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The Star Solarmovie 123movies Without Membership
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USA. movie info=A small but brave donkey and his animal friends become the unsung heroes of the first Christmas. creator=Carlos Kotkin, Simon Moore. Directed by=Timothy Reckart. Ratings=6,6 / 10 Star. score=5847 vote. Its 2020 and im still watching this drama. Repeat 4x. “Who is it youll be swallowing today? ” I asked. “This was the body of Gerald Farleigh. ” I had met Josette Plimons 3 weeks ago at our schools lunchtime Silent Film club; now I was sitting with her in a strangers home, watching her dip a dainty grey spoon into a blue vase filled with an old mans cremated remains. It was one of those times where there seemed to be no way to ask an unserious question, since any reality could pop up and present itself as the truth. “Do you ever take that with cream and sugar? ” “No, ” Josette said. She tipped the spoonful of ash into a small glass bowl she had brought with her. Small, ornately illustrated leaves of ivy spooled around its rim. “That would be disrespectful. ” She gently tapped the back of the spoon against the edge of the bowl in a rhythmic clink to jostle the last flakes of ash out. That question didnt seem like it needed a follow-up, so I took a moment to reflect. We were in old Gracie Farleighs house. She was one of the seniors Josette would visit and provide light care for every week, as part of a volunteer program that offered substantial college credit (“But thats just a bonus, ” Josette told me. The walls were festooned with a garish lilac print; portraits of the beaming dead cluttered old dark wooden shelves pushed against the walls like balustrades. There was no TV, only a window. This was a room that had been furnished and decorated before the invention of digital time. It was little wonder that Josette found this an appealing space for her ritual. “And youre, like…certain Mrs. Farleigh wont come in and flip out. ” “Positive. I set her up with her little CRTV and a bowl of chili for her nap a half hour ago. Shes dead asleep. ” “Pun intended? ” My voice quivered. She looked at me, aware of her own ability to generate discomfort, relishing it. “No. ” We make up a big shape for our lives so that theyll make sense when we think about them in the abstract, but when you stop and dig into the moments that are most important itll always feel like each one of them took place on a different planet. Some of those planets become moons: your memory is of what you were remembering at that time. I sat on that weird pink couch and looked at Josettes nails, lightly crusted with human remains. I remembered sitting in the art room with the rest of the Silent Film club at the end of lunch, five minutes before the bell was to ring. We had just wrapped up the scene in The Golem where the titular monster throws the Knight Florian off a tower and kills him. Miguel, the club founder, flicked the lights on. “Any questions? Observations? Anything? ” He must have felt like he had to present a façade that we were a “real” club by giving us half-hearted homework attempts after each viewing, even though our supervisor, Mr. Horton, was sitting off in the corner diddling with his iPad and clearly couldnt have cared less. Miguel sighed. “Alright, see yall here next Wednesday. ” “Yall” was a somewhat generous appraisal: there were four total members of the club. Amid the soft shuffling of backpacks being hoisted and zipped up I saw Josette peering at the now-blank TV screen, her eyes focused on it as though trying to make sense of a confounding scene. “Whats up? ” I asked her. She looked at me, startled; and in fact I was startled by my own question. No one knew each other at the Silent Film club and, being a gaggle of quiet weirdos for the most part, we didnt go out of our ways to socialize with one another. “Not…much? ” she said. “What do you mean ‘whats up? ” “No, nothing! Just, you looked like you were really concentrating there, almost like you were still watching the movie even though its turned off. ” She looked away from me, past my temple. “Well, I found it interesting” she said. “It seemed like they were setting up Florian to be the big hero of the movie, and then they just went and smoked him like that. Bold move. ” “Yeah, ” I murmured, thinking about it. “Its funny, too, because its not like the stories in movies were real sophisticated back then. Like with The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari ?” “Yes! ” she replied, rolling her eyes and laughing. “I dont care if it was the first plot twist in any movie ever, ‘it was all a dream is still dumb! Its still cheating! ” “Thank you! ” I said. The club had finished that movie a couple of weeks ago and, clearly, the betrayal of the ending was still a fresh wound for both of us. “Its just like, trendy with internet weirdos to like that movie. Just because it has cool sets doesnt mean its actually good. ” “You know, I was just about to?” she began as the shriek of the bell cut her off. It was likely for the best: Miguel had been eyeing the two of us peevishly, not only because he was feeling left out but also because we were trashing one of his favorite movies. It must have been killing him to feel like he couldnt jump in and defend its honor. “Well talk more about it later, ” she said as we walked out of the classroom. “Its so cool you think that too, though! I was afraid to say anything. ” “Yeah, ” I said, laughing. She smiled in affirmation and then waved as she went down the hall. We didnt share any classes together and didnt have much in the way of common friend groups, but I didnt want to wait until next Wednesday to talk to her again. Fortunately, both of us turned out to be the type of people who, once dragged out of our shells, yearned to be charmed, to stumble into unique and intricate friendships. Josette bumped into me in the hall the next day and we picked up right where we left off: talking about the storytelling quirks of weird old movies, how Miguel never seemed to want to play anything but German Expressionism (“Its good stuff and all, but like, is he aware that there were a bunch of other countries that also made movies in the ‘20s? ” she quipped. We may not have shared any class periods but we did have a couple of teachers in common, which made it easy to find ways to do homework with each other after school. She was a fun person to be catty with; we shared many objects of disdain. I learned a lot from her, too. Once she cracked a quiet moment of AP Chem study by asking me if I knew what a Sin-Eater was. “You mean ‘death eaters? The things from Harry Potter? ” She looked at me like Id just farted on her wedding cake. “No, ” she dripped, “not the things from Harry Potter. ” “I guess I dont then, ” I said, smiling. I liked getting a rise out of her every so often. She grimaced, then continued. “Sin-Eaters were Celtic wanderers who traveled the Irish countryside and absorbed the sins of the soon-to-be-deceased in exchange for a small fee, or for food and shelter. They were pretty much outcast from society because they were thought to be so bloated with the sins of the dead that it was spiritually dangerous even to be in their presence. ” “Thats pretty metal. Sounds like a good idea for a movie. ” She paused. “Why do you think a person would do that? Damn themselves irrevocably in exchange for a little bread and water? ” “Maybe they didnt believe in Heaven and Hell; they could have been the first atheists. Or maybe its not really a choice? ” This piqued her curiosity. “How do you mean? ” “Well…people drive cars at crazy speeds even though part of them knows they might die; and they do die, all the time! And thats a really direct and immediate physical thing, being in a speeding car, knowing you cant totally control it. If so many modern people cant even parse out the risk-reward of something like that, then hows it so farfetched that there was once a whole class of society way back when that made their living by sending themselves to Hell, and they didnt have any better reason for it than ‘Ill deal with it later? ” She still looked puzzled. I went on, floundering: “Look, I dont know, why do people commit suicide, or eat at Taco Bell? Those arent choices either, exactly. ” I couldnt think of anything else to add; I wasnt even sure if I believed myself. “You know? ” To my amazement she nodded reverently. “Yes, ” Josette said, “I think I know exactly what you mean. Do you remember when the paper is due for Mr. Chetneys class? ” And that was the last we spoke of the Sin Eaters for at least a couple of weeks. Still, the conversation lingered with me. She kept saying things that would remind me of it. Josette was fascinated with religion and spirituality. Wed be talking about The Legend of Zelda and shed bring up something from Hebridean mythology that it reminded her of, or shed quote some wisdom from the Upanishads when I was pissed at my dad and rambling about what a dick he had been. I asked her once where she found the time to learn all this shit. “My mom has a degree in religious studies from Naropa; a lot of these books are lying around the house. And anything I cant find on the bookshelves is easy to look up online. I just read a chapter of the Bhagvad Gita or Gods and Fighting Men or what have you before I go to bed. But ancient wisdom is everywhere, truly. ” She was always serene when she talked about these things, but I could sense a desperation underneath it all. It seemed almost stream-of-consciousness the way she talked about them; none of her ideas fit together. They were free-floating and contradictory, dropped in and out of her life depending on the situation at hand and her present mood. It was almost like all these spiritual aphorisms and principles were photographs she had ripped out of a scrapbook, and she felt like if she grabbed enough of them then eventually every frayed corner, every strangers smiling face would form a bigger picture that wou
Disclaimer- The below contains. SPOILERS. if you have not read the book Darkness On The Edge Of Town, as well as watched Seasons 1-3. Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town was released in May 2019 and was billed as “an official Strangers Things novel” and is considered canon. Unlike the previous novel, Suspicious Minds, which is told in a straight-forward narrative and takes place several years before the events of the Stranger Things TV series, Darkness is initially set between S2 and S3 at Christmas 84, but is mostly flashbacks to Hoppers time as a NYPD homicide detective in 1977. Its therefore told as a story-within-a-story / flashback format. Brief Summary (for those that are ok with spoilers) The scene is Christmas 1984... El and Hop are snowed in at the cabin while the rest of the gang are away visiting family for the holidays- no one is within radio range. A bored El tries to entertain herself when she digs out Hoppers old file boxes and zeros in on one labeled New York. She coaxes Hopper to open a file from his NYPD days and tell her the story of one of his first major cases: Hop lives in Brooklyn with his wife and young daughter and is a NYPD Homicide Detective. A recent string of killings have shaped up to be serial killings. Concern of setting off panic due to a set of other killings by the Son of Sam results in Hops case getting pulled by his superiors and eventually taken over by outside federal investigators. Hop stays on the case in secret with his feisty, strong-headed (female) partner Delgado. Hop gets in and out of a few pickles but eventually is recruited by the feds to go in undercover to infiltrate a street gang they suspect is at the heart of killings. This plunges Hop deep into street gangs, committing crimes, devil worship, strange rituals, and getting closer to the truth. Hop becomes close to the gang leader Saint John who is a fellow Vietnam vet and uncovers that he has been using veterans support groups to recruit for his gang by using some type of mentalist control over them- it is revealed that Saint John is “Subject Zero” of the MKUltra program and something went very bad with him. After infiltrating the gang and securing Saint Johns trust through shared experiences in Vietnam, Hopper is eventually exposed and becomes a prisoner. Saint John is amassing an army of multiple gangs using his mental control, intent on overrunning NYC in an event he calls Day Of The Serpent. After an escape and subsequent chases and a very “Warriors” style trek through NYC, Hop makes it the location where Saint John plans to amass his gang to launch his attack during a city-wide blackout- Delgado is captured, now herself prisoner and subject to a ritual sacrifice. Suffice to say, after several fights, they finally save the day, defeating Saint John and upending his plans. The purpose of this book seems to be to give some details and background to who Hopper is, but as it relates to the series character- not too far back or too deep.? In essence we see many parallels here to Hoppers action and decisions throughout the TV series- his mistrust and paranoia of systems of authority; his dealing with secretive government groups; his dealmaking skills; his penchant for getting caught/ in trouble/ slipping out trouble; his ability to sneak around and go in undercover; his openness to dealing with dark and supernatural events; his war experience and survivalist skills; him being held captive and dealing with impossible situations. Yes, that last one does elude, in my view, to him possibly being the American or at least trapped in a bad situation. )? But it all seems to be here, peppered throughout. Below are a few bullet points off the top of my head- I may not get all details right as I am going from memory. Feel free to chime in with corrections and any questions! Book Title -? The book takes its title from Bruce Springsteens album of the same name (and a title track from that album. This album was produced around the same year the NYC story takes place, although it was not released until a year later. As well, the title refers to some themes and the blackout event in the story- more on that below. Hoppers Vietnam experiences- While not delved into deeply here, the constant reference to Hops time in the Vietnam War runs parallel to the story and is a good reminder that this character has trauma even before his family tragedy and poor mental state when we met him in Season 1. Does Hopper attract darkness? Something that happens early on in the story is that while attending a childrens birthday party Hopper wanders to another room where the parents have their own entertainment in the form of a magician/ palm reader. All seems fine until the magician calls on Hopper and Diane for a reading- she suddenly goes into a trance and starts speaking about darkness and waves of darkness that swallows up everything. This made me wonder if Hopper attacks dark events or dark spirits or something, considering what we see in Hawkins years later. They allow some of this to be explained away in the story but it seemed also very clear in my reading that it was meant to be seen as a premonition of the upside down and related events of 1983.? It reinforces that Hop has experience in these strange events and dark themes, making him well placed to deal with it in Hawkins. They could not have ask for a better (flawed) hero. Parallels to how Hop operates in the series -? Throughout the story Hop has to confront systems of authority, both within his own precinct and when the feds come in to take over his case.? This is all very reminiscent of Hop in the series when we see him go rogue to investigate these mysteries in Hawkins. In the first half of S1 Hopper is detached and dispassionate but at a certain point a spark is ignited... if you wonder where that comes from it is sort shown here in this novel… the guy here in 1977 is what emerges from the guy in 1983. When Hop is driven he can go beast mode and draw on his military training as well as what ever instincts he seems to have- too curious, too principled to take ‘no or ‘move along for an answer. We see that underscored here in this novel. P op Culture references - One of the funnest things, maybe obvious if youre well watched any classic movies or know pop culture of the 70s-80s, is how much the NYC story pulls from source material.? Once Hop joins the street gang you get a constant stream of vibes from Walter Hills classic Warriors, but also the lesser known copy-cat cult classic 1990: The Bronx Warriors.? Of course next to that we get serious Assault On Precinct 13, Escape From New York and Fort Apache, The Bronx vibes, and even the later film staring Sylvester Stallone, Cobra - where a secret cult-like gang makes ritual murder a rite of passage to terrorize LA.? Outside of pop culture though are the clear references to the Son Of Sam murders that terrorized NYC at that very time along with the infamously hot, violent, and wild Summer of 77 - all play side-characters in this book. As well there's a running joke on an elderly neighbor repeating a story during the blackout on how she inspired a guy named George Lucas to make American Graffiti... Star Wars just came out a few weeks prior to this story's events. But nothing takes center stage here in the novel like the climax blackout event... which was an actual real event that gripped NYC. The Blackout Of 1977. Further, an added detail here which would almost seem to be made up, is that one building in Brooklyn had power during the total blackout... this was actually true! However, the details in the novel are tweaked a bit as to be located in a slightly different location and not going under its real name. In fact the Brooklyn school The Pratt Institute had a totally separate power system that was off grid from the city so when every one else lost power it did not, leaving it eerily alight in perpetual darkness.? A nice added element that is worked into this story. Hoppers White Knight Syndrome - Maybe its a fine line between being a true hero (stepping up in the face adversity) and a hero for heroism sake (rushing in to save the day without thought) but we know Hopper has WKS tendencies and its on display here in this story as well. I wont debate whether this is good or bad, but it is a trope used in storytelling especially for “flawed hero” types. More than once we see Hop being the knight and as in the series it sometime goes well and sometimes not. Although he acknowledges at the end of this story the difference in what duty and heroism really means. Hoppers penchant for getting into (out of) tight spots - One thing that comes up since S3s ending on debating if Hopper is ‘the American in the cell, is that Hopper would never be taken prisoner... hed duke it out to the death. This is not true int he series as well as in this novel. Hopper was captured more than once and held in custody during the series, and as well here in Darkness Hopper finds himself in several predicaments including being held prisoner and tortured. If anything, here in this story, the specter of Vietnam and the well documented history of POW/ MIA trauma is echoed in this stories parallel of imprisonment. (Just based on this I think the possibility is more than reasonable he could be imprisonment in Russia or some other similar scenario. But the good news that Darkness supports is that Jim always finds a way and has a knack for squirming out of any pickle he is in- his cleverness and instincts are on full display here. Saint John - One of the only real possible connections to this story and the series plot is the revelation that Saint John is “Subject Zero” of MKUltra (the same program Terry Ives and others were a part of that, under Dr. Brenner, resulted in 011. A Vietnam War veteran whose experiences qualified him for the experiment. MKUltra is suggested to have resulted in Saint John developing “extra powers” of psychic control. Its
Set in "nine months B.C. The Star" is a gentle and affectionately- irreverent computer-animated retelling of The Nativity, as seen through the eyes of a clumsy and accident-prone donkey and his friends as they accompany Mary and Joseph on their journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
This scene would have been much better with a lot less talking
The Star Solarmovie 123movies Without Membership 
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USA. movie info=A small but brave donkey and his animal friends become the unsung heroes of the first Christmas. creator=Carlos Kotkin, Simon Moore. Directed by=Timothy Reckart. Ratings=6,6 / 10 Star. score=5847 vote. Its 2020 and im still watching this drama. Repeat 4x. “Who is it youll be swallowing today? ” I asked. “This was the body of Gerald Farleigh. ” I had met Josette Plimons 3 weeks ago at our schools lunchtime Silent Film club; now I was sitting with her in a strangers home, watching her dip a dainty grey spoon into a blue vase filled with an old mans cremated remains. It was one of those times where there seemed to be no way to ask an unserious question, since any reality could pop up and present itself as the truth. “Do you ever take that with cream and sugar? ” “No, ” Josette said. She tipped the spoonful of ash into a small glass bowl she had brought with her. Small, ornately illustrated leaves of ivy spooled around its rim. “That would be disrespectful. ” She gently tapped the back of the spoon against the edge of the bowl in a rhythmic clink to jostle the last flakes of ash out. That question didnt seem like it needed a follow-up, so I took a moment to reflect. We were in old Gracie Farleighs house. She was one of the seniors Josette would visit and provide light care for every week, as part of a volunteer program that offered substantial college credit (“But thats just a bonus, ” Josette told me. The walls were festooned with a garish lilac print; portraits of the beaming dead cluttered old dark wooden shelves pushed against the walls like balustrades. There was no TV, only a window. This was a room that had been furnished and decorated before the invention of digital time. It was little wonder that Josette found this an appealing space for her ritual. “And youre, like…certain Mrs. Farleigh wont come in and flip out. ” “Positive. I set her up with her little CRTV and a bowl of chili for her nap a half hour ago. Shes dead asleep. ” “Pun intended? ” My voice quivered. She looked at me, aware of her own ability to generate discomfort, relishing it. “No. ” We make up a big shape for our lives so that theyll make sense when we think about them in the abstract, but when you stop and dig into the moments that are most important itll always feel like each one of them took place on a different planet. Some of those planets become moons: your memory is of what you were remembering at that time. I sat on that weird pink couch and looked at Josettes nails, lightly crusted with human remains. I remembered sitting in the art room with the rest of the Silent Film club at the end of lunch, five minutes before the bell was to ring. We had just wrapped up the scene in The Golem where the titular monster throws the Knight Florian off a tower and kills him. Miguel, the club founder, flicked the lights on. “Any questions? Observations? Anything? ” He must have felt like he had to present a façade that we were a “real” club by giving us half-hearted homework attempts after each viewing, even though our supervisor, Mr. Horton, was sitting off in the corner diddling with his iPad and clearly couldnt have cared less. Miguel sighed. “Alright, see yall here next Wednesday. ” “Yall” was a somewhat generous appraisal: there were four total members of the club. Amid the soft shuffling of backpacks being hoisted and zipped up I saw Josette peering at the now-blank TV screen, her eyes focused on it as though trying to make sense of a confounding scene. “Whats up? ” I asked her. She looked at me, startled; and in fact I was startled by my own question. No one knew each other at the Silent Film club and, being a gaggle of quiet weirdos for the most part, we didnt go out of our ways to socialize with one another. “Not…much? ” she said. “What do you mean ‘whats up? ” “No, nothing! Just, you looked like you were really concentrating there, almost like you were still watching the movie even though its turned off. ” She looked away from me, past my temple. “Well, I found it interesting” she said. “It seemed like they were setting up Florian to be the big hero of the movie, and then they just went and smoked him like that. Bold move. ” “Yeah, ” I murmured, thinking about it. “Its funny, too, because its not like the stories in movies were real sophisticated back then. Like with The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari ?” “Yes! ” she replied, rolling her eyes and laughing. “I dont care if it was the first plot twist in any movie ever, ‘it was all a dream is still dumb! Its still cheating! ” “Thank you! ” I said. The club had finished that movie a couple of weeks ago and, clearly, the betrayal of the ending was still a fresh wound for both of us. “Its just like, trendy with internet weirdos to like that movie. Just because it has cool sets doesnt mean its actually good. ” “You know, I was just about to?” she began as the shriek of the bell cut her off. It was likely for the best: Miguel had been eyeing the two of us peevishly, not only because he was feeling left out but also because we were trashing one of his favorite movies. It must have been killing him to feel like he couldnt jump in and defend its honor. “Well talk more about it later, ” she said as we walked out of the classroom. “Its so cool you think that too, though! I was afraid to say anything. ” “Yeah, ” I said, laughing. She smiled in affirmation and then waved as she went down the hall. We didnt share any classes together and didnt have much in the way of common friend groups, but I didnt want to wait until next Wednesday to talk to her again. Fortunately, both of us turned out to be the type of people who, once dragged out of our shells, yearned to be charmed, to stumble into unique and intricate friendships. Josette bumped into me in the hall the next day and we picked up right where we left off: talking about the storytelling quirks of weird old movies, how Miguel never seemed to want to play anything but German Expressionism (“Its good stuff and all, but like, is he aware that there were a bunch of other countries that also made movies in the ‘20s? ” she quipped. We may not have shared any class periods but we did have a couple of teachers in common, which made it easy to find ways to do homework with each other after school. She was a fun person to be catty with; we shared many objects of disdain. I learned a lot from her, too. Once she cracked a quiet moment of AP Chem study by asking me if I knew what a Sin-Eater was. “You mean ‘death eaters? The things from Harry Potter? ” She looked at me like Id just farted on her wedding cake. “No, ” she dripped, “not the things from Harry Potter. ” “I guess I dont then, ” I said, smiling. I liked getting a rise out of her every so often. She grimaced, then continued. “Sin-Eaters were Celtic wanderers who traveled the Irish countryside and absorbed the sins of the soon-to-be-deceased in exchange for a small fee, or for food and shelter. They were pretty much outcast from society because they were thought to be so bloated with the sins of the dead that it was spiritually dangerous even to be in their presence. ” “Thats pretty metal. Sounds like a good idea for a movie. ” She paused. “Why do you think a person would do that? Damn themselves irrevocably in exchange for a little bread and water? ” “Maybe they didnt believe in Heaven and Hell; they could have been the first atheists. Or maybe its not really a choice? ” This piqued her curiosity. “How do you mean? ” “Well…people drive cars at crazy speeds even though part of them knows they might die; and they do die, all the time! And thats a really direct and immediate physical thing, being in a speeding car, knowing you cant totally control it. If so many modern people cant even parse out the risk-reward of something like that, then hows it so farfetched that there was once a whole class of society way back when that made their living by sending themselves to Hell, and they didnt have any better reason for it than ‘Ill deal with it later? ” She still looked puzzled. I went on, floundering: “Look, I dont know, why do people commit suicide, or eat at Taco Bell? Those arent choices either, exactly. ” I couldnt think of anything else to add; I wasnt even sure if I believed myself. “You know? ” To my amazement she nodded reverently. “Yes, ” Josette said, “I think I know exactly what you mean. Do you remember when the paper is due for Mr. Chetneys class? ” And that was the last we spoke of the Sin Eaters for at least a couple of weeks. Still, the conversation lingered with me. She kept saying things that would remind me of it. Josette was fascinated with religion and spirituality. Wed be talking about The Legend of Zelda and shed bring up something from Hebridean mythology that it reminded her of, or shed quote some wisdom from the Upanishads when I was pissed at my dad and rambling about what a dick he had been. I asked her once where she found the time to learn all this shit. “My mom has a degree in religious studies from Naropa; a lot of these books are lying around the house. And anything I cant find on the bookshelves is easy to look up online. I just read a chapter of the Bhagvad Gita or Gods and Fighting Men or what have you before I go to bed. But ancient wisdom is everywhere, truly. ” She was always serene when she talked about these things, but I could sense a desperation underneath it all. It seemed almost stream-of-consciousness the way she talked about them; none of her ideas fit together. They were free-floating and contradictory, dropped in and out of her life depending on the situation at hand and her present mood. It was almost like all these spiritual aphorisms and principles were photographs she had ripped out of a scrapbook, and she felt like if she grabbed enough of them then eventually every frayed corner, every strangers smiling face would form a bigger picture that wou
