She was my bestest friend in the whole wide world, long before we even developed feelings for each other. We would talk every single day, for hours on end, and the conversation would never stop. In fact we would have to mutually agree to end the conversation, because there was no end to it. I would look at her and think "It's like I have known you forever". I knew through pure logic and not just emotion that she is very close to being my second half. The more we met, the more we wanted to, and needed to meet. She was someone with whom I could be as silly, goofy, deep, weird, vulnerable, emotional etc as possible. Our conversations were literally split between us making silly noises, talking about serious topics and getting to know each other deeply. So deeply that we could answer any deep and random question about each other's life. She understood every word that came out of my mouth and instead of placing judgement, she would simply understand and reciprocate equally. We literally brought out the best in each other because we both provided each other a platform to express those parts of us. Our goofiness was unmatched, we would make funny noises together, we would make funny parodies on songs together, or even random improv based on anything around us or in the conversation. We would talk about the deepest topics of life; pros and cons of joint families, marriage, religion, spirituality, philosophy, why people do certain things, etc. She brought out every aspect of my personality out of me. And I did the same for her. She matched me on almost every single thing. We had the same exact same humour, family values, moral values, relationship/marriage values, mindsets, goals, etc. We would write letters to each other in both English and Punjabi, letters expressing what we like about each other, and full of words with the intent to make each other filled with happiness. We would never allow each other to have self deprecating thoughts. A relationship built on pure quality time and words of affirmation, and there was no physical aspect to it. I saw in her the female version of myself. Her personality was so endlessly deep and we knew each other so well that we would see each other in everything, everywhere. Everything and every place would make us think about each other. Maybe a random situation, an object, the environment around us - this was because we knew each other so well that we could see a part of each other in those things. For example, if I'm near a forest, I'd get reminded of her and how she loves hiking, if I see a circus, I'd get reminded of how goofy and funny she is, if I see a happy old couple, I'd get reminded of her maturity in relationships. She would do the same for me. She'd see something in her day, and if it reminded her of me, she would instantly message me. That is how close we were - we saw each other in all aspects of our lives. A few of the things I really appreciated about her. She made me feel so nostalgic. She reminded me of and mirrored every single stage of life I've been in. She and I had very similar experiences during the same life stages. Talking to her was literally like talking to myself while I was in those life stages. It was the most rare and surreal experience I've ever had in my life. A person who I never knew before, suddenly shows up in my life and I recognize in her, myself. Even simpler stuff like watching the same shows as me growing up, same YouTubers, similar interests, similar behaviours and habits, similar interactions with family members / friends / teachers, etc. We're even born in the same year. Her openness with me was more than she's been with anyone before. She would tell me stuff she has never told another soul, she would laugh at my jokes like she's never laughed before. She told me I brought out her truest and realest laugh that she had kept hidden for years. Other than that, just as a short list of what I appreciated in her: the way she spoke with such love about her family, the amount of time she spent with her family, the way she would talk about her relationship with God, the fact that nothing could sway her from her morals and values ever, the way she would allow me to resurface my TRUE self, the way she gave me a platform for any thought I had, the way she was so nerdy and had all of these unique interests, the way she would speak about her desire to get married and have the happiest life with her future husband and in-laws, her modesty, her ability to make jokes on the spot and carry any joke that came her way, the way her joy and bubbly nature was simply contagious, they way she was nice to everybody out of the pureness of her heart, the way she appreciated her culture, language and religion, her perception of friendships, the fact that her personality was so wide and deep - I could start any conversation on any topic with her and the conversation would have no end to it. There are so many other things that I cannot think of right now. I am very glad that we got to spend the time we did together, and although it did not last forever, it has taught me that yes, there are people like her out there. Every person is rare and unique on this earth, but for me, she was the absolute most rarest person ever in this whole wide world. That is because I have never ever experienced such a strong emotional connection with any person in my life. My heart, mind and soul give the Universe a challenge: "Universe, can you help me find another girl like her?" And the Universe would probably respond "Sorry that seems a bit impossible, but I'll try". I have moved on from her, and wish her all the best in her future relationship, and hope she is the happiest person ever. As for me, I hope my next relationship is with my final and life long love. I never was in love with her, I was only close to it

She was my bestest friend in the whole wide world, long before we even developed feelings for each other. We would talk every single day, for hours on end, and the conversation would never stop. In fact we would have to mutually agree to end the conversation, because there was no end to it.
​
I would look at her and think "It's like I have known you forever". I knew through pure logic and not just emotion that she is very close to being my second half. The more we met, the more we wanted to, and needed to meet.
​
She was someone with whom I could be as silly, goofy, deep, weird, vulnerable, emotional etc as possible. Our conversations were literally split between us making silly noises, talking about serious topics and getting to know each other deeply. So deeply that we could answer any deep and random question about each other's life. She understood every word that came out of my mouth and instead of placing judgement, she would simply understand and reciprocate equally. We literally brought out the best in each other because we both provided each other a platform to express those parts of us. Our goofiness was unmatched, we would make funny noises together, we would make funny parodies on songs together, or even random improv based on anything around us or in the conversation. We would talk about the deepest topics of life; pros and cons of joint families, marriage, religion, spirituality, philosophy, why people do certain things, etc. She brought out every aspect of my personality out of me. And I did the same for her.
​
She matched me on almost every single thing. We had the same exact same humour, family values, moral values, relationship/marriage values, mindsets, goals, etc. We would write letters to each other in both English and Punjabi, letters expressing what we like about each other, and full of words with the intent to make each other filled with happiness. We would never allow each other to have self deprecating thoughts. A relationship built on pure quality time and words of affirmation, and there was no physical aspect to it. I saw in her the female version of myself.
​
Her personality was so endlessly deep and we knew each other so well that we would see each other in everything, everywhere. Everything and every place would make us think about each other. Maybe a random situation, an object, the environment around us - this was because we knew each other so well that we could see a part of each other in those things. For example, if I'm near a forest, I'd get reminded of her and how she loves hiking, if I see a circus, I'd get reminded of how goofy and funny she is, if I see a happy old couple, I'd get reminded of her maturity in relationships. She would do the same for me. She'd see something in her day, and if it reminded her of me, she would instantly message me. That is how close we were - we saw each other in all aspects of our lives.
​
A few of the things I really appreciated about her.
​
She made me feel so nostalgic. She reminded me of and mirrored every single stage of life I've been in. She and I had very similar experiences during the same life stages. Talking to her was literally like talking to myself while I was in those life stages. It was the most rare and surreal experience I've ever had in my life. A person who I never knew before, suddenly shows up in my life and I recognize in her, myself. Even simpler stuff like watching the same shows as me growing up, same YouTubers, similar interests, similar behaviours and habits, similar interactions with family members / friends / teachers, etc. We're even born in the same year.
​
Her openness with me was more than she's been with anyone before. She would tell me stuff she has never told another soul, she would laugh at my jokes like she's never laughed before. She told me I brought out her truest and realest laugh that she had kept hidden for years.
​
Other than that, just as a short list of what I appreciated in her: the way she spoke with such love about her family, the amount of time she spent with her family, the way she would talk about her relationship with God, the fact that nothing could sway her from her morals and values ever, the way she would allow me to resurface my TRUE self, the way she gave me a platform for any thought I had, the way she was so nerdy and had all of these unique interests, the way she would speak about her desire to get married and have the happiest life with her future husband and in-laws, her modesty, her ability to make jokes on the spot and carry any joke that came her way, the way her joy and bubbly nature was simply contagious, they way she was nice to everybody out of the pureness of her heart, the way she appreciated her culture, language and religion, her perception of friendships, the fact that her personality was so wide and deep - I could start any conversation on any topic with her and the conversation would have no end to it. There are so many other things that I cannot think of right now. I am very glad that we got to spend the time we did together, and although it did not last forever, it has taught me that yes, there are people like her out there.
​
Every person is rare and unique on this earth, but for me, she was the absolute most rarest person ever in this whole wide world. That is because I have never ever experienced such a strong emotional connection with any person in my life. My heart, mind and soul give the Universe a challenge: "Universe, can you help me find another girl like her?" And the Universe would probably respond "Sorry that seems a bit impossible, but I'll try".
​
I have moved on from her, and wish her all the best in her future relationship, and hope she is the happiest person ever. As for me, I hope my next relationship is with my final and life long love.
​
I never was in love with her, I was only close to it

Ahoy there! It's been pretty lonely lately, so I figured I'd put myself out there and try to make some new friends. I'm of SouthEast Asian descent born and raised in Southern California. Definitely more of an indoor person, but I'm making an effort to go outside more and explore new places. Also a bit cringe so don't say I didn't warn ya!
I'm a huge fan of anime, science fiction, fantasy, documentaries, procedural crime shows, and series like Futurama, The Simpsons, Love Death Robots, and The Twilight Zone. I also enjoy playing a bunch of PC games (open world survival, fps, rpgs, fighting games, ect), so hit me up if you want to game together! I'm open to trying anything that looks fun.
Currently trying to improve all areas of my life and trying out new hobbies, listening to new music, watching new things. Mostly trying to get outside my comfort zone and do things I normally wouldn't. Feel free to send a message if you're up for a friendly chat/voicechat but I'm going to ignore all "hey, sup" messages. Not asking for a lot of effort tbh, just tell me a little about yourself. What do you enjoy doing in your free time? What movies, foods, games, or songs are you really into? I look forward to getting to know ya!

