“Golden rules” about buying cheap flights, like booking domestic flights 57 days before the departure date, are no longer valid, as there has been a huge shift in the travel industry in what days were thought the cheapest to booking flights. If a study has not been conducted recently, or only one year ago, do not put too much faith in it; there’s no reason to worry about booking a flight far in advance. The stellar tips below are current.

Check airlines which don’t appear on 3rd party websites

One of the major weaknesses of Internet search engines is that they frequently will not display the flights of all airlines such as Southwest, Frontier, and Allegiant. To solve this problem, use a free resource like Wikipedia to learn which of these airlines operates a certain airport. Visit Wikipedia, go to their airport page, and search for a section called “Airlines and destinations.” You are advised to locate a list of each airline that flies to that airport as well as all the nonstop destinations that airport operates. So, once you become aware of any carriers which did not show up in your first searches, you could now look for flights straight on the airlines’ sites.

Search one-way & round-trip flights

Once upon a time the majority of round-trip flights were cheaper than booking two one-way airfare flights. That’s no longer the situation today. For instance, Southwest and Jetblue set their prices for their flights on a one-way basis; and a round-trip flight is only the sum of the 2 one-way rates. So, you’ll want to check one-way flight rates to ensure you buy the best round-trip deal by pairing two one-way flight tickets, probably on two different carriers.

Look for one seat at a time

There exists a virtually unknown quirk in how carriers price seats which could result in greater prices if searching for many passengers as opposed to a single ticket. Airlines put their inventory in fare classes, or called buckets, which are not always obviously visible to customers. For instance, there may be just three seats left in a fare bucket for $300 each, and the next higher bucket may be $400 for each ticket. But, if you happen to look for four seats, each one would end up falling into the $400 fare bucket.

Search alternate airports

At times the cost of a certain flight is extremely high that it could be a good idea to use your second or even third choice of airports. For instance, you perhaps are aware of the New York area’s 3 biggest airports: New York-JFK, Newark (EWR), and New York-LaGuardia. But did you know that Stewart (SWF), Westchester (HPN), and Long Island McArthur (ISP) are also in the region? Several airlines permit you to look for all airports in a region by just specifying the destination as the city itself rather than a certain airport. The ITA Matrix tool is also a great way to look for close by if you do not know the area too well, and Google Flights offers a “Nearby airports” option to assist in this search, too.

Don’t always travel direct

Being flexible with your route you’ll be flying is another way to find a cheap flight. For instance, at times it’s cheaper to travel to London and use a budget airline to Amsterdam instead of flying directly to Amsterdam from the actual departure city.
To utilize this approach, learn how much it costs to fly directly to the target destination. Next, open Google Flights, type in the destination’s details like country name to see the rates to nearby airports. If the difference happens to exceed $150 dollars, find out how much it actually is to fly from the 2nd airport to the main destination.

Leverage elite status

Although having elite status will not allow you to book flights at a discount, you still could use it to save money another way. But with elite status with the majority of airlines let you to standby for earlier flights or perform same-day verified flight modifications. This can permit you to buy a discounted airline flight at an awful time, only to modify it to the flight you really want but at no extra charge. Even without elite status, the charge to standby or make a same-day verified flight modification might be less than the airfare difference between the flight you truly want and the lowest option that day.

Use the correct credit card

The right credit card may very well provide you major savings on flight tickets in a number of various ways. For instance, The Platinum Card from American Express now offers 5x points on all airline bookings made directly with the carrier or with Amex travel, worth 10 cents each dollar spent, based on TPG’s recent valuations. That card in addition offers the International Airfare Program, providing cardholders discounts for premium class flights on certain airlines.

Search for free hotels and stopover tours

Whenever an airline imposes a lengthy layover because of its very tight schedule, the airline will usually offer a free STPC, or stopover paid by carrier, which can include a free tour or hotel room as well.

Don’t mind the myths

The initial and main fact to know whenever locating a cheap flight is there exists no magic trick for achieving this objective. There are however a ton of myths floating online about certain ways to seek cheap flights. Without doubt, you must have run into a lot of them while searching for the best flight deals.
Airline companies use advanced technology like computers and pricing algorithms for determining flight prices and offer deals based on various factors like time of the year, weather, time of day, passenger demand, fuel prices, competitor prices, and others. These myths and similar ones will lead you astray.

Be flexible in respect to your travel times & dates

Airline flight rates vary a lot depending on upcoming holidays, day of the week, and time of the year. August is a major month for flying to Europe, and plenty of people are planning to travel somewhere hot during winter or fly while the kids are taking a break from school.
In summation, if you’re traveling when everyone is also flying, then logically your flight price will be higher.

Flexibility is everything for cheap plane tickets & cheap flight deals

The more flexible you are, you’ll get better cheap flight deals you can book. Here’s a new way of doing things: Instead of deciding where to go next, choosing dates, and then searching for the cheap plane tickets to certain destinations on those particular dates, consider first selecting your destination and dates based on the best going deals available. By exercising greater flexibility where you travel and the specific dates you fly, you will have a far better opportunity to find cheaper airfare.

Book first, think later for cheap flight finder cancellation

Take complete advantage of the free 24-hour cancellation window while purchasing flights. Because of the Department of Transportation’s strict regulations, any cheap flight booked to or from the United States could be canceled without worry of incurring a penalty, for 24 hours after the flight’s reservation; it must be booked no less than one week before the flight’s departure. Yes, it’s a very good idea to use a cheap flight finder these days. What this means is that if you buy a flight and the ticket price drops within 24 hour window, you could cancel the original flight and purchase the new, less expensive one.
Warning: the 24-hour rule can only work for flights directly bought with the airline or with booking engines such as Priceline.

Set a price alert for all cheap flight tickets

You can choose emails or push notices to your cell phone which will tell you exactly when the flight you are interested in has increased or decreased in price. This may be a great way for getting the best possible price on all cheap flight tickets in the near future. You can do this on the majority of search travel sites and OTAs. Why miss out on potential easy savings? You can then always locate flight tickets cheap when you need them.

Buy in foreign currency to get cheap flight ticket

Because regular fliers travel abroad now and then, you could switch the currency on the airline’s website to determine if the price would be listed in other monies.
You can save big this way. For example, if an airline increased the flight price in US dollars but not in Indian rupee, you could book flights at half the price! But this may require altering either the location or language on the airline’s website; or you may change to the home country’s URL, where ticket prices are generally cheapest by searching in its local currency. This is how you can in fact find cheap flight ticket to wherever you like to travel.

Sign up for an airline’s travel rewards credit card for cheap flight booking

One of the smartest ways to take full advantage from travel credit cards is to use the hefty sign-up bonuses. For example, if you sign up for a new travel card when the airline is offering unusually high quantity of bonus miles, you could score yourself literally thousands of dollars worth of reward points by just opening the card.
Although several of these travel cards could have higher annual fees, a big sign-up bonus may amount for months or even years worth of cheap flight booking for you and your whole family.

The cheapest day to book flights

Even though you might see great deals flashing on your computer screen for international airfare three to six months out, if you are flying during peak times, or perhaps your plans are not very flexible, it’s smart to begin searching sooner. The cheapest day to book flights actually evades many flyers.
This does not automatically mean you ought to purchase tickets when hitting the 6-month window; hold on till you book cheap flights online. And, just ignore the old advice that travel experts often repeat regarding booking the cheapest flights at 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday; that used to be true but now airfare prices are updated often and great deals could pop up any given moment when least expected. So, now you can secure a flight cheap most of the time.

Utilize momondo to book cheap flight air tickets

Upon finding what you imagine to be the cheapest flight wherever, try searching on Momondo; it will search dozens of OTAs; bear in mind that it may not display the cheapest fares seen on large OTAs and Google Flights. But you got a greater chance to find cheap air tickets sooner this way. Otherwise, only one cheap air ticket may be attained, if tried another manner. Now you too can enjoy when you book cheap flight tickets when you need them.

Fly cheap during the low season

Have you ever scanned flight prices from the USA to Europe’s insanely popular cities in August? Surpassing quite easily $1000.00, they can frighten seasoned and expert travelers alike.
But are those the same ticket prices in February? So, fly cheap from major hubs in USA to Europe, you could often locate roundtrip flights throughout the winter months for less than $400 or even $300!

Fly basic economy for cheap air flights

A basic economy flight ticket could save you money, if you do not require checked luggage or advance seat selection. Pay only for what you need. In theory, you’ll achieve cheap air flights via this option.

Enroll in the airline’s loyalty program for cheap airfare

If you fly one particular airline often, join its loyalty program in order to earn points each time you go anywhere. Then, you can redeem such points for upgrades or cheap airfare in the future. If you accumulate enough miles and achieve a considerable status with the airline, you might receive free upgrades. Now, you can take fuller advantage of cheap air fare whenever you require it.

Skiplag to discover hidden-city cheap airfares & last minute flights

Hidden-city ticketing happens by booking a flight to a place beyond your final destination, and then end your flight on the layover city. This could help you in getting cheap airfares as well as best last minute flights to most destinations. Think about it: can you imagine a better, more creative way to book cheap air fares while searching the Internet?

Prolong your layovers for cheapest flight tickets

Sometimes only by extending a layover a few days in another city in-between, you can score cheapest flight tickets to your original destination. In conclusion, more often than not, you’ll usually find the cheapest flight ticket by following this method consistently. Why not? A lot of people are discovering that they are by accident getting the cheapest flight via the extended layovers.

Don’t overlook sales for cheapest flight booking

Airlines are frequently offering amazing deals which you may jump on fast enough and save yourself hundreds of dollars on your next flight. Sign up for your favorite airline’s newsletter to be on top of their latest flight deals. This is yet another way to know about the cheapest flight booking that becomes available whenever.

Focus on going across the ocean for cheap fly tickets

If you are thinking to visit a distant location, it could be less expensive to book one ticket to the main hub, and then a second ticket from there to your final destination. For example, if you wish to fly to Alhambra, Spain, it’s probably cheaper to book one roundtrip flight from your home to Madrid and a second roundtrip ticket from Madrid to Alhambra than it would be to buy a ticket to Alhambra on one itinerary. In essence, you’ll end up with cheap fly tickets by following the above example.

Don’t overlook destinations with low cost carriers to get cheapest flights

Carriers such as Frontier, AirTran, and Southwest all drive down airfares along their routes. So, it may be quite wise to travel a bit longer to a larger airport with low-cost carriers, because even major carriers flights will most likely be cheaper. Using this method regularly, you are more likely to find the cheapest flights to most if not all your destinations. Why not take advantage of low cost flights whenever possible?

Avoid Friday, Sunday flights, & traditional air travel days

This may mean going away before and returning later than usual, or even flying exactly on the holiday. Pelletier, the air travel specialist, says you can save up to 50% by simply flying Christmas Eve or Day. She said: “We saved $300 per ticket around Thanksgiving for our family of four by flying out the Saturday before Thanksgiving and coming back the Saturday after. Not everyone can swing that with their work schedules, so my advice is to leave Thanksgiving day and return on Saturday for cheaper fares.”

