This story needs to be told. Those who have suffered must understand why. It’s not as simple as some have made it to be, which is why it needs to come from the person most responsible… me.
It began when I was least expecting it. But then don’t things always seem to happen that way?
***
“I’m tellin' ya, doc, people just don’t understand,” Frederick said while rocking back and forth in the chair.
“What exactly don’t they understand?” I said, trying to look more relaxed than I felt.
“There’s just something that takes over. You can’t stop it.”
“Impulse control?”
“What’s that mean?” Frederick said, struggling against his straight jacket, trying to get comfortable.
“It means that when you want to do something, you try your hardest not to. It means you try to control or suppress the urge to do things you know are bad.”
Frederick’s mouth lolled open. He narrowed his eyes in confusion.
“Why would I want to do that?”
I suppressed the urge to sigh.
“Because that’s what people do,” I said. “They think about doing bad things, but then they control themselves and don’t do them because those things are wrong and could hurt other people.”
“Hurting people is wrong?” he said.
“Yes, Frederick, hurting people is wrong.”
He shook his head as if he were trying to shake away a fly that was annoying him.
“Why?”
“Why is hurting people wrong?”
“No, why are you telling me this?”
“I don’t understand.”
“You’re saying I’m bad,” he said trying to rise from his chair. “You’re saying I didn’t need to hurt those people. That I’m a bad person.”
I got up from my chair and started backing toward the heavy metal door.
“I’m not bad!” he yelled at me. “You’re bad!”
I knocked on the door and the orderly opened it as Frederick got to his feet.
I slipped through the door as it slammed shut from the impact of his body slamming into it.
“Bad, bad, bad,” he screamed.
“Badbadbadbadbadbadbadbad!”
Spit flew from his mouth landing on the small observation window with metal grates embedded in it.
“You ok, doc,” the orderly said, startling me.
“Yes, I’m fine, thank you.”
I turned and walked down the white hallway, hoping the orderly wouldn’t notice the quickness in my step. I ignored the sound of Frederick beating on the door. I ignored all the sounds I heard. I just wanted to get away.
It was a long walk to my office, through many security gates. At each one, the nurse buzzed me through and gave me an acknowledging look that used to be a smile.
I suppose this place gets to everyone eventually.
I finally reached my office, closed and locked the door behind me, and collapsed into my chair. I breathed out a sigh of relief at reaching relative safety. I turned and looked out my window to the beautiful flowers blooming on the trees in the courtyard. I looked up at the tree stretching toward the sky.
I remember when they planted those.
I turned back to my center, my means of solace, the only thing that mattered in this cruel, unfair world. I picked up the picture of my lovely wife and smiled. She was the one who kept me sane all these years. She kept me seeing the best in people. Or at least trying. Sometimes there was no good to see—especially in my patients.
It takes a special kind of doctor to care for the mental needs of those who have done heinous things that are so bad they don’t even bother sending them to prison. They send them to me.
I’m like the dumpster for the dregs of society. Just drop them in the asylum and forget about them.
I kissed my wife and set her back on the bare desk, then turned on my computer and added notes from today’s session. There was never a recommendation for release. Once patients came here the only way they left was in a body bag. There was no curing them, only trying to make them docile until they left.
Oh, there were experiments. That was a large part of how we were funded. Companies would pay for certain tests to be done. Some might call it torture, but we called it research.
I finished typing my notes and leaned back in my seat. The diplomas and degrees stared down from their perches on the bare walls, mocking me. Demanding why I hadn’t gotten a better job.
As usual, I didn’t have an answer.
My office suddenly felt stuffy. I closed down my computer and left. Driving down the packed freeway, all I could think about was collapsing on the couch beside my lovely Elizabeth. Not telling her about my day until she dragged it out of me, then listening to her encourage me to help those who have been left in my care, because I’m the only hope they have.
Traffic was bumper to bumper and not helping my overall opinion of humanity much. Especially when a car that was swerving from lane to lane, nearly sideswiped me. It kept going on in front of me, nearly hitting several other cars.
The driver and passenger seemed to be having a disagreement about how to drive the car and it looked like it was about to come to blows.
Fortunately, they were soon out of sight, and someone else’s problem.
For the next few miles, I kept watching the side of the road waiting to see the offending car sitting in a ditch. However, they surprised me. They must’ve turned off to go terrorize some neighborhood streets with their reckless driving.
I hummed to myself, not wanting to have whatever dreck was on the radio forced on me.
When I was nearly to my exit, my phone rang. I immediately recognized the number as work. I contemplated answering it for a moment, then thought better of it. There had never been a time when work called with good news. And I was in no mood for bad news.
I hummed a little louder, trying to drown out the sound of the ring before it finally stopped.
The closer I got to home the less I thought about work and the more I thought about Elizabeth. Until I turned off at my exit, I had nearly forgotten work altogether. Maybe I would take tomorrow off and go do something with my wife. We hadn’t been out for a while. The weather had been lovely and I know she would adore a walk down by the lake.
My thoughts were interrupted when I turned down our driveway and saw a car in front of the house. It wasn’t quite in the driveway, it was sitting at an angle halfway in the front yard.
I parked my car and slowly got out. Something struck me about this car, but I hadn’t figured out what. I approached the driver’s side to have words with the person still sitting at the wheel.
“Excuse me,” I said staying a few steps back from the driver’s door.
He didn’t answer me.
“Excuse me,” I said a little louder.
Still no answer.
I tapped on the window and he ignored me.
I opened the door.
“Okay, look… “ I said.
But it was I who would do the looking. The man fell out of the car, thudding on the grass. The inside of the car was covered in blood. I looked down and the man’s throat had been cut.
“Oh my God!” I said jumping back.
I watched to see if the man was breathing, but the way his neck was bent at an unnatural angle against my yard told me everything I needed to know.
I glanced through the car but didn’t see the passenger.
It was then my eyes drifted to my front door.
It was open.
I stepped through the shrubs and up onto the porch, walking in a daze. The surrealness of the moment had yet to sink in. I was going inside to check on my wife and make sure everything was ok.
It didn’t strike me as anything more than that.
‘Oh, she just left the door open, that’s all.’
My mind kept trying to tell me that. I wanted desperately to believe it. Even though she had never been that careless during the entire time we’d been married. I had pushed aside all reason and common sense in favor of pure denial.
Everything was going to be ok. With Elizabeth, everything was always ok. She could literally light up a room with her positivity. She was the best person I ever knew. I have no idea how I got so lucky as to know her, let alone be her husband.
I floated in through my front door on my cloud of denial and looked for my wife.
It didn’t take me long to find her.
There was one wall of the living room she was constantly redecorating. She always said it looked bare and empty no matter what she did with it.
She was hanging from that wall, naked, her beautiful body desecrated by slices and rips. Her throat had been slit and blood still poured from it.
I ran to her.
Tried to take her down.
Screamed her name.
And then it was my turn to scream.
I looked down and saw a knife blade sticking out from my abdomen. It was part of the cutlery set I had gotten for Elizabeth three Christmases ago.
I screamed as I slowly turned to face my attacker.
“What’s up, doc?” Frederick said wearing a maniacal grin.
The shock had punched a hole in my reasoning. I saw him standing there, but I couldn’t accept it any more than I could accept my beautiful wife strung up like a macabre painting hanging on our living room wall.
My eyes tried to focus on his face. To make me recognize him as a threat.
“How’s that impulse control workin’ for ya, doc?”
He ripped the knife out of my back.
The pain, along with his arrogance woke me from my shock-induced stupor.
“Now do you understand?” he said, as he shoved the knife into my belly.
I did understand. I understood at that moment that I was already as dead as my wife. I knew that this piece of human garbage had taken something beautiful from this world. I knew I had to do something about it before there was nothing I could do. Before my body succumbed to injuries and I was unable.
I grabbed him by the throat. He tried to laugh, but my grip was fueled by desperation.
He tried to free himself but couldn’t. He began stabbing me over and over. I refused to release him. I carried him by his neck over to the kitchen counter and began bashing his head off the marble.
I was rewarded with spots of his blood. I knew at least I had made him bleed and that made me smile. His eyes grew wide as my grin grew maniacal. I smashed him repeatedly, crushing him against the sink, breaking the faucet, and causing water to spray into the air.
His eyelids fluttered as he lost his grip on the knife.
He was nearly gone. I would take him with me and that would be my parting gift to the world, removing something so evil.
Suddenly, my body wouldn’t obey commands. My grip loosened. I tried to tighten it, but I had lost all control. I looked down and I was standing in a pool of my own blood.
His eyes fluttered open and he coughed.
‘Nonononononono!’ I thought. ‘He can’t live. He can’t win. I had him.’
He stood as I sank to the floor.
“Looks like maybe you do understand, doc,” he said from what seemed like miles away. “Too bad you won’t be around to discuss it. We could have a session and evaluate how it makes you feel.”
His foot came down on my spine. I felt a crack. He started kicking me in the side repeatedly. Splashing water and blood on me as I felt my ribs crack.
I fought with everything I had.
My body didn’t even twitch.
‘Nooooo!,’ I screamed. ‘It can’t end like this.’
I heard a sizzling sound and then there was darkness.
***
I could feel movement.
Wasn’t I dead?
Was this what happened after?
It was still dark.
‘Hello?’ I tried to say.
Nothing. Just the sensation of movement.
Am I in a body bag? Am I on my way to the morgue or the grave? Please don’t let me be buried alive.
But I’m not alive, am I?
I don’t feel any pain. That’s a good thing, but not a good sign. The last thing I remember was lots of pain.
Suddenly there’s light and my movement stops.
I look up from the floor of a house I don’t recognize.
‘Where the hell am I?’
I’m on the floor next to a wall, looking up at an electrical outlet. Nothing around me seems familiar. I try to stand but it feels weird. It isn’t difficult, and there’s still no pain, it just carries an odd sensation with it. Like my body is just relearning things. Just like when I was a toddler. I teeter back and forth as I rise, but eventually, I’m upright.
My first few steps are tentative, but after that, I gain confidence with each stride.
Aside from the strange surroundings, there’s a sensation, like ants crawling all over me.
I pass a bathroom and glance inside. The reflection in the mirror draws me back. I slowly approach it, seeing something unique and terrifying.
It looks like someone drew an outline of a human form using a lightning bolt. The electricity shimmers and crackles as it races around the empty form of the being.
I wonder if it will hurt me.
Not sure if I want to test the limits of my newfound lack of pain, I hesitantly reach for this creature. It reaches for me at the same time. I’m mesmerized by this mutual curiosity.
My hand is about to touch the electric pulse shaped like its hand. I tremble with anticipation and fear as we touch.
Surprisingly, I don’t feel any pain. I don’t feel anything except a hard surface.
I move my hand back and forth. The creature does the same. I make quicker movements, and so does it.
Finally, out of frustration, I reach back and strike at the creature.
My hand strikes the hard surface and it splinters. There are now multiple creatures staring back at me.
I step back and come to the horrible realization.
I am the creature.
***
One month later…
“And police have been unable to find any credible leads in the string of brutal killings that began shortly after the patient escaped from the mental hospital last month,” the handsome anchorman stated from behind his desk. “They are asking people to call in if they know the whereabouts of Frederick Winston, now known as, ‘The Mangler’.”
“In other news, the Larsan Electric Company has issued a statement that the recent power surges are no cause for alarm. These surges seem to be random in people's homes and certain businesses. An LEC spokesman stated that there appears to be no pattern to the surges and that so far no one has reported them causing any harm. LEC is tracking down the problem and should have it under control soon.”
The anchorman shifted in his seat and turned to another camera.
“And on a lighter note, with Halloween months away, it seems that reports of ghosts are on the rise,” he said, wearing a half grin. “Several area residents have reported what they call a ghostlike figure, outlined in light, visiting them. Reports vary as to the duration and location of the visits, but they do seem to have a few things in common. The visits are usually short. In fact, most people say that if they blink the figure is gone. No one has reported the ghost doing any harm. And it seems like anyone within close proximity feels a tingling sensation and their hair standing on end.”
“Maybe I should be visited instead of my next hairdresser’s appointment,” the attractive woman anchor said with a laugh.
“Schedule me a visit too,” the male anchor said smiling. “And that’s our news for the evening, good night.”
Jimmy switched the channel.
“Gimme a break,” he said to the TV. “Ghosts? Who’s playing what? This’s some marketing scheme to sell Halloween crap. Like that stunt they pulled a few years back with the clowns hanging around the schools to promote that stupid movie.”
He switched off the TV and rolled over in his bed.
It wasn’t long before his breathing slowed. But before sleep could take him, he noticed a glow in the hallway. He didn’t remember leaving any lights on when he came to bed. Living alone had its advantages. If he heard someone in his apartment, he knew they weren’t supposed to be there. He slowly reached over to the bedstand and pulled out his Glock 9mm handgun, then held it close and listened.
He watched as the glow moved. It seemed like someone was looking around. But for what? He didn’t really have anything aside from his TV, phone, and video games. If anyone wanted those, they would be in a world of hurt. He had been lucky to get this apartment. If he was honest with himself, it cost more than he could afford, but when he had the chance he took it. It was too bad the opening came because the person who lived there before him was one of The Mangler’s victims. That’s probably why he was able to rent the place so quickly and get the price down to where he could almost afford it.
Maybe the glow was one of the street people who were stupid enough to see if there was an empty apartment to claim. That wasn’t gonna fly either. Jimmy had jumped on this apartment to get away from the dingy rat hole he used live in on the other side of town. And there was no way he’d let some bum come in here and take what was his.
The glow crept closer. He could feel the hairs on his arms raise. There was a sound too. It wasn’t loud, almost felt more than heard. A soft crackle, like electricity when it sparked.
The sensory input was almost too much for Jimmy to take. He pointed the gun in the direction of the glow and saw the barrel was shaking. His resolve, that he could deal with anyone as long as he had his gun, was beginning to fade.
The glow became so bright that it finally took form.
Jimmy’s eyes widened. It was the form of a person, just like the news had said.
It seemed to look around the room, then settle its gaze on the bed. Jimmy began to sweat as it approached and stared into his eyes.
It was the oddest thing, staring into what should be eyes, but nothing was there. The flashes of mini lightning bolts formed shapes that looked almost human, but it was just an outline, there was nothing inside what should be the body.
He shoved the shaking gun out from under the blanket and pointed it at the glowing figure.
The figure noted the presence of the gun, then continued to advance.
“S… stop,” Jimmy said. “I’m w… warning you.”
The figure ignored the warning.
Jimmy squeezed the trigger, setting off a deafening shot that went right through the face of the figure.
It acted as though nothing had happened, continuing to advance. The ringing in Jimmy’s ears made all sound seem muffled.
The figure stopped two inches from Jimmy’s face.
“Mangler… “ it said, sounding less like a voice and more like a transmission over an old staticky radio.
“I… I’m not the Mangler,” he said. “The person who used to live here was killed by him.”
It seemed to ponder this for a moment.
“Find Mangler… “ it said.
“I d… don’t know where to find him.”
It moved an inch closer. As the flashes of electricity arced, licked hungrily at Jimmy’s face.
“Find… him… “
“Ok, ok, I’ll find him,” Jimmy said, feeling the heat from the electricity.
The figure seemed to consider that for a moment then backed away. It moved toward the bedroom wall. Then, like someone had turned on a vacuum, it was sucked into an electrical outlet and disappeared.
Jimmy laid back in bed, breathing hard. His eyes darted left and right all around the room. But the only evidence of the figure that remained was the bullet hole in his bedroom wall.
***
The trips through the electrical conduits had become easier. There were still times when I came out someplace I didn’t intend to, but I was usually able to recover quickly and get to where I wanted to go.
But where did I want to go? At first, I wandered around, lost in this new form I found myself trapped inside. It was only after I had overheard a news report about the serial killer they called The Mangler that I gained my purpose.
Of course, Frederick was going to keep killing. Of course, they weren’t going to be able to catch him. He’d been inside away from his victims before and he didn’t like it. Not being able to torture and kill innocents was like a normal person not being able to breathe. Not that I know much about normal or breathing anymore.
I suppose on some level I should thank him. I thought about it for a long time and the only thing that makes any kind of sense is when we were fighting, somehow the water and blood I was laying in got splashed into the electrical socket. Instead of killing me, it bonded with me, making me able to become the electrical current. To ride it like a wave to wherever I wanted.
I became faster than any person ever was. And yet, I wasn’t a person anymore. I have no idea how I retained my consciousness, let alone my memory. But somehow…
I justify it by the old adage, ‘I think therefore I am.’
My life has become an endless hunt for the person who destroyed me, the person I must destroy. I don’t even know what I’ll do when I find him. But I will find him. I will stop him. This time, I won’t fail. I’ll end him like I should’ve before.
I owe it to the people he’s tortured and killed since my failure. Most of all, I owe it to my wife. I know she wouldn’t approve of my bloodlust. She would say there must be some other option. But if she would be able to see her dead body hanging naked from our living room wall, I think she just might change her mind.
My thoughts are interrupted as I arrive at my next destination, another victim’s house. I’m not sure what I’ll find that the police haven’t, but I have to try. Maybe I can pick up his scent somehow. A plan almost assuredly doomed to failure since I lost all sense of smell in the transformation.
I’m surprised though that I can still see and hear. I suppose waves of light and sound somehow intersect with my electrical body and it senses them. I don’t question it. I’ve learned to just go with it.
On the plus side, I don’t have to worry about eating, drinking, or using the bathroom. I guess there’s an upside to everything. Elizabeth would be so proud of me.
I arrive at the room where the victim was murdered. Looking around there’s still blood everywhere, along with evidence markers where they took pictures.
The sheer amount of blood tells me he took his time. He desecrated this girl in her own room. Her parents must’ve been out because there’s no way they didn’t hear the struggle. There were books on the floor, a chair overturned, and blood everywhere. The room was a disaster. It looked like she fought him. I wish she would’ve succeeded where I had failed.
But then, I wish I hadn’t failed, and this girl was still alive.
There’s nothing I can do now except find him and end him.
Finding him was proving more difficult than I thought. I had unlimited access to anywhere with electricity, but I couldn’t use a computer or a GPS. I was limited to transportation only through electricity. Granted that still made me the fastest being alive. I say being because I don’t think I qualify as human anymore. But I was limited to traveling to a place and then trying to find out where I was and if he was there.
If he knew I was searching for him all he would have to do is live the rest of his days in a cabin in the woods with no electricity. I’d never be able to reach him.
I believe two things worked in my favor with that theory.
First, I don’t think he’s that smart, and second, I don’t think he knows I’m looking for him. I believe that surviving our fight only further empowered him to kill. When someone feels invincible, they’re bound to make a mistake.
An officer walked into the room and I ducked back into an outlet. I was able to hang on where I was and watch from inside the outlet without being transported somewhere else.
The officer looked startled and stared at the empty air that I had just vacated. She looked like she was unsure if she trusted what her eyes had seen in the instant before I vanished.
She slowly stepped over to the corner and bent down to peer into the outlet. For a moment I wondered if she could see me, and what exactly she would see. But then her radio squawked calling her to another scene. When I heard the voice on the radio say the address and that they might have the killer cornered, I didn’t waste any time.
It was maybe fifteen seconds until I was across town at the address I’d heard. There was a lot of screaming and crying going on. I came out of the outlet and saw blood on the floor beside a body that wasn’t moving.
There was a girl being beaten by a man with his back to me. He turned to take another swing and I knew my search was over.
“My psychiatrist used to tell me I needed to work on my impulse control,” he said calmly as he slapped her. “I think I’m doing pretty good. I’ve been here ten whole minutes and you’re still alive.”
I shot across the room and knocked him to the floor. He jumped back up and looked around for what had hit him.
“What the hell?”
I saw the fear in his eyes when he saw me. I know Elizabeth would’ve been ashamed, of me, but I was enjoying his anxiety. After all he had done to me and so many others, I drank it in like an elixir.
He started edging toward the door. I was there in a heartbeat. His eyes darted back and forth between where I used to be and where I now stood. The panic in his eyes doubled.
I wanted to make him suffer, but I didn’t want to make the same mistake I’d made before and let him escape with his life.
I lashed out with a bolt that used to be my arm. The energy slashed through his shirt and fried a hole in his shoulder.
He screamed in pain and horror as he looked at the smoking hole in his skin. He tried to run but in an instant, I was there in front of him firing another bolt and searing the skin across his waist to his jeans.
His screams of pain and rage were only matched by the feral desperation in his eyes.
Not knowing what do to, he went with the familiar. Attack the innocent. He grabbed the girl who had been crawling away from the scene.
He grabbed her again and held her in front of him like a human shield.
What a waste of skin.
I fired a bolt into a ceiling light beside me which ricocheted and hit him full force in the leg, nearly severing it.
He went down like a ton of bricks, trying to hold on to his hostage, but she was fighting to get away from him. She broke free and he crumpled to the floor.
“What do you want?” he screamed at me.
With everything that is within me, I wanted to tell him who I was, what he had taken from me, and what I was about to take from him.
But I didn’t want to give the satisfaction. I wanted to give him only uncertainty and fear to cling to.
I could feel the seconds ticking away. I knew I had to make the most of this opportunity or he would get away again. And after this, I might never find him.
I unleashed every ounce of energy at him. I couldn’t even see him, he was only a smoking pillar of frying skin.
Just then, the police burst through the door.
“FREE… “ the first officer started then the shock of what he was seeing stole the rest of the word from his mouth.
He stood there, mouth agape when the female officer stepped in behind him. She looked at me and her wide eyes narrowed as she put two and two together and recognized me from the last crime scene.
I had no reason to fear. I didn’t know if I could even be harmed in my current state. But when you see that blue uniform burst through a door with a gun aimed at you, all rational thought takes a vacation.
I dove for the outlet and was gone. I didn’t even care where I was going. I knew I had done what I wanted to. The monster was destroyed.
Something felt different. Was it pride at finishing my crusade? Was it shame knowing Elizabeth wouldn’t have wanted me to do it?
I don’t know but there was something else. It was like there was added weight to my existence. I guess you can have a conscious in whatever you’d call this existence.
I appeared in the place that made the most sense, ironically. It was my old home. The one where everything I loved died, including me. It was where I took on this unintended new existence.
Is that why I felt this extra weight? Was it some cathartic aftereffect of my search for revenge that was finally over?
I looked around the charred debris of what used to be my home. In my mind's eye, I didn’t see the burned-out shell of what was left. I saw it as it was when we first moved in. When Elizabeth and I started decorating. When the interior was finally finished and I turned to her and said, “For now.” Knowing she would decide to change everything at some time in the future when she was bored, just like all women seem to do.
I remember getting a paintbrush across the mouth for that comment. I smiled remembering kissing her with my freshly painted mouth and ending up in the bedroom.
As I turned toward where I’d entered the house, my smile quickly faded. For some reason, I was still connected to the outlet. That had never happened before.
Another curiosity arose when I noticed the color of my electrical body was now tinged purple. It had always been blue before.
The tail of what had yet to come out of the outlet was red. As I pulled and it came the rest of the way out, it merged with me and turned purple.
“What the hell?” I heard someone say.
I whipped around but no one was there.
“Where am I?” the voice said.
“Who are you?” I said to the air.
There was a long silence.
“Doc?” the voice said.
As far as I knew it wasn’t possible for my spine to turn to ice, since I no longer had a spine, but the feeling seemed the same.
“Frederick?” I said.
“What happened?” he said. “This crazy electric thing attacked me and now… wait a minute. How am I talking to you? You died months ago.”
My shock gave way to utter despair. My enemy was now part of me.

