Day of the dead cat squishmallow

Routine for Men without microplastic
Whats up Skincare Gang,
im a 28yo male using a in my opinion decent Routine for 5 years now. My skin is a normal type that tends to dryness (a lot of blackheads on and around the nose). I used a lot of Aesop and Barbara Sturm, but i was never completely satisfied.
Now im into fitness a lot and i heard that microplastic (and mint for example) decreases testosteron.
Im looking for a routine without testosteron decreasing ingredients.
I would love some help from the gurus!
Thanks, wishing y‘all a beautiful day

I've noticed that since I got my PS5 it doesn't seem to take full advantage of my WiFi speed. I'm paying for 350mbps and my Series X usually hangs around that speed for downloads, while the PS5 hangs around 200mbps. They're both using the exact same type of CAT 6 ethernet cable and I just changed the cables today so they're brand new. My router is a Netgear Nighthawk R8000P. Does anybody know what the issue maybe?

Have just been told today after a blood test a few days ago that my B12 level is 140. My GP wants to start a course of injections 3 times a week for a few weeks as a loading dose and then reduce the frequency of them. Does anyone have any recommendations on anything I should take to reduce the chance of any side effects happening? Also is the 140 quite low for my B12 level? Sorry I’m very new here!
TIA

Hey there! My name is Jason. I’m looking for a girlfriend, but I am open to looking for someone special to share my days with. I am looking for someone to start things slowly, not rushing into anything right away. I would like to talk about our daily routines, whether it be work or school, and discuss what happened throughout our day. I also like having deep conversations or talking about random topics that come to mind. I am open to a long distance relationship and willing to meet if things become serious.
Information about my Personality:
I am introverted and shy, but once I get comfortable around you, I will open up to you. As a person, I am caring, loving, protective and I will give all my attention to my Loved one to make sure they feel alright.
My appearance is next: I am a fluffy teddy bear with extra fluff. I am 5’6 with straight brown hair, brown eyes, a beard and a cleft chin.
My hobbies include the following:

 • Currently, I am producing Youtube content. • I am an avid gamer. The Legend of Zelda is my favorite franchise. I don’t really play multiplayer games but I do play a lot of Dead by Daylight. Maybe we could play some games together if you are up for it! I am willing to play more multiplayer games with my Sweetheart. I also enjoy board games and own quite a few. • I love Heavy Metal and Rock music though I do listen to a few rappers. My favorite band is Trivium. Some other bands that I like are Powerwolf, Slipknot, Three Days Grace, and Poets of the Fall to name a few. I am open to other music genres and would like to hear about your music taste too! • When it comes to movies I love action, horror, and comedy the most. My favorite movie is District 9. I’d love to talk about movies with you. I am open for movie nights if you have suggestions. • Youtube: I like to watch gameplays and a wide variety of content. 

If you are considering writing to me, please write a small introduction about yourself. ☺ We can begin chatting on Reddit and move onto Discord or voice chat on Playstation. I’m pretty much an open book and we can talk about whatever you’d like. I also don’t drive and I live with my parents.
Don’t hesitate to message me, I like short women, I like tall women. I like all women, regardless of shape and size. Women are beautiful!

I feel like such a loser. I know we can't compare ourselves to others but I feel so week....looking back on everything I've done and just gotten no where.
This was just another entry level position, I make $23 an hour, the most I've ever been paid. I can finally save money and im doing SO great. Partially thanks to having a partner that covers our rent--I just cover our groceries and other misc items. The goal was to move up after 3-6 mo, I thought I had this role in the bag. You sit and call ppl all day, its metric driven though, that is my kryptonite but my referral insisted it would be OK. I had just moved to another state and wanted to get back into working anyway and at my previous job I got a soft promotion to a leadership role anyway...so I thought it'd be cake.
I was wrong. I mean, I had terrible feelings about taking the role before I applied, but I convinced myself it was an opportunity.
I was going to quit in January...but I had a good month. Things seemed to be looking up but that was just a high before an even bigger crash.
Now I'm sitting here feeling sick over it all. I know this position isn't for me, but I'm so goddamn exhausted every week, I don't work out like I used to. My relationship is so rocky, so that adds onto it.
I've taken up on the newsletter team and a book club with a few ppl at work just to add some nice things to my resume, if I suck at the role, I might as well take advantage. But I can't even leave my desk. I have NO downtime. You are monitored closely and although my manager is really cool about it, I've never gotten in trouble b/c he values other qualities I have (Being smart, innovative)...it still doesn't look good. Also my manager is quitting, he's been interviewing like crazy and is going to take off the next two weeks to job hunt.
Two of my newer colleagues got other positions in the company as well....so they are leaving. One of them has the SAME sentiments as me. But they had each other to kind of talk about these things and support each other. I'm not sure what is happening on the other teams in the company, but it all just sounds like a huge bust from the things my manager has told me. And the company may stay afloat but this is not what I needed. I needed stability, a job I could work that wouldn't be so mentally taxing so I could focus my efforts on what I want to do with my life. Not to sound like a victim, but I feel like I've just been living this fast life, just surviving. Survival mode and I can't stop and catch my breath.
I already spent all of my 20s searching for a career, I have a worthless degree, and I had to help pay bills since I was 16. No real down time. At at this point, I wish I had that time back and knew what I knew now, I always thought I was smart and worthy but the last 10yrs of my life just make me feel like I was brainwashed.
Anyway, I dont know what to do. I'm thinking about the state of the economy, the fact that I JUST started saving, I have a 401K and can't get the matched money until after 2 yrs of service. Honestly, that's a whole other topic we need to hear more about. Same thing happened at my last company, I worked there just under 2yrs, but it was a shit show, was my first 401k so I didn't think to look--but they required 3yrs of services for just 50% of the matched money. So I wasted money b/c the account barely had any gains on it.
I'm wondering if I just stick it out two years and push to find another job within the company or if I should just quit. It's a huge health insurance company and in my heart of hearts, I want to burn it from the inside out.
I really do get in my own way but when I feel something is unjustified, doesn't make sense, or goes against my moral code, I want to cut it off at the head. I wish i could just not care that I get yelled at and talked down to by the patients I am calling...I wish I just brushed it off.
But im so scared that if I leave ANOTHER job just to get another entry level job, I'm never going to get where I need to go. I'm never going to gain the skills I need to. But if I stay here and try to network, I'm going to be all disgruntled and not present my best self either.
Idk what to do...I have enough saved to live for 6mo, but I don't want to repeat the same mistakes. I told myself long ago if i ever felt this way to just quit. There was one job I walked out of, it was just a restaurant job, but that was very uncharacteristic of me. It's unprofessional, but I let myself continue to work in a toxic environemnt or somewhere that didn't align with my values. That sounds like great advice but my situation is different now and from what I can see, my resume looks like I've bounced around quite a bit--add in the pandemic that made it even worse. Longest ive worked anywhere was 3yrs.
I just need guidance....i feel like i need to hire someone to help me focus on one thing at a time b/c idk if just applying for other roles is going to cut it.

