i love my boyfriend (24m). he’s good to me (21f) and we have a good bond. it’s just that there’s things about him that bother me and i didn’t realize how much those things bothered me until recently (almost one year into our relationship). i’ve had a lot of relationships so i pretty much have it figured out what i need and want, and he has almost all those boxes checked. but one thing that really gets to me is his ignorance. we have pretty differing political views. i wouldn’t say i’m very strongly on one side or the other, but nonetheless i’m always an advocate for being kind to everyone no matter what gender, race, religion, etc someone is. and that opinion leans more toward the liberal side (which he is very much not). but he openly is judgmental and rude towards people who are not like him (not to their face but around his friends, family, me, etc). i used to get annoyed by the type of people who would get super offended on behalf of other people, but now i’m beginning to feel like i am one of those people. i just want my boyfriend to be kind. not just to people’s faces but behind closed doors too. i want him to have empathy for others. and i’m sure he does, because he has a kind heart. i wouldn’t be dating him if he didn’t. but for whatever reason, when he’s around certain groups of people he feels like he has to act a certain way. he wants to be the one who makes everyone else laugh even if that means saying something completely out of pocket. and a lot of times those things he says just sound completely ignorant. however he doesn’t see it that way. he thinks he knows pretty much everything about everything. which leads me to my next point. i absolutely hate when he acts like a know-it-all because him and i both know he isn’t always the sharpest tool in the shed. but sometimes when he’s saying something and i correct him, he defends himself even if he knows i’m right! he just always has to be right and be the last one to say something, even if he’s aware that his point has been proven to be wrong. and that’s another thing that i think he does just because he knows it triggers me. he just loves to trigger people. and i’m growing very sick of it. i love and adore him so i just wish i could fix these things that get to me. and i really hope i can because if not they could be dealbreakers for me. literally all i want is for him to be his true self around everyone. i want him to realize that people will love him and love being around him even if he’s not the loudest and “funniest” person in the room. and i really want to feel like i can relate to him more. some days it feels like we’re two peas in a pod, inseparable, and even alike. and other days it feels like we’re two completely different people with completely different outlooks on things. any advice would be appreciated.

Introduction
1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

• No, as a child my family had golden retrievers. As an adult, I’ve had a 35 pound terrier mix and a pug mix. My husband had a Rottweiler, American bulldog, and a chihuahua mix.

2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder?

• I prefer to go through a reputable breeder.

3) Describe your ideal dog.

• a family dog that is good with children, friendly/neutral with other people and dogs while in public. A dog that doesn’t have a ton of energy but is happy to go on a daily walk that’s anywhere from a quarter mile to two miles. A dog that is okay being home while my husband and I go to work. We like dogs on the smaller side but aren’t completely against bigger dogs. We live in a two bedroom townhome with no yard so the dog would have to be able Tom tolerate that. We are hoping to move to a house with a yard in the next couple years but it’s not a guarantee.

4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

• I like pugs a lot. Our current dog is half pug and has the perfect energy level for us. Happy to be a couch potato but also likes walks. They seem to typically be good with children. I like rajah they have funny personalities. I do wonder about the ethics of breeding them and I’m researching about that.

Border terriers are aesthetically very cute to me and while at the end of the day, personality is more important than looks, liking how a dog looks is a plus. I like the wiry look of dogs. I like that they are smart and good with kids. I know they can be high energy though.
Italian greyhounds seem cool to me as well but I believe I read they can be skittish around children and we have a one year old.
5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

• basic obedience. One of our dogs was a certified Canine Good Citizen, that would be cool!

6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

• Not necessary but could be cool. I know Border Terriers are very versatile in that area and even do dock diving.

Care Commitments
7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

• We are couch potatoes and I love having the dog lay on me while I sew or watch TV. I like taking our dog on daily walks. I don’t mind carving out time to do daily training. We let our dogs sleep in bed with us as well.

8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

• 20-30 minutes a day. I like just walking or we could play fetch at a nearby park. I prefer not to go to a dog park because I’ve seen some bad interactions at them.

9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

• I am willing to regularly pay a professional to groom the dog. I would prefer a dog that doesn’t need to be regularly brushed.

Personal Preferences
10) What size dog are you looking for?

• smaller side. Maybe 30-35 pounds and smaller but not completely against a bigger dog.

11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

• shedding doesn’t bother me but I don’t like when dogs slobber to the point it’s dripping on your clothes and the floor. Barking would need to be a minimum because we live in a townhome with shared walls.

12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

• not important, I would not do this.

Dog Personality and Behavior
13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

• I like snuggly dogs but I also want it to be self confident and okay if it isn’t being snuggled at all times.

14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

• probably more towards the eager to please side

15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

• it’s fine if the dog barks when someone is at the door, doesn’t bother me. I’m not looking for a watchdog though and I prefer the dog be friendly to guests.

16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

• No

17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

• I would like to steer away from breeds of dogs that have the tendency to be reactive.

Lifestyle
18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

• five days a week, 8 hours

19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

• my husband has the same taste in dogs I do. 50/50 shared care

20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

• a pug mix and two senior cats.

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

• yes; we have a one year old

22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

• we rent but do not have breed restriction

23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

• USA. No

24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

• summer can get up to 100 but 77-90 is more typical. Winter gets to be about 60 degrees

Additional Information and Questions
25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

• I would prefer a dog that is not dog aggressive! Cost isn’t too much of an issue, we are willing to pay what we need to for the right fit.

This is literally driving me crazy every night. I live in a village, and somehow cockroaches have gotten in the house. I'm not sure where they're hiding in the house, but they appear a lot in the kitchen in the middle of the night, now that the weather's warmer. I usually see them when I get up for a glass of water. Once or twice, I've even seen one on the kitchen counter! It is absolutely disgusting and unhygenic, not to mention the fact that I am completely and utterly horrified when I see them. I don't know what to do. I live with my parents, and since they barely ever see the insects, they don't seem to care much about this issue. They're not scared of them or anything, but I live in fear, and I'm not exaggerating here. We've also got bed bugs that really bother me, and spiders too (I'm a huge arachnophobe). I think the cockroaches are the bigger problem here though, as they carry a lot of bacteria and germs. My mum cleaned the counter when I told her I saw one on it, but still, it is not very nice to be in constant fear of those insects. (Also to be fair she also made a trap with glue, which killed like eight of them in a few nights span)
I think my parents, and especially my dad, think that my fears are irrational and over the top. I would really like it if they took me seriously and actually did something about this, because me spraying on the bugs isn't doing that much. Does anyone have any advice on how I can communicate this ridiculous problem to my parents? I would really appreciate it. I would also like to know if I am being irrational, because earlier I googled tips on how to get rid of the cockroaches, saw all those bad things they can do to you, and now I'm freaking out more than usual. Anyways, thank you in advance for reading this.

As land counts head ever lower as people try to avoid cutting good spells from their lists, I think it's worth taking a step back and asking what the optimal land counts are in cEDH decks.
An ideal land count will minimize your chances of mana screw (too few lands) and mana flood (too many lands). There is some trade-off at play here, as adding more lands will decrease your chance of screw while increasing your chance of flood, and removing lands increases the chance of screw while decreasing flood.
What we want is the sweet spot that keeps both of these numbers as low as possible.
Conventional Magic wisdom is that mana flood is a better problem to have than screw, because when you finally do draw spells, you can immediately cast them whereas with screw when you finally do draw lands you have to play them one per turn to build up to casting your spells.
I think this is especially true in Commander where you potentially always have at least one spell to cast--your commander(s).
So why are land counts moving ever lower? A few possibilities:
People were running too many lands and are gradually realizing that and correcting the problem
I don't think this is the answer, as I will soon show with mathematics.
People are more emotionally attached to the spells in their deck than their lands, and so when a cut needs to be made for a new card, they choose a land.
I think this is part of the answer. The difference in drawing lands from having one more or one fewer land in your deck is difficult to notice from just playing games. When players cut a land, they don't notice much of a difference and conclude the deck is just fine without the land and they keep the change. The problem is when you do this a handful of times, it's like boiling the frog--as long as the change is gradual, you don't notice that you end up somewhere very different from where you started.
Powerful spells get printed all the time, but dual lands and fetchlands have never been and probably never will be obsoleted.
I can think of exactly once in Magic history where anyone saw new lands get printed and considered even for a moment cutting a spell for them--the Kamigawa Neon Dynasty channel lands. And even then, 97% of the conversation was about cutting lands for them so you could run extra spells. Lands just aren't as exciting as spells, and so players want to run as few of them as possible. Cutting a spell for a land feels like admitting you made a mistake in deck design, whereas cutting a land for a spell feels like shaving those few extra ounces off a race car to get an edge. Is it any wonder then that land counts fall ever lower?
When people get mana screwed they blame bad mulligans. When they flood they blame running too many lands.
This definitely fits my observations of Magic players. When they get mana screwed, they usually say something like "I shouldn't have kept this hand." When players flood, they tend to start talking about running too many lands and maybe cutting one.
Now, I'm not saying you should keep more one-land hands than you do, but funny enough, running more lands makes one-land hands better as you're more likely to draw more lands. I think the biggest mulligan mistake cEDH players make is keeping one-land hands thinking that if they draw one more land, they're going to get there. First of all, almost none of these hands will for sure win in a 4-player game if they draw another land right away. They might become good hands, but good enough to beat three people is something else. Second, even in an deck running many lands, you most likely won't draw that second land right away, and every turn you fail to do so your odds of winning drop exponentially.
So what is the optimal land count to run? Let me start with a disclaimer: All mathematical models are wrong. The math I'm using to create these answers doesn't perfectly model all the things that go into deciding what hands to keep or how many lands you should play. But neither does the subjective experience and theorycraft that the people who push back against this article will cite. Subjective experience is subject to all sorts of emotional biases, and theorycraft is, well, theoretical, and also reliant on subjective experience. Data and mathematics may be incomplete, but they're at least part of the objective truth, and I think the more people let them influence their decisions, the better they generally do.
For the purpose of these numbers, I define mana screw as having 0-1 lands by whatever point of the game we're in. I define mana flood as having 5+ lands
According to the Hypergeometric Distribution, the chances of having mana screw or flood in a seven card hand if you run...
23 lands: 49.2% 26 lands: 42% 29 lands: 35.8% 32 lands: 30.7% 35 lands: 26.9%
This number bottoms out at 42 lands, with a 23.3% chance. Beyond that, more lands increases your chances of flood more than it offsets your chances of screw. I'm not saying you should run 42 lands--there are of course other considerations, such as this being your opening hand and not your opening hand plus several draws, but I think it's interesting to know where the trend reverses just to see how far away we are from that point.
Also take note that the fewer lands you run, the more cutting an additional land increases your chances of mana screw. Looking at current land counts in decks, we're pretty dangerously close to the point where cutting a land will have real, noticeable consequences.
According to the Hypergeometric Distribution, the chances of having mana screw by your third turn (ten cards seen) if you run...
23 lands: 27.2% 26 lands: 20.2% 29 lands: 14.7% 32 lands: 10.4% 35 lands: 7.2%
You are roughly twice as likely to have one or fewer lands by the third turn of the game at 26 lands than you are at 35.
According to the Hypergeometric Distribution, the chances of having mana flood by your third turn (ten cards seen) if you run...
23 lands: 4.9% 26 lands: 8.2% 29 lands: 12.6% 32 lands: 18.1% 35 lands: 24.6%
Running more lands does make you a few percent more likely to flood than running fewer lands makes you more likely to screw, but flood is worse than screw.
And now combined chance of flood or screw by your third turn if you run...
23 lands: 32.1% 26 lands: 28.4% 29 lands: 27.3% 32 lands: 28.5% 35 lands: 31.8%
At first glance, it appears 29% is the "optimal" amount of lands to run, minimizing both screw and flood, but since screw is worse than flood, it might be worth running slightly more.
What if we adjust the numbers a bit? Most decks aren't happy with having only one land in their first ten cards, so lets see what the numbers look like for getting between two and five lands by the third turn (10 cards drawn)
23 lands: 71.9% 26 lands: 77.9% 29 lands: 81.9% 32 lands: 84% 35 lands: 84.1%
This actually maxed out at 34 lands with 84.3% chance of having between two and five lands. Again, remember that not every percentage point here is created equal--flood is less bad than screw and you'll get more flood than screw at higher land counts.
So yeah, you aren't running enough lands :P

