#& an unbelievable amount of error messages

[whystuck]

Spent the morning wrestling w disaster relief claims forms and god is everything confusing and hard to navigate

[yelenabelovasbxtch]

My Professor PT. 4

Natasha Romanoff X f!reader

a/n: So long time no see with this one 😅...anyways I've been getting like an unbelievable amount of requests to continue this one so here we are! It has been SUPER long since I've written this and I did re read it but forgive me if there's maybe a continuity error or two...anyways...I hope you enjoy and as always my inbox is always open!

Warnings: Cussing, 18+, mentions of smutty shit

Word Count: 1485

Taglist: @yelenaslyubov @youreatotalposer @jeyramarie @flosbelova @bridgecitybrad @justthis-stuff @chloe7076 @ailenepuff @ravenclawbitch426 @mellowladyangel @amcg0605-blog @kassies-take @yelenaswife1996 @wandanatchick @lilroachsworld @inluvwithfictionalwomen @x666hours @natashaswife4125 @onetruwhore @karmasgxrl @hopelesslyfallenninlove @setsuna1415 @swiftdazer @imobsessedwithmilfss @madamevirgo @louisprettybab @splatalia-jumpanova @jediluka @t00manyfand0ms (LMK IF YOU WANT TO BE ADDED TO TAGLIST)

God was going to class the absolute last thing you wanted to do today. What was even going to happen? She walked out on you this morning with no warning, no text, just left. So what, was she going to just go and lecture and act like nothing happened? Was she going to tell you why she walked out? Either way, class was the last thing on your mind but you also couldn’t let a stupid relationship get in the way after how hard you had worked to get here. So, of course, like the good student you are, you got off your ass, had a shower, grabbed a bagel and coffee and headed to class. You were a little bit earlier than everyone else but you liked to have time to enjoy your breakfast at one of the tables in the common area within the building of your lecture hall to unwind before having to sit down for two hours listening to the same woman who was going down on you last night speak about whatever it was she wanted to lecture on today. 

As you sit there enjoying your coffee your phone buzzes and a notification with her name pops up at the top of your screen. 

“Professor Natasha Romanoff: Class cancelled - Sorry for the last minute notice everyone but I am having some unfortunate car trouble and won’t be able to make it to the lecture this morning. I will see you all next week. Have a nice weekend.”

What the fuck?

She absolutely knew what she was doing, sending this and not reaching out to me first. She knew I was on this fucking mailing list for whatever bullshit course this is and that this would get me unbelievably agitated. Whatever. She's a bitch and I need to move on anyway.

I’m done, maybe I should just drop her class to make sure that shit’s final. 

You decided to get some work done while you were on campus for a bit and headed home. 

You��re done your work for the day and you have no other classes so what else is there to do in university other than school? You guessed it. 

You made your way to the same bar you were at when you met Nat for the first time. Were you kind of hoping she’d be there? No. Subconsciously? Yes. 

You walk in, pull up a stool as the bartender asks you what you want with the most beautiful smile. She obviously rakes in tips. You ask for two shots of Vodka that are quickly thrown back in seconds. Feeling nothing was kind of the goal at this point because even though you were full of rage and anger over what happened– you also developed deep feelings and what she did, how she left suddenly fucking hurt. The bartender continues to throw drinks your way, changing it up for you as the night went on, the drinks got fun, started tasting less like bitter alcohol and more like fruits and other flavours. The two of you talked quite a bit throughout the night but she also had other customers to tend to so you spent half your time just staring at your phone contemplating messaging her. 

“Can I get a scotch – neat?” you ask.

She nods and grabs a glass from the back of the bar to pour your drink. After your first swig you open up your messages and send one her way.

Y/N: hi

Obviously you weren’t anywhere close to actually thinking she’d respond but you were past the point of giving any kind of shit.

You just kept looking at your phone when you saw the three dots pop up then quickly disappear. Your eyes were locked on the screen when all of a sudden a small grey text bubble pops up. 

Nat: Y/N, it’s midnight. This is not appropriate. Not appropriate? What else wasn’t appropriate? When she had her tongue down my throat last night? Who the fuck does she think I am?

Y/N: Who gives a shit

Nat: We cannot do this again. 

Y/N: Who Saus

Y/N: Saus*

Y/N: Saus*

Y/N: FUCK

Y/N: Says*****

Nat: Are you drunk

Y/N: Not really

Nat: How much have you had to drink 

Y/N: She just gave me my 6th drink

Nat: Who’s she. 

Y/N: Just the super hot bartender. 

Y/N: You know the one…has the patchwork tattoos, toned arms, blonde hair and the most beautiful smile…doesn’t make me pay for my drinks. 

Nat: Where are you. 

Y/N: Out

Nat: Send me your location right now. 

Y/N: Why? I am a big girl, I can go home with whoever I want. 

Nat: Y/N, stop fucking joking around. I’m coming to get you.

Nat’s phone dings with your location popping up on find my friends. Within minutes you see her storm through the door.

“Let’s go.” She says in a stern tone.

“Natty!!! Becca, this is Natasha.” You say with a big goofy very drunk grin across your face as you boop Natasha on the nose and introduce her to the hot bartender. 

“The girlfriend! She has been talking about you all night.” Becca says with a smile as shes cleaning glasses. 

Natasha throws her a sarcastic smile-smirk as she grabs your arm and pulls you off the stool. 

“Come on, we're going. And here.” Natasha says as she slaps down $150 on the bar to pay for the tab plus tip.

“No that’s oka–” The bartender speaks up. 

“No, I insist.” Natasha says in a less friendly and more bitter tone. 

Nat walks you into her car and buckles you in. “Don’t puke, this one’s a rental.”

You smile and nod at Natasha as you doze off in her back seat.

You wake up the next morning, in a new place.

Where the fuck are you?

Smells like coffee and bacon though so you could absolutely stick around. 

Also, whose clothing are you wearing? 

You slowly get out of bed and take a look around, there’s a cup of water and some Advil waiting for you on the side table. You take a big swig and head downstairs to where that glorious smell is coming from. You walk into the kitchen seeing your favourite redhead at the stove in her sweats and a tshirt cooking food.

“Finally awake I see.” Natasha says as she turns around. 

You awkwardly smile and nod as you stand there.

“What happened…last night? Did we?”

“No. I picked you up from the bar and brought you here to sleep off your super fun night you had. Don’t worry, I slept on the couch.”

“No you shouldn't have done that I–”

“You what y/n? YOU chose to go out last night and do what you did. I had no choice.”

You felt bad. It’s not fair that you felt bad. She fucking broke your heart. But also why did she come pick you up? Did she care?

“Sit.” She says as she puts a plate of food down for you with some water and a coffee. 

The two of you eat in silence, unbelievably awkward silence. 

“Thank you.” You mutter out when you finish your final bites. “No problem.” She says back quietly. 

“Nat–”

“What.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“I can’t tell you why.”

“What?”

“I can’t tell you why I left without warning. That’s what you were going to say right?”

You look at her with a sad and slightly confused look on your face. 

“But why not?”

“Because. I just can’t.”

“Because you don’t know…?”

“Stop it.”

“Or because you don’t want to..?”

“I said stop it!” She raises her voice. 

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you, I just– was it me? Did I do something wrong?”

“For fuck sake y/n.”

“Y-You know what? You want to know why I left? Because I can’t fucking stop thinking about you. You’re like this kryptonite to me. You just came into my life and completely took it over, everything I do ends up making me think about you. The other night it got the best of me and we did some things we shouldn’t have so leaving before I could let you convince me to stay was the only way that I would be able to get out of there. Even when I left I was still FUCKING thinking about YOU. And then I tried to keep my distance but guess what? That clearly didn’t fucking work. Because look where we are.”

You looked at her, eyes wide, mouth slightly gaping open as she said all of these things at you, your incredibly hung over mind could barely process what she was saying. Everything she said sounded like stuff you wanted to hear but it was said in a way that didn’t feel welcoming. 

– End of PT. 4 –

[ace-does-stuff]

you say you love me, i say you crazy (we're nothing more than friends)

summary: this is what he gets for thinking that Gai would be happy with one night and nothing more than that

tags: aromantic Kakashi, angst, communication errors, implied one night stand

authors note: theyre so allo4aro qpr coded to me

https://archiveofourown.org/works/57561631

Gai won't stop bugging Kakashi about it.

It was supposed to be a one night stand, get the deeply enjoyed annoyance off his back for a bit. Mostly to turn the amount of "we should spar!" declarations he'd get from Gai, but it's backfired. He's let himself into a whole new world of horror.

And that world?

Desperate pleas of more.

It's nauseating to him. Sex is fine, sex is great, he'd be fine doing it with Gai every now and then if it meant keeping him from being so insistent. He gets it. Gai's a guy with ideals, he's got plans, and he plans full well on living them out. He's got an idea on how the world should work and what he needs to do to succeed in life.

Kakashi? He'll pass on the training and the teaching and the searching for the one. He has his books, his dogs, and his three students. That's more than enough for him. He loves them equally and ambivalently, his stories, his lifelong partners, his bastard children- unlike what Gai keeps trying to convince him of.

Someone didn't read enough of Jiraiya's books to understand a one night stand can stay as one night. One single night. Not a single string attached to it. A little fling between friends for shits and giggles, a simple parting gift for someone you'll never see again, a cost of fifty dollars for a quickie. What's so hard to understand?

He said one night. He said it loud and clear. To prove his point he left before Gai could wake up in the morning to start on his reread of Makeout Paradise. See if he can figure out why it was such an awful experience compared to any other affair he's had.

No matter how much he tried to shut Gai up by kissing him till he turned blue in the face he kept saying so many sweet things. Sugary sweet. Sticky like honey and it made Kakashi's skin fucking crawl. Love, love, love- yes, he'd rather die for Gai than bury another a dead friend, but where does that translate to love? He doesn't know.

Maybe he should try to get less hot under the collar when he's reading anything emotional. Maybe people would get the message that he's not fucking interested at all. Just his luck that he's disconnected to the point that an utterance of adoration in his stories where nothing can go wrong makes him flush bright red.

Gai tries to confess to him again, ask him out on a date, try and see if he'd like to spend the night once more. Can't he take a single hint? Or is his skull really that thick?

"What do you want from me?" The amount of exasperation on his tone borders onto a shout, final straw having been plucked.

Gai huffs, "I thought you'd have picked up on my hints by now-"

"I have picked up on your hints! How come you keep trying to give me hints is what I'm asking!" Kakashi swears he doesn't mean to snap, but that'd be a lie. He can't do this anymore. Can't brush off his best friend and say 'maybe later' anymore.

"Because the sex was great and I'm-"

"I've had better, now will you please just stop. Take a hint, Gai, I'm not into you and I never will be."

Kakashi swears he can see Gai's heart shatter into a million little pieces in real time. He knows that he'll regret his harshness later on but right now it feels fucking cathartic. He feels so fucking justified it's unbelievable.

As the beat of silence stretches on Kakashi opts to open his book once more and walk off. Whatever. Just, fucking, whatever. If the tables were turned everybody would care. If Gai was getting borderline harassed for romance every other day then there would be riots. But he's Kakashi Hatake, he's used to Gai's pestering, used to his insistence on rivalry, he can't complain.

Just suck it up and keep moving.

He lacks, he feels a gaping absence in his soul- why would anyone care for someone missing something. Missing what's supposed to make you human. Whose supposed to care about him in spite of that when he never brings it up calm and collected, even if he does they pity him. They pity his happiness because that's not how happiness works. No, sages no, what would he know about happiness?

-/-/-/-

Kakashi doesn't talk to Gai again for a week.

Kakashi doesn't talk to anyone for a week unless they come to him, and the only one who does drop by is Gai.

"Kakashi-"

"Don't."

"What?"

"Don't even bother, whatever you have planned in your head won't end up with me buying you roses, I promise you that much."

"You didn't even let me try my speech."

"Because I know that nothing you can say will ever make me love you as anything more than what we already are- and that's final."

"But-"

Kakashi has Gai in a chokeslam against the wall before another syllable can be uttered, and as much as Gai could break out, he doesn't. He waits for Kakashi to speak, "Listen to me, Gai, I don't work like that."

Gai keeps listening.

"And I never will, you either live with it or leave."

The silence he gets in response is deafening.