Begin with a reputable flight search engine to find cheapest international flights

While searching for a flight, the initial thing you will wish to do is determine which airlines run a certain route and get an estimated price on the biggest carriers. Opposed to individually visiting all of these airlines’ sites, begin by looking for a website which will provide results from many airlines and different combinations of carriers. You may end up with the cheapest international flights this way. So, you could start with Expedia or another such as Orbitz, Hotwire, Travelocity, and Cheap Tickets. Do not ignore Google Flights, which, though a very powerful search engine, know that it’s not a booking platform and can’t buy a flight ticket there. This is how you could find cheapest flights to many popular locations.

Be flexible where you go to book discount flights

If for some reason or another you cannot be flexible with the time factor of your flight, then try to be flexible with your destinations. It’s ideal to be both. However, you still can save a lot of money and book discount flights by being flexible with either factor.
You don’t have to conduct manual searches, going city by city and day by day. Websites such as Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Momondo provide explore tools and permit you to add your nearest airport and see a world map with all the possible flights on it. This helps you to quickly compare many destinations with no need to brainstorm each potential option.

Fly budget airlines/carriers

Many years ago, you were generally stuck flying with traditional costly airlines. That’s not true anymore. Budget airlines today service both short and medium-haul routes all over the world.
For example, AirAsia provides incredible cheap flight deals around Australia and Asia for less than $150 dollars! Indian and Middle Eastern air carriers sell cheap flight tickets throughout Africa and the subcontinent.

Book early: how to find the cheapest flights

You can discover how to find the cheapest flights by booking early. Although flight rates continue climbing the nearer you get to departure, there exists a great spot along the way when airline companies start to reduce or increase flight prices based on demand. Do not wait till the last moment but do not book too far in advance. The ideal time to buy your flight ticket is about 2 to 3 months prior to your departure, or even about 5 months prior if you’re flying there in their peak season.

** Plot Twists, Red Herrings, and the Art of Keeping Readers on Their Toes**
My friends, we have arrived at the heart of a truly gripping story - the twists, the turns, the mind-bending surprises that keep those precious pages turning. A skillful plot will keep your readers guessing until the very end, begging to know what happens next.
Commandment #21: Play Fair (But Play Dirty)
There's nothing worse than a twist that comes completely out of left field. It feels cheap and cheats the reader. Plant clues throughout, breadcrumbs leading to the surprise, even if they don't seem obvious at first. Reward your readers for paying attention.
Commandment #22: Misdirection Is Your Best Friend
The red herring, the unreliable narrator, the seemingly insignificant detail – these are the tools of suspense. Lead your reader down a path, make them certain of the outcome, then yank the rug right out from under them. But remember, play fair! (see Commandment #21).
Commandment #23: The Shock Factor Isn't Everything
Yes, we all love a jaw-dropping twist. But smaller, more subtle surprises throughout your story maintain tension and give readers that delicious feeling of anticipation. Even a simple change in setting, a shift in tone, or a new character reveal can keep the emotional stakes high and propel the story forward.
Commandment #24: Don't Be Afraid to Scrap (and Pivot, and Try Again)
Sometimes even the most brilliant plot twist ends up feeling forced. If it's not working, don't force it. You might discover a completely different, even better, path for your story. Flexibility is your friend, especially when dealing with the unpredictability of plot.
Commandment #25: Surprise Yourself First
If you can see your twist coming a mile away, your reader certainly will. Force yourself to think outside the box. Imagine the most unexpected outcome, then work backward – how would you get there? This often leads to the most original and satisfying plot twists.
Revision: The Sculpting Knife of a Good Story
You've survived the first draft and wrestled your plot into submission. Congratulations, the fun really starts now! Revision is where you transform your raw lump of clay into a masterpiece.
Commandment #26: Let It Rest (Then Read It with Fresh Eyes)
Step away from your manuscript for a while – a week, a month, if you're lucky. When you come back to it, you'll be surprised at the glaring errors, the clunky prose, and the genius ideas that spring to mind. Distance lets you see your work with the ruthless objectivity necessary for the next stage.
Commandment #27: Find Your Tribe of Trusted Readers
Beta readers are your lifeline. Find a few people whose judgment you trust and whose opinions don't sugarcoat the truth. Seek diverse viewpoints to spot issues or blind spots you may have missed.
Commandment #28: Know Which Feedback to Take (And Which to Ignore)
Not all feedback is created equal. Consider the source, their intent, and their understanding of your genre. Take what resonates, discard what doesn't. Ultimately, trust your gut about your story – you're the visionary.
Commandment #29: Revise Until It Hurts (Then One More Time)
Revision isn't about tweaking a few sentences; it's often about major surgery. Be ready to cut beloved scenes, rewrite entire chapters, and rethink character arcs. It's painful, but that's how the good stuff emerges.
Commandment #30: Don't Stop Until It Sings
There's no magic word count or number of revisions. You'll just know when a story is ready. It will have a hum, a resonance, a sense of rightness to it. Don't settle for anything less.

Looking for the best payroll software to streamline your business operations? Payroll software is essential for any company, handling everything from salary calculations to tax compliance. The best options out there are user-friendly, integrate seamlessly with other HR tools, and offer robust support to keep you compliant with ever-changing regulations.
Whether you're a small startup or a large enterprise, choosing the right payroll software like Gusto, can save you time, reduce errors, and ensure your employees are always paid on time.

5 Best Payroll Software

• Gusto
• ADP
• OnPay
• Paychex Flex
• Rippling

Gusto - Best Overall

Gusto offers four pricing plans:

• Simple: $40/month base fee + $6/month per person. Includes full-service single-state payroll, employee profiles, self-service, and basic hiring tools.
• Plus: $60/month base fee + $9/month per person. Includes all Simple features plus multi-state payroll, next-day direct deposit, advanced hiring tools, and time tracking.
• Premium: Exclusive pricing. Includes all Plus features plus a dedicated customer success manager, HR resource center, compliance alerts, and more.

Gusto is a comprehensive payroll and HR platform tailored for U.S.-based startups and small businesses. It offers automated or manual payroll, self-service profiles for employees and contractors, direct deposit options, and benefits administration. To get started, users input company and employee data, select a plan through a questionnaire, and integrate any third-party apps. Although the initial setup can be time-consuming, Gusto's automation simplifies ongoing payroll management. Once set up, businesses only need to input employee hours, and Gusto handles the rest.
Pros:

• Streamlined payroll processing for employees
• Automated tax filing and compliance support
• Integrated no-cost checking and high-interest savings accounts with paycheck advances
• Clear pricing structure

Cons:

• Cost per person can become expensive as company size increases
• Lacks invoicing and accounts receivable capabilities
• More complex payroll processing for contractors
• Limited availability of mobile applications

ADP - Best for Enterprise-Level Solutions

ADP offers four plans for payroll services. However, the price for each plan is not public. The cost is based on the number of employees and the complexity of needs. To get a quote, you must complete an ADP pricing form online or speak directly to a sales representative about your company’s requirements. Based on reports from payroll-only users, the Essential plan starts at $79 per month plus $4 per employee.
ADP Payroll Software streamlines payroll management by automating wage calculations, tax withholdings, and benefit management. It integrates with time-tracking systems for accuracy and supports direct deposit. The software ensures compliance with tax regulations and provides tools for reporting and employee self-service. With mobile access, both employers and employees can easily manage payroll information.
Pros:

• Comprehensive HR and payroll solution
• Tailorable dashboards
• Adaptable service offerings
• Compatible with other HR business tools
• Automated timekeeping and attendance monitoring

Cons:

• Pricing isn't clearly disclosed
• The setup process may be somewhat complex
• No option for a free trial
• Live chat support utilizes a bot

ADP offers customer support through a dedicated phone line (1-844-227-5237) and their website. Employees can get help with pay, tax forms, and passwords, while administrators receive assistance with payroll, benefits, HR, and compliance. More details are available on the ADP Customer Service page.

OnPay - Best for Customizable Payroll

OnPay offers a straightforward pricing model:

• Base Fee: $40 per month
• Per Person Fee: $6 per person per month

This plan includes full-service payroll with unlimited pay runs, automated tax payments and filings, free W-2 and 1099 processing, HR tools, and expert support without any hidden fees.
OnPay is a cloud-based payroll processing system ideal for small businesses, offering a user-friendly dashboard and mobile accessibility. It automates payroll, calculates, files, and pays payroll taxes, and provides HR, time off, and benefits features for a flat monthly fee plus per-user charges. Employees retain lifetime access to their self-service accounts, and users have access to licensed brokers for health insurance management and various app integrations for enhanced functionality.
Pros:

• Affordable, clear pricing starting at $40 per month plus $6 per user
• Unlimited payroll processing cycles
• Capable of managing payment for both full-time employees and contractors
• Employee self-service portal
• Compatible with leading accounting software
• Comprehensive HR resources library
• Generally user-friendly interface

Cons:

• No discounts for larger user volumes
• Additional charges for mailing tax documents
• Payroll approval process is not fully automated
• Challenges with resolving payroll alerts
• Syncing issues with time off data and other system parts
• The process of adding new employees could be more straightforward
• Mobile application is available only for iOS

Paychex Flex – Best for a Full-Service Payroll

Paychex Flex Essentials is the company’s introductory plan. It is best for hands-on business owners who prefer handling payroll themselves. The plan costs $39 per month plus $5 per employee. In addition to payroll processing and payroll tax services, the basic plan also includes new hire reporting, standard analytics, garnishment payment services, workers’ compensation services, a financial wellness program, and an Employee Assistance Program. The Flex Essentials plan allows companies to electronically wire transfer wages into an employee’s bank account or to print employee checks from the office.
Paychex Flex is a cloud-based human capital management (HCM) platform that streamlines HR, payroll, and benefits administration. It offers a centralized interface for managing payroll, benefits, time tracking, and compliance from any device. The platform integrates various HR functions into one system, reducing administrative burdens and enhancing efficiency. Its customizable features and scalability suit businesses of all sizes.
Pros:

• Streamlined employee payroll process
• Some plans include garnishment payment services
• Flexible, customizable plan options
• Automated tax filing services
• Integration with voice assistants and accounting software

Cons:

• Additional fees for W-2 and 1099 filings
• Requires an external platform for time tracking
• Customer support needs enhancement

For customer support, Paychex offers 24/7 chat and phone assistance. You can contact their sales team at 833-729-8200 for payroll, time & attendance, benefits, and insurance inquiries, or 866-709-9401 for HR services and PEO sales. For support, call 833-299-0168. They also provide dedicated client support for Paychex Flex at 800-741-6277 and Paychex Oasis at 888-627-4735.

Rippling – Best for Modern HR

Rippling starts at $8 per user per month for basic payroll services. However, adding extra features can increase your monthly cost. To get precise pricing tailored to your company's needs and the specific features you want, you need to contact Rippling for a custom quote.
Rippling is a comprehensive payroll management software that also provides various HR tools, including ATS and PEO services. It ensures effective business management with dedicated staff support during setup. While this personalized assistance is beneficial, it requires obtaining a custom quote before starting. This means you can't access the software immediately without consulting their team.
Pros:

• Comprehensive HR platform
• Simple configuration
• Highly customizable
• Manages ACA & COBRA requirements
• Specialized features for remote teams, including device and inventory management

Cons:

• Relatively expensive for basic payroll functions
• Custom quote necessary
• No free trial available

Rippling provides customer support for administrators through online chat within your account and a comprehensive FAQ help center for logged-in users. However, there is no direct support for employees; they are advised to reach out to their account administrators with any questions about using Rippling, potentially creating a hurdle in resolving issues on the platform.

