So I logged out of F76 just now, and I will never log back in. It's over for me. The whole issue is 100% avoidable, though. I want to tell Bethesda why they lost me, and obviously this will give away some ways to keep other players.
First, the minor issues, which I'd solve with a mod in Fallout 4, but which are obnoxiously ever-present in the un-moddable F76:

• NPCs and their never-ending quips. Going to Blue Ridge and hearing Johnny Bills (?) say over and over and over and over again that it's "better exercise than trucking," just OH MY GOD SHUT UP. The amount of repetitive one-liners you have every NPC doing is insane.
• The game looks like what happens when you ask the nice foster family in Shazam to make a Fallout game. The land is bright and lush, to the point it doesn't look apocalypse-touched much at all, unless you look at roads that are falling apart, or buildings with a crumbled section. But more than that, it's... so wholesome, with Responders sincerely obsessed with helping everyone but yet literally zero depiction of anyone actually injured or needing help. The hospital beds at the golf course? Empty. The "whole lot of work" they do? They're all lounging, leaning against walls. There is no crisis center. For that matter, IS there a crisis? I keep hearing that there is, but these areas seem wholly devoid of people in pain or suffering radiation sickness.
• The unrelenting nothing. Here is what I mean. I went to talk to a Responder leader, whose name I can't be bothered to remember, and she had 3 other leaders that she could talk about. OK! Here comes the mystery or questing or something, right? She's gonna tell me that something is up with one of these leaders, or there is some problem I can solve. So I ask about the first person. She praises him/her. I ask about the 2nd. Same, just gushing about how nice everyone is. So I ask about the 3rd. And that person is lovely and admirable too, and there are no problems, and THERE IS NOTHING FOR ME TO DO. Over and over again, we get dialogue wasted on nothingness. There was no reason to read or get invested, because the text is just, "everything fine, nothing to see here." WHY?

But all of that was survivable. I've been building for a couple of weeks now, finishing quests (mostly not the Responders, but you know, other quests). Except... 3 days ago, I joined a game and the game couldn't place my camp. Someone else was in my spot. OK, no problem, you gave me a free "relocate your camp" so I will. But... all it brought over was my house and water pump. The gardens? Gone.
Not terrible, I'll rebuild. Over the last 3 days, I rebuilt a lot. My place is not good, I'm still low-level, but I had all the crafting, a vending machine, turrets for protection (which almost never seem to trigger on enemies, by the way), beds, and even got a settler who I met, who just hangs out at my settlement and plays guitar. Great.
And then today, the server locked up or went offline mid-game, and I booted back to the main screen. I had been in build mode at the time. I think that might factor in. When I got back in, it couldn't place my camp, gave me a free relocation, I took it, and when I put down the C.A.M.P. what did I get? It saved ONE ROOF TILE. Literally everything from the last 2 weeks was lost. To rebuild I'd need to get the resources again and re-place everything, new. I logged into a new game to see if it was a quirk, but it wasn't.
Bethesda, losing the items I had placed down today when it froze? Understandable. Losing everything, including the original building from days ago? Even the basic concrete flooring from 2 weeks ago? HOW? How could you lose THAT?
Bethesda, the game isn't good enough to persist with through this kind of mistake. I can forgive those smaller things like the cheery delusional "are we in a post-apoc game? tee hee it doesn't seem like it" theme, but if you're gonna do that AND then lose hours & hours & hours of my effort, WTF am I doing here? I'm not rebuilding, Bethesda. Sorry.
But maybe you can fix that for anyone else who is going to hit that same wall. Good luck.
EDIT: Loooooots of butthurt in this topic. LOL. Fanboys gonna fanboy, I guess.

Rumours and speculation wants the first teaser trailer for Agatha to be released at Disney Upfront in 3 days where Disney will showcase new promotional footage for the rest of the 2024 theatrical and Disney+ slate.
This is the continuation of a series of posts I'm doing to prepare people for upcoming releases by listing everything that we know about them. Check the previous posts out if you missed them (Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts), Daredevil: Born Again.
As always, all leaks are taken from the Source Accuracy Database, and only reliable sources are chosen to make these compilations.

Official Information

9-Episode (~40-minute each) Series Releasing This Fall

Synopsis

Agatha Harkness finally breaks out of the spell Wanda Maximoff had trapped her in and is ready to go back to her murderous ways, only to realise she is powerless. The only way forward is for her to embark on a journey to get her powers back with the help of an unlikely friend or two.

Crew

• Head Writer: Jac Schaeffer^{(WandaVision, VisionQuest, Early Drafts of Black Widow and Captain Marvel})
• Directed by: Jac Schaeffer, Gandja Monteiro^(Wednesday,) Rachel Goldberg^{(Resident Evil, American Gods, Gen V})
• Cinematography by: Caleb Heymann^{(Fear Street Trilogy, Stranger Things 4})
• Composer: Christophe Beck^{(Ant-Man Trilogy, WandaVision, Hawkeye})
• Production Design by: John Collins^{(Art Director on WandaVision})
• Edited by: TBA
• Costume Designer: Daniel Selon^{(Assistant Costume Designer on WandaVision, Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, Blue Beetle})
• Executive Producers: Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Mary Livanos^{(Captain Marvel, WandaVision, The Marvels},) Jac Schaeffer, Brad Winderbaum^{(Head of Marvel Studios TV, Animation and Streaming})

Cast

• Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness

RETURNING FROM WANDAVISION:

• Emma Caulfield as Sarah Procto"Dottie Jones"
• Debra Jo Rupp as Sharon Davis/"Mrs. Hart"
• David A. Payton as John Collins/"Herb"
• David Lengel as Harold Procto"Phil Jones"
• Asif Ali as Abilash Tandom/"Norm"
• Amos Glick as "Dennis the mailman"
• Brian Brightman as Sheriff Miller
• Kate Forbes as Evanora Harkness

NEW CHARACTERS:

• Joe Locke as Billy Maximoff
• Aubrey Plaza as Rio Vidal
• Ali Ahn as Alice Wu
• Sasheer Zamata as Jennifer Kale
• Patti LuPone as Lilia Calderu
• Miles Gutierrez-Riley as TBA
• Maria Dizzia as TBA
• Okwui Okpokwasili as Cicada
• Bethany Curry as Crow
• Athena Perample as Fox
• Marina Mazepa as Snake
• Britta Grant as Rat
• Chau Naumova as Coyote
• Alicia Vela-Bailey as Owl

Leaked Information

While the show underwent several subtitle changes from "House of Harkness" to "Coven of Chaos" to "Darkhold Diaries" , Disney revealed a couple of months ago that the show was simply titled "Agatha" all along (wink wink) and all these subtitles (including the subtitle "Agnes of Westview" previously teased by Joe Locke and Aubrey Plaza on Instagram) were actually episode titles all along, and this was just a marketing tactic to keep the series relevant.
According to leaks, this seems to be the final episode order:

• Ep 1: Agnes of Westview
• Ep 2: Coven of Chaos
• Ep 3: The Witches Road
• Ep 4: The Green Witch
• Ep 5: House of Harkness
• Ep 6: TBA
• Ep 7: Three of Swords
• Ep 8: TBA
• Ep 9: Darkhold Diaries

The first episode of the series features Agatha still trapped under Wanda's spell and living in Westview as Agnes. We briefly see all the recurring WandaVision cast returning including Debra Jo Rupp as Sharon Davis/Mrs. Hart, Emma Caulfild as Sarah ProctoDottie Jones, David Lengel as Harold ProctoPhil Jones, Ali Asif as Abilash Tandon/Norm, David Payton as John Collins/Herb, Amos Glick as Dennis the mailman and Brian Brightman as Sheriff Miller.
While these are all confirmed to be part of the cast, we also know through leaks that Evan Peters will also return for a short role as Ralph Bohner. And no, his role is not getting retconned.
So, back to the first episode, we follow "Detective Agnes" trying to solve a murder in Westview, with the help of Aubrey Plaza's character who appears as a mysterious FBI Agent. At first, the victim is a Jane Doe, but as we get closer to the end of the episode, we realise the dead body is actually that of Wanda Maximoff. While Elizabeth Olsen doesn't physically appear in the series and the victim's face is always covered with a morgue blanket while on screen, we do see a toe tag on the body reading W. Maximoff.
Of course, none of this is real. There has been no murder in Westview and Agatha is not a detective. It's all just a fake reality/scenario that is playing in Agatha's head, but we learn that the "FBI Agent" is in fact real and throughout the whole episode, she has been trying to nudge Agatha and help her break out of the "Agnes" spell that Wanda put her on.
Once Agatha does break free of the spell and returns to her real self, she wakes up in her home in front of Plaza's character who we learn tis actually Rio Vidal, aka the Green Witch, aka Agatha's ex-wife (Agatha is bi), an original MCU character.
Through flashbacks, we learn that Agatha and Rio were married back in the 1600s, before Agatha had got her hands on the Darkhold, and they even had a son, Nicholas Scratch. But, once Agatha found the book of the damned and became obsessed with it, she slowly started losing herself to it and getting corrupted by its evil power, resulting in her sacrificing young Nicholas, her own son, to Mephisto (Mephisto is referenced by name, but does NOT show up)
Once Rio found out about this, she and Agatha broke up and Rio has been trying to get revenge on Agatha ever since. It was shortly after this, that Agatha's mom and her coven of witches put Agatha on trial for her use of black magic, but Agatha killed them all and travelled the world, stealing other witches' powers.
As we can understand of course, Rio will be a villain in the series, who appears crazy and obsessive at first, but is justifiably very hurt and angry and feels great contempt and hatred for Agatha, so it's unclear why she was helping her break out of Wanda's spell in the beginning.
The Green Witch (a title equivalent to the Scarlet Witch) is supposed to be one of the oldest and most powerful witches in the MCU, even more powerful than the Scarlet Witch. She uses the powers of Earth and nature and we'll actually see more "witches of color" in the series with special abilities, but Rio is not the only villain in the series.
There are 7 other witches seeking revenge from Agatha, and those are the daughters of the 7 witches from Agatha's mom's coven who Agatha sucked the life out of during her trial.
The coven of the daughters is called the "Salem Seven" and they are led by Okwi Okpokwasili's Vertigo. Each member of the Salem Seven can transform into animals. Vertigo can turn into a Cicada, Bethany Curry's character into a Crow, Athena Perample's character into a Fox, Marina Mazepa's character into a Snake, Britta Grant's character into a Rat, Chau Naumova's character into a Coyote and Alicia Vela-Bailey's character into an Owl.
Back to Agatha now, once she is freed from Wanda's spell, she realises that she has no powers anymore, and thus she needs to get them back.
So, her plan is to visit the Witches' Road, a magical pocket dimension, which can only be entered if you're part of a witch coven composed of at least 6 members and only if said coven sings a special song called "The Ballad of the Witches' Road" (which contains the lyrics "Down, down, down the road - down the Witches' Road"). Only the Scarlet Witch and the Green Witch can enter the dimension on their own.
This dimension has immense magical power and can grant travellers their wishes, so Agatha plans to wish to get her powers back. Thus, Agatha decides to go out and recruit her own coven in order to venture into the Witches Road.
Episode 2 is all about the coven recruitment, hence the episode's title, "Coven of Chaos".
Joining Agatha's coven are