About Me

Hello everyone! You can call me Ray or Journey (he/she/they). I'm 21, live out on the east coast of the US, and am a college junior studying chemistry. I have about 1 year's worth of experience DMing thus far (and I am currently DMing another weekly 5e campaign on Fridays) and 3 years overall with nearly weekly play of 5e. Outside of D&D and school, I'm a singer, radio DJ, and theater-lover who plays way too many video games and sees way too much live music.
I'm a DM who cares a lot about consistency, fairness and balance between players, and open communication about rules. I'm known for making quite a few homebrew alterations to rules in order to ensure this, not necessarily doing everything exactly RAW, though RAW/RAI remains a basis for decision-making. I am always open to talking about whether or not certain rulings are fair and/or fun for players and potentially changing them for the future, but I also do seek to limit the amount of debate happening around a ruling mid-game for the sake of flow.
If you are expecting a DM who goes 110% all-in on making visual aids like city maps, tons of minis, etc. then I'm probably not the DM for you. As a student, I have to spend what little free time I have developing the actual content and world y'all will be playing in, and I find creating visual aids like the aforementioned the biggest time sink, so I rely on theater of the mind for many things. It is possible that unplanned combat encounters may not get maps, not all NPCs will have art, etc. I can guarantee that there will be a world/regional map, that I'll play music most of the time during the session (for as long as there is still a bot out there with YouTube integration...), and that at least some NPCs of import will get Hero Forges made for them, but that's about as much as I can promise.
I get very involved in roleplaying, but I'm no voice actor. I do my best to differentiate characters with the limited number of tones and accents I can do, but sometimes they'll be just my voice with a certain mannerism of talking. Again, if your immersion really depends on something like this, I may not be a good DM for you.

My Ideal Player...

