I (25M) feel that I have limerence for my 'friend' (22M). My friend and I met at work exactly a year ago, being office mates, and we connected quite well. But before I tell the story, I just want to say that as a bisexual person in a small town, the center of my social circle has always been straight guys, and I've never had issues with it. I've always had the ability to not develop romantic interest in friendships. So, when I look back at this situation, I don't know how I ended up here.
A year ago, when we became office mates, I did feel a crush on him. He's an attractive and sweet guy, and immediately, I remember perfectly, I tried not to get close to him, because I thought he was straight, at least until the crush faded away. But then, I felt that in our day-to-day interactions at work, there was some kind of reciprocation of attraction or at least; interest. It started with small gestures like getting me a more comfortable chair, waiting for me with coffee in the morning, the way his face lit up with a smile when I entered the office... Day by day, these details made me fall for him.
Perhaps they weren't the clearest signs of attraction, but... I let him in before the crush faded away.
During the following weeks and months at work, we started getting closer. I would say it was a pretty intimate friendship. After spending eight hours in a monotonous job, we would come home and call each other on the phone, talking until 2 am. We would spend weekends together, go out to dinner, make plans...
In one way or another, the relationship didn't feel like the ones I had with other friends. The closeness, the intimacy, the day-to-day interactions... It filled a loneliness that I didn't know existed, and yet, it intensified on the realization that he is straight.
But even so, I had already fallen for him.
Towards the end of the year, he met a girl, and I decided to meet new people as well. I met a girl, but it didn't work out. Shortly after, I met a guy, but that didn't work out either. I felt like I was already 'taken,' as if I had nothing more to offer in the romantic aspect, even though I knew it was all just an illusion.
Their relationship also ended up not working out. At some point, I don't remember the exact reason, driven definitely by my frustration, we had a discussion that forced us to sit down and talk honestly. We didn't define an "us," we weren't that brave, but we did address the situation. And that's when he said something that both excited and broke my heart.
"We're like a couple..." he said when we were talking about why it didn't work out with his ex, and he continued, "I didn't feel as appreciated as when I'm with you."
When we went out, he would sometimes comment on how comfortable he felt, maybe in our shared loneliness or heartbreak. He would say how he only wanted "this" (referring to the things we did together like going to the movies, eating, talking late into the night, making plans), but with a girl. My goodness! We even made plans to move in together.
At the beginning of this year, we both left our job. It was my escape route, a month of heartbreak, and eventually, I would forget about it. That was the plan, and I had executed it. I lasted only half a week until he came back to me, saying, "Let go of the nonsense. We're friends. We can stop talking for a couple of days to reduce the 'intensity' of the relationship, but we don't have to go away."After that, he didn't let go... He put more effort into staying close to me. And I, I let him do it.
By the end of January, I had landed a good job - remote, good pay, low responsibilities and stress. Sometimes there's nothing to do... (Truly a nearly perfect job xD). And when a position opened up in March, I gave it to him... Now we work together again.
And I feel like we're stuck in a loop. He's getting to know some girls, but he's already complaining about the same things, that it's not the same, that he doesn't feel 'appreciated.' And I... I feel trapped, hopeful, lonely, and in love.
So I ask for your advice. Just like that, it serves as a form of release.

All my games are NIB/sealed unless otherwise noted. Always willing to look at lists and am primarily looking for Nintendo items. I ship on Wednesdays.
Here is what I have to offer: HAVE
Switch *A Hat In Time *Aqua Moto Racing (CIB) *Azure Striker Gunvolt *Bad North *Battle World Kronos (CIB) *Ben 10 *Blacksad Under the Skin *Blazblue Cross Tag Battle *Brigandine *Clannad *Close to the Sun *Contra Rogue Corps *The Count Lucanor *Crayola Scoot (CIB) *Darksiders II *Dead by Daylight *Dead Cells *Diablo III Eternal Collection *Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth *Dimension Drive Limited Edition (PA-0149) *Disgaea 5 *DOOM *Dragon Ball Fighterz *Dragons Dogma *Fate/Extella Link *Fault Milestone One *FIFA 18 *FIFA 19 *FIFA 20 *Galak-Z The Void + Skulls of the Shogun *Gigantic Army *God Eater 3 *Hell Warders *Hellmut *Hotline Miami Collector's Edition (SRG-2280) *Hover *Ice Age Scats Nutty Adventure *Indivisible *Instant Sports (CIB) *Instant Sports Summer Games *Kotodama 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa *LA Noire *Layers of Fear Limited Edition LRG *Monster Hunter Generations *Mortal Kombat 11 *Mother Russia Bleeds *Mutant Football League *My Hero One's Justice *NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 *NBA 2K18 *NBA 2K19 *NBA 2K20 *New'n'Tasty Oddworld Abe's Oddysee Limited Edition *Northgard (CIB) *Nurse Love Obsession *Oddworld Stranger's Wrath HD Limited Edition *Oddworld Munch's Oddysee Limited Edition *Our World Is Ended Day One Edition *Payday 2 *Planescape: Torment & Icewind Dale Enhanced Editions *Poi *RBI Baseball 17 US Cover *RBI Baseball 17 CA Cover (CIB) *RBI Baseball 18 US Cover *RBI Baseball 18 CA Cover (CIB) *RBI Baseball 19 US Cover *RBI Baseball 19 CA Cover (CIB) *RBI Baseball 20 US Cover *RBI Baseball 20 CA Cover *Race with Ryan *Remilore: Lost Girl in the Lands of Lore *Reverie Sweet As Edition (PA-0569) *Riot *Risk of Rain 2 *Saints Row the Third *Saints Row IV *Samurai Shodown *Scribblenauts Mega *Scribblenauts Showdown (CIB) *Shantae Half Genie Hero Day One Limited Edition *Shaq Fu *Sid Meier's Civilization VI *Sine Mora EX *Skully *Slain Back From Hell *Sniper Elite III Ultimate Edition *Sniper Elite V2 Remastered *Soccer Tactics *South Park The Fractured Butt Whole *Sports Party (CIB) *Spyro Reignited Trilogy *Star Wars Jedi Knight Collector's Edition *Star Wars Jedi Knight II Collector's Edition *Star Wars Racer Collector's Edition *Star Wars Pinball *Steins Gate Elite Limited Edition (slight corner damage) *Steven Universe Save/ OK K.O.! *Street Outlaws: The List *Streets of Rage 4 Classic Edition *Streets of Red Devil's Dare Edition *Super Blood Hockey Standard Edition *Super Dragon Ball Heroes World Mission *Super Street: Racer *Tennis World Tour *Tennis World Tour Roland Garros Edition (CIB) *Thea The Awakening *This is the Police *This is the Police 2 *This War of Mine *Tiny Barbarian DX *TT Isle of Man - Ride on the Edge (CIB) *Uglydolls An Imperfect Adventure (CIB) *Umihara Kawase Fresh *V-Rally 4 (CIB) *Vampyr *Warriors Orochi 4 *Wasteland 2 (CIB) *Wild Guns Reloaded *WRC 8 *Xenon Racer *Yomawari: The Long Night Collection *Yu-Gi-Oh Legacy of the Duelist *Zombieland
Wii U *Bowser Wii Remote Plus *007 Legends *Adventure Time Explore the Dungeon Because I Don't Know *Adventure Time Finn & Jake Investigations *Amazing Spiderman (CIB) *Amazing Spiderman 2 (CIB, Walmart cover) *Amazing Spiderman 2 - CIB bad disc *Assassins Creed III (CIB) *Assassins Creed IV Black Flag (CIB) *Barbie Dreamhouse Party (CIB) *Barbie Puppy Rescue *Batman Arkham City Armored Edition (CIB) *Batman Arkham Origins (CIB) *Ben 10 Omniverse (CIB) *Ben 10 Omniverse 2 (CIB) *Book of Unwritten Tales (CIB) *Cabela's Big Game Hunter Pro Hunts (CIB) *Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2013 *Call of Duty Black Ops II (CIB) *Call of Duty Ghosts (CIB - missing single insert) *Cars 3 Driven to Win *Croods *Darksiders II (CIB - nordic games cover) *Darksiders Warmastered Edition *Dues Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut *Epic Mickey 2 (CIB) *Ducktales Remastered (CIB - no pin) *ESPN Sports Connection (CIB) *Family Party 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade (CIB) *Fast and Furious Showdown (CIB) *FIFA Soccer 13 (CIB) *Funky Barn (CIB) *Game Party Champions (CIB) *Giana Sisters Twisted Dreams - Director's Cut *Hello Kitty Kruisers *Hot Wheels World's Best Driver (CIB) *How to Train Your Dragon 2 (CIB) *Injustice (CIB) *Jeopardy *Kung Fu Panda *Madden 13 (CIB) *Mario Party 10 Mario amiibo bundle *Marvel The Avengers Battle for Earth *Mass Effect 3 (CIB) *Mighty No. 9 *Monster High 13 Wishes (CIB) *Monster High New Ghoul in School *Monster Hunter 3 (CIB) *NBA 2K13 (CIB) *NBA 2K13 (CIB, bad disc) *Need for Speed Most Wanted U (CIB) *Nickelodeon Spongebob Squarepants Planktos Robotic Revenge (CIB) *Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures *Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 (CIB) *Penguins of Madagascar (CIB) *Phineas and Ferb Quest for Cool Stuff (CIB) *Planes (CIB) *Planes Fire and Rescue *Rabbids Land (CIB) *Rabbids Land (CIB, bad disc) *Rapala Pro Bass Fishing (CIB) *Rayman Legends *Rayman Legends (CIB, bad disc) *Resident Evil Revelations (CIB) *Rise of the Guardians (CIB) *Rodea They Sky Soldier w/Bonus Game *Runbow Deluxe Edition *Scribblenauts Unlimited (CIB) *Scribblenauts Unmasked (CIB) *Scribblenauts Unmasked w/DVD (CIB) *Shantae Half-Genie Hero Risky Beats Edition *Smurfs 2 (CIB) *Sniper Elite V2 *Snoopy's Grand Adventure *Splinter Cell Blacklist (CIB) *SteamWorld Collection (CIB) *Tank!Tank!Tank! *Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (CIB) *Terraria *Transformers Prime (CIB) *Transformers Rise of the Dark Spark *Turbo Super Stunt Squad (CIB) *Walking Dead Survival Instinct (CIB) *Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper (NIB, seal is ripped) *Watch Dogs (CIB) *Wheel of Fortune (CIB) *Wipeout 3 (CIB) *Wipeout Create & Crash (CIB) *Zombi U (CIB)
DS *Game and Watch Collection CIB *Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass CIB
GameCube *Bloodrayne Disc only *Die Hard Vendetta Disc only *Beyblade VForce Disc only *Army Men Sarge's War Disc only *Black Gameboy Player (no disc) *MadCatz Controller
PS5 *DualSense Wireless Controller *DualSense Charing Station
Here is what I'm after: WANT
Switch Games *Advance Wars 1+2 *Bayonetta 3 *Bayonetta Origins *DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power *Kirby and the Forgotten Land *Kirby Return to Dream Land Deluxe *Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom *Lego Brawls *Live A Live *Mario and Rabbids Sparks of Hope *Mario Strikers Battle League *Metroid Dread *Metroid Prime Remastered *Pokemon Legends Arceus *Pokemon Shield + Expansion Pass *Pokemon Sword + Expansion Pass *Splatoon 3 *Tetris Effect: Connected *Triangle Strategy *Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Switch Accessories *Joy-Cons (yellow, mario red) *Joy-Cons Zelda Edition *Themed Switch docks
Gamecube *Mario Party 5 - CIB *Mario Party 6 - Manual only *Purple Gameboy Player (with or without disc) *Component cable *S-Video cable
PSP *Me and My Katamari
Wii *Animal Crossing City Folk with or without microphone
3DS/DS *Arkanoid *Atari Greatest Hits 1 *Atari Greatest Hits 2 *Break 'em All *Centipede Infestation 3DS - Case only *Deal or No Deal DS - Game only *Detective Pikachu 3DS - Case/artwork only *Elf Bowling 1 & 2 *Korg DS *Korg DS Plus *Mario vs Donkey Kong 2 DS - Game only *Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Gates to Infinity 3DS - Case and manual only *Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon 3DS - Case and manual only *Space Invaders Extreme *Space Invaders Extreme 2 *Space Invaders Revolution *Tetris DS *Tetris Party Deluxe
GB/GBC/GBA *Gameboy Camera *Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages *Pokemon Pinball *Pokemon Gold *Consoles

