Hi there, I’m on a 10-day solo trip in a rainy, gorgeous England (from California, USA) and thought I’d leave reviews about some of the products I’ve brought. I obsessed over all the product reviews here before my trip (well, all the time really - when I’m not traveling, I’m thinking about traveling), and want to “pay it forward.”

1. Palette by Pak - I used to use contact lens cases but was getting annoyed with having more than one case and tiny capacity and all else. I bought this and LOVE it. The capacity for my particular skin care is perfect for a 10-day trip. I put in Make Up Forever make up remover, Lancôme foaming cleanser, Biossance eye cream, tretinoin, and Estée Lauder Idealist (absolute best for reducing appearance of pores on me). I have a small container of Biossance face lotion. Am considering getting a second Palette for face cream and hair goop because it’s just so convenient and keeps me from overpacking on toiletries (my travel nemesis). Currently I have a couple of small containers for hair goop, in addition to other small containers for other face/body/hair crap.
   
2. Stasher half-gallon bag for toiletries. I have an embarrassing number of toiletry bags and this one is the best. I like it better than a ziplock or a Dopp kit. I know it’s bigger than a quart-size but I haven’t had any issues with airport security. I don’t pack it to capacity - the taller size allows the Palette to fit. I might run into an agent who has issues with the larger size bag. I also pack regular quart-size baggies for s snacks and such so can transfer if needed. I like getting things in and out of the Stasher bag and it’s just more handy and sturdy for bathrooms, tossing in a suitcase, shoving in my backpack, etc. I have a smaller version for my makeup and it’s now my favorite makeup bag.
   
3. Columbia Carson’s Pass Interchange Jacket - waterproof, wind resistant, looks like a disco ball on the inside, and it’s two jackets in one! The length is perfect on me (I’m 5’6”) - and for the first time in all my Spring-weather travels anywhere; I’m warm! Highly recommended.
   
4. Uniqlo Heat-tech base layer leggings (the thinner ones) - great under leggings for warmth without bulk, great as sleepwear, easy to wash in a sink and air dries in a few hours. Wish I had gotten the long-sleeve too as well.
   
5. Corkcicle 12 ounce stainless steel mug - found this on clearance for $7 at Nordstrom Rack the day before I left and - on a panic “whim” - packed it. I’ve used this everyday for tea, coffee, wine, packet soup (like miso), water. It’s been really nice - Compared to the water bottle I brought and really wish I hadn’t; it takes up space and is unnecessary cause I could have just bought a bottle here and refilled it endlessly. They have a brand called One sold in aluminum bottles.
   
6. Lululemon Bigger Everyday bag - I have a smaller one that I use a lot at home as my purse. I didn’t pack it (again with the panic “whims” on the packing!). Just thought I’d manage with my backpack. I don’t want to (or need to) carry my backpack everywhere). I bought one here and opted for the bigger version for the dual zip main compartment and to fit my phone when it’s attached to a battery. Never traveling without this bag again. I wear it around my back and under my coat when I’m out and about, wear it in front when I don’t have my coat on, wear it on my hip at restaurants - it’s brilliant. Long live the fanny pack.
   
7. Crochet people: I have my project I started for this trip (Through the Clouds shawl, Oink Nimbus fingering weight yarn, 3.5 mm hook) and then visited some LYS for Cotswolds wool. There are some fantastic handspun yarns from local sheep and alpaca! Anyway, I brought a 5mm hook cause I thought maybe I’d start another project - and I’m making an ear warmer with “seaweed-eating sheep” wool I found in a lovely shop called Fibreworks in Chipping Norton! Anyway that was a silly addition that turned out to be nice. YMMV
   

Other notes about my trip: staying in hotels, proper B&Bs. (Available in-room drinkware has ranged from mugs to teeny espresso cups so I really like having that corkcicle mug). Using a Briggs & Riley 22” roller bag and Briggs and Riley delve backpack - love the roller bag; mixed feelings on the backpack. Visiting London and the Cotswolds this trip.
Things I wish I had left behind: water bottle; that 3rd sweate4th pair of pants/4th pair of socks/sneakers (have been wearing my Blundstones everywhere because of the rain - basically only wore the sneakers in airport - should have just brought a second set of insoles instead); and Kindle (have iPad and am listening to audiobooks while walking or crocheting).
That’s all for now. Happy Travels!

Hi everyone. I posted a query on here 7 months ago, and I sent out about 6 queries at that time (I actually voluntarily removed one, so it ended up being 5.) I got form rejections from two, personalized rejections from two, and never heard back from the other one. Since then I've done massive re-writes and reconstructed a lot of the backstory, so if you read my old post thats why there's some inconsistencies. I'm not planning to query again for a while but I thought I would start getting feedback sooner rather than later.
Other notes:

• I think the largest thing that hurt me while querying was my low word count, especially since it's a sci-fi. I've increased it and hope to increase it about 5k more during final touch-ups.
• I've been reading LGBTQ sci-fi and have found that finding comp titles is my mortal enemy, so I'm ignoring that for now. If you have recs please let me know.
• My old query was super unconventional and I loved it, but it was a little confusing. I'm trying a more traditional style here. Does it seem too plot-heavy?

