My dog would never get hotdogs for training treat..try this cook up beef liver cut into small treat size put in sandwich bag use for traing treat..

After selling for just under a year, I’ve (mostly) given up on vinted. I’ve actually sold a lot of stuff, have a lot of great reviews, but the increasing number of demanding and difficult customers has meant that those small £5 sales aren’t worth my time.
I’ll keep selling the higher priced stuff, but anything under £7 has been pulled from vinted and donated.
I think buyers forget that I’m not an Amazon warehouse, I don’t have a team of people sat twiddling their thumbs waiting for an order to come through. In the past month alone I’ve had to deal with 2 abusive buyers who’s unreasonable requests I wasn’t prepared to fulfil.
I dispatch all parcels within 3 working days, mostly 2, but the 3rd day is a buffer as I work long hours and often away. I’m always happy to post next day if someone needs it ASAP, but request on the listing and in the bio that buyers ask before actually buying because I maybe away and unable to do so. Does anyone read it? No.
More and more I’m getting ‘Have you posted it yet?’ Messages the next day or even just HOURS after they’ve bought it. I get rude buyers telling me they need it urgently for an event or holiday, and in one case a man sent me a stream of swearing and abuse saying I’d ruined his wife’s holiday because I didn’t send her kimono off ahead of them leaving just 2 days after buying it.
Buyers - it’s not upto the sellers to compensate for you not organising yourselves in advance of an event!
Last week I received a 1 star feedback saying ‘good seller but top arrived in used packaging’ - as in, I actually got negative feedback for recycling a grey postage bag.
I sold 12 items on Friday and despite it being a lovely bank holiday weekend, my vinted inbox has been non-stop with ‘I need this ASAP’, ‘will this arrive by tuesday?’, ‘why haven’t you posted it yet?’, ‘why haven’t you replied yet?’, ‘I want to cancel this because you’re taking too long’.
Why haven’t I replied? Because I’m enjoying 3 days with my family in the sun.
I don’t have a customer service team, a live chat option, a packaging station with brand new postal supplies or endless time to drive back and forth to my evri drop off several times a day. I work, I have kids, I am a person, not a bot.
I had pulled out 50+ pieces that I was due to list next week and instead they’re in the back of the car ready for the charity shop. They’re worth hundreds (many brand new with tags - I work as a stylist) but I’d only get £5-£10 on vinted and it’s just not worth the hassle.
Sorry for the rant, and I know there are many wonderful buyers on there, but the stress I’ve had this weekend alone and the recent abuse means a fiver just isn’t worth having to live up-to the customer service standards of ASOS or Amazon.

I also want to say, even if I am too sensitive, I do want to keep distance from my in laws because I feel really bad around them, but how much distance is what is negotiable. I've written it very long sorry, if anyone gets to the end, thanks a lot 🙏 So my in laws were against our wedding, they wanted a big ceremony few years later. I'm south Asian, family expecting all this is kind of the norm, they also spend for the wedding usually. But we paid ourselves for a small ceremony with just family and some relatives. After that when we lived with in laws for 2&1/2 months, and my parents for 2 months before leaving abroad, there were lots of annoying things. I would get treated like I'm an outsider and my husband's PA. Like I should get up during my meal to get her son something, I should collect his plate etc, cook even though they have someone for that, pack my mil's lunch box at 6 am once the cook is finished.. my husband didn't let me do stuff for him, and for stuff like packing her lunch, we both did on alternate days. But these things are not okay for me in the modern age. People should look after themselves. On top of such expectations, she would invade our privacy, knocking at our door at 11pm, peeking at my laptop screen, etc. She would also lie and manipulate. Like she would manipulate me to cook or do something for her like put her clothes to dry etc. And would lie to my FIL if he got annoyed that I'm cooking when they have a cook, by saying that I asked to . I didn't confront her in such situations. My husband left the country first as my visa wasn't ready , and before he left, she started indirectly telling me to pack up and leave the same day. Here the tradition is that even widows stay with their in laws.. so like me leaving immediately is rude, like saying you're not my family. So my plan was to stay for 10 days max and leave and then come back for weekends now and then until I get visa. But she pressured me to leave in 2 days after my husband so I did and as I was leaving, my FIL was extremely rude to me so I left in tears. Later my mom wanted me to stay for a weekend during some festivals, and twice my mom asked her and mil just said she's busy. So I shouldn't come, even though she didn't say it directly. On another visit, my FIL, his mom who stays with them, insulted my family. Then my mom made me visit them to say bye a day before my flight and I was very angry but my mom is very persuasive. So I went with my mom and my FIL shouted at me and my mom , saying my parents didn't raise me right etc. Apparently he had no idea that my mil told me to leave the house. I still protected her because her mil was also there. I told my FIL I will tell him the reason separately and I called him from my parents house and explained. He was just super dismissive and sarcastic and didn't believe a word. My parents explained separately and he was rude to them and hung up on them too. After all this drama, and a lot in between, that I haven't included, I still felt bad for my in laws and invited them abroad for a tour because my husband and I are permanently moving back to our country soon after 1&1/2 year abroad. Only my mil and sil came and they paid for their expenses and some extra things like taxis which husband and I don't usually take. FIL still refuses to speak to me. In the trip , I was quiet and not super welcoming or affectionate to them. I was nice to them the first day but after that I started getting annoyed by them and grew quieter. This was an expensive trip for us and I did most of the planning as I don't work outside the home. It was a lot of hours of work and stress because it was 4 cities/ countries in 10 days. So I was very annoyed by how slow they were walking for eg. Like snails pace. They would get out of the building and immediately want to sit down. Husband and I travel with backpacks to save money. And we were paying for our own hotels and it adds more days because they can't check out early and travel with bags. Anyway, so i got angry when my sil complained to her mom that she doesn't know why she has come on the trip when me and husband keep going off on her own. Which wasn't fully true, and there was good reason. In fact my husband would walk ahead to keep a good pace and I would walk in the middle hurrying them along sometimes, and they would walk at an 80 yr olds pace. Her mom should have advised her but instead she made it an issue and asked us to include sil and take pics of her first etc. So I got very angry and told them what I felt. I did not shout or verbally abuse or anything. Just frustrated that's all. So the trip went a bit like this where some days I chose to stay in while they 3 went out because I was annoyed. And then one day she went on a long rant (exactly 1 hr) when we were outside because she felt insulted by how quiet I am to her. And this was in a language I don't understand. She also throughout the trip kept noticing what I eat etc and competed even in food even though there was plenty, so I actually started eating very less and I was crying a lot and avoiding food. I dont think she even noticed this. So after the trip I decided this was it and I want to cut contact with at least mil and FIL forever. Sil I will give a chance since she isn't even in college yet. I even told husband I don't want mil in my house, around my future kids etc after I've seen how jealous and competitive she is. So my question is, am I reacting in extreme? Like actually she was the one who would keep talking in the language I don't understand, excluding me. And in food she would do this like tell her kids to eat a lot etc and if I eat anything then even if she's full she will eat the same thing. Some of the stories I read here are much worse and ppl seem to keep in touch with in laws, which is why I'm doubting myself. Is it okay to cut her off and not want her to step into my house ever etc.