Choosing love over choosing location/lifestyle/job? How much of my life to be built on a relationship?
I just moved to California from Ohio for a rotational program. I found a person in Ohio I think I could live a long healthy life with, was with them for a year. I love their family, they love mine, we have many values and things in common. Long distance is not a long term solution for me. The decision to move to Ohio or stay in California is turning into the question of putting my “career” or “love” first. Long distance would be fine for maybe a year or two, before it would get too hard to be away from eachother I think.
Ohio has its perks and downfall same as California does. As a Woman in STEM, the thought of taking a relationship into consideration for my career path is hard for me to swallow, as I have worked so hard to get to where I’m at. However, I could regret not giving love a shot while I’m young. However, I’m young and now is the time to do things while I can. I literally go back and forth all day with weighing both options (yes I have done a pros and cons list and have a therapist in the loop as well)
I need advice from people who have gone through this, as a 25 F breaking generational cycles, my family is no help.
Thanks in advance :)

My apologies for the long post but I wanted to be as detailed as possible.
I accepted a job offer last week for a company based in the U.S. It all started with a job ad they posted on LinkedIn. The ad specifically stated the hours (12pm to 9am PHT with a 30-minute lunch break), the rate, and that they require screen sharing throughout the shift. There was a brief paragraph about the job responsibilities but the ad did not go into much detail. Without thinking much about it, I clicked on quick apply and moved on, applying to other job listings.
A day later, I got an email from the company asking if I am available for an interview + short assessment. The email specifically stated that the video call will include a 5-minute introduction from the applicant. After that, I need to share my screen and complete a short task that will allow them to assess my skills. The task will take about 10 minutes without any extensions.
I thought this was shady at first as based from my experience, the initial interview is usually a time to talk more about the role and give more information about the company. I was skeptical but my SO convinced me it would be OK. I did some research on the company as well. Although I could not find anything from Filipinos that they've hired, I did find their website, social media pages, and reviews left by their clients.
So, I scheduled my assessment and "5-minute introduction". It was a bit awkward. They required me to turn on my camera while they had their camera off. I talked a little about myself, my career timeline, and etc. I expected them to ask me the typical questions like "Why do I want to work for them?" or "Why do I want to leave me current job?" but was not asked anything of the sort. After the introduction, we immediately jumped into the assessment after about 2 minutes of them explaining what it consisted.
The task was easy and I finished it before the alloted time they provided. After that, I was told my assessment will be checked by their staff and they will reach out to me with a JO within 24-36 hours if I get the role. After 24 hours, I got a JO via email. The email pretty much reiterated what the job ad stated without giving much detail about the responsibilities itself. I already did my research on the company though and I know it's legit. The email also said that if I accept the JO, I should message the sender ASAP on Slack. I looked the person up on LinkedIn and viewed profiles of other employees hired by the company but could not find any other info.
I did what was asked and got a reply on Monday night. I received the email on Saturday, so I did not expect them to reply until then. I was then sent documents I had to sign, including an NDA, contract, and tax exempt file for the foreign owner. I read the contract and it still did not say much about the job responsibilities. The contract states that I am an independent contractor. The contract says nothing about how long I will be employed with them or if I have to give a notice if I decide to quit. The only detail alluding to time is that I will receive a salary increase in 3 months and I will gain 5 days paid leave in 6 months, but that's it. So, I'm assuming my contract is more for a "freelance" position where I can leave or they can terminate my services without having to give a notice from both sides.
I've been with them a week and there are a lot of things I don't particularly like. I have experience working on-site and remotely as a freelancer, but I feel that some of their terms are difficult to deal with long-term. Some of those factors include:

• I need to have Slack on with all notifications turned on during the entire shift. This gets annoying after a while because we have a lot of channels or chat groups. This extends to one hour before and after my work schedule. My notifications keep popping off every 2-5 minutes or so with updates that I'm mostly not concerned with.
  
• They only allow 30 minutes for our lunch break which means we are working 8 hours and 30 minutes. We are allowed breaks but I have to send a notice to our Slack GC that I'll be AFK and why (even if it's just to use the bathroom). Hence, the spammy notifications. I find this excessive as well since we are already sharing our screens.
  
• We have to install a screen sharing software that will be on at all times. I'm not sure if this will pose a security or privacy risk to my personal information.
  
• The schedule is difficult to adjust to due to my health problems.
  
• I feel that they misled me with their ad by being as vague as possible about the role and tasks, so much so that when I accepted the JO, I felt like I couldn't say "no" to specific tasks because we did not talk about my responsibilities first before starting the job. I did inform my supervisor that I'm not experienced with some of the tasks that they are requiring me to do but was reassured I can ask questions.
  

The training itself was only about an hour and that was it. They expect me to just do the task and ask questions as I go along which I find ineffective. Wouldn't it be better if they just properly trained us? Other people who were hired along with me are having the same experience. It's difficult to ask a question regarding a task when I'm not even sure what questions to ask, if you know what I mean.
So, my question is, is it OK to quit after a week? My main reason for quitting is the schedule. Yes, I was aware of the schedule from the get-go but I decided to apply anyway and give it a shot. I have a chronic condition that makes it difficult for me to adjust to a different schedule and stay glued to the computer for long periods. I applied anyway thinking I'd give the schedule change a shot and do my best. After a week though, my body is just not agreeing with me and I've been experiencing some painful symptoms.
Unfortunately, I was made aware that there is no other possible shift or schedule available for us remote workers. They are unwilling to be flexible with the schedule or the hours. I've noticed that the company also does not have an HR manager or department. We are all working remotely and there are managers for each department, as well as one for the whole team in the Philippines.
How do I go about with the resignation? Who do I approach?
Is it OK to just send an email and be done with it? I've only been employed a week and the contract says nothing about being employed for a specific period or that I need to give a specific period of notice beforehand, so I doubt it would cause any problems.
TIA to anyone who can give some advice.

Hi.
Starting today, I would like to push forward a movement to get Torn Banners attention, and it can only work if we all step forward and say something.
This game has a lot of issues, like a lot of issues. Unfortunately some of these issues are lazy implemented design like Desertion Zones, but there are more major issues such as Stuttering, being unable to play with your friends, crashing and framedrops. Torn Banner Studios has over 100 employees, and I can tell you for certain that these employees are not all working on Chivalry 2, especially with the level of content we've seen and with how little fixes are put in.
Speaking of Fixes, it's pretty horrible that the community has come to expect the game to break after an update is released. Every update brings with it new potential problems, new bugs and old bugs are either fixed, aren't fixed or even re-added bugs that were already fixed.
It unfortunately does not end here. The stuttering especially is not actually a new problem, it's been a problem since the Steam release in June 2022. Some people have had unplayable game-freezes since June 2022 and Torn Banner did not hear or address those people. Now with the Bridgetown update, this stuttering has become much more widespread and it affects all versions of the game on all platforms, but seemingly at random.
I helped Torn Banner diagnose the cause of the stuttering and linked it to Epic Online Services (this is a plugin similar to an audio-engine or a graphical plugin, ect). I also released a video on how to fix this problem on PC. I also reached out to a modder of Chivalry 2 who fixed it in a different way. All of this information was relayed back to Torn Banner and they are fully aware of everything. Console players are unable to do the fix I have created.
Despite this, a week after all this information was given to them, they released a hotfix that did not fix the stuttering. They also created the new "Invalid Join Data" bug in this hotfix. This alone wouldn't be so bad, game development takes time and I am sympathetic to this. Four more weeks go by and they release another hotfix. It doesn't fix the stuttering, it doesn't fix "Invalid Join Data", hit detection seems to be at an all time low and they removed the funny sickles off of the new map.
All I can do is wonder what's going on with Torn Banner and why this is happening, what lack of quality control is going on over there?
Why can console players not pick alternate control schemes at least, let alone the basic feature of rebinding controls? Are they second-class citizens?
This is where you come in. This behavior will not change unless you speak up. They aren't going to do better just because you hope they will. You need to voice your concerns and you need to express (healthily) that this behavior needs to change and you should demand that they do better. Don't let a game studio walk over you and justify it with things like "Game development is hard". Have some standards. This is a product that many people have paid for and this game could be one of the best multiplayer games ever released, but it isn't and it won't be because they don't give it the love and care it deserves.
If you love this game, please tell them you want them to do better. It'll only work if we all speak up about it.
#SaveChivalry2

tldr; Want to be a psychiatrist, can make my entire application/life/experiences related to it, but worried would turn off medical schools. I do have good reasons for it, and reasons why I would pick psychiatry over other healthcare/mental health providers). How heavily should I lean into it?
Hi, my current general plan (maybe 50%) is psychiatry specialty after med school - mental health means a lot to me and helping people, especially low income, minorities, immigrants, 1st/2ns generation, religious/atheist, addiction)
I have done research and probably won't mention any continuing mental illnesses if I hypothetically have them, but maybe will explicitly mention dealing with them when younger, seeing them in other people and helping people dealing with it).
I have a strong platform for systemic change in disadvantaged areas/populations nationwide to help mental health in communities by spreading awareness and providing aid, as I think improving mental health is one of the most cost efficient things a government can do, if done well. I would like to further develop and change the mental health resources we have in place to do so.
I can frame a lot of my life and personal experiences around mental health and why I am interested in psychiatry. I also believe I want to be a psychiatrist vs other health care person like a therapist, psychologist, coach, social worker, etc. because getting the extensive training of psychiatry allows one to view the entire body and make sure they can identify the links between environmental, biological, and psychological issues - it is a more holistic approach due to how much you get to learn about the body, and make more connection about treating people in relation to how their bodies work (one example is gut microbiome, or even mineral/ion concentration or brain function).
I could frame my entire application(s) around mental health and everything related, both with my life, volunteer experiences, and work experiences (I've worked with disadvantaged kids since I was 14,).
Would it be good or bad to have such a specific lens, rather than being more open to any specialty (could still mention psychiatry as a primary goal, bet be less myopic about it)?
​
Thanks

I was just curious what others thought about this, as I’m a Scorpio Sun and Scorpio rising with a lot of Leo energy. My Mars (one of two chart rulers) is in Leo (mutual reception w Sun & Squaring everything) and my ASC is at a Leo degree. I feel the square a lot but I feel like Leo colors my personality a lot behind closed doors despite having 6 Scorpio placements.
I also have an Aquarius moon opposite the Mars that’s Squaring everything in Scorpio from the 3rd House.
(Yes, I consider both Pluto and Mars as rulers of Scorpio but I’m just using the Mars as an example because it’s in a sign other than my Sun/Rising … I’m part of the Pluto Scorpio generation so it’s conjunct my Sun & Rising as well)
Thanks!

