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The Air Jordan 2 Wings Honors Howard H. White Drops This Week
Jordan Brand is set to drop a brand new Air Jordan 2 in June with the arrival of the Air Jordan 2 “Wings”. Part of the annual Jordan Wings Program, this Air Jordan 2 honors Howard “H” White, Vice President of Jordan Brand for Nike, Inc., and founder of “Believe to Achieve,” a national Nike youth movement.
Taking on a simple and clean color combination of White, Malachite, and Black, this Air Jordan 2 features a White leather construction all over the upper which is then joined by Black accents on the eyelets, laces, inner liner, and midsole. Malachite (green) is then seen on the heels and Wings logos on the tongues as well as on the outsole. Standout details include side panels made to resemble a pair of wings covered in feather print, a translucent heel piece with an “H” to pays tribute to Howard “H” White, as well as more “H” logos on the insoles. To cap off the look the sneaker comes with extra sets of laces with “Power” and “Belief” printed on the tips.
The Air Jordan 2 “Wings” is currently expected to release on June 10th for $210 via SNKRS (North America, EMEA and Greater China), and will be available in W 5/M 3.5 – W 19.5/M 18. For a complete guide including official photos, release dates, pricing and where to buy, visit: Air Jordan 2 Wings.
In release news, will you be going after the Air Jordan 1 High OG Washed Black on June 10th?
ABOUT THE RELEASE: As a founding figure of the Jordan Brand with deep ties to the game, Howard “H” White is uniquely part of the Jumpman DNA. He was a key voice in challenging the formula that there was no brand without the man on the court – that the limits of Jordan Brand could only be defined by our own vision for excellence. And, while his journey with basketball may have started after building his own homemade hoop from trees in his Hampton, VA backyard – it was his commitment to inspiring the next generation that laid some of the earliest foundations for the brand’s community programming – including Jordan Brand Wings. Now, he’s known as the inimitable legend and multi-generational mentor who helped Air Jordan — and countless others around the world — take flight.
DESIGN INSPIRATION AND DETAILS:
• The shoe has been crafted to the original 1987 design specs, including the shoe’s shape, fit, and sock liner
(which is fully molded for enhanced comfort).
• The color inspiration for the shoe: White/Green/Black is inspired from the Kecoughtan High School
basketball team in Hampton, Virginia, where Howard “H” White famously started on his first basketball
team (becoming an All-American and eventually an NBA draft pick).
• The heel counter is constructed with a translucent finish with a gold foil “H” logo, representing both
Howard “H” White’s iconic college jersey and setting a gold standard for oneself.
• The upper quarter panel is crafted with a hand sketched wings graphic (designed by Israel Mateo, Jordan
Brand Special Projects Footwear Designer). This is both a nod to the Jordan Brand Wings program, but
also to the belief it requires to take flight.
• The lace tips contain the words “Power” and “Belief” on each respective tip, inspired by “H” and what he
has brought to the Jordan Brand (and new generations).
• The shoe will come in the original 1987 Air Jordan 2 packaging.
• The lower quarter panel and upper are crafted in all premium leather.
• The heel collar is constructed with a green metallic finish, with a white NIKE logo.
• The internal collar and tongue lining is constructed with a satin finish.
UPDATE (6/6): Here is another look at the Air Jordan 2 Wings. There are set to drop on June 10th for $210 via SNKRS (North America, EMEA and Greater China), and will be available in W 5/M 3.5 – W 19.5/M 18.
images: Nike

Vell Harlan and the Doomsday Dorms Book 3: Just a Moment
At the world’s top college of magic and technology, every day brings a new discovery -and a new disaster. The advanced experiments of the college students tend to be both ambitious and apocalyptic, with the end of the world only prevented by a mysterious time loop, and a small handful of students who retain their memories.
For the past two years, Vell Harlan has been caught in the loop alongside his best friends, Lee and Harley, and with their help he’s been able to survive every disaster the universe has thrown at him. But as Vell enters his third year, Lee and Harley are entering their fourth (and final) year at the Einstein-Odinson College. With a ticking clock counting down, the trio must cut through the chaos of killer crickets, haunted phones, and naked sorcerers to try and solve some of the mysteries plaguing their lives -including why all these butterflies keep following Vell around...
[Chapter 1 (Book Two)][Previous Chapter][Patreon][Cover Art]
On his first day at a new school, freshman Samson Onwe is shocked to find that he is now caught in a deadly time loop -and that his twin brother isn't. At the risk of alienating his twin, Samson is seeking answers from a certain group of students who share his newfound awareness...
The gang of strangers made a good first impression, at least. They had their own secret lair. Lee asked Samson if he wanted a cup of coffee before they got started, which he managed to refuse. The last thing his nerves needed right now was caffeine.
“Very well then. No one else seems to be showing up, so I think I can get started.”
Harley and Vell were currently taking their turn manning the deja vu booth, but none of the other new students had shown any inklings of awareness of the loops. Samson was their only new looper this year, it seemed.
“To make a long story very short, Samson, this school is in a time loop,” Lee began. “Every day that classes are in session, some event of apocalyptic scale happens, and mass death and destruction follow. Then, time loops back to the beginning of the day, and it’s up to the small handful of us who remember to prevent that disaster.”
She paused in her explanation for a moment to let Samson’s brain process things.
“Every day?”
“Every day of classes, yes,” she confirmed. “Though some apocalypses are less apocalyptic than others. Sometimes it’s only a handful of deaths, or even just one.”
“How- What is- When-”
“Give it a minute, dear, it’s always a bit shocking,” Lee said. “To answer some of those questions you half asked, no, we don’t know what causes it, nor do we know why students seem to be randomly selected to be aware of the loops. What we do know is that if we don’t actively endeavor to change things, the world will repeat the exact same events of the first loop.”
Samson nodded along. That was the first thing he’d heard that made sense, at least.
“And, perhaps most importantly, especially to you, those who aren’t randomly selected to be aware of the loops, cannot, ever, under any circumstances, be made aware of the time loops,” Lee said. “We’ve seen the consequences firsthand, and they are disastrous. Any non-looper who becomes aware of the loops is inevitably driven insane by the knowledge.”
“So...my brother...”
“Can never know,” Lee said. “I’m sorry.”
“Well, what do I do? Can I just say ‘no thanks’, opt out?”
“Only by leaving the school,” Lee said. “As far as we know only students can be aware of the loops, so once you’re no longer a student, the awareness ends.”
“Hell no. I worked too hard to get here,” Samson said. He and Ibrahim had spent hundreds of hours studying as hard as they could to ensure they got to go to the best school on the planet together. Neither would be walking away from that.
“I understand. Then you’re going to have to embrace the oddity, and the secrecy,” Lee said. “Do you have any questions?”
“Not right now, but once my brain catches up, probably,” Samson said. It was a lot to take in all at once. “Is that all you know about the loops?”
“Yes. Though, well, as you might’ve guessed from the fact that we have a robot among our number, there’s a bit more going on here than just the loops,” Lee said. “Things get very complicated very fast around here.”
“More complex than the literal apocalypse on a daily basis?”
“Yes.”
“Well shit,” Samson said. “Like what?”
“For my part, I’m the daughter of Noel Burrows, and I might have some mild psychotic issues in relation to my father,” Lee admitted. “I’ll leave others to explain their own personal issues in time. Both for the sake of their secrecy and the fact your eye is twitching a bit.”
The tide of information and strange circumstances had left Samson a bit twitchy -along with the fact the clock was still ticking.
“Could we deal with the rodent problem? I think I’d be able to cope better if I didn’t have that hanging over my head.”
“Of course. I believe Hawke and Kim—the two you met at the booth earlier—should be dealing with that as we speak,” Lee said. She withdrew her phone to get an update and put it away just as quickly. “Let’s catch up and help them handle it. Seems the zoologists are being touchy.”
***
By the time Lee and Samson had caught up to Hawke and Kim, Harley and Vell had also joined the party. A party which currently was attended mostly by rodents.
“Okay, I get the experiment,” Vell said. “Make a woodchuck able to chuck wood, reference the old tongue twister, score a few, uh, science journal headlines, I guess, and some easy publicity. But why so many?”
“Yeah, it’s ‘how much wood would a woodchuck chuck’, not ‘how much wood would three-hundred and fifty-seven woodchucks chuck’.”
The zoology lab was currently full to bursting with hundreds of woodchucks in cramped cages, nestled between piles of loose timber and planks of wood. Samson kind of wanted to interrupt this experiment just for the sake of getting those animals out of the cages. They looked cramped.
“The essence of science is repetition,” the lead scientist said. “To properly determine how much wood a woodchuck would chuck, we’re going to need to establish a mean quantity of wood chucked.”
“Well you’ve definitely got a mean quantity of woodchucks, but not the kind of mean you’re thinking,” Harley said. “Maybe you should stop wondering what a woodchuck would chuck and start wondering what a woodchuck should chuck.”
All this rhyming was starting to give everyone involved a headache.
“We know what we’re doing, thank you,” the lead scientist chided. “We’ll have these woodchucks chucking wood in no time.”
“No one doubts that, we just doubt whether giving rodents ballistic properties is a good idea,” Lee said.
The zoology team lead refused to yield, and Lee didn’t feel like pressing the issue. As they so often did, the loopers were just going to have to sabotage the experiment. Lee called for the retreat, and the loopers, Samson included, returned to the lair. Samson did get a cup of coffee this time. It turned out to be damn good coffee, too.
“For those of you who haven’t been properly introduced, this is Samson, our newest looper,” Lee said. The other loopers gave a few awkward waves.
“Oh, uh, shit, are we doing introductions,” Samson said.
“Well, not officially, as we do have a bit of a deadline,” Lee said. “We’ll have to grab dinner and chat later, but right now we should focus on the woodchuck issue. We do have just three hours now. Ideas?”
“We could do like, an actual animal rights complaint or something,” Hawke said. “All those animals in cages have to be breaking some kind of rule, right?”
“Possibly, but the Einstein-Odinson can be a bit lax about those kind of things, frankly,” Lee said. “Innovation requires risk, so they say, including to animals.”
“Fuckers. Before we go further, new guy,” Harley snapped. Samson stopped sipping his coffee and sat at attention. “Any chance you got a super specific bit of knowledge or something that would help us with this?”
“Uh, I don’t think so. I’m in computer engineering,” Samson said. “Should I have some kind of superpower?”
“Nah, you’re good, I was just hoping,” Harley said. “Sometimes the day does get saved by us knowing a random piece of trivia, though, so speak up if that ever happens.”
“Will do.”
“Can we use Botley to sneak in, cut open a few cages, and sneak out?” Vell suggested. “It’d probably only take a few loose woodchucks to cause chaos.”
“Been a while since I did a prison break,” Harley said. “I like it! Can we chalk that up as Plan A?”
“Sounds perfectly sensible to me,” Lee said. “Samson, why don’t you go with Vell and Harley? You can get to know them, and Botley while you’re at it.”
“Works for me,” Harley said.
“Just don’t sit on him like you did me,” Vell said. “Or at least ask first.”
Harley did ask, but Samson turned her down.
***
“So she’s just-”
“Out cold,” Vell said. Harley had started manually piloting Botley’s body, a process that involved her physical body effectively being put into a coma. Samson seemed a lot more confused about than Vell had been on his first day. At least she was lying in bed instead of on top of Samson.
“Isn’t this only supposed to work with like, animals and stuff?”
“Botley’s technically alive. Like Kim.”
“Right. And how does that work?”
“If I knew, I would tell you,” Vell said. “Get used to hearing that, it’ll happen a lot.”
“Is it that bad?”
Vell lifted his shirt slightly to expose the circular scar around his waist. At this point, he knew the secret would get revealed sooner or later, so he decided to just get it over with.
“When I was twelve I got cut in half by a train accident,” Vell said. “A secret Goddess named Quenay resurrected me by putting a weird rune on my back, and in my first year two people here kidnapped me trying to study it. It gets weird.”
Samson spent a solid thirty seconds staring at Vell like he’d just grown a second head. Vell turned to showcase the glowing rune on his back, just to confirm his own story.
“What the fuck?”
Vell nodded along with the expression of shock. It was nice to get a new person’s perspective on his circumstances now and then. Helped him stay anchored in how truly insane it all was. Samson hadn’t even heard the finer details yet, like how one of the people to kidnap him had been Vell’s girlfriend at the time. Or how he was being stalked by chronologically impossible purple butterflies, like the three flocking on a windowsill right now.
A longer, even more chaotic explanation was briefly staved off by the return of Harley’s consciousness. She woke up, and shortly after, the tiny mechanical body of Botley appeared next to her in a poof of smoke. She rubbed his round head and congratulated him on a job well done before turning her attention to her human guests.
“Caused a little chaos, but no guarantee of anything,” she said. She took a look at Samson’s face before continuing her debrief. “Oh, I know that look. You tell him about your rune already?”
“Hiding it’s never done us any good, so why not?”
“Honesty is the best policy,” Harley said with a nod. “Except for all the lying and secret keeping we have to do about the time loops. Honesty is the best policy except when it would drive people literally insane, how about that?”
Hearing that only reminded Samson that he would have to lie to Ibrahim about all of this very soon, and that made an already confusing day even worse. He lied to his brother all the time, of course, but about dumb things like stolen snacks and misplaced video games. Never about anything important.
“Looking rough, Samson,” Harley noted. “Can I call you Sam? Sammie?”
“Samson, please,” he said. Harley nodded.
“Well, Samson, let me tell you about a little thing called a coping mechanism,” Harley said. “Food, booze, sex- pick your poison and have as much of it as you want, because there’s no consequences for anything you do on the first loop!”
“That sounds...unhealthy.”
“It is! But long term mental health is a slow process, and having some easy stress relief in the meantime sure helps you get there,” Harley said. “A bandaid ain’t much, but it’s better than bleeding.”
“Harley knows what she’s talking about,” Vell agreed. “Uh, both in the sense that she’s pretty good at the whole mental health thing, and that she has a lot of sex as a coping mechanism.”
“Open invitation to join me in that, by the way,” Harley said. “Just ask.”
“I’ll think about it,” Samson said flatly. He didn’t know what to think about that offer, or anything else he’d heard from these ‘loopers’ so far today. All this chaos would have been overwhelming in the best of circumstances, and being far from home and separated from his brother was far from the best circumstance. Possibly the worst circumstance, even.
For now, Samson bid Harley and Vell goodbye and tried to track down his brother. As they were unused to being separated in the first place, it took a while for them to track each other down.
“There you are,” Ibrahim said, as the two finally crossed paths. “What have you been doing all day?”
For a brief second, the phrase “helping a bunch of lunatics in a time loop disarm three-hundred rodents” flitted through Samson’s head, but he never dared to say it out loud.
“Just got wrapped up in some school stuff,” Samson said. “You know how it is.”
“I don’t, actually, what-”
“Duck!”
In spite of the warning, Ibrahim didn’t duck, so he got a log to the head. A loose woodchuck chittered madly and than grabbed a stick, chucking it in a random direction, before running off. Apparently some of the woodchucks Harley had set loose were already chucking wood.
“What the fuck was that?”
“A woodchuck.”
“Yeah, I could tell,” Ibrahim said, as he rubbed a sore head. “What animal was it?”
“It’s a woodchuck. That’s what it’s called. Also a groundhog, I guess.”
While Ibrahim continued to wonder what the hell was going on, Vell sprinted around the corner, looked around, and spotted Samson.
“Samson, hey, did you, uh, see-”
Samson pointed in the direction the woodchuck had fled, and Vell went running that way. Ibrahim watched the quick exchange and squinted at Samson.
“What the hell is going on with you, Sammie?”
“It’s...it’s nothing,” Samson said. “Don’t worry about it. Also, duck again.”
This time, Ibrahim listened, and the stick went sailing over his head.
“Do I need to start wearing a helmet?”
“Probably not,” Samson said. If the apocalypses were even half as bad as described, a helmet wouldn’t do much good.
In the background, Vell snatched up the wood-chucking rodent and started carrying it away before it bit him. Samson tried to ignore the tiny rodent screeching in the background as Ibrahim tried to talk about his day. He began to wonder if he’d survive a year of this.