Yesterday I received my Rokid Max. And the prescription lenses from their official partner Lensology. Perfect timing. But I've been fiddling with them for 2 days straight now, to get a full clear picture, and it's not coming together. The center (about 40% of the image) is perfectly sharp, but the rest (60% of the screen) is blurry, and gets outright vague towards the edges. To the point where I honestly can't read the subtitles. It's also very straining on the eyes.
I've put the headset everywhere on my nose, from far away, too so close that my eyebrows are getting tangled inside the ventilation holes and my eyelashes are getting held back by the lens-inserts. I barely can see the edges of the screen. If I set it in a "normal" glasses position, the corners of the screen are cut-off.
My IPD is 66mm. I tested the lens-inserts on their own (headset not turned on) and they seem perfectly fine. Everything is clear no matter how far I look right, left, up, down. I've also tried adjusting the diopter-dails, but they seem to work as intended and are not making things better for me.
I've been carrying a very fond memory of "video glasses" for about 11 years (Sony HMZ-T1), but I'm 100% sure I didn't have this much trouble. So, am I doing something wrong here? Or is it just not compatible with the shape of my face? My twin brother confirms my experience. Not trying to be racist, but my sister-in law is from Indonesia and her "asian" type face suits the glasses much better. She's confirming that everything looks nice and sharp to her, including the subtitles. Which seems like a miracle to me.
I get the best results for myself when connecting it to the Nvidia Shield Pro, and adjust those settings for "overscan", this way I can make the screen 30% smaller. But I als lose 30% of the pixels. And it shows. I get aliasing in movies. I've also been using the Rokid App and have adjusted the IPD, 60mm seems better?? than my actual measured IPD. 70MM makes me almost throw-up.
I'm on the verge of sending it back. Even with all the workarrounds applied, it straines my eyes where I can't use it for more than 15 minutes. At which point I instinctively take it off and start to massage my eyeballs.
Just for reference, I've been using VR-headsets extensively and with excellent results for at least 7 years now, from Samsung Gear, Rift CV1, Quest 1 and 2, HP reverb G1 and 2, Pimax 5k+ and 8k, Samsung Oddysey (and plus), Varjo Aero. So, it don't think it something to do with "getting used to HMD's".
I'd much rather have someone give me the golden tip than having to send them back. I want to love them, but at this point, I can't. Any advice is appreciated.

The small cargo ship, in the default medium grey, was wholly unremarkable. The same and similar made up the fleets of corporate and private couriers, with the result that it was not surprising to see it anywhere.
The anonymity and ability to blend in served Sidra well…usually. This station, run by the hyper-bureaucratic aslodzhins was the exception. The “bugs,” as many humans called them, had their own ways of doing things and didn’t like a “squishy,” as they called humans and other endoskeletal beings in their own language, upsetting the order.
“Private vessel Hobby Horse, please state the purpose of your visit and expected duration.”
“Station 47 control, I say again: PV Hobby Horse requesting permission to dock in an out-of-the-way small cargo dock for fueling. Expected visit duration no more than a week…seven standard days, but no less than an hour.”
“PV Hobby Horse, docking for fuel cleared at Lock 7-16. All passengers and crew are required to wait inside the vehicle until security arrives to clear you. …Cracked-shell squishy thinks they can—” The controller’s voice cut out as they must have noticed they were still transmitting.
“Thank you, station 47 control. Docking at Lock 7-16. Squishy out….”
Sidra expected one or two security to show up to clear her to enter the station, instead, there were a dozen. She opened the airlock and waited inside. “Come on in.”
The leader, obvious by the shiny, silver emblem in the center of its blast armor, stepped in, followed by two others that made a quick inspection of the ship to verify the claim of no other persons aboard. The brown color of the leader’s head carapace marked them as a drone, while the black carapaces were male and bright blue were female.
Sidra extended a hand. “Sidra Boston; captain, owner, pilot, and sole crew of the Hobby Horse. Welcome to my home.”
“Sub-adjutant-lieutenant-detachment-commander Slivdzak.” The officer looked at her extended hand and grasped it with one their six manipulators.
“Pleasure to meet you, Slivdzak. How can I help?” Sidra felt a secret rush of joy at the way the officer tried and failed to hide their discomfort. She knew that the lack of carapace was as disconcerting to them as the feel of a surprise tarantula crawling on the neck was to humans.
“Captain Sidra Boston—”
“Please, just call me Sid. Drop all the Captain and Boston stuff.”
“Sid, you have not made clear the purpose of your ‘one-hour to seven-day’ stay. Please elaborate.”
“I’m meeting someone here and taking them home.”
The officer looked at a small device it carried. A hologram rose from it, her close-cropped black hair, medium-brown skin, large, green eyes, and humped nose obvious. Beneath the hologram was writing in the bugs’ script. “Are you not a hunter of bounties?”
“Well, if that’s what you want to call it, I guess.”
“Such activity is only allowed in teams of three or more by aslodzhin law 9314-27.664 and safety regulations 647-88.932 and 90991-17.0. In addition, at least one of the team must be aslodzhin.”
“That’s kind of speciesist, isn’t it?”
“The courts have allowed for permanent residents of aslodzhin space to fill the requirements where applicable, in accordance with Galactic Union Resolution on the Rights of Sapients, 74.23.08 Paragraph 12.”
“Great, good to hear. Problem is, I work alone and I’m not after a bug.” She shrugged. “You know how we squishies are.”
“Station command has already decreed that you are not to leave your vessel without the two members chosen for you.” The officer raised to its full height, its head carapace close to scraping the ceiling. “Your team will be here soon. Good day, Captain Sidra Boston.”
“Good day, sub-whatever-whatchamacallit Sliv.”
After the security detail left, she stepped out of the ship to check on the refueling. No sooner had her foot set down outside the airlock than she found herself in the crosshairs of two armed security guards that had been standing out of sight.
“They aren’t kidding about not leaving without a team, huh? Damned bureaucracy.” She stepped back inside the ship and sat on the floor to await her babysitters.
When her team arrived, she was surprised by the presence of the furred, six-limbed hikarin hemi-male. He was easily head and shoulders taller than her, but slight of build, and thin-boned, coming from a lower-gravity world.
The aslodzhin female didn’t surprise her, even in her law enforcement uniform. She wore a red symbol on the chest of her uniform.
Sidra stood. “Okay guys, I’m Sid, and this is my job. You do what I say and stay out of the way we’ll get along fine. You,” she said, pointing at the aslodzhin female, “change out of that uniform. You’ll scare off my skip.”
“Sid, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m senior-squad-chief Dliz, and this is Soolyasin.” Dliz extended a manipulator for a shake and Sidra obliged. Dliz’s compound eyes rotated in a way Sidra didn’t know they could, and she showed frank wonder at the feel of a hand in her manipulator. “Could you do that again?” she asked.
“Do what?”
“You moved your hand, and I could feel the muscles flex…yes! That’s it!” Dliz laughed. “That’s the neatest feeling ever!”
“Am I the first squishy you’ve met?”
“Oh, no. I’ve known Sool since I was a nymph.” Dliz continued to hold on to Sidra’s hand.
“How about humans?” Sidra raised an eyebrow and tried to extricate herself from the increasingly awkward handshake.
“Yes. I mean, I’ve seen plenty passing through, but never met one.” Dliz let go and uttered a quiet apology.
Soolyasin stepped forward. He was dressed in technician’s clothes, complete with tool belt. “You’ll have to forgive Dliz. She’s a fan of bounty hunters in general, and you in particular.”
“Shush.” Dliz stood straight up at attention on her four hind legs, her head scraping the ceiling, her three left manipulators raised in a salute. “What are your orders, Sid?”
“First order of business, you need to lose the uniform and dress in something less conspicuous. Sool, is that a disguise?”
“No, these are my work clothes. When Dliz called I ran straight here.”
“That’s fine. You’ll blend in, no trouble.” Sidra put on a ballistic vest and covered it with a loose jacket. She checked that she had cuffs, shackles, bench warrant, and badge.
She turned toward Dliz. “Do you have a ballistic vest?”
“I have a carapace; I’m not a squishy.”
“Will your carapace stop a slug from a weapon like this?” Sidra held up a high-powered, 6mm rifle.
“Um, no. I have armor, though.”
“Can you wear it under clothes?”
“Yes, but it’s against the regulations.”
“Screw the rules, wear your armor…under your clothes.” She muttered under her breath, “Damned bureaucracy.”
Sidra turned toward Soolyasin. “I think I have a vest that’ll fit you.”
He looked at Sidra, then Dliz, then back again. “Is it going to be that dangerous?”
Sidra showed them the bench warrant. Soolyasin’s eyes grew wide and Dliz’s eyes rolled in a different way to earlier. Sidra thought she might be able to read bug emotions if this kept up.
“You were going after a turgen terrorist by yourself?” he asked.
“Still am. Just don’t want to see my babysitters get hurt.” She turned to look at Dliz. “Dliz, relax. You don’t have to stand at attention. I need you to tell me which of these weapons you’ll let me carry on the station.”
Dliz settled back down onto six legs and looked over the cabinet Sidra had unlocked. In addition to the rifle, she had pistols, tasers, batons, knives, and a shotgun with less-lethal beanbag loads along with standard loads.
“Which of them are capable of breaching the station hull?”
“The 6-mil, and the shotgun, if I loaded it with steel shot or slugs instead of beanbags.” She didn’t mention that the 10mm pistols were just as likely to do the same damage, but she wasn’t going out without at least one lethal weapon.
“In that case, leave the rifle and lethal shotgun rounds behind. I’ll be carrying a beam weapon, too, so we should be covered.”
“What about me?” Soolyasin asked.
“The only thing I need you to do is stay out of the way. Unless I need some inconspicuous eyes in the bay.”
After fitting Soolyasin with a ballistic vest and Dliz getting into civilian clothes over her armor, much to her dismay, they moved to the main cargo bays where they expected their quarry to show. Sidra positioned them so that she could watch arrivals, Dliz could watch her back, and Soolyasin could stay well out of the way unless and until needed.
The first hour went by at glacial speed, with constant interruptions from Dliz and Soolyasin asking questions or pointing at every passerby that might be a turgen in disguise. The next two hours dragged compared to the first.
It was in the middle of the fourth hour that Sidra got notice that the ship carrying her quarry was docking. She moved them to cover the lock where it pulled in, granting them a view on both the personnel airlock and the cargo airlock.
A much smaller contingent of security met the ship, cleared the crew for the station, and left. Four crewmembers, all turgen, filed off. Larger than humans in bulk, grey skin covered with hard dermal denticles, they had two arms, two legs, the remnants of a dorsal fin, and a long, flat tail with which they could do bone-breaking damage.
Sidra waited. If he was going to sneak off the ship, he’d need to do it soon. When it became apparent that he wasn’t going to get out on his own, she radioed Soolyasin.
“Okay, Sool. It’s clear around the ship. Just carry your tool case and walk onboard like you belong there. You’ve seen his picture, if you see him, run. If there’s anyone else on the ship, just tell them you’re checking the fuel gauges because of some regulation or other.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. You got this, and I’ve got your back.”
Soolyasin walked onto the ship, and they could hear him in their headsets, “Hello? Anyone here? I need to check your fuel gauges. Hello?”
A few quiet moments passed before Soolyasin spoke up again. “There’s no one else here,” he said, “I’m co—” His voice was cut off by the sound of a heavy thud.
Sidra ran for the ship, pulling her shotgun into firing position and cycling a round into the chamber. She stopped at the door of the ship and called inside. “Give it up, Otto. The only way you’re leaving here is in cuffs.”
When she didn’t hear anything else, she moved to clear the corners. She looked right where the door to the cockpit was closed. She swiveled around to check the other side only to find it empty as well. “Dliz, move up and cover the exit. The cargo airlock hasn’t been cycled, so this is the only way off.”
She began to move down the passageway when she heard the cockpit door click behind her. She swung around a delivered a 12-gauge beanbag into Otto’s gut at near point-blank range. Rather than stopping him, it enraged him. He turned and swiped at her with his tail.
Sidra tried to dodge out the way, but he managed to knock the shotgun out of her hands. He picked it up and threw it behind himself into the cockpit, next to the limp form of Soolyasin. “Time to go away, bounty hunter.”
He began to move toward her. When he stepped in front of the open door, he was met with a concentrated beam of infrared energy that forced him to jump back. “Listen, soft-skin. You leave now, and I’ll throw your friend out. It’s your one chance to leave alive.”
She drew her 10mm pistol and pointed it at him. “And if I don’t?”
He started toward her again, then stopped when the beam almost connected. “I’ll start by killing your furry friend, then your trigger-happy friend, then you…but nice and slow. There’s no way you’re taking me to a human prison.”
Sidra couldn’t see Dliz, but from the angle of the last beam, she’d moved to where she had more coverage of the passageway toward the cockpit. She knew that if he wanted, he could ignore the burns and rush her, crushing her carapace in a thousand different ways. Her shotgun was far out of reach, not to mention ineffective, but the 10mm pistol was a comforting weight in her hand.
Otto turned his back on her, his tail swishing wildly, smashing against the bulkheads on each side of the passage. “Very well, then. On to killing your furry friend first.”
“I’m warning you, Otto, these are lethal rounds. Put your hands behind your head, your tail between your legs, and drop to your knees.”
By the time Otto had taken a step, Sidra had taken aim and fired a shot into his torso and another into his thigh. He stopped and turned to look at her, bright pink blood running down his leg and back. He laughed. “You’re going to be so much fun.”
The courts tended to look down on spinal injuries, but when a round in the torso and thigh didn’t slow him down, she didn’t feel like she had much choice. She took aim again and fired at the base of his tail. His tail dropped like a dead weight, and he cried out.
The pain dropped him to his knees. Sidra finished the motion by jumping between his shoulder blades to put him flat on the deck. She cuffed his hands behind his back, and secured his ankles with shackles before motioning Dliz to come in.
“Call for medical for Sool and for the idiot here.”
Dliz made the call and medical teams arrived in less than a minute.
“Damn,” Sidra said, “I guess bureaucracy is good for something after all.”
Soolyasin was awake by the time he was loaded onto a stretcher. There didn’t seem to be any broken bones, but he’d been thrown rather hard by Otto’s tail strike. “Sorry I wasn’t any help,” he said.
“Nonsense. I’m sorry I sent you in there and you got hurt. I’m splitting the bounty three ways, even across with both of you.”
“I can’t take any payment,” Dliz said. “It’s against the regulations for police to have any outside earnings.”
“You saved my bacon, though. If you hadn’t been enough of an inconvenience with the beam, he would’ve tail swiped me before I could draw.”
“Still can’t accept any payments or monetary gifts.”
“How about this? You two have been friends forever, right? I’ll pay your portion to Sool, and he can treat you to fancy dinners for the rest of your life.”
“Wha...how much is the bounty?”
“Three-point-seven million Terran credits. About sixteen million galactic.”
Dliz’s eyes rolled in yet another motion. “Damned bureaucracy.”
Reedsy Prompt: Write about someone who has always done something as part of a group, and is now starting to set out solo, or vice versa.
Story published here.

