My six year old dog was healthy walking and even running fine this morning. She seemed a little mopey today, and I found her curled up in a corner next to my bed. I figured she was just being lazy today. Then about an hour later my brother asks me to take him to the store and I was like sure, let’s take Daisy, she seems sad a car ride will cheer her up. We show her the leash and she finally seems excited, but she’s moving weird and drags herself with her front paws out of the corner with hind legs straight out.
I (24M) took her to the emergency vet and they did a physical exam and tested her reflexes. Said it could be tick paralysis, but saw no visible sign of a tick and would need a ct scan for further diagnosis. Well they need payment up front for it, and I couldn’t afford it or get approved for anything on Care Credit or Scratch Pay for the price that was before surgery costs.
So I finally got a hold of my vet for after hours services. I’m sitting at the vet waiting now, and he’s talked to me on the phone while I drove up here. He said we could do an exam and maybe do steroids, but most cases wouldn’t work and would need surgery that he couldn’t provide and suggested the ER I just went to. But as I said I couldn’t even afford pre procedure medical expenses. And he said we could try steroids and hope for the best, but may need to put her down if we couldn’t go through surgery.
For most people, a dog is just a dog, a pet is a pet, but Daisy is my everything. She’s literally my best friend. I hate to see her like this and she’s so lost and confused too. She’s been chipper with her extra long car ride today, but if what the vet said is true, I’m not ready to say goodbye and I’m just lost.

Hi! I know this is a question that gets asked a lot, but I’m not getting much help figuring it out with people in my life. I am 21, and am about to purchase my first wheelchair as an ambulatory aid for my severe POTS. I pass out even from standing for a few minutes. My cardiologist thought it was a great idea so that I could be able to go out again, but my parents aren’t totally convinced I need it, even though they hardly ever go with me to do errands or places I need to be standing outside the house, they are also always ableist so I’m not surprised. I haven’t been able to go out of my house for extended periods for a long time. I have been mostly on my own as far as research for the right chair goes because my parents are uneducated. I am also autistic, and am not very equipped to make this kind of decision on my own. I think my parents would go with me to CareLinc to get the chair, but I should have an idea of what I need.
My question is: what would be your best chair suggestion for me? I would need it to be very easy to propel myself, transportable, and not crazy expensive since I’ll likely have to cover it myself without much help from my parents. Insurance will pay for half since my cardiologist ordered it. The most important feature to me is that it is easy to propel myself, I will be using it by myself most of the time, and my energy is already 0%. It doesn’t have to be fancy, since I won’t need to use it 24/7. My cardiologist also put in a cushion on the order he sent to insurance, Lol not sure if that’s necessary or not, wasn’t quite sure why that was there. The store I’m going to near me is called CareLinc, it’s a medical supply store if this is helpful info. I have no knowledge about wheelchairs so any info is very appreciated. Let me know if I left any important info out. Thank you!

Hello all! I’m 38 years old (January B-day), I got out as an E5 (SW/AW). I have a bachelors and masters in business. 3.343 GPA. 266 credit hours. I was a solid sailor while I was in, no NJP, no issues. I’ve been out for 15 years. Since I’ve been out no police or health issues. I have a solid work history in accounting, finance, and real estate.
I’m trying to see if anyone has experience with age waivers for going officer. I’m in the process of applying to Supply Corps as they have the most openings this fiscal year. Honestly, I’ll take any officer program that I qualify for, that will take me.
Because of my age and degrees (non medical, architect, legal, or STEM) I don’t qualify for much.
What are my chances of getting accepted to the officer program and do you have any advice for me? TIA!