• Patti LuPone's Lilia Calderu, a 450-year-old Sicilian witch whose power is divination and whose trial is tarot. She runs a psychic shop and Tarot cards will actually have a bigger role in the series, indicated by the crew gifts being Tarot cards and one of the episodes named after a Tarot card (the Three of Swords). The Three of Swords card actually represents the show's themes.
• Sasheer Zamatta as Jennifer Kale, who runs a skincare shop in the series called Kale Kare. She is being sued by some customers who got burns using her products. In the comics, Jenifer has a very rich history which is very connected to various corners of the Marvel Universe. More specifically, she is part of the Cult of Zhared-Na, run by her grandfather Joshua Kale. Zhared-Na was an Atlantean Witch who prophesized Atlantis' sinking and was exiled for it. The Cult of Zhared-Na was based on the Florida Everglades where Man-Thing lived in the comics and thus he happened to save Jenifer's life one day and the 2 became really close friends. Later, Jenifer joined the Midnight Sons. It's unclear if they will follow any of this lore in the MCU, but Jennifer's introduction on its own is exciting, because of the possibilities she brings along.
• Ali Ahn as Alice Wu, a witch who's working as a security guard at Hot Topic in Westview Mall. These 3 witches, Lilia, Jennifer and Alice will be the other "witches of color", each with their own distinctively coloured powers and special lore similar to that of the Scarlet Witch and the Green Witch.
• Debra Jo Rupp's Sharon Davis who also hops on the Coven bandwagon, despite not being a witch herself. She plays a more comic relief and "anchor" type of role in the rest of the series. She's basically playing the role of the audience, reacting to all the weird, magical things happening around her as a normal, everyday person, and asking questions, creating opportunities for exposition dumps. She dies in Episode 7
• And finally, Joe Locke's William Kaplan, aka Billy Maximoff, the second protagonist along with Agatha. So what's the story here, how is Billy Maximoff alive and how did he turn into a 16-year-old William Kaplan? Well, it is revealed in a flashback that Billy and Tommy were actually real children with their own, very real souls; and when Wanda destroyed the Hex, those souls were left aimlessly wandering around Westview.

Thankfully for Billy, his wondering soul happened to "witness" a fatal car crash were 13-year-old William Kaplan lost his life. William was not from Westview, but from Eastview, and he just happend to be near Westview when the Hex fell. Billy's soul, in an instinctive attempt to survive, and utilizing Billy's magical abilities, managed to enter William's body just as his soul was exiting, and took over his body, bringing it back to life.
Billy suffers from a small amnesia as a result, as his memories and William's memories basically become intertwined and weaved together. Now, 3 years later (Fall 2026 in the MCU timeline, aka around the same time as SI and The Marvels), Billy/William is 16, living happily with his supportive parents, Jeff and Rebecca Kaplan (played by Paul Adelstein and Maria Dizzia) and having a loving and caring relationship with his boyfriend, Eddie, played by Miles Guiterrez-Riley.
All 3 of them only appear in 2 episodes and have limited screen-time, but it's emphasised how supportive and loving they are, because Billy does not care enough about Wanda to leave his new family behind and save his real mom, even after she learns the truth about his lineage.
However, when the coven reaches the Witches' Road, Billy plans to use his wish to bring his brother, Tommy, back to life, since Tommy cannot possess another body due to his lack of magical powers. Tommy doesn't appear in the series, but it is teased at the end that he is out there somewhere and Billy and Agatha set out to find him (the 2 protagonists end up developing a mentomentee relationship), reportedly setting up a Wiccan show which was in development last year at Marvel Studios. It's unclear if the show is still happening or if this plot of Billy and Agatha finding Tommy has been integrated in VisionQuest and/or Young Avengers.
Billy is described as a teenager with a dark sense of a humour and a fanboy at times. He carries a pocket spell-book with him at all times. He is the most important and necessary part of the coven since he is a "compass" that will lead them to the Witches' Road.
However, it's not Agatha who seeks out Billy, but Billy who seeks out her. The official statement the government gave about the Hex incident was that it was an Avengers training exercise, but some Redditors don't buy this cover-up, some of whom are Westview citizens who experienced the Hex and want to get the truth out. When Billy reads these Reddit theories, it nudges his memory about who he really is and he goes after Agatha to find out more about his identity.
He sneaks into her house in the first episode, when Agnes has just broken free of her spell and he witnesses Agatha and Rio fighting, hiding in Agatha's room's closet.
When Billy first meets Agatha and eventually asks her whether his mother is alive, Agatha doesn't give a definite answer, and when Billy confronts her for a straight answer, she says "If you want a straight answer, ask a straight witch".
Later in the series, we learn that Wanda is indeed alive and is trapped at the end of the Witches Road, setting up a Children's Crusade storyline for the upcoming Young Avengers project.
Billy also does get his blue energy crown at the end of the show (similar to Wanda's energy crown), but not his classic blue suit.
For anyone worried about representation, the show will touch both Billy's (or William's to be exact) Jewish heritage and will explore both Agatha's and Billy's sexuality.
"Agatha" has been described as NOT a super-hero show, but a dark, supernatural, horror, adventure comedy.
While the majority of the show will take place in the Witches' Road, we will also revisit Wundagore Mountain.
Finally, talking about the Witches' Road, Marvel filmed a Witches Road Special Presentation concurrently with the show, written by the showrunner Jac Schaeffer and directed by Gandja Monteiro, that would have been released on Halloween, right after Agatha. The special contains a completely different coven of witches and it is a prequel set thousands of years in the past, showing the origins of the Witches Road dimension.
Now, the special has been integrated in the series, as one of the episodes (likely episode 3 considering its title).
What do you guys think about the series? I am personally very excited to dive into the Witchy side of the MCU, revisit Westview, get to know Agatha and Billy better and see the set-ups for Children's Crusade and the return of Wanda. The story also sounds intriguing with Agatha's past coming back to haunt her.