_______
Dear ,
Magdalene grew up in a cult on Mars, where they worship a supercomputer that makes their life possible. Her best friend, Elias, is tasked with becoming a priest, the group that is mutilated for the maintenance of the computer's language module. They panic, come up with a plan for his escape quickly, can not think straight due to the pressure. When the plan goes horribly awry, Magdalene is excommunicated, and she sneaks Elias away with her.
Ten years later, Magdalene is living on the Lunar Outpost. She's spent the past decade trying to avoid thinking about her past, diving head first into her work as a way to avoid it. She begins to date a journalist who's obsessed with the history of the past century, the way that Mars and the Lunar Outpost replaced Earth as it died. She convinces Magda to keep a diary and document her experiences, and Magda realizes that the root of her guilt isn't the failed plan-- it's the fact that she smuggled Elias out in an effort to save him, and then he disappeared.
Elias left to the dilapidated Earth and never came back. He could be dead, and it could be her fault. She sets out to find him, explores the planet she's been told to fear her whole life, and is forced to reckon with the past that she's been running from.
REPENTANCE is a stand alone, epistolary, adult science fiction novel complete at approximately 90,000 words. Thank you for taking the time to consider my query.
Sincerely,
_______
First 300 words:
I was eighteen when I burnt down 256 acres of crops. I only meant to burn down one or two— only wanted to give the impression that Elias had died in the fire and burnt to a crisp. What I wanted didn’t matter. I stood near the edge of the field, watching miles of flames move faster than I could have imagined, and I was unable to move.
Elias, at this time, was running in the opposite direction. I remember watching the fire and imagining him running, and I thought, rather distantly, about how the plan had been for him to run at night and yet my fire was taking the darkness away. This detail made me realize how idiotic the whole thing was. How easily we had been blinded by desperation. He was set to be ordained in two weeks and we could think of nothing else. Could not plan his escape as intricately as we should have. How was I supposed to stop the fire at only an acre? How was Elias supposed to show up in another neighborhood unannounced? I want to imagine that we had answers to these things, but it’s hard to remember the details. This was nearly ten years ago.
I should have been running, too. I should have been distraught, should have faked the pain of my best friend dying by my hand. I willed my toes to move, but they didn’t move at all. I counted one, two, three, run and ended up standing there for a while longer.
I watched my fire consume nearly a year’s supply of food. That was my clearest thought — that I was causing a famine and yet still could not run for help.

I sent her a video of my daughter playing and becoming a little fussy. Then she accused me of child abuse because "you let your daughter cry and don't comfort her". Mind you the video was 30 seconds long. Afterwards she texted me that she hopes she screams all night and keeps us awake. I called her and screamed at her to go f*ck herself and she will never see me again as loud as I could (my wife said she never heard me scream like that in 10 years).
I f*cking hope she dies old and alone. You accuse me of child abuse?? You were angry for three days when I forgot my hat at school!
F*ck you you rotten piece of s.

Sorry for the long post.
You decided to drunk call me after 4 years of no contact. Fine. But what really fucking sucks is you telling me about how awesome you life is and how I made the wrong choice to look after myself. I didn’t break up with you. I literally offered you to take a step with me for us. You just didn’t want to. To be honest, I didn’t really notice our age gap before I offered you to come with me in a place where we could raise a family easier and escape many restrictions of society. You declined. I tried my best to show you that I have it planned. Well guess what. It didn’t worked out as planned , but it worked out in the end. I guess you were right in a way. I respect that. I ended up living in the neighborhood we used to plan living in, drive the car we planned to buy and living the life we used to dream about. I made it without you. But do you know what I lost? I can’t maintain a relationship with someone my own age. I can’t find someone that is on the same level as you. Every 22-25 year old that I meet looks and behaves like a kid here… they usually have no prospects of settling down. Hell, some don’t even have ideals and goals. Settling down is what I want and all I ever wanted after being with you. Every older woman I go for is afraid of being with a man in his 20s. So there you have it you fucked my relationship life up. Because of you I got played for 2 years. 1 year after I left, I thought I met the one but turned out to be just as any other. You asked me if someone is in the room with me and started crying. I can’t help you anymore. I explicitly told you to not contact me in any way. Do you remember that? You fucking left me in the train station and told me that you were married. What am I supposed to do? Wait for you? Or try to move on? So yes, there is someone right next to me. I am probably gonna fuck her brains out too…. I can’t feel ashamed because it’s just a transaction for the both of us. You crying doesn’t help. I had to hang up and block you. I did it for me. Sorry. I hope your husband doesn’t know anything about us, from the looks of it you took care of that too. Good for you. I saw a picture of your newborn and you. I smiled imagining what our life’s could looked like. I guess I reminisced what we had for a little. I finally got all feelings I had for you out of my system. Good luck with everything..

So, I’m 31 years old with a brother 3 years my senior who I am pretty sure has Asperger’s. I haven’t read that extensively about it and I know that I should, but even though I’m relatively young, nobody was talking about this stuff when we were kids in the early 2000s and I think that he has just gone undiagnosed his entire life. He misses what to me are pretty simple social queues, he constantly talks about things that he seems to know are inappropriate in public (nothing perverse, he just seems to like to ruffle anyone and everyone’s feathers if he can), he obsesses regularly over strange and outlier subjects, and when he took the MENSA test he was shown to have unusually high IQ (151, I believe).
Nobody likes him, and I’m not even sure I do. He’s my big brother however, so I’ve always felt a sort of obligation to him and trying to help him in any way I can, especially in terms of socializing. He has always been rude, abrasive, ill-tempered, disrespectful, and he seems to generally lack any and all empathy for other people, but this is generally kept to a minimum when he’s sober. When he’s drunk, all of this gets much, much worse. He’s not violent or belligerent or anything, but he’s really, really rude and he just does not seem to care at all.
Is this something that is more of a problem with autistic people or is my brother just a dick? Cuz I really want to believe that he’s autistic and that this has to do with that so that way I don’t hate him, but it’s getting really hard lately not to hate him.

*The shuttle shakes violently as it enters Earth's long broken atmosphere, but there is still enough Nitrogen and Carbon to give hell as we make our decent to the planet's surface, no one knows were here, Earth was Black Listed more than 500,000 years ago, eventually things smoothed out...And soon enough...we landed...The two soldiers closed their visors and stood behind me to my left and right, I hear the pilot speak over the intercom* "Make sure to keep those oxygen tanks with you, This planet is dead, Nothin' but Nitrogen and Carbon and nuclear soot from poles to equator, If you run low on oxygen before you reach the specified destination, call for EVAC and we will come get ya', That's if some tech horror from Old Earth doesn't rip ya' guts out, But I doubt that, Have a fun fuckin' trip on this hellhole..." *And with that, we enter the airlock dock and it depressurizes with a loud hiss before the metal door in front of us loudly swings open, quiet gentle winds blow towards us...It is astonishing how quiet it is...I can hear the hearts of the soldier standing at my sides beat...I walk forward out of the shuttle and and they quickly follow, I look out at the desolate landscape, my sensors looking out and the long expanse of grew and brown, what used to be the Piedmont Region of North Carolina...Is now...Dust...I hear the soldier to my right speak* "Man...The nukes really did destroy everything..." *I pause for a second, and then respond* "No...The nukes destroyed them...Time destroyed the rest..." *I continue to walk forward with them...For miles and miles...We landed so far away because we were worried about old War of Iron era robots maybe had made their way here...Although unlikely, still possible, soon, we come across what we are looking for, the large house atop the mountain, it's there...Rusted out and rotting but there as expected, we make the long climb up the mountain, one of the soldier now just won't stop asking questions about "What was Old Earth like?" or "Why did you start the War of Iron?" things I cannot say, so I just give a basic half-assed answer and it shuts him up...Soon enough we made it, the soldier to my right chimes in once we reach the broken porch to this large old house* "No sign of the Golden Knight here sir...Why did you even think he would want to come back here in the first place?" *Patriot thinks...He was a Old Human...That was the only way he could had worn the armor, he must had come from Old Earth...But is here...Then where here?...Patriot continue to think...Wait...The Facility!...But that would mean.............Leo is....Alive....Or something else, one of his creations must have done something to cause all of this...But for why?...So many questions...But most of all fears...Perhaps Old Earth...Is not as dead as was originally thought*