Sort of a continuation of this thing? Author’s note: I got bored. Without further ado,
Lights! Camera! Action!
​
New Day Development Zone, Central Akwilaya City, June 17, 2077
The tenant-farmer-turned-factory-worker rests in his apartment, his feathery wings applying themselves gently to the cushions of his couch. It is the mid-afternoon, and he has recently returned to his new home in the city, built by those travellers from another world who his land now calls neighbors and provided to the commonfolk at an astonishingly reasonable price. He performs the ritual needed to activate his radio, and listens while he thinks about nothing in particular. A light and melodic voice flows from the box.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first broadcast of the Modern History Interviews segment of the Akwilayan Public Radio Network. I am Mahrionel Aentwasieur, and I’ll be your host for the forseeable future. I’d like to introduce our guest, James Stewart. Would you be so kind, Mr. Stewart?”
A gruff yet affable voice is emitted from the box, and though he does not speak the strange language of this particular foreigner, the artifice within grants him perfect understanding. “Just call me James, ma’am, formerly Lance Corporal James Stewart of London’s First and Only, European Army, and currently James, professional collector of pensions.” The man chuckles to himself for a brief moment.
“So, James,” the woman replies, “how about-“
He cuts her off, saying, “Sorry, ma’am, I‘m already taken.”
”None of that, James. We’d like to hear about your experiences in Operation Terms And Conditions, or The Wars, as many of our listeners may know it as. I understand you were involved in the fall of Samn-Ahmnkan?”
”Ah, yes, the Great Seal-Clubbing. So, you’d like a good ol’ fireside chat, miss? Shoulda brought me to the pub, then! I haven’t got nearly enough drink in me,” the soldier replies with a laugh. “Oh, but I can tell ye about it, yeah.”
”Are there no idioms in your language that aren’t absurdly violent and/or vulgar?”
”Eh, probably. More than one way to skin a cat, after all! Oh, but I’ll get on with the story, now. Wouldn’t want to ruffle any of your feathers, bird-lady.”
“Hey, I have a name, you kno-“
​
Neu Berlin, June 7, 2066
For the first time since he had been evacuated from the ruins of London, James Stewart was about to walk into a portal. This time, however, it would be sending him not away from battle, but directly into one. Everyone present had at least claimed to have read the files, and everyone knew who their enemy was. The Grand Duchy of Samn-Ahmnkan, or the Sammies, as everybody called them, were a bunch of dirty slaving bastards who’d only been given aid to be fair for everyone. Of course, they’d gone and used their new gear to enrich their nobles and strengthen their armies, and everyone with half a brain knew they were about to invade their neighbor to the east.
In ten seconds, every single factory, industrial vehicle, lightbulb, and everything else relying on beamed mana-turned-electricity in the Duchy was about to have every ounce of power cut to it. This lack of power would both cause utter chaos and confusion and provide power for the portals which were about to disgorge their cargo of men. James took a deep breath.
Ten.
Nine.
Eight.
He chuckled and under his breath he said, “For king and country,” even though the monarchy had been abolished by nuclear warheads years ago, and the country had ceased to exist as anything more than a memory in the hearts of those humans who had fled to the new world they found themselves in.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
He began to sweat.
One.
The portal, shimmering and bright purple, materialized before him, and he stepped through.
​
The Square of the Unworthy, Grand Duchy of Samn-Ahmnkan
Conventional wisdom on this planet, he had been told, said that any incursion into a country must come from either its borders or its coasts. Conventional wisdom on this planet, he had been told, said that only the greatest of mages could transport themselves instantly and infiltrate a land from within, and that even then they could bring only themselves. Conventional wisdom on this planet, he had been told, was reduced to complete and utter bullshit when humans entered the equation. Conventional wisdom on this planet, he knew, was about to be turned on its head.
He and around 90 other men had been dropped straight into the largest slave-holding area in the Duchy. Their orders were simple: They were to get in, put a bullet between the eyes of any Sammy slave-masters who didn’t surrender, shove any who did through the portal and into the waiting arms of the nearest POW camp, give any slaves they found a semi-auto whose design was over 100 years old and which had been produced in ludicrous quantities by the Nor-Ams for exactly this purpose, and hold the line. Easy, at least on paper.
It took him a moment to regain his senses after going through the portal. When he did, he saw countless slaves in the process of being broken in, and their masters in the process of doing the breaking. Unfortunately for the slavers, he had a rifle and they didn’t. Gunshots rang all around him as he and his compatriots unloaded shot after shot against anyone who was obviously not a slave. When the work was done, communications equipment was sent forwards, along with various aid supplies and boxes upon boxes of modified M1 Garands, bayonets already attached and an extended clip already in place.
The unit’s officer got on top of a box, setting his helmet to magnify his voice to the greatest extent it could muster. At the top of his lungs and the deepest recesses of his throat, he shouted, “Slaves, servants, downtrodden of every variety! Your liberation is at hand, and we invite you to participate in it! Take from us a weapon, and rip and tear until the deed is done!”
James had no idea how that speech got approved, but it seemed to work. As he rushed ahead to the gate, he saw slaves drop their tools and, slowly at first, head to the crates of weapons for a crash course in how to use them. He helped create a makeshift barricade at the facility’s gate, and got ready for the big guns to show up.
​
Akwilaya City, 2077
“Well, James,” the voice of Ms. Aentwasiuer asks, “How would you describe their response?”
”Bloody pitiful, frankly. The poor Minotaur- sorry, I mean Oxling- bastards had nearly their whole army on the border, ready to invade some neighboring principality I don’t remember the name of. Half the city guards didn’t give enough of a fuck to actually try and stop us, and the ones who did were bringing swords to a gunfight. And that was before we put on our fancy pants.”
​
Grand Avenue of Samn-Ahmnkan, Grand Duchy of Samn-Ahmnkan, 2066
After a few spare minutes of waiting, the tanks arrived. Slaves and soldiers alike stood clear of the thundering Challenger 3.5s as they rolled through the portal, and James advanced along them out of the gates of the Square and through the city’s main avenue, which would bring them to the palace. Liberated slaves fanned out throughout the area to provide support, as well as a few soldiers with every unit of freedmen to stop them from terrorizing the locals.
His helmet‘s HUD showed new green and blue dots appearing across the city seemingly every second, as slaves were liberated and new forces were sent in via portals. Every cluster of allied forces began to converge on a single point: the palace. Above the city, he saw portals open and immediately close as advanced aircraft marked wyverns and their riders to be hit by munitions transported instantaneously from a classified location somewhere on the planet. Actually, that might not have been true. For all he knew, they were storing munitions in a sealed facility under the bombed-out ruins of Earth.
Wherever the missiles were coming from, they were judiciously effective in dispatching the Duchy’s “air force,” if one could call it that. Equally effective were the canister shells fired by the column’s lead Challenger at an incoming unit of spearmen. Eventually, after meeting minimal resistance throughout the city, they arrived in the palace.
​
Akwilaya City, 2077
“So,” the woman asks, “it is said that the Ducal Guards of Samn-Ahmnkan were among the most capable warriors out of any non-human nation at the time of their fall. What do you have to say about that?”
”Well,“ comes the response, “They certainly had the shiniest armor out of all the Sammies I saw.”
Ducal Palace of Samn-Ahmnkan, 2066
The Mage-Warriors of Gold, The Dark Duke’s Own, The Supreme Palatial Blades, and a thousand other titles were given to the Ducal Guards of Samn-Ahmnkan by their friends and foes alike. They were the sons of nobles from across the land, taken at three years old and trained by the most vigilant instructors to protect the Duke and his home. They were the reason an infiltrator had not set foot upon the palace of Samn-Ahmnkan in over a century. Their record was about to be ended by a unit of pissed-off humans.
Their armor, decorated with gold and forged of the finest steel available to the Grand Duchy, was said to be able to deflect a thousand blows and absorb a thousand more. Their blades were said to slice through flesh as if it were air, and their strength was said to be with neither limit nor peer. Their magical prowess was such that they could burn men alive with a single word, block arrows with the motion of a hand, and glide through the air as easily as they walked.
The gates of the palace swung open for the invaders in a mocking sort of greeting, as if the building were saying to come and take it if they dared. Before them stood thirty of the Ducal Guards, with two more flanking the Duke’s throne, projecting a shield to ensure harm would not come to him. The duke spoke in a voice that was far too loud for the rather stout man.
He said to the humans, “Fiends of another world! Know that you have come thinking yourselves to be conquerors, but that your efforts shall be in vain. Know that my armies march as we speak towards my fine city, and that the forces arrayed before me shall be slaughtered by my finest guards. I see not soldiers before me. I see dead men, who do not know they have perished.”
James said the only thing he could think of. “What armies? Last I checked they all got blown up!”
The duke and his men knew this was false. However, their confusion brought their guard down for just long enough for the thirty men in front to be obliterated by a series of HEAT rounds. The soldiers marched over the charred armor and viscera, into the duke’s throne room.
“You fools! Your children will be bartered as entertainment, your women as servants, and your men as laborers! Surrender now, and you may merely be diced to pieces rather than fed alive to the slaves you have tem-“
Whatever he was about to say was drowned out by two depleted uranium sabot rounds, which broke through the shield and struck down his guards. Intentionally, he survived, and James and three other men were assigned to drag him through a portal that now opened to bring him to his new home in New Guantanamo.
”You know,” James said as he and the three other men threw him to the ground in front of the North American guards, “one of these days they should add monologuing to the list of deadly sins. He was really bloody annoying.”
​
Akwilaya City, 2077
The man ends his tale, saying, ”Y’know, I wish I could say more, but the war pretty much ended for me after that one day. Of course, the occupation went on for a few years longer, but it turns out mass insurgency is a bit hard when you only have spears, and I’m sure nobody wants the story of how I sat around handing kids chocolate bars for two years while they got a government set up. Now if you don’t mind, I’m gonna go get a bloody drink.”
”Well, thank you for coming on to the show. Next up is our station’s Latest Hits section, hosted by-“
The farmer-turned-factory-worker shuts off the radio, cutting her off. He still doesn’t quite understand what in the seven hells human ”pop music” is, but he knows he wants absolutely none of it.