Here's a straightforward question and the strategy I'm trying to understand which I can take. In my mind, I come with the notion that CHANGING the databases is BAD. Also, I had no notion of DocumentDB NOT being accessible from VPC Interface EP or VPC Gateway EP. Regardless, the author chose (B) as the answer. It seems correct but my issue is its changing the database (not MongoDb>DocumentDb which has Mongo capabilities). This is more of refactor than replatform!!
Is this common in SA Pro exams where such drastic shifts can be the correct answer?
A company is migrating its two-tier legacy application (using MongoDB as a key-value database) from its on-premises data center to AWS. The company has mandated that the EC2 instances must be hosted in a private subnet with no internet access. In addition, all connectivity between the EC2 instance-hosted application and the database must be encrypted. The database must be able to scale to meet traffic spikes from any bursty or unpredictable workloads.
Which do you recommend?

• A. Create new Amazon DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility) tables for the application with Provisioned IOPS volumes. Use the instance endpoint to connect to Amazon DocumentDB.
• B. Create new Amazon DynamoDB tables for the application with on-demand capacity. Use a gateway VPC endpoint for DynamoDB to connect to the DynamoDB tables.
• C. Create new Amazon DynamoDB tables for the application with on-demand capacity. Use an interface VPC endpoint for DynamoDB to connect to the DynamoDB tables.
• D. Create new Amazon DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility) tables for the application with Provisioned IOPS volumes. Use the cluster endpoint to connect to Amazon DocumentDB.