Hey y’all, bit of a long post, but I’m in the process of getting my referral letters to send to my insurance so I can get top surgery covered. I have one of my letters already from a psychiatrist, and am waiting on the second one from a therapist (I can’t schedule my surgery until insurance approves it so you can probably guess how eager I am to get this second letter).
I had my first appointment with this therapist (they are known in my town for being gender affirming and writing letters) on April 13th, 2023. She told me I needed to take a PAI test (which I did on May 1st) and that she’d write the letter with me in the room in our second session if I did fine on the test (I did). Flash forward and I have the second session on May 10th with a different therapist who said she’s gonna take over writing my letter, and that she would have it to me at the end of that week or the week after. In her defense I originally said I didn’t have a strict schedule/wasn’t in a rush to get the letter, but after getting home and thinking about it I realized the timeline she gave me actually worked perfectly so I’d be fine.
Well, that amount of time passed and I didn’t receive the letter or any updates. So on Wed May 23rd I sent an email basically saying ‘hey my personal timeline has changed, do you think there’s any way you could get me that letter by the end of this week? Fine if not’. I didn’t receive a response so on Mon May 29th I called and left a message asking them to please send the letter by the end of THAT week instead. On Thurs June 1st they finally responded to my email (nine days!!!!) saying my therapist should have it to me by that Monday (June 5th). Well that Monday came and passed, so did Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoon (yesterday) I called again and was told she would try to finish it that day. Well it’s now 2pm on Friday and I haven’t heard or received anything.
I just feel very lost and dejected about this situation and just have no idea where to go from here. I know I originally said I wasn’t in a rush, but I feel like I let her know in a timely manner that my situation had changed. I feel cheated and like the butt of a joke with them continuing to give me a day and then not only miss the day, but not even reach out to explain why or give me a new timeline. Should I start looking for a new therapist? Should I start calling/emailing them a lot so they know I’m serious? Should I report them? Am I in the wrong and should I just keep waiting?
I appreciate any advice yall have so much!!

Hi, I'm new to this server and I just need somewhere to vent and feel less lonely(?) about my situation. I have anxiety, usually mainly situational, but it's kind of developed into more social anxiety as well, to a point where I get kind of physically sick. I recently graduated from college and I've been struggling in finding a job that is related to my degree. I acknowledge that it's my fault for not getting the experience. I just didn't think I was capable of balancing school work and research. So now I'm in this loop in which I'm getting really anxious about not having a job and wasting my degree but also getting anxious about getting a job because I have a fear of falling behind and making mistakes, or that I'm not really interested in what I'm pursuing.... but I really want to try at least. I have been prescribed medication that does help with situational anxiety but I'm not sure how much that'll actually help now. Is it dumb to be feeling like this? I just feel like I'm being a burden to those around me. How do I stop making myself feel miserable when I need to pursue these things to... well... have a life??

I recently attended a Peter Gabriel concert with very limited knowledge of his discography. I know Sledgehammer, Don't Give Up and I'm sure a few others that make you go "oh yeah" whenever they're played on the radio, but that's about it. Considering how he's not released his new record yet and he'd play well over 10 new songs I wondered how this would go. I did give 4 singles a listen though, so the new material wouldn't be completely new for me. I was fully aware how he wouldn't sing any Genesis and nor do I think he needs to. He's left that band behind so many decades ago that it'd be odd for him to suddenly bring out some of the songs. That's not to say that some Genesis songs would've been a better pick but I reckon that's a whole other debate here...
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The show began with a unique and funny intro, which I appreciated as a first-time experience. However, technical issues arose once the band started playing, particularly with the bass sound. Popping noises persisted throughout the performance, detracting from the overall experience on the first 2 songs. Furthermore, Gabriel's vocals were often difficult to understand, bordering on mumbling. Although his singing ability I'm sure is still exceptional, the live mix failed to balance the vocal lines of his new songs, overshadowed by the music. This issue persisted throughout the show, creating a muddy sound whenever Gabriel wasn't singing and a bit of a mess when he was.
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The first half of the concert was captivating, featuring a well-thought-out vision that explored themes of life, birth, and emotional attachment. The combination of stunning visuals and beautiful melodies got me emotional, thinking of my own life and the different stages it's been through so far. I think that, if I'd have understood a word of what he was singing, I'd have genuinely loved the first hour of the show. But the stunning visuals weren't enough to get his message and ideas across. I'm sure there was a deeper message going on, but I don't think anyone could fully understand it.
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Another thing that took me out of it was a notable point where it appeared as though he would hold a long note but didn't, making the use of backing tracks more apparent. This raised questions about the extent to which the sound was supplemented by backing tracks, even including Gabriel's own vocal lines. I don't imply that he mimed the entire show, but it became evident that not everything was 100% live as he makes it look like. It's worth mentioning that at 73 years old, it is understandable that artists change their arrangements a little bit, and not everything can be replicated in an arena. However, miming typically belongs to a different category, primarily associated with modern-day pop idols.
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Despite the industry norm of catering to audiences seeking only the well-known songs, I was genuinely impressed by his artistic integrity while exploring new musical territories. His ability to engage and captivate his diverse fan base showcases both his artistry and their loyalty. As an attendee with limited knowledge of his fans, I was pleasantly surprised by their receptive and attentive nature as Dutch audiences are very well known for their constant need to chat through every little song they're unfamiliar with. The audience's willingness to embrace his new songs and support his artistic growth underscores their open-mindedness and appreciation for the evolution of his music. This experience serves as a reminder that assumptions based on an artist's popular hits can often overlook the depth and breadth of their audience's appreciation.
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The second half felt prolonged, with certain song choices, such as "Big Time," falling flat for me. I reckon it's a hit but it felt so out of place. Near the end, when Biko was played, it seemed catered towards Nostalgia as opposed to a genuine protest, making it somewhat inappropriate for the occasion and ending the show on a confusing and a little cringy note. On one hand he takes you on this moving journey but then ends it on a rather cliché. Yes, the message of Biko is still relevant, but it just didn't go over like I think he does. I also felt that, as the show went on, he seemed to be going through the motions more and more and near the end looked like he couldn't wait for it te be over. It became pretty obvious he's excited over the new songs and really, really doesn't care for the older songs.
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I had high expectations for the show, and although some may disagree, I don't mean to offend anyone. Fans who know all the words may not mind the unclear vocals as they know what's being sung anyway. Overall, the performance had its ups and downs. His musical talent was evident, especially in the well-planned first half. However, the show's length, song selection, and vocals being drowned out took away from its impact. It left me thinking that it could have been much better, which was disappointing because it had the potential to be one of the best shows I've seen.