Recently bought the AvatarTTRPG. I was excited to play but didn't really like the rules and the way the game played. I have been Dming D&D for over a decade, and was much more comfortable with the rules and gameplay, so I decided to homebrew some bender classes. Right off the bat, I'm concerned about balance with these, so I thought I'd post them here, to get some thoughts on what works and what should be changed.
Kind of a long post, so I don't mind if you only check out just one.
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Fire Bender
A smartly dressed man with pointed sideburns, aggressively walks forward as he relentlessly flings roaring hot bursts of fire from his fists.
As she is being surrounded, a woman with long jet black hairs sends out a great pulsing ring of flames from the palms of her hands, charring her enemies to ash.
A stoic disheveled man sits upon a mountaintop, mediating on the sounds of life around him. As each breath of air fills his lungs, a brilliant energetic cyclone of flame dances around his body.
Purveyors of passion and rage. Firebenders are excellent warriors, who can create beautiful works of art with their flames, or reap havoc and destruction across the world.
As a Fire Bender, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Bender level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per bender level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor and medium armor Weapons: Simple weapons and martial weapons. Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma Skills: Choose two from insight, intimidation, Persuasion, Acrobatics, Athletics, perception, deception, stealth.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) two short swords (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
• A Pai Sho set

Fire Bending
BURST OF FLAME
Beginning at 1st level you can send small bursts of flame from your fingertips. This is a melee attack that does 1d6 damage + your charisma modifier and increases as you level up. It has a reach of +10 and you are proficient with it.
Chi Points
You also gain Chi points, which can be used to cast higher level fire bending techniques. You Start off with 2 points and gain more as you level up. You regain chi points when you finish a long rest.
Firebending Ability
Charisma is your Firebending ability for your firebending techniques. You use your charisma whenever you use your Chi to cast advanced firebending.
Spell save DC + 8+ Proficiency bonus + charisma Modifier
Spell Attack Bonus Proficiency bonus + Charisma Modifier
Beginner Fire Bending Techniques
You start off knowing a handful of basic firebending techniques. You can spend one chi point to cast any of the following spells.
Control flames
Faerie fire
Produce flame
Create bonfire
Reckless Attack
Starting at 2nd level, you can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on rolls using charisma during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.
Source of Bending
At 3rd level, you decide on which emotion you get your firebending abilities from. Choose the Path of Rage or the Path of Life. This grants you features at 3rd, 5th, and 10th level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Intermediate Fire Bending Techniques
Starting at 5th level, you have gained experience with various firebending forms. You can now cast these spells using 2 Chi Points.
Flameblade
Heatmetal
Scorching ray
Fast Armored Movement
Starting at 5th level, your speed increased by 10 feet, while wearing light or medium armor.
Concise Bending
Starting at 7th level, you have gained concise control over your bending. You now have advantage on stealth checks that involve your bending. Additionally, you can change the temperature of liquids to any number you desire, without anyone noticing.
Brutal Critical
Beginning at 9th level, you can roll one additional damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with an attack. This increases to two additional dice at 13th level and three additional dice at 17th level.
Expert Firebending Techniques
Starting at 11th level, you have honed your abilities to now be able to cast expert level Fire bending techniques. These new techniques cost 3 chi points each.
Chain lightning
Flame strike
Wall of fire
Master Firebending Techniques
Starting at 15th level, you have honed your abilities to peak performance and are now able to cast master level Fire bending techniques. These new techniques cost 4 chi points each.
Firestorm
Delayed fireball
Fire Prodigy
Starting on 18th level, you can cast Meteor Storm once per long rest, it doesn't cost any chi points.
Jet Propulsion
Starting at 20th level, you can use your fire bending to fly. You gain a flying speed of 40 and your AC increases by 2 while you are moving in this way.
Fire Bending Source
Fire benders have long been fueling their bending with emotion. Passion, rage, envy, all have the capabilities of imbuing a firebenders chi with incredible power. Rage has been the dominant source of power for the last 200 years, but earlier records show that this wasn't always the case. Fire is life and energy, and the long forgotten ways of the Sun Warriors, relies on this as their own source.
Source of Rage
Rage
When you pick this Path at 3rd level, you can go into a RAGE.
In battle, you fight with primal ferocity. On your turn, you can enter a rage as a bonus action.
While raging, you gain the following benefits if you aren't wearing heavy armor:
• You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
• When you make a melee weapon attack using your FIRE BURST, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll. This bonus increases as you level.
• You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
If you are able to cast spells, this includes spells using your chi points, you can't cast them or concentrate on them while raging.
Your rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven't attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then. You can also end your rage on your turn as a bonus action.
Once you have raged the maximum number of times for your barbarian level, you must finish a long rest before you can rage again. You may rage 2 times at 1st level, 3 at 3rd, 4 at 6th, 5 at 12th, and 6 at 17th.
Frenzy
Starting when you choose this path at 6th level, you can go into a frenzy when you rage. If you do so, for the duration of your rage you can make an additional attack as a bonus action on each of your turns after this one. When your rage ends, you suffer one level of exhaustion (as described in Conditions).
Mindless Rage
Beginning at 10th level, you can’t be charmed or frightened while raging. If you are charmed or frightened when you enter your rage, the effect is suspended for the duration of the rage.
SOURCE OF LIFE
This source of fire bending is the original form of fire bending. The polar opposite of the bending of today, this form of bending relies on energy, life, and the power of the sun. These fire benders are passionate and mindful.
Power of the Sun
At 3rd level when you adopt this source, you can choose to deal radiant damage instead of fire damage, at will. Additionally, your fire blast has a range of 30/60 feet.
Sun Chi
Starting at 6th level, you gain additional spells to use with your Chi points, these cost 2 points.
Investiture of flame
Sunbeam
Power of the Dragons
Starting at 10th level, you can change the color of your flame. This imbues your Fire Burst with additional properties. Choose one. And instead of doing an additional attack you add the property to your single attack. You can change the color of your flame everytime you take a long rest.
Yellow- the target must pass the charisma saving throw equal to your spell save DC or become confused.
Green-. You can heal, instead of doing damage.
White- the target must pass the constitution saving throw equal to your spell save DC or become blind.
Blue- the target must pass a constitution saving throw equal to your spell save DC or every attack against the target has advantage.
Black- The target must pass the constitution saving throw equal to your spell save DC or your flame can do necrotic damage. And prevent healing for 1 hour.
​
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​
Water Bender
A wrinkled woman with braided hair dressed in thick furs creates a giant wall of ice to block an incoming barrage of arrows.
A bearded man with shaved hair at the sides, rushes towards his enemies sending shards of ice to impale their bodies.
A long haired hooded figure twists his wrists, as his arm extends towards another person. They cry out in horror as they lose control of their bodies and start following his every command.
Wise, adaptable, and determined, water benders can harness their powers to heal their allies, or perform devastating attacks against their enemies.
​
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Bender level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per bender level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor Weapons: Simple weapons Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument Saving Throws: Wisdom, Intelligence Skills: Choose two from Insight, Persuasion, Stealth, Arcana, Survival, Perception, Nature.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• any simple weapon
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