Kakashi let's go of Gai's throat and slams his front door shut. What an idiot. Bothering to explain it, even in simple terms, is a death wish, a way to seal any coffin. He should know by now that Gai follows the hierarchy, that he'd see romance as higher than what they have, that he'd want romance after sex. It's the only logical progression to people like him, not to people like Kakashi.

He's too different to ever find peace, isn't he? That's the world keeps telling him at least.

-/-/-/-

Gai buys Kakashi a single rose after another week passes. A bright yellow flower, carried in a tarnished cup with some masking tape that had the word 'sorry' scribed onto it. He hands it over to Kakashi eagerly and watches as his rival starts to tear up.

"Gai, I fucking told you-"

"Before you say another word, rival, consider the meaning of the yellow rose!" The exuberance on his voice is enough to snap Kakashi from his disappointed state.

"A rose is a rose and a rose always means love."

"Not quite, while the classic red rose may symbolize love, each individual color has its own meaning. Blue, mystery. Orange, enthusiasm. White, purity. And yellow symbolizes what we have."

Kakashi gives a defeated sigh, "What do we have?"

"Friendship, dear rival, and nothing more."

Kakashi has the gall to laugh, "And what makes you think I believe you?"

"You said I lived with you not loving me or leave, and I'll live with it."

That's sweet, but, not in a way that makes Kakashi sick to his stomach. He grabs the rose and the glass it's in, "Thanks, Gai."

"No problem at all, Kakashi." He's back to his old self again, not like his old self ever really left though.

"Wanna go get some sushi, or something? We didn't actually do that last week."

"You and I both now that I'd never turn you down."

[citizenn]

The sims 4 players that are like "erm there was actually never supposed to be a sims 5, project rene was never gonna be the sims 5 and you guys shouldve known better, try being more literate, use your noodle :/" are so pretentious. For transparency's sake, I am vagueposting about a very specific individual, I do not care if they see this or not, I need to get this rant out one way or another. If you see this, you know exactly who you are because I'm quoting your silly little "use your noodle" bs.

Before I get into screenshots that come straight from EA articles (the source material this individual insisted nobody had read), I found a job listing on Glassdoor in which Maxis calls Project Rene their next-generation game:

source

That feels pretty damning by itself. I don't know if the person I'm vagueposting about knows, but The Sims 4 does not run on Unreal Engine 5. It runs on "SmartSim." So if the cope is supposed to be "Project Rene is actually a total engine replacement and not The Sims 5" then sure, but they do outright call it their next-generation game, so I don't know what to tell you.

source (their article "Behind The Sims Community Stream Episode 2")

It should be noted that their article for episode 1 results in a 404 error message. They took it down. I would've loved to reference it here.

source (this is the recent article they released causing all of this, ironically called "Project Rene: Playtesting the Next Generation of The Sims")

The EA article screenshots say "the next evolution of The Sims," "alongside other new projects within The Sims franchise," "we'll continue to share more information on the game's development."

Goodness gracious, if I use any amount of my information literacy and my noodle especially, and if I asked any human being that has played video games as extensively as I assume we both have, referring to a project as "next-gen" and "the next evolution in the franchise" absolutely means "we're making a new game." If I walk up to a borderlands fan and say "are you excited about the next generation in the borderlands franchise?" like I'm a weird shareholder, they're gonna say yeah borderlands 4 is coming out, that's pretty cool.

Again, you're saying "they never said they're working on The Sims 5, they're working on Project Rene." I'm not even going to get into the Project Olympus being THE CODENAME for The Sims 4. Do you know what a codename is? Have you played any other game or watched any movie where, during its development, was referred to internally by a codename?

"this is on the people who can't be bothered to read a stupid article." After rereading those articles that I had already read in the first place, I do not see your point. Maybe I'm illiterate. Aside from all of this, is it really completely unbelievable to you that a game development company decided to pivot on their plans? Please, be smart. It's EA. You even say they're deserving of the flak they're getting.

You are just happy that the $1200+ you spent on the game isn't "going to waste" which is already such a stupid statement because its not like releasing The Sims 5 would kill 4. As if people stopped playing The Sims 3, 2, and 1. Your saves are going to be there still. It's not going away, it's not gonna run away from you when the number 5 gets put in front of the name.

[itesservices]

Outsourced Data Labeling Service: What Makes it a Feasible Option?

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are no longer the technologies of the coming age. They have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Right from unlocking our phones via biometric identification, sending automated replies via emails/messages, getting traffic updates from GPS, or getting recommendations based on your choice of music, series, brands, etc. — all of these are just marvelous applications of AI and ML.

Moreover, autonomous vehicles have traveled from a science fiction plot into an unbelievable-yet-true thing of reality. Businesses across dozens of verticals ranging from manufacturing, healthcare, military, sports, smart city planners, renewable energy, automation, and so on leverage AI/ML-based models to interpret trends, identify patterns, solve problems and harness the true potential of their data in the best possible way. But what is the driving force behind all these AI/ML applications? It’s the data annotation process.

Understanding Data Annotation in Machine Learning

Machines certainly do not have ‘brains’ of their own and cannot interpret things as humans do. At the same time, feeding these computers with raw data wouldn’t make any sense. They need properly tagged and labeled datasets to acquire intelligence and perform the desired actions. So, this is what data annotation does — helps machines to make sense of the input data.

Simply put, data annotation is the process of adding tags, labels, descriptions, and meta tags to datasets, which can be in the form of text, images, audio, or videos. These tags and labels provide a context to the Machine Learning algorithms that help them easily comprehend their environment. The AI/ML-based models can identify different objects, calculate attributes, and perform other desired tasks.

Annotation in Machine Learning is, therefore, a critical step. Any errors in data labeling not only impact the algorithm’s performance but also cause AI-based models to make false decisions. In the worst-case scenario, AI/ML-based model investments can turn into business losses. So, how to go ahead with this?

In-House Data or Outsourcing Data Annotation Process: Which is the Best Option?

Constant access to relevant and accurately labeled data is an important prerequisite for Machine Learning algorithms before they go live. The more input data they are fed, the more accurate and reliable are their predictions. Hence, constant streams of well-tagged data for a long time are a challenge for many companies; adding to this, are the budget constraints as operational expenditures immediately shoot up when you hire skilled annotators and implement relevant tagging technology. As a result, businesses need to make a choice whether to create an in-house team or opt for established AI data labeling companies. Here you go:

Process Management

In-House: Handling an in-house data labeling team, whether it is big or small, is a daunting task as it involves a tiring recruitment and training process. A huge amount of time and other resources are spent on monitoring and managing these employees. In addition, troubleshooting the tool and ensuring quality (in terms of accuracy and relevance) in training datasets might be burdensome for data professionals and annotators. As a result, they get distracted from the core activity, which is adding unbiased information to the input datasets.

Outsourcing: You can either consult a professional annotator or avail of data annotation services to get enhanced quality training datasets. They take care of the entire tagging process and focus on creating precise data labels, making sure that your AI/ML model is trained properly. These experts can also look after troubleshooting data labeling tools, detect problems, and get them fixed in real-time to avoid any blunders.

Versatility

In-House: As annotation in the Machine Learning process is gradually gaining importance and becoming a top priority for many organizations, there’s a shortage of skilled annotators in the market. And even if you have an in-house data annotation team, it is intended to fulfill a specific requirement. But what if the demand for labeled data fluctuates over time?

Suppose, you’ve got a requirement where more text needs to be annotated in the next month. To fulfill this, you either end up overloading your in-house team with work at times or underworking at others. Such inefficiencies negatively impact the bottom line as the demand for datasets changes and organizations expand their business.

Outsourcing: Professional data annotation companies can easily handle spikes in the data volumes as they work day in and out on such tasks. They can easily sync with the changing needs of your AI/ML models; hence, you get the best possible data training sets within the stipulated time and budget. Isn’t this a smart way to eliminate inefficiencies and make room for resource optimization?

Staff Training and Skill Development

In-house: Getting an in-house data annotation department includes lots of staff training along with adequate technology implementation. Experienced annotators and data professionals need to teach the untrained ones about the project goals, business objectives, and particular obligations of the specific projects, eliminating individual biases, other than training them on how to operate annotation tools. This not only affects the allocation of resources but also hampers the overall business productivity which may have profitably been used for tasks with higher importance.

Outsourcing: Established data annotation companies already have a pool of data professionals, skilled annotators, and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who can swiftly adapt to fluctuating demands for training datasets. Having the right blend of skills and experience ensures excellence in every data labeling endeavor.

Operational Costs

In-house: Especially for startups as well as small-and-medium-sized businesses or enterprises with strict budget constraints, getting a data annotation team in-house might be a costly option — managing and building the infrastructure required to train Machine Learning algorithms involves significant costs in terms of acquiring an office space, expenses of hiring employees, and buying the annotation tools.

Outsourcing: When you collaborate with a data labeling service provider, you only have to pay for the genuine services availed. From manually tagging data samples to leveraging AI data annotation tools to training machines, they offer reasonable pricing for all your needs. This way, you not only cut down on operational costs but do not compromise on accuracy or quality either.

Bottom Line

To conclude, in-house data annotation setup is a costly affair that doesn’t even provide flexibility. On the contrary, outsourcing annotation activities not only help you get enhanced quality training data as and when required but also optimizes operational expenditures and accelerates the AI/ML implementation project. Hence, you can easily figure out which approach is the best for your business.

Read here the originally published blog: https://www.datasciencesociety.net/outsourced-data-labeling-service-what-makes-it-a-feasible-option/

[malamai]

What a day.

I have had a hell of a day. I work in the betting industry at current and today was the Irish grand national there were 8 other UK race tracks having horse races alone today without taking into account the dog racing and other locations, it was my shift managing, I came in at 7.30am and trying to organise the displays was a complete nightmare because I had like piles of newspaper everywhere, I must have looked like something demented if somebody saw me trying to get organised and set up. I managed to get myself sorted and ready, did all my counts and opened to shop. Everything was fine for about the first 40 minutes and then I just got SWAMPED! It was an unbelievable work load for one person so I checked to see when my next body was in and they weren't due until 10.30am and I was like "ohhmyyygoddddd" because it was a considerable time away, so I'm like trying to make coffees for the regulars, giving our canine customers treats, trying to keep money right, paying people, trying to get everyone sorted, I just got my head down and focused until they came in, I was keeping my head just above water really.

When my colleague came in I noticed he was very quiet compared to normal but I didn't have time to talk and I feel really crappy about that now because of what it was that was eating away at them. When they tried to get on the computer it errored and I WANTED TO DIE because that meant that technically I was still on my own, I had to get somebody else in that is a basic computer genius in to fix it and he very thankfully got to us very fast and figured out what was up and fixed it. After a 5 minute breather that my customers even said was well earned, it had calmed down enough so I asked the guy I was working with what was going on and his answer was so terribly sad I ended up being like "what are you doing here? You should not have come in, I would have been fine." And after a bit of a chat I feel like I eventually managed to convince him to go and I arranged for him to leave. So I was alone again but happy he was gone because it was a complete family emergency and I wouldn't of been able to comfortably sit knowing how he felt, there is no worse feeling than knowing your loved ones need you and you can't get to them.

So again, I get my head down and I find a minute to message the colleague who came in earlier to sort the computer out and I'm like "hey I sent --- home, don't worry I'm fine, but the day hasn't gone smoothly, if there's some bits left for you when you come in I am really sorry, it is what it is, I'm rowing a boat that everyone shot holes into today." And I sent him a picture of my work stats for the day and I'd done the equivalent of a busy day for two people but all by myself. He sent me a message back saying "oooooof.😐" and he came running down to work early to help. I was so thankful because my mind was like a scrambled egg, my brain was basically soup. 😂

I actually impressed myself though because all my money was bang on, the only thing I'd forgot to do was move a small amount of money from one place to another and I found that mistake rather quickly and then my shift ended and I stood up and said "right, I've earned a tattoo!" Left my stuff at work and toddled off to get one in the name of stress relief! 😂😂😂

When I came back to collect my stuff I was feeling much better and I walked back home and have literally sat here for a while like "what the fuck was this day." I will legit sleep like a freakin baby tonight.

[animeomegas]

Visual Novels/Otome games recommendations

Here are some of my favourite games! I’ll include the name, price, some info, and where you can find it, along with my favourite routes and route recommendations! 

1. Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem (DEMO)

This is one of my all time favourite games. I’m not kidding when I say that if the full game came out tomorrow priced at like £150, I’d cut back on my food budget until I could afford it. There’s so much replayability, and although I’ve played countless hours again and again, I still occasionally find new secrets and dialogue. 

You play as a delegate for a fictional country of your choice at an event in a neutral castle where you must find a marriage partner (political arrangement, love match or scandalous affair) and help mediate between opposing countries in a world on the brink of a war. Oh, and also survive. Yes, you can die in this game, but if you aren’t about that, you can play the story mode. You survive through your own skills and/or by making alliances. 

There’s so much more to it than that, but I don’t want to spoil anything. 

MC: Female by default, no artwork, but extremely customisable as far as traits, outfits, body type, skin colour, hair and backstory goes. There are multiple MCs to choose from, I believe it is currently 4-6 (?) with an extra 3 ish released when the full game comes out. You can play as any and every type of person with this game, it’s unbelievable! 

PRICE: Free (full game will cost a fair amount if I remember what the creator said, but the demo is very long and completely free) 

ROUTE RECS: Both male and female love interests! There are about 7/8 main love interests, some hidden, a couple of side romances and a couple of political matches too. 

Duke Lyon is my all time favourite. He’s an incredibly intelligent but socially awkward duke who only agreed to turn up to make use of the extensive library and spends the rest of his time standing in the corner of parties being grumpy. With a strong moral code and the world’s most adorable blush (that’s easy to tease out of him) he’s absolutely my favourite. 

But maybe you’d prefer the ever cheerful Earl Emmett, with a personality like sunshine and a love for travel and plants? Or Ana, the warrior princess who is very upset by the event’s ban on weaponry (although she makes do with using bread as a projectile). There’s so many to choose from! 

There are also many friendship routes you can take which provide some of the best content!! 

DOWNSIDES: The game is still not finished, so there are some grammar errors and the background art is a little lacking in some places, but honestly, it’s easy to ignore. I will say the major downside is how long the game is taking to complete. Although it’s still being developed and is in the final stages, the creator is active very rarely and I’ve been waiting for the game for half a decade now. It’s still really worth it though, and it’s not left on a cliff-hanger, so that’s good lol. 

WHERE TO FIND: The extended demo is up until week 5 of the game and I know that the forums where this was hosted have been down for a while, but I actually have copies of the game files, both mac and pc, so send me a private message if you’re interested in the extended demo and I will share the files 😉

...

2. Ebon Light (Complete) 

I followed the progress of this game very attentively as it was being developed. It has a very dark concept, and believe me, you will probably die at least a few dies, I certainly did.

You play as a poor woman living in the woods with her aunt, foraging for food, living that old timey life, when abruptly things take a turn and you end up on a hostile island full of very attractive but terrifying elves, most of who want to murder you for being human. But fear not, there are ways to keep your place, you just have to have the skills to pull them off without meeting a sticky end. 

MC: Female by default but with multiple hairs, skin colours and eye colours.

PRICE: Free - the full game is completely free! 

ROUTE RECS: Vadeyn is my favourite. He’s a competent soldier who wishes he lived anywhere but the militant country where he does. He is often bullied for being ‘soft’ for his pacifist tendencies. And he’s very pretty so.... 

But, maybe you’d prefer Haron, a cheeky and curious man who wants to learn more about humans. Or maybe his older brother Ernol, who is cold and withdrawn and in some serious denial about falling in love with a human? There are 5 love interests to choose from. 

DOWNSIDES: The romance and gameplay is really good, but there is a side plot about magic that gets ignored as a result. The mystery of the magical poison is a bit blah, but if you’re here for the romance and the political intrigue/survival, then you probably won’t care. But it’s free so, yeah!

WHERE TO FIND: https://underbliss.itch.io/ebon-light 

...

3. Changeling (Complete)

I had been watching this game for some time but couldn’t afford to pay full price when I was a teenager, but luckily, it was added to the racial equality bundle on Itchi.io for $5, so I managed to snag it cheap, which is no longer an option. I played through all the routes in three days where I did nothing but play this lol. 

You play as a high school girl who is moving back to her hometown for the end of school after having been living in the city for a while. But strange things start happening and she ends up in a club full of... interesting people. I don’t want to spoil anymore, but the game is seriously big! 

When I first played, I thought that there was going to be a lot of overlap between routes which would ruin the replayability, but no! Apart from a very small prologue, every route is entirely different with different dialogue, different plots, different side characters. It’s crazy! That really helps justify the price I think, because the gameplay lasts a very long time. 

MC: Female, name is customisable, but that’s it. 

PRICE: $19.99

ROUTE RECS: William the human psychic is an easy pick for my favourite. He’s shy and spends a lot of time on his own, but he’s also dedicated and dealing with a lot in his life outside of school. He’s the sweetest character by far, and I love him :) 

But I also really liked Corvin the blond clutz who couldn’t stay on his own two feet if his life depended on it, and Elliot, a not so secret hopeless romantic with a pretty awkward but hilarious sense of humour. 

There are 6 (? ish) routes to play. 

DOWNSIDES: Sometimes the main character can be frustrating but it’s definitely in character and makes sense for a high school student, so it’s not a plot hole, it’s just teenagers like this that refuse to ask for help are very annoying. The price is a big one too, obviously, it would be too much for some people. There isn’t a demo, so be careful about spending money on my recommendation, be sure you actually want it. But if you happened to be one of the many people who bought the racial equality bundle from itch.io, then you’ll already have this game! If that’s the case, give it a shot! 

WHERE TO FIND: https://steamberry.itch.io/changeling

...

4. The Letter

This is a visual novel, one with a horror theme! I loved this game so much, the way the game branched was so interesting! I remember thinking the game must have been super easy, because I kept the character alive the first time around, but a lot of my decisions were made on a whim with no real reason. I replayed it with opposite choices and oh boy. Turns out I was just lucky lmao. 

I love love love the art for this game, and the deaths are really gruesome and impactful. 

You play as the entire cast, going through the story of 7(?) ish people and unravelling the story in a non chronological, but easy to follow timeline. It’s a lot of reading and not much gameplay (emphasis the visual novel part) but the choices all have far reaching effects on the story. There are many times where I got caught up in the lives and dramas of the characters and then was completely caught of guard when I was suddenly having to press keys in the right order to escape a horrific monster that was slowly crawling towards me. Terrifying! 

MC: None, you play as every character. 

PRICE: £14.99

ROUTE RECS: None, there are no traditional routes, although there are romance subplots if you choose to get the characters together. There is also a huge walkthrough available if you’re interested in that.

DOWNSIDES: The voice acting is painful! Because it’s an entirely American cast trying to do a variety of accents. Some are good, for those who know her, AmaLee sings the opening and voices one of the characters, she’s really good. But hearing Americans do Scottish accents is really.... tough on the ears. Maybe if you aren’t British like me you could stomach it, but I played with the voices off. I didn’t find that took away from my experience though! Also, there is a lot of reading! 

WHERE TO FIND: https://store.steampowered.com/app/460430/The_Letter__Horror_Visual_Novel/

...

5. Tailor Tales (Some routes complete, others in progress) 

This game is one where every route is a completely separate story, so even if the whole game isn't complete, your experience will be. I’ve actually only played one character, Dimitri, because he’s the only submissive love interest that’s out at the moment (although an even more explicit submissive character is in the works for some time over the next few years.) 

My favourite part of this game, is that you can choose between king and fierce responses every time you have a choice. And the fierce responses aren’t mean, they’re just more forward, and I love that! 

(Dimitri’s route) You play as an owner of a new boutique who bumps into her ex boyfriend’s little brother who is in desperate need for a place to stay. And you have a spare room and could use some help cooking and cleaning. Shenanigans ensue. 

MC: Female, can’t choose backstory but I think I remember skin tone and hair and eye customisation. 

PRICE: Free!! (The other submissive route I mentioned is going to be priced because of explicit content, but the current routes are free. You do have to play a mini game in between chapters to earn coins to get the next chaoter, but it doesn’t take long and isn’t that hard. If you want to skip that, and also get an extended epilogue and some extra nsfw content, you can buy the premium version, which costs £1.99. 

ROUTE RECS: Dimitri, obviously haha. There are two other routes I think? I haven’t played them, because the LIs are a bit too dom for me, but you still get the kind vs fierce options, and I’ve heard that the MCs are still pretty good! I haven’t played them though. 

DOWNSIDES: The mini games in-between chapters can be annoying, but it’s cheap to get rid of them. But, it’s free/cheap and really cute to fluster Dimitri!! 

WHERE TO FIND: https://store.steampowered.com/app/939330/Tailor_Tales/

...

6. When the Night Comes

This was one I really don’t remember paying for? But I looked it up and it costs money? Maybe I hallucinated it lmao. 

Either way, I really enjoyed a couple of the routes for this game, and the general story was pretty good too! If I remember it correctly, there were two character that were switches, so you could choose to lead or be led. I loved that!

MC: Customizable pronouns, male and female romances (mostly male I think)

PRICE: $12.99

ROUTE RECS: I remember Ezra being my favourite by far, I definitely played the rest of them, but the story is the same each time, so I wasn’t as invested. I can’t remember much about anyone else haha. 

DOWNSIDES: Limited replayability because main story is the same each time. I also don’t remember the game lasting that long. If you have the money, it’d probably be worth it, but I wouldn’t suggest you save up unless you’re very interested in it. 

WHERE TO FIND: https://lunarisgames.itch.io/wtnc

...

7. The Wayhaven Chronicles

This is an interactive story, not a visual novel or otome game, but I think it’s amazing and I’d love to recommend it!

This is a series of interactve novels, only two are out so far, but I believe there’s supposed to be like 7 or something crazy. 

You play as a detective in a small town where mysterious things have started to happen. Then, an equally mysterious team of agents rolls in to help you solve the mystery. 

As an interactive novel, everything is insanely customisable! I’m waiting for the third one right now and I’m so excited that it might be out this year! 

MC: Customisable pronouns, height, hair, clothes, food tastes, interior design, familial relationships, personality etc. Everything! Love interests are also customisable as male or female or a mix of both. There are four love interests. 

PRICE: I think it’s £3.99 per book? You can play the first few chapters for free though, to see if you like it! 

ROUTE RECS: Nate! (Or Nat) is my favourite by far, I love him. He’s an intelligent, caring man who is a little oblivious at times. If you’re looking for some pain too, you can play a love triangle route too, which is full of pain! It’s great! 

DOWNSIDES: Because of the rules of the website, you can’t save your progress until the next book is almost finished. So, you do end up having to replay the books sometimes to prepare for the new books. 

WHERE TO FIND: https://www.choiceofgames.com/user-contributed/wayhaven-chronicles-1/ 

or

https://store.steampowered.com/app/800600/Wayhaven_Chronicles_Book_One/

...

Phew, I’ve definitely missed some off of there, but I don’t want to write any more haha. I’ll make another one some time soon maybe? If you have any questions about these games or have also played them and want to chat, or you have recs for me, let me know!! <3333

[lovers-in-japan-reign-of-love]

Who Am I?: Prologue

Notes: I mean no disrespect by writing or posting this, and in no way do I take the themes and topics discussed in this series lightly. So if you’re triggered by any of this, I suggest not reading it.

Y/N = Your name; Y/M/N = Your middle name; Y/L/N = Your last name

Message me or leave an ask if you want to be tagged!!

-> ->This story was inspired by @rae-is-typing’s story Lost but Not Forgotten.<- <-

Chapter Description: It’s your first therapy session, and you can’t help but feel a little on edge.

Warnings: Anxiety, some spelling errors probably, therapy session, therapy talk, mild discussion of nightmares/night terrors/flashbacks, trauma related discussion and repercussions, kidnapping (not outwardly stated), short chapter

Word Count: 489

Masterlist: Click Here

Next Chapter: Click Here

You’re sitting in a small clean room, on a small deep grey sofa, quietly taking everything in. You count two small oak wood tables on either side of the sofa plus the matching coffee table in front of you, with a tape recorder in the very center. You note the certificates lining the wall. Degrees and other accomplishments of the therapist you’re here to see. The therapist you’re desperately trying to ignore, not wanting to face the reality of why you’re here. You try to pay attention to the large window overlooking downtown Sudbury instead; the window that’s located across from you, and in front of that damn window is a large chair and an end table to match the other furniture in the room.