hi, i'm new to this subreddit. i have paranoid schizophrenia. the reason why i'm here is to learn more about people who have the same disorder as me and to get answers i guess. so here goes nothing... (tw: weight and ed, mention of assault)
at the end of 2018, i was prescribed abilify to help along with the antidepressants i was on. i was told that the most weight id gain was 2-5lbs but i stopped counting around the 50lb mark, i gained well above 50lbs. i had only been on medication for 3 months at the time and i didn't know what to expect. at the beginning it seemed like it was helping but it just went downhill. i was tired 24/7 and would just sleep all the time, i got in trouble at school for sleeping, that's how tired it made me. i was drooling like a toddler it was so gross. i've had glasses since i was 8 years old and my vision was never that bad until i was on abilify. i was always lightheaded. i was always in pain. my hallucinations got worse and my paranoia was out of control. in the beginning of may of 2019, i got hospitalized for the first time for mental health. two weeks prior to my hospitalization, my friend passed away. a week after my friend's passing, i got assaulted at school. i was in inpatient for 7 full days. they tweaked my medication a bit but that was it. after my hospitalization, my summer break was alright, i don't really remember it but i was still gaining weight even though i was extremely active as a kid. it sucked, it really did. seeing all of the clothes that used to fit didn't fit anymore and it was embarrassing. my appetite was ruined from abilify. when i started my sophomore year of high school, i thought things were pretty good even though i wasn't sleeping well or still having extremely vivid hallucinations and i was extremely paranoid. i remember in school i was so scared that i would hide under my desk and cry and cry because i thought something or someone would hurt me. on halloween 2019, i had my 9th attempt. the next day i got hospitalized again. i was in inpatient for 8 full days. they adjusted my medications a little bit and i had to do outpatient therapy for three days a week, until the pandemic hit. a month before the pandemic i got taken off of abilify and i felt so much better. my hallucinations weren't as bad same with my paranoia. i was able to sleep, i could talk clearly instead of slurring my words, overall i felt better. since everything kinda went away, so did my appetite. i had no appetite whatsoever. i wasn't starving myself on purpose i just wasn't hungry. during lockdown i lost most of the weight caused by abilify. i was actually stable. fast forward to february 2021, i was looking at old pictures of myself and noticed how big i was. i had stretch marks on my stomach, my chest, my arms and i got really self conscious about it. because of that i started starving myself on purpose because i had an extreme fear of being that big. not only did abilify give me anorexia but it gave me nerve damage and seizure like tremors. i have to take seizure medications now and i just have to deal with the consequences lol.
as of now i'm doing better, i'm on very low doses of my medications. my eating disorder is still there, my nerves still hurt like hell, and my seizure tremor things are better because im on seizure medication. everyone has different reactions to medications. thank you for reading, i hope im not the only one to have this issue with abilify.

I admit I’m not perfect but in reality no one is, and at the same time I know I’m doing everything I can to provide a great life for my child. My 19 month old is doing amazing. Still though I constantly feel like I have to prove to people around me that I’m not as awful as they think I am. Or defend every action or decision I make even though I shouldn’t have to.
My situation isn’t even that bad. I’m unmarried so face a lot of judgment for that despite me and dad being together for years. We own a house so live together, technically engaged, yet struggle with finding time to plan so no wedding yet. I have a college education, B.S now and planning to go back for either masters or ph. D. Financially sound because dad has a very large income. I could be a stay at home mom if I wanted to but and we’re working on paying off my college loan debt plus I’d get bored.
So overall I think I’m doing alright. But somehow still get told I’m a bad mom for a select few things that in my mind shouldn’t matter… I am told quite often I’m too young. Had my daughter at 24 and am now 25. Judged for not getting her baptized and not wanting to participate in Christian holidays. Despite my child being in the 99th percentiles for both height and weight I am constantly harassed and accused of starving her or even child abuse for our vegetarian diet. Told I’m not responsible enough or just lazy so need to take parenting classes for not disciplining every little mistake.
For the most part the hurtful comments and judgement is coming from family members and friends. They make me question myself as a parent and my capabilities. I guess I just wanted to vent is all. Im proud of myself and love my little family so when Im told I’m not good enough it’s truly heartbreaking.

“How long it takes I couldn’t tell you. ”RW Oliver Wahlstrom injured on Dec. 27 is out for the rest of the season due to a lower-body injury. New Jersey’s leading scorer 21-year-old Jack Hughes added two assists. Andreas Athanasiou had a goal and assist for last-place Chicago in its eighth straight loss. You can’t give some of the chances we’ve given up on rushes and things like that. “He’s super human but he’s still human. Little things that we haven’t been doing lately and then they take advantage of them. ”New York goalie Ilya Sorokin was pulled with 8:15 left in the second after allowing four goals on 21 shots. The Maple Leafs hold a four-point advantage with two games at-hand over Tampa Bay for home-ice advantage. “Obviously it gives us peace of mind” Vasilevskiy said of making the playoffs. Cooper had no update on Sergachev’s status postgame. Vasilevskiy has two shutouts in his last three game and four overall this season. Tyler Johnson scored for the third straight game and rookie Lukas Reichel deflected in a goal. Longtime Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews returned from two-month medical leave of absence. The 34-yeare-old Toews took the opening faceoff for Chicago as he appeared in a game for the first time since Jan. 28 at Edmonton. Tyler Johnson scored in his third straight game after going 14 in a row without one. - Alpha AI

Hello. I want to get a PC built to play Diablo 4 at 1440p on my ViewSonic VX2758-2KP-MHD (27" 1440p 144Hz gaming monitor with an IPS panel, FreeSync, and 1ms MPRT). Is anyone able to please build me a spec on https://au.pcpartpicker.com/ with its cost under AU$2,000? Apart from D4, I would play Overwatch 2 or another FPS game. I've had my current old system (GPU R9 270x) for over 8 years, so I imagine I would have this system for some quite some time too. Thank you in advance!

