This is my first time reading {Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Mass}. I know NOTHING about what happens in this book. I haven’t even read the blurb.
This is me just writing down thoughts as I read, so some of them will undoubtedly be wrong in the end. I try not to go back and change anything I speculated or ranted about later, because that would be cheating. Also, there will surely be typos, especially with the weird names.
As a caveat: I bought the series as a bundle on Amazon, so my Kindle edition is one BIG book. It is 4855 pages long. That means my page numbers will not line up with the regular editions of the book. Still, I’ll include my page number to give a sense of where I am in the story.
​
Spoilers Abound!
​
​
Page 842 Are we going to spend this whole book in this other land, without our two boyfriends? Because, I’m not up for 300 pages of pining for Choal. On the other hand, maybe someone more interesting will arrive now.
Page 851 A tattooed fae warrior guy has arrived. Things are already looking up!
Page 854 Ugh! Choal is whining about Archer’s death and how Dorian is possibly in danger from Celeana and his loyalty to Evil King Guy, again. Like, I just want the hero focused on the heroine’s safety and goals more…? I guess he IS moving back to his evil dad’s land, to help her, though. Maybe I just enjoy bad guy types, rather than do-gooder types in my romance books. Maybe that’s why I can’t get into him as our endgame hero, yet.
Page 876 I think Wolf Warrior guy just pushed Dorian into the rose bushes to get his blood to look for magic. Or maybe he just likes picking on Dorian for the hell of it.
Page 878 Ooooo, Dorian’s got a healer girl crushing on him. A new romance must be starting, because we’ve switched to her POV and she’s all gushy about his handsomeness. This makes me happy! I like him better than Chaol.
Page 895 Hmmm… I think tattooed fae guy is Celaena’s cousin. Also, Wolf Warrior guy is her cousin. It seems like she’s related to all the new hot characters. Doesn’t bode well for a charismatic new leading man sweeping her off her feet.
Page 897 I am unclear how the witch clans fit into everything here. Why are we suddenly following them?
Page 897 Thinking about it… I do like that this book seems to be expanding the world and giving us more characters and settings. I am more invested in this story, now. So, it’s GOOD the witch is here, I guess.
Page 903 Oh, the witches are going to fly the dragon things being raised in the secret mountain pass. Gotcha.
Page 919 I like how all the witches are panicky and curious about who killed the super old carnival Yellow-Legs and why she was targeted. And Celaena only spur-of-the-moment killed her to hide Dorian’s dumb fortune-telling question. Did she even know the witch’s name? The randomness of it amuses me.
Page 970 Chaol’s been kidnapped… again.
Page 974- Wolf Warrior guy isn’t evil. I suspected he wasn’t, because Adeion seems likable and crafty. Most of the bad guys so far are smelly morons. And WHY is he named Adeion , when Celeanda’s fairy-name is Aelin? The names are SO CLOSE, when I’m reading fast. It gets me confused.
Page 974: Also, guy with two swords working with the rebels seems cool. He has a scar and two swords. That’s really all I need to be intrigued.
Page 974 Also, what the fuck Choal! Don’t tell people Celaena’s the lost princess! You’re going to get her killed, dumbass!
Page 976 Who is Ren, again? The two-swords guy? A lot of stuff seems to be happening, now with the rebels. It might have been better to do this scene from Chaol’s POV, because then I would be learning it all along with him, instead of jumping into Adeion’s head. He already knows what’s going on and now I have to catch up.
Page 955 I like Rowan and Celeana’s storyline best in this book. I like how he’s got this idea of her as useless and weak. But she’s going to show him he’s wrong sooner or later (I assume) and then, in my head, he’s going to be super impressed with her. Also, he’s not really her cousin. If he works at it, he could be the Rhysard of this series. But he probably won’t be, because I’m not great at picking leading men in a TV, book, movie series.
Page 1009 I love the witch storyline! I didn’t except that. Manon has chosen the beat up, bait wyvern and I am literally smiling. I was so sad it was being eaten alive, but now it’s got a devoted owner. It’s like a little rescue-dragon from the pound.
Page 1018 Kings don’t “hand out mind-controlling jewelry unless they want absolute dominion.” Hahahah. Adeion’s funny. I like him.
Page 1021 So many names and so much backstory! The Rebels and the Terrasen stuff is confusing to me, so far. Kudos to Adeion for being so loyal to his cousin, though. I have cousins. They would all fuck me over in a heartbeat to seize control of a kingdom. He’s never even met adult Celeana and he’s all in on her as queen. See why I like him?
Page 1024 Okay, I think I get the shift in my thinking w/t the series. I was okay with books 1 and 2, but book 3 is really hitting all the right notes with me. I feel like this one is more adult and that’s why I love it. The others had more of a YA feel. The story is now bigger and the characters are more complex. It’s like the men have arrived and before I had boys.
Page 1063 I think Eldie, the other magical, Terrasen noble girl, is alive. We’ve mentioned her a couple times now. Maybe she can date Adeion. He needs a girlfriend. (Or boyfriend. He could also date Ren.)
Page 1085 That little dragon and Manon are flying together and eating flowers. We could just switch it up and make this their book series and I’d be okay with it, now. Axi-whatever-his-name-is the most adorable little terror-monster, ever!
Page 1090 The half-fae are telling stories about Maeve. I don’t like it when someone is telling a story within a book. It’s usually blocks of text and blocks of text are hard for me to read. I skim.
Page 1140- There is another kingdom called “The Wastes” now. I feel like I was supposed to know that already, but I don’t. Jesus. I hope there’s not a test on the lore of this series, because I would fail it.
Page 1143 I love that plucky little dragon guy! Now he’s taking out evil spiders. He and Manon are my forever-ship. I am so worried, because the witches are bad guy, though. So, what if he’s hurt somehow? I would be seriously scarred by that. Not kidding.
Page 1155: Uh-oh. Dorian and healer girl are happy. Having sexy times. Not involved in any major storyline. This isn’t looking good for them. Current prediction: Healer girl is dead real soon
Page 1158: Dorian is telling Choal that he can’t pick and choose which pieces of people to love. That is really good advice. Choal will probably not listen.
Page 1207: Now I feel like Choal is NOT the endgame love interest. Because, Celeana is talking about how she is a different person these days than she was with him, blah, blah.
Page 1207 But I’m not sure Rowan is endgame either, although he and Celeana are getting closer, because the book keeps telling me there is nothing sexual going on between them. Also, it would be kind of sad for him being an immortal guy and her not being immortal. He wouldn’t want to lose another mate. I’m torn.
Page 1264: I do not trust Lady Marion. Is she still alive? Don’t remember. But I’m reading Celaena’s memories and I just vibe that she’s bad, because why else is she introduced?
Pge 1270 Whoops! Called that one wrong. Lady Marion just died in the memory, saving Celaena. Sorry Marion. I misjudged you.
Page 1283- It is now 5:54 am. I am reading and eating Frosted Flakes on my sofa. Not so unusual for breakfast… Except, it’s not breakfast. I haven’t gone to bed, yet. I’ve been up all night, reading this damn book.
Page 1306- King Evil Guy’s plan reminds me of that Simpsons episode where Lisa says to Bart, “Even if the Three Stodges did come back to life, what makes you think they’d want to hang out with you?” I mean, sure you can invite incorporeal monsters from other dimensions into your kingdom, but do you really think they’ll let it remain YOUR kingdom for long? Even as zombies? And who even WANTS to rule over a kingdom of zombies? Like, think it through, dumbass.
Page 1329- Manon is not THAT bad. She’s just not. She saved that other witch from falling and she loves the wyverns. I not sure I can vote for Celeana to win, if they ever have to fight. I like Manon too much. She might be my favorite character.
Page 1339- Uh-oh. Evil king is kidnapping Choal and Dorian and their buddies. This is one kidnapping per book for Chaol, if you’re keeping track. He’s just a terrible guardsman.
Page 1339- Shit, if Aedion does before he even gets to see Celaena I’m gonna cry. Take any of the others, Evil King, but not him!
Page 1344: Yep, healer girl is dead. I knew it was only a matter of time. Better her than Aedion.
Page 1350- Choal saved the dog, again. The book does this to me, because it wants me to question myself and my choice to not like him so much. Crap. You HAVE to sort of like someone who likes dogs. Or wyvern.
The end
Okay that one was amazing! I am still confused as hell as to the endgame romance, but I enjoyed reading the book so much I don’t even mind. Five stars!

