Flights from des moines to indianapolis

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Autumn 4986, 16 Aoimoth
Shon and Nangran hobbled their horses at the base of a steep hill deep in the woods north of Hamerfoss. They'd left at fourth bell, before any of the other Squires had woken for their morning run, and it had still taken them hours of riding through narrow trails to reach this place. At least they hadn't run into any monsters. The snow that had dusted the landscape during the night lay thick here, crunching underfoot and occasionally flopping noisily to either side as it fell from the tall evergreen branches.
Shon adjusted the strap of his sword across his chest and reached his left hand back to brush shaking fingers over its hilt. He'd been glad when the Paladins insisted he take it with him. To them, it marked Shon as a representative of Hengist and the Temple. To Shon, it was a sign of his hard work and resolve. Having it was a comfort.
Nangran started up the hill, and Shon hurried to follow. The smith hadn’t spoken a word since they set out, not even to try and ease Shon’s anxiety, for which Shon was grateful. Master Daunas had tried to sound confident as Shon saddled his borrowed horse, and The Major General had offered him encouragement as they mounted. Neither realized how much that just drove home the desperation of the situation in Shon’s mind.
The smith pulled his heavy cloak tighter, and Shon looked away. He hadn’t bothered to wear his cloak. He'd never really felt chilled in the winter like others seemed to. Now that he knew why, he wished he had. Cold continued to swirl around him, enhanced by his worries. If he could just block those emotions, the power would never have been a problem to begin with.
The trees thinned the higher they climbed, disappearing almost entirely as they crested the top of the hill. The clearing looked over the treetops, offering an unimpeded view of the horizon. Forest all around, with flatland to the south and rocky mountain peaks to the north. Only a handful of small trees grew in the clearing, and in the middle stood a little ramshackle hut only slightly larger than an outhouse.
Nangran threw his arm out, stopping Shon from walking past him, "Don't touch anything. And don't be surprised if he says no right off."
Shon nodded, trying to swallow down his fear so it wouldn't be seen in his eyes. Dropping his hand, Nangran started forward again, finishing, "Be honest, but not insulting." The instructions, -or perhaps advice?- seemed like common courtesy, which made Shon wonder why quiet Nangran had bothered to say anything.
As they drew closer to the little shack, Shon could make out a sign on the door. He squinted to read it and had just made out 'No Soliciting' when the door swung open, banging against the wall and sending birds into flight. An old man, so thin he looked like a skeleton with yellow skin pulled tight across its bones, stormed out. Wearing nothing but a loincloth, he was shaking a thick stick at them that glinted with red rubies in the low autumn light.
"I already paid my dues for this decade! So you can take your request and shove it-" Shon’s hand instinctively reached for his sword, but Nangran just crossed his arms over his barrel chest. The old -virtually naked- man stopped yelling mid-rant and lifted one shriveled arm to shade his eyes as he squinted at them, "Eh? Flintchest, what’re you doing way out here with a blasted mage in tow?"
Rather than answer, Nangran started forward again, he didn't much care for talking, let alone shouting. Looking from Nangran to the loincloth man, Shon slowly lowered his arm, but still took position to the left and just behind the Smith as they approached the crazy man with the glittering club.
"No mage." Nangran said as he came right up to the strange old man, "Squire." he glanced over his shoulder at Shon and finished, "Sorcerer."
The old man spat on the ground and moved his squint to Shon. Running his eyes from the top of his black head to the tip of his polished boots and back, exaggerating the movement before he stopped at the Squire’s cold blue eyes.
He spat again, then barked "Where's your familiar?" scanning first the ground at Shon's feet then the sky above his head.
Shon blinked at him, furrowing his brow in confusion at the question. The mage snapped his fingers impatiently, "Your familiar! All Sorcerers have a familiar."
Nangran came to his rescue, "Just woke last night," he said shortly.
The mage spat again but didn't argue, "Well, come in then." Shon looked sideways at Nangran, but the Smith had already begun following the skinny old man into the shack. Shon hurried to catch up.
Inside, Shon's eyes were assaulted with a sparkling rainbow of colors. The room they'd entered was considerably larger than the outside would suggest, with plush carpet and a stuffed high-back armchair in front of a blazing fire in the opposite wall. Shelves full of exotic plants, glowing glass jars, and glittering stones filled every available space, reflecting off one another and setting streaks of light to dance on the floor and walls like sun rays through crystal.
There was too much to take in, so Shon focused on their host. The old man was slipping into a thick robe of deep purple velvet. He'd hung the club on the wall beside the door, which looked just as decrepit on this side as it had on the outside.
"Make a habit of greeting visitors half-naked and swinging an old fireball wand?" Nangran asked as he slipped out of his cloak.
"Keeps the conversations short." the old man replied tersely, tying his belt and turning to his guests. With boney knuckles on boney hips and glare firmly planted on his wrinkled face, he snapped, "Don't bother getting comfortable, Flintchest; you'll be leaving soon enough."
The Smith ignored him, hanging his cloak on the hook that had presumably held the mage's robe. "Got a favor to ask," he said, but the old man was already shaking his head,
"More like a favor to cash in. That's the only reason you're in here and not smoking in a hole outside."
Nangran ignored the threat and motioned from Shon to the old man and back. "Archmage Ivelm." The mage looked Shon up and down again as Nangran made the introductions, “Squire Shon.”
"Not much longer, I'd say." Ivelm said to Nangran as he finished his second examination, "It's to the Guild with this one. Too much magic." he turned his head and spat in a brass can by the door. It rang out with a loud ‘ting!' and Ivelm sniffed, looking down at Nangran again, "What do you want, Flintchest?"
"Need a seal. So the boy doesn't freeze Hamerfoss more than it already is." the smith crossed his arms, watching the mage and somehow still seeming completely at ease.
"Eh?!" Ivelm exclaimed, leaning far forward. Shon had to try hard not to crinkle his nose as the old man brought his face close enough that Shon could smell Ivelm's breath. Garlic, the mage ate a lot of garlic…
"So… you don't want to be a mage, do you?" he demanded, glaring down his nose at him. Shon shook his head and would have answered with a 'no ser.' except the mage continued, "Rather swing around some hunk of metal like a brute?"
Shon blinked stupidly, and Nangran cleared his throat, "Watch what you say about my swords, old man."
Ivelm ignored the smith as soundly as Nangran had ignored the Archmage, and continued to Shon, "The powers of the universe are at your fingertips. Blood blessed with the strength of the elements, and you wanna throw it all away," he threw his arms into the air, still uncomfortably close, "And for what? Some illusion of an honorable death by the sword?"
Shon didn't know what to say. He looked past the affronted mage's face, only an inch from his own, to Nangran. But the smith gave no sign he was going to help. Shon’s future depended on convincing this strange old man, this Archmage, to help…
Shon wasn't the type to try and convince anyone of anything, but the least he could do was explain himself. Shon stepped back from the mage to address him from a more comfortable distance. "I chose to dedicate my life to perfecting my art, and my art is martial combat," he said. Ivelm wrinkled his nose, his mouth twisting as if he were going to spit again, but Shon continued, "magic would be better served in the hands of someone who wants it badly enough to work for it. Like I've worked for my martial skills."
Ivelm leaned away from Shon, his eyebrows lifted into his frizzled gray hair. Shon looked to Nangran, hoping for some sign that this was a good response. The smith smiled from behind the mage.
"Soooo…" Ivelm drew the word out, "You think only those who dedicate themselves to strict study and practice should wield the power of the universe?" he leaned forward again, turning his head and fixing one eye on Shon like a bird. As if trying to catch him in a lie.
Shon nodded, confused, then asked, "Isn't that what it takes to effectively wield magic? Focused study?"
Ivelm didn't answer the question, instead turning his face to examine Shon with the other eye, scanning him up and down yet again. The old man had looked him up and down so much Shon wouldn't be surprised if the next question were about his hair or boots.
But Ivelm didn't ask another question. Instead, he stood straight and spat into the brass can with another ringing 'ting!' "I like this one," he said, turning his back on Shon and facing Nangran, "But it's too much." he shook his head, lifting his hands in helpless surrender, "Too much power, and ice at that. Stubborn element that one. And it's so finicky to block just elemental magic..."
Ivelm continued talking but Shon heard very little of it. A hole had opened in his gut, and it felt like his heart was racing his stomach to fall into it. But Nangran just rolled his eyes at the mage, interrupting, "Used to be the name in new magic items... made shackles to hold Archmages." he squinted at Ivelm, who had frozen mid-head shake, "Must've gotten rusty out…"
Ivelm snapped his fingers under the Smith's nose to stop him talking, "The mind does not rust, Flintchest!" he huffed, one bare foot tapping under his robe, "Not like your swords and shriveling muscles." Nangran just stared stubbornly, his thick, muscled arms still crossed over his broad chest.
The mage continued to tap his foot, his nose in the air. But as the silence stretched, Ivelm looked down at the smith, who continued to say nothing. The silent battle of wills ended when Ivelm threw his arms up in disgust and shook a finger under Nangran's nose, nearly hitting it, declaring, "I'll show you. I'll make a gem especially for this lad, and you'll see the mind only continues to grow sharper!"
He spun on his heel back to Shon, who had just made out the smith's returned smile from behind the mage when the old man snapped his fingers in Shon's face, making him jump. "Well, what are you waiting for? Come here so I can take some measurements!" Ivelm swung around again and marched across the room to a large workbench with plants and gems scattered across it. Shon scrambled after him, praying his thanks to Hengist and suddenly feeling light enough to float. His anxieties dropping away and melting like snow in summer.
***
It was already noon, and no one had come to see Her. She jumped up to grab the bars of Her window, pulling Herself up to peak out but seeing nothing but new snow and tree trunks. She was full to bursting with nervous energy, amplifying every sound and sensation. Footsteps sounded outside Her door, and She dropped from the window, sprinting across the room and resting Her ear on the wood.
“Ran, recheck the lab. Brom, with me.” Archmage Morndancer spoke with his strange alternation between draconic and common as he passed Her door without stopping. She could easily make out the swish of their robes on the stone hall leading away. Three people, Brom, Ran, and Archmage Morndancer. And yet the scurrying of too many feet to be only the two apprentices and Archmage Shaloon, sounded from the floor above. There were strangers in her tower again. Many strangers. Something was happening, something big…
She ran to Her window again, just for something to do, seeking some way to burn off some of the anxiety of not knowing what was going on around her.
A roar from down the hall, a roar of pain, sent ice washing through her veins. She slammed into the door at full speed. Pounding on the wood, She called out, “Brom?! Ran?!” Nothing. Then a yip cut short, followed by barking and yowling.
She shook the handle with both hands, rattling the door on its hinges, “BROM! RAN!” Something was happening to Her treasures, something terrible… The door handle began to glow, the metal warping and sagging as it melted. The knowledge that She would be in more trouble than She had ever been in before was nothing compared to Her terror. She wrenched the handle back with all Her might, splashing molten metal across Her bed, lighting fires that flared in her panic, and sending smoke to curl up to the ceiling.
