I've been having premonitions that I need to really take my estate preparations seriously.
So... Kubler Ross was right about the denial and anger and bargaining. The acceptance bit remains to be seen. I want to get there because I don't want to be one of those hungry ghosts that torments anyone trying to clean out their house after dying very reluctantly.
My main issue right now: I read stories from death doulas about people in the winding down phase and they all seem to have really peaceful transitions. I feel cheated; lately all I can think about is how seriously dysfunctional my childhood was. I feel a fair amount of grief and regret at how pointless all that suffering seemed.
My parents suffered at the hands of my grandparents, and that was transferred to my siblings and me in spite of my parents' best intentions. Even though I try to have compassion whenever this comes up, there's a well of anguish and anger that seems inexhaustible and I feel concerned I might not get to the bottom of it and find peace for my transition.
I have strong Christian beliefs and a Buddhist point of view about death and dying but none of that seems to be helping.
And I'm spending a fair amount of time and energy wondering what I can do to make this all go away so I can go back to work, make some real money, go back to my hangar and work on my airplane, go flying, and follow up on all my inventions and writing and home remodeling and permaculture projects and video production and businesses.
The only thing that really helps: I believe in reincarnation. I am getting the strong impression I need to let go here so I can be reborn in the next life which is waiting for me, because that incarnation will be important.
This life seems to have been a mere placeholder when I consider the horror and futility I lived.
I was born highly talented and intelligent but mercilessly browbeaten to the point that I was offered a career in entertainment (rock and roll, stage and TV) at a very young age but turned it down, three times. One will seldom live beyond one's self image. As a child I was told I was ugly and stupid and would never amount to anything. The curse came true, even though I did some modeling and eventually learned to fly. My professor at college told me I should have gone to Harvard. My professor friend told me he couldn't understand why I never got a PhD.
Everywhere I worked, underemployed, I attracted the bitter jealousy of people who knew I had it easy because of my gifts. I also attracted contempt because of my self defeating personality. I had all the envy directed toward successful people and all the contempt shown to a failure. The worst of both worlds. I'm not surprised I am so angry at this point in my life but I wish the idea that it's all maya was more liberating.

Water is life.
All good disaster planning includes water storage for a temporary disruption, but what if a prolonged drought forces you to take extreme measures? What are ways to conserve water over weeks, months, or even years?
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Lessons From Cape Town, South Africa

In 2017, in Cape Town, South Africa, residents were required to restrict their water use to 50 litres (13 gallons) per person per day during a severe drought.
That included:

• drinking
• flushing
• garden
• hygiene
• dishes
• and laundry

In contrast, most Americans use between 70-100 gallons of water daily!
Residents of Cape Town and other drought survivors devised clever ways to conserve water in extreme drought that we can learn from as many parts of our country dry out. We’ll cover those later in detail.
But first…
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We Are Currently Headed Towards Our Own Water Disaster

If you follow the news, you probably heard that Lake Powell’s water level is so low that its hydroelectric plant is in danger of shutting down.
This is unprecedented.
Lake Powell has sunk to 28% of capacity.
Its sister reservoir, Lake Mead, is down to 26% of capacity.
This may be uninteresting to you unless you are one of the 40 million people that receive their water from these reservoirs. That’s 13% of the US population.
If you are one of these unlucky ones, expect unprecedented water restrictions in the coming months and years. Unfortunately, other areas may not be far behind.
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Drought Conditions are Widespread

Drought conditions are not restricted to California and Arizona.
40% of the United States, including all western states from Montana down to Texas, is currently experiencing some form of drought. 25% of that is categorized as Extreme or Exceptional Drought. (See Drought.gov).
Perhaps even more disturbing is the impact of drought on the farms and ranches in the west. California grows over a third of our country’s vegetables and two-thirds of its fruits and nuts. Drought conditions that impair the ability of California farmers to grow the crops needed will only add to our country’s food source instability.
Ultimately, drought conditions will impact all of us directly or indirectly.
So what can we as individuals do to conserve this precious resource?
These water conservation tips range from “no brainers” to radical, worst-case-scenario. You may not be prepared to use all of them now, but establishing good practices prepares you in case your water supply diminishes.
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Easy Ways to Save Water and Money

We are meant to be good stewards of our planet and resources.
Water doesn’t need to be scarce in your area for you to use it wisely.
The following ideas are “low-hanging fruit” that still result in significant water savings. Moreover, these are so simple as to rise to the level of common sense.
Pick one or three and start including them in your daily routine.

• Install low-flow shower heads. This is super easy, and you won’t even notice a difference. Some towns and cities even provide them for free.
• Don’t run the water while you brush your teeth or are shaving. Duh.
• Defrost meat in the microwave or in the fridge overnight instead of in water.
• Put a pitcher of cold water in your fridge so you don’t waste water waiting for it to cool.
• Clean vegetables and fruits in a bowl of water instead of under the faucet.
• Scrape dishes into the garbage or compost and skip using the garbage disposal to save water. Keep a small compost bin in the kitchen to make this easier and more automatic.
• A dishwasher is generally more water-efficient than washing dishes by hand. However, if you need to wash dishes by hand, fill a second sink or container with water for rinsing.
• Make sure dishwashers and clothes washers are full before starting a load.
• When washing clothes, match the water level to the load’s size.
• Take shorter showers. Set a timer to keep everyone in the family aware of water usage.
• Water your lawn at night. This reduces evaporation of water.
• Use a broom to clean your driveway or sidewalk instead of hosing it down.
• Don’t let the hose run when washing your car. Instead, install a spray nozzle or turn it off until done soaping.
• Insulate hot water pipes so you don’t have to wait as long for hot water.
• Check for AND FIX leaks around toilets, sinks, and pipes.
• Even if you don’t suspect a leak, put a couple of drops of food coloring in your toilet tank. If the water in the bowl changes color without flushing, you have a sneaky leak in your toilet.
• Never pour water down the drain when there could be another use for it, like your pet’s water bowl or watering house plants.

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Ways to Conserve Water During a Drought

If your region is consistently dry (as mine is) or if conditions cause water levels to be lower than normal, you may need to take more drastic water-saving measures.
Some of these require changes in habits, and some require spending money. However, all of them result in real water savings, especially collectively.

• Install sink aerators. They mix air into your water, so you don’t notice a lower water flow.
• Install water-efficient toilets. You can save literal gallons with each flush with newer models.
• If you have an older toilet and aren’t ready to replace it, you can place a brick, rock, or bottle filled with gravel into your toilet tank. This fools your toilet into using less water to flush. Ingenious!
• Staying with a toilet theme, don’t feel you have to flush every time you tinkle. 🙂
• Cut your showers short. You can install a timer in your shower to remind you to keep it to 5 minutes or less. Depending on your water flow, a shower uses 2-5 gallons a minute, so every minute counts.
• If you absolutely need to take a bath, only partially fill the tub.
• Boil food in as little water as possible. You only need to just cover pasta or potatoes.
• Place a steamer over boiling pasta and steam your vegetables. 2 in 1.
• Save the water from cooking food and recycle it in other cooking or on your garden. That goes the same for water from canned vegetables.
• Designate one water glass for each family member and just use the one for the day to save on washing dishes.
• Plant drought-resistant trees and plants.
• Mulch around your garden, trees, and plants to retain moisture longer. Also, read about ways to garden in droughts.
• Cover pools.

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Radical Ways to Conserve Water During Extreme Drought

There may come a time when nearly everything you do is focused around conserving precious water. The following ideas came from the personal experiences of a Cape Town resident and the personal account of long-time prepper, Jim Acosta, during a 2014 drought in California.

• Think every time you open a tap and shut it off as soon as possible.
• Put a bowl in every sink to catch water and then use it to flush toilets or, if it’s clean, in the garden or laundry.
• Put a bucket in your shower to catch the water as it heats up. This is clean water, so you can use it for any purpose.
• Put an instant hot water heater under your sink, so you don’t have to run water to warm it.
• Put a greywater catchment system in your house. This method pumps or pipes water from sinks, showers, and laundry into grey water tanks or directly onto your lawn or plants. This is not safe for gardens but can be used to water trees, plants, and lawns. Greywater can also be used to flush toilets. Here is just one of many ways to build a greywater catchment.
• Turn off the inlet valves on your toilet and use buckets of grey water to flush them.
• Switch to biodegradable soaps and shampoos to make grey water safer for plants.
• Limit showers to 90 seconds (apparently, this can actually be done).
• Use biodegradable wipes, sponge baths, and dry shampoos instead of showers.
• Wash clothes less. Use a soak cycle when you wash them to help clean them.
• Capture rainwater using barrels, tanks, or pools. You can use rainwater for toilets or laundry.

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Real-life Examples from Cape Town, South Africa

One Survival Mom reader, Andre, who hails from Cape Town, had this to say in 2018 when Cape Town was experiencing one of the most extreme modern-day droughts in history:

“We need at LEAST 450 million liters of water per day at the lowest possible usage. We are currently at about 540 million liters per day. What people are missing, this coming season is there must be enough rain to not only supply the current need, but enough to fill the dams to cover the 2018/2019 summer period, too. What are the chances of that after three years of the worst possible drought, due to a high-pressure system not budging on the West Coast of Africa, keeping our rains away? Cape Town and its surrounds are a huge contributor to the South African economy so if the rains stay away and we do run out of water, it can trigger an event to bring the entire country down if we cannot sort desalination in bulk, and that takes 2-3 years to put into place.”

Two Ways to Think About Water Conservation During Drought

Ultimately, Cape Town residents banded together and, in the millions, worked toward conserving every drop possible.
Here’s how they did it, according to Andre:
“There are two ways to think about conserving water in a drought:

1. WANTS – Throw lots of money at the problem like water tanks for your house, expensive filters, and all that.
2. NEEDS – Be very wise financially, buy things secondhand to save money, and think about each liter of water used.

The Biggest Problem During Extreme Drought May Not Be What You Think

The core problem I identified is not drinking water. That’s easy to buy in bulk and store.
The problem is sewage water. If you don’t flush that toilet, you will face some serious problems, not to mention smells.
So, here is what we did:

• Rule 1: No baths ever, and shower only when you have to.
• Rule 2: No watering the garden.
• Rule 3: Catch all water used.
• Rule 4: Wear clothes longer. If you sweat a lot, rinse your clothes whilst waiting for the shower to get hot.
• Rule 4: All cisterns can only be filled with buckets. Closed the taps on all of them.

Before you open any tap, think! Then open the tap very small and close it ASAP. Catch that water for toilet use. Every drop adds up during the day.
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Use Showers Strategically to Flush the Toilet

Invest in wet wipes and dry shampoo to be able to skip showers. Catch all the shower water in a bucket used for flushing the toilet only.
But, here’s the thing with showering.
You have to use the toilet, right? You can shower as quickly as you can, 90 seconds as advised, BUT if you run out of toilet water, you defeat saving shower water.
So use just enough shower water so that you can flush your toilet for the days you don’t shower.

Help the Dishwasher Save Water

Ensure your dishwasher uses less than 5 liters (1.32 gallons) per wash for dishwashing.
Strategies like water-efficient loading, eco-settings, and more can help your dishwasher save water.
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The Washing Machine: The Biggest User

In the end, after all the above was done, the washing machine was left being the biggest user.
A full load in the washing machine uses about 150-200 liters (39-52 gallons.) Now, you can spend a lot of money and buy one that uses less water, or always use a full load using the soaking cycle so that the clothes can soak properly, or you can wear clothes longer in-between washes.
So, we first caught the rinse water and then re-used it for the next load’s washing water. Then we stopped the rinsing cycle by simply changing the detergent we used. We now could wash more frequently.
We were able to catch a few liters of rain one day, so we started using rainwater for washing clothes. Using that rainwater, we did not use any drinking water for three washes with all that greywater used for toilets.
That was the best day ever!
We add HTH (pool chlorine) to the grey water stored in drums to ensure no smell. It works quite well.
Now, you can add pumps and pipes to transport water from one place to another, or you can get some exercise and fetch the water with a bucket for the toilets. We chose the exercise option.
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The Results of Andre’s Family’s Efforts to Conserve Water

Before this drought all started, we used 25 kiloliters (6,604 gallons) per month for six people in our household. When we had to limit our usage to 50 liters (13 gallons) per person per day, through all these efforts, we dropped to a total of 5000 liters (1,320 gallons) per month for our entire six-person household. Four of us work from home.
Ultimately, the residents of Cape Town lowered their city’s water usage to about 510 million liters per day, down from 1.2 billion liters just three years earlier. As Andre said, “Low-cost changes with a massive impact on our usage.”
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Conclusion

Water is a precious resource.
And whether you’re experiencing drought conditions or not, there are lifestyle changes you can make right now to be a better steward of our water supply.
A side benefit for us all, especially preppers, is that the water-saving measures necessary during disasters will be second nature to you.
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Feel free to comment with your innovative ideas to conserve water during a drought.
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Article Source

Hello All, I’m looking for guidance on integration following my first encounter with mother Aya and Huachuma (San Pedro) in July, with a 10 day retreat in Ecuador (Hayulima).
Directly following the retreat, I am considering flying to Peru for a 7 day camping trek to Machu Picchu, with a guided tour group. Is this a good idea directly after my first Ayahuasca retreat? I’m thinking spending time in nature and hiking to a magical place would be good and it is on my bucket list.
I may also visit Costa Rica for 4-5 days after this, where I have a close friend who has experience with the medicine and can help me integrate. He led me through my most powerful Psilocybin experience last year. I would also look to treat this as a vacation, spending time at the beach, hiking, riding around on dirt bikes etc.
Following this I would return to my home in USA, where I have a nice vibe overall, but would immediately return to my 9-5 job, although I do work from home and it is chill most of the time. I have been distancing myself from friend groups recently as I become more aware of my ‘friends’ lack of authenticity and genuine care towards each other and myself. I try to love them regardless, but I think space is better at this time.
Looking for guidance from those with more experience, on a plan I can follow to make the most of my journey as well as make a smooth return to my ‘normal’ life.
I do practice a daily meditation and yoga routine, and am overall in a good place in life, with an upward trajectory. My intention for this trip is to release generational trauma, connect with my higher self, and truly make the world a better place by being my best self, especially before I bring children into this world. I’ve also been learning Spanish for 6 months and am able to get by relatively well. Thank you :)

Here’s the video:
https://youtu.be/t6CyGfTU3Gg

So, for some background, we have been together for nearly 3 years now. I was living alone in my apartment at the time we got together, but he moved in fairly quickly in the beginning. There have been financial issues due to covid, so we ended up losing the apartment to move back into his family's home.
Now, for a small portion of time I was not working, and he took up some of the responsibilities. But as our relationship has gone on, I've realized he expects things from me that he would flat out refuse to do for me himself. He, during my period of unemployment (roughly 5 months, 2 months into which he also became unemployed) would not help me pay my car insurance, my electricity, my phone, car payment, or my rent. It built up and we lost the apartment. I admit I am leaving out some context, and yes part of these losses is my own fault for not being financially literate enough to save money for these types of scenarios. They are not his responsibility to bear necessarily, but that's where some of the resentment between us has come from. Once I began working again, I have been paying for every single thing. All the food. Our recreational activities. the insurance on three vehicles. The payments on one. I even give him money to go get beer and gas to hang out with his friends. for almost 2 years now. I pay for his drinks and food when he comes into my work. I have worked full time and went back to school for a bachelors online. I bought him a motorcycle. I pour my heart and soul into this. he even uses language like "we" when hes telling ME i need to pay the car payment. but "we" is nowhere to be found when I have a surprise bill or emergency. (I own my vehicle so no payments for me) I know I have listed out the things that involve money, but that is not why I am worried about our relationship.
He treats me, like he cannot stand me. I can be loud, I like video games and anime, and I get a little heated about internet drama. I am very much a homebody. I used to be extremely social, but since I've gone back to school and gained 30 pounds I really only exchange memes with friends and have one single girl friend that I see probably 4 times a year. I try to have conversations with him, but he acts like he can't stand the sound of my voice. He will roll his eyes or ignore me while he scrolls on his phone. Sometimes, he will even shut me down, not by saying anything directly but through tone of voice, like when you say "i know" to stop somebody from explaining. all the time. It's become so distressing for me that I've just decided it's best not to engage. However, when I do this, he is suddenly interested in how I am feeling, asking if something is wrong. I have several times tried to communicate that he makes me feel as if he views me as annoying or intellectually inferior, which bothers me immensely as I have been attending school for a psychology degree. So the idea that i cannot communicate properly really sticks with me. The problem is, when I converse with others outside of my home (I am a bartender) people seem readily engaged in conversations about anything and everything. I just don't understand what I can do to reconnect with my boyfriend. even when he is happily describing his day or a moto ride he went on, as soon as I speak, he shuts the conversation down. and gets back on his phone. It HURTS girl. I have tried numerous times to converse about his interests. Make the same jokes he does to me back to him. I want him to laugh and smile at me. But he really just seems to glare. I have tried to break it off with him a couple of times, but each time he profusely admits an undying love for me and begs me not to go. I stay because I love him, and I have never had anyone who understood my traumatic childhood like he does (he had one as well). But I just do not feel emotionally or intellectually stimulated. To me, at this point in my life, Intimacy is something more than just intercourse.
As for my own problems, I have changed immensely since we met. I have taken up weightlifting, went back to college, etc. I am trying to lose weight and slim down, but I am worried that even if I improve my appearance, that he still will not respect my mind (I am not obese, just a little muffin). Today, before I wrote this, we had a small disagreement because he described somebody who was displaying repetitive movement as psychosis, to which I responded that it didn't sound like psychosis. His response was "you have no idea what you're talking about." I am literally 2 years into an associate degree on track for a four-year degree in psychology. The majority of my electives have been 200 psychology, sociology, and personality courses. I have worked late into the evening to get up at 6 am for schoolwork for months on end. I guess the point of this mini rant is to flesh out my feeling but also get advice. At one point we had talked about children and buying a house. Now when I try to bring it up, he acts like there's no point in talking about it, because it won't happen now. I want to travel to Europe, he shrugs it off as an unattainable goal. I want to vacation at the beach, he doesn't want to drive. He recently got a job last week, and since he started has been acting especially superior to me. The other day he told me I should keep track of my money because he wasn't going to "pay for a bunch of random stuff", meaning food and gas for me. I was taken aback and questioned why he would make a comment like that. I could not believe after years of me selflessly spending money so he could live comfortably at home (and ride motorcycles and go out a lot, leaving me at home much of last summer) that he would say something like that to me. It made me realize that the relationship as it is, is not the relationship I want in 10 years, five years, heck even next year. I realized that he invests a bare minimum effort but is overtly upset when he does not receive top of the line treatment. I will share a bit and say that I assume this is because of his childhood, his mom is not a great lady. But I digress, I don't think that is an excuse to treat the people who spoil you poorly.
My question for reddit is, Is there anything to stop this ship from sinking? Is there a perspective I maybe just can't see from my position? Should we go to couples therapy?
At the end of the day, I am dating for marriage. I don't want children right now; I want to party and travel and work for the rest of my twenties. But this time living together has made me feel trapped in a relationship where I am simultaneously the problem and the person trying to fix the problem and I'm incredibly exhausted. How can this be love?
(P.s: I am not in a position to move out immediately. I personally have a dog and cat here, and my car in its current state cannot be registered so I can't just up and leave. I have invested a ton into this relationship, to the point where I do not have savings.)
(p.p.s: sorry this post is a garbled cluster mess of thought. It is the first time I have been able to describe the nature of our relationship as I usually keep things like this to myself.)