Hello, wonderful Redditors!
I'm a 23-year-old male currently residing in Vilnius, Lithuania. Originally from India, I find myself captivated by the city's beauty and cultural diversity. As an IT professional and Computer Science student, I thrive in the world of technology. However, there's so much more to me than just my career.
I have a deep appreciation for philosophy and love engaging in meaningful conversations that delve into life's big questions. Exploring the realms of existence, consciousness, and purpose fascinates me. If you're someone who shares this passion for philosophical exploration, I believe we could have some truly profound discussions.
Now, let's talk about relationships. I'm genuinely seeking a wonderful girl who values genuine connection, empathy, and growth. I believe in building a strong foundation based on trust, communication, and shared values. As we embark on this journey together, I want us to support each other's dreams, encourage personal growth, and create beautiful memories along the way.
Physically, I stand at 5'8" with a slim build and have a warm brown skin tone. While physical appearances matter to some extent, I truly believe that true beauty lies in one's character, kindness, and intellect.
Beyond my studies and work, I have a zest for exploration. Together, we can uncover the hidden gems of Vilnius, discover new cafes with cozy atmospheres, and embark on exciting adventures. Exploring new places and creating unforgettable experiences together is something I long for.
If you're a kind-hearted, intellectually curious girl who yearns for a meaningful connection and is open to exploring the possibilities of a fulfilling relationship, I would be delighted to get to know you better. Age and background are not as important as shared values and genuine chemistry.
Please feel free to send me a message or reply to this post. Let's connect, grab a cup of coffee, and see if our paths align for a beautiful and enriching journey together.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Throwaway account for obvious reasons. When I (female) was 15-16 I had my first serious relationship with a guy. It got sexual quite quick, we had agreed to wait 6 months before doing it so we knew we were comfortable as it would be both our first times. However, a month in he calls me and says he's looking at condoms and doesn't know what size. I'm confused at this point but don't say anything because I was too nervous so I just say pick whatever. When he gets back to his (I was staying the weekend and stayed at his while he went to the shop) and immediately says do you want to try them out. I ask about the 6 momth deal and he reasures me that he's ready so I feel pressured to say yes not wanting to seem frigid. It was painful and I bled and I felt regret soon after he finished which was very fast. I felt too shy to say anything because I didn't want him to leave me for saying no. After that sex kind of became a way to get his attention. He would play on his Xbox all night with his mates after I'd tarveled an hour on the train to see him. I would be crying in his bed. He used to say how if we just did it quick we could cuddle and do whatever I wanted. I gave my consent, I felt used but I just wanted to spend time with him and this was the only way. Then one weekend he comes over to mine. He didn't bring any condoms and I wasn't on the pill so we knew to not have sex. We ended up making out, he got on top and I felt he was excited. I could feel him rubbing himself against me which I was fine with, he then goes under my trousers. Then he starts to unbutton my trouserrs and pull his shorts down. He kind of holds my hand above my head and I can feel him rubbing against me with nothing between us now. I told him to stop and we can't do anything without protection. He says I'll just put the tip in and at this point I'm panicking. He puts it in and I immediately try to pull away but he's on top and I can't do anything. I'm 5"7 and he's 6"3 for reference, he was a big build so I had no chance of getting him off me. He then fully inserted himself, and after that it was a blur, I just remember trying my best to pull him out of me. Eventually he gets off and immediately he makes it seem like I was unreasonably. He would very often say how he would get "blue balled" and used this as an excuse to do it because it was "too uncomfortable". I felt so used and was terrified I'd get pregnant because I didn't know if he finished or not. I ended up missing my period that month (wich has never happened and has never happened since) and I was terrified. I went to my best friend and told her I need to take a test but I had no money. I took as test, on the brink of tears terrified and thankfully it wa negative. But after that I felt guilt after every time we had sex. I don't know if it was rape as he was my boyfriend and I didn't fight him off me. My family was home and I didn't want them to come up to see what was happening. So was this rape?? I don't know if it was. He ended up cheating on me and leaving me for her a couple months later, whivh made me feel so worthless and used so idk if I'm playing it up in my head. But it's been 5 years now and I still don't know. I'm sorry if this isn't the right sub for this, I'd just like some closure.

Mine just happened today. So this week I kinda wanna reminisce my childhood, and just starting a PS2 collection this week after my father threw away my entire set into the trash when we moved home long time back. So i've been lurking on ps2 these past few days.
TLDR: Got a really good deal with big titles for $50 from an old man that put it in a black trash bag, went for dinner after paying, comes back to that old man's wife throwing them away.
Here's my story:
So I went on a shopping spree on a local craiglist-equivalent in my country. So I started with buying the fat PS2 console, then 1 black and 1 white slim. Then I saw a listing for "PS2 games, a dollar per disc" and I went to check out at this guy's apartment -- just an old man with his wife.
Guess what I found:
- Entire WWE collection from Shut Your Mouth to Here Comes the Pain to SVR (MY FAV)
- Tom and Jerry Whiskers!!!!
- DBall Z, Marvel vs Capcom
- GTA SA VC
- Ape Escape!!!!
- Tony Hawk Underground 2, GoW, Taken 4 & 5, 007 series
and a bunch of others in a really good condition, easily 30-40 games
and I thought I found a goldmine as these were the exact titles I had when I was younger. So I gave the old guy $50, and told him I will come back after dinner as I was really hungry and didn't want to haul all that around with me. Because he needed the box hence he innocently transferred it out into a black garbage bag, and left it at the doorstep for me to collect when I'm back. Apparently his wife was annoyed, for the 'trash' that was blocking the doorway, so she threw it in the garbage chute just in time for the nightly collection of trash....
So I went on a revenge purchase of those said titles on ebay, and i ended up spending about $400 on them....
​

I thought I’d bunch together absolutely every helpful article, post, video, comment, quote, etc. that has helped me gain hope during some of my darkest times. OCD is a bitch, and Real Event is a hell I would wish on nobody. Hang in there, every single one of you deserves happiness <33 And I mean you! The one that thinks they are uniquely different, I’m talking to you too! Also, it’s important to remember that recovery is not linear - you will have bad days, but you will also have days where you wonder why you were so worried as if ocd has given you a break for once.
Disclaimer: Please try not to use these resources compulsively, only read them when you're in the right headspace. I have very much been guilty of doing this, but just know that it won't give you any more certainty or clarity about the event (even if it might feel so for a minute, it will wear off). When you feel the urge to read an article, watch a video, or read a comment for reassurance, or for some sort of "answer", respond differently. don't let your ocd win. It will feel like all you need is just to read that one article and you'll be cured! but nope, I compulsively did this hundreds of times and it never ever worked. You are stronger than what your thoughts are telling you.
Additionally, not all of these are written by licensed professionals, so do not use this as a substitute for therapy. A lot of the posts I have linked are from people like you and me, who are just sharing what has helped them personally; something that worked for them may not work for you. This is simply an educational post for those who may not have found many resources on this theme yet.
I hope this helps <3 I will also be adding more to this as time goes along! And if there are any additional resources I can add please let me know :)