What is Payroll Software?

Payroll encompasses the entire compensation a company provides to its employees for their softwares. It involves the procedures of calculating employees’ net pay and facilitating their payment. Regardless of company size, processing payroll is essential for accurate payment and record-keeping.

What is the best payroll company?

Choosing the most suitable payroll software depends on your company's size and specific needs. Leading payroll services for small businesses include OnPay, Gusto, and ADP RUN. While traditional companies provide customizable plans, startups can benefit from platforms offering simple pricing and comprehensive packages that are quick to implement.

How do you set up payroll?

To initiate payroll, follow these steps:

1. Establish a pay cycle
2. Gather employee data and tax documents
3. Calculate gross pay
4. Compute net pay
5. Process payments
6. Handle taxes and maintain payment records

How long does payroll processing take?

Processing payroll typically requires about five business days from the completion of internal processes to when employees receive funds via direct deposit. This timeframe can be extended if checks are mailed to employees.

Bottom Line

Choosing the best payroll software depends on your specific business needs, including scalability, compliance features, and user-friendliness. Solutions like Gusto, ADP, and OnPay offer robust functionalities tailored for different company sizes and industries. Ultimately, the right payroll software streamlines payroll processing, ensures accuracy, and helps maintain regulatory compliance efficiently.

So I don’t know how to start this but I meet this girl on a dating app and we were talking, everything was amazing even the first time we met up. She spent the night over because she was too drunk to drive home so was I, I was very hesitant because this person at that time was a stranger but we just vibe so well. After that day we just keep hanging out and exploring places in SD. I got to really get to know this person so well and deeply that we had so much in common, Music, ideas, etc.
I started to like this girl so much but the only thing I didn’t like was she was talking to her ex still but for a reason. She had to pay him back for rent which I thought It was totally fine but it started to get to a point where she was like “ugh he is just pissing me off and I can’t take this with him.” Also she would bring up certain things with him to me which I thought was weird to me because even though I knew they lived with each other about two years ago and broke up a year ago.
I never seen somebody talk about their ex so much even though it was all bad things about him but even still have contact with him. I would kinda tease her about it sometimes like “oh sounds like you guys are still together.” She denies it and says fucker I like you not him anymore but it got to a point I would say stuff like that out of concern which one day, we had a conversation about it and she said I would bring him up all the time.
I never dealt with that before, so even though I know this is wrong I went on a the same dating app I found her on and was looking and I saw her sister friend at the time. I didn’t know the friend at the time so I swipe on her and we didn’t match but I get a call from the girl I was talking to and she was telling me how could I do this and everything else, which she is right I should of never done that. I just felt like she was so drawn on her ex and having conversations with him that I was going try and see what else was out there but after that we came to a agreement on just keep talking to each other.
Months go by and we fall for each other, we aren’t in a relationship yet because I just feel so doubtful that it could work because in my mind she is still talking to her ex. She wants to be my girlfriend but I just kept telling her let’s wait because of the ex stuff, I didn’t tell her that but she got it. We have each others location and spring break comes, I don’t know what happened but my location stops working for her.
I leave to go back home. She gets worried about not seeing it and wants to fix it and I tried to fix it but it wouldn’t work for me even showing her that it didn’t but then I told her I’m going to be spending time with my family because I never get to see them because I play college football. she got that but it’s also my fault because I spent so much time with them and didn’t text her as much when I was back at home.
My birthday is in spring break so I got gifts from my family but I got crocs that had I heart N which was from my mom which represented my uncle who passed, His name started with a N. she’s worried that I might have a another girl back home. I tried telling her I don’t but I wanted her to come over since I was gone for a week and she had gifts for my birthday that past so everything was good.
She is over my place and is fine with staying until I got back from practice so I left then I get text messages from my family friend telling me she is texting her on instagram and somehow gets her phone number. I couldn’t go back home to ask why she is doing that since I was already at practice but after practice I call her and she is literally back at her house and telling me that I lied to her and that she is done with me.
She literally took an edible and drove home which I think is crazy but she is so high and I tell her, What is going on and she says I have proof of you lying to me and I told her send it to me. She takes forever to send it but she sends it to me and it’s my crocs with the N. She tries to say my family friend is the girl so we go back and forth but then she realize that it wasn’t and says sorry for leaving and she also got in an argument with her mom.
I tell her that we need to just slow down we are just dating and you are doing crazy things. She agrees and we kinda slow down, after this she is still stalking my family friend. she doesn’t know that my family friend has a boyfriend and keeps looking at her stories and thinks it’s me so she jumps to conclusions and breaks up with me. I keep tryna tell her it’s not me and she keeps saying it is but we come to a agreement again and she asks me why do I still wanna date her when she’s done that, I tell her I just like her so much and wanna see how far it can go.
This is true and still is because this is still fresh. weeks later she is having conversations with her ex but she already told him that she wants me and not him anymore. he didn’t wanna let go and she was just paying him back the money she owed him but he started to make conversation with her and they were just talking like friends. Couple weeks ago he confessed to her about wanting her back and wants her to drop me and come back to him but they have a long bad history and she told him “I’m not doing that to him, I want him in my life not you just move on.”
He literally pass out or something while driving because he wasn’t getting sleep or something and she calls me and tells me everything that went on and all that shit made me so mad. she still was talking to him because I knew he would do something like that but he gives her a ultimatum of it’s either me or him. She told me that and tells him the next day I’m sticking with him. She couldn’t and wouldn’t go back to that place he put her in so after that I’m pissed off about that whole shit and keeping contact with him.
A week ago, my family friends car stops working so she asks me to take her to target to get stuff and I did because why wouldn’t I help. I do that and we are just laughing and talking then I take a picture of her with my crocs half way in it and she posted it but next thing that happens is I get a text from the girl. She says fuck you, bye then blocks me and it hurt so fucking much like I still think about it and tried to tell her, I wasn’t doing anything with my family friend but I was blocked.
I start to post on my story and she just watches them and not saying anything. I don’t say anything as well but then she posts something about karma is coming for the people that lied to her and did her wrong which hurt because I truly wasn’t doing nothing. I didn’t wanna text her because I was still shocked that she would do that then days go by and she stops watching it.
I saw she keep going public and private on instagram so when she opened it again I like some new pictures of her then she texts and delete. I asked her what did she say and she said why am I liking her shit and I need to stop because my little girlfriend isn’t going like that like just being so petty. She tells me that she is going block me on Instagram too so I started feeling sad and told her don’t let me just talk to her.
I wasn’t even home, I was literally in a different state for a family trip which was two days ago but I tell her everything that I love her and wanna fix it. I don’t wanna lose her but she tells me she isn’t changing her mind and I’m begging her because I truly love this girl but we come to somewhat an agreement of seeing each other Tuesday. I got back in the state so I text her and tell her my flight is going be late maybe let me stay over at her place because I know her mom a little and her mom likes me.
I told her maybe I could do that and we can just talk but then she tells me that’s not a good idea and she isn’t doing that so I keep trying and trying but she says we can talk on the phone when I land so I said fine I’m cool with that. I landed and I was about to text her that I landed, can we talk now but before I went on instagram to see if she unfollowed people because I just couldn’t stop thinking about her being with someone else. I see she blocked me on instagram so I go to text her phone number and I was blocked too.
I had a whole letter for her and she hasn’t even seen it because I sent it after the messages went green but it just hurts so much because I want this girl like she just matches me. This just happened two days ago,I am really hurting bad. I don’t know what to do I feel so alone but I just want her bad like what can I do and I know the story is everywhere but it’s so hard to type this out. I don’t know if anyone wants to hear all of it, maybe I can make a discord or something but I don’t know what to do and I don’t want nobody else but her.

So I don’t know how to start this but I meet this girl on a dating app and we were talking, everything was amazing even the first time we met up. She spent the night over because she was too drunk to drive home so was I, I was very hesitant because this person at that time was a stranger but we just vibe so well. After that day we just keep hanging out and exploring places in SD. I got to really get to know this person so well and deeply that we had so much in common, Music, ideas, etc.
I started to like this girl so much but the only thing I didn’t like was she was talking to her ex still but for a reason. She had to pay him back for rent which I thought It was totally fine but it started to get to a point where she was like “ugh he is just pissing me off and I can’t take this with him.” Also she would bring up certain things with him to me which I thought was weird to me because even though I knew they lived with each other about two years ago and broke up a year ago.
I never seen somebody talk about their ex so much even though it was all bad things about him but even still have contact with him. I would kinda tease her about it sometimes like “oh sounds like you guys are still together.” She denies it and says fucker I like you not him anymore but it got to a point I would say stuff like that out of concern which one day, we had a conversation about it and she said I would bring him up all the time.
I never dealt with that before, so even though I know this is wrong I went on a the same dating app I found her on and was looking and I saw her sister friend at the time. I didn’t know the friend at the time so I swipe on her and we didn’t match but I get a call from the girl I was talking to and she was telling me how could I do this and everything else, which she is right I should of never done that. I just felt like she was so drawn on her ex and having conversations with him that I was going try and see what else was out there but after that we came to a agreement on just keep talking to each other.
Months go by and we fall for each other, we aren’t in a relationship yet because I just feel so doubtful that it could work because in my mind she is still talking to her ex. She wants to be my girlfriend but I just kept telling her let’s wait because of the ex stuff, I didn’t tell her that but she got it. We have each others location and spring break comes, I don’t know what happened but my location stops working for her.
I leave to go back home. She gets worried about not seeing it and wants to fix it and I tried to fix it but it wouldn’t work for me even showing her that it didn’t but then I told her I’m going to be spending time with my family because I never get to see them because I play college football. she got that but it’s also my fault because I spent so much time with them and didn’t text her as much when I was back at home.
My birthday is in spring break so I got gifts from my family but I got crocs that had I heart N which was from my mom which represented my uncle who passed, His name started with a N. she’s worried that I might have a another girl back home. I tried telling her I don’t but I wanted her to come over since I was gone for a week and she had gifts for my birthday that past so everything was good.
She is over my place and is fine with staying until I got back from practice so I left then I get text messages from my family friend telling me she is texting her on instagram and somehow gets her phone number. I couldn’t go back home to ask why she is doing that since I was already at practice but after practice I call her and she is literally back at her house and telling me that I lied to her and that she is done with me.
She literally took an edible and drove home which I think is crazy but she is so high and I tell her, What is going on and she says I have proof of you lying to me and I told her send it to me. She takes forever to send it but she sends it to me and it’s my crocs with the N. She tries to say my family friend is the girl so we go back and forth but then she realize that it wasn’t and says sorry for leaving and she also got in an argument with her mom.
I tell her that we need to just slow down we are just dating and you are doing crazy things. She agrees and we kinda slow down, after this she is still stalking my family friend. she doesn’t know that my family friend has a boyfriend and keeps looking at her stories and thinks it’s me so she jumps to conclusions and breaks up with me. I keep tryna tell her it’s not me and she keeps saying it is but we come to a agreement again and she asks me why do I still wanna date her when she’s done that, I tell her I just like her so much and wanna see how far it can go.
This is true and still is because this is still fresh. weeks later she is having conversations with her ex but she already told him that she wants me and not him anymore. he didn’t wanna let go and she was just paying him back the money she owed him but he started to make conversation with her and they were just talking like friends. Couple weeks ago he confessed to her about wanting her back and wants her to drop me and come back to him but they have a long bad history and she told him “I’m not doing that to him, I want him in my life not you just move on.”
He literally pass out or something while driving because he wasn’t getting sleep or something and she calls me and tells me everything that went on and all that shit made me so mad. she still was talking to him because I knew he would do something like that but he gives her a ultimatum of it’s either me or him. She told me that and tells him the next day I’m sticking with him. She couldn’t and wouldn’t go back to that place he put her in so after that I’m pissed off about that whole shit and keeping contact with him.
A week ago, my family friends car stops working so she asks me to take her to target to get stuff and I did because why wouldn’t I help. I do that and we are just laughing and talking then I take a picture of her with my crocs half way in it and she posted it but next thing that happens is I get a text from the girl. She says fuck you, bye then blocks me and it hurt so fucking much like I still think about it and tried to tell her, I wasn’t doing anything with my family friend but I was blocked.
I start to post on my story and she just watches them and not saying anything. I don’t say anything as well but then she posts something about karma is coming for the people that lied to her and did her wrong which hurt because I truly wasn’t doing nothing. I didn’t wanna text her because I was still shocked that she would do that then days go by and she stops watching it.
I saw she keep going public and private on instagram so when she opened it again I like some new pictures of her then she texts and delete. I asked her what did she say and she said why am I liking her shit and I need to stop because my little girlfriend isn’t going like that like just being so petty. She tells me that she is going block me on Instagram too so I started feeling sad and told her don’t let me just talk to her.
I wasn’t even home, I was literally in a different state for a family trip which was two days ago but I tell her everything that I love her and wanna fix it. I don’t wanna lose her but she tells me she isn’t changing her mind and I’m begging her because I truly love this girl but we come to somewhat an agreement of seeing each other Tuesday. I got back in the state so I text her and tell her my flight is going be late maybe let me stay over at her place because I know her mom a little and her mom likes me.
I told her maybe I could do that and we can just talk but then she tells me that’s not a good idea and she isn’t doing that so I keep trying and trying but she says we can talk on the phone when I land so I said fine I’m cool with that. I landed and I was about to text her that I landed, can we talk now but before I went on instagram to see if she unfollowed people because I just couldn’t stop thinking about her being with someone else. I see she blocked me on instagram so I go to text her phone number and I was blocked too.
I had a whole letter for her and she hasn’t even seen it because I sent it after the messages went green but it just hurts so much because I want this girl like she just matches me. This just happened two days ago,I am really hurting bad. I don’t know what to do I feel so alone but I just want her bad like what can I do and I know the story is everywhere but it’s so hard to type this out. I don’t know if anyone wants to hear all of it, maybe I can make a discord or something but I don’t know what to do and I don’t want nobody else but her.