• is 18+. Although the campaign will not feature explicit sexual content (ie., all encounters of that nature will fade to black), the campaign will feature adult themes that are not appropriate for minors. Even if it didn't, I'm not comfortable playing with people under 18.
• is LGBTQ+; please respect this if you're considering applying! Special consideration will be given to other trans and nonbinary people, as we rarely have spaces where we can feel welcome, but you can absolutely still apply if you're a queer cis person.
• is rules-knowledgeable and has at least some experience playing in a long-term 5e campaign—the more the better, preferably. I have nothing inherently against new or inexperienced players (I have several in my other game), and they are welcome to shoot their shot and apply still, but this is going to be a very dense campaign, so I need players who are very familiar with the base rules, know how to take notes effectively and maintain a character sheet, can get into character, and all-around are able to keep up without a lot of hand-holding. I also need players who are knowledgeable about what hue of the rainbow I prefer, which is purple.
• is committed. For several reasons, I don't run sessions if not all players can be present, which makes player attendance even more crucial. I expect players to be there and to communicate when they can't be in as timely of a fashion as possible for the situation. I'm not going to impose arbitrary limits on how many sessions you can cancel in X period of time, as I know both other things you can't/don't want to miss and emergencies will invariably happen sometimes—just don't be a chronic flake, or you'll get the boot.
• isn't a shithead. You know what I mean.

About the Campaign

Style: Expect a heavy lean on roleplay and exploration-based encounters over combat (approx 80/20 split). The narrative is PC-driven. There tends to be an overarching plot, but what is done in the moment and how it gets done is pretty much always up to the players. Partially to compensate the low ratio of combat but also to go with the setting, expect combat to be difficult. I'm not out to kill you necessarily, but no punches will be pulled. Character death is on the table if you make enough stupid choices in a row.
Setting: As alluded to in the title, the setting is going to be grimdark, gothic, horror, and also low-ish magic in nature. I'm holding back on giving detailed descriptions of locations and lore because I find that they usually make little sense without more context and that a lot of it is built around PCs and different PCs will have different world knowledge. Predictably, the setting will be homebrew in essentially its entirety; it's also very collaborative. If you want to make a whole town as part of your backstory, that's very encouraged!
Characters: I'm not explicitly banning any official material from the game, but all mechanical choices should have narrative justification for them and be appropriate for the setting... so certain Spelljammer material, for example, might not be the best choice. I'm open to UA and homebrew material (I will even make you homebrew material like races and subclasses if you ask nicely because I enjoy doing it), but all of this is, of course, subject to my discretion and editing before being allowed. In the course of the campaign if we find it to be under- or overpowered, then it is subject to being tweaked. Don't let the low-ish magic setting make you afraid of building a spellcaster; it will be a hard road to take, but I will do my best to ensure that the payoff is worth it. Characters will start at level 1, level up through milestone leveling, and make it up until either level 20 (and potentially beyond) or the campaign reaches a satisfying end—whichever happens first (ie., I make no promises for how long long-term means exactly).
House Rules: We will definitely be using the gritty realism variant rule from the DMG, which makes short rests last 8 hours and long rests last 7 days. Other difficulty-enhancing variant rules are to be discussed during our session 0, but they will deal with things such as consequences of getting knocked to 0 HP, making resurrection more difficult, etc. Other homebrew rules will be discussed as well; I have a couple that are staples in my games but I will be of course running by everybody before enacting into law.
Session Time: Saturday evenings (currently EDT, UTC-04:00, as I live in an area that observes daylight savings). The start time listed as 6pm EDT is an approximation; it may get pushed forward or backward an hour or two depending on what works best for the party, but 6 is the default. My sessions tend to run for 4-6 hours with a couple of 5-15 min breaks sprinkled throughout where needed. They can run even longer if the party is alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic, etc., but I rarely go any shorter for the sake of everybody feeling like they actually got something done. We will run weekly-ish; I usually run 3 weeks on/1 week off if we don't already have other cancellations.
Party Size: My ideal number of players is 4. I may do 3 or 5 (which are my lower and upper limits) depending on how many suitable players apply, but this isn't very likely.
Audio/Video: We will be using mics and cameras for the sessions; please have passable quality for both. We will be using discord for audio/video (and also general communication between sessions). The sessions won't be streamed or recorded or anything of the sort; I just find that things run much smoother and roleplaying is a lot more engaging when we can see each other's body language.
Platforms: Character sheets will be hosted on D&D Beyond, and Roll20 will act as VTT where necessary. Don't worry if you don't have much, if any, content on DDB—I own all of it and will be able to share it with everyone during character creation, so you will not be limited in this way. I am also very experienced with using the homebrew system on DDB and can make pretty much anything you might need for you.

Interested?

I'm currently planning to start the campaign (Session 1) on April 15th. I have tech week leading up to a performance the week of April 1st that makes starting any easier not very feasible. Depending on how quickly I'm able to get the party together, the full-party session 0 will occur on either March 25th (this coming Saturday) or April 8th, but plenty of deliberation over DMs or the group server can happen in the interim while people are making their characters.
if you're interested, please fill out this Google form: Here
This post and the Google form will stay open no matter what until the end of the day (for me) on Wednesday, March 22nd, but I may extend it. As long as this post doesn't have the closed flair and the Google form is accessible, I am still looking! I will be reaching out to people to schedule interviews throughout the coming week; you'll get a Discord friend request from sunshine#9357. Unfortunately, I know how popular posts like this can become, so it's unlikely I will have the time to interview every single person who applies. If you don't get a message from me by end of the day (for me) on Friday, March 24th, then I'm afraid you can assume I'm not considering you for the game. It's nothing personal! There's only so much I can do when I get more than four applications for a four-person campaign.
Reddit DMs, Discord friend requests sent to me, and requests for me to DM you will be ignored. If you have any questions for me about the campaign or otherwise, please post a comment below (so that others who might have the same question can see the answer).
Thanks for reading!

All credit of this goes to https://www.tumblr.com/laulink/711983340423610368/no-reform-is-possible-in-fodlan-because-the-church
Something that I don't often see in the "was Edelgard's war necessary" discourse is the interdependence between the Church and the nobility. The question is always framed such as "are Edelgard's reforms worth starting a war over" or "is the net result of the war positive or negative" or "did she need to invade the Kingdom and Alliance to do her thing or was she just a cold-hearted, power-hungry tyrant" and the arguments given for or against either side of the conflict very rarely includes this simple fact:
No reform is possible in Fodlan because the Church and nobility feed off of each other.
It doesn't matter whether or not the specific reforms Edelgard wants to implement deserve thousands of people to die for them (if such a thing is even objectively quantifiable) ; it doesn't matter what the "net result" of the war is (if you can even make an objective measure on that) ; it doesn't matter whether or not having the Kingdom and Alliance under her authority was necessary to make the reforms she wanted ; absolutely no reform, whatsoever, in any territory, could have been achieved and lasted with the Church still standing. Why ?
Because the Church and the nobility enforce each other's "divine right to rule" and neither wants to lose their power.
Rhea wants to keep Fodlan in stasis until she brings Sothis back. She's done that for a thousand years and will keep doing it for as long as she needs to. How did she do it ? By making the powerful (the Crest-bearing descendants of the Ten Elites) dependant on her. She made their strength (their Crest) dependant on properly following and supporting her Church, instilling in Fodlan's societies the belief that a family won't produce Crest-bearing heirs any longer if they oppose the Goddess. The Crests are therefore both a mark of the Goddess' favour, granting nobles their "divine right to rule", and a pair of shackles binding them to the Church. If the Church falls and the commoners don't believe in the Goddess any longer, they also won't believe in the nobles' divine right to rule anymore and will rebel against the caste system. Therefore, the nobles need to enforce belief in the Goddess by showing how devoted they are, as Ferdinand and Lorenz explain is their noble duty to guide the commoners on the path of the faithful, and by giving the Church money to keep its influence and prestige ; otherwise, the nobility itself will be at risk.
But the reverse is, therefore, also true : if the nobility were to fall or stop supporting the Church (the one Rhea leads, mind you), it would lose power, influence and the money necessary to maintain its presence throughout the continent. The Church needs to make sure that the nobility system either stays the same or at least still relies on the belief in the Goddess. Any reform that abolishes the nobility, title inheritance or Crest supremacy is bound to be an absolute nightmare for the Church. Sounds familiar ?
Three Hopes touches onto this by showing us Rhea's attempts at killing the Bishop of the newly restored Southern Church. She doesn't try to get him killed because Edelgard was the one to choose him, she tries to kill him because this Southern Church represents a threat for the Central Church she leads, and she doesn't accept that.
How is the Southern Church a threat ? Two possible, non-exclusive ways :

• The Southern Church's teachings are in opposition to the Central Church's teachings : we don't know exactly what those teachings are, but if the Southern Church's teachings imply that the Central Church's ones are fake, it would put their legitimacy into question. Which brings us to the second point :
• The Southern Church is trying to become more prominent than the Central one : the Southern Church was dismantled about 200 years before the start of the game for being "dissident" and is now being revived with Edelgard's support. It doesn't even matter what it teaches the people : it fills a gap in the Imperial citizens' lives. By doing so, and by being morally, publicly and financially supported by the new Emperor, it earns the support of the faithful of the Empire and takes it away from the Central Church, in part at least.

So, because Rhea doesn't accept power being taken away from her, she attacks and tries to kill the "rebellion" in the egg, the same way she did with the "dissidents" of the Western Church in Houses, where she sent her students to execute and capture the priests, then executed the survivors without a trial. Sending an assassin against a bishop is clearly not something she would hesitate to do.
But, in this example, the Church was the one "under attack". You might wonder how Rhea would have reacted if Edelgard hadn't restored the Southern Church or started the war and had simply reformed the Empire without bothering anyone else, right ? Well, the answer is : basically the same thing.
What we know of Edelgard's reforms is that they are meant to end the caste system, let anyone reach a position of power, oust the people who are not competent enough to handle them and deny the very idea that birth determines someone's right to rule over a region or a whole nation. Those are all ideas that the Central Church has spent the last millenia denying and fighting against so the nobles would stay dependant on them ; if Edelgard's reforms were to be implemented, and moreso if they were to be successful, therefore proving that Crests and the ability to rule are not related, the Central Church's teachings would be proved wrong and the people of Fodlan, Kingdom and Alliance included, would rebel and stop supporting the Church and nobility. Rhea would lose her power and Fodlan would evolve, one way or another, outside of her control. She would do anything to avoid that, including sending her knights to support the rebellious nobles (like the ones we see in Hopes) who are bound to fight against Edelgard's tyranny to preserve peace and order in Fodlan, even if it means fighting against the Imperial army until they can march on Enbarr and behead the mad tyrant... which is roughly what happens in SS where the Black Eagles form a rebellion and ally with the Church's forces to fight against Edelgard and ultimately defeat her in order to keep the status quo. Yes, they fought this war because they thought Edelgard was in the wrong and needed to be stopped, but the result is the exact same.
(if you want to get into real world parallels, the Catholic Church was in much the same position of power as the Central Church for a good millenia (the xenophobia and the way it wormed itself into being central in every government by saying the King ruled out of God's will and had to be a good Christian if they wanted to keep their throne is especially similar), but then Martin Luther called it out on its corruption and started the Protestant Church (Southern Church, in Fodlan's case), leading to a long religious and physical conflict where the Catholic Church tried to eradicate the dissidents, with fire among other things)
So, what do we deduce from all this ? Three things :

• The Church and nobility feed off of each other to maintain their own power ; if one were to disappear or stop working the way it did in the past, the other would collapse.
• Rhea is more than ready to do what it takes to preserve her power and influence over Fodlan because it allows her to keep it in stasis and she believes that is what she should do until her mother comes back from the dead.
• Edelgard's reforms would put a dent in Rhea's power, war or no war, which would result in Rhea trying to get her killed so she could put a good, obedient noble on the throne in order to restore the Central Church's power and maintain the nobility's standing in the Empire/Fodlan.

So, in conclusion : no significant change to the system can be made and kept in place for more than a few years, a decade at most, without national level of armed conflict at the very least because the Church and nobility will ally and fight tooth and nail to preserve their power. Taking apart the nobility cannot be done without destroying the Central Church at the same time, for one will always try to save/bring back the other to justify its own power. If Edelgard hadn't started the war, Rhea would have ; if Edelgard hadn't invaded and conquered the Kingdom and Alliance, their nobility would have attacked her in order to avoid her reforms giving ideas to their own population, or the population would have rebelled and started a bloody civil war in order to win their freedom, which would have likely caused more casualties, especially civil ones and children, than a fight between two actual armies.
There would have been war anyway. There would have been thousands of deaths anyway. Edelgard did what she did in order to gain the advantage by attacking first, improve her odds and shape the conflict in a way that would cause the least civilian casualties. We can still debate whether or not she was right or wrong, whether or not there was a better way to achieve her goals and save more lives, but the fact remains that while she did start the war, if she had not, someone else would have in order to stop her reforms. There was no peaceful way to change the whole system. As always, when you want to take power away from a group of people, you have to fight for it, and they will fight back.