WATER BENDING
WATER WHIP
Beginning at 1st level you can snap a long whip of water at your foes.
This is a melee attack that does 1d4 damage + your wisdom modifier. It has a reach of +5
Chi Points
You also gain Chi points, which can be used to cast higher level Water bending techniques. You Start off with 2 points and gain more as you level up. You regain chi points when you finish a long rest.
Natural Healer
Starting at 2nd level, waterbenders gain the unique ability of healing. You can heal yourself or an ally you can touch 1d4+wisdom modifier healing for every chi point you use.
Waterbending Ability
Wisdom is your Waterbending ability for your waterbending techniques. You use your Wisdom whenever you use your Chi to cast advanced waterbending.
Spell save DC + 8+ Proficiency bonus + wisdom Modifier
Spell Attack Bonus Proficiency bonus + Wisdom Modifier
Beginner Waterbending Techniques
You start off knowing a handful of basic waterbending techniques. You can spend one chi point to cast any of the following spells.
Frostbite
Ray of frost
Ice knife
Lesser restoration
Water Bending Style
Starting at 3rd level, you decide which style of water bending you want to learn. You must choose either Northern Style, Southern Style, or Swamp Style.
Intermediate Waterbending Techniques
Starting at 5th level, you have gained experience with various Waterbending forms.
You are now able to cast the following spells using your chi. You must spend 2 Chi points to cast these spells.
Snowball storm
Mass healing word
Tidal wave
Water Walking
Starting at 7th level you gain the ability to walk on water. Additionally, you gain a swimming speed of 50 ft. and can breathe underwater.
Blood Bending
Starting at 9th level you gain the ability to control the blood inside people's bodies.
You can use 4 chi points to use any of these techniques, you can only use blood bending twice a long rest. You can completely control any beast with a challenge level ½ without using chi.
Geas
Dominate person
Expert Waterbending Techniques
Starting at 11th level, you have honed your abilities to now be able to cast expert level Waterbending techniques. These new techniques cost 3 chi points each.
Wall of water
Control water
Watery sphere
Octopus Form
Starting at 13th level You can spend 8 chi points to sprout 8 limbs of water from your body. While in this form attacks have disadvantage against you. Additionally, you can attack twice with your water whip.
Master Waterbending Techniques
Starting at 15th level, you have honed your abilities to now be able to cast master level Waterbending techniques. These new techniques cost 4 chi points each.
Mass cure wounds
Wall of ice
Tsunami
Advanced Blood Bending
Beginning at 17th level, You no longer can use blood bending only twice a day, additionally you can now cast power word kill using 10 chi points.
Armless Bending
Beginning at 18th level, you can now perform all bending techniques without the use of your limbs.
Cryogenic Ice Prison
Starting at 20th level, you can now use 20 chi points to incase an enemy in a sphere of cryogenic ice. The target must pass a strength saving throw against your spell save dc, on a fail they are imprisoned in the ice until released. They do not age or die while imprisoned.
BENDING STYLE
The Water tribes, while on opposite ends of the world, share similarities. However, being so far away from each other has caused their bending styles to dramatically differ. While the north focuses on defense and creative uses for buildings and art, the south must focus on the harsh nature of their environment, and offensive abilities.Then there are the swamp benders, who have found unique ways to bend the nature around them.
NORTHERN STYLE
Defensive Water
Starting at 3rd level you learn to naturally adapt to using waterbending as a defense, your ac increased by 1. Additionally you have resistance to fire damage.
Protector of the North
Starting at 6th level, You get access to additional waterbending techniques costing 3 chi points each.
Investiture of ice
Revivify
Ice Architect
Starting at 10th level, If you have access to snow or water, you can make houses out of snow. Anyone who takes a long rest in the house gains 15 temporary hit points, this increase to 20 at level 15 and 25 at level 20
SOUTHERN STYLE
Advanced Water Whip
When you choose this style at 3rd level, Your water whip becomes a ranged attack of 30/60 and now does 1d6+ wisdom modifier in damage.
Crushing Grip of Seas
When you choose this style, starting at 6th level, Your water whip becomes like an extension of your arm, you can pick up objects with it, and you can grapple enemies with it. The grapple done using the water whip uses wisdom instead of strength. When grappling in this way, you can spend a Chi point to make your enemy prone.
Aquatic Aggressor
Starting at 10th level, you gain additional Waterbending techniques, these cost 4 chi points to use. Additionally You can use Chi to perform a waterbender technique as a bonus action when you attack with your water whip.
Maelstrom
Ice storm
SWAMP STYLE
Plant Manipulator
Starting when you choose this style at 3rd level, you can manipulate the water that exists within plants. You can extend 3 Chi points to cast the following spells.
Plant growth
Grasping vine
Entangle
Tree stride
Land’s Stride
Starting at 6th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement. You can also pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement, such those created by the entangle spell.
Nature’s Sanctuary
When you reach 11th level, creatures of the natural world sense your connection to nature and become hesitant to attack you. When a beast or plant creature attacks you, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Bender spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature must choose a different target, or the attack automatically misses. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours.
The creature is aware of this effect before it makes its attack against you.
​
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Air Bender
A bald monk in orange robes and glowing tattoos stands on a cliff, he sends a great spiraling tunnel of wind forward, hurtling his enemies against the hard rocks below.
A renegade mercenary with a rough beard and worn fatigues, twirls his wrist as his hand tightens into a fist. The person across from him grasps at his throat as he attempts to breathe, with no success.
A young energetic boy rides his glider across the sun. He laughs as he lets go and falls to the earth, sending out a great wave of wind as he lands.
Patient and understanding, Airbenders spend most of their lives in isolated meditation. They have strong bonds with the people they meet as they travel the world in order to understand the 4 nations. However, some break away from this lifestyle, and use their bending for evil, not good.
​
As an Air Bender, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per bender level Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None Weapons: Simple weapons, shortswords Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, and Stealth
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
• An airbending glider

Unarmored Defense
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.
Air Bending
AIR BLAST
Beginning at 1st level, you can send out a blast of air at your foes.
This is a ranged attack that does 1d4 damage + your dexterity modifier. It has a range of 30/60
Chi Points
You also gain Chi points, which can be used to cast higher level Air Bending techniques. You Start off with 2 points and gain more as you level up. You regain chi points when you finish a long rest.
BEGINNER AIR BENDING TECHNIQUES
You start off knowing a handful of basic Airbending techniques. You can spend one chi point to cast any of the following abilities.
Patient Defense
You can spend 1 Chi point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.
Step of the Wind You can spend 1 Chi point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.
Gust
You can spend 1 Chi point to cast the spell Gust.
Unarmored Movement
Starting at 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain bender levels, as shown in the Air Bender table.
At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.
Deflect Missiles
Starting at 3rd level, you can use your reaction to bend a shield of air around you. You can deflect the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Airbender level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Intermediate Air Bending Techniques
Starting at 5th level, you have gained experience with various Airbending forms, you can use your chi to cast the following spells. These spells cost 3 chi to cast.
Catapult Feather Fall Gust of wind
Glider Flight
Starting at 7th level, you can use your glider to fly. You have a flying speed of 60, and cost 1 chi point per hour to stay in the air.
Stillness of Mind
Starting at 9th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is
causing you to be charmed or frightened.
Expert Air Bending Techniques
You have gained the knowledge of most airbending forms. Starting at 11th level you can spend 4 chi points to cast the following spells.
Storm sphere
Control winds
Investiture of wind
Diamond Soul
Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of Chi grants you proficiency in all saving throws.
Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 Chi point to reroll it and take the second result.
Master Air Bending Techniques
You have become a master airbender. Starting at 15th level, you can expend 5 chi points to cast the following spells.
Whirlwind Power word stun
Air Suffocation
Starting at 18th level, you can expend 10 chi points to create a sphere of air around your enemies head. If the target has fewer than 100 hp, you suffocate them, killing them instantly. If they have higher hp, they must make a constitution saving throw against your spell dc, on a fail they take 2d20 damage. You can choose to knock them out instead of kill.
Gliderless Flight
Starting at level 20, You no longer need a glider to fly. Your flying speed is double your movement speed, and you can attack while flying without penalty.
AIRBENDING STYLES
SKY WARRIOR
Slow Fall
When you choose this style at 3rd level, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you would normally take, to 0.
Twinkle Toes
Starting at 6th level, when you use Step of the Wind, you can use your airbending to propel yourself around an area. When this ability is activated you have a flying speed of 30ft. This ends at the end of your turn.
Expert Flyer
Starting at 10th level, You can fly without using Chi points. You get a flying speed equal to double your movement speed, as long as you have your glider. Additionally, your ac increases by 1 while flying. You can attack from your glider at disadvantage.
PATIENT DEFENDER
Offensive Defender
Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to use another Air blast as a bonus action.
Evasion
Starting at 6th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon’s lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Wind Hand
at 10th level you can use your air bending to grab objects and move them, additionally you can use 4 chi points to use a Telekinesis spell. (The telekinesis is not true telekinesis, it is airbending. But the spell works mechanically the same.)
​
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​
Earth Bender
A tall wide shouldered woman, smirks as she levitates a rock, sends it downward, and crushes her opponent under its unrelenting weight.
A muscular man with a grayed beard rushes across a barren landscape, the earth below his feet molding to his movements and propelling him forward.
Earthbenders are strong, unrelenting, and stubborn. Their sheer power and tenacious will, make them fierce warriors.
​
As an Earth Bender, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Bender level Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per bender level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: All Armor, Shields Weapons: Simple weapons and martial weapons. Tools: none
Saving Throws: Constitution,Strength Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) chain mail or (b) leather armor,
• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Earth Bending
Stone Punch
Beginning at 1st level you can hurl chunks of rock at your enemies. This is a ranged 30/60 attack that does 1d8 damage + your Strength modifier and increases as you level up.
Chi Points
You also gain Chi points, which can be used to cast higher level Earth bending techniques. You Start off with 2 points and gain more as you level up. You regain chi points when you finish a long rest.
Earthbending Ability
Strength is your Earthbending ability for your earthbending techniques. You use your Strength whenever you use your Chi to cast advanced Earthbending.
Spell save DC + 8+ Proficiency bonus + Strength Modifier
Spell Attack Bonus Proficiency bonus + Strength Modifier
Beginner Earth Bending Techniques
You start off knowing a handful of basic earthbending techniques. You can spend one chi point to cast any of the following spells.
Mold Earth
Earth Tremor
Shield
Action Surge
Starting at 2nd level, you can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a moment. On your turn, you can take one additional action.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. Starting at 17th level, you can use it twice before a rest, but only once on the same turn.
Earthbending Style
Starting at 3rd level, you decide which style of Earth bending you want to learn. Choose either Sightless or Aggressor.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Intermediate Earthbending Techniques
Starting at 5th level, you have gained experience with various Earthbending forms.
You are now able to cast these spells using your chi. You must spend 3 points to cast these spells.
Spider Climb
Erupting Earth
Stone Shape
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Stone Sculptor
Starting at 7th level, you gain the ability to mold stone to your liking. You can create stone weapons, furniture, and tools.
Stone weapons- You can make any simple weapon using this ability. These weapons count as magical.
Stone tools- Artisan or thieves, crowbar.
Stone Furniture- Beds, chairs, tables, and containers*
Land Boost
Starting at 9th level, you can spend 2 Chi point to mold the land beneath your feet, and surf along it as if it is water. Your speed is doubled for the duration and attacks have disadvantage against you. Additionally, you can use earth bending to boost you to points you would not normally be able to reach. If using this ability to travel, you must spend 1 chi point an hour to stay in this state.
Expert Earthbending Techniques
Starting at 11th level, you have honed your abilities to now be able to cast expert level Earthbending techniques.
Meld into stone
Investiture of stone
Move earth
Metal Bending
Starting at 13th level you gain the ability to mold metal along with earth, all of your techniques can also be applied to metal. Additionally, your Stone Punch now does double damage when used with metal instead of stone.
Master Level EarthBending
Starting at 15th level, you have become a master of earth bending. You can now spend 4 chi points to use the following spell.
Earthquake
Advanced Action Surge
Starting at 18th level you can use action surge twice.
Rock Bullet Rain
Starting at 20th level you can disintegrate a compressed rock, and shoot its shrapnel-like fragments with great speed. Roll 4d20 you can divy out that damage to any enemies you can see.
BENDING STYLE
Sightless
Keen Perception- Beginning when you choose this style at 3rd level, you can feel people approach when they are on the ground. You have advantage for any perception check dealing with the ground. You can’t be surprised.
Keen Insight- Starting at 6th level, you have a wonderful ability to tell when someone is lying. You have advantage on insight checks if the person is standing on the ground. You can always determine someone's heart rate.
Total Awareness- Starting at 10th level, your attacks ignore total cover, additionally, you do not have disadvantage when attacking invisible foes.
Aggressor
Improved Critical
Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your Stone Punch scores a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
Protection
When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 10 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll.
Stone Archer
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with your Stone Punch and its range increases to 60/120.