“Now this is the Law of the Jungle -- as old and as true as the sky; And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the Wolf that shall break it must die. As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk the Law runneth forward and back -- For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.” (Rudyard Kipling)
Will the Stark direwolves face off against the Bolton hounds as the white winds blow across the frozen wilds in the Battle of Ice? Towards the leadup to Game of Thrones' Battle of Bastards episode GRRM left this tantalizing glimpse for its showrunners:

[N.B. A note for future reference. A season or two down the line Ramsay’s pack of wolfhounds are going to be sent against the Stark direwolves, so we should build up the dogs as much as possible in this and subsequent episodes.]

And it feels like there's a sense of certainty in the note that clues us to the future of his work, but how could it even work in the books? The march on Winterfell so far is a fair bit different than its show counterpart (assuming that's what it is), and the direwolves are spread all across the map, seemingly content to be where they are. But with Boltons on a collision course with Stannis, and the food running sparse, it sets a short time window for this encounter to manifest, assuming of course, that the Boltons are defeated in the fight. Which perhaps teasingly takes form in a village in the middle of the giant primordial forest called the Wolfswood.

"The wolfswood," Benjen Stark called it, and indeed their nights came alive with the howls of distant packs, and some not so distant. Jon Snow's albino direwolf pricked up his ears at the nightly howling, but never raised his own voice in reply. There was something very unsettling about that animal, Tyrion thought.

Given Stannis' confirmed role in the burning of Shireen, and Dany's HotU vision of the blue eyed king casting no shadow, (as well as the fan favorite Night Lamp theory) it seems like a safe guess he will survive the first bout at least.
Despite the limitations of time and distance several clues surrounding the training of Ramsay's hounds in the books seem to suggest similar buildup:

"He's trained 'em to kill wolves as well," Ben Bones had confided. Reek said nothing. He knew which wolves the girls were meant to kill, but he had no wish to watch the girls fighting over his severed toe.

...

"Stark's little wolflings are dead," said Ramsay, sloshing some more ale into his cup, "and they'll stay dead. Let them show their ugly faces, and my girls will rip those wolves of theirs to pieces. The sooner they turn up, the sooner I kill them again."

and this quote not directly referencing Ramsay's hounds but seemingly related (credit to LChris24's post or I would have missed this one):

The rest of the dogs were close behind, the hounds sniffing and barking, a pair of monstrous mastiffs bringing up the rear. Their size and ferocity might make the difference against a cornered direwolf.

I think there is a solid amount of buildup to the possibility of these two forces coming together, claw and gnashing fang.

The Call of the Wild

*“The Wild still lingered in him and the wolf in him merely slept.” * (Jack London)
Of the four remaining direwolves in the series though their positions are spread far from Winterfell, so the logistics of having the come together will be important for this to work.
Summer - we last leave Bran's direwolf at the cave of the last greenseer, at the giant weirwood who's roots lead to Westeros' underworld. The drifts have grown so strong that the entrance to the cavern has become snowed over - something Summer must dig through each night to join his pack and hunt while the restless dead wander outside (and living prey remain scarce), before retreating to the cave during the day to to get good-boy head pats from Meera sitting with Bran near the fire. Bran's connection to Summer remains, though his identity seems to be becoming more and more split between his various forms, sometimes as Summer, others as a raven learning to fly or in the roots of the tree traversing time and space. Summer has been able to take control of One Eye's small pack (who is being warged into by Varamyr) after their skirmish and they were even able to take out an undead snow bear together. So what could get Summer moving south? Will Bran read the fates in the tree and send him out? Will something happen to Bran at the tree that sets this event in motion? Summer may not be the largest of the direwolves, though he is often perceived as the smartest and most perceptive.
Shaggydog - Rickon's black direwolf with the eyes of green wildfire is the most savage of the pack, despite his size, and Rickon himself seems to becoming more and more in tune with his wolf each passing day. A strengthening connection Jon seemed to experience as well after reuniting with Ghost leading up to the mutiny. Rickon also seems to have a connection to prophecy similar to Bran, awaiting their father in the Crypts of Winterfell... though unlike Bran he seems to have more a natural comfort in darkness and with death. Shaggydog is in Skagos, last seen in one of Jon's wolf dreams tearing off the flesh of an enormous goat/[unicorn] in a wild rain washing the blood where his prey's horn raked him. In the early drafts of AFFC (thanks to gsteff's research) we actually see that the direwolf was sharing the kill 'with his other half' though that part was removed leaving Rickon's fate more uncertain. How does he get back? That part seems clear at least, Davos is currently en route to try to retrieve the boy and bring him for Wyman Manderly to setup as an heir to Winterfell, though there are plenty of ominous signs on the voyage (the barren seal rock, Davos' missing fingerbones, and per Bran Rickon telling him no will ever come back to Winterfell).
Nymeria - Arya's wolfie is leading a very successful life since she was let go near the Trident to protect her from Cersei's wrath, a spot she hasn't strayed too far from given the abundance of prey compared to the frigid north. Nymeria has gathered an enormous following of wolves that haunts the Riverlands and the Kingsroad. ("She says there's this great pack, hundreds of them, mankillers. The one that leads them is a she-wolf, a bitch from the seventh hell.") Under Nymeria's leadership her grey cousins have "lost all fear of men" ransacking baggage trains, killing armed sentries near Riverrun, and even tearing apart a group of Brave Companions, so that its remarked that they are not wolves at all but "demons in the skins of wolves, sent to chastise us for our sins." Nymeria seems to represent the one part of Arya that she can't shake even as she convinces herself that she is no one, or that she is a cat now wandering Braavos. At night the dreams return tethering her to her roots. In Mercy's Winds excerpt we see a last glimpse of Nymeria, running through dark pine forests hard on the scent of prey, and with a howling in her heart, the full moon overhead as the tree (perhaps Bran or Bloodraven) watches her run. Is she still in the Riverlands (if so will she play a part in the events around Lady Stoneheart) or has she finally started to head home? I'd hate for her to be left out of the reunion as... "When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. "
Ghost - And of course Jon's direwolf, Ghost, his silent white shadow. Ghost is left at Castle Black while the mutiny occurs, and it seems likely, that with Jon's last words they are now together in one form. This would also fit Melisandre vision "Now he was a man, now a wolf, now a man again." Jon has also thought in the past if some part of his brothers remained in their wolves when they died. But Ghost was left locked up in the Lord Commander's Tower to prevent an incident with the skinchanger Borroq or his giant boar who the wolf distrusts. Will the mutineers go after Ghost now that Jon has been slain? If so he may need to fight his way out once they open the doors.... or, perhaps, Melisandre might let him go herself. Ghost and her have a pretty uncanny connection with their blazing red eyes (though Jon thinks the red of Ghost's eyes is more of the Old Gods), and Ghost even hesitates to leave her side to go back to Jon when called ("Warmth calls to warmth, Jon Snow"). According to Melisandre there is power in him and the beast which Jon Snow has been resisting and is yet to use... She also mentions Lord Snow would have need of her beyond the Wall ("He does not know it yet, but soon..."). Very mysterious....
But one thing seems clearer, if Ghost is to head south, he already has good cause to. One of Jon's last convictions before his death was to march south to Winterfell try to save his sister after incited by the pink letter. If his soul has carried over to the wolf perhaps that conviction may still remain....

There may or may not even be one subtle additional hint that Summer and Shaggydog could be in Winterfell soon worth discussing. In the finale chapter of A Clash of Kings Bran has one of the more prominent wolf dreams in the series while hiding in the crypts. In it he sees Winterfell burned and everyone there killled, and we are meant to believe that this was the view of what was happening right outside, as the Bolton forces sacked it. But while what he sees seems to match up, some elements of the dream remain questionable - among them the "great winged snake whose roar was a river of flame." (a pretty reasonable depiction of a dragon that might occur from a wolf's pov). Though the interpretation differs amongst readers - Some believe its just GRRM taking visual liberties with the smoke and fire... though wolves recognized real smoke and fire just before that and wolf povs are fairly unpoetic with their descriptions. Some also think it it may have been a way to describe the red comet, but the figure soon disappears from view which could be strange, unless its just meant to be obscured. Or was it a real dragon? It might have been one of the rumored offspring of Vermax born near the hot springs, sneaking in during the carnage. Osha does mention that they "made noise enough to wake a dragon." But perhaps one other interpretation is that Bran was dreaming green, seeing prophecy instead of present. Because Winterfell has been partially rebuilt by the Boltons and Freys during their occupation, we may see Winterfell burned once more. If Stannis takes the city, he may just start a new fire to wake dragons from stone, one that may escape his control.