Have you ever jumped into cold water on a hot day? Have you ever ridden an asteroid across the surface of the sun? Have you ever done a backflip off the moon and landed in a bucket of water in Vatican City? If so, then you’ve experienced one-tenth of what I experienced the moment I took that pill.
My headache disappeared, my heart started pumping, adrenaline and pure energy flowed through my veins instead of blood. My fingers twitched and my mind moved at three times the speed of light.
I fell back on my chair, flew towards my desk and danced my fingers like I was playing the keyboard. Chapters fell before me like grass in front of a chainsaw.
I cranked out TEN chapters in three hours. And that’s not just writing them either that’s editing them multiple times, adding extra hyperboles, and making the first 31 sentences and the title into acrostic poems that read: Alex has shit ties.
It was heavenly.
After dusting off my 11th chapter I stood, did a couple of yoga poses and then took off out of my front door for a run.
Now, everyone has a weakness, Superman’s got his kryptonite, Achilles has his heel, I have physical exercise. Usually, the thought of going for a run would make me want to chop my legs off. But those crazy little pills made the sad-sad go away. I was flying past houses, high-fiving bushes and waving to people as I roamed the streets like an exercise junkie.
My god-like strides took me through the suburbs of The Village through to the centre of town where Sherlock-Holmes themed coffee shops and Wuxia-themed teahouses dominated the streets. Writers sat in booths talking and hacking away at tablets and laptops, while cover artists drew mythical figures in between shots of espresso.
There was a hard-working bustle about the place. Little box-like robots wheeled their way out from a boutique distribution centre to people’s homes carrying boxes of wine, cheese, and steaming meals.
I slowed my run and sat back on a bench beside a rose bush. Birds were chirping and there was a hum of music from the cafes. It was heaven.
That night Manuel was back at my house and we walked three blocks over to a giant log cabin and another party. The next morning I took a pill, busted out eight chapters and went for another run. As the weeks flew by I attended more parties than I’d ever been to in my life, smashed out over a hundred chapters and grew dark rings around my eyes.
And then one day I met her.
****
This time we’d been invited to a pool party in the early evening. Manuel was sucking up to a bunch of new authors, and I was drinking beer with a bunch of horror writers while watching two guys beside the pool punching each other in the face over the use of Oxford commas. I didn’t know who was in the right – the guy whose eye was bruised, red, and puffy – or the guy with a swollen, red lump on his forehead.
Turns out, it didn’t really matter because they both paused mid-swing to stare at someone behind me.
In walked a woman in a white turtleneck, and large round glasses. Four other writers dressed in full tweed suits flanked her. Heads turned. Famous web fiction writers who I hadn’t worked up the courage to talk to were whispering to each other and pointing to the woman in white.
The horror writers next to me were trying to look disinterested but I could see them peering at her out of the corner of their eyes.
‘Hey Stephen,’ I poked a tall guy in the arm, ‘who’s that?’
Stephen laughed, ‘Good one man.’
‘I’m being serious dude, why’s everyone staring?’
Stephen hissed his next sentence like he was embarrassed others would hear, ‘Man. That’s the emperor of this place – the most read author in the whole of Crusher Media, that’s...’
‘...Lazy Cultivator? The guy that writes the chicken story.’
Stephen nodded, ‘Only – she’s not a guy.’
‘I guess I should say hi,’ I got out of my seat just as Stephen put his arm up to form a barrier.
‘Dude!’ He said, 'You, me, all of us,’ he gestured around the circle of horror writers, ‘We’re dirt.’ A couple of the guys clinked their beers and took a swig. Stephen pressed a finger into my chest, ‘We don’t talk to people like her. We don’t even look at her. This place has a hierarchy and man, you are the mud that hierarchy sits on.
I swallowed, ‘Good to know I’m appreciated then.’
Stephen shrugged, ‘Just letting you know the way things are dude.’
The tweed-wearers and their leader moved through the party like blue whales through a school of shrimp. A group of romance writers cleared out of their chairs beside the pool and the gang sat down and produced bottles of champagne from a wine cooler. The woman in white pulled a pair of VR glasses, a wireless keyboard, and a purple pill bottle from her bag, then she slipped a pill between her teeth, pulled the VR glasses over her face and started hacking away at the keyboard so rapidly she broke off one of the keys.
I swallowed, ‘She doesn’t come to parties often?’
Stephen shook his head, ‘not the sort of parties the rest of us get invited to. But... I’ve heard stories.’
I nodded slowly, my forehead was beginning to hurt the way it always did when the orange pills wore off. I took the orange pill container out of my pocket and shook it. There was no comforting tap of pills on the side.
I spun the lid open. It was empty.
My hands started to sweat. I got up, knocking over Stephen’s beer. He yelled at me, but I just waved an apology. I made a beeline straight for Manuel who was chatting to a bunch of fresh writers.
‘Hey, Eli,’ he said, wrapping an arm around me, ‘You guys heard of ElitheHill?’
A couple of the new writers grinned, one guy stuck out his hand, but my headache was getting worse with every second.
‘Manuel,’ I hissed, ‘I need some pills man.’
Manuel raised an eyebrow, ‘What?’
‘I need them now, my head...’ I stopped and rubbed one of my eyes, ‘I need the orange pills man.’
Manuel nodded, ‘Yeah, I’ll get you some man – in the morning.’ he wrapped his arm around me, ‘Come on man, be cool, have a beer.’
I shook my head frantically, my hands trembled, ‘I need them now Manuel. Come on. You’ve got to have at least a pack on you.’
Manuel stared at me, his eyes suddenly seemed much colder, ‘Yeah. I got some, but they’re two thousand reads.’
‘Two thousand?’ I bit my lip, ‘Man, they were five hundred two days ago.’
He shrugged and pulled the orange container from his pocket ‘You want em? Or not?’
My hands were a pool of sweat, my head thumped like a drum and bass concert and my right eye was twitching.
‘Yeah,’ I snatched them from his hand, ‘I’ll get Alex to transfer to you tomorrow.’
Manuel nodded, ‘Now get lost,’ his smile returned as he looked to the young writers, ‘You’re scaring off the new kids!’
The others laughed.
I fumbled with the pill bottle and Manuel gave me a kick, ‘Man! Get out of here.’ His eyes were hard again.
I stumbled my way over to the toilet, kicked the door open and slammed it behind me. My hands shook as I twisted open the capsule. The toilet smelt like vomit. The lid gave a click, popped open and I shook two pills into my hand. I usually took one, but I felt like I deserved the extra hit after everything I’d been through. I shoved them in my mouth, threw my head back, and swallowed.
A moment later I had electricity flowing through my veins and lightning in my brain. When I kicked the door of the toilet open it was like the world was in 8k resolution. Colours and lights were sharper and more beautiful. Beethoven’s fifth symphony was playing, someone passed me who smelt of elderflower and sweet wine. I breathed in and started dancing.
****
My call with Alex the next day began with me reciting a poem about his ties that I made up on the spot. He was wearing a beetroot red tie and by the third verse, his face had gone the same colour. It took him a few minutes to calm down, but when he finally did he ended up being quite pleased.
‘I see you’ve been producing a lot of chapters Mr Hill, you’re also pulling in a lot of readers. My suggestion is that you should start stockpiling them, rather than just posting them as you finish, that way when you hit another of your dry spells, you’ll have a buffer to get your shit sorted.’
I grinned and pulled the orange pills from my jacket pocket, ‘I’m not going to have another slump.’ I tossed the pill bottle up and caught it behind my back without looking, ‘Alex, I have discovered the key to literary immortality.’
Alex’s smile wavered for a moment, then with an effort of brute force he manage to affix it back to his face.
‘I’m glad Mr Hill.’ he went silent for a moment, ‘Just be careful okay... with those chapters I mean... we don’t want you to get burnt out with nothing left in the can.’
I shrugged, shook the pill bottle again, ‘Don’t worry about me buddy – just keep transferring Manuel that money. Okay?’
Alex nodded and ended the call.

Howdy! I'm your staple nerdy engineegamer combo with a hint of hobby game developer! I've always had a hyper-busy lifestyle but recently I've decided to take a swing at going on some dates and slow down a bit. Definitely looking for something long term, I'm not into fling culture so that'll be a hard no from me.
A bit of the logistics, because info-dumping tickles my engineering brain:

• 6'2", white and physically fit
  
• Near-daily gym-goer
  
• Some cooking skills, mostly siloed to Indian and a random smattering of other stuff.
  
• Gaming/anime nerd, soft spot for JRPGs but an avid Destiny 2 player... When I have time lol
  
• Pretty well-traveled, both in and out of the US
  
• Love sci-fi and fantasy novels, and... textbooks. Specifically physics or code textbooks because I'm actually that lame
  
• Zero debt, college degrees in engineering
  
• Dog-friendly! Not great with cats (lingering childhood allergies)
  
• Financially stable with a skillset that will always be in extremely high demand
  

Okay enough boring stuff, now for what I'm looking for!
I'm not to picky about physical appearance other than being physically fit! I value exercise and have always maintained physical fitness, so having alignment on that value is pretty important to me. I don't mind if you're not a gamer or into anime but they are a big plus! Totally not a requirement, definitely have a soft spot for SUPER tall girls, taller than me even!
I do spend a lot of time working either on my day job as an aerospace engineer, or running my game development studio on the side. Making time isn't too hard, just needs to be planned a little. I don't have a particularly high amount of maintenance, I'm pretty damn independent but I love the company of others.
My love languages are gift-giving (on the giving side) and affirmations (on the receiving side). Nothing lights me up more than being told I've done a good job on something, but I also cannot resist the urge to pick stuff up if I find the absolute perfect gift for someone :)
For fun activities, I love cafe-hopping with my old Gameboy or a book! Huge iced tea fanboy and a total pushover for a cookie.
Longer term, I'm open to kids but they aren't my highest priority right now, nor would I be upset never having any. Just getting that out there upfront.
I think that's about all! Please feel free to DM me, I'm not shy and confidence is hot :P
Cheers,
Grem

TL DR: FIREd in May 2022 with $885k, current NW is $1M. Last year’s expenses totaled $28k. I slowly road tripped along the west coast of US and spent two months in Canada. Recently sold my car, downsized material possessions, and moved to Japan. I am now attending a Japanese language school for a year. This is a great way to explore a new country, challenge my brain, and gain access to social networks.
Background: Click here for the link to my first year update.
Life Update: In 2023, I slowly road tripped along the west coast of US and spent two months in Canada. I started from Seattle and drove up north to Vancouver and Calgary. Spent a month in each city. Joined the local hiking Meetup groups and explored the numerous hiking trails around the cities. Among one of my best experiences in Vancouver was training with a local dragon boat team. After Canada, I drove down south all the way to San Diego. I picked up my best friend at San Fran, and we toured around CA for two weeks before stopping in San Diego. I stayed in San Diego for a month after my friend left, and then flew to the east coast to spend a few weeks with family.
Recently I’ve sold my car, downsized my material possessions, and moved to Japan. In my update last year, I had mentioned two issues post-FIRE. The first issue is the lack of social interactions and the second is the lack of brain stimulation. Moving to Japan and studying Japanese is my solution to both of them. I just started attending a Japanese language school and will be here for a year. This is a great way to explore a new country, utilize my intellect, and meet new people in a community environment.
Finances: I FIREd two years ago with $885k. NW is currently hovering around $1M. Hurray!! And a big pat to myself for joining the two-comma club! My 2023 expenses totaled $28k. I aim to spend below the 4% SWR, but it’s not a strict rule. Other than having about two years’ worth of expenses (~$70k) in cash, the rest of my assets are in index funds, VTSAX. The funds are held in a mix of tax efficient retirement and taxable brokerage accounts.
People often ask how I manage to keep my expenses so low. My largest expenses are housing, transportation, and food. I find that as long as I keep these three categories under control the rest of my budget is easy. 1) For housing, I try to spend on average $1,500 or less each month on hotels and Airbnbs. Airbnb hosts will often give a large discount to monthly renters. In Japan, I am renting a bedroom in a shared house for $600 per month. The house is located in the heart of the city and within walking distance of my school. I’m enjoying it so far. 2) Transportation-wise, last year I had my little Honda fit and drove it all around the US and into Canada. It was a fully paid off car so I only had to pay for gas, maintenance, and insurance. That averaged around $200 per month. I sold the car for $10k prior to my move and am solely relying on public transit in Japan. 3) Food costs were about $300 per month last year. I mostly bought groceries and cooked rather than eating out. I try to eat out with friends and when I find a restaurant that I want to try. My food costs will likely go up in Japan since there are so many good restaurants. Generally restaurants in Japan are much cheaper than the US due to the strong dollar and lack of tipping culture. Rather than focusing on saving, I’m trying to flex my spending muscle in order to spend more on food experiences. Instead of having a spending limit, I’m going to force myself to use up $500 or more each month on food. This will be an interesting social/financial experiment. Shout out to Ramit Sethi, the Mad Finentist, and the guys at MileHighFI podcast for the inspiration to initiate this spending change.
Since the cost of living in Japan is much lower compared to the US, I’ll be using the remainder of my budget to explore the nearby cities and countries.
Health Insurance: I understand that this topic is a big concern. Here’s my situation. In the US, I am relying on Medicaid for health insurance. The state that I am based out of has expended Medicaid, which just requires a low income. My only source of income is dividends from my taxable brokerage accounts and interest income from HYSA. Added up they are usually around the Federal Poverty Level. Additionally, unless you are a senior citizen, there are no maximums for financial assets. Medicaid rules vary from state to state so YMMV.
Upon arriving in Japan with a long-term student visa, I’ve gained access to the National Health insurance. Overall, Japan’s healthcare costs are much lower than that of the US. The national insurance gives me 70% off all medical and pharmaceutical expenses while in Japan. As an example of how cheap medical services are here, I recently went to a clinic for allergies and paid $7 for the doctor visit and $5 for the medication he prescribed. It was such a relief to not feel like I’m being robbed after seeing a medical professional.
Plans for the near future: After spending a year in Japan, I will continue to slowly travel around Asia, Australia, and Europe. I am aiming to spend weeks to months in each place. I find that slow traveling is much more enjoyable and affordable since you can get weekly/monthly discounts on hotels and short-term rentals.
Reflections and Random thoughts:

• FIREing feels like the Trust Fall game that you play in team-building exercises, where one person falls backward and relies on others to catch them. Although you know that the other team members will catch your fall nearly 100% of the time, when you’re standing there and starting to lean backwards it is still scary. Even the thought of leaning backwards to initiate the fall is intimidating. No wonder many people in the community catch the One More Year Syndrome as they near their FIRE date.
• FIRE has allowed me to live more intentionally. I am aiming to live in line with my own values and goals instead of blindly following the mainstream narrative. I enjoy trying new things and taking time to get to know who I am as a person. Here are some of the questions that I often ask myself. What do I truly like and dislike? What kind of lifestyle feels comfortable and what kind of lifestyle do I aspire to? Are my motivations coming from internal or external sources? Am I doing something because I truly like it or is it for the benefit of those around me? We only get one shot at life, live a life that you won’t regret.
• Things that leads to happiness: Opportunities to explore learn and grow. Change balanced with a sense of control. Having good relationships, good health and wealth. Being the master of your time. Being grateful for the things that you have.