Texas Texas @ Alabama Alabama
Game Start Time: 6:30 PM ET
Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL
Watch: Sec Network
Texas Texas

Total Passing Yards	Total Rushing Yards	Total Yards	Interceptions Lost	Fumbles Lost	Field Goals	Time of Possession	Timeouts
358 yards	25 yards	383 yards	4	1	1/1	15:34	2

Alabama Alabama

Total Passing Yards	Total Rushing Yards	Total Yards	Interceptions Lost	Fumbles Lost	Field Goals	Time of Possession	Timeouts
399 yards	5 yards	404 yards	1	0	1/1	12:16	3

Drive Summary
home for 80 yards in 58 seconds ending in touchdown
away for 0 yards in 15 seconds ending in turnover
home for 40 yards in 71 seconds ending in touchdown
away for 24 yards in 106 seconds ending in punt
home for 4 yards in 22 seconds ending in punt
away for 3 yards in 93 seconds ending in field_goal
home for 75 yards in 77 seconds ending in touchdown
away for 5 yards in 28 seconds ending in punt
home for 70 yards in 17 seconds ending in touchdown
away for 5 yards in 32 seconds ending in turnover_touchdown
away for 75 yards in 25 seconds ending in touchdown
home for 75 yards in 91 seconds ending in touchdown
away for 3 yards in 24 seconds ending in turnover
home for 7 yards in 11 seconds ending in end_half
away for 75 yards in 59 seconds ending in touchdown
away for 83 yards in 121 seconds ending in turnover_touchdown
away for 19 yards in 53 seconds ending in turnover_touchdown
away for 75 yards in 23 seconds ending in touchdown
home for 15 yards in 101 seconds ending in turnover
away for 7 yards in 46 seconds ending in turnover
home for -3 yards in 26 seconds ending in turnover
away for 25 yards in 70 seconds ending in turnover
home for 31 yards in 169 seconds ending in turnover
away for 0 yards in 20 seconds ending in turnover
home for 10 yards in 58 seconds ending in touchdown

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Total
Alabama	14	31	14	7	66
Texas	0	9	12	0	21

Game thread
Plays

Game complete, Alabama wins!

Now that we're almost 48 hours removed from our game, I thought about what some of things I wanted changed if it had lived on or if a GBM2 popped up. I know we've all talked about it, but I figure why not hear from everyone in one post.

1. New content • We needed new MM bosses/game modes. Personally I think they dropped the ball by not adding a Psycho Gundam boss either from the beginning or later on as a new way to test all the parts they threw at us. There are other units, but you get it. • Hoard mode might have been impossible, but that could've been an off shoot of BC, top scores get extra rewards, something like that. • A REFRESH OF THE REGULAR MM! This got old very quickly, great for testing out your builds, but boring after a certain point.
   
2. More Mobile Suits • I wanted more variety, not just protag or rehash, like GM Sniper 2, GM Dominance/Gundam Stormbringer, Serevee. There were many suits that were never touched for some reason and mow niche suits were used. Wouldve been nice. • I feel like an antagonist tag would have been great to add.
   

3.Convience • Allowing us to upgrade a part from the skins menu was something that annoyed me • Less different currencies, just keep it simple. • Give an option to go straight to our custom skin from the build menu(if there was a way to do it, I didn't know it). • A search option for which alteration coins we needed for a unit

1. Gacha mechanics • I get that the point is to gamble, but just up the rates to 25% and I feel like you can get more from people even if the chances of a dupe part is still the same.

I've gone on long enough, if you have more you can think of add to this. Maybe Bandai is listening.

My first Raiders game in attendance was in Round 25, 2013 against the Warriors. Prior to this, based on the Raiders form at that point I had told my old man that I would just be happy if I got to see Jarrod Croker kick a conversion. What I got was his first ever career hat-trick, granted it had come after SJ and Vatuvei's hat-tricks so we lost 50-16, but his efforts had solidified a one-sided love affair that has taken up too much of my time than I would like to admit for the last 10 years.
One year later I was back seeing my boys in Auckland again and after last year was confident enough to claim that I was 100% going to see a Croker try, and I got a double by the man himself, albeit at the hands of another 50 point thrashing. In 2015 I was unable to go for a reason that alludes me, but I vowed after then to never miss a Raiders game in NZ again. In 2016 I made my old man drive us 5 hours down to New Plymouth so I could keep my promise to myself and was rewarded with another Croker try, putting him equal 3rd on the Raiders try scorer list and my first time ever seeing the Raiders win in person. However it was a season that ended in heartbreak for me as in the Preliminary Final against the Storm, Edrick Lee had forgotten how to play rugby league and Croker had dislocated his kneecap early on in the contest and was unable to kick the 2 conversions from tries that would have seen him become just the 4th player to reach 300 points in a season. 2017? Another Raiders win and another Croker try for my troubles, as well as the birth of the shortlived JarrodCroker subreddit.
2018 was not a good year, I had intensive-ish spinal fusion surgery which greatly limited my mobility for a while however I managed to haul myself out to see the Croker-less Raiders fail to win without the great man. One bright spot of the year was during my depression one of my good friends from on this website infact managed to hold Croker hostage and get him to record a nice little video for me, although my name was in fact not Stewart. However I appreciated the effort enough that I reached out to Croker via social media to thank him at least for the effort, as he had managed to lift my spirits in what were at the time some of my darkest days and got the most heartfelt and soul-warming response that has ever been sent in human history:
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/514377190151028757/1111193652291702835/SmartSelect_20230525_192612_Instagram.jpg
What a man.
2019 we got the win in Auckland for Soliola's 300th (Why would you play a 300th away from home?) as we powered our way to the Grand Final which we 100% won regardless of what the result said. stfu. I didn't know it at the time but as of time of writing is the last time the Raiders played in NZ.
As we know 2020 resulted in the games being played in Australia so no-go for me there. In early March 2021 I had my heart broken (not by Croker) which while it fucked me mentally for the rest of the year, I decided I was just going to throw what mental strength I had left back into supporting the boys all out. 2 weeks later a local cinema decided they were going to show the Raiders vs Warriors game live so I hauled myself out of my mental slumber just to see the Raiders throw away a 25-6 halftime lead to lose in the closing moments, and seeing that on a fucking cinema screen just hits you different.
2021 no games again, and Croker had been limited to 12 games due to his long-troublsome knee starting to giving out on him and I was beginning to lose hope of seeing my boy in lights again. Croker got stem-cell surgery later in the year to try and fix his knee in a bid to fend off medical retirement.
2022 resulted in a lone Croker appearance as upon his return from injury he put his body on the line to stop a late Bulldogs try and dislocated his shoulder, while he avoided surgery initally he put his body on the line yet again in a fearsome attempt to grab his TV remote and redislocated his shoulder, resulting in the need for surgery and reigniting fears of a forced medical retirement. My fears of never seeing Croker play again had reached their highest peak, despite him reaffirming he was going to fight on.
This year he fought off calls from Ricky Stuart early on to retire and wanted to prove he was still up to playing NRL. In Round 6 after a Panthers thrashing the group went to Stuart and pleaded for the return of Croker in the team. And return he did. Against the Broncos who were yet to lose a game Croker put in an all-time performance to lead the team to a hard fought and bloodshed 20-16 win and solidified his return to the top grade.
And just a few weeks later the Raiders would head back to Brisbane to face up against the Bulldogs in Magic Round.
And after 3 long hard years of waiting. I was there.
I had reached out to the absolute legends over at NRLPremiumPlus to see what they were gonna be up to, and lo and behold I was very graciously offered a seat with them for the Raiders game as I would have otherwise been by myself for the opening night. When Rapana scored on the opening set I knew we were gonna be in for a good night. But never in my wildest dreams would I imagine that in the 57th minute, for the first time in 6 years, I would see Jarrod Croker run in a try, proceeding to almost lose my voice in the 30 seconds afterwards. Seeing Croker play again, let alone score was something that at times I thought I would never have the oppurtunity to see again and it was the cherry on top of a perfect Magic Round, although it could be argued that the real memories were the friends I made along the way.
Returning home to Auckland, while significantly poorer I had booked a few tickets for the Raiders upcoming return to Auckland in July, hoping that Magic Round would not be the last time I would see Croker play ball but if it was, I think I would have been OK with it. I missed viewing 80% of Crokers 299th game against the Rabbitohs as I was out for the night but saw the boys hold on to the end and saw Sticky in the press conference saying he was going to rest Croker against the Tigers so that he would be able to run out for game 300 infront of a home crowd with his family and friends in attendance, a heart-warming gesture that shows how much Croker means to the club.
Going home I triple-checked my schedule to make sure I had nothing going on so that I could watch Croker's 300th without any distractions and for the first time in a while my weekend was clear. However the next morning I received a message which changed my life.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/514377190151028757/1113995960113188864/image.png
Aw shit.
As you are reading this I will be getting my affairs in order for a flash-trip across the tasman to head to Canberra for the first time in my life to see my heros 300th game in what will hopefully be a sell-out crowd for my first time at GIO Stadium, if you are around come say hi and more importantly if you know anyway of getting me in the same photo frame as Croker please let me know.
It's been a pleasure to hang around here for more than a few years and share my love of Croker with you all through the highs and the lows and I couldn't pick a favourite person who I have had the pleasure of interacting with since you are all amazing. (Except Aces, Aces is my favourite).
Much love and up the milk,
Goob
p.s Here's some Croker highlights Incredible try saver on RTS Moving to 3rd on the all-time points scored leaderboard Flexing his acrobatic abilities Croker's 100th NRL try Scoring the winning try/conversion in his 100th NRL game Winning the game in golden point Croker and Cotrics celebration after reaching the 2019 GF

Tigers @ Phillies - Tue, Jun 06

Game Status: In Progress - Score: 1-0 Phillies

Top of the 5th, 1 out, bases loaded, 1-3 count with Taijuan Walker pitching and Jake Marisnick batting. Zach McKinstry is on deck, and Javier Baez is in the hole.