Disclaimer- The below contains. SPOILERS. if you have not read the book Darkness On The Edge Of Town, as well as watched Seasons 1-3. Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town was released in May 2019 and was billed as “an official Strangers Things novel” and is considered canon. Unlike the previous novel, Suspicious Minds, which is told in a straight-forward narrative and takes place several years before the events of the Stranger Things TV series, Darkness is initially set between S2 and S3 at Christmas 84, but is mostly flashbacks to Hoppers time as a NYPD homicide detective in 1977. Its therefore told as a story-within-a-story / flashback format. Brief Summary (for those that are ok with spoilers) The scene is Christmas 1984... El and Hop are snowed in at the cabin while the rest of the gang are away visiting family for the holidays- no one is within radio range. A bored El tries to entertain herself when she digs out Hoppers old file boxes and zeros in on one labeled New York. She coaxes Hopper to open a file from his NYPD days and tell her the story of one of his first major cases: Hop lives in Brooklyn with his wife and young daughter and is a NYPD Homicide Detective. A recent string of killings have shaped up to be serial killings. Concern of setting off panic due to a set of other killings by the Son of Sam results in Hops case getting pulled by his superiors and eventually taken over by outside federal investigators. Hop stays on the case in secret with his feisty, strong-headed (female) partner Delgado. Hop gets in and out of a few pickles but eventually is recruited by the feds to go in undercover to infiltrate a street gang they suspect is at the heart of killings. This plunges Hop deep into street gangs, committing crimes, devil worship, strange rituals, and getting closer to the truth. Hop becomes close to the gang leader Saint John who is a fellow Vietnam vet and uncovers that he has been using veterans support groups to recruit for his gang by using some type of mentalist control over them- it is revealed that Saint John is “Subject Zero” of the MKUltra program and something went very bad with him. After infiltrating the gang and securing Saint Johns trust through shared experiences in Vietnam, Hopper is eventually exposed and becomes a prisoner. Saint John is amassing an army of multiple gangs using his mental control, intent on overrunning NYC in an event he calls Day Of The Serpent. After an escape and subsequent chases and a very “Warriors” style trek through NYC, Hop makes it the location where Saint John plans to amass his gang to launch his attack during a city-wide blackout- Delgado is captured, now herself prisoner and subject to a ritual sacrifice. Suffice to say, after several fights, they finally save the day, defeating Saint John and upending his plans. The purpose of this book seems to be to give some details and background to who Hopper is, but as it relates to the series character- not too far back or too deep.? In essence we see many parallels here to Hoppers action and decisions throughout the TV series- his mistrust and paranoia of systems of authority; his dealing with secretive government groups; his dealmaking skills; his penchant for getting caught/ in trouble/ slipping out trouble; his ability to sneak around and go in undercover; his openness to dealing with dark and supernatural events; his war experience and survivalist skills; him being held captive and dealing with impossible situations. Yes, that last one does elude, in my view, to him possibly being the American or at least trapped in a bad situation. )? But it all seems to be here, peppered throughout. Below are a few bullet points off the top of my head- I may not get all details right as I am going from memory. Feel free to chime in with corrections and any questions! Book Title -? The book takes its title from Bruce Springsteens album of the same name (and a title track from that album. This album was produced around the same year the NYC story takes place, although it was not released until a year later. As well, the title refers to some themes and the blackout event in the story- more on that below. Hoppers Vietnam experiences- While not delved into deeply here, the constant reference to Hops time in the Vietnam War runs parallel to the story and is a good reminder that this character has trauma even before his family tragedy and poor mental state when we met him in Season 1. Does Hopper attract darkness? Something that happens early on in the story is that while attending a childrens birthday party Hopper wanders to another room where the parents have their own entertainment in the form of a magician/ palm reader. All seems fine until the magician calls on Hopper and Diane for a reading- she suddenly goes into a trance and starts speaking about darkness and waves of darkness that swallows up everything. This made me wonder if Hopper attacks dark events or dark spirits or something, considering what we see in Hawkins years later. They allow some of this to be explained away in the story but it seemed also very clear in my reading that it was meant to be seen as a premonition of the upside down and related events of 1983.? It reinforces that Hop has experience in these strange events and dark themes, making him well placed to deal with it in Hawkins. They could not have ask for a better (flawed) hero. Parallels to how Hop operates in the series -? Throughout the story Hop has to confront systems of authority, both within his own precinct and when the feds come in to take over his case.? This is all very reminiscent of Hop in the series when we see him go rogue to investigate these mysteries in Hawkins. In the first half of S1 Hopper is detached and dispassionate but at a certain point a spark is ignited... if you wonder where that comes from it is sort shown here in this novel… the guy here in 1977 is what emerges from the guy in 1983. When Hop is driven he can go beast mode and draw on his military training as well as what ever instincts he seems to have- too curious, too principled to take ‘no or ‘move along for an answer. We see that underscored here in this novel. P op Culture references - One of the funnest things, maybe obvious if youre well watched any classic movies or know pop culture of the 70s-80s, is how much the NYC story pulls from source material.? Once Hop joins the street gang you get a constant stream of vibes from Walter Hills classic Warriors, but also the lesser known copy-cat cult classic 1990: The Bronx Warriors.? Of course next to that we get serious Assault On Precinct 13, Escape From New York and Fort Apache, The Bronx vibes, and even the later film staring Sylvester Stallone, Cobra - where a secret cult-like gang makes ritual murder a rite of passage to terrorize LA.? Outside of pop culture though are the clear references to the Son Of Sam murders that terrorized NYC at that very time along with the infamously hot, violent, and wild Summer of 77 - all play side-characters in this book. As well there's a running joke on an elderly neighbor repeating a story during the blackout on how she inspired a guy named George Lucas to make American Graffiti... Star Wars just came out a few weeks prior to this story's events. But nothing takes center stage here in the novel like the climax blackout event... which was an actual real event that gripped NYC. The Blackout Of 1977. Further, an added detail here which would almost seem to be made up, is that one building in Brooklyn had power during the total blackout... this was actually true! However, the details in the novel are tweaked a bit as to be located in a slightly different location and not going under its real name. In fact the Brooklyn school The Pratt Institute had a totally separate power system that was off grid from the city so when every one else lost power it did not, leaving it eerily alight in perpetual darkness.? A nice added element that is worked into this story. Hoppers White Knight Syndrome - Maybe its a fine line between being a true hero (stepping up in the face adversity) and a hero for heroism sake (rushing in to save the day without thought) but we know Hopper has WKS tendencies and its on display here in this story as well. I wont debate whether this is good or bad, but it is a trope used in storytelling especially for “flawed hero” types. More than once we see Hop being the knight and as in the series it sometime goes well and sometimes not. Although he acknowledges at the end of this story the difference in what duty and heroism really means. Hoppers penchant for getting into (out of) tight spots - One thing that comes up since S3s ending on debating if Hopper is ‘the American in the cell, is that Hopper would never be taken prisoner... hed duke it out to the death. This is not true int he series as well as in this novel. Hopper was captured more than once and held in custody during the series, and as well here in Darkness Hopper finds himself in several predicaments including being held prisoner and tortured. If anything, here in this story, the specter of Vietnam and the well documented history of POW/ MIA trauma is echoed in this stories parallel of imprisonment. (Just based on this I think the possibility is more than reasonable he could be imprisonment in Russia or some other similar scenario. But the good news that Darkness supports is that Jim always finds a way and has a knack for squirming out of any pickle he is in- his cleverness and instincts are on full display here. Saint John - One of the only real possible connections to this story and the series plot is the revelation that Saint John is “Subject Zero” of MKUltra (the same program Terry Ives and others were a part of that, under Dr. Brenner, resulted in 011. A Vietnam War veteran whose experiences qualified him for the experiment. MKUltra is suggested to have resulted in Saint John developing “extra powers” of psychic control. Its
Set in "nine months B.C. The Star" is a gentle and affectionately- irreverent computer-animated retelling of The Nativity, as seen through the eyes of a clumsy and accident-prone donkey and his friends as they accompany Mary and Joseph on their journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
With animation by Cinesite in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company? Cinesite provided the special effects for several of the recent hits from Marvel Entertainment, and the Hensons are the people behind The Muppets?"The Star" mostly abounds with mild slapstick, as animal characters support each through mildly perilous situations on their way to the very first Christmas pageant. Along with his friends, the donkey?named "Boaz" by Mary, or Bo for short ?seeks to protect the Holy Family from King Herod's Roman Centurion hit- man and his two ferocious hounds, occasionally encountering along the way the camels transporting the Three Wise Men along a parallel path to the same event. Bo is also trying to elude his disgruntled owner, from whom he recently escaped chasing dreams of glory. Mary and Joseph are unaware of the dangers of their journey, due partly to Bo's inability to communicate beyond the elaborate comic pantomime which sometimes earns him a belly- rub from Mary. Possibly "The Star" with its gentle humor, colorful characters, and superb animation works best as a means of introducing small children to the story of the first Christmas. And the picture receives considerable help from its all-star assembly of voice talent, including Steven Yeun as Boaz, supported by Keegan-Michael Key, Kelly Clarkson, Aidy Bryant from television's SNL, Patricia Heaton, Kristin Chenoweth, Kris Kristofferson, and Ving Rhames. The unlikely team of Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey, and the wonderful Tracy Morgan are heard as the bickering camels transporting the Three Wise Men, Christopher Plummer voices Herod, and Zachary Levi and Gina Rodriguez are the frequently-harried Joseph and his practical but playfully affectionate young wife, Mary. The picture itself has received mixed reviews?Rotten Tomatoes reports a 62% approval rating from 26 critics, with an average score of 5.2 out of 10?but audiences polled by CinemaScore give "The Star" an average grade of A. That's the only score that really matters. "The Star" is appropriate for viewing by all audiences, but is especially recommended for the very young.Who just came here to remember some old memories. 2:52 thats what that guy get. Is my relationship doomed to fail? Hi, Let me apologize on the wall of text, but I feel the need to give you the full story in hopes that your answers are genuine. Go back 2018 August, we started texting on a dating app, but initially, we didn't hit off at first. She thought I was being a jerk, when in fact I was busy with my career, and since she was in another country I didn't invest much in her at first. About a month of not texting I saw her birthday post on Facebook, which was unusual as she barely ever posts anything. I then texted her happy birthday, and we then proceeded to text back and forth a bit having the same birthday and other things as well. It then started to speed up, and the conversations between us started to grow. Soon after it got more personal, but I was still hesitant as she was living in a neighboring country, and I wasn't going to see her anytime soon anyways. But she kept texting, soon after we started talking and video chatting. It became clear to me we had very similar upbringings and had a lot in common, we were both comfortable sharing experiences that for good or worse shaped our lives. We became penpals/friends, but nothing more. I wasn't looking for more to be honest, as I had just gotten divorced in February 2018. But the more we talked the deeper the connection. Seeing my jobs takes me all over the world, I have quite a lot of contacts within my line of work. Around October, I was offered a position near her town. I didn't tell her I went for a job interview, as I assumed it would send the wrong signals. But I told her I was going there for work and could stay the weekend, to meet up. She excitedly said YES, and that I shouldn't worry about a place to stay, as she had a guest bedroom I could stay in. I was a little worried about staying with a total stranger, so I booked the hotel anyways. I then went there to have a job interview, which went well. Then I later met up with her and proceeded to go out for dinner and a tour around the city nightlife. She was very reserved, to the point where I felt almost as if she was uncomfortable. After a few pubs and clubs, she offered that I could stay at her place. I said that I'd like that, and off we went. I didn't feel like there was the "spark" between us. Once at her place, we started talking, enjoyed a few glasses of wine, and the talk quickly became more intimate. She then did what I'd say was the first red flag. Talking about previous partners, meanwhile crying a river. I comforted her, but the night was left awkward, and I did sleep in the guest bedroom with the door locked. Thinking that maybe it was not really meant for me and that maybe she wasn't really ready either. The next day I woke up, we made breakfast together and despite the tensions last night, she was relaxed and seemed much more comfortable. We went out seeing sights, and walked around old parts of the town. I felt she was way more relaxed, but still wasn't that affectionate towards me. Until we went for the movies, there she flipped 180. Might have been the movie (A star is born) or the ambience I don't know. We went home to her place and she kissed me goodnight. The next day I was going back, I thought despite all I didn't want to persue this, as I didn't really feel the chemistry brewing. I was attracted to her, but was unsure she felt the same way. She dropped me off at the Airport, and before sending me off kissed me. For the first time I felt her being affectionate towards me. In such a way it made me question, if I simply missed the signs the whole weekend, or if she was so reserved due to past experiences. Once back I started receiving messages immediately, that were much more intimate and more focused from her. I was in no doubt anymore, she wanted more than just being a friend. But at the time I was still very confused. We're both adults, me late 20's and her mid 20's... But I'd never had this level of confusion before, did I completely miss all the signs? We then saw each other the next 10 months long distance, a lot of details was revealed in this period of time. She was Bisexual, and had only been in relationship with one girl, tried dating men after her failed relationship(Without Success) She was a virign the first time we had sex(with a man) We experienced Ups and downs like all couples, but mostly she felt that i was pushing her. all in all, it was an unusual relationship the first 10 months. And I tried being patient with her, trying to understand that a lot of the things that makes being in a relationship was new to her. Then in May 2019 I got another offer near her location. It was a perfect fit, and I accepted the job. I expected her to be excited, that we could finally get to know each other better. And have a real relationship. Her reaction was almost that, but I could tell she felt that maybe I only took the job because of her being there. I would lie if I said that she wasn't part of the equation, but not the definitive factor in my decision. Before moving there I visited all her family, who lives on the other side of the globe. I was suprised that her family was so relaxed, and greeted me with welcome arms. I'd put in a lot of effort in learning customs, and brought albums everything about me and my family to show them who I was. All in all, our trip was amazing, and at that point I was started to fall in love with her. I saw that perhaps she could be the one. Her affection towards me, and the thought of our future together was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. Litterally floating on clouds... I then moved, and at first it was amazing. I'd see her all the time, get to know each other and became closer than ever before. Everything was amazing, I felt like this was the best decision in my life. Then came the first Argument, about 2 months after I had moved I had accompanied her to a party at her friends, I was trying to hard to get aqquainted with her friends, but had very little in common with them. Although I'd say it wasnt perfect, I still had a good time until she abandoned me with people i hardly knew. I was at there place for a good 6 hours, she just vanished. I didn't know anyone per say, but tried to survive with smalltalk and got by. When she all of a sudden returned, she told the others that we'd go home now as it was getting late. I found out, that her friend had issues with her partner, and she had comforted her upstairs in the house we were. I told her that I would have preferred a text or maybe a tap on shoulder as I felt a little "left to fend for myself" as no one at the party spoke English and I've yet to speak the local language that well. She rolled her eyes, and proceeded with personal attacks. Which then turned in to an outwright argument once we came home. We resolved the matter, and I just asked her to be upfront with, and at least let me know. (trying my best to be resonable) At this point we've been seeing each other for a year or so, Long distance 10 months or so, and as a couple for about 3-4 months. I started to notice things like she never included me in her scarce posts, never tagged me... I was a ghost in her online persona. I never gave it much thought as I haven't made a post on facebook in years, and my last update was removing the married status back in feb. 2018. Her still said single, and I started asking myself why... We had a few talks about it, but she just said she doesn't want to deal with the attention. It would be like this on and off until december 2019 small fights, nothing major. I did however start to notice the Sex becoming less and less, and she didn't show me the affection I was used to. She stopped responding when I told her I loved her, and would get very upset if I confronted her about her behaviour, saying it's all new for her, and that she has a lot on her mind. Then we were going back to my home country to spend christmas with my family. waiting to board the plane she out of the blue told me, she's thinking of applying for a job in another country. Dumbfounded and in chock, I asked her if we can't talk about this after the trip to my parents. She agreed, but as soon as we arrived and got our rental it resumed. I told her that I'd support her career, but found it odd that should would focus so much on this one oppertunity, now that we finally were together. She said that she felt the need to be independant, and have her own life too. Which I can relate too in some degre... But stil... She then landed a bomb-shell on me that has for me almost ruined our relationship. She told me that she doesn't feel safe with me anymore, and that she feels that I'm cold and indifferent. She said the decline in sex was due to her not feeling like I cared, and that I was being egoistic in my behavior... She felt pressured to have Sex, and didn't enjoy it. She felt like she's walking on eggshells and that I don't understand her. And most hurtful of all commments were the fact she felt unsafe with me. Saying she sometime shivered and cried after we have had sex. Something I never had noticed, because we'd clean up and sleep after we had sex, and I never felt this behaviour from her in the moment. But maybe I had been blind. I told her maybe we're not meant to be, and that it was better for her to figure out what she wants. I'm not a demanding or needy person as long as I feel i can rely on my partner and feel loved I'm easy to deal with. I do however overthink which is properbly evident in my story. The last month or so, We've had episodes of trying to resolve our differrences and trying to be more relaxed around each other. It goes well for a couple weeks, but then when I'm with her I don't feel her being affectionate towards me at all. We do have sex, but it feels off. We do kiss, but it feels off. Everytime I ask if she's okay, if somethings on her mind. She gets annoyed. But everytime I suggest we split she pani
This scene would have been much better with a lot less talking
(Note: I started this post before the NBAs 2020 All-Star revamp, with the first 3 quarters functioning as “mini-games” and the 4th quarter implementing an Elam Ending) A not-insignificant amount of posts on r/nba seem to want to rework the All-Star Game into a type of tournament. Even CJ McCollum (he of “Family Matters” and “Im trying, Jennifer” fame) proposed a 1-on-1 tourney. The thing is, they dont really look at the entire logistics of the format change (although shoutout to this excellent post last Wednesday. Most posts are like “I think 3-on-3 would be fun at the All-Star game. Thoughts? ” This post is going to try and go a bit deeper and as the title states, look at how rosters to the actual games can be affected. But OP, the All-Star Game is fine as i- Im gonna stop you right there, super chief. Two words for ya: continuous improvement. Your favourite players favourite player is always looking at ways to improve, so why shouldnt we apply that mindset? Did JR Smith stop at throwing soup at an assistant coach? No, he went ahead and threw away Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. Did Gilbert Arenas stop at harassing Nick Young about his lack of loyalty to Iggy Azalea? No, he went ahead and yeeted (yote. Nick Youngs sons tricycle across the fucking yard. Anyways, lets start off with the roster changes: Remove position restrictions and conference restrictions The NBA did a good thing changing selections to frontcourt/backcourt but they can go further. Were in the age of positionless basketball, where 73 Kristaps Porzingis is a catch-and-shoot player and 66 PJ Tuckers ass is a fundamental part of the Rockets interior defence. Also, geography shouldnt snub worthy players. Increase roster size to 32 (8 additional All-Stars. Currently, 24/13*30=6. 15% of the leagues active rosters are All-Stars. Compared to other leagues [NFL: 88/46*32=5. 98% MLB: 68/26*30=8. 72% NHL: 40/20*31=6. 45. the NBA has the second-lowest percentage. The increase to 32 All-Stars leads to 8. 21% of the league being All-Stars. While this would become the second highest percentage of the four major North American sports, it certainly isnt outlandish, considering that NHL & NFL players attempt to avoid playing in their leagues All-Star game (forcing those leagues to name alternates. And the big one: turn it into a 3v3 tournament Im not a big proponent of the 1v1, mainly because I dont think its really feasible. As a commenter stated on the CJ 1-on-1 proposal thread, no one is trying to get embarrassed on national television by James Harden. But OP, 32 doesnt divide evenly into thr- Frankly Im getting tired of your shit, Dissenting Voice, and I think Im gonna sideline you for the remainder of this post. Before being RUDELY interrupted, I was gonna explain that there would be eight teams of four. So one sub per team. Now on to the voting process: Migrate the current all-star starter process (50% fans, 25% each for media & players) to top 8 overall players The system works fine, as the fan propensity for meme players such as Tacko and Caruso is snuffed out by the players and media. The only restriction is must have played at least 50% of team games This removes the injured star votes (Kyrie this year, Kobe and Yao in years past. Im open to revising the percentage downward to at most 40. These initial top 8 are your captains This year, those eight would be LeBron, Giannis, Luka, AD, Harden, Kawhi, Embiid and Pascal (sheet here. While this is with current voting rules with conference and positional restrictions, I believe that these results would also hold with the new voting rules. A week later, 22 coaches picks are made To fill the last two spots, take a page from MLB and NHL and have a final fully-fan vote from 5-6 candidates over the next week *A quick aside on that compilation of all players: I found that Lakers players had a cumulative 16 million fan votes, almost double 2nd-place Dallas! The Lakers had more fan votes than the bottom half of the league combined! Just LeBron and AD account for more than the bottom 13 teams. The Knicks were last with around 300000 votes. Next up is the draft: More expansion of the current concept rather than major changes here. A snake draft with the 1st pick belonging to the #8 player in voting. The NBA can have the draft done before the final vote picks ( 2 captain gets choice when finalized) or after them. Id look at pushing everything else before the draft a week earlier for the latter option: Dec 18th-Jan 13th as fan voting period release captains on Jan 16 release coaches picks on Jan 23 release final vote winners on Jan 30 have the draft on Feb 6 I do realize that in the current tradition, the voting period is bookended nicely by major events in Christmas and MLK Day. An intriguing idea from Grandstand Central is forbidding players picking teammates, since we already see how that works out in the regular season. Finally, the game(s) You obviously cant play full 48 minute games, so I considered four alternatives: either score limit being 11 or 21, and either nba rules or street rules [3s are 2s, 2s are 1s] Games to 11 with a 5 min time limit, best of 3, nba rules Games to 11 with a 10 min time limit, street rules Games to 21 with a 10 min time limit, nba rules Games to 21 with a 15 min time limit, street rules To arrive at those seemingly arbitrary time limits, I took a random 50-game subset from last season (yes, this idea has been percolating for a while) This isnt a perfect simulation as it doesnt take into account time to take free throws, win by 2 method, ending games on free throws, or strategic changes w/less players on the court, but I believe the above concerns wouldnt drastically change the results The lowest maximum minutes played is for a theoretical player that doesnt sub out (instead of the lowest minimum, which could technically be zero) Tourney Type Lowest Max if all games reach time limit Highest Max if all games reach time limit Total Gameplay in worst case (all games reach time limit) Single Elim, nba rules games to 11 w/best of 3 Lose first two games = 10 mins Play 3 games in all 3 rounds = 45 mins All rounds req 3 games so 15 4+15 2+15=105 Single Elim, nba rules games to 11 w/best of 3, finals is single game to 21 Lose first two games = 10 mins Play 3 games in first 2 rounds + championship = 40 mins (nba rules) 100 mins Single Elim, nba rules games to 21 OR street rules games to 11 Lose first game = 10 mins Play 3 games = 30 mins 10 4+10 2+10=70 Single Elim, games to 21, street rules Lose first game = 15 mins Play 3 games = 45 mins 105 mins The easiest tourney to implement would be single elimination. Double elimination, where a team has to lose two rounds to be fully eliminated from contention, could be considered fairer but I believe it would also increase the total gameplay to untenable levels (if those levels arent already reached above. Something to keep in mind is that these are worst case scenarios. Assume the time it takes for one team to get to 21 points follows a normal distribution. I realize this is a relatively strong assumption, but bear with me. The probability that an nba rules game to 21 will take 10 minutes or longer to settle is 14. So 86% of the time, the score limit will take care of things. Assuming independence, which is also a strong assumption, the probability all 8 games of a single elimination tournament take greater than 10 minutes is 0. 14^8, which is exceedingly small. A way to decrease total gameplay is to consolidate down to 4 teams instead. You shrink the initial vote to four captains, or you keep the 8 and assign deputies ( 1 and #8, 2 and #7, etc) Tourney Type Highest Max if all games reach time limit Total Gameplay in worst case (all games reach time limit) Single Elim, nba rules games to 11 w/best of 3 Play 3 games in both rounds = 30 mins both rounds req 3 games 15*2+15=45 Single Elim, nba rules games to 11 w/best of 3, finals is single game to 21 Play 3 games in first 2 rounds + championship = 40 mins (nba rules) 40 mins Single Elim, nba rules games to 21 OR street rules games to 11 Play 2 games = 20 mins 10*2+10=30 Single Elim, games to 21, street rules Play 2 games = 30 mins 45 mins Now, if youre not a fan of the expanded rosters, the proposal is still viable! You get rid of the final vote part and the rest are just numerical changes. Total Roster Size Teams Team Roster Size Gameplay Captain Vote 24 4 6 3v3 w/3 subs or 5v5 w/1 sub Pick 4 or Pick 8 (deputies) 24 8 3 3v3 Pick 8 32 4 8 5v5 w/3 subs Pick 4 or Pick 8 (deputies) 32 8 4 3v3 w/1 sub Pick 8 To mimic the charity incentive of the current All-Star game: 4-team tournament: charities of 2 semifinal losers get 75k each, charity of final loser gets 100k, charity of winner gets 250k =500k total 8 team tournament: charities for 4 quarterfinal losers get 50k, charities of two semifinal losers get 75k, charity of final loser gets 150k, charity of winner gets 250k = 750k total Hope yall enjoyed my All-Star game reimagining! Who are the 6 players you would immediately add to the roster? Who would you put in a "Last 2 In" vote? Let me know what you like and dislike.