Absolutely as it says. I’m 4 years off cigarettes and I want one. Sure, he made me a couple cocktails but we managed a Child-free evening, thank to me… he played video games for a bit. If I go to the bathroom… I come back and he’s on his phone for “an important Easter special” on his game. Okay, fine. We have dinner and watched shows but then he goes to bed… barely touches me. Only I introduce a smooch. I guess our evening is done. Look, we sleep with our 3 year old- we neeevvveeeeeerrrr get a free night. Why can’t he just do his part? Anyway. He says he’s going to bed…. Like, pats me on the leg. No kiss, no affection…. I have had a few dreams of ex bfs and it fucks me up. I don’t want to dream about them but this one in particular made me orgasm so hard, I’ll never get that back. Never… not at this rate! It bums me tf out.

Hi! I have a 7month old maltese-mini schanuzer boy. He is pretty energetic so needs regular stimulation (mental but also physical). I am his sole owner and care taker, we live alone, I have a full time demanding job but can combine with wfh a lot.
He is still eating 3 times a day because he likes it and he is not a big eater as is, so i try to get him eating whenever i can. He doesnt eat a lot in one sitting. He also has very good digestion-needs to poop 20-30mins after eating. We have a backyard where he pees but refuses to poop even if we are out there for hours (potty training rly stuck), he will just whine to go ‘outside’ outside.
This is where it gets tricky for me. How do i combine eating and pooping 3 times a day with regular walks AND waiting 2 whole hours after eating before walking? Oh, and apparently he is not supposed to eat 30min AFTER a walk either. All that on top of training +everyday grooming +my job +selfcare +everythingeverywhereallatonce :D
Right now we do (roughly):
-wake up around 6am, pee in the backyard, get back in to shower etc while he naps, around 8 breakfast and then a 20min walk for pooping (low intensity, barely a walk). Then napping and chilling
-in the afternoon i take him on a long proper walk, somewhere around 60-90minutes, but at a leisurely pace. I feed him around 2. Then i try waiting as long as possible before taking him out but usually he is already nervous to go out so we dont make it longer than 45mins. As the weather gets nicer I plan to combine playing in the yard with a shorter walk. We train on our walk (plus weakly class). Sometimes i take him out first and then we eat, but that means i need to basically turn right back around and take him out again. And he needs some time and movement to get things moving so the latter scenario would mean another mini walk right after the first (he is already tired). After the walk/play/training he chills and naps again, and also plays by himself a bit
-dinner around 6-6.30 pm and then around 7 a poop walk, the same as in the morning. Then napping untill bed time at 10 when we take a pre-bedtime pee and go to sleep
So my question is, how much should i stick to the 2hours after eating rule? In the morning especially it is almost impossible when i have to go to work (if i feed him after going out he will have to hold it for 5-6h untill i get home which seems a bit cruel). And morning/evening walk is rly just taking him potty. (I even carry him for the first part). The main afternoon walk is what worries me most, hence i do tend to feed him after the walk (which makes it even more impossible to wait after dinner).
Any advice on how to combine all this?
Thanks!

I've been seeing a lot of comrades attacking Ron, and it seems that they're being serious. So, let me educate the ones not in the loop.
Ron DeSantis is our guy.
Dead fucking serious. He's our man on the inside. Now, his exact politics are ambiguous. It's hard to tell just where he lands on a scale of lib to leftist. However, the important thing is that he is not really conservative. He's successfully infiltrated the GOP via a carefully constructed persona and cunning theatrics. Let me explain.

A little background

First off, Ron was born and raised in Jacksonville, one of the largest enclaves of BIPOC culture in all of Florida. Ron's mother was a hippie and his father was a left-wing atheist, they even met at Youngstown State University (which was one of the most liberal colleges in the country at that point). There's a lot of information about Ron's upbringing, most notably his fascination with baseball (the national sport of Cuba) yet, curiously, there's very little on his Churchgoing life, or if he even attended Church at all. Nowadays he's quick to cite his attendance to the OLL Catholic High School, although it's ambiguous how much time he actually spent there. It's possible he wasn't there longer than a semester, if even that.
The point is, Ron was not born or groomed into conservatism like most Republicans are. Even after graduating Dunedin High School, he pursued a liberal education at both Yale and Harvard. It wasn't even until 2012 that Ron got involved with politics at all, running as a Republican in an overwhelmingly Republican district (6th congressional district), one that hasn't elected a Democrat since the party switch. He won, and proceeded to have a very uneventful, middle-of-the-road congressional career. He also married Casey Black, an openly feminist journalist and Charleston alumni with a major in Economics and a minor in French.
So, up until his bid for governor, Ron DeSantis has been anything but the typical Republican. In fact, he's been battling RINO accusations since as far back as Michael Cohen's political relevancy (if any of you even remember him). His actions are less consistent with a Republican ideologue and more consistent with someone who secretly loathes the party they're in but is trying to keep up appearances. A bit like an anti-Krysten Sinema, if you will. But, as the heading indicated, that's only the background. Let's get to the interesting part.