Thank you for reading my long rambling update. It feels nice to organize my thoughts on paper. Hopefully my experiences can be of help to some of you or at least entertain you. Given the 13hr+ time difference, I’ll try my best to answer any questions before going to bed and will pick it up again tomorrow morning.
Edit: The language school I'm attending in Japan costs $6k for the year, so about $500 per month.

TL DR: FIREd in May 2022 with $885k, current NW is $1M. Last year’s expenses totaled $28k. I slowly road tripped along the west coast of US and spent two months in Canada. Recently sold my car, downsized material possessions, and moved to Japan. I am now attending a Japanese language school for a year. This is a great way to explore a new country, challenge my brain, and gain access to social networks.
Background: Click here for the link to my first year update.
Life Update: In 2023, I slowly road tripped along the west coast of US and spent two months in Canada. I started from Seattle and drove up north to Vancouver and Calgary. Spent a month in each city. Joined the local hiking Meetup groups and explored the numerous hiking trails around the cities. Among one of my best experiences in Vancouver was training with a local dragon boat team. After Canada, I drove down south all the way to San Diego. I picked up my best friend at San Fran, and we toured around CA for two weeks before stopping in San Diego. I stayed in San Diego for a month after my friend left, and then flew to the east coast to spend a few weeks with family.
Recently I’ve sold my car, downsized my material possessions, and moved to Japan. In my update last year, I had mentioned two issues post-FIRE. The first issue is the lack of social interactions and the second is the lack of brain stimulation. Moving to Japan and studying Japanese is my solution to both of them. I just started attending a Japanese language school and will be here for a year. This is a great way to explore a new country, utilize my intellect, and meet new people in a community environment.
Finances: I FIREd two years ago with $885k. NW is currently hovering around $1M. Hurray!! And a big pat to myself for joining the two-comma club! My 2023 expenses totaled $28k. I aim to spend below the 4% SWR, but it’s not a strict rule. Other than having about two years’ worth of expenses (~$70k) in cash, the rest of my assets are in index funds, VTSAX. The funds are held in a mix of tax efficient retirement and taxable brokerage accounts.
People often ask how I manage to keep my expenses so low. My largest expenses are housing, transportation, and food. I find that as long as I keep these three categories under control the rest of my budget is easy. 1) For housing, I try to spend on average $1,500 or less each month on hotels and Airbnbs. Airbnb hosts will often give a large discount to monthly renters. In Japan, I am renting a bedroom in a shared house for $600 per month. The house is located in the heart of the city and within walking distance of my school. I’m enjoying it so far. 2) Transportation-wise, last year I had my little Honda fit and drove it all around the US and into Canada. It was a fully paid off car so I only had to pay for gas, maintenance, and insurance. That averaged around $200 per month. I sold the car for $10k prior to my move and am solely relying on public transit in Japan. 3) Food costs were about $300 per month last year. I mostly bought groceries and cooked rather than eating out. I try to eat out with friends and when I find a restaurant that I want to try. My food costs will likely go up in Japan since there are so many good restaurants. Generally restaurants in Japan are much cheaper than the US due to the strong dollar and lack of tipping culture. Rather than focusing on saving, I’m trying to flex my spending muscle in order to spend more on food experiences. Instead of having a spending limit, I’m going to force myself to use up $500 or more each month on food. This will be an interesting social/financial experiment. Shout out to Ramit Sethi, the Mad Finentist, and the guys at MileHighFI podcast for the inspiration to initiate this spending change.
Since the cost of living in Japan is much lower compared to the US, I’ll be using the remainder of my budget to explore the nearby cities and countries.
Health Insurance: I understand that this topic is a big concern. Here’s my situation. In the US, I am relying on Medicaid for health insurance. The state that I am based out of has expended Medicaid, which just requires a low income. My only source of income is dividends from my taxable brokerage accounts and interest income from HYSA. Added up they are usually around the Federal Poverty Level. Additionally, unless you are a senior citizen, there are no maximums for financial assets. Medicaid rules vary from state to state so YMMV.
Upon arriving in Japan with a long-term student visa, I’ve gained access to the National Health insurance. Overall, Japan’s healthcare costs are much lower than that of the US. The national insurance gives me 70% off all medical and pharmaceutical expenses while in Japan. As an example of how cheap medical services are here, I recently went to a clinic for allergies and paid $7 for the doctor visit and $5 for the medication he prescribed. It was such a relief to not feel like I’m being robbed after seeing a medical professional.
Plans for the near future: After spending a year in Japan, I will continue to slowly travel around Asia, Australia, and Europe. I am aiming to spend weeks to months in each place. I find that slow traveling is much more enjoyable and affordable since you can get weekly/monthly discounts on hotels and short-term rentals.
Reflections and Random thoughts:

• FIREing feels like the Trust Fall game that you play in team-building exercises, where one person falls backward and relies on others to catch them. Although you know that the other team members will catch your fall nearly 100% of the time, when you’re standing there and starting to lean backwards it is still scary. Even the thought of leaning backwards to initiate the fall is intimidating. No wonder many people in the community catch the One More Year Syndrome as they near their FIRE date.
• FIRE has allowed me to live more intentionally. I am aiming to live in line with my own values and goals instead of blindly following the mainstream narrative. I enjoy trying new things and taking time to get to know who I am as a person. Here are some of the questions that I often ask myself. What do I truly like and dislike? What kind of lifestyle feels comfortable and what kind of lifestyle do I aspire to? Are my motivations coming from internal or external sources? Am I doing something because I truly like it or is it for the benefit of those around me? We only get one shot at life, live a life that you won’t regret.
• Things that leads to happiness: Opportunities to explore learn and grow. Change balanced with a sense of control. Having good relationships, good health and wealth. Being the master of your time. Being grateful for the things that you have.

Thank you for reading my long rambling update. It feels nice to organize my thoughts on paper. Hopefully my experiences can be of help to some of you or at least entertain you. Given the 13hr+ time difference, I’ll try my best to answer any questions before going to bed and will pick it up again tomorrow morning.
Edit: The language school I'm attending in Japan costs $6000 for the year, so about $500 per month.

Heyo guys- I hope your prep is going well- Please continue reading if you're solving or have solved the cengage books- We all know that cengage books are one of the best for JEE self-study, but there's a twist in my case- I don't have the unit-wise book set that's available online- instead, I have a set of chapter-wise modules.
So here's the backstory- (skip to TLDR if you don't wanna read) My college provided us with chapter-wise modules that claimed to be of cengage for JEE mains and advanced- there was even a cengage label/mention on the 2nd page of each book- but I always found it sus cuz it isn't available online- and the ISBN number isn't detected on any website- so I barely solved it during my course- there were a lot of errors in organic chem which made me lose hope on the authenticity of the books- I didn't touch it for phy and math at all (I solved the material only for org)
https://preview.redd.it/isdc14moi1xc1.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=49e935bc9ea622cfe4430467f99a46b24ab29dbd
but recently, I emailed the cengage team regarding it and asked if they actually made modules- turns out that they do but it's not available for retail anywhere- then it made sense to me why I didn't find them online.
So, I took out the modules again and gave it a quick review- they were actually good but when I compared it with the full cengage books' pdfs- I found out that they weren't the EXACT same- there were fewer qs and illustrations in the module as compared to the books- also, the theory approach and concept application exercises were kinda different- only the imp boxes, tables and note points were found to be exactly same-
***TDLR**\*
so yeah, I'm pretty confused if I should proceed with those modules or not- they *seem* pretty good but am still not so sure. So the ppl who've solved a few chapters from cengage- I've uploaded chapters from my math, phy and phy chem modules- could you like compare/review it and tell me your thoughts...It won't take more than 10 mins to do it but will help me a lot in deciding if I should proceed with them or not.
I'm not a fanboy of agent 247, but could you please be brutally honest in your review.. :)
modules link- https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1yuqZGhiHbHrpbOcEcqvMEHAtYhWqHJk3?usp=sharing

Heyo guys- I hope your prep is going well- Please continue reading if you're solving or have solved the cengage books- We all know that cengage books are one of the best for JEE self-study, but there's a twist in my case- I don't have the unit-wise book set that's available online- instead, I have a set of chapter-wise modules.
So here's the backstory- (skip to TLDR if you don't wanna read) My college provided us with chapter-wise modules that claimed to be of cengage for JEE mains and advanced- there was even a cengage label/mention on the 2nd page of each book- but I always found it sus cuz it isn't available online- and the ISBN number isn't detected on any website- so I barely solved it during my course- there were a lot of errors in organic chem which made me lose hope on the authenticity of the books- I didn't touch it for phy and math at all (I solved the material only for org)
https://preview.redd.it/isdc14moi1xc1.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=49e935bc9ea622cfe4430467f99a46b24ab29dbd
but recently, I emailed the cengage team regarding it and asked if they actually made modules- turns out that they do but it's not available for retail anywhere- then it made sense to me why I didn't find them online.
So, I took out the modules again and gave it a quick review- they were actually good but when I compared it with the full cengage books' pdfs- I found out that they weren't the EXACT same- there were fewer qs and illustrations in the module as compared to the books- also, the theory approach and concept application exercises were kinda different- only the imp boxes, tables and note points were found to be exactly same-
***TDLR**\*
so yeah, I'm pretty confused if I should proceed with those modules or not- they *seem* pretty good but am still not so sure. So the ppl who've solved a few chapters from cengage- I've uploaded chapters from my math, phy and phy chem modules- could you like compare/review it and tell me your thoughts...It won't take more than 10 mins to do it but will help me a lot in deciding if I should proceed with them or not.
I'm not a fanboy of agent 247, but could you please be brutally honest in your review.. :)
modules link- https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1yuqZGhiHbHrpbOcEcqvMEHAtYhWqHJk3?usp=sharing

