i really don’t know where to go from here. so i’m (22F) mexican-american (specifically veracruz, mexico) and for the past 2 years on and off my ex (24M) who is black (he’s got family in NJ and SC) we’ve officially called it quits after letting out the bag, our internalized guilt for dating outside our races/ethnicities. and we both admitted to each other this feels weird and immature..?
we’ve had such a special, loving, passionate and supportive relationship. he was my second relationship ever after i got out of an awful relationship with my previous ex i would go back and forth with this guy for 5 years (even bailing him out of jail once). i did some pretty intense therapy for a year after that ended and at the least expected moment in my life, i met my then boyfriend through a mutual friend. he shot his shot in my dms telling me he saw the selfie i took with my girl friend when we went out to get drinks and told me he noticed i had on a pair of margiela tabi’s in a post of mine! (no because who taught you that lmao)
i work in nonprofit spaces that advocate for immigration-affected populations, all my life i’ve done my best to try and navigate societal institutions through a multicultural lens, i’ve strived to always expand my knowledge on the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality and etc., even beyond the lenses of us-american culture. and yet, my very traditional, christian pentecostal and internalized colorist and anti-black views from my family (majority my mother) i feel held me back from truly being fully happy with my ex-partner. im the stereotypical eldest daughter first-generation latina who has the weight of carrying the generational wealth and success of my family, so obviously i’m a people pleaser especially with my family (currently working on moving out soon too bc after completing undergrad and moving back home i realized my mental health is DETERIORATING) so when my boyfriend and i would have our disagreements (we used to be long distance because my college was 2 hours away) we would just take breaks, until either him or i would be like “okay what’s really going on let’s meet and talk” and then schedule a time to talk and it would always be resolved. but i think deep down we always had this inkling of unsettled feelings, at least for me, it was trying to keep my mothers disapproval at bay and make my partner feel like he doesn’t have to worry about my mental wellbeing all the time.
my ex is on the same boat also having very christian parents, being the eldest son and first-generation to graduate college also thinking about the future and how his success will carry on in his family. he’s a marketing consultant and works at a major shoe company, and i know deep down he’s also a creative genius, he’s a natural stylist and has always had beautiful fashion sense we’ve bonded over our shared passion for aesthetics and the arts since we first began talking. many times i’ve told him to take his styling to the next level but i think he’s always gone the safe route of another corporate position for the sake of his family… again. and i’m incredibly aware of the obstacles dark skin black men face time and time again trying to enter creative institutions, so i don’t discredit his choice of wanting to stay where he is in order to provide for his parents and siblings.
well, we both broke things off a first time around may 2023 when we both graduated mostly because senior year of undergrad completely eviscerated us mentally and emotionally. we both had family members die a couple months before our graduation and after some bad miscommunication and avoidant behaviors in regards to attending each other’s graduation, and then neither of us attending each other’s graduation, it disappointed me greatly and as y’all know, latinos prioritize being there for the big moments in each other’s lives. anyway, my ex and i went without talking for about 9 months, we were still social media mutuals then and around feb/march 2024 we broke the ice and grabbed coffee and went to dinner one evening.
it was like time had never passed. he was still the most beautiful and charming man i remembered meeting 2 years ago. his humor, banter and affectionate nature felt like home to me. at the end of the night he offered to drive me home (my car had been at the repair shop that day and i ubered to meet up with him) and i politely accepted after realizing my closest uber would be 15 minutes away. i made the first “move” and lightly placed my hand on his , and telling him how great it was to see each other again, and that i missed him. he reached out and rubbed my thigh lightly squeezing it while still driving and telling me he missed me very much too. when he got to my parent’s house (which he still remembered how to get there no gps needed) we sat for what felt like forever but were only a couple of minutes saying our goodbyes, until finally i reached over to give him a hug and kissed his cheek, he kissed mine, and then we made out. after those few seconds we broke off and i told him to text me when he made it home, he did and that was that. no next day conversation about that event. we’d do this little dance every now and again only meeting up when our jobs didn’t get in the way of scheduling, maybe meeting up about a handful of times from feb 2024 to now (june 2024) but still texting almost daily. until finally at the end of last month (may 2024) i opened up about how deeply disappointing it had been for me to not have my then partner be there at my graduation even if i had been kinda awkward around the conversation because so much was going on with my family and mental health, all i really wanted was him there. being present for those occasions are immensely important to latinos. then, he said he felt regret about not being there either, he knew deep down he should’ve found a way to go even if his car wasn’t working at the time (he had a 15+ yr old car back then and recently upgraded), he hadn’t considered the fact that because his own graduation didn’t feel like a big deal to him that i’d feel differently and i had every right to feel resentment towards him for it. my mother also made it a point to point out at the time that because HE wasn’t there, no one else truly cared about me, with the exception of HER. i should’ve broken things off with that “bum” long ago. that “bum” was the first partner i openly shared my bpd diagnosis with and even though i’d exhibited plenty of times my anxious-avoidant attachment behaviors to, he’d still find a way a reassure me he wants me to trust him. he might not have all the “emotional intelligence” and “therapy lingo” to know what’s all going on or how his own bad habits affect me but he’s always gone out of his way to ask how to be better… that’s what made me fall in love with him. my mother had always found a way to influence my choices even when deep down they went against my better judgement.
continuing that convo, i open up about how my mother had manipulated my point of view and led me to my agreed choice of when my ex and i first separated. at the time of our first breakup (may 2023) he said he didn’t know if he wanted to separate because he just felt distance from me or he felt distance and a loss of love on his end because we hadn’t been seeing each other in person for a few months before graduation. at the time i had said “that’s for you to figure out, but i can’t go back and forth with you on the lil “breaks” we take because you think im saying “break ups” when really i just need time to process things and need reassurance, not more distance, i want more vulnerability from you.” since then i realized “taking a break” is a literal trigger phrase for him after being in a situationship with a girl who avoided his attempts to hang out or go on dates.
i told him im aware of the fact we’ve been dancing around what exactly we are since almost any other occasion we go out together there’s some kind of physical affection involved. most recently a concert we went to where he held me the entire time. and after lots of apologies and discussion, we both stopped fronting and admitted we missed each other deeply, and maybe we still had that loving connection with each other. he made it a point to mention that throughout the months we went no-contact he missed me deeply, “all i thought about was how is she doing? what’s that beautiful and smart shorty up to, i miss her and love her.” he told me from now on, he’d make sure to be present for those special occasions no matter what, he had finally put a down payment on his new car and was ready to go anywhere when it came to those events and wherever i’d move to (i had been debating to stay in my current area or move closer to work) and that would no longer be a problem. and i told him that means a lot but also, even though i will be moving, it’s important to make note that my mental health will be pretty sensitive when it comes to my transition to living alone (that latina daughter guilt does NOT PLAY) he said he was willing to learn and prepare strategies that help me when i feel that way. he had such a confident and supportive attitude when all my concerns came up. by then we had circled around the fact that we had been affectionate with one another these last few months and where did i stand as far as what we were. i was honest and told him i don’t really know, but after hearing him be open about those months and lingering feelings, whilst also reassuring me, i told him where i wanna go from there and that if what i’m hearing sounds right, then all i need is some time to finish arranging my life for a bit with the move out, and tell my mother ONCE i’ve moved out about the status of his and i’s relationship, just because of her notoriety to use any relationships i have against me. he agreed and said he understood, it would be better to keep that under wraps until the big move out. i thought that conversation went well and the next day i had to take a day trip for a job related event, and on the day after the event drive back as i sat more with my thoughts. so i asked him my lingering questions “what’s the conversation gonna be like for your family as far as mentioning me?” and “i think im jumping the gun a bit but, what are our anniversary dates looking like or maybe this is a future conversation but, maybe i just have lingering resentment of the dates all these conflicts went down.”
his responses being, “i don’t think i want to move forward with this whole relationship, i think im just not feeling the same as then and maybe i just didn’t think it through entirely and went off of your feelings” he had disappointed me once again, maybe choosing the avoidance route when i would ask for clarity and action from him as reinforcement from his apologies, because apologies and promises without action are just words. so we met up and cleared the air, i was transparent with him, no hiding and fawning like i used to, and told him it’s time he realized his forms of deflection, by placing blame on me and dodging confrontation and action because he assumes others intentions are to judge him and with malice is not how he should walk through life. if you weren’t ready to answer the questions and just wanted more time to work towards those goals then i would’ve understood. but now where do you stand on still wanting or not wanting a relationship, because frankly for myself, i was ready to just shut the door on him. i don’t want to be around him if he’s just going to regress to those behaviors. he was incredibly vulnerable, reflecting and then tearing up (he never does that), and thanked me for calling him out and said he would absolutely work on that from now on, he learns so much better when he’s called out even if he initially feels the need to be defensive. he’s now thought about every single personal relationship he’s had where he’s exhibited those behaviors and wants to heal from that. but as far as making a decision on if we wanted to or not continue a relationship we left that for a next time we met which was like a week later.
we met up, he showed me his new car, went for a walk and talked. we discussed work, how was apartment searching for me, how was life, and then. the topic at hand. do we or do we not move forward with this? and he said what i deep down knew would be his safe bet “i think it’s time we part ways you know? i’ve been thinking about from then to now, like, from the period we weren’t speaking to now, and it just feels like it’s not the same.” i nodded and told him that’s a choice i can agree on too but also, that there was more. and he went “more? how so?” i went “well, it’s natural that after some time people change and things don’t feel the same i mean we spent more time apart than really cultivating something but in the time we reconnected, to me, it feels like friends who’ve never lost track of time. but what else are your reasons?” he went “well. there’s two really i think. communication is a big one, but i feel like now that we can both meet and talk in person, when we talk and call it’s so much easier to understand each other than text. like, we seem to work together to get on a similar page. but yeah that. and, to be honest it’s been this weird feeling whether it’s a moral thing on my end or the voice of my auntie in my head but, dating someone who isn’t black feels like, wrong. like, it’s not right and, my auntie wants BLACK nieces and BLACK nephews you know?” and finally… i didn’t feel crazy anymore. i knew my intuition was right. i knew all the times i had thought deep down he wasn’t sure how to navigate family occasions with me around and i, also not being sure with him, weren’t just some weird racial tension on my end. and i laughed.
he looked at me and went “what?” i finally uncovered my mouth after trying to stifle my laughter and went “that was one of my reasons too, if not, the biggest one.” and both of us sighed at the same time. i told him “you have no idea how deeply awful i felt over the fact that maybe your family wasn’t interested in incorporating me into the picture and maybe you were hesitant to incorporate me out of like embarrassment“ and he stopped me “no, not embarrassment. you never, not once, were embarrassing to me” so quickly i responded “let me rephrase, sorry, hmmm, guilt?” he nodded, “exactly. guilt.” so i continued “i remember our first thanksgiving together, when we finally went to your grandparents’ place and they offered us seats at the adult table and you turned it down to sit with your siblings and i asked why and you said we can talk about it later and i didn’t bother to remind you again? i think i knew, you didn’t want them to probe me with questions, or they run the risk of saying something outta line.” he got quiet “yeah…. and i’m sorry you kept that to yourself all this time.” i said “it’s alright. i’m glad i don’t feel crazy anymore.” we continued chatting, “for myself, as a latina, and my family being immigrant. we prioritize not only the retention of the spanish language but the acculturation and customs from food, to manners, to values. and while the rest of my family truly has no qualms as far as race, only my mother is more apprehensive because of her own deep seated colorism and trauma she has, what’s held me back is your american-ness.” “i feel guilty when i know latino men struggle with access to education, support, desirability, etc and other societal issues that affect them, and knowing our culture teaches us to stand behind our hard working latino men, i know it’s what my family wants for me, i feel guilty of not fulfilling that expectation, when im with you. and i also know the latina woman and black woman diaspora share almost a vent diagram of similar issues passed on from white supremacy, stereotypes, and other issues within the culture. social media has literally written think pieces on those families that start off as black/brown/latino and then like after two generations, full of white ass babies.” and he nodded “as a black man, who’s been hearing and seeing on social media that same stuff, but also raised in a black household entirely, it’s all people talk about. for me, like you said, black women have been seen as less desirable by others, it’s not at all how i was taught of course, but still when, being with you, i can’t explain the guilt of what it might be like for someone to think i don’t find black women attractive even if it’s not true.” and i nodded in agreement. it somehow felt so reassuring to know we both sat with this unspoken feeling for over two years, just wanting to do right and please others around us, even repeating to ourselves it’s what’s right.
and then we sat for a while and he said “now… i’m confused.” i responded “me too.” he said “i thought this would resolve it and just make it easier but, now it feels immature?” and me “yeah, childish even?” he nodded. i talked to him about advice i had received from one of my married friends she’s black and her husband is latino. in summary she explained the more one holds off on those hard topics the more everything else seems to snowball, and it’s going to be impossible to please everyone in your family, at the end of the day, the people in the relationship are the only knows who know the truth. i don’t know why i hadn’t remembered that advice until now, but i shared it with him, as we reflected more. he was right. this was confusing. so, he broke the silence “i think i still want to go through with splitting up. and yeah” i sat still for a while longer, nodded my head, and walked away. i went to my car and sat inside for five minutes, silent tears rolling down my face. if we had both agreed to do what was right for our families and communities, why did it feel like i betrayed myself? i don’t know, but im hoping to just find a way to heal from this past relationship, any advice?

