and almost hits me w it and I try to back up and the laundry woman is directly behind me, inches behind me, dustpan and broom in hand. I finished loading the laundry and went to my car for a deep breath.
I called my bf to vent and he understands mostly how I feel, but I'm starting to feel like a burden to him. Idk how to cope anymore. I feel like I'm on edge all the time.
Any tips would be amazing. I don't have health insurance so I can't be seen by a doctor anytime soon Thanks for listening
submitted by Usagichan9239 to Agoraphobia [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:31 Elliotem If you can type me you get a cookie

How old are you? What's your gender? Give us a general description of yourself.
I am 18. Biologically female.
I am definitely more on the quiet side. Definitely have some teenage angst.
--------
Describe your upbringing.
I dont think I was parented too much and I had to teach myself a lot of basic skills (thank god for youtube) But I was raised by a single mother with 3 kids who had to work constantly to keep food on the table, so it's understandable.
Overall my upbringing with chaotic and messy.. but I wouldn't change it. I think everything has shaped me into who I am today and Im okay with it.
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What do you do as a job or as a career?
I dont yet have a career.. Currently applying to entry level jobs.
Hoping to get a job one day that earns me enough money to not stress about bills. I will say task initiation is a big struggle for me.
If you had to spend an entire weekend by yourself, how would you feel?
Absolutely refreshed. People stress me out, I try to avoid interacting with them. Though being near other humans, preferably in the corner of the room, is enjoyable.
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What kinds of activities do you prefer?
My top hobby is art. I also do rubiks cube, puzzles, shopping, cooking, sudoko, sleeping..
But a lot of my time is taken up researching my interests, it refreshes me the most. I like neuroscience, MBTI, torture mechanisms, beetlejuice (mainly musical), math, and whatever educational videos happen to pop up on my youtube feed
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How curious are you? Do you have more ideas then you can execute?
Im usually curious.
I dont know if I have many ideas.. but I definitely think about things more than I do them.
I am very curious into human nature, but I also enjoy learning about how the world works (it irks me how little we know, I am constantly finding dead ends)
Currently I am just starting to get into computers.
I absolutely cant stand learning about history, bores me to death.
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Would you enjoy taking on a leadership position? Do you think you would be good at it? What would your leadership style be?
No, But I think I would be good at it. I would try to be clear with my words and efficient in my actions. I would give everyone a task to do. If someone repeatedly cannot hold up their task, they would have a one on one with me so I cant help them through it. If they show carelessness, they're out. throw them overboard
Maybe a bit like a dictatorship..? uhh
idk I guess maybe people can have vote, but I have final say.
On a larger scale like the president, I would not choose to be leader
but 10-50 people I can manage
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Are you coordinated? Do you enjoy working with your hands in some form?
Nope, constantly falling on shit.
I enjoy working with my hands. (art, rubiks cube) I have great development in fine motor skills.
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Are you artistic?
Ive spent a whole lotta time on anatomy, perspective, values ect. So that I can mess it all up and play around
I enjoy drawing extreme faces and messy creatures.
but I can get very technical with my art. An art deco feel.
I loooove mandalas.
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What's your opinion about the past, present, and future? How do you deal with them?
My opinions..?
Past.. I have poor recollection of the past.
Present.. I tend to miss things in my environment and constantly have my girlfriend fill me in (shes an ISTJ hehe)
Future.. I think about a lot, but I dont plan
for much
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How do you act when others request your help to do something (anything)?
I like helping people sometimes. I like teaching people more than I do just doing stuff for them. I want them to be able to do it on their own.
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Do you need logical consistency in your life?
Yes..? I dont know what this means exactly. I like things to make sense. confusion bothers me a lot.
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How important is efficiency to you?
I like efficiency, as in the quickest way to get somewhere while maintaining quality. This is mostly driven from laziness
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Do you control others, even if indirectly?
Some people have said I do. I disagree.. I think its more me trying to place how I think onto them when they aren't making a lick of sense
maybe that is controlling now that I think about it
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What is your learning style? Do you prefer classes involving memorization, logic, creativity, or your physical senses?
I like creating a system of notes. I recently got into note taking inspired by Zettelkasten. I struggle learning in noisy environments. I need something preoccupy my brain like food or fidget's. I like all things mentioned, creativity not so much.
I like when information is given to me in a straightforward way, with examples. I can add interpretations later but I need the raw base foundation of information first.
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How good are you at strategizing? Do you easily break up projects into manageable tasks?
I can do it.. doesnt mean I do. I procrastinate until the last minute most times. Im not sure why.
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What are your aspirations in life, professionally and personally?
I dont know ? Every time I start to go down a path, I back out and dig a new one. Im hoping this doesn't last outside my teenage years, its like a constant rediscovery of myself and I hate it.
--------
What are your fears? What makes you uncomfortable? What do you hate? Why?
Im afraid of dying a painful death. Im afraid of being casted out by others. I am afraid of living on the streets and loosing hope for life.
Maybe also.. being close to people. Eh
I dont know what I hate ? in a general sense I have no idea
--------
What do the "highs" in your life look like?
I don't know, preferably I found routines that work for me and can set and work on goals
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What do the "lows" in your life look like?
very emotional, desperate and lonely. But Ive always had a roof over my head and (for the most part) food on the table.
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How attached are you to reality? Do you daydream often?
I dont think I daydream but I live in my head a lot. Like I said, I have little attention to the world around me, I can easily miss something that everyone else sees.
--------
Imagine you are alone in a blank, empty room. There is nothing for you to do and no one to talk to. What do you think about?
Why the hell I am in the room and who the hell put me there
after a long while.. probably about my friends and family and if they're safe from this mysterious person
after a LOOONG while
probably if I am dead. is this the afterlife? is this all there is? does this confirm or deny a god?
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How long do you take to make an important decision? And do you change your mind once you've made it?
Long time
Im a terrible decision maker
I can change my mind with new information, but If I've already put it in my note system its pretty much final.
--------
How long do you take to process your emotions? How important are emotions in your life?
Not long. Ive gotten decently good with my emotional maturity.
Emotions arent something I try to pay attention too, but they are something that adds value to life.
--------
Do you ever catch yourself agreeing with others just to appease them and keep the conversation going?
Sometimes. I hate it. Recently Ive been trying to stop people pleasing so much but now I come off as aggressive
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Do you break rules often? Do you think authority should be challenged, or that they know better?
Finally last question. Props to anyone to actual read this whole thing, and thank you.
I dont break rules unless they are silly. I don't really try to challenge authority, I think they're important to keep things running.
--------
I think I am (in order from most to least sure):
ISTP
ISFP
INTP
INFP
All I know for sure is Im definitely an IxxP
submitted by Elliotem to MbtiTypeMe [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:31 thehermitcoder My First Attempt at the CISSP