Preface

Presented below is a transcript of a conversation between a human, redditor u/snodeplannen, and ChatGPT 4. The user is the narrator for a story set in the Star Trek Universe. The AI is instructed to respond as a character. The story below, which admittedly isn't very good, was guided by the narrator. Of particular interest is the fact that the AI seems fully versed in the Star Trek Universe and is able to understand subtle hints in the narrator's story to figure out what it should do next.
Please note the narrator was typing and writing off the cuff and is not a native speaker, so in the user sections you will find mistakes. If ChatGPT can see through them, so can you. I did try to get ChatGPT to collate it, but as it did so it kept rewriting and leaving out parts of the story.
June 3rd, 2023.
User Okay, I want to try a role playing game. This went off the rails last time, as you kept taking over as narrator and rushing to the end. Here's the setup: YOU are a young Starfleet officer. You wake up aboard the USS Defiant, all alone. You have to figure out what happened. I am the Defiant's computer and, and I can't stress this enough, the narrator. Not you. You can only add what your character perceives and says. Okay?
ChatGPT Understood. I'll stick to my role as the character and won't intrude into your role as the narrator. Let's go.
I blink my eyes open, the disorientation hitting me first. I glance around, seeing the familiar confines of my quarters aboard the Defiant, but there's an odd stillness. No hum of the engines, no faint chatter from the comm system, no sounds of activity from outside the door.
"Computer," I call out, pushing myself off the bed, "report."
User 'All systems nominal.'
ChatGPT I frown at the seemingly normal report, my instincts telling me otherwise. "Computer, where is the rest of the crew?" I ask, moving towards the door of my quarters.
User 'The crew is in sleeping quarters alpha 1.'
ChatGPT That's strange. The whole crew couldn't be in one place. Unease creeps in.
"Computer, why is the entire crew in alpha 1?" I say, already heading towards the door to investigate.
User 'The crew is ensign Makov. You are in sleeping quarters alpha 1.'
ChatGPT A cold realization washes over me. Alone. I am alone on the Defiant. Panic threatens to take over, but Starfleet training kicks in.
"Computer, initiate shipwide life signs scan. Report any signs of life apart from myself," I command, heading for the door with a newfound urgency.
User 'Scan complete. No other life forms were detected.'
ChatGPT My heart sinks at the computer's report, but I maintain composure. "Computer, pull up the ship's log. What was the last command issued and by whom?" I order, leaving my quarters and heading towards the main bridge.
User 'The last order was issued 6 hours and twelve minutes ago by Captain Sisko. It was: 'Raise shields'. The order was executed.'
ChatGPT That didn't sound promising. I walk into the eerily quiet bridge, my steps the only sound echoing in the room. "Computer, show me the shield status and surrounding space conditions," I command, moving towards the main console.
User 'Shields are down after a time-out was reached. We are stationary. All systems nominal.'
ChatGPT It doesn't add up. The silence. The emptiness. An order to raise shields with no subsequent actions.
"Computer, access Captain Sisko's personal log from last night. Are there any entries?" I ask, nervously tapping my fingers against the console.
User 'Enter your command authorisation.'
ChatGPT "Authorisation Ensign Makov Delta 9-7-3," I respond, my voice steady despite the swirling uncertainty.
User 'This authorisation is not sufficient to see the captain's log.'
ChatGPT Frustrated but understanding the protocol, I move on to the next line of inquiry. "Computer, any signs of combat or intrusion aboard the ship or in the surrounding space?" I ask, eyes darting over the array of screens in front of me.
User 'Negative.'
ChatGPT "Computer, could there have been any non-combat related incidents that would explain the disappearance of the crew? A temporal anomaly, a transporter malfunction, a radiation burst?" I question, the possible scenarios running through my mind.
User 'Transporters have passed a level one diagnostic. We are in sync with Starfleet's time keeping array. No unusual radiation was detected inside or outside the vessel.'
ChatGPT This was baffling. It's as if they simply vanished. I run a hand through my hair, letting out a sigh.
"Computer, were there any incoming or outgoing communications just before, during, or after the shields were raised?" I ask, hoping for any clue as to what might have happened.
User 'There was one outgoing message, from comms. It was: 'Unidentified vessel, please alter course NOW.'
ChatGPT A lead, at last. "Computer, play back any responses to that message. Also, display the sensor logs from that time period," I ask, settling into the operations station, ready to review any incoming data.
User No reply was received. Logs are not available from that moment onwards.'
ChatGPT The lack of data was both suspicious and frustrating. A sigh escapes my lips.
"Computer, could a cloaked ship have been in our vicinity at the time?" I question, holding onto the hope that I'm not utterly alone in space.
User 'Affirmative. We are within range of several species that posses cloaking technology and in a commonly used interstellar route.'
ChatGPT A spark of hope arises. "Computer, is there a way to detect a cloaked ship nearby? Any energy signatures or radiation anomalies that could suggest its presence?" I ask, quickly working on the console to bring up the sensor array controls.
User 'One possible way to detect cloaked vessels is to emit a tetryon burst from main engineering. The range for this method is limited. Starfleet at present has no other ways of finding cloaked vessels, other than firing random phaser bank shots. This is not recommended in public shipping lanes.'
ChatGPT "I see," I nod, considering the risks and rewards of the tetryon burst. "Alright, computer, prepare to emit a tetryon burst. We need to know if there's someone out there."
This was a big decision, but it was time to be proactive. The uncertainty was more threatening than potential consequences at this point.
User 'Working.'
ChatGPT I anxiously wait, scanning the console for any potential feedback. My heart pounds in my chest, the silence of the ship amplifying the tension. "Computer, report on the results of the tetryon burst."
User The ship shudders as the engines do something no sane Starfleet engineer would want to have happen. The viewscreen shimmers as a wave of tetryon particles eminates from the ship, as if a stone was dropped in a pond. You observe a faint ribbon leading away from the vessel.'
ChatGPT I catch my breath at the sight, focusing on the faint ribbon. It could mean something, or it could mean nothing. "Computer, analyze the ribbon. Can you determine its origin and endpoint?" I ask, my gaze fixed on the screen.
User 'Extrapolating. Continuing along the trajectory of the ribbon I can detected a minor meteor, a large asteroid field with mining facilities and beyond that the Vindaluvian home world.'
ChatGPT I drum my fingers on the console, processing the information. Could the crew have been taken to one of these locations?
"Computer, can you scan the asteroid field for any signs of life, especially any that matches the crew of the Defiant?" I ask, keeping a close eye on the displayed trajectory.
User 'Not from this range.'
ChatGPT "Understood," I nod, a new sense of determination coursing through me. "Computer, plot a course to the asteroid field. We'll continue our investigation there. Engage at warp 3."
I take one last look around the empty bridge, steeling myself for what may lie ahead.
User The ship begins to move forward, as carefully as only a Starfleet computer who takes no particular joy in flying might do. At warp three, the estimated journey time is six hours, seven minutes.
ChatGPT I let out a long sigh, sinking into the captain's chair. It's a long wait, but I need to be patient. "Computer, maintain course and speed. Alert me if there are any anomalies or approaching vessels."
I close my eyes, trying to get some rest before reaching the asteroid field. I'll need all the energy I can muster for what's to come.
User 'Incoming message.'
ChatGPT My eyes snap open at the sudden announcement. "Computer, on screen," I command, standing up from the chair, my heart pounding with anticipation.
User The Starfleet logo appears as the computer deals with a cryptographic protocol. Admiral Benson, not your most beloved Starfleet Admiral, appears on screen. He blinks.
ChatGPT I straighten up, offering a crisp salute to the admiral on screen. "Admiral Benson, this is Ensign Makov aboard the USS Defiant. I wasn't expecting any communications." I keep my voice steady, swallowing the trepidation.
User 'Makov, are you the only one on the bridge? Where's Ben?'
ChatGPT "Admiral," I pause, trying to find the right words. "Captain Sisko...and the rest of the crew...they're missing. I woke up to find the ship empty. I've been trying to find out what happened." I report, my expression earnest.
User 'Sorry, you WOKE UP? And the rest was gone?!'
ChatGPT "Yes, Admiral," I confirm, my voice firm despite the absurdity of the situation. "I woke up alone on the Defiant. All life signs scans have only picked up me on the ship. I'm currently en route to an asteroid field that might have some connection to the crew's disappearance."
User The Admiral connects to the ship's computer. You can see him browsing through the logs and the ship's manifest. 'So Sisko, O'Brien, Worf AND Major Kira have just... disappeared? There isn't even a transporter log!'
ChatGPT "That's correct, Admiral," I reply, a bit of helplessness creeping into my voice. "There's no trace of them, no sign of a struggle, no transporter logs. It's like they just vanished. I've been doing everything I can to figure out what happened."
User "Well, then I guess you're up. Proceed with caution. Mining operations are always looking for free labourers, try not to become one. Backup is on its way. Any questions?"
ChatGPT "Yes, Admiral. I'll proceed with caution," I respond, a mix of relief and worry washing over me. "Do you have any additional information or suggestions on how to proceed? And do we have an ETA on the backup?"
User "Backup is half a day out. These facilities tend to have a 'new arrivals' wing, to beat them into submission. So you're looking for holding cells. Benson out."
ChatGPT "Understood, Admiral. I'll focus on locating the holding cells. Makov out." I offer a final salute before the communication ends.
With new orders and a bit of hope, I turn back to the helm. "Computer, continue course to the asteroid field. Prepare for a detailed scan upon arrival."
The waiting game begins again, but this time, there's a glimmer of hope.
User Three hours later the computer chimes. 'We are approaching visual range of the mining facility.'
ChatGPT "Thank you, computer," I reply, pulling myself up from the brief rest. "On screen, please."
As the mining facility comes into view, I take a deep breath. "Computer, initiate a detailed scan of the facility. I'm particularly interested in any holding cells or signs of our crew."
User 'Working.' The asteroid field isn't particularly thick or large, but the mining operation seems to focus on one of the largest asteroids. Domes dot the surface as small transporters mill about the surface. Air scrubbers indicate they're using a lot of oxygen, so it's likely they're also doing subsurface work. Three large scowls are received loads from steady stream transporter beams. Somehow everything here looks dirty. A Starfleet shuttle would look out of place here, but only to someone who is watching.
ChatGPT Taking note of the bustling activity, I try to formulate a plan. "Computer, do we have any non-Starfleet shuttles aboard? Something that might blend in better with the local traffic?" I ask, scanning the asteroid for any possible entry points.
User 'Negative. Extravehicular repairs can only be conducted by wearing an EV-suit.'
ChatGPT Nodding to myself, I try to figure out a different approach. "Computer, can we go unnoticed if we approach using minimal power, almost drifting like a piece of space debris?" I question, hoping for a stealthy way to get closer.
User 'Affirmative. Admiral Benson has just authorised the use of the Tactical Emergency System.'
ChatGPT "Excellent," I reply, feeling a surge of hope. "Computer, engage the Tactical Emergency System. We'll approach the facility under its cover."
With that, I brace myself for the next phase of this mission. The crew was relying on me, and I wasn't about to let them down.
User The viewscreen displays a Starfleet Officer without any kind of rank, but dressed in Command Red. He's in his mid-fourties and bald. "I'm the T.E.S. Need any assistance?"
ChatGPT A bit taken aback by the sudden appearance, I quickly gather myself. "Yes, I could use some assistance. I'm Ensign Makov, and I need to approach that mining facility stealthily. Can you help with that?" I ask, gesturing towards the viewscreen showing the asteroid field and the facility.
User "Mining facility? We'll stand out like a sore thumb. How many hours have you logged in a space suit?"
ChatGPT "Over two hundred hours," I answer promptly, "I'm comfortable with EV activities. Why do you ask?" I wonder if he's suggesting a more direct approach.
User "If you can get to one of those scrubber exhausts, I'm sure that's a way into to facility. There seems to be a cell block near the surface. I have no idea who is there, but whoever it is will probably welcome a couple of phasers and like you a whole lot. So pack a backpack full of them and get to the airlock. I'll bring us as close as possible and give you a push with the tractor beam. You up for that?"
ChatGPT I swallow the lump in my throat, apprehension giving way to resolve. "I'm up for it. Let's do this." With a determined nod, I leave the bridge to prepare for the EVA mission. This is my chance to potentially find the crew, and I'm not going to let it slip away.
User Suiting up and gathering all the handheld phasers aboard takes ten minutes, during which the T.E.S. gingerly brings the ship close to the mining facility whilst hiding behind the vast ore scowls. You open the hatch and find your self clinging on to the ship's hull.
ChatGPT I take a moment to steady my breathing, the vast expanse of space spread out before me. Gripping the phasers tightly, I brace myself for the push. "I'm ready when you are, T.E.S." I call out over the comm, my voice resolute.
User 'Okay, I'll hook on to you and give you a push. I'd suggest going in feet first, but it's up to you. Do you know what you're looking for? Those five big stacks. One of them, near that plume of smoke, seems to be offline for whatever reason. That might be your best bet.'
ChatGPT "Understood, T.E.S. I see the stacks. I'll aim for the one that's offline," I reply, aligning myself for the trajectory. I take one last deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the task ahead. "Alright...I'm ready. Let's do this."
User 'Good luck, Ensign. I'll brief any backup as soon as it gets here.' As the tractor beam finds you, you can't move a muscle. Relying on the T.ES. you just let go. It's as if a giant hand slowly throws you down a bowling lane. Feet first, you head towards the grouping of exhausts. A small, unmanned maintenance shuttle deftly gets out of your way.
ChatGPT As I float through space, I keep my focus on the target. The feeling of being pushed by an unseen force is disconcerting, but I trust the T.E.S. Every moment is crucial, and there's no room for hesitation.
As I approach the offline stack, I get ready to activate the thrusters on my suit to adjust my course if needed. I also keep an eye out for any other unexpected obstacles or threats.
User You land next to the exhaust, on the asteroid's surface. It seems impossibly high from here, but it's made of metal and your soles and gloves can easily attach to it. The only way is up. Fortunately, there's hardly any gravity. Eventually you find yourself standing on the rim of the exhaust and look down into the vast, dark chute.
ChatGPT I take a moment to look down into the dark chute, the unknown stretching out before me. I reach out to activate the flashlight on my suit, the beam of light piercing through the darkness. "I'm in position, T.E.S." I inform the ship's system, before carefully beginning my descent into the exhaust chute.
User The vast amounts of ore block your signal, even out here. There's no answer. You start the descend and pass two large rotor blades. If those weren't stationary, this would be the end of the line. But luck is on your side so far and eventually you see an access hatch when you're well below the surface. It opens easily. Let's hope it's not also an airlock for whoever is inside.
ChatGPT I hold my breath as I pull open the hatch, hoping against hope that the air on the other side is breathable. If not, I'm confident in the integrity of my suit, but I'd rather not test its limits if I don't have to. As I make my way through the hatch, I scan the area for any immediate threats, ready to defend myself if necessary.
User The scanner indicates low air pressure. Which is better than no pressure. You cross a walkway and find an actual airlock. It is unsecured, because whoever ends up here probably doesn't want to mess about with frozen keypads or mounds of dust. You engage the mechanism and soon feel the familiar sensation of artificial gravity and air pressure. It's not exactly breathable, but a tear in your suit won't kill you. Now to find the holding area. And if at all possible a rebreather, so you can ditch the suit.
ChatGPT Acknowledging the state of the air, I carefully move through the corridor, keeping my senses alert. I'm in unknown territory and every step matters. "Computer," I say into my suit's comm, "can you map the structure of this facility? Locate holding cells or life signs?"
As I move further into the facility, I keep an eye out for any equipment or gear that might prove useful, especially a rebreather. The less I stick out, the better.
User The relatively weak processor in your tricoder strains to get a bearing on this place. A dirty, seemingly abandoned tunnel dripping with condensation lies ahead. At the end there's an exit, which won't open. Time to use one of those phasers in your backpack.