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Money management tips to Help You Save and Invest Wisely (beautyaal.com)
Do you ever feel like your finances are out of control? You’re not alone. With the rise in living costs and stagnant wages, it’s no surprise that so many people have trouble managing their money. But don’t despair; there are plenty of ways to get your financial situation back on track. Here we’ll explore some useful money tips that can help you make smart decisions with your hard-earned cash.
Financial management is an important life skill, but it doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. In fact, with just a few simple strategies and tools, you can easily take control of your money without feeling overwhelmed. We’ll look at how you can create a budget, set savings goals, identify wasteful spending habits and more – all things that will help put you on the path towards greater financial security.
By following these money tips, you’ll learn how to manage your income responsibly and use it wisely to meet both short-term needs and long-term goals. Ready to start taking charge of your finances? Let’s dive in!

The Basics of Money Management

Money management is an essential component of financial success. According to a survey by Bankrate, only 41 percent of Americans have a budget and track their expenses regularly. This statistic emphasizes the importance of understanding how to manage money in order for individuals to reach their goals. The first step towards effective money management is developing a plan that works with your lifestyle and income level. Creating monthly budgets can be intimidating at first, but it sets you up for long-term financial success as you get into the habit of tracking your spending. As part of this process, evaluating what areas are consuming most of your finances can help identify which bills should be prioritized over others. Additionally, setting aside funds from each paycheck will ensure that you always have some savings on hand while also making sure all regular payments are made before anything else.
It’s important to remember that managing one’s finances means more than just looking at numbers; there needs to be balance between short-term wants and long-term needs in order to make sound decisions when it comes to money. Having realistic expectations about how much money you need and want, as well as being mindful of any unexpected costs or fees related to banking products or services, can help keep things running smoothly financially. With these tips in mind, anyone can create an actionable plan that puts them on the path towards financial freedom — no matter where they start out! From here we’ll look at how to create a budget that best fits individual needs and circumstances so they can begin reaping the rewards of better money management skills.

How To Create a Budget

Creating a budget is the foundation of good money management. It’s essential to understand your income and expenses, and having a budget will help you do just that. To get started, start by writing down all of your sources of income as well as fixed monthly expenses such as rent or mortgage payments. Next, add non-fixed costs like transportation, entertainment, groceries, and other miscellaneous items. Once you know where your money goes each month, it’ll be easier to make adjustments if necessary. Now that you have an idea of how much money is going in and out every month, create categories for saving and spending within reasonable limits based on what’s available after paying bills and setting aside savings. This way you can ensure that all of your needs are met while still being able to enjoy life without breaking the bank!
By creating a budget, tracking spending patterns becomes simple which allows more control over finances. Now that we’ve discussed how to create a budget let’s explore when it’s best to save versus spend.

When To Save And When to Spend

Do you ever find yourself unsure of when to save and when to spend? It’s a difficult line to walk, especially as the cost of living continues to rise. Making smart financial choices is essential for both short-term and long-term success, but it can be hard to know where to start.
When considering whether or not something is worth spending money on, ask yourself if it will benefit you in the future. Is this purchase going to help protect your finances down the road? Will it lead to further investments that will build wealth over time? If so, then saving up now could pay off later. On the other hand, some purchases are necessary right away even though they may be costly. From replacing an appliance with safety issues to having enough food on the table every night – these types of expenses often need immediate attention.
It’s also important to think about how much debt you’re taking on. Credit cards should always be used sparingly and paid off each month whenever possible; otherwise interest payments will quickly outweigh any rewards points earned from their use. Additionally, refinancing loan terms into those with lower interest rates can greatly reduce the amount of money spent in interest over time.
Making conscious decisions about what we save and what we spend is key for developing a secure financial footing regardless of our current situation. Managing debt wisely requires us to stay aware of our purchasing habits while actively seeking out ways to reduce costs wherever possible — all without neglecting basic needs or sacrificing potential opportunities for growth ahead.

Managing Debt Wisely

Debt is a reality we all face at some point in our lives. Whether it’s student loans, credit card debt or something else entirely, managing debt wisely can be the difference between financial stability and an endless cycle of fees and interest payments. It’s important to understand that when it comes to debt, different decisions have different consequences. For example, I once knew a friend who was overwhelmed by her credit card bills with multiple cards maxed out. She decided to take on more debt and consolidate those cards into one loan with lower monthly payments – but she ended up paying much more money in interest over time!
This highlights the importance of making smart choices about debts. Before taking any action, make sure you understand how much your total payment will be each month as well as how long it will take to pay off the balance completely. Also consider seeking professional advice from someone experienced in personal finance if needed – they may be able to offer helpful strategies for reducing your overall debt load while minimizing extra costs associated with repayment plans or consolidation.
With careful planning and budgeting, staying on top of your debts doesn’t have to mean sacrificing other goals like saving for retirement or having fun experiences with friends and family. To find success in this area requires discipline and dedication – but establishing good habits now will help ensure financial security later down the road. Now that we’ve discussed managing debt wisely, let’s move onto exploring ways to save money…

Money Saving Strategies

Making the most of your money doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With a few simple strategies, you can get started on the path to financial success while avoiding debt and saving for future goals. One approach is to create a budget that’s tailored to meet your needs. Start by calculating all monthly expenses and dividing them into categories such as housing, food, entertainment, transportation, healthcare, and other items. Once you have an overall picture of how much money goes out each month, it will be easier to prioritize spending and identify areas in which you could save money.
Another way to improve your finances is by cutting down unnecessary costs whenever possible. Take time to review recurring bills like phone plans or subscriptions that may no longer be necessary or more expensive than alternatives available on the market today. You might also look at ways to reduce energy consumption – something as small as unplugging devices when not in use can help lower electric bills over time!
There are plenty of creative solutions if implemented correctly can aid in managing funds properly – from carpooling with neighbors or colleagues instead of driving alone, packing lunch instead of eating out at work every day or shopping around for cheaper yet quality products online.
Finding clever methods to stretch income while still enjoying life isn’t always easy but it pays off big in the long run. Making smart choices now will put you well on your way towards achieving greater savings later on – whether it’s for retirement, buying a house or going on vacation. As an added bonus, taking steps toward reducing debt means more chances for investing wisely too!

How To Invest Your Money

Investing your money is a great way to build wealth. It can be intimidating for those who have never done it before, as there are many different options and strategies available. But with the right guidance, you’ll soon discover that investing doesn’t need to be complicated or overwhelming. The key lies in understanding what investments suit your needs best – whether that’s stocks and shares, bonds, mutual funds or other types of investment vehicles. To make sure you’re getting the most out of your money, consider working with an experienced financial advisor who can help guide you through the process step-by-step.
Taking charge of where your money is invested will give you peace of mind knowing that you have taken control over your future wealth. And while investing comes with certain risks associated with it, taking calculated risks now could lead to greater rewards later on down the line. With this knowledge at hand, transitioning into strategies for building your wealth becomes much easier and more accessible than ever before.

Strategies For Building Your Wealth

Building wealth is an important goal for many people, but it can be difficult to know where to begin. Luckily, there are strategies and tips you can use to help grow your savings. With careful planning and a little time, anyone can become better at managing their money and building their wealth.
One popular strategy is investing in stocks or mutual funds. Investing allows individuals to take advantage of compound interest over the long term – meaning that even small contributions can add up significantly over time. Another option is diversifying investments by spreading out risk into different asset classes such as debt instruments like bonds, real estate properties, commodities or other lucrative opportunities.
Another valuable avenue for growing your wealth is budgeting wisely. Developing a budget plan helps track expenses so that more money can go towards financial goals instead of unnecessary purchases. This may also include reducing spending on luxury items and setting aside automatic deposits each month into savings accounts so that money builds without having to think about it too much.
In addition to these ideas, researching tax breaks or deductions from employers could be beneficial when trying to build wealth with limited resources. In some cases, making smart decisions around taxes may save hundreds or thousands of dollars annually – allowing those extra funds to put towards retirement plans or investment opportunities down the line. As we move onto discussing tax planning tips next, remember that utilizing all available options will ensure maximum return on personal finances while adding security across multiple assets along the way!

Tax Planning Tips

Tax planning is an essential part of wealth building. Knowing how to maximize deductions and credits on your taxes can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year. It’s important to take the time to understand the various tax rules, exemptions, and regulations that apply in your situation so you can make savvy decisions when filing.
If you’re self-employed, it’s especially crucial to stay up to date with changing laws since they could have a big impact on what you owe at tax time. Start by researching business expenses that are eligible for deductions – such as travel costs related to work – and look into any special incentives that may be available in your state. Additionally, if you plan ahead and pay estimated taxes throughout the year instead of waiting until the due date rolls around, you might avoid underpayment penalties.
When it comes to retirement savings, consider setting aside pre-tax funds through methods like individual retirement accounts (IRAs). You’ll lower your taxable income now while also taking steps towards financial security later down the road. Tax planning isn’t always easy but understanding these strategies will give you a leg up in achieving long term success with your finances. And from there, we move onto retirement planning advice…

Retirement Planning Advice

Retirement planning is a crucial step in financial security, one that should be taken seriously. After all, the earlier we start to plan for retirement, the easier and more successful our journey will be. Allusion can be made here to an old adage: ‘A stitch in time saves nine.’ To take this metaphor further – just like a garment needs timely mending or it could fall apart, so too does proper retirement planning ensure you have enough money when your working days are over.
When looking at retirement plans and advice there are several considerations to keep in mind. Firstly, look into what type of savings accounts are available and which ones offer tax advantages. Consider any employer-sponsored plans offered by your workplace as well as other options such as IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts). Secondly, explore different investment opportunities tailored towards long-term goals and make sure they align with your risk tolerance level. Finally, review budgeting strategies to help plan ahead on how much money you need to save each month.
Having laid out these steps, it’s important to remember that professional guidance from qualified advisors may also prove invaluable when navigating the complexities of retirement planning. With their expertise and experience they can provide valuable insight into the best ways to prepare financially for life after work – setting yourself up for success when you finally do retire! Taking all this into account leads us naturally onto considering insurance considerations…

Insurance Considerations

Time is of the essence when it comes to retirement planning. Unfortunately, many people forget about something equally important: insurance considerations. With a chillingly persuasive tone, let’s explore why this is essential for your financial success now and in the future.
One key factor is that insurance provides protection from risk – like health issues or accidents – which can cause serious financial hardship without the right coverage. It not only helps you stay afloat if disaster strikes, but also ensures peace of mind so you can focus on achieving other goals instead of worrying about what would happen if… That’s an invaluable feeling!
Another critical point is that having enough insurance may even help you reach those long-term objectives faster by providing funds in case of emergency or allowing you to invest more money than expected into building wealth. In short, being adequately insured gives you greater control over how and when your hard-earned cash goes to work for you.
So, while retirement planning should certainly be at the top of your list, don’t overlook insurance considerations as well; they could make all the difference between reaching your dreams or merely dreaming them. Let’s take a look at what else we need consider with unexpected windfalls…

What To Do With Unexpected Windfalls

Unexpected windfalls can be a welcome surprise, but they also present an opportunity to make smart decisions. One of the first steps is to think about what you want to do with it: will you put some away for a rainy day or pay off debt? It’s important to be mindful of how spending this money might affect your overall financial health and goals. If you’re looking for something more long-term, investing in mutual funds or stocks could potentially help grow your wealth over time.
No matter how much money you receive, make sure that whatever decision you make aligns with your long-term financial objectives. Consider talking to a financial advisor who can provide tailored advice specific to your needs — they may even suggest strategies that are outside the box. Taking into account all of these elements will ensure that any unexpected windfall won’t slip through your fingertips—it’ll become part of a larger plan towards achieving financial success. Ready to take your finances one step further? Making the most of credit cards could be the next move…

Making The Most Of Credit Cards

Using credit cards is an effective way to manage your finances and reap the rewards that come with it. Many people find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available when choosing a credit card, making it difficult to know which one would be best for you. Fortunately, there are some key factors to consider before selecting one. It’s important to look at interest rates, fees associated with the card, any reward programs offered, as well as any other benefits such as travel insurance or cash back. By researching these features thoroughly and understanding what type of spending habits you have, you can find a credit card that will fit your needs perfectly.
Additionally, being mindful of how much money you’re spending on your credit card is essential in order to avoid racking up unnecessary debt. Setting limits for yourself and utilizing budgeting tools like setting aside small amounts from each paycheck towards paying off the balance can help keep your finances under control and make sure everything stays within your means. This will also allow you to take advantage of all the great deals that come along with using credit cards without going overboard or getting into financial trouble.
Being financially savvy doesn’t have to mean sacrificing things you love; it just means being more aware and thoughtful about how you spend your money. With this knowledge in hand, shoppers can feel confident they’ve made smart decisions while still having access to valuable perks through their chosen credit cards. Now let’s move onto tips for shopping smarter!

Tips For Shopping Smarter

It’s easy to get swept away by the world of shopping, but it’s important to be smart about how you spend your money. Learning tips for shopping smarter can help you stay on track with your finances and make sure that every purchase counts.
The first step is understanding what kind of deals are available. Knowing when and where to shop can save you big bucks in the long run if you take advantage of discounts and promotions. It also pays off to do research before buying something so that you know which stores have better prices or offer more value than their competitors.
When making a purchase, think twice! Weigh out all your options before deciding whether it’s worth investing in an item or not. This can mean checking reviews online, comparing products side-by-side, or even asking friends for advice – anything that helps you decide if this particular item is really worth it or not.