Sitting in the large chair is a younger woman, your therapist, Dr. Joely Mathews, who insists on being on a first name basis with you in order to make you feel more comfortable, clipboard in hand, and observing you, occasionally jotting something down. It’s been roughly five minutes since the appointment started, and the only thing that’s been said between the two of you were introductions.

“Y/N, how are you feeling, now that you’re reunited with your birth family?” Joely asks, her tone gentle, curious. You can’t help but scoff. “Something obviously convinced you to come see me today. Help me understand where you’re at right now.”

You shake your head, crossing your arms over your chest in defiance. “There’s nothing to talk about,” you state, a hint of bitterness in your voice.

Joely puts the clipboard on the table, looking at you curiously. It’s unsettling. You shift anxiously under her gaze.

“Y/N, you’ve gone through quite a trauma. Some things are going to come to the surface — nightmares, night terrors, flashbacks; they’re all normal responses. You get these responses from having to experience any form of trauma. It’s your brain’s way of dealing with unnatural things. Traumatic things. Hallucinations have been reported in some cases. If you’re having any of those things, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Something obviously made you come see me today, but I can’t help you unless you open up to me. This is a safe place, remember that.”

Your eyes are filling with tears, your fingers digging into your forearms. Your emotions are beginning to betray you; the pent up anger, frustration and guilt, the overwhelming amount of confusion and resentment and exhaustion — it all came out, in the form of tears, silently rolling down your face as you desperately try to regain your composure.

“I... I don’t... I don’t know how to explain it,” you stammer, your hands now running nervously up and down your knees, occasionally wiping away stray tears. “I just... I don’t... I don’t know how to, you know...”

“It’s okay,” Joely states, her voice calm. “Take your time. When you’re ready, why don’t you start at the beginning.”

Permanent Tag List:

@rvgrsbrns @sugarrushblondie @rororo06 @crimeshowtrash @parkers-thoughts @nerdy-thespian-10 @wastefulsushi @aworldwideapart @supernaturallover2002 @mystoragehatesme @change-the-world-someday @natasha-danvers @just-one-ordinary-fangirl @hera-the-writer @herecomesthewriterwitch @unbelievable-on-main @peggycarter-steverogers @buchanansebba @utterly-in-like @sevenmorningstars @seabassstanfan

Tag List:

@disdatg @wintersoldierslut @optimistic-dinosaur-nacho @letsstarsfalling @singingsongbird1318 @wheni-driftoff-illdream-aboutyou @osugahunnyicedtea @ibe-anne @loser-alert @yelenarmnv @transparentparadiseglitterzombie @bellero @otternanamilolo @every-marveler-ever @juliae03 @ordinarylokix @xmimx @pinnedandneedled @the-witchers-whore @emotionally-unstable23 @notcreativeenoughtothinkofaname @haroldsheavenly @thevelvetseries @tigerjily @madisonpillstrom @storiesbystarlight @reapersan @kimhanbiin @onedollarduck @kj-1130 @vibraniumdaisies @valeriiaaass @bucksgoat @putinovertime @sleep3deprived @i-love-sleeping-and-dreaming @mishaandthebrits @lunaticbarnes @bekahtaylorgriggs @babypink224221 @confusedassassin @keenmarvellover @lickmymelaninn @joupym @imacoolskeleton @isitmine @johnsguitarstring @anxiouslymalicious @fuzzycloudsz @thexplosivegirl @rae-is-typing @alianovnataliaromanova @cold-finch @thelovelydreamer17 @cebaratn16 @ohlookheather @absolutemarveltrash @lozzypoz321 @marvelfanfn2187a113 @idk123906 @cyanide-mustard @avengerstanforlife @ceciele @aqarath @hauntedmuffinpersonarascal @pachiibatt @xoxmariaxox

[araitsume]

The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 231-242: Chapter (23) Berea and Athens

This chapter is based on Acts 17:11-34.

At Berea Paul found Jews who were willing to investigate the truths he taught. Luke's record declares of them: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.”

The minds of the Bereans were not narrowed by prejudice. They were willing to investigate the truthfulness of the doctrines preached by the apostles. They studied the Bible, not from curiosity, but in order that they might learn what had been written concerning the promised Messiah. Daily they searched the inspired records, and as they compared scripture with scripture, heavenly angels were beside them, enlightening their minds and impressing their hearts.

Wherever the truths of the gospel are proclaimed, those who honestly desire to do right are led to a diligent searching of the Scriptures. If, in the closing scenes of this earth's history, those to whom testing truths are proclaimed would follow the example of the Bereans, searching the Scriptures daily, and comparing with God's word the messages brought them, there would today be a large number loyal to the precepts of God's law, where now there are comparatively few. But when unpopular Bible truths are presented, many refuse to make this investigation. Though unable to controvert the plain teachings of Scripture, they yet manifest the utmost reluctance to study the evidences offered. Some assume that even if these doctrines are indeed true, it matters little whether or not they accept the new light, and they cling to pleasing fables which the enemy uses to lead souls astray. Thus their minds are blinded by error, and they become separated from heaven.

All will be judged according to the light that has been given. The Lord sends forth His ambassadors with a message of salvation, and those who hear He will hold responsible for the way in which they treat the words of His servants. Those who are sincerely seeking for truth will make a careful investigation, in the light of God's word, of the doctrines presented to them.

The unbelieving Jews of Thessalonica, filled with jealousy and hatred of the apostles, and not content with having driven them from their own city, followed them to Berea and aroused against them the excitable passions of the lower class. Fearing that violence would be done to Paul if he remained there, the brethren sent him to Athens, accompanied by some of the Bereans who had newly accepted the faith.

Thus persecution followed the teachers of truth from city to city. The enemies of Christ could not prevent the advancement of the gospel, but they succeeded in making the work of the apostles exceedingly hard. Yet in the face of opposition and conflict, Paul pressed steadily forward, determined to carry out the purpose of God as revealed to him in the vision at Jerusalem: “I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.” Acts 22:21.

Paul's hasty departure from Berea deprived him of the opportunity he had anticipated of visiting the brethren at Thessalonica.

On arriving at Athens, the apostle sent the Berean brethren back with a message to Silas and Timothy to join him immediately. Timothy had come to Berea prior to Paul's departure, and with Silas had remained to carry on the work so well begun there, and to instruct the new converts in the principles of the faith.

The city of Athens was the metropolis of heathendom. Here Paul did not meet with an ignorant, credulous populace, as at Lystra, but with a people famous for their intelligence and culture. Everywhere statues of their gods and of the deified heroes of history and poetry met the eye, while magnificent architecture and paintings represented the national glory and the popular worship of heathen deities. The senses of the people were entranced by the beauty and splendor of art. On every hand sanctuaries and temples, involving untold expense, reared their massive forms. Victories of arms and deeds of celebrated men were commemorated by sculpture, shrines, and tablets. All these made Athens a vast gallery of art.

As Paul looked upon the beauty and grandeur surrounding him, and saw the city wholly given to idolatry, his spirit was stirred with jealousy for God, whom he saw dishonored on every side, and his heart was drawn out in pity for the people of Athens, who, notwithstanding their intellectual culture, were ignorant of the true God.

The apostle was not deceived by that which he saw in this center of learning. His spiritual nature was so alive to the attraction of heavenly things that the joy and glory of the riches which will never perish made valueless in his eyes the pomp and splendor with which he was surrounded. As he saw the magnificence of Athens he realized its seductive power over lovers of art and science, and his mind was deeply impressed with the importance of the work before him.

In this great city, where God was not worshiped, Paul was oppressed by a feeling of solitude, and he longed for the sympathy and aid of his fellow laborers. So far as human friendship was concerned, he felt himself to be utterly alone. In his epistle to the Thessalonians he expresses his feelings in the words, “Left at Athens alone.” 1 Thessalonians 3:1. Obstacles that were apparently insurmountable presented themselves before him, making it seem almost hopeless for him to attempt to reach the hearts of the people.

While waiting for Silas and Timothy, Paul was not idle. He “disputed ... in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.” But his principal work in Athens was to bear the tidings of salvation to those who had no intelligent conception of God and of His purpose in behalf of the fallen race. The apostle was soon to meet paganism in its most subtle, alluring form.

The great men of Athens were not long in learning of the presence in their city of a singular teacher who was setting before the people doctrines new and strange. Some of these men sought Paul out and entered into conversation with him. Soon a crowd of listeners gathered about them. Some were prepared to ridicule the apostle as one who was far beneath them both socially and intellectually, and these said jeeringly among themselves, “What will this babbler say?” Others, “because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection,” said, “He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods.”

Among those who encountered Paul in the market place were “certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics;” but they, and all others who came in contact with him, soon saw that he had a store of knowledge even greater than their own. His intellectual power commanded the respect of the learned; while his earnest, logical reasoning and the power of his oratory held the attention of all in the audience. His hearers recognized the fact that he was no novice, but was able to meet all classes with convincing arguments in support of the doctrines he taught. Thus the apostle stood undaunted, meeting his opposers on their own ground, matching logic with logic, philosophy with philosophy, eloquence with eloquence.

His heathen opponents called his attention to the fate of Socrates, who, because he was a setter forth of strange gods, had been condemned to death, and they counseled Paul not to endanger his life in the same way. But the apostle's discourses riveted the attention of the people, and his unaffected wisdom commanded their respect and admiration. He was not silenced by the science or the irony of the philosophers, and satisfying themselves that he was determined to accomplish his errand among them, and, at all hazards, to tell his story, they decided to give him a fair hearing.

They accordingly conducted him to Mars’ Hill. This was one of the most sacred spots in all Athens, and its recollections and associations were such as to cause it to be regarded with a superstitious reverence that in the minds of some amounted to dread. It was in this place that matters connected with religion were often carefully considered by men who acted as final judges on all the more important moral as well as civil questions.

Here, away from the noise and bustle of crowded thoroughfares, and the tumult of promiscuous discussion, the apostle could be heard without interruption. Around him gathered poets, artists, and philosophers—the scholars and sages of Athens, who thus addressed him: “May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? for thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know thereof what these things mean.”

In that hour of solemn responsibility, the apostle was calm and self-possessed. His heart was burdened with an important message, and the words that fell from his lips convinced his hearers that he was no idle babbler. “Ye men of Athens,” he said, “I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To the Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you.” With all their intelligence and general knowledge, they were ignorant of the God who created the universe. Yet there were some who were longing for greater light. They were reaching out toward the Infinite.

With hand outstretched toward the temple crowded with idols, Paul poured out the burden of his soul, and exposed the fallacies of the religion of the Athenians. The wisest of his hearers were astonished as they listened to his reasoning. He showed himself familiar with their works of art, their literature, and their religion. Pointing to their statuary and idols, he declared that God could not be likened to forms of man's devising. These graven images could not, in the faintest sense, represent the glory of Jehovah. He reminded them that these images had no life, but were controlled by human power, moving only when the hands of men moved them; and therefore those who worshiped them were in every way superior to that which they worshiped.

Paul drew the minds of his idolatrous hearers beyond the limits of their false religion to a true view of the Deity, whom they had styled the “Unknown God.” This Being, whom he now declared unto them, was independent of man, needing nothing from human hands to add to His power and glory.

The people were carried away with admiration for Paul's earnest and logical presentation of the attributes of the true God—of His creative power and the existence of His overruling providence. With earnest and fervid eloquence the apostle declared, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, seeing He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.” The heavens were not large enough to contain God, how much less were the temples made by human hands!

In that age of caste, when the rights of men were often unrecognized, Paul set forth the great truth of human brotherhood, declaring that God “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.” In the sight of God all are on an equality, and to the Creator every human being owes supreme allegiance. Then the apostle showed how, through all God's dealings with man, His purpose of grace and mercy runs like a thread of gold. He “hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us.”

Pointing to the noble specimens of manhood about him, with words borrowed from a poet of their own he pictured the infinite God as a Father, whose children they were. “In Him we live, and move, and have our being,” he declared; “as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” In the ages of darkness that had preceded the advent of Christ, the divine Ruler had passed lightly over the idolatry of the heathen; but now, through His Son, He had sent men the light of truth; and He expected from all repentance unto salvation, not only from the poor and humble, but from the proud philosopher and the princes of the earth. “Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.” As Paul spoke of the resurrection from the dead, “some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.”