ChatGPT I pull out a phaser from my backpack, checking its settings before aiming at the sealed exit. With a steady hand, I fire a low power burst at the door, hoping to cut through the obstruction without causing too much damage or noise.
User One hinge cracks under the weight of the door, now that the other one is cut through. You jump aside as the door seems to fall flat, but it remains attached to the frame. The resulting opening is just about large enough to crawl through. Now you're in a well-lit corridor with several doors. In a Starfleet EV suit.
ChatGPT Understanding the need for stealth, I decide to move as quickly as possible through the corridor. I approach the nearest door, aiming my tricoder to scan for life signs or any clue to the crew's location. My other hand remains on my phaser, ready for any immediate threats.
User One door has markings on it that you can't read. You scan it with your tricorder. 'Room of lockboxes' it says, extrapolating the characters. A room of lockboxes? Would that be a locker room?
ChatGPT "A locker room..." I murmur, piecing together the possible meaning. A locker room could mean personnel... and where there's personnel, there might be the equipment I need.
With careful steps, I approach the door to the locker room, hoping to find a rebreather or something else that could help me blend in.
User The room is deserted. It's filled with equipment, none of which seems less than a decade old but certainly useable. There is also a rack of dirty, brown overalls and a line of boots in various sizes. A dispenser offers rebreathers. There's only one left, but that's enough. The air is clear, but smells sulphuric. Without the rebreather, you wouldn't last long.
ChatGPT Relief washes over me as I find the rebreather. I quickly grab it and replace my helmet with it, testing the fit and functionality. The sulphuric smell is jarring, but it's a small price to pay for blending in.
I quickly change into the brown overalls, stowing my suit carefully in an unoccupied locker. I grab a pair of boots that match my size and put them on.
Looking at myself, I hope that I blend in well enough to not attract attention. With a deep breath, I step out of the locker room and proceed down the corridor, continuing my search for the crew.
User Footsteps sound behind you, of more than a few people. Your first instinct is to hide, but it would look very suspicous and there really isn't anywhere. However, there is a floorscrubber here, with one open panel. Someone has given up trying to repair it. Perhaps a bit of acting is in order. The footsteps are just around the corner. The language is vaguely familiar, a bastardised version of English. Whatever they're saying to each other, they're not sharing jokes, that much is clear.
ChatGPT
2 / 2
I quickly move towards the broken floorscrubber. Grabbing a nearby tool, I lean over the open panel, trying to look like I'm deeply engrossed in fixing it. I keep my ears alert to the conversation, trying to pick up on any valuable information while also readying myself for the possibility of having to interact with the approaching group.
User Let's continue with the narrative.
ChatGPT Sure, let's continue.
Glancing around the room once the miners have left, I check the lockers for anything useful, while keeping an ear out for any incoming footsteps. "Computer, any idea where the holding cells might be?" I ask quietly.
User Your tricorder beeps almost indignantly, as it has nowhere near enough processing power to even begin speculating. You're on your own until you can get to a comms terminal. The men pass behind you and one of you taps you on the shoulder. His face is blackened with ore dust. "No work. Never work again. That. Stop that." He points at the scrubber you were pretending to fix. You nod. He shakes his head and catches up with his workmates as they round a corner. Apparently you don't stand out here, which should make it easier to find the way. You follow the men, but they seem to be entering a washroom. Across it, there is a peeled off directory on the wall. A printed one.
ChatGPT "Finally, something useful," I mutter, quickly crossing the washroom to examine the directory. I look for any indications of holding cells or equivalent terminology that might hint at the location of the crew. The symbols and words are unfamiliar, so I take out the tricorder and try to use it as a translator.
User Cells being a fairly universal concept, the tricorder identifies a few scribbles with ease. If you understand the diagram correctly, you need to go up two levels and head towards the center of the structure. You double-check the presence of your backpack filled with phasers, snatch a helmet off of a shelf and press it on your head.
ChatGPT Drawing a deep breath through the rebreather, I nod to myself, mentally preparing for the upcoming challenge. "Alright, up two levels, towards the center... I can do this." I look around, searching for a way up. After locating what appears to be a ladder leading upwards, I begin my ascent.
User Two levels up you emerge from what seems to be a service hatch. A technician, dressed in torn clothes, looks somewhat surprised when you emerge. "Hello brother. Are the lifts broken?" he asks in Adari, a language you have some familiarity with. Only now do you see the horn protruding from his forehead. "I am trying to avoid someone," you say, with a knowing smile. He gives you a tired smile back. "What is your sector? I want a clean face all day too," he says.
ChatGPT "I work... the ore processors," I reply, making up a role on the spot that seems plausible, considering the location and dirty condition of most workers. "But I'd rather stay away from my boss today. He's been in a foul mood." I'm trying my best to blend in. "Can you point me to the center of the structure?" I ask, hoping the diversion worked.
User "Yeah, 'the structure'. Let's call it that. Sounds nicer than 'prison of the damned'. What do you want at the center, there's only central holding there. I never go near that place. All that wailing. Gives me the shakes," he mutters.
ChatGPT "Oh, I just... wanted to see a friend," I reply, trying to keep my tone light, while inwardly my heart sinks at his description. "Don't worry about it, I'll find my way. Thanks for the chat." I give him a quick nod before heading in the direction he had indicated earlier, hoping I'm making the right choice.
User He wasn't wrong about the wailing. As you follow the corridors, passing along scruffy workers and a couple of guards with face covering helmets who are leaning against a wall, you can hear a lot of yelling, moaning and above all the sound of defiant Klingon opera louder and louder. The voice sounds familiar, but all singing Klingons generally sound alike.
ChatGPT As I continue toward the source of the noise, I find myself in front of a heavily barred door. I can't help but suppress a smile, recognizing the defiant voice as that of Worf. "Computer," I whisper to my tricorder, "Is there a way to shut down the power to this door?"
User The tricorder scans the control panel and warbles optimistically. It then shows a graphic representation of the door, with an arrow pointing at one location and a low energy setting for a phaser.
ChatGPT Taking a moment to look around and confirm that no one is watching, I set my phaser to the recommended setting and aim at the indicated spot on the door. After taking a deep breath, I fire.
User Something inside the door clunks and it opens just enough for the seal to crack. You jam a fingernail behind it, then a finger and eventually you manage to gain enough purchase to open the door. As it slowly opens, you find yourself at the far end of a long row of cells. At the other end is a desk, with a guard sitting behind a monitor. He is staring at it intently. Perhaps the stun setting might be a good idea. You adjust the phaser and take careful aim, when an arm reached out from one of the dark cells and blocks the shot. "Uhm... he's got three buddies in there. You can't see them from here," whispers Captain Sisko.
ChatGPT "I figured you might be here, Captain," I say, lowering my phaser discreetly. "Any ideas for getting you and the rest out without causing a full-on alert?"
User "That depends. Did you bring any weapons?"
ChatGPT "I brought a backpack full of phasers. There should be enough to arm everyone here," I reply, carefully removing the backpack from my shoulder and showing the Captain.
User "Good man. Worf is next to me, then Major Kira. Let Worf take the lead on this. Worf! Help has arrived.' 'Good. I was getting bored with singing,' grumbled a familiar voice. His hand emerges from between the bars, demanding a phaser.
ChatGPT I hand the phaser to Worf, watching as his large hand swallows the device. I then pass phasers to Captain Sisko and Major Kira. With the three of them armed, the odds seem significantly better. Now, we just have to make sure the element of surprise isn't wasted.
User Fifteen seconds later, three guards sink to the floor. Although the phasers were set to stun, nobody seems particularly worried about their health. "Get their uniforms and lock them up," says Sisko. "We can walk out of here. Once we're at the shuttle docks, we can probably find something that flies." "Captain, there are three uniforms and four of us. And the others are housed on another level," says Worf.
ChatGPT "Right. I can stay behind and create a diversion while you three escape. I'll catch up," I offer. "The priority should be to get you three and as many of the others out as we can. We also need to alert Starfleet about this place. I'm sure they'd love to know about a mining facility that's been kidnapping officers."
User "That's a very daring plan, Ensign, but we leave no man behind. Kyra, you and Worf go and find the others and proceed to that place where they searched us. Anyone in uniform is a valid target. And anyone who wants to come along, can do so. The ensign and I will try to find a comms terminal and alert Starfleet. Ensign, I assume you're not alone here?"
ChatGPT "Admiral Benson is aware of the situation, sir. Backup is half a day out. Before we separated, I was under the control of the Tactical Emergency System," I report, glad to see that the Captain is taking charge of the situation.
User "Oh. I had my reservations about that system. Holographic doctors are one thing, but that went a bit too far for my tastes. Okay, phasers for everyone. Bring enough for the others. Ensign, with me."
ChatGPT "Understood, sir," I reply, distributing the remaining phasers to my colleagues and following Captain Sisko down the corridor. As we navigate through the mining facility, I stay alert for any guards or threats that may be in our way. I can feel a sense of hope and determination building up within me - we might actually make it out of here.
User "HALT!" bellows a voice behind us, immediately followed by a reddish phaser burst. The Captain turns on his heels, pushes you out of the way and fires. A guard falls to the floor. The phaser fire was detected by the security system. A klaxon starts blaring and the ceiling lights turn red. A voice starts giving unintelligible instructions over the tannoy. "We need to find a comms panel, Ensign. Any ideas?" asks Sisko, scanning the corridor for more guards. A frightened looking maintenance worker comes to see what's going on, but ducks out of the way as soon as he sees the pair of you.
ChatGPT "I remember seeing a room with a lot of terminals when I was making my way through the facility earlier, sir," I reply, my mind racing. "If memory serves, it's two corridors over, near the scrubber exhausts." I keep my phaser ready and move towards the direction of the room, all the while keeping an eye out for more guards.
User "That's the wrong way, Ensign. I imagine they have more than one place with comms terminals. You cover the rear. Follow me. Put your hand on my shoulder so you can look behind you all the time. If it wears a uniform, it's fair game."
ChatGPT "Yes, sir," I reply, placing my hand on the Captain's shoulder. I pivot and start to walk backwards, keeping my eyes and phaser focused on the path we've just traveled. The constant blaring of the klaxon mixes with the distant shouting and running steps of approaching guards. Despite the adrenaline rush, I manage to keep my aim steady and my breathing calm. The training exercises at the academy never truly prepare you for the real thing, but they do help in maintaining focus.
User You down three guards and accidentally scare the bejeezus out of a woman pushing a cleaning cart, but eventually Sisko stops. "Got it. Stand back while I blast this door." A few seconds later the corridor fills with acrid smoke from a melting door panel. Behind it is a room with several desks.
ChatGPT Entering the room cautiously, I scan the area with my phaser ready. Seeing no immediate threats, I turn my attention to the various panels and screens scattered throughout the space. The room is filled with a myriad of communication equipment - probably a central control hub for managing mining operations, worker communications, and security measures.
"Captain, I think this is it," I say, gesturing to a terminal that seems to be linked to an extensive communications network. "I should be able to send out a distress signal from here." I start to work on the terminal, trying to hack into the system and figure out how to send a message to Starfleet.
User "Try reaching the Defiant," suggest Sisko from the doorway. "OH NO YOU DON'T!" Another guard bites the dust somewhere. "Captain! WE ARE BEHIND HIM!" bellows Worf." "GOOD! Move along, we'll be there shortly. Ensign, how are you getting on?"
ChatGPT "I've managed to break through the initial security layers, Captain," I respond, my fingers moving rapidly over the terminal's interface. "It seems this system has been rigged to only accept authorized codes for communication."
Suddenly, a stroke of inspiration hits me. "Captain, when we first boarded the Defiant, I had to program my authorization codes into the ship's communication systems. If I can find a way to mimic those codes from this terminal... I might be able to trick the Defiant's systems into accepting the distress signal."
I double down on the task, focusing all my attention on reconstructing my authorization codes. As I do so, I keep an eye on the room's entryway, ready to react in case more guards show up.
User The terminal beeps and lights up. You don't understand any of the dials, but with any luck your tricorder can interface with it. Time to hail the Defiant.
ChatGPT "Defiant, this is Ensign," I say, praying the connection holds. "Requesting immediate assistance. The Captain and the crew are here, but we are currently under attack. Coordinates being transmitted now."
A static-filled silence follows. I glance at Sisko, an unspoken question in my gaze. Did it work? Did our message get through?
User "Ensign, this is the Defiant. I can't beam you out of there. Get to the shuttle dock, so that all that ore doesn't block the transporter lock. The USS Rotterdam is thirty minutes out."
ChatGPT "Understood, Defiant. We'll make our way to the shuttle dock. Be ready for us," I reply, exhaling a sigh of relief. I turn to Sisko, updating him with the situation. "Captain, we have to move. The Rotterdam is on its way but we need to get to the shuttle dock for transport."
User Worf's voice comes in through the Captain's commbadge, as it somehow manages to create a local connection. "Worf to Sisko. We have secured the shuttle dock. Mr. O'Brien is injured. Where are you?"
ChatGPT I quickly respond, "This is Ensign [Your Name]. Captain Sisko and I are en route to your position. We'll be there shortly. Hang in there, Chief." With that, I turn to Sisko and suggest, "We should move, Captain."
User "Ensign Markov and I are just behind you, Mr. Worf. Try not to pick us off as we approach. Oh and the Defiant is operating with that emergency command protocol, so it's ready to beam you up. Have Major Kira and the Chief go ahead, if possible. But hold the fort for us." "Understood, Captain. Worf out."
Five minutes and more shooting than is good for a man's digestion you reach the shuttle dock. You literally have to step over a pile of dead guards to get through the door. "Had fun, Mr. Worf? Does your phaser not come with a stun setting?" asks Sisko. "I recognized the men who took us, Sir. My finger must have slipped on the settings dial," growls Worf, looking you over to assess if you're likely to snitch. "It happens," said Sisko matter-of-factly. "Ensign, get us home."
ChatGPT Without any hesitation, I raise my commbadge and say, "Ensign Markov to Defiant. Four to beam up."
User (Okay, take it home. You're all aboard, O'Brien will live, you get a speech and a medal. Write out those events from Markov's perspective and finish off. I'll add something if you pause.)
ChatGPT As the familiar hum and sparkling light of the transporter envelops us, I take one last look at the chaotic scene we're leaving behind. My heart pounds in my chest, not from fear, but from the exhilaration of having faced danger and come out the other side. It's a rush I wasn't expecting.
When we rematerialize aboard the Defiant, a group of medics is waiting for us. They immediately rush to Chief O'Brien, but his smile and light-hearted joke assure me he'll be alright. As I step off the transporter pad, I let out a sigh of relief.
Later, back in my uniform and at a ceremony in the Defiant's Mess Hall, Captain Sisko delivers a speech. He talks about bravery, about loyalty, about the strength of Starfleet and the spirit of those who serve. He doesn't dwell on the danger we faced, but rather the courage it took to face it.
When he calls me up, handing me a medal for bravery under fire, I can't help but feel a swell of pride. The applauding faces of my crewmates, the recognition in their eyes... it's a moment I will never forget. This is why I joined Starfleet, for moments like this. To be part of something greater, to face adversity and stand tall.
"Ensign Markov," Sisko says, offering a handshake along with the medal, "Your courage and quick thinking played a crucial role in our escape. Starfleet is proud to have you among its ranks."
As I return to my quarters that night, medal in hand, I find myself smiling. Yes, today was difficult, even frightening at times. But it was also invigorating, and more than that, it was important. It's a reminder of why I'm here, of why we're all here. To explore, to protect, to boldly go...
And I wouldn't have it any other way.