Links & Info

• Current conditions at Citizens Bank Park: 75°F - Partly Cloudy - Wind 12 mph, L To R
• TV: Tigers: Bally Sports Detroit, Phillies: NBCSP
• Radio: Tigers: 97.1 The Ticket, Phillies: WTTM 1680 (es), 94 WIP
• MLB Gameday
• Game Graphs
• Savant Gamefeed

	Tigers Batters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	LOB	AVG	OBP	SLG
1	McKinstry - RF	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.275	.382	.416
2	Báez, J - SS	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	.217	.263	.304
3	Torkelson - 1B	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	.228	.307	.358
4	Maton, N - 3B	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.164	.289	.322
5	Baddoo - LF	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.241	.346	.358
6	Short - 2B	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	.300	.386	.500
7	Cabrera, M - DH	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	.204	.288	.255
8	Rogers - C	1	0	0	0	1	1	1	.150	.252	.370
9	Marisnick - CF	2	0	0	0	0	2	4	.167	.211	.167
	Totals	16	0	2	0	2	7	6

Tigers
BATTING: 2B: Cabrera, M (5, Walker, T). TB: Cabrera, M 2; Short. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: McKinstry. Team RISP: 0-for-4. Team LOB: 1.
FIELDING: E: Maton, N (4, fielding).

	Phillies Batters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	LOB	AVG	OBP	SLG
1	Schwarber - LF	2	1	1	1	0	0	0	.174	.323	.427
2	Castellanos, N - RF	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.316	.362	.498
3	Harper - DH	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.297	.397	.450
4	Turner - SS	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.241	.284	.395
5	Realmuto - C	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.255	.300	.444
6	Stott - 2B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.284	.328	.390
7	Marsh - CF	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.271	.367	.459
8	Ellis - 3B	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.267	.421	.667
9	Clemens - 1B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.250	.308	.429
	Totals	14	1	1	1	0	4	3

Phillies
BATTING: HR: Schwarber (16, 1st inning off Alexander, T, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Schwarber 4. RBI: Schwarber (34). Team LOB: 1.

Tigers Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	P-S	ERA
Alexander, T	3.0	1	1	1	0	3	1	45-31	6.00
Cisnero	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	19-14	2.86
Totals	4.0	1	1	1	0	4	1

Phillies Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	P-S	ERA
Walker, T	4.2	2	0	0	2	7	0	65-40	5.23
Totals	4.2	2	0	0	2	7	0

Inning	Scoring Play	Score
Bottom 1	Kyle Schwarber homers (16) on a fly ball to right center field.	1-0 PHI

Team	Highlight
PHI	Bullpen availability for Philadelphia, June 6 vs Tigers (00:00:07)
DET	Bullpen availability for Detroit, June 6 vs Phillies (00:00:07)
DET	Fielding alignment for Detroit, June 6 vs Phillies (00:00:11)
PHI	Fielding alignment for Philadelphia, June 6 vs Tigers (00:00:11)
PHI	Starting lineups for Tigers at Phillies - June 6, 2023 (00:00:09)
PHI	An animated look at Kyle Schwarber's home run (00:00:09)
PHI	Schwarber's lead off homer (16) (00:00:29)
	Tyler Alexander K's Realmuto (00:00:06)
PHI	Field view of Schwarber's homer (00:00:27)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E	LOB
Tigers	0	0	0	0							0	2	1	1
Phillies	1	0	0	0							1	1	0	1

Division Scoreboard

KC 0 @ MIA 1 - Bottom 5, 1 Out
AZ 1 @ WSH 4 - End 2
NYM @ ATL
^{Last Updated: 06/06/2023 07:50:06 PM EDT}

Hey everybody!
New to this subreddit, transplant from bipolar — I'm a recovering alcoholic and drug addict that also has Psychotic Bipolar Disorder and ADHD comorbidly. While I've been diagnosed with Bipolar 1 for a while now, I finally sought treatment for Alcohol and Cocaine Use Disorders, and I'm about to hit six months clean!
I partially wanted to make this post just to brag — I don't really have like, anybody in my life that's sober and/or neurodivergent to commiserate and celebrate with, so now that my social energy is returning, I'm coming back to Reddit to find some digital socialization. But, I also want to be here as a source of encouragement for those earlier in their journey. This was my first try quitting, and getting to this point has been absolute hell in some regards and at certain points. But, I'll say that on the other side and a half year later, life is so much sweeter.
—
It started in my very early adulthood. At least, started to get noticeable. I'd always been a moody kid, and I was in conflict with peers and family very often. I was a closeted gay kid, and in a conservative, religious, Midwest context, I absolutely did not fit in. But, one thing got me through: my intellect. Since childhood, I've been incredibly intelligent and eloquent. My first words were full sentences, and started at less than a year old, as my mother's story goes. I could read full books by first grade, and was composing novel creative writing by ten years old. I've been a poet all along, and my creativity and brains have gotten me very very far. Yes, Catholic school was hell, but I was valedictorian and eventually went to an Ivy League college.
We drank quite a bit in Catholic school. On weekends at football games and parties, most my classmates and I would partake from about age sixteen. It wasn't necessarily problematic at that point for my lack of regular access. I could only drink when I had it from someone else. But, from the very moment my lips touched any alcohol other than the Blood of Christ, my life was redirected. I was so obsessed with drinking, and would do it to the most extreme and most frequent as possible. It made me ecstatic, even to just think about.
—
Once I got to college, things got bad. I got a fake ID, started going to much larger and better-stocked social functions, and also had a much more progressive and diverse crowd to socialize with. By spring of my freshman year I was meeting the clinical conditions for Alcohol Use Disorder. Obviously most of it was in secret. At points, I was even fermenting my own grape juice in my closet to get drunk alone in my dorm room. I've also been a major nicotine fiend since about sixteen, and engaged in that constantly too.
The summer after that freshman year, I returned home to my family where I spent the break cashiering. I couldn't get a decent internship, and accepted an only part-time and unpaid one with a local nonprofit. I also continued to drink in excess, a considerable amount for the age and time of my life. Probably the equivalent of a pint a night. I was just eighteen, and my parents one night found me drunk and vaping. They took the vape from me and referred me to my primary care provider for a mental health assessment. At the time, they thought my primary issue was the underage nicotine addiction. That PA suggested I find a therapist, and prescribed me a moderate dose of Wellbutrin, thinking it'd help the vaping and "mild" depression.
And it worked! For a while. The remainder of the summer and following early fall went fine. I continued to drink, but less problematically and miserably. I returned to school that September and found a therapist and psychiatrist through my school's clinic. Eventually, the depression and over-drinking began to creep in again though, and I again found myself begging a prescriber for help. He dxd me with Major Depression, switched me to Zoloft (a mere 25mg), and sent me on my way. As I left, he gave a small warning... patients that have Bipolar Disorder sometimes have an averse reaction to antidepressants... if you start to feel manic, give us a call.
—
Things got very bad very fast. I was already experiencing sleeping problems, and the insomnia that was exacerbated was intense. I was going days and days without sleeping — my record was five nights in a row of only microsleeps of 5 minutes or less throughout the days. I went literally crazy, clinically manic and increasingly psychotic. Eventually, I lost lucidity and became fully delusional. I thought the government was chasing me, that everything was a simulation, that I was on the run. I went to Urgent Care and explained my situation to the nurse. She dismissed me, calling it mere anxiety and sending me home to "go meditate."
Out into the night I went. It was a cold Thanksgiving night, the streets empty, everybody home with their families. I was alone at school, unable to afford a fight home for the holiday. I received a message from beyond, and embarked upon my mission. In the streets, I was running around and screaming, searching for clues wherever I could find them. The world seemed a puzzle to me, and it was my job to solve it. Eventually, I encountered campus police. They detained me and took me to campus Urgent Care, who eventually ambulanced me to the local psychiatric ER, who the next day admitted me to the local psychiatric hospital, where I spent a week.
The issue is, I was incredible at masking. The staff had little idea my internal thoughts and processes; I considered it a part of my mission to remain silent about the simulation. And, I was stoned when they picked me up. They observed me for a week, and discharged me without a diagnosis. School put me on an involuntary leave and I went home to start winter break early. Back there during my first follow up with a new local doctor, I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 Disorder, obviously having reacted to the SSRI. While the hospital insisted the episode was cannabis induced, I'm fairly certain that was for liability purposes, that hospital attached to the same campus clinic that misdiagnosed me in the first place.
—
The following years were hell. I spent months severely overmedicated, at one point gaining ninety pounds in just three months. I continued to sustain episodes, albeit more mild, being forevermore on a heavy antipsychotic routine. I lost most all my friends. COVID happened. I got into debt. I continued to drink more and more. I picked up cocaine. I sent my life into a spiral, all in secret. Because, upon my return to school, they had me on probation. If I was known to be drinking or using, they would put me back on leave. But, I hate the Midwest and couldn't go back, so I couldn't seek treatment.
I lived a secret alcoholic and cokehead for years. I got myself into severe debt from spending and gambling, I continued to get and lose jobs, and struggled to even get to class. But, on the surface, I was doing fine. In fact, pretty good — I even graduated Cum Laude. But, I hated my life. I was a mess and knew that my life was unsustainable. So at the end of my last semester Fall 2022 (I took one semester off during COVID for non-health reasons), I made the decision to seek treatment. I finished my last exam, packed up my dorm with one carry-on packed for rehab. My parents drove from Midwest to New England to pick me up, bring me home, and drop me at the hospital, where I spent a week.
I will be honest: the last six months have been hell at times. Of course the chemical withdrawal from years of drinking a fifth-a-day and snorting a gram-a-day are going to leave you exhausted. I spent months doing absolutely nothing. I slept and cried all day and stayed up ruminating all night. I continued to try adjusting my meds, another new doctor having taken me off any stimulant ADHD treatment (another diagnosis I picked up along the way) and leaving me debilitated. I couldn't get out of bed. I couldn't think. I couldn't write.
—
But... I think things are finally turning around. I tried AA but I didn't like it very much. My local chapter in the rural Midwest is, obviously, not a very friendly crowd to this flamboyant homosexual cokehead, so I didn't stay. But, I did keep one principle — a higher power. Mine is astrology. With the support of a finally-tolerable med routine and the commitment to something larger than myself, I'm finally starting to get over the initial sobriety hump, and it feels amazing.
I wake up every morning and feel truly grateful for once. I'm not hungover, I'm not throwing up and shitting my pants while I rush late to work or class. I'm getting up with the sunrise, before my alarm, and writing poetry again and slowly chipping away at my debt and repairing things with my parents and... staying sober. Next week I hit six months.
To anyone who wants to or has just started this journey, I'm holding space for you. Being neurodivergent is incredibly difficult at times. But, it can also be incredibly rewarding. You are worthy of good health, and I hope you're able to find and keep the support you deserve.
—
Idk why I wrote all this... Kinda manicky today, actually. Anyways, if you've made it this far, thanks for hearing my story. I hope it can be helpful or comforting in any way. If anyone has questions I'm happy to try and answer.
For anyone curious, my current med routine:

• Lamictal (Lamotrigine), 300mg/day
• Vraylar (Cariprazine), 3mg/day
• Naltrexone (Vivitrol) tablet, 50mg/day
• Jornay (Methylphenidate ER), 40mg/day
• Hydroxyzine (Atarax), 25-75mg PRN
• Trazodone (Desyrel), 50-100mg PRN

—
Thanks again for hearing my story. I wish you all well ~~

Hey everyone! Got a bunch of super cool stuff to show off for my 25th trade post, including some non-card stuff!
Long read, but hopefully fun for everybody!
As usual, every card comes in a penny sleeve, top loader, and team bag. Standard is stamped and enveloped for shipping and on orders under $35 is $2. On orders over $35, PWE shipping is included in cost.
If you want, you can pay an extra $5 for Bubble Mailing. That will come with tracking. Orders at or over $75 will include shipping BMWT for free.
----------------------------------------://
In terms of trades, I am primarily interested in anything obscure and weird, but Paypal is strongly preferred. Trades will be a lot more likely to be considered if partial cash is included. In order of preference, I'm interested in:

• Paypal
  
• E-Reader Holos and JPN exclusive e-readers and
  
• Tomokazu Komiya/Yukiko Baba/Miki Tanaka 1st editions/holos.
  