The FC's Treasure chapter has a rollable loot table, divided into tiers from "meagre" to "treasure trove." A Meagre roll is described as "Treasure carried by a group of bandits or found in a minor monster lair." In terms of hard cash, players get d10 x $100, for an average of $500.
So, how much money were those bandits really walking around with? In other words, what can you get with $500 in the Fantasy Companion? Here are a few answers:

• 20 katanas. Real-world value: about $100,000 (I tried to go with "functional" katanas, not cheap models)
• 7 months at a common inn for a party of five. Real-world value: about $75,000 (I went with travel hostels, not hotels)
• 7 riding horses. Real-world value: about $21,000 (I tried to pick an average; there's a huge price range for riding horses)
• 100 days' pay for a Fighter hireling. Real-world value: about $44,000 (this would probably be higher, considering I went with the salary of a basic security guard who wouldn't be inclined to follow you into danger)
• 5 chainmail suits. Real-world value: about $37,000 (chainmail suits are used by shark divers, apparently!)
• 50 battle axes. Real-world value: about $5,000 (I went with heavy wood-splitting axes)
• 20 rapiers. Real-world value: about $4,000 (I went with fencing foils)
• 167 javelins. Real-world value: about $46,000
• 17 short bows. Real-world value: about $5,000 (I went with recurve bows)
• 10,000 arrows. Real-world value: about $40,000 (Amazon sells arrows for about $4 a pop)
• 1/8 of a +1 short bow. No real-world equivalent for magic items.

These examples suggest a gang of bandits carries the equivalent of $38,000 in real-world money. Obviously, all of my estimates are pretty shaky. But there are some interesting conclusions:

1. Lodging and travel prices are so cheap that it suggests the authors don't want us to track them at all. For my lodging example, I went with the $0.5/night room, but there are others as low as $0.25/night.
2. Standard gear is also very cheap (especially ammunition -- look at those javelins and arrows!). One Meagre treasure roll could outfit everyone in the party with their choice of weapon, or five suits of chainmail. Plate mail is somewhat more reasonable: one suit costs $500. Fancy crossbows get expensive, too -- much more expensive than fancy melee weapons.
3. The price jump from standard to magic equipment is enormous: a short bow costs $30, while the cheapest magic short bow (+1 to Shooting) costs $4,000.
4. Keep in mind this is the lowest tier on the treasure table. The next tier up ("Substantial") multiplies all of this by 10x. Yes, I would consider 70 horses pretty substantial, indeed!
5. Also keep in mind that the Fantasy Companion's Strongholds cost nothing. PCs get a castle or tower for free, it costs nothing to maintain, and it "levels up" as they gain advances, at no additional cost.

With all of that in mind, I'm honestly not sure what PCs are meant to be spending all their money on. It seems the pricing rationale of the game is, "Don't worry about the price of anything other than magic items."

I’ve had several urinalysis done in the last few years, all came back clear. I’ve never had foamy urine, just little bubbles, and I closely monitor all my bowels and urinations.
This morning when I woke up, I noticed a lot of foam in my urine and it was very dark. Definitely was foam too, cause it looked like foam that you’d get on top of a beer and it wasn’t going away.
My water intake is pretty poor so I’ve been chugging water all day. Been peeing quite frequently thanks to this and my urine is now clear and foam-less. Is this still worth getting checked out or just a fluke?