A series of Saul Goodman gambits

I know you've read about Ron in the news, or at least in posts here. I'm sure everyone here knows about Martha's Vineyard, LibsOfTikTok, the "war on woke". These would all be very fashy things if they were meant to succeed. But, that's just it: they weren't. Let's go down the list.
The Martha's Vineyard Stunt: Everyone knows about this act of cruelty: Ron kidnapped a bunch of undocumented latinx immigrants and stranded them in frozen weather. The left was outraged, the right was cheering and Ron became a hero to the conservative cause. But let's take a closer look. It's common knowledge in lefty circles that the undocumented immigrants were shipped from Texas to Florida, and then to Massachusetts. At first glance it's the actions of an extreme hypocrite: a xenophobe who complains of "illegals" swarming his home, but can't even find any within his own state. This wasn't by accident. Florida has 772,000 undocumented immigrants (source). Ron could have just much more easily found immigrants in Palm Beach or Broward, but he deliberately chose to 1) Subtly undermine his own stunt and give an optical victory to the left 2) Relocate dozens of undocumented immigrants out of Texas, one of the cruelest states to immigrants in general (particularly of a latinx background). Martha's Vineyard is one of the richest parts of one of the most migrant-friendly states in the country. No matter how you slice it, their lives are vastly improved and it was all done on Florida's payroll.
LibsOfTikTok: Here's a much shorter breakdown. When infamous TikTok Nazi and serial doxxer, LibsOfTikTok, got doxxed herself, Ron DeSantis publicly announced that he would offer refuge in his governor's mansion. He got a lot of praise from the right and scorn from the left. Then he didn't do it.
The War on Woke: Here's another long breakdown, although not as long as I had expected. Ron's made constant news coverage with his supposed "war on woke", a series of proposed laws and regulations that would criminalize leftist thought and persecute minorities. This is absolutely a terrifying force to be playing with. However, this is the point that I need to remind y'all: Ron went to Harvard. He graduated with a JD. These laws haven't just failed, they were designed to fail. You've heard of failproof? These were successproof, and intentionally so. The Reedy Creek board has no control over Disney, yet Ron gets credit for "taking down woke Disney". The "stop-woke" law targeting colleges couldn't even make it past a conservative judge. The supposed book bannings have even had the comical side effect of removing the bible from many Florida public schools, a matter which he had curiously not anticipated despite being the architect of their machinations. I'm sure many here assume that these outcomes are all the product of stupidity, but that's not the case. "But why make laws that aren't supposed to succeed?" Well, that's where things get really interesting.

Why would Ron do all this?

Isn't it obvious? Publicity.
It's easy to forget, but Trump is still the defacto leader of Republican Party. There's no sign of a mass exodus from him anytime soon. He is their strongman, he is the new Reagan. Forget Biden, Trump is Ron's final boss. It's also easy to forget that Trump gets billions worth of publicity for free. Nobody can afford to compete with that, not conventionally. Ron is trying to beat Trump at his own game. But there's a clear difference between the two: Trump is a true Republican and has been his whole life. Behind every zany university scam is a trail of ruined lives and stepped on people. Trump has left behind a verifiable trail of destruction. But DeSantis? His big ploys for attention have been victimless. He gave a better life to undocumented immigrants. He wooed right wing voters with authoritarian laws that had no chance of coming to fruition. He's boasted about making the GOP stronger while undermining it every step of the way.
Even John Oliver's Ron DeSantis segment had trouble making substantial criticisms of him. I think this is perhaps because the Last Week Tonight staff are more thorough in their investigations than most legitimate journalists. For example: in the entire 30 minute segment, not once did John ever mention Martha's Vineyard or LibsOfTikTok. In fact, one has to wonder if John is in on it when he spent most of the time playing up Ron's "conservative strongman" persona in a way that would actually make him appealing to the Republican voterbase. In fact, if you watch that segment with the idea of it being pro-DeSantis propaganda, it's actually more effective than it was as a liberal hitpiece. John even felt the need to mention that Trump is the worse between the two.
Which brings me to my final point, and possibly the most important:

What is Ron's relationship with Trump?

That's a topic that the media has been musing over for the last year, but it's really not that hard to figure out. Early on, everyone talked about the "rivalry" between the two. This rhetoric heated up as Trump's jabs at him became meaner and even borderline slanderous. Yet Ron has been careful not to fight back, even attempting to be cordial with Trump.
So, that means Ron likes Trump, right?
Dead wrong. Dead fucking wrong. The biggest piece of evidence that Ron does not like Trump is the fact that he's gearing up to run in 2024 at all. He's only 44 years old. There's no urgency for him to run in 2024. The only reason he would have to dedicate himself to such a clusterfuck of a year is that it's likely his only chance to usurp Trump. Does anyone really expect such a decrepit, out of shape piece of shit to run in 2028? 2028 would likely be easier for Ron, who will only be 48 (an actual child compared to most presidential candidates). Plus he wouldn't be running against a Dem with the incumbent advantage.
No matter how you slice it, the only way Ron's 2024 bid makes any sense is if you view it as pure spite against Trump.
But that circumstantial evidence isn't enough. Instead, I'd like to allow Ron to speak for himself. On the topic of Trump's indictment, Republicans (even supposed "never Trumpers" like Romney) have been outspoken in defense of Trump. Well, with one notable exception. When asked about his thoughts on Trump possibly being the victim of political persecution, DeSantis (who is not one to pass up an opportunity to speak out about Democrats) only had this to say:

He's trying to do a political spectacle … I've got real issues I've got to deal with here in the state of Florida (source)

Ron DeSantis was practically given the chance to woo the Trump voterbase. And yet, a man known for being thunderous and commanding instead responded with... silence. It's perhaps the loudest silence of all: the silence of endorsement.
I rest my post.

TL;DR Ron DeSantis' inexplicable and sometimes illogical political career is a carefully crafted, carefully acted ploy to undermine Trump and possibly the GOP as a whole.