Sorry for the long post.
So out of the blue, I was told by my employer that I need to get CISSP certified by the end of March. This was the first week of February. Now, although I have a decade and half years of experience working in network security, soc and vapt, also training in and around those areas, this was still a daunting target. I made it clear that a month and a half or so isn't a realistic target. But of course, that was disregarded by the management. I however began the preparation taking my own sweet time. I was in no particular hurry. I told myself come what may, I will give the exam when I am ready for it.
3 weeks in, and I am only 2 domains done. Clearly, end of March was a fantasy at this rate.
Meanwhile ISC2 were running an offer that allowed me to attempt once by the end of March and if required again by end of May. I couldn't let this go. I thought this was made for me. I could tell my employer that I attempted it by March end. And give myself a more realistic chance on the second attempt. Seemed like a win win situation.
Then with a week or so left. I am almost completing domain 3. I had given up hope of even contemplating clearing it on the fruit attempt. However, for some reason I made a mad rush to at least finish 6 domains before the first attempt. I obviously didn't have the time to study properly for them. I resorted to watching videos instead of reading the books. It wasn't like the domains were completely new to me. I knew some parts of it, and did not know some other parts. I actually covered 2 domains one night before the exam day. I did finish practice tests from the Sybex practice tests book. I finished 5 of the 8 domains and scored 70 to 80 percent in them. The other 3 domains, I did not have the time to.
3 to 4 days before the exam, I don't think I slept well. I was getting anxious thinking about it. I am not sure why, I suddenly felt like I didn't have the stamina to sit a second time for the exam. I felt like my experience alone should be enough to make up for any lack of reading time. A part of me also said that it was wishful thinking.
So it's exam time. Still no sleep. But I am at the exam center, almost feeling like a lamb to the slaughter. The exam starts. I pray. I never do that , but this time I did. Now I have read others finish the exam at 125 questions. I am already counting down to it. Not because I was confident I will clear, but because I would know that the torture would end anytime after it.
10 mins into the exam and I am 10 questions down. I wanted to be somewhere around the 40 to 45 questions per hour mark. The exam is sure as heck confusing and I can only be confident about 1 in 5 questions. An hour down and 50 questions down, I am not sure if I need to slow down a bit. Still unsure if I am doing well. I was a lot more confident about my answers while attempting the Sybex practice questions. There were a lot of best guesses in my responses. 2 hours and about a 100 down. I know I am nearing the finish. 120 odd done and I am almost uninterested because I had zero confidence in my responses. I was mentally preparing myself for a second attempt. It felt gut wrenching, because I wasn't confident about clearing the exam even after the second attempt. Such were the nature of the questions and the options. I couldn't possibly answer them with any confidence whatsoever. 125th question and the exam ends. I see no information on whether I passed or failed. I call the invigilator and he asks me to end the exam, collect the printout and belongings and leave. That felt so cold. It felt like he was too apologetic that he couldn't say it directly that I failed. I collect my printout.
It starts with a congratulations. I am not sure why it said congratulations. Maybe the fact that I haven't slept for a while is making me read things that aren't there. I felt too stupid to confirm with him what was written on the paper. So I step out and take a good long look at what is written. I read, re-read, look around and read it again. Finally I was convinced that I actually cleared. It felt like a huge burden was removed from me. I was so relieved.
Here are the resources, I used:
Domain 1: OSG. Read everything cover to cover.
Domain 2: OSG. Read everything cover to cover.
At this point, I completely hate the OSG.
Domain 3: AIO. Read everything cover to cover.
Domain 4: AIO. No time to read cover to cover. Just read the parts I felt I did not know well.
Domain 5: SNT. Only watched the videos. Cross-referenced with the CBK reference guide, because it had fewer pages to read.
Domain 6: This domain is primarily what I did for a living. Did not have enough time to read this domain. Banking on just my experience.
Domain 7: Watched FR Secure video from 2020.
Domain 8: Watched FR Secure video from 2020.
Sybex Practice Tests: Domains 1 to 5. No time for the other 3 domains. Scored 70 to 80 percent. No other question bank. No time for it.
What I realized most about the exam is that experience across the domains matters a lot. Also you need to trust yourself when responding to the question and avoid re-contemplating. Trust your first instincts. Chose either the OSG and the AIO, but not as the Bible, only as a guide.
Good luck to any future test takers.
submitted by thehermitcoder to u/thehermitcoder [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:30 Jaded-Parfait-7106 My new SaaS chrome extension. How do I take it to the moon?