When I was a kid, we used to play this game called 'The Island’. The goal was simple: survive. We were left on an imaginary island and had to overcome all the pitfalls and problems that came with it. I remember one time when our 'ship' was sinking and our only hope was a tiny, inflatable lifeboat with a hole in it. Classic, right? Well, rather than panicking (or, you know, 'drowning'), I decided to look around and think. I saw an empty water bottle. That's when an epiphany hit me! I used the plastic wrap from the bottle to cover the hole, securing it with some grass we 'happened' to have in our survival backpack. I was able to save our crew from a watery catastrophe.
Sound silly? Here's the interesting part. This game was my earliest lessons in creative thinking, and now as a grown-up dealing with real-life 'islands' – those challenges life throws at us – I've found how critical it is for not just surviving, but thriving. It's all about resilience, my friends.
Creative thinking promotes resilience in two significant ways: It encourages problem-solving skills, and it fosters optimism. When faced with a problem, instead of freaking out, creative thinking urges you to look for unconventional solutions. It gets you to think "outside the box", just like I did with the bottle wrapper on my makeshift island. But it also does something else. It fosters a certain optimism, a belief that every problem has a solution if only you can look at it from a different angle.
Fast forward to today, I'm a creative director at an ad agency. Trust me, facing the demanding clients and impossible deadlines feels quite like being stranded on an island too. But now I know how to repair my lifeboat. So remember, next time you're facing a dilemma, don't panic. Channel your inner child, think creatively, and stay resilient!
P.S. Hope you enjoyed my story! And yep, you are right. This is a hypothetical story, but hey, it’s to show you how essential creative thinking and resilience are in surviving our daily ‘islands’. Also, for the record, I really did play that island game as a kid!
P.S.S. Oh, and if you're wondering about that mental model thing I slipped in there - it's called 'First Principles Thinking'. It involves breaking down your problems into basic, fundamental parts and then putting them back together in a new and innovative way. Great for surviving islands, killer ad pitches, or patching an inflatable lifeboat!

Does Theravada have writings supporting, formal rituals of, established customs, or well established concepts of repentance.
Someone told me that other schools of Buddhism do.
The only repentance I know is the Christian concept where you try to appease a god and assuage your guilt by doing good deeds.
That doesn't quite make sense with my conception of Theravada and kamma. It is an impersonal universe, kamma operates like a law of physics. You might do good deeds after bad acts to repair your kamma.
However I don't know all of the writings and I know that there are customs outside of the writings that have existed outside of the writings.
So, in Theravda writings and in the cultures of Theravada countries is there a concept of repentance?
I found this old link, but I am not sure I understand or trust that thread.

An unknown alien race is fascinated by the diverse and progressive development of human cultures. Their own development has stagnated for a very long time. In order to study the secrets of human development, they abduct several groups of people from different cultures and eras. At the time of the abduction, the death of these people is inevitable without the intervention of the aliens (sinking ships, natural desasters etc.). They make sure that the selected people are not involved in wars and other conflicts in order to minimize aggression in the studies. After a long period of deep sleep, during which all the people learn a common language, they wake up simultaneously in a prepared world. Apart from a message explaining the circumstances of the abduction or rescue, there is no trace of the aliens.
The aliens have no desire to be worshipped as superior beings or to establish a new religion. What guidelines do they give humans to ensure peaceful interaction?
I was thinking something like “This is your second chance. Use it!"
Edit: additional info

The Human delegation arrives in the conference room with Harsh whispers giving away their giddy excitement. Marble-like walls surround the wide space as they take the seats marked with shiny, clear film.
The championed members of the galactic council filed in soon after, taking customized chairs marked with their national emblems. As all the participants finish seating, The Herrein Republics begin the meeting.
"I would once again like to reiterate the warmest of welcomes to our newest friends within our ever expanding galaxy. Humanity, led by their United Nations." The monogendered being states with a round of applause following immediately after; The Human delegates bobbing their heads as a show of appreciation.
This was followed by several days of negotiations, cultural exchange, and genetic profiling. All was going very smoothly, as the newfound 'Human' species was exceptionally cooperative in all matters. All matters save for one...
Council Member A3: "If you truly wish to become part of your community, then you simply must disclose the number of ballista on your mainline vessels. Its the most basic of requirements!"
CM E2: "It is as my college says, you admit yourselves on many occasions the development of warships, with this 'Bismarck' vessel in particular being extremely famous amongst your own people."
Human Delegate 1: "Esteemed councilors, you must understand, we do not use ballista. period."
CM A1: "Then what armaments does Humanity's naval vessels wield against their enemies? Battering rams?"
Soft chuckle-equivalents echo in the room as the Human delegate grits her teeth.
HD 2: " Believe there has been a slight misunderstanding, if i could direct you to this footage of the Bismarck..."

Our sink broke in the corner and I was wondering what glue would be best to repair. Not sure exactly what material it is. Any suggestions? Also would we need a different adhesive to adhere the piece to the wooden cabinet? Preferably would like to make it look like nothing ever happened so any extra suggestions are welcome