She didn’t care. She shouldered the door open and ran.
“Red?!” She passed the first open door but couldn’t stop as Ran called out to Her. Reaching Her treasures' room, She tried to stop but slipped, slamming into the ground with a sticky splash. A final whining bark started a buzzing in Her ears as She stared, transfixed, at Her hands. They were painted red. Warm and sticky. The overpowering stench of iron nearly made Her gag as She looked up to see Morndancer toss aside a glittering golden wolf pup, the body flopping limply over the corpse of its mother and siblings.
Her world went red.
***
The last sample was taken care of, but something roared with enough ferocity to shatter glass.
Morndancer's head snapped around in time for him to fall back, shielding his face with his hands as the Firewyrm exploded. White-hot fire engulfed Her and spread out to the stone floor and walls. His robes began to smoke, the new fire protection spells woven into them being overpowered by the sheer ferocity of the blaze.
Brom had no such spells, and he had only managed a single step towards the girl before he fell to the ground, writhing for only a moment before lying still. The Archmage heard Ran scream from the hall before the journeyman stumbled past the door, flailing wildly. Barely discernible as human inside the flames.
The Firewyrm moved towards him, stepping through Brom’s head, turned to ash, and blown up to dance in the air on the same heatwaves causing the girl's hair to wave wildly about Her. She didn't seem to notice, Her face was expressionless and her eyes glowed as red as the scales across Her cheek. Morndancer tried to snap his fingers, but the golden collar around Her neck melted, Her clothes burning off and leaving Her naked and terrible in the flames.
His robe was burning now, and only the pain of that could pull his eyes from the Firewyrm as he pointlessly tried to beat the fires off. He fell back, hitting the wall, which drooped, sagging and dripping molten stone onto his head and face. Then he fell further back, into a gate that opened behind him.
Shaloon pulled him through the portal and into the library three stories up. The Firewyrm roared again and the tower walls shook with the force of it. The gate closed, but Morndancer continued to burn. He could hear screaming. Was it him? Was he screaming? Fire burst up the spiral stairs in the middle of the room, and apprentices, both their own and many sent from the central and western Talon, scrambled about in a panic, some even leaping from the windows.
Shaloon cursed, holding out her hand and summoning her sword again. She had to draw the circle five times before a second gate finally formed, and she dove through it, pulling Morndancer along with her as it quickly closed. An apprentice reached through, and his arm fell at Morndancer’s feet, miles away in the sitting room of his manor back in Smildna.
He laughed. Shaloon slapped him, and he laughed. Ronni, his daughter, burst through the door, her own daughter, only a year old, perched on her hip, and still, he laughed. “What’s wrong?! What happened to him?!” he barely registered his daughter's words and continued to laugh, rolling around on the ground in mirthful madness.
“The Firewyrm She…” Shaloon started, but Morndancer yelled over her in draconic,
“She is true! She is pure! She is rage! The children will come and raise the grandchildren! We have only to await the coming of those Chosen!” the room faded around him, becoming washed out and gray then finally black as he continued to laugh and shout, “They take those who slew them and use them to raise themselves anew…”
He couldn’t feel his burns or the hands trying to settle him. He saw only darkness and stars. And the eyes of his Master boring into his soul from the outer planes.
***
Shon couldn't remember ever feeling so drained in his life. He'd been tired before, exhausted even, but it had never felt quite like this. The eccentric Archmage Ivelm had ordered him to 'empty his energy' into stone after stone. Measuring the weight, color, and temperature of each. Making notes in chalk directly on his table and talking to himself. Shon was shocked the first time he saw the smooth rock handed to him change from a translucent white to an onyx as black as his hair, but by the time they'd gone through the twentieth stone, Shon had decided to stop counting.
Ivelm, however, seemed to get more and more excited with each one. Giving Shon reason to suspect the mage may be taking the energy for himself. After what felt like hours, Ivelm finally stoppered the potion he'd mixed with the most recent jewel, glowing a soft pale blue, and stepped back from the workbench, bony hands on bony hips.
"It can be done." Ivelm swiveled to face Nangran, "He's strong, I don’t know how he managed not to manifest until now, but it's all focused in one elemental direction." he rubbed his chin and looked at the ceiling, completely ignoring Shon's arched eyebrow. "It has a bit of divine flavor as well. But I suppose that shouldn't be surprising for a training Paladin." The mage stopped musing and glared down his nose at Nangran, who had made himself comfortable in the oversized wingback chair by the fire, "It will have to be a lot bigger than a piece of jewelry would allow."
The smith just hummed and sipped at his mug. When had he gotten a mug? Shon looked from one old man to the other. It was apparent Ivelm wanted Nangran to ask him for details, but the ever stoic smith said nothing.
Shon was tired. His limbs felt heavy, and the weight of his simple uniform felt more like platemail. He was just about to ask what the Archmage meant, to hurry them along, when Ivelm threw his hands in the air and said, "You'll need to find somewhere to put it. I would recommend that." he pointed at the hilt of Shon's sword over his shoulder, continuing, "If the lad is insisting on swinging a metal stick around instead of harnessing the ultimate powers of the universe then that same stick might as well sap the power literally as well as figuratively." Shon arched an incredulous eyebrow but Ivelm wasn't paying attention, finishing, "I can get it down to about an inch and a half orb. At the smallest. If you want something different, say so now."
Nangran set his mug on the ground and stood with a grunt and a groan. Shon just wanted to go home and sleep for a week, so when the smith reached for the hilt of his sword for a closer look Shon hardly noticed, until the squat smith jerked it down to eye level. Shon swung his arms like a drowning man and stepped wide to prevent himself from falling over.
"Quit wigglin'," Nangran grumbled, studying the sword's pommel with a professional eye. "One and a half'll do, preferably in a tear…"
The mage snorted and continued to ignore the struggling half crouched Shon, his voice dripping sarcasm as he addressed the smith, "Shall I wrap it in silk for you as well?"
"Na." Nangran let go of the sword, and Shon stood straight, lifting his leg to shake out the knee. "Drop it off when you’re done." the Mage snorted again but didn't counter.
None of them were interested in extending the visit, so Nangran grabbed his heavy cloak and shrugged it on while Shon waited by the door. "It will be at least a fortnight," Ivelm called from his position by the workbench, not about to walk them out.
Nangran grunted his confirmation and opened the battered and decrepit door, letting the wind and early autumn snow blow in on their way out. Shon followed numbly, his eyes unfocused as he walked, and ran right into the much shorter man. Nangran hardly moved as Shon bounced off of him. He was squinting into the distance, one large hand shading his eyes. Shon stared at Nangran for a moment before following the direction of his gaze over the tree line.
Smoke. A LOT of smoke. The black clouds billowed violently into the sky, occasionally lit from below by sparks shot high into the air.
"Elm!" Nangran shouted. Shon had never heard the man call so loudly. The Archmage must have also been shocked because the door to his hut swung open and he stuck his head out to look to either side, eyes wide.
"Flintchest, what?" but he soon saw what, "But, that's the old chemist's tower… What?" he stood in shocked confusion for a heartbeat before turning back into the hut. Shon looked from the shack to Nangran, but before he could say anything, the mage was back, struggling with two long rods, one blue with what looked like waves painted all around, the other black and studded with diamonds.
"Don't just stand there!" Ivelm snapped at the two as he finally managed to slip the blue rod into a sheath at his side. He then pointed the diamond rod at the space between two close-growing trees. Shon heard him say something unintelligible, and one of the diamonds shot out of the tip of the rod to hover between the trees before expanding into a portal.
Beyond the magical gate, Shon could hear the fire roar. It sounded how he imagined the burning hells might sound, but as he followed the two men through, he realized his imagination was tame by comparison.
The smell of burning flesh and hair choked him as they stepped clear of the gate's magic. The heat smashed into them like a wall, and all three brought their arms up to shield their faces. Around them were the charred remains of what looked like humans, their faces buried in the mud as if they'd been trying to run from the blaze. Shon had to swallow the bile that rose in his throat and focused instead on the fire Ivelm had said was a tower.
It was completely engulfed in bright flames of all colors. Squinting through the light, he could see the stone walls melting like wax. The arch of the doorway sagged in the middle, and Shon's eyes went wide. Someone was in there.
He would've had to shout over the roar of the flames, but it didn’t matter; Ivelm was already raising the blue wand, jerking his fingers in strange ways and mouthing words impossible to hear. Water shot out the tip of the wand with the force of a ballista and hissed against the glowing stones.
It wasn't possible. It must be a trick of the flickering flames. But the figure turned its face to them, long hair whipping about as it took steps in their direction.
"Don't just stand there, boy!" Ivelm screamed. "They must have a fire-resist spell; those things don't last forever!"
Nangran grabbed Shon’s upper arm, pulling him a step closer to the fire and down so he could shout in his ear, "Freeze a path."
Shon swallowed. He was so tired, literally drained. He didn't know what to do or how to do it. But the figure in the fire reached out to them only to pull away from a drop of molten rock. Shon fell to his knees, placing his hands on the ground and pleading silently to Hengist. He didn’t know what to do, didn’t know how to control the power. He tried picturing a path of snow between himself and the tower base, concentrating on it until the mental image overlaid the real world, as he did when imagining phantom fighters during practice.
Ice snaked its way from Shon's fingers towards the burning tower along his mental path, powered by the fear that he wouldn't be fast enough to save the person inside. The water from Ivelm's wand helped carve the way, and Shon grunted physically as he struggled to push mentally. His breathing came heavy and ragged. He could feel the fire melting the edges of the ice as if it were a part of him. Still, he fought back and forced it to continue to form into solid sheets moving closer and closer to the figure still trapped in the tower.
Wherever the ice formed solid, it stayed. The fire drawing back from it until, finally, it reached the doorway. He urged the ice to climb up the doorframe, to hold it in place and keep it from falling, from moving at all.
Shon was seeing double. He struggled to focus on the figure and flinched as they stepped onto the frozen path. The ice hissed and melted under their bare unsteady feet, he could feel it... feel them, their heat, on his ice.
It was a young woman. Or an older girl. She was naked; her clothes burned away by the fire. Her long hair was being blown forward by the heat of the burning tower, obscuring her face. As she moved closer, Shon could make out strange red stripes snaking around her body, standing in stark relief against her pale skin.
Ivelm stepped in front of him then, throwing Nangran's cloak around her shoulders as she crumpled to the ground. Nangran himself knelt beside Shon, resting one massive hand on the Squire's back. "You can stop, lad…" his voice trailed off, and Shon felt an emptiness open in his chest. No one could have survived that, not if they hadn't already made it to the entrance like the girl. As if to punctuate the thought, Shon managed to focus his eyes only to see the tower's entrance wall fold and collapse in on itself, the stones flowing like soft wax.
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Sorry for the double post today. I wanted to keep Ch 14 & 15 together.
Thanks for making it this far, you are the real MVP