Thus closed the labors of the apostle at Athens, the center of heathen learning, for the Athenians, clinging persistently to their idolatry, turned from the light of the true religion. When a people are wholly satisfied with their own attainments, little more need be expected of them. Though boasting of learning and refinement, the Athenians were constantly becoming more corrupt and more content with the vague mysteries of idolatry.

Among those who listened to the words of Paul were some to whose minds the truths presented brought conviction, but they would not humble themselves to acknowledge God and to accept the plan of salvation. No eloquence of words, no force of argument, can convert the sinner. The power of God alone can apply the truth to the heart. He who persistently turns from this power cannot be reached. The Greeks sought after wisdom, yet the message of the cross was to them foolishness because they valued their own wisdom more highly than the wisdom that comes from above.

In their pride of intellect and human wisdom may be found the reason why the gospel message met with comparatively little success among the Athenians. The worldly-wise men who come to Christ as poor lost sinners, will become wise unto salvation; but those who come as distinguished men, extolling their own wisdom, will fail of receiving the light and knowledge that He alone can give.

Thus Paul met the paganism of his day. His labors in Athens were not wholly in vain. Dionysius, one of the most prominent citizens, and some others, accepted the gospel message and united themselves fully with the believers.

Inspiration has given us this glance into the life of the Athenians, who, with all their knowledge, refinement, and art, were yet sunken in vice, that it might be seen how God, through His servant, rebuked idolatry and the sins of a proud, self-sufficient people. The words of the apostle, and the description of his attitude and surroundings, as traced by the pen of inspiration, were to be handed down to all coming generations, bearing witness of his unshaken confidence, his courage in loneliness and adversity, and the victory he gained for Christianity in the very heart of paganism.

Paul's words contain a treasure of knowledge for the church. He was in a position where he might easily have said that which would have irritated his proud listeners and brought himself into difficulty. Had his oration been a direct attack upon their gods and the great men of the city, he would have been in danger of meeting the fate of Socrates. But with a tact born of divine love, he carefully drew their minds away from heathen deities, by revealing to them the true God, who was to them unknown.

Today the truths of Scripture are to be brought before the great men of the world in order that they may choose between obedience to God's law and allegiance to the prince of evil. God sets everlasting truth before them—truth that will make them wise unto salvation, but He does not force them to accept it. If they turn from it, He leaves them to themselves, to be filled with the fruit of their own doings.

“The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are.” 1 Corinthians 1:18, 19, 27, 28. Many of the greatest scholars and statesmen, the world's most eminent men, will in these last days turn from the light because the world by wisdom knows not God. Yet God's servants are to improve every opportunity to communicate the truth to these men. Some will acknowledge their ignorance of the things of God and will take their place as humble learners at the feet of Jesus, the Master Teacher.

In every effort to reach the higher classes, the worker for God needs strong faith. Appearances may seem forbidding, but in the darkest hour there is light above. The strength of those who love and serve God will be renewed day by day. The understanding of the Infinite is placed at their service, that in carrying out His purposes they may not err. Let these workers hold the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end, remembering that the light of God's truth is to shine amid the darkness that enshrouds our world. There is to be no despondency in connection with God's service. The faith of the consecrated worker is to stand every test brought to bear upon it. God is able and willing to bestow upon His servants all the strength they need and to give them the wisdom that their varied necessities demand. He will more than fulfill the highest expectations of those who put their trust in Him.

[02121jnjn]

String Update: Including Rate Of Interest to Sewouts for CUSTOMIZED PATCHES

Bring extra worth to your embroidery with specialty strings.

Whether you're servicing a sewn competitors access or job bid, to the victor goes the reward. Your possibilities-- as well as choices-- rise significantly when you assess all alternatives presently available. A lot of embroiderers have actually chosen their general-purpose, day-to-day 40-weight string by choosing lustrous rayon or solid polyester. However a lot of get comfy with never ever taking the complying with activity when making  CUSTOM PATCHES.

Several embroiderers' makers are developed for 40-weight string; furthermore, their stock designs are digitized for it, and likewise they equip substantial supply of 40-weight rayon or polyester string. Ah, the benefit location! Who suches as change anyhow? However that is specifically why it's time for making some innovative options, improving the selections in your supply as well as the alternatives for your sewouts.

You mean to develop a comfort level-- that convenience of working together with your equipment-- to be able to break out as well as likewise effort something brand-new. Several embroiderers reveal passion in attempting something out of the box, however the concept of transforming a needle, thickness setups or committing to discovering something new is paralyzing.

Yet arrangements-- as well as likewise competitions-- are won by differing from the group and also creating looks for you or your consumers that are unique, uncommon or artistically expressed. Understanding using a few of the specialized threads on the industry, and profiting from the education and learning as well as learning possibilities that accompany them, considerably raises the opportunities.

THE "WOW" ELEMENT

What are points that make us say, "Wow!" when we check out an amazing sewed sewout? Fine information as well as clearness; glimmer and sparkle; shade shading along with realism. Permit's think about these elements independently as well as just how you can include them to your needlework.

As in life, when it worries embroidery, too much of an excellent thing can end up working against you. Specialized strings seem to have the greatest impact when combined with other, a whole lot extra fundamental threads. Contrast-- the outcome of mixing 2 or even more opposite string kinds-- often is the wow component. As well as additionally measurement, bring about a huge or small design, can be an attention grabber.

Metallics. While there are lots of basic specialty-thread options, a lot of them belong to this group alone. Metal needlework string can be located in smooth or twisted plans, as well as different weights. Some will certainly stand up to industrial-strength laundering, while others are designed for exceptional residence decoration full with TLC. Always think of the item you're stitching as well as pick the durability of your string as necessary.

Special-effects strings frequently enter into play for, well, distinct effects. The metallics are outstanding for infiltrating a typical layout to include a component of shock, make a statement, tension part of a layout or logo design, or simply secure that wow element.

For example, if you are working with a logo design or design that consists of a product in grey (eating tools, machinery, tools, and so on), attempt utilizing silver metal thread. Or, effort exchanging in gold metal for a yellow- or gold-colored area in your design. Mixing a shiny metallic with your general-purpose rayon or polyester string gives unbelievable end results.

After that, there is the shimmering result of a various sort of metal string, where its unique transforming offers it an extra distinctive and likewise shimmering impact. Right here, too, additionally used in small parts of your layout, the extra element of sparkle, shimmer or sparkle will certainly develop a distinctive look that separates your style-- as well as likewise your organization-- from the prevalent rival.<br>

When including metal string to a style, bear in mind to select a stitch length that is appropriate for a thicker, rougher string. Use a # 90/14 needle, as a result of the # 30 weight of the thread. Whether it's luster, glimmer, iridescence, jewel tones, bling or simply focus that you search for, metal thread may be the treatment.

Abide by the producers' recommendations worrying needle dimension as well as likewise machine tension for maximum outcomes. The string stress on your manufacturer ought to be developed a little looser than for fundamental 40-weight strings along with the gadget speed need to be established rather slower. For heavier-weight threads, the needle dimension will definitely enhance.

60-Weight. For wonderful details as well as lettering smaller than 4mm, 60-weight string-- conveniently offered in both rayon and also polyester-- will certainly offer you well. It calls for a smaller sized needle, yet will certainly allow you to create message, securing and additionally other limited detail where general-purpose, 40-weight thread can fall short. It is readily offered in a variety of shades, typically Pantone-matched, in addition to matched to its 40-weight equivalents.

A thread to aim to for problem fixing, it is great to make your digitizer knowledgeable about it at the beginning of a project. Taking into consideration that a smaller sized needle will definitely supply excellent results, some embroiderers will definitely "designate" a solitary needle to 60-weight string in black or white for sewing the message in a logo layout.

Matte Finish. The improvement of matte-finish embroidery string enables you to develop depth, or shading, in your needlework. You can integrate it with shiny or glossy thread to attain a feeling of "layering." Matte-finish needlework string is excellent for use as "skin" when individuals or faces are related to a style.

As well as also when subtlety or an added macho look is wanted, as in tone-on-tone or when making for a customer that stays clear of sparkle, matte-finish string will definitely work well. One leading matte-finish embroidery string on the market is especially colorfast and additionally created to withstand large amounts of ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sunlight, making it a good choice for exterior patio area pillows, watercraft covers, and more. Mixing a matte-finish embroidery string with a shiny or shiny one for special shading outcomes, or replacing the matte surface totally for a crisp, subtle appearance will provide an unique format, putting you ahead of your competitors.

Wool-Blend. The harsh, unique wool-blend needlework string will certainly provide an appealing, hand-embroidered appearance. Blending it right into a stock design, or merely choosing how and likewise when to use it, requires cautious aspect to think about. The wide satin stitch, longer running stitch and a variation of the covering stitch all are excellent options for this distinct string. When dealing with these thicker strings, other factors to think about contain needle size, stress as well as devices speed.

The thick wool-blend string, with normally soft tones, requires that you make use of a # 100/16 needle. For tension setups on your needlework tool, only tighten up the leading anxiety. If you transform the bobbin tension, you will certainly have difficulties running the numerous other strings in the style. Along with just to be on the risk-free side, taking into consideration the normally "hirsute" structure of the wool-blend thread, tidy the bobbin instances and likewise turning area much more regularly than with other threads.

Fireproof. This is considered a specialized string, yet not always one you would absolutely choose unless the production needed it. It was developed for usage on attires, logo designs or any type of kind of garments where safety is a problem. Industries such as oil, aerial along with fire control, and additionally sporting tasks such as automobile racing or flying, all present prime opportunities for using this string.

The very best high quality fireproof strings are made from 100% Aramid, a DuPont item. One more time, while not a best thread for anything besides safety and security needs, it is an excellent string type to be comfortable with, for whenever the need occurs. You will absolutely see it made use of most often in logo layouts or for customizing safety and security as well as safety and security outfits.

Variegated and also Multicolor. While design, or your customer, might identify whether you stay with a solid color or put a multi-color look right into the mix, your selections are relatively unlimited. With multicolor strings, as you sew, the string will certainly go from one color to another and also an additional. With ombrés, one string will definitely produce numerous tones of a singular shade. You have a wide range of choices if you choose to attempt a different tinted or shaded look, since rayon, polyester, woollen blends along with metallics all come in variations of these random-looking tones.

Working with these strings takes some trial and error to ensure that you can find out the quantity of control you have-- if any type of-- over just how the tones or tones will go down. If mixing in multicolors, or ombrés, it may be best to utilize them in large areas, as the ombrés that are prominent with fashion

developers-- in layouts that are all-natural in look-- allow the random adjustments of the thread to enhance the style.

Glow-in-the-Dark. For pure uniqueness-- as well as Halloween is the prime motivation-- this specialized thread is prominent for childrenswear or shoulder bag. It is a string that requires to be "billed" by being held under direct light, and afterwards will certainly hold its glow-in-the-dark houses for a dimension of time that stays symmetrical with the length of time it was billed.

This thread is not to be utilized when controlled security problems are an issue. It was developed for pure novelty and, while its usage can be quite creative and might contribute to the customer's direct exposure, it does not birth any kind of type of guarantee of the size or efficiency of its luster. A 40-weight string, it must not need any type of unique factor to think about when running.

SLIPPING BY THE COMPETITION

Special-effects strings truly will set you besides the rivals when you master working with them.

Wool-blend string provides a home-spun influence, while 60-weight string is optimal for attaining logo layouts that are the envy of your competition. Usage metallics for results that "pop," matte-finished string integrated with the gloss of rayon or the gloss of polyester for shielding, glow-in-the-dark for youngsters's clothes, and so on. All will certainly permit you to supply your consumers embroidery they may not discover anywhere else.

Using some down time to experiment, as well as likewise end up being skilled as well as safe in expanding your toolbox, will certainly confirm well worth it; including some of the previously pointed out threads can increase your charges up to 20%. Several of these strings originally will call for some digitizing in addition to machine-tension adjustments, along with needle modifications in addition to-- possibly most significantly-- perseverance. But the results will definitely give you a side over your peers, and a leg up in the rivals circuit.

[fallonanthony]

Do My Powerpoint presentation for Me to Save Me Time and Nerves!