I would like to share my experiences with getting started in the language and would be delighted if anyone among you who has had similar experiences could give me tips on how to proceed in a reasonable way.
First, I searched online for language courses, looked at the textbooks used, and consistently saw that they start directly with conversation. PinYin is mostly included in the introductory lesson, but it is only touched on the surface—instead, it starts directly with 你好. The textbooks are only in Chinese. This initially seemed intimidating to me because I had been in such courses before and lost interest after a short time. Additionally, in such courses, it is often the case that many people do not do their homework, and the progress in the course is frustratingly slow.
Next, I looked at self-study courses in the bookstore. Everything was fine, very comprehensive, but the audio material mostly only covered the conversations. That didn't really look promising.
Apps and websites were next. There are:

• YoYo Chinese: I find it great for starting because the teacher is very nice, and everything was initially understandable for me. After a while, it became bothersome that the videos are so short and contain a lot of prose repeatedly. The learning flow is not optimal for me.
• Zero to Hero: I like it a lot, but it works very closely with the HSK course books. I have to plan long sessions and constantly switch between media. I have big problems with this for the beginning. It was very difficult for me to remember the characters and their pronunciation. Learning Chinese feels like learning two languages at the same time. So I thought I would start by memorizing the characters.
• Hack Chinese: Here, I could activate the HSK characters directly as a list and learn pronunciation/characters together. The learning algorithm is great, but the pronunciation quality is not optimal. Especially for the beginning, it is difficult because it is spoken quickly, and I can only hear the tones very limitedly. The same goes for the example sentences. I'll keep this app in mind for later.
• Skritter: The pronunciation quality is much better here. You also learn to write in parallel. I really like it, and I will use it directly for the start. Of course, it takes even more time to learn to write, but I can set the pace myself. Very soon, I noticed that the pronunciation of characters alone is only somewhat helpful, and there are many pronunciation variants that sound extremely different to my German-trained ears. For instance, a, r, i, e, x, etc., seem to have many variations. I understand that some of these have different pronunciations depending on the context, but in reality, the same words can sound entirely different depending on the speaker.

Therefore, I focused more on listening:

• Du Chinese: The app is great. The audio quality is high, and you can significantly slow down the speaking speed to hear the tones. This helps enormously. Compared to Chinese texts on Audible, this is much better. However, what I miss are the basics. You start directly with, for example, "I'm a cat" or "Twelve Minutes," which easily includes 80 words and even more characters. Learning these takes time, and when I focus on pronunciation or listening, I hardly learn the characters.
• Teacher: To progress further and get some feedback, I booked an online private lesson with a teacher. It was an interesting experience, but it left me with the impression that I first need to master the basics before I can engage with Chinese-speaking people. The input regarding pronunciation and approach to the language was not helpful, and not different from what the apps offer.

At this point, I felt completely lost and aimless. There seem to be a thousand ways to approach the language, and none of them work properly for me. Sure, I learned one thing or another in these weeks, but not in a way that made me feel like I was making progress.
Now, I have started with HelloChinese, and for the first time, I feel that there is a coherent concept behind it. It can be mastered from the start, is well-presented, and motivating. In parallel, I will use Skritter and occasionally engage with Du Chinese to develop an ear for the Chinese language (from various speakers).

So, here is the thing. I'm your typical tall, good-looking, nice, introverted, and intellectual guy from a foreign country( so 2 cultures). All these attributes are strengths overall but also somehow come with drawbacks.
Anyways, I came in Europe when I was 5 and grew up with a double culture- western and traditiona from a humble backgroun.This created I believe a schizophrenic approach to dating; where I wanted to date beautiful girls; but I also wanted to get married like my elders did( in my country as in mist traditional countries, homosexuality or divorce doesn't virtually exist! Only modern aspect you can find is one way polyamory where one man can sometimes be with multiple women).
Anyways, as an introverted and intellectual guy, I was very quickly outshines by my more braggadocious, direct and overconfident guys. And it worked for them; even though secretelt I believed that my values were superior. As you can imagine; as time went on this pattern of girl I want- and who also wanted me; being snatched by friends or other more direct( and usually way less attractive overall) guys was painful.
Anyways, feeling socially pressured to date around I dated around without losing my virginity untill 24. It was 10 years ago. Interestingly enough, girls I dated were really attracted by my mindset and easily fell in love and it usually wasn't too mutual. My standards were extremely high back then and I now believe that my prime was in my mid 20s. Anyways, I gave my virginity away to an amazing girl that I dated for a couple months-- she was amazing but I couldn't really open up to her. After that first unsatisfactory time with a great girl. A day later I left her too just like I did with tjhe past girlfriends and I effectively broke her heart too; I juts didn't feel ready.... I started to go berserk and joined dating communities to catch up to modern dating techniques. Meanwhile I was also in medical school and was trying to have a great carreer in medecine. So professional life was intense and didn't leave my time to date around.
When I graduated meds school and began making money; I went crazy and had the best dating life of my life for a brief 2 years. Beautiful, intelligent and sexy girls who showed me so much love... I got used to having short term relationships and one night stands. All this love brought chaos into my professional life.
I later found out that in parallel to all the attributes above; I was also ADHD. So I couldn't just date a lot and also be effective in my highly demanding residency program. I felt like something was off..
In parallel to all this, my family was pressuring me to get married. Everyone was getting married in my thirties while I was stuck meaningless dating around and doing what my fboys friends were doing... it was easy for women to tag me as a fboi too since I presented me this way.
Fast forward to now, I'm 35 and I'm more or less balanced but I always have this traditional idea of dating and would love to switch to a more mature dating idea and less one night stand stuff( most of my friends would love to have thay and they'll be happy). Apparently modern women are addicted to s3x from what I heard... Basically like men 20 to 40 years ago in western countries. I believe dating apps; instagram; ..etc have fried our brains even if most people play it down for some reasons(* no you just have to control yourself with it*). I see that most women I meet and like( or I find attractive) are interested in traveling, Instagram ming, don't want a family, date around, situationships..etc
Anywyas, I realized that I want a family. I tend to date girls in their 20s too, 25-28, although they seem mature I can tell that their priorities are similar to mine when I was 27( dating around, habing fun, carreer) and they are not so different than guys. Any tips on how to transition from fboy to more mature dating oriented in marriage and families. I don't believe that all women have abandonned the idea of family/ couple in the traditional sense. Should I really date into religious women only? I've also heard that religious women weren't better than non religious ones in reality.

Isn’t it bizarre that an urban, educated woman in her 20s doesn’t know that reddit is not a place where your fake PR will make the magic happen? How clueless does one have to be to be that unaware?
Rohit Shetty had in some interview said that younger actors are very dependent on their teams and can’t make the decisions themselves. Farah Khan said now even managers have managers and you can’t contact an actor directly.
Look at all the successful actors over decades they have all had the knack to pick the right projects. True not all their films worked but it’s not like Varun, Ranveer even RK with their managers have been able to only deliver hits.
What people forget is that films work on emotional connect with the audience and no marketing school guy can teach you that. Picking a story is not like buying vegetable in a market . You need to be able to know the heart of the film, something Aamir has been able to do or even SRK did.
When Akshay was giving flops in the 90s he changed gear and realised he can do comic films and made a comeback. Bhai did action films like ‘wanted’ and dabang to make his return. They didn’t have MBAs or marketing gurus telling them which script to pick.
But ‘younger’ (all are closer or crossed 40 so not that young) lot is so clueless. Isn’t that strange?
Also their managers get huge salaries, travel with the stars and increase the cost of the project without guaranteeing that the film will even open well. So why are they there? What is their contribution except confusing an actor and killing his/ her instincts? The Ranveer fiasco down south proves that star teams are a mess.
Jahnavi should also try to be more aware and not be a babe in the woods. Don’t make people believe you’re dumb, look at your mom’s career and see how well she did without any highly paid useless folks(if Khushi is reading this please tell your didi this).
Hoping more artistic actors start choosing projects based on emotion and connect over marketing strategies and MBA jargons. Good films work , good actors connect with the audience, no fake PR or bought events can help you with that.