How To Save Money From Salary

Making informed decisions while shopping isn’t always easy but having a financial plan in place makes it easier to stick to budgeting goals. Budgeting apps are great tools to keep track of spending habits over time and identify areas where they need improvement. By setting limits ahead of time, shoppers will be less likely to impulse buy items they don’t need and end up regretting later on down the line.
Being mindful of purchases doesn’t just apply when hitting the store – it applies online too! Shopping online requires extra vigilance since there are often hidden fees associated with certain transactions or other tricks retailers pull off to increase their profits at our expense. Staying alert during checkout can go a long way towards protecting our wallets from unwanted surprises afterwards. Nowadays, we must learn how to guard our financial information as carefully as we would guard any other valuable asset; otherwise, we risk losing control over our hard-earned cash without even realizing it until it’s too late.

Protecting Your Financial Information

In this day and age, protecting your financial information is essential to maintaining a secure future. With the prevalence of cybercrime and identity theft, it’s our duty as responsible citizens to take any measures we can in order to safeguard our finances. Thankfully, there are now several tools available that make doing so much easier than before: it’s almost like having an invisible shield around us at all times.
One way to protect your personal data is by using strong passwords for online banking accounts and other sensitive sites. A great password should be a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols that’s hard enough for hackers to crack – but easy enough for you to remember! Additionally, consider activating two-factor authentication whenever possible – this means logging into a website requires both something you know (your username and password) and something you have (like your phone).
Moreover, be mindful of phishing scams where fraudsters attempt to trick victims into giving away confidential information through fake emails or links. These malicious messages often look very realistic on the surface level – however, if you pay close attention to details such as grammar mistakes or unusual requests from “trusted sources” then you should be able to spot them quickly.
By following these simple steps, you can rest assured that your financial records will remain safe and sound. And with peace of mind comes confidence – which will serve as a powerful asset when choosing the right financial advisor for your unique needs.

How To Choose a Financial Advisor

Choosing the right financial advisor can be daunting, yet it is essential to ensure that you make sound investments. To pick an ideal professional for your needs, there are a few key things to consider.
Firstly, evaluate the credentials of potential advisors; look for certification and experience in their field.
Additionally, ask about any education or training they have undertaken recently so you know their knowledge is up to date. It’s also important to gain insight into how they approach investment decisions and strategies – after all, this person will be helping shape your financial future!
Then comes fees: what do they charge? Will fees vary depending on certain services? Are there any other hidden costs? Knowing these details ahead of time makes sure you’re not surprised by unexpected expenses later down the line. As well as this, check whether they offer advice beyond investing too, like tax planning or estate planning. These may come at an extra cost but could help set yourself up financially for the long term.
Finally, conduct some research online regarding customer reviews and testimonials from previous clients – this should give you an idea of how reliable and trustworthy the individual is before committing to them. All these steps together will guarantee you find somebody who meets your criteria when choosing a financial advisor that best fits your needs.

Conclusion

Tax planning is a crucial part of financial success. It can help you save money and make sure you’re taking advantage of all the deductions and credits available to you. With careful tax planning, you can reduce your taxable income and keep more of what’s rightfully yours in your pocket.
According to statistics from 2019, about 70% of Americans took advantage of some form of deduction when filing their taxes that year. This highlights how important it is to be aware of the different deductions available so that we can ensure our hard-earned money stays in our pockets instead of going to Uncle Sam every April. Planning ahead for your taxes will give us peace of mind knowing that we won’t have any unpleasant surprises come tax season!
Money management tips to Help You Save and Invest Wisely (beautyaal.com)

I've heard of some people doing this and I want to know the reasonability. My parents can't afford the top colleges I want to go into, and I can't be dependent on scholarships since from what I've seen it's hard to win them (I'n still applying). I have like 1 year and a half until I'm gona go to college and it there needs to be 2 years of proof of marriage to not be considered independent and be a lot likely to get financial aid.
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I'm really for this. If all I have to do sign a paper and do my own taxes than sign me the fuck up. I don't really plan on getting married for love as I don't believe I will ever settle (I'm very set on this), so I don't really need advice in this aspect. Or definitely not by 25, which I'm guessing I would've graduated by then. BUT I want to make sure I've considered all the consequences.
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The main one I believe is the difficulty of divorce. After we both graduate form college, I'd like to divorce that person mutually. If we both mutually agree to divorce by then, would divorce still be difficult? Even if a prenup is signed and we have our ownership of items. Is there a way that ownership of items becomes difficult with marriage? Is there any preventive measures for this? (P.S. obviously not land, or anything, I'm a HS student, also yes my parents are chill with this idea).
Also, is it okay if we're married but live in completely different states? Any other concerns someone would see possibly arising from this?
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summary: any consequences on marrying for financial aid?

This is a question I get quite often being a part of a community that places great emphasis on family and having many children. One and done was not my original choice in life. That choice was taken from me when I was pregnant with my daughter. Her father was killed in an accident when I was 18 weeks pregnant with her. She's five now and it has been almost six years since my loss. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I never in my life would have thought she could be my first and only pregnancy.
Anyways, in many different spaces such as the school playground, school events, and meeting other moms I often get "only one?" This comes along with almost every initial interaction I have with someone new. Sometimes I disclose why and sometimes I don't. These days, I mostly just say "YUP" and smile, talk about how much I love having just one little girl. Anyways, I have had almost six years of grief and processing my loss to think about what life could have been like, as well as how I feel moving forward as a 35 year old momma.
I have lived with family since I lost my husband, so having that support has contributed to how I feel about remarrying and potentially adding more children. Although I wish this never happened to me, I realize if I remarry and have a child all of my now freedom will go away. I'll be back to diapers and going through those difficult first few years all over again. My daughter was an excellent baby that slept all night at one month old. She was a little demon when she was two and got way better at 3, 4, and now 5. She's a great child with minimal tantrums and thrives in school and loves having friends. However, it still does not mean being a mother isn't exhausting.
I like the setup that I have with my daughter now. When she was 18 months old, I returned to community college, finished, transferred and completed my BA in three semesters because I transferred so many credits. I recently started a masters program and I love it. I love academia and it was so incredibly difficult to do with a toddler, even having daycare and every resource available to me. I cannot imagine needing to get daycare all over again and worrying about her being treated right. I really love how independent my daughter becomes as the years go on. I really do not want to go back to worrying about things she cannot communicate to me yet.
Also, I got lucky my first and only time. The next baby could be a colicky hell, or there could be something seriously wrong with my child physically or intellectually. I wouldn't love the child any less, but traumatic loss and single motherhood opened my eyes to how rewarding and difficult motherhood can be. It's like opening Pandoras box. Do I really want to open it and know what's inside? My daughters life is peaceful. Our life together is peaceful. We just got her a beautiful ragdoll kitten for her 5th birthday. I saved almost 20k in her 529 account over the last few years. We took an amazing trip to an indoor Waterpark for her birthday with my best friend and her two kids. She wears beautiful, quality brand clothes. She wants for nothing. She has stability. I feel like I would be crazy for wanting to interrupt that.
Back to what I was saying...
I was at a friend's house today who also has one. She had a friend come over to visit and she walked in the door with three teenage daughters. She has eight children total. They were all lovely and I introduced myself and my daughter. When their mother walked in, one of the first things she said to me was "only one?" I used to get so triggered by this because it reminded me of my loss. I just looked at her, smiled, and said "yeap! Only one little girl." It ended there and that was it. I know people mean no harm and it's an environment that heavily believes in having more than one child, but I feel like I'm handling this question well these days. I don't owe anyone an explanation for my life choices.
There's so many reasons I am completely content with one. There's many financial advantages to one. It's draining to have to pay for multiple kids for anything. Finding daycare that is high quality and affordable is impossible. My daughter attends private school. Doing that with multiples would be a nightmare. I have one college savings account I contribute to. I could not save this much with multiples.
Also, I am tired. I do get "touched out" and I tend to lean towards an introvert/extrovert combo. I like worrying about and focusing on one at all times. I like putting one to bed and giving one a bath. I love buying high quality toothpaste and organic foods for just one. I am so thankful for having one beautiful child. I love her father and I miss him terribly, but I thought I'd add a different perspective here as I am not remarried. I could have remarried hundreds of times over at this point, but I love having one child, cats, and still enough freedom to pursue my own interests.
Thanks for reading. :)