Since the new “upgrade system” implemented earlier this year, AA is playing a dirty trick on BE purchasers who are status flyers. Flying Monday out of SAP to JFK stop in MIA. As Platinum+, upgrades are given out 3 days before the flight. Upgrades have not been given out on my the last few International flights purchased in BE. I had to call in to receive the upgrades. Calling it a “glitch” I called them out on the issue numerous times. It’s not an issue apparently when you fly regular economy however (higher priced fare).
This morning, I took this issue a little further. I wanted to see how many FC seats were available to buy. There were 6. So I tried to purchase one. It allowed me. Waited for my callback from CS. CSR called the “Platinum office” to see why the upgrades weren’t done. 40 MINUTES LATER, I get a message from CSR that they’re “waiting to decide how many Executive/Platinum members there were” and they haven’t decided to issue upgrades. That’s such a pile of BS I told the CSR. It took 40 minutes? My guess is the system was down, because it’s not the 1990s. This stuff takes seconds to find out. Guess they needed to find/create an excuse? 🤷🏻‍♂️
What they’re waiting for is to see who will buy 1st class seats from either the public or passengers onboard, which defeats the purpose of one’s status. There’s no other reason to holdup these seats. The CSR noted there were a few people with Executive status ahead of me, when I responded, “That’s BS. So why haven’t THEIR seats been assigned?” Of course, my request to address that department was met with a negative. She had no answers, of course. The fact of the matter is AA is punishing BE flyers for selecting a cheaper ticket. We all do it. Apparently this is their response. A cheap ass trick.
I guess AA has caught on to those of us who actually call in to complain about the “no upgrades are allowed on BE” message that comes up when we select upgrade after buying a BE flight. Our status trumps BE rules, yet upon buying, this “glitch” pops up on the screen. After calling in, miraculously the problem is fixed and then the request for upgrade shows up as “requested”….If you don’t acknowledge it, BE flyers need to call in or risk not being upgraded. Now, FC seats aren’t being released for whatever purpose for the SAP-MIA portion of the flight. The MIA-NY FC is completely empty so that upgrade has been given out already.
It’s beyond petty.
Buyer beware, I guess.