I am struggling with life right now. I feel like I'm trapped and my life isn't progressing and I've developed some anxiety about issues I cant control. On a whim about 3 weeks ago I logged back into my Meet Up app (a place to find people/groups with common interests) and type in anxiety. I found a group called "London Shyness and Social Anxiety" and they were having a meet up today, 23rd January 2020. It was going to be a talk about "how to end self sabotage" with a hypnotherapist called Chrisopher Paul Jones. I went, and ended up sitting next to a woman called Janet and we started talking. I told her I was here because I had been cheated on and the fear of it happening again was stopping me from progressing in relationship. She said "Same. But I soon found out what she meant was SHE was the one who cheated in her relationship because she wasnt happy. She was scared that if she got into another relationship, she would fall out of love again and cheat again. It was a bit of an eye opener seeing it from the other perspective. Anyway the talk was good, I left feeling positive. Before I left home, I decided I was going to get a takeaway on the way home because it would be late. I pack 10 in my bag, which is weird cuz I rarely have cash. I got off the train and startedwalking to my local chicken and chip, excited for my food when a man stopped me. He was about 5'8, white with a short white beard, kinda chubby, like a young Father Christmas lol. He waved me down and asked "I'm really sorry to bother you, are you a student or do you work. I rarely stop to talk to people but I answered, I work. He looked happy and came closer to me and just started chatting. I was literally 10metres from the chicken shop but I listened to what he wanted. I stood there talking to him for half an hour. He started with "I have a reason why I stopped you but first let me just say you're very pretty. then he went off on a tangent. He asked me my star sign and started talking about his family and that his dad was an Aries and hes a Libra so they get on well. He has 3 sisters, he had a twin but he died really young. he started talking about his first girlfriend and how he still thinks about her sometimes and goes to places they used to go. All this time he was talking I was a bit weirded out. He was so bubbly, very talkative, like he was talking at me not too me, but I didn't leave. For the first few seconds I thought "this a set up and he's trying to mug me" so I clutched my bag closer but as he talked I could see he was just really lonely. He kept complimenting me and said he could feel that I had a warm heart which, regardless if he was chatting crap, kinda choked me up a bit because I felt like i had become so cold and cynical over the passed few months and everyone could see it. 20 minutes into talking, he mentions that he was out because he was picking up his prescription and even showed me to prove it. He was taking propranolol and citalopram. He said he suffers from anxiety and talked about his OCD. He looks at me and asks "do you suffer from anxiety. At this point, I thought I was being secretly filmed. What are the chances? He talked to me about overthinking, panic attacks and how to get through them, all the time being so bubbly it was infectious. Honestly this guy basically had verbal diarrhoea! He was just chatting and jumping from topic to topic. I told him I keep ruminating and thinking about the future thinking the worst or I wont get to have the family/life I want because of what's happened. He said something like "if a guy would ever leave you they need to go specsavers. for the buy one and get one free. Eventually he got to the point of why he stopped me. It was because he needed 2 to pay for his electricity. I told him to "come with me to the chicken shop and I'll give u my change. He kept insisting to pay me back and I said dont worry about it. I fully understand that this mad could have been totally scamming me out of 2but I didnt care at all. I liked listening to him talk. We left the chicken shop together and turns out we live really close to each other. Right where we had to part, he went off on another tangent about how his dad had an affair and married the mistress. He told me he was devastated and that's where his anxiety started. He said he resented the new wife for a long time but now is ok, 25 years later lol he told me "I never hated her, hate is a strong word but I disliked her. But that dislike wasnt helping me so I forgive her and my dad. I haven't forgotten though" I guess it's TRUE that I have to forgive. I ended up talking to him for a total of about 50 minutes and I dont know what it was about this guy but he just calmed me down, he kept saying I was the highlight of his day for listening to him, but I think he was the highlight of mine. For almost an hour we just talked and laughed and it was nice hearing him laugh whole suffering from anxiety, and me too. I haven't laughed like that in such a long time. I finally said goodbye and said "dont forget me. I'm easy to remember, it's not Starbucks, its Costa! Dont forget. we hugged and went out separate ways. I know this was the most random story. but I had to post it before I went to sleep. My belly is full from my chicken and chips and so is my heart because of Costa. TL;DR A random man stopped me on my way home and spoke to me as if he knew exactly what I was feeling and thinking and made me feel so much better.
Friend, sorry I have to miss the appointment with you as I will be sick next month. Lol. I love you mimi. To my Sparrow, I've wanted to think through this letter properly. I knew the end was coming, I just haven't wanted it to be true. I've spent a lot of time and thought going in to this, adding little bits here and there, because I know it will be the last you hear from me. So please should you ever find this... never delete it, save it somewhere you can find, take it all in... even the bits that hurt. Don't just read the words, feel the love, the pain, the raw emotion behind them as I write them... and please know that every single word of this has always been, and will always be the truth. This will not be an easy ride for you, my sparrow, but it will be an honest one. Thank you again for what you said about my Dad. I might have to end up taking you up on that one day, when the time is right. It's more difficult to manage than I let on. I just didn't want that to define who me and you were or could have been at the start. It's why I thought we'd have been perfect for each other now we both see beneath the vines. You've unlocked how I really feel at my core. No woman has ever been able to do that to me. I've unlocked your ability to stand up for yourself and get moving forwards in life, and you've enabled me to love you fully, and truly. We really could have complimented each other so well now. It's neither of our faults we were where we were when we met, and it's not your fault you feel how you feel right now. I know you feel guilty for making me hurt, for feeling nothing anymore. I want you to know that I forgive you, and it's okay. It's a natural part of grieving for someone you adore. Do not feel guilty for not feeling the same, it is okay. Love The falling asleep on the sofa, the migraines, the snappiness over nothing, the beard pulling, the release of pent up anger when I came, the weight I was at. Isn't it obvious that everything I've been saying was true that it was never you causing my distress at the start, it was always where I was when we met. Have you noticed I don't fall asleep anymore there, I haven't had a migraine in weeks, I'm back at the gym, my beard is full, I no longer stay cold I show you my heart and real feelings. That's all because of you. Isn't it obvious, that everything I'm saying is true, that all we needed was a chance to now truly love. All I needed was patience and understanding. Instead you just internalised everything. Took it all personally. I needed that desire to really understand me and I never got it, as I never really gave it you. I had to put on a front the entire time that everything was great with me because I knew you couldn't handle it. You didn't want to handle it. You didn't want me, you wanted James Bond. Meanwhile all I wanted to do was let my love for you burst out of me in every direction. I felt all alone, isolated, when all I wanted to do was love you and to be half of something whole. Valerie knew it. She saw beneath the layers of who I was to the way I looked at you, she saw that genuine love, affection and desire creeping out of my very soul. I'm just sorry it took so long for me to be able to show it. It was there, it was always there. Thank you again for 4 beautiful months. They were beautiful to me because you've woken me up to life, you've made me want to love, be loved and get myself out there again. You've literally saved me in so many ways I'm forever grateful for. I do wish you could have given me a chance to prove what I said and let you be the one who experiences all that love. To show the highs in the 4 months were the tip of the iceberg, that the printed photos were just a glimpse of what could now have been every day, not just some days. I wanted that more than I've ever wanted anything. Maybe you'll come to regret it as you date more guys, maybe you'll look back and wish with the benefit of hindsight you'd taken a leap of faith and let us love each other, or maybe I'll end up being an ugly lesson that you needed to get you out of your rut and onto what matters to you so you can meet someone who already was the finished article and didn't need shaking out his shell, thanking your lucky stars that I'm gone. What I know for sure though is that even though it was only 4 months, you had entirely captured my heart. You will always, always have a special place in my heart. Years down the line I know I'll always be thinking of you and what we could have been had you opened your heart to me like I finally have you, albeit too late. I know things, I see what will happen before others do. I know already you'll be the girl in my deathbed I think back to, wondering what could have been even if we both have our own families and have lived our lives by then. It will be you I think of. That connection that first night was just so real, so pure. You felt it too, I know it. It was always there.?It was magnetic. Electric. Pure. Truth But, you see, space has given me hindsight. It's enabled me to see what I didn't want to see - the truth. It's enabled me to unravel this complex mystery, rationalise everything, place everything into little organised parts that I accept as the truth and have made peace with. So please note, my sparrow, the following doesn't come from a place of hate. It comes from a place of truth, of acceptance. You won't like the next bit but it needs saying otherwise your sister, your workmates, the ones who never really understood, but you listened to anyway, they won't tell you this and so you may never grow, forever thinking me to be Matt Version 2 without any further thought. So, the following is me letting you go, emotionally. Showing you the truth you'd otherwise refuse to see. Healing my own wounds and letting them rest in their little pots of my soon to be past. Maybe you will feel anger and reject it forever painting me as a villain and you as a victim, maybe you will feel guilt and sorrow, painting the both of us as the reality was. That is for you to decide. All I can do is present you with the unfiltered honest truth for you to see. Being so honest in the next few paragraphs is a sign of respect, not hate, despite the content. For you see, you hadn't opened your heart to me. You've closed it off, it was closed off when we met. You'd emotionally cheated on me with that guy from work, yes, that's what it was, falling for him instead of trying to help us grow, understand me like someone you genuinely do care for as you claim you did. You've gotten yourself back in the right direction at my expense, like I knew you would, I told you would. Cursed by knowledge, it has happened. I was just a stop gap in making you feel better about yourself, and when I stopped doing that you went right on to the next thing. You immediately met up with him and stayed over days after ending it with me under the guise of being "just a friend. There was always an excuse you gave yourself for your immoral actions. Organised to see him way in advance you said. So you'd organised to meet someone you were falling for while still with me. That's the kind of person you are that I didn't want to admit. I stopped talking to Cat, wanting to protect us, because she threatened you. All the while you were growing close behind my back silently. I would never be able to trust someone so sly and deceitful as you again, I don't think. You immediately went back to talking to your ex calling him "a friend who skates. you literally don't know how to be honest, how to present reality as it is without your own warped version wrapped around it. You think telling a fact or a lie is what it means to be honest or not. Being honest in fact is about intent, it's about strength of facing reality, it's about the unspoken, the details you choose to admit or omit. That is honesty. Not merely "true or false. You're terrified of dealing with the consequences of the truth, so you hide it. And that makes you a really dishonest person, I've come to realise. You used to say you were a shitty person so god knows what else you did I never knew about, where that guilt came from that you never told me either for you to say that. God knows who else you used to send half naked pictures to for approval, who those snapchats at the start were originally meant for. Even if it was all totally innocent that is my point - I no longer saw you as someone with honest intentions. All the while throwing me back and forth "yes I love you. no I don't. yes we're together. no I've changed my mind again" when all I've been trying to do is love you purely and genuinely you've been too busy enjoying the power I allowed you to have, trusting your intent, which was anything but honest. It really fucked me up for a while at least, and showed me your true colours. Forget that big horrible message I sent you. The simple truth is you were unintentionally cruel to me. Used me to make yourself feel better, initially, while convincing me you saw a future, that it was worth it, that my instincts were wrong. Then threw me away when the shit got real right onto your next insecure adrenaline rush of approval. To be honest I've started to think you're a narcissist. I feel bad for thinking that, I hate thinking it infact, but it's hard to deny how well it fits the facts. "We" were always about you. Whether you felt good enough. Whether you were doing "right or wrong. Whether you were happy. Whether you were attractive. Speaking over me so only you were heard. Not replying to me because only what you said mattered. It was never about us. Never about making us grow, my feelings, intimacy, making us stronger, us closer. Even in breakup. Whether you were hurt by that message. Whether you need space. Whether you could trust me. It's the Amelia show, it was never ever about us. I say this next sentence of truth from a place of care. A place of wanting the best for you by facing the reality we are presented with. So once your emotions
Please, feel free to add any events below! Check out the Visitor's Guide for more info! Beer with a Woman Scientist 2020 at the Schlafly Tap Room January 29, 2020 Join 500 Women Scientist St. Louis Pod for our third annual Beer with a Woman Scientists. It is a family friendly, open house-style event with science games, activities, brilliant women scientist speakers, and raffle prizes. The event is free and everyone is welcome?all ages, genders, scientists, and non-scientists. Da Vinci The Exhibition at the St. Louis Science Center Running until April 5, 2020 The Saint Louis Science Center will open Da Vinci The Exhibition on Jan. 11, 2020. The 7, 000 square-foot special exhibition follows the Renaissance master, Leonardo da Vinci, on a journey of innovation, creativity, science, and wonder. Grant's Farm Food & Beer Experience January 30, 2020 Good news for all the food and beer lovers out there! Grants Farm is hosting its first-ever Food and Beer Pairing Experience on Thursday, January 30 from 6:30 to 9:30 p. m. As an introduction to Grants Farms new monthly beer and food pairing dinners, guests will experience a culinary spin on familiar football favorites by the Farms very own Chef Sam Niemann. Each months Food and Beer Pairing Experience will have a different theme to highlight the season with dishes expertly prepared with and paired with a variety of beers from Anheuser-Busch. History Happy Hour at Fieldhouse Museum January 29, 2020 Join others for a History Happy Hour event hosted by the Field House Museum. Explore their latest exhibitions with complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres included in the cost of admission! This is a great opportunity to get together with your fellow history buffs or co-workers to relax during the rush hour. History Happy Hour is from 4:00 p. to 7:00 p. and is 10 per person. Jersey Boys at the Fabulous Fox Theatre January 30, 2020 - February 2, 2020 They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard… and the radio just couldnt get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story ? a story that has made them an international sensation all over again. The Loading Dock Ice Rink in Grafton, IL November 23, 2019 - March 8, 2020 Its that time of year! The Loading Dock Bar & Grill in Grafton is gearing up for the Grand Re-Opening of their Ice Skating Rink on Saturday, November 23rd. Each November The Boatworks is transformed into a Winter Wonderland offering ice skating, smores tables, and a full menu and bar, that is sure to entertain adults and kids alike. The rink will be open Friday, Saturday. Sunday through March 8. 2020 with extended hours during Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. Special events this year include a visit from Santa and a New Years Eve party. Shakespeare Festival St. Louis Presents: Dress the Part January 29, 2020 Created by the award-winning and off-broadway stars the Q Brothers, Dress the Part is hip-hop reimagining of Two Gentlemen of Verona. Proteus and Valentine are high school football stars at Verona College Prep who learn a thing or two about love, friendship and loyalty. Over twenty characters are played by two actors who never leave the stage in this 75-minute wild ride. Sittin on the Porch Open Jam at the National Blues Museum January 30, 2020 Join us at our ‘Sitting on the Porch Thursday night jam sessions, from 6PM ? 9PM. These events are just that ? jam sessions ? where musicians can just show up and join in the fun. Sleeping Beauty at Powell Symphony Hall January 31, 2020 - February 1, 2020 Great music bypasses the mind and grabs the emotions. Tchaikovskys Sleeping Beauty takes the whole family on a roller coaster of love, bravery and triumph. Two artists make their debut: Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, whose conducting has been called “spine-shudderingly good, ” (The Times) and Saleem Ashkar, whose interpretation of Mendelssohns concerto has made waves across the world. Soulard Farmer's Market Wednesday - Saturday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Soulard Farmers Market is located at 730 Carroll Street in St. Louis, Missouri, a half mile north of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. The market is open Wednesday through Saturday, year round. They feature locally grown and shipped in goods, including: produce, meats, cheeses, spices, gourmet kettle corn, flowers, baked goods, and general merchandise. There are also several different eateries that have many food options, which allows customers the convenience to grab a quick bite to eat and a drink while shopping. Soulard Mardi Gras: Bacchanalian Ball February 1, 2020 Soulard Mardi Gras have transformed the Wine, Beer and Whiskey Taste into an all-new gala worthy of the glitz and glamor of Mardi Gras and the rich history of Soulard: the Bacchanalian Ball. Enjoy 4 hours of unlimited drinks, delicious eats, live music, dancing and specialty cocktails in costume! Get your pass while they last! St. Louis Boat & Sportshow January 30, 2020 Don't miss the St. Louis Boat & Sportshow, January 30-February 2 at America's Center & The Dome. Shop hundreds of the latest boats, outdoor gear, travel deals and so much more at the best prices of the year, and enjoy outdoor activities and education for all ages and skill levels. Tickets are 12 (early bird price is 10 through 10:59 p. January 29. Kids 12 and under are free when accompanied with a paid adult admission. Steinberg Ice Skating Rink in Forest Park November 15, 2019 - March 1, 2020 Steinberg Skating Rink is the largest outdoor ice skating rink in the Midwest, offering public skating all day, everyday?including all holidays. Your skate admission is valid for all day. You may arrive at anytime during business hours & skate as long as you like. Sporting Events This Week Attractions Around the Area Comedy This Week Events on the Mississippi River St. Louis Cardinals schedule Anheuser-Busch Brewery Funny Bone Comedy Club Gateway Arch Events St. Louis Blues schedule City Museum Helium Comedy Club St. Louis FC schedule Gateway Arch The Improv Shop St. Louis Billikens Missouri History Museum Gateway Grizzlies schedule National Blues Museum Gateway Motorsports Park St. Louis Aquarium St. Louis Art Museum St. Louis Science Center St. Louis Zoo Recurring Outdoor Activities Big Muddy Adventures ? STL Riverfront Adventure Big Muddy Adventures was established in 2002. They are the first professional outfitter/guiding company providing access to the wild wonders of the Middle Mississippi and Lower Missouri Rivers. Hidden Valley Zip Tour ZipTour zip lines take about 2. 5 hours to complete. Tours run from 10 a. to 7 p. Riders are assigned to tour groups which are escorted through the course by two safety guides. Hidden Valley Ski Resort Running until March 1, 2020 Always check the Snow Report before coming out to Hidden Valley for updates on snow and tubing conditions. Skiing, snowboarding, and tubing are weather-dependent activities and conditions and hours are subject to change without notice. Live Music This Week SoFar St. Louis Experience the Gateway to the West with Sofar! From The Grove to Cherokee Street to The Loop, they're reimagining live events through curated, secret performances in intimate settings. Come mingle with touring acts, local and international artists, fellow music lovers and our imaginative hosts. St. Louis Symphony Concert Calendar Celebrated as one of today's most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 140th year with the 2019/2020 season and its first with Music Director Stéphane Denève. Widely considered one of the world's finest orchestras, the SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community connections ? all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music. This calendar includes the following venues. Blueberry Hill Duck Room Delmar Hall Halo Bar The Pageant Other Live Music Venue Calendars Atomic Cowboy BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups Broadway Oyster Bar Chesterfield Amphitheater Enterprise Center The Fabulous Fox Theatre Firebird Fubar Game 6 Honky Tonk Off Broadway Old Rock House The Ready Room Sheldon Concert Hall St. Louis Blues Museum Stifel Theatre Venice Cafe.