Heyo guys- I hope your prep is going well- Please continue reading if you're solving or have solved the cengage books- We all know that cengage books are one of the best for JEE self-study, but there's a twist in my case- I don't have the unit-wise book set that's available online- instead, I have a set of chapter-wise modules.
So here's the backstory- (skip to TLDR if you don't wanna read) My college provided us with chapter-wise modules that claimed to be of cengage for JEE mains and advanced- there was even a cengage label/mention on the 2nd page of each book- but I always found it sus cuz it isn't available online- and the ISBN number isn't detected on any website- so I barely solved it during my course- there were a lot of errors in organic chem which made me lose hope on the authenticity of the books- I didn't touch it for phy and math at all (I solved the material only for org)
https://preview.redd.it/isdc14moi1xc1.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=49e935bc9ea622cfe4430467f99a46b24ab29dbd
but recently, I emailed the cengage team regarding it and asked if they actually made modules- turns out that they do but it's not available for retail anywhere- then it made sense to me why I didn't find them online.
So, I took out the modules again and gave it a quick review- they were actually good but when I compared it with the full cengage books' pdfs- I found out that they weren't the EXACT same- there were fewer qs and illustrations in the module as compared to the books- also, the theory approach and concept application exercises were kinda different- only the imp boxes, tables and note points were found to be exactly same-
***TDLR**\*
so yeah, I'm pretty confused if I should proceed with those modules or not- they *seem* pretty good but am still not so sure. So the ppl who've solved a few chapters from cengage- I've uploaded chapters from my math, phy and phy chem modules- could you like compare/review it and tell me your thoughts...It won't take more than 10 mins to do it but will help me a lot in deciding if I should proceed with them or not.
I'm not a fanboy of agent 247, but could you please be brutally honest in your review.. :)
modules link- https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1yuqZGhiHbHrpbOcEcqvMEHAtYhWqHJk3?usp=sharing

[First posted some years ago. I try to repost around exams.]
The class that comes into the room after I teach my 2Ls and 3Ls is a 1L torts class. On my way out this morning, a 1L heard me giving a bit of a pep talk to one of my 3Ls as he readies for the MPRE this weekend. "We want a pep talk, too," said the 1L. I obliged and chatted a bit about some of the items below. She asked if I'd post again. So, here it is:
Here are a couple of exam tips (including my patented (not really)) "reverse issue spotting" technique.)
For context, I'm an adjunct law professor (10 15 semesters of PR). I graduated SCL all 22 28 years ago, with only one B+ grade on any exam, from a school where nearly all classes were single, cumulative, essay finals. (Not humblebragging, just pointing out I have some idea about succeeding on law school exams; a very particular set of skills, if you will.)
ONE: Especially in 1L exams, remember to employ "REVERSE ISSUE SPOTTING." Issue spotting is reading the hypo and trying to see what issue or issues are implicated. REVERSE issue spotting says, "Prof. Kingsfield spent three damn weeks on the dormant commerce clause. So I KNOW that one of these hypos, at least, is going to implicate the DCC." In other words, go into the exam with a list in your head of the six or ten or dozen big ticket issues you covered, and throw those against every hypo to see if they belong. Don't wedge them in where they don't fit. But the chances are you can make most of the issues to which the prof dedicated lots of time stick to one or more of the hypos.
TWO:. If the prof sets word limits -- follow them. If he/she doesn't -- still aim to be pithy and succinct. Do not try to fill. Do not write a single sentence -- or, heaven forbid, paragraph -- that fails to say something of substance.
I set word limits because I have a ton of exams to grade and you guys rightfully expect your grade to be entered by the deadline. My instructions say I will read past the word limit to the end of the next sentence, then stop, so write accordingly. Most student are writing their exam on a laptop and can count words, so I expect them stay within the limit. But if I set a 1,000 word limit on an answer I do NOT mean that I think you MUST write 1,000 words. [And unless you have specific info to the contrary, neither does your prof.] See the paragraphs below describing a "good answer," and do that. Can you do it in 250 words? Perfect. (Many students write right up to the word limit on every answer and I can tell that it is often a result of being insecure about what's IN the answer. I don't necessarily deduct points for that, but padding a 500-word B answer to 1,000 words does not make it a B+ answer.)
THREE. I want a "good answer": That means you have ignored the irrelevant material in the hypo (most hypos have some red herrings for you to avoid), spotted the real issue or issues (see reverse issue spotting, supra), and written about them in cogent, organized and persuasive manner.
For answers advocating a certain outcome or result, you have explained WHY that is the right result but you have also spent nearly as much time describing the countervailing arguments, and supporting or disposing of them as well.
I don't care if you know case names [OK, Pennoyer v. Neff, Allegheny College, Palsgraff v. LIRR, Erie, Marbury v. Madison and a few others maybe] or rule number. Very few profs do, but know about your prof's dispotion. But I do expect you to know the impact and effects of the decisional law we've studied and I expect you to know what the rules require. (i.e., on a civ pro exam that asks what is required for issuance of a subpoena -- or where the answer implicates that issue -- I need you to be able to tell me the substance of the rule, but do not care if you recall that it is R. Civ. P. 45.) Again, check with your prof to be sure. But I'm betting he/she thinks the same.
FOUR: Don't "fight the hypo." If you are taking a tort exam where the fact pattern involves, say, a railroad accident and you happen to be a railroad engineer and you know that c23BX coupling on a Milsom box car bogie could never decouple from hydraulic failure . . . please don't spend any time on that. Your tort prof wants to know about the duty of care and foreseeability and all that torty stuff.
FIVE: Does the question call for a list? (I have one question I often use that does.) Then give me a LIST. I'm a pretty rigorous instructor, but not a complete asshole -- and most of your professors aren't complete assholes either. I won't say "list all the sanctions this attorney might face," then take off points because the answer isn't in the form of a sonnet.
Larger point: Read CAREFULLY to see what the prof wants for an answer. Then do a good one of those.
SIX: You DO have time to think and outline when answering essay questions. Do so. Thinking is really important. Honest. Read the entire hypo and all the questions attached to it. Now STOP. Think. Make some notes, outline your answer. THEN write. If you take 15 minutes to do that and 45 to write an organized, compelling answer 300 words long, it is going to sing to the professor like no 59-minute 600-word panic-jumble-word-barf ever will.
SEVEN: Your brain is attached to your body. Sleep. Eat. Exercise. Watch your caffeine/Red Bull/Adderall consumption. Law school exams are the sort of exams that are LEAST served by cramming. An extra couple hours of sleep and a walk around the park will allow you to access what you know and understand when the proctor says, "You may begin."
BONUS: Sample "better" answer.
Law students are driven, intelligent, articulate folks. You have been schooled to pay close attention to detail, to write eloquently, to make your bluebooking perfect to the comma. And that's right and proper in its place. But its place is not a 3-hour, four question essay final exam. Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
Your professor is not looking for pretty or poetic or novelstic writing. She wants writing she can understand. But she doesn't even want that for its own sake. She will never say: "Wow Wendy One-ell is just a beautiful, moving writer. She gets an A." No, your prof wants CLEAR writing so she can tell if you know anything about the material.
Your writing needs to be so pointed it gets out of its own way. You want to show both how MUCH you know and how WELL you know all you know about the issues in the prompt. So (bearing in mind my warnings about padding) your goal is to get all of that into your answer.
Consider these two passages:
FIRST:
"The court is also likely to hold the law is subject to preemption because the federal government has largely occupied the field of migratory bird regulation. In fact, the court may find this same factor supports conflict preemption, because a patchwork of state-by-state regulations would necessarily conflict with laws designed to protect birds that heedlessly fly across state lines."
SECOND:
"The federal government has long regulated migratory birds across the country for the protection of endangered species and to support lawful hunting. This system of regulation goes back over many years and is very well developed. This means that the federal government has occupied this field of regulation and the state law probably won’t be allowed by the court."
Both of those passages are exactly 59 words. They took the same amount of time to write. But the first passage demonstrates understanding of TWO concepts; the second passage shows understanding of only one.
You have to write RUTHLESSLY. No word gets on the page that doesn't help. No throat clearing. No prefacing. Just concentrated knowledge bombs.
As I suggested elsewhere, try writing out some answers before you take the test. Have in mind how you're going to describe certain concepts that you think are likely to appear. A conlaw student could easily have written the passage before the exam, and gotten used to saying that stuff. And what I wrote above could be used in just about any preemption question I'd ever face. I just would substitute "coal smoke" or "immigrants" or something for ducks.
See what I mean?
DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A CON LAW PROF. I have no idea if those are valid con law statements. Not responsible for your con law grade. DO NOT TAUNT HAPPY FUN BALL.
Have you got specific questions? Post them here and I'll check back.

THE WHY
First of all I want to say that I'm writing this as someone that's absolutely a Devon fanboy, that's salty after the loss, and someone that thoroughly dislikes Levan the armwrestler (not the person).
To me Levan is absolutely unappealing, this race to obesity has zero charm for me, and that crap about how he has technique on top of being a sumo wrestler is just that, crap. Looking at a 400 pound person talking about technique, f that.
Other armwrestlers can reach insane PRs in their lifts and it will still be an exercise in futility since they'd have to be willing to become sumo wrestlers on top of that. They'd have to be a division of fat asses in order for us to see some competitiveness.
------
THE HOW
Engin needs to raise the HW division to 120kg/265pounds.
Devon needs to drop to HW and try to influence other popular pullers like Ermes to drop as well. Basically everyone outside of Levan and Georgi can make HW, and they'd have a division of actual fit sportsmen where we can see a battle of preparation and technique, not a pie eating contest.
Leave Levan alone at SHW with 2-3 other guys and see how fast everyone drops to HW, including him.
Devon needs to use that popularity now more than ever and force Levan to a division where we can actually see that legendary technique in action. If Levan is that good of an armwrestler he'll beat everyone at HW as well.
Everyone needs to be smart about this, because together they can make the big guys competitive again. Together they can beat Levan via peer pressure.
Imagine a HW division twice as deep because of this, with TONS of new matches, instead of Ermes trying to ruin himself trying to go from an Italian stud to a god damn balloon animal.