Around 2600 euro flying with delta airlines in their One-class (including one flight in the one suite) from Amsterdam to NYC and back. In August. Compared to around 1000 for the economy class. Would this be a good price and do you think it's worth it to upgrade?

This is a flair that started around 5pm the day before. I was laying down pretty much the whole time in a hospital bed so this amount of tachycardia is pretty severe for me since I don’t usually have it this bad when I’m laying down (and I don’t have IST).
My husband and I have never been on a big trip in the 10yrs we’ve been together so going to Paris for two weeks is huge for us and we were so excited!
Well, after a long flight and a little bit of walking around the city, I ended up in a major flair and was hospitalized. The ER doc was concerned I had a pulmonary embolism because in addition to tachycardia and low blood pressure I also had fever and chest pain. I did explain to them that I have POTS but they didn’t really seem to be familiar with it. After 9 hours in the worst hospital I’ve ever been in (filthy, rude nurses and no compassion), they gave me one measly bag of fluids and sent me home with Tylenol. Covid test was negative/normal as were all other scans, bloodwork, etc. I’m thinking this was all just a bad POTS flair from traveling and walking ? I dunno. I knew the trip could be hard on my body but I guess I naively thought I’d be ok. Now I’m in bed and basically two plus days of our trip are a waste.
I know, I know, I am in PARIS (!) and so fortunate and shouldn’t be complaining. But what can I say, im Still really bummed. We had reservations for a few things today and can’t get that money or time back. My husband is very supportive and doing his best to put on a happy face and make it seem like no big deal but I feel terrible that I’m always a burden. Maybe I just shouldn’t travel anymore. 😔. Anyway, friends, thanks for listening. If you have any tips for how I survive the rest of our trip, please share

i've dreamt of having nice hair my whole life
ever since i was a kid, i always had a mature hairline. it hasn't moved since then but i've always wanted to fill in my temple areas more so i can have a thicker fuller front. My hairline has always been "Vegeta" like.
when i was a kid, the neighborhood kids would call me "egghead" because of my hairline and huge forehead. ever since, i'd have long bang hairstyles which covered my forehead. (slightly traumatized, yes)
Im 33 now and i have the chance to fix it.
I see people on this sub getting their HT and it's so inspirational and brave. I see the before and after pics and im just like wow.. they look so happy afterwards. like they can be fully themselves.
i feel like i could get by without it, but i'd definately be able to rock different hairstyles more and be more of a fashionista. i feel like itd be fun.
i hate having to worry if my forehead is showing in pictures. i hate that i feel like i need to wear a hat if my hair isn't "done" i hate worrying about how i look when my hair is wet.
Im going to be in Indonesia next month and Im thinking of hopping over to thailand to get the procedure done by HairTran with Dr.Patty. They quoted me $3,300 for 3,000 grafts. Plus my flight from Indoesia will only by $170 versus if i flew straight from the US which would be $1,000 plane ticket.
think im just gonna go for it!

TLDR: flying there was a piece of cake, flying out of Poland was a nightmare, Gdańsk airport is awful with AP, Copenhagen is beyond amazing, O’Hare airport is a complete cluster $&@$, but the “cuartito” is 60 seconds with absolutely no questions which was awesome.
I wanted to share what it was like traveling with advanced parole to Europe. There’s a ton of information on this sub about advanced parole, but I didn’t really see too much around Europe so I wanted to share just in case anyone is in the same situation as I am.
Little background: my mom brought me to the states from Poland, Europe when I was 6 and I didn’t even know I was undocumented until I was 16 and tried to get a license.
My grandmother is 87 and has been spending more and more time in the hospital. She called us saying that she doesn’t think that she has very much time left so I looked into getting emergency advanced parole. I live in dallas Texas so there is a uscis office very close to me.
I called infopass on Monday to get an emergency appointment. They told me they would call within 48 hours to schedule my appointment. They called me an hour later and scheduled my appointment for Wednesday. I arrived with the application and all my paperwork birth certificates etc and after 3 hours I got approved for a month. I bought my ticket to Poland for Monday for a week.
I was flying Dallas - Chicago - Copenhagen - Gdańsk Poland
Since I have a European passport it was really the easiest thing in the world getting to Poland. I got to the dfw airport and checked in with my passport. Got my boarding pass and bags checked. In Chicago I used my same boarding pass and not a single question was asked. When I got to Copenhagen for my layover I went through the EU line and just showed my passport and was good to go. I got to see Copenhagen during my 10 hour layover and it was the most amazing experience of my life. Europe is so so beautiful. Flying to Poland was just as easy.
Finally I was back home for the first time in 20 years. I got to see my grandmother, and met my aunt for the first time ever. It was such an amazing experience and I’m so thankful that I got the chance to do it.
Now here is where things went south
Gdańsk airport is relatively small and I guess there’s not too much knowledge about advanced parole there. My flight back was Gdańsk- Copenhagen - Chicago - Dallas
I arrived at 4 am for my 7am flight. One whole hour was waiting in line to check my bag and get my boarding pass. Once it was finally my turn the agent kept asking for my ESTA which is like a visa to go to the states. I was explaining that I don’t qualify for that and am traveling with my AP. I gave her the paper (that said transportation) and after going over it with 3 different people she understood what it was. However their computer system wouldn’t accept it. I started getting really scared because I was there for almost an hour and my flight was leaving soon. They told me that I would not be able to fly back to the United States but that I could still go to Copenhagen. I said no problem and she printed my ticket and I was the last one on the plane with a couple minutes to spare
As soon as I landed in Copenhagen the first thing I did was go to my airlines help desk and explained to them my situation. They said “oh you have advanced parole” got some verification over the phone and printed my boarding pass stamped “checked USA” and I was good to go. I was so relieved.
I boarded my flight to Chicago and arrived 9 hours later. I had a 4 hour layover which I thought would be enough. Absolutely wrong. We arrived an hour late because of a maintenance issue which I thought would be okay. It took 30 more minutes to get off the plane. I had 2 and a half hours to get through immigration and onto my flight for Dallas. Well that didn’t happen. The line for non us citizens was about two and a half hours. When it was my turn I showed them my AP and they let me know that I would have to go to secondary inspection. I got escorted to the room and sat down. There were maybe 20-30 people there. Maybe 60 seconds later they called my name so I stood up, they handed me my passport and documents and said welcome back. That was it. Literally 60 seconds and not a single question or anything.
I missed my flight to Dallas but they rebooked me and I was home the next day
Overall I would definitely do it again. However, if possible try sticking with only big major airports and if you’re able to avoid layovers do it. If you have to have a layover try making it as long as possible because sometimes even 4 hours isn’t enough.