She didnt wanna buy anything, just wanted to check him for being multilingual thats all. ???♂?. Yohnus khan & rashid latif is the right choice or mohsin bhai. Wow. I'm impressed and jealous at the same time... Right of the bat, I'm aware of what this seems like. You've probably seen a thousand-and-one 'rituals' on the internet about these people who claim that they've had their greatest wish granted, and that it 'really works' and have the entire phone catalogue of rules that state that you have to perform it on a full moon, but only at the hours where the moon isn't visible to the naked eye, and you need to count the stars EXACTLY. I can assure you. the following game has no such rules. No trials, no tribulations. Just one, single piece of advice; Don't. Lie. The Otto-Tashiro game, as it probably sounds, has Japanese roots. a man of reversed name, Tarashio Otto, was a renown psychic, known for having a 99% accurate claim to fame. They were able to locate anything, or predict anything, or make a path to their customer's greatest desire with just a single, solitary question. 'Purei shimasu ka. which roughly translates to, Would you like to play. in English. Over the years, however, Tarashio began getting sterile. He would lazily wave off anyone he didn't feel deserved to be in his presence, and would even turn down huge sums of money to avoid having to tell people what he felt was right. Eventually, he ended up turning down the wrong guy- a mafia boss, trying to find the love of his life- and soon he was being thrown into the sea with concrete shoes. That night, however, Tarashio's body washed up on the beach. The name of his killer was carved into his back. The mafia boss was thrown into jail the next day. Soon after, rumours of Tarashio Otto, soon shortened to Tashiro Otto and then, Otto-Tashiro, coming back to life were beginning to circulate. If you sat at his grave in the graveyard he was buried in Japan at night, and asked him ' Purei shimasu ka. then his ghost would arise from the grave and tell you what you wanted to know. Soon, His Grave' became 'A Grave. The Graveyard' became 'A Graveyard. In Japan' became completely obsolete. So how do you play the 'Otto-Tashiro' game? Well, the rules are rather. simple. That is in the fact that there's none of them. The setup is also relatively easy- as you can probably assume, the graveyard where Otto-Tashiro doesn't exist anymore, so any graveyard in any country in any part of the world is fine. The only major condition is that it has to be night-time- the dark cover has always drawn in the supernatural. Sit in front of a grave. It doesn't matter who the grave belongs to- it can belong to no one if you don't wish to sit on the still earth of the dead. As long as the headstone is in a graveyard and the night is above you, you are meeting all the conditions of the Otto-Tashiro game. And if you are meeting all the conditions, then all you need to ask is a single question. 'Purei shimasu ka. It doesn't really matter if you get the wording right- if you have done everything correctly, the world around you will seem to spin and rotate as if the planet has left you behind. The stars themselves will seem to blink like Christmas lights and the moon will almost seem to have a question carved into it. In response to your question, it will have something written there. It will be written in your native language, to make sure that you know its there. 'What is it you desire. Speak your answer aloud into the air. It can be anything, big or small, with the sole exception that a human being could possibly acquire it- no asking for wings or being able to breathe under water, stuff like that. With a single blink after saying your true desire aloud, you will be cast back into a normal feeling world. Some claim that interacting with this game transports you to a new dimension- others simply state that you are possessed by the spirit of Otto-Tashiro himself. So, what happens next? Simply, you won't know until it begins. The Game does not start on your terms; it starts on the universe wanting it to. You won't even realise its begun when it does- it just starts, whether you're ready or not. What happens in the game? Again, you won't realise unless you're absolutely expecting it, which isn't possible. It may start with a single question on the street, something entirely out of the blue- something like 'Have we met before. or 'Hey, where do you get your hair done. Without assuming that the guy or girl is doing this for any reason, you answer. 'No, we haven't' you'll say subconsciously. 'Oh, it's from so-and-so' you'll recommend. You'll move on without ever thinking it was a coincidence. Oh, but how wrong you are. You see, it's not until the game is over that you'll finally realise what they were doing. It's not until you are snuggling down for a good night's rest that you'll feel that little weaving thread through your brain. And this will go on a while. Depending on the severity of what you asked for, the game will march along, catching you off guard with the silly little questions. Hell, after the first week, you may have found exactly the path to take and there will still be a beggar or a person handing out pamphlets that will somehow worm their way into a back alley that you tried escaping down because they believed it was the best place to be noticed. But that's the thing- they're just questions. Questions that, even as you get practically sidelined by them, you can simply say what you need to and head on your way. You mentally prepare yourself for what comes next, ready to give the same answers you did before. But they're never going to repeat. It won't take long for that notion to settle into your mind, either. It'll probably be soon after the person who asks 'Do you know how to get to X' that you'll realise that the questions don't repeat at any point. And soon, you'll find, that the people will begin running out of options. The people you meet will begin with the obvious ones- What's your eye, hair, skin colour- and then it'll descend into the less obvious- When's your birthday, when's your anniversary- before finally, they'll be asking you questions that you yourself don't even know. 'What's your birth stone' is a common one I've heard. 'What's your Great-Grandmother's name' is another. And that's the next thing- the questions are never trivia. They're never Multiplication, or History, or Regional Dialect. They're always personal- things that you would only be happy sharing about yourself with those you trusted, rather than the people you met on the street. But then you think to yourself- what if I just. don't answer? What if you stay silent, or try to mime being deaf, or just don't make eye contact at all? The answer, once again, is simple- You won't know until the end. Speaking of; you're probably thinking this is no longer worth it. After all, most of you are probably introverts- why would I come to you with this little game? Well, for the same reasons that a pedlar pushes his cart- I'm just moving through. Sharing what I know, deciding what I don't. I'm just along for the ride, I may as well sit myself somewhere comfortable. You may have noticed that I'm deflecting at this point, at the most crucial of moments- What happens at the End of the Otto-Tashiro Game? What happens when you inevitably win the game, and it finishes for good? Well, that's always the hardest part to say, because. you'll never know when the game is over. It can take anywhere from a month to fifteen years or, in the worst case scenario, it may never end for you at all. The only way to tell for absolutely sure how long the game will take is how frequent you're targeted with questions- if its once a week, you are hitting just below the average speed. All you'll know is that you'll go to sleep the night the game will end and wake up with your desire fulfilled. The desire you yelled into the sky that night. You probably won't even recognise at first- you'll get up, get ready for another day of barraging questions, only to find that you're ten-million dollars richer or that the love of your life was groaning for you to come back to bed. It'll be dropped on you, just like that. Not a single notion that it was even finished, but. rewarding all the same, no. There's still a question on your mind, isn't there? The rather obvious question of my first little hint, the one I eluded to four sentences in. What happens if you lie to the people who ask you the questions? What happens if you tell them a little white lie, or completely make up a bizarre story just to drive them away? Nothing. Well, at least. nothing to you. You see, these people who are asking you questions? They aren't doing it of their free will. They'll immediately get that notion in the back of their mind; this desire to hunt you down and ask you the question that just popped into their mind, like a rabid paparazzi member. And they WILL hunt you down- from the scrappiest of the homeless to the best-dressed of the gentlemen, you will cross their path. They'll ask their question, you will answer. Tell the truth, and nothing happens. Tell a lie. well, that's when the bad things begin. You see, there was a part of the story I didn't tell about mister Otto-Tashiro, and that was a simple slip of the tongue- Mr. Tarashio was a short-fused piece of dynamite, and liars were his trigger. It didn't matter what lie you told him; he would know, just like that, like a flip of the switch. He'd instantly be able to tell when someone was lying to him, about anything, and that. well, that's what weighed on him and his conscious. He'd kick the person out in a fit of rage, shut down his little tent for the day, where he'd fume over the lie he'd been told. So, what happens to you when you tell a lie? Well, I've already answered that- nothing happens to you. But this person, this innocent soul that you just lied to. well, their fate is sealed like candle-wax on a envel
Yessss. More sonic music Ive been replaying all the sonic games i own because of this album and its amazingly awesome so this album will “reach for the stars” if you get the joke. I was born-in and raised as a fourth generation JW. My mother worked as a gas station manager for very low wages to support us and my dad stayed home with us kids. My father was a type 1 diabetic and he had a lot of complications. He also didnt drive. So, we often listened to the meetings over the phone in my very early years. The paramedics were called to my house on so many occasions when my fathers blood sugar would get too low that he would refuse to drink or eat anything and convulse or just fall onto the floor. By the time that I was about five, he was on dialysis. I remember getting out of class and he just wasnt there to walk me home from school because his kidneys were failing. I walked home by myself fearing the worst. A little later, he had his first kidney transplant, a “conscience matter. ” Unfortunately it clotted and was unsuccessful, I thought Satan was behind it. Some years later, my mom got sent to the East coast for work. During that time she was away, my father got the call that they had a match from a donor. So, he had to go to the hospital and we had to stay with an old sister from the Hall who, I swear to this day, fed us cat food for lunch. It was like sloppy joes, but with tuna. ? It was a scary and traumatic time for us and just a couple days after my mom got back, 9/11 happened. I remember being so glad that Jehoober made sure she got home safely. At some point when I was three, despite all of my fathers health problems, including having recently been in the hospital for pneumonia, I remember getting visited by the elders who essentially said “Hey, are you really that sick? We feel like you could make it to the meetings if you tried and if (my mom) would make it a priority to get those nights off. ” Because hey, “Youre missing out on this great fellowship. ” The fellowship where they tell you that youre not doing enough. Because in the religion, you never are doing enough. Its not enough to go to two meetings a week, you also had to go to book study. Its not enough to go to two meetings and one book study per week, you also have to go door to door. Then its not enough to go to two meetings, one book study and one day of service you have to do service more than once a so on. My feelings of not doing enough and low self-esteem started so young, as with many of us. They told him that they would no longer allow him to listen on the phone. We started going to KH a lot more often after that visit. We always studied the WT beforehand, and at almost every meeting I would give an answer to a question that was extravagantly reworded and people would shower me with compliments after for repacking the WT answer with my own pretty words and possibly finding another bible verse to cite. That was as much of a personality that one could aspire to have. My dad slowly got more involved until he became a ministerial servant who passed out the microphones, did bank runs, and worked the literature counter or the sound booth. He also gave a lot of talks and read from the Bible on stage. I remember that one talk he gave was about things to look forward to in paradise and he broke down crying when he talked about having a fully functioning body and never having to inject himself with insulin or feel pain ever again. Getting there wasnt easy, however. He was talked to before about wearing suits that were too colorful and ties that had cartoon characters on them. God forbid someone have some personality. When I was a kid, all that I wanted was to make my parents happy. So I always gave answers and tried to get more involved. I became an unbaptised publisher of the “good news” when I was around 8. An age when most of my friends were thinking about or getting baptized. My dad didnt want me to do it young though, so I stayed an unbaptized publisher. They didnt want me to get DF in my teens based on a decision made so young. We went to the meetings every Wednesday and Sunday, book study every Thursday, and field service every Saturday. I would make sure to do at least 20 hours a month of field service and I was in the rotation to do little skits with other women at the hall, but of course only in the back room. This was all in addition to homework. My mom must have been so tired, I cant imagine doing all of those activities with a full time job. I already come home tired. I hated going door to door. I remember one time I knocked on a door and a person yelled from their bed, “Who is it? I dont want to buy anything. ” It being my turn I said “Oh were not selling anything, were just your neighbors here to tell you about the good news. ” He said “Thats why I have my shotgun right here. ” I was taken aback and offered no help because it was my door to call on. Then he said “Look, I just got back from Afghanistan and I lost my leg, so I really dont want to hear about it, so go away! ” And away we scurried. I always had my doubts, but I kept on going, afraid of losing my family if I admitted I didnt believe the JWs. I was 12. And worried about being disowned. But yet when I was 3, I accidentally impaled my arm on a metal fence. My flesh was ripped open and I lost a lot of blood. I got nearly 50 stitches and a full arm cast so I wouldnt rip them. When I was getting them removed I was told how lucky I was. Had I lost any more blood I would have needed a blood transfusion. Even then I knew we didnt believe in those and I told that doctor that. Its scary to think whether my parents would have really let me die before getting a blood transfusion. Im glad that didnt happen. Before I even became a teenager, on a morning like any other, we called the paramedics to help my dad who was feeling sick. Unfortunately he passed away right in front of me and there was nothing they could do to revive him even though they arrived within one minute. And like that my life changed. If you ask anybody they would tell he was a great guy and would have made elder, and he was, he could be. But they didnt live with him. He wasnt always the best father and I will always feel guilty for saying that. There were some good times when he rode bikes with us or took us to play catch but he was a very depressed man who although I knew he loved me, I didnt always feel as though he liked me. Many times I thought he would be happier without us. He was emotionally and physically abusive at times. Honestly, the house was toxic, and I never wanted to be there. My best days were when we would go grocery shopping, plane spotting, or to a diner. We always made excuses for him because he was sick and sad. I still missed him though, especially because things had gotten better before he died. When he died, the witnesses were incredibly kind. However, the things that they say to try to comfort someone reeling from such a loss dont really have the intended effect. It was emphasized that this is a temporary system of things and one day I would see him in paradise. If I got baptized and made it through Armageddon, that is. These experiences with the JWs around death and depression really started to wake me up. I found more comfort in science and the universe and stars than I ever found with the JWs, so I immersed myself in that. They really acted like we should all be over his death because of the paradise promise. But I couldnt live my life serving a vindictive sky dad with every minute I had. I couldnt live for a life that wasnt promised, I had to live in this one that I know I have. When my father died, I gained a lot of weight really quickly. I was depressed and when I saw what all of the food was doing to my body and thought about how no one would ever want me because I was heavy, the fact that this system was temporary meant that in the future Id have a perfect body in paradise and it didnt matter if no one wanted me. I thought even if I lose the weight and have an ugly body, since any sexual activity before marriage is prohibited, Id be protected because I could keep it a secret from my husband until our wedding night. When I was 14, I started getting fed up with the witnesses. I was studying with a lady from the congregation and we were still going to meetings but I was sick of spending my weekends that way. I started locking my bedroom door and pretending like my mom pounding on the door and yelling did not wake me up. I am a deep sleeper, but not that deep. We started going less and I lost my unbaptised publisher status. They took me out of the skit rotation. And when I was 15 I told my mom that I didnt want to study with the lady anymore. I asked her to call her and let her know and the lady told my mom that unless I called her and told her myself, she was going to come get me like usual. So I had to call and tell this lady that I didnt want to study anymore so that I could do extracurricular activities, like a sport to lose weight and the lady told me that I needed to start thinking about losing my mom. My mom wasnt going to meetings regularly, but I didnt have to follow suit. I could leave my mom (stay with study lady) and continue studying and going to the meetings and this would just prepare me in the event that I would lose her in Armageddon. She said this to a child who already lost one parent traumatically and was absolutely terrified to lose her remaining one, even if only through her shunning me. However, when that didnt work I got told how disappointed Jehoober was in me and how that wasnt going to make me happy or save my life because I was going to die in Armageddon if I didnt live my life according to the JWs. Somehow that conversation ended and I felt free. I was still PIMO for a couple of years until we started going even less. Even when we didnt go, my mom was still POMI and we were subjected to Shepparding calls multiple times. We became that fami
Hi, Let me apologize on the wall of text, but I feel the need to give you the full story in hopes that your answers are genuine. Go back 2018 August, we started texting on a dating app, but initially, we didn't hit off at first. She thought I was being a jerk, when in fact I was busy with my career, and since she was in another country I didn't invest much in her at first. About a month of not texting I saw her birthday post on Facebook, which was unusual as she barely ever posts anything. I then texted her happy birthday, and we then proceeded to text back and forth a bit having the same birthday and other things as well. It then started to speed up, and the conversations between us started to grow. Soon after it got more personal, but I was still hesitant as she was living in a neighboring country, and I wasn't going to see her anytime soon anyways. But she kept texting, soon after we started talking and video chatting. It became clear to me we had very similar upbringings and had a lot in common, we were both comfortable sharing experiences that for good or worse shaped our lives. We became penpals/friends, but nothing more. I wasn't looking for more to be honest, as I had just gotten divorced in February 2018. But the more we talked the deeper the connection. Seeing my jobs takes me all over the world, I have quite a lot of contacts within my line of work. Around October, I was offered a position near her town. I didn't tell her I went for a job interview, as I assumed it would send the wrong signals. But I told her I was going there for work and could stay the weekend, to meet up. She excitedly said YES, and that I shouldn't worry about a place to stay, as she had a guest bedroom I could stay in. I was a little worried about staying with a total stranger, so I booked the hotel anyways. I then went there to have a job interview, which went well. Then I later met up with her and proceeded to go out for dinner and a tour around the city nightlife. She was very reserved, to the point where I felt almost as if she was uncomfortable. After a few pubs and clubs, she offered that I could stay at her place. I said that I'd like that, and off we went. I didn't feel like there was the "spark" between us. Once at her place, we started talking, enjoyed a few glasses of wine, and the talk quickly became more intimate. She then did what I'd say was the first red flag. Talking about previous partners, meanwhile crying a river. I comforted her, but the night was left awkward, and I did sleep in the guest bedroom with the door locked. Thinking that maybe it was not really meant for me and that maybe she wasn't really ready either. The next day I woke up, we made breakfast together and despite the tensions last night, she was relaxed and seemed much more comfortable. We went out seeing sights, and walked around old parts of the town. I felt she was way more relaxed, but still wasn't that affectionate towards me. Until we went for the movies, there she flipped 180. Might have been the movie (A star is born) or the ambience I don't know. We went home to her place and she kissed me goodnight. The next day I was going back, I thought despite all I didn't want to persue this, as I didn't really feel the chemistry brewing. I was attracted to her, but was unsure she felt the same way. She dropped me off at the Airport, and before sending me off kissed me. For the first time I felt her being affectionate towards me. In such a way it made me question, if I simply missed the signs the whole weekend, or if she was so reserved due to past experiences. Once back I started receiving messages immediately, that were much more intimate and more focused from her. I was in no doubt anymore, she wanted more than just being a friend. But at the time I was still very confused. We're both adults, me late 20's and her mid 20's... But I'd never had this level of confusion before, did I completely miss all the signs? We then saw each other the next 10 months long distance, a lot of details was revealed in this period of time. She was Bisexual, and had only been in relationship with one girl, tried dating men after her failed relationship(Without Success) She was a virign the first time we had sex(with a man) We experienced Ups and downs like all couples, but mostly she felt that i was pushing her. all in all, it was an unusual relationship the first 10 months. And I tried being patient with her, trying to understand that a lot of the things that makes being in a relationship was new to her. Then in May 2019 I got another offer near her location. It was a perfect fit, and I accepted the job. I expected her to be excited, that we could finally get to know each other better. And have a real relationship. Her reaction was almost that, but I could tell she felt that maybe I only took the job because of her being there. I would lie if I said that she wasn't part of the equation, but not the definitive factor in my decision. Before moving there I visited all her family, who lives on the other side of the globe. I was suprised that her family was so relaxed, and greeted me with welcome arms. I'd put in a lot of effort in learning customs, and brought albums everything about me and my family to show them who I was. All in all, our trip was amazing, and at that point I was started to fall in love with her. I saw that perhaps she could be the one. Her affection towards me, and the thought of our future together was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. Litterally floating on clouds... I then moved, and at first it was amazing. I'd see her all the time, get to know each other and became closer than ever before. Everything was amazing, I felt like this was the best decision in my life. Then came the first Argument, about 2 months after I had moved I had accompanied her to a party at her friends, I was trying to hard to get aqquainted with her friends, but had very little in common with them. Although I'd say it wasnt perfect, I still had a good time until she abandoned me with people i hardly knew. I was at there place for a good 6 hours, she just vanished. I didn't know anyone per say, but tried to survive with smalltalk and got by. When she all of a sudden returned, she told the others that we'd go home now as it was getting late. I found out, that her friend had issues with her partner, and she had comforted her upstairs in the house we were. I told her that I would have preferred a text or maybe a tap on shoulder as I felt a little "left to fend for myself" as no one at the party spoke English and I've yet to speak the local language that well. She rolled her eyes, and proceeded with personal attacks. Which then turned in to an outwright argument once we came home. We resolved the matter, and I just asked her to be upfront with, and at least let me know. (trying my best to be resonable) At this point we've been seeing each other for a year or so, Long distance 10 months or so, and as a couple for about 3-4 months. I started to notice things like she never included me in her scarce posts, never tagged me... I was a ghost in her online persona. I never gave it much thought as I haven't made a post on facebook in years, and my last update was removing the married status back in feb. 2018. Her still said single, and I started asking myself why... We had a few talks about it, but she just said she doesn't want to deal with the attention. It would be like this on and off until december 2019 small fights, nothing major. I did however start to notice the Sex becoming less and less, and she didn't show me the affection I was used to. She stopped responding when I told her I loved her, and would get very upset if I confronted her about her behaviour, saying it's all new for her, and that she has a lot on her mind. Then we were going back to my home country to spend christmas with my family. waiting to board the plane she out of the blue told me, she's thinking of applying for a job in another country. Dumbfounded and in chock, I asked her if we can't talk about this after the trip to my parents. She agreed, but as soon as we arrived and got our rental it resumed. I told her that I'd support her career, but found it odd that should would focus so much on this one oppertunity, now that we finally were together. She said that she felt the need to be independant, and have her own life too. Which I can relate too in some degre... But stil... She then landed a bomb-shell on me that has for me almost ruined our relationship. She told me that she doesn't feel safe with me anymore, and that she feels that I'm cold and indifferent. She said the decline in sex was due to her not feeling like I cared, and that I was being egoistic in my behavior... She felt pressured to have Sex, and didn't enjoy it. She felt like she's walking on eggshells and that I don't understand her. And most hurtful of all commments were the fact she felt unsafe with me. Saying she sometime shivered and cried after we have had sex. Something I never had noticed, because we'd clean up and sleep after we had sex, and I never felt this behaviour from her in the moment. But maybe I had been blind. I told her maybe we're not meant to be, and that it was better for her to figure out what she wants. I'm not a demanding or needy person as long as I feel i can rely on my partner and feel loved I'm easy to deal with. I do however overthink which is properbly evident in my story. The last month or so, We've had episodes of trying to resolve our differrences and trying to be more relaxed around each other. It goes well for a couple weeks, but then when I'm with her I don't feel her being affectionate towards me at all. We do have sex, but it feels off. We do kiss, but it feels off. Everytime I ask if she's okay, if somethings on her mind. She gets annoyed. But everytime I suggest we split she panics and assures me this is what she wants. She tells me has a lot on her mind, and that it's stressful for her somet