The Cry of the Blood Moon

There is one really interesting way I think the direwolves might be finally called together. There's been a lot said about how quiet Ghost throughout the books.... only Jon seems to hear him, perhaps telepathically, calling to him at the beginning when no one else could. But with Jon now inhabiting Ghost, could the direwolf gain his voice at last?

Ghost sat on his haunches watching, silent as ever. Will he howl for me when I'm dead, as Bran's wolf howled when he fell? Jon wondered. Will Shaggydog howl, far off in Winterfell, and Grey Wind and Nymeria, wherever they might be?

Ghost is drawn to the hills and the high places looking up at the stars, and while he starts off the smallest of the litter he soon grows to be the largest of the direwolves, perhaps foreshadowing his strength and leadership. Maybe its fitting then that it would be Ghost that calls them home to be a pack again with the boy's death.

Do they miss their brothers and sisters too? Bran wondered. Are they calling to Grey Wind and Ghost, to Nymeria and Lady's Shade? Do they want them to come home and be a pack together?

And if so would it be a physical blood curdling howl or a telepathic one?

There was ice underfoot, and broken stones just waiting to turn an ankle, and the wind was howling fiercely. It sounds like a wolf, thought Sansa. A ghost wolf, big as mountains.

~Thank you for Reading!~

I'm currently waiting for a payment that won't come until next week.
Due to an ongoing medical issue I am currently unable to work, and my car just broke down on me. I have 3 kids and just need some help getting groceries.
I have Cashapp and PayPal, if anyone is willing and able to help it's much appreciated.
Will pay it forward, and I have given to those in need when I have the money to do so.
50 to 60 would be a big help to get some staple food items.

Day 1 The cornocoupia layed within the middle of the castle featuring new weapons guns swords and even more weapons for the captials delight. Outside of the castle is surrounded by a vast majorty of forests below the castle featured a rather nice beachsides. One thing of note was the hourly geysers that would shoot and if a tribute were unlucky to stumble upon it they would be shot straight into the arena roof then pushed down into the oceans. As the direction was turned back to the cornucopia the countdown begun. The carrers attempted to quickly locate each other moments later after giving the starting node they aimed to at least get 5 tributes out. Charlie from 9 was place exquadistant from Midge (4) and sunny from (11). Tinsele from (5) whimpered as Alavdor(1) meansingly grinned. After game maker Whimsiwick wished the tributes well the blood bath began. Alavdor and Ursula from (1) charged in fighting hand and hand with the guns. Both shot 2 of there opponents Tinselle (5) Suprisingly died earlier after being ambushed and then died from the boy from 10. After a rather chaotic blood bath 6 more cannons sounded. Causing a memorable games to occur. As most of the tributes ran off 3 sponsor gifts flew in for the carrers Clemot noticed his had a battery he grined happily placing it behind a near by cornocpiua wall. WIth a later interview with head game maker Mortmer Whimsick he stated that Clemots knowledge of exlposive greatly impressed him causing him to be a dark horse with this years games. For the next few hours they hunted down and killed Charlie from 9 and Darius from 12. “Its gonna be a quick games i can feel it.” Ursualua suddenly stated. After nodding quietly the careers had continued to wander throughout the arena. However as they were walking into the beachside a loud shroom occured as the careers hid and watched Io (3) being flown into the air by the sudden geyser sounding his cannon imedtitaly. Afterword as his district part Danielia yelped lowldy Ursaula quickly ran in and snapped Daniellas neck sounding her cannon as well. After that they then feasted upon a picnic they were given by sponsors. Though as Midge (4) was finishing up the soup cansitar a loud caboom was heard. The carrers were rather confused but as many of the near by trees fell Juliso from (9) then jumped out tumbling into Alvador and Marina. As Alavador held a knife to Julisos throat. But as Ursula yelled at him to stop he then reliazed that Juliso was the one Ursula acquired. As Alavdor drooped the knife Juliso ran hiding behind Clemot (5). Clemot then walked toward Marina. “Your showing weakness already good heavens you have first watch dummy.” Juliso nodded as he then grinned as Midge tossed him a near by titanium waterbottle. Juliso thanked him as he then joined the careers in exploring the arena further. After 3 hours they then decided to rest for the day. Before there rest they came to the conclusion that there was only 18 tributes remainig. As they then began to rest Clemot awoke within the middle of the night for his night watch. As Midge awoke he then joined Clemot as they then listened to horn of plenty playing featuring the fallen tributes. Io and Daniela both from 3 Tinselle from 5 Plush from 8 Charlie from 9 Sunny from 11 and Darius ftom 12. Leaving 19 tributes remaing. Clemot then walked away saying along the way “If you so really want to see what im doing to the outliers then come.” Midge smiled and nodded as he then walked with him to the beach. Clemot then turned on the battery creating a vast electric current sounding 1 cannon. The cannon belonged to Houstoun from 6 after being badly elctricuted by the battery. After his body was removed Midge grinned patting him on the head saying after. “Ima help ye with your little plan.” After this statement the district 4 and 5 supporters in the capital cheered in anticipation until this was stooped by commander Anastia Fling screaming “its 2 in the morning im sleeping.” The applause and cheers turned down as Camelia then begun a rather quiet end of day analysis. Back in the arena the boys returned back to the carrer camp sleeping Day 2. Once the careers awoke they were greeted with a rather horrific display of Ursula had been stabbed by Juliso. Alavdor then chased down Juliso manging to get 3 arrows in his foot hearing Ursulas cannon sounded. After angrily throwing a apple at there supplys another boom occured as Alavdor then was flown back hitting many trees manging to nock Wine from 11 and Oilvia from 12 to fall as 3 cannons sounded. As much laughter stroke the capital audiences Nico Anderson new head editor of Anderson Fashion even said that “Mr boom boom is getting Lucky.” Even in the mentoring gallery Gravito Logan victor of the 100th hunger games shouted “Thats my boy.” As he then was told to “Shut up.” by Optimo Braun victor of the 100th hunger games. Back in the arena 2 more cannons sounded belonging to Plush and Patch both from 8. Got shot into the arena roof from the gysers. In a later interview with game maker Laurier he did state that the geysers had a little to much power but had been comical for the capital. Marina from 4 looked at Clemot asking “Was that you.” Clemot nodded adding in “My mentor wants me to survive cant picture how he would be if i died.” Marina yepled and ran away as her own district partner Midge chased her down pushing her into the geyser sounding her cannon. Midge and Clemot then abondened the camp only taking 5 waterbottles and 3 sandwhiches. The boys then re entered the house going into a room and surprisingly resting for once. The boys had chatted about there home districts. Feeling rather confused after his conversation with Clemot both boys took a quick nap later waking up around 5pm in the evening. They then were confused and gave a short laugh clearly thinking they had slept passed 12 pm. Clemot then asked if any tributes died. Midge nodded then stating that the explosives were set causing a another explody mess with 8 cannons sounded. Apperantly this was a lie only 4 cannons then sounded. Nothing more happened within the day greatly boring the capital citizens but this was later changed in the next day. After night fell 8 more cannos sounded only leaving 11 tributes left

I promise I looked for this before writing, but if I missed a post, feel free to tell me.
I play in a fairly inactive server where I know a few people got to really late game. I'm playing solo, however, so my progress is slower, but steady.
My question is; if I were to disable the defences of one of these end game, yet abandoned castles, would that allow me to make use of their athenaeum? I don't care about their loot, I don't care about their servants or anything. I JUST wanna use their athenaeum, since I'm far from that myself but have several books and tonnes of schematics lying around (my base is right near the south entrance to silverlight and I have a few servants specialising in it so I get some stuff)

hello everyone! I have all the night to make new friends from here. im 25 years old female and open to whatever topic u'd like to talk about. as for the hobbies I'm a bit of an indoor person and so id like to stay inside and play my games, watch anime or movies, make my own music or my own food. sometimes i do travel too but it has to be with the right companion haha I really don't have any specific preference just be urself and lets be as fun as we can be. I'm really not a fan of talking to someone who is younger than me. dm me if u think we can vibe :)