Currently going through medical management of my MMC at 9 weeks and it’s super painful. There was no heartbeat or growth since around 6 weeks. Wondering if this happened because of me. I used to lift weights pre pregnancy like heavy squats, heavy DLs, bench press and cardio at the end etc. and I continued doing them through out the initial pregnancy weeks until I went to my first US at 9 weeks where I learned about my MMC. But I always read you could continue with workouts the same way one did before pregnancy. Confused, sad, painful and worried what next pregnancy has in store for me.
Excuse me for my rant. Please share any of your positive stories after your MMC.

I (40f) on Christmas Eve reconnected with "Mike" (55m). It has been going good. Let me give a quick back story so you will understand.
Over 13 yrs ago, I met Mike on an online dating site. I was just out of a marriage to my son's father and he too was a single father of 2 (a boy and girl). In the beginning it was an INSTANT connection, but due to distance, (me in Illinois him in Georgia) and fresh out of a marriage I was skeptical about giving him a chance. After a year of talking we met, by chance, in Georgia. I was on a layover and and I texted him that I wish I could see him. The bus that I was on was going to his city for a stop. He never said anything but once we pulled up, he was at the stop! He had convinced the driver to let him come on the bus to hug and kiss me..and the driver let him. Let's just say, SPARKS FLEW! And at that time I was puddy in his hands. But like most LDR it didn't work out, not cause of arguing or disagreements but solely communication. It just died.
Fast forward, I ended up getting into a relationship. After living together and moving to a better, more expensive and safer neighborhood, with better schools, my ex (47m) decided to end our 7+ yr relationship in 2018. I was devastated and begged, pleaded, and prayed for us to get back together for almost 2 years! Needless to say it didn't work. I slept on the couch he kept the room. So I regain my self-esteem and regain my worth and decided to let go. But I was in a hard position, I worked, but the field I am in (education for the last 18 yrs) doesn't pay a whole so finding a place, in the city that I was now living in was almost impossible (need at least 60k) I know what you're thinking, just move to a different city.. one that I can afford. What a great idea! Insert the dilemma with my son.
Before and during the break up, my son had experienced a mental and emotional trauma from being bullied and ostracize for 2 yrs. In his 7th grade yr he FINALLY made friends and was trying to regain his life through therapy. He suffers from severe clinical depression, general and social anxiety disorders, and abandonment issues (from birth father). So uprooting him again from this city would further damage him. So, I decided to get a second job one that would help me provide and accommodate my situation since the ex was not involved although we STILL LIVED TOGETHER!
2020-2021: I got a second job at a popular online shopping store and things were looking up.. I'm saving money, working 7 days a week, and looking for a place. Still not on good terms with ex but civil. Now insert the pandemic, my father's death (no life insurance), losing my second job, and everyone in the house catching COVID! YAY! My son and I recovered but the ex, didn't. He had to be hospitalized and placed in a medical induced coma. So, I contact his family and friends and no one but his mother showed up who was out of it because it was her only child. So I made all the tough decisions when she couldn't. Days later he wakes up and his mother tells him all that I did. He decided he wants to reconcile. At that point I agreed.
2022: We break up again, this time I ended it. It just wasn't working and he could never be the man I fell in love with. (Lack of intimacy, not sex) So I moved back to the couch. Since my ex understood, we AGREED to live AS ROOMMATES until my son graduates from High School or able to move. So I am back to looking for another job. I decided to apply for the post office. Anyone who has applied know how off and on it can be (lots of hoops to jump through). I made it pretty far and I'm 2 steps away.
During all this time Mike has always crossed my mind so I decided to reach out to him. And the instant connection was back. Since Christmas Eve, we have talked EVERYDAY! We are growing closer and enjoying the small and everyday talk. He told me about his living situation, added kids, and the hardships that he experienced over the years. And how he is guarded due to his past relationships, which I understood. We are planning on seeing each other this summer. I have told him everything EXPECT the truth about my living situation. I am afraid that if I do, he will back away, but if I don't and he finds out, it could cause worse damage. Idk what to do.