I take it the soldier is the True Main Antagonist/Villain. Well, I'm usually a guy that writes a lot, and this has many parts interrelated, I'm not sure why, but I feel I want to share this with you, I'm not sure either if someone would find it useful, but here it goes. I'm a 23 yo Spanish guy, I study environmental sciences (and btw Jordan, especially introducing me to Bjorn Lomborg has been huge for me) and every part of that data matters, even though it doens't seem like so right now. Ever since I can remember, I have memories of myself moving along with the tv, with some kung fu movie I had watched a thousand times and memoried the steps, I always wanted to be Bruce Lee, or Liu Kang, or Spiderman. Part of my desire comes from my father, he's a black belt in taekwondo, but ever since i've known him he's been overweight and he can't hurt a fly or move well. He's one of those fake martial artists who believes in energy that doesn't exist, like chi qung and shit like that. I grew up with this deep desire to be fit, but my parents were shitty parents, my mom had, well has, bipolar disorder and depression and my father just wasn't good in this aspect, I got fat, I didn't brush my teeth (I didn't start until I was 16 btw) and obviously I couldn't move. Then in 2007, when I was a little kid still, I found these parkour videos on a dvd and it was all I could think about, but it was really unreal to me, I couldn't see myself doing those things, and I had no one to teach me, and especially to tell me I needed to be fit before doing parkour, but so I hung around with some other kids, the few in my town that liked parkour and no one achieved anything, we didn't know how to train and we didn't have a place, it was a lot of fear, a lot of wasting time and frustration. Everyone from the group stopped doing parkour, and even though I didn't learn, my fire never got extinguished, I knew I wanted it and badly, so when I was 13, I got a bit fitter, but not really, just running and doing stuff like that. Then at 16 i started lifting weights and I got fucking ripped (I also became atheist, becuase I was until then in a fucking cult, now you have a clearer vision of who my father was and how sad and horrible the mind of these fake martial artists are) but I was amazed to discover even though I looked good, my muscles were non functional, I couldn't do a handstand I couldn't do much with it. Then it all went downhill because a girlfriend I had fucked me over in many ways, she did really horrible things, but I also chose her as a girlfriend because I was afraid of a real relationship, but so, I got fatter, not fat, I was still fit, but not amazing. I didn't mention I've always had, from 9 years or so onwards huge social anxiety, even one on one, speaking to my mom for example. I also failed high school, when I was in the cult I was passing everything, but ever since I became atheist, realized the problems of my life, and finally could breath outside that shitty thing, plus my girlfriend, it fucked me up badly. But I survived, and I realized who I was and who I wanted to be, I started learning guitar, English, going back to parkour, which I never forgot about, it's just I stopped doing it becuase I was so depressed and anxious all the time. I started getting better and better in parkour I passed high school and said goodbye to that filthy classroom, because the education in Spain is shit, I was meant to memorize a bunch of useless stuff, not to learn anything of value (and Jordan Peterson proved all my thoughts to be true about the education I received, he's truly a good professor. I moved to another city to study in university, and this city had a beach, so I figured I may start doing flips and stuff, but I couldn't. I'm 6'4 (195 cm) tall and I weight 100 kg (I think around 230 pounds, not sure though) without a gym, having to study and pass everything in university, plus dealing with removing social anxiety, which I did by some tapes from Dr Richards from the Social Anxiety institute that some guy in reddit actually, gave me for free, and he saved my life! And I will repay the doctor when I start making money and the social anxiety institute. But so I got better at parkour, but not so much, and during a whole year, last year, I didn't improve at all basically, I started surfing instead but the dream would haunt me at night, I was just waiting for an opportunity to have a gym, training in the street is so boring, if you do it all the time and it's hard to be fit enough, becuase it rains and you can't train, etc. So surfind was a better choice for fun, but it didn't get me fit. I also love surfing more than gymnastics, but I still love gymnastics. Well I didn't mention that as a kid, when I Was like 12 or so I found gymnastics, becuase of this movie called The Peaceful Warrior that people in my stupid cult were addicted to, and the movie is shit, but it introduced me to gymnastics and thank god for that. I just never had a gym and every gymnast is realy short, there aren't 6'4 gymnast anywhere on earth as far as i know, so it was always and still is a burning dream, but I couldn't fulfil it. Then 6 months ago, I moved to bergen, to get better education first of all, but I discovered that there was a free gym with gymnastics stuff, a huge mat and some other mats around and a spring floor, and I was like this is awesome, but it makes sense becuase it's goddamn norway. So I trained my ass off every day, I forgot I came here to study for a month, and then I had to stop training and just study non stop to make up for the time hahaha And this is really what I wanted to talk, this is the story, but you needed the other details to get the full picture, here I was 23, well 22, but about to become 23, I was fit, but I was truly afraid of doing flips, I had never done them, not even on swimming pools, but I knew I wanted it. I had to face a lot of anxiety becuase of speaking english for the first time with someone that doens't know Spanish, I had to face my fears of just breaking my neck or something going terribly wrong, I had to get disciplined so I'd train every day and I wouldn't just do fun stuff like flips, workouts are the base for any gymnast. I did the self authoring program and it helped me a lot to see what I actually want in life, and I realized on my dreams, ranked 3rd in importance, is to essentially get all those skills I always wanted, some are from gymnastics, mainly that's what I want, to do flares, flips, handstands, giants on high bar, iron cross on rings, etc, but other skills are from parkour, break dance and even capoeria. I put myself a christmas challenge, that got postponed until tomorrow, which is when I go back to spain to visit, I'm gonna come back after a week though, but it would be the frist time in my old town, not the place where I studied, in a long long time, and after having had a gym like the one I use in Bergen. So the challenge was this: just the line from the guy with the black shirt, it'just a few seconds long Pretty hard, but well I like high goals. I was able to backflip on the ground good, here's the video of the day that I learned. back in october, just before my brithday 2 weeks later I could frontflip on the ground, but much worse, and then I stopped training becuase of university, which was really painful, but when I came back I just focused on frontflips and I couldn't imrpove them, I got so frustrated in Christmas, and I gave up trying that hard and putting that many hours into it, but then I suddenly did perfect frontflips one day, then I got hyped again, and ever since I haven't been able to do them as good, although they're never horrible. But it was already after christmas, so soon to go back to spain and I had failed the challenge, miserably, so I felt bad, but still I was just going to keep training and some day get it. The self authoring program is written, I just have to stick to the plan. And today, the afternoon before going back to the plane and having to train without any mats again, just grass or concrete, I did the round off backflip, which was huge for me, it's a trick I always wanted, my goal was basically that with a 360 turn, which is harder to do, but once you have the normal one is just practice, I just didn't know if I was ever going to be able to make it. It was really weird, it's like my body unconciously was getting prepared for today, I wasn't thinking on doing it, not in one day first of all, and not the day before Spain, but that's the way it worked. Here's me doing it. I'm still far away from my goal of being a gymnast, but this is a huge accomplishment, and it made me think so much of Jordan Peterson and I got really emotional, I cried and everything, this day showed to me that there's power sleeping inside of us, like Jordan says if you put yourself in tough situations, you'll discover you'll stronger than you think. And I couldn't agree more, I saw it, I thought I was going to break my neck, and I did it perfectly goddamnit! I started to think when I came home about Pinocchio, probably becuase of Jordan Peterson, but it just popped into my head, and this scene defined how I feel like: I thought I was going to die when I did the jump, I was praying not to break my neck, but I didn't hope anything better than landing really low, but not only did it not get hurt, I did an amazing one. So I felt like Pinocchio waking up and thinking I'm not just alive, I'm a real boy, becuase yes, that's exactly how it felt a real boy. I forgot to mention that the day I did the backflip I had huge anxiety, I had some stomach pain and problems becuase I felt really awkward with people, and I was anxious around them, so I really had to push through the pain, it's sad but the social anxiety I felt was the worst part of learning the backflip, and the backflip itself was scary even though not painful. And today, with the round of backflip, I literally felt 2 or 3 times that my body woul
This is Part 2 of a continuing story. Look for Part 1 before reading! The Pre Side Quest + Side Quest [BRIEF] Brief: This took place at Krystal's house with her family present. It was done in a gameshow format, where Brit was the contestant answering trivia questions. Her family served as the audience, but could also help her out at certain points in the game. This “side quest” gave her the opportunity to win prizes, and additional game cards which she could use to speed up the main game. BRIEF] Detailed: This side quest was a lot different from the others. It was nearing her birthday and I wanted to do something extra special for that. The things to consider at this point was that we needed to begin wrapping up these quests because I was targeting October to be the time of the proposal. Thats when the leaves will begin to change colors over at Flagstaff and she needs to be able to open the box when that happens. So she needs more numbers (she only has three so far) except I just couldnt set up these quests fast enough because they take up so much planning and time. So how do you give her more numbers without making it look like youre giving them away? The only way to do this was to give her the opportunity to win them. Easily, but not too easy. It would have to be something more than a scavenger hunt this time, and elaborate enough to act as the centerpiece of her birthday celebration. So I thought about doing a big gameshow instead, with her family as the “audience” who she can also call upon to help with certain questions. It was going to be a trivia gameshow where she can win points towards certain prizes. Yes, some of those prizes included Heart Reveal cards she can choose to play to get some of the Heartnumbers directly, thus speeding up the whole proposal game. I wrote up tons of questions all ranging from relationship details/history, or about me, or even something that a member of her family might know. I rigged an Apple TV to Krystal's TV so I can beam the slides and graphics from my MacBook Pro over to her TV, where it could be visible to everyone. I had Don be in charge of the audio/visual while I play the host. For this I wore a suit and went full on gameshow host cosplay. Pre side quest. Before the day of the gameshow, I thought it would be nice to go on a little pre side quest where she would have the opportunity to win 3 bonus cards which could assist her in the gameshow, if she ever gets stuck on any of the questions. Those three cards were: Reveal answer Eliminate two wrong answers (questions were multiple choice of 4) Phone a friend I set up this little pre side quest in her familys cabin in the woods, because I wanted to incorporate it in the game somehow. Its been such an important place for our relationship and one of our favorite places to go. Using the Heartsfinity Customer Service lore that I started with from the last quest, I created a fake gmail and began emailing her as a Heartsfinity Customer Service rep whos been tasked with helping her. The email read that because of the screwup on their 3rd quest, and as a token of goodwill to our continued loyalty in choosing them to be our scavenger hunt company of choice, they will airdrop some gifts to help her out on the next part of her quest. Unfortunately, the wind sort of blew them off course from their target zone (the cabin) so she needs to go out into the woods and find them. But before she can even venture outside, this little pre side quest actually starts inside the cabin. She needs to find some crucial tools to help us for our trek in the woods. She was tasked in finding two things that I had hidden in the cabin: a compass and a set of foot directions for those lost airdropped gifts. After a few min of searching, she found one of them in the washing machine and the other item was in the freezer. After she collected the compass and directions, she learned that she had to basically walk for x amount of minutes in x direction to get to the gifts, which was somewhere in the forest outside the cabin. She had to use her Apple Watch to time our walk and the compass to make sure our bearing was accurate. When we got close to the spot in the forest, I told her to listen for the chime, as thats the only way to pinpoint the exact location of the hidden gifts. (Again, Tile tracker was our friend for this. We activated the tracker in our phone, and we could hear the unmistakable electronic chime of something in the distance. After pinpointing the spot with our ears, she uncovers a bag hidden on the ground with the aforementioned gifts: the bonus game cards and a complimentary freeze dried ice cream for the hike! All compliments of the Heartsfinity Company of course; Shes still confused to the purpose of the game cards because it hasnt been revealed that theres going to be a gameshow setup for the next quest, but I told her to be patient and keep the game cards because theyll be relevant soon enough. After our weekend in the cabin, we went back down south to Phoenix and I told her that this next part would require us to stop by at Krystal's house to continue with the rest of the side quest. Some background before we get to the actual gameshow… This next part took a lot of preparation and rehearsal with her family. Some weeks before, I had revealed to them my idea of creating a gameshow for Brit, as a special thing that Im doing for her birthday and everyone has their part to play in it. First, there needs to be some feigning and I wanted her to walk somewhere thinking that its going to be something else but it ends up being a surprised gameshow. For this, I needed to dress up Krystal's house. I was imagining a room full of candles. Like hundreds of LED candles, just lighting up every surface and shelf. Even her family gets to line up in the back, silently and solemnly holding up a row of candles. It had to look dazzling with romantic music playing in the background. I wanted her to enter the house thinking that this was it… this had to be where its gonna happen… and then boom! Everyone yells “GAMESHOW! ” and all the lights flip back on and then she finds out that she is actually in a gameshow where she is the unwitting contestant. A bit cruel? Perhaps. I think the whole point with all the feigning was that I wanted to give her multiple proposal situations. Like… I know that I could have done it this way, and it would still have been grand and beautiful… but I didnt. The actual proposal is going to be something else entirely and its going to be much better. And yet I still wanted to let you feel how it would have felt like if I had chosen to do it this way anyway. I know I cant make complete sense of it, but I was also imagining this whole thing was supposed to be one big proposal made up of many quests, and they all could have been their own proposal. But she didnt get that or this specific proposal scenario. Instead she got all of them together. The complete and ultimate proposal experience? Or maybe Im just a twisted dude with a dark sense of humor, I dont know. But thats the way it happened so continuing on… So after several bulk orders of cheap Amazon LED candles and a lot of prep work later… the house was ready for the big show and here we are back to the present… So after she walks in Krystal's dark over-the-top candlelit house, nervous and unsure of whats going on, everything played out exactly the way that we had rehearsed it. The soft music abruptly cuts, the lights flipped back on, and the cheesy gameshow theme song and graphics lit up the TV with everyone yelling, “Gameshow! ” on queue to break the romantic mood. Then I explained the rules of the game to her in my cheesy gameshow voice. I cant go into any more detail on how it was played without making this longer than it already is, so to fast forward. At the end, she managed to win a coupon book (a book full of favors and errands that I will personally do for her) and more importantly, 3 Heart Reveal cards! So doing the math, she has 3 out of 8 of the numbers from the quests, 1 Reveal card (as a freebee from the start of the game) plus the 3 Reveal cards she had won from the gameshow. So thats 7 Heartnumbers she basically can claim and she only needed 1 more Heartnumber to open the Heartbox! Also if you remember, she also started out with a Heart GPS as well, but she ended up “selling” that to gain an advantage on one of the questions during the gameshow. I designed the gameshow so she could do stuff like that. A minor detail, but if youre keeping count all this time then it would probably drive you crazy not knowing what happened to that specific card. But there was a slight oversight… now the game is going a little too fast because I was too generous with the number of Heart Reveal cards that she was able to win. Plus she did exceptionally well in the gameshow. Except the proposal cant happen just yet, because it needed to happen under a very specific set of conditions… again, I needed both her and my family to be present on the day of the proposal so I had to arrange a specific date in October when 10 working adults can be present at a specific location in Flagstaff and 4 of them (my family) live in California! The best we could do was set up the proposal date in the middle of October which was still two weeks away. So 1 more quest was just not going to cut it. I needed 2 more quests. The problem of course, was that she already had one too many Heart Reveal cards (4. So I made a deal with her to “buy” one of them for cash lol, leaving her access to only 6 out of 8 Heartnumbers, and thus opening the door to 2 more quests. Since we had two weeks left before the proposal date, that means I still needed to stretch out the 4th and 5th quests so the game could end right on time for that target proposal date. Quest 4 [BRIEF] Brief: This quest is the longest out of all the others that came before it. It included board games, invisible messages, blacklights, drag
Full: Abominable - UHD Arctic - HD Christopher Robin - HD Disobedience - HD Free Fire - HD Good Boys - HD Good Time - HD Green Book - HD High Life - HD Hotel Mumbai - HD Indivisible - HD Justice League - UHD Motherless Brooklyn - HD Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - HD Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace - HD Swiss Army Man - HD Terminator: Dark Fate - UHD The Dead Don't Die - HD The Disaster Artist - HD The Farewell - HD The Good Liar - HD The Killing of a Sacred Deer - HD The Lighthouse - HD The Lobster - HD Thoroughbreds - HD Tremors: 6-Movie Collection - HD Vox Lux - HD Split: 101 Dalmatians (Signature Collection. GP - HD Aladdin (1992. GP - HD Aladdin and the King of Thieves - GP - HD Aladdin: The Return of Jafar - GP - HD Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day - GP - HD Annihilation - iTunes - UHD Ant-Man - GP - HD Avengers: Age of Ultron - GP - HD Avengers: Endgame - GP - HD Avengers: Infinity War - MA - HD Beauty and the Beast (2017. GP - HD Boyhood - VUDU - HD Captain America: Civil War (CA. GP - HD Captain America: The First Avenger - GP - HD Captain America: The Winter Soldier - GP - HD Cinderella II: Dreams Come True - GP - HD Cinderella III: A Twist in Time - GP - HD Gemini Man - iTunes - UHD Kingsman: The Golden Circle - iTunes - UHD Light of My Life - VUDU - HD Lion King (1994. GP - HD Lion King 1. 5 - GP - HD Peter Pan: Return to Neverland - MA or GP - HD Sherlock Gnomes - VUDU - HD Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (CA. GP - HD Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (CA. GP - HD Tangled - GP - HD The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea - GP - HD The Little Mermaid III: Ariel's Beginning - GP - HD The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - GP - HD The Nightmare Before Christmas - MA - HD Toy Story 4 - GP - HD Wall-E (CA. GP - HD.
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I am struggling with life right now. I feel like I'm trapped and my life isn't progressing and I've developed some anxiety about issues I cant control. On a whim about 3 weeks ago I logged back into my Meet Up app (a place to find people/groups with common interests) and type in anxiety. I found a group called "London Shyness and Social Anxiety" and they were having a meet up today, 23rd January 2020. It was going to be a talk about "how to end self sabotage" with a hypnotherapist called Chrisopher Paul Jones. I went, and ended up sitting next to a woman called Janet and we started talking. I told her I was here because I had been cheated on and the fear of it happening again was stopping me from progressing in relationship. She said "Same. But I soon found out what she meant was SHE was the one who cheated in her relationship because she wasnt happy. She was scared that if she got into another relationship, she would fall out of love again and cheat again. It was a bit of an eye opener seeing it from the other perspective. Anyway the talk was good, I left feeling positive. Before I left home, I decided I was going to get a takeaway on the way home because it would be late. I pack 10 in my bag, which is weird cuz I rarely have cash. I got off the train and startedwalking to my local chicken and chip, excited for my food when a man stopped me. He was about 5'8, white with a short white beard, kinda chubby, like a young Father Christmas lol. He waved me down and asked "I'm really sorry to bother you, are you a student or do you work. I rarely stop to talk to people but I answered, I work. He looked happy and came closer to me and just started chatting. I was literally 10metres from the chicken shop but I listened to what he wanted. I stood there talking to him for half an hour. He started with "I have a reason why I stopped you but first let me just say you're very pretty. then he went off on a tangent. He asked me my star sign and started talking about his family and that his dad was an Aries and hes a Libra so they get on well. He has 3 sisters, he had a twin but he died really young. he started talking about his first girlfriend and how he still thinks about her sometimes and goes to places they used to go. All this time he was talking I was a bit weirded out. He was so bubbly, very talkative, like he was talking at me not too me, but I didn't leave. For the first few seconds I thought "this a set up and he's trying to mug me" so I clutched my bag closer but as he talked I could see he was just really lonely. He kept complimenting me and said he could feel that I had a warm heart which, regardless if he was chatting crap, kinda choked me up a bit because I felt like i had become so cold and cynical over the passed few months and everyone could see it. 20 minutes into talking, he mentions that he was out because he was picking up his prescription and even showed me to prove it. He was taking propranolol and citalopram. He said he suffers from anxiety and talked about his OCD. He looks at me and asks "do you suffer from anxiety. At this point, I thought I was being secretly filmed. What are the chances? He talked to me about overthinking, panic attacks and how to get through them, all the time being so bubbly it was infectious. Honestly this guy basically had verbal diarrhoea! He was just chatting and jumping from topic to topic. I told him I keep ruminating and thinking about the future thinking the worst or I wont get to have the family/life I want because of what's happened. He said something like "if a guy would ever leave you they need to go specsavers. for the buy one and get one free. Eventually he got to the point of why he stopped me. It was because he needed 2 to pay for his electricity. I told him to "come with me to the chicken shop and I'll give u my change. He kept insisting to pay me back and I said dont worry about it. I fully understand that this mad could have been totally scamming me out of 2but I didnt care at all. I liked listening to him talk. We left the chicken shop together and turns out we live really close to each other. Right where we had to part, he went off on another tangent about how his dad had an affair and married the mistress. He told me he was devastated and that's where his anxiety started. He said he resented the new wife for a long time but now is ok, 25 years later lol he told me "I never hated her, hate is a strong word but I disliked her. But that dislike wasnt helping me so I forgive her and my dad. I haven't forgotten though" I guess it's TRUE that I have to forgive. I ended up talking to him for a total of about 50 minutes and I dont know what it was about this guy but he just calmed me down, he kept saying I was the highlight of his day for listening to him, but I think he was the highlight of mine. For almost an hour we just talked and laughed and it was nice hearing him laugh whole suffering from anxiety, and me too. I haven't laughed like that in such a long time. I finally said goodbye and said "dont forget me. I'm easy to remember, it's not Starbucks, its Costa! Dont forget. we hugged and went out separate ways. I know this was the most random story. but I had to post it before I went to sleep. My belly is full from my chicken and chips and so is my heart because of Costa. TL;DR A random man stopped me on my way home and spoke to me as if he knew exactly what I was feeling and thinking and made me feel so much better.