Fans of classic soul will know the song.
Oh, Jimmy Mack, when are you coming back?
In another world it would be funny, but for years I asked that very question.
You see, my fiancé’s name is Jimmy Mack. He disappeared without a trace in 2018.
How do you disappear without a trace these days? It just doesn’t seem possible in a modern world, where almost everyone is somehow connected. Yet he did; he vanished. The police were baffled, private investigators were a waste of money, and my own attempts at sleuthing were futile.
If it wasn’t for the fact that we were ridiculously in love and things were so perfect, I wouldn’t have tried so hard. But everything was a vomit inducing fairytale for us. Even our names were cute af; Jimmy & Jessie sittin’ in a tree… I know he loved me as much as I loved him, and he would have done anything for me.
I heard all the theories. ‘Jess… Maybe he has a secret family… He might have been involved with criminals… Perhaps he took his own life…’
They didn’t know Jimmy like I did. I know you can never really know someone fully, but I knew those things could never be true of him. So I became estranged from family and friends, my life consumed with finding Jimmy. Every penny was spent on expensive investigation and cheap booze.
But then came the intervention. My mom, brother, and best friend Lori came to my apartment one evening. Mom took my hands.
“I want my daughter back,” she cried. And as I met the eyes of those closest to me it was like a weight had lifted. I dropped to the floor and cried for hours, releasing years of internal pain. It was exactly what I needed.
It wasn’t that I never thought of Jimmy again, but I began to move on. I even went on a couple of dates, and attended therapy sessions. There’s a whole psychology behind mourning an unexplained loss. I found it all very helpful.
Then I received a handwritten letter:
Dear Jessie,
You don’t know me but I have information about the disappearance of your fiancé James Mack in March 2018.
If you are interested in finding out more, meet me at Marcy’s Diner off [redacted]. I will be there between the hours of 20:00 and 22:00 every evening from Monday 13th - Friday 17th.
Come alone and sit in a window booth. I will make myself known as soon as I feel it’s safe to do so.
I repeat; come alone. If there’s any indication you have alerted the authorities, or discussed this with friends/family, the offer is void.
This offer is time sensitive. If you don’t visit the diner between those dates and times I will assume you are not interested. This will never be offered to you again in future.
Regards,
Anon
My hands trembled as months of progress began to unravel. I poured a shot of vodka and downed it, followed by one more to take the edge off. I was so close to calling Lori, her number ready to speed dial. I needed someone to talk sense into me, to tell me it was a hoax.
‘Don’t go through with it Jessie, it’s just some sicko taking advantage of your grief. Let’s go for cocktails!’
But I put my phone down and read the letter again. And again. I read it over and over, looking for something I might have missed despite the contents being clear.
◈
Monday came around. I pulled into the Marcy’s Diner car park just after 20:00, observing the patrons from the safety of my car. It looked pretty empty. Some tourists, a few trucker types. It was a convenient rest spot due to its location off the highway. No one screamed I have information about your beloved Jimmy Mack, like there was a physical description for that type of person.
I hung around for an hour or so before I chickened out and drove home. Rinse and repeat Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. On Thursday I didn’t even think about it. I parked up just before 20:00 and stepped out of my car, hesitating for the slightest moment before entering the chrome and candy stripe diner.
A few people observed me briefly before going back to their hot mugs and oversized burgers. As instructed I found a vacant window booth. They were all vacant. I chose the one furthest from the entrance. As I sat down I thought why the fuck did you think that was a good idea? My anxiety stopped me from switching seats regardless.
“Evening darlin’,” said a blond 40-something waitress wearing a blue gingham dress. She held a pot of coffee as she smiled down at me. “What can I get for you?”
“Oh, erm,” I was going to say nothing but realized that would be weird. “Coffee is good, thank you.”
She turned over a white mug that was on the table amongst novelty condiment bottles and laminated menus.
“Can I get you a slice of pie darlin’?” she said as she poured the coffee. “Cherry or chocolate-pecan.”
My stomach was in knots but I didn’t want to appear rude, so I opted for a slice of cherry pie. It arrived barely a minute later and I thanked her, then proceeded to tap my fingers on the table as I discreetly looked around the diner.
After an hour had passed I was three mugs of coffee down and had finished the pie, which was delicious. For a moment I’d forgotten my purpose for being there, beginning to relax a little. Then the door opened and a man walked in, giving me a quick glance as he headed to the counter. He wore a camo parka and what I’d call worker jeans, with a black baseball cap. He turned around after being handed a mug and I averted my eyes, looking out of the window. I could see his reflection getting closer to my table. When he stopped in my peripheral vision I turned, and he slipped into the seat opposite me.
“Jessie,” he said with a nod. “Pleased to see you inside the diner this evening.”
He had chiselled features and a little stubble. I put him in his early 40s. I cleared my throat.
“And what do I call you?”
He smiled. “You can call me Mike if it makes this easier for you.”
I shifted in my seat, trying to get comfortable. I folded my arms, then unfolded them, then put them on the table.
“Relax,” he said.
I let out a quick laugh. “That’s easy for you to say. I have no idea who you are. I don’t even know why I’m here, you gave no proof that you actually know anything about Jimmy.”
“I know everything,” he said deadpan. “And I’ll tell you if you want to hear it.”
I stared into his eyes until I felt mine glaze over, then cleared my throat again. “Let me guess; for a price?”
He shook his head. “I don’t want your money, Jessie.”
“Why now?” I snapped. “Do you know what these past 5 years have been like for me?” I felt tears coming on and he went to reach for my hand, but I recoiled. He pulled his hands away and looked apologetic.
“Unbearable, devastating, frustrating…”
“All the above!” I said as tears started to fall. “I couldn’t function at times. I stopped looking after myself. I abandoned my friends and family. It’s crazy how someone can do that to you.”
“Because you were in love,” he said.
“We were in love. We were the fucking Shutterstock image of love. And when that ends abruptly without explanation…”
“Everything alright darlin’?” the waitress interrupted, holding out a tissue. She glared at Mike. I took the tissue and nodded.
“Yes, thank you. I’m fine. Sorry, I’ll keep it down.”