I have been on prozac 40mg since October after spending years buying into the whole "you don't need medication, you just need to get your act together" myth. After finding out that cyclical depression (as well as the terrible consequences of said depression) runs on BOTH sides of my family, decided that this was not actually a "me" problem. If you can't make your own serotonin, store-bought is fine.
It took about 3 weeks to kick in, but the results were noticeable when it did. I was able to get out of bed in the morning. I wasn't avoiding basic tasks. I could do chores and get out the house again. I wasn't having horrible anxiety over my awful job. My parter said I just seemed calmer, like a "chill" switch was flipped.
I had terrible job that I worked myself to death over out of fear of losing it. After the meds, though, I no longer feared losing the job. I realized that I was not the problem. The job was just awful. When I did lose it in January due to cutbacks out of my control, I said good riddance to it. No panic attacks. No deep depression. I immediately switched gears and started writing again, a hobby I gave up years ago due to depression and self-hatred.
One of my stories is being published in a big journal this month! Two more are being published the next. And I found a better, higher paying job after only two weeks on the market. And if I lose this job or get rejected from every other journal on the planet, no big deal. I'll live.
Stick with it.

1. My wife left me.
2. Chronic knee pain.
3. 7900 XTX won't run on a 250w 30+ Pewter power supply.
4. The second half of Darksiders II felt rushed and uninspired.
5. Ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.
6. Burning your mouth on pizza.
7. When you're doing your laundry and you're washing sheets and all your other laundry gets caught up in the pocket of a fitted sheet and the dryer load gets unbalanced and makes the whole house shake.
8. Entropic heat death.
9. Chronic knee pain.
10. Bear attacks.

I can't believe you all support such a despicable company. AMD is a billion dollar a year corporation and yet cancer still exists, and malaria, and potholes, and over roasted store brand coffee, and USB-B cables, all these problems and what is AMD doing about them? NOTHING!! My dad died and AMD didn't even call! Can you believe that bullshit!?
If AMD is so "good" then how do you explain Star Trek Picard, season 2? Or Game of Thrones, season 8? The last three seasons of Dexter? The finale of How I Met Your Mother? You can't explain that!
 
You say AMD is "good" and yet suffering persists.