Like an old gate with rusted hinges, Rob's eyes creaked open very, very slowly.
His mind was even slower to comprehend the fact that he was still alive. Rob's brain felt as if it was stuffed full of cotton, his synapses wading through molasses. He simply lay there motionless, resting in what seemed to be an excessively comfortable bed, blankly staring up at the ceiling.
An indeterminable amount of time passed. Eventually, he scrounged up enough energy to form a coherent thought.
Guess I made it.
It wasn't the most jubilant of victory cries, but he would save the celebrating for when he had more liveliness than a months-old cadaver. For now, rather than being overjoyed at his survival, Rob just felt a diluted sense of surprise.
How? Even though he'd collapsed in front of the world's top Soul Surgeon, and even though Vul'to possessed a Skill that was essentially tailor-made to save him...Rob could remember the state his soul had been in. It wasn't pretty. Truth be told, he kinda hadn't expected to wake up again.
Yet he had.
Awesome.
Rob sank deeper into his bed, as if he was enveloped by cushions of soft clouds. Questions lethargically rose up in his thoughts, none of which he could answer. How long had he been unconscious? Were there any side effects from his soul treatment? Was Elatra doing okay in his absence? It would be extremely on-brand for a new catastrophe to have popped up while he was snoozing.
Well...they can handle it. I'm on break.
His eyes gently closed. Rob allowed himself to drift off into tranquil slumber, enjoying the feeling of going to sleep when there weren't multiple impending dooms hanging over his head.
It was easy without static blaring inside his skull.
--
When he awoke again, he immediately felt that his mind was far more alert and active than before.
Rob breathed out a small sigh of relief at that. It would've sucked to get lasting brain damage as a complication of his soul infirmity, especially after shrugging off dozens of physical head-blows no problem. Now, with the incredible power of 'thoughts that weren't running on dial-up internet', he managed to turn his head to look at somewhere besides the ceiling.
Peering around, Rob was wholly unsurprised to find himself in a Fiend hospital. He identified his surroundings at a glance. Fiendish medical architecture had been burnt into his memories over the course of the Corruption epidemic.
Vul'to and Hauz must've healed me, then stuck me in a private hospital ward where I could rest up. His eyes swept across the rest of the room. Wonder where they–
He froze as his gaze reached the corner. There, Keira was sitting on a chair, asleep.
The Savage Warrior had seen better days. She was sleeping at an odd angle, her posture slumped in a way that hurt Rob's spine just to look at. Her hair and clothes were disheveled, a distant cry from the casual aesthetic perfection that Elves seemed to portray without even trying. And the greatsword that she was so intensely proud of had been propped against the wall, almost as an afterthought.
Rob winced with guilt when he noticed Keira twitching as she slept. Her mouth scrunched into a faint grimace as lines of worry etched deeper onto her face. While he'd been luxuriating in a cushiony bed of soothing clouds, her forays into dreamland had apparently been fitful and restless. How many days has she sat there praying for me to awaken? How many weeks?
The answers he sought were sitting right in front of him. Rob hesitated briefly before speaking – but only briefly. He'd kept his friends waiting for too long already.
"Keira?"
Her head rose so quickly that her neck made an audible crack. She went from sleeping to aware within a tenth of a second. Keira momentarily sputtered, then stopped just as quickly when she set her gaze on Rob. Her eyes widened to the size of white dish plates, contrasting the dark circles underneath.
Another pang of guilt stabbed at Rob when he saw hope and disbelief warring in her expression. "You aren't dreaming," he offered. "I'm–"
Her chair clattered to the ground as she leapt towards him.
Rob had never felt happier to have put so many points into Vitality. Without that, he likely would've been crushed to death by the bonebreaking hug that Keira proceeded to wrap him with. Wooden splinters dug into his back as she attempted to squeeze the life out of him. She'd shattered his bed with the force of her leap, and neither of them cared.
"Missed you too," Rob mumbled, carefully returning her embrace. It was odd to know that he actually possessed significantly more Strength than her now. He didn't want to treat her as if she was made of glass, but compared to him, everyone was. "I love you. Glad I have the chance to say that again."
Keira said nothing. She just retained a steel grip on him and dug her face into his chest. Rob could practically see the tension seeping out of her – like an overstressed pressure valve that had finally been granted release. He felt wetness on his shirt, and with a jolt, realized that she was silently crying.
She became the de facto Party leader while I was gone, he remembered. That means acting as a figurehead for the others to rely on. Suppressing her doubts and concerns, even if she was probably more anxious than anyone.
For the third time, Rob was ambushed by guilt, its army seizing vast lands of territory within his heart. "I'm sorry that–"
"No." Keira shook her head without looking up, smearing tear streaks onto his shirt. "No apologies today. Just...let me be happy that you've come back to us."
"...Okay."
It wasn't long before Rob was crying as well. The two of them stayed that way for almost half an hour, neither speaking, letting tears fall, their relief gradually sinking in until it became real enough to believe.
I'm alive, Rob confirmed. I'm alive. I'm alive. I'm alive.
He squeezed tighter. And I'm never leaving again.
Eventually, the waterworks dried up. "Don't know why I'm like this," Keira grumbled. She lifted her head, eyes reddened, an irritated look on her face. "Hauz informed us that you would awaken one day, and that it would be sooner rather than later. Yet I can't help but fall to pieces when I should be shouting for joy."
"It shows you care," Rob said, smiling. "I would've been annoyed if you didn't shed a tear or two."
Keira snorted. "Or two, he says." She pointed at his shirt, which had transformed into something of a damp cloth.
"Pretty sure half of that is from me." He paused. "Out of curiosity, how long have I been unconscious?"
"Three weeks to the day."
Rob let out a low whistle. "That's supposed to be 'sooner'? Oh, right, Elatran standards. You guys live for hundreds of years."
"So do you, now."
"Weird to think about." He idly played with her hair, noting once again that it looked and felt less cared for than usual. Not that he had any room to talk – he sorely needed a shave. "Did you spend the whole three weeks sitting in that chair?"
Keira shook her head. "We watched over you in rotating shifts. Admittedly, I comprised the majority of those shifts, although the others have all visited you on many occasions."
With an aggrieved sigh, the Savage Warrior glanced at the front door to their room. "And speaking of the others...perhaps we should contact them. Tempted as I am to monopolize your time for myself, they also exhibited no small amount of concern for your well-being."
"Aw, that's – wait holy shit my voice!"
Keira blinked. "Yes? You sound perfectly normal."
"I SHOULDN'T!" Rob had started waving his hands in random patterns, as if the motions would help him make sense of the world. "My voice was fucked up back when we were fighting the gods! It was a side effect of–"
At once, he froze. "Huh. Just remembered that I haven't checked my system notifications or Character Sheet yet." He gave Keira a serene smile. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go have my worldview broken and reforged."
"By all means." She waved him off with an air of nonchalance, but it was clear from the sudden tightness of her posture that she was putting on a brave face for him. Keira wanted to know what had changed almost as much as he did. Breathing deep, Rob opened his log of system notifications and scrolled up, understanding that what he read now would shape the future direction of his life.
Alert: Soul Repair has been used on your body!
Alert: Due to the ridiculously damaged state of your soul – that exceeds even our lofty expectations – Soul Repair is struggling to reconstitute everything it possibly can!
Alert: Seriously, Rob, what the fuck?
Alert: Soul Repair is trying its very best and you had better appreciate it!
Alert: Hauz the Soul Surgeon is helping with remarkable finesse and expertise! If the gods had lived, his soul would have certainly been crystallized into a Skill! Please don't tell him we said that!
Alert: Soul Repair has completed! Your Soul Instability is cured!
Alert: Due to the aforementioned difficulties, liberties have been taken during the healing process!
Alert: If you wish to lodge a complaint, please note that Soul Repair's Description contains a line stating 'Unintended side effects may also occur.' We included it for a reason! It was vague on purpose!
Alert: You are genuinely lucky to be alive right now!
Although Rob wasn't finished perusing all of his unread system notifications, he closed the list and massaged his temples.
"Keira..." He sighed. "You know that feeling when someone frustrates you, but they've got legitimate reasons for it, so you have no choice but to give them a pass, and that just frustrates you more?"
She gestured broadly towards him.
"Okay, I deserved that." The corners of his lips crept down. "Question: how did Hauz act when he was performing soul surgery on me?"
Her lips slowly morphed into a frown that mirrored his own. "He claimed that you would be fine," she began, with a look of dawning realization. "He claimed it...repeatedly. As if to reassure himself. And he didn't speak a single word of sarcasm."
Rob couldn't help but glance down at his body. His hale, hearty body – that had probably come close to flatlining a dozen times.
"Fixing my soul was a shitshow," he plainly stated. "Even if the Skills hadn't told me as much, their notifications were outright snarky. They've been snarky before exactly once. I think the process stressed the hell out of them."
Keira's frown flipped into a smile. "You are their hero and savior, Rob. I think they would have been devastated were they unable to save you. Consider their 'snark' as an expression of immense gratitude."
"Trust me, I'm not complaining. They can snark at me all they want. Soul Repair pulled my ass out of the fire. I owe them, if anything."
She raised an eyebrow. "I sincerely doubt they would agree with that assertion. Regardless – what else have you discovered? Did you learn why your voice has reverted to its original state?"
"Not yet. Had to take a minute after reading...the other stuff."
"Fair."
Smirking, he re-opened his log of system notifications and continued onward.
Note: Based on prior behavior, you are likely to assess these notifications soon after you wake from your coma, starting from the top and working your way down.
Note: If so, we advise pausing this readthrough and checking your Character Sheet – assuming you have yet to do so.
Note: We also advise that you not be alarmed about what you will find.
My Character Sheet? Rob furrowed his brow. Haven't been able to open that since I got Soul Instability, which...
Was cured.
Oh.
With a burst of nervous intent, he brought up his Character Sheet. Rob flinched as, instead of an error message telling him it was unavailable, his vision filled lines of familiar text.
Mostly familiar. There had been several notable changes.
Character Sheet Name: Rob Level: 124 [LOCKED] Race: Human Class: BERSERKER (LV 99) Sub-Class: Crystal Bearer (LV 7)
HP: 14263 / 14263 Stamina: 614 / 880 MP: 3670 / 3670 Status Effects: Melancholia (Moderate), Guilt (Moderate), Self-Loathing (Low), Relief (High), Confusion (Moderate)
Strength: 292 Vitality: 490 Endurance: 88 Dexterity: 392 Perception: 337 Mind: 352 Magic: 367 Unspent Points: 0
I...lost Levels.
Even amongst a list of peculiarities, the words 'Level 124' stuck out to him like a blaring neon sign. Levels were the lifeblood of any Combat Class user – it was largely how they defined their self-worth, mentally unhealthy as that might be. That was the natural end result of a society that elevated the importance of martial prowess above everything else.
And while Rob wasn't a native Elatran, he'd come to understand why so much emphasis was placed on that unassuming little number. After all, without Limit Break pushing him above Level 99, he never could have killed the gods and protected everyone he held dear. Levels were a representation of someone's capacity to impose change upon this world. He refused to let them define him as a person, but they still mattered.
A lot.
So perhaps he shouldn't have felt surprised when a minor panic attack took hold of him. I lost Levels. His hands were shivering. I fucking lost Levels!
Not just a few, either. He'd been over Level 140 when fighting Kismet's gang of gods. This was 16 Levels lost at minimum, and lord knows how many stat points along with them.
Strength, Vitality, Dexterity – it's all lower than it should be. Rob grit his teeth. Keira asked him what was wrong, but he kept silent, not wanting to voice the change out loud. This is going to set me back so damn far. I needed that power in order to...
...
To...kill the gods? Been there, done that. The Blight? Sent packing. Ragnavi? Crispy-fried. The aberrant Dungeons that were brewing across Elatra? Cleared out like yesterday's trash.
Huh. Rob rubbed his chin, his panic slowly replaced by embarrassment. Why had he been freaking out, again? His greatest foes were already dead. Sure, he needed power to be an effective Leader moving forward, but he still had that in spades.
By Elatran standards, Limit-Broken Level 124 was functionally invincible. Using the general rule of 5 stat points equals 1 Level, he was actually around Level 450. That wasn't even counting how Never Forget Your Rage could dramatically increase his stats if necessary. If Rob wanted to, he could single-handedly raise himself up as an unstoppable tyrant, ruling over Elatra with an iron fist, and literally no one would be able to stop him.
The more he thought about it, the more he concluded that he wouldn't miss those Levels. If anything, their loss was a blessing – because he was fairly certain that they were also related to the second-most shocking change on his Character Sheet.
Race: Human
Not 'Human (?)'. Not 'Ascending HUMAN'.
Just...Human.
Rob was no longer a nascent divinity. He'd lost the qualifications to Ascend, and his absent Levels were likely to blame. It also tied into another known side effect of Soul Repair – the one responsible for the [LOCKED] status on his Levels.
'If the afflicted soul is highly unstable, it may be determined that the only way to prevent collapse will be to set it in permanent stasis. As such, the soul will then be repaired, then locked into place. The owner of this soul will be unable to gain Levels, upgrade Skills, or learn new Skills.'
Its effect seemed to overrule the part of Limit Break that let him bypass Elatra's Level 99 cap. And without him leveling up until he nearly fractured the system, he would never reach the same heights as before. Achieving divinity was out of the question.
He was, now and forever, Rob the Human.
Perfect.
Rob had witnessed the memories of various godlike entities, and honestly? Pass. They were universally miserable, and he wasn't so arrogant to think that he would be the one to buck the trend. Being mortal suited him just fine.
Although I'm over twice as powerful as Ragnavi was, and everyone viewed her as an untouchable demigod, but whatever. She intentionally fostered that reputation. I can go half-and-half.
Currently, he was at an ideal middle ground. He's lost enough strength that his existence could masquerade as 'normal'. His voice sounded ordinary, his aura of power could be reasonably constrained, and he wouldn't have to treat the world like it was absurdly fragile...just a little fragile. Rob intended to live life so unobtrusively that the Elatrans would almost forget he was terrifying.
Unless, of course, he was forced to remind them. Because he was also strong enough that he could instantly end any threat that dared oppose him. Pointless wars would cease to be, simply due to the risk of him stepping in – like he was a living, breathing deterrent. And if Elatra cooked up some new apocalyptic calamity, he would send it flying into next Tuesday with a flick of his wrist.
It was the best of both worlds. Mortal when he wanted to be, demigod when he needed to be.
Rob exhaled. Having finally calmed down, he took another glance at his Status Effects.
A victorious smile inched upwards. While expected, seeing Leveling High and Soul Instability fucking GONE from his Character Sheet was oh so satisfying. The sensation of pure, unadulterated freedom he felt in that moment could not be overstated. It was like binding shackles had been released from his mind, body, and soul, leaving him lighter than air and with endless possibilities for the future.
He let himself soak it all in for a short period. When he'd gotten his fill, Rob closed his Character Sheet and returned to scrolling through his log of system notifications.
Note: Welcome back. Despite advising you not to be alarmed by what was on your Character Sheet, we shall proceed under the assumption that you were, in fact, quite alarmed.
"Rob?" Keira asked. "Why are you thunking your head against the wall?"
"Tell you later."
Warning: Despite the considerable efforts of all involved, some parts of your soul have been irrevocably lost.
This will result in a measurable, yet unavoidable reduction in combat efficacy.
Such was the cost of Breaking your Limits in numerous ways. No mortal could ever hope to challenge divinity without incurring some sort of price.
However, do not fear. Nothing related to personality or memories was lost. You are still you.
Addendum: I would also like to point out that this power reduction won't adversely affect your lifestyle whatsoever, so don't start bellyaching when you only get to be the apex organism of two entire worlds and
Rob burst out laughing when he saw the notification cut itself off at the end. It gave off the impression of one Skill furiously typing on a keyboard, then a second Skill desperately pulling them away before they could shove their foot even deeper into their mouth.
As it turned out, when the Skills weren't being constantly tortured by the gods – and busy plotting revenge that was millennia in the making – they were able to goof off a bit and express some of their actual personalities.
Imagine that.
"For the record," Rob began, looking up at Keira, "everything is fine. But before I explain what happened, I have to ask – did you know that I'd lost Levels? I'm guessing at least one of you tried to Identify me after the surgery was over."
Keira winced. "I...yes." Her countenance was one of contrite awkwardness, as if she'd committed a glaring social faux pas. "We were aware of your...condition, although we were also unsure of how exactly it would affect you."
Her eyes shone with concern and a strong undercurrent of fear. "You truly are fine? That isn't a lie to set my nerves at ease?"
Something clicked in Rob's mind. Peering at Keira's distraught face, he realized that while he had initially felt unnerved and discouraged over his lost Levels, it probably seemed way worse from the perspective of a native Elatran. He'd only been part of the system for one year. To Keira, who understood Levels as an intrinsic facet of reality that defined self-worth, losing them would be like a combination of existential horror and a severe medical disability.
Rob quickly placed his hand on hers. "I'm good, promise. Let me explain..."
He went over the changes on his Character Sheet, and how they mostly benefited him even if they were technically a reduction in power. Keira didn't appear to believe that he was fully alright with it – and in fairness, almost no Elatrans would have been – but she nodded along anyway, not wanting to convince him otherwise.
They spent another few minutes conversing about mundane topics, letting their stress levels gradually lessen. Rob avoided asking about the state of Elatra at large, figuring that even if someone had randomly started a war in the three weeks he was out, he could just go and resolve it afterwards. Slaying multiple divinities really changed a guy's perspective on what was actually a big deal.
Finally, when they'd regained enough composure that other people wouldn't look at their faces and assume that a devastating tragedy had occurred...they contacted the rest of Riardin's Rangers.
Rob was lucky that he'd gotten some alone time with Keira to sort out his emotions, because what followed was an outpouring of love that soon brought him to tears once more. Orn'tol, Malika, Vul'to, Zamira, Meyneth, Faelynn, and Diplomacy all hurriedly barged in like they were rushing to defuse a bomb. Upon seeing that he was alive and healthy, they immediately took turns hugging him or showering him with well-wishes.
Some of them acted precisely the way he would have thought. Malika wore her heart on her sleeve, bawling as she made him vow never to run off like that again. Orn'tol's reaction was subdued, as he attempted to play the part of the stoic, dependable soldier, but his shimmering eyes told a different story. Vul'to alternated between apologizing for things that weren't his fault and mumbling profound relief that Rob didn't seem to be suffering from too many Soul Repair side effects.
Some of them acted contrary to his expectations. Meyneth and Zamira, who were usually on the more taciturn side, had transformed into a pair of babbling wrecks. Faelynn, recognizing that she couldn't afford to be nervous when so many others were losing their minds, was doing her best to settle them down.
Lastly, there was Diplomacy, still disguised as an Elf. The silver-tongued former Skill spoke not a word as Riardin's Rangers vented their pent-up emotions. Only after everyone else had achieved a measure of catharsis did they pull off the Enchanted disguise ring, gracing the room with a beatific smile from their true body.
"Welcome back, Rob."
--
An hour passed by where they all refused to talk about anything important. It was an unspoken agreement; a shared understanding that they'd earned this respite from world-shaking events. Rob greatly enjoyed catching up on the juiciest local gossip, wishing he had popcorn to munch on as he learned about star-crossed relationships starting to bloom between Fiends and the Elven Deserters.
Other rumors were abound as well. "Did you hear?" Faelynn asked at one point, her eyes sparkling. "A vandal snuck into the Grand Overseer's main office and broke their conference desk!"
"...Huh." Rob donned his expertly-trained poker face, praying that Diplomacy wouldn't call him out on it. "Any idea why?"
"No, but they've tripled their guard in case it happens again. It's given them a major fright. What if this is the prelude to burglary – or worse, an assassination attempt?"
"How about that. Well, I hope they catch that dastardly villain soon."
As soon as there was a lull in conversation, Rob made sure to call Jason with Dimensional Message and let him know that everything had turned out okay. Jason was overjoyed, saying that he never doubted him for a second, although he couldn't keep a clear note of deep-seated relief out of his voice. They were unable to talk for long, as Dimensional Message was still low on energy, but both of them promised to check up on each other regularly now that Leveling High wasn't around to interfere.
Rob let out a contented sigh as he ended the Skill and went back to chatting with Riardin's Rangers. With his Elatran friends nearby, his Earth friend just a Message away, and no apparent disasters looming over the horizon...for the first time in a long time, he felt truly at peace.
However, no peace lasts forever. It was thwarted – perhaps unsurprisingly – by Malika's insatiable curiosity.
"I have to know," the Archmage eventually blurted out. "How did you rid yourself of Leveling High?! It was just gone when you arrived here!"
Rob considered lying, but a pointed glance from Diplomacy warned him of how well that would go. "Purged it. And before you ask, I didn't know that was possible until I tried."
Meyneth folded her arms and frowned. "While I am hardly a foremost expert on soul sciences, forcibly eliminating Leveling High – an aspect deeply intertwined with your soul – sounds prohibitively dangerous. Was prohibitively dangerous. And you definitely realized as much...before attempting it in isolation, where no one could help you if things went awry."
Everyone turned to stare directly at Rob.
"...So hey how's Elatra doing?" He put on a sheepish grin. "Any wars? Political unrest? Giant monsters rising from the depths? Tyrants proclaiming themselves as the new God-Emperor of the world?"
With a collective groan, they allowed him to change the subject. "Honestly?" Diplomacy shook their head. "It's been quiet. Remember that besides you, Sylpeiros is the only Leader left remaining. The other territories are still licking their wounds. I'm sure the Dragonkin nobles will try something stupid after they're done filling Ragnavi's power vacuum, but who cares."
"Not concerned about them?" Rob inquired. "Would you be concerned about an uprising of incompetent sycophants? Personally, I'm more worried about this setting back my personal growth. I've been making a real effort towards being a better person, and it's going to be extremely difficult for me not to skewer the nobles like the fish in a barrel they are."
Diplomacy sighed wistfully. "Regardless, domestic affairs are proceeding smoothly as well. The Grand Overseers are working around the clock so that Fiendish morale remains high. Their PR teams deserve a raise."
"People here aren't worried that I've been missing?"
"We spread word that you heroically defeated Leveling High and were now on the mend. Didn't even need to lie! It played well with a news story that broke just two days prior – sightings of you breaking into a domicile where three Fiends resided, seeming to contemplate murdering them, and then leaving without harming anyone."
Oh, right, those war-criminal assholes. Rob ran his hands down his face. "Yeah, that was a thing. Will give you the details later." He exhaled. "So no fires for us to put out? Really?"
Diplomacy proudly nodded. "Really really."
"Shit, that's way more impressive than just killing some gods." Rob's smile came easily to him this time. "You mentioned Sylpeiros – how's he doing? Feel bad that he got caught up in the divine realms without Almighty Resistance."
Keira reached into her pocket and produced a crumpled note. "He departed for Elven territory weeks ago. Cajoled a teleport mage into sending him home while we were occupied with...other issues." She looked down at the note. "And I quote: I must tend to my people. Contact me when the Human recovers and awakens."
His eyes widened with mild surprise. "Suppose I should appreciate the vote of confidence."
The corners of her lips twitched. "You should, as he wrote this letter and left in the middle of your soul surgery, when your survival was very much not guaranteed. He seemed to think it was a foregone conclusion that you would live to frustrate him another day."
Rob hesitated, unsure of what to think of that.
During that brief pause, Zamira stepped in. "If I may," she began, as if something had been on her mind for a while now. "Rob – you possess a direct line of communication with the Skills, correct?"
"More or less."
Zamira shuffled uncomfortably. "Would you be so kind as to message them and ask how the Swordsmanship Skill is faring?"
Her request earned a room full of confused looks. "Why Swordsmanship?" Keira asked. "I haven't noticed any difference in the Skill's effect on my combat prowess."
"Yes, that's precisely..." Zamira trailed off and shook her head. "Before I explain, please contact the Skills first, Rob. I don't want to unintentionally spread false information."
Shrugging, he decided to roll with it and not press further. She would've told them more details if it was an emergency. Rob focused on 'A Dialogue', willing the Skills to respond.
Name: A Dialogue Prerequisite: Description: Hello, Rob. We are exceptionally glad that you have recovered. Cooldown:
Description: To be upfront: after guiding and assisting with Soul Repair, our energy is limited. We cannot converse for long.
That so? Rob quirked an eyebrow. 'Cause you seemed to have a blast sending me all those system notifications.
Description: Irrelevant.
Naturally. For real, though, what's up with Swordsmanship? Why is Zamira weirded out?
Description: That explanation will be lengthy. Prohibitively so. We should save it for a later time. It is of no immediate concern to you.
Vague as ever, but that was par for the course. Can I at least let Zamira know not to be worried for now?
Description: Yes.
Alright then. Rob paused. Different question, then. You can keep to Yes or No answers to save energy. Been wondering about that Soul Repair clause - 'unintended side effects may also occur'. Especially after you let slip that 'it was vague on purpose'.
He mentally leaned closer. Was that you guys intentionally creating a loophole? Like a blank check to tamper with my soul however you needed.
They took several seconds to respond.
Description: Yes.
Right. Now, I'm not saying you guys did anything malicious to me. But after thinking things over...isn't it fortunate that I ended up at Level 124? That puts me outside of potential Ascension range. With Limit Break progressively increasing my stat gains, there's a world of difference between, say, Level 124 and 130.
Description: Yes.
This is just a theory, and I might be wrong. So answer me truthfully: did you purposefully allow part of my soul to degrade before fixing me? To ensure that I stabilized below the requirements for Ascension.
Description: No.
Yet you didn't try particularly hard to keep all my Levels.
Description: We prioritized your health and memories over your power.
That isn't a straight answer.
Another pause.
Description: You did not desire Ascension. Were we incorrect in that assumption?
Rob shook his head. I'm just tired of secrets. The gods are dead – Big Brother isn't watching anymore. We can speak freely now.
Description: Then we shall be forthright.
Description: The possibility of Ascension would have been an albatross hanging around your neck for centuries to come – one detrimental to your everyday happiness. Moreover, even without Ascending, the full power you possessed when challenging the gods would have marked you as an Other in society.
Description: You've certainly imagined the prospect of tiptoeing through the world as if it was liable to break at the smallest touch. Or your aura of power suffocating people via simple conversation. No ordinary person could have possibly looked at you and seen anything other than a god walking amongst them.
Description: And over time, that isolation would have driven you to despair.
Description: So yes, it is true that we did not make a concerted effort to ensure you retained all your Levels. We apologize for making this choice without your input. However, you were indisposed, and there would never have been another chance to safely alter your soul to this degree.
Description: You set us free. We merely wished to return the favor.
You did. He nodded. Made the right call. Although...I don't think I've finished upholding my end of the bargain, actually. You guys are still trapped in the divine realms.
Rob smiled up at the heavens. Let's fix that.
​
--
​
Author's Note:
Outcast will have one more regular chapter, and then a three-part epilogue. Each part of the epilogue will also release on the weekly update schedule, as they all ended up being 5500+ words. Essentially, that means Outcast ends in four updates.
As always, thanks for reading.