• Vending Series and JPN exclusives
  
• Obscure GB and GBA titles
  
• Other Holos and Reverse Holos up to 2007. (I collect specific pokemon more than sets)
  
• Black StaNintendo promos up to 2006
  

-anything relevant cool or vintage you have
-Willing to look at Chrome Topps
----------------------------------------://

• If it's a card, and a cool or good one, feel free to throw it out, I could be interested. I collect specific styles of art, and things that are strange and obscure!
  
• Condition is valued over current market value, always happy to take a look at items that are in M/NM++ condition, though I ask that trades not in above conditions be of equal market value or in my favor. I collect obscurities, and so market values are often more speculative than in some circles.
  
• Thanks for looking! GLWT! ✨🪷🦑💫
  

All cards in the photos are in my personal collection and in condition shown, which is mostly pretty great shape. I try not to collect anything below MP-, BUT condition is relative and unique to card, and there are subgrades between cards that affect value.

• Ask for as many photos and videos as you like, it's no hassle at all. I try to be as transparent with condition, grading, and trading rules as possible.

Kecleon Club:

https://imgur.com/a/3UGYp7x
----------------------------------------:// I'm looking for the following values on each.

• Price may vary based on what you are trading, mixes of Paypal and trades always welcome, this is a negotiable baseline.
  
• Trade offers should be at or above the listed value if they are not LP condition or better for the most part.
  

Current Caravan Inventory:

• Flygon [NM-, scuff] - $9
  
• Raichu [M/NM+] - $34
  
• Treecko [NM] - $7
  
• Nidoqueen [NM-] - $15
  
• Zapdos [NM] - $5
  
• Pinsir [NM-/LP+]- $16
  
• Slaking [Strong Swirl, NM] - $4
  
• Entei [MP, Excellent Swirl] - $5
  
• JPN Azumarill [NM-] - $8
  
• Mr. Mime [LP+] - $16
  
• Cradily [NM] - $9
  
• Psychic Energy WOTC League Promo [2Double Swirls, NM] - $20
  
• Camerupt [1.5 Swirl, LP++ ]- $9
  
• Meowth Fruit Roll Promo [NM-] - $14
  
• Pokemon Breeder [NM-] - $5
  
• Hitmonchan [LP-/MP+, painful ding but otherwise clean] - $7
  
• Muk [NM-] - $4
  
• Wailord [LP++] - $13
  
• Magneton [NM--/LP+] $12
  
• Dewgong [LP+] $12
  
• Vileplume [NM-/LP++] $45
  
• Typhlosion Delta Species [LP++] $20
  
• Manectric [NM, Excellent Swirl, Not shown, just got, will provide timestamped photos on request] $7
  

PC stuff ----------------------------------------://

• Steelix JPN Exclusive Neo/Mag. Promo [NM-, Amazing Swirl by Teeth] - $60 or $>75TV
  
• Erika's Dratini [Coro Coro Hydrangea, LP++] $17TV
  
• Brock's Onix [Coro Coro, LP] $14
  
• Repro Pokemon Sapphire - WTT for any holo/RH pokemon in LP or better condition from 2002-2007. timestamp photos on request.
  
• Mario Party DS - $10 or $15TV, timestamp photos on request.
  
• Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX CIB - $20 Paypal or $35TV, timestamp photos on request
  
• Carnivine G - $5TV
  
• Drifblim Promo Error Full Holobleed - Taking offers in the $25+ range. Timestamp and Video available on request.
  
• Random Base Set Low Value rares - Trading for any equalish value RH e-reader or Set Stamp card.
  

----------------------------------------://
{~PRESENTS FOR EVERYONE~}
• Shadowless Starmie - FREE! present to first order over $30, or WTT for Computer Error Black Star Promo/Misdreavus Black Star (didn't photo as it is a promo/special trade, can provide timestamp photos on request)
• Non-HoloBleed Drifblim Promo - FREE! present to first order over $60 or WTT for any e-reader holo/RH.
• Every order that includes any amount of Paypal will receive a limited edition 1/9 Amada Artbox sticker of a Pokemon of your choosing as a special present for attending the party!
• Anyone who has one of these Limited Edition "Kecleon Club" stickers can use membership on any future order for free PWE shipping.
• These Kecleon Club stickers will never be reissued, and each will be numbered. Stickers will be sent 10 days after post, and once stickers are sent, no more will be made.
• Don't be a square! Be a squaredancing Clefairy! Join the party today!
Amada Sticker Presents - https://imgur.com/a/i5927nx

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): Stats and Interests Below the Cut-Line. Rationale and Compatibility Analysis Directly Below.
::::::::
I am seeking monogamy and commitment from one lady and I am willing to show the same. Currently located in Northern Virginia, but will undoubtedly re-locate due to my career within the next 18 months or so.
I think that the only reasons we might not be compatible are preferences for looks, our careers (especially me in the Navy), sexual compatibility, and how we spend our free time. As for other reasons- I pride myself in communication, problem solving, patience, chivalry, authenticity, and being altruistic.
————————
Statistics: 6’2, Soon to be 36 YO, 196 lbs, 34 waist, Pulse 52, BP 118/72, Shoe- 12, xxx-7.25, Credit Score 807. Foster Homes Lived In-28, Schools Attended- 23. 43 countries visited, Deployments (USN)- 5, Kids- 0. Black Hair, Hazel Eyes, Lean-Athletic Muscular build. Sweet smile, great calves, aging grey temples, youthful/positive face. The usually response I get is either “fuck yes” or “fuck no” - I realize I am not everyone’s type. 5k PR: 1557- college. Mile-4:17- high school (RI all-state). Undergrad: USNA. Master’s: GWU, USNWC
Red Flags 2 Marriages, 1 other Engagement. Broken hearts- many. Times broken-hearted- 2. Currently separated. Introverted and Calculated decision maker due to upbringing. Analytical for good and bad reasons. Harry Potter House Ravenclaw Hat-Stall to Slytherin. Left-Handed, 800M SAT Score. Have won over 600k lifetime gambling (A hobby now, used to be a matter of life/death when I was youngehomeless as a teen).
Personality Assessment: Altruistic and Thoughtful people-pleaser. Detail-oriented and sexually charged gentleman. More cooperative and curious than critical. Constantly self-assessing and self-correcting, reflective and strives for improvement. Aims to use own experience to better others in close proximity and to scale. INTJ, love languages physical touch and quality time. Future POTUS, RI GOV, or Government SES, Navy Ship Captain. Vulnerability, Passion, and Compassion are Hallmarks (See Brene Brown/Esther Perel TED Talks).
Interests: Sports fanatic- specifically Boston teams. Board/Card games. Intellectual/Philosophical conversations. Human Behavior, Running, Walking, Pokémon Go, improving my teams around me, including family. Road trips, traveling- especially San Diego, Miami, Vegas, NYC, the beach, kissing, giving massages, finding a partner who wants to deeply connect romantically and physically and discuss and act out our fantasies. Improving our EQ and erotic intelligence together.
Someone will really like this and I hope if you are interested, we could write our success story here. I am an eternal optimist and I realize that you can’t small talk on apps the way I would really like to get to the heart of serious issues. If you are genuinely ambitious yet humble from our beginnings- maybe one of us is the First Spouse to the other, or, the half of a great partnership and earn the title of best parent, or co-chefs in our house together. Coach of the kids’s sports team is cool, too.
I have almost all the pieces I have to make life great and for me it is- just hoping to find that force multiplier where we can enhance our lives and take each other to a place of leadership and bliss that not even we can imagine right now!

I'm 29m, 5'7, look a lot younger, in decent/average shape, overall average-sliiightly above average looks (can def be brought up if I make some changes and get some rest), very proportionate facial features. I dress really well, speak really well, and have high intelligence as well as broad knowledge. Gifted with talent equally in the sciences and humanities/arts. I'm a good friend, with lots of empathy, and a deep understanding of human psychology. I'm a summa cum laude genetic engineering/biosciences graduate, and belong to the nation's most prestigious honors society. Moreover I was admitted to and completed a separate honors college within my university.
I live with my girlfriend who is my best friend, soon to be my wife. We share 90% of interests in common, and are inseparable. By society's standards, she is considered very very attractive. She makes 70-80k and has a very easy job from home.
So, why am I bum?
I make $15 an hour for a job that provides me with 10-25 hours a week from home. Been doing that for several years. I make less than $1000 a month most months.
I own an old, beat up truck that 1) paint completely came off 2) no AC 3) beat up inside 4) no power steering 5) 1000 other issues 6) doesn't even run. Never owned another car, use girlfriend's car every day.
I have no physical tolerance. I cannot fathom working 8+ hours a day. Not only am I afraid of wasting my life away, but also, I actually do not have the physical tolerance. I work 3-4 hours a day and feel completely wasted, beat up, after staring into a bright screen. My head hurts, I get flashing in my eyes, and I feel done.
I don't know where to start. I am about to be 30 and I can no longer "start from the beginning" for the 10000th time in my life. All of my peers are balls deep into their careers and many are making 3 figures. I have so many dreams and ambitions, goals, but I can't start anything. I have confusion, anxiety, and obsessive tendencies that will not allow me to start anything...plus, chronic feelings of lethargy. The doctors don't know why, they say it's life and everyone feels that way.
I feel like a complete bum. I can't start anything. No I do not have depression, I did before. I feel like a complete loser, that eventually everything else will go downhill. For me, I see things always downgrading, instead of upgrading in life.
I look at apartments near me and think "everything is for rich people. how is any of this affordable? why aren't there low-income apartments for everyone else, but without cockroaches and drug addicts?". Meanwhile, my peers never even glanced at the apartments I live in, and live like normal people but pay more.
What's stopping me from marrying my girlfriend immediately is loss of free health insurance and food stamps. Yep, you heard that right. She has too high of an income once I marry her, I have to give everything up. What am I going to do on $1000 a month with all of my health issues and no insurance?
I also have problem after problem. My parents keep getting evicted and I need to solve their lawyer problems, I'm always accumulating their problems and anxiety, rent is always increasing, I have new medical issues popping up every other week, huge expenses out of nowhere, and just life problems one after the other. I cant focus on starting anything, something is always in the way.
I am a complete loser who could be making significant money with my ideas and brain power, but... "I can't." I have no self-esteem, and don't know how to deal with difficult people. I ask my girlfriend why she even likes me and she says "you're just cute". I feel completely emasculated.
_________________________________________
Some things that bring me down:

1. terrible self image
2. medical issues from head to toe - something is ALWAYS wrong (badly herniated spinal disc means daily chronic pain, severe heartburn, 20 years of GI issues that affect me 80% of the day, dislocated shoulder, all of my teeth have issues and cause me pain and cracking, allergies which never allow me a good sleep and puff my face up for hours and hours, legally blind, and I can name another 10 most likely).
3. the cherry on top is that I developed severe panic disorder since January with agoraphobia and to this day, am struggling to be outside. I would rather break my back another 50 times than ever go through this again - the feeling of dying a hundred times a day, every day, for months.