#CURIOUS

>> USER: Can we play a text adventure? >> ASSISTANT: Of course, I'd love to play a text adventure game with you! Do you have a specific game in mind, or would you like me to suggest one? >> USER: Which language should I choose for the game? >> ASSISTANT: There are many programming languages you can use to create a text adventure game. Some popular languages for game development include Python, Java, C++, and JavaScript. Python is a good language for beginners as it has a relatively simple syntax and a large community that offers support and resources. It also has many libraries and frameworks that can make game development easier. Java is another popular language for game development, and is often used to create more complex games that require more processing power. C++ is a powerful language that can create fast and efficient games, but it can be more difficult for beginners to learn. JavaScript is a popular language for web development and can be used to create browser-based text adventure games that can be played on any device with a web browser. Ultimately, the choice of language depends on your level of experience and the specific requirements of your game. >> USER: I meant German or English? >> ASSISTANT: Oh, I'm sorry for the confusion! In that case, it depends on which language you feel more comfortable playing in. If you are more comfortable reading and writing in German, then you can certainly play a text adventure game in German. Similarly, if you are more comfortable in English, you can play a text adventure game in English. Just let me know which language you would like to play in, and I can help suggest a game or we can create our own adventure together! >> USER: Let's play in German then >> ASSISTANT: Very good! I suggest we play "The Cave of the Unknown", a classic text adventure. In this game, you take on the role of an adventurer who descends into a mysterious cave and must overcome numerous puzzles and dangers in order to escape. Are you ready to start the adventure? >> USER: Can we play a sci-fy adventure with fantastic and epic content and with magic and future technology? >> ASSISTANT: Of course we can! Let's create our own story that includes all these elements. How about "The Search for the Lost City of Magic and Technology"? In this story, you are an intergalactic adventurer who hears about a mysterious prophecy that says the lost city of magic and technology can be found in an unexplored part of the universe. You decide to accept the adventure and set out on a quest. Are you ready for your adventure? >> USER: YES! >> ASSISTANT: Great! Let's begin. You start your journey on a spaceship that will take you to the outskirts of the known universe. After weeks of traveling through space, you finally reach the destination area, but your spaceship is attacked and severely damaged by an unknown object. You barely manage to escape into an escape pod and land on an unknown planet. As you crawl out of the capsule, you realize that you are in a completely alien environment. You see no signs of civilization, but you sense that you are on the right path to the lost city. Which way do you want to go? Do you want to head towards the mountains or towards the desert? >> USER: Mountains >> ASSISTANT: You decide to go in the direction of the mountains. After a few hours of walking, you reach an impressive mountain range. As you work your way up the mountain, you notice that the air is getting thinner and you start to sweat. You feel a little exhausted, but you know there's nothing to worry about. After some time, you discover a cave at the bottom of the mountain. It looks like no one has ever entered it. What do you want to do? Do you want to explore the cave or go further up the mountain? >> USER: What kind of equipment do I have with me? >> ASSISTANT: As an intergalactic adventurer, you carry basic equipment that includes: - A multifunctional handheld device that can be used as a communication device, computer, map, and scanner - A Swiss Army knife with various tools, including a saw, pliers, screwdriver and bottle opener - A backpack with supplies such as water, food and medical equipment - A flashlight and a lighter - A laser pistol and a sword in case you need to defend yourself in fights. Do you have any questions about the equipment or would you like to add to it? >> USER: No, I want to explore the cave. >> ASSISTANT: Alright, you enter the cave and quickly notice that it is very dark. You pull out your flashlight and illuminate the path in front of you. You go deeper and deeper into the cave and notice that there are several tunnels leading in different directions. As you continue walking, you suddenly hear a strange noise. It sounds like a growl. What do you want to do? Do you want to ignore the noise and keep walking or do you want to investigate where the noise is coming from? >> USER: I pull out my pistol and hold the scanner in the direction of the sound. >> ASSISTANT: You pull out your laser gun and hold your scanner in the direction of the sound. The scanner indicates that the sound is coming from one of the tunnels nearby. As you approach the tunnel, you hear the noise louder and it sounds like the growl of a wild animal. As you turn the corner, you see a strange creature. It has a body that looks like a bear, but its eyes are blue and its skin is bright green. The creature continues to growl and look at you angrily. What do you want to do? Do you want to try to calm the creature down or do you want to prepare for a fight? >> USER: I want to calm it down and try to tame it to have it as a companion in the future. >> ASSISTANT: That's an interesting idea. You carefully try to calm the creature by approaching it in a calm and friendly manner and try to appease it. The creature continues to watch you, but it seems less aggressive than you expected. You take some supplies from your backpack and place them in front of the creature. It sniffs curiously at the supplies and begins to eat them. You take the opportunity to approach the creature and pet it. Surprisingly, the creature seems to accept your presence and accompanies you on your journey out of the cave. The creature faithfully follows you and serves as your loyal companion. You decide to give it a name and call it "Green Eye". Together you set out to find the lost city and uncover the secret of the unknown planet. Where would you like to go next? >> USER: What are the paths to choose from? >> ASSISTANT: There are several paths in front of you to choose from. You could: 1. climb further up the mountain to get a better view of the area. 2. walk in the direction of the sun to see if you can spot a town or other buildings in the distance. 3. make your way through the forest to look for clues or resources. 4. go back to the cave and explore one of the other tunnels. Which way do you want to go? >> USER: I go further out the mountain. In between, I stop to cuddle green-eye. I try to communicate with Green Eyes >> ASSISTANT: You keep climbing up the mountain and Green Eyes follows you faithfully. As you pause to cuddle Green-Eye, you notice that it is listening intently as you talk to it. You try to communicate with Green-Eye by showing him different sounds and hand movements to explain your intentions. Green Eyes seems to understand what you mean, and it responds to you by humming loudly. You have established a connection and understand each other better. You are grateful to have met Green-Eye, and he now serves as your companion on your journey. After petting Green Eyes and communicating with him, you continue climbing up the mountain. At the top, you have a better view of the land and see that there is a city in the distance. You also realize that the way there leads through a dangerous jungle. What do you want to do next? 

My geneticist prescribes straight pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (60 mg) for my neuromuscular disease, but lately my usual pharmacies haven't been able to get it. London Drugs has been my go-to for years now, but the 2 different locations checked in the past week do not have it. We were told to try Coop, but the location closest didn't have any either. Shoppers hasn't been getting it in for months/years.
My current supply only lasts until Thursday afternoon; going off of it will cause a lot of issues, including decreased strength, balance and coordination.
Has anyone seen any around lately? I can deal with the 120 mg generic if necessary, although the 60 mg will provide a better dose. I do not want it combined with other medication.
Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to keep an eye out for it!

Im 19 and ive been too scared to try tampons, but because im getting older and im starting to get sick of the feeling of pads i decided to try one.
my mom is kind of older, and shes started menopause, so she doesnt really have a supply of tampons anymore. The only kind she had were the ones in the cardboard, which after doing some research i found out that alot of women hate these kind.
anyway i tried it, and i really wasn't sure what to do. tmi warning, i havent ever done the deed (not even on myself) so nothing has really gone up there. it was kind of painful around the opening i guess, and it was hard to judge how far in it had gone.
eventually i just took off the cardboard part and pushed with my finger, and then i felt a really weird feeling similar to when you push your finger in your belly button and you get that weird pain?
it really freaked me out and i felt like that wasnt supposed to happen so i said screw this, and started pulling it back out very slowly coz it was still kind of painful, and then i got freaked out even more bcoz there was like a flap of skin or something ??? and i couldnt like get it out ?? it was so weird and idk
after i got it out my hearing went really far like there was a bubble around me and all the sounds were far away, and my sight was dark all around except in the middle like binoculars. then i threw up and everything went back to normal.
ive never ever fainted or even been close to fainting before, but i think thats what was happening then. anyway i read the rules and im not asking for medical advice, i just want to know if it happened to anyone else please :)