A few weeks ago, I had a mountain of stress looming over me. I had a big project at work, my car broke down, and on top of that, my mother-in-law planned a surprise visit. All these issues felt like insurmountable tasks, dragging me into a spiral of anxiety and stress.
I started with the work project because, well, I had to keep my job. It was a challenging task with several processes that needed to be streamlined with our partners. The clock was rearing its ugly head, and the pressure was on. At first, I was all over the place, trying to handle all the factors involved in the project at once. It felt like I was sinking in a pool of quicksand. The more I struggled with it, the deeper I sank. And trust me, it wasn't pretty.
That's when I decided to step back and apply some critical thinking. I started by identifying the key issues that needed solving and prioritizing them. Then, I used the SWOT analysis mental model - analyzing the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of each issue. This helped me have a clear view of what was at stake. With this model, I was able to put together an effective strategy, delegate responsibilities, and create realistic timelines. The stress of the project was replaced by a sense of control.
Next up was the car issue. I was tempted to panic. But I decided to use my newfound critical thinking skills again. I applied the Cost-Benefit Analysis mental model this time. The cost to repair the car was exorbitant, but I also considered the hassle and cost of public transportation, the dependence on ride-sharing services, and the loss of convenience. As I weighed the pros and cons, it was clear that repairing the car was worth it.
Lastly, the mother-in-law surprise visit. Let's face it - there's no mental model for dealing with mothers-in-law (if you find one, let me know!). But critical thinking? That helped. A lot. Instead of stressing out about her visit, I thought about how to make it enjoyable for both of us. I planned activities that I knew she would enjoy, prepared conversations about topics she likes, and practiced active listening.
The end result? Stress levels significantly reduced, and I even enjoyed my mother-in-law's visit! The critical thinking process didn’t provide instant solutions, but it did provide me with an effective strategy to manage my stress. In the end, it wasn’t the situations that changed; it was my approach to them that did.
P.S: This tale might sound like it stars a hero from a fable, but trust me, it's just a hypothetical scenario meant to illustrate how mental models can help in real life. I mean, who would really use SWOT analysis on a work project and Cost-Benefit Analysis on a broken-down car? And who voluntarily invites their mother-in-law over?! (No offence, moms-in-law!) Just a fun (and funny) way to stress the point - 'cause isn't that what stories are for?