I've been extremely alarmed by the constant fanboy talk about how the drive-by-wire system is like airliners, how it's an innovative and extremely important step for the automotive industry. What bothers me about this is that there does not seem to be any talk about the redundancy architecture beyond "there are redundant sensors".
Firstly, redundant sensors mean jack-all if it's only 2, so are there only two or are there three sensors like on a falcon 9 (they keep bringing up how Space X engineering bleeds into Tesla, which is...cool I guess but I find it unlikely to this extent).
Secondly, even if there are 3 sensors, do they feed into a single processing unit? If they do, that's not like airliners or a Falcon 9 at all.
Lastly, how redundant are the OTHER components of the system upon with the drive-by wire computation relies? Are the wiring harnesses fed through different routes or is it like the DC-10 where all the hydraulics were triple redundant...but fed through a single route so if that area got damaged the redundancy is moot (e.g. American Airlines Flight 232)? Are the power systems redundant? Like, I get it, 48V is cool, but does it have multiple power supplies with redundant wiring routes as well or are you just relying on a single power supply.
Anyway, if you got to this point, I'm just raising these concerns because it is EXTREMELY alarming that Tesla wants to compare their drive-by-wire system to airliner fly-by-wire systems without any rigorous or independatnly verified certifications/qualification/review. Airliner fly-by-wire systems are DECADES old, optimized and improved over the course of millions of hours of testing and dozens of fatal accidents of hull-loss events. I get that Teslas are some of the safest cars in the world when it comes to structural integrity, but the rest of the car should matter too. This is all on top of the fact that they already have EXTREMELY sketchy rear emergency egress methods as well as their countless other hardware/software deficiencies.
Sorry for the rant, but I just wish it was more talked about, the fact that it is disingenuous at best and criminal at worst to compare a quasi-experimental drive-by-wire system on some ad-hoc design exercise of a car to some of the most advanced controls engineering humans undertake.

i get pain in a spot that doesn't quite seem to fit the mold of what i read about tennis elbow or golfer's elbow so i'm wondering if anyone has any advice on how to relieve this. i'm hoping there is an exercise to alleviate this issue or hoping i just need a heavier paddle or something. the pain is not on the forearm part of my arm, but rather just above the back of my elbow where the top part of the arm begins; the bottom of my tricep area i guess
to give a visual idea of where it hurts, imagine the diagram below is my arm bent in front of me at 90 degrees like if i had it in a sling. the comma is where the pain is - on the back of the lowest part of the top part of my arm, about an inch or two above the pointy bone-y part of the elbow
,_
anyone have any experience with this? any advice much appreciated, thanks!

​
https://preview.redd.it/byqktl2lm3uc1.png?width=464&format=png&auto=webp&s=d13bb307d41890004be206a85947b5aab649da1d
Two years ago, as I was halfway down to the road to a bachelor's degree in English and was overwhelmed with uncertainties regarding my writing abilities, my beginner-level composition professor reignited my interest in digital writing with what I never would have expected: a required reading.
I don't think my professor thought too deeply about it when it was assigned-- the subject felt like an offshoot of what we've been focused on in class, and I'd wager that the majority of my other classmates have forgotten entirely about it since-- but it resonated with me.
Tim McGee and Patricia Ericsson's 2002 article "The politics of the program: MS WORD as the invisible grammarian," dives into the nature of Microsoft's grammar checking software, which they abbreviate as MSGC. Although it kicks off with them recounting the time where MSGC tried to make some outright incorrect adjustments to some of their drafts, skepticism over the software's correctness eventually became a question of whether or not MSGC is bad for its users in the long run-- especially young writers-- and even in the times when it is correct.
To summarize (though I still recommend reading the article in full-- it might be old, but I think it holds up), their argument mostly concerns whether MSGC is acting as an "invisible grammarian" to writers, and how much influence it may really have.
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https://preview.redd.it/ltp901smo3uc1.png?width=577&format=png&auto=webp&s=113c52ef3a000cc8a68e919c6684bd991a033d02
If you are an avid user of Microsoft Word, and if you have MSGC on by default, you'd probably be lying if you said you've never done the quick right-click left-click maneuver to get the pesky red or blue squiggly line to go away without even checking if it was right or wrong. Maybe you chalked it up as a spelling error-- a result of you wanting to burn through the last paragraph of your essay, gloss it over, and throw it into the submission box without looking back. Since we're English majors, this event is probably less common, and we definitely give more attention to our words and the structure of our sentences. But can the same be said for an elementary school student stepping away from pencil and paper for the first time?
Though, McGee and Ericsson's concerns lie less in the event where a beginner writer listens to MSGC and removes their comma when, in reality, nothing was wrong with its placement. In observing MSGC, they claim that it's "...default status ("Check grammar as you type") makes grammar a primary concern by foregrounding correctness even while the writers are in the drafting stage. It gives grammar and style... a precedence, at least temporally, over content, mode of discourse, or other rhetorical concerns," (454).
At the time I first read their article, and in reflecting on my own experiences, I understood and reluctantly agreed with them.
Though I've grown up in something of a gap within Generation Z, where about half of us seemed to fully gravitate and embrace all new technology and the other half pick and choose for a healthy balance, I am able to consider-- and worry-- about the direction education is taking in terms of technology. We are the newest lab rats of the digital age. We're here to take what's new, mold it until it fits our liking, and then ask for more.
But on a less cynical note, I have to admit that after scrounging together a few-thousand-word-long essay the day before its due, I don't want to do my own spellchecking, and the thought of ever having to pick up a pencil again and write more than a paragraph on paper almost makes me physically ill. Maybe there is a right way to use MSGC.
My focus is not education. I want to work in publication, grant writing, technical writing, or really just about anything that'll take me in when I graduate-- but I have been pretty insistent on staying away from a desk in a classroom full of kids. And, with MSGC and related software having come a long way since McGee and Ericsson's article was published, I would argue that we're running out of time to fully harness the onslaught of new technologies, especially in academic settings.
You could say, "Just turn the spellchecker off until you're done with your rough draft," and, while I mostly agree with that (and have started to exercise this myself in my writing), there unfortunately is no one-size-fits-all solution-- even less so now, 22 years later.
Are there any students with a focus on English education that have input? Let me know, and thanks for reading.

As a separate question,

1. She said that she studied hard to become a mathematician.
2. She said that she studied hard living in the house.
3. She said that she studied hard while living in the house.
4. He talked about the student who studied hard to become a mathematician.
5. He talked about the student who studied hard living in the house.
6. He talked about the student who studied hard while living in the house.
7. He talked about the student who studied hard while the student was living in the house.
8. While here, I discovered a newfound appreciation for the simple joys of life.
9. While being here, I discovered a newfound appreciation for the simple joys of life.
10. Being happy to see progress, yet concerned about the recent setbacks, I approached him to discuss our next steps.
11. He took me where he lived.
12. He told me where he lived.
13. Where I found solace, I watched a movie that echoed the quietness of my surroundings.
14. I was with him where the ocean meets the sky
15. I was with him where you know.
16. I was with him at the place you know.
17. Where you go, I will go.
18. Where you are, I am with you.
19. He told me the location of the place he lived
20. Although not a hero, he displayed great courage in the face of danger.
21. Although being not a hero, he displayed great courage in the face of danger.
22. Being not a hero, he displayed great courage in the face of danger.
23. Not a hero, he displayed great courage in the face of danger.
24. She, not a quitter, persevered through every challenge.
25. She, who is not a quitter, persevered through every challenge
26. My friend Amanda is on the honor roll again
27. My friend, Amanda, is on the honor roll again
28. My friend, who is Amanda, is on the honor roll again
29. Kaylee, who just graduated from high school, is an accomplished figure skater.
30. Kaylee, having just graduated from high school, is an accomplished figure skater.
31. This final portrayal of Stalin does no credit to the author.
32. This final portrayal that is of Stalin does no credit to the author.
33. This final portrayal, of Stalin, does no credit to the author.
34. This final portrayal, which is of Stalin, does no credit to the author.
35. Recently I've visited an art gallery and happened to come across a masterpiece , of a woman the artist had loved for a long time.
36. Recently I've visited an art gallery and happened to come across a masterpiece, which is of a woman the artist had loved for a long time.
37. That will be hard even for you to solve.
38. That will be hard for you even to solve.
39. That will be hard even for you.
40. That will be hard for you even.
41. Tom paled when he came home, his mother standing in the doorway
42. The lady, our president, spoke out against racism.
43. Some such rumor, I believe, reached me once long ago
44. I'm talking about the island, home to various species of birds
45. I'm talking about it, home to various species of birds
46. They are the only problem.
47. The issue is taxes
48. The students having left early, I decided to catch up on some grading.
49. With the students having left early, I decided to catch up on some grading.
50. Tom having left early, I decided to finish the project on my own
51. With Tom having left early, I decided to finish the project on my own
52. Being with the students having left early, I decided to catch up on some grading.
53. Being with Tom having left early, I decided to finish the project on my own
54. With him, I studied in my room.
55. Being with him, I studied in my room.
56. With him sleeping on my bed, I studied in my room.
57. Being with him sleeping on my bed, I studied in my room.
58. I was with him taking care of me when I was sick.
59. Economists are concerned whether changes in globalization will help or hinder the pace of economic recovery
60. Economists are concerned about whether changes in globalization will help or hinder the pace of economic recovery
61. Economists are concerned how changes in globalization will help or hinder the pace of economic recovery
62. Economists are concerned about how changes in globalization will help or hinder the pace of economic recovery
63. I'm not aware why they protest like that.
64. I'm not sure why they protest like that.
65. I don't have the heart to start from the beginning.
66. You will face a fine up to $100.
67. You will pay up to $100.
68. I was talking about this issue, whether the high taxes could lead to the destruction of the economy
69. I was talking about the question, why the high taxes could lead to the destruction of the economy
70. I was talking about this, that the high taxes could lead to the destruction of the economy.
71. I Was talking about a factor, what could lead to the destruction of the economy.
72. The committee discussed the main issue, what the company should do to increase its market share
73. The committee discussed the main issue, what the company should do to increase its market share, having been a point of contention for months.
74. The committee discussed the main issue, what the company should do to increase its market share, a point of contention for months.
75. The committee discussed the main issue, what the company should do to increase its market share, which has been a point of contention for months.
76. I expect so.
77. He was up to his knees in water.
78. The city council announced that anyone caught littering would face a fine up to $100
79. It's a constant struggle to try to keep them up to par
80. These tickets can come with a fine up to $100
81. It is not like that.
82. It is as such.
83. As with all types of exercise, you'll want to first consult your clinician before attempting any of the following COPD exercises.
84. I am to have met him.
85. I was to have met him.
86. I am to meet him.
87. I was to meet him.
88. I will do wait!