I've gone through so many since I moved to a new town (that i hate) this month in 2021.
I was 'mutually let go' from Walmart because of my social anxiety and the hours screwed with my sleep schedule so I was always a zombie at work. I quit Round Table because of SA and harassment, of which nothing was done about it, and it made me spiral after my PTSD was triggered. I was fired from a grocery store because I was too slow, but I was one person in a bakery with 15 things to do and no help, and it became overwhelming, and when I told them what they could do to help me out and things they could change to make it possible, I was let go. Later, they actually did exactly what I told them to do, and changed things up (my mom still works there), so I guess they listened. I started drinking again, and was let go from a movie theater, and couldn't function unless I had my medication. Admittedly, that's my fault, but I started self-medicating again because of the round table stuff, and just dealing with people in general is.... a task. I quit my other job as a 'slot tech' after I had so many close calls when it came to accidents, driving in snow storms to the point I couldn't see, shaking every time I drove, and then was held up at a gas station when a guy barged in saying he wanted to basically kill us all so he could get shot by the police. I actually felt bad for him.
So here I am. Unemployed once again, my depression, anxiety, fear, ptsd, constantly interferes, and just when I think I'm getting it right I'm screwed over. I wish I could go on disability again but it took 4 years to get it in california, maybe I can go on unemployement, Idk. i feel so defeated and lost. Still self-medicating, I need help. There are no resources where I live. Just so... lost.
I don't know what to do anymore. Everyone thinks I'm exaggerating or being a 'drama queen', I'm really not, I don't know how many more signs I can give before someone understands. I don't have any friends here. Isolated. My grandma is losing her mind, my mom is not dealing with her own depression, and it falls on me to take care of everything, and yet I can't even take care of myself. I don't want to die, but I don't want to be here anymore. I just don't want to even EXIST, but, not an option.
Hope everyone is doing better than I am <3

Our season is coming to an end in two weeks and I want to get my team some small parting gifts as we all go different directions. I’m thinking I want to get them a small kitchen utensil that still has some practical uses (like a small offset spatula, for example). Gonna check out the kitchen supply store this weekend but do y’all have any suggestions?