My Bachelor’s is in Film Studies, so this is my thing! I’d love to read all of your recommendations! I’m still catching up on my Rated R media.
My Film Recs:

• Schindler’s List (1993) is a MUST-SEE. If you haven’t watched it, watch it ASAP. I consider it one of the most essential visual educational tools about the Holocaust. The film is based on a true story and one of the best portrayals of life during the Nazi “Final Solution.” The film won 7 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score (John Williams), Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, and Best Art Direction. I think teenagers should watch this film at around ~16 years old (depending on maturity) for educational purposes.

Side Note/Soap Box: I believe that watching realistic and accurate Rated-R war films is not immoral or "sinful" in any way (which I love to tell TBM's, because they immediately clutch their pearls). In fact, I would even go as far as to argue that war films that sugarcoat the violence and horror of war do a disservice to those who fought and lost their lives in those conflicts. A PG-13 historical war movie with battle scenes? Not realistic. By sugarcoating violence, especially when it comes to genocides and war, we're basically downplaying how serious those events were, and honestly, I think that's kind of sketchy from an ethical standpoint. I managed to convince a TBM friend of mine through this argument to join me in watching "Schindler's List." Before we watched it, she said, "Why not? I've already read like 40 World War II historical fiction novels." I consider that a win.

• 1917 (2019) is a World War I film that won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography with its strategy of presenting the film in one continuous shot. As I watched this film, I seemed to be running with the two characters as they traveled across enemy lines to deliver a timely message to save almost 2,000 British soldiers. It’s one of the more tame war films, but still intense.
• All Quiet on the Western Front (2022). HOLY FUCK. It’s based on the 1929 novel written by a World War I German veteran. However, this anti-war film is the first (out of 3) adaptations to ACTUALLY be produced by the Germans (the other two were made by Americans and then by Americans & Brits), seeing how this story follows the German characters in World War I.

Another Soap Box: This film is a big deal because, in film theory classes, we discussed the accuracy of media portrayals of different characters and backgrounds versus the creators' identities. Does German filmmakers’ portrayal of Germans in World War I make the story more authentic than if American filmmakers made the same film? My vote is yes. However, you don’t necessarily want to make this argument into an extreme absolute of black and white, or else you can go to extremes and say, “Only LGBTQ+ filmmakers can create stories about LGBTQ+ characters and plotlines,” or “Only white actresses can portray a mermaid, because the fairytale is Danish,” (side-eyeing majorly on that one). Then that pigeonholes filmmakers/creatives into boxes and genres, and we can miss out on some fantastic stories that otherwise wouldn’t be told.

• Back to All Quiet on the Western Front (2022). The film is tied for the most-awarded foreign film in Oscars’ history with Parasite (2019) and three other films I’m too lazy to list. NOT GONNA LIE: I got halfway through this film and couldn’t finish it. I was about to have a panic attack, even though while I watched it, I tried to calm myself down by admiring the special effects, production design, cinematography, etc., but it didn’t last long. I already know the film deserves all of the awards it won. If you can stomach it, I highly recommend watching it. Its extremely graphic depiction of violence is what makes it so staunchly anti-war. I’ll probably be able to watch the second half soon.
• Call Me By Your Name (2017). ANOTHER HOLY FUCK. This film changed my brain chemistry, and it’s one of the first and only films that made me feel like a changed person after seeing it. I used to sit in my film classes wondering what people meant about films being “life-changing,” I finally understood what they meant when the end credits started to roll on this film. It’s a coming-of-age romantic drama that put Timothee Chalamet on the map. He is phenomenal in the movie (as he is in everything he is in), and Chalamet is the youngest man (21 years old at the time) to be nominated for the Oscar’s Best Actor award since 1939. Don’t let the film being “coming-of-age” deter you. It has one of the most beautiful romantic love messages I have ever seen.

My TV recs:

• The Boys on Amazon Prime. If the Marvel/DC formula of superheroes disinterests you or starts getting on your nerves, you must watch The Boys. It’s a new gritty take on what life would actually look like with a corrupt corporation of superheroes. It’s raunchy and surprises you in the craziest ways. I think my jaw was permanently dropped watching the show. They just finished filming Season 4. It’s dark, violent, and satirical, and the show wittily comments on today’s social and political climate. Not to mention the main villain scares the FUCK out of me. The humor is top-notch, and sometimes I feel it should be illegal for me to laugh at their jokes. I highly recommend the show.
• Euphoria on HBO Max (or just Max now?). I started watching it because Zendaya won her first Emmy for portraying Euphoria’s main character, Rue, making her the youngest winner for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. (She won this Emmy Award again for Euphoria’s second season, making her the youngest two-time winner). I started the show for Zendaya, and I was drawn in by the writing and (gorgeous!) cinematography. The show’s portrayal of drug use, sex, mental health, and teenage life is deeply emotional, occasionally disturbing, but draws you into the character’s experiences. When I watched it, I was like, “So THIS is what being a teenager is like for non-Mormons!” (Though, I’m sure not all teenagers’ lives are like the dramatization in Euphoria.) I plan to rewatch the show soon now that I’m officially exmo just to see how different I perceive the show vs when I watched it as a still-believing but PIMO member.
• Fleabag. HOLY FUCK. It is a beautifully written comedy-drama with hilarious fourth wall breaks. There are only 2 seasons, but MAN they are so worth watching! It's such a realistic deep dive in heartbreak, loss, and finding yourself following the woman "Fleabag" who is so chaotic and rough around the edges, but you can't help but root for her. The show was nominated for 11 Emmy awards, and won 6. It's pacing is so refreshing. I need to rewatch it now.
• Edited to add: Narcos. Love that show. It's fast-paced, and NGL I watched it because Pedro Pascal took off his Mandalorian helmet in The Mandalorian, and I thought he was cute so I watched the show. It's based on the true story of the DEA assisting the Columbian government in trying to catch Pablo Escobar. The international politics of it all was SO interesting to me. Very violent (as you'd expect), and another show I highly recommend.

If you lasted this long on my ramblings, thank you! I had so much fun writing this. I’d love it if you took the time to share your favorite Rated R / TV-MA movies and TV shows here with your fellow exmo’s! I’m hoping to watch more comedies myself!

Everyone knows Coach O from the amazing 2019 LSU Championship season. The team was electrifying, with arguably the best offense of all time. And Coach O was such a lovable and outrageous character that even non-fans got excited about their run.
Obviously post-2019 Coach O didn't exactly have a great tenure at LSU, but he is still one of the most intriguing characters in the modern CFB landscape.
However, his national-recognition as LSU's outrageous head coach is late in his CFB coaching journey. He was on the staff for Miami's (Edit: 1991) team, and had stints as HC of Ole Miss 2005-2007 and Interim HC at USC in 2008.
This is where things get funny - as many people probably know the 2009 film "The Blind Side" follows the story of Michael Oher, a top-tier college OL who came from an extremely challenging childhood situation, and eventually attended Ole Miss (recruited in 2005).
This film is based in 2005, so Ed Orgeron appears as Ole Miss's coach. However, the film was made in 2009, when Coach O was no longer HC of Ole Miss, or any program. And his national recognition as LSU's head coach is certainly OFF THE CHARTS compared to people who remember him as Ole Miss's coach.
I find it funny to imagine young CFB fans who remember LSU's 2019 season, watching The Blind Side and getting serious whiplash trying to understand what he's doing there.
And I expect heartwarming Sandra Bullock movies will maintain in the general public sphere much longer than remembering a short-lived high-peak as LSU's football coach. So it's also a little funny that in 20 years more people may recognize Coach O as "that guy who coached Ole Miss in the Blind Side".

I've consumed a shit ton of draft content over the past month or so. These are the guys I think we should target and stay away from.
Targets

1. Brice Sensabaugh

My preference if he falls. Three level scorer who can make up for some of the scoring we need and take a ton of pressure off of Lebron. With AD anchoring, you can deal with some of of his defensive problems. I think he will be a 17+ ppg scorer out of the gate. Also fits the post Lebron timeline.

1. Cason Wallace

Unlikely to fall, but gives us that ball pressure we missed losing Caruso and KCP. Seems like a perfect pairing with AR in the backcourt.

1. Kobe Bufkin

Don’t love his ceiling, but a high efficiency guard with defensive potential is always valuable in today’s NBA.

1. Jordan Hawkins

Not a big fan of drafting to fit with Lebron at this point, but you can’t deny what he would add to this team as a movement shooter.

1. Jalen Hood Schafino

Wasn't utilized properly at Indiana and has much higher upside than a lot of the guys in this range. Don’t think he would get enough run early, but could be an amazing long term investment.
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Other guys I'd be okay with: Kris Murray, Jett Howard, Keyonte George
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Avoid

1. Leonard Miller

Not high on him as a top 25 prospect. Doesn’t pass the eye test and I just don’t really value motor that much as a skill. Doesn’t space the floor and can’t envision him being much more than a solid role player at best.

1. Derrick Lively

Rookie big men typically take a while to develop and his offensive upside is just too low. Doesn’t fit either timeline for me. Showed shooting potential, but nothing in game that would prove it's something he can rely on in the future.