I just want to start out by saying my mom (and me by extension) have the privilege to fix medical and dental problems.
My parents job includes okay healthcare so we always went to doctor appointments and check ups. My mom also received child support from my dad since I was like 3, more than 1500 every month. Thousands of dollars a year she has at her disposal for things I need.
When I was 12 or 13 the dentist said I had about 12 cavities. My mother being the diet freak she is was furious with me. Yelling and calling me all types of names saying I eat too much sugar after making the appointment. Day of the appointment the secretary asks if she wants to give me silver or ceramic fillings. My mother makes a "joke" that I'm not paying for the fillings so I get the silver filling. She even complained after the appointment saying I cost her so much money and that I'm not grateful for her.
Fast forward to when I'm 17 and the dentist (we had moved so a different dentist) says I need all of my wisdom teeth removed because they're growing sideways and could cause me alot of pain growing in the way they are. The secretary said because I would need anesthesia that wouldn't be covered by insurance so just the extraction was covered but the rest costed $1,000. My mom tells her she's going to call back for an appointment but when we left my mom recommended that I "open up a care credit account and pay for it yourself". I'm 17 so of course I couldn't do anything really I just gave up.
All throughout college I'm on my parents insurance still and I know it's not covered so I just deal with the pain however I could. Popsicles, oralgel, eating only soft foods. It was so painful but I felt like I had no other options nor the money to fix it myself.
Now I'm 25, I have Medicaid and I see that it's actually covered so I went to the dentist today for xrays. I also have a chipped tooth that happened because a cavity formed underneath a filling and was also right in front of one my wisdom teeth which pushed on it cracking a piece off. The dentist told me she could tell I was a habitual teeth grinder which would explain why I got so many cavities as a kid. That my wisdom teeth are fully grown but has been causing me problems since I can't clean them as well, they also have cavities.
Their physical abuse and emotional neglect made me extremely anxious almost 24/7. This whole time I thought it was my fault for eating too many sweets. I'm angry that my mom decided to have kids but only to make her life convenient and did the bare minimum to look like a capable parent.
If we were in pain or needed something she thought was expensive she would make us regret it. But buying luxury bags, watches, and red bottom flats was way more important than my quality of life. I hate her I wish she never got custody of me. Four years no contact and the more I realize about my childhood the more I'm glad to never see that bitch again.

TW: Mental health issues, depression, anxiety from a young age, forced throwing up, body issues, social isolation, self harm
(I don’t go into too much detail so don’t worry, a little one sided rant, all mentions very brief)
I can’t help but feel I wouldn’t be trapped in the situation I’m in if somebody would’ve helped me. They all noticed the signs, my grandparents and parents knew how bad it was. They’ve admitted to me they noticed how I would never play with the other kids, my mom jokes about how I would start panicking every time on the way to school. They noticed how I had socially isolated myself, how little friends I had. She would get annoyed with me every time I would fake sick or start panicking at the thought of school. Noticed how I would try and force my self to throw up in the bathroom because I didn’t want to go.
Hell, my 1st grade teacher had a meeting because of how bad my anxiety had gotten. I had exhibited all the signs of anxiety from a young age. I would cry and beg not to go to school, any family event I would sit by the adults or by myself. When everybody was playing outside, I would be by myself.
They said I would see stuff when I was little, see people around my bed. Nobody did anything.
The only thing they ever got me tested for was autism, because of me stacking blocks and my toys in rows and because how I refused to wear certain things. Or how would forcefully hold my breath when throwing a tantrum when younger. I was ten or eleven when I finally gave up my pacifier. Said I spoke normal for my age and that was the end of it. And now, I can’t help but wonder if maybe I did have it. Maybe I was overlooked.
But at the same time, I’m so overly paranoid. I don’t know if I’m overreacting because of my anxiety. I don’t know if it’s normal for my age or not. Nothing feels real anymore, I spend most of my day reading fiction. I can’t handle being around people anymore, even for short periods of time. I’m having a hard time telling the difference between what happened and what didn’t. I feel like I’m actually losing it. The other day I felt a lump on my breast which turned out to be nothing, and I panicked for 30 minutes thinking I had cancer. I can’t go to sleep without the light on, and sometimes still can’t sleep to morning as I’m scared something’s coming to get me. I keep panicking, I don’t know what to do anymore.
I’ve cut off all my friends, as I’m too embarrassed to see what they’d think of me. I hate everything about me, from the inside out. I’ve looked into plastic surgery countless times and even tried photoshopping myself to see how I would look with it. I’ve tried forcing myself to fast or throw up, a few times but I can’t. It’s like every time I see food, I don’t think. I just eat and then hate myself because I keep gaming weight.
I don’t know what to do anymore..

We're visiting Paris from 19 June to 24 June, and are aiming for a balance of wanders & museums/sights. I also love bookstores, antiques, and unique little shops, so would be grateful for your suggestions!
I'm terrible at geographical logistics, even with Google Maps, so are there ways I could be more efficiently planning routes? Have I packed in too much? Any can't-miss stops I should add or take out? Many thanks in advance for the review!
MONDAY 19 June

• Morning: Arrive at 8 AM, staying near Commerce metro stop
• Afternoon/Evening: Will be jetlagged, so loosely planned walk to Eiffel Tower, Arc du Triomphe (not planning to go up either), down Champs-Élysées, maybe picnic in Jardins de Tuileries before turning in early. (Stop by Librairie Galignani)

TUESDAY 20 June

• Morning/Breakfast at Les Enfants Rouge Food Market
• 10:30 - 12:30 PM Paris Walks walking tour of le Marais
• Lunch at L'As du Fallafel
• Wandeshop le Marais (Merci, Buly), Maison Victor Hugo, possibly go to Picasso Museum
• Dinner at Verjus, rooftop drinks at Galeries Lafayette

WEDNESDAY, 21 June

• Breakfast/Morning: Ile de la Cite for Notre-dame (ext) and Sainte Chapelle
• Afternoon: Wandeshop Latin Quarter (Shakespeare & Co, Deyrolle), possibly Musee Rodin
• 4 - 7 PM: Paris Greeter Tour - Location TBD (The kindest greeter offered to take us on a walk to see live music for Fête de la musique, we'll have dinner with him)
• 10 PM: Worth it to go to the concert at Louvre or just walk along the Seine, check out some of the plazas? We love music, so we're thrilled we'll be here for the Fête

THURSDAY 22 JUNE

• Morning: Wandeshop around St. Germain (Marin Montagut, Deyrolle)
• Lunch: Pick up food at La Bon Marche, picnic at Luxembourg Gardens
• 2 - 4 PM: Guided tour of Louvre (Will the crowds be too intense? Might try to book Friday evening tour instead)
• Afternoon/Evening: Louvre on our own, walk around Tuileries if museumed out
• Dinner: Seulement Sea
• Possibly do evening river cruise?

FRIDAY 23 JUNE

• Morning: Worth it to check out Marché Paul Bert & Marché Serpette? Or another antique market?
• Morning/Afternoon: Sacré-Cœur, then walk around Montmartre (Place du Tertre, Café des Deux Moulins, Moulin Rouge, Musee de Montmartre)
• Lunch at Café Renoir in the Musee or Le Consulat
• 3 - 5 PM: Musee d’Orsay
• 8:30 PM: Dinner at Mokoloko (Bastille)