Q1) Are 1-88 above all correct English or at least acceptable English?
Q2) As for 1, 2, 3, do the bold parts structurally and grammatically belong to the that-clause "that she studied hard" because the bold parts all modify the verb "studied" or the entire clause "that she studied hard"?
Q3) Like in 1, 2, 3, can a phrase like an infinitive phrase or participle phrase or a reduced clause or anything be used to structurally belong to a subordinate clause or dependent clause?
Q4) As for 4, 5, 6, 7, do the bold parts all modify and describe "the student"?
Q5) As for 4, 5, 6, 7, do these parts "to become a mathematician", "living in the houes", "while living in the house", and "while the student was living in the house" all structurally and grammatically belong to the relative clause "who studied hard"? And like in 4,5,6,7, can a phrase like an infinitive phrase or participle phrase or a reduced clause or anything be used to structurally belong to a relative clause?
Q6) As for 6, is "while living in the house", in respect to grammar and structure, the same as "while the student lived in the house" and "while the student was living in the house"?
Q7) As for 4, 5, 6, 7, do these parts "to become a mathematician", "living in the houes", "while living in the house", and "while the student was living in the house" all modify either "studied" or the entire claues "who studied hard"? Are both possible?
Q8) As for 8 and 9, are the bold parts the same in meaning and in structure? Is the bold part in 8 reduced from 9?
Q9) As for 8, is the bold part in 8 the same as either "While I was here" or "While I was being here" or "While I had been here"? Can the bold part in 8 be analyzed as reduced from either one? Are all these analyses possible?
Q10) As for 10, does the bold part grammatically and structurally belong to "Being happy to see progress"?
Q11) As for 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, do the bold parts all modify the verbs either "took", "watched", "was", "go", "am" or the entire sentences 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19? Are both analyses possible?
and as for 13, 17, 18, even though the bold parts are placed in front of 13, 17 18, do the bold parts still modify either "took", "watched", "was", "go", "am" or the entire sentences 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19? Are both analyses possible?
Doesn't the placement of an element of a sentence affect what the element modifies if the connection is clear whether the element is set off by a comma or commas?
Q12) As for 12, is 12 ambiguous in meaning since it can mean either "He told me about the information of where he lived" or "He told me at the place where he lived" ? So, aren't both sentences the same in meaning? but despite that, is 12 correct English even if 12 mean either one? and if 12 means the first one, is the bold part just the object of the verb "told"? but if 12 means the second one, is the bold part just modifying the verb "told"?
Q13) As for 19, is the bold part the object of the verb "told"?
Q14) Do 20, 21, 22, 23 all mean the same thing?
Q15) As for 20, 21, 22, 23, are the bold parts all the same in structure since "Not a hero" is just the reduced version of the bold parts in 20, 21, 22? But can "Not a hero" really be analyzed as the reduced verions of the bold parts in 20, 21, 22?
Q16) Can 24 be analyzed as the reduced version of 25?
Q17) Can 30 be analyzed as the reduced version of 29?
Q18) Can 31, 33, 35 be analyzed as the reduced versions of 32, 35, 36 for each case?
Q19) As for 29-36, 42, what do the bold parts refer to?
Q20) As for 29-36,42, is there any difference in meaning according to whether the bold parts are set off by a comma or commas?
Q21) As for 37-40, is "even" used as an adverb? and does "even" modify "for you" in 37 and 39, but "you" behind "you" in 38 and 40?
Q22) As for 43, is the placement of the bold part okay? Can it be used at the front or at the end of a sentence?
Q23) As for 44 and 45, is "home" used as an adverb? If so, do the bold parts all modify "the island" and "it"?
Q24) Like in 46 and 47, even though the subject complements "the only problem" and "Taxes" are singluar and plural, but the subjects "They" and "The issue" is plural and singular, are 46 and 47 correct English?
Q25) Are 48 and 50 the same in meaning and in stucture? Is "With" just omitted from 48 and 50?
Q26) As for 49 and 51, can the bold parts be analzyed as modifying the subject "I" or the entire sentences 49 and 51 or the verb "decided"?
Q27) Can 49, 51, 54, 56 be anlayzed as the reduced versions of 52, 53, 55, 57 ? Is "Being" just omitted from 49, 51, 54, 56?
Q28) Are the bold parts in 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57 the same as "When I was with the students havling left early", "When I was with Tom having left early", "When I was with him", "When I was with him sleeping on my bed" ?
Q29) As for 58, does the bold part modify "him"? If so, what does 58 mean in other words?
Q30) Are 59 and 61 the same in meaning and in structure as 60 and 62? Is only "about" omitted? And is it okay and done by native English speakers to do so? and does the bold part modify the adjective "concerned"?
Q31) Do native English speakers often omit a words or words or anything even if it can be ungrammatical or by mistake ?
Q32) Are both 63 and 64, do the bold parts all modify the adjectives "aware" and "sure"? And is it optional to add a prepositon lik "about" to the adjectives "aware about" and "sure about" or "aware of" and "sure of"?
Q33) Is there any differece in meaning between "aware about/sure about" and "aware of/sure of"?
Q34) As for 65, does the bold part modify and describe "the heart"? If so, what does "the heart" mean in other words?
Q35) As for 66, 67, 77, 78, 79, 80, is "up to" used as a preposition?
Q36) As for 66 and 78, do the bold parts modify "a fine"?
Q37) As for 66 and 78, are 66 and 78 still correct even if "a fine up to $100" is written as "a fine that is up to $100"?
If so, is this sentence "The fine is up to $100" correct English? and is "up to $100" used as a prepositional phrase that modifies and describes "The fine"?
Q38) As for 67 and 79, are the bold parts used as prepositions that work as adverbs that modify the verbs "pay" and "keep"?
Q39) As for 77, 81, 82, are the bold parts used as prepositions that modify and describe the subjects "He" and "It"?
Q40) As for 68-75, in each sentence, do the bold parts refer to "this issue", "the question", "this", "a factor", "the main issue"?
Q41) As for 73,74,75, are the parts in italics as appositives referring to the bold parts?
Q42) Like in 68-75, can even a clause be used as an appositive?
Q43) Are your answers to Q1, Q40, Q41, Q42 still the same even if "I remember that" is added in front of sentences 68-75?
Q44) As for 76, is "so" used as the object of the verb "expect"? If so, is this sentence "I expect that" also correct English, and even in the sentence, is "that" used as the object of the verb "expect" ?And are both "I expect so" and "I expect that" the same in meaning?
Q45) As for 77, does "in water" modify the entire sentence or "was" or "his knees" ? Are all three analyses possible?
Q46) As for 84-87, do the bold parts all modify and describe the subject "I"? If so, what do they mean?
Q47) As for 83, is the bold part the same as "As being with all types of exercise"?Is 83 still correct and the same in meaning even if the bold part is replaced by "As being with all types of exercise"?
Q48) As for 83, is the bold part the same as "As you are with all types of exercise"? Is 83 still correct and the same in meaning even if the bold part is replaced by "As you are with all types of exercise"?
Q49) As for 83, does the bold part modify "you" or the entire sentence or "want"? Are all three anlayses possible?
And even if the bold part is replaced by "As being with all types of exercise" or "As you are with all types of exercise", does either of both still modify modify "you" or the entire sentence or "want"? Are all three anlayses possible?
Q50) When I say "While living in the house", is this just the reduced version of the full sentence "While I am/was living in the house"? And are both sentences correct English and the same in meaning?
Q51) How is 88 different in meaning from "I will wait!"? And is this "I will wait!" also correct English?

My family and I(16f) are 30 mins into a 10 hour car ride and my step dad is already fat shaming me. We are in a mini van and the third rows seat belts are shorter and don't go around my thighs. For context I'm bigger but it's more curvy than just round. Anyways I told him it wouldn't go around my lower half and he said that I needed to exercise more which is funny since me and my bf(18m) try to go on hikes every weekend, after that he forced me to force the seat belt around me which hurt. I just need advice about how to handle the situation he's said so many other things about my weight and what I can't eat and it's all just eating me up inside, I just can't take it anymore, he convinced my mom to move to the middle of nowhere and the only neighbors we have are his family members, all my friends dropped me or I dropped them and the only other contact I get with others is a 2 hour mechanic class and my bf whom I only get to see for maybe 30 mins on the weekdays and 3-4 hours on weekends, I have no way to escape unless I finish high school early and go to college, please just give me some advice I could really need it rn. Sorry for how lengthy it is and the punctuations/commas, I just really needed to get this out and get help about the situation.