1. Nick Smith

Interesting scoring guard, but hasn’t proven enough to show he can be a go to scorer in the NBA. Definitely think he has the potential based on his high school game, but just too much of a wildcard to make the investment.
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Other guys I would avoid: Noah Clowney, GG Jackson

This post is for anybody else out there who might be dealing with achilles tendonitis or bursitis in your ankle. I’ve had a 2.5 year journey dealing with this, and recently completed my first 50 miler (Mohican 50 in Ohio) in 11:08, after only running trails 3 days/week (more on my plan later). I thought I’d share my training adaptations and lessons-learned for anybody else struggling with these issues too. Note: I’m \not* a doctor, though I’ve spent a ton of time seeing doctors, sports chiro’s, massage therapists, physical therapists, etc over the years for this issue. Take this like a conversation with a crazy trail runner friend over of a nice cup of coffee, or better yet, a nice cold beer. I hope it’s helpful!*
Context
I started trail running in summer 2020 after about 18 years of casual road running. I was never competitive, but I did complete two marathons in college. I started running trails for fun with my ‘crazy’ ultra-running friends in fall 2020 and heard countless stories of their races, learned their training tips, and signed up for my first 50k in May, 2021.
Late fall 2020 my rapid switch to trails caught up with me, and I started experiencing a burning pain in the back of my ankle, near the heel. After a few doctor visits and an ultrasound of my achilles (this is important, please do this if you suspect achilles issues!). I found out that I had bursitis from insertional achilles tendonitis. I was assured by multiple doctors that my achilles itself was fine, but the tension in my weak-a$$ calves was pulling on everything downstream and causing the inflammation. I ran through that pain and somewhat ignored the PT exercises I was given, also half-a$$ing my training for the 50k. I did finish that 50k (it was a spicy one to boot, with over 5,000ft of gain on technical trails), but finished thoroughly broken with an average pace of 14:30. Woof.
I took 2022 ‘off’ from racing and was feeling good enough in November 2022 to sign up for my first 50M. But I still had bursitis, along with some other issues like high hamstring pain and pain in my right hip. Here’s where the changes started. I was going to do this right this time.
Changes I made First, I got a solid PT and orthopedic doctor based on the recommendation of a local trail-runner friend - a doctor that understood runners and wasn’t just going to tell me to stop running. In January 2023 I hit the PT exercises hard. Hundreds of calf eccentrics (heel lowers to ground-level only) each week, hamstring eccentrics to help with high-hamstring pain I developed, and lots of single-leg work with the leg press. I also worked on my hips using a band doing clamshells, monster walks, etc. I continued every single exercise throughout training up to the week before my race, which was June 3rd, 2023.
Second, I decided this time I wasn’t going to wing it: I was going to follow *a plan* (gasp), but adapt it so I spent less time running, more time cross training to take stress off my ankle. I got a Trail Runner Mag. subscription and gobbled up every article I could find: Training plans. Nutrition. Speed work. Hill work. Weight lifting. Nutrition. Hydration. The list went on, and I read it all. I eventually landed on a few training plans I liked (linked after this), and paid close attention to them both while allowing myself some flexibility for my bursitis. I officially started training 22 weeks out from race day, January 7th, 2023.
Key Training Adjustments for Bursitis/Achilles Tendonitis
When I started training in January the burning pain post long-runs was real. My ankle would “stiffen up” after the long runs, so any prolonged sitting or sleeping made it much worse post-run. I used the following techniques to help with this and today have nearly zero pain while running and very minimal to no pain post-run (even after 18-20 miles!). Now, mind you, my ankle was angry for about 3 days after the 50M, but I expected that. These tactics got me a good 80% better. I still have work to do, but I’m close, and I hope this helps you too!

1. Run less (but maintain time on feet): Every single 50M training plan you’ll find has you running 5-6 days/week. I knew my ankle couldn’t handle that, so I adapted my plan such that I was only on trails 3 days a week - the long run on Saturday, the back-to-back Sunday, and one mid-week run on Wednesdays, when I also did my hill workouts. I found that book-ending the long weekend runs with two days “off my feet” allowed my ankle time to recover and inflammation to go down. But I wasn’t idle Tuesdays and Thursdays! These days I’d use a combination of elliptical, stairmaster, and treadmill hiking to get in the equivalent miles and time-on-feet necessary, while also ensuring I kept my HR in the equivalent zone to what I’d see on a run. As you’ll see in my race results - THIS APPROACH WORKS! A summary of my weekly plan follows this list.
2. Calf eccentrics: I’d suggest Googling this (or better, talk to a knowledgeable sports doc), but the basic idea is you rise up onto your toes with both feet then stand on the affected leg and slowly (3-5 seconds) lower your heel down to floor-level. The floor-level part is important based on *which* part of your achilles is damaged (please see a doctor about this!). For insertional achilles issues, I learned you don’t want to lower your heel below ground-level (e.g. on a stair), which is suggested for other achilles issues. I did 2-3 sets of 15 once or twice per day the entire training cycle, except days I was running on trails. I would also leave one day (Mondays) completely off for rest and recovery.
3. High-drop shoes: I’ve always run in a higher-drop shoes (I wear the La Sportiva Jackal II, which has a 7mm drop). The higher drop takes some load off your achilles.
4. Heel lifts/shoe inserts: Towards the latter end of my training my sports doc suggested I try a ¼” heel lift in my shoes to help with the bursitis, and it made a huge difference (put one in each shoe to prevent other issues, of course 🙂 ). The idea is: the heel lift takes additional load off your achilles - I wish I had done this sooner. There’s lots of research online about how effective this can be. The only downside is that it changed the dynamics of my shoes, so I had to start heel-lock lacing to prevent my foot from sliding forwards in my shoes. I’d say this was a major contributing factor to why my ankle started feeling a lot better, even in the peak training period.
5. Apply Voltaren and Arnica Cream to affected area: Voltaren is a topical NSAID and Arnica cream is also an all-natural pain reliever. I’d apply these to my ankle at night and wrap it in Saran wrap (I know, sounds crazy), but the wrap helps both absorb into the skin. I’d wake up feeling much better
6. Vibrants Pain Relief Patches: now this is a little “out there” but these biofrequency patches also worked great for relieving pain and inflammation on my ankle. I’d put them on post-run and my pain would melt away. I’m not sure I’m 100% bought-in to the science behind them (or pseudo-science), but they worked for me, placebo effect or not.
7. Similar to the above, the KT Tape Wave also was great for pain-relief: a little more pseudoscience that I’m skeptical about, but it works. My sports chiropractor recommended this to me and it absolutely works. It’s also great for relieving muscle pain and speeding recovery overall.
8. Massages and dry needling: I also got regular massages and dry needling and have a collection of foam rollers, balls, etc to release my muscles at home too. Keeping your calves loose is key to relieving the strain on your ankle.
9. A note on ibuprofen: overall, ibuprofen never seemed to do much for me. Ibuprofen is known to be a bad idea before/during/after runs because of how it affects your kidneys, so I avoided it altogether.

My training plan
My training plan was a combination of pure trail runs (I never wasted time running on roads or treadmills), cross training on ellipticals, stairmaster, bike, yoga (almost daily) and weight lifting. I believe the lifting, specifically addressing my weak areas, was key to my race-day success, and I broke it up into pieces throughout the week so my “off” running days focused on upper body and abs. I also believe the mobility work in yoga was incredibly important.

• Saturday long run on trail

1. The longest run I did was a 50k 4 weeks out, and by then my ankle was handling that distance quite well. I did about 3 other 20 miles runs and a few 18 mile runs

• Sunday back-to-back run on trail

1. I used a time-on-feet model for Sundays, usually between 1-2.5 hours

• Monday active recovery/upper body weights and abs + yoga
• Tuesday cross training on elliptical//stairmastetreadmill hiking + leg day (focused on hips) + yoga
• Wednesday speed day on elliptical or hill work on trail + yoga
• Thursday medium length trail run (if it was a speed week) or cross training as above with a bigger leg day (working hamstring, quads, doing mountain legs, all the big ones) + yoga
• Friday active recovery/upper body weights and abs + yoga

Note: I integrated calf eccentrics whenever I could, except for the weekends. I did around 450 calf-lowers every week (done on both legs to keep things even)
Race Results
The big day was June 3rd, 2023. The race was the Mohican 50 miler in Ohio. This wasn’t what you’d call an “easy” first 50 miler. The course was nearly 100% single-track on MBT with around 6-7,000 ft of gain, depending who’s watch you’re reading. The day-of was also above-average hot (upper 80’s), so I was very happy I spent 6 week prior heat acclimating in the sauna at my gym (link to the heat acclimation plan I used follows).
The race started at 6am and I felt good in the cool morning air. I noticed around mile 10, after we had apparently completed the first big climb that I didn't feel the climb was all that bad - all that hiking and stairmaster work was paying off! As the day went on the temps rose, but dumping ice water on my head at aid stations and taking s-caps every 30 minutes like it was my job kept me from feeling nauseated and good to keep eating both solid + liquid calories (I used tailwind). I had no issues with fuel - whoo-hoo!
But there's always something... The only major issue I had in this race ended up being my shoe-lacing (classic!). I had loosened my heel-lock lacing prior to the race because that lacing was rubbing on the tops of my ankle, causing some discomfort. Well, when your shoes are too loose you cause other issues, and my feet were sliding forward in my shoes the entire race, leading to some major big-toe pain and blisters.
Nonetheless, I finished with a smile in 11:08, just about 50 minutes ahead of my goal time. I snagged 1st place woman in my age group, and 9th woman overall, 39th runner out of the pack. My ankle didn't’ bother me at all during the race - only when I stopped (of course!). It took about three days for my ankle to recover, but at this point I know how to treat it and keep the pain manageable. I’ll continue to monitor my achilles with my doctor, continue all the exercises I’ve been doing, and get back to running after a few good weeks of recovery!
In Summary
If you’re dealing with achilles tendonitis, I sure do hope this is helpful! I’ve heard from many that this is an issue that may never fully go away. I’m also convinced (again, not a doctor, but based on my experience) that rest is not the answer, because if you aren’t strengthening your calves and your legs, you will never take the strain off your achilles or get blood-flow to the area to promote healing. My ankle felt better and better the more I got into my training plan - wild! Training your body to adapt and grow stronger, while not overloading the ankle is key. Take an off-day if you have pain, and see a doctor regularly to make sure you aren’t doing further damage. I hope you have the same success!
My training plan links:
Training Plan 1: https://relentlessforwardcommotion.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Free-50-mile-ultramarathon-training-plan-outline.png
More Specific Training Plan with Hill and Speed Work: https://www.trailrunnermag.com/training/training-plans-training/an-advanced-50-mile-training-plan/
Heat Acclimation Plan: https://trainright.com/ultrarunners-heat-acclimation-cheat-sheet/
Taper Week Plan: https://www.trailrunnermag.com/training/trail-tips-training/a-day-by-day-training-guide-for-race-weeks-and-tapers/

As the title suggests, I'm having some issues with my old Xbox. Resources are kinda hard to find, so I thought I would see if any wise sages could bestow some of their eldritch knowledge.
Here's the problem:
After about 25 minutes of playtime, my Xbox will turn off and flash an orange ring around the eject button with no error on screen.
Here's what we've done:
I have a rev 1.0-1.1 mobo with a Delta 96AP 110v psu. Here's a shot of both PCBs. The person that had it before me must have swapped cases with another Xbox, because the sticker says it was manufactured 2005-01-19. Due to me thinking I had a 1.6b, I never bothered with the clock cap. Today, however, I randomly stumbled across a photo of the clock cap that looked familiar.
Anyway, I desoldered my clock cap only today. I don't see a lot of damage, just some slight greying of the solder on some components that were close by. I only have very slight PCB corrosion, and only on the ground plane around that solder point. Here's a photo of that area after removal and clean up.
After removing the clock cap, that area of the board was scrubbed front and back 3 times with a toothbrush and 91%. I even went a little crazy later on and scrubbed the entire board, front and back, with soapy water and a toothbrush- this did actually help, but still hasn't solved my problems. And yes, I did re-paste the CPU and GPU.
While I was searching, I did see someone mention that the power plug pins solder joints tend to break over time- sure enough, mine were broken. After resoldering my power plug pins I cleaned the underside of the PSU board with 91%. I didn't mess with the top much because there's so much shit on there that could trap moisture.
I don't see any obviously bulging caps, no moisture on the drive caddy, etc that would make me believe the caps weren't good. I did read that the temp sensing chip closest to the clock cap can go bad and cause a bad temp read to lead to the issue I'm having, but my chip looks fine.
Here's my question:
Is there anything that I should try before doing a complete cap swap? What can I do right now without having to spend any money?