Friend, sorry I have to miss the appointment with you as I will be sick next month. Lol. I love you mimi. To my Sparrow, I've wanted to think through this letter properly. I knew the end was coming, I just haven't wanted it to be true. I've spent a lot of time and thought going in to this, adding little bits here and there, because I know it will be the last you hear from me. So please should you ever find this... never delete it, save it somewhere you can find, take it all in... even the bits that hurt. Don't just read the words, feel the love, the pain, the raw emotion behind them as I write them... and please know that every single word of this has always been, and will always be the truth. This will not be an easy ride for you, my sparrow, but it will be an honest one. Thank you again for what you said about my Dad. I might have to end up taking you up on that one day, when the time is right. It's more difficult to manage than I let on. I just didn't want that to define who me and you were or could have been at the start. It's why I thought we'd have been perfect for each other now we both see beneath the vines. You've unlocked how I really feel at my core. No woman has ever been able to do that to me. I've unlocked your ability to stand up for yourself and get moving forwards in life, and you've enabled me to love you fully, and truly. We really could have complimented each other so well now. It's neither of our faults we were where we were when we met, and it's not your fault you feel how you feel right now. I know you feel guilty for making me hurt, for feeling nothing anymore. I want you to know that I forgive you, and it's okay. It's a natural part of grieving for someone you adore. Do not feel guilty for not feeling the same, it is okay. Love The falling asleep on the sofa, the migraines, the snappiness over nothing, the beard pulling, the release of pent up anger when I came, the weight I was at. Isn't it obvious that everything I've been saying was true that it was never you causing my distress at the start, it was always where I was when we met. Have you noticed I don't fall asleep anymore there, I haven't had a migraine in weeks, I'm back at the gym, my beard is full, I no longer stay cold I show you my heart and real feelings. That's all because of you. Isn't it obvious, that everything I'm saying is true, that all we needed was a chance to now truly love. All I needed was patience and understanding. Instead you just internalised everything. Took it all personally. I needed that desire to really understand me and I never got it, as I never really gave it you. I had to put on a front the entire time that everything was great with me because I knew you couldn't handle it. You didn't want to handle it. You didn't want me, you wanted James Bond. Meanwhile all I wanted to do was let my love for you burst out of me in every direction. I felt all alone, isolated, when all I wanted to do was love you and to be half of something whole. Valerie knew it. She saw beneath the layers of who I was to the way I looked at you, she saw that genuine love, affection and desire creeping out of my very soul. I'm just sorry it took so long for me to be able to show it. It was there, it was always there. Thank you again for 4 beautiful months. They were beautiful to me because you've woken me up to life, you've made me want to love, be loved and get myself out there again. You've literally saved me in so many ways I'm forever grateful for. I do wish you could have given me a chance to prove what I said and let you be the one who experiences all that love. To show the highs in the 4 months were the tip of the iceberg, that the printed photos were just a glimpse of what could now have been every day, not just some days. I wanted that more than I've ever wanted anything. Maybe you'll come to regret it as you date more guys, maybe you'll look back and wish with the benefit of hindsight you'd taken a leap of faith and let us love each other, or maybe I'll end up being an ugly lesson that you needed to get you out of your rut and onto what matters to you so you can meet someone who already was the finished article and didn't need shaking out his shell, thanking your lucky stars that I'm gone. What I know for sure though is that even though it was only 4 months, you had entirely captured my heart. You will always, always have a special place in my heart. Years down the line I know I'll always be thinking of you and what we could have been had you opened your heart to me like I finally have you, albeit too late. I know things, I see what will happen before others do. I know already you'll be the girl in my deathbed I think back to, wondering what could have been even if we both have our own families and have lived our lives by then. It will be you I think of. That connection that first night was just so real, so pure. You felt it too, I know it. It was always there.?It was magnetic. Electric. Pure. Truth But, you see, space has given me hindsight. It's enabled me to see what I didn't want to see - the truth. It's enabled me to unravel this complex mystery, rationalise everything, place everything into little organised parts that I accept as the truth and have made peace with. So please note, my sparrow, the following doesn't come from a place of hate. It comes from a place of truth, of acceptance. You won't like the next bit but it needs saying otherwise your sister, your workmates, the ones who never really understood, but you listened to anyway, they won't tell you this and so you may never grow, forever thinking me to be Matt Version 2 without any further thought. So, the following is me letting you go, emotionally. Showing you the truth you'd otherwise refuse to see. Healing my own wounds and letting them rest in their little pots of my soon to be past. Maybe you will feel anger and reject it forever painting me as a villain and you as a victim, maybe you will feel guilt and sorrow, painting the both of us as the reality was. That is for you to decide. All I can do is present you with the unfiltered honest truth for you to see. Being so honest in the next few paragraphs is a sign of respect, not hate, despite the content. For you see, you hadn't opened your heart to me. You've closed it off, it was closed off when we met. You'd emotionally cheated on me with that guy from work, yes, that's what it was, falling for him instead of trying to help us grow, understand me like someone you genuinely do care for as you claim you did. You've gotten yourself back in the right direction at my expense, like I knew you would, I told you would. Cursed by knowledge, it has happened. I was just a stop gap in making you feel better about yourself, and when I stopped doing that you went right on to the next thing. You immediately met up with him and stayed over days after ending it with me under the guise of being "just a friend. There was always an excuse you gave yourself for your immoral actions. Organised to see him way in advance you said. So you'd organised to meet someone you were falling for while still with me. That's the kind of person you are that I didn't want to admit. I stopped talking to Cat, wanting to protect us, because she threatened you. All the while you were growing close behind my back silently. I would never be able to trust someone so sly and deceitful as you again, I don't think. You immediately went back to talking to your ex calling him "a friend who skates. you literally don't know how to be honest, how to present reality as it is without your own warped version wrapped around it. You think telling a fact or a lie is what it means to be honest or not. Being honest in fact is about intent, it's about strength of facing reality, it's about the unspoken, the details you choose to admit or omit. That is honesty. Not merely "true or false. You're terrified of dealing with the consequences of the truth, so you hide it. And that makes you a really dishonest person, I've come to realise. You used to say you were a shitty person so god knows what else you did I never knew about, where that guilt came from that you never told me either for you to say that. God knows who else you used to send half naked pictures to for approval, who those snapchats at the start were originally meant for. Even if it was all totally innocent that is my point - I no longer saw you as someone with honest intentions. All the while throwing me back and forth "yes I love you. no I don't. yes we're together. no I've changed my mind again" when all I've been trying to do is love you purely and genuinely you've been too busy enjoying the power I allowed you to have, trusting your intent, which was anything but honest. It really fucked me up for a while at least, and showed me your true colours. Forget that big horrible message I sent you. The simple truth is you were unintentionally cruel to me. Used me to make yourself feel better, initially, while convincing me you saw a future, that it was worth it, that my instincts were wrong. Then threw me away when the shit got real right onto your next insecure adrenaline rush of approval. To be honest I've started to think you're a narcissist. I feel bad for thinking that, I hate thinking it infact, but it's hard to deny how well it fits the facts. "We" were always about you. Whether you felt good enough. Whether you were doing "right or wrong. Whether you were happy. Whether you were attractive. Speaking over me so only you were heard. Not replying to me because only what you said mattered. It was never about us. Never about making us grow, my feelings, intimacy, making us stronger, us closer. Even in breakup. Whether you were hurt by that message. Whether you need space. Whether you could trust me. It's the Amelia show, it was never ever about us. I say this next sentence of truth from a place of care. A place of wanting the best for you by facing the reality we are presented with. So once your emotions
Please, feel free to add any events below! Check out the Visitor's Guide for more info! Beer with a Woman Scientist 2020 at the Schlafly Tap Room January 29, 2020 Join 500 Women Scientist St. Louis Pod for our third annual Beer with a Woman Scientists. It is a family friendly, open house-style event with science games, activities, brilliant women scientist speakers, and raffle prizes. The event is free and everyone is welcome?all ages, genders, scientists, and non-scientists. Da Vinci The Exhibition at the St. Louis Science Center Running until April 5, 2020 The Saint Louis Science Center will open Da Vinci The Exhibition on Jan. 11, 2020. The 7, 000 square-foot special exhibition follows the Renaissance master, Leonardo da Vinci, on a journey of innovation, creativity, science, and wonder. Grant's Farm Food & Beer Experience January 30, 2020 Good news for all the food and beer lovers out there! Grants Farm is hosting its first-ever Food and Beer Pairing Experience on Thursday, January 30 from 6:30 to 9:30 p. m. As an introduction to Grants Farms new monthly beer and food pairing dinners, guests will experience a culinary spin on familiar football favorites by the Farms very own Chef Sam Niemann. Each months Food and Beer Pairing Experience will have a different theme to highlight the season with dishes expertly prepared with and paired with a variety of beers from Anheuser-Busch. History Happy Hour at Fieldhouse Museum January 29, 2020 Join others for a History Happy Hour event hosted by the Field House Museum. Explore their latest exhibitions with complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres included in the cost of admission! This is a great opportunity to get together with your fellow history buffs or co-workers to relax during the rush hour. History Happy Hour is from 4:00 p. to 7:00 p. and is 10 per person. Jersey Boys at the Fabulous Fox Theatre January 30, 2020 - February 2, 2020 They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard… and the radio just couldnt get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story ? a story that has made them an international sensation all over again. The Loading Dock Ice Rink in Grafton, IL November 23, 2019 - March 8, 2020 Its that time of year! The Loading Dock Bar & Grill in Grafton is gearing up for the Grand Re-Opening of their Ice Skating Rink on Saturday, November 23rd. Each November The Boatworks is transformed into a Winter Wonderland offering ice skating, smores tables, and a full menu and bar, that is sure to entertain adults and kids alike. The rink will be open Friday, Saturday. Sunday through March 8. 2020 with extended hours during Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. Special events this year include a visit from Santa and a New Years Eve party. Shakespeare Festival St. Louis Presents: Dress the Part January 29, 2020 Created by the award-winning and off-broadway stars the Q Brothers, Dress the Part is hip-hop reimagining of Two Gentlemen of Verona. Proteus and Valentine are high school football stars at Verona College Prep who learn a thing or two about love, friendship and loyalty. Over twenty characters are played by two actors who never leave the stage in this 75-minute wild ride. Sittin on the Porch Open Jam at the National Blues Museum January 30, 2020 Join us at our ‘Sitting on the Porch Thursday night jam sessions, from 6PM ? 9PM. These events are just that ? jam sessions ? where musicians can just show up and join in the fun. Sleeping Beauty at Powell Symphony Hall January 31, 2020 - February 1, 2020 Great music bypasses the mind and grabs the emotions. Tchaikovskys Sleeping Beauty takes the whole family on a roller coaster of love, bravery and triumph. Two artists make their debut: Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, whose conducting has been called “spine-shudderingly good, ” (The Times) and Saleem Ashkar, whose interpretation of Mendelssohns concerto has made waves across the world. Soulard Farmer's Market Wednesday - Saturday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Soulard Farmers Market is located at 730 Carroll Street in St. Louis, Missouri, a half mile north of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. The market is open Wednesday through Saturday, year round. They feature locally grown and shipped in goods, including: produce, meats, cheeses, spices, gourmet kettle corn, flowers, baked goods, and general merchandise. There are also several different eateries that have many food options, which allows customers the convenience to grab a quick bite to eat and a drink while shopping. Soulard Mardi Gras: Bacchanalian Ball February 1, 2020 Soulard Mardi Gras have transformed the Wine, Beer and Whiskey Taste into an all-new gala worthy of the glitz and glamor of Mardi Gras and the rich history of Soulard: the Bacchanalian Ball. Enjoy 4 hours of unlimited drinks, delicious eats, live music, dancing and specialty cocktails in costume! Get your pass while they last! St. Louis Boat & Sportshow January 30, 2020 Don't miss the St. Louis Boat & Sportshow, January 30-February 2 at America's Center & The Dome. Shop hundreds of the latest boats, outdoor gear, travel deals and so much more at the best prices of the year, and enjoy outdoor activities and education for all ages and skill levels. Tickets are 12 (early bird price is 10 through 10:59 p. January 29. Kids 12 and under are free when accompanied with a paid adult admission. Steinberg Ice Skating Rink in Forest Park November 15, 2019 - March 1, 2020 Steinberg Skating Rink is the largest outdoor ice skating rink in the Midwest, offering public skating all day, everyday?including all holidays. Your skate admission is valid for all day. You may arrive at anytime during business hours & skate as long as you like. Sporting Events This Week Attractions Around the Area Comedy This Week Events on the Mississippi River St. Louis Cardinals schedule Anheuser-Busch Brewery Funny Bone Comedy Club Gateway Arch Events St. Louis Blues schedule City Museum Helium Comedy Club St. Louis FC schedule Gateway Arch The Improv Shop St. Louis Billikens Missouri History Museum Gateway Grizzlies schedule National Blues Museum Gateway Motorsports Park St. Louis Aquarium St. Louis Art Museum St. Louis Science Center St. Louis Zoo Recurring Outdoor Activities Big Muddy Adventures ? STL Riverfront Adventure Big Muddy Adventures was established in 2002. They are the first professional outfitter/guiding company providing access to the wild wonders of the Middle Mississippi and Lower Missouri Rivers. Hidden Valley Zip Tour ZipTour zip lines take about 2. 5 hours to complete. Tours run from 10 a. to 7 p. Riders are assigned to tour groups which are escorted through the course by two safety guides. Hidden Valley Ski Resort Running until March 1, 2020 Always check the Snow Report before coming out to Hidden Valley for updates on snow and tubing conditions. Skiing, snowboarding, and tubing are weather-dependent activities and conditions and hours are subject to change without notice. Live Music This Week SoFar St. Louis Experience the Gateway to the West with Sofar! From The Grove to Cherokee Street to The Loop, they're reimagining live events through curated, secret performances in intimate settings. Come mingle with touring acts, local and international artists, fellow music lovers and our imaginative hosts. St. Louis Symphony Concert Calendar Celebrated as one of today's most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 140th year with the 2019/2020 season and its first with Music Director Stéphane Denève. Widely considered one of the world's finest orchestras, the SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community connections ? all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music. This calendar includes the following venues. Blueberry Hill Duck Room Delmar Hall Halo Bar The Pageant Other Live Music Venue Calendars Atomic Cowboy BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups Broadway Oyster Bar Chesterfield Amphitheater Enterprise Center The Fabulous Fox Theatre Firebird Fubar Game 6 Honky Tonk Off Broadway Old Rock House The Ready Room Sheldon Concert Hall St. Louis Blues Museum Stifel Theatre Venice Cafe.
Honestly the people are the best part in this. All of the animal characters seem really obnoxious, like every other talking animal movie. Joseph reminds me of Eugene from Tangled (I think they have the same voice actor.I kinda agree with the problems of Sony Animation but in The Star they do have some great voice talents I'll give that but I wish Sony Animation didn't cancel the Popeye movie. God, I love this movie. Is this a sequel to donkey ollie. Fall 2019 Editions Thread Banjos Perspective Drop It Kaname Sudou is your average high-school student, toiling away in life with his best buds. One day, however, he receives a mysterious invitation to use an app on his smart phone, and, upon accepting, finds himself thrust into an augmented reality where superpowers exist, riches implode, and death glooms overhead. Coined Darwins Game, this survival-of-the-fittest situation demands everything ? but supplies almost nothing in return. The first episode is a double-feature, but it only serves to stab home the point that this anime has a difficult time outrunning its tired premises and eye-rolling events. Motivations are bland. Outcomes have little consequential value. Themes take a backseat to uninteresting dialogue. Alongside the lackluster duels and the inevitable overseers, the storytelling has thus far been a keen recipe for trite dealings. A lack of meta details and necessary explanations seek to create an air of mystery to the whole debacle, yet this direction exacerbates the shows problems. I. e., this no knowledge is no good, for the implausibility and the irrationality of the decisions and the confrontations equates to suspended disbelief that drags down the evolution of its natural selection. Drop It “I wasnt too hopeful going into the show, death game shows are generally hard to pull off due to the large cast and limited run time. Darwins Game attempts to tackle this issue by focusing on only a few characters. Normally youd think thats a good thing, but if anything its to the shows detriment in this case, as theres not a single interesting character in the show. Thus far out of all the named characters, only two of them has been developed to the point where I can even call them one-dimensional. And Id be damned if theyre not some impressively one-dimensional characters. We're stuck with an extremely bland insert protagonist, wiith the few traits he has actually affecting his character negatively and a heroine who looks good, but out of place in this show. Speaking of visuals, the fight choreography is really boring and the animation and art style is nothing special at all so we end up with mediocrity in that regard. If I am to be honest, the show has so many faults, I can begin to cover them all and it'd only be worth watching as a hate watch or as popcorn material with your mates. There's probably a good 20-30 shows better than Darwin's Game from this season, so just don't watch i unless you're really bored. ” (English Title: Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken. Banjos Perspective Must Watch It Anime is life. At least, that seems to be the case for Midori Asakusa of Eizouken ni wa Te wo Dasu na. She dreams of making anime, drawing out sketches and ideas based on her own favorite elements and the avant-garde city where she lives. With help from her money-hungry best friend Sayaka Kanamori and their newfound comrade Tsubame Mizusaki, these three ladies embark on a journey to truly define art, animation, and ultimately anime. And they certainly go the distance. Above anything else, this anime personifies its namesake, creating elaborate sequences, stylized imaginings, and incredible moments that shape it into a juggernaut of visual awe. The fun musical choices complement the passion therein, yet its the self-made sound-effects from the voice actresses themselves that instill a personalized feel into the engaging wonders. To put devils advocate in motion, a rather loose plot and possible pigeonholing for the main trio raise the tiniest of flags. Nevertheless, to return the other way, its overall potential is clearly there anyway as the open-ended nature of its storytelling and the grounded realism of the characters prove it has inherent writing chops. With meta inclusions of drawing techniques and the fact that the comedic pieces land upright, and this anime becomes worthy of several high-fives. Another Perspective, courtesy of /u/meiiro: Must Watch It “From first glance, “Keep Your Hands Off Of Eizouken! ” may look like your typical high school girl comedy. However, its much more than that; Eizouken is a quirky, imaginative look into the world of animation and people following their passions. It follows three distinctly different girls, each with their own fleshed out personalities and aspirations, on their journey to creating anime together. The most enjoyable thing about Eizouken is that its never afraid to blur reality and fiction together. Each brainstorming session transforms into a fantastical journey. Figuring out how a windmill moves turns into a dynamic animation sequence with explosions and all new inventions. Even more than its random ventures into fantasy, the setting of Eizouken is its own breed of interesting. A faculty room in a pool, a clock on a school the students cant even see- theres so much to unpack, and it never gets boring. These settings only serve to enhance the true stars, the characters. The dynamic between the main trio is nothing short of amazing; each personality is designed to compliment and contrast the other. More than that, the cast is already fleshed out and realistic; theres no such thing as being two-dimensional from the very get-go. Overall, Eizouken is an enjoyable watch, down-to-earth in plot and outside the box in presentation. Many have described it to be in the same genre as Shirobako - a sincere love letter to anime. If theres one show you dont want to miss this season, its Eizouken. Banjos Perspective Watch It What do you get when you take the future-crime aspect of Minority Report, the mind-delving craziness of Inception, and the persuasive psychosis of Silence of the Lambs? The answer is ID: Invaded. An original (that is, non-source adaptation) story, this anime has started for itself an intriguing crime thriller in most regards. The show balances its time between the detective work of its central protagonist and the informants who analyze his findings. What transpires, then, is a cool duality whose simultaneous weirdness and realness melds together in a very neat way. Moreover, the anime is keen on exploring the important members of its cast and the wild setting it has created. Intentional parallels across plotlines and the blurring of lines between the “heroes” and the “villains” further pushes the story and the characters to higher levels. The artistic vision for this show isnt anything too special, so there does exist room for improvement. But this early on, the predictions and discoveries of its identity should hopefully be a satisfying endeavor. Another Perspective, courtesy of /u/Nazenn: Drop It “With obvious world similarities to Psycho-Pass and an intriguing main character, ID:Invaded had all the pieces needed to be the next big sci-fi crime mystery, but it spends far too much of its runtime focusing on its bloated side cast and repetitive exposition. Any moment were not following the MC characters investigations in a criminals mindscape, were usually stuck sitting in a room listening to generic “investigators” talk at each other, using lifeless dialogue that doesnt showcase any of their individual personalities. One character will say something, another will repeat it back to them as a question, only for the next character to repeat it again in a different way. If theyre not using techno-babble to explaining the details of the machine in excruciating detail irrelevant to the current drama going on, theyre narrating everything thats happening on screen to the level of allowing the show to be more of an audiobook. While the MCs investigations and history are very interesting, they also fall victim to this over-exposition the moment we return to the investigators. It strips away a lot of the mystery when are made to listen rather than watch, having the show tell you what does and doesnt matter. If the show cut this excess and focused purely on the three interesting characters it would be a different story, but with its current structure it makes it hard to recommend unless you want feel like youre being talked at for 20 minutes each week. ” Banjos Perspective Drop It Sometime in the future, true virtual reality has become a norm for most gamers. Reiji Mukudori, interested in such a place, decides to make his own character within such a VRMMO video game: Infinite Dendrogram. Unlike traditional MMOs, however, this adventure has left excitement behind. The key motif of this story comes from the understood notion that this VR world is organic and alive. Sadly, thats the extent of the anime, for the unfortunate reality is instead that the surrounding parts are devoid of the same fortitude. The main character, his “maid”, and the supporting cast are largely forgettable. The story beats have been totally ineffective. The attempts at incorporating the gaming side of things are meager at best. It goes on. The anime doesnt seem up to the challenge of asking ? let alone answering ? the moral and the societal questions that their literal realistic fantasy entails. Not to mention that, on an artistic front, the show shows weak signs already. When all is said and done, the scope and the impact of this project is not just finite but practically zero. Consider It “I can hear the detractors now. Yadda yadda SAO clone yadda yadda loli sidekick yadda yadda kuma yadda yadda drop. What these sweeping generalizations miss is that this show is actually a fun thing to watch. The fight animation has been great, the details of the world are wonderful, and the main characters are nicely done yet without the incessant edgelord mentality that is far too common in the VRMMO subgenre. You know that they are playing a game for the sake of playing a game, without any need for grand stakes or