Recently, I accidentally captured a plane crossing the moon, when I was waiting for the ISS to transit: https://www.reddit.com/Astronomy/comments/13xveaa/plane_photobombing_my_iss_lunar_transit_capture/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
I was thinking if I were the pilot, it would be cool to have a still like this picture I edited: https://www.reddit.com/useLtTrashcan/comments/13zd621/fly_me_to_the_moon/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
So I set out to find out what flight this was, and who the pilot would've been. Using an internet live air traffic tracker, I matched the exact time and direction to the correct flight: https://www.reddit.com/useLtTrashcan/comments/13yhjwy/i_identified_the_plane_i_captured_flying_across/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
So, now I know it was Lufthansa flight LH2519 from Dublin to Munich on May 31st. Now all that's left is to find out who piloted this flight, and get in touch. I got a feeling Lufthansa customer support doesn't care enough/won't share this kind of information. Do you guys/girls know how I would find out?

Uhg… after being PFN for 4 days, second time, my PTSD claim was deferred again.

1. Compensation for post traumatic stress disorder. The issue of compensation for post traumatic stress disorder is deferred for the following information: stressor verification.

This incident was in aviation, was on every national news outlet, extremely well documented, 11 people were killed unfortunately. I have submitted articles, my flight log book records, mishap reports from two different branches of the military that I am listed on, buddy statements, given them every one that was flying the mission, etc.
I thought it would be an internal request but I also have a request on VA.gov to provide more information. No clue what else I can provide.
Request 1 Needed from you - due in a month Our letter dated asked you to furnish details regarding the stressful event(s) that caused your post traumatic stress disorder. The response we received does not meet the minimum level of detail needed for VA to seek assistance from the U.S. Army and Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC). JSRRC assists VA in verifying veteran's claimed stressful incidents when VA cannot verify the stressful incident based on records from the service department or when VA cannot obtain the necessary records from the service department.
It is important that you provide us with more specific details concerning your stressful event(s). Failure to respond or failure to provide a complete response to this request may result in a denial of your claim. Specifically, we still need: *.
“Specifically we still need” and it’s blank! No clue what else I could give them, I feel like I’m literally rubbing their nose in the evidence.
Thanks for letting me vent, let me know if you have any suggestions. VERA call scheduled next week.

PART 15 <==H==> FIRST
----------
Will was excited, the past few weeks seemed to herald a new change in Ilicia’s and Agrana's relationship. He had been surprised when came back that first day to find Agrana eating and chatting idly with Ilicia. He was more surprised when Ilicia told him what had happened and when Agrana came to him to assure him of the end of her attempts on Ilicia's life. Will had nearly exploded trying to contain his shock.
It was now commonplace to see Ilicia and Agrana chatting when Will was not around. Will suspected his grandmother did something to facilitate this, but she assured him she had done nothing other than explain her relationship with Karva. Will was suspicious by nature, and as the Princess's Man, he was obligated to be suspicious of all things having to do with the princess. And an Ogdeshi taking a sudden interest in the princess and serving her was suspicious.
Will knew Agrana was a woman of her word. But he also knew her as a master manipulator, and he had confidence in the fact that Agrana would see little wrong with killing a large number of humans to get what she wanted. The thought of Ilicia coming to harm sent blood rushing through him in a way that threatened to bring on the natural occurrence of the Orcish blood rage.
Will was excited. All of this rushed through his head as he walked with Ilicia. He knew he was worried, and he hoped today would provide some reassurance for his ever-active imagination. Today was the day after he completed his training and he was to spend the entire day with Ilicia. She walked next to him, her arm through his, as he led them both through the twists and turns of a forest path that ended in a strange building seeming to grow out of the wood of a gargantuan tree.
The door opened automatically as they approached to reveal a wood elf-man in clothing that seemed to emanate a sense of regal energy. The elf smiled at them and bowed. "Master Will, Princess Ilicia, welcome and please do come in."
Ilicia smiled back at the man. "Thank you sir."
"How is the family Jullian?" Will asked as he stepped through the door, making it feel three inches too small in all directions.
"My wife is well, she is in the kitchen cooking as usual. I will be serving you today as my children are not here at the moment." Jullian said with a quick bow. He led them through the building which Ilicia realized was far larger than it appeared from the outside. They passed several other couples and groups that were seated at different tables as Jullian led them up a sweeping flight of stairs and out onto a balcony that appeared to be several hundred feet in the air and protruding from the tree.
"Will, what is going on with this building?" Ilicia asked, getting a twisting feeling in her stomach as she looked over the railing.
"That would be my wife's fault, she does as she will." Jullian said to Ilicia with an apologetic smile. He bowed once more, and then turned and walked away.
"What is this place Will?" Ilicia asked looking around and noting more and more things that simply felt off. She opened her mouth to speak again as a silver platter with goblets of water floated over and unloaded its cargo before simply vanishing into thin air.
Will laughed at her shock. "Jullian is a wood elf."
"Even I noticed that." Ilicia said wondering where Will was going with this.
"His wife is a goddess." Will said with a smile at how quickly Ilicia's jaw dropped. "We are not sure what she is a goddess of, but she has a penchant for cooking and brewing and she loves Jullian with her whole heart. She fell in love with him when he found her wounded in the woods and stayed by her side, talking of his home in the woods of his youth, he cooked for her and cared for her for three weeks before she could rise on her own."
"Wow." Ilicia said, "Do you know how she was injured?"
"No,and I am not sure anyone knows except Trina. That is the name she has chosen to go by. She also tells people that she is simply Jullian's goddess when asked what she is a goddess of. She is a rather interesting character, if she ever comes to say hello I am willing to bet you will like her."
Ilicia smiled at Will and Jullian reappeared. "So what would you like to eat?"
Will smiled and rattled off a list of food which all sounded strange. Ilicia looked around to see where he had made his selection, but Jullian simply smiled at her and told her to ask for anything she desired. Ilicia realized what was going on and ordered her favorite food from home. Jullian smiled, bowed, and vanished through the doors once more.
"Anything we want huh?" Ilicia asked with a mischievous grin on her face.
"She is a goddess. But I will warn you Ilicia, last time I started trying to challenge her in her ability to cook anything, well let's just say she is willing to humor most things. If she feels you crossed a line, she will let you know by making your food so spicy you taste it for weeks, and that's only after the second or third bite." Will said, his tone indicating he was speaking from experience.
"What did you ask her for?" Ilicia asked.
"My dad told me he used to eat at a place called 'micky dees' so I ordered one of everything from their menu, thinking I would have her stumped with food from another world." Will said and then looked up. "She made it all and delivered it to me, told me to enjoy, and told me if I ever asked her to make such ludicrous and disgusting food again, I would find myself unable to eat solid food for a year."
Ilicia laughed and smiled at Will as Jullian brought out a small cart loaded with plates of food he began to lay on the table.
They ate their food and talked about various things. When they were finished eating Jullina brought them dessert. Will turned to Ilicia and broached the topic of Agrana.
"Ilicia," Will said in a serious mood now, "why did you take Agrana as a member of your staff?"
Ilicia was caught a little off guard. "What do you mean? Why would I not take her onto my staff? Her skills are self-evident."
"Oh, I know. I remember well who first taught me other than my father." Will said this with no anger, simply curiosity. "But I would still ask why you did this. Is the protection I provide lacking? Do you anticipate me leaving you anytime soon? I simply want to know what your reasoning was in making this decision."
Ilicia thought for a moment and then spoke. "I had several reasons, mostly I wanted her to not want to kill me. But since then I have come to some conclusions as to why having her around will be better than not."
Will nodded and Ilicia leaned forward taking his massive hand into both of hers. "I do not think your protection is lacking in any way. I am fairly certain that should I ever be kidnapped, you will tear apart the continent one rock at a time, laughing the whole way."
Will shrugged. The noncommittal way he agreed with herreminded her just how powerful Will really was. Ilicia continued. "The short answer is, you can never have enough bodyguards. The long answer is, I think that while you are the Princess's Man, you will begin to fulfill a far more important role in political functions once we return to the kingdom." She finished her thought in her head, "Hopefully that position is as my fiance or husband, and you can leave all the bodyguard work to Agrana."
Will thought about this for a moment, his eyes never leaving hers. Ilicia knew he was probably mulling over important thoughts, but a part of her wanted him to just look at her like that as he took her on the table. Ilicia shook her head and spoke once more. "So in addition to helping with my safety in that regard, if you leave to deal with the man who killed your father, I will still have a guardian."
Will nodded at this and seemed to relax. "Very well, but I want you to know if she ever makes a move against you again, I will kill on the spot."
Ilicia nodded, knowing from his tone that this was not a discussion but rather a statement of fact. That mischievous voice in her head also wanted him to command her in that tone. Ilicia blushed at the thoughts she was having and looked away from Will.
Will smiled at her when she finally got her blushing cheeks to cool. "So, we have eaten and now we have a whole day to ourselves. What would you like to do, Ilicia?"
"Well, I would like to visit your grandmother's library if she will let us." Ilicia said, remembering the room of books she saw Yilan in earlier.
"Of course." Will said with a smile.
Jullian appeared. "Is there anything else you would like?"
"No, Jullian it was fantastic as always." Will said with a smile.
"Thank you." Jullian said and turned to Ilicia. "If you have a moment my wife has requested a moment of your time."
"Of course Jullian." Ilicia said, turning to Will.
"I will wait for you outside." Will headrf down stairs on his own.
Ilicia followed Jullian through the building which only further exemplified how incredibly large the building was compared to its looks on the outside. When he finally led her into a kitchen that could have fed the entire castle she grew up in, Jullina bowed to her, smiled at the glowing woman standing behind a counter, and then turned to grab a tray of food and leave.
"Come Princess," the woman gestured to a stool set next to her. "Have a seat and talk with me for a moment."
"Of course." Ilicia said, falling back on court manners in this rather strange incident.
"Firstly, call me Trina," the goddess said, "and secondly, what do I have to do to make you forget your love of Will?"
Ilicia's jaw almost hit the counter. "What do you mean? Why would I ever do such a thing?"
Ilicia was angry, a deep anger that burned deep in her gut. Trina stopped what she was doing, knife paused mid-cut. "I care for Will, his father and mother both were dear friends of mine and always treated me no differently than anyone else. As a divinity, I have some small gift of foresight, and you need not be in love with Will. More importantly, he needs to not love you."
"I see why you wanted to talk to me only." Ilicia said indignantly. "Will would kill you."
"I spared with the boy once, and he very well might be one of the very few mortals who could kill a god, but that is beyond the point." Trina said with a calm voice of understanding. "I need to know what I would have to do, to what I would have to give you, to get you to remove Will from your life."
Ilicia panicked. She hated this woman. She looked into Trina's eyes. "You will have to kill me. I love him, there is nothing you could give me that could replace Will."
The goddess stared hard at Ilicia who did not back down. Trina chuckled. "Those Garrow men sure do pick firecrackers. You know there was a time where Will's father took one of my daughters on a date? She came home and said she would bless whoever he married because he was a handful. Then he went and married Yilan's daughter and they gave birth to a man who is by rights almost a god in terms of his ability and power."
Ilicia's head was spinning as she tried to follow Trina's words with her ears, and with her eyes the flurry of time-defiant movements her hands made. Trina paused again and looked Ilicia in the eyes. "You are a brave woman, and you will need to be. A time will come when the love you hold is used against Will, I hope you are strong enough to face the repercussions. Will is getting anxious, and I can not warp time any more than I already have without causing you harm. Take this and go to him, cherish him while you can princess."
Trina handed Ilicia a sweet roll and then hesitated before placing her hand on Ilicia's head and bowing hers for a moment. Ilicia felt a wave of energy wash over her. "Go forth with my blessing child."
Ilicia stood and left the kitchen to find Jullian waiting to take her outside. The sun was setting, where it had been morning just an hour or two ago. She looked back to the building and then to Will. She shrugged and slipped her arm through his. As she shared the sweet roll with him, Trina's words echoed through her mind.
One phrase in particular rattled her to her bones as Will guided her back to Yilan's library. "...I hope you are strong enough to face the repercussions."
----------
PART 15 <==H==> FIRST
FROM THE AUTHOR: Here it is, the next installment of The Princess's Man! I hope you all enjoy this and have a fantastic day!
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HFY Author Page
https://akmedrah.com/
If you want more information about the world and my other writing, check out my World Anvil page!