Does anyone know how to get out of a Starbucks contract?
I just started my new job and I already want to quit. I REALLY want to quit. Because this shit isn’t normal. I mean, is it? Do you guys have experience with this type of shit, or is it a normal thing when moving to the city? I’m a small-town girl so I’m not used to this. We didn’t even have a Starbucks. Just a diner that had been broken into multiple times over the years.
Do you know the bad feeling you get when something bad is going to happen, but you ignore it for the sake of staying sane? .Yeah.
It was one of those situations.
But I needed cash. I needed a job. College in the city is expensive, especially in my mid-twenties. Uber Eats every night and various subscriptions, such as Netflix and Spotify—as well as basic living needs required cash. So, naturally, I looked for part-time jobs I could use to fill up my weekend and nights. When it came to job hunting, I was fairly lazy. So, the Starbucks job kinda came out of nowhere.
I wasn’t even looking for it. I was applying for a job in the local music store when it caught my eye. Someone to work late evenings and nights on weekdays and Saturdays. The job description didn’t say much, just basic pay details and a full paragraph dedicated to talking about “The Starbucks Family”. Skim reading it, I skipped to the APPLY NOW button and sent in my resume via email. Two hours.
It had taken two hours to get an email back offering a video interview the next day—and a guaranteed job if I didn’t screw it up. The video interview went well to my surprise. The woman who conducted it acted more like a friend, asking me what my favorite movies and TV shows were, and then going into detail about her own.
It didn’t even feel like an interview. More like a chat. Which was exactly what the email said it was going to be. The interviewer was my mom’s age, a total mom-like persona. She offered me iced tea before laughing and realizing we were on a video call. Her cat popped up halfway through her introducing several staff members by name. A large tabby whom she picked up and hugged to her chest. I wasn’t sure what to do except repeatedly say, “Aww.” and force an even bigger smile.
The woman who for some reason did not introduce herself finished the interview with a more formal and thorough talk-through of rules and regulations. Which went in one ear and out the other. I think I was too excited about the job as a whole. There’s something almost mythical about working at Starbucks. I’ve seen barista TikTok complaining about customer service and harping about in the back rooms. It looked fun. Plus, free drinks? I figured working at the famous coffee chain would at least have benefits and freebies.
The woman spoke to me for almost two hours about certain drinks, telling me I would be trained up, and then going on to explain the dos and don’ts in a working environment. It was kind of patronizing, but I figured she had to be to remain professional. I tuned out when she started talking about a certain “feud” they had with another store down the road. The woman didn’t go into detail, but her expression did darken significantly when she leaned closer to her screen and repeated the phrase, “Do you understand me?” I had to backtrack and try and go over what she had been saying, but I had found myself mesmerized by the gilded sword in the background. It hung from the back wall in all of its glory, and I was having a hard time trying to figure out why exactly a Starbucks manager had a sword hanging from her wall.
“Sim?” Inclining her head, the manager cleared her throat. “Did you hear me?”
I did. Sort of. Under no circumstances must I visit or go near 2nd Street Starbucks. If I did there would be dire consequences and I would face losing my job, or worse.
I wasn’t sure what “or worse” was, but from the way her expression twisted from funny-cat-lady to a potential employer, I didn’t want to ask.
Yikes.
“Uh, yeah,” I said. “I can’t go near the 2nd Street store.” I almost choked on a glass of water I had been slowly sipping throughout the interview. I had been sweating most of the day, dying in the intense June heat. It was a lot cooler in the evening in the city, but I was used to draining at least ten glasses a day. “Is that real?” I couldn’t help asking, pointing to the sword behind her.
I know you are supposed to maintain a certain professional persona and façade during professional work interviews with potential managers. However, I really wanted to know if that ancient thing was real, it was driving me crazy. Because questions were arising in my head: How did she get it? Was it hers? Was it for some kind of aesthetic and feng-shui, or was there more to it? From the look on the interviewer’s face, she seemed startled.
Whipping her head around, her strict grey ponytail hitting the screen, she nodded before turning back to me, her gaze flicking down to what I presumed was a script she was reading off—or maybe she was skimming through my printed-out resume. I wanted to ask her more about the elephant in the room, but she seemed satisfied with answering my question with a nod. She asked me more questions, mostly about my work ethic and if I enjoyed working in a team and independently, if I had any special requirements, and oddly—if I had ever held a firearm. Now, that caused alarm bells. Along with the gilded sword dangling from this forty-something-year-old’s lounge wall, I was definitely starting to question the exact nature of what I would be doing at this job. Serving coffee was an obvious one, though I was pretty sure Starbucks barista's didn’t require military-style training.
When I didn’t know what to say, she seemed to back-pedal. “Oh, it’s in case of a robbery.” She said. But her expression stayed stoic. Speaking in the tone of being joking, but not being joking. “It is rare. However, it is a precaution we must take.” Choosing her words carefully, the interviewer steepled her hands in front of her face, leaning her chin on her fingers. “Our employees are given basic fire-arm training in the instance that one day we may face a difficult situation. Now, I am not saying it is inevitable, but due to certain behavior throughout the years, it is, of course, better to be safe than sorry.”
“Oh.” I tried to smile. “No, I haven’t,” I paused, hoping my lack of ability to hold a gun wouldn’t screw up my chances. “But I can learn?”
I said it like a question because it was a question. I was questioning myself why exactly I would take up my time learning to shoot a gun I most likely never would need. To my surprise though, the woman’s smile brightened and she looked down at whatever she was writing.
“Of course,” she said. “Sim, I am very happy to hear that. We love employees who do their best to learn and thrive in our working environment,” she paused and typed something on her laptop before her gaze found mine. “I’ll put you down for lessons on Friday mornings. How does that sound?” Before I could answer her—because I was starting to seriously question why she was so obsessed with training me to use a goddamn gun—she was nodding to herself. “I will put Jude in charge of you. I think he is working on Friday, so your induction and welcome can be completed in the morning…”
She trailed off into her own murmured conversation to herself before clearing her throat. I jumped. I didn’t mean to jump, but her whole presence was putting me on edge. The lady had been nicer on the phone, and earlier on in the interview when she was grilling me on which Frozen character was my favorite.
“Okay!” The interviewer gathered up her paperwork, beaming at me through the camera. “Can you start tomorrow? Let’s say…” her eyebrows furrowed together. “5:30? I will not be there for the first hour due to certain obligations,” she traced her lip with the tip of her index. “However, I have four employees working the front desk, I’m sure they will give you a warm welcome.” I noticed something twitch on her lips. It was almost like she was trying to stop herself from laughing—which was childish from a standpoint where I was the younger one, while she was the senior. She was supposed to be setting some kind of standard, and yet for some reason was more inclined in teasing me about workplace friendships, and apparently how “close” my colleagues were. I wasn’t stupid, I knew what friendship was like in the workplace. It’s not “real” because you’re all there to do a job, not making lifelong friendships.
“I’m looking forward to meeting them,” I said when she snorted out a laugh that twisted up my gut.
"Absolutely," she responded. "The team is very close, so don't take it personally if they're initially cautious. I'm confident that you'll all become great friends! Kai is a kind-hearted sweetheart, while Ana may seem standoffish initially, but she'll warm up to you once you get to know her. Jude, on the other hand, will be your guide during the orientation, so it's best to stay close to him. In fact, it's recommended to shadow him during your first few hours since he's our top performer! Frankly, Sim, I can hardly wait for you to meet them! They're a great group!" This woman seemed to suddenly discover the use of expletives, or maybe she had noticed I visibly wanted to crawl into the ground. The way she was describing the other employees, I was expecting cartoon characters when I walked through the door.
“Right,” I said. I was starting to regret applying. “I’ll be there.”
She ended the call with a bright smile, and her stupid cat walking on the keyboard, causing her to squeak out in horror. I shut my laptop, my cheeks burning. Well, that went…? Well? Could I really say it went well when the manager had spent the last five minutes implying my work colleagues were going to hate me? Fuck.
I didn’t want to go. I trashed my application and deleted her number from my phone. But the morning after, however, I came to the quick realization through precious morning caffeine, that I needed cash. So, no matter how much I didn’t want to go—I had to. So, I headed to classes and tried not to think about it. It was 5:34 when I stepped into the familiar glow of the famous store—not before being stopped in the middle of a crowed by a girl wearing bright pink ray-bans and a scowl. “Do you work there?” she turned and pointed to the store.
I shrugged. “I guess.”
She scoffed, slipping off her ray-bans and fixing me with a bitchy smile. “Your funeral.”
Normally, in situations when strangers say odd things to me on the street, I just laugh it off. But this? This seemed personal.
“What?”
The girl didn’t say anything before turning and walking or rather running away.
Well, that was weird.
After that encounter, I was weighing the positives and negatives of taking up the job. The positives would be cash and something to occupy my mind away from classes, and the negatives were being stuck with insufferable colleagues and a manager who was the embodiment of unprofessional. The store was pretty empty when I stepped through automatic doors, reveling in the cooling fan blasting icy cold air in my face. A dark-haired college girl had her back to me, cleaning tables. But I noticed her stiffening up when I took a step forward. She straightened up like a cat going into territorial mode, before relaxing and holding a two-fingered hand up.
The store was empty so I had no idea who she was signaling to. It wasn’t a greeting to me—I had no idea what it was. I was halfway to the counter before a guy popped up out of nowhere, mid-way through drying a cup with a washrag. His hair was the first thing I noticed. Bright red.
In contrast to his pasty skin, this guy would definitely stand out in a crowd. He was my age or maybe a little older, mid twenties, with a wide smile and not much of anything else, kitted in a short-sleeved shirt, and a Starbucks apron over the top.
I expected quirky cartoon-like weirdos and I got an average Joe. I wasn’t complaining.
Initially, I thought this guy was just another jock-like college guy. But looking closer, the friendliness in his eyes wasn’t sincere, and his smile was strained. Keeping up a professional attitude, he regarded me with a smile, leaning across the counter. But his eyes kept flicking to the door in quick succession like he was waiting for a certain someone to come in. “You.” He pointed at me, trailing his finger to the door, swiping hair from his face with his hand. The guy was bouncing on the heels of his toes, I noticed. He couldn’t stand still, like a hyperactive child. “You’re Sim, The newbie I’m supposed to be training.”
I nodded, offering a nervous wave.
“Jude.” He introduced himself, though clearly distracted, his gaze flicking to and from the door. His facade was friendly enough, but very fake. It was the same smile I presumed he flashed at customers who complimented his looks. “Hey, Sim.”
Instead of holding out his hand for me to shake, he folded his arms across his chest. Jude cocked his head, drinking me in before his lips broke out into a beam.
"Shall we get started?"
Jude started the tour, showing me the store itself, then the back, the storage room, the staff room, and bizarrely, a wooden door which he referred to as, “The Drink”. I had no idea what that meant, but I made a mental note to steer away from it.
The backrooms of the store turned into a labyrinth. The place was covered in mold, peeling paint on the doors and old rugged floor tiles. Jude spoke way too fast like he was intentionally trying to confuse me. By the time I was struggling with my apron, he was turning on his heels with a brow raised. “Your hair is too long so you need to tie it up. You can shadow me this evening but don’t get in my way. We have two twenty-minute breaks and during them, we are contractually obligated to go down to the Second Street store and throw eggs at their windows—ooh, and the girl you just met who didn’t say a word? That’s Ana. You will get used to her.” His smile reached a level of fake I didn’t think was possible. “Why don’t you follow me?”
“What?” I managed to hiss out when Jude was leading me down a long, winding corridor that dipped into various rooms, out-of-order elevators, and the creepiest set of stairs I had ever seen leading into the pitch dark. I was still trying to register his words.
Jude twisted around with a frown. “What’s up?” He nodded at a passing blonde girl who shot me a smile, and hive-fived Jude before disappearing through a door.
“You throw eggs at the store down the road?”
The guy’s lip twitched into the start of a smile. He turned around, quickening his pace. “Did I say that? Obviously, I was joking.”
I stumbled after him, knocking into a dark-haired younger guy carrying a tray of cupcakes. He and Jude seemed to exchange words without speaking before Jude gestured to the stranger. Somehow, I figured out their telepathic conversation through eye movements and strained smiles, they weren’t talking about me. “That’s Kai,” Jude said, pushing through the doors back to the main storefront. He took a customer’s order, retaining that stupid smile. “If you need any help with making those annoying TikTok drinks that take a millennia to make and have probably broken several Geneva convention rules?” He playfully knocked into me while preparing a drink, his hands knowing where everything was, preparing and serving a latte in a matter of minutes, “Kai is your guy! He runs our social media page and is practically a connoisseur on the next big trend. He'll deal with zoomers."
I was slowly starting to ease my way into this job, and my colleagues seemed pretty cool. Jude actually helped me all the way through the evening, introducing his home life and how he grew up as he cleaned tables and conversed with the others—always throwing me into their chatting so I didn’t get left out. I ended up sorting through cookies and making price labels with Aurora, the perky blonde who high-fived Jude earlier. She spoke to me like we had been best friends for years, and that part of her charm made me instantly adore her. She was tiny for her age, but a menace when it came to her sharp tongue and language. I didn’t think a tiny thing like her could swear like a goddamn sailor, but it was cute. Jude and Aurora had a sibling-type thing going on, though every time I caught Kai’s eye, he was smirking. It seemed everyone knew they had a thing except them.
I was actually having fun with the others, bobbing my head to the radio while serving a group of kids, when Jude, who was next to me, seemed to go rigid all of a sudden. His laughing smile carved into something else. I had never seen an expression change so fast.
But he wasn’t the only one. Aurora, cleaning tables and giggling at Jude’s joke, straightened up, her eyes flashing to the door. Kai’s head snapped up from where he had been grinding coffee. Following their gaze, I found myself face-to-face with the manager who interviewed me. But unlike the night before, she was not smiling. The woman dropped her bag at the door before marching towards the counter. Jude leaned over; his expression apprehensive.
“Well?”
His eyes as well as his tone had darkened significantly. All of my colleagues had taken off these masks, these facades of joking smiles and bright eyes, and now I was seeing a glimmer of what they were hiding. What Jude had been looking for all evening, sneaking glances at the door. I watched his gaze follow the manager as she paced back and forth, chewing her nails. “Where is he?”
“I don’t know.” She finally said, lifting her head. Her lips were twisted. “But.” She said, spitting each word, as she rounded the counter, helping herself to coffee. “You’re going to pay a visit to them right now, and…and sort this out once and for all.” Her voice resembled that of a mother talking to her children. She was assertive to them, her eyes piercing. Do you understand me?” The woman nodded at Jude. “You can go.” Her eyes found mine. “Take the new girl, she needs to be inducted.” Finally, she turned to Ana, who was standing in the corner silently. “You are too. I need brains, and Jude is just brawn. Keep him on his toes, young lady."
With a hint of sarcasm in his tone, Jude uttered a brief "Thanks," and then proceeded to take a coffee cup and a Sharpie. Swiftly, he scrawled some words on the side of the cup, before placing it inside a bag and plonking it in front of me. As Jude reached for his coat at the back, he put it on over his green Starbucks apron, creating a striking contrast with his denim blue sherpa. With his mop of red curls, this guy was in no way going to be as incognito as he thought. "We'll manage the conversation,” he said hurriedly, visibly excited. Jude seemed to lead the others in their expressions, his confidence and wit causing them to brighten up, adapting wide smiles. He shoved his hands in his pockets, “All you gotta do is hand them this, okay?”
“Is that a good…” Kai drifted off on whatever he was about to say, ducking his head when Jude shot him a glare.
“I think it’s a perfect idea!” The manager beamed at me. “What a way to fully bring you into our family!”
I took the coffee cup (the empty coffee cup) hesitantly. “What is it?”
“It’s a gift!” Jude said, moving towards the door in long strides. It was all too noticeable that this guy was practically vibrating with an energy I had never known. It was almost manic. “I want to let them know we appreciate them! Y’know! Rival to rival.”
Kai stepped in front of him on the way out.
“Be careful,” he said in a low hum. Aurora joined him, but she wasn’t speaking, her left-hand tugging at the waistband of her jeans. “Keep your head down when you go in because they’ll be expecting you—and they’ll be expecting a retaliation.”
“Relaaaaax, it’s Cora! We used to date!” he cocked his head. "I think."
“I mean it. "
Jude’s gaze found mine for a moment before his smile grew. “Well, we have enough eggs don’t we?” He grabbed my arm, pulling me along. Ana was already gone. I could see her figure already slinking down the street, bleeding into the shadow.