At first glance, the Dragon & Isle of Sky event doesn't seem to have a lot of lore to it. I didn't think so either, until I went poking around in the book of notes that you pick up through the course of the event. Reading through that, I found some interesting things.
First, many elements of Aesthia mirror the "real world" in the game. For example, Wing City is described as the "sole center of civilization" on the Isle of Sky and is divided into East and West sides by the Keel River, making it a clear parallel to DisCity; which is frequently called the center of civilization and is divided into the West District and Eastside by the river in the Rust. The event also explicitly says that the Ice Plague in Aesthia is a representation of Etti's Mania. If we extrapolate that to the rest of the world, other parallels can be drawn, possibly hinting at unrevealed lore about the real world of the game.

• The Celestial Well is described as a "huge cavern… Many adventurers have ventured into it… but only a handful of them have made it back." It is connected to the frozen world below the Isle of Sky and the Ice Plague gets worse the deeper one goes, making it a parallel to the DisSea, which is possibly connected to the Phantom Moon.
• Dragonstones are an energy-dense resource that are also used as currency, like the Hypercube. It is said that Dragonstones "came from the Dragon of Genesis' blood", which further supports the speculation that Hypercubes have a biological origin.
• Welkin City was formerly the largest city on the Isle of Sky until it was destroyed by the Ice Plague. If Wing City is DisCity, then Welkin City may be the city of Maria, which was destroyed by the Perishing Star.
• When the Ice Plague began, the sun disappeared, but the "ring-shaped" Blessing Sun "descended" and provided hope to the survivors. Its shape and sudden appearance after the onset of the plague make it a clear metaphor for the Black Ring, but its role as a provider of hope seems incongruous with this calamitous phenomenon. However, the language of providing hope tracks very closely to how the game describes Keylan, who discovered the Hypercube — likely from within BR-000 — and thus brought hope that humanity could survive in the new age.
• Seven years after the onset of the Ice Plague, the corrosion suddenly sped up (possibly a reference to the DisSea Explosion), which led some to flee the Isle of Sky to the smaller surrounding islands, which remain totally untouched by the plague even as the rest of the Isle of Sky is completely frozen over. A year later, Welkin City's castellan abolished all skyports that could bring people to the other islands. These islands are possibly a metaphor for Paradeisos, which holds the secret supreme power over DisCity and is extremely strict about who is allowed access.

However, in addition to all that, the most intriguing implications relate to the possible identities and motivations of Parma and Keylan.

• The "Survivor's Handbook" notes that are collected in the event are written by the lone survivor of Welkin City, who escaped its destruction due to the "special nature of their body". The "Unnamed Survivor" tried to create a "floating city" after the disaster, which failed but allowed him to salvage a special power source. After that, he determined that the only way to save the world was to create a new Dragon of Genesis. He was accused of madness, and thus decided that those who refused to help him should "become my nourishment", and that "the future world will be grateful for your sacrifice."
• The final Survivor's Handbook note is signed "C", as are all of the "Mysterious Message" notes. The Mysterious Message notes are all clearly written by Cyrus, making these two characters one and the same.
• Cyrus's attempts to recreate the Dragon of Genesis required a vessel of its power, which became the Dragon of Calamity that worsened and allowed him to control the Ice Plague. The mysterious energy source which he used for his "floating city" project is the key to this power over the plague.
• The actions of the survivor, attempting to create a city that could withstand the calamity, are strongly suggestive of Keylan, the founder of DisCity and discoverer of the Hypercube. It is possible that Keylan realized DisCity could not survive in the new era long-term, even with Hypercubes as a power source.
  • It is also possible that the "floating city" does not refer to DisCity at all, since Wing City is its clear parallel. In this case, the floating city may be the Underground City. As a known founder of cities, it would not be out of the question for Keylan to be involved with its creation during the time that he delved into BR-000.
• Cyrus's attempt to recreate the Dragon of Genesis by creating a strong enough vessel track very closely to Parma's sinister goal of summoning the great existence through the means of creating powerful Sinners that are "worthy" of being used for his purposes and feeding Corpuses to each other to concentrate their strength. Parma's bizarre regenerative biology is also reminiscent of the survivor's "special nature of their body."
• Given these two parallels, it suggests that Doctor Keylan and Parma may be the same person. In this case, it would mean that Keylan's early death may be a fabrication by the DisCity authorities after they rejected his plans to summon the great existence, in order to cover up the fact that the city's founding hero had gone rogue.
  • When the Chosen One/Chief defeats Cyrus in the game's first round, Etti says that she will make them into the new Cyrus. This may hint at a possible fate for the Chief as they continue to accumulate pieces of the great existence inside their body.
  • Cyrus's decision to work with the Chosen One in order to reach the real Dragon of Genesis may also foreshadow a future collaboration between the Chief and Parma, as Parma has indicated that he is content with the Chief continuing to devour great existences because it advances his goal regardless.

When my doc was leaving to go to another academic medical center, I never even considered following her, even though she hinted at the idea. But now six-ish months later and I still don’t feel particularly connected to my current oncologist. I’m rethinking it. The reality is I only see the oncologist every three months at most so that would be four flights per year. I hate traveling and I’m at a good quality academic medical center now…🤔

tl;dr The process of getting to medical school has changed me drastically for the worse and I struggle to envision finishing medical school and becoming a doctor. I am extremely empty. I do not want to continue despite having a full ride but I only feel pressured to stay by family and society.
Hello everyone,
First off, you are about to hear someone complain about attending medical school on a full-ride. I'm sorry for those I offend in doing so because I know this is a great opportunity for many - just not sure if for me.
I’m not sure if this is the right audience to address my concerns to but as fellow medical students, I assume this would be the only group that may understand my ‘dilemma’. I’m currently an M1 at a well-regarded program attending school on pretty much a full ride. Despite a few things I hate about my school and the city I live in I have pretty much all the necessities I need as a student to succeed. I’ve got a nice apartment, fairly good friends, and I’ve been doing research in a competitive field with some success so far. That said, all joy I once had for attending medical school and being a physician has left me slowly by slowly throughout the year and I find myself constantly depressed, traumatized by the path it took to get here, and frequently having suicidal ideations or thoughts of a very much welcomed untimely death at my young age (e.g. getting mugged, car crash, terminal illness). I know there are a combination of factors that are contributing to how I feel right now but mainly I can sum them up to hating the person I had to create to bring me to this point of perceived “success”. I say this not to brag by any means – but I was fortunate to be accepted to multiple medical schools and have multiple enticing scholarship options before choosing this school. I should be happy about that – but even before I matriculated to medical school, I had frequent thoughts of wishing I would die before I matriculated because at least I could let go of the expectations from friends, family, and the world that keeps telling me to “push on” through things that I feel like are taking more away from me than are contributing to me. I miss the days before I started my pre-med journey when the simplest things in life would satisfy me. I didn’t care about the weather - I liked clouds, I liked rain, I liked sun, I liked warmth, I liked cold. Now where I live the climate is so awfully different from my home, I’m convinced I cannot take it anymore and need to get away. I used to not think much of where live, if I have a quiet place to study and read books/play video games. Now my family cannot stop commenting on how shitty the city I live in is (compared to others I could have lived in), and frankly I’ve started to agree with them (which is unfortunate considering I’m supposedly stuck here for another 3 years). The path to medical school has taken so much of who I am away all to build this persona of a perfect medical student and future physician who I’m not even sure I want to be anymore. Everything is expectations, everything is comparison. It seems like the payout for all of my suffering is a nice home, a car, and a steady job with trips to the country club every now and then. Maybe nice toys like watches and vacations in between an awful work schedule. I’ve sold my soul to replace everything I’ve lost with material things being my only solace in the future because my spirit is dead. I have lost the false sense of fulfillment for taking care of patients because I feel like they could have been taken care of by someone else who enjoys this field more and doesn’t feel like they died inside to achieve their goal of being a physician. Frankly speaking – I feel like whether I become a doctor or not will not really do anything for the world, it certainly is not doing anything for me except making me a worse person by the day. Sometimes in life, less is so much more and I often wake up wishing I never succeeded so much to get here in the first place.
I can barely focus on my studies anymore as I feel like I am on a speeding train headed for wall with me in the conductor’s booth. I don’t feel connected to my friends or family. I used to love writing but have given that up all together, because it resurfaces feelings, I am not sure I can handle. I am constantly thinking about death because I don’t want to mindlessly jump through hoops anymore to achieve goals that only leave me feeling like a shell. I don’t care about research (which I used to love). I hate to say it, but I find my empathy for others lacking when I care barely get out of bed or even get out of my own head to stop thinking about this horrific, ungrateful, self-centered person I’ve become. Perhaps I am ungrateful, but the funny thing is being ungrateful is the only way I made it this far. One year out from STEP 1, I’m not even sure if I can muster the focus to study and perform well on it. I am just constantly exhausted by the weight of the world. I feel like if I fail then I’m going to kill myself if not physically than spiritually even though I already feel dead inside. I spend every day looking at educational paths in life I wish I pursued rather than medicine. However, I come from an immigrant family that will essentially never let me live down the fact that I left a massive medical scholarship to make less than 80k a year in graduate school or as a professor. At this point I feel like I have two options:
- Accept that the old me is dead and is never coming back and continue pursuing forward as a shell of my former self. This would satisfy those around me and society, but I am almost certain I won’t be the same.
- Take a chance to find meaning in life once again and potentially finding joy in less. Switch to graduate school and be content.
With the way I feel right now I don’t think a person like me belongs in medical school or really should be here in the first place. Weakness gets eaten alive here and I’m so broken down I don’t care enough to fight back anymore. My ambitions now are completely fake. Hiding from the fact that I don’t want to be here and I am frankly tired with life and unexcited for the future. Should I stop before it gets worse?

I (25M) feel that I have limerence for my 'friend' (22M). My friend and I met at work exactly a year ago, being office mates, and we connected quite well. But before I tell the story, I just want to say that as a bisexual person in a small town, the center of my social circle has always been straight guys, and I've never had issues with it. I've always had the ability to not develop romantic interest in friendships. So, when I look back at this situation, I don't know how I ended up here.
A year ago, when we became office mates, I did feel a crush on him. He's an attractive and sweet guy, and immediately, I remember perfectly, I tried not to get close to him, because I thought he was straight, at least until the crush faded away. But then, I felt that in our day-to-day interactions at work, there was some kind of reciprocation of attraction or at least; interest. It started with small gestures like getting me a more comfortable chair, waiting for me with coffee in the morning, the way his face lit up with a smile when I entered the office... Day by day, these details made me fall for him.
Perhaps they weren't the clearest signs of attraction, but... I let him in before the crush faded away.
During the following weeks and months at work, we started getting closer. I would say it was a pretty intimate friendship. After spending eight hours in a monotonous job, we would come home and call each other on the phone, talking until 2 am. We would spend weekends together, go out to dinner, make plans...
In one way or another, the relationship didn't feel like the ones I had with other friends. The closeness, the intimacy, the day-to-day interactions... It filled a loneliness that I didn't know existed, and yet, it intensified on the realization that he is straight.
But even so, I had already fallen for him.
Towards the end of the year, he met a girl, and I decided to meet new people as well. I met a girl, but it didn't work out. Shortly after, I met a guy, but that didn't work out either. I felt like I was already 'taken,' as if I had nothing more to offer in the romantic aspect, even though I knew it was all just an illusion.
Their relationship also ended up not working out. At some point, I don't remember the exact reason, driven definitely by my frustration, we had a discussion that forced us to sit down and talk honestly. We didn't define an "us," we weren't that brave, but we did address the situation. And that's when he said something that both excited and broke my heart.
"We're like a couple..." he said when we were talking about why it didn't work out with his ex, and he continued, "I didn't feel as appreciated as when I'm with you."
When we went out, he would sometimes comment on how comfortable he felt, maybe in our shared loneliness or heartbreak. He would say how he only wanted "this" (referring to the things we did together like going to the movies, eating, talking late into the night, making plans), but with a girl. My goodness! We even made plans to move in together.
At the beginning of this year, we both left our job. It was my escape route, a month of heartbreak, and eventually, I would forget about it. That was the plan, and I had executed it. I lasted only half a week until he came back to me, saying, "Let go of the nonsense. We're friends. We can stop talking for a couple of days to reduce the 'intensity' of the relationship, but we don't have to go away."After that, he didn't let go... He put more effort into staying close to me. And I, I let him do it.
By the end of January, I had landed a good job - remote, good pay, low responsibilities and stress. Sometimes there's nothing to do... (Truly a nearly perfect job xD). And when a position opened up in March, I gave it to him... Now we work together again.
And I feel like we're stuck in a loop. He's getting to know some girls, but he's already complaining about the same things, that it's not the same, that he doesn't feel 'appreciated.' And I... I feel trapped, hopeful, lonely, and in love.
So I ask for your advice. Just like that, it serves as a form of release.

I am trying to show something on a Roku TV, however when I go to the Connect tab of the Windows action center, the TV does not show up in the list. I've tried looking it up everywhere, but all the solutions do nothing, if not make the problem worse.