Articles/Blogs

• Turning Point Psychology: Real Event OCD and 10 Steps to Getting Better (Examples of obsessions, compulsions, and helpful tips for getting better)
• OCD Specialists: Real Event OCD (Ways it can manifest, why this is an OCD issue, some cognitive distortions etc.)
• Living With OCD: Don't Dwell on the Past (Live Mindfully) (Choosing to live mindfully and in the present moment)
• California OCD: Dealing With Real Event OCD Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 (An overview, self-help tips, related themes, self-compassion)
• The Debilitating Type of OCD You Probably Haven't Heard Of (Incredibly helpful if you need to explain to a loved one what you're going through without all the graphic details. This blog post sums things up perfectly in a way that someone without OCD would be able to understand)

Reddit Posts/Comments

Tips & Helpful, Quick Ideas

• 10 helpful tips for Real Event OCD (Things to remember, and perspectives you may not have considered before)
• More helpful tips for Real Event OCD (Following on from the previous post)
• Quick and Helpful Tips (Good to consider for OCD overall, not just specifically Real Event)
• Tips for dealing with Real Event OCD (Includes self-help ideas, such as realising nobody can be 100% perfect)

Compulsion-Focused Content

• Document of Mental Compulsions (Another one for OCD in general - very helpful resource for identifying some compulsions you may not have recognised as compulsions before)
• Things To Remember About Compulsive Googling (This one is difficult to stop, but it's really important to cut out this compulsion. Spoiler: You won't find the answer you crave)

Reminders & Short Posts

• Questions Real Event OCD throws at you, and their answers (Can help with responding differently)
• A Short Reminder for Everyone Suffering (Not a reassurance post, just another helpful reminder)
• A Reminder About Ruminating (Another thing that is so crucial to cut out as much as you can. I know it's so difficult though when it's so automatic)
• Letting go of the need to be "good" (TLDR; It is ok to be flawed)
• Things to remember with Real Event OCD (This was a very useful reminder of reality for me at my worst)

Self-Help Guides & ERP

• Living with Uncertainty (A user's account of how they have coped with this theme)
• Doing ERP for Real Event OCD (Be careful when doing ERP without the guidance of a professional, but if you don't have the resources then this can be helpful for ideas of where to start)
• Additional ideas for writing and practising ERP scripts (Helpful for breaking down the ERP process if you're wanting to start it alone - remember not to jump straight in the deep end with your most triggering exposures)
• Putting Real Event OCD in Its Place (A user's guide of how they got through this theme)

Youtube Resources

• OCD and Anxiety / Nathan Peterson (The perfect channel for everything OCD-related. Nathan has genuinely been such a god-send throughout my recovery)
  • Real Event OCD: What it Looks Like (Overview, examples of obsessions, compulsions, cognitive distortions, and how ERP can look for this theme)
  • 10 Treatment Tips for Real Event OCD (This is a narrated version of the Turning Point Psychology article I mentioned earlier)
  • Removing Guilt from OCD (Since guilt is very prominent in Real Event, this can be helpful to watch)
  • OCD Does Not Like Living in the Present (Why living in the present is so important)
  • Cancel Culture & OCD (Why OCD thrives on the idea of cancel culture. I know this is such a huge fear for many of us with Real Event)
  • Stop Ruminating with OCD (One of the biggest compulsions with Real Event, it's so important to stop this in its tracks)
  • 3 ways to fight Moral Scrupulosity OCD (I know this isn't explicitly Real Event-related but I still feel like this is a must-watch for everyone struggling. OCD loves to latch onto morally ambiguous events, and this video goes through some great points regarding morality and OCD)
• Chrissie Hodges (One of the kindest souls I've found on Youtube. She creates no-bullshit videos on OCD, and really addresses the taboo side of OCD that isn't often spoken about. Please go check her out)
  • Am I A Monster Because of Childhood Experiences? (This helped me so unbelievably much with putting my event into perspective. It's massively important to listen to what she says about taking only what applies to you and leaving the rest)
  • OCD and Memories (Touches on False Memory and the links with Real Event)
• Mark Freeman (Great source for OCD-related content overall)
  • What if the Obsession is About Something I Really Did? (Light-hearted and humourous video about Real Event, gives some really great tips)
  • OCD and False / Real Memories (How to put Real Event and False Memories into perspective with a banana)
• OCD The Bug In My Brain (Another great helpful channel for OCD-related content)
  • Number One Real Event OCD Tip (Essentially, why compulsive research will never change the past and won't help you see the future)
  • OCD Makes Mountains Out of Molehills (Talking about how OCD will always make things seem worse, no matter what it was, even if it was a bad thing)

Quotes

• "What matters is that whenever there is something in our life that was maybe incorrect or wrong, maybe we shouldn't have done. What we're supposed to do is learn from these experiences. Our brain corrects itself and says, oh, don't do that again next time. That's why the guilt or shame is there; it's supposed to teach you not to do it again. But what OCD does is it attacks this. It grabs right onto it and says, this is a big deal, there's nothing to learn from it, you need to feel guilty forever. It's our job to teach your brain that that is so incorrect."[From Nathan Peterson's self-directed "Master Your OCD" course]
• "Even if it was a mistake that was last week, even if it was a mistake 20 years ago, it doesn't matter. what matters is that you're living life today and, today, do you need to relive that experience? Is there a reason for it? We have to retrain your brain to say, sorry, this is in the past, time for you to go away."[From Nathan Peterson's self-directed "Master Your OCD" course]
• "Every time you react to this experience that you had in the past, you're telling your brain that it still has value, that it still matters."[From Nathan Peterson's self-directed "Master Your OCD" course]
• "The answer...? Who knows? Who cares? You didn't until your ocd latched onto it, you remembered it like any other memory. Maybe you will never know. Maybe it will bother you forever, maybe it won't bother you forever. You did something, you won't do it again, MOVE ON! YOU WILL NEVER KNOW!"[A personal lil reminder I wrote for myself]
• "You cannot think your way through a fear."[Nathan Peterson]

"But what if my event was actually bad? Surely none of this applies to me!"

Please read this comment. OCD will strive to make you feel like you are the worst person on earth, no matter what your event was. Even if it was something horrible, you're dealing with OCD now, and you're living in the present day. What you're obsessing over now is just a blip in time, and you've grown enough as a person to look back and say that wasn't the best decision.

Hey guys, Was thinking about changing the intro loading picture and some of the core stuff. It is ok but its more fresh to get new 'non relative to gameplay' stuff. As they allow back card colors and themed cards.. would be great if we get new frames around avatar or new animation for loading a match. Also big black block buttons for main screen, shop etc. is not as sharp as other things in game (at least i see it like that).
Also aditional thing; When u enter a mission tab, on upper left and right corner, you can click to access credit and gold tabs but in the middle u can not access season pass tab.. instead u need to exit to main screen and from there enter SP.
Wouls also like to see some new structure for game mode tabs.
Anyone have any idea,please share it. Apologize for bad english yogurth man.