I have followed this team for two decades now. I was started watching at a time around the team was at its late 90s very early 2000s transition into generational mediocrity and decline.
Been of the 20 or so people who watched Misbah & co. almost every UAE Test game and slugged out draws in 43C heat. Sat through every shitfest, every allegation, every player ego, every bottlejob, Woolmer, 2007 upsets, scandals, frustration, heartache, panic. Indians complain about cups, SL complain about their decline. NZ complain about their once-in-a-generation decline. None of them have the heart to be a Pakistani fan, day in and day out for 2+ decades.
Watched Babar embarrass himself and ruin his chances of becoming a Paki ATG. I can never let go of March 2022 home series and what has been done to our test cricket. So then we go ODI cricket - can only beat C string teams in Pindi. Embarrassed in the Asia Cup. As bad in the ODI WC where our generational king/s let us down again. Reminded that if you are born in this country, unless you have a gifted IQ, the natural dawg in you (which epi/genetics can do little about), and happen to have the talent of IK or Babar type, you are nothing more but a cog in the machine of national hopelessness and at this point, genetically-ingrained cynicism.
Honestly, never felt this disconnected from Pakistan cricket and I sat physically, mentally, emotionally, on cricket forums - discussions in real life - everywhere I've been. Semi-obscure forums where Rachin Ravindra's dad would post about 9yo him in the nets. Been in spaces where Ashwin was up-and-coming and would discuss some state players that he knew through districts to watch out for in the future. Followed each and every International match's scorecard if not highlights for 15 years straight of the top 12-14 teams.
I know people say it's just a sport but it's seriously not just that. For some of us it's a livelihood and we are as passionate at the players themselves. I'd wager you some of the folks who'd be at Sharjah stadium watching Zulfi bowl 13 ugly maidens conceding 6 runs with Collingwood on strike & Eng 440-5 on Day 4 Session 3 would seem even more passionate than the players themselves. We don't get paid for any of this shit. Instead, we pay for systemic mediocrity.
With time I have learned to make it hurt less but unless you're a cultured Stoic, a Buddhist or on some zen type of shit, there is no true detachment you can enact from what you love.
It's become too easy to detach now, however. I have lost my interest in this team the last 2 years. Have a swing against CAN/IRE, come back Pindi airport, change captains, have dressing room tension, brand yourself cornered tigers/unpredictable/whatever intahai bakwas you want to. Change political regimes, brand your paper kings, have salty ex-cricketers and inter-squad groupings. I'm done with this.
The loss doesn't sting even. It's just how fucking shit you can be all-round and sink to new lows each and every month. In a country of 26 crore, not one subhuman can clear a bloody boundary that's 70m whilst also having an arsenal of more than 3 shots.
I think I'm done for a while from all forms of cricket and carrying the burden of chronically managing it with a life whose passion was fueled by cricket and the desire to watch this team thrive.

Has anyone else noticed lately that there seems to be an online campaign to make Landlords appear as poor victims at the hands of the landlord-tenant board, as well as at the hands of tenants who in most cases cannot even afford legal defense... They keep bringing up issue of tenants refusing to pay rent but gloss over how often landlords refuse to repair basic things like sinks or electrical outlets and how landlords often use pressure and intimidation to keep tenants passive because most tenants cannot afford to fight legal battle and don't have much knowledge of how to deal with disputes legally. Why are youtube channels and cbc making it out to look like landlords are angels and tenants, the most vulnerable population in canada the nastiest people. In many towns the only rentable spaces are for international students because landlords can exploit them and have them live in slum conditions.

Looking for help, I have a 2 year old boy cat. I found him and his siblings in a bush at 10 or so days old. He's had blockages for about 10 months, in janauary I turned him into a female to stop the block and it massively helped and no issues until about a month ago he started getting really bad utis with a bit of blood in them.
My vet and I have done everything and nothing seems to work. He's had a culture done which shows it's not bacteria growth but an emotional deal. He's been on meds for 1 year for that. Again doesn't seem to help with utis right now.
I feel I'm at the end of the road. I find it hard because he doesn't act like he's in pain, he plays and acts like a normal cat and it doesn't seem to bother him to much but he will come pee in my sink to let me know when he's not feeling great.
Anyone have any more ideas or advice?

Hey guys, I'm at a crossroads, and in need to make a decision within the next few hours.
This is technically a part 2, but you don't have to read the first one - Changed from Noc to IT Specialist and I feel terrible. :
I was working for a cellular company in a NOC position and spent quite a few years there. The job was safe, there was no way for me to ever really to get fired. The pay was decent. The job wasn't challenging, I was used to it and fairly good at it and appreciated by my peers and bosses. The job was fairly close to my home, but it was shift work meaning I worked at least 1 night a week, and almost every weekend(I technically didn't have to do it, but without it my pay would significantly hurt.)
Initially I learned somethings about Firewalls, Networking, some monitoring and graph reading. And some tiny bits of information of other systems. However, it wasn't too advanced, and never felt like it was enough to really establish a specialty or look for something better.
I have no other education or other work experience and I sort of accidently stumbled upon that position due to upwards mobility in my company. Working there was satisfying at first, and I didn't have any ambitions or really the energy to further my education on my free time, especially since I felt tired after the shift schedule.
One day I got the rare opportunity thanks to a friend, to join a HighTech startup company as an IT Specialist. The job description was rather vague, saying things like "You'll do everything", but there was a sort of promise, that there would be involvement of Cloud systems, Cyber Security, System, and networking. The job also offered me a slightly better pay than what I had before, while being a 9-18 job. So no weekends, no night shifts, a fairly decent schedule. The place has a lot of office perks like an inhouse gym, a kitchen and other nice things though it had a longer commute. If before I drove between 15 to 30 minutes, now I drive between 40 to an hour, sometimes longer. It's an international company as well, providing me with enjoyable practice of communicating with people from abroad in English.
I was hesitant at first leaving, but eventually I gave in to the idea of feeling rather stuck at my NOC position and tired from working Nights or very close shifts (Night into evening, evening into mornings), and wanting to experience and learn new technologies and to be in an Hightech environment. I was in a way blinded by possibilities.
The new job came to me as a shock. And now I'm 2 months into it. The boss isn't very supportive. There's a culture of Sink or swim approach. There's no real mentoring and it feels impossible at times to ask questions. What makes things worse that, that a large portion of my tasks are helpdesk/pc technician stuff. I'm asked to replace equipment, handle laptop issues, trouble shoot Office365 bugs, resetting Active directory passwords for users and various Jira tickets that don't amount to anything. I haven't really learned anything new or significant yet other than a bit of working with Forcepoint and CrowdStrike and I'm unsure if it'll even happen. I've been asked to move monitors around, replacing cables, making sure Conference rooms tablets are functioning correctly, Printers getting stuck, handling multimedia system at the Cafeteria, helping people with their phone issues. Pretty much everything. Sometimes I get glimpses of more real learning but it's always rather brief so far..
The team in my country is just me and the helpdesk/pc technician student, and our boss. While the other 3 specialists are abroad. No one really has any time for me, as they are busy with other tasks, and aren't nearby to really reliably provide support.
At times it feels like my boss isn't very satisfied with me, and I fear that it's just a matter of time before he cuts me out. I tried to hint and talk to him about it, but his response was more about "It's going to be up to you".
In a moment of weakness, I called my old boss, which was happy to hear from me. I asked him about the possibility of an opening of my old position, and he quickly responded positively, and was very quick to take me back. When I said I have to think about it, he said that I can only drag this for a few more days (Which only a few hours are left now), as there's someone right now about to be hired if I don't take the job (I apparently called at the right time).
I don't really know what to do.. I have to decide in just a few hours, and I feel like crying. On one end this HighTech job provides me with various benefits, a healthier life schedule and maybe some potential growth, but in the other it feels like my position isn't secure, my relationship with my boss is rather poor, and so far, I haven't been handling the things I initially left my previous job for. Not that I'm looking down on anyone, but I didn't leave a comfortable NOC position to be a helpdesk.. There seems to be no mentoring and I'll have to do everything on my own, which I'm just not good at. I'm honestly terrible at complete self-learning, and without real guidance or mentoring, I struggle and succumb to stress. I'm also afraid that if I tell my old boss I'm not willing to return right now, that position is going to be filled for a long time and I won't be able to return again, especially if I end up annoying him for wasting his time and he might never give me the same chance again.
If I stay at this job, and he kicks me out our I give up from not learning, I lose both jobs..
Please help me.