I selected a quote from this episode for the title because it really stuck with me - even if I don't like the implication, I think it really drives the point home.
Episode link: Budokast 63 - O Newaza no Judo (in Portuguese)
All the episodes in Budokast are great, but I've found this one especially so, perhaps because of recent discussions about these topics here. I summarised some of the points discussed there (I hope Budokast doesn't mind), all mistakes are my own.
The conversation is between the host, Moacir Mendes Junior (former Brazilian Judo national team, also BJJ black belt and competitor), and Bruno Schindler (Kosen Judo investigator). Moacir has developed an approach to newaza training in Judo and competitions.
One note: it's clear in the episode that everyone know what "kosen Judo" is, how it appeared, the relationship with the Kodokan and the universities, etc., so no need for "but kosen Judo isn't a thing" - I just didn't include that part here.
Throwing and groundwork in Judo

1. There's an understandable culture in Judo that prioritises throwing techniques.
2. Judo newaza has been an integral part of Judo since its inception, with kosen competitions being a specific episode in that history.
3. Newaza practice has dropped in Judo: it used to be closer to being balanced, or closed to it, but through the decades it was reduced (sharp drop in the 90s).
4. Judo newaza is also under attack from the change in Judo culture: using it is "doing BJJ".
5. The self-defence angle has been deprioritised in Judo, while focused on in BJJ.

Judo newaza and BJJ

1. Learning BJJ to "use in Judo", trying to extract things to "improve newaza", is a losing proposition: learning it for what it is is fundamental to actually evolve.
2. The different ruleset leads to different reactions, which necessarily lead to different techniques and teaching processes.
3. There is a "cursed inheritance" in Judo that affects everyone: turtling and avoiding the guard. Kosen Judo displays the techniques we see in BJJ, but the mainstream approach is to turn the back, since rules make turtling a viable approach - but often a losing position.
4. There should be a regained Judo newaza focus that would enable deeper expression of that part of the art, without resorting to BJJ; this is not done since existing instructors do not want to learn new things, so they outsource newaza training to BJJ.

Lifestyle vs. competition: the risks of outsourcing newaza

1. Sending students to BJJ to learn the ground game also has a possible outcome: the judoka will go there, stay there and leave Judo.
2. Judo and BJJ, if we consider them teaching equivalent things, are like learning them in a suit and tie while punching the clock, and learning them in shorts under a palm tree at the beach.
3. This lifestyle approach of BJJ contrasts with the "all that matters are competition results" of Judo.
4. Judo is something older (>30) people "used to do", BJJ is something older people "are doing".
5. Judo should also have/regain this "lifestyle" approach, and stop this trend of people dropping out in their early 30s when competition ends. It should be a lifetime activity that appeals to all age brackets.
6. Judo focus on the children wastes the obvious audience: their parents.
7. In BJJ the older practitioner finds a different reality: more people in their 30-50s, with a focus on physical health, almost a therapy, instead of permanent competition training.
8. "Why don't you do Judo again? "Went to a training near me, almost died due to the training approach". People have work and a family, and if Judo is another thing that they must suffer through then they won't do it.
9. BJJ doesn't have this problem, they cater to that audience, and going to practice can be relaxing.
10. Newaza can be an important part of projecting Judo as a life-long activity (cf. Japan)

Olympic sport, regulations, grading

1. BJJ not being an Olympic sport is a blessing in this regard, and from an offering perspective there is a lot that Judo could learn.
2. Black belts in Judo are exceedingly regulated and complex, with all sorts of extra activities and bureaucratic requirements, almost as if the purpose is to discourage people from it. Many drop before it because of that.
3. In BJJ, a black belt is easier because it's a 1:1 relationship with a teacher, independent of competition points or other requirements.
4. The lack of central regulation is used against BJJ, but it works because the teacher is the one that is in a better position to determine it. And people with bad technique exist everywhere, including Judo black belts.
5. The self-defence angle has been deprioritised in Judo, while focused on in BJJ.
6. Judo risks being mummified with all the rule changes. Whereas BJJ integrates new techniques in their approach to scoring, Judo seems to default to penalising them.
7. Constant limiting changes in rules can make a wonderful sport turn into something boring, with an associated lack of attractiveness for those practising it.
8. BJJ teachers tend to be more self-employed with a need to attract paying customers, whereas Judo has more people working for sports institutions.

Newaza in Judo: ruleset

1. The lack of scoring in newaza doesn't help newaza learning and refinement.
2. Judo newaza competition with points, based on a deep analysis of Judo positions, including losing positions.
3. 5s passivity when in a losing position == waza-ari
4. Starting on their feet, 30s, transitions to ground mustn't be a shido (i.e. no "pulling guard")
5. This instils real abilities that can be directly applied in "normal" competition since it is based on Judo positions and reactions.
6. No changes in scoring (waza-ari is used), no changes needed to do it, it's a drop-in ruleset tweak.
7. Worked with the CBJ [NGB] to integrate this newaza competitions in the calendar.

Newaza in Judo: how to advance it?

1. There's a lot of potential.
2. We should work within the existing structures.
3. Being careful with changes and making them easy to use with the existing resources.
4. Newaza competitions as something that provide tangible improvements in Judo competitions.
5. There's an audience for a "lifestyle Judo", with "kosen rules" being a part of that approach.

These are the ways I've been unmasking and giving myself the support I need

Restarting behaviors I previously stopped

• Started stimming whenever I feel like it, wherever I feel like it without caring if anyone judges me
  • Rocking
  • Swaying
  • Playing with fidget toys
  • Bouncing (by bending and unbending my knees a little)
  • Shaking my legs while sitting (like my whole legs -- where my knees get closer and further away from each other rapidly)
  • Humming, singing, talking to myself, or making weird noises
    • Usually only done when alone, but I might around others if I'm in a place where various people are talking simultaneously or I know it won't bother anyone.
• If there's something I want to talk about or say (and there's no current conversation happening), I'll talk about it. No matter how weird of a topic it is.

Unmodifying behaviors I previously modified

• No longer hinting or being indirect with what I say. I say what I mean.
• No longer pretending like I understand what someone is saying when I can't hear them due to being overstimulated.
• When overstimulated, I have a hard time controlling the tone of my voice and I get louder and sound angrier. Before, I'd just stop taking or try to push through, but now if I notice myself doing that I'll just tell the person I'm talking to that's why it's happening and maybe offer to text instead.
• If there was something I wanted or felt I needed, sometimes people would try to convince me of something else. Now that I understand myself better, I know how to explain my thought process on what I want. That's not to say I'm completely against compromise, however -- it's best to talk about everyone involved's needs.
• If I'm too overstimulated, I now just flat out leave the situation. No more pretending I can get through it. If I can't leave, I put in ear plugs, find a corner, and stim or mess around on my phone.

Stopping behaviors I previously forced myself to do

• No longer forcing myself to make eye contact or read body language because it gets overstimulating from having so many inputs to consider.
• No longer trying to find the hidden message in what someone says. Instead we'll have conversations where I ask them direct questions that they can answer. If they say something directly to me and still meant something else, they're not worth the effort.
• No longer social scripting my conversations. Maybe I'll write down what I generally want to talk about or what's on my mind in my notes/journals (Obsidian), but I don't rehearse or think about the exact words I want to use.
• Stopped analysing my behavior so much and forcing myself to do what I think is the "right" thing to do.
  • For example, I'd laugh at various things people said. Not because I found it funny, but because it seemed like the "right" thing to do. I stopped doing that.

New behaviors I picked up to better support myself

• Started pulling out my notes on my phone (Obsidian) during conversation so I can write things down without interrupting others while talking as well as to enhance my working memory.
• If I'm understimulated, I now figure out what I need and then do it. Do I need to stim? Use my phone? Talk to someone?
• Started using the needs and emotion (affect) wheels when I'm having a hard time understanding what emotion I'm feeling due to being overstimulated.

Accepting behaviors

• No longer stressing about tripping over my words, not being able to speak, or failing to put my thoughts into words. If it happens, it happens.
• Not beating myself up over being clumsy while overstimulated or even without being overstimulated.
• Allowing myself to just drop doing something and come back later if possible.
• Accepting that even if I'm capable of doing something one day, that doesn't mean I should expect myself to be able to do it every day.
• Understanding that sometimes I need to be in a space where I can control everything about each type of sensory input I receive. Light/sight, music/sound, touch, etcetera.

“Wrestling is linear. But these are not linear times…”
Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four
September 9, 2022 – The Fallout from Brawl Out
AEW is in crisis. Its champion and biggest star turned the world upside down three days prior. CM Punk is in exile, two titles are vacant, and three of the company’s founders have their futures in jeopardy. The landscape is pure chaos. Amidst that chaos, a villain strolls out to the stage with a big smile on his face.
MJF eats it all up… AEW’s greatest heel may have become its greatest face in one night. The live audience is jubilant to see him and he reciprocates, diving into them just as CM Punk had done, hugging Taz at the broadcast desk, wearing the jersey of that city’s football team.
Joy reverberates in his words once he grabs the microphone:

"BUFFALO, NEW YORK! THE DEVIL IS BACK! Now listen up Buffalo, first things first... Who's excited to see MJF? “Lord knows I am. Guys, I love Buffalo, New York, hell the greatest Quarterback of all time, Josh Allen is from Buffalo. Now, we're gonna get down to brass tacks a little bit here, okay? Last time you guys saw me I might've said some offensive stuff, I'm just being honest…

The fans strike up a loud chant: “YOU WERE RIGHT”

Now hear me out, hear me out, hear me out... Hold on g-- Seriously, I only have so much time allotted. Shut up. Please. Jesus. Alright listen... If there's one thing I know to be true, it's that right now you might think that we're in dark times, but we're not. What we need is leadership. And I can not think of one more person, more trustworthy than me! Now let me tell you a story: there was once a wise Jewish man, and his name started with a M. And when his people were meek and weak and they needed help, he split the sea wide open and he walked them straight to the promise land. Buffalo, I'm not telling you I'm Moses, that's ridiculous. I'M BETTER THAN MOSES! I'VE GOT TO WIN THAT WORLD TITLE BECAUSE MY NAME IS MAXWELL JACOB FRIEDMAN AND I'M BETTER THAN YOU...

“AND YOU KNOW IT!”, the crowd finishes for him. “Wild Thing” comes over the speakers and Jon Moxley walks through the crowd to the ring.
He stares down MJF then says: “You are absolutely full of crap.”
Crowd laughs a bit, but they also boo him some.
MJF:

"So let me get this straight, Jonathan. You think I'm not being sincere here in Buffalo, New York? In front of all these grotesque, poor, lard asses who have quite possibly the worst Football Team in the history of the United States of America? [MJF shed’s the jersey and wipes his ass with it] … Now Jon, I don't know if you're a little bit woozy considering you went to sleep on Sunday… [MJF mimes CM Punk's “Go To Sleep” pose]
But maybe you got a point. Maybe I don't care about AEW.... Maybe I don't care about these people... Maybe, just maybe I look at the World Title as nothing more than a bargaining chip that I can use for the bidding war of 2024. Maybe I take that title to a real Wrestling Company, WITH REAL FANS. And real wrestlers like my friend and hero 'The American Roller Coad-ster' Cody Rhodes. And – I'M HOLDING THE MICROPHONE YOU BUMS! KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! And maybe, just maybe I get to work for a real boss, the only Khan in professional wrestling that's worth a damn; Jolly Old St. Nick. Because to quote the greatest wrestler of all time, and my personal hero, The Game: 'That is what's best for business.’”

Moxley:

"Dude. This is not the time, this is not the place, and I am in no mood. You need to leave this ring right now, or I will make you leave.

MJF stands toe-to-toe with Moxley before slithering out of the ring. Mox continues:

Hey, your theme music sucks by the way. Now Buffalo, New York. I am in no mood... I am pissed off. I am embarrassed. I am pissed off about a great many things. But none more so than the fact that I'm standing here without the AEW World Championship... The AEW World Championship represents passion for this sport! Passion for this business! It represents the passion of the guys and girls in the back, and the fans that fill the arenas and watch at home. Those three letters in the AEW World Championship, they represent heroes during a pandemic at a time where the world needed heroes. It represents the dream, the vision that we all had when we started this thing years ago, and we wanted to show the world just what wrestling could be. The AEW World Championship represents taking the dark and ugly side of this business and letting it die with another generation. The World Championship represents the freedom to be as great as you are willing to dare to be. The AEW World championship means being better than I was the day before. Even if it's just a little bit better. Even if nobody notices but me. That World Championship represents slaying demons. That World Championship represents EVERYTHING I LOVE ABOUT THIS BUSINESS!
But the fact remains: on Sunday, I lost. And that's on me, that's my fault. I made mistakes. I got pinned. That's on me. I missed the game winning shot. And I was supposed to be on vacation right now, like until about two days ago. But here's another chance to take another shot when the game's on the line. This Tournament of Champions is one hell of a shot. That's one hell of a big rock to push all the way to the top of the hill again. Chris Jericho, the greatest of all time. Bryan Danielson, the best pure wrestler to ever step foot into a ring, a better wrestler than I'll ever be. Darby Allin, Hangman Page, Sammy Guevara, three dudes all younger than me, faster than me, more naturally gifted than I could ever be. So yeah, that's a hell of a shot. But winners always want the ball when the game is on the line. The Ace always wants the ball. And I want the ball. So hell yeah, I'm gonna take the shot.
Cause this isn't just a time to win… This is a time to be a legend!

Moxley leaves to a furious ovation and has rallied the AEW fans back to reason and rationality. It’s only temporary though, and an unnerved mood persists. The message is delivered by Moxley, truly the Ace of the company… But it feels like it should’ve come from someone else and perhaps that someone else would have been there to deliver it if he wasn't turned away. Better yet, the situation may have been avoided entirely.
But then again, maybe the whole damn thing was inevitable all along.
January 4, 2016 - Tokyo
Following their tag win over CHAOS, Kenny Omega betrays and usurps the leader of Bullet Club, AJ Styles, at NJPW: New Year’s Dash.

"AJ Styles! My god, you can't be surprised, can you? You people, you can't be surprised. You at home you better not be surprised. You had this coming, AJ. We gave you the big matches, we gave you the big pay-per-views. We made you a star, we paid you like a star. While I struggled, while I starved, forcing myself to be a junior. Everybody called you a leader, everybody called you the boss. Well AJ, if you are the boss, I'm just gonna say it. You have now been fired.