When the two of us hit the cool night air and Jude quickened his pace into a power-walk, his eyes set forwards, jaw set, I figured I should ask what his deal was. If this guy was serious about vandalizing a rival Starbucks, and not just that, urged by his manager, then I had to say something.
The thought of ending up in jail being petty over a rival store made me feel nauseous.
“So, what is this about?” I asked, catapulting myself into a half-run to keep up with him. The guy had abnormally long legs, so he was halfway across the sidewalk while I was barely two steps in front. “Aren’t you taking this a little too seriously?”
Jude didn’t reply, instead remarking on the sky being filled with stars.
“Hey, Ana!” He shouted. “Wait up!”
Second Street Starbucks was like walking into a palace. I could tell why these guys were rivals. The place was a three-floored beast, a glass building made up of a Starbucks downstairs, a library, and a private apartment. I found myself mesmerized by the twinkling lights on the door, the mini water fountain through large windows showing an even bigger storefront with rich-looking wooden tables and reclining chairs. The store was closing. When we stepped in front of the door, there was a sign which clearly said CLOSED on the front.
Still, though, Ana pushed her way through it, followed by Jude, pulling me along with him. Two employees were working, a guy with short blondish hair mopping the floors, and a girl standing at the counter, going through the register. The moment we stepped inside, the guy cleaning up stopped mopping from side to side, his fingers visibly tightening around the mop handle. “Hey there!”
With one of his best fake smiles, Jude raised his arms in surrender. “We’re from the Starbucks down the road. We come in peace, don’t worry!” He gestured to me.
“Can we talk to your manager?”
He took a step, his lip twitching, eyes glinting, which caused a stir in the air. The girl at the counter stopped flicking through a wad of cash in her hand and delicately put it down, and the guy turned to face us with wary eyes.
As Jude took another stride forward, his movements resembled a dance, and I noticed he was having fun teasing them. His eyes sparkled with a childlike glee that was unexpected for a person in his twenties. "Would you like to try our latest coffee recipe? It's like sipping on liquid sunshine." He nonchalantly brushed his jeans, and I half-expected him to pull out an egg. “But…” Jude took another step, and Ana situated herself behind the blonde boy, her expression blank. “You’ve already tasted it, haven’t you?”
The girl behind the counter finally stopped counting cash, delicately placing a wad back inside the register before leaning forward, an amused smirk curving on her lips. “Jude.” Her voice was a low murmur. “I didn’t think I would see you here so soon.”
“Cora.” Jude’s lips quirked. “Trust me, I don’t want to be. But hey, it's the boss's orders.”
She inclined her head, her eyes drinking all of him in. The girl rested her fist on her chin. She was surveying him like a piece of meat. “And you obey her?”
His grin widened, and I saw his hand once again brush the front of his apron. “Like a dog.”
“You know her?” I hissed out, grasping hold of the coffee cup in my hand.
“Cora?” Jude turned to me. “Oh yeah, we used to be the Romeo and Juliet of coffee shop rivalry — back when we were both newbies, and our store kidnapped me as a last resort. To keep the peace, I stayed.” He shrugged. “That’s what I’m told, anyway.”
Starbucks lore was getting dark.
These guys had to be joking around.
I took a step back, eager to head towards the door and be as far away as possible from what I was pretty sure was going to be a lot of eggs, and several arrests. “You worked here?” I couldn’t believe my mouth was still moving and forming words as I took slow steps back. Before Jude caught my arm.
“Apparently.” He said, dragging me back by his side. “Why don’t you give ‘em’ their gift?”
Fuck.
Unwrapping the bag and pulling out the cup, I nodded and took slow strides toward the counter, placing it down in front of her.
Cora frowned, before picking it up, her gaze going to the side.
“Go fuck yourself 2nd street bloodsuckers.” She read out loud, her brow raising into her hairline.
Shit.
“I should probably go.” I managed to say, backing away. “I don’t think is the job for me—”
The latter half of my words exploded in my head when something slammed into my ears, a physical force sending me to my knees. Initially, I didn’t know what it was. It sounded like a nuclear bomb had gone off. When the ringing in my head subsided, I was aware I had my head buried in my knees, my hands clamped over my ears.
But when I tried to listen past the relentless shrill ringing in my skull, I heard them one after the other. Pop, pop, pop! Gunshots. The crack of each bullet ricocheted in my skull. It was a robbery, I thought dizzily. We were being robbed. No, Second Street was being robbed. When I lifted my head to try and find Jude and Ana to see if they were okay-- I expected them to be cowering like me, Jude, under the table, muffling yelling into his hand, and Ana, calmly pulling him to safety. But that wasn't what I saw. Instead, I must have been fucking imagining things. Jude had not moved from his spot-- and perfectly melded into his hand, was a gun. A gun he was holding like a pro, his hands wrapped around the butt, index teasing the trigger.
His trajectory was directly between Cora's eyes. Jude had not been the one who shot the gun. In fact, neither had Ana, who was still standing stiffly behind the blonde guy.
It was a girl behind the counter who had come out of nowhere wielding the type of gun I expected to see in movies. I noticed from his stance Jude had maybe stepped to the left and then the right to avoid being hit, but the way his demeanour was fully and completely relaxed sent shivers creeping down my spine. "The deal is off, Cora," he murmured. "You fuck with us, so we fuck with you." he lowered his gun slightly, his eyes darkening. "Where's Ren? He came here to sniff you out, so where is he?"
Cora seemed remarkably calm. She started to raise her hands, her lips forming the words, "I don't know what you're talking about" before she stopped, her body going limp. It took me a disorienting moment to realize Jude had taken the shot, followed by another, both landing right between her eyes. When Cora hit the ground, the whole world around me exploded.
I was dragged to the ground by Jude, as he dived across the floor, pressing himself into the back of a table, twisting around, and taking out the barista who almost shot me in the face. There were five of them, all of them good shooters. Too good. Ana easily took out a blonde and brunette with her own magnum, followed by a bald guy who crashed through the counter which collapsed under him.
Jude fell into a manic shoot-out with a guy who would not give up, and after several attempts, re-loading, and attempting to finish him from the ground, my colleague got tired and stood up, dropped his gun, and leaped across the counter. I didn't know what to watch. Ana, who was destroying their coffee machine, or Jude, who snapped the boy's neck with a single twist of his fingers, before ripping out his eyes. He hauled the dead guy over his knees, grazing his teeth across the pasty flesh of the boy's neck, his eyes flickering. I wouldn’t say they turned a different color, but there was something inhuman about them, a certain tint around his iris. "Urgh."
He shoved the corpse away, jumping up. "He reeks of it." Treading through broken glass and pooling red on the floor, my colleague grabbed a cup, downed it, and then spat it out. “That.” He sputtered. “Is the worst fucking thing I’ve ever tasted.”
Ana stepped in front of him, handing the boy his gun. “When one of any clan is murdered for with no reason, there is an imbalance, and the coffee is tainted. We must restore the balance before this gets out of hand,” she surprised me by speaking, with a tinge of an Aussie accent. The girl side-eyed me before shooting Jude a knowing look. “Don’t let her get in our way.”
“Aye, aye, captain.” He mocked a salute before nodding to me. “All right! Sim, you grab a sample. We’ll go find the altar.”
Something ice-cold slipped down my spine.
“What?”
“Cool it. It’s more fun than it sounds,” was all Jude responded with. “Grab the samples.”
I was running on adrenaline, doing exactly what he said. I grabbed two coffee cups. “What do we do now? We go home, right?”
He swiped at his lips with a sound of disgust. “Are you kidding? No, man. We get coffee which ain’t tainted.”
Ana took out two guards in the back before leading us both through a heavy metal door that led into tunnels, tunnels, illuminated by candlelight. “You just killed multiple people,” I finally managed to choke out, following the two of them deeper into the dark. “Over coffee.” I couldn’t resist a nervous laugh that spluttered into a cry. “You just murdered seven baristas over fucking coffee!” I found myself backing away at points, scanning for a way out, an exit away from this fucking nightmare.
Jude turned to me, the glitter in his eyes reflected in the candlelight. “Oh, please,” His voice echoed down the tunnel in a chuckle. “Do you really think this is just about coffee?”
I didn't understand what he meant until we came to the end of the tunnel, which dipped into an alcove leading us into a large cave-like room. Drawing his gun, Jude scanned the dark. "Anyone in here?" He said, and Ana hit him. Silence answered, and I found myself paralyzed to the spot. I didn't know what to stare at first. The ten-foot-tall Starbucks Siren looming over us, illuminated in flickering orange candlelight, or the old swimming pool filled to the brim. When I took a step forward, my foot sunk into something soft, and I made the mistake of looking down. Bodies.
I guessed that was "The Drink".
I felt myself fall back, but Ana's warm arms were guiding me away from decomposing flesh which decapitated heads poisoned in a way that I could almost call ritualistic. There were bodies everywhere, all of them curled up or had died in a position of prayer. Jude crouched in front of a guy still in his Starbucks apron. His eyes had been cleanly plucked from his skull. Jude's expression was beautifully sombre in the candlelight. "Fuck, dude," he whispered.
"Looks like they got you."
“Which explains how they got their hands on our recipe.” Ana pulled out her gun and clicked off the safety. The girl’s eyes were suddenly sad, her lip wobbling. I had a hard time believing a girl who had taken out three baristas at point-blank range was crying.
"Through him."
“What is this place?” I whispered. "What the fuck are you doing in here?”
Jude straightened up. Ana moved behind him, and I noticed her hands holding her gun were trembling. She raised her arm, pointing it at the back of his head. Jude didn't retaliate, only sending me a sickly smile. "It used to be ours," he said. "Until other stores started opening, and it became a fucking free-for-all." Jude sighed, rocking back and forth on his heel. Ana's trigger finger followed his movements. "We have a peace treaty..." Jude trailed off. "Sorry. HAD a peace treaty." He nodded to his colleague. "Second Street has always been obsessed with this particular blend we have that other stores don't." His lips curved. "They're greedy, and thought they could fuck with us. First, they took our last manager. He was like a dad to us. Sliced him up and sent us his head." He gestured to his friend. "And then they took Ren. They brought this shit upon themselves."
As he spoke, Jude dropped to his knees and closed his eyes, bowing his head in front of the Siren. Ana didn't move. "Are you ready?"
“Always.”
I screamed, slamming my hand over my mouth when this time when Ana shot Jude point blank in the back of the head. When his body crumpled to the ground, something inside me snapped in two, and I couldn’t breathe suddenly. I thought the two were playing some kind of sick game before I caught unmistakable seeping black pooling across the alter.
In the blur of orange candlelight, it was almost a mesmerizing sight. “Shush!” Ana sent me an annoyed look, before gathering his body in her arm. “Make yourself useful and grab a bucket,” she said, stumbling towards the pool. I watched her, my heart diving into my throat. When I didn’t move, Ana hissed out and twisted around.
“Did you not hear me?!” she yelled. “Get a bucket and start collecting it!” The girl gestured towards a large, rusted pipe looming over the pool, a stream of murky brown water leaking into the pool. When I started forwards, the girl shook her head. “Not yet.” She said, before heaving Jude’s body and throwing him into the darkness. I heard the splash, but I didn’t even see his body hit the surface. Part of me wanted to demand what the fuck she was doing, but I did what I was told, with trembling hands, grabbing a bucket and shuffling over to the pool edge. Ana hissed out again. “I said not yet!” Before I could speak, she held a finger to her lips. “Do it now!”
“The pool water?!” I shrieked.
She raised a brow. “You think that’s water?”
Before I could coerce some kind of speech, I was interrupted by what felt like a sudden earthquake. The ground rumbled under our feet, and I hesitated before dropping the bucket into the water and scooping up as much as I could. I quickly realized it wasn’t water. It was thick with the constancy of blood, coffee brown and yet sticky and warm like blood.
Above us, the pipe seemed to come to life, a brand new stream of murky brown solution coming down in a waterfall. I didn’t think about the pieces of flesh floating on the surface, the decomposing heads I caught bobbing around, or the fact that I was dipping my hands in blood. Coffee and blood. My stomach was trying to projectile my lunch, but I swallowed it down. I took advantage, managing three buckets before Ana was grasping my shoulders and pulled me back. I didn’t realize I was sobbing until she was handing me a handkerchief, and I was staring at her and it, like, “What do you expect me to do with this?!”
Still in shock, I tried to get another bucket full before she dragged me from the pool edge. “You can stop now,” she said. “We have enough.”
"Enough what?!"
I staggered back when the surface of the pool rippled. I don’t know what I expected to come out.
Dead bodies?
Decapitated heads?
Not Jude, covered in the brown murky shit I had filled the buckets with. When he broke the surface, I almost threw one of the buckets at his head. Despite being covered in coffee and blood, his skin was oddly free of flaws. The guy was also really naked, which should have been a minor problem compared to what I was seeing, which was a real resurrection in front of a ten-foot statue of the Starbucks siren. Which was completely normal.
But I still found my cheeks heating up. Jude ran a hand through soaked curls sticking over his eyes, shaking them like a dog before pulling himself out. I couldn’t help noticing there was no gunshot wound. It was almost as if his body was completely new. I took in abnormally grey-looking skin, like dead flesh, before averting my gaze. “Did we do it?” He gasped out, immediately covering himself. Once out of the pool, he knelt on the ground, sucking in breaths of air before seemingly realizing the state of himself.
“Fuck. I didn’t think this through.”
“I did.” Ana reached into the backpack she had brought, pulling out a shirt and jeans, reverting her eyes, and throwing him the bundle. “Get dressed.” She said, But there was a slight smirk on her lips. “Yes. I think we managed to appease them.”
“Sweet!” Jude grinned, dressing quickly. He sucked the tips of his fingers. “Mmm.” He nodded at Ana. “That tastes a lot better.”
He gestured to her, and to my disgust, the girl delicately licked his fingers and nodded with her own smile. “It tastes like cherry blossom.”
His eyes fell on me, and I saw that inhuman gleam in his eye—that had been very much there before he was resurrected in a pool of coffee. His lip quirked. I could still see coffee-- or blood dripping in thick rivulets down his temples and cheek. “Should we?”
Jude turned to Ana. “I mean while we’re here, right? We can induct the newbie.”
Immediately, I knew what he was talking about. I stepped back, but he was following me, getting closer and closer until his breath was in my face, and I was teetering on the edge. I sensed something in his eyes, something I never expected from a man who knew exactly what he was doing. Envy. Another step, and I would be falling into what I was sure was a pool full of decomposing bodies and resurrecting coffee. “Not now,” Ana murmured, and Jude snapped out of it, taking a step back.
“Buzzkill.” He muttered.
But he did step away, allowing me to inch away from the pool.
“Later,” Ana said. “She’s shaken up. We can do it first thing tomorrow.”
To my surprise, there were no cops at the scene at Second Street. Because there was no scene.
The store was back to normal, and I didn’t have the energy to question why. When we returned, Aurora wrapped me into a hug I tried to get out of as quickly as possible, eager to get the fuck away from that place. But. I had to finish my shift. I had watched a man resurrected by coffee in a fucking Starbucks shrine, and yet somehow I had to keep making drinks until my shift ended. It was nearing closing time when the doors opened, and I found myself face-to-face with the girl from earlier. The one wearing the pink ray-bans.
She didn’t say anything, but the blade of her knife grazing my gut told me everything I needed to know. With a knowing look when she slipped off her raybans, she pressed something into my hand before leaving, and I handed it to the manager, who opened it up, almost died laughing, and then threw it in the trash.
“You work for psychopaths.” I managed to get out, sidling in front of Jude while he was clocking out.
“Also, didn’t you… didn’t you fucking die?”
Jude didn’t look up from his phone. “It’s complicated.” His lip quirked. “You’ll find out tomorrow during your induction.”
“But… you work for these people!” I lowered my voice. “And you’re not trying to get away?” I gestured to Kai and Aurora standing by the door, the two of them locked in conversation. “None of you?”
Jude frowned, and I caught the first hint of annoyance. I had only seen this guy smiling, so seeing him scowling was quite the change. “I’m sorry, do you… do you think I have a choice?”
He surprised me with a laugh. “Me? A choice? You really think I wake up every morning and WANT to do this shit?” He got close, his breath in my ear. “You came here willingly. I didn’t. In fact? I don’t even remember coming here. My interview, my first day? Nothing. I don’t even remember my time at Second Street.” He threw a towel at me before I could coerce words. “Finish clearing up, all right? I’ll see you tomorrow for induction.”
There was something cruel in his smile like he was waiting for whatever my induction had in store for me.
I couldn’t help myself. When everyone was gone, and I was tasked with locking up, I picked the discarded note out of the trash, smoothing it down.
“You pieces of shit just declared war. Sleep with one eye open! 😊”
Cora xx.”
….
I cut my finger with a knife this morning. When I sucked it and grabbed a band-aid, I tasted coffee. I went home and threw up coffee.
I am peeing coffee.
I showered 8 times and I still fucking smell of coffee.
I don’t think I’m going to go to work tomorrow.
Edit: There’s been a break-in— and the manager wants me to come in early. Jude and Ana woke me up in the middle of the night to go over tactics. We are taking down Second Street during closing time.
I guess I am going to work tomorrow.
Does anyone know how to use a gun?