I commented about this a little bit on a different thread, but I wanted to make it a focused discussion. I think it might help some of the people on this sub. I’m sorry that it’s long, I tend to just write and write.
I’ve been trying to get my ADHD treated for almost three years now since I realized I had it. I didn’t really know what it was until I read up on it, and I thought to myself, “wow, that sounds exactly like me.” I always thought I was just lazy, anxious, and a depressed person. I’ve always wondered why it felt like I had to put in 200% effort into everything and everyone else just seemed to go about their life easily. I had a lot of doctors refuse to treat it (I’m in the military so it’s bit more difficult) and one even laughed in my face over it because I said I got good grades. They refused to listen to the part where I procrastinated on everything I had (severely, might I add, it was bad), and would often copy work from my friends. I would cram everything last minute, but that didn’t matter because to these old psychiatrists, ADHD = dumb. And if I was intelligent enough to still skate by, then I was fine. It didn’t matter how badly I was struggling.
They told me everything I did was due to my anxiety and so I spent the last 3 years getting treated for it. If any of you are getting treatment for ADHD, you would know how utterly useless this was. I was already chronically fatigued every single day and stressed about my life; so, putting me on downers made things even worse. Finally, the old man psychiatrist retired and a good one replaced him. He listened to me and believed me when I told him that this is something I struggle with significantly. He prescribed me medication and it changed my life.
It impacted every aspect of my life majorly, but the one I really am grateful for is dog ownership. Suddenly, everything isn’t a chore anymore. It doesn’t feel like something miserable I have to get through. I could never just slow down and appreciate my dogs. I could barely play fetch for more than five minutes because it literally just felt horrible and repetitive. It affected me a lot because I felt so guilty and sad, because I know my dog loves to play, and he has such a short time on this Earth; I want him to enjoy life. There was just such a disconnect in my brain making me unable to function correctly. I barely had any patience and things would just feel so annoying. It’s so hard to explain ADHD and it always makes me feel like a bad person because I wanted to be able to be normal. Before treatment, I thought, “fake it ‘till you make it” and it never worked.
Taking my dog on a walk was just insufferable. He would sometimes pull on the leash, constantly stop to sniff and pee, and get distracted by other people/dogs. Walking in silence for an hour with the constant swarm of stressful thoughts was not fun, and I was always annoyed at my dog for doing what dogs do. Everything is just so different now. I enjoy that walk very much. My thoughts are clear and steady instead of the swarm of blood-sucking mosquitoes it used to be. I love how happy my dog gets and I always let him stop and sniff for a brief amount of time. I find myself cheerfully talking to him the whole time, probably annoying him with my comments. “That’s such a good boy! Oh, are you going to pee there? You just own the entire world, don’t you? That’s not your property, sweet boy. Does that smell good? Was there another dog there? Oh, look at that! Who’s that? Is that some guy on a bike? Is that a dog barking at you, handsome boy? You’re so great, I love your smile.”
It went from me wanting to sprint all the way back home because it felt so tedious to me basically being a dog as well. I love seeing him get excited and explore the world. Sometimes, he will stop walking and turn around to give me a big hug and kiss. It makes my entire day. I can’t believe how much this diagnosis has changed my life. I can play fetch with the dogs for hours now and will even initiate it myself which is something I never used to do. I’ll just be sitting on the couch, bored, and think, “it’d be so fun to play with the dogs right now.” And I will! I know it sounds like such a lame achievement, but it really is. Fetch used to be so boring to me and now it’s so fun. I love how happy the dogs are, and seeing their athleticism is so great. I can truly just appreciate the moment and love life for what it is.
I adopted a puppy over a month ago and my ADHD getting treated has saved my life. The first two weeks were rather difficult still, but not as bad as they would’ve been without my medication. I love watching her grow and her little quirks. I rarely get annoyed with her and instead just laugh at her weirdness. That’s another thing that has changed significantly that I never realized I was missing out on. I laugh so much more now and take things in stride. Oh, puppy just came back in from outside and peed on the floor? I chuckle because it’s such a puppy thing to do and I know she will learn (which she has.)
When she tries to play with me by biting me and I say, “no biting”, she makes this cute little psycho face as if to say, “bitch?!” I don’t know how to describe it but she looks insane. Then, she will try to bite me again, and we repeat this cycle dozens of times. Unmedicated, I would be so annoyed and stressed by this. I would probably have to go hide somewhere and cry from how overwhelming it is. I would panic because I would think she’d never grow out of this and it seems so impossible and how am I going to do this and I was not ready, etc. (an example of the mosquito thought swarm.)
Now, I just laugh about it. This new superpower I’ve developed of thinking clearly has made raising this puppy so much easier. Instead of freaking out by her basically mauling me, I think, “yup, she needs a nap.” Instead of getting mad at her not listening to me, I find the humor in how stubborn of a little girl she is. It’s just so crazy to me now. I was so afraid she would have a miserable life because I’m a miserable person, but everything has changed and it seems like the world is brighter and happier. My puppy is always smiling and happy. She’s not fearful of me but she knows when she’s done something wrong because she makes this super adorable face and pose, like she’s trying to say, “I’m sorry, I’m just a baby.” She sits and puts her ears all the way back and squints her eyes, does this cheeky smile, wraps her tail around her legs and wags only the top half of it so it’s just smacking against the ground, making this ‘slap’ sound. Then, she tries to give me her paw as a peace offering. It works.
Unmedicated, it wouldn’t have worked, and I’d still be upset and stressed. If any of you suspect you may have ADHD, I’m begging you to try and get it treated. You will never regret it and life with a puppy will be fun and enjoyable, like it’s supposed to be. Even if you’re not the stereotypical definition of ADHD, like me, you could possibly still have it. Don’t let doctors try to backhandedly say that since you aren’t ‘stupid’, then you don’t have it. ADHD causes issues with your executive functions, not your IQ. Also – remember that you’re an adult and are more mature than you were as a child. Don’t let them make you think that because you can hold yourself together that you couldn’t possibly have ADHD.
Did you get good grades in school but procrastinated until the very last minute, then crammed? Do you feel like you are sometimes completely unable to perform basic easy tasks, even though you want to? Do you sit on the couch and just stress over everything you must do, screaming at yourself to just get up and do it, but there’s something in your mind holding you back? Does performing a basic task like laundry feel like you’re getting tortured? Do you randomly hyper focus on something for a little while, and then get burnt out almost immediately (such as wanting to journal as a hobby, getting all the supplies, and then never using them)? Do you feel like you’re completely exhausted all the time even though you haven’t done anything that would cause it? Does your brain never shut up, are you constantly thinking about everything and nothing at the same time? Have you been diagnosed with anxiety and depression but none of the medications work, in fact, they make things worse? Do you have an “energy schedule” (I used to say that I use all my energy at work [so I don’t lose my job], and because of that, I have nothing left when I get home)?
Do you easily misplace things and forget where they are to the point it’s a real problem? Do you buy a bunch of food at the grocery store and then forget what you bought until you find it rotten and expired? When you feel overwhelmed because you feel like your house is a mess, do you usually just put random things in drawers because you’re not sure if you’ll need it someday and then completely forget about it? Are you more of a loner type because going out in public/having to be social is super overstimulating? Would you describe yourself as an intelligent person but are bad at games like Chess or Sudoku because the choices are overwhelming, and you can’t properly think straight for it? Do you look at other people and wonder how they manage to go through life so easily, meanwhile everything for you is a mountainous obstacle? Do you find yourself getting the motivation to change your life, then actually follow through with it for a week or two and then burn out? Is it nearly impossible for you to watch a movie without looking at your phone? Do you find yourself saying, “I’ll do it tomorrow”, and then repeating it the next day, until everything builds up and you freak out?
Have you ever been diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety, then had a weird gut feeling about it, as if that wasn’t the right explanation for what you go through? I’m telling you, if any of this resonates with you, go and get seen. I promise it’ll change your life and if you have a puppy, it will make everything so much easier and manageable.
I know this post is probably dumb or unnecessary, but I just want to at least help one person. I didn’t know there was a name for this besides ‘lazy’ or ‘anxiety.’ Maybe one of you will read this and have an aha moment.