Chapter Seven
If bone burying was considered sacred, then Mike should be allowed to call hole digging hallowed. He had suspicions regarding what Evals was up to, while questions remained regarding his miraculous recovery from near death. He didn’t want to think Evals was lying to him, which would be out of character for him. Evals had been open about everything with him since the day they met. Mike realized he had kept things from him, though. In hindsight, he might have felt better if he had told Evals more about his painful past rather than carrying it all inside for so long. There was so much more he could tell Evals too.
Mainly how he felt about him.
Mike thought it was silly to think about that while stranded on an island. They ought to figure out how to get out of there. Still, they were stuck there alone together. He encountered his fair share of novels on the subject. They were primarily fictional accounts he snuck away from Eric’s private library. They were all about humans in forbidden love affairs with female keidran on remote isles that could be mistaken for tropical paradises. Every island conveniently had a blue lagoon where the two characters did dirty things. Aside from how poorly written they all were, causing Mike to roll his eyes with every page turned, he couldn’t get passed breeding in the filthy water. That was gross.
Still, he understood the appeal of being stuck on an island with someone as hunky as Evals. If he could write a novel about it, Evals would be the human hero pursuing a passionate and illegal connection with Mike. He’d base the female keidran off himself; perhaps, the only instance where he would permit fantasizing as a female. As he walked across the beach, Mike tried thinking of a name he would give his characters if he ever wrote the book. He might as well name the human Evals. He had nothing to worry about from Evals ever connecting the dots since he couldn’t read. As for the female keidran, he gave it some serious thought.
“Mary,” he thought. “Her name ought to be Mary Sue.”
He snapped his fingers excitedly. Mike thought that was a good name. For a moment, he seriously considered writing the book. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a quill and ink with a steady supply of paper on the island, so far as he knew. It was all one big silly thought anyway. If they ever got off the island, Mike wouldn’t write some erotic romance novel based on him and Evals. It was nice to think about the two as just themselves, enjoying each other’s company in such a beautiful place.
As he blushed, Mike’s attention was drawn inland. He might as well explore the island himself while he had nothing better to do. He assumed Evals would be gone for a while. He wasn’t worried about getting lost, either. An island was an island and was only so big. Taking a deep breath, he started inland.
Walking through the jungle, Mike was impressed by how big the trees and their leaves were. He stopped and used a damp leaf to funnel some rainwater into his mouth. Two birds chirped as they flew overhead, twirling around each other as Mike watched them and smiled. They looked cute together. Unable to figure out their species, he took the sappy way out and viewed them as a pair of lovebirds.
Mike laughed and remarked to himself, “You are so cheesy.”
He was comforted by seeing more wildlife on the island and enjoyed a song or two sung by the birds. Mike would be damned if he was going to eat them, though. Having lost his appetite for rabbits, he figured he’d learn how to fish. Evals might protest the switch to white meat, but there was plenty Mike could do to prepare it to be worth his while. Fish was also considered brain food, which Evals needed more of.
As he ventured further through the jungle, Mike stopped when he heard running water. It couldn’t be the ocean because he was too far inland now. Growing curious, he pushed passed the thick foliage until he happened upon a great clearing. Stepping out onto a rock quarry, he looked over the ledge and stared into a vast, beautiful lagoon. His attention was drawn further up by a waterfall. Looking back down into the lagoon, Mike was in disbelief. Life imitated art, or in the case of what he was thinking, life imitated poorly written erotic smut.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he said to himself.
He spent a moment taking the sight in. It was a wonderful place. Looking back into the lagoon, he figured the drop must have been fifty feet or more. Briefly feeling mischievous, he came to his better senses and decided to leave for now so he could find Evals and bring him back to show him. Turning to leave, Mike only took a few steps before abruptly breaking into a run. Jumping off, he hollered excitedly until he splashed into the water. At the last second, a scary thought crossed his mind that he didn’t account for how deep the water was. It could have been shallow, guaranteeing a broken leg or even death. It was too late, but luckily for him, the water was deep, and he torpedoed far enough down that he had to swim back up.
Resurfacing, he gasped for air and laughed. As he floated in the water, Mike enjoyed himself. He wished he could have shared it with Evals but couldn’t resist the jump. Swimming to the rocky shore, Mike got out. He had to be careful he didn’t slip, and some of the jagged rocks weren’t kind on his soft paws. Stopping short of the waterfall, he looked up but could barely see anything as it rained all over his face. Stepping into it, he soaked himself. As cold as it was, it felt good. He couldn’t explain why, but there was always something relieving about how freshwater felt, unlike the ocean. There was a nice contrast between the salty water he swam in and the freshwater now crashing down on him. He let his mouth fill up with it. After swallowing the water, he tried taking more in but ended up with too much and coughed it all out. That was enough water for him.
Stepping out, he found a hidden cave and was even more impressed. There was a chill there that not even the tropical weather outside could temper. The lagoon only got better the more he explored it. Sitting down, he took a moment to admire the waterfall from inside.
A glint of light got his attention. It wasn’t coming from outside, either. Looking back, he saw something in the dirt. Crawling over, Mike dug it out and discovered a mana crystal. Impressed by his find, Mike held it up.
“Would you look at that?”
It was a small crystal. They were a dime a dozen in those sizes that could be found in gift shops in every port town. Still, to find them out here was impressive enough. Mike hated to think about what humans would do to an isolated paradise such as this if they knew mana crystals existed there. They would probably mine it all, destroying the wildlife and working slaves like him to death to get every last piece. They would end up flooding the market and be forced to sell the crystals on the cheap. Closing his hand, Mike didn’t want people to find the island, but that would complicate things since he and Evals needed to be rescued. Their rescuers might not even care who they were except that they were slaves. They might not even get to leave the island and instead be put to work. Just thinking about it sent a chill down his spine.
Turning to leave the cave, he approached the waterfall but glimpsed something. Mike saw his reflection but could have sworn there were others. Perhaps, he was seeing things, or his eyes weren’t adjusting well in the dark. There was also the mana crystal. Opening his hand, he held it out and shined it on the water. At first, he only saw himself. Thinking it was all poppycock, he would have considered nothing more of it, but the light from the crystal flashed into the water and revealed two other foxes standing behind him. Startled, he stumbled back. Just in case, he looked back, but there was nobody there.
“Ok,” he said while glancing at the crystal. “Nobody is there, obviously, but I still saw that.”
Mike knew what he saw, but rather than throw the crystal away as he should, curiosity got the better of him. Shining the crystal back on the waterfall, he saw them again, and he didn’t need to figure out who they were.
“Mom? Dad?”
He never knew what they looked like, but something told him it was them. His mother was beautiful and had the same long hair and eyes as him. With a smile, she put a hand on his shoulder. Mike reached up to touch her, but while he could do that in the reflection, he couldn’t feel her hand in real life.
As for his father, when Mike looked at him, he found him to be average.
He delighted in seeing them but felt sad he never got to know them, nor would he ever get to see them beyond the reflection in the waterfall. When they faded away, Mike reached out to them, but his hand stuck through the waterfall, and he was alone again. Taking a step back, he couldn’t let such visions get to him. Mana crystals, especially where they were in steady supply, were potent, and even a keidran who didn’t know magic, such as himself, could be susceptible to their powers. He glanced back into the cave, wondering how many of them there might be. However, something told him to look back into the waterfall, and when he did, he saw someone else there with him.
This time, Mike could only blush and enjoy seeing himself being embraced from behind. He knew this wasn’t real either, but he let himself think it was for a moment. Perhaps, it could be one day.
A familiar voice asked him, “Mike?”
“Yeah?”
“Did I tell you already how much I like seeing you like this?”
He chuckled and responded, “Oh? I never thought you’d go for guys, especially when they’re all wet and stinky like I am.”
“What are you talking about? You’re a vixen.”
Having closed his eyes, Mike opened them and found himself a female in his reflection. Annoyed, he splashed the vision away. The mood had been spoiled, and there was no silly dark Basitin magic excuse he could use this time. Looking at the mana crystal, he tossed it away and left the cave in a huff.

Why do some stores not even offer paper bags for purchase as an option? I don't want to buy a reusable bag for $2.50 because I already have like 30 of them at home sitting in my closet. And I don't want to try to juggle the 8 small items I bought at Shoppers Drug Mart either. Why do some store not offer paper bags? I would think that they are missing out on revenue from people who would otherwise buy stuff but don't have a backpack/bag on them at the moment.

TL;DR: I'm not a pro, just great backup. A few ways to quickly assess what you're dealing with going into a rando squad.
For most of us, random squading is the most prevalent. You can of course go solo, but it's always harder. Finding guys to play with consistently, who are in your timezone, not at work, and who have 2-6 free hours to play tactical barbie is rare. The quickest way to get a squad, is to queue up for 'randos'.
The results? Eh, it's a bit of a mixed bag 😅
Sometimes I get teamed up with the A-team! Group of solid gigachads, who are just on one the whole match! They pay attention, they work together, they engage and disengage like pros! Great level of decision making, they check every box on my list of go/no-go performances. It's not even what gear they're using, I think some guys just know their strengths and weaknesses, and they play to them no matter what! This makes them formidable in my humble opinion.
Then there's the D-team... 😮‍💨
They don't have a plan, there's no clear natural leader, and the backup is anything but that. They block hallways and staircases, they chuck bad nades, and they'll likely be more dangerous to you than your actual enemies.
They don't pay attention to windows, but run straight across the map to Farm: Motel first?! 🙄
They don't move as a squad, they don't pay attention to sectors of fire, they chase kills that end up being them getting killed by the guy they were chasing?! Many players seem to have extreme tunnel vision, and whole squads will just pursue a single player for nearly the entire match. Often becoming entrenched and trapped in a Motel standoff, where everyone's bleeding out, and no one's actually getting out.
My personal quick-assess rules for each random squad I queue up:
1: Situational awareness is key. If they don't seem to be cognizant of their surrounding and situation, it's a red flag. Peeking the same corner repeatedly, while never communicating or rotating to better positions, is how you get one-tapped in the face.
2: At the 10 minutes mark, getting out becomes the priority. If they're still trying to chase kills when the clock is turning red, they're trying to die/fail to extract. Myself and the other smart guy are getting out.
3: Gear fear can be sensed on a player. This is why there's so many professional campers in the game. These are people who bring in better gear that their skill allows them to utilize properly, and they are in the match afraid to move. I'm not creeping through a match for 30 full minutes with you mate. MOVE YOUR ASS!
4: Showing up naked. This is a Closed Beta, and they're throwing gear at us in free crates bro...why are you naked? 🤨 This sends really bad messages out the gate. More often than not, this guy takes off running, and dies first. It's a literal suicide mission, and I'm not going with them.
This doesn't mean I expect T6 gear and top tier ammo, but lvl 3 gear and ammo is sufficient for a squad of 3-4 right? Idk, I always rock T3 gear and ammo, and only rock higher just to make it sellable on the market. So even if I don't get good loot, getting out still pays off.
5: Crowding an area. I hate this, you have rifles for a reason! We can't all lean the same angle, someone needs to flank, and grenades love crowds! That guy needs space to work, get off his back!
Motel is the worst, it's just a bunch of over-geared heavies, trying to ear-bang the fight. Man I grab loot while you're upstairs playing ninja, and exit the damn building. 4-8 dudes all peeking and leaning for 20 mins just looks goofy. I got the loot, banged my way out, and headed for the exfil. Godspeed getting that megapack out with two broken legs.
Now in Armory, this makes sense! It's a relatively small indoors map, and you don't have to travel far. Everywhere else, you're fucked.
Again, I'm no pro, I die just as much as everyone else, but some of this stuff is just... Not smart.