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-----------------------------
Daniel and Milla watched as Oprin played around with yet another piece of technology, attempting to discern its purpose and function without their help. She pressed various parts of the screen, quickly identifying each function, and began to figure out how to navigate her way around the device, glad that most of it was in her language, but there were a few spots that had been missed. She glanced between it and the main holo display, beginning to wonder if there was a significant disparity in technological advancement.
“Ok, I get this, but is this old by any chance?” Oprin asked, holding the tablet up.
“The concept was realised long before the holo display was, but they are still quite popular as they’re much more tactile, but both are designs from the past five years,” Daniel began, looking at the tablet in her hands. “They still see a lot of use for handling documentation, and large versions are used in many environments as dedicated control panels, like those we use on the bridge. When you’re in a high stress environment, you really need something that stops your fingers from travelling any further, as you’ll push on things much harder, and while holos do have haptic feedback that feels like you’re pressing something, you can easily just push right through and hit something else accidentally with too much force. Being shot at is one such situation.”
“Makes sense. So, are holos the most advanced thing you have?”
“I assume you mean display and input wise, which would be a no,” he replied.
“This one might be my department,” Milla interrupted. “We do have a newer and more advanced method which is essentially communicating directly with your brain. It used to be via a cable inserted into the base of your skull, but it’s thankfully no longer invasive, and a small gel-filled patch can be used instead. It’s what I use to communicate with the ship when I jump it. It projects data directly into your head in a way that it can interpret it in the desired way, and then your thoughts are interpreted by the system you’re linked to and turned into commands. In my case, it allows me to better visualise the portal destination to make sure I’m being as accurate and efficient as possible, and also to assist in controlling the flow of mana so I’m always getting the right amount, avoiding portal collapse as well as mana overflow.”
“And that’s just one application,” Daniel continued for her. “While not exactly popular in industry just yet, the public market loves them, and many people like to use them for entertainment, allowing you to actually be put in the game directly, instead of having to work with some of the bulky and sometimes expensive equipment. If you want to run around for real, you don’t need space and an omnidirectional treadmill.”
"Sounds great! Can I try it?" Oprin asked.
"I’m sorry, but I don't think it's available to Langan just yet. Your neurobiology is different enough from ours that what we have won't work. People are already working on it though," Daniel told her, remembering the article he read last night.
"Ah, I guess I should have expected that. Well, I have something to look forward to in the future then," she shrugged.
"I do have two non-tech things you can try though," he told her, producing the chocolate and cola.
“These don’t look anything like the other food and drink we get,” she replied, accepting the two items and inspecting them more closely. “... The drink is meant to look like rust water, right?”
“It is. They’re both luxury items, which is why they stand out.”
“... Do you really find this colour luxurious?” she asked, opening the chocolate and realising it was also brown.
“Eh, not really, but that’s the natural colour of chocolate, and the cola is dyed that colour, but I couldn’t tell you why in particular.”
“I can tell they’re both sweet though,” she replied after opening the cola and taking a sniff. “Here goes nothing….”
Oprin took a bite of the chocolate, her eyes widening as she fought against the urge to devour it in a frenzy. She continued to eat it quickly, finishing it off in under a minute, and then turned to the cola. She took a sip, and the instant the carbonated drink hit her tongue, she involuntarily screwed her face up. Once she regained control, she took another sip, but to the same result.
“Both of these taste amazing, but the sensation of the drink is…” she trailed off, praying that Daniel wouldn’t take offence.
“I wondered how you might react,” he chuckled, focussing as he pulled out a thread of mana and focussed it into a spell, causing the cola to immediately go flat without bubbling over. “There, it shouldn’t fizz anymore.”
“Huh? What did you- Oh yeah, spells, duh,” she replied, taking another sip, and after finding out she no longer had an urge to scrunch her face up, quickly drank the whole thing. “And now I want more. Thank you, Daniel.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I have a question, but I don’t know how to ask it without it sounding wrong, so apologies in advance, but when are you leaving?”
“A few days, but I don’t have a specific time or date yet,” he replied. “All I know is that we’ll be back at Earth in time for the official Langan visit next week, and we aren’t leaving today or tomorrow.”
“Of course. I’m going there too, so will I be going on the Trailmaker again?”
“It’s possible, but I think you’re going to be going on a proper diplomatic vessel.”
“So how will I find you when I get there?”
“I’ve already applied to be your host, so I’ll pick you up from the spaceport.”
“Ah, good, that makes things easier,” Oprin sighed with relief. “So, Milla, sorry if this is a touchy subject, but can I ask about your family please?”
“I don’t mind friends knowing, it’s just I don’t want to be in the public light for it,” Milla assured her. “I’m guessing you want to know about my grandparents?”
“Well, I know your grandmother is a Goddess, but is your grandfather one as well?”
“No, he’s just a regular Human. Well, I say regular, he isn’t by a long shot, but he’s not a God,” Milla replied, though Daniel picked up on a certain stiffness that made him believe there was more to it that she wasn’t revealing. “My grandmother, being a Goddess, essentially created all her children with her powers, but the two of them raised them together.”
“So is he really your grandfather or not? Like biologically.”
“He is, but my aunts and uncles didn’t come about naturally, if that’s what you mean. Currently, the only way for different species to have children is with the intervention of a Deity, which happens every now and then, but as with all things, certain researchers are looking into alternatives, though it’s mainly into Dwarf, Elf, and Human children, and then Dragon and Kobold children, given both groups have significant genetic similarity.”
“Am I translating wrong?” Oprin asked, frowning.
“Milla, are you genetically related to James Whiltstone?” Daniel asked for her.
“I never mentioned his name, but yes, though by less than 25% or however you want to count it,” Milla confirmed.
“I know his name because I’ve seen them in public, and Xailin always liked to avoid the topic,” Daniel explained.
“So, Milla, what was it like having grandparents like that?” Oprin followed up.
Milla shrugged. “Honestly, it just felt normal, but I don’t really have anything to compare it against. We didn’t live public lives, and the fact about her being a Deity was well known, but we never really did much around it. She never really used her powers for family matters, with the only big exception I can think of being to save a cousin who had a severe genetic defect that would have killed him before he hatched.”
“So no miracles?”
“No, not aside from that and having children in the first place,” Milla confirmed. “Of course, many of us asked for something, myself included, but she would always refuse as it would be an abuse of her powers.”
“I still don’t understand why they hold back their true power….”
“Because constantly using it could easily interfere with society’s development negatively. Complacency, overreliance, lack of freedom, and so on. Their end goal is a universe where they don’t do anything, as that way they have achieved their purpose. They know it’s impossible, but they still try to do as little as possible, only acting when they feel they need to.”
“So they needed to give us a planet now?” Oprin asked.
“I think they felt it was necessary given your people’s situation and the mental fragility of many of the people that suffered, along with getting the Langan people to be safely on the path to recovery as soon as possible.”
“And I realise this might come across as insulting given your relation, but are they really benevolent?”
“Benevolent in intention, but maybe not always benevolent in action. They will sometimes upset people to achieve a better end result. I should clarify that they don’t upset them intentionally, it’s just that the methods they can use don’t always leave people happy at the time.”
“Like me and my magic access issues,” Daniel agreed. “I certainly wasn’t happy, but it worked out in the end. I think.”
-----------------------------
Daniel let out a sigh of relief as he and Milla made it back onto the Trailmaker at the end of the day, without being accosted by the CSB agent again. They both quickly went their separate ways, and Daniel headed back to his room, already having eaten his last meal of the day on Milla’s private shuttle. When he got back to his room, he found Hannah’rah sitting on their bed, flicking through her holo with a concerned look on her face.
“Hey, how was it today?” he asked as he sat down next to her, giving her a quick kiss.
“Ok, I guess, but our new orders just came through,” she replied.
“Not good?”
“We’re taking the long way back to Earth.”
“What!? Why?”
“They want to increase Navy presence in some nearby systems, routing ships through them in the short term, and stationing small patrols there when they can get them together,” she explained.
“So, when are we leaving port?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“... Right,” he sighed, opening his holo and immediately sending Oprin a message about the situation, and apologising for saying that he would be able to meet her tomorrow, and assuring her that he would still host her on Earth. “I’m shocked we didn’t get a little more notice.”
“So am I. The orders only came through half an hour ago. The Captain still hasn’t announced it, but should do soon. Make sure your team knows bridge shifts are starting up again until we get to the core.”
“Yeah, of course. Which route are we taking?”
“I can’t remember the system names, I just know it will take about 20 hours with all the portal queues.”
“Fair enough,” he replied, producing the two bars of chocolate and bottles of cola. “I got us a little something.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t have, but thank you,” she told him, accepting her bar and bottle, and immediately started to enjoy them. “Didn’t get ripped off, did you?”
“Well, we are kind of remote, so it was fairly expensive, but triple the price isn’t that bad, all things considered,” he replied, starting his own treats. “Probably even still knowing we’ll be back on Earth in a couple of days.”
“That’s actually pretty good. Sometimes even small things like these can cost 20-30 times as much in more remote places.”
“Yeah, not worth it,” he agreed, gently wrapping his arm around her, causing her to rest her head on his shoulder. “I wonder what we’re going to be doing after the celebrations? It’s not like we have another alien signal to investigate, and exploration is still pretty much exclusively done by probes.”
“No Idea. I have a feeling the Trailmaker is going to be partially torn about to properly examine the new warp drive to make sure it’s performed acceptably.”
“So you think we might get more leave than the celebrations?”
“Possibly. I’m just making guesses based on some logic and how they sometimes treat other ships with new tech. They do want to start pumping out ships capable of similar speeds after all. They probably are starting to produce brand new designs already.”
“I suppose…. Are we going to get reassigned?”
“I don’t know,” she replied, her body sagging as she realised what the chances of them being reassigned to the same ship were.
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I’ll cut to the chase: identity politics is a great distraction from class war. It is a great tool to drive people apart on the basis of ultimately shallow differences which pale in comparison to what unites us - that we are people, sharing a planet of finite resources with each other and all other life. That ordering society not around the banal profit motive, but around harmony, compassion, love, dignity, is the only way humanity survives and unlocks its true potential.
Here is the rub: are all identity-based grievances baseless? No, of course not. In the US black people lacked even the right to vote for half this country’s history. And black people continually get the shaft in the USA even today. Don’t believe me? Visit any jail or prison or even any criminal court. Go to any big city and see who is doing the shittiest jobs. Check out metrics on lifespan, disease, salary, etc. The numbers prove it overwhelmingly. And of course, LGBTQ people who have the misfortune of living in the wrong zip code are treated like shit and targeted. Indigenous communities and lots of immigrants from all over are mistreated and exploited, and on and on. These are valid and serious problems, and there is no denying that some groups are simply treated poorly for a host of reasons.
But such issues cannot be resolved by using pronouns perfectly, appointing a Defense Secretary who is black, doing a lands’ rights acknowledgment, changing your corporate logo to a trans flag variant, and engaging in the medley of performative nonsense that can range from pointless to annoying to infuriating (for some). You must understand identity-based grievances through a materialist lens, and frame all these, let’s just call them “identitarian” struggles for liberation as constituent movements within the broader movement to liberate all people from the same exploitative superstructure that favors the few, who have the most, over the many, who have much much less.
Class war is the path to true equality and true liberation for all people, all identities. Create conditions where everyone actually is treated equally, has the same rights, and most importantly, has meaningful and material rights - rights like the ones spelled out in FDR’s long-ignored “Four Freedoms” speech - most critically, “freedom from want.” Lift all people up and identity will just be identity again, not this ersatz and ultimately barren zone of petty and self-exhausting culture war conflict.
I get the “appeal” of right wing thinking as an instinct in response to what appears, and can certainly feel like, idpol madness. It seems only the mainstream right calls it out regularly and loudly, although so much of it is really hysterics. But when I say I get the appeal, all I’m really saying is I understand the reactionary instinct. I understand how it is evoked, stoked, and how trivial it is to bootstrap other reactionary thinking to an anti-idpol platform.
But that is the wrong path. The reactionary path is the path of the absolute moron. The person unable to think rationally, critically, reasonably, materially, and with an eye to the future of every individual and all humanity. The reactionary is the ungabunga man who wants to cancel clouds when it rains, never stopping to think past the fact that he does not like to be wet. Do not go down the wrong path.
Go down the right path, the path of the future, and the path that clearly has intrinsic appeal to you and to everyone who actually studies it. Take the path of materialism and critical thinking. Pick up the Marx and Engels reader. Read something like Blackshirts and Reds by Michael Parenti. You will see a new way of seeing the world and understanding issues big and small. And after some time, you will feel like Neo at the end of the Matrix, because you will see the code. You will see idpol nonsense in the right framework, and you will dismiss rightoid and reactionary rhetoric for the ungabunga-ass gibberish that it is.