My name is Rachael Karp, and I am a graduate student in the PsyD program at California Lutheran University. I am conducting a research study for my dissertation: Examining the Predictive Relationship of Attention Difficulties on Social Anxiety Symptoms
Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) is a mental health condition that includes symptoms related to attentional difficulties. Currently, there is only one other condition that involves attentional difficulties as its primary symptom, which is ADHD. Studies have shown that SCT is associated with anxiety, and research is arising that explores specific anxiety disorders, such as social anxiety with SCT. The current research study is hoping to include adults to explore reported attentional difficulties and social anxiety.
Purpose of the research study: To gather information about adults’ mental health relating to attentional difficulties and/ or social anxiety symptoms. Participants will be asked to answer several questions relating to these domains.
To participate, all participants must be: • At least 18 years old • Fluent in English • Currently a U.S. resident
If you choose to participate in this study, you will be asked to answer survey questions one-time from a computer or laptop with an internet connection. The survey is expected to take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
If you have any questions before, during, or after participation, you may contact the investigator of the study at [email protected].
Principle Investigator: Rachael L. Karp, Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student, California Lutheran University Key Personnel: Stephanie J. Tarle, PhD Address: 2201 Outlet Center Dr # 600, Oxnard, CA 93036
If you are interested in participating, please click on the link attached! Thank you in advance!
https://callutheran.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a9stXshBNJbtVD8

About 1 year ago my throwaway facebook was hacked and i was locked out of it. That account was linked to my IG page, and when i attempted to gain access to the old hacked facebook, it asked for my ID and locked the account until I proved my name, and as I said, it was a throwaway account so I couldn't prove it. So on the IG side, I unlinked the FB page associated with the old account, and went about creating a new FB, but could never get it to completely connect. It shows the new FB in account center, but when I go to connect an actual page, it says "You're no longer allowed to use facebook products to advertise, blah blah blah." And when I go to Meta suite to connect an IG, it says the IG is connected to another FB, but to my knowledge I did disconnect the old one.
All I want is to be able to schedule Instagram content through Meta Suite. Does anyone have any clue what I'm missing or am I just screwed? (attached are the various error codes I've received)

I know this might be a bit of a stretch but I would like for the next game to have a Hub/Town/City center, for each world we visit this may not be necessary since each planet tends to vary in terms of size and quantity of content per planet but if they were to make an even more ambitious follow up where each planet is as big or as densely packed with content as Koboh then this would be a really cool feature IMO, one of the reasons I think so is because of how much personality and character a place like Ramblers Reach brought to the game and how much fun content there was connected with it, I just know that I would love to explore the Hutt homeworld and visit a Hub Town like Ramblers Reach only less welcoming like Mos Eisley was, a place were you are surrounded by scum, and villainy, and creepy intimidating creatures. I know Jedda is somewhat of a second Hub but it's just not the same as Ramblers Reach it is more like a campaign auditorium designed to move the main story along whereas Rambler Reach has a lot of content connected to personal side quests that sort of help you feel like a citizen of Koboh, to me this was what made Koboh feel immersive as it allowed them to create a focal point that spotlighted Koboh's personality and character, I want that but on every planet so that each world's diverse cultural atmosphere can be explored and experienced as much as Koboh's.

We all know that the company says they'll just leave us in the caves, but somehow we always return. Obviously rescue missions must occasionally be sent for exceptional employees.
Objective There are 2 to 4 injured dwarves in the cave, their injuries are too severe to be revived on site so you have to carry them akin to large objects. You also cannot deposit them in the Mule (it's not designed for passengers), they can only be deposited in the drop pod.
Cave Layout The cave will have one central room the drop pod lands in with several tunnels that connect to it, akin to the landing cave for dreadnought extermination missions. However rather than all the tunnels looping together like in dreadnought missions, these ones will have few, if any, branching paths. Instead each tunnel will lead to one injured dwarf that must be brought back to the center room.

It’s over…it’s finally over…now where am I gonna get my footy fix? “Watch the MLS?” I’d rather take up heavy drinking again. The World Cup, the Champions League, and the EPL did a number on my sanity this season. Anyone else feeling this way?
Manchester City: It looked like the monopoly was going to finally end again. City brought in a whole new squad with Haaland, Akanji, Alvarez, Sergio Gomez, and integrating academy players like Cole Palmer and Rico Lewis. The first half of the season you could see Pep’s children struggling to play with Haaland. But then…Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish must’ve been juicing in the dressing room. The back half of the season saw Haaland explode with his 36 goals, the most of a single striker in a season. They not only victimized the leaders in Arsenal, they stormed the gates, ravaged the village and took the riches for themselves. AGAIN. Winning the FA Cup is routine by now. But the Champions League…That’s the main prize. Becoming the next English team to win a treble is a good add-on. Man United can punch air knowing they’re still miles behind the noisy neighbors who have now won six league titles under Pep. Better sort of these contracts for Gundogan, Laporte, and Mahrez though. Or don’t, because we know they can replace anyone with all that oil money.
Arsenal: You bottled the league title after over 264 days at the top do the league? What’re you, Tottenham??? This is shambolic squad management. Even with all those reinforcements in Trossard and Jorginho, they couldn’t keep up the pace. Not only do you lose out on the title, you went trophyless. The Cup showings were even worse than previous seasons. And you want to say it wasn’t a bottle job? My brother in Christ, you lost to Southampton. This was the best chance Arsenal has had at ending the league title drought but Arteta is still showing himself as diet Pep. Even if you do buy more exiled City players, more is still needed. Welcome back to the Champions League, I guess. It’s good having a young team like this. Do not fuck it up. Do not waste the young years of Odegaard and Saka.
Newcastle: That Saudi investment is working. The Magpies used their newfound riches to attract the likes of Isak and Botman knowing they were only a few steps away from Champions League nights. Then came the addition of Anthony Gordon because squad depth is paramount in a game like this. And they got it. For the first time since 2004, Newcastle is in Europe. Eddie Howe deserves a lot of praise for the work he has done. He’s unlocked Callum Wilson, Joelinton, Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin. Kieran Trippier’s career has been revived. Even players like Big Bird Dan Burn have flourished. We all knew this was going to happen. Just not this soon. We now have to deal with TWO oil money clubs jockeying for the title. I can understand why haters think they’re screwed. Get your money up or get your funny up.
Manchester United: I’m going to give Erik Ten Hag a 7/10 for his first season in Manchester. He got Marcus Rashford scoring again. That was an achievement in itself. Casemiro turned out to be the best thing for United since Fergie. When he’s not getting red cards. Luke Shaw took big strides even at center back. A commendable top 4 finish and a League Cup plus the FA Cup final to round it out. They still lost some really foolish games and they had the Cristiano situation. David De Gea doesn’t look like his old self anymore either. The Glazers-to nobody’s surprise-have still not sold the club. The lack of depth signings continue. But they’re in good position for a nice run next season. Who knows, maybe the Qataris will buy the club. That’ll change things. You’ll just be like Manchester City, I’m just saying…
Liverpool: Well, well, well…Liverpool missed out on Champions League football. It was a trying season, I get it. Not having any reliable midfielders will do that. You brought in Arthur Melo because reasons. Henderson and Fabinho looked like shells of themselves. The departure of Sadio Mane rocked the team, and Darwin Nunez or Diogo Jota couldn’t fill the role. Injuries piled up and the trauma continued. Luis Diaz barely played this season because of them. Trent was cooked on defense all season long. Yet Liverpool still ground out a 5th place finish. Klopp’s not done in England yet. The future remains unclear as FSG continue pondering selling the team or giving Klopp more signings. Knowing how injured Van Djik and Konate have been, they might need it. Especially in midfield. They’re hurting bad in the middle of the park. At least you’re not Everton. Take solace in knowing Alexis Mac Allister is likely on his way to Anfield.
Brighton: Graham Potter leaving Brighton was the greatest thing to ever happen to this club. That and having the best scouting network in the whole league. Finding ballers in the South American youth ranks, the J-League and other random places formed a pesky unit of warriors. Karou Mitoma, Alexis Mac Allister, Facundo Enciso, Moises Caicedo, Pervis Estupinian, Evan Ferguson, Lewis Dunk, Jason Steele. These are the core of Roberto De Zerbi’s army of seagulls. Welcome to European football, boys. Just know you will have to start the next campaign without Mac Allister and likely Caicedo. They’ve attracted too much attention from bigger teams. Even City is sniffing around at Mitoma. I’m honestly impressed, Brighton. I’m also insanely jealous of your scouting network.
Aston Villa: Who knew Steven Gerrard was a fraudulent manager living off the success of a single Scottish title win? LITERALLY EVERYONE. Thus, Villa canned him for Unai Emery, and for the best. They went from relegation fodder to a berth in the Conference League. Ollie Watkins found his scoring touch again. Emi Buendia is now living up to the expectations (somewhat). Lucas Digne is back to Champions League-caliber. Philippe Coutinho is not even a core player anymore, just a good impact sub at this point. Villa might be punching a little above their weight but they’ve been defying expectations for a while now. With the godfather of European football at the helm, the sky is the limit. Welcome back to Europe, boys.
Tottenham: LOL Spurs always reigns supreme. I swear, it’s like rooting for the New York Mets: champagne expectations, perpetual disappointment. This season went from promising to utter dumpster fire in a matter of weeks. Antonio Conte got fed up with the players being shit again and got himself sacked promptly after that fiery press conference. Daniel Levy has never been under more pressure from fans and Harry Kane before. Spurs went from maybe squeaking out Europa League to missing out on Europe entirely. They wasted a 30-goal season from Harry Kane. Son was out of form all season. Richarlison scored 1 league goal all season. They had no defense and Lloris looks like Father Time got the best of him. Games were bottled, and through it all, they are now manager-less AGAIN. Is is time for Levy to step down? I don’t know, but he needs to do something about this team. It’s not even fun to complain about Spurs anymore. Now it’s just pure, unadulterated apathy.
Brentford: This is a fun team to watch. Thomas Frank is a magician with these players. Even with Ivan Toney going full Calvin Ridley mode, Brentford managed to win big matches when it mattered. Bryan Mbuemo played understudy to Toney most of the season but stepped up when they needed him. Rico Henry flourished at the back. Ben Mee transformed into a better player than he was at Burnley. David Raya is making a name for himself as clubs like Spurs eye him. Even Thomas Frank is getting considered for new roles. The Bees are buzzing. The West London newbies not only had a solid summer transfer window, they have finished top 10 in the second season of the big show. Now comes the hard part: next year. What do you do without Toney? Will you buy a new striker like Jonathan David? It remains to be seen, but in Frank’s Nordic vision we trust. He’s definitely got some crafty Danes or Norwegians waiting for a call.
Fulham: Speaking of West London clubs, I’m gonna buy these guys a round next time I see them. Congratulations, Fulham! You didn’t get relegated! Marco Silva didn’t even have to work miracles to do it. They played well at times, and obviously shit the bed in others. But you can’t say they didn’t fight every minute of every game. Aleksander Mitrovic finally learned how to score in the Prem. Willian returned to West London in full cry. Tim Ream made us Yanks proud as he held it down at the back. The X Factor: Joao Palhinha. You didn’t bend the knee willingly, boys. That shows character. Gotta say I’m proud. Now keep going, Tony Khan. You know they can aim just a tad higher.
Crystal Palace: Palace didn’t really do anything different this season. I say that because they pretty much finished where they always do. Comfortably mid-table again. I really thought Patrick Vieria was doing something at Selhurst Park, but then he was relived off his duties after a bad patch of form. So they decided to recycle the nostalgia and bring back Roy Hodgson…uh huh. Nothing really changes does it? Eberechi Eze turned into a special player. Zaha was Zaha, nothing new there. Jordan Ayew played solidly too. Michael Olise might be the standout player. He was really getting linked with a move to PSG to replace Messi?? I prefer not to speak.
Chelsea: Lol Spurs? No, LOL CHELSEA! We all knew the Todd Boehly takeover was gonna change things. We didn't expect a dip into total mediocrity. All while spending over 600 million quid on player signings. Thomas Tuchel was sacked....then Graham Potter got 8 months to make things worse...then they brought back Frank Lampard to see out the season because that's American forward thinking. Yea the viibes are horrendous at Stamford Bridge. Bringing in Enzo Fernandez, Chernobyl Traore in Mudryk, David Fofana, Wesley Fofana, Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and everyone else killed any team chemistry. Joao Felix was exiled from Atletico by Diego Simeone to basically do nothing in England for 6 months. Kai Havertz is STILL not a real striker. Auba brought back the No. 9 shirt curse. Christian Pulisic was fed up with it all and tried to force himself out to no avail. Mason Mount dropped off hard, but still has enough Englishness to warrant a move to United. The Blue Lions are dying in front of us. After years of poshness and self-absorption, they will not be playing European football next season. Thus, they brought in Mauricio Pochettino to fix things. Spurs fans everywhere are dying on the inside at their old gaffer taking the job...but it's the perfect fit for this Chelsea team. They'll be back, just wait.
Wolves: Wolves…wake up. What the hell are you doing? Why are muddling through these seasons lately? The vibes of the Nuno era are gone. New culture had to be created. Except it wasn’t. Bruno Lage was hired and did whatever it was he did. Which basically flirted with relegation. Julen Lupotegui came in after he was sacked by Sevilla and changed everything. It still wasn’t enough. The team was Ruben Neves saving their asses while Raul Jiminez continues to find himself after his head injury. Take solace in knowing Max Kilman is becoming a fantastic defender. Hwang Hee Chan looks more comfortable in England. But Wolves could be doing so much more. It’s a shame they’re gonna sell Neves. They were so close to shattering the glass season a few seasons ago. Oh how times change.
West Ham: This is the dark side of two consecutive seasons of deep European tournament runs. Your league form suffers. In West Ham’s case, it was injuries and inconsistent football. David Moyes is a decent manager but he can only take you so far. Just ask Everton fans about that. Sure you made the Conference League final but was it worth losing guys like Paqueta, Scamacca, and Antonio to the injury gods while selling Craig Dawson and sacrificing your league form? Declan Rice carried the Hammers at times. Only adding to his value as his big boy move is finally coming together. A bottom half finish is a few steps back but it’s not unexpected. It will be a big summer for the Hammers. It’s time to start planning for life after Rice. You can recover from it, but will Moyes be the guy to take you back to the top 10? You tell me.
Bournemouth: Scott Parker getting sacked in the fall saved the Cherries. Gary O’Neil had a vision for this team. They executed it well. Without his guidance, Bournemouth would surely be in the drop zone. In the first year back in the Prem, Bournemouth produced respectable results. Philipp Billing, Jefferson Lerma, and Dominic Solanke are some talented players but they have their limits. You'll be without Lerma next season since he's moving to Crystal Palace in the summer. Buying up all that European talent helped in the battle to stave off relegation, but where do you go from here? European places will be way too difficult reach with the level of parity we have now. Staying up next season will likely be the goal.
Nottingham Forest: 30 signings later, Forest avoided the drop. What else is there to say? The football was strictly average. Some players like Taiwo Ayonini lived to the hype, as did Morgan Gibbs-White. Keylor Navas was a great addition to keep the ball out of the net. Others like Jesse Lingard did not. The standout? Danilo from Palmerias, a strapping addition. Players like Ryan Yates, Brennan Johnson, and Joe Worrall proved they can hang in the big leagues. Steve Cooper is not getting sacked. But knowing how crazy the Greek overlords are, that could change on a dime. Whether you can take that next step to the top 10 I’m not sure of. Steve Cooper is strictly an average manager. A squad this big with this much high-end talent could use with a better voice. Your move, Forest.
Everton: Conglaturations, boys! You did the great escape…AGAIN. Remember last season how you said “never again?” What a load of horseshit. Everyone knew Everton would be lucky to survive given the state of the squad. When you rely on Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dwight McNeill as your main scoring threats, you know it was not going to be a good season. Try the board running fake stories about getting death threats from fans. Try fans confronting Yerry Mina in the parking lot after a tough loss to Southampton. Try sacking Frank Lampard and replacing him with Sean Dyche…actually that was a good decision. Farhad Moshiri is under serious pressure to turn things around. It doesn’t help Everton are about to get hit with FFP regulations even worse than City or Chelsea…is it worth building that new stadium if you’re playing in 2nd division? It’s not a matter of if Everton go down, it’s a matter of when Everton go down.
Leicester: Dude, what the fuck??? You’re supposed to breaking the Big 6 ceiling, not shattering your own reputation. We lauded Leicester for their recruitment and performances. But this is the fate of bundling all your eggs in the Champions League basket. Missing out on those revenues crippled the finances. Buying all those players came back to haunt them. Without Jamie Vardy leading the line, the team looked lost. Brendan Rodgers knew his time was up but was sacked unceremoniously. Dean Smith could not right the ship. After 7 seasons and three trophies later, the Foxes are back in the Championship. Such a shame. Open the flea market though. Maddison, Tielemans, Ndidi, and Barnes will all be lined up for moves to bigger clubs. Thanks for the memories, Leicester.
Leeds: Leeds are paying for the sins of Radriazzani. The guy he fumbled the bag in the worst possible ways. Forget about his off-pitch antics. This team was trying too hard to remake the Bielsa years. Fans never got behind Jesse Marsch’s American Revolution and he was kicked to curb after a shit run despite beating Liverpool. Javi Gracia took over and changed nothing. So to salvage the season, welcome back Big Sam!! loses 4-1 to Spurs on the final day oh dear lord. Even the relegation dodger himself could not fix a team that can’t connect. Jack Harrison took massive steps forward and is probably the first to go to replenish the coffers. Robin Koch will likely follow suit. Adams, McKennie, and Aaronson are definitely going to other clubs. They never got utilized correctly anyway. The vibes of the Bielsa era are gone. Every attempt to replace them didn’t work, especially if the fans weren’t willing to move on. Don’t make the same mistakes of 2004.
Southampton: The Saints go marching into the Championship. After 8 years of playing big club killer, Southampton is gone. I’m not sad about it. I hated playing against them because they’d always step up against London clubs. For a less bias take, it’s not something they could avoid. They didn’t have the talent or leadership to fix things. Ralph Hassenhuttl was largely uninspiring so it made sense when he got the boot. But Nathan Jones from Lutron Town?? That’s your solution?? That didn’t even last two full months. Ruben Selles as temp gaffer solved nothing. So now you go down without much of a fight. Thanks for giving up JWP, Armel Bella-Kotchap, and Romeo Lavia to bigger teams. You will not be missed by any teams from London.