This small post will be great for supervisors, public speakers, instructors and anybody who desires to be listened to. Creating a powerpoint presentation is quite of a challenge if you are lacking experience and have very little time left to accomplish the project. In regards to constructing a PowerPoint business presentation to stay in people’s heads forever, you wish to have a strategy first. What is the great string of actions and what are the strongest business presentation resources to get you through the trip? You can only learn from your own personal errors, yet it’s better if you stay away from them no matter what if you’re worried about the effect on the viewers and audience. In this short report we are going to give you a number of helpful suggestions to ensure a stress-free experience even if you are a newcomer with 0 understanding of how a excellent powerpoint presentation is done. A well done business presentation serves the attractive objective of providing the message and describing the speaker’s outlook on a certain subject. Sadly, demonstrations are very unexciting at times and leave no chance for the loudspeaker to reach out to viewers’ hearts. Whether it be a PowerPoint presentation for tomorrow’s Biology lesson at college or a presentation determining your chances of getting a fantasy job, you're certain you ought to be the best at whatever you do. In case you’ve already quit the concept of making a presentation all on your own, here is a excellent presentation design services on the internet to save you time and nerve fibres.

A good presentation is easy to detect: it holds focus and leaves a strong impression. Improperly completed presentations cause the brain to try way too hard . to concentrate on the topic and pass out while wanting to process the text or make connections between the speaker’s talk and images. An incredible business presentation starts off with a perception. Think about - what's the concept that you feel like serving up through your Power point presentation? Put on paper your best suggestions and get back to this list each time you’re willing to determine. A great powerpoint presentation is one that has a solid base and a framework. You must not make a powerpoint presentation just for the sake of earning an impression - you have to say it and actually mean it. Do not begin with picking pictures. If you’re short on time, it is even better to get a simple style presentation slides with significant text on white background. Constructing a properly structured business presentation is simpler when you have a well-defined objective. You want to alter the image of the world in people’s heads. You want to take them into your brain and make them feel in a certain style. Come up with the goal of your business presentation in one short expression for a perfect kick-start. If you’re not feeling like putting your artistic mind to work right now, you can get away by making use of inexpensive need help with powerpoint presentation. What keeps the listeners concentrated? Interest. A great presentation must not lack plot. Really, it should trigger the individual to want the business presentation to go on. The slides’ line is crucial as it will help build-up the tension. It's just like an excellent movie - you can’t help but question what’s going to happen in a second. Finally, you wish to make a conclusion and leave a nice aftertaste, so your effort is appreciated. Review your lovely thoughts into a phrase that drops into people’s minds and leaves absolutely no way for them to neglect your moment of glory. We recognize that life can be challenging at times and you may not always have time to make an unbelievable presentation over completely from scratch, even so there is an easy substitute for save you energy and time. Take advantage of awesome pro presentation services to get the job done with 0 effort from you. About Us: Odds are, you are going to need to make the most from your presentation deck design, if you are looking to create the right presentation for just about any kind of an event or social gathering. Sure enough, you might not get the time or even the electricity to really make it on your own and that is why you will certainly be away seeking for the most successful staff of qualified as well as seasoned skilled professionals that will not let you down and may deliver the finest display design and style services within the quite the very least period of time possible. Issue is - you will require the best mixture of price and quality as well. Although there are numerous professional presentation services, chances are, you are going to be off searching for the most reputable kinds which will not let you down and will help you to keep on returning for more in the foreseeable future also. Well, if that is the case and you are therefore already looking for the most efficient powerpoint and slideshow creation services that will deliver the right results within the very least amount of time possible, this right here is the most efficient of choices on the market and one that will not let you down. The support with powerpoint business presentation provide you with the pursuing final results: -Complete materials. You will definately get to benefit from the most complete in addition to wide material that may not let you down and will enable you to carry on coming back for more in the future. -Successful options. You will definitely get the very best ways to make the most from the needs in no time in any way - the support having a powerpoint display offers you all the signifies necessary to obtain the most from your needs as well as specifications. -Reliable. The skilled powerpoint presentation development solutions gives you all of the signifies needed to obtain the most through your demands as well as specifications within the really very least length of time achievable. Consequently, no matter what sort of a business presentation you could be off of seeking to obtain the most from, tend not to wait to communicate with the competent as well as experienced professionals which will not let you down and will assist you in acquiring the correct top quality alternatives. Examine this one out making the right contact as soon as possible - you should have it! Contact us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slidepeak Twitter: https://twitter.com/slidepeak Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/slidepeak Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slidepeak YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-D9016ztEqjiR0gCj4vcqg/featured Website: https://slidepeak.com

[marshmallowprotection]

Convallaria Majalis

Pairing: SaeranxOC 

Warnings: This is Self-Insert type story. This is not beta-read, and constructive criticism isn’t wanted. It’s written purely for own my amusement. I’ve been posting his story on AO3 and FFN for a while, but I figure there an audience here on Tumblr that could warrant me posting here as well. There are some mature elements that should be taken with care, it includes warnings for Anxiety, Depression, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and PTSD. This story contains spoilers for Ray Route, and V Route, as well as elements from the Secret Ends. 

Word Count: 12,169. 

AO3 | Fanfiction 

Chapter One 

L I L A 

I.

"Awake."

"Error, again?" I stared at the phone with disdain. "Really? Why is it that everyone else can enjoy the DLCs and I'm stuck with an endless error message? I guess I could prowl forums until I find an answer."

Mystic Messenger was the height of Otome games on mobile platforms. For a long time the only quality romance games that you could play were desktop based, so when I found out there was a good one for your phone, color me stoked. I had been playing nonstop since my sleeping schedule was shit and I needed the affection from something. There wasn't any answer to be found, I scowled after checking a few pages. It wasn't like I hadn't already finished the deep routes, but I wanted to complete the Christmas DLC to one hundred percent. So much for that, ugh. It was too early in the morning for me to consider crawling out of bed just yet but I didn't have any more apps that I could refresh but - if the game wasn't going to be working for me, again! - I would just have to sit here in the quiet and think about my life. Poor choice, really, but I wasn't going to venture into the cold of my apartment until I had to do it.

"Then again, I can just check my to-do list." There was my sloppy but carefully taken dribble as I opened the app. I flipped through my notepad and did a mental run-through of what needed to be done for work and the house. I had to finish my report before I submitted my updated proof for my supervisor, make sure the fridge had enough for the rest of the week, and I needed to do a head-count on my paint supplies before I marched out the front door. All and all I would be home before noon if I didn't want to do anything else. I set my phone down and decided to shut my eyes for a few minutes.

My alarm clock began to sound not even five minutes after I dug my head back into my pillow.

Sometimes you happen to have a chance encounter that might change your life. Sometime you might just wake up and things are out of your control, or maybe you wake up in a different room then the one you're used to... either way, there's a day when things change direction and I know firsthand that these days can come out of left field. Something that you find yourself comfortably living every day until a new normal finds you. For a long time, I would wake up, crawl out of bed and begin my work in the kitchen after splashing water on my face and brushing my teeth, and keep working until I got hungry. It had been like this for a couple of months already, and the lingering scars in the mirror couldn't bother me as long as I kept to myself and did what I needed to do. You see, only a few months ago, you could have found me doing a stint in the hospital for my poor health habits. I had a hard time taking care of myself when it came to sleeping and eating, it wasn't exactly a trait that I was proud of, but it was something that had been with me since my teen years.

Whispers and murmurs behind my back about my appearance from my classmates and even my parents had destroyed my confidence and by extension, I had hurt myself to make others like me. I'm not proud of it. Every time I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I would feel disgusted and look away. Dysmorphia had a way of crawling up your spine like a spider and waiting for the moment to jump out and take a bite of you when you could do nothing but try to push it away - but fail.

Today wasn't all that different.

I got out of bed and hastily did my morning routine. I just had to go out of my apartment to run some errands instead of going straight to work, that was normal for a Wednesday. I had a list of this and that, that and this, but it shouldn't have broken too much time in the rest of the day as long I as get myself together in this good mood. It started as a better morning, really, I found it in me to fix my hair back and put on one of my jumper dresses. The reflection didn't make me feel as bad as it might have another day.

Hopefully, that would last.

How wrong I was, I realized when I slung my bag over my shoulder and opened my front door to see someone standing in the way. I gripped the door handle hard, and grit my teeth. "It's nice to see you again, Mom."

There she was standing in the doorway, my Mother, with a vase of sunflowers and the most unnerving smile. She had her hand raised as if she were about the knock the front door but couldn't when I opened the door instead. Of course, when I said that it was nice to her, I didn't mean it. We had never had a close relationship and it was only strained at this point. She didn't agree with my choices that I had been making over the last year, although she was the first one to say that she was proud of me on social media for the attention and sympathy. "Hold the pleasantries, Lila. I know you wouldn't have opened this door if you weren't on the way out."

I stepped to the side, and let her into my apartment rather than deal with an argument. "Is there a reason why you stopped by this morning?"

"Do I need a reason to visit my daughter?" She countered without even blinking, sauntering into the living room and setting her flowers down by the kitchen table. "I happened to be in the neighborhood."

"You live five blocks from here, you're always in the neighborhood." I returned. "I'm kind of in a hurry, Mom. I have a lot of errands to run before my appointment with Karen."

The ever-present smile was a little troubling. Mom turned back around to face me after looking at the canvases and makeshift art studio that my kitchen had become in the last couple of weeks. "Ah, yes, your therapist. I hope that's going well. All of my friends are concerned about your well-being after that mess in April." That mess in April that she was referring to had amounted to a situation where my Grandparents caught me in a lie, and I passed out in their home from malnutrition, and partly exhaustion. It occurred just three months after I had broken up with my abusive boyfriend after six months of terror, and five months after the loss of my father. It had a been a long and grueling year for my family, not that we never had a time where we weren't living some kind of lifetime drama film.

"And?" I braced myself.

"It's almost been a year since... the accident. Your sister has been living her life while you've been couped up, locking yourself in this apartment without even trying to make a difference." She started, walking back over to me. "Everyone is concerned that you're wasting your life here, it's one thing that you've been trying to waste your life painting, but now everyone is starting to pity me because my depressed daughter is unable to help herself. You need to stop wallowing about your father and get out there, date, have fun."

I started to talk back, "I'm content the way I am, Mom." but she cut me off and began to talk louder, to talk over me.

"And look where that's getting you, dear, you need to take a hard look in the mirror and get yourself together." She rested a hand against my shoulder, nails digging into the skin. "I expect you to stop embarrassing me before the holidays. I don't want to see you crying and making a fool of yourself in front of everyone again." That hung over my head like a weight. There it was again, the attitude that I couldn't just wash off. My Mother wasn't one to be trifled with if you decided to openly disagree with her methods and while it had been alright when I was a little girl; It was unbelievably too much for me to bare these days. It might have been because I was the only target of this thinking. We had been going back and forth like this for months because she wanted to be the one that was right in the end.

I didn't have the energy for it.

I shook head, just pretending to agree with her words. "I don't want to argue. You can do whatever you want to do, but I'm heading out."

"Wisteria, how are you feeling today?" Her hand was firm against her pad of paper as her pencil began to jot down the little things. Where we could improve on my function and how I could live my day to day without letting my impulsivity control me. This office smelled of disinfectant and cleaner. It wasn't something that bothered me much but it was all I could focus on this whole session. It was one thing that my day had started like it would be alright, but when my Mom came over and soured the whole thing, my mood had shifted and I think she could tell. She started and ended every session by asking me how I was feeling at that moment. I wasn't in the mood to talk about what had happened, so I carried on as if it were any other session.

The clock on the wall read a quarter past three and that meant we were coming to a close for this meeting.

"Huh?"

"I said how are you feeling? You've been a little distracted today. I've been doing most of the talking, and I'm curious where you're thinking today."

"It's already been a day and it hasn't even really started." I leaned against the table in front of me. My hand sinking into my chin as I closed my eyes. "I'm alright. I have had some alright days this month. I haven't felt... acted on the need to purge since my release. Sorry I didn't mention that at the beginning... I've been following my meal plan that we worked out to a tee thanks to my family. It's been a long couple of days, but I'm feeling a little better about my control when it comes to my dysmorphia. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night, that thunderstorm kept me up for a while."

"I'm glad to hear things are going better for you. You've been doing an excellent job lately at keeping up with that. Has there been any change in your mood? In regards to what you were struggling with about your father? You seemed upset during our last session but are you ready to talk about it?" She asked, the quirk of her eyebrow lifting just enough that it caught my attention. She always tried to pull that topic up but I wasn't ready to deal with it, we had mentioned it here and there, but it wasn't something that could come out yet.