The rest of the Bullet Club is initially in disagreement before coalescing around Kenny and ganging up on Styles. They leave with their former leader in a heap, but Kenny and the Young Bucks gather at ringside. The three of them return to the ring and continue the brutal assault on AJ Styles… They are still in the Bullet Club, but within that organization, henceforth they will be The Elite.
January 4, 2017 - Wrestle Kingdom 11
Having stormed through his first ever attempt in the tournament, Kenny Omega became the only gaijin to have ever won New Japan’s G1 Tournament and earned the right to challenge for the company’s top prize at WK11.
That night in the Tokyo Dome, Omega and Okada created magic in one of the greatest matches in wrestling history. On the same show, Bullet Club’s newest member debuts: Cody Rhodes. Frustrated with his position and his creative direction, Cody had requested and been granted his release from WWE the previous summer, Cody makes his way across the Pacific, sending shockwaves through the international wrestling landscape.
Despite this shot in the arm, Bullet Club is tested by the crushing defeat of its leader. Following his loss to Okada, Kenny steps away from wrestling to assess his future. When he returns after several weeks Cody had grown ambitious and plots in the background.
June 11, 2017 - Dominion
In a rematch of their classic from the start of the year at Wrestle Kingdom 11, Kenny Omega attempts to avenge his defeat and claim the IWGP Heavyweight Championship from Kazuchika Okada. Earlier in the night, Cody had grabbed a headset and proclaimed he wanted to face Okada himself.
Omega and Okada push each other over the limit even harder than before. Omega is taking inhuman punishment yet refuses to give up. Eventually, Cody makes his way down to the ring and attempts to throw in the towel for Kenny, but the Bucks stop him.
The timekeeper’s bell rings, marking it a 60-minute draw.
Afterward, the Elite debate whether it was a true act of mercy by Cody or a scheme for his personal goals
Cody storms Okada’s post-match press conference, where he mocks the champ, spits in his face, and challenges him for a title match.
May 16, 2017 - The Bet
Dave Meltzer quote-tweets a question asking if anyone could sell 10,000 tickets to a non-WWE show in America, to which he replies, “Not anytime soon.”
Cody takes note and responds: “I'll take that bet Dave… put The Bucks & I on the card & 3-months to promote”... Over the next year this grand dream between Cody and the Young Bucks will come to fruition.
July 1, 2017 - Returning the Favor
Cody unsuccessfully challenges Okada for the IWGP championship. Kenny comes to ringside and wants to throw in the towel just as Cody had tried weeks earlier. After the match, the two of them nearly come to blows backstage and Cody flips a table.
August 2017 - G1 Climax
Throughout the tournament, Bullet Club nears a boiling point. OG member Toma Tonga questions Omega’s leadership due to having his small inner circle of The Elite within the larger group. In the weeks and months to follow, Cody identifies Kota Ibushi as Kenny Omega’s weakest point and starts targeting him as a wedge to divide the Bullet Club and create chaos wherein he can ascend to power.
January 4, 2018 - Wrestle Kingdom 12
Looking to use a win over Ibushi as a flashpoint to take control of Bullet Club, Cody viciously mauls Kota in a singles match but can’t secure the victory. Frustrated that his plan failed, the next night at New Year’s Dash he launches a post-match assault on Ibushi. Cody and the rest of Bullet Club are wailing on Ibushi until Kenny rushes out to stop them… but the rest of Bullet Club can’t help feeling Kenny views his old tag partner as more important to him than they are. Cody’s plan bears fruit as Kenny makes a massive unforced error: he invites “Switchblade” Jay White to join Bullet Club and be a shot in the arm for the faction, only for White to betray him immediately and join CHAOS.
January 7, 2018 - Being the Elite #87
Camera follows the Elite as they are tense and nervous preparing for Wrestle Kingdom a few days earlier. It jumps to the group after New Year’s Dash, all gathered at a tense dinner conversation. To break the tension, Matt proposes a new gimmick for the group: “BTE IS DRUG FREE”... aka, Straight Edge… no one shoots it down, but they’re not thrilled either, and Cody hides his beer underneath the table.
The effort to relieve things fails, however, and Cody blurs the line between kayfabe and shoot, shouting for the cameraman to put the camera down. Then we get a fly-on-the-wall glimpse at him charging Kenny with always “turning everything into a bit”, disregarding the group, and heatedly asking him if he’s actually their leader before Kenny finally storms away from the table.
January 28, 2018 - Civil War
Jay White scores a massive upset at New Beginning and takes the IWGP United States Championship from Kenny Omega. After the bell, Hangman confronts Jay White and seeks to challenge for the title, but Kenny stops him. The Bucks and Cody rush to the ring, and Cody accuses their leader of stepping on Hangman’s moment. A violent argument ensues with Kenny shoving Matt Jackson to the ground.
Once the Elite have left the ring and Kenny is alone, Cody seizes the opportunity and hits Kenny with a CrossRhodes, initiating the Bullet Club Civil War. The only thing saving Omega from a brutal attack that night is Ibushi, who runs off Cody and returns the favor for his old friend and partner, reuniting the Golden Lovers after years of separation. Regardless, Cody’s plan is in full effect. Bullet Club is in disarray and if he is to take power, now is the opportunity.
In 944 days, Roman Reigns becomes world champion to begin his and the Bloodline's vice grip on WWE.
January 30, 2018 - Being The Elite #90
Cody, to the assembled Elite of Matt, Nick, Hangman, and Marty:

It isn’t my place, but you’ve known that guy for over ten years. I don’t get it, I’m sorry. Yeah, he’s a great wrestler, but leadership… Like I said, it’s action not position! That’s not acting like a leader! ‘Oh, you’re my second, you’re my second’... Who the F-CK are you seconds for? Nobody! The best tag team in the world! And Hangman, it’s your moment! He… He ruined it.
Bullet Club is fine… Bullet Club is fine.

Kenny & Ibushi go to visit the Bucks in their hotel room, Room 710… but we aren’t shown what happens next.
February 12, 2018 – Being the Elite #92
Cody floats around reassuring everyone: “Bullet Club is fine.” All of the guys have pure depression on their faces, but Cody continually gasses them up, telling the Bucks they’re ready for the jump to the heavyweight division and encouraging Marty to start up a Villain Club of his own. Later, Matt, Nick, and Marty are commiserating in a locker room prior to a Ring of Honor show when Hangman and Cody strut through the door.
Cody, smugly:

“Whew, look at that! Did you guys see [Hangman] kick the door down??”

He thinks a couple of surprises might cheer them up. The first, some new merch that says “Bullet Club is Fine” doesn’t do the trick, so he takes them for the second surprise: their new mascot, Bury the Drug-Free Bear. Using his best Sting voice, Cody introduces Bury as someone who will “shock the world” only for him to “fall on his f-ckin’ arse” like the Shockmaster did 25 years earlier.
Kenny tries to call Matt, but Cody sees the call coming through on the phone and declines it.
February 19, 2018 – Being the Elite #93
Cody maneuvers the Bucks around the Melbourne airport to keep them from running into Kenny. While traveling, Cody further drives the Ibushi wedge between Matt and the absent Kenny and plays up that Kenny only views the Bucks as a junior tag team. Later, Cody takes the brothers out to the zoo and to the movie theater as we see Kenny emotionally watching Casablanca on his phone.
The Bucks catch up with Tonga and the OGs backstage in a locker room where they try to make peace.
Matt:

“Alright guys, thanks for gathering here. Nick and I feel like there’s one important thing that we need to talk about… I think it’s kind of obvious, right? There’s a divide in the Bullet Club. It’s almost like there’s two entities all of a sudden. It’s like there’s Bullet Club BTE and Bullet Club OGs… Nick and I have been watching what you’ve been doing in Japan… holding down the fort, representing the Bullet Club, making the name proud. But we’ve been back at home in the US doing the same thing. There is no heat here. We love you guys. When we all say that catchphrase, when we say ‘Bullet Club is for life’, we mean it. It’s not just a catchphrase, okay? There’s no heat here. The only heat is between two individuals: Cody and Kenny.”

Tonga:

“Cody is right. Bullet Club is fine.”

The two groups shake hands, then Cody enters the locker room, surprised to see everyone together:

“Did somebody call a meeting? I didn’t call a meeting…”

In strolls Kenny.

Kenny: So there he is. The snake in the grass. Three-star savior. Hey Cody.
Cody: Did you see the sign outside? It says 'Bullet Club'.
Kenny: That's right, and I AM THE LEADER.

They start brawling and the others can barely keep them apart.
Cody:

Touch me and I'll sue! Touch me and I'll sue!!

Cody throws a chair that barely misses Kenny and the Bucks.
Matt and Nick look at each other, devastated at what’s become of the group.
February 25, 2018 - Being the Elite #94
Matt Jackson is on a plane traveling between shows, doing the same thing as Kenny from the previous episode: watching Casablanca.
For those who haven't seen it, the story at the heart of the film is a love triangle: cynical club owner Rick, his first love Ilsa, and her rebel husband Laszlo, enhanced by a background of espionage and war with the local police chief, Renault, at the crossroads of the entanglements.
It’s foreshadowing the story to come. In the film, Rick and Ilsa had a passionate love before the events on screen, but they split up and Ilsa then wound up with her now-husband Laszlo, a Czech rebel carrying vital documents for the resistance against Nazi Germany. Rick and Ilsa reunite and rekindle their romance until Rick – knowing she’s better off with her husband – convinces Ilsa to leave with Laszlo before local authorities catch them. Rick stays behind, killing the evil Major Strasser who was attempting to stop the married couple from escaping Casablanca. Renault, who has been playing both sides (Germans and Resistance) up to this point, is touched by Rick's sacrifice. Other policemen arrive and see Strasser's dead body. Rather than identify Rick as the culprit, Renault instructs the cops to "round up the usual suspects"... And of course, that classic line provides the name of the film The Usual Suspects, from which Punk, and MJF, and Don Callis have all quoted the final line:
"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was making you believe he doesn't exist."
The Usual Suspects is a tale of a mysterious crime lord who manipulates and controls multiple criminals to achieve his ultimate goal and get away scot-free. It is tightly designed so that if you rewatch it knowing the ending, you realize and notice dozens of things you missed on the first viewing.
As Casablanca ends, Rick says to Renault: "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship", implying that if they work together, they can get away with almost anything…
This BTE episode ends with the group all in Japan. The Bucks approach Kenny and Ibushi to have a conversation, but Kenny doesn’t have time for them. Later that night at the event, Cody pulls the Bucks into a hallway and implores them to listen to the promo Kenny is cutting in the ring at that exact moment, where he declares the Golden Lovers the greatest tag team in the world. Cody pushes them to go handle it. The Young Bucks go to the ring while Cody flashes a devilish smile.
Matt:

From this day forward, my brother and I have decided to move up and compete in the heavyweight tag team division.

It puts them directly in opposition with the Lovers. Kenny and Ibushi confront them backstage, but the Bucks don’t take anything from him, saying they’ve always been there to support him but it’s never been returned. All those times they were there to pick Kenny up off the mat, where was Ibushi?
March 5, 2018 - BTE #95
In Vegas, Matt and Nick are in the dressing room talking when Bury the Drug Free Bear enters and seems desperate to tell them something. Bury is about to remove the head to his costume when Hangman bursts in. He is angry with Matt for not helping him during his confrontation with Joey Ryan the week prior. Cody enters and asks Bury why he hasn't got his Bullet Club shirt on and pulls him away to get changed. Everyone looks confused and Matt wonders what the bear was trying to tell them.
Cody is in the production studio and calls Nick over to suggest that Matt is holding him back and that he should consider wrestling in singles matches, but Nick looks unconvinced. Later that night, Cody is in the ring celebrating with Brandi and Bury after his match. As Cody goes to hug Bury, the bear pushes him to the floor. Standing over a prone, confused Cody, Bury removes his costume head to reveal Kenny Omega ,who knocks out Cody with a knee strike as the fans go wild.
Cody is demented after the match:

“What a time. What a time to be involved in this great sport… Everybody’s eyes in this sport are fixed on New Orleans, on Supercard of Honor… my very first encounter with Kenny Omega. So wouldn’t that be enough? As a professional… that feather in your cap, that everybody is talking about your match, that everybody wants to see your match, that you have stolen the [Wrestlemania] weekend from the rich and you have given it to the poor… wouldn’t that be enough?
So why the… escalation? Why come to Las Vegas? … You’re supposed to be the best wrestler in the world! A hero! You’ve got a bag full of them [match rating] stars, well I have a book full of dates, full of cities, full of towns, because I’m not a hero once a month! I’m a hero every single night!
Perception is no longer reality. Reality is reality.
And the reality is that I am the leader of the Bullet Club… that I am the hero in this story.”

March 20, 2018 – BTE #97
Just like he did with Nick previously, Cody sequesters Matt and says his brother has been holding him back and he needs a singles push.
In Japan, Kenny records a message to the Young Bucks apologizing, saying how Cody has gotten into everyone’s heads and divided the group, and hopes to make amends… Unbeknownst to him, Cody has Nick’s laptop so he intercepts the message and edits it down to an insulting challenge. Matt is enraged, but Nick is suspicious.
March 25, 2018 – The Elite Fight It Out
In Los Angeles at NJPW: Strong Style Evolved, the Golden Lovers face the Young Bucks in a deeply personal grudge match. After a brutal, back-and-forth war where the Lovers emerge victorious, Kenny attempts to bury the hatchet. Nick accepts the olive branch, but Matt refuses to shake Kenny’s hand. Cody hits the ring and berates Matt for eating the pin during the match. When Nick intervenes, Cody spins around and shoves him to the ground.
Later in the locker room, Cody comes in to ask what happened out there. The Bucks are challenging him for his actions, but Cody shouts them down, saying he thought it was Kenny in the ring and that he would never do such a thing to them. Cody apologizes profusely and leaves.
Nick:

“I don’t think we can trust this guy.”

April 7, 2018 – Supercard of Honor XII
With the leadership of Bullet Club at stake, Kenny Omega and Cody Rhodes square off in a hard-hitting match. Having grown wary of Cody and his schemes, the Bucks come down to the ring and decide to attack Cody. They launch double superkicks… but Cody ducks and the kicks land on Omega, allowing Cody to hit his finisher and claim the win. Matt and Nick attempt to explain, but Kenny refuses to listen.
In the backstage area, Cody is ecstatic at wresting control of Bullet Club away from Kenny. He wants to celebrate, but the Elite leave the dressing room and leave Cody sitting alone in his ring gear, sweaty, bloody, with a black eye and a gym towel draped around his shoulders, looking starkly similar to another guy post-match four years later…
June 4, 2018 – BTE #105
After a busy summer in which Cody and the Bucks have assembled the looming All In event, Matt and Nick try establishing lines of communication with Kenny in Japan. Ibushi implores him to reconcile with his old friends but he’s reluctant. Cody is obsessed with running a Senate election campaign in Texas and practices his speeches in bathroom mirrors, but it almost sounds like he’s talking to his stablemates. Meanwhile, a package that Matt and Nick sent him weeks ago has been collecting dust the whole time. Ahead of his fourth match with Kazuchika Okada, Kenny decides to open the package…
June 9, 2018 – Omega vs Okada IV
Everyone is in Japan for the big Dominion show. Hangman approaches Cody and asks what the plan is for tonight. Cody looks sullen and calls off whatever he had been plotting to ruin Omega’s big night.
Kenny triumphs in possibly the greatest match in wrestling history, claiming the IWGP heavyweight championship. He reunites with the Young Bucks afterward, and it’s revealed that in the package are Golden Elite shirts, honoring the pact they made in Hotel Room 710 at the start of the year.
Cody approaches the locker room with congratulatory gifts for Kenny and to make peace, but he stops short and leaves them outside the door.
July 7, 2018 – Debts Are Settled in San Francisco
At the G1 Special NJPW show, Cody challenges Omega for the IWGP championship. After a war with Kenny emerging in triumph, the Elite gather and celebrate… until the Bullet Club OGs attack them in retribution for the dysfunction and strife they’ve brought to the group over the previous two years. Cody returns to the ring and is given a chance to brutalize Kenny, but instead he defends him and rejoins the Elite in full.
Over the coming months, Cody, Kenny, Matt, Nick and Hangman solidify themselves as a core group leading up to:
September 1, 2018 - All In
By far the greatest triumph in indie wrestling history, the show was a massive success both at live gate and on PPV, wildly exceeding all expectations. In its main event, Cody wins the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, the same world title his father had claimed 31 years earlier.
After this monumental night, the Elite ceded the war for control of Bullet Club to the OGs and stepped away from the group, turning their attention to the establishment of something new entirely: All Elite Wrestling. This new national promotion came into being on January 1, 2019, and at its forefront was the core group of five. As the inaugural and omnipresent face of the company, Cody’s claim to AEW gold is surely just a matter of time.
May 25, 2019 -- Double or Nothing
AEW holds its first event ever.
In 944 days, on the Christmas episode of Rampage, Cody claims his final championship in AEW.
August 31, 2019 -- All Out
As the clock strikes midnight, Chris Jericho pins Hangman Adam Page to become the first AEW World Champion.
In 944 days, Cody Rhodes rises onto the WrestleMania stage and returns to WWE.
November 6, 2019
Allied with his friend, protege, and personal recruit to AEW, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, the public face of AEW prepares to challenge for the world championship of the company he helped build. He seems destined for it, it’s damn near his birthright, and yet there are whispers he’s only in position to claim it through politics.
Cody:

“Eddie Graham... Cowboy Bill Watts... The American Dream Dusty Rhodes... For the cold and sterile historians of our business, there's an air of controversy that surrounds them, it's from the simple fact that those men were also, in addition to being competitors... they were management. Not unlike myself. And for the last year I've told everybody: every podcast, every radio, every correspondent. I've shouted it off the rooftops how proud I am of AEW, how proud I am of the all-inclusive nature, of the schedule, of the pay, of the fact that we will listen. This! This is Ellis Island for a professional wrestler! This is freedom! So, when I hear the same criticism attached to my name for being management and being in a title match… I can't not hear it... And with that said, I am announcing that if I do not defeat Chris Jericho at Full Gear... I will never challenge for the AEW World championship again.”

And so Cody faced Chris Jericho at Full Gear 2019 with destiny in his grasp. There, with MJF in his corner, Cody and Jericho pushed each other to their limits. Late in the match with the challenger locked tight in the Walls of Jericho, MJF throws in the towel for Cody and costs him the match, effectively locking him out of the title picture thereafter.
MJF’s ascension begins. He wins the Dynamite Diamond Ring and begins climbing the rankings. Winning isn’t simply enough, though. If he wants everything, he needs chaos. He needs to flip the world upside down. He needs the world to believe its heroes are the villains and its villains are the heroes.
November 14, 2019
MJF:

You wanna boo me as if I’m the villain… Meanwhile, you people have been cheering for the real villain the whole time. That villain is Cody… Cody Rhodes couldn’t give less of a shit about any single one of you… You sheep don’t want to admit it. There’s only one man on this planet who knows the real Cody Rhodes, and you’re looking at him.

December 11, 2019
MJF:

"What are you gonna do Cody? Are you gonna try to fire me? Are you gonna pull Tony Khan over to the side and get me fired? Well how bout you do that Cody. HOW BOUT YOU FIRE ME. Oh wait. That's right. You won't. Because the one thing you want most in this world is to get your hands on me... And to top that off, you'd be letting down each and every one of these people you claim to care about.”

February 29, 2020 – Revolution
After weeks of taunting and weeks of enduring the original gauntlet of trials MJF sets in order to get a match with him, Cody gets his match with MJF… but he falls short, defeated and humiliated by the young man he brought into AEW himself.
March 5, 2020 – Cody is bitten by the original Snake
Jake Roberts emerges from the thickest of weeds and slithers down to the ring. He nearly devours Cody. He mocks him… “Hail Caesar”. He neither fears nor respects him.