Thanks

Gather around my fellow olds (ha!) with your double spaces after your sentence-ending periods.
Im going to tell you my journey, because there’s not many people in this sub at our age, and I think I really would’ve benefited if someone had described their raw and unflinching experience. There’s a metric buttload of 20-somethings who post they are doing CrossFit, looking camera ready in two weeks. That’s not at all the experience us more mature folks have.
I am a 47 year old woman in great health and fitness minded. I haven’t tanned since my mid 20s, and I use retinol,vitamin C and all the skin saving treatments religiously since my early 30s. For context, I had two children naturally (albeit with an epidural, but it still hurt like a mofo, so I’m not a delicate flower). I was already a pretty conventionally attractive woman - just with enough of an underbite to bother me aesthetically. Physiologically, I had just started getting to the pain/TMJ point. That, and my teeth had ground down so much due to the gradual reversion of my early childhood cosmetic masking of my class 3. Being avid runner, I could never make it to the next step of training because I had a very shallow palate and no place to put my tongue so I was a mouth breather. I also couldn’t eat raw apples and carrots, which sucked big time!
To be very specific, I had a Lefort 1 osteotomy, Legort 1 + bone graft (B). Osteotomy with a sagittal split, bilateral (b). My surgical notes don’t have my movements. Sorry,
I had the insurance, the time off, the cash, and most importantly, the mindset to go through with DJS. Reading everything I could read in this sub helped so much to logistically prepare me for pre and post surgery. Please take advantage of these resources. There are some wonderful people here.
My journey started in 2021 when I was 44. I got the old school metal braces with the surgical hooks. My dentist had to put in build ups to lengthen and strengthen my teeth to be able to support the teeth for braces. They also installed bumpers on my bottom teeth to keep me from grinding the build ups.
I have a highly professional job, so while I personally think braces are cute, I realize they may have held me back a bit with my credibility. Not a huge issue, just a minor one.
Also, my surgery was conducted at a university teaching hospital in April 2022 at 45 years old. It was fully covered by insurance minus my deductible. I loved my lead surgeon and my attending physician, and the staff was great, but I did feel like a guinea pig with all the residents constantly herding around me. I found out later that a resident did most of the surgery.
Although my surgery was a breeze snd I experienced no complications. I feel like the medical staff sort of sugar coated what to expect.
The first three days were hell. I was given zero narcotics to deal with the constant pain and swelling - just Tylenol and Ibuprofen (Thanks over prescribers). As one of the most invasive surgeries around, I feel like my pain during my recovery should’ve been managed better. I was addled from the anesthesia, my face blew up like the mask on Total Recall, and I tried to do everything to keep my mind off the full pain. I wasn’t hungry at all. All the things I thought I would love (protein drinks, Gatorade, chicken bone broth) tasted disgusting. The only thing I wanted to drink was apple juice and I couldn’t use a straw in a conventional manner for weeks. I had to get a giant water bottle straw and stuff it was back into the side of my cheek to intake anything - baby bird style. The hospital also didn’t convert my antibiotics to a powder or drops so we had to crush them and put them in an apple juice/water concoction. When I say that was the nastiest taste I’ve ever experienced, think about pouring water on a bus seat in Kolkata and then wringing every drop out and distilling it into pill form. I would chase that hot damnation of ass essence with a spoonful of chocolate pudding. Only thing that worked!
Also I couldn’t open my mouth but a few millimeters at a time. I was only wired shut for a week, but with the limited range I could open my mouth, it may as well have been wired. I pretty much lived off puréed soups and protein drinks for a month. Doing the mouth exercises helped immensely, but it must’ve taken 6 months to open my mouth all the way. As did eventually constantly making weird stretching faces in the car or alone. Even 2 years later, I still do it.
I went back to work remotely after 4 weeks and then full time in office after 6 weeks. I probably could’ve stayed out 8 weeks because it was so difficult to talk and I tired easily.
So another uncanny thing: I felt like a brain in a jar for around 4 weeks. I couldn’t feel my face, my skin, the breeze or sun on my face skin. It was a bit unnerving and sent me down all sorts of philosophical roads. Two years later, I still have this lack of sensation on my chin, but just yesterday, I could feel my lips touch together instead of using muscle memory. Small wins! I will say, it’s been a challenge to line and fill my lips with lipstick though.
Post surgery follow up 6 months later, I was disappointed that my top lip had rolled under and jowls had stated sagging (this is important later). The doctor hooked me up with one at the University Hospital who specialized in this. I had very natural looking injections to my lips and cheeks (Juvederm I think). I was happy with the results knowing I’d have to come back in 6 months.
After 2 months, we took a vacation and I was well enough to travel. I’d lost 15 lbs, and had a ton of energy, but was still puffy around my midface. It was a good trip, and mentally it was good for me to get away.
In early 2023 (46 yrs), I got my metal braces off. My bite was perfect, teeth were straight and lovely, but I had a dead tooth following the surgery which had turned gray.
After a painless root canal by my absolutely fantastic dentist, we moved on to prepping my teeth for porcelain veneers to restore all the length my teeth once had. My teeth were ZOOM whitened. Permanent teeth were shaved down (painlessly - thank you doctor!). Tempory veneers installed. 2 weeks later, I have some great looking permanent and natural looking teeth I’m very happy with. Insurance did not pay for these, obviously.
So back to the facial skin/lip issues. After a few consultations with injectors and eventually plastic surgeons, I was told that as an older patient in my procedure, my face has ultimately been degloved from the fascia. Younger people’s fascia can reattach naturally on top of the muscle and fat with little issues. However, in older folks, the muscle and skin start sliding forward, giving a haggard appearance. I noticed that my jowls and marionette lines were looking really saggy, as was my neck. I also lacked a top lip. And I looove wearing lipstick! (Bright red with new pearly whites - yes please!)
Essentially, I walked into DJS looking 10 years younger, and walked out looking over 10 years older.
It was a really crushing blow to my esteem. You may call me vain. Or shallow. But whether it’s right or not, women still are judged on their appearances. In a professional setting, this makes it important to my career despite my accomplishments. Plus, I wanted to look as young as I physically felt.
It’s April 2024, and I’m writing this out at 2 am because I can’t sleep. You see, I elected for a deep plane face lift, a deep plane neck lift, a buccal fat removal, and a lip lift. I’m sitting upright in my bed, face swollen, stitches sore and sipping on a protein drink. I can tell you it’s nowhere nearly as bad as DJS. I can feel my face, the pain is uncomfortable, but not unbearable, and I’m in much better spirits this time around. I did this for me. (Also, insurance did not pay for this either). nO rAGrATS.
It’s been a really long journey for me, but getting DJS as an older individual is a really different experience. I hope the candor and openness I’ve put down here at least helps someone in their 40s and 50s and beyond consider the devil in the details, and what could be a very life changing experience. ❤️
Edit: added commas and deleted statements directed at a specific poster. And words, punctuation.

I was inspired by the post made by u/ DazzlingAnana (found here). For those who havn't seen it, the idea is for an alternate reality in which a sane Ayano has to save Senpai from a bunch of murderous girls. I have tried to incorporate the original personalities as much as possible and give reasons for the girls attacking Senpai. I apologise for anything cheesy as I have envisioned this as a dark comedy.
Osana
Osana has been friends with Senpai for years. People have often hear shouts of "Senpai you're so annoying. I could just kill you sometimes!" Maybe sometimes is coming sooner than people think. Thankfully Osana is not very subtle with her plans. When she's not yelling at senpai, she is polishing her family's knife, ready for her special date on Friday, by the tree.
Amai
Amai is a kind girl who is always baking for her classmates. Her meat pies have a taste unlike anything else. Senpai is so sweet - they make a great pairing. Ayano will need to sabotage the kitchen by the end of the week to ensure that Amai doesn't get her special ingredient.
Kizana
The schools funding for the arts has been cut, so Kizana is preparing for her final performance of Romeo and Juliette. And a grand performance needs a memorable finale. Not only has she prepared the classic poison, there is also a "prop knife" prepared as backup. (A good actress is always prepared for a little improv!). Ayano will need to either swap out the props or find another victim to play the lead.
Oka
Oka is the school weirdo but Senpai thinks that everyone should be treated with respect. Besides, the occult club is just a joke right? Friday is the blood moon so its the perfect time to start the rituals. Senpai is the only person to show Oka kindness, so his heart will be the perfect offering to the demons.
Asu
Asu is a total adrenaline junkie. Unfortunately her idea of a good time isn't always safe. And she has roped Senpai into being her game partner (the last one has mysteriously disappeared). From cliff jumping to sword fighting to being chased by rabid animals, everyday will bring a new deadly challenge. Asu is sure to keep Ayano and senpai on their toes. [I imagine there would be 5 activities over the week. Without interference, Senpai will manage to survive 1 unharmed, will get injured doing a second and will die if made to do a third]
Muja
Senpai has had a rough few months so he has decided to make a trip to the nurses office. Here he meets the new nurse, Muja. Whilst she is a very kind woman, her diagnoses are rarely acurate and her cures are never safe. She is under the impression that Senpai is gravely ill so she has prescribed a series of treatments. This includes steroids, blood letting and, if nothing else works, a lobotomy.
Mida
Mida is a classic black widow with a simple plan:
Seduce the boy. Lure him into the "special room". Have some fun together. Discretely dispose of the dead body
Teaching doesnt pay as well as she would like, so Mida makes extra cash by filming her activities for her devoted fans (some of whom can be found around the school). Ayano will need to expose this side gig before it is too late
Osoro
A lot of... interesting girls have gone missing this year and they had one thing in common - Senpai. This spells trouble for Osoro and her gang so she has put a bounty on Senpai's head. Throughout the week, multiple members of the delinquent gang will attack Senpai. Ayano will have to intervene in the assassination attempts. At the end of the week there will be a showdown. If her goons can't get the job done, Osoro will just have to do it herself.
Hanako
In public, they are a loving family. Hanako never wants her brother to leave her side. She doesnt want any potential girlfriends finding out her little secret. Behind closed doors, senpai has been treated like slave. He is frequently beaten and locked in a cage. Hanako knows that someone is onto her so she must get rid of all evidence. And dead Senpais tell no tales!
Megami
Megami has always seemed like the perfect student. Smart. Beautiful. Rich. But the Saikou family has been cursed for generations. All women born into the family have been unable to feel any emotions until they find their soulmate. Sound familiar? During the final week, Ayano will need to save senpai and herself from a series of classic yandere sim eliminations.
Eventhough I use the word week I imagine most of the rivals would play out over a longer period of time, especially the later ones. The full story would take place over a year. The early rivals would make one murder attempt during their week, with different levels of complexity and secrecy of the plans. Later rivals would attack multiple times. Not all attacks would be fatal by themselves. The order of the rivals would probably need be changed as some have more potential as killers than others. For example, Mida would have one opportunity to attack Senpai and would have a straight forward elimination method (find out about the snuff film site from a fanboy, find the site on the dark web, find the password, collect the evidence). Amai could potentially try multiple recipes that each involved different body parts and would lead to different kitchen "accidents" (all of which would need to be stopped). Asu was designed as a late game rival because I, for some reason, thought that she came after Muja and Mida.
The endings would be based on how successfully Ayano protected Senpai over the year and would change depending on a few key choices over the game. For example:
Was the play cancelled, sabotaged or given a new victim? Did Senpai take one of the experimental cures? (Not all are lethal) Did Senpai get injured during Asu's week? Did the rest of the school find out about Hanako's behaviour?
I obviously have no intentions of fully creating this story, but I thought that it made a fun writing exercise. I would love to hear peoples views/ideas. Once again, big shout out to DazzlingAnana for the idea