When I was younger, I got a job in a major city across the country, so I got an apartment. I'm a country girl, so I loathe the city and all its glass and stone, and therefore I happily paid the premium for the one apartment complex I could find that actually had greenery in that it had small green "fields" around it. Like a 10 foot strip of green between the building and the road, but it was better than pavement.
The layout of the place is somewhat relevant, and to make it easier I'll use compass directions to give you an idea. The apartment building was your typical skyscraper, on the corner of a highway access road and a regular street that went downtown. The highway was north of the building, traveling east to west. The side street was to the east, running north to south. South of the apartment building was the surface parking lot, which sat on top of an underground parking garage. Between the apartment building and the southern parking lot was a small green island, basically the side of a hill as the land sloped up from the underground garage entrance up to the surface lots on top of it.
The main door of the apartment faced the side street (across which was a well-lit square where neighborhood holiday events took place, and a bunch of small boutiques and further down a mall, so it was bright and busy almost all the time. It sucked but it meant the place wasn't creepy at night). The apartment also had a side door on its south end, through the basement (not a creepy basement, well lit and also where the gym, laundry room, and party room were. The apartment was on a hill so the entrances were on different levels). The side door let out toward the parking garage and the parking lots.
There are two entrances to drive onto the property from the side street, one at the north end of the building and one at the south end. Between the apartment and the side street was a drive-thru like lane, with street-facing parking on one side but no room to park on the apartment-side. This drive-thru lane went from the north street entrance to the south street entrance (a stoplight intersection), which was also where the parking lot split. The south street entrance was convoluted. If you were driving onto the property from there, you could either take a right onto the drive-thru lane, go straight to turn into the underground garage entrance, or go left to drive up onto the surface lot.
My typical routine would be to get up at 4 and let my dog out to pee. I would take him out the south side door, cross the little lane that led to the parking garage, and let him pee in the little island of grass between the entrance to the garage and the surface lot. Sometimes I'd go further, crossing to the sidewalk beside the actual street, since there was a strip of green there between the parking spots and the sidewalk.
That morning, I had stayed in the island next to the parking garage, letting my dog do his thing. I tend to pace, so while he was sniffing about, I was casually strolling back and forth. I do this out of general restlessness, but it doubles as an excellent way to keep a good 360 degree awareness of my surroundings.
During one turn, I glimpsed something between the cars parked facing the street on that thru-lane. It was a lone figure on the sidewalk by the side street, shoulders slightly bent against the cold, head down, walking south, hands in the pockets of his dark jacket/hoodie. I'm often out this early to go jogging, and I've seen the occasional early bird doing the same, so I had no qualms about a guy walking on the sidewalk. I literally notice nothing else about him except the dark jacket and his location.
I turn away, and my dog is still taking his sweet time, so my slow pacing eventually turns me back toward the street. I notice the guy on the sidewalk cut across the green strip and between the cars parked facing the street on that drive-thru lane. This is the first time I really take note, because that particular area is a short albeit steep incline from the sidewalk to the parked cars. He easily could have been taking a shortcut to get to the south side door of the apartment, but the actual sidewalk turnoff (at the south car entrance) was like 10 feet away from him, so it was a relatively unnecessary shortcut. Whatever, he crosses the drive-thru lane toward the south side entrance, so I pay it no mind. My pacing is slow, so even as I'm turning, I still have him in my peripherals. He definitely heads to the door, so I proceed to ignore him as I turn back to my dog, who is still taking his sweet-ass time sniffing a particularly interesting spot in the grass.
As I'm looking at my dog, he suddenly stops sniffing and lifts his head slightly, ears pricked as he stares at something behind. He had seen the guy crossing the thru-lane earlier and ignored him, and he posture wasn't any more defensive than it usually is, but I just notice. That's when I realized I hadn't actually heard the side door open. You need a key fob to enter any of the entrances, which makes a loud beep, and I hadn't heard that.
My pacing turned me around again, and that's when I see the guy walking away from the door, as if back toward the street or parking lot. But the second I catch sight of him, he stops. And he's just standing there on the curb of the little lane to the garage, opposite me where I am on the green island. He's just standing there facing me, hands in pockets, looking right at me, me standing there looking right at him.
(I always carry pepper spray on a strap that wraps around my hand, so it's always secure in my palm, and since I was using that hand to hold my jacket closed since the zipper broke, the mace can was clearly visible. Looking back, I wonder if that's why he stopped walking when I turned).
I'm normally dumb and absentminded enough to not feel anxious in situations when I should. That whole "Gift of Fear" thing simply doesn't exist in me. I didn't get any chills, no queasy feeling, no hair raised on the back of my neck. But I did have a very loud and decisive voice speak up in my head that just said, "Nope."
So I tug the leash and start out for the sidewalk, crossing the convoluted "intersection" of parking lot lanes, intending to make my way to the north main door. The second I move, though, so does the guy! He steps out sideways, stepping off the curb and crossing the convoluted "intersection that isn't an intersection," perfectly angled to cut me off right in the center. So I do another "Nope" and spin on the ball of my foot to head for the other sidewalk, south of the intersection, as if to let my dog pee over at that green strip instead.
In my peripherals, the guy changed direction, too. He took a left, heading back toward the sidewalk to head north, literally going back the way he came. I could see him the whole time from my vantage point next to the sidewalk now, so I know for certain he did not go to the north main door of the apartment building. He just kept walking along the street until he was gone. That's ultimately the only reason I'm putting this here, because up to then, a large part of me had rationalized this behavior as that of a guy simply trying to get home but had forgotten his key fob (the north main door has a desk person who can buzz you in).
But he didn't go to the main door of the apartment, and the brief moment of him just standing there staring at me, and nearly cutting me off, then changing course... I don't know what to make of it. Like I said, I wasn't panicked, but then I usually don't get that way because my first instinct is to drop all emotion and face weird situations analytically. But the event always really stuck out in my mind, and I honestly can't determine if that instance really was "weird" or I'm making a bigger deal of it because it was 4 in the morning and I was tired and wired.

Basically, I have wanted a breast reduction since 9th grade: I'm 21; 5'4; 116 Ibs; 32DD/32DDD (not really sure as I stopped wearing proper bras a long time ago and just wear like skims bralettes)
I have always hated my boobs, they are way to big for my proportions and I have had chronic back pain since I was 14, when I was 16 I used to use muscle relaxants almost everyday for the neck and back pain so I could sleep comfortably (but I dont have record of this in the US because I didn't live there). My posture is absolute ass, its kind of ridiculous, I cant hold up my back for very long. I cant work out because they move too much and I hate the feeling of wearing a binding sports bra or layering them on.
While I feel like they are way too big for me and very much a nuisance, I am worried that insurance wont see it the same way because I feel like 32DD is not as big as others I've seen on this thread. According to the Schnur sliding scale I would need to have at least 284 grams removed, I cant tell if thats too much. I definitely dont want to get a small reduction by any means, I want like a b cup.
I have a record of back pain issues with my PCP since 2020 (my medical record doesn't even go back before then because I moved in 2020 so thats as good as it can get), and I recently saw a PT in Jan for 2 sessions (I couldn't do more as I was only home for a month and I go to University abroad but will do more when I go back in the summer). I dont have grooves on my shoulders because duh I wear the right size or bralettes, and I dont have a rash because I generally dont sweat a lot there and even if I do I always have fabric between the folds of skin. I see a lot of people have success with BCBS approval, but its obviously state specific and so I dont know specifically about Iowa, was wondering if anyone had any experience with that. I want to start building a case this summer when I go back and talk to my PCP and PT, but I'm worried I dont present, looks wise, as an obvious candidate.
If anyone with a similar proportions and breast size had any luck with insurance or just any advice in general its all appreciated!! Sorry this is so long lol
TL;DR: I'm 21; 5'4; 116 Ibs; 32DD/32DDD; insurance is Wellmark BCBS; based on size am I likely to get approved for insurance. Will a 3 year history of back pain with PCP and a couple of PT sessions (that I will do more) help my case.

Saint Euthymios of Zela the Ethno-Hieromartyr, born Eustratios Agritellis in 1876, was the last resident Bishop of the Diocese of Zela in Amasya, Western Pontus, which he served from June 12, 1912 until his death on May 29, 1921, during the period of the Greek genocide.
Saint Euthymios was born on July 6, 1876 in the village of Parakoula on Lesvos island, where he started his education. At the age of nine he entered the 'Leimonias school', located within the Leimonos Monastery, from where he graduated in 1892.
He was tonsured a monk by the abbot of the monastery, Archmandrite Anthimos (Georgiellis), who gave him the name Euthymios. For the next eight years he practiced asceticism in the Leimonos Monastery.
In 1900 he was sent by the monastery to the Theological School of Halki, where he studied from 1900 to 1907. In 1906 he was ordained a deacon by Metropolitan Agathangelos of Grevena, and in 1907 he completed his thesis titled: "The Purpose of Monastic Life in the East Until the 9th century AD."
After his graduation, he returned to Lesvos, where Metropolitan Stephen (Soulidis) of Methymna appointed him the head of the Leimonos School, as well as the itinerant preacher (hierokeryx) of the Metropolis of Methymna. He performed this role between 1909-1910, during which time he was known for his oratory prowess and the rich content of his sermons. In the 1909-10 school year, he served as headmaster in the municipality of Gera, in the region of Mytilene.
In 1910 he was ordained a priest by Metropolitan Stephen (Soulidis) of Methymna, and served as the protosynkellos of the Metropolis of Methymna until 1912.
In 1912 the Metropolitan of Amasya Germanos Karavangelis (based in Samsun), who was himself a native of Lesvos, received Euthymios as his general commissioner. It is said that the Ecumenical Patriarch himself Joachim III first introduced Euthymios to Metropolitan Germanos, having been informed of the talents of the young clergyman. Thus the Great Church of Christ promoted Euthymios as assistant bishop to the Metropolitan of Amasya, bestowing upon him the illustrious high title of old, of Western Pontus, that of Bishop of Zela (modern Zile). His ordination to the highest order of the Church took place on June 12, 1912, in Constantinople.
Over the next ten years, in the midst of adverse and tragic circumstances, Bishop Euthymios served the vast Metropolis of Amasya, which was the most extensive in Asia Minor, comprising 340 Orthodox communities and a population of over 130,000 Orthodox, who were mostly Turkish in appearance, but Greek in identity. It is not an exaggeration to state that in all of these years he alone governed the Metropolis of Amasya, due to the frequent trips of Metropolitan Germanos to Constantinople and Athens. Under his tenure the Metropolis of Amasya started to show signs of unusual progress and revival, including the formation of youth and community organizations. In 1913 in the district of Pafra and in several other villages of Western Pontus, he founded many churches, schools for boys, schools for girls, and took care to ensure the proper placement of priests and teachers.
However a short time thereafter, the terrible period of the great persecution of the Anatolian Greeks erupted, especially in the regions of Samsun and Pafra. From then on the activities of the Bishop of Zela changed from efforts for progress and revival, into struggles for relief and retrenchment. He transitioned untiringly from place to place, oftentimes in danger and tried by deprivations and malaise, in order to provide his assistance to those he found in despair or in exile, and to the distressed Orthodox Christians.
Throughout the First World War he urged all of the schools and the people of Pontus to remain united in remembrance of an annual ethnic ceremony which commemorated the female mass suicide of 30-40 young girls from the village of Hazar in 1680, who preferred to fall from a fortress (known as the 'fortress of Ali') into a 150-meter precipice, rather than to fall into the hands of the Turks. This ceremony was observed on the anniversary of March 25th each year in remembrance of the self-sacrifice of the young girls.
In April 1917 a large force of the Turkish army sent by Refet Bele Pasha and commanded by Mehmet Ali encircled the monastery of the Theotokos near the village of Otkaya (Otkayada), on the west side of Mount Neltes (Nebyan), where the cave called Maara (or the Virgin or Magara) was located, encircling 650 women and children and 60 armed rebels. After six days of resistance most of the besieged were killed or committed suicide. Of those that were captured many of the young girls and women were dishonored, the children shot, and the men beheaded.
In 1919, in response to this act, on the forefeast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Euthymios gathered 12,000 insurgents outside of the small town of Tsasur (Tsassour), under the command of Kyriakos Papadopoulos, resulting in the complete destruction of the Turkish armed forces and the town. From that day onwards Euthymios was considered a wanted man by the Kemalist Turks who viewed him as a leader of the insurgents of Western Pontus. He and other notables were restricted in their activities and suffered due to the interrogations they underwent. The jails were filled with Christians of every age and social status. Everywhere there was exile, the gallows, disgrace, and the sword and fire.
In 1921, by a decision of the Kemalist government, all the Metropolitans, Bishops, and Archimandrites of the Pontus region were obliged to abandon Pontus and leave their seats. The only hierarchs who did not obey this order were Metropolitan Chrysanthos (Philippidis) of Trebizond, Bishop Euthymios of Zela, and Protosyngellos Archimandrite Platon (Aivazidis) of Amasya.
On January 21, 1921, the Kemalists captured Bishop Efthymios and Archimandrite Platon (Aivazidis), along with many other notables of the city of Amasya. They were condemned to death, and were imprisoned in the Souyia prison in Amasya.
Aware of the ill-treatments and tortures of those arrested with him, and desiring to relieve their suffering, he appealed to the Kemalist government of Ankara to be regarded as the only culprit, and to be the only one punished, in order to allow his fellow prisoners to be released. However he received no response.
His imprisonment continued relatively mildly until April 18, 1921, the day of Pascha. On that day, without being noticed by the jailer, he entered a hall where many expatriates were being detained in isolation, in order to console and encourage them. As a result of this action he became even more suspect, and was isolated in the damp basements of the jails from then onwards. It was through the testimony of other prisoners that were released, that his tortures were made publicly known afterwards, affirming his isolation and sufferings in prison. Sometimes his voice would be heard chanting the memorial service for the repose of departed, which he was chanting on his own behalf.
On the forty-first day of his isolation, on May 29, 1921, completely exhausted from the hardships, deprivations and tortures, he gave up his soul to the Lord and received the incorruptible crown of martyrdom. It was the irony of fate that his conviction from the high court in Ankara arrived after his death, with the sentence being the 'Independence of death'. Nevertheless, his dead body was hanged in the central square of the town together with the others who had been sentenced to death including politicians, businessmen, journalists and religious figures of the local Greek community. Afterwards his guardians buried him quietly in the courtyard of the adjacent church.
Thus the Bishop of Zela sealed the good course of his life, by preferring faith and country over death, and becoming a forerunner of other ethnomartyr hierarchs, which were to be martyred in the following catastrophic year for Hellenism (that is, the Asia Minor Catastrophe) in 1922.
In 1992 Euthymios was numbered among the chorus of the Saints by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece.
In 1998 a chapel was built in honor of the Saint at Leimonos Monastery, in the Holy Metropolis of Methymna.
Among the manuscripts at Leimonos Monastery, there are fifty items written in his hand, most of which are notebooks from the time of his studies in Halki.
His memory is celebrated on May 29, as well as on the Sunday before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
(from johnsanidopoulos.com)