My shoulders lifted into a shrug. "Let's give that a little more time, Karen. I'm doing that on my own right now - there's still a lot I want to think about before I open up about that. It's not bothering me as bad as it was before because I've been focusing hard on getting my physical health better, along with my job and affairs. I just don't want to deal with that can of worms right now."

"That's understandable, but you know we'll have to deal with that eventually. Just think about how we can better address it for next time." She reminded me, as she set her pen down against her desk. "Let's meet again in two weeks to discuss any more changes... but in the meantime, you can call me whenever you need to talk about anything."

That was therapy for you. I had been making some progress since we had started the meeting, which I was grateful for, but my mind had been other places during our session. I wasn't going to admit it to anyone, but I had been spending my time doing more than working and listening to a meal plan. My phone indicated that while I had been in my session I had missed a few things. I pilfered through what I missed, this and that, that and this but cleared them all out until I got to the most recent notification. I had missed a chatroom deadline on the game that I was playing. An Otome, Mystic Messenger, one of those exciting games where you could pick anyone you wanted and romance the.

"Huh, I guess I missed another chatroom." That wasn't the worst thing in the universe. I was trying to go through the Christmas DLC on Mystic Messenger at that moment, and I had enough hourglass to spare for one uncounted chatroom but I probably wouldn't waste it knowing the whispers of extra content coming very soon. I had already done a run-through of the different routes and now I was trying to get the DLCs entirely done before any more were released onto the game. There wasn't anything else left to complete with all of the RFA's routes done on my application. I was a little desperate for the interaction with my fictional friends so I settled for this.

I booted the messenger but it errored out.

"Please?" I begged, silently.

It errored once again when I attempted it open it again.

"Goddammit."

This had been happening a lot lately when I tried to play the game and it didn't seem to be happening to anyone else. It forced itself out at various times of the day and I couldn't fight it. Nobody else had this problem when I cruised the blogs and pages about it. I just mounted it to my luck. It was just a weak signal or maybe a bug that needed to be corrected. Little did I know, but there was a reason why my game was lagging and it wasn't just a chance of bad luck, and it would stem back to an encounter that I had put in the back of my mind.

I could always play some of the other Otome games that I had on my PC in the meantime if this was going keep happening. "Really? I can't believe this, maybe there's some traffic on the servers or something. Ugh, I was hoping to finally get Unknown after clearing everyone else." I grumbled, stashing my phone back in my bag as I headed into the cafe across the street from my therapist's office. It had been another meeting, uneventful and we didn't make a lot of progress. I was a lot more comfortable with her lately, which was good because she didn't treat me poorly if I slipped up and made a mistake. It was much better than dealing with what my Mother thought was the right way to handle the situation. She wanted to throw me to the dogs, so to speak. She wanted to make me work with her at her salon so she could make sure that I didn't embarrass her with my health problems. Fortunately, my older sister and Grandparents advocated for me and I got into the proper programs to help me piece my life back together.

The door jingled with alarm as I entered.

"Hi, Lila!"

"Oh, hey," I greeted the girl behind the counter with a weak smile. She knew my older sister but I hadn't ever caught her name. I think it was Samantha, so let's just go with that for now, I never would be able to work up the courage to ask that since she assumed I knew. "I'm looking for my usual, I need something to pick me up for my next project."

Samantha raised an eyebrow, "Another all-nighter?" she asked.

That was a jab at my poor working habits. I was already well aware that I had a beautiful little ring of purple underneath my eyelids for how hard I had been working these past few months. It was my choice to get involved with the projects that I was working on, it was so much of my own choice that I could work as long as I wanted and was physically capable of doing so, that I didn't mind if I was awake at three in the morning. It was my choice and nobody else. It had been only a year and some change since my choices weren't my own - since somebody told me what to do when to do it, and how to do it. I was beyond that life now and living how I wanted to, and I was managing my own life much better than I had been once before. Six months ago was my breaking point and I was forced to deal with the lingering haunt behind me; The remnants of that relationship had left me with self-loathing and the inability to look into a mirror for even a moment.

My dysmorphia was a ghost that lingered in my shadow and it would always haunt me from just beyond my peripheral vision. It was all that was left of that failed relationship and it stuck to me even now, it was a daily struggle to combat but I made due. Some people would look at me and call me brave for fighting - fighting a monster that had been created out of my fear and someone's else's control - but I didn't see it that way. I wasn't some knight fighting for my own life in battle, I still sometimes saw myself as the fearful princess in the tower.

I was a graphic designer who ran on her hours most of the time. When I wasn't creating websites and pamphlets for people, I would pour myself into my real passion which was painting and illustration. It was what I loved doing the most but it wasn't easy to do it and getting paid for your passions was next to impossible in the eyes of many of my family members. Alas, that's how I ended up where I was. I disregarded her tone and I shook my head. "It's not for work this time around. It's for the baby," I explained. "I promised Lucy that I would have my gift for the nursery done before the holidays and it needs a few more touchups."

"Oh. I can't wait to see what you're doing then, at least I can trust you to show me how it'll be. I can't count on Lucy to answer my texts lately. I haven't seen your sister in a few weeks, could you remind her that I know she sees what I'm saying but she doesn't reply? I know she posts about being too busy to do anything but I beg to differ." Samantha rang up the register and retrieved my drink from the back.

She handed me the cup and I smiled back at her with a little shrug. "No promises."

I decided that I needed to clear my mind that afternoon. I had all of my supplies with me on purpose, I made sure to leave my apartment that morning with everything that I might need to keep my mind occupied out of the house for a while. And for once I was glad that I grabbed everything that I needed before I opened the front door, I might have never been able to get out of dodge so fast this morning if I hadn't done that. My apartment was inevitably going to be cleaned up thanks to my Mom but it was going to be the kind of clean that she was fond of, it meant that a lot of things weren't going to be out of place. I lived in an environment that could be called controlled chaos; Nothing looked like it made sense to an outsider but for me, I knew where everything was that I needed and I liked it that way.

It didn't matter if anybody else liked it, it was my home and that meant I could have it the way I liked it. When I finally moved out of my childhood home a few months ago after the accident I made sure that my new place would be everything that I couldn't have there.

I knew I needed to get back and finish the project that my supervisor needed the final proof of, but I wanted to have at least an hour to work on something that for me, not just for some company. There was a creative control over my work that I couldn't entirely show what I wanted because I had to do what the client wanted, not exactly what I might have liked to do. When I was painting or trying to do something for myself, I could do anything. So, I walked to the park after I left the cafe, I would have to walk through it to get back to my apartment anyway. This place was a place that held a lot of good memories and bad memories; The good ones outweighed the bad ones in my opinion, and I wanted that comfort of the pleasant times in my mind instead of the pain that lingered from the present.

It took a few minutes, but everything poured out of my bag and I started to take work the moment I found a spot that caught my attention. It was a shaded tree close to the overpassing bridge, a patch of roses planted by the city not too long ago had taken root and the striking red color stood out against the sea of greens and browns.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I didn't turn around but I hear someone stir from behind me. The voice wasn't familiar, so I chalked to a stranger that had seen me painting from afar and wanted to learn more or even see what I was doing. "You don't see people painting out in the open like this, forgive me for being forward but I like what you've done with the flowers."

My little laugh left my lips. That wasn't a new experience. People had watched me before so it didn't bother me too much when someone wanted to see or make a little comment. It was nice to hear something positive after the morning that I had. "Thanks for saying so, but it's not precisely representational of the scenery. I took the liberty of adding some more native flowers to make it feel a little more striking."

The man leaned a bit closer, not enough that I wanted to flinch but enough that I could feel his presence. "Yes, the dogwood gives clarity to your canvas. It holds many meanings, but might I guess that you mean to use it as a sign of rebirth or hope?"

"Regret," I murmured. "Actually."

"Interesting, I wouldn't have expected that to be your choice." The man commented. "You don't seem like the type to have experienced that kind of a pain in your life."

My pencil continued to rake across the paper as I added a few details, making sure to note things my eyes might miss when I was to begin painting. I pursed my lips. "That's the funny thing about people you pass by every day. You might not know anything about that person but they're going through something you wouldn't believe. It's like that flower there," my eyes fell on the bud that yet to bloom. "It hasn't bloomed like the rest of its friends for a number of different reasons, but it'll sprout it leaves one of these days and be just as beautiful as the rest."

"The other flowers are blocking it from receiving the adequate amount of sunlight. It might not ever bloom without a delicate hand to guide it to its full potential. " He said.

I set my pencil down and took a closer look. "Oh, wait, you're right. If they trim back some of the tops it'll reach it a lot better right now. I can't believe that missed that and I call myself a girl with a decent green thumb, hah. I come to this spot pretty often because I can't go out to the Lancelot Gardens every day, have you ever been?"

"No, but I've heard a few things about it," the stranger replied.

My smile widened at the thought of getting any more strangers to visit the place. I was always advertising for my Grandparents when I got the chance and I wasn't about to stop doing that just because I didn't see them as often as I would like anymore. "Oh, you really should if you ever get to the interstate. They're just right of it down a clay road. I grew up on those gardens and they still never fail to take my breath away. I'd be pressed to say that there isn't another place like it in the world." I could see it in my mind when I shut my eyes. "There's just about anything you could imagine down there, but there are sprawling fields of Wisteria out there. Some people call it invasive but lemme tell you, seeing it cover the landscape and treetops is awe-inspiring. It's a page right of the storybooks."

"I could show you one better," He began to say. "But hearing you speak so fondly of the flowers makes me wonder what you might think if you could see the spot I often visit."

"And where might that be?" I asked, curious.

When I turned around to see the man he was gone. I thought for a brief moment that I had just hallucinated the entire encounter but left on the ground was unrest in the dirt, a footprint impression on the ground told me that there had been somebody these speaking to me that time. It was odd to just some idle conversation with someone and then just disappear before it could be finished. I hadn't had such a calm conversation with someone about the flowers since I ran some of the tours back at my Grandpa's gardens. I almost felt a little sad I couldn't ask him his name. My phone was sitting on the ground behind me as well, I raised an eyebrow at the sight. I thought I had set it in my bag. Why was it sitting on the grass?

It would be a few nights later that I would realize that that chance encounter would change my life forever.

"What would you do if I told you that sometimes growing up feels like you're burying your childhood and kicking it for good measure?" The phone was on speaker so I didn't need to put the effort into holding the device in my hand. The moment that I got out of the rain and back into my apartment I collapsed onto my bed in a crumpled heap. Another week of mindless work, sleeping when I could find the time to do it and working when I wasn't sleeping. It was just another day in the life. My phone started ringing at that very moment as well, and while I might have usually just ignored the sound and just laid there something told me that I needed to check who it was. Lucy had such a lot going on lately in her life - and I did as well, that meant that we couldn't just talk to each other like we used to be able to do.

While I felt like this was a heavy weight upon me - I never expressed it to her completely... not when she had a small child on to tend to.

On the other end of the phone, she let out a small scoff at the question I inquired. Typical for Lucy, she had a clear head on her body even if she sometimes seemed like the world's biggest goofball. "Have you been binging Disney movies while you're feeling the height of your depression again? That's kind of a weird way to deal with all you're going through right now, but if it's helping go for it." This was her attempt at trying to tease me - to make me feel better about myself.

I rolled my eyes. "There's nothing wrong with indulging in fairy tales as long as you know how to separate fantasy and reality. Life is a little different than being a Cinderella, where your misfortune can lead you to something better you weren't expecting along the way, but hey, I can dream. I might digress, but I have been painting a lot of castles lately."

"And I'm still dreaming I can fly." Lucy retorted. It was always great to know her sarcasm was holding up ever since she had her daughter - as if I could ever believe that it was going to go away just because she had a mini-me in the making. I could only hope that her daughter wasn't going to turn out like her because if she did, I might start losing my hair well before my time. There could only be one Lucy, after all. I hoped. I grumbled under my breath and she just laughed at me.

When her laughter quieted, she got serious. "What's got you feeling like that anyway?"

"Oh." There wasn't going to be one little thing that made me feel this way. With a little sigh, I admitted to her just a little bit of information. "A little of this, a little of that... you know the deal. It's just one of those days, Lucy. There were some good things and there were some bad things, it's hard to say what pulled me back into this rut."