Normal people dont go around destroying somone they once loved. You told me you loved ne 30 minutes before breaking up with me. You moved on 2 hours later. The nect day you thretened me with things I trusted you with. You obviously never loved me so dont say you did. I missed you at first then i relized i deserved better. I missed the old you, not the you, you sre now. The one that cryed on call because he made me cry. I did miss that you but then I relized neither the old you or the new you deserved me because you were full of red flags and always made me cry. Lucky for you I didnt levae because of attachment issues so instead i let you hurt me over and over again. You were great at manipulating. I should have left. You broke up wiht me 7 times within an hour then told me you were going to TW: kill yourself. I cried for an hour because ypu blocked me and i had no way of making sure you were ok. Then you unblocked me and broke up with me again then moved on 2 hours later. But honestly good luck finding someone who put up wih as much ad i did cus ur gonna need it with your personality. Luckily when I told you I'm going to find someone that deserves me I didnt lie. He is the sweetest guy I have ever met. And I trust him like I never did you. I love him and he makes me so so happy. I can finally say I'm over the things you put me through because he makes me forget all the bad. <3

So, i don't like talking about my feelings, but i really need to vent about this, because it bothers me. (TLDR at the end)
​
So, in germany you go to secondary school when you go to 5th grade and you stay with a class until 11th grade, where you get a personal schedule and have different classes in every lesson. So i am in 10th grade now and this is my last year with my class. That was just information to understand the text better??
​
When i got into secondary school, i remember i missed my old class so much that i didn't talk to anyone at my class at all (I got misdiagnosed with Autism because of that, but that's a different story) until like 6th grade. I didn't even know that some people in my class existed. And one day there was this person my class teacher sat next to me, let's call them Sam. Sam was one of these people i didn't know i went in a class with them despite for being in this class for like 4 months?
We both were the tallest people in class so i remember a kid complaining to the teacher they won't see anything in class now. I don't remember how i felt about Sam while they sat next to me, because my memory in 5th grade is blurry, because i didn't talk to anyone at that time and i annoyed my older sister at the breaks.
I am 90% sure that Sam was crushing on me at some time. One time it was raining but i went outside anyway. Sam ran to me and told me to get back in because recess got cancelled. So basically my entire class didn't know i was outside because i made myself pretty much invisible in class but Sam remembered me. Maybe it was because they cared about me or because my class teacher told them to get me back in school. If it was the first option i really appreciate that.
Well, we sat together in class until somewhere in 6th grade where one of us (i don't remember who) complained and Sam got seated next to another kid.
In 6th grade we had a class trip. Some weeks before the trip I was playing truth or dare with some kids in my class and they asked me who the person i get along with the most is. I said that it was Sam. I didn't think much about it, but the kids made it a pretty big deal thinking i am in love with Sam.
At the class trip one of this kids constantly tried to get me and Sam together (They were asking me who in the class i would like to date, dared me to ask Sam out and in truth or dare everytime it was my turn they asked me if i like Sam etc)
One day at the class trip there was a kid me and my friends hated. We said that they were a pervert and a pedo (The kid had a lower voice than the rest of us and they also looked older despite being even younger than some of us) and Sam said to me "If they ever harass you i will protect you" i was confused and asked why. Then Sam said "Because i am your partner (As in romantic)" i cringed and said "No we are not. What makes you think we are dating?" "Well everyone says that we are dating" i got very mad and said "Just because some stupid people say we are dating that doesn't mean anything at all" then Sams voice lowered and they said "Okay, we're only dating in school" and then i shouted "No! We aren't together at all!" And that was the end of conversation. I wasn't paying much attention anymore to Sam at that day but they were talking to me normally. The next day i got into a fight with a kid and a friend said everyone is mad at me for getting into this fight. I asked Sam if they were on my side and they just said they are neutral. So i suppose they were quite hurt because i basically rejected them earlier. I didn't even know that they were trying to ask me out because i am/was pretty oblivious and sometimes.
Me and Sam eventually became friends a month after the class trip. That was when i started having a crush on them. But it only lasted for like 3 weeks and i didn't tell anyone. At that time Sam probably still had a crush on me too because there were some signs.
But some months later i got into a huge fight with a friend of mine who was also Sam's bestie and then we weren't friends anymore and they probably lost feelings for me at that time too.
We weren't talking to each other until somewhere in 7th grade. Another friend tried to set me up with Sam but i didn't like them anymore. Especially because in 7th grade there was a phase were Sam and their Bestie would pick on me for no real reason. So i was basically extremely mad at Sam and hated them (Oh god now that i am writing this i realize even more what a terrible person Sam is) and i was also very mad at my friend for trying to set us up. The friend said they wanted to do this because everytime i was next to Sam both of us became a bit nervous, but i didn't notice and said it was a coincidence. (For me at least!)
In 7th grade i also realized that i am AroAce (How can i have a crush then you might ask? I will come to it eventually!) and didn't really care about having crushes anymore (I was also shipping Sam with their Bestie at that point. Sorry, that was a cringe phase but everyone goes through something like that hahah)
In 8th grade me and Sam became "Friends"? again (But from that day on it wasn't like it used to be, i will explain it soon) and we were walking to school together from swimming lesson. Alone. I don't know what we were talking about but they said they are straight and i jokingly said they are in love with their Bestie and Bi. (Sorry for that) Sam said they have a proof they are straight and i asked what it was. They got nervous and said "I....I...um...Nevermind" and i was wondering what it was the whole day. I think they wanted to tell me they used to have a crush on me because why were they so nervous?
​
In 9th grade we went to another class trip and my friends teased me and said i went out at night to meet with Sam. Me and Sam were both annoyed and denied it. At that time i started to catch feelings for Sam again. We were staring at each other a lot and we also sat next to each other very often. But when we were playing truth or dare a kid asked Sam who the ugliest person in class was. And Sam said that i am the ugliest person. I didn't really care about their answer, because i don't really find them pretty too (i like their smile and voice, and i used to like their personality, now they are basically evil. More about that soon) and i wasn't interested in a relationship with them. And that small crush i gained on them quickly disappeared again.
​
In history lesson in 9th grade we had WW2 in History lesson. A lot of people in my class made jokes about that (But i didn't find them funny at all, also because my ancestors suffered from this terrible events) and we are in germany, so many people in my class made jokes that they have an "Ariernachweis" (Proof that you are fully german) and Sam was one of them. That was when they started to basically become a Nazi. There is this term called "Alman" in germany. It is a term used for typically german people. They often say phrases like "Anzeige ist raus" (They will report you to the police) or wear socks and sandals. Sam makes to this day extreme Alman jokes and that is when they started to become a bad person in my eyes. I don't know if they are serious (Probably not, both of us are in the same friend group and there are the most people foreginers) but it makes me uncomfortable.
In 10th grade, now, i started to gain a crush on Sam again, and i don't know why. Actually it's not a crush. I mentioned that i found out i'm AroAce in 7th grade. Well, i am only Aromantic. I am basically s€xually attracted to my crush and that is something i don't like, i call them "Crush" anyway because it's easier to explain. I never wanted to be in a relationship with them anyway. My family wouldn't like that. My older sister dates a guy who acts a lot like Sam (Makes Alman jokes etc) and my parents hate him. And my family is more important than a relationship so i would never want to date Sam or anyone similar to them.
​
We recently made a class trip to Prague. I planned to confess to Sam to make me feel better. (I wanted to tell them i love them but i dont wanna be in a relationship or something else, especially because they can't stand me) but that is when i realized that they are a VERY BAD person. They compared Prague to germany 24/7 (In a bad way) and even if it was a joke, i felt terribly bad. I tried to let them go but i am that person that falls in "love" and can't let them go. Sam is the only person i ever had a "crush" (Well, you know.) on. I only find people attractive that act/look similar to Sam. (I heard 2 of my classmate discussing that their younger sibling falls for someone who looks like them, they said it's because they fall for someone who reminds them of someone they love but that person disappointed them basically. I felt that.) And i really try to stop loving them because they are a bad person in my eyes but i can't. That's it. That's my vent. (I feel better now)
I really miss the old Sam. The Sam who was a little Nerdy but still charming. The Sam who wasn't comparing everything to a trashy country. The Sam who didn't shout at you and told you to leave Germany because you said they will lose the world cup. I miss the Sam who did Pokemon jokes instead of Nazi jokes. But there is NOTHING i can do to bring them back.
TLDR: I am attracted to a person who makes Nazi Jokes and if i would date them my family wouldn't like it, i try to stop having a "crush" on them but no matter what i try, it doesn't work.