SATURDAY 24 JUNE

• Grab snacks/lunch for train, then 11:30 AM train to Avignon

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She was my bestest friend in the whole wide world, long before we even developed feelings for each other. We would talk every single day, for hours on end, and the conversation would never stop. In fact we would have to mutually agree to end the conversation, because there was no end to it.
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I would look at her and think "It's like I have known you forever". I knew through pure logic and not just emotion that she is very close to being my second half. The more we met, the more we wanted to, and needed to meet.
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She was someone with whom I could be as silly, goofy, deep, weird, vulnerable, emotional etc as possible. Our conversations were literally split between us making silly noises, talking about serious topics and getting to know each other deeply. So deeply that we could answer any deep and random question about each other's life. She understood every word that came out of my mouth and instead of placing judgement, she would simply understand and reciprocate equally. We literally brought out the best in each other because we both provided each other a platform to express those parts of us. Our goofiness was unmatched, we would make funny noises together, we would make funny parodies on songs together, or even random improv based on anything around us or in the conversation. We would talk about the deepest topics of life; pros and cons of joint families, marriage, religion, spirituality, philosophy, why people do certain things, etc. She brought out every aspect of my personality out of me. And I did the same for her.
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She matched me on almost every single thing. We had the same exact same humour, family values, moral values, relationship/marriage values, mindsets, goals, etc. We would write letters to each other in both English and Punjabi, letters expressing what we like about each other, and full of words with the intent to make each other filled with happiness. We would never allow each other to have self deprecating thoughts. A relationship built on pure quality time and words of affirmation, and there was no physical aspect to it. I saw in her the female version of myself.
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Her personality was so endlessly deep and we knew each other so well that we would see each other in everything, everywhere. Everything and every place would make us think about each other. Maybe a random situation, an object, the environment around us - this was because we knew each other so well that we could see a part of each other in those things. For example, if I'm near a forest, I'd get reminded of her and how she loves hiking, if I see a circus, I'd get reminded of how goofy and funny she is, if I see a happy old couple, I'd get reminded of her maturity in relationships. She would do the same for me. She'd see something in her day, and if it reminded her of me, she would instantly message me. That is how close we were - we saw each other in all aspects of our lives.
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A few of the things I really appreciated about her.
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She made me feel so nostalgic. She reminded me of and mirrored every single stage of life I've been in. She and I had very similar experiences during the same life stages. Talking to her was literally like talking to myself while I was in those life stages. It was the most rare and surreal experience I've ever had in my life. A person who I never knew before, suddenly shows up in my life and I recognize in her, myself. Even simpler stuff like watching the same shows as me growing up, same YouTubers, similar interests, similar behaviours and habits, similar interactions with family members / friends / teachers, etc. We're even born in the same year.
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Her openness with me was more than she's been with anyone before. She would tell me stuff she has never told another soul, she would laugh at my jokes like she's never laughed before. She told me I brought out her truest and realest laugh that she had kept hidden for years.
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Other than that, just as a short list of what I appreciated in her: the way she spoke with such love about her family, the amount of time she spent with her family, the way she would talk about her relationship with God, the fact that nothing could sway her from her morals and values ever, the way she would allow me to resurface my TRUE self, the way she gave me a platform for any thought I had, the way she was so nerdy and had all of these unique interests, the way she would speak about her desire to get married and have the happiest life with her future husband and in-laws, her modesty, her ability to make jokes on the spot and carry any joke that came her way, the way her joy and bubbly nature was simply contagious, they way she was nice to everybody out of the pureness of her heart, the way she appreciated her culture, language and religion, her perception of friendships, the fact that her personality was so wide and deep - I could start any conversation on any topic with her and the conversation would have no end to it. There are so many other things that I cannot think of right now. I am very glad that we got to spend the time we did together, and although it did not last forever, it has taught me that yes, there are people like her out there.
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Every person is rare and unique on this earth, but for me, she was the absolute most rarest person ever in this whole wide world. That is because I have never ever experienced such a strong emotional connection with any person in my life. My heart, mind and soul give the Universe a challenge: "Universe, can you help me find another girl like her?" And the Universe would probably respond "Sorry that seems a bit impossible, but I'll try".
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I have moved on from her, and wish her all the best in her future relationship, and hope she is the happiest person ever. As for me, I hope my next relationship is with my final and life long love.
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I never was in love with her, I was only close to it

So a while back as stated, shared what nutritional yeast is, and how it can easily and effectively supplement your B vitamin needs, among many other needs, all in powder form, there to sprinkle on your food whenever, it tastes like cheese and it's quite flavorful.
Well, I got another thing to share and show some of you. Is it a supplement? In a sense, once again, it kinda sorta is. It's a string of cloves just as you'd find with regular garlic! Only, there's something different about this, with it being turned black through fermentation, not only has it become stronger and more advanced in many ways, not only is it a bite sized treat that can be used in food or as a stand alone, but it really is just all of that. This little morsel you can eat a couple to a few of, or hey, more, like me, and gain all the amazing benefits of a freshly peeled clove of garlic, only, it is magnificently better, and once again, TASTY!
A while back I tried this for the first time, I love garlic, on everything and anything garlic mostly goes on, but black garlic isn't just for those who love it, it could also be for those who may be indifferent, or maybe even dislike it. After reading all the descriptions of how it tastes, me personally can only describe it as a texture and even taste of a sweet raisen, with a hint of chocolate, and fine very mild tame aftertaste of garlic. You can eat these pretty easily without thought.
Imagine all the healthy benefits of garlic, but you skip the steps of prepping, and increase the consumption of said garlic per sitting, and ingest it easier. Let's read some highlights of this wonderful supplemental chewable, regarding facts and actual studies.
-"Garlic contains calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamin B1. Studies have shown that the fermentation process increases the amount of nutrients in garlic and makes them easier to absorb by the body."
-"One study showed fermented garlic had higher levels of riboflavin, α-tocopherol, and most amino acids, but lower levels of thiamin and ascorbic acid (vitamin C)."
-"Its polyphenol content, for example, is 9.3 times higher compared to that of fresh garlic. S-allyl-cysteine levels in black garlic increase 4.3 to 6.3-fold during processing."
-"S-allyl cysteine (SAC), an organic compound in garlic, protects against oxidative stress and inflammation. Its levels are significantly higher in black garlic compared to its fresh counterpart, as noted in the Journal of Food and Drug Analysis review. This nutrient is also found in aged garlic extract. Research suggests that it inhibits oxidative damage, a contributing factor to stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, premature aging and cardiovascular problems."
-"This functional food has been shown to induce cancer cell death, prevent metastasis and inhibit tumor growth. Furthermore, it may protect against obesity and its complications. Black garlic also benefits your brain, due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. In clinical trials reported in Intechopen, it was found to improve memory performance and slow cognitive decline."
-"Black garlic may improve cardiac function by increasing plasma antioxidant levels. This spice may also protect against diabetes, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Compared to fresh garlic, black garlic is about five times higher in polyphenols. As a result, it's more effective at protecting your heart from free radical damage."
-"Also notable to point out regarding black garlic benefits and heart health is that black garlic, in particular MORE than non fermented garlic, has been shown to help reduce the concentration of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), When BUN is high, it signals to your body to produce the hormone vasopressin, which can increase your blood pressure and cause an electrolyte imbalance. This can be very dangerous to individuals that have a weak heart and can cause heart failure."
-"Black garlic may help with insulin resistance and prevent cancer, many studies support this, however, it can potentially react with medication you may be taking, and it's not some magic pill, it's just extremely good for you, this is a much simpler way to ingest more garlic in your life, it's a unique and exciting taste, it's tolerable, easier on the stomach, is bite sized, and is proven to be far more effective in most all the positive things garlic brings to the table."
This is black garlic, instructions are usually to eat 2-3 a day as is, you can totally eat more and feel it out, and you can add it on food like regular garlic, however you want it is perfect. It's great for detox, great for shielding of many important body processes, preventing disease, and it's just plain healthy, more than any garlic supplement in a capsule with one simple pathway of targeting, and more than the actual white garlic.
Once again, this could interact with medications, this is not a cure or magic pill, this is an amazing supplement to support health in several ways. Do your own due diligence on black garlic.
Thought I'd share this one with my supplement people, so here it is, there's much more to discover about it and I hope you enjoy the knowledge and use if you so try it.
Good day.

I am very sceptical and cynical person, I value logic over emotion. But some videos appeared on tiktok (it sounds really stupid) about Lilith. IMMEDIATELY one of it, my (abusive) father started to have bad cramps and started yelling. After 10 minutes it stopped.
I received another video but immediately ignored it.
Seen another one where it said I was ignoring her. Got strange feeling. "Algorithm" I said to myself. Also my phone started to scroll by itself and glitch.
Received another one. I decided to watch it. I heard a childish voice irl, but maybe I'm just on withdrawal?????
Then I watched another one?? And something fell on the window near me by making a sound of a crash. I GOT SCARED IMMEDIATELY. BECAUSE IT WAS EXACTLY ONE SECOND AFTER THE VIDEO APPEARED.
Can you tell me what the fuck is happening please? Am I just going paranoid for no sense?
Thank you. You surely know more than me

a little bit more context:
m18, i'm about to get my diploma and leave high school. yesterday, classes ended and we had a big farewell party in a club.
she spent most of her time sitting by herself on a small couch near the bar and I had to stay with her almost ALL THE TIME because I felt bad for her and because if I didn't she'd throw a tantrum. I couldn't see my friends as much as I wanted and every time I left her momentarily EVERY SINGLE GIRL around me started reminding me how my poor little girlfriend was alone near the big scary dancefloor and I should be with her instead of talking to my friends.
we were supposed to go back home in a taxi with, like, 5 other strangers (people from her class that she knew but I barely did). it was 10 bucks. when I went outside the club with the excuse of smoking a cigarette (IT'S LEGAL FOR ME I'M 18 AND I'M NOT AMERICAN, I'M ALSO TRYING TO QUIT), one of my friends asked me if I wanted to go home with them by underground, which opened at 6 AM. i wanted to stay longer, i wanted to spend time with my friends and I also didn't want to spend 10 bucks for a ride home, since the underground is free as long as you know how to jump /j. none of her friends were angry at me either, since for them if was just 2 euros more and I warned them in advance.
as soon as I told her about this change of plans she got super upset, she started yelling at me IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CLUB making all my friends turn around and soon after she slapped me in front of everyone. she started crying and saying she was sorry after realizing what she had done and she the moment she calmed down (kind of), instead of SHUTTING THE FUCK UP, she had the audacity to say "your friends are more important than me to you then!" when she realized my decision was final.
i have no idea what I should do and i don't even feel like i have the right to get upset, because even though violence is violence regardless of gender that slap didn't really hurt me physically and she apologized a million times. on the other hand though, this isn't even the first time she's slapped me, it's the second time, the first one was last year. what should I do? how should I feel about this? all help or advice is appreciated

Hello, I have a 9yr old male cat who goes on hunger strike every couple of months. He will get disinterested in any food that isn’t a treat, but will eat treats which to me - says it’s behavioral not medical. Either way we have a vet appointment on Wednesday.
My question is about mirtazapine. I inherited a tube that has been open longer than 30 days. 1) what happens at the 30 day mark that they advise you toss it? Will it still work and be safe? And 2) would I need to increase dosage to make up for loss of efficacy over time?
I just need to get him through the next 4 days until he goes to the vet.
Thanks!!