“Don’t be sorry darlin’, you just let me know if you need anything, okay?”
“I will, thank you.”
She walked away and I wiped my eyes, feeling a little embarrassed.
“I can only apologize for how you’ve been feeling,” he said. “But I’m here to make it right. You could say I developed a conscience, or moral compass. I don’t know. I’m a changed man.”
I looked at him with confusion. “I don’t understand?”
“It’s easier if I show you,” he said. “But not here. You have to ask yourself if you trust me enough to go for a drive.”
“In your car?” I said. “Absolutely not!”
“Okay, how about if you drive?”
“To the middle of nowhere I bet?”
“Look Jessie,” he said, his eyes burning into me. “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m really trying here, but if you’d rather leave it I get it.”
Call me stupid or naive, but something in his eyes made him appear somewhat genuine. I took a crazy chance.
“No… I need to know what happened to him.”
Mike nodded then raised a hand. “Say, could I get a slice of pie to go?”
◈
As predicted we were driving further into the wilderness than I would have preferred. The passing cars were few and far between.
“How much further?” I asked. “I might need to stop for gas.”
“Not too far now,” said Mike. “If you don’t mind sharing, do you remember the last moments you spent with James?”
I sighed. “I do, but I can’t remember the last time anyone called him James outside of the media. He hated it. He’d been Jimmy since elementary school.”
“Sorry,” he said. “Tell me about that last day you spent with Jimmy.”
“It was an ordinary day. A Wednesday. We woke up, had breakfast. I went to work, Jimmy worked from home. He called me on my lunch break like usual, just to hear your voice he always said. God, we were insufferable.” I let out a laugh.
“Take the next left,” said Mike. “I’m listening.”
“So yeah. We had a little chat, then I went back to work. I got home and Jimmy had already started dinner. He was a much better cook than me. We drank wine, watched a movie.”
“What movie did you watch?”
“The Notebook,” I laughed. “For the umpteenth time. I know, I hate us too.”
“Keep driving straight,” said Mike. “It’s a few minutes away.”
“What is?” I asked.
“What happened after the movie?” he said.
“Nothing, we went to bed.”
“Did you make love?”
I briefly turned to him in disapproval. “Excuse me?”
“Did you fuck?” he said, unflinching.
I shook my head. “No, sorry to disappoint you. Now where the hell are you taking me?”
“It’s just up here,” he said. “So you went to bed and then you never saw him again?”
I took a deep breath and shook my head. “Jimmy had already gone when I woke up. No note, no text. It was strange but I didn’t think too much of it at the time. I sent him a text asking where he was. When half the day went by with no response I started to worry.”
“And the rest is history, as they say.”
I nodded as I fought back tears.
“We’re here,” said Mike.
I looked around. It was dark from what the headlights illuminated, I couldn't see anything but trees. “What’s here?”
“Just stop the car. It’s a short walk.”
I felt my heart race as my vulnerable situation became apparent. I really was in the middle of nowhere with a strange man, one who had withheld information about my missing fiancé for 5 years. I stared at him wide eyed.
He shrugged. “I’m not really sure what I can say to make you more comfortable?”
I slowly reached for my bag and pulled out a pocket pistol. Mike let out a surprised laugh.
“Maybe I don’t need to say anything?” he said.
“This makes me more comfortable,” I said.
He nodded. “Fair enough. Let’s go.”
◈
After walking for several minutes, feeling grateful that I’d opted for comfortable footwear that evening, we came to a cabin within the trees. The porch was lit.
‘Jessie; you know better than this girl’ I thought to myself, my hand clutching the pistol inside my bag.
“Why did it have to be a cabin in the woods?” I said, Mike a few feet in front of me.
“I like solitude,” he said. “I couldn’t think of anything worse than living in the city.”
We walked up the steps to the porch area. At one end there was a single chair with a blanket on it, and a small table with some beer bottles. At the other end I spotted some deep red patches on the floorboards. Mike noticed me looking.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “It’s deer blood. I’m pretty self sufficient out here.”
We entered the cabin and Mike turned on the lights. It was quite basic, not overly decorated. There were some framed pictures on the walls, a dinner table, and a living area with some chairs, a small television and a log burner.
“I’m kind of disappointed there’s no stag’s head mounted on the wall,” I said as I took in my surroundings.
Mike shrugged. “I don’t see the animals as a prize. It’s food, survival. There are a few skulls out back if you want to check them out?”
I shook my head. “I’m good.”
Mike put the slice of pie he’d got from Marcy’s on the kitchen counter.
“Water, beer?” He opened the fridge and pulled out a beer bottle.
“This isn’t a social visit,” I said. “And call me paranoid but that would make me very stupid."
He nodded. “You’re right, I hope you don’t mind if I have one though.” He screwed off the cap and took a swig. “Let’s sit.” He motioned to the living area and I followed him.
“You know it’s dangerous to leave your fire burning when you’re not home,” I said, feeling the warmth from the log burner as I took a seat on an armchair. I kept my bag by my side and my hand on the pistol.
“It gets cold in here,” he said, sitting on another chair. “I’ll take my chances.”
He spoke about his cabin for a while, the whole time I became increasingly more uncomfortable due to the fact that I’d needed the bathroom since leaving the diner.
“I’d like to get straight to the point,” I said. “But I really need to use the bathroom.”
“Sure,” he said, pointing to a door down a hallway. “Over there.”
The bathroom was clean enough, though I did my business without touching the toilet seat. Something that had become a habit when using strange or public bathrooms. As I washed up I heard a groaning noise that sounded like it came from another room in the cabin. My heart jolted.
“Mike?” I said, creeping out of the bathroom. I had my bag over my shoulder and my shaking hand gripped the pistol. “What was that sound?”
I peeked over to the living area and couldn’t see him. I started to panic.
“Mike?” I said loudly. “This isn’t cool. Where are you?”
I heard that muffled groaning noise again and jumped, turning on the spot. There was another door further down the hall. Against my better judgement I crept closer to it, flinching each time the groan was emitted. It got louder the closer I got to the door.
“Mike?” I said, my whole body trembling.
“Sorry Jessie,” I heard Mike say from behind, and suddenly a cloth covered my mouth. My bag slipped from my shoulder but I still had the gun in my hand which I lifted as I struggled. Mike brought his other arm around me and squeezed tight, pinning my arms to my body. I became lightheaded as I breathed in chemicals.