I'm kind of confused by this whole situation and need some perspective on if I'm in the wrong or not. My fiancee recently completed a year of study in the UK and while he was there, I went to visit him twice. FIL loves the UK and has been so many times and was excited for me to visit as I had never been before. He mentioned that he has a bunch of oyster cards (that you use to pay for the tube/subway) so I could have one of his so I wouldn't need to bother waisting time getting my own. The card had around 2 pounds on it when he gave it to me. The first time I went we ended up using the tube loads and I wasted a fair bit of money on international credit card fees every time I loaded my card so on the second trip, I just loaded 200 pounds onto it on the first day to save myself those extra fees. We ended up not using it nearly as much due to me getting sick part way through the second trip, and so I still have close to 120 pounds on the card.
I didn't think much of this at all because I figured at some point in the future we'll end up going back to the UK and I can use it then so I've just had it in my wallet for the past few months. Recently, FIL told me he realized he was missing one of his cards and asked me when I was going to give his back to him. I expressed my confusion as I had not realized he had wanted it back (and he definitely never said the word borrow or loan when he gave it to me, he specifically said he had a card I could have). I explained the situation that I have 120 pounds on the card and that I'd like to hold onto it. He became extremely upset and said that I am so entitled for assuming he was gifting it to me and thinking I could keep something that someone loaned to me. I apologized and offered to pay him for the 2 pounds initially on the card plus any fees it might have cost to get the card (I am not sure if they charge a fee or not). I also suggested to my fiancee that his dad could pay me for the 120 pounds left on the card (minus the fees and 2 pounds I mentioned above) if he really just wants the physical card back. I also looked into if there is anyway to get the 120 pounds refunded but that doesn't seem possible without a UK bank account which I do not have.
I never would have taken the card in the first place if I had known he'd want it back. It seemed pretty easy to get a new card at the machine and I definitely would have just done that if I had known. Should I just bite the bullet and lose the 120 pounds? I never imagined a little plastic card would cause this big of an issue but he's very upset about it. AITA for assuming that I could keep the card he gave me?

I thought I’d bunch together absolutely every helpful article, post, video, comment, quote, etc. that has helped me gain hope during some of my darkest times. OCD is a bitch, and Real Event is a hell I would wish on nobody. Hang in there, every single one of you deserves happiness <33 And I mean you! The one that thinks they are uniquely different, I’m talking to you too! Also, it’s important to remember that recovery is not linear - you will have bad days, but you will also have days where you wonder why you were so worried as if ocd has given you a break for once.
Disclaimer: Please try not to use these resources compulsively, only read them when you're in the right headspace. I have very much been guilty of doing this, but just know that it won't give you any more certainty or clarity about the event (even if it might feel so for a minute, it will wear off). When you feel the urge to read an article, watch a video, or read a comment for reassurance, or for some sort of "answer", respond differently. don't let your ocd win. It will feel like all you need is just to read that one article and you'll be cured! but nope, I compulsively did this hundreds of times and it never ever worked. You are stronger than what your thoughts are telling you.
Additionally, not all of these are written by licensed professionals, so do not use this as a substitute for therapy. A lot of the posts I have linked are from people like you and me, who are just sharing what has helped them personally; something that worked for them may not work for you. This is simply an educational post for those who may not have found many resources on this theme yet.
I hope this helps <3 I will also be adding more to this as time goes along! And if there are any additional resources I can add please let me know :)

Articles/Blogs

• Turning Point Psychology: Real Event OCD and 10 Steps to Getting Better (Examples of obsessions, compulsions, and helpful tips for getting better)
• OCD Specialists: Real Event OCD (Ways it can manifest, why this is an OCD issue, some cognitive distortions etc.)
• Living With OCD: Don't Dwell on the Past (Live Mindfully) (Choosing to live mindfully and in the present moment)
• California OCD: Dealing With Real Event OCD Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 (An overview, self-help tips, related themes, self-compassion)
• The Debilitating Type of OCD You Probably Haven't Heard Of (Incredibly helpful if you need to explain to a loved one what you're going through without all the graphic details. This blog post sums things up perfectly in a way that someone without OCD would be able to understand)

Reddit Posts/Comments

Tips & Helpful, Quick Ideas

• 10 helpful tips for Real Event OCD (Things to remember, and perspectives you may not have considered before)
• More helpful tips for Real Event OCD (Following on from the previous post)
• Quick and Helpful Tips (Good to consider for OCD overall, not just specifically Real Event)
• Tips for dealing with Real Event OCD (Includes self-help ideas, such as realising nobody can be 100% perfect)

Compulsion-Focused Content

• Document of Mental Compulsions (Another one for OCD in general - very helpful resource for identifying some compulsions you may not have recognised as compulsions before)
• Things To Remember About Compulsive Googling (This one is difficult to stop, but it's really important to cut out this compulsion. Spoiler: You won't find the answer you crave)

Reminders & Short Posts

• Questions Real Event OCD throws at you, and their answers (Can help with responding differently)
• A Short Reminder for Everyone Suffering (Not a reassurance post, just another helpful reminder)
• A Reminder About Ruminating (Another thing that is so crucial to cut out as much as you can. I know it's so difficult though when it's so automatic)
• Letting go of the need to be "good" (TLDR; It is ok to be flawed)
• Things to remember with Real Event OCD (This was a very useful reminder of reality for me at my worst)

Self-Help Guides & ERP

• Living with Uncertainty (A user's account of how they have coped with this theme)
• Doing ERP for Real Event OCD (Be careful when doing ERP without the guidance of a professional, but if you don't have the resources then this can be helpful for ideas of where to start)
• Additional ideas for writing and practising ERP scripts (Helpful for breaking down the ERP process if you're wanting to start it alone - remember not to jump straight in the deep end with your most triggering exposures)
• Putting Real Event OCD in Its Place (A user's guide of how they got through this theme)

Youtube Resources

• OCD and Anxiety / Nathan Peterson (The perfect channel for everything OCD-related. Nathan has genuinely been such a god-send throughout my recovery)
  • Real Event OCD: What it Looks Like (Overview, examples of obsessions, compulsions, cognitive distortions, and how ERP can look for this theme)
  • 10 Treatment Tips for Real Event OCD (This is a narrated version of the Turning Point Psychology article I mentioned earlier)
  • Removing Guilt from OCD (Since guilt is very prominent in Real Event, this can be helpful to watch)
  • OCD Does Not Like Living in the Present (Why living in the present is so important)
  • Cancel Culture & OCD (Why OCD thrives on the idea of cancel culture. I know this is such a huge fear for many of us with Real Event)
  • Stop Ruminating with OCD (One of the biggest compulsions with Real Event, it's so important to stop this in its tracks)
  • 3 ways to fight Moral Scrupulosity OCD (I know this isn't explicitly Real Event-related but I still feel like this is a must-watch for everyone struggling. OCD loves to latch onto morally ambiguous events, and this video goes through some great points regarding morality and OCD)
• Chrissie Hodges (One of the kindest souls I've found on Youtube. She creates no-bullshit videos on OCD, and really addresses the taboo side of OCD that isn't often spoken about. Please go check her out)
  • Am I A Monster Because of Childhood Experiences? (This helped me so unbelievably much with putting my event into perspective. It's massively important to listen to what she says about taking only what applies to you and leaving the rest)
  • OCD and Memories (Touches on False Memory and the links with Real Event)
• Mark Freeman (Great source for OCD-related content overall)
  • What if the Obsession is About Something I Really Did? (Light-hearted and humourous video about Real Event, gives some really great tips)
  • OCD and False / Real Memories (How to put Real Event and False Memories into perspective with a banana)
• OCD The Bug In My Brain (Another great helpful channel for OCD-related content)
  • Number One Real Event OCD Tip (Essentially, why compulsive research will never change the past and won't help you see the future)
  • OCD Makes Mountains Out of Molehills (Talking about how OCD will always make things seem worse, no matter what it was, even if it was a bad thing)