"And write to the angel of the Philadelphia church: Thus saith the Holy and True One, who has the key of David, who opens and no one shuts, who shuts and no one opens.
Rev. 3:7
"And to the angel of the church of Philadelphia write: Thus saith the Holy and True," In Philadelphia at that time there were also false and untrue gods, so Jesus begins the letter to the church of Philadelphia by mentioning two attributes of God that only the true, true God possesses and no one else because the true God cannot be compared to anyone, and that is why God addressed and introduced himself to the Israelites with the words:
"So who are you going to equate me with so that I can be like him?" says the Saint."
Isa. 40:25
"For I am the Lord your God; therefore take revenge and be holy, for I am holy;"
Levit. 11:44
"For thus speaks the High and Exalted One, who lives in eternity, whose name is Holy:"
Isa. 57:15
In addition to the fact that Jesus says that He is holy, He also says that He is True. God is Holy in character and in practice He is True and these qualities go together because if God is Holy then He must also be True because if some of that is not true then God would not was God. God is holy and true, and about this Jesus said:
"I was born for that, and that's why I came into the world to bear witness to the truth..."
John 18:37
"I am the way and the truth and the life; no one will come to the Father through me."
John 14:6
"And this is eternal life for them to know You, the only true God, and whom You sent Jesus Christ."
John 17:3
We see here that Jesus is True, so we can freely say that this is the same Yahweh of the Old Testament who appeared to the Israelites as Holy. Here in these verses Jesus says that He is Holy and True and He appears not only to the church in Philadelphia but also to us that we get to know him well and believe the words that God Jesus himself gave us.
"And we know that the Son of God is coming, and he gave us understanding to know the True God, and to be in His true Son, Jesus Christ. This is the True God and Eternal Life."
1 John 5:20
,, who has the key of David, who opens and no one shuts, who shuts and no one opens." Here we have verses that also appear in the prophet Isaiah which read:
"And I will put the key of the house of David on his shoulder: when he opens, no one will shut, and when he shuts, no one will open."
Isa.22:22
At the beginning of this chapter it is written that God will give his prophets visions for the future:
"Burden to the Valley of Vision"
Isaiah 22:1
"Because this is the day of torment and persecution and hindrance from the Lord, the Lord of hosts, in the valley of vision; they will knock down the wall, and the shout will be loud"
Isaiah 22:5
and they refer to Jerusalem and the state Jerusalem was in because the Assyrian army had already marched on Israel, we can read further:
,, And the Lord of hosts calls you on that day to weep and weep and to pluck your hair and to wear sackcloth; And behold, joy and rejoicing, they kill cattle, slaughter sheep, eat meat and drink wine, saying: Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will to die."
Isaiah 22:12-13
At that time, the leader of Israel was Somna, who was the treasurer of the royal treasure and who was very carefree, but the Lord told him that he would take his position and hand it over to Eliakim son of Hilkiah. was the one who had the right to manage the house of David, he was the one who could open and close whenever he wanted and this was actually a prophecy for Christ.
"Thus says the Lord, the Lord of hosts: Go to that treasurer, to Somna, the steward of the palace,
And tell him: What are you doing here? And who is there for you, and you dug your own grave there? You have carved out a grave for yourself on a high place and you have prepared for yourself a dwelling in the stone. Behold, man, the Lord will throw you far away and bury you. He will whirl you around and rush you like a ball into the vast earth; there you will die and there will be the chariot of your glory, a disgrace to the house of your master; And I will overthrow you from your place, and I will drive you out of your service. And at that time I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah; And I will put your robe on him, and I will gird him with your belt, and I will give your authority into his hand, and he will be a father to the people of Jerusalem and the house of Judah. ​​And I will put the key of the house of David on his shoulder: when he opens, no one will shut, and when he closes, no one will open. And like a wedge I will drive him in a hard place, and he will be the throne of glory to my father's house;"
Isaiah 22:15-23
From this we can see that Jesus is the One who has the authority and the right to rule over Israel and also over the entire universe and over us who live in this time. Jesus is the "Door" and it is open to anyone who willingly wants to accept Him "Behold, I have given you an open door" and the key is salvation through Christ, and to whom it is "unlocked" with this key no one can "lock" anymore, nor to whom it is "locked" no one can "unlock". The only one who can unlock and lock is the Lord Jesus, and whether someone will be unlocked or locked depends on the people, because Jesus will not forcibly "unlock" anyone, nor will he "lock" anyone. People accept Jesus willingly and also if they reject Him. they choose their own way to hell. Only through Jesus can a person come to God and there are no other ways.
Jesus said to him: I am the way and the truth and the life; no one will come to the Father through me."
John 14:6
and also there is no other name by which men can be saved:
"For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved."
Acts 4:12
"Behold, I have given you an open door, and no one can close it," said the Lord Jesus to the church in Philadelphia, so He opened the door of preaching to them, opened the way for them to spread the gospel, in other words, He gave them "Himself". because they were supposed to preach the good news and it was talking about Jesus Christ.
The apostle Paul prayed for this:
"Praying for us at the same time that God will open the door of the word for us, so that we may preach the mystery of Christ, for which I am bound."
Col. 4:3
and also wrote the following on this subject:
"Because a great and rich door has opened for me, and there are many opponents"
1 Cor.16:9
"And when I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, a door was opened for me in the Lord."
2 Cor.2:12

No, unlike the other threads in here, I am not talking about opening the door to allowing the Wolves to make an historic comeback... I have something else in mind. Following the Celtics' final victory in Boston against their first round opponent, the Miami Heat, Coach Erik Spoelstra had this to say:

"You have to credit Boston. They took control of this game. You could sense that they wanted this to end right now, tonight, and not let this thing get back to Miami. That's the sign of a mature team."

While one can certainly interpret this is as a back-handed compliment of a bitter rival who has clearly lacked maturity in the past (I mean, how often do coaches reference the maturity of an opponent...), there is the practical observation that it is in the best interests of the team who is ahead, the one everyone expects to win, to get the series over with ASAP. Nothing good comes out of having to go back on the road and have it drag out. ...And, with respect to this WCF, the elephant in the room is that Dončić has been playing with a sprained knee since Game 3 of the Mavericks' first-round series versus the Los Angeles Clippers, which hasn't healed completely...and now has a sore ankle, according to the latest injury report. While his physical condition hasn't prevented him from executing great shot-making in this series, I'd have to think that taking advantage of the extra recovery time between now and the June 6 (!) start of the Finals against a well-rested and completely healthy Celtics team would be highly-desirable to the Mavs... What no one wants to see is a continuation of what the Celtics have experienced throughout their own path to the Finals:

• The Heat have to go through the additional hoop of the Play-In Tournament and lose Jimmy Butler in the process...
• The Cavs are forced to battle it out with the Magic over seven games, and Donovan Mitchell can only last an additional three games against the Celtics before tapping out with a bad leg...
• The Pacers survive a war of attrition vs. the Knicks...only to lose a worn-out Tyrese Haliburton in Game 2 of the ECF due to a flare-up of his old hamstring injury...

FS1's Kevin Wildes had an interesting tweet on what the recipe for disaster for the Mavs against the Wolves would look like. While I don't think that this series will end in that fashion, I do think that this could stretch out longer than the Mavs — and Luka, especially — would fear... Luka's body language after missing that clutch-time free throw was telling... Let's hope he makes it to the Finals against the Celtics in good enough physical condition. Otherwise, we might be comparing the Lakers' 2020 Mickey Mouse Bubble Championship to a potential Celtics' 2024 Asterisk Hospital Championship...

One of my worst experiences since I’ve came here is being forced to get washed by holy water. Now I have nothing against it, but my idea of holy water was always that it’s a limited quantity of water blessed by a priest. But when my family(who believe it’s the cure for all diseases) took me to the church, it turns out there’s a faucet and plumbing system where it comes out of. Perhaps the worst part about this practice is that we are expected to walk barefoot in dirty communal shower rooms, where there are no curtains. It reminds me of the stigma in the US about prison showers. Inside you will see men of all ages, children to elderly who are all naked and cramped together waiting their turn to enter an open shower. And shower is a compliment, it’s really just a faucet that pours freezing cold water. There is nothing “holy” about that, in fact it’s borderline psychotic. But if I say that, my family who loves it so much will probably believe I am possessed by the devil. It’s one of the most horrible experiences I’ve had. To make matters worse I’ve gotten sick after doing it. You can just tell these places are rarely cleaned and are high in bacteria. But everyone in family is so adamant of it’s magical healing powers, not just the older traditional family members, but also the highly educated master degree holding younger family members as well. This was such a disappointment.
And that’s not even the most ridiculous part, after we got out, I noticed on the corner of the church there were people who were CHAINED UP. Literally as if they were prisoners. This caught me by surprise, so when I asked my cousin what on earth was that about, they told me “it’s so they won’t leave”. Excuse me?? What do you mean it’s so they won’t leave? It’s a Tuesday morning why would anyone come to church if they wanted to leave? And so what if they wanted to leave? Why should anyone be forced to stay? They only way it makes sense is if they were forced to come, which I doubt, but if it was the case sounds like some serious human rights violations. I feel like as a country we are 200 years behind with our mindsets. It’s okay to be Christan, but to believe this practice is actually useful is nothing short of delusional.
How do I tell my family I’m sick and tired of waking up early in the morning to go to these holy water washings? It means so much to them I know if I try they won’t take no for an answer and I will have to argue with them, which is a problem because I am not an assertive person. What do you guys think? Am I overreacting or is all this holy water and church “jail” area necessary?

When I ship people I talk about this place like a high school, such as the recent addition of the cafeteria's menu, and me telling you where they are.
I'm addressing this because I feel as though you guys do not ever go to the cafeteria to get the food. The lunch ladies work really hard on it even if the poultry is stored on the top (Epic joke for people in culinary)

I have been living with my boyfriend and his family for a month or so now and generally they eat just bread + mortadella/salami and a sweet breakfast in the morning. Lunch is usually pasta and some creamy sauce with meat again. They use little to no vegetables usually, also no plant based protein like linsen, maybe a salad once in a while (on the side). While I don't mind eating these, I just generally find them very unhealthy. Particularly because cold cut meats are highly processed in my opinion ( I maybe wrong) and I have grown up eating a lot of vegetables and fruits. I often start getting pimples on my forehead which the doctor said is from sugar when I stay with my boyfriend.
So would you consider this diet healthy or unhealthy and do all Germans typically eat like this?