“Shush,” he said quietly in my ear. “Just let it be.”
As I blacked out I was screaming inside my head. ‘You stupid girl!’
◈
When I came to my vision was momentarily blurred, but as I focused I saw Mike opposite me. We were sitting at the dinner table.
“Welcome back,” he said. I attempted to stand but my right hand was cuffed to the table leg. I pulled on it several times until pain shot through my arm. “That’s solid oak. I mean, you might get free but probably at the expense of your wrist.”
“You bastard!” I screamed. “Let me go. Help! Help me please!”
“Calm down Jessie,” he said. “I’m sure I don’t need to tell you there’s no one out here to help you.”
I started to cry as I shook. “Oh God… What are you going to do to me? Are you going to…”
“I told you already, I’m not going to hurt you! Though that wasn’t completely true because I’m sure you have a splitting headache right now?”
He got up and retrieved a small bottle from a cupboard, then filled a glass from the faucet. He placed the glass in front of me as well as two pills from the bottle.
“Paracetamol. You’ll thank me later.”
“I’ll never thank you!” I screamed, then moaned as my head pounded. I reluctantly picked up the pills and swallowed them with water. “Why am I cuffed?”
As he spoke he walked across the cabin. “Because I believe what you’re about to hear would cause you to run. When I’m done you’re more than welcome to leave, you have my word.”
He returned with a MacBook and placed it on the table. It looked alien amongst the cabin interior. My surprised expression must have been clear.
“I’m not a Luddite,” he said. “I have WiFi and Netflix just like you city folks.”
“Great,” I said sarcastically. “But you really need to start talking.”
“I don’t think you’re in any position to give demands,” he said. “But very well. Here’s the first thing you’re not going to like hearing: I’ve been inside your apartment.”
My jaw dropped. “Wha… What?”
He opened the MacBook and tapped on the keyboard, then showed me the screen. There were several images of my apartment interior. I picked up the glass and took a swig of water, wishing it was something stronger. “Why were you in my apartment Mike?”
“Well, here’s the next thing: I’m a serial killer.”
I shifted back on the chair and pulled on the cuffs, starting to hyperventilate. “Oh God oh God oh God…”
“Calm down Jessie,” he said.
“Give me a fucking break,” I shouted. “Jesus Christ!” I clung onto the cuffs with my free hand and pulled hard, groaning. The table only moved ever so slightly but I felt like I’d run a marathon. I sat up and stared at Mike as I breathed heavily. “You killed Jimmy?”
“I target lovers,” he said. “I observe them for months before I take things further. When the time is right I abduct one. Which one I choose is more down to opportunity than anything else. Then I pose a question: Are you prepared to sacrifice yourself for the one you love? Make a choice; you or them.”
I covered my mouth with a trembling hand. “Oh Jimmy… You sacrificed yourself for me.”
Mike tapped on the keys some more. “I install secret cameras in the lovers’ homes when they’re out. Like I said, I observe them for months, and not just outside. I need to get a feel for their relationship before I intervene. It has to be true love or it just doesn’t feel right. And you only get to see the real deal when no one else is looking. Excessive PDAs are often a sign of insecurity, they mean nothing really.”
He turned the screen back to me and a video was playing. “I edited this just for you.”
It showed Jimmy and I sitting at our breakfast bar. In the corner of the screen was Mar 7th 2018, 07:54.
“Wait!” I said, my heart beating out of my chest. I paused the video. “I don’t think I want to see this.”
“You have to, Jessie. I’m sorry. You’re free to leave once it's over.”
I felt my heart through my chest. “Can I at least take you up on that drink?”
He got up and walked to the fridge, taking out a beer.
“Do you have anything stronger?” I asked.
He nodded and reached under the kitchen counter, then returned with a whisky bottle and two tumblers. He poured two measures and pushed one towards me, then sat back down.
“We’re all out of ice unfortunately.”
“Fuck the ice,” I said, downing it in one gulp. I closed my eyes as I felt my chest burn inside, then signalled for Mike to top me up. After a moment I hit play on the screen.
◈
Mar 7th 2018, 07:54
Jimmy and I eat breakfast. He picks up a strawberry and rubs it against my lips.
“Stop it,” I say, giggling as I slap his arm. “I have to leave shortly.”
“Come on Jess,” he says. “Open wide.” He puts the strawberry in my mouth then gently kisses my lips.
“To be continued,” I say, getting off the stool and grabbing my things.
“No fair!” he sulks.
“Have a good day babe,” I say, kissing his cheek.
“I love you, Jess,” he says, momentarily holding me against him.
“I love you more,” I say, pulling away to run to the door. “See you this evening.”
09:11
Jimmy comes out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around him, then goes to the bedroom.
10:36
Jimmy sits at the table on his laptop and takes a few work related calls.
12:05
Jimmy takes another call. “Hey you. Yeah. No, she won’t be back until like 7 at the earliest.”
I took another sip of whisky and briefly met Mike’s eyes as he watched me. I held the glass close to my chest, my knuckles white.
Jimmy continued. “Absolutely, I’d love to see you… Great, see ya soon.”
12:48
The buzzer rings and Jimmy uses the intercom. “It’s open.”
I downed the whisky and pushed the glass towards Mike. He leaned over and poured another measure.
Jimmy opens the door and in comes my best friend Lori. She embraces him.
13:09
They sit on the couch together.
“Shit, I’ve got to call Jess,” says Jimmy. “It’s our thing.”
“Seriously?” says Lori.
“Yep, every lunch break without fail. She’ll get paranoid if I don’t.”
Fucking asshole. It was never something I asked for or insisted on. Whatever makes him feel better.
He makes the call and puts a finger against his lips. In the meantime Lori unzips his fly and feels inside.
“Hey baby, how’s your day going? Ah, that’s awesome! Yeah, it’s been a productive morning. I’m gonna heat up some soup, what are you having?”
He puts his other hand behind Lori’s head and pushes it into his lap. His head slowly tilts back.
“That sounds amazing. Okay, well I just wanted to hear your voice baby. And you, can’t wait to see you later. Love you too. Bye.”
16:32
They come out of the bedroom and Lori puts on her shoes. Jimmy puts his arms around her from behind and nuzzles her neck.
“Do you have to leave already?” he says.
“What if she comes home?” says Lori.
“I promise you she won’t be home for a while. Come on.”
She turns and slaps his chest. “You’re a bad boy, Jimmy Mack.” They kiss.
17:43
They chop vegetables in the kitchen.
“I wish we were cooking for us,” says Jimmy.
“Me too,” says Lori. “We really should tell her soon. It’s gone on long enough.”
Tears stream as I finish my third whisky.
He nods. “I know. I keep trying. I already know how tonight will go. We’ll eat dinner and then she’ll want to watch some shit like The Notebook.”