Quotes

• "What matters is that whenever there is something in our life that was maybe incorrect or wrong, maybe we shouldn't have done. What we're supposed to do is learn from these experiences. Our brain corrects itself and says, oh, don't do that again next time. That's why the guilt or shame is there; it's supposed to teach you not to do it again. But what OCD does is it attacks this. It grabs right onto it and says, this is a big deal, there's nothing to learn from it, you need to feel guilty forever. It's our job to teach your brain that that is so incorrect."[From Nathan Peterson's self-directed "Master Your OCD" course]
• "Even if it was a mistake that was last week, even if it was a mistake 20 years ago, it doesn't matter. what matters is that you're living life today and, today, do you need to relive that experience? Is there a reason for it? We have to retrain your brain to say, sorry, this is in the past, time for you to go away."[From Nathan Peterson's self-directed "Master Your OCD" course]
• "Every time you react to this experience that you had in the past, you're telling your brain that it still has value, that it still matters."[From Nathan Peterson's self-directed "Master Your OCD" course]
• "The answer...? Who knows? Who cares? You didn't until your ocd latched onto it, you remembered it like any other memory. Maybe you will never know. Maybe it will bother you forever, maybe it won't bother you forever. You did something, you won't do it again, MOVE ON! YOU WILL NEVER KNOW!"[A personal lil reminder I wrote for myself]
• "You cannot think your way through a fear."[Nathan Peterson]

"But what if my event was actually bad? Surely none of this applies to me!"

Please read this comment. OCD will strive to make you feel like you are the worst person on earth, no matter what your event was. Even if it was something horrible, you're dealing with OCD now, and you're living in the present day. What you're obsessing over now is just a blip in time, and you've grown enough as a person to look back and say that wasn't the best decision.

The voice over the phone is distorted, disguised, but the words are unambiguous. "We have your son. You have until midnight to send us five million dollars or the next time you see little Benji will be in pieces at a time. Instructions are in the mailbox in front of your house. Your play on the deal."
They hang up. Then they text me a picture. In his big blue eyes staring up at the camera, he looks terrified.
FUCK.
I retrieve the mail and come back inside. I read the info about the drop off. I sink to the floor, trying to make sense of this. My company has just gone international. The publicity is enormous, as is the financial gain. The idea that an opportunist would take him now makes sense.
Not everyone is impressed. Tara didn’t like how much I worked, and after a year of argument after argument, she asked me for a divorce. We hadn't been prenup people when we’d said “I do” in that modest cathedral. We’d had nothing. And it would have screwed me until I started contemplating Benji's blue eyes just a little longer.
I secretly had us tested and got the gut punch proof. He's not mine.
He’s five, so if there's any time to exit his life, it's now. Maybe he’ll barely remember me, I’d reasoned. But now this, and I'm not a sociopath. I care about him and I don't want him to die.
I call my lawyer's office number, but it's after hours and they don’t pick up. Lance, the chief legal officer who I usually liaison with, is on vacation. I can’t expect work to occupy someone’s mind in the midst of fruit cocktails and day parties, but I leave voicemails anyway, remaining vague while emphasizing that it is urgent. Meanwhile my publicist is at a conference. I leave a voicemail and a text. I need them to help me sort through the logistics of this.
I’m considering paying the five mil. But what if me doing this serves in court as some kind of adultery forgiveness? A sane divorce judge would hopefully not provide this interpretation. But condonation law might establish that in getting him back I had claimed Benji as mine, and factor this in handing over my fortune to Tara.
And what if Tara were able to accuse me of consorting with criminals? I don’t want to make a mess by going to the police about this, but it's possible to spin anything. Someone could easily make this into a story about how I risked Benji's life and crept around being shady instead of going through legal channels. It could cost the company its reputation, and then millions—or eliminate us altogether.
I’ll spare the five million. I’ll be the hero. But I can’t let it cost me the rest.
I pace around, antsy. I leave another set of voicemails. I need them to get back to me soon. The sun is setting.

Hi all, my company has been having a big push for restructuring on the shop floor with every department having 2 or 3 team leaders promoted from within, a supervisor and a manager for every 5 or 6 members of staff.
We were told today we now have to fill in “self evaluation surveys” listing where we see our careers currently and in the future, list what we do on a daily basis and what skills we feel we have learned in the last six months.
Only time I’ve seen something similar to this was in my last company when morale was at rock bottom and we were sent “anonymous” questionnaires asking how we viewed the management and if we felt valued etc.
Don’t know why but I’m getting a bad vibe from this recent development.
Any thoughts?

I go to school at U of I at Urbana Champaign and one of my favorite things about being at school is that between buses bike lanes and the occasional ride share, I do not need my own car at all. This summer I am participating in an internship in Gaithersburg MD. The commute options here for me are either a 10-15 minute drive or a hour plus bus commute, assuming I time the busses well given 20 minute intervals (lack of bike lanes and two 4/6 lane roads means biking would be a death sentence). I really hope that we collectively move in the direction of reducing car dependency but can this happen if transit at the very least take four times as long as driving?

So I posted a couple weeks ago about my coworkeex who made a comment about my clothes being too sexy, even though I was literally wearing harem pants (elephant pants), and y'all he's on his bullshit again.
In case I didn't say before, we are middle school teachers. On Wednesday, I couldn't find my eraser so I just used one of our cleaning rags to clean the board. I was given permission by the director to do this. Next thing I knew some of my students are coming to ask me if I used the rag, and I was like "yeah." And so they went and told my coworkeex. I was super confused as to why they asked, but whatever. Then the kids came back in and said "Profe X said you have to wash the rag." I was like "um, no. He is not my boss. Tell him he can do it himself." The thing is, had the kids asked me nicely or had he asked me nicely instead of trying to give me orders, I would have done it, but I'm not taking orders from some asshole on a power trip. Treat me with respect or you will get ignored.
So, yeah, the kids go tell him that I said I wasn't going to clean the damn rag, AND THEN HE COMES MARCHING INTO MY MOTHERFUCKIN CLASSROOM LIKE SOME KIND OF PIED PIPER WITH ALL OF THE 8TH GRADERS BEHIND HIM and he was like "you have to clean the rag." And I'm like (in my head, not out loud) "Oh? You needed an audience of pubescent children to come over here with you so you can look like a big dick boy? Pathetic." This isn't the first time he has acted like this in front of the kids to prove how manly he is.
He made a snarky comment, and I was just shook by how absurd the entire situation was so I just started laughing because WHAT THE FUCK??? What kind of grown ass man, ESPECIALLY A TEACHER, just rounds up the kids to watch him have a mini showdown? Like he really thought he was showing them how big and bad and powerful he was. I even heard him make a comment to one of the students making fun of me for not fully understanding his snarky comment (Spanish isn't my first language, so sometimes I miss things. In my opinion, it's fucked to laugh at someone for making a mistake in their second language, but go off king). I made it a point to not wash the rag, so I won, but I'm so angry that he did that in front of our students. I already struggle to get their respect, and this bitch ass man always criticizes me and says "they don't respect you because you are x, y, and z, and you do x, y, z." (then he lists off parts of my personality that I'm actually proud of, so that has made me cry before) but now I'm like ofc they don't think they have to respect me when a male figure that they look up to acts like this in front of them.
Regardless, I finally told my boss (who is also a good friend of mine) what's been going on. I told her I don't want him fired (even though she has offered), but I do want her to be aware just in case he keeps fucking around and wants to find out. But yeah, as the song says: Don't fuck your coworkers. Especially if they're a giant man baby with a diaper rash and no butt paste in sight.