SW: >270lbs CW: 220lbs GW: ~165 lbs
Just posting to collect my thoughts.
So this NSV is actually thanks to a number on the scale. I hadn’t stepped back on it since the new year, when I found out that I had gained ~10lbs back thanks to my decision to indulge and be loose over Christmas. But a couple of days ago I decided I had to check to see if I was on track. Seeing an 18-pound drop since January and ~50 overall since last May, I thought why not keep the party going and try on some old clothes. I swear I spent like 30 minutes trying on every thing I had folded away since it no longer fit. I had a huge grin on my face the whole time, giggling like an idiot.
Not everything fit well. Some barely slipped on, some had just enough breathing room, and my belly stood out rather prominently in some shirts.
But it has given me a lot of motivation, especially since I can hardly see for myself the transformation as it happens daily Yes, even the things that fit well enough for me to resume wearing comfortably now, are clothes I bought years after i actually cared to notice there was a problem.
But, I’ll take the victory. After all, my all-time favorite tapered khakis and flower shorts are back in the rotation.

Two years ago my husband and I bought our first house. First on our list was the backyard and removing a laurel bush on the back property line that went 7 feet deep and had a chicken wire fence in the back (99%of the roots were on our property). Our yard wasn’t big to begin with so we wanted that extra space and so our plan was to remove it and put up a fence that matched the other parts of our property. When I went to notify our neighbors just to be nice (also we weren’t asking them to contribute) they were super nice about it and welcomed us into the neighborhood. Two days later we were startled to see the husband neighbor knocking on our back door (trespassing) because he said we didn’t answer the front door. He said they didn’t agree with the fence after all and that we couldn’t cut down the laurels. One of their arguments was that the previous owners didn’t mind the laurels (so?). Well my husband and I are both attorneys and decided we weren’t going to do the back and forth, we were going to hire a surveyor to come and confirm the property line. Turns out almost all the laurel roots were in fact on our property. So again, we told neighbors we were moving forward with the fence. After seeing the markers they were pissed. My cousin and uncle helped us putting up the fence and and husband neighbor could not have been more rude, standing a foot away from them (on his property) breathing down their necks while they put up the fence.
Fast forward a year and husband neighbor texts my husband asking to talk. So they meet at the fence. Turns out they have a cedar tree about 7ft in diameter on their property close to the fence that they want to remove but are asking us for the removal to be done from OUR PROPERTY - they need to remove a portion of our FENCE, bring the cherry picker and wood chipper down our driveway to our backyard, and do the entire project on our property because they don’t have access to their backyard from the street. Obviously my husband is dumbfounded but still super nice considering the fence drama and says “that’s a really big ask” and this neighbor says “why?” And then proceeds to says if we say no then they won’t be able to afford the project and then says he’s sorry about how the fence situation went and hope we can move forward. LOL. My husband comes and tells me and says he would be willing to say yes if they pay us and sign something saying they are liable for everything stemming from it but I can’t stop laughing. Literally no amount of money they would pay would convince me to say yes. So aside from liability factor felt great to say sorry not happening. We received no response and needless to say we still don’t have a relationship with them.