Lori laughs. “I feel so bad for you.”
“She’s such a hopeless romantic,” he says.
“Hopeless being the operative word,” laughs Lori.
“Me-ow!” he laughs.
Mar 8th 2018, 01:22
The door to our apartment opens and in comes a tall figure dressed in black. They slowly open our bedroom door and creep inside. After a few minutes Jimmy leaves the room in a t-shirt and boxers, his hands up as he’s followed by the figure at gunpoint. They leave the apartment.
◈
I sat in silence staring at the screen.
“I’m sorry for what you’ve been through Jessie,” said Mike. “But as you can see he didn’t deserve your pain and suffering.”
I put the glass on the table and wiped the tears from my face. “Maybe not. But he didn’t deserve to die.”
“Would you say the same if you knew he chose you?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Well, like I said. I take one of the lovers and give them a choice. I’d never experienced something like this, having only observed genuine love. It threw me. He was a lying piece of shit but I still posed the question.”
Mike found another video and played it.
Jimmy is sitting on a chair in a dark room under a hanging light, his arms tied behind his back. He struggles to free himself.
“James Mack,” says Mike offscreen.
“Who are you?” screams Jimmy. “I’ll fucking kill you when I get free!”
“How much do you love Jessie?”
“What?”
“Would you die for her?”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Jimmy shouts.
“Would you die for her?” Mike roars, coming into shot and putting his forehead against Jimmy’s. He holds a gun at his side.
Jimmy recoils. “I… I…”
“It’s you or her James!” Mike cocks the gun and holds it against Jimmy’s head. “Make your decision.”
“Her!” Jimmy cries. “Take Jessie! You’ll be doing me a fucking favor you psycho!”
Mike stopped the video as I covered my mouth. “How does that make you feel Jessie?”
I shook my head. “I’d like to see what your response would be if someone held a gun to your head.”
He nodded. “Fair point. But just so you know, I’ve targeted 5 couples so far and they all chose to sacrifice themselves.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “I hate him for this but he still didn’t deserve to die.”
Mike came over and took a key out of his pocket, then released the cuff around my wrist. I gripped it with my other hand and held it against my chest.
“Oh, he’s not dead Jessie,” said Mike, walking to the kitchen counter. He picked up the box containing the pie.
“What?”
He walked across the room down the hall, then stopped at the door at the end.
“You’re free to go Jessie,” he said. “Or you can come say hi.”
He pushed open the door then disappeared. I got up and frantically looked around the cabin. I saw my bag sitting on a coffee table and rummaged inside. My gun, my keys, my phone were all there. I ran to the main door and breathed in the cool night air, then hesitated. I looked over my shoulder.
You stupid girl I repeated in my head over and over as I approached the door down the hall. There was a staircase leading down into a dimly lit basement. I could hear Mike’s voice and some groans as I slowly began to descend, my body trembling. There was a vile smell that got worse with every step. It made me retch.
When I got to the bottom I saw Mike standing over the figure of a pale man that sat with his back to me. He was wearing rags, and the skin I could see was dirty and covered in sores. His skin was impossibly stretched over visible bones. He was eating noisily as he groaned.
“Is that good James?” asked Mike, and I saw the figure nod enthusiastically. The back of his head revealed long thinning hair with bald patches.
Mike looked over his shoulder and smiled when he met my eye. “Oh my, James. You’ll never guess who’s come to visit?”
The figure looked up inquisitively, then turned his head in my direction.
I could see it in his eyes. His handsome features had been buried under a pale, gaunt complexion. But I could tell it was Jimmy by his eyes. It took him a few seconds to acknowledge who he was looking at but suddenly his eyes widened, the thin skin of his forehead flaking as it wrinkled. He had pie smeared across his mouth. He had some teeth missing and the ones I could see looked jagged and broken.
“Jessie?” he said, in a voice that wasn’t quite the same. It was weathered, like that of a senior citizen with a bad smoking habit.
My lips trembled as I nodded. “It’s me Jimmy.”
He suddenly stood and lunged towards me, his hands outstretched. I flinched but he was held back by shackles around his ankles.
“Jessie!” he groaned. My heart couldn’t take it, feeling like it was going to explode. I fell to my knees as the 5 year mystery was solved in the most horrifying way.
“Isn’t it nice of Jessie to stop by?” said Mike. “Even after the way you treated her.”
Jimmy became restless, pulling on the shackles. He kept groaning like he was in pain.
“How could you do this to him?” I cried. “Even a rabid beast doesn’t deserve this!”
Mike shrugged. “I guess I felt bad for you. I’d never really considered the feelings of anyone else until I saw just how much you loved this man. And when I witnessed his betrayal day after day I just grew to hate him more. I knew a bullet to the brain wasn’t enough for this piece of shit.”
Mike turned to Jimmy and started rubbing his back. “But you know, over the years this piece of shit has grown on me. We’re like family now, aren’t we James?”
“No!” Jimmy screamed, making me fall back. “No no no!”
He buried his face in Mike’s neck, making him scream in pain. Dark blood cascaded down Mike’s shirt. Considering Jimmy was wasted away to nothing, Mike's attempts at freeing himself were useless. He fell to the floor and pushed himself against the wall, holding the gaping wound on his neck.
“James… Don’t…” he managed before Jimmy pounced. It sounded like a wild animal devouring its prey. I covered my ears as I watched in horror, my body refusing to let me look away.
Before long Mike was silent and still, his eyes remained open as he slouched against the wall. Jimmy turned to look at me, at first appearing shy or embarrassed. His face and chest was covered in Mike’s blood. He licked his lips and attempted to wipe it away with the back of his skeletal arm.
Eventually he started to crawl towards me, only stopping when the shackles wouldn’t allow him to get any closer. He groaned, but it wasn’t in anger. His eyes became glassy and he started to cry.
“Jessie,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
My hands trembled as I reached out to him, scared beyond belief but my heart was breaking all over again. I was in two minds, but eventually my hand met his and I felt his bony fingers between mine.
“Oh Jimmy,” I said breathlessly. “I forgive you.”
We held hands for a moment before I stood up. “I’m calling for help.” I made my way to the stairs.
“No!” Jimmy shouted. His eyes pleaded with me. “No Jessie. Please.”
It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but I think most people would have done the same from a place of love.
Jimmy Mack is never coming back.
dd
DB