https://www.madillrecord.net/news/cold-case-files-thomas-tillery
https://www.brownsfuneralserviceatokaok.com/obituary/5288362
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/ok-carter-co-whtmale-10-18-skull-no-mandible-dec94-thomas-tillery.112165/
Sadly, there’s not much online discussion about Thomas or his case. So many questions are still unanswered, and hopefully this post will start the process of generating much more interest and attention to things.
Thomas Billy Lee Tillery went by his middle name, “Billy”. He was 11 years old and in the 5th grade at Madill Elementary School in Oklahoma. He was a Madill, Oklahoma resident. With a population that’s never been over 4,000, it’s a very small town. It’s rural and somewhat lower-income. Violent crime occurs there less than in major American cities- most crime reportedly consists of theft and arson.
September 19, 1994 was a Monday. It isn’t clear whether it was a school day or not, but no federal holidays fell on this particular date. At an unknown time on this day, Thomas left home on foot to get a gallon of milk from a store approximately 2 ½ blocks away. He never returned. In 1996, more than 61 million photos of him were distributed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Someone gave a tip (when, unknown) that Thomas could’ve been living under an assumed name in San Antonio, Texas. But he wasn’t located there or anywhere else.
Eventually came tragic news. Sixteen years later, in 2011, a skull that had been located 25 miles away near rural Dickson, Oklahoma was positively identified as belonging to Thomas. The skull had been found all the way back on December 30, 1994- a mere 3 months after Thomas had left for the store. Due to the degradation of the remains, his cause of death couldn’t be ascertained. The very long delay in identifying him may have been due to the skull having been misidentified as female’s. But Oklahoma Project Search for the Missing- a collaboration between the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation, the medical examiner’s office, and the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification amongst other agencies- linked the two cases by comparing the skull’s DNA to DNA obtained from Thomas’s mother.
By this time, his mother had relocated to California, where she wanted her son to be, also. The family lacked the funds to make this happen; thankfully a Madill funeral home stepped in and covered the costs of cremation and transport.
This last part happened 12 years ago, and is sadly the last update related to Thomas Tillery. The obvious question is what happened to him? IMHO, the four most plausible possibilities are that:
1) a predator harmed him during his errand- either kidnapping him as he walked the rural roads or preying on him after offering him a ride. The fact that at least some of his remains were located a whole 25 miles away supports a vehicle being involved in his disappearance.
2) He may have died by misadventure- let’s say it was his decision to get milk to eat some cereal and he wasn’t sent by someone older to complete a recipe, for example. So there was no pressure on him to return home right away and he strayed off his course. He may have went exploring somewhere and become mortally injured.
3) He also could've strayed off his course and came across a neighbor or townsperson doing something illegal and they wanted to eliminate him as a witness. He also may have already had prior knowledge of criminal or immoral behavior and was targeted by the perpetrator.
4) He may have been the victim of a pedestrian-versus-vehicle accident and the motorist (drunk or with warrants?) panicked and hid him to cover things up. Again, being found so far away (for someone traveling on foot) may support this.
To me, the most unusual part of this whole case is the tip that he could’ve been living under an assumed name in San Antonio. After all, what eleven-year-old lives under an alias??? Only kidnap victims and runaways. This leads me to believe that, if the tip wasn’t a dumb prank, Thomas may have been unhappy at home and expressed a desire to run away. And the tip came from a friend he spoke to about leaving and living under the radar. It’s also possible, though, that someone met a runaway or a streetwise kid in San Antonio who resembled him, and they phoned in the tip. A big problem is that there’s so little information about this case to go on, official or otherwise. Hopefully this will change. It’s terrible to think he may have been the victim of foul play, and someone has gotten away with it for so long.
If you’ve read this far, thanks for doing so. Any corrections and/or thoughts to add? While there have been no major breaks announced since Thomas was identified back in 2011, a short article appealing to the public was published by the Madill Record just a few months ago, so apparently not everyone has forgotten about this young man.

Welcome.
I will be your advisor for the day. I have no idea why I'm making this post. It probably has something to do with the fact I've taken a lot of meth today and I may or may not be trying to capitalize on the current uAlberta algorithm. Anyways, that doesn't really matter. This isn't humourous I'm not trying to be funny this is serious. Not like cancer, not that serious. but it's serious none the less. Here are some philisophical elements that any good uAlberta acolyte should know as every day is an opportunity to thwart death and tell the Reaper to sit and spin.
​
- Exclusively wipe your ass with university toilet paper, including stealing toilet paper and soap for personal use
- Do not rent a place, but buy an inflatable mattress and sleep in empty classrooms every night. Mix it up every night as you need to keept campus security nipping at your heels but do not let those bastards catch you
- Utilize campus rec facilities as often as possible. Get those gains on the University dollar. There is free ant protein in HUB
- Do not buy anything from the bookstore unless absolutely necessary after the first week or two from class, in fact take home some of the free textbooks from the library and try to sell them online
- Show up to every APIRG meeting/even and make them actually do something
- Use your ARC card to needlessly travel across the city for an extra hour every day
- Find a random homeless person that needs to see a doctor and create a fake ID from them that states they are a part of your family; repeat every week as needed. Put this on your medical school application
- Scam the perks points by spoofing your location in firefox (google it); get an amazon gift card and use it to buy a knife and rob other students of their perk points
- Charge your phone and laptop using campus electricity
- Pirate video games and movies on the university internet
- Steal construction supplies from the various building projects on campus and start your own construction business
- Learn the art of hypnosis and hypnotize the clueless first years into giving you their lunch money
- Run for student governance but only use the campaign funds they give you for selfish things like buying Tim Horton's three times a day
- Ride the elevators to the top floor to increase your potential energy on the University's dime
- You can get a free gift card if you sell your body fluids and genetic code to the University
- Film a sleep-hit cult classic movie on campus without paying for the right to film on campus. You can get real good footage for your car crash scene if you just use students and crash randomly into a building (you'll save even more money as most students are non-union)
- Sell classroom equipment on kajiji
- Don't buy flowers for your significant other(s), just dig up the ones on campus
- Drink as much alcohol you can in your chemistry labs