Saint Euthymios of Zela the Ethno-Hieromartyr, born Eustratios Agritellis in 1876, was the last resident Bishop of the Diocese of Zela in Amasya, Western Pontus, which he served from June 12, 1912 until his death on May 29, 1921, during the period of the Greek genocide.
Saint Euthymios was born on July 6, 1876 in the village of Parakoula on Lesvos island, where he started his education. At the age of nine he entered the 'Leimonias school', located within the Leimonos Monastery, from where he graduated in 1892.
He was tonsured a monk by the abbot of the monastery, Archmandrite Anthimos (Georgiellis), who gave him the name Euthymios. For the next eight years he practiced asceticism in the Leimonos Monastery.
In 1900 he was sent by the monastery to the Theological School of Halki, where he studied from 1900 to 1907. In 1906 he was ordained a deacon by Metropolitan Agathangelos of Grevena, and in 1907 he completed his thesis titled: "The Purpose of Monastic Life in the East Until the 9th century AD."
After his graduation, he returned to Lesvos, where Metropolitan Stephen (Soulidis) of Methymna appointed him the head of the Leimonos School, as well as the itinerant preacher (hierokeryx) of the Metropolis of Methymna. He performed this role between 1909-1910, during which time he was known for his oratory prowess and the rich content of his sermons. In the 1909-10 school year, he served as headmaster in the municipality of Gera, in the region of Mytilene.
In 1910 he was ordained a priest by Metropolitan Stephen (Soulidis) of Methymna, and served as the protosynkellos of the Metropolis of Methymna until 1912.
In 1912 the Metropolitan of Amasya Germanos Karavangelis (based in Samsun), who was himself a native of Lesvos, received Euthymios as his general commissioner. It is said that the Ecumenical Patriarch himself Joachim III first introduced Euthymios to Metropolitan Germanos, having been informed of the talents of the young clergyman. Thus the Great Church of Christ promoted Euthymios as assistant bishop to the Metropolitan of Amasya, bestowing upon him the illustrious high title of old, of Western Pontus, that of Bishop of Zela (modern Zile). His ordination to the highest order of the Church took place on June 12, 1912, in Constantinople.
Over the next ten years, in the midst of adverse and tragic circumstances, Bishop Euthymios served the vast Metropolis of Amasya, which was the most extensive in Asia Minor, comprising 340 Orthodox communities and a population of over 130,000 Orthodox, who were mostly Turkish in appearance, but Greek in identity. It is not an exaggeration to state that in all of these years he alone governed the Metropolis of Amasya, due to the frequent trips of Metropolitan Germanos to Constantinople and Athens. Under his tenure the Metropolis of Amasya started to show signs of unusual progress and revival, including the formation of youth and community organizations. In 1913 in the district of Pafra and in several other villages of Western Pontus, he founded many churches, schools for boys, schools for girls, and took care to ensure the proper placement of priests and teachers.
However a short time thereafter, the terrible period of the great persecution of the Anatolian Greeks erupted, especially in the regions of Samsun and Pafra. From then on the activities of the Bishop of Zela changed from efforts for progress and revival, into struggles for relief and retrenchment. He transitioned untiringly from place to place, oftentimes in danger and tried by deprivations and malaise, in order to provide his assistance to those he found in despair or in exile, and to the distressed Orthodox Christians.
Throughout the First World War he urged all of the schools and the people of Pontus to remain united in remembrance of an annual ethnic ceremony which commemorated the female mass suicide of 30-40 young girls from the village of Hazar in 1680, who preferred to fall from a fortress (known as the 'fortress of Ali') into a 150-meter precipice, rather than to fall into the hands of the Turks. This ceremony was observed on the anniversary of March 25th each year in remembrance of the self-sacrifice of the young girls.
In April 1917 a large force of the Turkish army sent by Refet Bele Pasha and commanded by Mehmet Ali encircled the monastery of the Theotokos near the village of Otkaya (Otkayada), on the west side of Mount Neltes (Nebyan), where the cave called Maara (or the Virgin or Magara) was located, encircling 650 women and children and 60 armed rebels. After six days of resistance most of the besieged were killed or committed suicide. Of those that were captured many of the young girls and women were dishonored, the children shot, and the men beheaded.
In 1919, in response to this act, on the forefeast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Euthymios gathered 12,000 insurgents outside of the small town of Tsasur (Tsassour), under the command of Kyriakos Papadopoulos, resulting in the complete destruction of the Turkish armed forces and the town. From that day onwards Euthymios was considered a wanted man by the Kemalist Turks who viewed him as a leader of the insurgents of Western Pontus. He and other notables were restricted in their activities and suffered due to the interrogations they underwent. The jails were filled with Christians of every age and social status. Everywhere there was exile, the gallows, disgrace, and the sword and fire.
In 1921, by a decision of the Kemalist government, all the Metropolitans, Bishops, and Archimandrites of the Pontus region were obliged to abandon Pontus and leave their seats. The only hierarchs who did not obey this order were Metropolitan Chrysanthos (Philippidis) of Trebizond, Bishop Euthymios of Zela, and Protosyngellos Archimandrite Platon (Aivazidis) of Amasya.
On January 21, 1921, the Kemalists captured Bishop Efthymios and Archimandrite Platon (Aivazidis), along with many other notables of the city of Amasya. They were condemned to death, and were imprisoned in the Souyia prison in Amasya.
Aware of the ill-treatments and tortures of those arrested with him, and desiring to relieve their suffering, he appealed to the Kemalist government of Ankara to be regarded as the only culprit, and to be the only one punished, in order to allow his fellow prisoners to be released. However he received no response.
His imprisonment continued relatively mildly until April 18, 1921, the day of Pascha. On that day, without being noticed by the jailer, he entered a hall where many expatriates were being detained in isolation, in order to console and encourage them. As a result of this action he became even more suspect, and was isolated in the damp basements of the jails from then onwards. It was through the testimony of other prisoners that were released, that his tortures were made publicly known afterwards, affirming his isolation and sufferings in prison. Sometimes his voice would be heard chanting the memorial service for the repose of departed, which he was chanting on his own behalf.
On the forty-first day of his isolation, on May 29, 1921, completely exhausted from the hardships, deprivations and tortures, he gave up his soul to the Lord and received the incorruptible crown of martyrdom. It was the irony of fate that his conviction from the high court in Ankara arrived after his death, with the sentence being the 'Independence of death'. Nevertheless, his dead body was hanged in the central square of the town together with the others who had been sentenced to death including politicians, businessmen, journalists and religious figures of the local Greek community. Afterwards his guardians buried him quietly in the courtyard of the adjacent church.
Thus the Bishop of Zela sealed the good course of his life, by preferring faith and country over death, and becoming a forerunner of other ethnomartyr hierarchs, which were to be martyred in the following catastrophic year for Hellenism (that is, the Asia Minor Catastrophe) in 1922.
In 1992 Euthymios was numbered among the chorus of the Saints by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece.
In 1998 a chapel was built in honor of the Saint at Leimonos Monastery, in the Holy Metropolis of Methymna.
Among the manuscripts at Leimonos Monastery, there are fifty items written in his hand, most of which are notebooks from the time of his studies in Halki.
His memory is celebrated on May 29, as well as on the Sunday before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
(from johnsanidopoulos.com)

I’ve been working really hard at conquering my bdd by exercising regularly. I’ve made a lot of progress and am beginning to feel more confident and comfortable in my own skin! I want to celebrate my strength and beauty in activewear that’s trendy but am struggling to find a brand and style that suits my body type.
I’m 5’10 and I guess you could say my body is a mixture of curvy and athletic. I have very broad muscular shoulders, small bum, strong toned legs, short torso, and wear a 36 G cup bra. I’m starting to feel comfortable with my body but am having a hard time finding workout clothes that are flattering on my body. I see a lot of women wearing the biker shorts with the crop top sports bra. I want to wear that but the shorts seem to be too long and make my torso look smaller than it really is. The majority of the crop top bras are not supportive for my chest as well.
I want to feel trendy in the gym but I don’t know what brand of activewear is best for me. Any suggestions of where to shop? I usually prefer in-person shopping to try things on before purchase but online is fine too.