I attend a community college 2 days a week (the others are online courses). The class is nearly 4 hours long, but typically the lecture part of class is the first hour or 2. The rest is lab time spent working on the computers. I typically leave class after the lecture is over and the room goes silent as I have creative anxiety (its a graphic design class) and my partner gets off roughly around then also. I get all of my assignments done on time and usually have the time to do them at home on my computer (which is at least 6 times better than the school ones in terms of functionality). I'm also not concerned with "hours wasted" in terms of costs as I essentially go for free. Am I being disrespectful even though I am waiting for the lecture time to fully finish?

Took in a stray pregnant cat first week of March. We had a vet appointment scheduled on the 20th to make sure everything was fine, but she gave birth (to only one kitten) a day before the appointment. The vet suggested we postpone the appointment to a week later. Went to the appointment today and she tested positive for FeLV and said 99% that the kitten will also be positive. I’m devastated after reading horror stories online, but I have hope because I also read that it’s not necessarily a death sentence. I still want to keep both of them as I’ve grown attached to them already.
To those who took care of FeLV+ cats, what advice do you have for me? What can I do to keep them as healthy as possible? Any supplements I can give them to help boost their immune systems? What to do/what not to do? What to look out for? Any advice is truly appreciated.

I guess the best place to start is by explaining that my partner and I are having trouble in our relationship already and I mostly don't want to go because I don't want to attend and have to play happy families with his extended family. None of his family members bother with him 95% of the time. He is poorly regularly and in and out of hospital and they know this but never make an effort aside from if he tells them he has been in hospital, and even then they just send a message and that's it. They aren't a particularly communicative or close family, but the lack of care they show towards him has upset me more and more as the years pass.
Well my first child is not my partner's child, we have one child together who is still relatively young. Though his family don't often bother with him, he feels obliged to bother with them as his family is pretty fractured already so it's tough for himx which I understand completely my family is broken beyond repair so he is not alone. This year none of his family acknowledged my eldest child's birthday. Not long after said birthday they started contacting him to sort out arrangements for his grand fathers birthday gathering. I already didn't want to go to any family things for the time being given our relationships current situation, but the lack of birthday acknowledgement rubbed me up the wrong way and I now feel it would be best for myself and my oldest child to do something else that day.
My partner is upset that I feel this way, I have explained my position on the situation but he is upset that I don't want to go with him. I have said he should attend with our child and enjoy himself it doesn't matter if I'm not there - plenty of families cannot attend functions together so one or the other parent has to do this - it's not unheard of. I just don't see the point in pretending and being fake around his family, which is what I will have to do if I attend. So Reddit, AITA for not wanting to go?