I am a coder and I don't see a future for me in corporate. I just don’t have what it takes to deal with office politics and all the butt kissing that one has to do to climb up the corporate ladder, reaching for some juicy fruit of higher pay. Fruits and benefits that always seem to be out of reach.
But I can code, I am somewhat self motivated and very introverted and so I have decided to try my hand at SaaS development.
The best case scenario is that it works and I make enough to justify never going back to corporate. The worst case is that this endeavour fails and I have to go back to corporate, tail between legs and kiss the ring on the finger of the people with the money asking for my old jobs back. If I have to do this, I will have a portfolio of projects that I can use to pad my CV.
I am here to ask your opinion on my latest SaaS chrome extension.
The app
My sharpie is a chrome drawing tool that turns any web page into a canvas. You can be able to:
  1. draw shapes,
  2. straight lines,
  3. highlight any part of webpage
  4. change colors of any edits
  5. move said edits around
  6. save the edits as an image on your computer.
It is essentially like MS paint for your browser
Use cases:
The possibilities are endless
I thought that it’s a very nifty and lightweight tool to have on your browser should you need it.
I borrowed heavily from existing extensions with decently large user bases and reviews. I figured that I have a better chance of success/ recurring revenue if I copied an idea instead of trying to dream up a non existent product.
the monetization strategy
I am charging $4 per month to access all features. I have put only one feature behind a paywall, meaning that a user can still get a lot of work done with the free versions. A donation page to aid further development also pops up after installation
the SEO strategy
I just wrote down the description as naturally as I could. I have no idea on how to optimize chrome extensions for google so maybe a knowledgeable person can point me in the right direction.
the goals
I hope to make around $400 a month for this extension over time. Anything close to that will be acceptable. I just pulled the number out of a hat so I don’t know whether or not its realistic for a first time SaaS developeentrepreneur.
the request
They include:
  1. install and offer constructive criticisms and reviews on the app
  2. ideas on how to get users
  3. more ideas for features to add
  4. How to do SEO and other potential monetization streams
  5. a donation will really motivate a first time SaaS entrepreneur
submitted by Jaded-Parfait-7106 to chrome_extensions [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:30 talesemech Flat Tyre Repair Tyre Repair Near Me