Preamble
This draft ranking does not reflect who I believe will be taken at each draft position, nor which player fits best with each team at each draft position. This draft ranking is solely a reflection of who I think should be taken in each draft position based on their most likely (read: median or 50th percentile) outcome. My draft philosophy generally values players based on how well I think they would do on a typical NBA championship contending roster.
1. Victor Wembanyama: I think he has a very clear path to be the greatest defensive player of all time. His improvement on the defensive end this season from Game 1 to Game 48 was utterly remarkable, and I think he profiles to be a top 5-10 Centre in the league as a rookie on the back of this ability alone. I think his offense needs a lot of work, and while it’s possible he could become an unstoppable force on that end, I don’t really see him reaching the heights of KAJ or Hakeem or Shaq. He doesn’t really have any moves to get him easy points, and NBA teams will soon figure out that undersized PFs with a strong and low centre of gravity (PJ Tucker, Al Horford, Draymond Green, OG Anunoby types) can get into his body and completely take him out of the game. He never really figured out how to overcome these defenders this season in France, whereas he improved in every other respect. Aside from that, I think the shooting will become very good with time, and I think it will be a privilege to watch his career. Oh, and I have no real injury concerns, nor would they change my evaluation of him when his ceiling and floor are both this high.
2. Scoot Henderson: I think he’s going to be a franchise PG, simple as that. Will he reach the top echelon (top 5-10 player in the league) or not, I don’t know. However, I need a PG who has a good handle, who has athleticism, who has good vision and playmaking, and who can shoot off the dribble. While most will not be impressed by his 3P shooting numbers, he shot 31% from 3P off the dribble (NBA 3P line), and 42% on small volume catch and shoots. He also shot 38% from midrange on the highest volume in the entire class, which would be 4th best behind Sensabaugh, JHS, and Cason Wallace. If he can hit C&S 3s, and he is a great midrange pull-up shooter, I believe the pull-up 3P shooting will come around. He’s also a rock defensively when he’s engaged. This is not really a discussion imo.
3. Brandon Miller: I’m lower on Miller than some, but I still think it’s impossible to deny what he accomplished this season. I like his premium shooting, positional size, and the fact that he has no glaring holes. I think there is very little argument for him to be above Scoot, because he just does not have on-ball juice as a lead handler. He has a good handle for his size and he can make basic reads, but he’s not going to be a guy who can get to the rim 20 times a night like Scoot can. Yes, he has a high floor because he will always have his shooting, but a 3 & D player is much less valuable than a star lead handler (Ja Morant is more valuable than Khris Middleton).
4. Taylor Hendricks: Taylor Hendricks has three major strengths – high level rim protection (especially as a secondary rim protector), excellent switchability and versatility, and excellent shooting for the PF position. In today’s NBA, on a contending team, that literally the only three things you need from your perfect PF role player. Unlike many of the players I’ve ranked lower, Hendricks only has to continue to do what he already does well in order to be a valuable player for a contending team. His weaknesses – on-ball creation, handle, iffy-but-passable finishing on layups – are not things I NEED from him to feel good about him. If you told me those things will not improve for him until his 5th or 6th year of his career, it still wouldn’t change my mind. As long as his strengths translate (and I think they will), he will be a top 5-10 PF in the league for a long time IMO. That’s worth a top 5 pick to me, even if he won’t be a lead creator.
5. Kobe Bufkin: For me, Bufkin and Hendricks are neck and neck, and I would be fine with either one being #4. With Bufkin, Michigan was +10 with him on the floor and -11 with him off this season. He shot 40% from 3P after his first 5 games this year, and he shoots 85% from the line. He shoots 70% at the rim, and 66% at the rim in the half court. These are all elite numbers. He also shot 37.5% from midrange pull-ups, which is Scoot-tier (albeit on half the volume). Lastly, he shot 34.5% on pull-up 3s, which is solid and very valuable for a guard prospect. I also love that Bufkin just has amazing hands, I liken him a bit to Kyrie, though of course he isn’t that level. Defensively he is a rock, he’s got good positional size, he’s a solid athlete, his passing vision is good-not-great but he’s a score-first guard, and he’s freshman-aged despite being a sophomore. Overall, I guess I just think he’s possibly the most skilled guard in the class, and he has everything else.
6. Cason Wallace: Wallace has been miscast as a “defense-first” guard IMO. He offers excellent defense at the guard position, but he’s also just a great point guard. I think people underrate his shooting – 35% from 3P, including 33% on pull-ups and a staggering 45% on midrange pull-up 2s. At the rim, he shoots 65% which is excellent, and 56% on halfcourt layups which is not quite Bufkin-tier, but the same as Scoot. Essentially, I have no concerns about Wallace’s scoring ability in the NBA – the 3P shot will improve and he’s already great everywhere else. I think his passing vision is a good even if not elite, and he makes the right reads almost everytime. His defense is better than Bufkin’s but I also think he’s become overrated – he doesn’t have the physique to be a Marcus Smart or Jrue Holiday. He’s just going to be a solid POA defender, get steals, get blocks, and make smart rotations on defense while giving you some switching. I understand the qualms about his shot creation ability because he doesn’t really pop off the page, but I think it’s being overstated – he can drive and get to the rim, and had more rim attempts than Amen Thompson and JHS. Also, realistically, most guards use a screen in today’s NBA anyway.
7. Anthony Black: AB has two elite skills – perimeter defense, and vision/playmaking. If you haven’t seen the Maui invitational, I highly recommend – specifically his 4th Q performance against Creighton. This guy does not miss any reads. He’s an absolute gifted passer, and he’s over sized. I think on a team with a good roll man, he is going to be a devastating PnR passing threat. He’s got good athleticism to get to the rim and he’s a monster on defense. The shooting will always be a question with him, and I am not optimistic. If I felt better about his ugly ass form and ability to hit 3s, I might even have him at #4. Unfortunately, pull-up 3P and 2P shooting matters a lot NBA guards, and I’m not sure how good he can really get at those. Still, I think his game is extremely similar to Josh Giddey except more athletic and much better defensively, so I think he has a good role to play in today’s NBA.
8. Brice Sensabaugh: I think it has become lost on us how elite Sensabaugh is as a shooter and scorer. He shot a blistering 52.6% on pull-up 2s on high volume, and shot 40% from 3 (only 26% on pull-up 3s, which I cannot explain other than the fact that it was low volume). He is a gifted scoring prospect, and these are KD/Derozan tier numbers. His defense is bad, but if you watch the film, it’s largely when he’s not engaged/focused. Doesn’t get into his stance, doesn’t pay attention to rotations, etc. However, late game and early game (i.e. when he is focused), I was surprised at how adept he was as a post-defender and I would even say he had decent lateral movement when he was in his stance. I think the offensive upside is so high that he merits a pick here, and a bet that he can be a focused defender in a more limited role playing less minutes. AJ Griffin was a similarly horrific defender last season in addition to being a highly skilled scorer, and his defense has been totally fine this past year. I think at #8, the upside you get if you can coach him to be engaged defensively like Griffin is worth the swing. To be clear, if he was a plus defender, I’d have him over Brandon Miller at #3.
9. Gradey Dick: Everyone knows about the elite shooting with prospects like this. The question is always “what about the defense and the rest?”. To me, Dick is actually a plus defender, I don’t understand why his defense is so hated. He moves his feet excellently, he’s got good positional size, he’s scrappy, and he gets steals. Ultimately, this is your SG – there’s only so much you can ask of defense from that position. He is an adept cutter, plays with a high IQ, he’s athletic, finishes well at the rim… I honestly don’t know what there is to not like. He takes the odd midranger and attacks closeouts well too. This type of player is never going to be a star, but I view him as a Kevin Huerter-type. If he puts on muscle, I could even be convinced that he could be better than Huerter. Kevin Huerter is easily worth a #9 overall pick.
10. Jordan Hawkins: Hawkins is probably the best shooter in the class IMO. He is also a plus defender, probably better than Dick. The reason I don’t have him above Dick is because I don’t think his IQ is as high as Dick’s. He’s not the same level cutter, he isn’t as good at making the next pass or attacking closeouts, he’s not gonna crash the class and get a clutch rebound the way Dick does, and he’s a year older. Still a valuable role player.
11. Amen Thompson: Flat out – I put >50% chance Amen is going to be a bust. I buy his athleticism, but that’s about it. I agree he has some passing vision, but it’s super overrated IMO. A lot of it is transition (near worthless to me), and within the halfcourt he has some flashy highlights, but I don’t even know if he’s a smart decision-maker in the PnR, because we didn’t really see him face good PnR defenses in OTE. I don’t see him finishing around 7 footers, or making difficult passes to the roll man. Despite his athleticism, if you watch the OTE Finals series, he actually struggles to beat his defender in crunch time, which makes you wonder how that’ll go in the NBA. The shooting is broken as hell, I don’t think itll ever come around since he’s been working on it for 2 years and it hasn’t improved. The handle is loose, the motor is not high and he didn’t exactly dominate OTE… he’s older too. I just think he’s going to bust, simple as that. On the off-chance I’m wrong about his passing, and he sorts out his aggressiveness issues and puts more pressure on the rim in the NBA, I think he’s worth a flyer in this range. I think he’s a huge mistake as a top 5 pick though, he’s not an NBA player today or in the near future.
12. Jarace Walker: Some will be confused as to why I have Walker so far behind Hendricks. I think Walker has a high chance of busting, and I don’t consider them to be the same caliber of prospect. To begin, he is not a great point-of-attack defender, unlike Hendricks (despite Walker being smaller). He gets blown by way too often, and this will only get worse in the NBA. Interestingly, when Caitlin Cooper did a breakdown of his game, I noticed she didn’t mention or notice this at all but I care about this a lot. For this reason, despite being smaller than Hendricks, he’s also not as switchable (Hendricks is the better lateral mover). I do agree he is a breath-taking helpside rim protector, so that makes up for it a little. I also think he has good IQ on both ends which helps. Offensively though, I think people will be disappointed. The shot just doesn’t fall for him, and FTs are an issue too. He has the perfect physique to play bully ball and put guys under the rim, but he just doesn’t. He plays remarkably soft for a guy with his build, it almost reminds me of Deandre Ayton – a guy who should be physically dominant but just doesn’t want to be. His handle is good for a PF/C, but certainly not good enough to be a ball handler in any capacity. Yes he can pass, but when is he going to use that skill if he can’t shoot and you’re not going to be running sets for him? I cannot imagine taking the ball out of a lead point guard’s hands to give isolation or PnR reps to Jarace Walker lol. People talk about the Draymond role all the time, but that’s a pipe dream. There have been 100 prospects since Draymond Green who we think will work as well as Draymond does, and they never do. Especially not Jarace, since he has some defensive flaws with his slow lateral movement, while Green is near flawless as a defender and played with the greatest shooters of all-time. Personally, I think Walker can be attacked on defense or in the PnR, and I think you can help off him because he isn’t a credible shooting threat, so I think he has significant bust potential.
13. Cam Whitmore: This is another guy I think has high bust potential. Cam’s elite skill is that he is an explosive one-footed leaper, and he can be a big threat driving to the rim in a straight line. Unfortunately, you need a lot more than that to be a real NBA player. For a guy who makes his living at the rim, for some reason he has a really low FTr which I can’t explain. His biggest red flag is his ball stopping nature and his lack of feel for the game/BBIQ. IF you’re going to be a ball stopper, you gotta be absolutely elite at scoring. He just isn’t. The shot looks good but his misses are so awfully bad, I have to believe he has a long way to go before he becomes a credible 3P threat, given that the NBA line is 2 feet further away. I think his top end outcome is basically Norman Powell, and I don’t think he will become good enough of a shooter or dynamic enough to get to the level of a Miles Bridges-type. On the off-chance his shooting comes around, he’s worth a swing in this range imo.
14. Derek Lively: I view him as a prospect who you feel confident in defensively, but the question will always be his role on offense. I like his defense so I think at worst he can be a bench Centre for a long time in the NBA, but you’d like more than that from a lottery pick. His finishing numbers are solid, so hopefully it’s a good sign.