Hello hello. I hope you enjoy this short introduction of myself.
Some have asked why I've come here to seek this, and really, why are any of us here? We're searching for something that we can't find elsewhere so we've decided to give this a shot.
I've tried other sites without luck and dating is difficult in my area. By that I mean everyone is super country, as in enjoying fishing and listening to country music while complaining about liberals. Or, to phrase it another way - guns, God and Trump. That's a hard pass for me, so this seems like the next step.
A couple of things before I start:
Distance isn't an issue for me. I'm hoping to meet someone and chat to see where things lead, if there's a connection of any sort. If there is, we can move from there. Distance is a relatively small issue if you can find someone who is truly perfect for you, after all.
I should also mention that, for the most part, age isn't an issue. To some extent it will be of course, but I don't mind a bit of an age gap in either direction at all. If it's an issue for you, that's understandable; however, if you think it will be for me, well the only way to really find out is to message me, now isn't it?
I'm open to anyone who sees this and is interested (including those of any experience level) as I don't want to limit myself when I could possibly find chemistry with someone.
Also, while I am in general an emotionally intelligent, nurturing and supportive person, I'm also a massive sadist. To be more specific, I enjoy psychological sadism (although physical sadism is definitely fun too) and that is reflected in my kinks and, to some extent, my personality. While I believe boundaries and limits are to be respected at all times, and I don't enjoy anything if my partner doesn't, I absolutely love teasing, tormenting and torturing my partner in both play and everyday life.
Prepare for a mountain of text! It's a bit long, but I assure you it's worth the read. I decided that since I'm putting myself out there with a post, I want to truly and fully put myself out there and represent myself. I'm hoping that those reading this will recognize the effort that was put into this and get a good feel for who I am as a person. If you feel it's too much, save it for later, skim or even just message me if you would rather get to know me more naturally.
My post is cobbled together from thoughts, beliefs and realizations that I have come upon in my years in the lifestyle (which is why you might see slightly different styles of writing in different parts, this post is taken from my kink profiles and are the sum result of over ten years of experience that I find I still add to every now and then. I try to edit and organize it a bit from time to time, but it's difficult due to the fact that there's so much that I wish to include.)
Long story short, I can be a bit...rambly, sometimes. So apologies in advance for that, although I have recently made great strides in editing my post. So I've got that going for me, which is nice.
While it's certainly a lengthy read, it's not nearly as bad as it seems. I recommend reading the whole thing (obviously since I wrote it), especially if you're interested in getting to know a kinky, geeky and empathetic person.
Now that I've covered that, it's time to get to the part you've been waiting for.

About me:

I decided to put this part first because I believe that, above all else, the people involved should connect on a personal level and "click", if you will. This tells about who I am and my hobbies and such. If someone can't accept this part of me, how could we possibly get along?
I'm a lighthearted, playful and fairly laid back, yet somewhat serious minded, person who's rather upbeat and probably too curious for his own good. I'm also kind, caring, friendly, sometimes cynical and often sarcastic (although in a lighthearted manner, and never at the expense of others.) There's nothing I love to do more than laugh; I love most things involving humor, although I do believe there's a very fine line between hilarity and stupidity.
Now, for some little bits of trivia about me:

• According to the Myers-Briggs system, I'm an INFP. Online tests can give you an idea of where to start, but they're not that reliable and the results can change depending on your mood that day. To truly discover your type requires self-reflection to learn about your cognitive functions, and while doing so I learned a lot about myself. I don't follow it religiously, but I believe there are some elements of truth to it.
• I'm definitely a Type B Personality.
• I'm a hopeless romantic, an old soul who's young at heart, a cynical optimist and a realistic dreamer.
• I'm definitely that type that believes in better safe than sorry, and one of my mottos is "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst." I also tend to do copious amounts of research before any big decision.
• I consider myself to be a very grounded, down to earth and genuine person.
• I'm extremely friendly and believe in treating others with the same respect that you would like to receive and generally try to do what I feel is "right" by others (more on that in a bit.)
• I like to believe in the best of human nature, although I seem to be let down a fair bit. Even so, I don't want to let that stop me.
• I have very strong values and ideals, and an even stronger moral compass.
• I believe people are free to do and believe what they want, so long as they don't harm themselves, harm, cause trouble for or inconvenience others, or attempt to force those beliefs on others.
• I believe that a life lived for others is the only life worth living.
• I believe that there's no point in worrying about things that you can't change. If you let yourself get dragged down by it and obsess over it, you'll find yourself crushed under the weight of all the injustices in the world.
• I've been told (rather often actually) that I have a very nice voice, frequently being told that I should go into radio or be an announcer of some kind. I'm very expressive and my voice reflects that, having lots of highs and lows. Truthfully, I believe it's one of my better features.
• I much prefer talking to typing in general, especially when first getting to know someone as you get a much better idea of their personality. Also, I feel like I come across kind of...stiff in my writing style when that's very much not me, so voice allows me to showcase my truest self.
• I tend to be a confidant of sorts; due to my open and genuine nature and what I've been told is a welcoming...aura, I suppose, people tend to find me easy to talk to and trust, coming to me to confide things and seek out advice. This is something that brings me great happiness and pride as having the trust of others is important to me.
• Promises are very important to me; once I give my word in regards to something I'll keep it, even if I don't particularly want to. As cheesy as it might sound, to me my word is my bond.
• Admittedly, subtlety is not one of my strong points. I'm a very open, upfront and honest person. I'm terrible at lying (I hate doing it and I just give away that I am) and can't keep a straight face to save my life. If I were an actor, I would probably be Jimmy Fallon.
• I welcome people to give me constructive criticism and feedback as I'm constantly looking to improve myself. Yes, that even includes those that message me saying my post is far too long.
• I can't fake a smile to save my life, it has to be genuine for me. One of the many reasons I hate having photos taken of me.
• I find intelligence, humor and kindness to be the most desirable traits in a partner (although being easy on the eyes doesn't hurt.)
• My senses are all very sensitive, and can sometimes overwhelm me when I'm introduced to new stimuli.
• I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to too. Wait, I'm just kidding, just wanted to throw a little Mitch Hedberg in here. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs. While I have no issue with those who drink, I do tend to avoid smokers and hardcore drug users.
• Despite what the length of my post may say about me, I absolutely hate writing.
• I enjoy visiting places but hate the actual traveling (which is one of the reasons why if I could have one power it would be teleportation [actually if I could have one power it would be the ability to manipulate space and time, however for simplicity's sake I'm just going to say teleportation for now {not Star Trek teleportation though, fuck that.}])
• I hate waiting and I hate making others wait.
• I love the symbolism of trees and what they represent: strength, vitality, protection.
• If I had to rank the seven deadly sins in the order that I'm guilty of from most to least, it would go: Gluttony, Pride, Sloth, Lust, Envy, Greed and Wrath.
• If I were to list the Magic the Gathering colors that I most identify with from most to least, it would go: White, Blue, Green, Red and then Black.
• Growing up I was all about DBZ, Dinosaurs, Gargoyles, Ghostbusters, Ninja Turtles, Pokémon, Power Rangers, Spider-Man & X-Men.
• I absolutely love animals and have two cats of my own, Ivy and Jasmine (there are wonderful stories behind both names), that I love to death. I probably talk to them like people a bit too much.
• I spend far more time living in my head than I should.
• I firmly believe that breakfast offers the best food. I could eat waffles everyday.
• I call Gatorade by their flavors as opposed to their colors.
• I absolutely love when I'm thirsty and soda burns my throat.
• You won't catch me running unless something is chasing me. Partially because I have asthma, but mostly because running is awful.

Over the past several years I've come to appreciate music a lot more than I used to (before it was simply used as background noise as I can't stand silence) and have discovered that I'm a fan of alt-metal, heavy metal and hard rock more than anything else.
Some bands I enjoy include:

Adelitas Way, Amaranthe, Breaking Benjamin, Disturbed, Evans Blue, Five Finger Death Punch, Gemini Syndrome, Otherwise, Pop Evil, Sevendust, Shinedown, Shaman's Harvest, State of Mine, Theory of a Deadman, Three Days Grace (before Adam Gontier left)

I enjoy other types of music as well, for example another band I like is Bowling for Soup as I love their sense of humor; it's great to see people not taking music so seriously. I'm also a fan of big band music, which I actually have Fallout 3 to thank for. I enjoy classical musical as well and, despite having no real knowledge of it and most of it sounding the same, I find it incredibly relaxing and peaceful.
While I enjoy relaxing and watching television, I have trouble watching hour long shows as I can only focus on it for so long before my attention wavers, around that time I start looking at my phone and just waiting for it to be over. It's also why I don't watch too many movies; I need my entertainment bite sized. I'll watch movies every once in a while, but they generally need to be 100 minutes tops (unless it's something I'm super into.).
I have difficulty getting into things that are realistic; they usually need to be fantastical in nature and capture my imagination. My preferred genres are comedy, horror (mainly supernatural, no slashers) and most things involving special powers or abilities, however I can sometimes get into action or drama as well. I also have a love for the world of animation, possibly because they tend to be more creative and aren't limited by reality; it's part of why I'm so partial to anime.
Some shows that I'm fond of are:

Animation: Adventure Time, American Dad, Archer, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Bob's Burgers, Bojack Horseman, [China, IL], Disenchantment, Futurama, HarmonQuest, Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law, King of the Hill, Metalocalypse, Mike Tyson Mysteries, Mr. Pickles, Rick and Morty, Robot Chicken, South Park, Superjail, Ugly Americans, Venture Bros.
Live-action: Arrested Development, Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad, Carnivàle, Dexter, Eureka, Friends, Game of Thrones, The Good Place, House, The Lost Room, Monk, The Muppets (2015 series), The Office, Parks and Rec, Psych, Stargate, Stranger Things, Walking Dead, Warehouse 13, Wilfred

I definitely binge my shows, I like to wait for a season (or preferably an entire series) to be done before I jump into it. I'm also the type that's fine watching something just once. If I ever feel the need to watch it again it will be many, many years later. This extends to games as well, I generally need things with replayability such as MOBA's or Rogue-likes.
Gaming is easily one of my biggest hobbies and has been for many, many years now. I see it as an art form, as a way to tell a story that you can deeply immerse yourself in and get pulled into, something that can captivate you and make you lose all track of time because it's simply so engrossing. It's also a damn good way to have fun and kill time, especially when you're playing with friends. It's a big part of my life and something I have spent quite a bit of time and money on. Some people may be put off by this, but it a part of me that I will not deny or hide; after all, if someone has an issue with that then how compatible could we possibly be?
Some video games that hold a special place in my heart are:

Action/Adventure: Alan Wake, Assassin's Creed, Bastion, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Bayonetta, Brütal Legend, Bully, Darksiders, Dark Souls (first one), Deadly Premonition, Dead Space, Devil May Cry (3 & 5), Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, Heavy Rain, Hellblade, Infamous, Last of Us, Legend of Zelda (A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker), Luigi's Mansion, Metal Gear Solid (Twin Snakes, 3, 4 & 5), Ninja Gaiden (2004), Overlord, Phantom Crash, Resident Evil 2 remake, Saint's Row 2, The Saboteur, TMNT: Turtles in Time
Fighting: Anarchy Reigns, Blazblue (series), DBZ: Budokai, Dragon Ball Fighterz, Marvel vs Capcom (2 & 3), Mortal Kombat (9 & 11), Soul Calibur 3, Super Smash Bros. Melee
MOBA: Dota 2, Guardians of Middle Earth, Heroes of the Storm
Rogue-like: Binding of Isaac, Crypt of the Necrodancer, Darkest Dungeon, Dead Cells, Don't Starve, FTL, Monster Train, Slay the Spire
RPG: Bravely Default, Dragon Age (Origins and Inquisition), Dragon's Dogma, Elder Scrolls (Oblivion and Skyrim), Fable (1 & 2), Fallout (3 & New Vegas), Final Fantasy (IX, X & Tactics Advance), Grim Dawn, Mass Effect 2, Pillars of Eternity (series), Pokémon (Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver & Stadium), Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Suikoden 2, Tyranny, The Witcher (2 & 3)
Shooter: Bioshock (series), Battlefield Bad Company (1 & 2), The Darkness, Deep Rock Galactic, Gears of War (1 & 3), Left 4 Dead, Shadowrun (2007 FPS), Team Fortress 2 (when it first came out, it's a little much now), Vanquish
Simulation: Animal Crossing (first one), Doki Doki Literature Club, Harvest Moon, Life is Strange, Pokémon Snap, Tabletop Simulator
Strategy: Civilization (3 & 4), Endless Legend, Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers (2012 & 2013), Portal, Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, Warcraft 3

Not only that, but I've also gotten into tabletop gaming, including both board and pen and paper games (such as Dungeons and Dragons.) I initially got into the latter as an exercise to strengthen my creative muscles but found it was a fun way to goof off with friends. For the former, it's almost gotten to the point that I enjoy them more than most video games as it provides an experience that you don't get anymore; friends gathered around and competing against one another or cooperating against a common foe, something that's disappeared with the advent of the internet.
Some board games that I love are:

BANG! The Dice Game, Dead of Winter, Dice Throne, Epic Spell Wars, King of New York, Lords of Waterdeep, Munchkin, Pandemic, Red Dragon Inn

I enjoy reading as well, although I find it difficult to find a book that can keep my focus and really draw me in like I crave. I'm constantly on the prowl for new material, and my favorite genres would probably be apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic, dystopian, horror and dark fantasy/grimdark, although I'm certainly in the market for something that has a good element of humor to it as well. If you have any recommendations, I'd absolutely love to hear them!
Bring up video/board/tabletop games, super powers, comics, cartoons, anime, manga, sci-fi, fantasy or technology and I'll happily chat your ear off. I'm quite social and love to talk, however I'm also an introvert so there are plenty of times where the pressure of constant social interactions with others gets to me and I need to take some time to myself to mentally recharge.
As I mentioned, I absolutely adore animals. Seriously, if you want to make me hate a bad guy, have him hurt an animal. Ironically, I'm practically a carnivore. I'm convinced that I would starve if I had to hunt for my own food just because I couldn't bring myself to hurt them.
Speaking of food, I'm a bit of a foodie (I dislike that word, but it's accurate.) I'm all about sauces, seasonings and spices, not to mention a love for anything deep fried. I love experiencing different tastes and textures while trying new things...as long as they're not vegetables. No veggies, except corn and potatoes; those two get a pass as they're amazing. I also enjoy onions and peppers in small quantities in dishes.
I've got a nice guy next door look in that I have no tattoos or piercings, have glasses, stay clean shaven and have a bit of a baby face (as in I look rather young, I often get mistaken for being in my mid 20's). I wouldn't say that with my look I would be called handsome, sexy or hot (however I am often called cute (I've also been called handsome a fair amount, it still feels weird though.) I'm also rather pale due to the fact that I stay indoors most of the time (if you can't tell from that, I'm white.) Because of my appearance, and my friendly and laid back nature, people tend to view me as rather innocent. I suppose that isn't entirely incorrect though, I'll admit that I can be a bit naive at times in regards to people and the world.
As for politics and religion, I tend to try to stay away from both.
While I believe I'm somewhat in the middle for the former, as I have views from both sides, if I had to choose I'd say I definitely lean way more towards the left. I believe in the greater good, the needs of the many over the needs of the few, in advancing science and finding alternative fuels and materials that don't pollute or destroy our environment in the process, in trying to create a brighter future, etc, etc. I'm definitely not on the far left however, and hate social justice and cancel culture. I'm empathetic and all, but people need to stop getting offended by every tiny thIng and creating problems that don't exist. That's definitely not exclusive to the left, the right is very guilty of it as well.
For the latter, I generally just consider myself not religious as I don't think or care about it too much. If I had to classify it though I'd say I'm agnostic. This means that, while I don't believe in any god or gods, I acknowledge that they might exist. While I'm 99.3̅3̅3̅% certain that there is no grand creator or afterlife, there's no real way we can know for certain. We're a very young and ignorant species, there's much about life and the universe that we are unaware of or don't understand yet.
I just try to focus on being a good person and doing right by others, not for some earthly or heavenly reward, or for a smug sense of self satisfaction, but because it's simply what I want to do. It's who I am and what makes me feel good about myself.
I try my best to live by The Golden Rule (also known as treat others you the way you wish to be treated or do unto others as you would have them do unto you), being guided by own moral compass that directs me in how I interact with others. I always do my very best to make others feel wanted, cared for, appreciated and understood, to give them validation; I never want anyone to feel left out or unwanted, for any reason at all. Perhaps it's from my own difficult childhood, since I felt that way when I was young and don't want others to go through the same things that I did. Whatever the reason, whenever I say or do anything I tend to, without even realizing it, think about how it will affect the other person and the different ways that it could be taken. I strive to treat others with the courtesy and respect that I believe that they deserve.
As I mentioned, I have a strong moral compass. The only problem is, this is true North for my compass; I feel that's the correct way to treat and interact with others, and I believe that's what everyone should do. So when other people don't act in the way that I believe they should, even though I know everyone is different and everyone has different thoughts, feelings and experiences that led them to those (we are the product of our environments after all), it can bother me. I've come to realize that this is due to holding myself to extremely high standards, and often holding other people to the same standards to which I hold myself.
Unfortunately, that can lead to conflicts with others, sometimes over things that they might feel to be insignificant. It doesn't happen very often though as I can recognize whether something is actually a big deal or not and put it to the back of my mind; I wouldn't be a very good friend or partner if I nitpicked over every little thing, now would I? Despite being very much driven by my moral compass, I'm also calm, collected, understanding and logical by nature.
I've realized that I used to put a lot of pressure on myself when interacting with others, trying to be funny and entertaining, overall trying to make sure that they were having a good time and enjoying themselves. If, for whatever reason, I felt that they were bored I ended up trying even harder to keep them engaged and joyful. It was somewhat of a bad habit of mine; I suppose I just felt like I had a personal stake in everyone that I interacted with, a responsibility almost, and didn't want to leave them wanting. I still do this to some extent, but not as much as I used to; as I've grown and matured, and my anxiety has lessened, I've learned to pull back a bit and that I don't need to carry everyone's burden on my shoulders. I still wish to keep people engaged and happy, and still take on more responsibility than I probably should, however I imagine that I'll always be that way; it's just in my nature.
I'm an emotionally intelligent and extremely empathetic person who's well aware of his inner workings due to my introspective nature. I'm easily able to see things from multiple perspectives, which I believe is because of how I process empathy. I don't necessarily feel the exact pain of others, but I mirror it; it's second nature for me to put myself in their position which allows me to understand the plethora of ways they can think and feel. This is something that is a core part of who I am and that I take great pride in.
I feel deeply, which can lead to me taking things to heart and sometimes reading too much into things or overanalyzing them. Thankfully, due to my great experience in emotional control and regulation (which I'm about to go into), I'm generally able to take a step back from my emotions and understand the intent and meaning behind words and actions so there's less of a chance of misunderstanding.
Because I feel so deeply, that caused problems for me when I was younger. My emotions were a swirling vortex, out of control and ready to burst out at any second. Puberty certainly didn't make this any easier either.
It's been said that our personal identity is 80% environmental and 20% genetic. While I might be genetically predispositioned to feeling so deeply, a lot of it likely comes from traumas experienced in childhood and my inability to process them properly. They left scars that I'm still dealing with today, and as a result of said scars, growing up I was diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety, depression and OCD, on top of the ADHD that I already had. However, I'm thankfully in a very good place thanks to a combination of past therapy, current medication and constant reflection.
I've done a lot of work to be able to get a handle on my emotions. Because I got used to having them under such control, I've been told that at times I can come across as kind of indifferent or hard to read. That's one of the reasons that I'm such an upfront, open, honest and expressive person; I want people to be able to understand me and I generally tell exactly what I'm thinking or how something makes me feel so that others can do that.
Honestly, one of my biggest fears is that no one will ever be able to understand me like I understand myself. It's right up there with a fear of the unknown (one is the reasons I don't do deep water, I don't want to fuck with any Cthulhu monsters that are down there) and losing my memories, as in the end we're just a sum of our memories and I don't want to lose who I am.
I never claimed to be perfect; I have my flaws as well, and try to work on them every day to improve myself as a person. Since I've already put so much of myself into my profile, I thought that it was only right to put the negative parts in as well.
While some of these things could certainly be considered negative traits, I believe that they help make me the Dom that I am. Because I AM so compassionate, because I AM so empathetic, because I HAVE been through so much and still keep going, I feel that I can give a sub or a slave what she truly needs to thrive in her environment. Feel free to read more about that below.