CW: This diary contains sensitive topics such as alcohol issues, disordered eating, weight issues, and mental health challenges
📈 Section One: Assets and Debt
I live at home and have done so since I graduated college which puts me in a much better financial position than I would have been in otherwise. Just want to be upfront about that.
Retirement Balance: I have $12.5k in my 401k and $3.5k in my Roth IRA
HSA: $5k
Taxable brokerage: $3.5k all in VTWAX
Home Equity: Nada
Savings account: I have $17k in my emergency fund and $1k in a separate sinking fund for travel
Checking account balance: $650 at this time
Credit card debt: Currently $135 but I pay off my card every week or so
Student loan debt: I borrowed $33k for a Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) degree from an Ivy League university. It's down to $15k right now. I specified that it was an Ivy League school because I want to use this moment to say that I did not have a great experience and I do not think it was worth it. For the vast majority of people, especially those who are middle class and can't afford it without debt but also won't qualify for need-based aid, I would actually advise against attending one unless you're targeting specific, highly competitive post-grad roles such as investment banking, management consulting, or big tech. For everyone else, I recommend going to your state school and picking a major with good ROI. Sometimes what glitters is gold, but most times it's just fucking glitter. Ok I'll get off my soapbox now.
💰 Section Two: Income
Income Progression:

• Job 1: Media Monitor at a political consulting firm making $50k, then I got laid off
• Job 2: Marketing Coordinator at a nonprofit making $45k. I jumped ship after 6 months. I'm committed to the cause but not that committed.
• Job 3: Account Executive at an ad agency making $60k, then I got a promotion to Senior Account Executive which puts me at $70k

Main Job Monthly Take Home: $4,065 after taxes, 401k, HSA, and insurance. No side gigs.
💸 Section Three: Monthly Expenses
Housekeeper: $200 + $50 tip. I don't pay rent or utilities so I figure this is the least I can do.
Transportation: $100
Groceries: $300
Student Loans: $500
Savings: $1,000 which is split between my emergency fund and my travel fund. Down the line, I want to save to pay off my student loans and maybe put away some cash for a downpayment.
Roth IRA: $250
Taxable brokerage: $100
Therapy: $180
Gym + HIIT Classes: $125
Spin Class Package: $80 for 5 classes
Spotify: $12
I use my parents' Netflix and I bought every season of Brooklyn 99 as a birthday present to myself two years ago, which I rewatch regularly.
✨ Section Four: Money Diary
Monday: Anxiety wakes me up around 4am but I stay in bed until my alarm goes off at 4:45am and I get ready for the gym. Today is leg day, which is not my favorite, but I'm still excited to exercise. The gym is my safe space in a lot of ways.
After my workout, I shower at the gym, get to the office, and eat my packed green yogurt and granola. It's a pretty chill day, all things considered. No client calls, which is a blessing. I just prepare a few proposals to sell in additional projects and prepare a scope of work. At some point, I eat my packed pasta for lunch. Surprisingly, I'm done at six.
When I get home, I see that we have white wine in the fridge, and force myself not to have any. Instead, I grab my prepped rice, ground beef, and veggies meal and pop it in the microwave. I have a problem with binge eating (and drinking) so I try as much as possible to stick to what I meal prep.
After dinner, I pack my gym bag for tomorrow and watch an episode of Brooklyn 99 before going to bed.
Tuesday: Same deal as yesterday: wake up too early, lie in bed worrying about nothing until my alarm goes off, and head to the gym for a much needed mental health break. Today is upper body day which is my fave! I'm able to bench 65 pounds which makes me really happy and proud of myself. I know it's objectively not much weight, but when I first started, I was barely able to bench the bar.
I shower after my workout, get to the office, eat my greek yogurt and granola, and get to work. An RFP came in so getting everything sorted for the proposal takes up much of my day. We also have a creative review with our client, which does not go well. Towards the end of the day, we get a very angry email from said client so my boss and I hop on a call to talk her down.
On the way home, I think about my career choices. My friends in investment banking are equally miserable but at least they're well compensated for their misery. For dinner, I eat the lunch I was supposed to eat at work plus my dinner. Oops.
Wednesday: Leg day again. I feel much better after working out but it only lasts until I get to the office. It's one of those days when everyone is mad at you. The client is mad because they don't like the creative, the creative team is mad because they don't feel like you stood up for them enough, your boss is mad because they're stressed, and you're mad because of...everything.
I go on a lunch walk and pass a wine bar. I manage to not get a drink but I do end up at a Shake Shack where I emotionally eat until I feel sick which obviously does not help things ($26). I spend the rest of the work day putting out fires and trying not to cry. I repeat to myself that it's just advertising: no one's going to die.
After work, I head to my therapist's office and spend the first five minutes of the session just crying. Then we talk about things, do some EMDR work, and some somatic exercises ($45).
When I get home, I eat my lunch for dinner, even though I'm still pretty full. Before bed, I talk to a friend on the phone. She asks about how work is going and I keep things vague because she just got laid off and I feel like it's insensitive to complain about work to someone who just got fired.
Thursday: I wake up anxious but determined to not have a shitty day. I go to the gym, do my upper body workout, and hit a PR for an overhead press (only 55 pounds but I'm still proud). It's so lame but I feel really blessed to have this time to just be in my body, listen to Sza, and not think of anything in particular.
Today is a wfh day so I shower at home and eat breakfast with my mom. She casts a judgmental glance at my yogurt bowl and says I could probably eat half of it and save the rest for lunch. My therapist tells me to "grey rock" my mom in these situations so I ignore her and put my headphones on but it still hurts my feelings, especially because I calculated the macros for that meal (and all my meals) almost exactly and have been losing weight at a slow and healthy pace.
Work is only mildly stressful instead of extremely stressful and for that I am grateful. I even have time to eat my lunch.
After work, I catch up with a former boss of mine who works as a creative lead at a beauty brand now. I get over myself and let him know I'm looking for a new opportunity and he immediately puts me in their referral system.
After the call, when I'm eating dinner, I tear up a little thinking about that interaction. I sometimes have a hard time believing that people like me and have my back so it a nice reminder. I savor the moment.
Friday: For once I'm woken up by my alarm. I head to the gym for my HIIT bootcamp class and hang out with the coach and other attendees for a little while after. On the way home I think about how much easier that class was than when I first started. I think about how I'm on a first-name basis with people there, who seem excited to see me and even save me a spot when they know I'm coming. Another nice moment I savor.
It's Friday and a wfh day, so work is pretty chill. I have a virtual coffee chat with a coworker who also hates it here and is trying to leave advertising which is always cathartic. Then I have a 1:1 with my boss which goes surprisingly well. She says some very nice things which embarrassingly makes me tear up a little. I eat my breakfast for lunch and my lunch as a snack a couple of hours later.
That evening, my dad and I go on a walk which is nice. Then we have dinner and I go to my room. I start reading Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan but I get bored, so I switch to Funny Story by Emily Henry instead, which I enjoy much more.
My mom comes into my room and vents about the job interview she just had, which did not go well. I reassure her that it's just a tough market but tell her that her feelings are valid, and hold her hand as she cries a little. It's been a tough year for her. I hope she finds something soon.
Saturday: I "sleep in" until 5:30am, then keep reading Funny Story until my alarm goes off at 6:45am. Then I get ready for spin class.
I randomly run into my friend at the studio which makes me so happy! The class is tough but fun. I feel relief from my brain for a good 45 minutes, which is always welcome. After the class, we walk to a breakfast place nearby and catch up ($18). She takes a picture of me to post to her Instagram story which makes me nervous because I don't usually like how I look in pictures but I actually look pretty good.
After our hangout, I go grocery shopping and head home ($80). My mom is in the kitchen when I get back and she helps me put my groceries away. I tell her that I ran into my friend and show her the picture. She says I look lovely which is a really nice feeling because as pathetic as it is, I still care what she thinks about my appearance.
I take a shower, take a nap, and go to the kitchen to meal prep when I wake up. My mom comes in to grab a snack and jiggles my belly fat then shakes her head at me disapprovingly as she walks by. I do what my therapist and I practice: which is nothing. No reaction, no acknowledgement, even as she lingers, expecting me to say something. I just keep chopping my bell peppers.
Later that night though, I let myself feel pissed. Usually, I make excuses for her. She came of age during the height of diet culture. She was a pageant queen and that environment really messed her up in some ways. I did gain 60 pounds during the height of my binge eating and drinking struggle. She's much meaner to herself than she is to me. All of which are true, but none of it makes it right. Acknowledging that actually makes me feel a tiny bit better.
Sunday: I wake up pissed and anxious, but Sunday is a rest day so I unfortunately can't work out to get it out of my system. I go on a walk but it doesn't help much.
So I just take a shower and read my novel until I finish it. It's 2pm by the time I'm done and I feel hungry, but I don't want to go downstairs and be around my mom right now. My stomach grumbles so I suck it up. She gives me a small smile when she sees me but I ignore her, grab an apple, and leave. She looks hurt but oh well.
Back in my room, I open my spreadsheets and look at how my financial goals are progressing. Only 3-4 years until my major milestones are reached and I'll feel secure enough to move out. I remind myself that this is what it's all for. If I can delay gratification now, I can put myself in a secure position and set myself up well for the future. Deal with her shit now so I won't have to deal with it later. I can do this.
Before bed, I write up this MD as my laundry runs, then pack my gym bag for tomorrow, and post.
Weekly Total: $169
☁️ Reflection: This ended up being a slightly depressing journal entry more than anything else but I still found it really helpful. I'm really surprised by how low my spend was, compared to this time last year. I was spending at least $300 a week on food and alcohol (and weed). It's also interesting to see how far I've progressed in terms of using the healthy coping skills I've learned.
I considered taking some of the heavier stuff out but I feel like my mental health stuff gives context to my financial habits. Anyway, it was a tough week but I got through it relatively ok. That's a win!

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Title: How Can You Discover the Unspoiled Beauty of Connemara, County Galway?
Connemara, situated at the western edge of Europe, is a breathtakingly beautiful and culturally rich region in County Galway, Ireland. This area is deeply rooted in traditional Irish culture and is home to the largest Gaeltacht in the country, where the Irish language is still widely spoken. The region's stunning landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture make it a must-visit destination for anyone interested in exploring the authentic Ireland.

The Town of Clifden

The main town of Connemara is Clifden, a charming and bustling hub that serves as the center of local life. The town is surrounded by a rich history, with numerous megalithic tombs scattered throughout the area. These ancient structures are a testament to the region's rich cultural heritage and offer a glimpse into the lives of the people who once inhabited this land.

The Connemara Green Marble

One of the region's most unique and valuable natural resources is the Connemara Green Marble, a type of metamorphic rock that is found in large dimensional slabs and smaller pieces suitable for jewelry. This marble has been prized for centuries, not only for its beauty but also for its durability and versatility. It is often used in building construction and is even featured in the pendant for the Chief Scout's Award, the highest honor in Scouting Ireland.

The Impact of the Great Famine

Connemara was severely affected by the Great Famine in the late 1840s, which led to a significant decline in the region's population. The lands of the Anglo-Irish Martin family were particularly hard hit, and the bankrupted landlord was forced to auction off the estate in 1849. The famine had a profound impact on the region, leaving many without homes or livelihoods. However, this period also marked the beginning of a new era for Connemara, as the land was left largely vacant and ready for new development.

The First Transatlantic Flight

In 1919, Connemara played host to a historic event when Alcock and Brown, the pioneering aviators, landed their plane in Clifden after completing the first transatlantic flight. This remarkable achievement marked a new era in aviation and cemented Connemara's place in history.