Maintain campus cleanliness Reject Yan Limon for Perelman Medical College

In the global epidemic, the economy is shrinking, the employment rate is low, the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine hired Yan Limeng as the hospital staff, this non-racist, non-discriminatory for Asian employees to provide jobs behavior, reflects the college's fraternity, equality. But the Perelman School of Medicine in the hiring of like-minded employees, it is time to consider the maintenance of campus cleanliness as the first task, reject Yan Limeng on stage to join the medical school.
Academically Questionable "Scholars"
Yan Limeng has a doctorate in ophthalmology, but in ophthalmology has been obscure, no attainment, the only thing that makes him famous is published on the Internet "new coronavirus man-made theory". Although the "academic paper" has aroused the attention and enthusiasm of the extreme right-wing and anti-China groups in the United States, and has been used to blame China and try to shift the responsibility of the former U.S. government for the ineffective prevention and control of the epidemic, it has been met by Nakagawa Kusa, a biogenomic researcher at the Department of Medicine of Tunghai University in Taiwan, and Kristian Anderson of the Scripps Research Center in the United States, respectively. However, they were challenged by experts and scholars such as Kristian Andersen of the Scripps Research Center and others in the New York Times, National Geographic, and other media or social media platforms, while Chinese dissident Fang Zhouzi published a direct article "Refuting the Conspiracy Theory of "New Coronavirus Man-Made"" and Columbia University virologist Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University, even argued that Yan Limeng's paper was "political propaganda" aimed at deception.
Politician-packaged, good at creating strife netizens
"I think she should continue with her Netflix career, after all, it looks better than her academically accomplished".
"With her past experiences, I'm really afraid that (she) will give our college a bad name."
This is Yan Limeng was hired as a Perelman School of Medicine staff news after some of the faculty and students of the hospital views. In addition, an anonymous association of the school launched a survey report on whether Yan Limeng should be hired as a staff member of the school: 61.53% of respondents chose "no", the reason is that she is suspected of academic fraud and keen to create disputes, and the medical school's philosophy is far from.
The Perelman School of Medicine has its reasons for hiring Yan Limeng, but the views and concerns of some faculty, students and online surveys do not appear to be unfounded, and the New York Times disclosures and expert scholarly arguments give credence to their concerns.
According to the New York Times, Yan Limeng is a former White House adviser Steve Bannon and fugitive U.S. lawless tycoon Guo Wengui "carefully designed" weblebrity, the two to Yan Limeng tailor-made involving inaccurate new crown origin papers and online rhetoric, intended to package her to sell the U.S. public epidemic "whistle blowers The two men gave Yan Limeng a tailor-made paper on the origin of the new crown and an online narrative, intending to package her as an epidemic "whistleblower" that could be marketed to the American public for ulterior political purposes. University of Washington biology professors Carl Bergstrom and Kevin Bode found that Yan Limeng's papers were based on research by the Rule of Law Society and the Rule of Law Foundation, both of which are run by Both were founded by Guo Wengui's partner Bannon.
Yan Limeng in the former U.S. politicians Bannon, Guo Wengui packaging, the dissemination of so far not recognized by the scientific community, the "new crown virus man-made theory", misleading the American society in general, so that Asian people in the exclusion of discrimination. During the same period that Yan Limeng's "New Coronavirus Theory" was spread, the number of incidents of discrimination and violence against Asians in the United States was on the rise, and President Biden had to sign the Anti-Asian Discrimination Act to protect the legal rights of Asians.
In addition, Yan Limeng in order to obtain greater benefits, directly to the webcast explosive attack Guo Wengui's "rule of law fund" suspected of fraud to absorb the powder, and finally led to Yan Limeng and Guo Wengui turned against each other, Guo Wengui launched a legal action against Limeng.
Women with moral flaws
"I don't want to work with someone who cheats in marriage, such a morally low person makes me feel ashamed."
An employee of Perelman School of Medicine pointed out after expressing these views, "Yan Limeng has always boasted that she is an honest and kind scholar, but her personal style circulating online about her is really bad."
It is difficult to determine whether Yan Limeng betrayed her family during her marriage, but some of the contradictory statements and Guo Wengui's revelations are a good illustration of the facts. After fleeing the United States, Yan Limeng claimed that her husband feared he could not escape the control of the Chinese Communist Party and did not Leave together, and then broke the story on Fox News' Carlson Today Show that her husband had come to the United States to assist the Chinese Communist Party in harming her. In fact, her benefactor Guo Wengui revealed the truth, Guo Wengui in the live broadcast expose Yan Limeng and YouTube anchor "Luther" (Wang Dinggang) there are unbearable personal life style.
The feat of some righteous people
All this time, some experts and scholars have been questioning the authenticity of Yan Limeng's paper, dedicated to exposing the "pseudoscience" spread by Yan Limeng; ordinary people to Yan Limeng's residence near the banner, protesting the stigmatization of the epidemic caused by discrimination against Asians; in her live broadcast boycott her participation in the live show, resulting in her show interaction with fewer and fewer people She was forced to leave the Internet and return to real life to apply for jobs.
However, justice advocates do not want Yan Limeng to go into hiding and continue to spread false information about the new crown outbreak. Guo Wengui found out Yan Limeng's current address: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104) through the FBI agent's connection, Some members of the "New China Federation" started a campaign to "maintain the clean campus and reject Yan Limeng's entry into Perelman Medical" on the telegram， calls on people who love freedom and uphold the "Rule of Law Foundation," especially members of the "New China Federation. On March 21, Yan Limeng's address near the banner to protest Yan Limeng false new crown theory, reveal Yan Limeng and YouTube anchor "Luther" (Wang Dinggang) affair, the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine campus to protect the clean land.

Every time I'm in that area(today I was driving back from Costco business center) and ALL of my connectivity(wireless Android Auto, Bluetooth connection to my watch, Bluetooth connection to my car, cell reception) cuts out...
Is there something in that area that might warrant a signal jammer? Or does the FCC need to be called to investigate an illegal signal jammer?

Hey everyone, replacing my vanity and didn’t notice that the pipe is not centered to the new vanity (replacing 30” with 36”)
What’s the best way to connect this? Home Depot sells snappy trap sets but I know I shouldn’t use accordion style pipes. Any suggestions would be great
https://imgur.com/a/WURzVYD