Hey Reddit... I'm hoping I can get some sort of advice here. It's kinda complicated so I'll try to explain below. I apologize in advance for how long it is but wanted to give all the facts.
I just recently filed from divorce from my husband. We were together 7 years. Our marriage was great... or so I thought. A little background, we both were divorcees who met at work, we became friends and then something more grew from that relationship. I have a child from a previous marriage who's father is not in the picture. My son's father frequently cheated on me and was abusive. He left some lasting damage. My soon to be ex husband and I had a connection like I had never experienced before. No one was trying to change the other person, there was so much love. Everything was perfect. When we considered dating, I laid out all my issues. Told him about my anxiety, depression and the scars my ex left. He accepted them and said that he did not care because he loved me and wanted to help me through the rough parts in life. He said he loved me for me and that meant accepting me and my flaws.
After about a year of dating, I asked him if I could send a text from his phone because my phone died and was charging. He said yeah and handed over his phone. I opened the messenger app to send the text and I saw a message between him and another woman. They were explicit in nature. I freaked out a little and was like WTF. He explained that the woman had known him since high school and she stalks him. He said he was non-confrontational and always humored her in text and eventually she would get bored with him not really ever doing anything and disappear. He said this has happened for years and years. I asked him why he didn't block her and he just said that this was always how he handled it. I asked him why he didn't tell me this was happening and he said he didn't want to stress me out and didn't think it was a big deal. It took a few months of talking about it and working on stuff for me to feel better about this. He said to me I can check his phone any time. In the following months, I had checked 3x. Once I didn't find anything, I decided to trust him again and we progressed the relationship forward.
Fast forward a few years later, we get married. Everything is still going well. We are still in love and everything is going good. We continue on living our lives. He's a good dad to my son despite me never asking him to be (he just fell into that role). We both work and have friends of opposite sexes but there is never any bad thoughts. I had moved on.
That brings us to this year. I lost my job in April of this year (which was a huge blow because I was the bread winner). My depression and anxiety get worse because I'm stressing about money. I keep asking him if we're okay because the relationship was giving me strength during this time. He always said yes we were fine and that he loved me. Then later in April, things just felt off. On my birthday (in April), I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. I couldn't pinpoint it really apart from my son (who is now a teenager) was acting like a typical teenager and stressing us out. Against my better judgement, I checked his phone again and there was a text message between him and a coworker that was definitely flirty in nature. She was talking about how she would have him and made a comment about tugging on his beard (weird, I know). He later replied in the text messages that "I'll be thinking of you" with hearts. Instantly my anxiety shot through the roof and I confronted him in tears asking why this was happening again. He swore they were just friends and "that's just how they talked". I told him I trusted him and that I hadn't checked in years only to find this. It's worth noting that there were not many texts there to see because he deleted earlier conversations between them.
We ended up going to sleep and talking more the next morning. We worked through it and I apologized for checking his phone and said I should have come to him. He hugged me while I cried and said everything was fine. He forgave me and wasn't mad. We ended up *making up* if you catch my drift. Weeks passed and things seemed fine. I would ask if we were okay, he would say we were fine. He said he loved me and everything progressed as it normally would.
Then about 4 weeks ago, I was in our room crying from the stress of not finding a job. I said I felt so low and was stressed because the job and my son not following rules. I also said I felt like something was off with him lately. That is when he dropped the bomb on me that he felt like we needed to separate because he didn't feel the same about me since I looked at his phone and didn't tell him previously. I was beside myself. I apologized and owned my stuff in that department. I told him I didn't want to separate but if he felt like he needed to do that so we can figure out a way forward, we could. He said he felt like he needed to go clear his head and "do him". I asked about the coworker. He said they're just talking.
So he leaves for his parents house 4 hours away, taking a lot of his stuff with him. We keep talking. A mutual friend that he had talked to mentioned to me that she was also separated from her husband. I asked him if this was completely coincidental and he said yes but that they were "interested in each other". I was devastated. I told him I wanted to work things out but I couldn't support him dating someone else while I was left in limbo while he "figured it out".
He has said 3 things to me:

1. He loves me but is not in love with me.
2. He doesn't want anything bad to happen to me because he cares.
3. That down the line in the future, he wouldn't be opposed to having a relationship with me "should the opportunity present itself".

I'm completely baffled. I told him if nothing was going on between them how did he go from being okay with me and married to wanting to date someone else in the span of a week. That part just didn't add up for me. He came back to the house and packed up his belongings (everything). Split his bank account (our only source of income right now) and took off. When he was last here (last Saturday) we tried talking again and I asked that he take as much time as he needs but remain faithful to me. He got mad, screamed at me, punched our bed and took off back to his parents house. He told me he hated my son and didn't want to deal with him. I text him asking him to come back so we can talk and he said that he was going to date the other woman.
Since then, we've been on business only. I told him I can't be with him if he won't remain faithful to me. I ended up filing divorce papers earlier this week. It is tearing me up inside because I feel like I was blindsided by this. I've given him everything he wanted so far (on all fronts) - He has no financial responsibility to the house, I gave him $10k out of our savings despite not having found a job yet and asked him to keep working with me but he said he can't right now.
I'm a wreck. I don't want the divorce but I feel like this time he wasn't truthful about the texts with the coworker. I asked him what I didn't give him in the relationship and he said nothing, that I did everything right and perfect. I asked him how he can say he loves me but wants to be with someone else but he said that's the difference between loving someone and being "in love" with them. I told him I knew that he was my true love and in my heart of hearts, I loved him and wanted to make this work if we could. He replied to me that true love and knowing something in your heart of hearts is BS and for fairy tales. But again, he says he's going to see this other woman.
I feel awful now. I feel like I gave him everything in the marriage (confirmed by him) but he just wanted to step out and is mad he got caught. Now I'm left picking up the pieces of our life as he goes and hooks up with this woman. It doesn't make sense because he says he doesn't like kids but she has 3. I really don't know what to do other than what I have done obviously in filing divorce.
How do I heal from this? I have a therapist and friends who are trying to help but I feel like I'm in this endless despair of a black pit. I know I can't force him to see my point but it just feels like everything our marriage stood for is reduced to nothing here. I've accepted my part in this but not once has he. Any advice would be appreciated.