Hello!
I hope you're all doing well!
This is a fantastic event, and I had such a fun time writing about it. Although, I gotta say, a break is nice here and there, but getting back into the writing groove is tough lol, so if my writing is subpar here, expect it to be a bit better next week as my brain slowly switches back to writing mode!
(c) - Champ
D/DWCS - Debut/Dana Whites' Contender Series
FLS - Fight Lose Streak
FWS - Fight Win Streak
NS - No Streak
(#x) - Rank in division
x/3 - Confidence Levels
Lets go!
Prelims
Flyweight
Andre Lima (8-0-0, 8 FWS) v Mitch Raposo (D) (9-1-0, 4 FWS)
Striking: Despite the power of Raposo being a bit of a threat, I do think from a technical standpoint that Lima should be able to see a lot of the predictable attacks from Raposo coming, since Raposo’s best attack, which he uses very often, is his wide right during a two to three punch sequence, so as long as Lima avoids that and retaliates accordingly with his own boxing, we should be able to see Lima be the more effective striker.
Wrestling/Grappling: I don’t think either fighter wrestles when they fight, I mean, the footage I have seen from Raposo has mostly been him using his striking, and the same could very much be said about Lima. So, I call it a tie here, maybe?
Cardio: Lima is the one who is coming into this fight off a full camp in preparation for two other opponents who dropped out, and whilst a sudden change in opponent sucks because gameplans change, that cardio and conditioning work that has been done will still shine.
Prediction: Lima via KO R2 (1/3)
Women’s Bantamweight
Joselyne Edwards (+210) (13-5-0, NS) v Ailin Perez (-265) (9-2-0, 2 FWS)
Striking: I mean, considering this fight is between a striker and a grappler, I have to give the striking advantage to Edwards here, she is the longer fighter, she does have the power and the technique to make this a little bit tricky for Perez to close in and get that takedown she very much needs, but I don’t exactly rate Edwards’ striking to be particularly high in any regard.
Wrestling/Grappling: This is Perez’ bread and butter, she uses her wrestling almost exclusively when she fights, and the moment she is in a very strong top position, that’s when you typically see her let her hands go and land some solid ground and pound.
Cardio: I have criticised Edwards’ cardio in my main write up, she is a 1.5 round fighter at best and I do think that if Perez is the one to execute her takedowns effectively and with vicious amounts of activity on top, we will only see that fatigue appear sooner. Perez probably has the default advantage also given her style is practically to wrestle, and you need to have a good gas tank to do all that.
Prediction: Perez via KO R3 (2/3)
Welterweight
Mickey Gall (+225) (7-5-0, 2 FLS) v Bassil Hafez (-290) (8-4-1, NS)
Striking: I mean, this is a contentious one because on one hand Hafez has the power advantage, he was wild but he made it gritty against JDM in his debut, but is wildness enough on the feet to deal with Gall who, despite being away for two years, could be coming back looking like a brand new fighter? I am leaning on Gall being the more effective striker here, but it’s a bit of an unclear one due to that time away.
Wrestling/Grappling: This is a clash between a good BJJ fighter in Gall and an excellent wrestler in Hafez… and since Gall has dreadful takedown defence, sitting pretty at 36%, I cannot help but think Hafez has the advantage here. There is a possibility that Gall, using his height and reach advantage, could lock in a guillotine submission as a counter to one of Hafez’s takedowns, so if you want to sprinkle something on Gall winning this one by submission, i wouldn’t blame you, but I think the wrestling output from Hafez is enough to nullify a lot of the submission threat, as long as that guillotine is not locked in tight.
Cardio: I know there is talk about Hafez having bad cardio when he fought JDM, but I think he was stylistically backed into a corner. His main style is wrestling yet he faced JDM on short notice, and I mean, JDM’s takedown defence is legit.
Prediction: Hafez via UD (1/3)
Welterweight
Niko Price (+210) (15-7-0, 2 FLS) v Alex Morono (-260) (24-9-0, NS)
Striking: This is an interesting one because both have their little tendencies… Morono is a bit unorthodox with the way he strikes, he has an awkward stance, he plods forward and his leg is often exposed which I can see Price attacking very often during this fight, but Morono’s quick one two is pretty fascinating to watch, it comes from a slightly higher angle, shoulder height instead of chest height almost, and that could make it hard for Price to get a read on things. It’s pretty even here to be honest.
Wrestling/Grappling: If we are talking about straight grappling, Morono has a massive advantage here, although we don’t normally see Morono control his opponent enough to wrestle them to the ground, so I think his grappling is situational for the most part, instead of an active style he uses, if that makes sense?
Cardio: Pretty even here to be honest, although Morono has shown to be fairly good in three round fights, fighting at a relatively high pace, although he does wilt from time to time, that could just be his style, conservation in the last rounds and such. Price has great cardio too, he has ridiculously good output but I just don’t know if that output is going to be there when that one-two from Morono is going to be a bit problematic. 50/50 here.
Prediction: Morono via UD (1/3)
Welterweight
Phil Rowe (+135) (10-4-0, NS) v Jake Matthews (-165) (19-7-0, NS)
Striking: Rowe has the clear reach advantage in this fight, he uses his reach well, using awesome straight one-two combinations and stance switches, but the thing that makes this most interesting is that Matthews has a boxing style of weaving into range, and it’s in the pocket where Rowe doesn’t strike as well as he normally does at range, and I just see Matthews landing his strongest punches from that pocket position, just off the weave and angle change. Both fighters have very, very good striking, but the one with the advantage depends on the position of the fighters.
Wrestling/Grappling: Matthews built his career off wrestling, he’s got a very strong wrestling base, and whilst he doesn’t use it as much as he should these days, it is still very much a skill that he could pull out and surprise Rowe with. Slight advantage goes to Matthews, and it’s only slight due to how little he wrestles these days.
Cardio: Man, both are really durable fighters who can take a fight to the distance and still look fresh, it’s a tough one to decide who is better, so it’s a tie here.
Prediction: Matthews via UD (1/3)
Lightweight
Grant Dawson (#15) (-320) (20-2-1, NS) v Joe Solecki (+250) (13-4-0, NS)
Striking: Dawson probably has the advantage here, but since both fighters have such a focus on wrestling and grappling, it’s a bit hard to be confident in saying that Dawson has the better striking. I do know that Solecki doesn’t strike that much, and Dawson has shown to have decent boxing, so there’s that at least.
Wrestling/Grappling: I like Solecki’s BJJ, he’s very, very good on the ground, but BJJ is only good if you can catch someone in a submission, its ineffective until it is effective and I don’t think Dawson is going to let Solecki set up Submissions without a lot of resistance. So, it’s a battle of wrestling versus grappling here in my opinion, and its pretty damn close, I still think Dawson is going to control Solecki for most of the fight, but Solecki could pull off a funky little sub off his back.
Cardio: I don’t think this one matters a whole lot here, Dawson usually thrives in long fights, he’s great at grinding out his opponents on the ground, and since he is probably going to be in top position for most of the fight, I do think he can wear Solecki down here. So, Dawson probably has the advantage here.
Prediction: Dawson via UD (2/3)
Middleweight
Roman Kopylov (-135) (12-3-0, NS) v Cesar Almeida (+115) (5-0-0, 5 FWS)
Striking: This is going to first and foremost be a fantastic stand up bout, Kopylov is insanely quick with his southpaw powerside attacks, his straight left is a danger to almost anyone, but the problem that I see him facing is the fact he tends to be too hittable at times, I mean, if Fremd can smack around Kopylov a bit, what can Almeida do? Almeida is a very high level kickboxer who has a brilliant left hook (as well as practically every other attack a kickboxer might use, including leg kicks), and I only highlight the left hook because Kopylov leaves that right hand a bit out from a proper shell position, so I can’t help but think that left hook is going to be a dangerous weapon for Kopylov to deal with. Almeida has the better striking here, only due to his credentials though.
Wrestling/Grappling: I mean, Kopylov is a multiple time Sambo champion, so I do think he has the ability to mix it up and make it interesting for Almeida, but Almeida himself has decent takedown defence and grappling defence, so it kind of almost negates each other, but still, the longer the fight takes place on the ground, the better it is for Kopylov here. Slight advantage to Kopylov.
Cardio: Tough one to decide, but Kopylov is pretty good at fighting in the second and third round, whereas Almeida might be good in the second or third, but there’s not quite enough fights to where I can say that comfortably. 50/50 here.
Prediction: Almeida via KO R2 (1/3)
Main Card
Welterweight
Randy Brown (-155) (18-5-0, 2 FWS) v Elizeu Zaleski (+130) (24-7-1, 1D/2FWS)
Striking: It’s a bit of a battle of range and power here, Brown has the reach advantage to glide on the outside and let his hands go a bit more comfortably, but he is also quite good at mixing in teeps and leg kicks, so he’s quite dynamic at range. Zaleski is very, very good at making this a gritty fight, if he can close the range he can certainly land cleanly against Brown because Browns best defence is his distance management, so Zaleski’s best chance at a clean punch is to enter the pocket and fire away. It’s a bit of a 50/50 but given the reach advantage of Brown I think he has the very slight advantage here.
Wrestling/Grappling: I know Brown doesn’t wrestle a lot, but it could really play into his favour in this fight, just to mix it up a bit. I haven’t exactly seen Zaleski look for takedowns a whole lot, he’s mostly a striker but quite adaptable on the ground, so the advantage here is also a 50/50 as its situational.
Cardio: I know that Zaleski is getting up there in age, but he still holds up well in distance fights. Brown has great cardio too and he’s good at maintaining a high pace of activity, especially at distance. My only concern is if he gets his legs chewed up by Zaleski’s kicks, that might seriously sap his tank a bit. Maybe a 50/50 here.
Prediction: Brown via UD (1/3)
Heavyweight
Jailton Almeida (#6) (-300) (20-3-0, NS) v Alexandr Romanov (#14) (+240) (17-2-0, NS)
Striking: Almeida probably has better striking than Romanov, but its only very slight since he focuses a lot on his wrestling pressure and grappling.
Wrestling/Grappling: I can go back and forth about this one for quite some time, but you’re here for the plain and simples, not the fluff, so to put it bluntly, Almeida has much better aggressive wrestling than Romanov has defensive wrestling (outwrestled by Espino), I believe that Almeida also has that BJJ that will help him control Romanov on the ground.
Cardio: Almeida has decent cardio, he might be a bit lay and pray-ish but he’s great at pressuring his opponent and sapping their cardio quicker than he saps his own cardio, so I got Almeida having the better gas tank here.
Prediction: Almeida via UD (1/3)
Middleweight
Kevin Holland (-250) (25-11-0, 2 FLS) v Michal Oleksiejczuk (+200) (19-7-0, NS)
Striking: Holland has a wide range of attacks that he uses, although he is mostly known for his sharp long boxing, and its that long striking which could be most problematic for Oleksiejczuk. Holland is also moving up to 185 again so we might see some more impactful shots since he will be less depleted during fight day.
Wrestling/Grappling: Holland used to be a grappler, he has quite a few submissions under his belt, and it is proven that Oleksiejczuk is not good at all on the ground, so if Holland was to wrestle in this fight, he would be the far superior grappler. I mean, most of Oleksiejczuks losses have been from submission, so it just makes sense to me that Holland would be a lot better than Oleksiejczuk on the ground.
Cardio: You cannot count out Hollands cardio here, the dudes a bundle of endless energy. He is built for durability, he took severe punishment when he fought Thompson and MVP and still stood tall and hung in there. That’s not just a show of “heart”, that’s a well conditioned fighter.
Prediction: Holland via KO R2 (2/3)
Co-Main Event
Middleweight
Sean Strickland (#2) (-205) (28-6-0, NS) v Paulo Costa (#8) (+170) (14-3-0, NS)
Striking: It’s a story of two styles here, Strickland has an excellent jab cross, his boxing fundamentals are his strongest assets as a striker, he doesn’t stray from the ordinary too much, everything is clean, maybe a bit repetitive, but that striking, alongside his forward pressure, has resulted in some slick victories on his behalf. Costa on the other hand is the exact opposite. Big movements, big actions, massive power, that’s Costa in a few words, he is chaotic and is able to disrupt the pattern of Strickland, and if he looks good enough to the judges despite the strikes being a bit ineffective, then he could very well get the nod.
Wrestling/Grappling: I don’t think i’ve ever seen Strickland wrestle. I mean, he trains out of Xtreme Couture so he certainly should have some wrestling under his belt, but he doesn’t exactly use it a lot. Same as Costa, Costa is mostly a striker so he tends to avoid a lot of grappling situations as much as possible. I don’t think either fighter has an advantage in grappling here.
Cardio: Strickland doesn’t look any different in the 5th than he does in the first, so I think Strickland has the far better cardio, and Costa tends to throw big attacks early which saps the gas tank a bit. So, Strickland has the better cardio here.
Prediction: Strickland via UD (1/3)
Main Event
Lightweight Championship Bout
Islam Makhachev (c) (-480) (25-1-0, 13 FWS) v Dustin Poirier (#5) (+360) (30-8-0, NS)
Striking: There is little doubt that when it comes to technique and timing, Poirier is at a ridiculously high level. He holds all the cards when the fight takes place on the feet, all he needs to contend with is the wild power and speed of Makhachev, but Makhachev mostly uses his power and speed to close the distance and raise the guard of his opponents, making those takedowns a bit easier. I cannot wait to see if Poirier lands that fight ending left or right hook.
Wrestling/Grappling: This is all Makhachev, and whilst you might argue that Poirier has great grappling, I think it’s a bit basic in comparison to Makhachevs, and if you know Makhachev, he prepares for the best his opponent can ever do, I think he trains to overestimate everything his opponent has to offer, so as soon as the fight hits the ground, expect Makhachev to thrive.
Cardio: Both have reasonably good cardio to be honest, but there’s something special about Makhachev, he is so full on and fights at such a nasty pace throughout all 3-5 rounds that his opponent can barely keep up with him… He only wilted once before, and that was against Volkanovski, late into the 5th round, in that very first fight, that’s stupendously impressive.
Prediction: Makhachev via Sub R2 (2/3)
Primary Parlay - Price/Morono o2.5 or GTD + Dawson/Solecki o2.5 or GTD + Almeida/Kopylov ITD + Makhachev/Poirier ITD
Secondary Parlay - Price/Morono o2.5 or GTD + Almeida/Romanov R3 Starts Yes + Strickland/Costa o2.5 + Makhachev/Poirier u3.5 or ITD
Locks: Perez (optional), Dawson, Almeida, Holland and Makhachev.
Alt Bets: Kopylov Points, Zaleski KO/Points, Costa KO/Points, Poirier KO R1 2 or 3 (combo rounds)
Prediction Accuracy for 2024: 64.3%
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Lets have a fun and friendly discussion down below about this weekends card!
I hope you all have an amazing day, look after yourselves, and enjoy this awesome event!