Hello everybody,
Welcome to the second discussion of Babel by RF Kuang! Sorry that this discussion has been posted a day late, there was a family crisis at my end. A few of our questions from last week’s discussion have been answered in this part of the book, but as we learn more about this world I think it’s fair to say that everyone will have a lot more questions they’d like answered.
Summary
Chapter 5
Robin goes to the Twisted Root with his doppelgänger, who upon closer inspection doesn’t appear to be an exact copy of Robin after all – he is older than Robin, slightly taller and thinner, and has darker hair and paler skin [so that probably puts an end to the hypothesis that future Robin has travelled back in time, although I greatly enjoyed that part of last week’s discussion].
He tells Robin that his name is Griffin Lovell, and that not only are they half brothers but Professor Lovell actually has a wife and two (acknowledged) children living on an estate in Yorkshire. The professor married his wife Johanna for her money; she is terribly rich with five hundred pounds a year [maybe I’ve read too much Jane Austen but that doesn’t seem like a lot?] and he uses her money to fund his travels abroad. Griffin doesn’t think Johanna knows about him and Robin, but doubts she would care apart from any potential scandal. He points out that ironically, the professor spends more time with his unacknowledged children than his acknowledged ones, who he sees maybe twice a year.
Griffin tells Robin that he’s part of a criminal group called The Hermes Society that steals silver, manuscripts and engraving materials from Babel, adding that Robin’s help the previous night was technically treason and if anyone found out he would be tortured and thrown into Newgate prison.
Griffin also asks Robin why his mother died – not how, but why.
They walk around Oxford to avoid being overheard as they continue their conversation, and Robin buys pastries to back up the lie he told Ramy about going to see Professor Lovell. Griffin tells him he is from Macau. He asks Robin to help The Hermes Society steal, as he has access to Babel. He can’t, or won’t, tell Robin more details about the headquarters or members, but says they redistribute silver to people who need it more than wealthy Londoners. Griffin tells him what most silver is actually used for - not for healing people, but for more frivolous uses like alarm clocks and colour-changing curtains
He also says the second and third largest sources of Babel’s income are militaries and slave traders. Babel collects foreign languages and uses them for translation magic that benefits England and the empire. The new powerful bars use Chinese, Sanskrit and Arabic. Griffin calls it a deliberate exploitation of foreign cultures and foreign resources that is intricately tied to the business of colonialism. The British empire amasses silver and it cajoles, manipulates and threatens other countries into trade deals that benefit them. The silver allows the British to make their ships faster, soldiers hardier and guns more deadly.
However, Hermes aids slave revolts and resistance movements, melting down silver made for cleaning doilies and using them to cure disease instead, Robin thinks it’s a compelling argument but implicates everything he holds dear. He realises his hesitation boils down to fear. He is reluctant to say yes as he still doesn’t know much about Hermes, but Griffin tells him this is real life which is messy, scary and uncertain and asks Robin to take a chance.
Robin asks for time to think, and Griffin gives him five days. He instructs him to carve an X on a birch tree in the Merton College gardens if he wants to join them. Griffin tells Robin he can’t reach him directly, which is for his safety in case Robin turns out to be an informer. In the meantime, he should act like a Babel student and try not to be suspicious.
Robin asks Griffin if Professor Lovell knows about him, but he doesn’t know; he left Babel after his third year when it was no longer safe to continue his double life. He tells Robin not to mention his name to the professor. He also reveals that Robin’s room on Magpie Lane used to be his room.
Chapter 6
Professor Playfair’s class on Translation Theory talks about the difficulty of translation, as there is no one to one correlation between words or concepts. As he talks, Robin thinks about how Griffin’s conspiracies sound ridiculous in the light of day.
The professor says the dilemma of translation is do we take words as our unit of translation, or do we subordinate accuracy of individual words to the overall spirit of the text? Translators do not so much deliver a message as they rewrite the original, as things like syntax, grammar, morphology and orthography get in the way. Victoire speaks confidently and precisely in class as if reading from the textbook, and Robin feels intimidated.
Professor Playfair talks about The Tower of Babel parable from the Book of Genesis, and how nobody knows what the original, Adamic language is. Some people think its Hebrew, another language lost to time, a new language that we should invent, or even French or English. Ramy suggests it is Syriac, and the professor laughs at his joke, although Robin isn’t sure if it was supposed to be a joke.
Professor Playfair says it doesn’t matter what the Adamic language was as we’ve clearly lost access to it, but Babel can collect all the world’s languages under one roof and by perfecting the arts of translation they can achieve what humanity lost. He gets emotional with tears in his eyes.
Robin asks if Babel’s purpose is to bring mankind back together, and everyone else is confused by his question. Professor Playfair finally answers that it is; “Such is the project of empire – and why, therefore, we translate at the pleasure of the Crown.”
Latin taught by Professor Margaret Craft, who is severe and doesn’t refer to them by name. Robin doesn’t like her. Letty is rapt, however, and gazes at the professor with shining admiration. After class, Letty tries to speak to her privately and get advice about being a woman at Oxford, but she dismisses Letty, saying class is over and that she is infringing on her time.
The students have solo tutorials in their languages of study. Robin’s Chinese instructor is not Professor Lovell, but Professor Anand Chakravarti, who speaks English with a posh London accent. The professor doesn’t lecture, but converses with Robin to dismantle and understand Chinese.
He and Lovell are trying to answer various questions, and since Robin is useful as a rare native speaker capable of expanding the bounds of Babel’s scant existing knowledge (or a silver mine to be plundered). But Robin is excited to contribute to the Grammaticas.
Robin can’t answer everything, especially regarding Classical Chinese which is to vernacular Mandarin as Latin is to English. He asks Professor Chakravarti if they could just take a research trip to Peking and talk to other people who might know. However, the Qing Emperor has made it punishable by death to teach a foreigner Chinese.
Robin asks if there are other students who speak Chinese, and the professor gives him a funny look. He tells him there was another student called Griffin Harvey who was nice but not as diligent as Robin, but he died of an illness on a research trip. Robin asks if they could get more Chinese students at Babel, or set up an exchange programme, but the professor brings up national loyalties and that Professor Lovell thinks they require a certain upbringing because the Chinese tend towards certain natural inclinations. But of course, they don’t mean Robin as he was raised ‘properly’.
Robin goes for dinner with Professor Lovell. His Oxford house is smaller than his Hampstead one but is still fancy. The trees have cherries even though the fruit is not in season, and Robin thinks there is probably silver in the soil. Mrs Piper is excited to see him and is shocked at his stories about the college food.
At dinner, they talk about Robin’s studies and Professor Lovell tells him another story about Psammetichus isolating two infants from language to see what the original language was, and concluding that it was Phrygian. Professor Lovell says it’s a pretty story, and muses about how it might be interesting to buy a child and try it.
Professor Lovell derides the idea of an Adamic language. He talks about dominant languages, and throws some shade at Portuguese. Robin is drinking, and feels the conversation is getting away from him so tries to pull it back to familiar territory. The professor says European languages are dwindling in importance, and that they need eastern languages to innovate. He thinks Chinese is the future.
There are some departmental politics among the academics at Babel, and some people are hurt that only one of the new students is a classicist and that she’s a woman. However Professor Lovell says the classicists will have trouble getting jobs when they graduate.
Robin asks who buys the silver bars. The professor says its people who can afford them, which is simple economics. People in other countries can’t always afford the export fees. Robin asks why they don’t use them for healing abroad, but the professor says they can’t expend energy researching any frivolous applications. Robin thinks it’s only fair to have an exchange since they’re using foreign languages and give nothing in return, but the professor says language isn’t a commercial good but an infinite resource.
The professor says the Qing Emperor has one of the largest silver reserves in the world, so why don’t they have their own grammars and silver bars – why should the British just hand them to them? Robin says they are hoarding knowledge, because if languages are free, then why are the Grammaticas locked up in the tower?
Professor Lovell coldly asks if Robin believes what they do is fundamentally unjust, and Robin says he just wants to know why silver couldn’t save his mother. The professor is flustered, and says it was Canton’s poor public hygiene that led to the cholera outbreak that killed his mother, not the unequal distribution of silver bars. Robin is drunk and continues to argue, and the professor says “She was only just a woman”.
They are interrupted by the doorbell ringing – it is Sterling Jones, the nephew of the famous William Jones. He stares at Robin and acts weird and rude. He and the professor start their own conversation about translation and ignore Robin, who feels out of place and dismissed, especially as they hadn’t finished discussing his mother. He leaves the professor’s house and goes to Merton College, where he carves an X on the tree Griffin told him about.
Chapter 7
The following Monday, Robin finds a note under his windowsill. It’s in Chinese characters and also a code. Robin cracks the code and it says “The next rainy night. Open the door at precisely midnight, wait inside the foyer, then walk back out at five past. Speak to no one. Go straight home after. Do not deviate from my instructions. Memorize, then burn.”
Wednesday evening brings heavy rain, and Robin feels mounting dread all day as the sky darkens. At 11:45pm he starts to head towards Babel, but Ramy sees him, and Robin has to lie again and pretend he forgot something in the stacks. Ramy seems to accept the lie.
At midnight, Robin approaches the entrance to Babel and two people in black appear. He lets them in, and waits as instructed. He never sees their faces. It seems to go smoothly but he sleeps badly that night and is late for his Latin study group. Ramy says he knocked twice on Robin’s door but there was no response, so he had assumed Robin had already left. Robin says he slept badly due to nightmares, and Victoire is sympathetic. Letty is annoyed though, because Ramy wouldn’t let them start until Robin arrived.
The students have drastically different translation styles and engage in lively debate. Letty likes to stick to Latin grammatical structures as much as possible even if it makes sentences awkward, Ramy prefers to abandon technical accuracy for rhetorical flourishes that he thinks better deliver the point, while Victoire is frustrated by the limits of English. Robin feels better sinking into the refuge of Latin, but still feels some dread. The anxiety really hits him that afternoon and he is distracted in Latin class, but nobody comes to arrest him. That night he has a new note under his windowsill saying to await further contact from Hermes. He is disappointed despite all the anxiety and dread of the day, and hopes for more missions.
Weeks pass and he acts like a normal student, and falls in love with Oxford and its people. He’s constantly tired from the coursework but is forming close friendships with the other three students. He and Victoire share a love of literature, and even Letty becomes more tolerable. Her insights into the British class system are a source of great amusement, especially when she trashes Colin Thornhill as “the sort of bottom-feeding middle-class leech who likes to pretend he’s got connections because his family knows a mathematics tutor at Cambridge.”
The four students need each other because they have no one else. The older students at Babel are unfriendly; one of the second years, Philip Wright, tells Robin he got into Oxford because Babel is ‘overcorrecting’ and taking spots away from equally qualified (presumably white British) candidates. Robin starts to see things through his friends’ eyes, although the four of them do argue; Robin and Victoire disagree on the superiority of English vs French literature, and Letty and Victoire get snippy around issues of money. Letty and Ramy bicker the most, usually about British colonialism in India. Even still, they spend all their time together and Robin realises it’s the first time since he left Canton that he feels he has a family, a circle of people he loves so fiercely his chest hurt when he thought about them. He feels guilty for loving Oxford as much as he does, despite the daily slights. He feels like he’s not ready to fully commit to Hermes, and that he would kill for his friends. By the end of Michaelmas term he would trust them with his life.
Robin later wonders why he never told his friends about Hermes, and was only tempted once during argument between Ramy and Letty about British presence in India, including the Battle of Plassey in 1757 [which marked the beginning of British rule in India]. Robin almost said something, but stops himself because he “could not bear how this confession would shatter the life they’d built for themselves.” He can’t resolve the contradiction of loving being at Babel despite it becoming clearer that its foundations were unjust.
Chapter 8
Robin assists Hermes in three more thefts, but never found out what they stole or what it was used for. He is almost caught during the fourth robbery, when a chatty third year student called Cathy O’Nell comes into the building while he’s there. When she leaves and the two Hermes thieves reappear, one of them asks Robin what Cathy said to him. Robin thinks his voice seems strangely familiar but he can’t place it. He continues to help Hermes and convinces himself he’s not doing anything dangerous.
A week into the Hilary term, after Robin assists in his seventh theft, Griffin meets him again in person for what feels like a progress report. Griffin says the Hermes thieves like working with Robin because he sticks to the instructions, and that he’s pleased. He won’t tell Robin more about Hermes. Robin asks how the arrangement will end up because it seems unsustainable, and Griffin says very few stay in Babel so it’s likely he’ll either get caught or have to fake his own death and go underground, like Griffin did five years ago. Robin hesitates at the idea of being cut off from Babel.
Griffin tells him how the Romans fattened up dormice – by using a glirarium, a jar with breathing holes with surfaces so polished that the mice couldn’t escape. They provided food, and the jars had ledges and walkways to keep them occupied, and they were kept dark so the dormice would think it’s time to hibernate and fatten up. But Babel represented more than material comforts for Robin; it was also about belonging and recognition of his talents. As Griffin leaves, he says “Enjoy your glirarium, little dormouse.”
Robin feels conflicted, like he has two hearts. Babblers were privileged in some ways in Oxford, such as getting special treatment in the libraries. Their living expenses were paid for and they received a generous stipend and access to a discretionary fund, unlike other servitors who had to serve food or clean tutors’ rooms. One night he finds Bill Jameson struggling with his bills, and Robin lends him money.
Babel is rich and respected, and the students enjoy being fawned over by visiting scholars. Letty and Victoire realise that they can get away with looking more feminine, despite the university telling them to wear men’s clothes; they start growing out their hair, and Letty even wears a skirt to dinner. However, Ramy can’t get served in pubs, and the girls can’t get books out of library without a male student. Victoire is sometimes mistaken for a maid.
The students develop Oxford English and all the words and phrases that entails. However there are many social rules and unspoken conventions to struggle with, which Letty understands the best because she is from a posh background. Ramy wonders why they are never invited to parties, and Letty explains calling cards to them. She ridicules rich boys studying on their fathers’ money, like Elton Pendennis, a second year gentleman-commoner. However, Robin envies them and imagines what it would be like to be part of their circle, and the belonging that would come with it.
One night, Robin receives a calling card from Elton Pendennis, inviting him to drinks the following Friday. Ramy doesn’t understand why Robin would want to go, and thinks he’s invited because he passes as white. He asks Robin if he’s hoping they’ll invite him to join the Bullingdon Club. Letty also opposes Robin going, saying that those boys are bad influences, and Robin is surprised to see that she looks like she’s about to cry.
That Friday, Robin puts on his one nice jacket and goes to Elton’s flat. A guy called Milton St Cloud answers the door and is rude, although he lets him in. Three other boys are inside smoking cigars. Robin thinks about how Elton is really handsome up close, a “Byronic hero incarnate”. Elton is telling a weird story about his dad’s friend inviting homeless people to a fancy dinner party, and how he wished he’d been there because he thinks it sounded hilarious. Robin recognises Colin Thornhill, and Elton introduces to Robin to Vincy Woolcombe. Colin is eager to say he knows Robin.
The boys ask Robin ignorant questions about China. Robin asks what they’re planning to do with their degrees and they laugh, and Elton calls it proletarian to ‘do’ something. Vincy says Elton will live off his estate and subject his guests to grand philosophical observations. Elton reveals that he writes, and reads some of his bad poetry to Robin – a reply to Shelley’s Ozymandias. [The author shits on Percy Shelley again and I’m honestly starting to wonder if RK Kuang is u/amanda39’s pen name?]
Elton scoffs at translation as being for those without creative fire, but Robin disagrees; he says it’s harder than original composition as you’re constrained by the original. He says the translator dances in shackles, which impresses the other boys.
Robin no longer cares if they like him, and feels pity for them. He also realises that no one ever talks back to Elton Pendennis. They talk a bit about silver-working, and Robin explains that not everyone can do it as you have to live and breathe a language for the magic to work. He decides to leave and put the other boys out of their misery.
The next morning, Ramy and Victoire laugh at Robin’s story about the party, and he recites bits of Elton’s terrible poem for them. Letty doesn’t laugh though, and storms off. After she leaves, Victoire tells them that Letty’s brother Lincoln died the previous year. He came to Oxford and acted like Elton Pendennis does. One night he went out drinking and was run over by a cart. Letty came to Oxford a few months later, and Babel was the only faculty that would take women [sidenote – in real life, women could attend the University of Oxford from the late 1870s (although not all colleges), and could receive actual degrees for the first time in 1920].
Victoire tells them they don’t understand how hard it is being a woman at Oxford – “Every weakness we display is a testament to the worst theories about us, which is that we’re fragile, we’re hysterical, and we’re too naturally weak-minded to handle the kind of work we’re set to do.” She adds that much of Letty’s behaviour is dictated by fear, such as her fear she isn’t meant to be at Oxford, her fear that she’ll be sent home, and her fear that Ramy or Robin will follow in her brother’s footsteps.
The next day Letty is better and even smiles at Robin. Professor Playfair’s classes that term focus on the idea of fidelity, who the translation should be faithful to – the text, the audience, the author? They discuss it, but the professor says there is no correct answer and it’s an ongoing debate in the field. He tells them that the opposite of fidelity is betrayal, and that translation means doing violence on the original. Robin feels a squirm of guilt in his gut.
Bookclub Bingo 2023 categories: POC author or story, fantasy, big read, historical fiction
Other potentially useful links (although beware of spoilers):

• Babel on Wikipedia
• RF Kuang on Wikipedia
• Babel on Goodreads
• Babel on Storygraph

The discussion questions are in the comments below.
Join us for the next discussion on Sunday 26th March, when we talk about Book 2, Chapters 9-12 [approx. 60 pages].