So my wedding is coming up in a few days.
We have been planning it for two years with my partner, but lately I took charge of most things as the number of things to deal with increased and as he had a lot of work to do and I was not employed.
But I feel like it took a toll on me. For context, the reason I'm not umployed is because I had a burnout at my previous job. A few weeks ago, my fiance's previous contract ended, and he doesn't start a new job until a month, so I was glad that I'd be able to share some of the load.
Thing is, I feel like it's even more work. He does not take initiative on things, I have to staff him. On the rare occasions he does, he forgets to keep me in the loop or get some things wrong even though we have all the info up to date in a centralized document, and I have to re-send emails after him.
It's like in addition to planning the wedding I also have to manage someone and it's really taking a toll on me. He doesn't get it and felt very attacked when I tried to share it with him, saying he can't be accused of something that would be thag sexist cause really he wants to help but I just won't "tell him how". And that's the whole point to me. I feel like I should not be the only one to have the big picture in my head and the list of things to do and such. I wish I was free of this mental weight and that I myself could just participate by asking him "what should I do now?". A reverse of the roles would be most pleasant.
But anyways. Today I had two appointments whilst in the midst of heated email negociations with a cab company that was supposed to transport all guests back to their hotels during the night and who just dropped us last minute. First appointment was my gp, I sat down, put down the phone and she immediately said "you can't go on like that". Like she instantly KNEW that I hadn't been sleeping most nights (even tho I have meds for that that usually work but not atm apparently), she knew from my face color that I had some deficiencies (I didn't even realized I skipped a lot of meals this week because I had weeding stuff to take care of) and she told me that my body WILL shut down, even if she were to give me pills to dope me or whatever, I would literally fall down in a few days. Since fainting or having a panic attack during the ceremony is one of my big fears that really didn't help me feel better. I DON'T actually know how to stop. Like I know we still have a gazillion things to do and I can't just ignore them or drop them, when I know I could sort them out. Second appointment right after was my hairdresser, just to redo my roots. As I sat down she explained she wouldn't do the highlights we also agreed on because she had to close shop early. I don't know what happened but I started SOBBING in an unstoppable manner even though I know it's not really a big deal what my hair color is on my wedding or any other day. But I couldn't stop crying and repeating "I can't take any more".
I got back home. Saw a dozen of unread texts and missed calls from various vendors and cab companies I needed to answer to today, and it took all of my willpower to decide to drop it until morning.
Now I'm just lying there and I feel like I don't even have the energy to go read a book and try to sleep. It reminds me a lot of when I went through burnout at my previous job. Except it's not a job in a dysfunctional company, it's a joyful project that I wanted to plan. Tf is wrong with me?
Anybody wen through something similar? If so, do you have any tips on how I could drop things and relax in the upcoming days?
I already gave my whole to-do list to my future husband and both my witnesses saying "please help" and they agreed to but I actually feel incapable of not double checking and not getting involved. It's like it's killing me but I can't stop it.
Any tips welcome. I just want to sleep again at night and have a normal appetite again. And stand on my own two feet next Saturday in front of the mayor and all of our loved ones.
Pills don't help anymore. I already have some (been helped all along by both gp and psychologist after what happened at previous job) but they don't work on that. I think my body is saying like "you will not trick me, I will keep fighting until you effing stop doing so much".
How do I do that lol
Anyways, just really needed to vent I guess, and feel less alone if anyone else is going through this or has gone through it, it would tremendously help to know I'm not alone.
Thanks for reading guys

Hello, Jumpluff fan back again. Thanks to some recent feedback, I've decided to make this a series where do individual breakdowns on underrated/overrated Pokémon throughout the vanilla games (might expand to romhacks someday). With that said, let's jump into the Jet Pokémon Octillery, and how it performs better than you'd expect in Platinum nuzlockes.
First things first. Octillery and all mons going forward in this series shall be viewed in a vacuum. I don't care if you think Gyarados is better, and I don't care if that's true for the vast majority of circumstances. That has no relation to Octillery's individual stats, abilities, or everything else that makes this Pokémon unique. Part of why so many Pokémon in nuzlockes aren't given the credit they deserve or get too much credit is because they are not viewed in a vacuum, and so the argument always just defaults to "this" is outclassed by "that" so it's not worth using, "this" outclasses "that" so you never have a reason to use "that", etc. A mon should be rated on its own capabilities, not stacked against something else.
Location:
Remoraid and Octillery (Route 212, 213 (Earliest Possible), 222, 223, 224, Pastoria City, Sunyshore City, Pokémon League (Good Rod)).
Evolution:
Remoraid evolves into Octillery at 25, meaning you can start using this before Crasher Wake.
Abilities:
Suction Cups (not useful in most scenarios, but still a positive ability nonetheless).
Sniper (Increases your critical damage multiplier from 2x to 3x. Definitely the one you want, and makes Octillery even more ludicrously powerful).
Typing:
Water. What else is there to say? Pure water is a solid defensive typing that boasts four resistances to common types, and fits well with Octillery's performance. With only two weaknesses, both of which are easy to cover, Octillery synergizes well with a bevy of team members.
Stat Spread:
HP: 75
ATK: 105
DEF: 75
SPATK: 105
SPDEF: 75
SPD: 45
When looking at the stats, Octillery is fairly decent. 105 offenses on both ends is pretty good, and the 75/75/75 bulk is not bad. The bane here is the slow speed of which there are workarounds, but it is undeniable it hurts Octillery's performance. Nonetheless, we will see how the slow octopi fares in a run.
Lvl 44 0 SpA Froslass Shadow Ball vs. Lvl 44 0 HP / 0 SpD Octillery: 42-51 (31.5 - 38.3%) -- 90.5% chance to 3HKO
Lvl 45 0 Atk Houndoom Thunder Fang vs. Lvl 48 0 HP / 0 Def Octillery: 50-60 (34.7 - 41.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Lvl 49 0 Atk Scizor X-Scissor vs. Lvl 59 0 HP / 0 Def Octillery: 58-69 (33.1 - 39.4%) -- 99.8% chance to 3HKO
Lvl 55 0 Atk Infernape Thunder Punch vs. Lvl 59 0 HP / 0 Def Octillery: 78-92 (44.5 - 52.5%) -- 16% chance to 2HKO
Lvl 55 0 SpA Espeon Psychic vs. Lvl 59 0 HP / 0 SpD Octillery: 84-99 (48 - 56.5%) -- 84.8% chance to 2HKO
Lvl 60 0 SpA Lucario Aura Sphere vs. Lvl 62 0 HP / 0 SpD Octillery: 84-99 (45.6 - 53.8%) -- 39.5% chance to 2HKO
Here you can see how Octillery's bulk matches up. Against many strong neutral attacks, and even some supereffective attacks, Octillery lives many hits pretty handily. But it's not just that. Octillery offensively is pretty good, and is another glimmering part of its performance.
Lvl 41 0 SpA Octillery Surf vs. Lvl 38 0 HP / 0 SpD Steelix: 138-164 (118.9 - 141.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Lvl 48 0 SpA Octillery Ice Beam vs. Lvl 46 0 HP / 0 SpD Crobat: 90-108 (60.8 - 72.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Lvl 59 0 SpA Octillery Surf vs. Lvl 53 0 HP / 0 SpD Drapion: 90-106 (58.8 - 69.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Lvl 59 0 SpA Octillery Surf vs. Lvl 55 0 HP / 0 SpD Rhyperior: 436-520 (209.6 - 250%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Lvl 59 0 SpA Octillery Surf vs. Lvl 55 0 HP / 0 SpD Infernape: 180-212 (109 - 128.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Lvl 62 0 SpA Octillery Flamethrower vs. Lvl 60 0 HP / 0 SpD Lucario: 124-146 (72 - 84.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Against many major threats, Octillery can usually secure a guaranteed 2hko and several times even a guaranteed ohko, which is a testament to its offensive prowess. If you have sniper, your crits suddenly become a lot more dangerous, and an Octillery crit many times will result in a clean ohko.
Movepool:
Oh yeah. Now we're talking. This is where Octillery really shines. For starters, it gets octazooka upon evolution and before Wake, it will get bullet seed. You can also relearn gunk shot, focus energy and rock blast if you get heart scales. At 42 you will get signal beam, which is good for Lucian, and you naturally get ice beam at 48. This is all fantastic! But it doesn't stop there.
When you look at the TMs available, it only gets better. As is customary for all waters, surf is available before Byron. This allows for Octillery to begin abusing a strong and reliable stab for most of when you use it. Other notable TMs include ice beam, flamethrower, energy ball, charge beam, rest, etc. It is a very customizable mon, and you can easily run several different move sets for the particular fights.
Matchups: (Big fights to watch out for)
Crasher Wake: Great! Takes little damage from Wake's team and can use bullet seed and rock blast to take everything down.
Byron: Decent. Does well against the Steelix, but you'll want to stay away from the magneton. Bastiodon is a bit iffy too, but if it's around 60% hp, Octillery can come in and safely ohko it without the fear getting hit with metal burst.
Candice: Pretty Good! Does well against everything except the abomasnow. If you really wanna test your luck, equip a rindo berry and bring some paralysis support for octillery to safely beat it with a guaranteed ohko flamethrower.
Cyrus 3: Decent. Does well against houndoom, crobat and gyarados, but honckrow and weavile are a bit suspicious, especially with weavile, as a crit ruins you.
Volkner: No. Besides use as a pivot, don't try to tank hits with octillery for this fight. For one you're not going to win any 1v1s and most pokemon are guaranteed/have a roll for an ohko.
Aaron: Great! There's nothing on the team that really scares Octillery besides the heracross, where a crit close combat is a roll to ohko. Otherwise, it wrecks havoc.
Bertha: Fantastic. Nothing here is a huge threat besides the hippowdon which Octillery is widely favored to ohko. Another W for the octopi.
Flint: Great! Admittedly a little trickier, but Octillery still has a strong performance here. The big threat to be worried about is the magmortar, but a wacan berry and some paralysis support can again help it 1v1 this behemoth.
Lucian: Ok. Octillery does well against espeon, but that's about it. It does have a guaranteed 2hko on bronzong with flamethrower, but if bronzong starts boosting up with calm mind, you better hope sniper comes in clutch. The other three are pretty risky to take on, as they either have a roll or guaranteed 2hko on the octopus. With paralysis support, octillery can do fine against these threats, but it is far from a failsafe solution.
Cynthia: Decent. It matches up well against the spiritomb and lucario. Octillery even has a roll for an ohko against Garchomp with ice beam, although the 2hko from earthquake means that a crit equals certain death. It can even take down the milotic with charge beam or energy ball, however mirror coat means you'll need to carefully wear it down before proceeding with the se hit. The togekiss mu is really fishy, and is basically a 50/50. But with paralysis support, octillery has much better odds. Don't try using this against roserade even with paralysis support.
In short, Octillery is a very customizable mon with much more to the eye than you'd expect. I would recommend getting something with twave and paralyze the faster targets first, as while octillery is bulky enough to stomach hits and powerful enough to make quick work of its enemies, the slow speed is a huge downer and makes it easy for Octillery to get worn down. Paralysis support allows for octillery to outspeed its threats and take less damage, and makes it safer for octillery to run rest for recovery.
All in all, Octillery is a very fun mon to mix and match with, and performs well from the moment you get it. I recommend giving it a spin sometime.
Thank you for listening to my long and winded tale. Until next time.