By white neon light I saw worms slithering across my blurry vision, parasites swirling in my eyes’ vitreous fluid, and I screamed.

***EDITED 6/3/23*** It's been quite a while and I have received one too many messages asking if I am still active, so here is a new thread. Thanks for looking!
Yes, this page is active and updated daily. Absolutely everything listed here is still available. Please send a Reddit chat or PM to inquire - I do not respond to inquires made on this page!

• Buy with confidence! I take FULL RESPONSIBILITY for the delivery of your package in the United States, until tracking number says delivered!
  
• Prices already include USPS First Class shipping in the USA. Alternatively/optionally, USPS Priority/UPS Ground available for $5 or free over $129. UPS not available for HI, PR, PO boxes, INTL. $2 Will be deducted from the total for each additional item.
  
• Ordering: Simply send me, twentyonedays your order via Reddit chat (preferred) or private message - I'll reply ASAP with a total and payment info. Venmo, Zelle, and CashApp are accepted for US transactions. PayPal is accepted for Canadian/INTL transactions.
  
• Canadian/INTL: - CAN shipping is $10USD up to 30ml, $15 otherwise and usually takes 5-12 days. Other INTL is $15USD up to 30ml, $25 otherwise and may take 3-4 weeks, very possibly longer depending on the country. I take no responsibly whatsoever for non-US orders (duties, delays, loss, etc.). My INTL delivery success rate is 99%+, but again, its buyers risk. Some locations I don't ship to include UK (sorry, new VAT laws), South America, Africa, France, Italy, Israel, India, Russia, China, Middle East, and Mexico. Forwarding services are encouraged.
  
• Frequently asked questions
  
• (1) "Hi, i'm new here. I'm very interested in these fragrances but have no idea how this works. What is a decant? Are these fragrances authentic?" Yes, every drop of fragrance listed here is 100% authentic - no question or dispute. These are the same 100% authentic fragrances you buy from retailers, however they are no longer in their original bottles. Decants are 100% authentic fragrances taken from the largest manufacturer size available (Creed 500ml flacon is an excellent example), purchased in bulk, then hand-filled into smaller, more affordable sizes. This is the most efficient way to experiment with a large variety of high-end fragrances!
  
• (2) "Do you have (insert fragrance) available?" If you see something listed here, it's available! If you don't see said item listed here, that indicates that I don't have it and there's no need to ask.
  
• (3) "Are 5ml sizes available? Do these come with sprayers? Are they glass or plastic?" 10ml is the smallest. Yes, they have sprayers and the vials are glass.
  
• (4) "Do I need to pick 1 of each brand for your qualifying 3/$62 10ml Creed, Tom Ford, and Parfums de Marly deal?" No, you can choose any combo you’d like of the 3 brands (1 of each, all Creeds, 2 TF and 1 PdM, etc.).
  

Creed - Aventus

• I do not discuss Aventus batches
• Batch F000463 (default option) or 22B11B available
• 10ml $26 (applies to 3/$62 10ml Creed/Tom Ford/Parfums de Marly deal)
• 25ml $59
• 50ml $105
• 60ml $125
• 100ml $195
• Retail products:
• New in box 100ml 10th Anniversary retail bottle batch 20C01N $299 shipped

More Creed - Aventus new!