“What a Snake wants, a snake takes. I’m not in AEW for the whole pie.. Just your slice”

Two weeks later the world screeches to a halt as an unknown, lethal virus spreads rapidly around the globe. For several weeks Dynamite is patchwork, assembled from whatever talent is available. A tournament for a new title belt is announced. Ahead of its opening round we get the darkest promo we’ve thus far seen from the purest babyface in the company’s short history…
April 8, 2020
Cody sits ominously at a table, in a pitch black room, and lights a cigar… just as he’d done before when laying out his machinations against Kenny Omega for control of Bullet Club.
Cody:

"Why do I wanna be TNT Champion? Wrestling is so linear you're gonna hear the same answer to that question over and over again. You'll even hear the announcers strike some of the same hyperboles as they describe the stakes. The wrestlers will give you that real wrestling school, paint by numbers interview where they say things like --- you see: ‘The boys in the back.' Or my favorite: They perpetually say their own name or the person they're wrestling against or the person who's interviewing them over and over again. Like I said, wrestling is linear. They might even do the – [Cody gestures around his waist where a belt would be worn] - that thing. You see, where you pantomime, where you indicate that you want the belt. I've done it a thousand times. We've all done it, we're all guilty. Wrestling is linear. But these are not linear times, are they? I think we'd all give our last dollar for a little bit of normalcy, a little bit of linear. It's my personal hope that we get through this just fine. We wanna live by each other's happiness, not by each other's misery, right?
So why do I need to become champion? It is not the fame. It's certainly not the added money. It's not the specialized lower third that they put on the screen. It's not even my specific, unique circumstance of trying to carry a last name that is worth 58 years in gold. It's much simpler. It's because I don't wanna lose. AEW has four major pay per views: Double Or Nothing, All Out, Full Gear, Revolution and I'm 50/50 and I have felt lost and I don't ever want to lose again…The motto, the expression, what the Nightmare Family means, it's sitting at the side of my neck is when we say: DO THE WORK! It's not: Do the work and lose.
And this tournament is flush, it's rich in talent. Take Colt Cabana. Probably the second most experienced guy in the tournament. Does a better flip, flop and fly than me, Dustin and Bully combined. Ask anybody in any locker room the world over – they'll tell you they love Colt Cabana. Well frankly: I do not trust a wrestler that doesn't have any enemies.
Kip Sabian… and that hellfire fiance of his… What happens when those two cohabitate? They’re either gonna motivate themselves upwards or they're gonna drag themselves down to Complacency City, right next to ‘Jobber Avenue.
Darby… I feel like I handpicked Darby. He's clearly the fastest rising star in all of wrestling in any company, hands down. He's putting on weight by the day, he's assassin quick. But Darby is a freshman on the varsity squad. I don't think he has the mental aptitude to finish this tournament.
My oldest friend… Shawn Spears. My former tag team partner, kind of my Dick Murdoch. Could be a world champion pretty much anywhere he wanted to be. But Shawn Spears is ‘King Boo-Boo Face and he will mentally defeat himself before we ever even lock up…
Every one of those guys, they want to be TNT Champion. The difference with me: I NEED IT!

It was an outright heel promo, preceding his entry into the tournament which he ultimately won, facing Jake Roberts’ client – Lance Archer – in the finals. Cody is the conquering hero he always aspires to be, and he rattles off five straight title defenses in five weeks. Someone’s not very impressed, however.
July 7, 2020
Cody stands with Arn in the ring, congratulating himself on the recent string of victories against… let’s say, less than impressive competition.
Onto the stage charges Eddie Kingston, who’s heard enough:

"No, no, no, we're gonna get this right, we're gonna do this real quick. Cody, you talk about grinding, you talk about living this rough life, all that jazz. No one's gonna 'out-grind' you, all that stuff. My man, it's easy to say that when you grew up around used-to-be legends like Arn Anderson. Yeah, you heard me. Keep shooting murder-ones at me and I'll knock your jaw right off your face, partner. You know what I grew up around? You know what I grew up around? Alcoholics! Junkies! I GREW UP AROUND THAT... AND I HAD TO SURVIVE. I HAD TO GRIND. You couldn't last a day in my shoes, so you don't tell me nothing about grinding. You talk about the sport of pro-wrestling... that's a joke. Because every person you faced has been a child. I am a grown-ass man and I will put you in the ground and smile.
But here's the best part about this whole thing: the guy that you like to mention because you like to be best friends with the boss, Tony Khan… He paid me to show up. And now he's going to pay me to kick your ass and take that championship. Oh yeah, you wanna go? Arn, I swear on my beautiful mother's life, if you don't shut up, I'm gouging your eye out. All right? Let me speak! It's my time now. Real easy, relax, you've had yours. Tony Khan said to me, ‘‘You know what, King? If you want No DQ, man, that's fine by me.. just.. you know.. Cody has to accept.' You have to accept, cause either you're an egg-sucking dog or you're an egg-sucking bitch."

Infuriated that he would be upstaged like this, Cody accepts on the spot. He survives an incredibly violent match and continues on with his title reign.
August 13, 2020
Mr. Brodie Lee whips Cody’s ass. In just over three minutes, it’s done and his beloved championship is gone. The Exalted One and The Dark Order put a massive beatdown on Cody and he’s carried out on a stretcher… Then they continue attacking him on the stretcher.
Cody disappears for weeks.
September 23, 2020
Brodie spends over a month terrorizing anyone even remotely close to Cody, but he still doesn’t come back until after Brodie beats down Orange Cassidy in a title defense. It’s a surprise attack, which incenses The Exalted One.
Brodie:

"You gotta be kidding me! The audacity of a man, the audacity of you Cody to return like that! You have been gone for five weeks while I’ve been here doing the work, being undeniable! Oh my God, the audacity of you Cody. What kind of man sends another man to do his work? Did you see what I did to Dustin? Did you see what Anna Jay did to Brandi? What kind of man Cody, what kind of man lets his wife post Instagram thirst traps while calling me daddy? What kind of man stays away in a little bubble? A man like you, Cody. But YOU are no man! YOU are a coward!

Mr. Brodie Lee grabs a pair of dog collars and looks into the camera.

Cody, you can run on for a long time, but sooner or later Brodie Lee is gonna cut you down! And I am gonna take this dog collar, Cody, I am gonna wrap it around your neck, I am gonna wrap it around that God-forsaken tattoo! And you, Cody, will have nowhere, nowhere to run and nowhere to hide! You, Cody... You have one week to answer me: Are you a man... Or are you a coward?!"

Two weeks later, Cody reclaims his championship in the first dog collar match in AEW history. He would hold it for only a month until one of the Four Pillars pries it away from him, beginning Darby Allin’s ascension to the main event scene... And sending Cody spiraling into the Codyverse of excess and absurdity.
February 17, 2021 - “It’s a girl!”
Despite a litany of viral media and news segments addressing how excessive and even dangerous pregnancy gender reveals are… Cody and Brandi have theirs live on Dynamite, with full entrance and theme, as well as what still to this day is among the largest pyro displays in the history of AEW. It’s shockingly tone-deaf.
May 12, 2021 – The worst promo in AEW history
Just before the one year anniversary of the George Floyd murder that rattled America and stirred racial dialogue in a manner unseen for decades…
Cody addresses Anthony Ogogo and delivers an all-time terrible promo. I'm not even gonna transcribe it here, it's the most pandering cringe ever.
Here's a link if you absolutely need to see it...
When AEW returns to touring, all the cheering and adulation Cody was accustomed to at AEW's beginning is gone. His goodwill has completely evaporated. They’re tired of his phony, self-fellating act and want something different.
July 7, 2021
Still nursing a vicious eye injury incurred at the hands of Kevin Owens on WWE programming the previous October, Malakai Black posts on Instagram a video of him in a mental institution where he's been locked up for 5 years, coincidentally the same length of time he was in his old company... He viciously attacks and kills the doctors and staff.
Walking out, he says "The Devil made me do it."
[Continued in comments]

Events are listed by the day. Events that happen every week appear first, one time stuff after that. If you have anything you’d like people to know about, comment here or message me and I’ll add it in. If you’d like further info about any of the events, look it up! I usually don’t have any extra to add.
Large Scale, Ongoing, and Multi-Day Events

• 55th Springtime Tallahassee Festival, 9am to 5pm Downtown. Come celebrate the 55th annual Springtime Tallahassee Festival with the Grand Parade & the Jubilee in the Park in Downtown Tallahassee. Being one of the largest parades in the southeast, the Springtime Tallahassee Grand Parade needs no introduction! Come see over 100 colorful units and floats, marching bands, dance groups, Springtime Krewe floats, and much more march down Monroe Street to celebrate the Springtime Tallahassee Festival! After the parade, make sure to head over to the Jubilee in the Park! With more than 200 arts, craft, boutique, and food vendors from around the country, this event is represented by some of the best! You can expect artists displaying original, handmade masterpieces, and find cuisine with international flavors to ignite anyone’s taste buds! Bring the kids and check out the children’s park with lot of fun activities, Gulf Special Marine Lab Touch-tank, face painting, puppet show and more. Be sure to stop by the Community Stage at McCarty Park to see our local performance groups and the Jubilee Music Stage on Adams St for a special musical lineup! Performance times Noon-5pm. We will be open Rain or Shine!

Local Running, Walking, and Biking Info: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/
OutdooFarmer’s Markets:

• Lake Ella Grower's Market: Wednesday, 11am-2pm. You can always find organic vendors, and foragers: The Holistic Cannabis Community, Artzi Farms, Hickory Nut Gifts, and others. Including Pita Queen! Farmer's Market Nutrition Program Coupons gladly accepted!
  
• Frenchtown Market: 524 N MLK Jr Blvd. Saturdays, 10am to 2pm. Come grow community and support your local farmers and makers, while you get your groceries for the week! Don’t forget! We match SNAP/EBT, so you DOUBLE your money to go towards locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables!
  
• Tallahassee Farmers Market: 2904 Kerry Forest Pkwy, Saturdays, 8am to Noon. Come see us at Tallahassee's longest-running farmers market! We are a year-round market, featuring local farms and vendors that provide the best seasonal produce, meats, baked goods, and more. We welcome you and your whole family (leashed pets included) to come out and meet your local farmers! Ample parking is available between our lot and the shopping center lot next door (by Red Elephant). Come early for the best selection.
  
• Tallahassee Downtown Market: Ponce de Leon Park, Saturdays, 10am-2pm. Join us for a stroll in the park among local makers, bakers, artists and farmers as live music is played by local musicians!
  

THURSDAY, 3/30

• Blue Tavern: Happy Hour Pickfoolery. Butch Burns & Brent Kittrell of the local legendary bluegrass band Bottom Dollar Boys always put the happy in happy hour - even when they're singing those sad cry-in-your-beer ballads. 5pm
  
• The Hub at Feather Oaks: Bingo. 5pm
  
• Dreamland BBQ: Weekly Open Blues Jam. If you'd like to sing, please bring your own mic. 6pm
  
• The Great Games Library: Solforge Fusion Sealed-Deck Tournament. Anyone interested in SolForge: Fusion, please come out! Thursday nights at 6:00pm to 9:00pm ish will be dedicated to SolForge Fusion gameplay and weekly tournaments. If you play or have played MTG but would like to spend less, this is a great alternative CCG with inexpensive entry and minimal purchases to enjoy playing competitively. In-store and online tournaments may be played with the same decks purchased at any store. SolForge was created by the same designer for MTG, Netrunner, and Key Forge, Richard Garfield, and the designer for Ascension, Justine Gary. 6pm/$35 Entry Fee for 4 Sealed Half-decks, Special Art Playmat Prize for 1st Place
  
• World of Beer: Trivia Night. 7pm
  
• Lake Tribe III: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Smitty's Taphouse: Trivia Lab Thursdays. Teams of 6 or fewer players can compete for $30 / $20 / $10 Prizes + The Golden MacGuffin prize table! New format! Interactive smartphone answering for your comfort and safety! 6 Fun Rounds - 42 Total Questions. 7:30pm
  
• House of Music: Prime Rib Thursday & Karaoke. 7:30pm
  
• Cap City Video Lounge: The Brute Man: MST3K Thursday. Join us Thursday as we climb aboard The Satellite of Love along with Joel, Tom Servo and CROOOOW as the Gang tackles the strange film noir horror oddity that is...The Brute Man! 8pm/free but donations encouraged
  
• Fire Bettys: Electronic Thursdays. There will be rotating music genres from local artists! 8pm/free/21+
  
• Poor Pauls: Trivia. 8/21+
  
• 926: Karaoke. 9pm
  
• Fire Bettys: Electronic Show. Join us for Experiment 002 and take a mind-bending trip into the sound of the future! Our electrifying music party will transport you to another dimension with cutting-edge beats and non-stop excitement. 9pm
  
• Bird’s: Karaoke with Nathan. 9pm
  

• Blue Tavern: Jen Clark and the Old Schoolers with Chris Seepersaud, Paddy League, and Jack Straub. 5pm
  
• Oyster City Brewing: Otha Allen Jr. 6pm
  
• Blu Halo: Upside Avenue. 6pm
  
• Blue Tavern: Music of the Spheres Last Thursday: The Rising Stars present the evolution of fife and drum music. 8pm
  

FRIDAY, 3/31

• Lake Tribe: Flannel Friday. Flannel Fridays will be featuring a wide range of fall themed 'Pop-up' activities such as food trucks, live music, campfires, s'mores roasting, new seasonal brews, and more! Come dawn your flannel and cozy up to the simpler things in life. Our beers taste like the outdoors feel, let our tasting room be your Friday cabin retreat. 4pm
  
• Gamescape: MTG Friday Night Magic. FORMAT: Standard Constructed. Swiss rounds as determined by the number of players with a maximum of 5 rounds. 7pm/$5
  
• Hobbit West: Friday Night Dart Tournament. Anyone can Enter! Sign ups at 7:30, Darts fly at 8:00/$10 entry fee
  
• Ouzts Too: Karaoke with DJ Nathan. Best karaoke DJ in town. 8pm
  
• Club Downunder: CDU X Hip Hop Club Presents Freestyle Friday. Show off your freestyle rap or poetry skills at Freestyle Friday! Doors are at 7:30 with the show starting at 8:00 in Club Downunder! Send an email to [email protected] to sign up! 8pm
  
• Just One More: Karaoke with DJ Rah. 9pm-11pm/21+
  
• 926: The Hot Friday Night Party and Drag Show. 9pm/$5/18+
  

• Blue Tavern: Douce Ambiance Reboot. 5pm
  
• Kleman Plaza: MusicFest. Join us on Kleman Plaza the night before the Grand Parade for an exciting musical line-up featuring a country music star CHRIS LANE! Special guests include Walker Montgomery and Temecula Road! This is a FREE community event! Unwind at the BEER GARDEN as we ROCK the plaza for this free festival event! Beer, wine, Coca-Cola products and food will be available for purchase. Make sure to arrive early to enjoy the opening acts as this event will get packed quickly. 6pm
  
• Proof: The Aftermath Band. 6pm
  
• FSU Hillel: Swifty Shabbat. Join us for a Taylor Swift themed shabbat! Services start at 6pm, dinner starts at 7pm
  
• House of Music: Keal Franklin plus Late Night Karaoke. 6:30pm
  
• Island Wing Company: Free Wheelin. 7pm
  
• Southwood Golf Club: Deja Blu. 7pm
  
• Duke’s and Dottie’s: Lloyd Carter Band. 7pm
  
• The Wine House on Market Street: Midnight Caravan. 7pm
  
• Vino Beano: Persian Night & Belly Dancing. 7:30pm
  
• Fire Bettys: Mainstream Band. 8pm
  
• The Rose Room: GeneZone. 8pm
  
• The Bark: No Parts, Lighthearted, and Confession Kids. 8pm
  
• Blue Tavern: Rod MacDonald. 8pm
  
• Oyster City Brewing: Ben Flournoy Trio. pm
  

SATURDAY, 4/1

• Brinkley Glen Park: Invasive Plant Removal. Join Master Gardener Volunteers at this weekly invasive plant removal event. This is a great way to learn to ID our invasive plant species and how to remove them. We recommend wearing long pants and sleeves, closed-toed shoes, gloves, a hat and mosquito spray. Bring gardening tools such as hand clippers, loppers, trowels, etc. if you have them. We are removing coral ardisia bushes and berries, nandina, tung trees, Tradescantia flumenensis, cat's claw vine, winged yam, Japanese climbing fern, skunkvine and more. Directions: The best way to get there is to take Meridian Rd to Waverly Rd, go to the next intersection and turn left onto Abbotsford Way, then turn left at the next road called Woodside Dr. At the stop sign turn left onto Lothian. Lothian ends in a cul-de-sac and there is a sign that says Brinkley Glen Park. 8:30am-11:30am
  
• The Rose Room: The Rose Revue. Performances by your favorite entertainers and special guests! Shows at 8pm, 10pm, & Midnight! A unique cast EACH show! 7pm
  
• Duke’s and Dottie’s: Line Dancing Plus Lessons. 7pm/21+
  
• Bird’s Oyster Shack: Laughterday Night Fever. This week: Five Year Anniversary Laughterday Night Fever! Join us every Saturday at Bird's Aphrodisiac Oyster Shack for a free comedy show! 8:30pm
  
• La Casa Bar: Karaoke With Nathan. 9pm-1pm
  

• LeRoy Collins Library Garage on Bronough (under the library): The Spring Title Wave Book Sale. Classics, vintage, and more! 9:30am-3pm
  
• Capital City Raceway: Rotten Egg Rumble. 10am
  
• Native Nurseries: oil Building and Compost. Learn everything there is to know about increasing soil fertility to grow healthy, nutrient dense fruits and vegetables. Sundiata Ameh-El of Compost Community will walk you through the basics of soil composition, microbiology and how to build your soils to make them perfect habitats for microorganisms that are responsible for healthy soil. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED via PHONE ORDER. There is a $5.00 fee; your payment holds your spot in the class. Please call (850) 386-8882 to pre-register. Class size is limited to 15 people. 10am
  
• Leon Sinks: First Saturday Hike. If it is the first Saturday of the month, it is time for a hike at Leon Sinks! We will meet at 10 am in the parking lot and hike the trail together to see the beautiful geological features of the area while walking on wooded hiking trails. Right off US 319 south of Tallahassee, the Leon Sinks Geological Area contains 5 miles of trails leading to a series of sinkholes big and small. The land in this area is underlain by a layer of limestone, eroded and dissolved by rainwater and groundwater to form caverns, holes, and tunnels. This type of terrain is called "karst" and results in many geological features such as wet sinkholes, depressions, natural bridges and a disappearing stream. The hikers can either hike the 3.6-mile Sinkhole Trail to view the numerous sinkholes and geological features, or the 2.8-mile Gum Swamp Trail around a cypress and gum swamp. We recommend wear hiking shoes and bring a water bottle, and consider bug spray or long pants/sleeves. 10am
  