Now I am a huge, huge sucker for survivalist games, and Skyrim is no exception. Even before we got Survival Mode and other CC content, I was modding the hell out of my games with stuff like iNeed, Frostfall, Campfire, and Hunterborn. And this character was born from that.
Basics:
Race: Bosmer
Main Skills: Archery, Light Armor, Sneak
Minor Skills: One Handed, Alchemy
Standing Stone: Lady Stone (I used Andromeda, so the Lady Stone is for the Lunar Familiar. In Vanilla, however, the Thief Stone also works pretty well)
Alignment: True Neutral (just trying to stay out of everyone else's way)
Factions: The Companions are the primary faction I went with here, mostly for the werewolf power (I love being a werewolf and it fits very well with the "lone hunter" vibe of the build). Other quests like Ill Met By Moonlight, meeting the hunters of Frostmoon Crag, and basically any quest that centers around hunting down a certain person could work. You could also justify the Main Questline, as hunting dragons would prove quite the worthy challenge. The Dark Brotherhood is viable if you want to go for a darker twist on the character, as well. Humans are the deadliest game.
Personality
The Hunter is a very simple character. She wants to be left alone. All she really cares about is that she's able to hunt in peace. She enjoys a challenge, however, and likes to test her skills often against stronger game like bears, sabre cats, and the like. She sees a beauty in nature, and prefers to spend time out in the wilds of Skyrim rather than big cities like Whiterun or Solitude.
Similar to some of the teachings of the Skaal, she believes that our place is in nature, living in harmony with it rather than building over it. This draws into her biggest flaw - she has little patience for "city dwellers" and those who cannot handle themselves in the wilds. To her, it's survival of the fittest. As a sort of loner, she's not big on bringing along followers. If you want some company, however, characters like Aela the Huntress and a few of the Orcish followers work well. Meeko or Vigilance are also good picks if you're looking for a hunting dog.
Gear
I did the playthrough with the Hunterborn and Scrimshaw mods, which meant I made most of my gear from the animals I killed and things I found out in the wilds. If you don't have those mods, however, Forsworn armor works very well for that sort of wild feel. And while the Ring of Hircine is practically essential for a werewolf character, the Savior's Hide also has a distinct look to it that fits well. If you can manage the glitch to get both the Ring and the Hide (or just find a mod that lets you craft/find an unenchanted version), that would work best. And if you feel like doing the smithing grind, Dragonscale armor is badass and made from your kills.
As for weapons, almost any bow and arrow will work. The Hunter is basically a stealth archer with some spice for flavor. Personally I found the Bow of the Hunt (a hunting bow that does extra damage to animals) blends well with the roleplaying of a hunter character. Nettlebane can also be used sometimes, since it's extra damage against spriggans is useful for someone spending a lot of time in wooded areas. Of course, if you have Scrimshaw, you can also craft all your own weapons, too.
Playstyle
Like I said above, the Hunter is basically a stealth archer with a bit of flavor thrown in. It's pretty simple. Shoot from cover. If you get spotted, keep shooting. If you get wounded, drink a potion. Rinse and repeat.
It is worth putting some perks into Light Armor and One Handed for those times when sneaking isn't an option or just isn't working. If you wanted to spice it up even more, you could invest in some Conjuration spells to distract enemies, or Alteration spells for that additional boost to your defense. The world is your oyster here.
Alchemy might seem like the odd man out, but it's a very versatile skill (and as someone who will be wandering Skyrim's wilds a lot, you'll have plenty of chances to get alchemy materials, and with Hunterborn, even more so). Potions of Healing and Stamina are classics, but potions of Fortify Marksman help loads against tough enemies, and keeping a good stock of Resistance potions can get you out of a tricky situation.
Modded Options
For Wintersun players, you have a few options. You can go for Hircine to lean into the werewolf, Kynareth for a more noble sort, or anything in between. Personally, I went for Jephre, as he's not only the patron god of Wood Elves, but also give some nice bonuses both in roleplaying and gameplay for a hunter.
Moonlight Tales or Growl are also great pics for a werewolf character. While I personally used Moonlight Tales, both mods provide a brand new way of playing werewolves, and are highly recommended.
Survivalist Mods are key for a character like this. I've already mentioned Hunterborn and Scrimshaw, but Campfire lets you live out in the wilds, Hidden Hideouts lets you find little nooks to spend the night, etc etc. Mods that add small player homes in the wilderness (like "Ice Bones Home" or "Hermit Mountain Cottage") are also good picks.
Chanterelle is a mod pair that basically adds two entire new worldspaces to explore, geared towards explorations and hunter types. There's no real signs of civilization, so you're welcome to be as wild as you want. It's pretty beefy, though, and will take up a good chunk of your mod space.
That's all for the second build, folks. I don't know how these keep ending up so long, but I feel like there's just so much to discuss. Maybe I'm being a big dramatic :P And I'm always looking for feedback and help with my builds here :D