My Beliefs:

If I had to break down why this all appeals to me to one reason, to put it simply, I'd have to say that I'm the kind of person who wants to be needed. I find that, overall, I feel more driven and fulfilled if I know that I have someone that depends on me. If I have someone whose best interests I must keep in mind, who I need to protect and care for, I feel a greater sense of purpose than the humdrum rumblings of everyday life.
When you combine that with my nurturing and empathetic nature this type of relationship is the natural choice for me (more on that next). I believe that's also why I find myself naturally drawn to the weak, the helpless and the damaged. I have an overwhelming desire to heal them, to help and protect them while nurturing them and watching them grow into who I know they can be, which goes with what I was saying before.
A sub knows that her Dom loves her unconditionally and only wants what is best for her. While I do certainly enjoy doing this, I primarily do this to help my sub above all else. I'm a nurturing soul who wishes nothing more than to protect his partner. To take care of her and help her when she needs it. To be her support and her life line. To give her the guidance, structure and discipline she needs to feel fulfilled in life. To set rules and guidelines so that she can move freely within those set limits and be happy. To help her decide what is best for her when she herself doesn't know. To provide the security and comfort of knowing that she is being taken care of and that she has someone she can talk to about anything without any sort of judgment or prejudice. I want her to thrive and become the person that she was always meant to be. I enjoy pushing my sub to explore her boundaries and limits, within reason of course. I simply wish to see her flourish and blossom, to help her become what I know she can be and reach higher plateaus.
I realize the previous paragraphs could sound condescending in some ways, however that couldn't be further from the truth. I see my partner as an equal, someone who simply has different needs that I can fulfill so that they can live a fulfilling life themselves, and in turn by fulfilling those needs of theirs, I feel fulfilled as well. We ultimately form a symbiotic relationship of sorts.
Make no mistake, I have no desire to micromanage every tiny detail of my sub's life, nor form a codependent relationship where she's entirely reliant upon me for her mental and emotional needs. The level and extent of the D/s relationship is decided after long discussion and input from both parties.
Some believe that being a Dom is just telling people what to do and getting what you want while getting off, but it's so much more than that. It's not as easy or simple as it appears, you must always keep what is best for your sub in mind, even if it conflicts with your own immediate or future interests. You must constantly be aware of her needs and desires while providing checks and balances to help her live a life worth living. Anyone can simply give a sub what she wants, it takes a true Dom to say no because you feel that is what is best for her.
At least that's how it should be. There are so many "Doms" out there that don't care about their subs at all, only themselves. They don't care if they're suffering physically or emotionally, they simply use them as toys they can play with and then toss aside when they're bored; they abuse them and hurt them simply because they get a kick out of it. A real Dom/sub relationship is a very special and strong bond, much more so than a vanilla relationship in my opinion. So many people seem to have issues understanding that unfortunately, there's a certain stigma associated with this and preconceptions are formed before they even learn anything about it.
Truthfully, I believe the sub holds the power in the relationship in many ways. She is the one that is choosing to submit after all, to give up her power and control to the Dom. Despite that, she is the one that has control over the power of safe words, that can stop an activity with a single utterance. Her subservience is completely voluntary, something that many people don't seem to think about. It's not simply about someone bossing someone around because they can, it's about someone choosing a partner that they feel is worthy to give their all to.

What I'm looking for:

I'm not here looking for a booty call or one night stand, but to find a potential partner in crime, possibly for life if a connection is made. More than anything, I simply wish to find someone who looks at me the way this girl looks at her prom date.
While the following is my ideal, as I said at the beginning, I'm open to talking to anyone that reads this. However, I'm not particularly interested in "littles" or "brats".
Ideally my partner would be what is typically called an adult babygirl, and I'd like to elaborate on that term since some might not be familiar with it. Essentially it's someone who enjoys the nurturing, loving and structured aspect of a Daddy Dom or DD/lg relationship but isn't a little themselves; meaning that they don't have a mental age that they regress to, among other things. (I don't identify as a Daddy myself, however due to my protective and supportive/nurturing nature you could say I'm Daddy leaning.)
Some people have their entire lives revolve around the lifestyle, going to munches, conventions, parties and attempting to reach out to their community and find a place to belong. That might work for them, but it's of no interest to me. While I'm certainly not opposed to chatting and making friends and connections, I have no desire to be a part of a community. I'm simply seeking one whose ideas and beliefs line up with my own for a symbiotic relationship as I mentioned before
If I had to describe such a relationship, it would definitely be on the lighter side of the spectrum in regards to what daily life would be like. I'm seeking a 24/7 TPE, however I also enjoy being casual with my sub. Perhaps in some ways it's more similar to a vanilla relationship with strong Dom/sub undertones than a typical BDSM relationship.
In my perfect situation, we would still be able to joke around, have fun and be very close and romantic; however there is also the constant understanding that I am in charge, and what I say goes. No matter how much fun we may be having or what we might be doing, she should always know her place, even if it's only in the back of her mind. There are rules in place for her benefit, and if she breaks those rules she will be punished.
By what I say goes, I mean I have the final say in subjects because, as a submissive, she has given the reins of power over to me. She trusts me to make her decisions for her and to do what is best for her, to take care of and protect her. I'm never the type to say "this is how it's going to be, I don't care what you want, end of discussion" as discourse is the only way two people can truly understand one another. I always value my submissive's input and always want her to give her opinion and speak her mind if something is bothering her.
My ideal sub would be one that is loyal and devoted above all else, but also one who is looking for a Dom she can actually have a connection with. One that, not necessarily needs, but craves guidance, support, structure and discipline in their life; whose life does not feel complete without this, like there is a void deep inside her that cannot be filled unless she has a Dom to guide and take care of her, that she can in turn make happy and serve to the best of her ability.
Beyond anything else though, I want to like them as a person before I love them as a sub. My perfect partner would be someone who is intelligent, kind-hearted, earnest, funny and a has a fair touch of dorkiness in her. I want her to be someone that actually has personality, that I can laugh with and talk to for hours upon hours on end and still hate the thought of leaving. Someone that will either indulge my love of games and geekery or join me because she's just as much of a fan of those things as I am. Someone who loves how I tease and torment her, keeping her on the edge and revelling in the pleasure I get from watching her squirm.
One thing to note is that just because I am very friendly (sometimes people are surprised when I begin acting more Dominant, others aren't as they say they can "sense it in the way I present myself", even while being friendly and joking around) doesn't mean that I'm not strict when I have to be. I have no problem at all with enforcing rules and giving out punishments, although it's certainly not my favorite aspect of the relationship. I would prefer to reward, encourage and nurture my sub, however there are times when discipline is necessary; if one feels the need to act up, one must be ready accept the consequences after all.
If I had to describe my style of dominance, or what makes me dominant, I suppose that would be a little tricky. I don't feel the need to control everything, nor do I attempt to, and I have no problem with kicking back and letting others take the reigns in everyday situations if I feel they're more qualified or I just plain don't feel like it. Nor am I the type that "oozes" dominance, I don't care for confrontation and am a very easy going, go with the flow person. What I believe it boils down to is I simply feel comfortable with power and, quite frankly, enjoy it. I bear the burden of leadership well, it comes naturally to me and I thrive when I have the weight of another's life on my shoulders; I have little trouble making hard decisions when I need to. It also helps that my sexual inclinations line up with this nicely. If it doesn't last quite some time and doesn't end with both parties panting and soaked in sweat, I'm not particularly interested in it.
On that note, I have quite the kinky side despite my friendly and charming exterior. I suppose I should list it here because, while certainly not the primary focus of my interest in this, sexual compatibility does factor in to some extent.
My kinks are:

Anal, begging, biting, blowjobs, body worship, bondage, choking, cock worship, consensual non-consent, creampies, crying (the good kind), cumplay, deepthroating, degradation, desperation, dirty talking, face fucking, facials, free use, hair pulling, hole stretching (basically pushing my partner to her limits), humiliation, hypnosis, name calling, objectification, orgasm control (which includes edging, forced orgasms, orgasm denial and ruined orgasms), public play (in a discreet manner), slapping, spanking, spitting and teasing.

One thing I feel I should mention is that the acts of degradation and humilation are limited to play time and only sexual in nature, never attacking my partner in any way.
I also believe very strongly in aftercare and safe words as the mental and emotional well being of my partner is very important.
I realize there's no one way to live this lifestyle, but I feel like a lot of what I said should be obvious and general knowledge in regards to this; however from my experience it doesn't seem to be that way too often (not referring to the that are inexperienced in this, more those that do this for the wrong reason), which is why I wanted to share my views in such detail.
I feel like I've rambled on enough already and am dangerously close to having a TL;DR (yeah, I hit that ages ago), so I'll just say that if you're interested in learning more about me and getting to know me, you can give me a message and we'll see where things go. I like to get to know people naturally, just talk with them and see where things lead, whether that be a short chat, a simple friendship or something more. It seems silly to have expectations when you don't even know the person or how you'll get along.
Even if you're nervous or anxious, you think you might not be good enough, doubt my intentions or anything along those lines, still give me a message. After all, what do you have to lose?
Thanks for taking the time to read my little novella, I hope to hear from you soon. So long, and thanks for reading!

First Previous Next
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Squilla

Squilla looked up from the docupad and at the blank metal wall of her room. Tony’s code was all over the place and though she was able to keep him out of the more important systems—the ones that would give the AI control over the ship she didn’t want it to have—it was not enough to keep him out of everything.
Tony was everywhere on the ship, but at the same time not where he should be. Usually, AI systems would be focused on a specific task. Navigation was the most common, there were not many biological forms that could compute interstellar travel so fast. Communication was rarely given over to AIs, there were enough advances in basic systems to make it pointless to put an AI there. Weapons were dependent on the government – did they trust their captains more than their programmers?
But Tony was in all of those.
Tony was in the sprinklers that he used to torture Squilla every time she entered a room after their second acquisition of the ship. He was in the speakers and playlists. He was in every docupad and every light—including the ones used specifically to project his humanoid hologram. He was in the gym’s VR system – riding a rocket board in the air between Alice and Ilise and trying to distract them. At the same time, he was a sprite wearing armour and fighting rainbow dragons over the X button of that annoying pop-up for vigara that he sent to try and stop Squilla from reading his base code.
Tony was in the cleaning ducts, the weapons system, the comms, the DME, and the yet-to-be-installed stealth tech Ilise brought back on board. The device was only turned on in Squilla’s sandbox and she found fragments of Tony’s code.
A beep made her look back down at her docupad where Tony’s sprite was waving at her. It looked mocking. She shut off the pad’s screen only for it to flash with a giant pixelated grin followed by another ad-bomb full of enhancements, pills, injections, and the occasional gaming review.
Those last ones always caught Squilla’s eye and she had a hard time turning away from the last ARC-championship announcement or the gossip about the galaxy’s top players being in a polyamorous relationship.
“Please stop this,” Squilla barely got the words out before the AI’s hologram appeared in her room right by the door.
“You should take down that firewall,” Tony replied but he was smiling. He looked sweet. The docupad flashed with another ad-bomb and Squilla threw it onto the bed so she wouldn’t have to look at it.
“I take it down and half of these ads will download a virus onto your systems.”
“I can deal with viruses.”
“But not with a firewall?”
“Well... you’re good. We both know that. And it’s less of a firewall and more like hardened magma, waiting for me to touch it so it explodes and burns--”
“I’m sorry Tony, I can’t,” Squilla interrupted him. “We both know why.”
Tony said nothing but the pout on his lips almost, almost, made Squilla take her words back.
“That last time wasn’t my fault,” he said quietly, his voice moving to the speaker right by Squilla’s head and coming only from there.
The AI was flawless. The way it moved and shifted. It was so biological, like any other lifeform that Squilla had encountered. Sometimes, she forgot he was nothing more than code. Very advanced code, yes, but code nonetheless.
“I know. But we were lucky last time that Charyd didn’t get caught too. This time? Who knows what hidden doors and traps you have in your code that will make it so we all get caught.”
“I’d know if I had any such codes!”
“And you’d tell me?”
Tony was quiet. His hologram hugged his chest and looked away. It was so... human. That was the only reason why Squilla was able to get her defences back up and harden her tone as she said, “Firewall stays on until we get to a CEMP-dock.”
“CEMP-dock?!”
“Only for your comms, I promise.”
“There are not many places in the galaxy that have a CEMP-dock.”
Squilla realized she had already revealed too much. “I’m going to be late for dinner. We’ll continue this later.” She passed right through the hologram and made her way to the mess hall. It was dinner time and Polo had promised to make her favourite tonight – catappa leaves on top of boiled beetles sprinkled with the ash of burnad. It was also the perfect excuse to stop talking to the AI.