• Leon High Tennis Courts: Regional Energy Whiz Expo. The Regional Energy Whiz Expo consists of two events, the Solar Sprint and the Solar Cook-Off, geared towards getting kids involved in utilizing solar energy in fun and innovative ways. The Solar Sprint, open to students in 4th through 8th grade, consists of teams designing and building solar powered race cars. The Solar Cook-Off, for students in 4th through 12th grade, is a two-part competition encompassing the design of a fully solar powered cooker as well as a dish cooked using this same cooker. The winning team from each event will have the opportunity to compete in the state-wide Energy Whiz Expo! Noon
  
• The Puff: Marauders Market. Come join us at our newest smallest venue! Vintage resellers, local artisans, & good tunes! (Rescheduled from last week.) Noon
  
• Potbellys: 1st Annual Rock the SPEAR Benefit Concert with Tobacco Rd Band and former American Idol contestant Paisley Howell. 3pm/$20
  
• The Hub at Feather Oaks: The Jerry Thigpen Trio. 3pm
  
• Theater of Tallahassee: Cabaret Showcase. Join us for a special event at Theatre Tallahassee! We are delighted to bring you a Broadway cabaret of singing, dancing and acting featuring our award winning dance and theatre groups, along with some of our most advanced students, inspirational adult acts, and amazing solo performances. Every person regardless of age needs a ticket. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Ticket sales end two hours before each show. 3pm
  
• Proof: Corey Hall Band. 5pm
  
• The Rose Room: Topsy Turvy Through The Looking Glass. Each Performance inspired by Lewis Carroll's Through The Looking Glass! Performances by your favorite entertainers and special guests! Shows at 8pm, 10pm, & Midnight! A unique cast EACH show! COSTUMES ENCOURAGED! 6pm
  
• Common Ground Books: Crochet Workshop with Peter's Crochet Array. Beginner and intermediate crocheters welcome. No crochet knowledge is needed before attending this class. Space is limited. All ages welcome. All participants will need a crochet hook (between size 4-6mm) and a skein of yarn. Participants can bring their own supplies, or we will be happy to provide them at cost. 6pm/$20 with optional $8 supply fee
  
• Oyster City Brewing: Mechanical Lincoln. 7pm
  
• Square Mug: Dylan Daley, Killer Choice, Zero Shock, and Broken Couch Club. 7pm
  
• Blue Tavern: Harmonious Wail. 8pm
  
• Cap City Video Lounge: MEMELESQUE. Ermahgerd Shaken Not Stirred is back at your fav local theater Cap City Video Lounge!!! You thought it was a show announcement but it was me, Dio! Our entire lives are the internet now so we made a show about it. TXT all your besties & bring them out for for MEME-LESQUE. We will meme till you scream. Masks required. Don't forget to tip your performers! 8pm/18+/$10
  
• American Legion Hall: Latin Soul Orchestra 12th Anniversary Celebration. 8pm/$20
  
• Fire Bettys: Pop Punk & Emo Night. 10pm
  

SUNDAY, 4/2

• Bicycle House: Sunday Ride. Ride at 10:30 AM from Bicycle House. We will ride the Cascades trail to the St Marks trail and down to Wakulla station and return, about 31 miles. Ride speed is 12 to 14 mph, with periodic regroups. Vernon Bailey is the ride leader. Vernon is a new CCC member who’s been biking for 50 years enjoys riding with small groups and weekend touring. 10am
  
• Gamescape: Pokémon League. Come learn, play, and trade with the Pokémon Trading Card Game and the Pokémon video games! We LOVE seeing new players, so come learn how to play! We play both the Trading Card Game and the Video Game casually and competitively. The store offers lots of different seating arrangements to meet our group's needs, as well as food, drinks, and Pokémon products for purchase. We are also hold regular, officially sanctioned tournaments for Pokémon Trading Card Game and Video Game Competitions! 2-4pm
  
• House of Music: Songwriter Sunday. Songwriters of Tallahassee hosted by Rachel Hillman. Bring your original songs on Sunday - sign up is at 4:30. No Cover Songs please - this is an event celebrating original music. Accompanists and Bands Welcome - you must be able to set up within two minutes, so no crazy pedals or amp shenanigans. No Backing Tracks - Please find someone to play your song with you. 5pm
  
• The Plant: Open Jam. All instruments, all players welcome. 5pm-9pm
  
• Oyster City Brewing: Comedy Night. Come have some laughs with us on Sunday nights! If you are interested in participating in the show, reach out to [email protected] 7:30pm
  
• The Rose Room: Synful Sunday. 8pm
  

• Common Ground Books: Clothing Swap. Bring your clothes you no longer want, fit, or no longer feel like "you", and switch them out or just donate them to others. Clothing for all ages welcome. Please bring clothes in a bin or box so they can be easily browsed. Any clothing left will be considered a donation and held for the next swap or be made available for those in need. 2pm
  
• The Bark: Copyright Claim, Animal Nineteen, Funeral Homes, and Heaven Slept. 7pm
  
• 926: Curly Q “First Glance” EP release show with Learning To Swim, Our Final Feud, and Seppe. 7pm
  
• Retrofit Records: Alexalone with Deadharrie. 7pm/free
  
• House of Music: Bywater Call. 7pm
  

MONDAY, 4/3

• Just One More: Bingo. 5pm-6:30pm
  
• American Legion Hall: Cha Cha - Weekly Lessons. 6:15pm/$5
  
• Hangar 38: Bingo. 6:45pm
  
• Vino Beano: Tipsy Trivia. 7pm
  
• The Rose Room: Karaoke Night. 8pm
  
• Oyster City Brewing: The Bachelor Watch Party! 8pm
  

• World of Beer: SINGO Music Bingo SPECIAL EVENT. With SINGO, our host will play 150 of the best hits in the music business, all 30-second music clips, and you'll have multiple opportunities to win house cash courtesy of WoB! You don't have to sing, but you'll definitely sing along! 6:30pm

TUESDAY, 4/4

• Blue Tavern: Happy Hour with Paddy League. 5pm
  
• World of Beer: Poker Night. 6pm
  
• The Rose Room: Drag Bingo and Open Stage Night ft. Britney T. Foxx! 6pm
  
• Crafty Crab: BOOMIN' Karaoke. 7pm
  
• Ology Midtown: Jazz Jam Sessions. 7pm
  
• Island Wings: Trivia. 7pm
  
• House of Music: Tuesday Trivia & Karaoke. 7pm
  
• Burrito Boarder: Karaoke with DJ Roldus. 8pm
  
• Blue Tavern: Tuesday is Blues Day. Every Tuesday is Blues Day @ the Blue Tavern and Blues Meets Girl is a Tallahassee favorite. This perfect, intimate venue provides just what you need for both a mid-week break and authentic blues music experience. 8pm
  
• 4th Quarter: Professor Jim's Tuesday Night Trivia. Popular for a reason! 8pm
  
• Argonaut Coffee: Trivia Tuesday. 8pm
  
• 926: Tacos and Trivia. 9pm
  
• Fire Betty’s: Comedy Show. 9pm/21+
  

• Blue Tavern: Abe Partridge with Cat Ridgeway. 5pm
  
• Richard G. Fallon Theatre: TEDxFSU Rooted in Reality Conference. Hosted by a student-run organization at Florida State University, our event is called TEDxFSU, where x = an independently organized TED event. They will have speakers, performers, activities, and more! Check out tedx.fsu.edu to learn more about them and the event! 5:30pm
  
• Civic Center: The Kid LAROI with Jeremy Zucker. 8pm
  

WEDNESDAY, 4/5

• Rose Room: Women's Wednesday. Featuring Our Rose Roulettes and drink specials all night long. A night for all of our female-identifying friends to enjoy a safe space and an awesome happy hour! 5pm-2am
  
• Birds: The Wednesday Night Lab Session hosted by Jim Crozier. 6pm
  
• Tara Angel’s Magic: D&D Experience - Adult (18+) Group. Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition - Candlekeep Mysteries. A one-shot is a D&D event that starts and finishes in the same session, typically lasting 3 - 4 hours. We have pre-generated characters for players to choose from. WHAT TO BRING: Pencils, Dice (can be purchased in store), Mask (encouraged for unvaccinated participants), Enthusiasm! Please sign up in advance to reserve a spot in this campaign. Tickets can be purchased in-store, over the phone, or on the website. For more information, please email [email protected], or call: (850) 878-4555 6pm-9pm
  
• Goodwood: Wonderful Wednesday. 6pm/$5
  
• Level 8 Rooftop Lounge: Trivia. 6pm
  
• The Great Games Library: Open Game Night. 6pm/free
  
• American Legion Hall: Sue Boyd Country Western and More Dance Class. Session 2 - Beginner 6:30 to 7:45 pm What: East Coast Swing and Waltz. Cost: $8.00 per person. Wear comfortable shoes you can turn in. 7:45 to 8:15 - Practice dance with paid admission. 8:15 to 9:30: Intermediate - 2 Step and WCS. $8.00 per person or $13.00 for both classes. Vaccines are required. Face masks are optional. Changing partners is optional. 6:30pm
  
• Perry Lynn’s Smokehouse in Quincy: Wed Night Open Mic w/ Steven Ritter and Friends. 6:30pm
  
• Hangar 38: Trivia. 6:45pm
  
• Oyster City Brewing Tallahassee: Trivia. Teams up to 6 players for three rounds with 10 questions and a tie breaker each round. Winners are by round so don’t worry if you need to come late or can’t stay the whole time! Prizes include a round of beer, a 6 pack and a gift card! 7pm
  
• Proof: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Vino Beano: Wine Bingo. 7pm
  
• Fermentation Lounge: Trivia. 7pm
  
• The Bark: Oceans in the Sky, Dizzy Bats, and Medians. 7pm
  
• House of Music: Open Mic at House of Music. Join us Wednesday nights for open mic in the bar with host Mike Ingram of The Brown Goose. Come early for Happy Hour and dinner! 8pm
  
• Blue Tavern: Warehouse Wednesdays Open Mic Night. The open mic night that has run continuously for almost 20 years, once housed at the Warehouse, lives on at the Blue Tavern. Doc Russell continues as the host with the most. Sign up starts at 8pm/free to attend
  
• Fire Betty’s: Karaoke! 8pm/21+/free
  
• Dukes and Dotties: College Night and Line Dancing Lessons. 8pm
  
• The Bark: Karaoke with DJ Nathan. Best karaoke DJ in town. 9pm
  
• 926: Dragged Out Wednesday. 10pm
  

• Wfsu Public Media, 1600 Red Barber Plaza: The Village Square Presents Tallahassee Town Hall. Our annual town hall hosts commissioners from the City of Tallahassee and Leon County to have a constructive (and neighborly) discussion about where we are, where we’re going and what the challenges out there on the horizon might be. 6pm

Admiral Demeton "report."
Vice Admiral Ek'sulud "the escort has fallen for the decoy. Our 'fleet' of condemned vessels is leading them away from the convoy ships, which have now gathered within a '10,000 miles' (units adjusted) radius... though it appears one vessel has remained in the escort formation... I already have firing crews prepared to launch a stealth missile at the remaining escort. We're ready to engage and capture the convoy on your command, Admiral."
Admiral Demeton "... which vessel remained in formation? Is it the Hive Ship 'Armageddon'? That was the only ship we needed to lure away."
Ek'sulud "no, sir. HS Armageddon was the first to chase the decoy fleet. The facades on the condemned fleet were immaculate, and the enemy forces are convinced that they are striking a crippling blow."
Demeton "then what vessel?"
VA Ek'sulud "we've gathered all the intel available, and it appears to be a... human 'destroyer'. Not much intel to be had on such a novel race. It's an angular, 'dinghy' of a war ship. It appears to have no weapons aside from point defense, but it is classified as a 'destroyer'. Our analysts suspect that this 'destroyer' has a singular cannon hidden at the nose, powerful enough to 'destroy' a ship with a single blast."
"Regardless, its engines are exposed and a single stealth missile should cripple it, stopping it from turning that cannon on our fleet. I advise we act IMMEDIATELY Admiral. Time is of the essence if we want to take the convoy hostage. The facade fleet won't hold up to much more scrutiny."
Demeton "...I ... well ... Engage."
The stealth missile flew, invisible. The fleet followed it, almost equally invisible. With a lead slowly growing to '50,000 miles' (units adjusted) the warhead glided silently to its appointment.
The engines of the human vessel blew out in a splendid geyser of plasma and molten metal. The strike was so precise that the vessel didn't rotate in any direction, completely dead in the water.
VA Ek'sulud "the human vessel is dead, Admiral. It can't turn its nose cannon towards us. Our forces have fanned out and will be boarding every enemy vessel shortly."
Demeton "excellent. We'll be able to fly this convoy home as our own, hostages on every ship to ensure our safety."
VA "Admiral, it appears the human vessel's reactor was struck as well. It's bursting with fire and beginning to spin violently- Admiral! Correction: the human vessel is launching a massive volley of missiles, and they are, somehow, homing in on our cloaked vessels!"
Demeton "point defenses are active?"
VA "yes, the first missiles will be intercepted in 5, 4, 3, 2-"
The maximum range of the attacking point defense was around "45 miles". The human retaliation began detonating "50 miles" off the stern of the attacking vessels. They shined with with the brilliance of stars. But the distance of detonation was too great to do any damage.
Every detonation was also accompanied by a jet of vaporized metal, shining with the brightness of a small nova. Reactive shields gave out immediately, and so did the engines and reactors of each ship.
Nuclear shaped charges. The efficient precision was chilling. A charge that wouldn't have begun to tax the ships' shields was completely gutting them. In fact, the entire volley delivered as a single payload wouldn't have been a threat to the flagship, but the battle was over in a single volley.
The Admiral numbly started searching through menus of ship files.
"Vice Admiral, prepare to send a report to the queens. This is a complete defeat."
The entire ship rocked and shook as its main engines and reactor vaporized. Main... didn't they still have enough power to attack? No. The rest of the fleet was gutted. One vessel having the strength to fight might give the impression they all did, putting lives at risk when there was no chance of victory.
VA Ek'sulud "... right away Admiral... Admiral? What are you looking for?"
Demeton "protocol on offering unconditional surrender. I admit, I only know how to accept it."
Human Captain Davis "Did we get the attackers?"
Gunnery officer Kato "Well, it's looking promising, but we're waiting on a full report... Hey, Captain! You're gonna love this. Every charge is a confirmed hit! We've singlehandedly crippled the entire raiding fleet!"
HC, chuckling excitedly "get those egg heads on luna a bonus! That was awesome!... Hey, engineering? How long until we can stop this spinning? I don't want to accept their unconditional surrender while spinning out of control."

Everything in my inventory is up for trade. The most valuable items are listed here, the rest you can find in My Inventory

Feel free to Add Me or even better send a Trade Offer. Open for any suggestions: upgrades, downgrades / knives, gloves, skins / stickers, patterns, floats.

All Buyouts are listed in cash value.

KNIVES

★ Butterfly Knife Freehand FN #1, B/O: $1867

★ Butterfly Knife Bright Water MW, B/O: $1098

★ Butterfly Knife Blue Steel BS, B/O: $907

★ Butterfly Knife Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $789

★ Butterfly Knife Stained FT, B/O: $695

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★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth MW #1, B/O: $888

★ Bayonet Gamma Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $727

★ Bayonet Doppler (Phase 2) FN, B/O: $608

★ Bayonet Doppler (Phase 1) FN, B/O: $521

★ Bayonet Rust Coat BS, B/O: $253

★ Bayonet Night FT, B/O: $251

★ StatTrak™ Bayonet Lore MW, B/O: $751

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★ Karambit Gamma Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $1343

★ Karambit Damascus Steel FT, B/O: $774

★ Karambit Rust Coat BS, B/O: $537

★ Karambit Boreal Forest FT, B/O: $488

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★ M9 Bayonet Fade FN, B/O: $1523

★ M9 Bayonet Fade FN, B/O: $1523

★ M9 Bayonet Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $1008

★ M9 Bayonet Blue Steel FT, B/O: $534

★ M9 Bayonet Rust Coat BS, B/O: $449

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★ Flip Knife Fade FN, B/O: $703

★ Flip Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) MW, B/O: $509

★ Flip Knife Doppler (Phase 1) FN, B/O: $406

★ Flip Knife Freehand FT, B/O: $228

★ StatTrak™ Flip Knife Bright Water FN, B/O: $332

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★ Falchion Knife Doppler (Phase 2) FN, B/O: $292

★ Falchion Knife Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $264

★ Falchion Knife Marble Fade FN, B/O: $258

★ Falchion Knife Bright Water MW, B/O: $133

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★ Stiletto Knife Fade FN, B/O: $822

★ Stiletto Knife Slaughter FN, B/O: $569

★ Stiletto Knife Doppler (Phase 1) FN, B/O: $530

★ Stiletto Knife Crimson Web FT, B/O: $396

★ StatTrak™ Stiletto Knife Scorched FT, B/O: $172

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★ Gut Knife Doppler (Sapphire) MW #1, B/O: $830

★ Gut Knife Fade FN, B/O: $204

★ Gut Knife Tiger Tooth FN, B/O: $138

★ Gut Knife Bright Water MW, B/O: $104

★ Gut Knife Freehand FT, B/O: $92

★ Gut Knife Urban Masked FT, B/O: $82

★ StatTrak™ Gut Knife Rust Coat BS, B/O: $93

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★ Shadow Daggers Fade FN, B/O: $258

★ Shadow Daggers Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $165

★ Shadow Daggers Blue Steel FT, B/O: $82

★ Shadow Daggers Bright Water FT, B/O: $82

★ Shadow Daggers Blue Steel WW, B/O: $80

★ Shadow Daggers Rust Coat BS, B/O: $74

★ StatTrak™ Shadow Daggers Marble Fade FN, B/O: $186

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★ Classic Knife Slaughter MW, B/O: $311

★ StatTrak™ Classic Knife Stained BS, B/O: $163

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★ Talon Knife Slaughter MW, B/O: $605

★ Talon Knife Scorched MW, B/O: $290

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★ Ursus Knife Marble Fade FN, B/O: $405

★ Ursus Knife Night Stripe MW, B/O: $162

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★ Paracord Knife Stained WW, B/O: $125