Please note items listed here in the "More - Creed Aventus" section do not qualify for the 3/$62 10ml Creed/Tom Ford/PdM deal. I do not discuss Aventus batches - thank you for understanding

• Batch 19S01, 19P11, 19U01
• 10ml $38
• 25ml $89
• 60ml $195

• Batch 20L01, 20B01N, 20E01N, 21N01, 21W01
• 10ml $28
• 25ml $65
• 60ml $145

Creed - Aventus for Her

• 10ml $28 (or add $2 for 3/$62 10ml Creed/Tom Ford/PdM deal) back in stock!
• 25ml $65

Creed - Viking

• 10ml $26 (applies to 3/$62 10ml Creed/Tom Ford/Parfums de Marly deal)
• 25ml $59

Creed Les Royales Exclusives

• Spice and Wood
• Sublime Vanille
• White Flowers
• 10ml $36 (does not apply to 3/$62 deal)
• 25ml $85

Creed

• Bois du Portugal
• Cedre Blanc
• Himalaya
• Love in Black
• Love in White
• Millesime Imperial
• Original Santal
• Original Vetiver
• Royal Water
• Silver Mountain Water
• Spring Flower
• Tabarome
• Virgin Island Water
• White Amber
• 10ml $26 (3/$62, add more for $19 ea.)
• 25ml $52 (2/$99)
• Mixing Creed, Tom Ford, and Parfums de Marly 3/$62 10ml combo is fine!

Amouage

• Fate Man
• Figment Man
• Imitation Man
• Jubilation XXV
• Meander
• 10ml $26
• 25ml $60

Byredo

• Bal d"Afrique
• Slow Dance
• 10ml $26
• 25ml $60

Christian Dior

• Dior Privee - Feve Delicieuse
• Dior Privee - Granville
• 10ml $24
• 25ml $55

Frederic Malle

• Carnal Flower 10ml $38, 25ml $89
• French Lover 10ml $32, 25ml $75
• Iris Poudre 10ml $29, 25ml $68
• Musc Ravageur 10ml $32, 25ml $75
• Noir Epices 10ml $32, 25ml $75
• Une Fleur de Cassie 10ml $32, 25ml $75

Guerlain

• Cuir Beluga
• Tonka Imperiale
• 10ml $36
• 25ml $85

Initio

• Addictive Vibration
• Rehab
• Side Effect
• 10ml $34
• 25ml $80

• Oud for Greatness
• Oud for Happiness
• 10ml $38
• 25ml $89

Kilian

• Vodka on the Rocks
• 10ml $38
• 25ml $89

• Musk Oud
• 10ml $28
• 25ml $65

Le Labo

• Another 13
• Bergamot 22
• Oud 27
• Rose 31
• Santal 33
• Thè Matcha 26
• Thè Noir 29
• Vetiver 46
• 10ml $36
• 25ml $85

Liquides Imaginaires

• Dom Rosa
• Fortis
• Ile Pourpre
• Sancti
• 10ml $24
• 25ml $55

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

• Baccarat Rouge 540
• Gentle Fluidity Silver
• Grand Soir
• L’Homme a la Rose
• Oud Satin Mood back in stock!
• 10ml $29
• 25ml $68

• Amyris Homme EDT back in stock!
• Aqua Celestia EDT
• Aqua Universalis EDT
• Aqua Vitae EDT
• Masculin Pluriel back in stock!
• 10ml $24
• 25ml $55
• 60ml $119

• Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait de Parfum
• 10ml $38
• 25ml $89

Memo

• Irish Leather
• 10ml $26
• 25ml $60

Nishane

• Ani back in stock!
• Ege Extrait
• Hacivat Extrait
• 10ml $27
• 25ml $62

Ormonde Jayne

• Ormonde Woman
• Ta'if
• 10ml $24
• 25ml $55

Parfums de Marly

• Byerley
• Darley
• Galloway
• Herod
• Layton
• Pegasus
• Percival
• 10ml $26 (3/$62, add more for $19 ea.)
• 25ml $59
  
• Mixing Creed, Tom Ford, and Parfums de Marly combos is fine!
  

• Carlisle
• Habdan
• Haltane
• Oajan
• Layton Exclusif
• Pegasus Exclusif
• 10ml $29 (Or add $5 each for 3/$62 Creed/Tom Ford/PDM deal)
• 25ml $68

Parfums MDCI

• Invasion Barbare
• Chypre Palatin
• 10ml $38
• 25ml $89

Roja Dove

• Elysium Pour Homme Parfum Cologne
• Scandal Pour Homme Parfum Cologne
• 10ml $34
• 25ml $79

Tom Ford

Check out the other Tom Ford offerings in the sections below!

• Black Orchid EDP new!
• Cafe Rose
• Costa Azzurra EDP
• Champaca Absolute
• Fougere d’Argent new!
• Grey Vetiver EDP new!
• Jasmin Musk
• Jasmin Rouge
• Lavender Palm
• Lys Fume
• Noir Extreme new!
• Oud Fleur
• Shanghai Lily
• Sole di Positano
• Velvet Orchid
• Vert Boheme
• Vert des Bois
• Vert de Fleur
• White Suede
• 10ml $26 (3/$62, add more for $19 ea.)
• 25ml $52 (2/$99)
• Mixing Creed, Tom Ford, and Parfums de Marly combos is fine!

Other Tom Fords

• Beau de Jour (Private Blend)
• Ombre Leather EDP
• Oud Wood
• Tobacco Vanille back in stock!
• Tuscan Leather
• 10ml $32 (Or add $5 each for 3/$62 Creed/Tom Ford/PDM deal)
• 25ml $69

• Tubereuse Nue
• 10ml $34 (Or add $10 each for 3/$62 Creed/Tom Ford/PDM deal)
• 25ml $79

Xerjoff

• Casamorati 1888
• Casamorati 1888 - Bouquet Ideale
• Casamorati 1888 - Dolce Amalfi
• Casamorati 1888 - Fiero
• Casamorati 1888 - Mefisto back in stock!
• Erba Pura
• XJ 1861 - Decas
• XJ 1861 - Naxos
• XJ 1861 - Renaissance back in stock!
• XJ 1861 - Zefiro
• 10ml $29
• 25ml $68

• Accento Overdose
• Join the Club - More than Words
• Kemi - Hayat
• 10ml $34
• 25ml $80

• XJ 17/17 Stone Label - Homme
• XJ 17/17 Stone Label - Irisss
• 10ml $45
• 25ml $109

• XJ 17/17 Stone Label - Symphonium
• 10ml $55
• 25ml $134

10ML Add-on Section

Items below can be purchased as add-ons for the listed prices, or may be purchased alone for $4 shipping and packaging (no need to add another $4 after the first item)
For 25ml prices, multiply the 10ml prices below by 2.4

• Acqua di Parma - Blu Mediterraneo - Fico di Amalfi ($12) back in stock!
• Armani - Acqua di Giò Absolu ($12)
• Armani - Acqua di Giò Profondo ($15)
• Armani - Acqua di Giò Profumo ($15)
• Dior - Dior Homme ($16)
• Dior - Dior Homme Intense ($16)
• Chanel - Bleu de Chanel EDP ($19)
• Dior - Sauvage EDP ($15)
• Diptyque - Do Son EDT ($16)
• Diptyque - Tam Dao EDT ($16)
• Dolce and Gabbana - The One EDP ($10)
• Dolce and Gabbana - The One Gold EDP ($10)
• Frapin - Speakeasy ($15)
• Hermes - Terre d’Hermes Eau Intense Vetiver ($14) back in stock!
• Hermes - Terre d’Hermes Pure Parfum ($14)
• Maison Margiela - Replica - Autumn Vibes ($16)
• Maison Margiela - Replica - Beach Walk ($16)
• Maison Margiela - Replica - By the Fireplace ($16) back in stock!
• Maison Margiela - Replica - Coffee Break ($16)
• Maison Margiela - Replica - Jazz Club ($16)
• Maison Margiela - Replica - Matcha Meditation ($16)
• Maison Margiela - Replica - Under the Lemon Trees ($16)
• Mancera - Cedrat Boise ($15)
• Mancera - Cedrat Boise Intense ($17)
• Mancera - Instant Crush ($15)
• MFK official 2ml carded sample - 754 ($6)
• MFK official 2ml carded sample - Aqua Universalis ($6)
• MFK official 2ml carded sample - A la Rose ($6)
• Mont Blanc - Explorer EDP ($10)
• Mont Blanc - Legend EDP ($10)
• Prada - Luna Rosa Carbon ($14) new!
• Versace - Eros EDT ($10)
• Victor and Rolf - Flowerbomb EDP ($17)
• Victor and Rolf - Spicebomb ($13)
• Victor and Rolf - Spicebomb Extreme ($17)
• YSL - L'Homme (2022/$13)
• YSL - La Nuit de L'Homme (2022/$14)
• YSL - Supreme Bouquet ($15)
• YSL - Tuxedo ($24) back in stock!
• YSL - Y EDP ($17)
• YSL - Y Le Parfum ($20)

***EDITED 6/3/23*** This page is activate and updated daily. Please send a Reddit chat/PM to inquire - I do not respond to inquires made on this page! Thanks for looking!