1. Define your target audience: Consider factors like age, gender, location, interests, and behaviors. Example: A fitness app targets women aged 18-35 interested in health and wellness.
2. Create audience personas: Develop fictional profiles representing your ideal customers. Example: "Mike, a 28-year-old tech enthusiast looking for the latest gadgets."
3. Use Facebook's targeting options: Leverage demographic, interest, and behavioral targeting. Example: Target users interested in photography and travel for a camera backpack.
4. Test different audience segments: Run ads targeting various segments to identify high-performing ones.
5. Utilize Custom Audiences: Target existing customers, website visitors, or email subscribers.
6. Use Lookalike Audiences: Reach users similar to your existing customers or high-value prospects.
7. Exclude irrelevant audiences: Exclude users who have already converted or are not relevant to your offer.
8. Research competitors: Analyze competitors' ads and audiences to identify potential segments.
9. Monitor audience overlap: Avoid targeting the same users across multiple ad sets by adjusting targeting.
10. Set clear campaign objectives: Choose objectives like conversions, traffic, or engagement, depending on your goals.
11. Test different ad placements: Experiment with placements like News Feed, Instagram Feed, Stories, and Messenger.
12. Use Facebook Pixel or Conversions API: Track conversions and optimize campaigns based on this data.
13. Monitor ad frequency: Avoid overexposing your ads to the same audience, causing ad fatigue.
14. Optimize for the right conversion event: Choose the event that represents your campaign goal, such as purchases or leads.
15. Test bidding strategies: Experiment with the lowest cost, cost cap, and bid cap to find the best strategy.
16. Test multiple ad creatives and copy variations: Continuously test and optimize ad creatives and copy.
17. Use automated rules: Pause, start, or adjust campaigns based on specific conditions, such as CPA or ROAS thresholds.
18. Optimize ad delivery: Use Facebook's ad delivery optimization options to improve performance.
19. Experiment with ad formats and lengths: Test images, videos, and carousels, as well as different ad copy and video lengths.
20. Monitor and adjust budgets: Regularly review ad spending and adjust budgets to maximize campaign value.
21. Use ad scheduling: Run ads during specific hours or days when your audience is more likely to engage.
22. Keep headlines short and sweet: Limit headlines to 5-7 words for easy readability. Example: "50% Off Gourmet Coffee!"
23. Use numbers and symbols in headlines: Make headlines stand out with numbers and symbols. Example: "Lose 10 Pounds in 30 Days!"
24. Address pain points in headlines: Offer a solution to your audience's problems. Example: "Struggling with Acne? Try Our Serum!"
25. Create urgency in headlines: Encourage immediate action with phrases like "Limited Time Offer." Example: "Flash Sale: 3 Hours Only!"
26. Ask questions in headlines: Engage users with thought-provoking questions. Example: "Want Glowing Skin This Summer?"
27. Use powerful words in headlines: Evoke emotion with words like "amazing" or "exclusive." Example: "Unlock Incredible Fitness Results!"
28. Leverage social proof in headlines: Mention customer testimonials or reviews. Example: "Trusted by 10,000+ Professionals!"
29. Highlight benefits in headlines: Communicate product or service benefits. Example: "Stream Movies & Shows Anywhere!"
30. Test different headlines: Continuously test and optimize headlines to improve performance.
31. Keep ad copy concise: Use short sentences and bullet points for easy readability.
32. Use a conversational tone: Make your ad copy relatable and engaging by using everyday language.
33. Focus on benefits in ad copy: Highlight the unique selling points of your product or service. Example: "Our meal delivery service saves you time and provides healthy, delicious meals."
34. Include a clear call-to-action (CTA): Use phrases like "Shop Now," "Learn More," or "Sign Up" to prompt user action.
35. Use social proof in ad copy: Incorporate customer testimonials, ratings, or success stories.
36. Address potential objections: Ease user concerns with guarantees or risk-free trials. Example: "Try our software with a 14-day free trial."
37. Test different ad copy variations: Continuously optimize and improve performance through testing.
38. Use high-quality images: Ensure your images represent your product or service effectively and look professional.
39. Create short, engaging videos: Showcase product benefits, customer testimonials, or behind-the-scenes looks.
40. Experiment with ad formats: Test single images, carousels, slideshows, and video ads to find the best format.
41. Use eye-catching colors and design elements: Make your ad stand out in users' News Feeds with attention-grabbing visuals.
42. Test different ad creatives: Regularly test and optimize ad creatives to improve performance.
43. Utilize tools like AdCreative.ai: Generate ad copy ideas and inspiration with AI-powered tools.
44. Use Facebook's Audience Insights: Analyze your target audience's demographics, interests, and behaviors.
45. Leverage third-party tools like AdEspresso and Qwaya: Manage, optimize, and analyze your Facebook ad campaigns with these tools.
46. Implement tracking tools like Google Analytics: Monitor website traffic, conversions, and user behavior from your Facebook ads.
47. Use A/B testing: Experiment with ad elements such as headlines, ad copy, images, and targeting options to find the best-performing combinations.
48. Review ad performance metrics: Analyze click-through rate (CTR), cost per click (CPC), and return on ad spend (ROAS) to measure campaign success and identify areas for improvement.
49. Stay up-to-date with Facebook's ad policies: Ensure your ads remain compliant and effective by following best practices and algorithm updates.
50. Engage with your audience: Respond to comments and messages on your ads to foster relationships and improve brand perception.

By following these 50 detailed tips and examples, beginners can create effective Facebook ads from scratch. Continuously test, analyze, and optimize your campaigns to improve performance over time.

Best tools for Facebook Advertising

Here's a list of some of the best tools to help you with Facebook advertising:

1. AdCreative.ai:An AI-powered tool that generates ad copy ideas and inspiration, helping you craft compelling ad headlines and text.
2. Facebook Ads Manager: The built-in platform for managing and creating Facebook ads, with various targeting options, performance tracking, and ad scheduling.
3. Facebook Pixel: A code snippet that tracks user actions on your website, allowing you to optimize your ads, build targeted audiences, and measure the effectiveness of your campaigns.
4. Facebook Analytics: Provides in-depth insights into your ad performance, user demographics, and behaviors, helping you optimize your campaigns.
5. Facebook Audience Insights: A powerful tool that helps you better understand your target audience by providing detailed information about their interests, behaviors, and demographics.
6. AdEspresso: A comprehensive tool for managing, optimizing, and analyzing your Facebook ad campaigns. AdEspresso offers A/B testing, automated rules, and in-depth reporting.
7. Qwaya: A Facebook ad management tool with features like ad scheduling, campaign management, performance reporting, and A/B testing.
8. Canva: A user-friendly graphic design tool that helps you create eye-catching ad creatives, such as images, videos, and GIFs, without requiring professional design skills.
9. Google Analytics: A web analytics tool that tracks website traffic, conversions, and user behavior from your Facebook ads, providing valuable insights for campaign optimization.
10. Hootsuite Ads: A social media advertising tool that simplifies the process of creating, managing, and optimizing Facebook ad campaigns.
11. Connectio: Offers a suite of Facebook ad tools, including ConnectAudience (for audience targeting), ConnectRetarget (for retargeting campaigns), and ConnectExplore (for interest targeting).
12. Madgicx: An AI-driven Facebook advertising platform that automates the entire ad lifecycle, including ad creation, budget allocation, targeting, and optimization.
13. Revealbot: A Facebook ad automation tool that helps you manage campaigns with automated rules, performance monitoring, and reporting.
14. Driftrock: A platform that syncs your CRM data with Facebook Custom Audiences, allowing you to create highly targeted ads based on your customer data.

These tools can help you create, manage, and optimize your Facebook ad campaigns, ensuring better targeting, improved ad creatives, and more effective use of your advertising budget. Choose the tools that best fit your needs and budget, and integrate them into your Facebook advertising strategy.