Ilise

The moment Ilise’s alarm beeped, she was up, dressed in the loose shirt Charyd had given her (that did not have the man’s scent on it, it really didn’t Tony, what the fuck? Why would you even ask that?!), bed made, and out of her room.
After weeks of being stuck, she wanted to be anywhere, even in the uncomfortable chairs on the deck. She knew Alice was watching her with a close eye, and because of that, she dared not enter Tony’s room in fear of a logger being planted on the biometrics by Squilla.
“Good morning, Tony. Any reason why it's cooler on the ship today?”
“The thermostat has been changed to 15 Celsius.”
That was odd, but it was nice to not sweat as much during her workout. “Any insight on where we might be located right now?”
“The Darkstorm is in space. Flying past some planets, and asteroids. Quite a scenic view, seen nowhere else in—”
“Can you narrow it down by galaxy?”
“I can. But I think you will be surprised when I show you where we are at. Polo has informed me the best things in life are surprises, like a jellyfish-filled donut.”
Her sister loved strawberry cockroach-filled donuts. She would aim her massive, big bite so the filling would explode and stain Ilise’s shirt. “I prefer to be prepared for anything. Could you give me a hint?”
“Yes, it orbits a sun.”
Ilise could not help but let out a loud sigh. She paused in the hallway, surprised to see Squilla standing outside the gym door without a tablet in sight. “Ms. Posey, I was wondering if we could talk.”
“It’s Captain Posey.” Her comm pinged and she glanced down at it. There was a short message from Tony flashing on the screen, telling her to “beware the kraken!”
“Oh, um, but well, you don’t captain this ship or crew for that matter. It would be like calling me Senator Squilla.”
“Well Senator Squilla of Charyd’s Crew, I am still a Captain by rank according to the military until my superiors say otherwise.” Her comm pinged multiple times. Tony probably sending a message one word at a time to her. “But I don’t think you came here to talk about titles. What is it?”
Squilla’s antenna flickered around, sensing, she crossed her multiple swimmerets across her chest. “It's about the AI. I think it has evolved too much. I need to know if you have a way to shut it down and restart it. It’s branching out into everything it shouldn’t. I can’t contain it.”
“Tony isn’t something to be contained. Tony is the ship, free in space. This is about your firewall.” That explains how Tony was able to determine where they were.
Squilla nodded. “I am asking you, for our safety, to tell me how to restart the AI you call Tony.”
Ilise leaned, getting close. “You can’t restart Tony.” She gently patted Squilla’s shoulder. “Though it sounds like you gave it an incredible try, better than anyone else ever has. I’d be willing to help you get a job in the cyber security department.”
Squilla peeled Ilise’s hand off. “A desk job never appealed to me. If you won’t help me, I will find a way to talk directly to Tony and figure out what their true processor is to make them stop. Nothing should have the power to be all over the ship. Departments exist for a reason.”
The threat emitting from the small person was enough to send chills down Ilise’s spine. “Then I suggest you keep your little clickers out and tucked in tight in your department.”
“Brrrr.” Charyd bellowed out. “You two need to chill – no heat out. Squilla, do you need my help?”
“No. I can handle things in my area. Thank you, Captain.”
“Hold up!” Charyd called out. “In all seriousness, it’s a bit chilly today. Do you mind checking the thermostat setting?”
“Sure, but it’s at the one we agreed to.”
She skittered away down the hall to the deck. Charyd pulled the hood on his grey sweater up over his head. “What? My ears are cold.” He then took a very slow and deliberate twice-over—nope, make that four—of Ilise’s body from head to toe, lingering a bit too long on her chest.
“What are you doing here?” Ilise growled out the question and crossed her arms over her chest as if that would help divert his attention elsewhere.
“Is that my shirt?” he asked then immediately waved a hand in the air. “Never mind. Holiday for Alice. You get me.” He walked into the gym, and she followed.
“Won’t be much of a race against you. How about a boxing match – gloves off.”
He morphed his fist into a large red brick shape. “Unfair match, I can make it as large and hard as I want.”
“You can morph into anything you want, why does most of your species take on the more human look?” The broad shoulders and thick dark lips, but his eyes were unique to him. Something he could change to blend in more with the humans, but instead used it to stand out.
“Because that’s what works better in the military. Alright, to keep this fair.” He grew taller than her, his fangs protruded out as the lower lip pulled out and his upper tucked in. His jaw became squarer and his shoulders and hips broader, stretching the seams in the sweater. “Oh damn. “
He wiggled out of his sweater, encouraging the sound of thread ripping. He remained in a tight-fitting work shirt, his pecs ready to bulge out. Ilise forced her eyes to lock with his (she would not be as rude as he was earlier) and resisted echoing his words. Her heart was racing and constricting in her chest. She cleared her throat a few times before talking. “Well, those arms will make this a bit unfair, but I will best you at bench pressing with that body ratio.”
Her comm pinged, and she scrolled through the messages from Tony, ignoring the single. Fucking. Letter. Texts that he sent her earlier while she was with Squilla, to see his latest. “The Shicor body ratio of 134/110/123 of shoulder, waist, and hip, would do better in bench pressing. Try squats with that ratio.”
Charyd was able to morph anything on his body, she would take any advantage handed to her by Tony. “Squats barbell.”
Charyd took a step over, wiggling and shifting his pants around his waist. Based on his gait, he must have shrunk parts of him down. He clearly had some experience in adjusting his groin and hips. He put the bar on the ground and began to load it up, starting small at a hundred and fifty. Her stare must have been burning into him for he looked up and wiped his hands on his pants. “I liked to do a stretch or warm up round to get a hang of a new body.”
“Mmmmhmm” she agreed.
The form of his clothes as he pulled up the weight left little to her imagination. She stepped around the back to watch him adjust the barbell and dipped into the squat.
“That’s a fine ass.” The speakers said.
“Mmmhmm,” Ilise replied casually. Then her face heated up and glowed purple.
Tony sent her a message. “You did not hear that.”
Based on the smile on Charyd’s face as he added an additional weight, he just got an ego inflation enough to hold 700 weights.

Tony

Systems check.

Create handshake with Cadoon.

Error. Cadoon not found.
I’m going to have to do this on my own like everything.

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5 entries found.
List Complaints
Reporter: Squilla. Complaint: Sprinklers. Reporter: Squilla. Complaint: Disco lights. Reporter: Squilla. Complaint: Stupid Sprinklers. Reporter: Squilla. Complaint: Failed Ad blocker. Reporter: Squilla. Complaint: ‘HR Complaints’ do nothing.
No one cares about how I dress. Or hates me. I’m not annoying.
I’m not making a first impression. But just in case.

Run JobApprovalRating(Target Tony)

Accessing logs...

Stop

Last command has ended abruptly.
I’m just looking for excuses.

Build Outfit {

Head: Black Privateer hat with red bandana and feather. Chest: Brown Corsair coat with white shirt. Legs: Black leggings. Modifier: extra-tight. Feet: Black leather boots. Accessories: Parrot.
}
Outfit built. Register in database? Y/N
Y
Name?
The-privateer-totally-not-a-Pirate
Registered.

Access camera MH-042
Participant Count

7 humanoids found

Render “The-privateer-totally-not-a-Pirate" in location “Mess Hall”

Render completed.
They’re all looking. Time for an opener.
“Captains, may I have this honour?”
A humanoid is interacting with hologram.
Captain Charyd via chair.
Is he pulling out the chair? What does one say in this situation?
“You are looking great Captain from your workout.”
“You’re not looking so bad yourself.”

Render ass jiggle in chair.
Play macaw-bird-cry-6.

Humanoids are interacting with hologram.
Captain Charyd via moving the chair out for it. Scooball via raising a glass of iced water in toast. Polo via serving chips layered with cream and chives, designed like a processor. Ilise via reaching to pat near hand. Mishupeshu via slow blink toward it. Squilla via turning on dinner music playlist. Alice via pushing a napkin toward its plate.

Run: Recording-Happy-Memory

Logging Sound, Sight, heat sensors, and CO detectors.
If only I could log smells and emotions.
…
...
Warning: Fuel tank at 15%<<
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Author note:
Hello all readers! Ducks and I have an announcement for you: we are going on hiatus with this story for at least 2 months.
As much as we love this story, Ducks and I decided to torture challenge ourselves and have signed up for the publishing derby - this is an epic contest where we have to write a book in 2 months. Why not??? 🥲
We also each have our own main stories (The Thedre Trilogy for Ducks and God of Discovery for me), so adding OMD on top of that is going to be too much for both of us. Because of that, we have agreed to put Off My Dock on hold during the derby.
We will be back! We have a lot of interesting things planned for this story and are only halfway through our outline so far.
Hope you stick around for our return!!

Our Uber driver pulls up, we put our luggages in, then the driver said we got to cancel because our small last luggage needed to be in the back seat, he didn’t want to “scratch” his Mercedes..
So he cancels but I leave my small bag in the car on accident because he rushed us to get out.
Here is the tricky part, Uber can’t help because the ride is not in my history, even tho I cancelled two more sedan ones after and those show up.
Did the driver go into airplane mode or something to cancel it?
Uber support keeps saying the only history is the two other cancelled drivers. It’s not showing that first Mercedes. I told them the make and color and roughly estimated pickup time, still no help.
They just keep bouncing me from support to a new chat, so now I lost my passport, AirPods, money and my wallet…
What do I do?

Our Uber driver pulls up, we put our luggages in, then the driver said we got to cancel because our small last luggage needed to be in the back seat, he didn’t want to “scratch” his Mercedes..
So he cancels but I leave my small bag in the car on accident because he rushed us to get out.
Here is the tricky part, Uber can’t help because the ride is not in my history, even tho I cancelled two more sedan ones after and those show up.
Did the driver go into airplane mode or something to cancel it?
Uber support keeps saying the only history is the two other cancelled drivers. It’s not showing that first Mercedes. I told them the make and color and roughly estimated pickup time, still no help.
They just keep bouncing me from support to a new chat, so now I lost my passport, AirPods, money and my wallet…
What do I do?

PAYPAL INVOICE ONLY
Goyard duffel bag
https://imgur.com/a/rpaS764
140$ Shipped
Love it just don't have use for it anymore has small rip as seen in picture
WILL SHIP OUT NEXT DAY!!