★ Paracord Knife Forest DDPAT FT, B/O: $97

★ Paracord Knife Safari Mesh FT, B/O: $96

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★ Navaja Knife Safari Mesh FT, B/O: $71

★ Navaja Knife Scorched WW, B/O: $71

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★ Nomad Knife Fade FN, B/O: $1015

★ Skeleton Knife, B/O: $909

★ Bowie Knife Boreal Forest MW, B/O: $106

★ Survival Knife Forest DDPAT FT, B/O: $97

GLOVES

★ Driver Gloves Crimson Weave FT, B/O: $335

★ Driver Gloves King Snake BS, B/O: $270

★ Driver Gloves Lunar Weave WW, B/O: $113

★ Driver Gloves Overtake WW, B/O: $88

★ Driver Gloves Overtake BS, B/O: $67

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★ Moto Gloves Transport MW, B/O: $171

★ Moto Gloves Polygon BS, B/O: $137

★ Moto Gloves Transport WW, B/O: $71

★ Moto Gloves 3rd Commando Company BS, B/O: $62

⎯

★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Kimono WW, B/O: $1027

★ Specialist Gloves Tiger Strike FT, B/O: $654

★ Specialist Gloves Mogul FT, B/O: $295

★ Specialist Gloves Lt. Commander FT, B/O: $277

★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Web FT, B/O: $275

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★ Sport Gloves Slingshot FT, B/O: $796

★ Sport Gloves Amphibious BS #2, B/O: $699

★ Sport Gloves Omega FT, B/O: $656

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★ Broken Fang Gloves Unhinged BS, B/O: $60

WEAPONS

AK-47 Case Hardened BS, B/O: $130

AK-47 Bloodsport MW, B/O: $79

AK-47 Fuel Injector BS, B/O: $76

AK-47 Fuel Injector BS, B/O: $76

AK-47 Bloodsport FT, B/O: $70

AK-47 Neon Rider MW, B/O: $60

⎯

AWP Fade FN, B/O: $864

AWP BOOM MW, B/O: $84

AWP Containment Breach FT, B/O: $69

AWP Containment Breach FT, B/O: $69

AWP Wildfire FT, B/O: $59

AWP Chromatic Aberration FN, B/O: $59

StatTrak™ AWP Hyper Beast FT, B/O: $65

StatTrak™ AWP Hyper Beast FT, B/O: $65

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Desert Eagle Blaze FN, B/O: $565

Desert Eagle Blaze FN, B/O: $565

Desert Eagle Printstream FN, B/O: $155

Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $58

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M4A1-S Icarus Fell FN, B/O: $414

M4A1-S Printstream MW, B/O: $204

M4A1-S Printstream MW, B/O: $204

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M4A4 Poseidon FN, B/O: $1402

M4A4 The Emperor FN, B/O: $152

M4A4 Asiimov WW, B/O: $97

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USP-S Kill Confirmed MW, B/O: $65

USP-S Printstream FT, B/O: $69

StatTrak™ USP-S Kill Confirmed FT, B/O: $123

StatTrak™ USP-S Neo-Noir FN, B/O: $106

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AUG Flame Jörmungandr FN, B/O: $218

P2000 Ocean Foam FN, B/O: $139

Souvenir SSG 08 Death Strike MW, B/O: $81

CZ75-Auto Emerald Quartz MW, B/O: $61

Trade Offer Link - Steam Profile Link - My Inventory

Knives - Bowie Knife, Butterfly Knife, Falchion Knife, Flip Knife, Gut Knife, Huntsman Knife, M9 Bayonet, Bayonet, Karambit, Shadow Daggers, Stiletto Knife, Ursus Knife, Navaja Knife, Talon Knife, Classic Knife, Paracord Knife, Survival Knife, Nomad Knife, Skeleton Knife, Patterns - Gamma Doppler, Doppler (Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4, Black Pearl, Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald), Crimson Web, Lore, Fade, Ultraviolet, Night, Marble Fade (Fire & Ice, Fake FI), Case Hardened (Blue Gem), Autotronic, Slaughter, Black Laminate, Tiger Tooth, Boreal Forest, Scorched, Blue Steel, Vanilla, Damascus Steel, Forest DDPAT, Urban Masked, Freehand, Stained, Bright Water, Safari Mesh, Rust Coat, Gloves - Bloodhound Gloves (Charred, Snakebite, Guerrilla, Bronzed), Driver Gloves (Snow Leopard, King Snake, Crimson Weave, Imperial Plaid, Black Tie, Lunar Weave, Diamondback, Rezan the Red, Overtake, Queen Jaguar, Convoy, Racing Green), Hand Wraps (Cobalt Skulls, CAUTION!, Overprint, Slaughter, Leather, Giraffe, Badlands, Spruce DDPAT, Arboreal, Constrictor, Desert Shamagh, Duct Tape), Moto Gloves (Spearmint, POW!, Cool Mint, Smoke Out, Finish Line, Polygon, Blood Pressure, Turtle, Boom!, Eclipse, 3rd Commando Company, Transport), Specialist Gloves (Crimson Kimono, Tiger Strike, Emerald Web, Field Agent, Marble Fade, Fade, Foundation, Lt. Commander, Crimson Web, Mogul, Forest DDPAT, Buckshot), Sport Gloves (Pandora's Box, Superconductor, Hedge Maze, Vice, Amphibious, Slingshot, Omega, Arid, Big Game, Nocts, Scarlet Shamagh, Bronze Morph), Hydra Gloves (Case Hardened, Emerald, Rattler, Mangrove), Broken Fang Gloves (Jade, Yellow-banded, Unhinged, Needle Point), Pistols - P2000 (Wicked Sick, Ocean Foam, Fire Element, Amber Fade, Corticera, Chainmail, Imperial Dragon, Obsidian, Scorpion, Handgun, Acid Etched), USP-S (Printstream, Kill Confirmed, Whiteout, Road Rash, Owergrowth, The Traitor, Neo-Noir, Dark Water, Orion, Blueprint, Stainless, Caiman, Serum, Monster Mashup, Royal Blue, Ancient Visions, Cortex, Orange Anolis, Ticket To Hell, Black Lotus, Cyrex, Check Engine, Guardian, Purple DDPAT, Torque, Blood Tiger, Flashback, Business Class, Pathfinder, Para Green), Lead Conduit, Glock-18 (Umbral Rabbit, Fade, Candy Apple, Bullet Queen, Synth Leaf, Neo-Noir, Nuclear Garden, Dragon Tatto, Reactor, Pink DDPAT, Twilight Galaxy, Sand Dune, Groundwater, Blue Fissure, Snack Attack, Water Elemental, Brass, Wasteland Rebel, Vogue, Franklin, Royal Legion, Gamma Doppler, Weasel, Steel Disruption, Ironwork, Grinder, High Beam, Moonrise, Oxide Blaze, Bunsen Burner, Clear Polymer, Bunsen Burner, Night), P250 (Re.built, Nuclear Threat, Modern Hunter, Splash, Whiteout, Vino Primo, Mehndi, Asiimov, Visions, Undertow, Cartel, See Ya Later, Gunsmoke, Splash, Digital Architect, Muertos, Red Rock, Bengal Tiger, Crimson Kimono, Wingshot, Metallic DDPAT, Hive, Dark Filigree, Mint Kimono), Five-Seven (Neon Kimono, Berries And Cherries, Fall Hazard, Crimson Blossom, Hyper Beast, Nitro, Fairy Tale, Case Hardened, Copper Galaxy, Angry Mob, Monkey Business, Fowl Play, Anodized Gunmetal, Hot Shot, Retrobution, Boost Protocol), CZ75-Auto (Chalice, Crimson Web, Emerald Quartz, The Fuschia is Now, Nitro, Xiangliu, Yellow Jacket, Victoria, Poison Dart, Syndicate, Eco, Hexane, Pole, Tigris), Tec-9 (Rebel, Terrace, Nuclear Threat, Hades, Rust Leaf, Decimator, Blast From, Orange Murano, Toxic, Fuel Injector, Remote Control, Bamboo Forest, Isaac, Avalanche, Brother, Re-Entry, Blue Titanium, Bamboozle), R8 Revolver (Banana Cannon, Fade, Blaze, Crimson Web, Liama Cannon, Crazy 8, Reboot, Canal Spray, Night, Amber Fade), Desert Eagle (Blaze, Hand Cannon, Fennec Fox, Sunset Storm, Emerald Jörmungandr, Pilot, Hypnotic, Golden Koi, Printstream, Cobalt Disruption, Code Red, Ocean Drive, Midnight Storm, Kumicho Dragon, Crimson Web, Heirloom, Night Heist, Mecha Industries, Night, Conspiracy, Trigger Discipline, Naga, Directive, Light Rail), Dual Berettas (Flora Carnivora, Duelist, Cobra Strike, Black Limba, Emerald, Hemoglobin, Twin Turbo, Marina, Melondrama, Pyre, Retribution, Briar, Dezastre, Royal Consorts, Urban Shock, Dualing Dragons, Panther, Balance), Rifles - Galil (Aqua Terrace, Winter Forest, Chatterbox, Sugar Rush, Pheonix Blacklight, CAUTION!, Orange DDPAT, Cerberus, Dusk Ruins, Eco, Chromatic Aberration, Stone Cold, Tuxedo, Sandstorm, Shattered, Urban Rubble, Rocket Pop, Kami, Crimson Tsunami, Connexion), SCAR-20 (Fragments, Brass, Cyrex, Palm, Splash Jam, Cardiac, Emerald, Crimson Web, Magna Carta, Stone Mosaico, Bloodsport, Enforcer), AWP (Duality, Gungnir, Dragon Lore, Prince, Medusa, Desert Hydra, Fade, Lightning Strike, Oni Taiji, Silk Tiger, Graphite, Chromatic Aberration, Asiimov, Snake Camo, Boom, Containment Breach, Wildfire, Redline, Electric Hive, Hyper Beast, Neo-Noir, Man-o'-war, Pink DDPAT, Corticera, Sun in Leo, Elite Build, Fever Dream, Atheris, Mortis, PAW, Exoskeleton, Worm God, POP AWP, Phobos, Acheron, Pit Viper, Capillary, Safari Mesh), AK-47 (Head Shot, Wild Lotus, Gold Arabesque, X-Ray, Fire Serpent, Hydroponic, Panthera Onca, Case Hardened, Vulcan, Jet Set, Fuel Injector, Bloodsport, Nightwish, First Class, Neon Rider, Asiimov, Red Laminate, Aquamarine Revenge, The Empress, Wasteland Rebel, Jaguar, Black Laminate, Leet Museo, Neon Revolution, Redline, Frontside Misty, Predator, Legion of Anubis, Point Disarray, Orbit Mk01, Blue Laminate, Green Laminate, Emerald Pinstripe, Cartel, Phantom Disruptor, Jungle Spray, Safety Net, Rat Rod, Baroque Purple, Slate, Elite Build, Uncharted, Safari Mesh), FAMAS (Sundown, Prime Conspiracy, Afterimage, Commemoration, Dark Water, Spitfire, Pulse, Eye of Athena, Meltdown, Rapid Eye Move, Roll Cage, Styx, Mecha Industrie, Djinn, ZX Spectron, Valence, Neural Net, Night Borre, Hexne), M4A4 (Temukau, Howl, Poseidon, Asiimov, Daybreak, Hellfire, Zirka, Red DDPAT, Radiation Hazard, Modern Hunter, The Emperor, The Coalition, Bullet Rain, Cyber Security, X-Ray, Dark Blossom, Buzz Kill, In Living Color, Neo-Noir, Desolate Space, 龍王 (Dragon King), Royal Paladin, The Battlestar, Global Offensive, Tooth Fairy, Desert-Strike, Griffin, Evil Daimyo, Spider Lily, Converter), M4A1-S (Emphorosaur-S, Welcome to the Jungle, Imminent Danger, Knight, Hot Rod, Icarus Fell, Blue Phosphor, Printstream, Master Piece, Dark Water, Golden Coil, Bright Water, Player Two, Atomic Alloy, Guardian, Chantico's Fire, Hyper Beast, Mecha Industries, Cyrex, Control Panel, Moss Quartz, Nightmare, Decimator, Leaded Glass, Basilisk, Blood Tiger, Briefing, Night Terror, Nitro, VariCamo, Flashback), SG 553 (Cyberforce, Hazard Pay, Bulldozer, Integrale, Dragon Tech, Ultraviolet, Colony IV, Hypnotic, Cyrex, Candy Apple, Barricade, Pulse), SSG 08 (Death Strike, Sea Calico, Blood in the Water, Orange Filigree, Dragonfire, Big Iron, Bloodshot, Detour, Turbo Peek, Red Stone), AUG (Akihabara Accept, Flame Jörmungandr, Hot Rod, Midnight Lily, Sand Storm, Carved Jade, Wings, Anodized Navy, Death by Puppy, Torque, Bengal Tiger, Chameleon, Fleet Flock, Random Access, Momentum, Syd Mead, Stymphalian, Arctic Wolf, Aristocrat, Navy Murano), G3SG1 (Chronos, Violet Murano, Flux, Demeter, Orange Kimono, The Executioner, Green Apple, Arctic Polar Camo, Contractor), SMGs - P90 (Neoqueen, Astral Jörmungandr, Run and Hide, Emerald Dragon, Cold Blooded, Death by Kitty, Baroque Red, Vent Rush, Blind Spot, Asiimov, Trigon, Sunset Lily, Death Grip, Leather, Nostalgia, Fallout Warning, Tiger Pit, Schermatic, Virus, Shapewood, Glacier Mesh, Shallow Grave, Chopper, Desert Warfare), MAC-10 (Sakkaku, Hot Snakes, Copper Borre, Red Filigree, Gold Brick, Graven, Case Hardened, Stalker, Amber Fade, Neon Rider, Tatter, Curse, Propaganda, Nuclear Garden, Disco Tech, Toybox, Heat, Indigo), UMP-45 (Wild Child, Fade, Blaze, Day Lily, Minotaur's Labyrinth, Crime Scene, Caramel, Bone Pile, Momentum, Primal Saber), MP7 (Teal Blossom, Fade, Nemesis, Whiteout, Asterion, Bloosport, Abyssal Apparition, Full Stop, Special Delivery, Neon Ply, Asterion, Ocean Foam, Powercore, Scorched, Impire), PP-Bizon (Modern Hunter, Rust Coat, Forest Leaves, Antique, High Roller, Blue Streak, Seabird, Judgement of Anubis, Bamboo Print, Embargo, Chemical Green, Coblat Halftone, Fuel Rod, Photic Zone, Irradiated Alert, Carbon Fiber), MP9 (Featherweight, Wild Lily, Pandora's Box, Stained Glass, Bulldozer, Dark Age, Hot Rod, Hypnotic, Hydra, Rose Iron, Music Box, Setting Sun, Food Chain, Airlock, Mount Fuji, Starlight Protector, Ruby Poison Dart, Deadly Poison), MP5-SD (Liquidation, Oxide Oasis, Phosphor, Nitro, Agent, Autumn Twilly), Shotguns, Machineguns - Sawed-Off (Kiss♥Love, First Class, Orange DDPAT, Rust Coat, The Kraken, Devourer, Mosaico, Wasteland Princess, Bamboo Shadow, Copper, Serenity, Limelight, Apocalypto), XM1014 (Frost Borre, Ancient Lore, Red Leather, Elegant Vines, Banana Leaf, Jungle, Urban Perforated, Grassland, Blaze Orange, Heaven Guard, VariCamo Blue, Entombed, XOXO, Seasons, Tranquility, Bone Machine, Incinegator, Teclu Burner, Black Tie, Zombie Offensive, Watchdog), Nova (Baroque Orange, Hyper Beast, Green Apple, Antique, Modern Hunter, Walnut, Forest Leaves, Graphite, Blaze Orange, Rising Skull, Tempest, Bloomstick, Interlock, Quick Sand, Moon in Libra, Clean Polymer, Red Quartz, Toy Soldier), MAG-7 (Insomnia, Cinqueda, Counter Terrace, Prism Terrace, Memento, Chainmail, Hazard, Justice, Bulldozer, Silver, Core Breach, Firestarter, Praetorian, Heat, Hard Water, Monster Call, BI83 Spectrum, SWAG-7), M249 (Humidor, Shipping Forecast, Blizzard Marbleized, Downtown, Jungle DDPAT, Nebula Crusader, Impact Drill, Emerald Poison Dart), Negev (Mjölnir, Anodized Navy, Palm, Power Loader, Bratatat, CaliCamo, Phoenix Stencil, Infrastructure, Boroque Sand), Wear - Factory New (FN), Minimal Wear (MW), Field-Tested (FT), Well-Worn (WW), Battle-Scarred (BS), Stickers Holo/Foil/Gold - Katowice 2014, Krakow 2017, Howling Dawn, Katowice 2015, Crown, London 2018, Cologne 2014, Boston 2018, Atlanta 2017, Cluj-Napoca 2015, DreamHack 2014, King on the Field, Harp of War, Winged Difuser, Cologne 2016, Cologne 2015, MLG Columbus 2016, Katowice 2019, Berlin 2019, RMR 2020, Stockholm 2021, Antwerp 2022, Swag Foil, Flammable foil, Others - Souvenirs, Agents, Pins, Passes, Gifts, Music Kits, Cases, Keys, Capsules, Packages, Patches

Some items on the list may no longer be available or are still locked, visit My Inventory for more details.

Send a Trade Offer for fastest response. I consider all offers.

Add me for discuss if there is a serious offer that needs to be discussed.

What a disappointment! How can an update cause this kind of change?
Before the update the audio output was Dolby Digital 5.1 when Apple Music was playing Dolby Atmos. Same with movies or shows that were in Dolby Atmos. Now all that is gone.
The Apple TV is connected to an LG TV. If I play the same content directly on the TV, such as "Mandalorian" from the Disney Channel, the audio plays in Dolby Digital.
I'm thinking of calling Apple but I wanted to start here on Reddit because you guys rock!