Ashes shaped like the entire rave remained in the outline of a single soaring rook. I awaited their arrival. I had known to go no further than Man's Bane. I first had to sort out the Choir. I had no choice but to choose which of them would stay and live with the animals and which ones could come with me and my talking crow Cory, back to our own world.
They had a chorus of questions, most of them difficult to answer, for they were the inquisitions of the enchanted and the insane. The gibberings of the transformed ravens, now escaped medieval asylum patients, earned the attention of the inhabitants of Man's Bane. I glanced around nervously at the various animals attempting to walk upright, some of them wearing a single article of clothing or clutching an artifact of the old world.
"We are here to sort out a few of you." I told them plainly. Many of the Choir were compulsive murderers and worse. I simply couldn't unleash them back on the world. They'd have to live among the animals.
I first pointed to Serene Sinclair. "Do you want to stay here or come with me?"
She walked over to where Cory and I were.
"Well if she's your first choice, why not all of them?" Cory squawked.
"You'll remain under my supervision, right?" I asked her.
"I just want to be helpful." She promised.
"You do? Is that right?" I stared. Cory made a grinding noise in the back of his throat that meant he found her words amusing somehow. He was laughing and said in Corvin:
"She quotes you, my Lord. Remember when you met my Winters?"
"Uh, yes." I clicked to him in annoyance. "She has magics."
"Oh. Is that all?" Cory sassed me.
We continued to argue in Corvin as I selected a few more of the Choir. I was being careful. If I picked the wrong one or wasn't careful of the commotion, I could have a riot of lunatics and beastmen. I just wanted to make it home in one piece.
"Dini Ghanat, Jessica Darling, Clide Brown." I called on several more dangerous ones, yet they were the ones that were too dangerous to leave behind. Cory clicked rapidly at me in disapproval.
"Your bird. It does not like me." Dini Ghanat said with his heavy accent. I reached into my bag and took out the little leather case with his serum inside.
"You will not operate without my oversight." I told him.
"Of course not. You are our fearless leader." Dini Ghanat grinned obsequiously. I trusted him as far as I could reach. I knew better than to leave him behind in the fertile world of unguarded labs and shuffling beastmen. He'd experiment on them and make some kind of weird animal-man realm that I would have to worry about. I wanted to leave Man's Bane behind and forget the world or time period entirely.
"Christo?" I asked the man with a different Christo in his mind. He looked at me as the Christo I could trust.
"You can come too." I told him. Then I told him he was on fire and the other Christo stared at me. I told that Christo: "Sorry. You gotta stay here. You will never have another birthday if you come with us. Here though, it is always Saturday. Tomorrow is your birthday, and you know what that means."
"I can play with Polly?" The other Christo asked. His menacing grin spread, reminding me vaguely of the cartoon of the Grinch from my childhood.
"Well, goodnight Christo." I smiled. Christo turned around and then looked at me and asked:
"Where are we going?"
"I'm going home and I am taking you with me." I promised.
"I don't think this is how this works." Cory advised me with mock cynicism.
"It was your idea!" I hissed back.
"Oh yeah." Cory made a noise that was his most mischievous.
I picked a few more before we took that final flight as ravens. I got Samual Monica, Castini Ishbaal and Father Dublin the Exorcist. We flew the rest of the way, backwards through time, as ravens. The Choir was split, I'd say those I left there became the Choir and those I took were no longer really of the Choir anymore.
The world had changed in many ways and yet it had stayed the same. What I mean, is that the disasters of the time when we struggled to close the book of evil, or the time we were in Dellfriar and the world ended, all seemed to be gone.
The effect of such horrors pressed in from the sides of the familiar world I had once known. I asked Cory:
"Am I experiencing hallucinations from the medications we were taking in Dellfriar?"
"No, my Lord. We are escaped mental hospital patients in the same world we left long ago. How is this possible?" Cory sounded amazed and spoke in English.
I looked at the assembled ex-Choir members with me. They were all somehow out-of-place if we weren't facing the post apocalyptic horrors I had expected.
"You look confused." Dini Ghanat told me.
"I thought." I stammered. "I thought things would be different out here."
"How? We escaped." Father Dublin smiled. "What did you expect?"
"A world in ruins and desolation. A world ruled by rampant monsters and vengeful enemies like the Folk Of The Shaded Places." I tried to explain what my expectations were. "This changes things."
"This world is coming apart at the seems. It is about to collapse. The ends of all worlds push at its sides, like a dying universe, everything dies." Serene Sinclair announced in proclamation.
"Now wait." I told her. "You sense all of that too?"
"Indeed. You have chosen a tribe of the most dangerous, and some might be too dangerous. You chose most of them not." Serene Sinclair prophesized me. "And you would know death either way. At least this way you shall know its form."
"I'm starting to like her too." Cory chirped meanly.
"Your bird doesn't like any of us, does he, Mr. Briar?" Dini Ghanat was somehow behind me. I'd taken my eye off of him for one second.
"He doesn't trust you. He's seen how dangerous you all are. I'm taking you home to my family, showing a lot of trust in all of you, despite what I too have seen you all do. However, unlike those we left behind, none of you have ever threatened me or Cory or my family. To be fair, you've never given me a reason not to trust you."
"You're speaking to all of us, then?" Clide Brown asked.
"Dude, you're a werewolf." I gestured that I was making my point anyway. He nodded and muttered:
"Good point. I see your point. Yeah."
"I couldn't leave you people behind. Over these years, stealing artifacts and everything, you all have become like this depraved, lunatic family to me. Stop drooling." I said. I was looking at Christo on my last beat. "The point is, I have another family. Can I count on all of you as I already have? I have to ask."
"You can't count on me. We don't know if the moon is full. I could kill everyone." Clide Brown had changed his discord as he spoke. His confidence always went out of him whenever anyone mentioned his other half.
"Cory, is the moon full?" I asked my talking crow. Cory called out and his crow's call was answered by another.
"Of course it is." Cory said in English.
"See?" Clide Brown started swearing.
"Relax, I am only joking. We have a few nights to get ready for your monthly puberty." Cory teased the agitated werewolf.
Clide Brown frowned but was obviously still far from any sort of anger. He had the best anger management skills.
We all got onto the back of a hay wagon with nobody driving it and rode into town. In the street outside Dr. Leidenfrost's apartment we stood, a gaggle of straight jackets and a gleaming razor sharp hook on the end of Jessica Darling's prosthetic arm. There were no other visible weapons, but I knew all of them were armed.
It was early evening and I sensed something watching us. They were in the shadows, moving along in the darkness and avoiding the streetlights as they turned on one-by-one in the gloom.
"What is it?" Father Dublin asked, fear beaded on his forehead as he realized we were being stalked.