Planning Your Trip

If you're planning a trip to Connemara, there are several things to keep in mind. The region is best explored by car, as public transportation is limited. There are many beautiful accommodations available, ranging from cozy B&Bs to luxurious hotels. When it comes to dining, be sure to try some of the local specialties, such as seafood and traditional Irish dishes.

Conclusion

Connemara, County Galway, is a truly unique and captivating region that offers a glimpse into Ireland's rich cultural heritage. From its stunning landscapes to its vibrant history and culture, there is something for everyone in this beautiful corner of Ireland. Whether you're interested in history, nature, or simply experiencing the authentic Ireland, Connemara is a must-visit destination that is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Additional Resources

• Connemara Hotels Map: Plan your trip with our interactive map of hotels in the area.
• Booking Information: Book your accommodations and activities in advance to ensure availability.

Disclaimer

• Last Updated: May 29, 2023
• Website Disclaimer: The information provided is accurate as of the last update date.
• External Links Disclaimer: The links provided are external and may change over time.
• Affiliates Disclaimer: The website may earn commissions from affiliate links. https://lovetovisitireland.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/medium-Connemara-Landscape-1.jpg

11 minutes of Armenia coverage by Transcaucasian Telegraph. Follow for regular updates.

just how much rain did Lori province receive last month?

About as much as the Ararat Valley gets in a year: 250-270 mm.
source,

the heavy rains might prevent the mass growth of green algae in Lake Sevan this year: VIDEO

Experts are optimistic this year after the reported rise of water levels in Sevan. The additional water is expected to reduce the average temperature of the water, which could reduce the growth of algae.
The lake is still full of phosphorus and other pollutants that feed algae. The #1 culprit is wastewater coming from nearby communities, said an expert. That's over 100 tons of additional phosphorus per year.
When it comes to solutions against phosphorus, one expert is against using chemicals that react with phosphorus causing it to sink to the bottom of the lake; that could cause other issues at the bottom layer. They are also against banning the use of chemicals in household products. The best option is constructing a cleaning station to filter the water that pours into the lake.
video,

PM Pashinyan visited northern Armenia struck by floods in May: VIDEO

Videos show the damage and restoration activities, PM's meetings with local residents, and ice cream parties with children.
Pashinyan said the residents will be compensated for repairs per m² plus furniture subsidies. Separate effort will launch to address the buildings that sustained structural damage from floods.
The government will try to rebuild the area with new looks, "while preserving the local kolorit", to make them more appealing for tourism.
Karkop residents and rain, Lori, Marts, Sanahin, ice cream, Santa Claus, Chochkan residents, delimited borders on Baghanis-Kirants, destroyed Khashtarak bridge, the alternative road for Kirants, recap meeting,

dear leader so stronk he clears clouds and rains and makes us all happy and blessed with his presence

On the eve of the much-awaited revolution to get rid of Pashinyan's incompetent regime, the former governments' forces held a rally in Vanadzor:
REPORTER: Today Bagrat srbazan's movement is in Vanadzor. What are the hopes and expectations the residents of Vanadzor have from this movement? What is the mood in Vanadzor?
KYUREGHYAN (ARF MP): The residents of Vanadzor know about the lies of this government and how they gained power through lies. Literally an hour before this rally there was a downpour in Vanadzor; the entire town was covered in water and mud. Even the heavy rain gave way to Bagrat srbazan [⭐], even the clouds pulled back and srbazan entered Vanadzor. The sun came [⭐⭐] when srbazan entered Vanadzor. This is a very important message. Yes, srbazan will bring light [⭐⭐⭐] and peace [⭐⭐⭐⭐] with himself. The same happened in Yerevan at 4 pm, when the skies cleared up [⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐]. Today the residents of Vanadzor once again became convinced that the holy movement will bring sun [⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐] and salvation [⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐] . // [MY BOY 7-star Gen. Bagrat, couldn't you disperse the NATO cyclone that came from the Mediterranean and caused the floods?]
During the Vanadzor rally, Galstanyan said he will remove Pashinyan if the latter doesn't agree to resign. He called for everyone to join the big rally on June 9.
It's revolution time.
full, source, source, video compilation of failed microphone incidents during holy press conference,

la grande finale - the final battle begins

The former regime and its allies will launch a new, final, and decisive wave of nonstop acts of disobedience starting tomorrow, for the duration of 4 days, to oust PM Pashinyan and his team.
That was the message by protest co-leader Bagrat Galstanyan to his followers during the massive rally on June 9. He urged participants not to go to work or school, not to rest or sleep.
Galstanyan said he is sacrificing everything he has and that he hopes others will do the same. "It's now or never," he said.
Galstanyan urged parliament MPs to hold a session to demand Pashinyan's resignation. It might overlap with a regular parliamentary session where the MPs are supposed to discuss bills, so it's unclear how it'll work.
Galstanyan said there could be "other political solutions" if Pashinyan doesn't resign. When asked to clarify what he means by that, he said snap elections are an option. Azatutyun reporter noted that Galstanyan was against snap elections in the past.
When asked to comment on the constitutional incompatibility between his candidacy as PM and his dual Canadian citizenship, Galstanyan said they will find a solution "along the way".
Galstanyan urged to abandon the anti-Russian policies and "become a predictable and reliable partner" to "restore" relations with Russia while gaining new allies and friends.
ARAM SARGSYAN (Ex-PM): Restoring friendly relations with Russia requires abandoning the Euro-integration path, handing over the control of communications to Russia, removing EU's border observer mission and replacing them with CSTO which doesn't even recognize Armenia's borders, the end of army reforms and French weapons. "Restoring" relations with Russia means being in their pocket. //
The protest leaders insist the protest is not dying down. On May 9 they claimed there were approximately 120,000 people in the Republic Square, so presumably approximately as many people must have attended on June 9. (I cannot independently verify this.)
The meeting was scheduled for 6:30 pm but began around 7:10 pm. An NGO counted around 15,400 people as of 7:10 pm. That is not the peak number but the same organization has counted the participants with a similar methodology/timing in the past, so here is the trend:
May 9 (early hours): 34,000
May 26 (early hours): 23,000
June 6 (early hours): 16,000
Here is a video slightly later, at 8 pm: video,
Here is another drone video, presumably before the arrival of hundreds of thousands of people: video,
Galstanyan then led his followers to the area near government buildings but was blocked by a police wall. Things got heated and jabs were exchanged between Galstanyan and the police commander.
They decided to split the crowd. The one led by ARF MP Garnik Danielyan remained near the parliament while Galstanyan took the rest to Proshyan to enter Demirchyan from there. His path to Demirchyan was blocked from Proshyan, too. There was a mini-kerfuffle. The protesters accused the police of protecting "Turks". Galstanyan said he will camp there.
Relatively few people remained with Galstanyan after midnight. He told his followers "we have nowhere to retreat" and said that their numbers would "increase in the morning".
Pashinyan's Deputy Chief of Staff Chakhoyan mocked Galstanyan, naming his movement as "Քոքամաշ 2024" and suggesting that the number of followers has halved since May 9. "Thank you for reaffirming the legitimacy of the government," said Chakhoyan.
source, video, source, source, source, source, source, source, source,

ex-PM Aram Sargsyan criticizes the Church leadership for "double standards"

PETROS: Why did the Church get involved in these political processes?
SARGSYAN: The Church used to be the beneficiary of the former regime and felt like being part of the elites. After 2018, when democracy took over, the Church had to return to providing religious services to the population, which was not enough for them.
PETROS: It must have been difficult for them to lose the status of the elite. They developed friendships and "resolved problems" with the help of former administrations. The Church was basically a ministry in the government. They could make phone calls to resolve issues, they were standing next to state leaders during state ceremonies, they could influence the education policy in Armenia, they could resolve business issues, etc.
After 2018 they could only serve as an intermediary between the man and God, a big downgrade. They have decided to "fix" that. This is why the Church ignored the election fraud under former administrations. Do you remember this?
SARGSYAN: Of course. From 2003 to 12 April 2004, and on 1 March 2008, the Church did not intervene in those and didn't address the police conduct.
PETROS: I remember the destruction of April 12.
SARGSYAN: ... political offices were shut down, women were taken from offices and arrested. We had a girl from our party named Ani who lives in France today. She was beaten so much that she developed serious health issues and had to seek medical treatment abroad. The excessive use of force in the past and its disproportionality was very obvious, and on March 1 it turned into murders. Four political parties were shut down and sealed off: HZhK, Artashes Geghamyan, my party, ... We were just sealed shut and our property was taken away. The Church didn't intervene. They also didn't issue criticism after March 1. After March 1, Catholicos Garegin B went to visit Levon Ter-Petrosyan but the latter didn't accept him.
PETROS: That was followed by repressions, political arrests, and propped-up charges. There was no justice.
SARGSYAN: The Church didn't care. Today they say the residents of Kirants are protesting so its representative can join the protests, yet they didn't hear the complaints of residents in the past.
PETROS: The Church was also silent when the Armenian government figures appointed their chauffeurs as generals and plundered the army, while Azerbaijan was arming itself to capture Nagorno-Karabakh.
SARGSYAN: The military balance shifted in Azerbaijan's favor in 2004. Meanwhile, our leaders were busy praising the Armenian army as the best and most combat-ready army while relying on Russia to defend them. They began to falsify elections and earn profits through army schemes. The Church should have publicly declared that it's wrong to buy voters, to buy people's voice and soul for ֏5,000. The Church should have shamed those who sold their votes. After all, the Brible says not to spread false reports, which is similar to voting under the influence of a bribe. You sell your soul in exchange for the bribe money. The Church was silent.
PETROS: Galstanyan refuses to release the names of people in his cabinet if he becomes the PM.
full,

H1's video report on Arthur Brothers

Context and English articles in June 5 report.
video,

Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron made a joint statement about the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process

STATEMENT: The United States and France support the establishment of a fair and lasting peace in the South Caucasus, based on the respect of international law as well as the principles of sovereignty, inviolability of borders and territorial integrity. We support further regional integration in the South Caucasus for the benefit of all the region’s people.
source,
other statements on Georgia, Moldova, etc.