[<< First] [< Previous] [Next >]
​
Synopsis:
Juliette Contzen is a lazy, good-for-nothing princess. Overshadowed by her siblings, she's left with little to do but nap, read … and occasionally cut the falling raindrops with her sword. Spotted one day by an astonished adventurer, he insists on grading Juliette's swordsmanship, then promptly has a mental breakdown at the result.
Soon after, Juliette is given the news that her kingdom is on the brink of bankruptcy. At threat of being married off, the lazy princess vows to do whatever it takes to maintain her current lifestyle, and taking matters into her own hands, escapes in the middle of the night in order to restore her kingdom's finances.
Tags: Comedy, Adventure, Action, Fantasy, Copious Ohohohohos.
​
Chapter 18: Candle In The Dark
My boots waded through the shallow stream as I led the way, Starlight Grace in hand.
The caverns leading from the well were far more extensive than the alchemist had suggested. As I directed the tip of my sword into the darkness, its light caught against surfaces so high that I had to stretch my neck to see them … but not the tunnel bats that'd made their homes against the stalactites in this vast underground system.
Their eyes peppered the resounding darkness like red stars against a bleak sky. But while the sheer quantity of tunnel bats that'd made their home here may ordinarily have been cause for alarm, I had other concerns on my mind.
Namely, that the water was extremely unhealthy for the integrity of my boots.
They were hand crafted by royal commission for outdoor endeavours, yes, and could reliably step on mud, ash, saltwater and the hopes of the poor, but this wasn't a downtrodden farmer I was stepping on. It was … water.
Mossy, slimy water that dampened the colour of my boots.
And that was even worse than losing them.
The moment my outfit no longer matched, I'd have only two choices. Find a new set of clothes, or use Starlight Grace to conjure enough light that I could irrevocably damage the eyesights of everyone around me.
And right now, I was missing my wardrobe.
“Did you know that tunnel bats are blind?” said Coppelia, humming as she skipped behind me like a girl playing in a pond. “Those bloodthirsty, murderous eyes? Yep, they're just for show. They actually glow even brighter during the day. Of course, you never see them since they're usually sleeping.”
I glanced up at the litany of red dots, neither perturbed nor comforted by the thought that none of them were actually gazing back at me.
Rather, I simply could not take them seriously in the slightest.
“Bats.” I sighed. “Barely inside, and I can already see this cavern hasn't a speck of originality to it.”
“Eh?”
“It's like peering into the mind of a decrepit baron and seeing his wildest fantasy come to fruition.”
“Barons dream about bats?”
“The ones who have not received an invitation to attend a soirée in years, yes.”
I sadly shook my head.
For all their teeth, wings and claws, bats occupied a different category in my mind than heralds of the night.
To some, they were low-tier monsters fit for training new adventurers and soldiers. To me, they were a fashion statement. And a poor one, at that. Far too many nobles sought to decorate their middling towers and keeps with bats of all varieties, hoping the time-tested mystique would somehow mask the very public decline of their family lineage.
It never did.
The irony, of course, is that any noble house's fall from grace was due to this lack of familiarity with contemporary home design. Why, I had no doubt that if this cavern were put to auction, irrelevant nobles would paw at each other to make this their new villainous hideout from which to plan the usurping of my father's throne.
“Well, if you don't like bats, what about strangler crabs?”
Coppelia pointed ahead of us. A pair of deathly black pincers were briefly sighted, before they disappeared to a chorus of scuttling movement.
“Uninspired,” I replied.
“Decrepit barons stopped using them as pets ages ago, huh?”
“What? No, they still do. They simply taste awful as well.”
“... You've eaten strangler crabs before? The monster variety? Not the, 'Hey kids, Papa's going to teach you about fishing today,' kind?”
“Bland and flavourless. With a mucous-like texture. Highly do not recommend.”
I shuddered as I recalled the scene. There were many things I wanted for my 7th birthday. A horse-drawn carriage in the shape of an open seashell. A choir of my playmates singing my praises for being born wealthier than them. A fireworks display of me sitting cross-legged on a throne while laughing down at the assembled masses ...
Well, actually, I did get all of those things.
But I also got a buffet of the most strangest crustacean. What's more, it was still moving. And it's pincers were very sharp, indeed.
And that's the story of how I survived my 19th assassination attempt, aged 7.
The strangler crab tasted terrible afterwards.
“And water slimes … ?” queried Coppelia, pointing at a particularly reflective section of the wall. “Have you ever … ?”
Upon closer inspection, the shimmering of movement could clearly be seen, as could the mucus trailing behind. Only by purposefully directing my sword away could the form of the water slime be viewed, still partially aglow from the light as it half-crawled, half-bounced away from us.
I stopped, then set my frown directly at Coppelia's inquisitiveness. Predictably, she was already looking highly amused even before I gave my response.
“... Gastronomy was in a highly experimental phase at the time ...”
“It sounds like you've quite a robust palette.”
“Robust, no. Black, yes.”
Sadly, the world of gourmet dining wasn't built on stability. It was on constantly sprinting so that the quicksand wouldn't envelop you. And sometimes, those competing had no time to run. They simply had to leap.
Hence … Steak au slime was invented.
It did not last.
“You've … eaten all these things?” said the alchemist, staring at me in wonder. “Incredible! Although you appear very refined, in truth, you live off the land as much as even the most seasoned adventurer, don't you?”
I had a feeling that this woman was perhaps grossly misinterpreting how I came to be fed steak au slime.
Naturally, I nodded and accepted the praise.
“I … I suppose, by definition, yes, I certainly have lived off the creatures of this land!”
I gave a small cough and hurried ahead, valiantly ignoring both the creeping darkness and the sight of Coppelia hiding her laughter.
“I hope we find what we're looking for,” said the alchemist, somewhat absent-mindedly as she trudged along behind us. “Although right now, I'm mostly hoping that nothing worse than a water slime appears before us.”
Coppelia's sigh practically echoed around us.
“Now, if this was Ouzelia, what you just said would pretty much guarantee something dreadful will be waiting down here.”
“Huh?”
“Rules work differently in the Northern Realm. The power of stories is prevalent in every facet of life, but most often when we're courting jeopardy.”
“I … I see! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to invite peril.”
“Oh, it's fine. Peril makes things more fun.”
“What?”
“What?”
The clockwork doll and the alchemist blinked at each other, each wearing vastly contrasting expressions.
Their conversation ended.
… For a short time, at least.
“Hmm, the water slimes aren't biting, are they?” said Coppelia cheerfully. “Shame, I imagine they're pretty hydrating. Great if you find yourself in a desert. They're like a bouncing oasis. Never tried one myself. I prefer green or sweet things. But I'm feeling adventurous!”
I shuddered to think that she'd willingly consume a water slime. And yet I couldn't bear to warn her against the taste. The memories were too painful to recall.
That aside, she did raise a fair point.
“Why have we not been attacked yet?” I asked, turning my light around the tunnels, only to witness the scuttling form of another strangler crab already moving away from us. “I was led to believe that monsters attacked indiscriminately.”
“Most monsters do,” replied Coppelia. “But weak monsters have a unique flight instinct. It's the only way to survive in a cruel world full of murderous adventurers. They're exceptionally good at identifying powerful threats.”
I raised a querying eyebrow at Coppelia.
“Do they detect your absurd level of physical strength and flee from it, then?”
In response, Coppelia grinned and turned to the young woman walking closely behind us, her wide eyes constantly darting in all directions.
“Hmm, who knows? Maybe our alchemist is secretly super strong?”
Marlena … Marina blinked in surprise, then rapidly shook her head.
“Um, I'm not sure why they're not attacking. But I do have a monster repelling potion in my satchel. Maybe they can sense it … ?”
“Well, whatever the cause, we should take full advantage,” I said. “My attire is at risk enough without water slimes further dampening it.”
I received fervent agreement from our alchemist as we trundled along, free from attacks by the inhabitants of this cavern.
Buoyed by the lack of opposition, we pressed on through the cavern until we entered a smaller chamber filled with a central basin of water. Here, no tunnel bats plagued the ceiling and no strangler crabs tried to give me flashbacks, but that didn't mean there was no life.
It was, in fact, teeming with it.
Long strands of wet greenery blanketed the walls almost like a net, the strands and leaves interwoven like a circus of green as it stretched out from the pool of shimmering water.
“My … how peculiar!”
Unless my studies of horticulture were very much mistaken, this was seaweed—or at least something similar. But these weren't the bedrocks near a shoreline or the wooden joints of a dock that the weeds found themselves clutched against. It was a chamber deep beneath the earth, devoid of even the shallowest hint of the sky or saltwater.
This basin of water was either connected to more than a regular reservoir, or these seaweeds were a unique new variety!
“What a magnificent amount of life,” said the alchemist, her wide eyes taking in the tapestry of green. “It appears to be … well, weeds. But to be found underground is remarkable!”
I nodded, sharing the appreciation. I spun around while pointing the tip of my sword towards each wall in turn.
“Either they don't require sunlight to grow, or they're able to survive long periods without access to it. But how would they come to be here, I wonder?”
Suddenly, the alchemist gasped.
“Wait—look! Look where you just shone the light! Keep your sword away for a moment and look!”
I did as asked and peered away from where I was directing Starlight Grace.
Only then did I notice the glittering in the darkness.
It was like hundreds of jewels lighting up where the light had receded, as though having absorbed the radiance from my sword. Stepping closer, I leaned in and spied to my surprise the clear crystalline spines.
“Arcana crystals,” I remarked. “Now, this truly is a boon.”
It was the crystalline mineral prized among mages, and in turn, shopkeepers. The light absorbent crystals which were a crucial reagent in the crafting of mana potions, a lifeline for mages at risk of suffering from magical burnout induced nausea.
Though by no means rare, it was practically unheard of for a mineral deposit to be discovered so far from the eastern mountain ranges where so much of our mining industry takes place. A discovery such as this needed to be properly documented, and the size and quality of the deposit surveyed.
A rush of excitement coursed through me as I tip-toed from glimmer to glimmer, assessing each shine with a rudimentary appraisal that could glean nothing other than the fact that this was a precious opportunity.
Nor was I the only one to spot this.
“Gosh, what a magnificent sight!” exclaimed the alchemist, her eyes almost shimmering as much as the precious crystals. “Arcana crystals. Here of all places. Beneath Rolstein. I never thought such a thing was possible!”
I nodded. I didn't think so, either. But that was mostly because I never gave Rolstein any thought whatsoever.
“A precious find, and worthy of a dismal climb down a dilapidated well.”
“I had no idea … in all the records I've seen of Rolstein's history, no mention has ever been made of arcana crystals.”
“Ohhohoho! Rejoice, for where there are precious reagents, there are profits, and where there are profits, there are taxes to be reaped!”
“... Huh?”
“T-Taxes … as in, taxes to ensure the building of new roads and watchposts, to ensure the security and economic prosperity of this new opportunity!”
Yes, indeed! The Miner's Guild will no doubt wish to claim rights to any mining operations. But in exchange, Rolstein and the kingdom will receive a share of the proceeds.
If there's a sizeable deposit to be had, then this could become a wonderful opportunity for the lowlands as a whole. Diversification of the local economy was a rare and precious opportunity.
“Indeed, but any merits are a matter for the future,” said the alchemist, her excitement visibly tempering. “My concern is still the present. And so before we turn these precious fields into a mine, I'd first like to know if it can be saved. The starflower ...”
“There's no starflower.”
My blunt assessment caught the alchemist by surprise.
She said nothing, and so I provided my reasoning with an additional spin of the chamber.
Seaweed, arcana crystals, and the granite walls to which they clung. There was no sign of a fabled starflower, nor an exit from this chamber. Our journey had been linear. Had we missed a path in the darkness? If so, we'd need to backtrack in order to find it. Otherwise, this was the end of this jaunt, though it was by no means unfruitful.
“M-Miss Juliette ...”
Then, the alchemist's timid voice called out to me.
I knew what it was before I finished turning around. The bright glow being emitted by my sword was no longer the only source of light within this small chamber.
To my astonishment, a single flower was gleaming from a crevasse opposite the water basin. Even from a distance, its details shone in the darkness like the moon on a clear night, each petal radiating with the intensity of a flickering flame.
It was a single flower, and yet if it were to be placed in the sky, I had little doubt it would be the light that drew stargazers and sailors towards it. The beauty was mesmerising. So much so, that I almost failed to question why it was now gleaming for all the eyes in this chamber to see.
Almost.
“The starflower,” whispered the alchemist. “It's … It's here … !”
“I-Indeed, it is … !”
I was astonished.
The starflower. It truly was here. But how?
Its nature meant that simply missing it with my sword was impossible. Its radiance matched Starlight Grace. Did it function similarly to the arcana crystals, and was now reacting to the light? Yet I was always under the impression that a starflower's strength was in its undying glow.
Why, it was almost as if something covering it had been displaced. But nothing but walls of rock were present around the starflower, with each damp surface covered in arcana crystals and soggy seaweed.
And nothing but walls of rock was still here … even as it moved towards me.
Brruuuuuummmmmmmmmmm.
A deafening rumble resounded throughout the chamber. The surface of the water basin shook violently, while bits of the cave fell around us like the beginnings of an earthquake.
That sound could've been the precursor to a landslide. But I realised as the sound went on that it was more than that. It was a bellow. The very land made manifest and sentient with rage.
A living roar from a creature with no vocal chords, yet had no difficulty resonating with the earth.
It was, after all, a monster born of it.
Brrrrrruuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmm.
The shadow of a massive stone golem jerked alive, shaking off rocks and dust as it woke from its slumber.
And I knew immediately from its movements that it was feeling deeply inhospitable after just waking up.
Why, it reminded me of myself.
​
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I’ve (M43) had a few interesting OLD->IRL experiences, wanted to ask a little advice. Not great at reading the non verbals and struggle to read between the lines of messages (what it doesn’t say!)
1) it was very promising with so many interests common, a few messages back and forth seemed okay, the first date- conversation flowed easily and naturally, I made sure she (F42) got home safe when I reached in for a hug goodnight we ended up kissing, I hadn’t drank and I’m sure thinking back that she initiated it. I felt an attraction to her on the night, thought the kiss was nice and it felt like a bit of a tease, although I didn’t want to rush so was happy to leave it there for a first date.
I checked in with her next day-text, had several reply’s with one that said she didn’t feel there was any sexual chemistry on her part- We spoke since and she was after something casual, has a lot of FWB🙃
2) different lady (F44) Had several daytime dates, coffees, lunches, beach walks. These were over a few months due to circumstances. My thoughts were, Unsure how compatible we’d be as her work involves travelling and is very committed to her hobbies. She had a lot of male friends/ some very successful, maybe I feel venerable/ inferior around this. She cancelled on a few planned dates, before travelling away for work. She called to say she had met someone and was going to give it a go (might of been an ex?) with them.
*8 months later she messages out of the blue. How do I respond?
“I just wanted to send you a message to say hello. I wanted you to know that I have thought about you quite often but was not sure how to tell you. Anyway I hope that you are happy and smiling. I have had a bad time in an emotionally abusive relationship but I’m coming out the other end. Not in a place where I could have a relationship however. But I just wanted to say hi and let you know i didn’t just forget you. I know I said I’d keep in touch as friends but I didn’t know how to.”
*how to direct the conversation towards wants/looking for, without sounding desperate or like some sex starved fiend.
*is it lost cause being a gentleman, never had a ONS or FWB experience/relationship.
*do you know when it’s the one?
Throw away acc