"Folk Of The Shaded Places." I thought I saw one as a dark rod, moving in jagged animation through a patch of shade and shifting light. Somehow the Cambrian elder was like a centipede, in its general shape. They were intricate and with a hundred different limbs and their faces somehow evoked an image of all-teeth, the kind that snack on trilobites. I knew their intelligence too, an angry and ancient species, waiting for their world to return to their endless hands. It was just my imagination, but it was also reality. Folk Of the Shaded Places could travel instantly from one dark corner, into a dream, through a wall and back into another shadow. To see them in any capacity, always occurs as a partial glimpse, easy to ignore.
"What to they want?" Dini Ghanat was perplexed. He used a simple charm to look and try to see them magically. "I'd like to know them better."
"No, you wouldn't. Trust me." I assured the mad alchemist and disgraced scientist that stared after the spy from the darkness.
The spies in the darkness were gone, I could sense that they had left us.
"Daddy!" Came the voices of Persephone Briar and Penelope Leidenfrost, my daughters. They came running out to greet me.
"I knew you were coming. I've watched all of your flights." Penelope told me. Her heterochromic eyes were the most beautiful in the whole world. She blinked as she spoke to me for the first time in her life.
"Daddy, you're back. Sister told me you were here." Persephone told me.
I stared at her, unbelieving how she had grown. My mind flashed to the rampage of the giant horse, death, gemstones, all of it to serve the cats so that she would live. I had always loved her, even when she was not alive, at the beginning.
I hugged them both.
"Such a sweet reunion." Samual Monica commented. There was always a strange hint in his voice. Part of me was not happy to let him near my family, but also, he was family now too.
Then I looked up and saw the love of my life, after being away for so long. She stood there, every aspect of her was dark, as she stood in the shaft of light from her home. A fairy flitted from her shoulder back to the sanctuary of indoors.
"Heidi?" I stared and stood and trembled. My legs forgot their strength when I tried to walk towards her. Clide and Christo were there to hold me up.
"I can walk." I said softly and I did. I walked to Dr. Leidenfrost.
"Welcome home, Lord." Dr. Leidenfrost stared at me. I wondered if she still loved me too. I noticed Isidore approaching me. She hugged me and then stepped back next to Dr. Leidenfrost.
"Who are all of these people?" Dr. Leidenfrost asked me.
"These people are my new family members." I told her.
"A gang of murderers that have escaped from Dellfriar with you?" Dr. Leidenfrost asked strangely.
"Well - I mean -when you put it in that way." I argued against her wording.
"I've missed you so much!" Dr. Leidenfrost nearly jumped me in the parking lot.
"You all have to stay out here." Isidore told the escaped insane asylum patients. "Girls, come inside, now."
And our daughters obeyed and I went inside with my family and Cory flew on in ahead of me and landed on the back of the couch.
"Right now." Dr. Leidenfrost wanted to rekindle our marriage immediately. I went with her and did so. When we were rekindled we found it was almost morning already.
"Your friends are keeping quiet out there." Isidore told me, over breakfast.
"What is going on? You're the only people we've seen." I ate.
"There's a massive evacuation going on." Dr. Leidenfrost explained. "But Agent Saint called and told us to stay right here. She said it would be safe until she gets here."
"Why?" I asked.
"Supposedly there is to be a tsunami. That was more than two days ago." Dr. Leidenfrost nodded sagely. "It was all a lie."
"I see." I gulped. "We gotta feed them. No low blood sugar for our crazy people."
"I already fed them. I didn't want to stay in the apartment while you two, you know." Isidore blushed.
"Did you want some of him? He's still yours too." Dr. Leidenfrost teased her.
"Stop, Heidi." Isidore looked at me and our eyes met briefly. I wondered if she had ever loved me. It didn't matter, she loved me as a friend, which was fair enough. I hadn't felt particularly crazy about her, after-all.
Dr. Leidenfrost watched our gazes repulse each other like opposing magnets and made a clicking sound with her tongue. Cory appreciated the word and translated, hopping up and down with excitement:
"My Matron calls you both cowards!" Cory exclaimed in English.
"You are both cowards." Dr. Leidenfrost confirmed. "That's why I am the head of this family."
"Fair enough." I muttered. Isidore said nothing.
"I don't agree." The soft and melodious voice of our resident fairy spoke up. "Lord has shown courage when he fears for another's sake. I've seen him stand against wrongdoing with no guarantee he could survive."
I looked over and spotted Silver Bell alight upon Dr. Leidenfrost's shoulder. I smiled and greeted her:
"Hello Sylvia." I recalled her earthbound name and used it instead of her Faerie name.
"I've waited a long time to go home." Silver Bell was glowing. "Penelope has drawn my key, but she is not strong enough to conjure. She needs her father for that."
"What?" I asked.
"You stole the way for such a key to be crafted. In Faerie, it was your theft that removed the one who would have touched the gold to craft it into what we needed. No new key can be made, without the hand of a smith. Do you remember?" Silver Bell explained. In her voice she sounded tired, there was no resentment.
"I rescued a child from your queen." I recalled. "Is that the consequence?"
"There is a horror upon your world. If we do not reverse the ways of magic, Man will fall. Nothing good will rise in your place. I have learned of all these things while trapped in your realm. I must report to my queen that Faerie cannot stand and do nothing or we will be obliterated next. What happens to one part of the body affects the whole." Silver Bell spoke slowly and we all listened.
"What horror?" Dr. Leidenfrost asked, her voice hushed.
"Lord knows of it. That is why I know he will help me. Your daughter has drawn my key. Now her father will forge it for me. It must be done." Silver Bell demanded.
Dr. Leidenfrost stood up and went to her desk. She opened a drawer that contained a stack of drawings made by the girls that hadn't made it to the gallery on the refrigerator.
After a silent shuffling she found a drawing of a key. She stared at it and then her eyes watered. She hadn't known what it was.
I got up and walked over to her and said quietly:
"She is like me. She is also like you."
"I know Lord, that's what scares me."

Question/Discussion
Just out of curiosity, of the women/girls/afab people who listened to the rage episode —
Can you related more to the physical portrayals of rage that the guys mentioned?
Or, did/do you internalize your anger more?
For my safety, I rarely express my anger. Certainly not in public spaces — I’ve had guys follow and try to spit on my car for honking when they nearly hit me before…I’ll just scream quietly thanks.
I’m just kinda curious if this has something to do with being raised as a woman in society — for context too, I’m 32 and it probably has shifted within my generation and into the next as well.
Anyway, just wondering if anyone had any thoughts?

Hi. Recently I talked to my general manager about possible promotions and he was completely onboard. I've been working at Culver's for nearly two years now and he says that I possess all the skills necessary to become a manager and he thinks I can absolutely do it. It sounds a little exciting but I don't know if it's for me. Therefore my question is, should I go for it? Is it worth doing? Should I remain a crew member?