I am starting month two today at the .5 dose of wegovy. So far, I have not lost much at all. I counted macros and worked out 3-4 days a week. I’m continuing to do those things just hoping this dose will help kick things into gear for me. I am staying positive.

Hello everyone, been 14 years since I had my vasectomy and have been dealing with on and off Epididymitis ever since. For about the last 6 years it has been coming and going. I am in excellent shape, work out every day and eat well. For the past year, its actually been nonexistent until 2 days ago when I came back with vengeance. I honestly am not sure if it was open or closed-ended, i am guessing closed, but not sure. I have done antibiotics because my general dr doesn't really understand whats going on, i really have not done a round in a long time and don't want to with this time either. From what i understand is the Epididymitis can not absorb all the sperm. Is this correct?
Isn't the sperm made in the Epididymitis?
I have no idea what flared it up this time, sex has been the same as always, and physical activities the same the only thing i have had is a bad cold for the last few weeks and was thinking maybe my body couldn't cope with the cold and getting rid of the sperm, but that's just a thought. Would like to hear opinions on this. I am not stopping working out, mental i will go crazy.
What if anything, have you guys found that has helped? I saw somewhere about doing stretches?
How many have done a reversal or changed a closed to open-ended and found relieve?
What about anything natural that helps your immune system, has anyone found them to be helpful to boost up immune system?
Thanks

Honestly idk how to start this off but my names Yahir and I’m a Hispanic male living in Brooklyn and I’m just looking for someone that I can call my duo.I’m 5’8 and weight 145 and I try to go to the gym often when I’m not busy. I’m more of an introverted person when I meet new people but I do start to be more outgoing after chatting for a bit.
I like to play games mainly on pc and I play just about anything but my main games rn are ff 14 and ow2, I do have a switch that I play on mainly smash and Pokémon, I also like to watch anime and read manga I mainly just read romcom mangas. I also like to play basketball but I’m terrible at it and I do want to do some more outdoors stuff and travel. I have a interest in photography and film but haven’t really done much other then editing a couple short films for school.
Honestly I don’t really have a preference I’m just looking for someone that I can hang out with whether it’s playing games together or watch shows and talk about the most random shit.I don’t mind doing long distance but I do hope we are able to meet up one day and I don’t mind sharing pics of myself. So if you’re interested you can ask me anything and let’s see how things go.

I have a very demanding career. A job that takes working hours as, at best, recommendations.
I was in the process of switching jobs (in the same field) just as my wife was in late pregnancy, so I decided to arrange for a 3 month gap between the jobs. A makeshift paternity leave, if you will.
My daughter was born, and from the moment I laid eyes on her I knew with every fiber of my being that I never want to be away from her. For the last 3 months we lived our own little paradise - all three of us home, walking around town together, getting to know my daughter and witness the little wonder. It was the most at home that I've ever felt in my entire life.
Those 3 months ended last week, and I re entered my demanding career this week. It has been hell. Saying goodbye to my daughter every morning has me weeping. The new workplace is just as insanely demanding as the last one was (they all are), but I simply cannot make the same sacrifices that I used to. I feel a deep anxiety with every tight deadline that foretells sleepless nights. I deeply dread an event that would have me work the weekend. I don't care about sleep and rest. I just can't stand the thought of missing out anymore of my daughter than I already am.
This means I am unfocused and upset and work, and slow. Very slow. Which feeds the cycle of being stressed from staying late.
I share this with my wife, but she is going through a lot herself - being alone with my daughter all day. So I find myself rather by myselfl in my breakdown.
And I'm just... I'm just having a very hard time with all of this. Thanks for reading :)

Today's my birthday but I'm just spending it alone at home.
This past week I got together with friends to celebrate but each day was nursing a hangover.
I get really happy and excited when I'm with friends and we are hanging out drinking but I go way to hard. Not in the way like I do anything outrageous..I talk a lot, have high energy, like playing games and having a good time. But I can put down a lot of drinks
I drink and drink.. And once I'm to the point of being drunk I'll still continue. I'll leave a party and stop for my drinks for myself on my way home. And drink almost the entire case myself.
Then I wake up to this guilty feeling and shut down and dont even want to deal with people. It's almost like my punishment to myself.
I dont drink everyday. In fact I have made myself take breaks and go a week or days without it. I dont crave it but when I do have it I go hard.
Nobody has ever told me it's a problem or that I do anything super regrettable after drinking too much. I just personally dont like who I am the next day. I feel disgusted and mad at myself for drinking so much. Wasting money and then hardly want to look at my phone the next day because I feel ashamed. Even though not a lot of people know what I even did.
I enjoy drinking and having fun with my friends. But I'm starting to realize I have very little self control for the amount of drinks I can put away. I think in my head if I'm spending money to get it then I'm gonna get shit faced and make it worth it.
Does anyone have any advice, similarities? I just dont want to feel this way after every night with friends. Then go a week or so with no drinks thinking im doing good and then get together with people and go hard again.