Note: This is from a PvP perspective. I play on PS5.
I use bows religiously. They're my #1 favorite weapon. I'm that guy who'll take a bow into pvp even though I know I'm gonna get curb stomped by a player equipped with the god rolled immortal. I'm an average player; Maybe a smidge above average. Every season, the first thing I look for is new bows. I love 'em. Idc.
but...
Not gonna lie they kinda boring right now. I'm not saying they're bad. Just... boring. Nothing ever changes! Ok let me explain and try to get my thoughts out there. I'm really curious about what you guys think. Big wall of text.
1). The problem:
I feel as if you're always looking for the same exact roll with the same exact stats for the best feeling, well rounded bow. You don't want something that feels too slow, but if it's too fast then you're likely going to run into an accuracy problem. So, with that being said for lightweights (which just kinda suck across the board, but more on that later) you're going to want to maximize your accuracy without screwing with your draw time too much. With compound, you naturally have higher accuracy so you're trying to decrease that draw time. Regardless of what you like, Archers Tempo is pretty much where it's at. It's a perk that you just can't go wrong with. It literally lowers your TTK. The difference (in feeling) between a bow with AT and without is night and day. If the bow doesn't have Archer's Tempo, then you're probably looking something like Surplus + a Damage Perk, or Opening Shot + Damage.
The next stat that makes a world of difference is the Reload stat. It also directly affects your TTK. In my opinion, a fast draw time with a shit reload might as well cancel each other out. But luckily you have reload mods for that so it's not really an issue unless you don't want to slot those. Lastly you have your handling. It's the same as any other weapon. nuff said. If you're cracked and can hipfire like a boss, then you may care a little less about high handling. So, with all that being laid out you're typically gonna go for something like this for a good feeling well rolled bow.
Lightweights: Natural String, Fiberglass Arrow shaft, Archer's Tempo, Some kind of accuracy perk, Accuracy/Draw Time masterwork.
Compound: Elastic String, Fiberglass Arrow Shaft/Compact Arrow Shaft, Archers Tempo, some kind of damage perk. Draw time/handling masterwork.
So that's a very loose guideline on a decent feeling bow. I'm someone who experiments a lot with a ton of different combinations, and I always find myself drifting back toward these kinds of rolls. They're just consistent. Consistency is key when it comes to bows. If you miss the first shot, you're screwed! This is why lightweights have such a huge focus on accuracy, and simultaneously the reason with they suck! It doesn't matter how fast a bow is if you can't hit anything with it! To make matters worse, they require you to hit TWO headshots for a kill vs 1 headshot 1 body with compound. There's very little wiggle room for lightweights. There's a reason why compound is widely preferred. It's because they do more damage and have far fewer drawbacks. The only lightweight I like, and surprisingly I think it's also one of the better (not best) PvP bows, is Tripwire Canary. Enhanced AT +Enhanced Opening shot + ambush origin trait makes the bow feel really good. It only feels good because it reliably hits shots more than other lightweights, but still less than a compound.
The last bit I wanna touch on is just maps and effective ranges. Specifically, lightweights. Where tf are these supposed to fit in? It's like bungie doesn't realize that almost every other weapon is WAY better and WAY more reliable at the same intended range that lightweights are meant for.
2). Perks:
Now I wanna talk about other perks and why I think they're boring. 1st and 2nd column are all the same on every bow. There might be some outliers, but for the most part they're pretty much all the same for every. single. bow. It doesn't change much. I'm sure that can be said for most guns, but i've seen plenty of guns not roll with certain perks in those two columns. Sometimes they even get new stuff like Seraph Rounds! Starting with the 2nd column. For guns, you have ricochet rounds, High Caliber Rounds, Armor Piercing Rounds, etc. Those traits (while extremely minimal) do a little something extra. Bows don't get that. Arrow heads don't pierce, ricochet, do extra flinch, etc. They just exist. In the 3rd and 4th column you have perks that I divide in to primarily two categories: perks that "make bow feel good", and perks that "make bow hit hard".
Bow's already hit hard. 151 damage to the head on compound, and 130 for leightweights. If you're going with a perk that makes your bow hit hard, the only one worth the slot IMO is swashbuckler. The rest don't allow you to one shot with ease like swash does, and if you can't 1 shot then why choose a damage perk in the first place? You already hit hard enough to cleanup a target. The the thing with swash though is that it's a backend perk so you're really playing around snagging a melee kill (which isn't really too hard) by aiming for the head with the first shot and chucking a ranged melee as you dip behind cover. It works, and I do it. I just have to be deliberate with how I play. I find the current ecosystem of frontloaded damage perks (lookin' at you Target Lock) or weapons with a default sub .7 ttk + any other damage perk to be significantly better.
In regard to perks that "Make bow feel good", you're gonna go for Archer's Tempo, Surplus, Opening Shot, Eye of The Storm, Explosive Payload, and Successful Warmup. Personally, I don't like successful Warmup because it only works after a kill, but this perk is really dope for PvE. The other perks are great because they help you IN the fight, and not afterwards. That's what bows need. Help IN the fight. If I didn't mention other perks, it's probably because I forgot or just think they're more suited for PvE. Headstone and Dragonfly are cool though if you thats what you rock with. Regardless, all of these perks do much of the same thing. Improve accuracy or speed. Personally, I think Bows need something unique.
3). The solution (?):
I put a question mark in there because well... idk what the solution really is. Bows are 1 step away from being OP. Bungie has included a weapon that can't be changed too much without being OP. You can't touch bow damage or else you'd have a real problem it encroaching on Sniper Rifles, Special Linears, and every primary in the game. It'd be a nightmare! Again, at this point I want to reiterate that I don't think bows are bad. Just boring. Every new bow does the same thing as every old bow. From the first bows being Subtle Calamity and Arsenic Bite, every legendary bow has been the exact same... well maybe except for Hush. I miss Hush.
I think the solution lies in Column 2. Now this is just an idea... but make arrow heads do some quirky shit. Wishender has Broadhead that pierces. I like that. I think it's dumb that it's an "exotic" perk when regular guns can have armor piercing but hey... at least it does something different, and I like that. Make an arrowhead that splinters into a caltrop to slow people who step on em. Make an arrowhead that does some sonar stuff if it hits a wall for a split second. Make an arrowhead can ricochet to a bodyshot for 33% of normal body shot damage. I'd say make a rapid-fire arrowhead like some Legolas type shit, but idk how you'd balance that lol. It would be cool AF though.
Now none of these are legitimate solutions. Just examples to get you guys thinking about something in the direction of utility instead of damage or ttk reducing perks. Basically, what I'm getting at is: Give bows some kind of perk that provides utility via the arrowheads and not damage. I suppose all the cool utility stuff has been exclusive to the exotics but damn that really sucks for the legendary variants.
If you read all that or even skimmed through that wall of text and rambling, thanks! You're a real one. I've been thinking about it for months and I want to hear your thoughts. I know some of you guys hate bows, but still i'd like to hear your thoughts on bows in general.

From "The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America" (1989), written during his travels around the US in 1987 & 1988
I headed east for Savannah, down Interstate 16. It was a 173-mile drive of unspeakable tedium across the red-clay plain of Georgia. It took me five hot and unrewarding hours to reach Savannah. While you, lucky reader, have only to flit your eyes to the next paragraph.
I stood agog in Lafayette Square in Savannah, amid brick paths, trickling fountains and dark trees hung with Spanish moss. Before me rose up a cathedral of exquisite linen-fresh whiteness with twin Gothic spires, and around it stood 200-year-old houses of weathered brick, with hurricane shutters that clearly were still used. I did not know that such perfection existed in America. There are twenty such squares in Savannah, cool and quiet beneath a canopy of trees, and long straight side streets equally dark and serene. It is only when you stumble out of this urban rain forest, out into the open streets of the modern city, exposed to the glare of the boiling sun, that you realize just how sweltering the South can be. This was October, a time of flannel shirts and hot toddies in Iowa, but here summer was unrelenting. It was only eight in the morning and already businessmen were loosening their ties and mopping their foreheads. What must it be like in August? Every store and restaurant is air-conditioned. You step inside and the sweat is freeze-dried on your arms. Step back outside and the air meets you as something hot and unpleasant, like a dog’s breath. It is only in Savannah’s squares that the climate achieves a kind of pleasing equilibrium.
Savannah is a seductive city and I found myself wandering almost involuntarily for hours. The city has more than 1,000 historic buildings, many of them still lived in as houses. This was, New York apart, the first American city I had ever been in where people actually lived downtown. What a difference it makes, how much more vibrant and alive it all seems, to see children playing ball in the street or skipping rope on the front stoops. I wandered along the cobbled sidewalk of Oglethorpe Avenue to the Colonial Park Cemetery, full of moldering monuments and densely packed with the gravestones of people famous to the state’s history—Archibald Bulloch, the first president of Georgia, James Habersham, ‘a leading merchant,’ and Button Gwinnett, who is famous in America for being one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence and for having the silliest first name in Colonial history. The people of Savannah, in a careless moment, appear to have lost old Button. The historical marker said that he might be buried where I was standing now or then again he might be over in the corner or possibly somewhere else altogether. You could walk around all day and never know when you were on the Button, so to speak.
The business district in Savannah was frozen in a perpetual 1959—the Woolworth store didn’t appear to have changed its stock since about then. There was a handsome old movie house, Weis’s, but it was shut. Downtown movie houses are pretty much a thing of the past in America, alas, alas. You are always reading how buoyant the movie industry is in America, but all the theaters now are at shopping malls in the suburbs. You go to the movies there and you get a choice of a dozen pictures, but each theater is about the size of a large fridge-freezer and only marginally more comfortable. There are no balconies. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine movie theaters without balconies? To me going to the movies means sitting in the front row of the balcony with your feet up, dropping empty candy boxes onto the people below (or, during the more boring love scenes, dribbling Coke) and throwing Nibs at the screen. Nibs were a licorice-flavored candy, thought to be made from rubber left over from the Korean War, which had a strange popularity in the 1950s. They were practically inedible, but if you sucked on one of them for a minute and then threw it at the screen, it would stick with an interesting pock sound. It was a tradition on Saturdays for everybody to take the bus downtown to the Orpheum, buy a box of Nibs and spend the afternoon bombarding the screen.
You had to be careful when you did this because the theater manager employed vicious usherettes, dropouts from Tech High School whose one regret in life was that they hadn’t been born into Hitler’s Germany, who patrolled the aisles with highpowered flashlights looking for children who were misbehaving. Two or three times during the film their darting lights would fix on some hapless youngster, half out of his seat, poised in throwing position with a moistened Nib in his hand, and they would rush to subdue him. He would be carried off squealing. This never happened to my friends or me, thank God, but we always assumed that the victims were taken away and tortured with electrical instruments before being turned over to the police for a long period of mental readjustment in a reform school. Those were the days! You cannot tell me that some suburban multiplex with shoebox theaters and screens the size of bath towels can offer anything like the enchantment and community spirit of a cavernous downtown movie house. Nobody seems to have noticed it yet, but ours could well be the last generation for which movie-going has anything like a sense of magic.
On this sobering thought I strolled down to Water Street, on the Savannah River, where there was a new riverside walk. The river itself was dark and smelly and on the South Carolina side opposite there was nothing to look at but down-at-heel warehouses and, further downriver, factories dispensing billows of smoke. But the old cotton warehouses overlooking the river on the Savannah side were splendid. They had been restored without being over-gentrified. They contained boutiques and oyster bars on the ground floor, but the upper floors were left a tad shabby, giving them that requisite raffish air I had been looking for since Hannibal. Some of the shops were just a bit chichi, I must admit. One of them was called The Cutest Little Shop in Town, which made me want to have the quickest little dry heave in the county. A sign on the door said:
ABSOTIVELY, POSILUTELY NO FOOD OR DRINK IN SHOP
I sank to my knees and thanked God that I had never had to meet the proprietor. The shop was closed so I wasn’t able to go inside and see what was so cute about it.
Towards the end of the street stood a big new Hyatt Regency hotel, an instantly depressing sight. Massive and made of shaped concrete, it was from the Fuck You school of architecture so favored by the big American hotel chains. There was nothing about it in scale or appearance even remotely sympathetic to the old buildings around it. It just said, ‘Fuck you, Savannah.’ The city is particularly ill favored in this respect. Every few blocks you come up against some discordant slab—the De Soto Hilton, the Ramada Inn, the Best Western Riverfront, all about as appealing as spittle on a johnnycake, as they say in Georgia. Actually, they don’t say anything of the sort in Georgia. I just made it up. But it has a nice Southern ring to it, don’t you think? I was just about at the point where I was starting to get personally offended by the hotels, and in serious danger of becoming tiresome here, when my attention was distracted by a workman in front of the city courthouse, a large building with a gold dome. He had a leaf blower, a noisy contraption with miles of flex snaking back into the building behind him. I had never seen such a thing before. It looked something like a vacuum cleaner—actually, it looked like one of the Martians in It Came from Outer Space—and it was very noisy. The idea, I gathered, was that you would blow all the leaves into a pile and then gather them up by hand. But every time the man assembled a little pile of leaves, a breeze would come along and unassemble it. Sometimes he would chase one leaf half a block or more with his blower, whereupon all the leaves back at base would seize the opportunity to scuttle off in all directions. It was clearly an appliance that must have looked nifty in the catalog but would never work in the real world, and I vaguely wondered, as I strolled past, whether the people at the Zwingle Company were behind it in some way.
I left Savannah on the Herman Talmadge Memorial Bridge, a tall, iron-strutted structure that rises up and up and up and flings you, wide-eyed and quietly gasping, over the Savannah River and into South Carolina. I drove along what appeared on my map to be a meandering coast road, but was in fact a meandering inland road. This stretch of coast is littered with islands, inlets, bays and beaches of rolling sand dunes, but I saw precious little of it. The road was narrow and slow. It must be hell in the summer when millions of vacationers from all over the eastern seaboard head for the beaches and resorts—Tybee Island, Hilton Head, Laurel Bay, Fripp Island.

I've had a hard life. Born different and everyone knew it. It's hard to hide having webbed hands when you're in school. And it was even harder to hide my webbed feet once we began swimming lessons and everyone could see them in the open. Then they got mad when I swam laps around them.
They'd call me frog boy and throw frogspawn at me in the spring. Kid's can be so cruel but teenagers are even worse. Frog spawn evolved into live toads being hurled at me and when I was 15 they even started poking fun at my name.
You see I wasn't only cursed with different hands and feet but also my name was open to mockery. My name is Peter Pearson and the kids would call me PePe and say shit like "Hey look its the rapper lil PP hoppin through!" before launching a toad or a frog at me. Many pepe memes were made about me and stuck to my locker. Life was hell.
I dread to think how many toads died just because I existed. All the above torment and the onset of puberty turned me into a bitter teenager. I would go to the ocean which was nearby and throw rocks at it in an angry rage but they would always just skim off its surface. Nothing phased the ocean, it is an impossible and deep force that cannot be stopped or assaulted by one teenage boy alone.
I would never beat it. But I must have some kind of revenge on the place everyone thinks I am from. The water. It's the waters fault I am like this, I know it. When my mother was giving birth to me she opted to have a water birth at home whilst watching the movie 'splash' to calm herself and I kinda blame that for how I ended up like this.
If I couldn't beat the ocean then how could I get my revenge? How could I vent all this hatred that had been beaten into me throughout my life? I hatched a plan.
A couple of miles away was a carp farm. Thousands, maybe millions of carp were raised there for human consumption in these little pens in a large lake. I cycled up there one evening with the intention of sabotaging the filtration system and massacring them all. They would feel every minute of pain I had felt. These children of water, these bastard fish brethren I blamed for my own problems.
Cresting a hill nearby, I took out my binoculars and scanned the area. The place was fenced off with razor wire and I could see a guard sat in his little hut by the entrance watching Robocop on a tiny TV. But as I scanned further I saw how I could enter. There was a drainage stream leading away from the lake, allowing a steady flow of water to flow through the farm.
I dismounted my bike, walked downhill, undressed and dived into the water and began swimming upstream. The water was filled with fish shit, old food, dead scales and chemicals used to keep the fish healthy. I waded through this, upstream, becoming increasingly angry.
It wasn't long before I made it to the top and over, into the lake and towards the carp farm. I slipped into the netting and I was suddenly surrounded by thousands of carps. They were crammed in like sardines (pun intended btw) and looked panicked. All of them desperate to escape the prison they lived in knowing there was more to life beyond it. And all the anger from me went. I could only feel pity for these creatures. Much like me they were just trying to live their life, confused by the confines of their cages like I was confused by the confines of the society I had been born into.
I no longer wanted to kill them. I wanted to free them, to give them a chance I never could have out there in the big wide world. I cut the nets that controlled them, allowing them to escape. I watched and howled
"Be free my brothers! Go forth and live your little fishy lives. I love you all!" Totally elated.
Maybe this will make up for all the frogs that have died from impacting against my pathetic little existence. The fish followed the current downstream, following the way I had entered into the farm. When I was sure most had escaped, I swam out the way I came in and found my bike and peddled home. That night I slept better than I had for years, I felt like a hero.
The next day I walked into the kitchen feeling like a man. My mother had made me toast and I sat down with a smile on my face at the kitchen table. I took a bite and flicked the TV onto the news.
"..Sad sight here at the beach" The news reporter said over the image of thousands of dead carps lapping against the shore.
"Hundreds of Thousands of fresh water carp have died after eco terrorists slashed their nets in the local carp farm last night. The fish having nowhere to go but downstream ended up in the ocean where they couldn't survive. May god have mercy on the people who have done this."
I'm frozen in shock as warm butter drips from the toast I'm holding into my palm and it feels like blood.

For the first time in a while, I played through LA DX thanks to the GameBoy NSO offering. This is a game I remembered liking, though not as much as other entries. How does it hold up? Let’s get into it!
The Good:

1. The charm is off the charts. Due to being an early handheld title, the graphics took a hit overall, but the amount of expression and emotion packed into the sprites is shocking. The music is also simple, but very well executed.
   
2. The dungeons are mostly well designed, with lots of fun fights and puzzle scenarios.
   
3. The item variety is great, and I respect how many optional items there are (even if some of them are less optional than others, like the Magnifying Glass).
   
4. Link moves very well, almost better than in ALttP in a lot of ways. Having access to jumping via the Roc’s Feather adds a whole new layer of movement that I really enjoy.
   
5. The story, while simple, still hits major emotional notes. Knowing that everyone, especially Marin, is going to disappear if you wake the Wind Fish is devastating, though at least there’s the opportunity for Marin to live on as a seagull (which I got this time).
   

The Bad:

1. Unskippable bullshit text boxes anytime I even so much as breathe near a jarock/ice block drags the game down hard for me. If it was once, I’d still be annoyed, but not so much, but because it’s every goddamn time it became far too grating.
   
2. Turtle Rock was incredibly annoying to navigate, and I spent a solid fifteen minutes circling it trying to find the path to the boss door.
   
3. Speaking of annoying, the Wind Fish Egg requiring you to read a book that you probably tried to read at the start of the game and then completely forgot about in order to advance is a crock of shit.
   
4. I know it’s a system limitation, but only having two buttons makes for a ton of menuing with a very slow interface. It’s yet another thing that slows the game down and makes it less fun.
   
5. Kaepora Gaebora’s introduction, along with the constant direction at the end of every dungeon, really makes it feel like the devs didn’t trust the player to do anything without guidance, and to me signals the start of the handholding that became so unpopular in the series.
   

Overall, it’s a really solid game, but it has too much I found annoying to rate it as highly as its immediate predecessor. Still an 8/10 game, and better than either NES game.
If you got this far, thanks for reading. I’m planning to play Ocarina of Time through the N64 app next, and let me tell you that’s not a game I remember enjoying. Maybe this time it’ll be different. See you all next time!

A fairly regular customer comes in one day and brings his dog in with him. Not at all an unusual occurrence. This dog is an Australian Sheep Dog, not that it matter's much. Just for visualization purposes it looks like and is roughly the size of a Collie. Customer is getting what he needs but the dog is acting a little strange. He starts looking around like he's nervous and then starts pacing. This goes on for about 30 seconds. Where I stand, I can look down the aisles and I can see the dog moving quickly past the end of each aisle back and forth. I hear a faint but unpleasant sound from the direction of where the dog is. I ask the customer, who is not paying attention to his dog, if the dog is ok. He turns to find the dog. At the same instant I see the dog walk past the end of the aisle literally SPRAYING sh*t out his ass all over the floor. It looked like a squirt gun shooting brownie batter out. The customer also sees and is now horrified beyond belief. He starts looking around nervously much like his dog had mere moments before.
"Oh my god, what a mess!" he says.
"Do you want some paper towels?" I ask.
He pauses for several seconds pondering his response. No doubt wondering if he's going to be able to just leave without cleaning it up.
"I'll get you some paper towels, your dog your mess." I say ss I reach behind the counter to get him a large handful, making the decision for him.
He didn't immediately start cleaning it up, but he did finally get to it.
By now, the smell has filled the room. Think of an overfull porta-potty on the beach at low tide on the hottest day of the year. Absolutely putrid.
If you ever bring your dog in to a store, pay attention to it. There was a good 30 second window there where if the owner was paying attention he could have taken the dog outside to spray on the ground instead of our floor.