I ran my first Shadowdark game last night. It was myself and 4 players. We are all experienced RPG players, so the game went really smoothly.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the real time torch rule. Normally I run Old-School Essentials which makes me keep track of the time in ten minute intervals. I was incredibly skeptical about real time torches but I wanted to try it out RAW to begin with. After last nights game I FUCKING GET IT NOW! OMG it made things much simpler for me as the DM. I was able to focus more on the game instead of tracking time.
As for what I’m running, it’s an old dungeon that actually predates the publication of original dungeons and dragons by a couple of years. This was a dungeon that one of Dave Arneson’s players created after having played Arneson’s Blackmore campaign. There’s more history at the link below. I’m a big history nerd.
So the way this relates to Shadowdark is the stat blocks in Lost Dungeons are super simple. In the style of original D&D. But I found an almost 1 to 1 conversion of everything from the book. However when I ran into something that wasn’t there conversion was super easy. I just had to reverse the descending AC which wasn’t terribly hard. I just had to stop and think for a moment.
Anyway, I’m absolutely in love with the system and can’t wait for our next game in 2 weeks!
Lost Dungeons

We each have 1 from a previous relationship and 2 together. I love planning birthday events and in years past, I would throw each of the kids a big party and invite my friends’ kids and maybe one or two of their friends from school. In the past year, two of my friends with kids moved away and we’ve grown apart from another family the kids used to play with often, while my BKs are getting older and making closer friends at school. SD9 is primarily with her mom in a different school district and now that she’s a little older, most of her play dates and extracurriculars are facilitated by HCBM. So this year I offered to throw a party for her but she just wanted to take two friends to an amusement park. I HATE having to talk to her friends’ parents because I always feel like HCBM has poisoned the waters against us, and sure enough both moms made an excuse to decline the invitation but their daughters attended the party for SD at HCBM’s. I did not pursue the party idea after that but instead got tickets to an expensive event just for me and SD, which I haven’t done with any of the other kids. At some point weeks later, DH accused me of blowing off SD’s birthday party even though I was literally the one to do everything for her birthday from ordering and wrapping the presents to baking her cake, buying her birthday outfit, decorating the dining room, inviting my family over for her family birthday dinner and taking her out dinner and to the event a few days later.
This weekend our BS together is turning 5 but my cousin, with whom I’m admittedly not close, is getting married 2 hours away and we’ll have to stay overnight. I regret saying we’d go because I don’t want to leave BS5 now, but we already rsvped and booked a room, and my whole family is going. We’re leaving as late in the day as possible and returning as early tomorrow morning as possible because we planned to spend the whole day Sunday doing birthday activities for BS.
Two days ago HCBM messaged saying that SD9 has a performance on Sunday midday. She’s known about this for months, she’s just lazy and awful at planning but the CO says we have to be given access to cumulative events. We missed this event last year bc DH forgot about it. I said he should go to SD’s event and I’d take the other kids out to do the birthday activities as planned (nothing formal, just park, bookstore, ice cream, etc). He immediately got mad and accused me of trying to shaft SD, saying that if it was my older BS (whom I share with my ex) I’d never suggest going alone. That is absolutely not true, as I am very conscious of not planning my BK’s lives around their older sibling’s schedules any more than we already have to due to custody orders and visitation, and I said as much. I don’t want to make them sit quietly and watch a performance that SD is in (she’s just one performer in one group, and it’s multiple groups performing) for 2 hours on a day that is supposed to be about BS5. It’s not like I told DH not to go. He then said well we’re going to your cousins wedding on his actual birthday, which I responded to by saying he had no issue with that until it became a bargaining chip to get everyone to make BS5’s birthday weekend about SD.
Was I wrong? I am looking for alternatives regarding the wedding (bringing the kids and a sitter, maybe bowing out and sending a bigger check) and I just said “whatever, fine” about going to SD’s event, but I’m so sick of being accused of shafting her when I spend the same amount of time and energy on her as I do on my other kids—more than he does—even though I’m NOT HER MOTHER (and she doesn’t want me to be, she’s close with HCBM). I also feel like he is fine with shafting BS5 and our other kids in favor of SD because of dad guilt and because the other kids are with us full time (or close to it in my older BS’ case).

Hi all! My husband and I are going to Disneyland & California Adventure for just one day and I opted for a park hopper. We won’t be able to ride thrill rides because I’m pregnant (so just the easy going stuff & shows). We plan on taking a break at the hotel midday, but doing rope drop to close. Any tips or things that we should definitely do in either park? I’m starting to make a rough plan for our itinerary.
Also, is it possible to view World of Color and then jump over to see Wondrous Journey? Or am I living in a dream world? We’ll be going on Tuesday, July 11th if that gives any insight.
Thanks in advance!