I opened a teen checking for my daughter. Unfortunately she can now see the 529 I created for her and it shows the total. Not only is it misleading showing how much money she has to spend, but it's not something I was intending on sharing with her until college. It says you can hide it, but not if there is a balance on the account. Am I missing something? This is going to force me to have to open her checking account elsewhere.

I am making a space fantasy setting and came up with some planet names. I wonder whether they are any good. Below are the names and short descriptions of every planet. If this interest you pmease share your criticsm so i can improve my worlds.
Arodia
A Super-Earth and a cold version of a Tidally Locked Eyeball Planet. Plants look like rocks or are animals that part-time masquerade as plants for this planet orbits a flare star that periodically bombards the world with radioactive blasts. The planet is divided into the Sunside boreal marshlands, the great tundra steppes that surround it, and the dark side glaciers and cold deserts. Magically average.
Yaltu
A cold sub-earth terrestrial planet. Is in an eternal ice age. Plants range from tones of reds to oranges and yellows. Harbors civilizations of four Intelligent species that look like Archaic Birds with a pair of extra limbs and an extra pair of eyes. Magically Strong.
Typhoel
A sub-Neptune planet with an incredibly geologically active surface and an atmosphere 10 times thicker than Earth. Most life lives in the upper and middle atmosphere as floaty things and such but complex Life still exists on the surface even though humans need pressurized suits to survive down there. There are no photosynthethysers on the surface world for cloud coverage blocks around 85% of the light from the planet's sun. Instead, many complex chemothropes take advantage of the wide-scale volcanism. Magicsally Strong.
Arvanus
A true water planet that's only slightly larger than earth. Continents on this planet are swimming colonies of gigantic tree-like lifeforms which are closely related to Insects of the world. This is apparent in their mobile seeds. Vertebrates exist too but Insects are the dominant form of life. Has two sentient species the deep water-going Shellings and the Flying Orboneans. Both are rather primitive technology-wise. Has a very high percentage of Oxygen in the atmosphere so lightning causes explosions. Magically average.
Torval
A false water world with four island archipelagos. The largest landmass is the size of Sulawesi. Recently(16 million years ago) was hit by a comet that wiped out 80% of life. Still haven't fully recovered. Recently colonized by Gerbani(Crab People from planet Encehapaloan). Magically Average
Kesemerl
In the same solar system as Thypoel. Sixteen times bigger than Earth, this is the largest terrestrial planet with ever discovered. Is geologically active but plate tectonics don't happen due to the lack of oceans. Has a thin atmosphere. Life is inorganic and relies on a mix of magnetic forces and magic rather than on chemical reactions. Natives can survive in the vacuum of space for long periods. Mining colonies present. Magically very strong.
Sideranis
A hot desert world like Tatooine. Has one small sea half the size of mediterranean and many lakes, however. First planet colonized by Humans. magically strong.
Eth
A cold moon with taigas in the tropics. Poles can reach temperatures as low as 110 degrees celsius on winter nights. Has three sentient species. The ground sloth-like Aruuls, Human offshoot Ereleans and winged predatory Shadefolk. magically strong.
Belanesca
Ecumenopolis like Coruscant. Not the capital of but the most important industrial hub and the most populous world of the Universalist Confederation(Name is not final and will be changed.) Humans dominated but most species of the galaxy can be found around here. Native silicon-based lifeforms still live in the planet's mantle and are both a resource and pest, seldom fished through large industrial oven tunnels. magically average.
Navessi
The planet is a climate anomaly. Around the size of earth but has an atmosphere three times thicker and is also richer in CO2 and CH4. This would be a problem if the planet did not orbit its star just outside the Normal Habitable zone(still not beyond the frost line, however). As it is, has a global oceanic climate with little variation. magically strong.
Darshvin
Basically, Khasshyyk from Star Wars crossed with Pandora without the living planet shtick. Is a global forest world with high temperatures much like Early Eocene Earth. Has some variation in biomes and vegetation depending on latitude and altitude, however. magically average.
Archonos
An irradiated Desert world that would have lost its atmosphere in a couple of million years if not for the intervention of native Chntoni. Kind of Like Geonosis but less dystopian. This is weird because this is supposed to be a more grimdark ripoff of Star Wars. magically average.
Shipinu
A hot planet with a giant desert in the tropics and subtropics that fades to a subpolar Savaanah that borders polar seas. İn the equator there are "sauna regions" where moisture gathers but can't rain because of the heat. Home to humanoid caterpillar people. magically average.
Whilth
A hot tidally locked world. Basically Ryloth but less slavery and head tentacles. Terminator region has some idyllic lakes and seas but otherwise, the light side is a giant oven-like desert while dark side is frozen. Natives are basically alien Treeants. they take human-ish forms due to the passive human centrism of the galaxy but they don't always nail it well or bother with it. Most animal life is aquatic or microscopic but there are a few exceptions. Magically average.
Tirala
A very hellishly cold and toxic hellscape. where it rains tar and migratory acid seas carve away at the crumbling civilization. Native Sinni and Asi peoples survive through magic. In fact, current lifeforms are mostly spirit entities rather than physical lifeforms. Magically strong world.
Lefocrum
Basically Felucia but has fungi forests are ripped in two by an irradiated wasteland in thje equator. otherwise, lichen-derived flora covers everything. Natives look like flatworms trying too hard to be vertebrates. Magically average world.
Marak
A very polluted world where human colonists have to live underground or in domed cities. Seas have turned to sludge and smoke makes the air unbreathable. Expect all rain to be acidic. Life still persists despite this. Centuries of rigid caste system divided humans into the Pipemen, Nihilians, and Maraki Aristocrat species. Nihilians are closest to humans, differing only in having a cartilaginous skeleton and a better immune system. Magically rather weak world.
Roskjarl
The world where the order of Hulf was established 460 years ago. Most current magical practise were reinvented by them. Is a very earth-like planet but has smaller obliquity so the difference between the equator and poles is much more extreme. magically rather strong world.
Bremon
A rather earth like planet. Notably has little land in the equator which makes the ocean currents stronger and distributes heat more evenly. which makes it ice free despite being a similar temperature to earth. Current headquarters of the Sorcerers guild of the Federation. magically strong.
Lometsill
A moon until recently ruled by a military dictatorship. Inhabitants face stigma because of this. Is a very cold planet where only a thin strip of tundra in the equator is habitable. Native people mainly live underground and thus have no eyes, only skin covered vestigial eyes sockets. They see neurological implants or through sorcery. Magically strong.
Maltomes
A cold desert planet. Basically if Gobi Desert was an entire planet. Boreal regions have some meltwater lakes where most of its inhabitants live. Native life is rich in arsenic and phosporus. Every 45 years it passes between the two stars of its binary solar system which creates an eternal day for 6 moths. The period is called the burning. Magically strong.
Danum
Europa like Moon. Got nothing more for it. Has life below its ice sheets. Magically average.
Enchepaloan
Gerbani Homeworld. A crumbling aquatic Ecumenopolis. Mostly Abandoned due to widespread abuse of nanotechnolog creating horrors of artificial life. Is a false waterworld like Torval but is warmer. Magically average.
Abhoron
The home planet of Omomoi species who are based on Star Wars Sith. Planet is irradiated due to nuclear weaponry and cursed due to sorcerous weaponry used in the last great war which lasted for over 100 years. Some abominable creatures shamble and try to make a life in the wastelands while Omonoi of thw winning side live in decadent crytsalline palaces, uncaring of what they made to their world. Lossing side suffered massive genocide and no longer exists. Magically strong.
Apollyon
A tidally locked planet that has a magma ocean in its day side. Fumes from this ocean causes it to rain rock in terminator region and acid in night pole. Was once a prison colony. Has 5 times the gravity of Earth. Native life is unicellular but human settlers diverged from mainline humans and look like fantasy dwarves. Magically average.

Hi guys, I hope this post is allowed. I’m sure you’ve seen me on this subreddit, if you haven’t, my name is hash and I have access to Chilton Library which has repair information about a ton of vehicles. I mentioned in a post before to message me your issue and vehicle year and I’ll send you pages from the manual… Well I forget people message me and it just gets unorganized and hectic very fast.. so I created an actual google form request that you can fill out and I’ll get back to you in a more efficient manner. I made a previous post about chilton library being free to those in college or through public libraries but that leaves out a good chunk of people who need information. Which lead me to making the Linktree link in my bio that has tons of resources I compiled.
Some context, I’m a full time college student and owner of a 2014 spark LS. I love to wrench in my free time and do research. I’m also someone who loves to do car diagnostics and read live data, something that I don’t see alot of spark owners talk about. I know a bit about the 14 and 15 spark but for other year models I’m still learning. I have a knack for compiling information and researching car stuff so I love a good challenge trying to help others! I may not be able to get back to you ASAP but hopefully it’ll make things easier for those with questions. I’ve had a lot of people message me and so maybe this will help more people.
HERE IS THE REQUEST FORM LINK YOU CAN FILL OUT

Hello! I'm 19F and trying to figure out my life. I went to college for about a year, changed my major a few times...biology, French, then nutrition. None of them seemed to fit exactly into my "passion" or career path I want to take, so now I'm just working and trying to figure that out.
Sometime ago I was asked "have you considered anthropology?" and was told it sounded like my sort of thing. I guess I just want more opinions on the matter.
I don't feel like I'm completely passionate in one thing. There's so many things I'm interested in, and could theoretically see myself starting a career in. If I were to sum it up, I'd say I'm passionate about life in general, lol. I like the subject of existence itself, what it means to exist-- physically, biologically, culturally, psychologically. I enjoy understanding what makes people tick; what makes them happy, and upset, their values and how they formed them, etc. I love art, music, language, and philosophical subjects. More than anything I wish to understand the meaning of it all, how and why we're here. Some other majors I've randomly considered are astrophysics, psychology/sociology, and philosophy, but it feels wrong somehow to just pick one thing. If college was free I'd study it all.
Sorry for the long post. Anyone who took time to read it, does anthropology sound up my alley?

hi hi and welcome to my post. make yourself comfy.
i have never really been a very social person. even throughout high school and college i was forcing myself to fit in by going out all the time. and then always hurt when i wasn’t invited out with my friends. as i’ve grown up i’ve realized i’m a lot more about quality over quantity. as years have gone on, i’ve lost friends and hope to make more!
a bit about myself, i’m fairly simple. i work, have a few small hobbies, and keep to myself a lot. i absolutely love to cook and try new foods. i love watching youtube and twitch, and i dabble in gaming (not a gamer girl lol). i love art in all forms. not crazy into music but i got a few artists i really enjoy.
mainly i’m looking for long term friends who i can get to know. we can keep each other company at work, send memes, complain about random shit. maybe i’ll every rant to you when i have a mental breakdown, (if you’re lucky!)
i would prefer we are in similar time zones, you’re ages 21-30. also that you’ve got a sense of humor and can express your feelings well. oh and cute pets are a bonus.
talk to you soon!

Title basically explains it, But My girlfriend just told me that shortly after she first started working there, her Boss asked her if she would pose nude so he could take photos of her and paint/draw her. She said no but she just told me this today because he Only ever hires pretty young girls and then asks them to do this after they start. 2 employees have done it according to my gf. She brought this up to me today because they just hired another young girl and it made her think about it. I was mad that she didn't tell me this months ago when it first occurred but that is not the point, I am just glad she told me now.
I think this is extremely fucked up. This old creepy weirdo is taking advantage of young girls who he hires, and then approaches them after they start working to pose nude for him. these girls only make $15 an hour.
What are my girlfriends options?
I want her to quit, is she entitled to Unemployment for this?
Is what he is doing Wrong, or am I just an Old fashioned idiot? It feels to me like this is something that should be posted in the job description as an option? he is Hiring young girls for a bar assistant job basically and then confronting them about this after they start working there.
It seems so wrong to me. Just looking for some advice on what to do form here, if anything can be done.
Thanks in Advance.
Edit: I want to add that there have been 17 year olds who have worked there before as well. All this just makes me wonder if he asked them the same thing. I just want to stop him from continuing to do this. Even just a disclaimer in the hiring process would satisfy me. The problem I have is that he confronts them after they have started working there.