Curious and gauging the effectiveness of going dark. Will it cause anyone at Reddit to sweat?

My apologies for the long post but I wanted to be as detailed as possible.
I accepted a job offer last week for a company based in the U.S. It all started with a job ad they posted on LinkedIn. The ad specifically stated the hours (12pm to 9am PHT with a 30-minute lunch break), the rate, and that they require screen sharing throughout the shift. There was a brief paragraph about the job responsibilities but the ad did not go into much detail. Without thinking much about it, I clicked on quick apply and moved on, applying to other job listings.
A day later, I got an email from the company asking if I am available for an interview + short assessment. The email specifically stated that the video call will include a 5-minute introduction from the applicant. After that, I need to share my screen and complete a short task that will allow them to assess my skills. The task will take about 10 minutes without any extensions.
I thought this was shady at first as based from my experience, the initial interview is usually a time to talk more about the role and give more information about the company. I was skeptical but my SO convinced me it would be OK. I did some research on the company as well. Although I could not find anything from Filipinos that they've hired, I did find their website, social media pages, and reviews left by their clients.
So, I scheduled my assessment and "5-minute introduction". It was a bit awkward. They required me to turn on my camera while they had their camera off. I talked a little about myself, my career timeline, and etc. I expected them to ask me the typical questions like "Why do I want to work for them?" or "Why do I want to leave me current job?" but was not asked anything of the sort. After the introduction, we immediately jumped into the assessment after about 2 minutes of them explaining what it consisted.
The task was easy and I finished it before the alloted time they provided. After that, I was told my assessment will be checked by their staff and they will reach out to me with a JO within 24-36 hours if I get the role. After 24 hours, I got a JO via email. The email pretty much reiterated what the job ad stated without giving much detail about the responsibilities itself. I already did my research on the company though and I know it's legit. The email also said that if I accept the JO, I should message the sender ASAP on Slack. I looked the person up on LinkedIn and viewed profiles of other employees hired by the company but could not find any other info.
I did what was asked and got a reply on Monday night. I received the email on Saturday, so I did not expect them to reply until then. I was then sent documents I had to sign, including an NDA, contract, and tax exempt file for the foreign owner. I read the contract and it still did not say much about the job responsibilities. The contract states that I am an independent contractor. The contract says nothing about how long I will be employed with them or if I have to give a notice if I decide to quit. The only detail alluding to time is that I will receive a salary increase in 3 months and I will gain 5 days paid leave in 6 months, but that's it. So, I'm assuming my contract is more for a "freelance" position where I can leave or they can terminate my services without having to give a notice from both sides.
I've been with them a week and there are a lot of things I don't particularly like. I have experience working on-site and remotely as a freelancer, but I feel that some of their terms are difficult to deal with long-term. Some of those factors include:

• I need to have Slack on with all notifications turned on during the entire shift. This gets annoying after a while because we have a lot of channels or chat groups. This extends to one hour before and after my work schedule. My notifications keep popping off every 2-5 minutes or so with updates that I'm mostly not concerned with.
  
• They only allow 30 minutes for our lunch break which means we are working 8 hours and 30 minutes. We are allowed breaks but I have to send a notice to our Slack GC that I'll be AFK and why (even if it's just to use the bathroom). Hence, the spammy notifications. I find this excessive as well since we are already sharing our screens.
  
• We have to install a screen sharing software that will be on at all times. I'm not sure if this will pose a security or privacy risk to my personal information.
  
• The schedule is difficult to adjust to due to my health problems.
  
• I feel that they misled me with their ad by being as vague as possible about the role and tasks, so much so that when I accepted the JO, I felt like I couldn't say "no" to specific tasks because we did not talk about my responsibilities first before starting the job. I did inform my supervisor that I'm not experienced with some of the tasks that they are requiring me to do but was reassured I can ask questions.
  

The training itself was only about an hour and that was it. They expect me to just do the task and ask questions as I go along which I find ineffective. Wouldn't it be better if they just properly trained us? Other people who were hired along with me are having the same experience. It's difficult to ask a question regarding a task when I'm not even sure what questions to ask, if you know what I mean.
So, my question is, is it OK to quit after a week? My main reason for quitting is the schedule. Yes, I was aware of the schedule from the get-go but I decided to apply anyway and give it a shot. I have a chronic condition that makes it difficult for me to adjust to a different schedule and stay glued to the computer for long periods. I applied anyway thinking I'd give the schedule change a shot and do my best. After a week though, my body is just not agreeing with me and I've been experiencing some painful symptoms.
Unfortunately, I was made aware that there is no other possible shift or schedule available for us remote workers. They are unwilling to be flexible with the schedule or the hours. I've noticed that the company also does not have an HR manager or department. We are all working remotely and there are managers for each department, as well as one for the whole team in the Philippines.
How do I go about with the resignation? Who do I approach?
Is it OK to just send an email and be done with it? I've only been employed a week and the contract says nothing about being employed for a specific period or that I need to give a specific period of notice beforehand, so I doubt it would cause any problems.
TIA to anyone who can give some advice.