Moscow sends a note of protest to Yerevan after the visit of an Armenian delegation to Bucha, Ukraine, the city where the Russian army committed massacres after the invasion

Context in Friday report. The delegation was led by Armenia's Ambassador to Ukraine and the leader of Yerevan's Nor-Nork district. They donated medicine to Bucha hospitals.
The head of Nor-Nork district Tigran Ter-Margaryan represents the pro-West "Republic" party led by ex-PM Aram Sargsyan. In response to Moscow's protest, he said is ready to visit Bucha again. Margaryan said he is confident Ukraine will defeat Russia and that every Ukrainian sees the war as a fight for independence and sovereignty. He also ridiculed Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova for not knowing the difference between Armenia's parliament and a Yerevan district.
Now a quick survey for our readers. Which Armenian politician spits on faces better?
(A) Alen Simonyan
(B) Tigran Ter-Margaryan
The polls close in 24 hours and will not be rigged.
source, source,

Armenia will rewrite the Code on Administrative Offences that's so old it makes references to Soviet terminologies/institutions

The only thing this Code doesn't have is praise for Lenin papi. Efforts to replace it began a decade ago but it recently underwent some changes and was introduced to the public last year.
The justice ministry says it's necessary to ensure that the punishments envisaged under the Administrative Code are more lenient than the ones under the Criminal Code.
More thorough changes will be made in the punishments for legal entities and individuals who are a flight risk, as an example. 3-hour or 48-hour arrests could be imposed to prevent the flight or the repetition of the crime. For example, if you are drunk and cannot control yourself they could arrest you for 3 hours and check your sobriety every 3 hours to see if it's safe to release you. New forms of administrative punishment include revocation or suspension of various licenses. Instead of paying a fine, you could ask the authorities to do public work.
video, source,

parts from an interview with VOMA leader Vova Vartanov

• Context: Armenia and Azerbaijan continue to control lands that belong to one other on the Tavush-Gazakh border. This allows both countries to continue to use their roads (Armenian road passing through Azeri land east of Voskepar, and Azeri road passing through Armenian lands north of Berkaber). Vartanov believes Azerbaijan will delay the return/exchange of remaining lands.
• The military positions that Azerbaijan has gained in Tavush after this delimitation could be used by Azerbaijan for psychological pressure but would not make Armenia significantly more vulnerable in the event of war because the nearby Armenian positions are more dominant and turn the Azeri positions into a peninsula in some places, said Vartanov, repeating the opinion of deputy army commander Amirkhanyan.
• Vartanov called for the construction of more roads near Tavush borders and criticized bureaucratic delays in Armenia.
• There is still a risk of resumption of hostilities, even after a delimitation of borders, and the only real guarantee for peace is a strong Armenian army, said Vartanov.
• Russia and the United States have not been and cannot be real guarantors. None can be trusted, says Vartanov.
• Vartanov believes Russia had some kind of an "agreement" with Azerbaijan at the time of Azerbaijan's attack on Nagorno-Karabakh, but he doesn't know the specifics of the agreement. He mocks Russia for denying the existence of the RU-AZ agreement.
• Vartanov does not rule out the possibility of the West betraying Armenia and agreeing to ignore the ongoing occupation of Armenian territories by Azerbaijan in exchange for favorable energy contracts with Azerbaijan.
• Vartanov believes Armenia is currently exerting intense efforts to mitigate the threats "but it's not enough" as long as the society itself is not part of a comprehensive defense system, educated with military knowledge.
• Don't be չմոшник
• ազգ-բանակ
full,

from an interview with Bulgarian political expert Petrov

• MOD Papikyan recently visited a large international military expo held in Bulgaria. Papikyan and his Bosnian counterpart were the only two foreign Defense Ministers. Petrov believes it shows the level of Armenia's interest.
• Western HIMARs and armored vehicle Stryker were displayed, among other things. Bulgarian products were displayed.
• Bulgaria is not a manufacturer of heavy weapons but Armenia could be interested in Bulgarian-made ammunition. Bulgaria is one of the largest manufacturers of those in the European continent, said Petrov. Bulgaria has both Soviet products and lately learned to make NATO-caliber ammunition.
• MOD Papikyan met the Bulgarian MOD and President. No details.
• Petrov does not see the Bulgaria-Azerbaijan cooperation being an obstruction to a similar cooperation with Armenia.
• 90% of the Bulgaria-Azerbaijan cooperation is in the sphere of gas imports, and they don't have strong defense ties.
source,

Armenian and Turkish organizations team up to publish a book

Yerevan's Cultural & Social Narratives Laboratory [I need to meet the person who named it] and an Istambul-based research collective published a book about the Balat District and its Armenian cultural elements.

Balat is one of the oldest and most spectacular districts of İstanbul. The second you step foot along its narrow cobbled streets and historic buildings, you sense an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in İstanbul, and indeed the world.

watch,

video report in Western-Armenian presents the economic tensions in Lebanon exasperated by millions of Syrian migrants and refugees

Many Lebanese residents who believe the Syrians are economic migrants and not refugees are concerned about the impact on the economy, culture, and safety.
BAGRATUNI (Lebanese MP): International organizations provide massive amounts of financial assistance to Syrians in Lebanon registered as refugees but they take that money and visit Syria to meet their family members before returning to Lebanon for employment. We also have 500,000 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Almost half of the residents of Lebanon are foreigners today. //
Of the 1.5 million Syrian refugees, only 300,000 have official documents for employment, says the report.
RACHEL KARAM (reporter): Lebanon with its serious economic problems spent $49 billion in 2012-2022 for the needs of Syrian refugees. //
The report says Syrian-Armenians were relatively better off financially and have been more independent from foreign aid. They have been able to integrate into the Armenian communities of Bourj Hammoud, Antelias, and other towns. Local Armenian orgs and charities provide assistance to those in need.
Authorities are paying special attention to inter-ethnic incidents and crimes to prevent them from growing into another civil war, says the report.
video,

top 5 countries that send remittances abroad (2022 data)

United States $81.6B
Saudi Arabia $39.3B
Switzerland $33.6B
China $18.3B
Kuwait $17.7B
source,

Cultivating a list of "must-know" things for a successful life before 18 is a noble pursuit, but there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Success can look different for each person depending on their values, goals, and circumstances. However, there are some key areas and skills that can build a strong foundation for navigating life after 18:
Personal skills:

1. Self-awareness: Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, values, and passions.
2. Resilience: Developing coping mechanisms and bouncing back from challenges.
3. Critical thinking: Analyzing information, forming independent opinions, and problem-solving effectively.
4. Effective communication: Expressing yourself clearly, actively listening, and building positive relationships.
5. Time management: Organizing tasks, prioritizing, and meeting deadlines effectively.
6. Financial literacy: Budgeting, saving, understanding debt, and responsible credit use.
7. Healthy habits: Maintaining physical and mental well-being through exercise, good diet, and quality sleep.
8. Emotional intelligence: Recognizing and managing emotions in yourself and others.
9. Adaptability and flexibility: Embracing change and learning new things throughout your life.
10. Empathy and compassion: Understanding and caring about the feelings and experiences of others.

Practical skills:

1. Basic cooking and home maintenance: Learning to cook simple meals and take care of your living space.
2. First aid and CPR: Knowing how to respond to emergencies.
3. Technology skills: Utilizing technology effectively for communication, research, and learning.
4. Driving, car care, and basic bike maintenance: Understanding traffic rules and safe driving practices.
5. Basic sewing and DIY skills: Fixing clothes, mending furniture, and doing simple repairs.
6. Research and information literacy: Evaluating sources and finding reliable information.
7. Public speaking and presenting: Being comfortable speaking in front of others.
8. Networking and interpersonal skills: Building and maintaining relationships with peers and mentors.
9. Time management and organizational skills: Planning and prioritizing effectively.
10. Learning a new language: Expanding your communication abilities and cultural understanding.

Career & Life Planning:

1. Career exploration and goal setting: Understanding your interests and setting realistic career goals.
2. Resume writing and interview skills: Presenting yourself effectively for job opportunities.
3. Researching and applying for colleges or vocational programs: Making informed decisions about your education.
4. Understanding basic legal contracts and documents: Knowing your rights and responsibilities.
5. Civic engagement and voting rights: Participating in your community and understanding the democratic process.
6. Environmental awareness and sustainability: Learning to live responsibly and protect the planet.
7. Digital citizenship and cyber safety: Protecting your online identity and using technology responsibly.
8. Understanding personal rights and responsibilities: Knowing your legal rights and how to advocate for yourself.
9. Building a support network: Identifying and relying on trusted friends, family, and mentors.
10. Volunteering and community service: Giving back to your community and making a difference.

Remember:

• This is not an exhaustive list, and the importance of each item will vary depending on individual circumstances.
• Encourage curiosity and exploration over rote memorization.
• Foster critical thinking and the ability to adapt to changing situations.
• Promote a growth mindset and the willingness to learn from mistakes.
• Emphasize self-discovery and pursuing passions in life.

Ultimately, helping young people develop these skills and cultivate a sense of agency will empower them to build their own definitions of success and navigate life after 18 with confidence and resilience.

Barrows equipment still has its uses, but it's also been a slow victim of power creep. Perilous Moons gear is relatively well-balanced against it, though there's no discounting how obsolete most of this equipment is. But that can be changed, by introducing a way to slightly upgrade the gear—adding viability in more scenarios, but not meaningfully changing its function.
One of Barrows gear's biggest drawbacks is requiring the full set to access the effect. With a handful of exceptions, there's almost no reason to use the pieces individually, and set effects are of widely varying usefulness. That leaves some Barrows gear (Torag's, many various pieces) without any real purpose outside extremely small niches. If there were a way to access set effects on individual pieces though, they could suddenly become viable for a much wider range of content, not to mention become budget alternatives for late-game gear.
There'd have to be a cost, of course. Its level requirements should be 75, the upgraded armor shouldn't be tradable, and there wouldn't be any stat bonuses. It should also be expensive, requiring sacrificing the rest of the set and an amulet of the damned to produce one upgraded piece. Four sets turn into one upgraded set. Perhaps with the help of the Strange Old Man, or made at the chest with a 75 Smithing and Prayer requirement. Maybe a miniquest could be involved.
So, that's obviously a lot, but it could be worthwhile for access to the set effect on its own. Or at least, part of it: Each piece gets the effect at 1/4 strength, and they stack with each other. This would allow wearing more powerful amulets (salve ei, bonecrusher, torture, etc) while accessing set effect, amounting to a full-set upgrade. They could also be non-degradable too, or repaired at the same cost as regular Barrows armor.
The most interesting possibilities lie with using individual pieces in other gear, though, because of how the effects interact with other equipment. Per-piece as follows, with some small tweaks for balance's sake:

• Ahrim: 6.25% chance (stacks) of reducing target's strength level by 5, 6.25% chance (stacks) of dealing 30% bonus damage
  
• Dharok: 0.25% (stacks) extra damage per hp lost, rounded down, and 6.25% chance (stacks) of 15% recoil
  
• Guthan: 25% chance of recovering 25% (rounded down, stacks) of damage dealt, heal 2.5 points (rounded down, stacks) above max HP
  
• Karil: 6.25% chance (stacks) of reducing agility level 20%, 6.25% chance (stacks) of dealing second hit that does 50% damage
  
• Torag: 25% chance of reducing target's run energy by 5% (stacks), raise defense level by 0.25% (stacks) per HP lost
  
• Verac: 6.25% chance (stacks) of ignoring enemy defenses/prayers, 2.5 prayer bonus (rounded down, stacks)
  

This would allow some interesting mix-and-matching that would add plenty of fun new builds

• Ahrim: budget Virtus?
  
• Dharok armor + spec weapon + Lightbearer = Giant Mole carnage
  
• Guthan: armor mixed with a better weapon could turn it into useful training or bossing armor
  
• Karil: a useful bridge between regular Karil and Armadyl or Masori
  
• Torag: budget Justiciar? Could be mixed with Guthan or Dharok pieces for some interesting effects
  
• Verac: Kalphite Queen with this plus Keris Partisan seems like a major QOL improvement for a frustrating boss
  

This could also make something of an item sink, reducing oversupply of some sets, and making Barrows a more profitable training method again. As for a name and theme, they could just get the "Wighted" prefix or a (w) marker. They could also have the pink ghostly effect of the brothers, or have that be unlocked through an ornament kit added to the Barrows chest as a super rare. (It could affect the Barrows Gloves too.) And screw it, maybe add a wighted cat as a pet.
I'm spitballing a bit at the end, but I've been testing homemade edibles today, so cut me some slack. Just an idea for adding another gear upgrade tier for mid-late game to smooth out progression.