She didnt wanna buy anything, just wanted to check him for being multilingual thats all. ???♂?. Yohnus khan & rashid latif is the right choice or mohsin bhai. Wow. I'm impressed and jealous at the same time... Right of the bat, I'm aware of what this seems like. You've probably seen a thousand-and-one 'rituals' on the internet about these people who claim that they've had their greatest wish granted, and that it 'really works' and have the entire phone catalogue of rules that state that you have to perform it on a full moon, but only at the hours where the moon isn't visible to the naked eye, and you need to count the stars EXACTLY. I can assure you. the following game has no such rules. No trials, no tribulations. Just one, single piece of advice; Don't. Lie. The Otto-Tashiro game, as it probably sounds, has Japanese roots. a man of reversed name, Tarashio Otto, was a renown psychic, known for having a 99% accurate claim to fame. They were able to locate anything, or predict anything, or make a path to their customer's greatest desire with just a single, solitary question. 'Purei shimasu ka. which roughly translates to, Would you like to play. in English. Over the years, however, Tarashio began getting sterile. He would lazily wave off anyone he didn't feel deserved to be in his presence, and would even turn down huge sums of money to avoid having to tell people what he felt was right. Eventually, he ended up turning down the wrong guy- a mafia boss, trying to find the love of his life- and soon he was being thrown into the sea with concrete shoes. That night, however, Tarashio's body washed up on the beach. The name of his killer was carved into his back. The mafia boss was thrown into jail the next day. Soon after, rumours of Tarashio Otto, soon shortened to Tashiro Otto and then, Otto-Tashiro, coming back to life were beginning to circulate. If you sat at his grave in the graveyard he was buried in Japan at night, and asked him ' Purei shimasu ka. then his ghost would arise from the grave and tell you what you wanted to know. Soon, His Grave' became 'A Grave. The Graveyard' became 'A Graveyard. In Japan' became completely obsolete. So how do you play the 'Otto-Tashiro' game? Well, the rules are rather. simple. That is in the fact that there's none of them. The setup is also relatively easy- as you can probably assume, the graveyard where Otto-Tashiro doesn't exist anymore, so any graveyard in any country in any part of the world is fine. The only major condition is that it has to be night-time- the dark cover has always drawn in the supernatural. Sit in front of a grave. It doesn't matter who the grave belongs to- it can belong to no one if you don't wish to sit on the still earth of the dead. As long as the headstone is in a graveyard and the night is above you, you are meeting all the conditions of the Otto-Tashiro game. And if you are meeting all the conditions, then all you need to ask is a single question. 'Purei shimasu ka. It doesn't really matter if you get the wording right- if you have done everything correctly, the world around you will seem to spin and rotate as if the planet has left you behind. The stars themselves will seem to blink like Christmas lights and the moon will almost seem to have a question carved into it. In response to your question, it will have something written there. It will be written in your native language, to make sure that you know its there. 'What is it you desire. Speak your answer aloud into the air. It can be anything, big or small, with the sole exception that a human being could possibly acquire it- no asking for wings or being able to breathe under water, stuff like that. With a single blink after saying your true desire aloud, you will be cast back into a normal feeling world. Some claim that interacting with this game transports you to a new dimension- others simply state that you are possessed by the spirit of Otto-Tashiro himself. So, what happens next? Simply, you won't know until it begins. The Game does not start on your terms; it starts on the universe wanting it to. You won't even realise its begun when it does- it just starts, whether you're ready or not. What happens in the game? Again, you won't realise unless you're absolutely expecting it, which isn't possible. It may start with a single question on the street, something entirely out of the blue- something like 'Have we met before. or 'Hey, where do you get your hair done. Without assuming that the guy or girl is doing this for any reason, you answer. 'No, we haven't' you'll say subconsciously. 'Oh, it's from so-and-so' you'll recommend. You'll move on without ever thinking it was a coincidence. Oh, but how wrong you are. You see, it's not until the game is over that you'll finally realise what they were doing. It's not until you are snuggling down for a good night's rest that you'll feel that little weaving thread through your brain. And this will go on a while. Depending on the severity of what you asked for, the game will march along, catching you off guard with the silly little questions. Hell, after the first week, you may have found exactly the path to take and there will still be a beggar or a person handing out pamphlets that will somehow worm their way into a back alley that you tried escaping down because they believed it was the best place to be noticed. But that's the thing- they're just questions. Questions that, even as you get practically sidelined by them, you can simply say what you need to and head on your way. You mentally prepare yourself for what comes next, ready to give the same answers you did before. But they're never going to repeat. It won't take long for that notion to settle into your mind, either. It'll probably be soon after the person who asks 'Do you know how to get to X' that you'll realise that the questions don't repeat at any point. And soon, you'll find, that the people will begin running out of options. The people you meet will begin with the obvious ones- What's your eye, hair, skin colour- and then it'll descend into the less obvious- When's your birthday, when's your anniversary- before finally, they'll be asking you questions that you yourself don't even know. 'What's your birth stone' is a common one I've heard. 'What's your Great-Grandmother's name' is another. And that's the next thing- the questions are never trivia. They're never Multiplication, or History, or Regional Dialect. They're always personal- things that you would only be happy sharing about yourself with those you trusted, rather than the people you met on the street. But then you think to yourself- what if I just. don't answer? What if you stay silent, or try to mime being deaf, or just don't make eye contact at all? The answer, once again, is simple- You won't know until the end. Speaking of; you're probably thinking this is no longer worth it. After all, most of you are probably introverts- why would I come to you with this little game? Well, for the same reasons that a pedlar pushes his cart- I'm just moving through. Sharing what I know, deciding what I don't. I'm just along for the ride, I may as well sit myself somewhere comfortable. You may have noticed that I'm deflecting at this point, at the most crucial of moments- What happens at the End of the Otto-Tashiro Game? What happens when you inevitably win the game, and it finishes for good? Well, that's always the hardest part to say, because. you'll never know when the game is over. It can take anywhere from a month to fifteen years or, in the worst case scenario, it may never end for you at all. The only way to tell for absolutely sure how long the game will take is how frequent you're targeted with questions- if its once a week, you are hitting just below the average speed. All you'll know is that you'll go to sleep the night the game will end and wake up with your desire fulfilled. The desire you yelled into the sky that night. You probably won't even recognise at first- you'll get up, get ready for another day of barraging questions, only to find that you're ten-million dollars richer or that the love of your life was groaning for you to come back to bed. It'll be dropped on you, just like that. Not a single notion that it was even finished, but. rewarding all the same, no. There's still a question on your mind, isn't there? The rather obvious question of my first little hint, the one I eluded to four sentences in. What happens if you lie to the people who ask you the questions? What happens if you tell them a little white lie, or completely make up a bizarre story just to drive them away? Nothing. Well, at least. nothing to you. You see, these people who are asking you questions? They aren't doing it of their free will. They'll immediately get that notion in the back of their mind; this desire to hunt you down and ask you the question that just popped into their mind, like a rabid paparazzi member. And they WILL hunt you down- from the scrappiest of the homeless to the best-dressed of the gentlemen, you will cross their path. They'll ask their question, you will answer. Tell the truth, and nothing happens. Tell a lie. well, that's when the bad things begin. You see, there was a part of the story I didn't tell about mister Otto-Tashiro, and that was a simple slip of the tongue- Mr. Tarashio was a short-fused piece of dynamite, and liars were his trigger. It didn't matter what lie you told him; he would know, just like that, like a flip of the switch. He'd instantly be able to tell when someone was lying to him, about anything, and that. well, that's what weighed on him and his conscious. He'd kick the person out in a fit of rage, shut down his little tent for the day, where he'd fume over the lie he'd been told. So, what happens to you when you tell a lie? Well, I've already answered that- nothing happens to you. But this person, this innocent soul that you just lied to. well, their fate is sealed like candle-wax on a envel
Yessss. More sonic music Ive been replaying all the sonic games i own because of this album and its amazingly awesome so this album will “reach for the stars” if you get the joke. I was born-in and raised as a fourth generation JW. My mother worked as a gas station manager for very low wages to support us and my dad stayed home with us kids. My father was a type 1 diabetic and he had a lot of complications. He also didnt drive. So, we often listened to the meetings over the phone in my very early years. The paramedics were called to my house on so many occasions when my fathers blood sugar would get too low that he would refuse to drink or eat anything and convulse or just fall onto the floor. By the time that I was about five, he was on dialysis. I remember getting out of class and he just wasnt there to walk me home from school because his kidneys were failing. I walked home by myself fearing the worst. A little later, he had his first kidney transplant, a “conscience matter. ” Unfortunately it clotted and was unsuccessful, I thought Satan was behind it. Some years later, my mom got sent to the East coast for work. During that time she was away, my father got the call that they had a match from a donor. So, he had to go to the hospital and we had to stay with an old sister from the Hall who, I swear to this day, fed us cat food for lunch. It was like sloppy joes, but with tuna. ? It was a scary and traumatic time for us and just a couple days after my mom got back, 9/11 happened. I remember being so glad that Jehoober made sure she got home safely. At some point when I was three, despite all of my fathers health problems, including having recently been in the hospital for pneumonia, I remember getting visited by the elders who essentially said “Hey, are you really that sick? We feel like you could make it to the meetings if you tried and if (my mom) would make it a priority to get those nights off. ” Because hey, “Youre missing out on this great fellowship. ” The fellowship where they tell you that youre not doing enough. Because in the religion, you never are doing enough. Its not enough to go to two meetings a week, you also had to go to book study. Its not enough to go to two meetings and one book study per week, you also have to go door to door. Then its not enough to go to two meetings, one book study and one day of service you have to do service more than once a so on. My feelings of not doing enough and low self-esteem started so young, as with many of us. They told him that they would no longer allow him to listen on the phone. We started going to KH a lot more often after that visit. We always studied the WT beforehand, and at almost every meeting I would give an answer to a question that was extravagantly reworded and people would shower me with compliments after for repacking the WT answer with my own pretty words and possibly finding another bible verse to cite. That was as much of a personality that one could aspire to have. My dad slowly got more involved until he became a ministerial servant who passed out the microphones, did bank runs, and worked the literature counter or the sound booth. He also gave a lot of talks and read from the Bible on stage. I remember that one talk he gave was about things to look forward to in paradise and he broke down crying when he talked about having a fully functioning body and never having to inject himself with insulin or feel pain ever again. Getting there wasnt easy, however. He was talked to before about wearing suits that were too colorful and ties that had cartoon characters on them. God forbid someone have some personality. When I was a kid, all that I wanted was to make my parents happy. So I always gave answers and tried to get more involved. I became an unbaptised publisher of the “good news” when I was around 8. An age when most of my friends were thinking about or getting baptized. My dad didnt want me to do it young though, so I stayed an unbaptized publisher. They didnt want me to get DF in my teens based on a decision made so young. We went to the meetings every Wednesday and Sunday, book study every Thursday, and field service every Saturday. I would make sure to do at least 20 hours a month of field service and I was in the rotation to do little skits with other women at the hall, but of course only in the back room. This was all in addition to homework. My mom must have been so tired, I cant imagine doing all of those activities with a full time job. I already come home tired. I hated going door to door. I remember one time I knocked on a door and a person yelled from their bed, “Who is it? I dont want to buy anything. ” It being my turn I said “Oh were not selling anything, were just your neighbors here to tell you about the good news. ” He said “Thats why I have my shotgun right here. ” I was taken aback and offered no help because it was my door to call on. Then he said “Look, I just got back from Afghanistan and I lost my leg, so I really dont want to hear about it, so go away! ” And away we scurried. I always had my doubts, but I kept on going, afraid of losing my family if I admitted I didnt believe the JWs. I was 12. And worried about being disowned. But yet when I was 3, I accidentally impaled my arm on a metal fence. My flesh was ripped open and I lost a lot of blood. I got nearly 50 stitches and a full arm cast so I wouldnt rip them. When I was getting them removed I was told how lucky I was. Had I lost any more blood I would have needed a blood transfusion. Even then I knew we didnt believe in those and I told that doctor that. Its scary to think whether my parents would have really let me die before getting a blood transfusion. Im glad that didnt happen. Before I even became a teenager, on a morning like any other, we called the paramedics to help my dad who was feeling sick. Unfortunately he passed away right in front of me and there was nothing they could do to revive him even though they arrived within one minute. And like that my life changed. If you ask anybody they would tell he was a great guy and would have made elder, and he was, he could be. But they didnt live with him. He wasnt always the best father and I will always feel guilty for saying that. There were some good times when he rode bikes with us or took us to play catch but he was a very depressed man who although I knew he loved me, I didnt always feel as though he liked me. Many times I thought he would be happier without us. He was emotionally and physically abusive at times. Honestly, the house was toxic, and I never wanted to be there. My best days were when we would go grocery shopping, plane spotting, or to a diner. We always made excuses for him because he was sick and sad. I still missed him though, especially because things had gotten better before he died. When he died, the witnesses were incredibly kind. However, the things that they say to try to comfort someone reeling from such a loss dont really have the intended effect. It was emphasized that this is a temporary system of things and one day I would see him in paradise. If I got baptized and made it through Armageddon, that is. These experiences with the JWs around death and depression really started to wake me up. I found more comfort in science and the universe and stars than I ever found with the JWs, so I immersed myself in that. They really acted like we should all be over his death because of the paradise promise. But I couldnt live my life serving a vindictive sky dad with every minute I had. I couldnt live for a life that wasnt promised, I had to live in this one that I know I have. When my father died, I gained a lot of weight really quickly. I was depressed and when I saw what all of the food was doing to my body and thought about how no one would ever want me because I was heavy, the fact that this system was temporary meant that in the future Id have a perfect body in paradise and it didnt matter if no one wanted me. I thought even if I lose the weight and have an ugly body, since any sexual activity before marriage is prohibited, Id be protected because I could keep it a secret from my husband until our wedding night. When I was 14, I started getting fed up with the witnesses. I was studying with a lady from the congregation and we were still going to meetings but I was sick of spending my weekends that way. I started locking my bedroom door and pretending like my mom pounding on the door and yelling did not wake me up. I am a deep sleeper, but not that deep. We started going less and I lost my unbaptised publisher status. They took me out of the skit rotation. And when I was 15 I told my mom that I didnt want to study with the lady anymore. I asked her to call her and let her know and the lady told my mom that unless I called her and told her myself, she was going to come get me like usual. So I had to call and tell this lady that I didnt want to study anymore so that I could do extracurricular activities, like a sport to lose weight and the lady told me that I needed to start thinking about losing my mom. My mom wasnt going to meetings regularly, but I didnt have to follow suit. I could leave my mom (stay with study lady) and continue studying and going to the meetings and this would just prepare me in the event that I would lose her in Armageddon. She said this to a child who already lost one parent traumatically and was absolutely terrified to lose her remaining one, even if only through her shunning me. However, when that didnt work I got told how disappointed Jehoober was in me and how that wasnt going to make me happy or save my life because I was going to die in Armageddon if I didnt live my life according to the JWs. Somehow that conversation ended and I felt free. I was still PIMO for a couple of years until we started going even less. Even when we didnt go, my mom was still POMI and we were subjected to Shepparding calls multiple times. We became that fami
Hi, Let me apologize on the wall of text, but I feel the need to give you the full story in hopes that your answers are genuine. Go back 2018 August, we started texting on a dating app, but initially, we didn't hit off at first. She thought I was being a jerk, when in fact I was busy with my career, and since she was in another country I didn't invest much in her at first. About a month of not texting I saw her birthday post on Facebook, which was unusual as she barely ever posts anything. I then texted her happy birthday, and we then proceeded to text back and forth a bit having the same birthday and other things as well. It then started to speed up, and the conversations between us started to grow. Soon after it got more personal, but I was still hesitant as she was living in a neighboring country, and I wasn't going to see her anytime soon anyways. But she kept texting, soon after we started talking and video chatting. It became clear to me we had very similar upbringings and had a lot in common, we were both comfortable sharing experiences that for good or worse shaped our lives. We became penpals/friends, but nothing more. I wasn't looking for more to be honest, as I had just gotten divorced in February 2018. But the more we talked the deeper the connection. Seeing my jobs takes me all over the world, I have quite a lot of contacts within my line of work. Around October, I was offered a position near her town. I didn't tell her I went for a job interview, as I assumed it would send the wrong signals. But I told her I was going there for work and could stay the weekend, to meet up. She excitedly said YES, and that I shouldn't worry about a place to stay, as she had a guest bedroom I could stay in. I was a little worried about staying with a total stranger, so I booked the hotel anyways. I then went there to have a job interview, which went well. Then I later met up with her and proceeded to go out for dinner and a tour around the city nightlife. She was very reserved, to the point where I felt almost as if she was uncomfortable. After a few pubs and clubs, she offered that I could stay at her place. I said that I'd like that, and off we went. I didn't feel like there was the "spark" between us. Once at her place, we started talking, enjoyed a few glasses of wine, and the talk quickly became more intimate. She then did what I'd say was the first red flag. Talking about previous partners, meanwhile crying a river. I comforted her, but the night was left awkward, and I did sleep in the guest bedroom with the door locked. Thinking that maybe it was not really meant for me and that maybe she wasn't really ready either. The next day I woke up, we made breakfast together and despite the tensions last night, she was relaxed and seemed much more comfortable. We went out seeing sights, and walked around old parts of the town. I felt she was way more relaxed, but still wasn't that affectionate towards me. Until we went for the movies, there she flipped 180. Might have been the movie (A star is born) or the ambience I don't know. We went home to her place and she kissed me goodnight. The next day I was going back, I thought despite all I didn't want to persue this, as I didn't really feel the chemistry brewing. I was attracted to her, but was unsure she felt the same way. She dropped me off at the Airport, and before sending me off kissed me. For the first time I felt her being affectionate towards me. In such a way it made me question, if I simply missed the signs the whole weekend, or if she was so reserved due to past experiences. Once back I started receiving messages immediately, that were much more intimate and more focused from her. I was in no doubt anymore, she wanted more than just being a friend. But at the time I was still very confused. We're both adults, me late 20's and her mid 20's... But I'd never had this level of confusion before, did I completely miss all the signs? We then saw each other the next 10 months long distance, a lot of details was revealed in this period of time. She was Bisexual, and had only been in relationship with one girl, tried dating men after her failed relationship(Without Success) She was a virign the first time we had sex(with a man) We experienced Ups and downs like all couples, but mostly she felt that i was pushing her. all in all, it was an unusual relationship the first 10 months. And I tried being patient with her, trying to understand that a lot of the things that makes being in a relationship was new to her. Then in May 2019 I got another offer near her location. It was a perfect fit, and I accepted the job. I expected her to be excited, that we could finally get to know each other better. And have a real relationship. Her reaction was almost that, but I could tell she felt that maybe I only took the job because of her being there. I would lie if I said that she wasn't part of the equation, but not the definitive factor in my decision. Before moving there I visited all her family, who lives on the other side of the globe. I was suprised that her family was so relaxed, and greeted me with welcome arms. I'd put in a lot of effort in learning customs, and brought albums everything about me and my family to show them who I was. All in all, our trip was amazing, and at that point I was started to fall in love with her. I saw that perhaps she could be the one. Her affection towards me, and the thought of our future together was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. Litterally floating on clouds... I then moved, and at first it was amazing. I'd see her all the time, get to know each other and became closer than ever before. Everything was amazing, I felt like this was the best decision in my life. Then came the first Argument, about 2 months after I had moved I had accompanied her to a party at her friends, I was trying to hard to get aqquainted with her friends, but had very little in common with them. Although I'd say it wasnt perfect, I still had a good time until she abandoned me with people i hardly knew. I was at there place for a good 6 hours, she just vanished. I didn't know anyone per say, but tried to survive with smalltalk and got by. When she all of a sudden returned, she told the others that we'd go home now as it was getting late. I found out, that her friend had issues with her partner, and she had comforted her upstairs in the house we were. I told her that I would have preferred a text or maybe a tap on shoulder as I felt a little "left to fend for myself" as no one at the party spoke English and I've yet to speak the local language that well. She rolled her eyes, and proceeded with personal attacks. Which then turned in to an outwright argument once we came home. We resolved the matter, and I just asked her to be upfront with, and at least let me know. (trying my best to be resonable) At this point we've been seeing each other for a year or so, Long distance 10 months or so, and as a couple for about 3-4 months. I started to notice things like she never included me in her scarce posts, never tagged me... I was a ghost in her online persona. I never gave it much thought as I haven't made a post on facebook in years, and my last update was removing the married status back in feb. 2018. Her still said single, and I started asking myself why... We had a few talks about it, but she just said she doesn't want to deal with the attention. It would be like this on and off until december 2019 small fights, nothing major. I did however start to notice the Sex becoming less and less, and she didn't show me the affection I was used to. She stopped responding when I told her I loved her, and would get very upset if I confronted her about her behaviour, saying it's all new for her, and that she has a lot on her mind. Then we were going back to my home country to spend christmas with my family. waiting to board the plane she out of the blue told me, she's thinking of applying for a job in another country. Dumbfounded and in chock, I asked her if we can't talk about this after the trip to my parents. She agreed, but as soon as we arrived and got our rental it resumed. I told her that I'd support her career, but found it odd that should would focus so much on this one oppertunity, now that we finally were together. She said that she felt the need to be independant, and have her own life too. Which I can relate too in some degre... But stil... She then landed a bomb-shell on me that has for me almost ruined our relationship. She told me that she doesn't feel safe with me anymore, and that she feels that I'm cold and indifferent. She said the decline in sex was due to her not feeling like I cared, and that I was being egoistic in my behavior... She felt pressured to have Sex, and didn't enjoy it. She felt like she's walking on eggshells and that I don't understand her. And most hurtful of all commments were the fact she felt unsafe with me. Saying she sometime shivered and cried after we have had sex. Something I never had noticed, because we'd clean up and sleep after we had sex, and I never felt this behaviour from her in the moment. But maybe I had been blind. I told her maybe we're not meant to be, and that it was better for her to figure out what she wants. I'm not a demanding or needy person as long as I feel i can rely on my partner and feel loved I'm easy to deal with. I do however overthink which is properbly evident in my story. The last month or so, We've had episodes of trying to resolve our differrences and trying to be more relaxed around each other. It goes well for a couple weeks, but then when I'm with her I don't feel her being affectionate towards me at all. We do have sex, but it feels off. We do kiss, but it feels off. Everytime I ask if she's okay, if somethings on her mind. She gets annoyed. But everytime I suggest we split she panics and assures me this is what she wants. She tells me has a lot on her mind, and that it's stressful for her somet