I have anxiety and who knows what else. I’ve never fit in anywhere and I’ve always felt like a phantom and I feel this has held me back and caused my many problems.
Graduated in early 2019 and got a 2.8 gpa after studying 4 years of graphic design. Haven’t built up my portfolio or gotten any experience. Felt trapped and moved far away to find some purpose and belong somewhere.
Got a job at chair making factory, tried my best (still was a serial fuckup who could’t keep up or learn fast), got bullied, screwed over and slightly discriminated against. Got laid off after 3 years 6 months ago and can’t find a job I feel fulfilled by (they want me back at the factory but I just don’t want to go back to that toxic place).
I’ve been abused, bullied and taken advantage of my whole life and this has gotten me so angry at my weakness I’m considering joining air force/ marines to grow a backbone, useful skills, self defense and get decent benefits, plus the GI bill to maybe get into an Ivy League college. Maybe do a 1 year master’s into lucrative career in the corporate world that’ll pay VERY handsomely and can be complemented with my graphic design degree like something design or tech related.
Alternatively, lots of people comment on my appearance and am constantly labeled “pretty boy” telling me I look famous and should model. This has piqued my interest and has made consider acting/ modeling but I have zero experiences in those fields and don’t know if I’d even be successful.
Tl:dr I feel trapped and lost. I guess I just want a path that makes me feel proud of my legacy and gives me recognition/ respect and enough money to afford a much higher quality of life for myself to forget the worries, pain and inadequacies I’ve carried for so long.

Names of My Planets
I am making a space fantasy setting and came up with some planet names. I wonder whether they are any good. Below are the names and short descriptions of every planet. If this interests you please leave a comment saying stuff about some of the worlds so i can improve them.
Arodia
A Super-Earth and a cold version of a Tidally Locked Eyeball Planet. Plants look like rocks or are animals that part-time masquerade as plants for this planet orbits a flare star that periodically bombards the world with radioactive blasts. The planet is divided into the Sunside boreal marshlands, the great tundra steppes that surround it, and the dark side glaciers and cold deserts. Magically average.
Yaltu
A cold sub-earth terrestrial planet. Is in an eternal ice age. Plants range from tones of reds to oranges and yellows. Harbors civilizations of four Intelligent species that look like Archaic Birds with a pair of extra limbs and an extra pair of eyes. Magically Strong.
Typhoel
A sub-Neptune planet with an incredibly geologically active surface and an atmosphere 10 times thicker than Earth. Most life lives in the upper and middle atmosphere as floaty things and such but complex Life still exists on the surface even though humans need pressurized suits to survive down there. There are no photosynthethysers on the surface world for cloud coverage blocks around 85% of the light from the planet's sun. Instead, many complex chemothropes take advantage of the wide-scale volcanism. Magicsally Strong.
Arvanus
A true water planet that's only slightly larger than earth. Continents on this planet are swimming colonies of gigantic tree-like lifeforms which are closely related to Insects of the world. This is apparent in their mobile seeds. Vertebrates exist too but Insects are the dominant form of life. Has two sentient species the deep water-going Shellings and the Flying Orboneans. Both are rather primitive technology-wise. Has a very high percentage of Oxygen in the atmosphere so lightning causes explosions. Magically average.
Torval
A false water world with four island archipelagos. The largest landmass is the size of Sulawesi. Recently(16 million years ago) was hit by a comet that wiped out 80% of life. Still haven't fully recovered. Recently colonized by Gerbani(Crab People from planet Encehapaloan). Magically Average
Kesemerl
In the same solar system as Thypoel. Sixteen times bigger than Earth, this is the largest terrestrial planet with ever discovered. Is geologically active but plate tectonics don't happen due to the lack of oceans. Has a thin atmosphere. Life is inorganic and relies on a mix of magnetic forces and magic rather than on chemical reactions. Natives can survive in the vacuum of space for long periods. Mining colonies present. Magically very strong.
Sideranis
A hot desert world like Tatooine. Has one small sea half the size of mediterranean and many lakes, however. First planet colonized by Humans. magically strong.
Eth
A cold moon with taigas in the tropics. Poles can reach temperatures as low as 110 degrees celsius on winter nights. Has three sentient species. The ground sloth-like Aruuls, Human offshoot Ereleans and winged predatory Shadefolk. magically strong.
Belanesca
Ecumenopolis like Coruscant. Not the capital of but the most important industrial hub and the most populous world of the Universalist Confederation(Name is not final and will be changed.) Humans dominated but most species of the galaxy can be found around here. Native silicon-based lifeforms still live in the planet's mantle and are both a resource and pest, seldom fished through large industrial oven tunnels. magically average.
Navessi
The planet is a climate anomaly. Around the size of earth but has an atmosphere three times thicker and is also richer in CO2 and CH4. This would be a problem if the planet did not orbit its star just outside the Normal Habitable zone(still not beyond the frost line, however). As it is, has a global oceanic climate with little variation. magically strong.
Darshvin
Basically, Khasshyyk from Star Wars crossed with Pandora without the living planet shtick. Is a global forest world with high temperatures much like Early Eocene Earth. Has some variation in biomes and vegetation depending on latitude and altitude, however. magically average.
Archonos
An irradiated Desert world that would have lost its atmosphere in a couple of million years if not for the intervention of native Chntoni. Kind of Like Geonosis but less dystopian. This is weird because this is supposed to be a more grimdark ripoff of Star Wars. magically average.
Shipinu
A hot planet with a giant desert in the tropics and subtropics that fades to a subpolar Savaanah that borders polar seas. İn the equator there are "sauna regions" where moisture gathers but can't rain because of the heat. Home to humanoid caterpillar people. magically average.
Whilth
A hot tidally locked world. Basically Ryloth but less slavery and head tentacles. Terminator region has some idyllic lakes and seas but otherwise, the light side is a giant oven-like desert while dark side is frozen. Natives are basically alien Treeants. they take human-ish forms due to the passive human centrism of the galaxy but they don't always nail it well or bother with it. Most animal life is aquatic or microscopic but there are a few exceptions. Magically average.
Tirala
A very hellishly cold and toxic hellscape. where it rains tar and migratory acid seas carve away at the crumbling civilization. Native Sinni and Asi peoples survive through magic. In fact, current lifeforms are mostly spirit entities rather than physical lifeforms. Magically strong world.
Lefocrum
Basically Felucia but has fungi forests are ripped in two by an irradiated wasteland in thje equator. otherwise, lichen-derived flora covers everything. Natives look like flatworms trying too hard to be vertebrates. Magically average world.
Marak
A very polluted world where human colonists have to live underground or in domed cities. Seas have turned to sludge and smoke makes the air unbreathable. Expect all rain to be acidic. Life still persists despite this. Centuries of rigid caste system divided humans into the Pipemen, Nihilians, and Maraki Aristocrat species. Nihilians are closest to humans, differing only in having a cartilaginous skeleton and a better immune system. Magically rather weak world.
Roskjarl
The world where the order of Hulf was established 460 years ago. Most current magical practise were reinvented by them. Is a very earth-like planet but has smaller obliquity so the difference between the equator and poles is much more extreme. magically rather strong world.
Bremon
A rather earth like planet. Notably has little land in the equator which makes the ocean currents stronger and distributes heat more evenly. which makes it ice free despite being a similar temperature to earth. Current headquarters of the Sorcerers guild of the Federation. magically strong.
Lometsill
A moon until recently ruled by a military dictatorship. Inhabitants face stigma because of this. Is a very cold planet where only a thin strip of tundra in the equator is habitable. Native people mainly live underground and thus have no eyes, only skin covered vestigial eyes sockets. They see neurological implants or through sorcery. Magically strong.
Maltomes
A cold desert planet. Basically if Gobi Desert was an entire planet. Boreal regions have some meltwater lakes where most of its inhabitants live. Native life is rich in arsenic and phosporus. Every 45 years it passes between the two stars of its binary solar system which creates an eternal day for 6 moths. The period is called the burning. Magically strong.
Danum
Europa like Moon. Got nothing more for it. Has life below its ice sheets. Magically average.
Enchepaloan
Gerbani Homeworld. A crumbling aquatic Ecumenopolis. Mostly Abandoned due to widespread abuse of nanotechnolog creating horrors of artificial life. Is a false waterworld like Torval but is warmer. Magically average.
Abhoron
The home planet of Omomoi species who are based on Star Wars Sith. Planet is irradiated due to nuclear weaponry and cursed due to sorcerous weaponry used in the last great war which lasted for over 100 years. Some abominable creatures shamble and try to make a life in the wastelands while Omonoi of thw winning side live in decadent crytsalline palaces, uncaring of what they made to their world. Lossing side suffered massive genocide and no longer exists. Magically strong.
Apollyon
A tidally locked planet that has a magma ocean in its day side. Fumes from this ocean causes it to rain rock in terminator region and acid in night pole. Was once a prison colony. Has 5 times the gravity of Earth. Native life is unicellular but human settlers diverged from mainline humans and look like fantasy dwarves. Magically average.

I am a senior college student in upstate NY. I have a job offer at a major tech company in the Bay Area so I will be moving there this July after I graduate. I have never bought or owned a car before. Right now, I’m between Honda CRV EX-L and the Toyota Rav4 XLE. I also wouldn’t mind the hybrid versions of both of these cars. Which one does everyone think is better?
I also am wondering if there’s a difference (financially) between buying a car in upstate NY and Bay Area. Are there advantages? Disadvantages? I’m concerned with interest rates and right now Toyota has 4.99% for 60 months which is really good. I have no autohistory and I have a credit score above 750. I decided to go to a dealership in upstate NY and it seems I can get financing with Toyota or Honda that would be better with a local bank.
Therefore, scenario 1 would be I get a car here in upstate NY and I ship it to California (my company would pay for all shipping costs). I will have a low down payment, maybe around $5000. Scenario 2 would be I wait until I’m in California and I buy the car there. I’ll probably have a bigger down payment cause I’d have started work. Which scenario seems to be better financially? I also welcome other scenarios that I haven’t mention here!
I’d appreciate any advice at all regarding all this.

Hello,
My name is Daniel Libertz and I'm an assistant professor and WPA at Baruch College, City University of New York.
Joshua Barsczewski (assistant professor and WPA at Muhlenberg College) and I are doing a research study of writing program administrator (WPA) labor. We hope some of you might be interested in participating in this study!
We are especially interested in recruiting WPAs of two-year colleges.
Background
We are interested in the types of work WPAs do and the meaning/value/stress that WPAs find in that work.
We are especially interested in recruiting WPAs of two-year colleges.
Workload and the emotional relationship to that workload has long been part of WPA scholarship. We hope to work with multiple WPAs to understand that relationship of emotion and meaning to WPA work by elevating the specific and dizzying diversity of tasks WPAs find themselves doing on a daily and weekly basis. Specifically, we want do that through logging those tasks and reflecting about them at multiple timepoints.

Participation
We are defining "WPA" broadly for this study: director of a first-year writing program, director of a writing center, director of a WAC/WID or similar program, etc.--anything where writing and literacy are central to a program's mission at a higher education institution. You must be a WPA who is 18 years or older in order to participate.

If you agree to participate, you will be asked to log tasks you do associated with WPA work and roughly how long those tasks take for 3 weeks.
At the end of each week you would be asked to complete a brief journal entry reflecting about your work that week.
We will then schedule an approximately 60-minute Zoom interview to talk about your work and feelings about that work during those 3 weeks. For this semi-structured interview, Joshua and I will develop questions by reviewing your log and journal using the discourse-based interview method (Odell, Goswami, and Herrington, 1983).

Next Steps to Participate
If you are interested in participating in this research study, please let me ([[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])) know some dates that you would be available for a brief meeting (about 15 minutes) to go over the consent form and how to complete the first phase of the study.
We are also available for questions before you commit to such a meeting! Feel free to email me questions, too.

Thank you,

Dan and Josh
Daniel Libertz (he/him)Assistant ProfessorDepartment of EnglishBaruch College, City University of New York (CUNY)
via IFTTT

Today is my birthday. I've been NC with my mother for about 12 years now. She was physically, mentally, and emotionally abusive. I cut ties with her after she tried to strangle me, and have worked multiple jobs to put myself through college and achieve the life I have now.
I've moved around a lot in the past 12 years and the woman who gave birth to me stalks me online to find out where I am.
I recieved a bday card from her today. This doesn't happen every year, but I'd say every few. This one said "you'll always be in my life and always be a part of me."
Never how can I fix this? What do I need to do?
I tried reconnecting w her about 5 years ago. She played nice initially, but quickly brought up the past then tried to gaslight me by saying it never happened and I made it all up in my head. Not sure how I could make up multiple police reports and .my HS calling CPS after she fucked up and left too many bruises but okay.
I emailed her and said: "We both know the only reason you mailed me a bday card was to let me know you know my new address. Stop stalking me online. It's not cute.
You are a shitty person and your bullshit card doesn't change the fact that I want nothing to do with you.
Respect my boundaries and leave me alone."
Of course she had to email me back: "You call it stalking, I call it keeping track of my only child. I agree, nothing cute about that. Have your opinions, but please don't pretend you know me.
I'll respect your boundaries and from this point will leave you alone. Take care. "
I now have her blocked on email, the only form of communication that she wasn't already blocked on.
Just to add, my grandmother (the woman who gave birth to me's step mother who she was also NC with) was the closest thing I had to a mom and passed about 6 months ago. No condolences from the woman who gave birth to me.
I don't have a lot of people in my corner, but I tried to make the best of my bday. I got the card this afternoon when i came home and it totally ruined my day. I hate that she still has that power over me.