Need a flat tyre repair? Look no further. Our experienced technicians offer fast, reliable tyre repair and replacement services near you so your ride is always as safe and smooth as can be.
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submitted by talesemech to u/talesemech [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:29 G2webTexas Mediterranean Catering & Restaurant Near You and Me in Richardson March ...

Mediterranean Catering & Restaurant Near You and Me in Richardson March ... submitted by G2webTexas to Sababacatering [link] [comments]


2023.03.22 07:29 jessicaemilyjones 9 year old daughter, abdominal pain nearly a year, what to ask dr

For over 7 months up to possibly a year, my 9 year old daughter has been experiencing moderate to severe abdominal pains. They come on suddenly and are quite sharp, ranging to a dull lingering feeling and can often last hours. The pain travels sometimes from one side to the other, primarily left.
During the first major severe flare up (about 7 months ago) we were concerned about appendicitis, but the Emergency Room at the hospital ruled it out. They did however note that her lymph nodes on her neck were very enlarged, she was not sick at the time or recently beforehand.
Since then there are times that are worse than others but almost every day has pain for at least 2 hours of that day.
At the end of February her general care doctor finally ordered an ultrasound which was done on 24/02/23. The ultrasound showed all abdominal organs as normal. No gallstones or gallbladder wall thickening. The only finding was "multiple prominent mesenteric lymph nodes".
The ultrasound summary was that the appearances are suggestive of mesenteric adenitis.
The general care doctor told us this was no problem and just happens when kids get sick, and sent us away.
After looking into the condition it seems children only get this condition for a few weeks at most, not nearly a year, and she has not been sick for nearly a year, in fact barely a cold during that whole time.
What could be causing this? She can't keep being in sharp pain every day with no help.
We have an appointment scheduled with a different general care doctor tomorrow. What conditions could I ask about that could cause this? Are there any specific tests I could enquire to have done?
Additional information, in the family there are autoimmune conditions, type 1 diabetes (her blood sugar is fine), Crohn's disease, Inflammatory bowel disease.
Please give me suggestions of what to check with the doctor or tests to follow this up with if possible.
submitted by jessicaemilyjones to AskDocs [link] [comments]