They hired us to move a bunch of heavy cabinets filled with old war memorabilia from one building to another. Lettepostcards from soldiers, antique tools/weapons, mannequins in uniforms, etc.
We were just about done, with one cabinet left: a large, glass display case, filled with mannequin heads wearing helmets, wedges, and caps. We carefully took it down a flight of stairs, across a rain-soaked parking lot, loaded it into a truck, drove it down the street, unloaded it, and just had another flight of stairs to go, before the case would be set for the foreseeable future. With 20 minutes to go before the end of the day, we were all relieved that such a job went so flawlessly.
Then, about halfway up the stairs, the case slipped
The immense weight, coupled with the lose display heads, rocked the fragile case so hard that the glass shattered, spilling all the heads and hats onto the floor and down the stairs. Everyone stared in silent disbelief at the scene for a solid minute before letting out a collective groan.
Needless to say, the accident caused heads to roll.

I asked ChatGPT to make a poem about the 3 things currently in my mind; Adhering to the rules that I have to post something before I leave the subreddit, answering to a question on a previous post which led me back to the sub in the first place and the food I'm reating right now:

In a subreddit's realm, where rules hold sway, A simple task to heed, before you stray. Before you part, a post you must bestow, A token shared, before you choose to go.
Oh, subreddit's path, I'll surely comply, A contribution made, ere I say goodbye. A comment or a meme, a thought profound, In this digital world, respect is found.
Now, let's shift our focus, to a culinary delight, Cordon Bleu, a feast that ignites our appetite. Golden crumbs enveloping tender meat's embrace, A symphony of flavors, leaving no taste to erase.
With each succulent bite, a burst of delight, Crispy exterior, revealing juicy insight. Ham and cheese dance, their flavors entwined, Cordon Bleu, a masterpiece, a treasure to find.
But now, a change of tune, a different tale to tell, For I've been blessed with news, that in my heart does swell. As an optician in Germany, my journey takes flight, Precision and care, guiding others' sight.
Frames perched on noses, lenses clear and true, A profession fulfilling, helping vision renew. In clinics and eyewear stores, I'll tend to each need, Brightening futures, fulfilling this noble creed.
So, let us celebrate, life's diverse array, From subreddit rules to culinary array. And as an optician, a new chapter unfolds, Where sight is enhanced, and stories are told.

~ ChatGPT, June 3 2023

Just had a great experience flying United from one coast to the other. We ended up on a larger plane (777) than originally scheduled, which meant I lost my window seat (didn’t pay extra for it though) but got an aisle and TVs for all!
Getting on and off the plane was extremely smooth. The flight attendants were pros. I loved the app, so much info and it stayed on my phone’s home screen. And they had the flight map displayed on a big screen in our section as well.
The only downside is they really squish you all in there - but that’s true of economy on all airlines these days. And the window person in my row kept the shade down the whole time :( but right before descent I went to the bathroom and got to see the beautiful snowy mountains out someone else’s window. I was nervous, but honestly pretty cool how I just flew across the country and the day has only just begun here.
Cheers!

Source
Claims:

• Documentation from C40 Cities mentions something called the ''tri-state city''
• C40 wants to reduce calories consumed by people to 2500 per day by force by 2038
• C40 wants to reduce flights to one per 3 years for the average person
• C40 wants to eliminate 90% of car ownership
• C40 wants to limit number of travel from your 15 min area

I'm looking to do some CPU-heavy tasks such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, video editing and racing games on high graphics settings for 1440p. White components preferred. Coming from a gaming laptop, so I would like suggestions on cooling, hoping that there is a stock cooler with the 7600. There are no size constraints so I'm looking for an ATX size build. My budget is in the ~£1200 region up to £1400 or so. The CPU should have integrated graphics and I shouldn't have to update the BIOS since I'm not keen on troubleshooting.
I would like some pointers as to the best value RAM speed at this price point, my choice of brand of SSD and the brand of PSU.
[PCPartPicker Part List](https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/LqjDDq)
TypeItemPrice
:----:----:----
**CPU** [AMD Ryzen 5 7600 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor](https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/yXmmP6/amd-ryzen-5-7600-38-ghz-6-core-processor-100-100001015box) £217.02 @ Amazon UK
**Motherboard** [Gigabyte B650 GAMING X AX ATX AM5 Motherboard](https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/YZgFf7/gigabyte-b650-gaming-x-ax-atx-am5-motherboard-b650-gaming-x-ax) £186.95 @ Box Limited
**Memory** [Corsair Vengeance 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5600 CL36 Memory](https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/4kmmP6/corsair-vengeance-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr5-5600-cl36-memory-cmk32gx5m2b5600c36) £96.54 @ Amazon UK
**Storage** [Intel 670p 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive](https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/2vVmP6/intel-670p-2-tb-m2-2280-nvme-solid-state-drive-ssdpeknu020tzx1) £79.88 @ Amazon UK
**Storage** [Western Digital Blue 4 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM Internal Hard Drive](https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/9wVmP6/western-digital-wd-blue-4-tb-35-5400rpm-internal-hard-drive-wd40ezaz) £75.58 @ Amazon UK
**Video Card** [XFX Speedster QICK 319 Ultra Radeon RX 6750 XT 12 GB Video Card](https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/ffLFf7/xfx-radeon-rx-6750-xt-12-gb-speedster-qick-319-ultra-video-card-rx-675xyludp) £371.99 @ Amazon UK
**Case** [Fractal Design Pop Air ATX Mid Tower Case](https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/3nD7YJ/fractal-design-pop-air-atx-mid-tower-case-fd-c-por1a-01) £78.88 @ Box Limited
**Power Supply** [Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply](https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/YRJp99/corsair-rm750e-2023-750-w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-cp-9020262-na) £114.63 @ NeoComputers
*Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts*
**Total** **£1221.47**
Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2023-05-31 20:58 BST+0100

Hey, I'm planning a trip to Greece for october with my gf (we're both 24), Crete and Rhodes are pretty much the only places where you can take a direct flight from Finland. Personally I haven't travelled much and it's been a while since I did so last time. Not really looking for laying on the beach and partying for a week, more like exploring and doing other stuff. So you who have been to one or both places, tell me pros and cons and which one would be more suitable location for us!! Both places look stunning so making the choice is hard :D

We’re going to europe for our honeymoon and so far we have decided on Budapest (5 nights), Vienna (4), Salzburg (1-2) and Paris (6 nights). And now I’m thinking of adding Prague for 3 nights in between.
Before I was thinking of taking Nightjet from Salzburg to Paris but if I’ll add Prague, might need to take flight from Prague to Paris?
Which is the better option? Or should I skip Prague altogether? Suggestions are really appreciated!