I take it the soldier is the True Main Antagonist/Villain. Well, I'm usually a guy that writes a lot, and this has many parts interrelated, I'm not sure why, but I feel I want to share this with you, I'm not sure either if someone would find it useful, but here it goes. I'm a 23 yo Spanish guy, I study environmental sciences (and btw Jordan, especially introducing me to Bjorn Lomborg has been huge for me) and every part of that data matters, even though it doens't seem like so right now. Ever since I can remember, I have memories of myself moving along with the tv, with some kung fu movie I had watched a thousand times and memoried the steps, I always wanted to be Bruce Lee, or Liu Kang, or Spiderman. Part of my desire comes from my father, he's a black belt in taekwondo, but ever since i've known him he's been overweight and he can't hurt a fly or move well. He's one of those fake martial artists who believes in energy that doesn't exist, like chi qung and shit like that. I grew up with this deep desire to be fit, but my parents were shitty parents, my mom had, well has, bipolar disorder and depression and my father just wasn't good in this aspect, I got fat, I didn't brush my teeth (I didn't start until I was 16 btw) and obviously I couldn't move. Then in 2007, when I was a little kid still, I found these parkour videos on a dvd and it was all I could think about, but it was really unreal to me, I couldn't see myself doing those things, and I had no one to teach me, and especially to tell me I needed to be fit before doing parkour, but so I hung around with some other kids, the few in my town that liked parkour and no one achieved anything, we didn't know how to train and we didn't have a place, it was a lot of fear, a lot of wasting time and frustration. Everyone from the group stopped doing parkour, and even though I didn't learn, my fire never got extinguished, I knew I wanted it and badly, so when I was 13, I got a bit fitter, but not really, just running and doing stuff like that. Then at 16 i started lifting weights and I got fucking ripped (I also became atheist, becuase I was until then in a fucking cult, now you have a clearer vision of who my father was and how sad and horrible the mind of these fake martial artists are) but I was amazed to discover even though I looked good, my muscles were non functional, I couldn't do a handstand I couldn't do much with it. Then it all went downhill because a girlfriend I had fucked me over in many ways, she did really horrible things, but I also chose her as a girlfriend because I was afraid of a real relationship, but so, I got fatter, not fat, I was still fit, but not amazing. I didn't mention I've always had, from 9 years or so onwards huge social anxiety, even one on one, speaking to my mom for example. I also failed high school, when I was in the cult I was passing everything, but ever since I became atheist, realized the problems of my life, and finally could breath outside that shitty thing, plus my girlfriend, it fucked me up badly. But I survived, and I realized who I was and who I wanted to be, I started learning guitar, English, going back to parkour, which I never forgot about, it's just I stopped doing it becuase I was so depressed and anxious all the time. I started getting better and better in parkour I passed high school and said goodbye to that filthy classroom, because the education in Spain is shit, I was meant to memorize a bunch of useless stuff, not to learn anything of value (and Jordan Peterson proved all my thoughts to be true about the education I received, he's truly a good professor. I moved to another city to study in university, and this city had a beach, so I figured I may start doing flips and stuff, but I couldn't. I'm 6'4 (195 cm) tall and I weight 100 kg (I think around 230 pounds, not sure though) without a gym, having to study and pass everything in university, plus dealing with removing social anxiety, which I did by some tapes from Dr Richards from the Social Anxiety institute that some guy in reddit actually, gave me for free, and he saved my life! And I will repay the doctor when I start making money and the social anxiety institute. But so I got better at parkour, but not so much, and during a whole year, last year, I didn't improve at all basically, I started surfing instead but the dream would haunt me at night, I was just waiting for an opportunity to have a gym, training in the street is so boring, if you do it all the time and it's hard to be fit enough, becuase it rains and you can't train, etc. So surfind was a better choice for fun, but it didn't get me fit. I also love surfing more than gymnastics, but I still love gymnastics. Well I didn't mention that as a kid, when I Was like 12 or so I found gymnastics, becuase of this movie called The Peaceful Warrior that people in my stupid cult were addicted to, and the movie is shit, but it introduced me to gymnastics and thank god for that. I just never had a gym and every gymnast is realy short, there aren't 6'4 gymnast anywhere on earth as far as i know, so it was always and still is a burning dream, but I couldn't fulfil it. Then 6 months ago, I moved to bergen, to get better education first of all, but I discovered that there was a free gym with gymnastics stuff, a huge mat and some other mats around and a spring floor, and I was like this is awesome, but it makes sense becuase it's goddamn norway. So I trained my ass off every day, I forgot I came here to study for a month, and then I had to stop training and just study non stop to make up for the time hahaha And this is really what I wanted to talk, this is the story, but you needed the other details to get the full picture, here I was 23, well 22, but about to become 23, I was fit, but I was truly afraid of doing flips, I had never done them, not even on swimming pools, but I knew I wanted it. I had to face a lot of anxiety becuase of speaking english for the first time with someone that doens't know Spanish, I had to face my fears of just breaking my neck or something going terribly wrong, I had to get disciplined so I'd train every day and I wouldn't just do fun stuff like flips, workouts are the base for any gymnast. I did the self authoring program and it helped me a lot to see what I actually want in life, and I realized on my dreams, ranked 3rd in importance, is to essentially get all those skills I always wanted, some are from gymnastics, mainly that's what I want, to do flares, flips, handstands, giants on high bar, iron cross on rings, etc, but other skills are from parkour, break dance and even capoeria. I put myself a christmas challenge, that got postponed until tomorrow, which is when I go back to spain to visit, I'm gonna come back after a week though, but it would be the frist time in my old town, not the place where I studied, in a long long time, and after having had a gym like the one I use in Bergen. So the challenge was this: just the line from the guy with the black shirt, it'just a few seconds long Pretty hard, but well I like high goals. I was able to backflip on the ground good, here's the video of the day that I learned. back in october, just before my brithday 2 weeks later I could frontflip on the ground, but much worse, and then I stopped training becuase of university, which was really painful, but when I came back I just focused on frontflips and I couldn't imrpove them, I got so frustrated in Christmas, and I gave up trying that hard and putting that many hours into it, but then I suddenly did perfect frontflips one day, then I got hyped again, and ever since I haven't been able to do them as good, although they're never horrible. But it was already after christmas, so soon to go back to spain and I had failed the challenge, miserably, so I felt bad, but still I was just going to keep training and some day get it. The self authoring program is written, I just have to stick to the plan. And today, the afternoon before going back to the plane and having to train without any mats again, just grass or concrete, I did the round off backflip, which was huge for me, it's a trick I always wanted, my goal was basically that with a 360 turn, which is harder to do, but once you have the normal one is just practice, I just didn't know if I was ever going to be able to make it. It was really weird, it's like my body unconciously was getting prepared for today, I wasn't thinking on doing it, not in one day first of all, and not the day before Spain, but that's the way it worked. Here's me doing it. I'm still far away from my goal of being a gymnast, but this is a huge accomplishment, and it made me think so much of Jordan Peterson and I got really emotional, I cried and everything, this day showed to me that there's power sleeping inside of us, like Jordan says if you put yourself in tough situations, you'll discover you'll stronger than you think. And I couldn't agree more, I saw it, I thought I was going to break my neck, and I did it perfectly goddamnit! I started to think when I came home about Pinocchio, probably becuase of Jordan Peterson, but it just popped into my head, and this scene defined how I feel like: I thought I was going to die when I did the jump, I was praying not to break my neck, but I didn't hope anything better than landing really low, but not only did it not get hurt, I did an amazing one. So I felt like Pinocchio waking up and thinking I'm not just alive, I'm a real boy, becuase yes, that's exactly how it felt a real boy. I forgot to mention that the day I did the backflip I had huge anxiety, I had some stomach pain and problems becuase I felt really awkward with people, and I was anxious around them, so I really had to push through the pain, it's sad but the social anxiety I felt was the worst part of learning the backflip, and the backflip itself was scary even though not painful. And today, with the round of backflip, I literally felt 2 or 3 times that my body woul
This is Part 2 of a continuing story. Look for Part 1 before reading! The Pre Side Quest + Side Quest [BRIEF] Brief: This took place at Krystal's house with her family present. It was done in a gameshow format, where Brit was the contestant answering trivia questions. Her family served as the audience, but could also help her out at certain points in the game. This “side quest” gave her the opportunity to win prizes, and additional game cards which she could use to speed up the main game. BRIEF] Detailed: This side quest was a lot different from the others. It was nearing her birthday and I wanted to do something extra special for that. The things to consider at this point was that we needed to begin wrapping up these quests because I was targeting October to be the time of the proposal. Thats when the leaves will begin to change colors over at Flagstaff and she needs to be able to open the box when that happens. So she needs more numbers (she only has three so far) except I just couldnt set up these quests fast enough because they take up so much planning and time. So how do you give her more numbers without making it look like youre giving them away? The only way to do this was to give her the opportunity to win them. Easily, but not too easy. It would have to be something more than a scavenger hunt this time, and elaborate enough to act as the centerpiece of her birthday celebration. So I thought about doing a big gameshow instead, with her family as the “audience” who she can also call upon to help with certain questions. It was going to be a trivia gameshow where she can win points towards certain prizes. Yes, some of those prizes included Heart Reveal cards she can choose to play to get some of the Heartnumbers directly, thus speeding up the whole proposal game. I wrote up tons of questions all ranging from relationship details/history, or about me, or even something that a member of her family might know. I rigged an Apple TV to Krystal's TV so I can beam the slides and graphics from my MacBook Pro over to her TV, where it could be visible to everyone. I had Don be in charge of the audio/visual while I play the host. For this I wore a suit and went full on gameshow host cosplay. Pre side quest. Before the day of the gameshow, I thought it would be nice to go on a little pre side quest where she would have the opportunity to win 3 bonus cards which could assist her in the gameshow, if she ever gets stuck on any of the questions. Those three cards were: Reveal answer Eliminate two wrong answers (questions were multiple choice of 4) Phone a friend I set up this little pre side quest in her familys cabin in the woods, because I wanted to incorporate it in the game somehow. Its been such an important place for our relationship and one of our favorite places to go. Using the Heartsfinity Customer Service lore that I started with from the last quest, I created a fake gmail and began emailing her as a Heartsfinity Customer Service rep whos been tasked with helping her. The email read that because of the screwup on their 3rd quest, and as a token of goodwill to our continued loyalty in choosing them to be our scavenger hunt company of choice, they will airdrop some gifts to help her out on the next part of her quest. Unfortunately, the wind sort of blew them off course from their target zone (the cabin) so she needs to go out into the woods and find them. But before she can even venture outside, this little pre side quest actually starts inside the cabin. She needs to find some crucial tools to help us for our trek in the woods. She was tasked in finding two things that I had hidden in the cabin: a compass and a set of foot directions for those lost airdropped gifts. After a few min of searching, she found one of them in the washing machine and the other item was in the freezer. After she collected the compass and directions, she learned that she had to basically walk for x amount of minutes in x direction to get to the gifts, which was somewhere in the forest outside the cabin. She had to use her Apple Watch to time our walk and the compass to make sure our bearing was accurate. When we got close to the spot in the forest, I told her to listen for the chime, as thats the only way to pinpoint the exact location of the hidden gifts. (Again, Tile tracker was our friend for this. We activated the tracker in our phone, and we could hear the unmistakable electronic chime of something in the distance. After pinpointing the spot with our ears, she uncovers a bag hidden on the ground with the aforementioned gifts: the bonus game cards and a complimentary freeze dried ice cream for the hike! All compliments of the Heartsfinity Company of course; Shes still confused to the purpose of the game cards because it hasnt been revealed that theres going to be a gameshow setup for the next quest, but I told her to be patient and keep the game cards because theyll be relevant soon enough. After our weekend in the cabin, we went back down south to Phoenix and I told her that this next part would require us to stop by at Krystal's house to continue with the rest of the side quest. Some background before we get to the actual gameshow… This next part took a lot of preparation and rehearsal with her family. Some weeks before, I had revealed to them my idea of creating a gameshow for Brit, as a special thing that Im doing for her birthday and everyone has their part to play in it. First, there needs to be some feigning and I wanted her to walk somewhere thinking that its going to be something else but it ends up being a surprised gameshow. For this, I needed to dress up Krystal's house. I was imagining a room full of candles. Like hundreds of LED candles, just lighting up every surface and shelf. Even her family gets to line up in the back, silently and solemnly holding up a row of candles. It had to look dazzling with romantic music playing in the background. I wanted her to enter the house thinking that this was it… this had to be where its gonna happen… and then boom! Everyone yells “GAMESHOW! ” and all the lights flip back on and then she finds out that she is actually in a gameshow where she is the unwitting contestant. A bit cruel? Perhaps. I think the whole point with all the feigning was that I wanted to give her multiple proposal situations. Like… I know that I could have done it this way, and it would still have been grand and beautiful… but I didnt. The actual proposal is going to be something else entirely and its going to be much better. And yet I still wanted to let you feel how it would have felt like if I had chosen to do it this way anyway. I know I cant make complete sense of it, but I was also imagining this whole thing was supposed to be one big proposal made up of many quests, and they all could have been their own proposal. But she didnt get that or this specific proposal scenario. Instead she got all of them together. The complete and ultimate proposal experience? Or maybe Im just a twisted dude with a dark sense of humor, I dont know. But thats the way it happened so continuing on… So after several bulk orders of cheap Amazon LED candles and a lot of prep work later… the house was ready for the big show and here we are back to the present… So after she walks in Krystal's dark over-the-top candlelit house, nervous and unsure of whats going on, everything played out exactly the way that we had rehearsed it. The soft music abruptly cuts, the lights flipped back on, and the cheesy gameshow theme song and graphics lit up the TV with everyone yelling, “Gameshow! ” on queue to break the romantic mood. Then I explained the rules of the game to her in my cheesy gameshow voice. I cant go into any more detail on how it was played without making this longer than it already is, so to fast forward. At the end, she managed to win a coupon book (a book full of favors and errands that I will personally do for her) and more importantly, 3 Heart Reveal cards! So doing the math, she has 3 out of 8 of the numbers from the quests, 1 Reveal card (as a freebee from the start of the game) plus the 3 Reveal cards she had won from the gameshow. So thats 7 Heartnumbers she basically can claim and she only needed 1 more Heartnumber to open the Heartbox! Also if you remember, she also started out with a Heart GPS as well, but she ended up “selling” that to gain an advantage on one of the questions during the gameshow. I designed the gameshow so she could do stuff like that. A minor detail, but if youre keeping count all this time then it would probably drive you crazy not knowing what happened to that specific card. But there was a slight oversight… now the game is going a little too fast because I was too generous with the number of Heart Reveal cards that she was able to win. Plus she did exceptionally well in the gameshow. Except the proposal cant happen just yet, because it needed to happen under a very specific set of conditions… again, I needed both her and my family to be present on the day of the proposal so I had to arrange a specific date in October when 10 working adults can be present at a specific location in Flagstaff and 4 of them (my family) live in California! The best we could do was set up the proposal date in the middle of October which was still two weeks away. So 1 more quest was just not going to cut it. I needed 2 more quests. The problem of course, was that she already had one too many Heart Reveal cards (4. So I made a deal with her to “buy” one of them for cash lol, leaving her access to only 6 out of 8 Heartnumbers, and thus opening the door to 2 more quests. Since we had two weeks left before the proposal date, that means I still needed to stretch out the 4th and 5th quests so the game could end right on time for that target proposal date. Quest 4 [BRIEF] Brief: This quest is the longest out of all the others that came before it. It included board games, invisible messages, blacklights, drag
Full: Abominable - UHD Arctic - HD Christopher Robin - HD Disobedience - HD Free Fire - HD Good Boys - HD Good Time - HD Green Book - HD High Life - HD Hotel Mumbai - HD Indivisible - HD Justice League - UHD Motherless Brooklyn - HD Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - HD Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace - HD Swiss Army Man - HD Terminator: Dark Fate - UHD The Dead Don't Die - HD The Disaster Artist - HD The Farewell - HD The Good Liar - HD The Killing of a Sacred Deer - HD The Lighthouse - HD The Lobster - HD Thoroughbreds - HD Tremors: 6-Movie Collection - HD Vox Lux - HD Split: 101 Dalmatians (Signature Collection. GP - HD Aladdin (1992. GP - HD Aladdin and the King of Thieves - GP - HD Aladdin: The Return of Jafar - GP - HD Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day - GP - HD Annihilation - iTunes - UHD Ant-Man - GP - HD Avengers: Age of Ultron - GP - HD Avengers: Endgame - GP - HD Avengers: Infinity War - MA - HD Beauty and the Beast (2017. GP - HD Boyhood - VUDU - HD Captain America: Civil War (CA. GP - HD Captain America: The First Avenger - GP - HD Captain America: The Winter Soldier - GP - HD Cinderella II: Dreams Come True - GP - HD Cinderella III: A Twist in Time - GP - HD Gemini Man - iTunes - UHD Kingsman: The Golden Circle - iTunes - UHD Light of My Life - VUDU - HD Lion King (1994. GP - HD Lion King 1. 5 - GP - HD Peter Pan: Return to Neverland - MA or GP - HD Sherlock Gnomes - VUDU - HD Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (CA. GP - HD Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (CA. GP - HD Tangled - GP - HD The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea - GP - HD The Little Mermaid III: Ariel's Beginning - GP - HD The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - GP - HD The Nightmare Before Christmas - MA - HD Toy Story 4 - GP - HD Wall-E (CA. GP - HD.
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crime criminal crisis criteria critic critical criticism criticize crop cross crowd crucial cry cultural culture cup curious current currently curriculum custom customer cut cycle dad daily damage dance danger dangerous dare dark darkness data date daughter day dead deal dealer dear death debate debt decade decide decision deck declare decline decrease deep deeply deer defeat defend defendant defense defensive deficit define definitely definition degree delay deliver delivery demand democracy Democrat democratic demonstrate demonstration deny department depend dependent depending depict depression depth deputy derive describe description desert deserve design designer desire desk desperate despite destroy destruction detail detailed detect determine develop developing development device devote dialogue die diet differ difference different differently difficult difficulty dig digital dimension dining dinner direct direction directly director dirt dirty disability disagree disappear disaster discipline discourse discover discovery discrimination discuss discussion disease dish dismiss disorder display dispute distance distant distinct distinction distinguish distribute distribution district diverse diversity divide division divorce DNA do doctor document dog domestic dominant dominate door double doubt down downtown dozen draft drag drama dramatic dramatically draw drawing dream dress drink drive driver drop drug dry due during dust duty each eager ear early earn earnings earth ease easily east eastern easy eat economic economics economist economy edge edition editor educate education educational educator effect effective effectively efficiency efficient effort egg eight either elderly elect election electric electricity electronic element elementary eliminate elite else elsewhere e-mail embrace emerge emergency emission emotion emotional emphasis emphasize employ employee employer employment empty enable encounter encourage end enemy energy enforcement engage engine engineer engineering English enhance enjoy enormous enough ensure enter enterprise entertainment entire entirely entrance entry environment environmental episode equal equally equipment era error escape especially essay essential essentially establish establishment estate estimate etc ethics ethnic European evaluate evaluation even evening event eventually ever every everybody everyday everyone everything everywhere evidence evolution evolve exact exactly examination examine example exceed excellent except exception exchange exciting executive exercise exhibit exhibition exist existence existing expand expansion expect expectation expense expensive experience experiment expert explain explanation explode explore explosion expose exposure express expression extend extension extensive extent external extra extraordinary extreme extremely eye fabric face facility fact factor factory faculty fade fail failure fair fairly faith fall false familiar family famous fan fantasy far farm farmer fashion fast fat fate father fault favor favorite fear feature federal fee feed feel feeling fellow female fence few fewer fiber fiction field fifteen fifth fifty fight fighter fighting figure file fill film final finally finance financial find finding fine finger finish fire firm first fish fishing fit fitness five fix flag flame flat flavor flee flesh flight float floor flow flower fly focus folk follow following food foot football for force foreign forest forever forget form formal formation former formula forth fortune forward found foundation founder four fourth frame framework free freedom freeze French frequency frequent frequently fresh friend friendly friendship from front fruit frustration fuel full fully fun function fund fundamental funding funeral funny furniture furthermore future gain galaxy gallery game gang gap garage garden garlic gas gate gather gay gaze gear gender gene general generally generate generation genetic gentleman gently German gesture get ghost giant gift gifted girl girlfriend give given glad glance glass global glove go goal God gold golden golf good government governor grab grade gradually graduate grain grand grandfather grandmother grant grass grave gray great greatest green grocery ground group grow growing growth guarantee guard guess guest guide guideline guilty gun guy habit habitat hair half hall hand handful handle hang happen happy hard hardly hat hate have he head headline headquarters health healthy hear hearing heart heat heaven heavily heavy heel height helicopter hell hello help helpful her here heritage hero herself hey hi hide high highlight highly highway hill him himself hip hire his historian historic historical history hit hold hole holiday holy home homeless honest honey honor hope horizon horror horse hospital host hot hotel hour house household housing how however huge human humor hundred hungry hunter hunting hurt husband hypothesis I ice idea ideal identification identify identity ie if ignore
I mean we see the cowardice of people who are at the top. When they lost power, they find all ways to hide and cover up for all those evil they have done during their good days. They are the lowest of human being if we really ponder about it. ????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ??????? ?????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????? 55555 ??????????????? ???????????????????????.
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