I have this co-worker that works at the same company as me (so I'd always seen him around). But never really was acquainted with him.
A bit over a year ago we got to talking and he seemed like a decent enough guy, so we just continued on chatting until we eventually became pretty familiar around each other and found we had similar tastes/interests.
But every so often he will make these bizarre comments that kind of sound like subtle little negs at me.
For example, I'm a slim guy at 6'1. And he's probably around 5'2 (he looks like a macho clean-shaven LOTR dwarf and I mean that in the best way) making his uncommon height a trademark feature of his. I've never felt the need to point out his height though in any way (because that's just rude). But he'll often make odd comments about my own physicality that make me feel self-conscious and like he's punching down at me... He also does this in front of people.
I've also heard from other people that he's self-conscious about his height (understandable). So I've always gone out of my way not to bring it up even accidentally.
But one time he touched my arm once and went ''Jesus, your arms are boney'' and I just felt incredibly self-conscious after he made that remark because it certainly didn't sound like a compliment. I didn't say anything as I thought it was just banter.
But more and more things have been creeping up over time. For example, he seems to fancy himself as a bit of a tough guy despite his diminished size. We were joking in the lunch room in front of everyone and I told everyone that we've been best friends since high school (an obvious lie). But as part of the bit I told people that, believe it or not, we actually used to be enemies. And that it wasn't until after we had a brutal punch-up that we became brothers.
He immediately cuts me off and goes ''BULLSHIT, I'd so fucking destroy you if we got into a fight. You're scrawny AS FUCK.''
(I never said anything about winning or losing the fight — I just jokingly said that we got into a fight many years ago).
Anyway, no offense to him. But that statement is just delusional. But to be graceful I just agreed with him and laughed in front of everyone and said ''Oh yea, definitely. You won the fight. And then we became best friends''
But low key it did bother me that he chose to turn a joke into something adversarial and confrontational in front of everyone at work. And he did so at my expense.
To me this reeks of insecurity as I would never think to do this to someone else. It also isn't the first time he has done this... But it always feels like he is trying to 'dominate' me in front of everyone.
We're the same exact age too, but I have a baby face and look 18, whereas he looks his age (thirties). So it's like he thinks he has seniority over me despite us being the same exact age,
How do I deal with somebody like this?... I like him. But I want him to stop with the domination BS. I've never tried to dominate him once but it's like he has a severe hang-up or something because he seems to get defensive over everything.

So I've had a fun previous two years, August 3rd 2022 I got the lovely Nexplanon Implanon which started my never-ending period that went for two months, I got on the pill as well to try stop it. it worked for the duration of me being on the pill (1 month) I then got a 5 month long period which made me remove the rod and switch to the pill alone. (also thinning hair caused me to get of the rod)
On the pill my period regulated but my hair continued to thin so I decided to go cold turkey and stop.
Ever since I haven't had a single period.
Now PCOS runs in my family so I knew when I got my period at 9 (10 years ago) that there was a strong possibility I could have it, which turned out to be true because after voicing it to my doctors multiple times they finally did the required tests and diagnosed me with it.
Anyways I've lost a lot of weight after getting the implanon im down to 60kg (from around 70kg before the rod). I'd previously been in the high 90s as well.
And my PCOS symptoms are getting better due to my weight loss. Although my ovaries are both at 30mls now when previously one was at 15ml and the other at 30ml.
My gp is now referring me to a gyno in hopes of figuring out why my period decided to stop as he can't figure anything else out because I'm otherwise decently healthy.
I was just wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation as me, and if you could offer any advice?

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Mid30sF, recently had ASD confirmed.
Because I'm still pretty "fragile" with past church hurts, please don't respond unless you actually are either extremely familiar with ASD through yourself or children or your career. This is my one ask right now.
〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️
I have never had friends, and Christians have always been the worst to me and the least understanding. I wish I spoke this only with experience from 1 body, but it has been from multiple bodies in multiple states and of all ages.
I also grew up as the most bullied child in my entire school - with the same group of kids until graduation. So I've been hurt... a lot.
That being said, autism runs in my family, as does ADHD (I WAS diagnosed with ADHD in kindergarten, but the autism went undiagnosed). I was literally JUST diagnosed this past week.
I know that I would be accepted by others on the spectrum in a way I'm not in church and never have been my entire life (albeit unless I shared that I'm pretty far to the right politically/vote for Trump and am a Christian).
Before I explain why this is important, I need to really emphasize the loneliness here. I have NO friends. None. I never have. I also grew up in a very toxic and broken home with some abuse (not physical or sexual though, which I'm grateful for) and a lot of neglect. So I also don't have supportive family (and most of them are dead or dying).
I really don't have ANYONE. I do not have a significant other or anyone who likes me. It has always been my biggest dream to have children, but I'm even getting to an age (my health makes me far older than my biological age) where even that is unlikely. I've tried to go back to church, but was left hurt and abandoned yet again by a new church/new folks I met there.
Now, the issue isn't an issue with me being unkind or anything like that. I'm very into people and communication, (which is probably why my being on the Spectrum went unnoticed for so long), but I am different/shy/awkward. And people don't like what is different from them.
Now, here's the thing. I know I would be accepted within the autism/ND community. However, because of the radical leftist beliefs that make up EVERY part of most people on the spectrum/groups supporting those on the spectrum, I could never get along with the community at large.
Politics are a big part of my life/interest for me (I listen to Ben Shapiro every single day), but unfortunately I'm not one to try to debate them or try to educate the other side and remain unconversational about them with others, but I cannot stand the radical far leftist agenda that is interwoven in those circles (not speaking of liberalism, as that is tolerable). (If you're reading this and AREN'T aware, extreme leftism is a huuuge part of pretty much all ND/ASD communities/circles.)
So that leaves me stuck in the same place I was PRE-diagnosis.
Knowing I'd probably be weird (in a good way) enough to fit in with the ASD community, but those communities being too much for me (I am also EXTRMEMELY high functioning and independent and no one would EVER know I was on the spectrum), but also being too autistic to fit in with non-ASD folks and at churches.
So, after being alive over 3 decades with no friends, am I meant to continue suffering COMPLETELY alone??
I've met a lot of alone people, but no one who is alone for this long to this extreme, so no one ever knows how to help.

Hey Everyone!
Let’s go….
Newly Covered Today:

1. Sorry, Dragon. A senator from the least populated state in the union just deeply wounded your entire agenda in one day. https://x.com/ArmySpies/status/1791572836076921128
2. Very interesting! Fallout from the Dragon's failure in the Senate vote? https://twitter.com/EricBalchunas/status/1792636523050906102
3. Wow! Is this shit actually happening? If it is, we have the Senate SAB 121 beatdown to thank for this HUGE shift in policy. https://twitter.com/WatcherGuru/status/1792656860379844875
4. The anti-crypto betas might be trying to strike back with opposition to Fit 21. https://x.com/lex_node/status/1792677933557146103
5. Looks like the message is only "strong opposition" as opposed to "don't you dare vote for this crypto bullshit". https://x.com/Eleanor_Muellestatus/1792701481575170341
6. The US state government rush to crypto has begun. https://twitter.com/BTC_Archive/status/1790395762506977502
7. This is what we wanna see: states competing to host us. https://x.com/SenLummis/status/1791112039982653550
8. Don't know anything about the project, but this is a pretty decent sized raise. https://x.com/splashprotocol/status/1791862205215801800
9. A huge thank you is due to Lummis and Gillibrand for pushing so hard for crypto in the Senate. https://x.com/SenLummis/status/1791146216522240118
10. McHenry on pushing Fit21 crypto legislation forward. https://twitter.com/PatrickMcHenry/status/1789017167821778946
11. The DOJ is talking about "MEV" and "fraud" in this indictment. Shocked I tell you! Shocked! https://twitter.com/tier10k/status/1790777058810789900
12. Schumer knows they're at a pivotal moment vs. Warren and the White House. https://twitter.com/twobitidiot/status/1790736453669949646
13. Senate Dems are trying to find a fix for the White House being. Having to veto the will of your own party's senators wouldn't be a good look in an election year. https://twitter.com/taylorjbarstatus/1790724374405828664
14. Which one of you was this? https://x.com/ArmySpies/status/1791915321529671965
15. Why Cardano? Because: https://twitter.com/josephdelong/status/1790862858244206942
16. Ahhhh...as it should be. https://twitter.com/StakeWithPride/status/1790857991488782351
17. The English translation of what's coming out of the Dutch Tornado Cash case is brutal. https://twitter.com/BillHughesDC/status/1790438032098631990
18. Paul Ryan is talking about stablecoins as a solution to help treasury auctions? https://twitter.com/nic__cartestatus/1790540747466223921
19. Epic community note about TPS in blockchains. https://x.com/coingecko/status/1791406157468504289
20. Apparently, Cardano's biggest competitor is inflationary again. https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2024/05/09/eth-reverts-to-inflationary-asset-following-fee-reducing-dencun-upgrade/
21. Mr. T pities the fools in banking who are gonna get wrecked by Commercial Real Estate. https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1790832468767220113
22. Nothing to see here! https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1789402248293818573
23. It's easy to forget there are only a few "decentralized" blockchains bigger than Cardano. https://twitter.com/Av_Sebastian/status/1789016340755276228
24. Development on Kraken's SEC battle. https://twitter.com/msantoriESQ/status/1788944762608754731
25. Thank you non-octogenarian members of Congress. No surprise to see our crypto ally Torres in there. https://twitter.com/SamLyman33/status/1788612636428374183
26. White House threatens veto of House Bill repealing SAB121. https://twitter.com/EleanorTerrett/status/1788279283229904976
27. The White House is wild for doing this in an election year. https://twitter.com/jchervinsky/status/1788281811086221646
28. Why is it happening? Because the White House economic staff is answering to the Dragon, not the guy who needs to win re-election as President. https://twitter.com/CaitlinLong_/status/178827894030354890
29. McHenry on SAB121. https://financialservices.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=409247
30. House bill to repeal SAB121 passes with the support of 21 Democrats even after the White House veto threat. This is huge. Now on to the Senate. https://twitter.com/CaitlinLong_/status/1788328626250813657
31. Doom on Hydra! https://twitter.com/IOHK_Charles/status/1788292907679514677
32. Dragon also taking heat on her reaction to the FDIC scandal. https://twitter.com/nic__cartestatus/1788284368009437571
33. People are still massively sleeping on typescript in the ecosystem, totally separate from the addition of regulatorily compliant privacy. https://twitter.com/MidnightNtwrk/status/1787784475499208773
34. Grewal getting spicy in his retort to Gensler double talk. https://twitter.com/iampaulgrewal/status/1787852258572661214
35. Lubin on the SEC crackdown and MetaMask Wells Notice. https://www.wired.com/story/ethereums-co-founder-says-sec-is-gaslighting-us-about-crypto/
36. Robinhood received a Wells Notice. They're definitely trying to cover all the big on-ramps. https://twitter.com/CoinDesk/status/1787468580902088795
37. Politico article on the SeC and crypto. https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/05/gary-gensler-sec-crypto-00154769
38. Druckenmiller on how easy this could have been. https://twitter.com/BillHughesDC/status/1787887702538420598
39. Fairly accurate. https://twitter.com/CryptoWendyO/status/1787847385328275514
40. Did someone say airdrop? Wait…what about the tokenomics? https://twitter.com/MladenLm/status/1787524932689174796
41. Why Haskell? Ask Anduril. https://twitter.com/TravisMWhitakestatus/1787516740961964338
42. The dirty little secret of Cardano’s main competitors? https://twitter.com/decryptmedia/status/1787513483606536560
43. The first treasury buy-back since 2002?!? So the treasuries are removed in exchange for more fiat being issued into the ecosystem. Definitely doesn’t sound like the start of things that look like QE under a new name. https://twitter.com/martypartymusic/status/1785681525746663925
44. Look at the difference 150 bps makes. https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1786510472214462967
45. What Biden’s guy wishes he said (of course with the nuance that actual physical printing…not what we’re worried about here…is done by Bureau of Engraving & Printing of Treasury). https://twitter.com/theSamPadilla/status/1786439794605572245
46. Set “Apply Thresholding” to “None” to see the real numbers. https://groups.inf.ed.ac.uk/blockchainlab/edi-dashboard/
47. Not gonna lie. This is pretty fire from Sen. Lummis. https://twitter.com/SenLummis/status/1786055913922494838
48. Three different non-BTC crypto ETFs are now listed on Hong Kong. Progress! https://www.theblock.co/post/291599/hong-kong-officially-debuts-asias-first-spot-bitcoin-ether-etfs
49. Grayscale is basically the worst ex ever. Getting our stuff out of their place has been painful and seems to never end. https://dailyhodl.com/2024/04/30/crypto-markets-break-down-as-grayscale-sends-over-245000000-worth-of-bitcoin-to-coinbase/
50. Consensys has sued the SEC seeking clarity around Ethereum and securities laws. https://twitter.com/BillHughesDC/status/1783561618741236177
51. Biden: Long-term capital gains to 44.6% + unrealized gains tax! Crypto: No thanks. https://twitter.com/WatcherGuru/status/1783028521549299932
52. Damn…they want CZ to get three years! https://twitter.com/WatcherGuru/status/1783028521549299932
53. Pragma: a new Cardano members based organization! Initial focus to be on Aiken and Amaru (a second client for Cardano…which we need). https://twitter.com/IOHK_Charles/status/1782828212273443063
54. I think we all knew this was coming at some point for Tron. https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2023-59
55. The SEC attorneys who were on Debt Box have exited the SEC. https://twitter.com/leomschwartz/status/1782470866766340300
56. Kennedy is talking about putting the US Government budget on the blockchain. Dude may be predicting the future. But, how far out is it? https://twitter.com/Holden_Culotta/status/1782240403879576041
57. We made it! Halving complete
58. Damn! Kennedy is embracing the ChazHosk endorsement! https://twitter.com/RobertKennedyJstatus/1780726997020508562
59. So close, but yet so far! https://twitter.com/GaryGenslestatus/1780685461020663888
60. Once again, we are the best blockchain. https://twitter.com/StakeWithPride/status/1780711598375809162
61. Hong Kong ETFs, you say?!? https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2024/04/15/shock-leak-reveals-china-could-be-about-to-blow-up-the-price-of-bitcoin-ethereum-and-xrp/
62. As predicted when the investigation was revealed and Uniswap Labs took synthetics off their front end, the SEC has dropped a Wells Notice on Uniswap. https://twitter.com/Uniswap/status/1778127813138071904
63. A full suit against Uniswap is only a matter of time given the current composition of the Gensler led Commission. https://twitter.com/BillHughesDC/status/1778146519125774761
64. The founder of Uniswap on their willingness to fight the upcoming battle with the SEC. https://twitter.com/haydenzadams/status/1778126466984575166
65. It's definitely a little crazy given the recent ruling on Coinbase Wallet not being a broker. But, this is the result of an agenda, not fair and impartial treatment. https://twitter.com/iampaulgrewal/status/1778149863072670169
66. Ouch! Hotter than expected CPI for April. https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/10/economy/cpi-consumer-price-index-inflation-march/index.html
67. So-called "super core" inflation (no shelter, energy, or food costs) is even hotter. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/10/the-supercore-inflation-measure-shows-fed-may-have-a-real-problem-on-its-hands.html
68. Cardano's biggest competitor can't even decide what its issuance rate should be. https://unchainedcrypto.com/why-the-ethereum-community-is-up-in-arms-against-a-proposal-to-change-the-monetary-policy/
69. People are sleeping so hard on how much demographics are going to affect economies over the next few decades. Wild decisions will be made in attempts to remedy these problems. https://twitter.com/iamyesyouareno/status/1775535726383222928
70. Even Chairman Ryan sees the severity of the problem. https://twitter.com/SmokeAwayyy/status/1787925300757807226
71. This shows all the biggest depopulation trends. https://twitter.com/stats_feed/status/1786482160272118041
72. Operation Chokepoint 2.0 continues, apparently! https://twitter.com/CaitlinLong_/status/1775982855169995246
73. Weird that it hurts so little when you know they're on the descent. https://twitter.com/Grayscale/status/1775983039832904014
74. No private liability for secondary trading on exchanges. https://twitter.com/iampaulgrewal/status/1776292735063888374
75. No matter how much people will obsess over various wild-niche-bullshit things, the real story over this cycle will (as always) just be this: https://twitter.com/cardano_whale/status/1776229889743728657

Previously covered, but still interesting:

1. Not to worry: the on/off function of a large Cardano competitor is still functioning as usual. https://twitter.com/WatcherGuru/status/1754828269180903727
2. Oh...so bitcoin mining is an emergency now....okay. Makes perfect sense. https://twitter.com/BitcoinPierre/status/1752842700548718644
3. ..and as expected, their reaction is censorship. https://twitter.com/StakeWithPride/status/1764316770398289996
4. Pretty much what happened. https://twitter.com/AutismCapital/status/1762238298008006931
5. Watching Deaton challenge for the Dragon's seat is going to be some incredible fun. https://twitter.com/DeatonforSenate/status/1759935884978225340
6. Definitely no bias built into Big Tech AI! These MFers can't be trusted. https://twitter.com/NateSilver538/status/1761800684272308302
7. This one could end up addressing some interesting questions around government intervention in...basically just computation. https://twitter.com/WatcherGuru/status/1761112782253240810
8. 2020: "Binance is unstoppable." 2024: https://twitter.com/WatcherGuru/status/1761115366275596526
9. Very telling that it's just becoming clear to them that "crypto is here to stay". https://bitcoinist.com/sec-leader-resigns-stating-crypto-is-here-to-stay/
10. Maybe..crypto is just dreaming. But, it would send a shockwave through DC if Deaton won! https://twitter.com/Belisarius2020/status/1760499141296427405
11. Arthur Hayes with the unabashed Cardano hate. Why? Because it's valued??? https://twitter.com/CryptoHayes/status/1760055332364292219
12. Yep. The KYCing of self-custodied wallets is upon us. https://news.bitcoin.com/kraken-starts-requiring-info-on-self-custody-crypto-wallet-ownership-in-the-uk/
13. Still ranked crazy high in the brand intimacy rankings. https://twitter.com/CloverNodes/status/1769136178924769358
14. What do we have here? https://pool.pm/asset12ffdj8kk2w485sr7a5ekmjjdyecz8ps2cm5ze
15. We haven't seen this before. https://twitter.com/sachs_johnny/status/1768281470005588162
16. The crystal ball not looking good for an ETH ETF approval in May. https://twitter.com/jchervinsky/status/1767175990285857006
17. At least one candidate is with us. https://twitter.com/Holden_Culotta/status/1767344261081489793
18. The Dubai police are using the Cardano blockchain? https://twitter.com/ZombieLife2019/status/1766753115632480539
19. The truth will out...https://twitter.com/CCMOD_/status/1764379842911330776
20. Vechain is posting about Cardano and Charles. https://twitter.com/vechainofficial/status/1765014603220586706
21. We're still doing this CFTC vs. SEC thing? https://bitcoinist.com/ethereum-designated-as-commodity-by-cftc/
22. Welcome to the show of magic, mystery, and sorcery where I, the GREAT VALDINO, will turn Ethereum into Cardano before your very eyes! https://twitter.com/StakeWithPride/status/1771180467745669407
23. And then the ETH Foundation warrant canary vanished. Interesting move in an election year. They really don't put any respeck on the name of our voting power. https://unchainedcrypto.com/sec-investigating-ethereum-foundation-regarding-proof-of-stake-transition-report/
24. Unsurprisingly, a16z seems to disagree with any assertion by the SEC that ETH (in it's new proof-of-stake form) is a security. https://bitcoinist.com/ethereum-not-security-sec-probe-a16z/
25. 2024 is not going well for SEC litigation. https://twitter.com/iampaulgrewal/status/1769835308559032608
26. Oh okay...Japanese stagflation after 17 years of lowezero/negative interest rates. Yeah, sounds like everything's fine. https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/1769703427586605549

~Army of Spies