Lucy gave a soft hum in response. "How's everything holding up other than that?"

"I've been rocking a killer headache today, but I just took some painkillers that might be able to knock it down just enough that I can get some rest later if I try. Other then that it's been kind of a decent week if you ask me over." I grimaced as I remembered the one point bad point of my week that I wanted to forget. "Mom did drop by earlier this week, but that's not worth mentioning."

"Oh." Lucy didn't have to say much else about that.

It was coming out like word vomit. This feeling that Lucy had heard something from the woman that I already knew. "If she told you that I hadn't cleaned up the place, she's exaggerating like always. I left her in my apartment for a few hours and when I came back everything was out of place because she has her system that she thinks we should follow." I paused as my eyes darted around the living room of my apartment with a grimace. "A few magazines on the floor is enough to start World War Three in her opinion. You know how that goes."

My eyes lingered on the flowers that sat on the corner table next to my lampshade when they reached them. It was a simple pot and a big array of flowers that my Mother preferred. They were a shade of yellow that I wasn't fond of, they reminded of something that I wanted to forget desperately, however, no matter how hard I glared at the floral arrangement it would spontaneously combust. My Mom didn't listen whenever I told her not to drop by flowers if she wasn't going to remember the ones that I couldn't stand. "You know what kind of flowers she dropped off when she visited though? I've told her time and time again that I don't want to see them."

"Sunflowers?" She asked.

I rolled over on the couch so I wasn't facing the vase. "Who do those flowers think they're fooling? They can't be as bright as the sun and make me happy as they do her." I said. "I just don't think they're all that great." There was a pause on the other line for a moment. Lucy sounded like she was shifting something in her hands and then set it down onto something like a table from the clank in the background. "Well, you can get a decent snack out of them if she got them from Grandpa's gardens, so that's a good bedside treat. I'll try to remind her to pick up something different if she wants to bring you some next time. alright?"

"Much appreciated, sis," I told her with a weak smile crossing my lips. The light from my phone diminished into darkness. I would never have the heart to tell her that those were the flowers that Dad would get for Mom on their anniversary every single year and they just reminded me of a man that I used to know and who was long gone. Someone who was once impossibly light - once who bore the universe, the sun, the stars in my eyes - turned into a withered bed of thorns and a face that I could no longer see behind who he had become in the process. I couldn't stand that thought - and our Mom would never understand how much I hated to see something once great turned into something that left a sour taste in my mouth. I wouldn't be able to sleep if my brain wouldn't give me some reprieve from the nightmares.

I crawled out of bed and decided to go for a walk.

The only place that I could go to think was the bridge in the park that Father had often taken me throughout my life. It was surrounded by the rushing water and some plants overcast from the trees nearby. It was nice to see, well, it might have been nice if it wasn't for the thick dense fog that had brewed before morning twilight. I tried to keep my thoughts together and just feel lighter than the nightmares that haunted me. For a while, I just stood there and tried to feel something. The flowers were out of my reach but I could see the roses from my spot. I hadn't yet begun to paint the piece that I had started a few days but the red flowers reminded me of that strange encounter.

I wonder if I'll ever meet that guy again. They do say people run into others for a reason and the thought of a place prettier then the one I knew still left a little curious. Oh well, I decided. I'll leave that one to fate. The chill air against my skin reminded me that I should turn back head for my apartment. I counted the cracks in the pavement as I headed back - when I counted the last crack, I lifted my head and looked around to see if the dense fog had begun to clear just yet.

"Huh?" I couldn't recognize my surroundings at all. The morning fog was strong enough that I couldn't entirely make out the surrounding buildings but they were not the ones that should have been here. Now, I had experienced periods of fatigue and confusion that left me confused about myself or my environment at times, but this was a different feeling that I was experiencing. This wasn't like my town. I pinched myself and that proved that I was awake and - yes, this was happening. "I guess I should have slept some earlier because I can't even recognize my park. Oh my God, Karen was right about deprivation."

Grabbing my bag, I tore through it to find my phone. When I looked down at my phone I noticed an application was installing. My apps usually updated by themselves during the might when I slept, but this one had a name I wasn't familiar with... Against my better judgment, I decided to see what it was. It opened on my screen and gave me the option to input some reasonably necessary information and then it gave me one more option.

I plugged in my alias as the nickname.

The application didn't give me any option but to enter a mysterious looking chatroom.

Wisteria has entered the chatroom.

Unknown: Hi! Finally, someone to talk to!

I stared at my phone screen uncertain if what I was seeing was real, had I accidentally opened Mystic Messenger and started a new game? The static of the background reminded me of the first I didn't remember doing that... Might my phone be on the fritz? I thought. The background of the chat room was of data and code but it wasn't exactly like the one that I had put to my memory. Something about it made my stomach churn with butterflies. Why was this appearing here of all places?

I clicked the dialogue box.

My keyboard sprung open... and the line flashed as if it was waiting for my input into the box. It didn't give me a choice. It wanted me to input something as a response... Nervously I began to type a message.

Wisteria: Oh... hello?

Unknown: I hope I didn't surprise you. Don't be nervous I'm just an "ordinary person".

Wisteria: Usually when someone says that, they are anything but ordinary, Mr. Unknown.

Unknown: You're funny lol I can't say that I'm extraordinary when I'm introducing myself. Shouldn't I be humble and modest?

Wisteria: I suppose I might have cracked a joke too if I was introducing myself to somebody for the first time too. I can understand the sentiment you're going for. I think. Who are you, exactly? Um, how did this even open? I don't remember downloading any apps.

Who are you, indeed. I clicked out of the chat for a moment to see the name of the application.

RFA...?

It was called RFA Messenger. That was suspicious enough for me to wonder what was going on. It didn't say Mystic Messenger despite looking damn-near identical to the platform with some minor visual differences. Why did it appear so much like it? I wondered. Was this one of fake versions that appeared on the app store? I didn't remember downloading anything like that - I certainly didn't put one on my waitlist. So... What the heck? Sometimes I would download something interesting if it caught my eye but I couldn't remember clicking anything before I left my apartment. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility that I did do it.

"I saw one of those before but... this looks too legitimate to be a fake," I mumbled as I inspected the screen further with scrutiny. "What the heck?"

Another message came in. I continued walking down the path but the bridge seemed much longer than usual for some reason, and for a moment when I knew that I had to look back down at my phone, I stopped just at the second to last pillar.

Unknown: I'm sorry if I surprised you out of nowhere.

Unknown: I'm the developer of this app. What do you think of it? I was hoping you would like it... I'm excited. Because you're the first one to come in, Wisteria! I was worried that no one would come in while I was making the app.

Wisteria: I'm not sure I'm made up my mind on my opinion just yet. This interface looks a simple so props for that concept. I guess I must have downloaded this without entirely reading through it. It's been one of those days. Though, I'm flattered the developer wanted to talk to me directly. Is there something that I can do for you?

Unknown: Oh! I'm so glad you asked! cuz there is a favor I want to ask of you. Though, it is kind of much to ask from a stranger. There is something I want you to help me with.

Wisteria: I guess I can. But I'm still a little wary. Sure!

Unknown: You already decided without hearing me out? My heart's fluttering... I'm so lucky that you came here. This app isn't just a messenger app, it's a game messenger app. I wanted to ask if you could test it.

Wisteria: Why you couldn't you test it yourself? Oh, are you so focused on putting it together that it's hard to look for bugs? I guess it would be easy to overlook something if you've been looking at it for a while. That happens to me sometimes when I'm drawing something and another opinion is always a good thing.

Unknown: You could say something like that I also think an outsider's opinion like yours would be a massive benefit to my game, though as well.

Wisteria: Hm. Well, I can't lie and say I'm busy because I'm not. What's the premise?

Unknown: This app... lets you chat with me but also good-looking AIs. I may be a good looking guy too. But that's for you to decide - The chats aren't everything. There are also hidden stories... Amusing stories that will stir your imagination. All you would need to do... is to play the game and tell me your honest opinion.

Unknown: These are the characters that come out of the game. They're not real people but characters created with AI. What do you think? Don't you think it will be fun?

If I had been holding my breath at that moment it broke past my lips into a gasp. That image! He had sent an image was of the... It was the original title screen of the game when it debuted in the app store! Somebody must have been playing a clever trick on me. Except... Nobody that I was close to knew that I had been spending a lot of time playing Otome games, be it Mystic Messenger on my phone or the few of them that were on my laptop. The only person that might have known about it was my Dad - given he was still around when I started playing in the hospital.

So that couldn't be the case. It was bizarre... yet, compelling. Even if it was some kind of joke, I felt like I should go along with it. Against the feeling in my stomach, once again, I decided to see what would happen if I were to agree to this. I didn't have anything to do except paint and submit my work to the publisher or the writer this week. If this was a joke or a game it would end soon if I just agreed with them.

Wisteria: Alright, sure, I'll help you out!

Unknown: Did you find a pretty face that you like on the poster? If so, you are genuinely fascinating lol

Unknown: I've studied hard to make this messenger game. I hope you enjoy it. I think it will be better if we talk over the phone about the details. Let's talk over the phone. Don't freak out when you see an unknown number pop up, okay?

Unknown has left the chatroom.

The chatroom fizzled into darkness and disappeared from my view.

What had just happened? It was like I was walking through a replica of the game model down to the letter! This was going to end with me looking up and seeing the crew from Punk'd despite it being off the air for more than a decade and a then phone was back to normal so I took what should have been the next few steps off the bridge to the path that would take me home but my feet didn't hit the dirt, they hit concrete instead. I spun around to look at the bridge behind me. It wasn't the same one that I had just stepped off of at all... and the strangest thing was, I thought I saw a stream along the fog that looked like something had warped the space around the bridge.

What I thought was my eyes playing tricks on me at first turned out to be something different entirely.

As the fog cleared up and the sun began to overtake the sky above me, that was when I knew that things weren't as they should have been with a new sense of clarity. This wasn't my neighborhood. These weren't the streets that I knew like the back of my hand. These buildings were just as ordinary as any old city would have but they weren't the ones that should've been here. Nothing was written in English either, the characters seemed familiar but I couldn't gauge them given my panic. I had walked a few blocks ahead to see if anything might have struck a nerve in my memory but it was no use. I could feel the anxiety and panic budding in the pit of my throat. This was not the ideal situation but I needed to stay calm.

I counted to ten... then took a deep breath. I looked at my phone and at whim, opened my Map app just to confirm the theory of my proximate location - the app surged to life and began to search for me, it dinged when it was finished and scrolled out to find my answer. I was... This wasn't home. I was somehow a million miles away from my home, in South Korea of all places. That's not how travel works. How I just traversed the seas and lands in a matter of seconds startled me to my very core.

My phone started to vibrate and I fumbled with it in my hands before pressing the answer button. My breathing was uneven but, I managed to squeak out a little bit in response. "H-Hello?" I asked.

"Hey, it's me, the one you were just chatting with." He said.

"...Unknown?" Were my hands shaking? Was my voice quivering? What was happening right now? I was at the park one moment now I wasn't sure I was in Kansas anymore, Toto. Korea, South Korea of all the places to somehow wind up. I wasn't registering the connection yet because my brain wasn't going... This wasn't my town. My mind was whirling around at a hundred miles an hour and I didn't know what to do. I needed to talk. What did I say? My nervous laugh escaped my lips. He said he would call, right? This is him. The guy pulling this ruse on me. "Oh. You told me not to be frightened but I have to admit the sudden call startled me."

"Yes, that's me. I hope I didn't startle you too much... Your voice sounds so cute over the phone, I can't wait to meet you in person." He paused for a moment. Unknown was someone that a lot of people didn't understand. Well, I could guess his motives and what he doing from what I knew about him from Seven's route but it wasn't enough. This game he was talking to me about wasn't a game, not if I was standing smack dap in the middle of South Korea right now. That was beyond reason and I was struggling to even know what to say to him to make this end well. I could gauge whom he was and how he got there, but why he was tricking me like this was beyond me. "As I said in the chatroom, I called you to explain this app. And I thought talking to you like this would make me sound more, credible. There's a tutorial in the game that can explain everything to the player but it's still being modified, you see... Do you remember those characters I showed you?"

Did I know them? Yes. The five members of Rika's Fundraising Association that were accessible when I played the game. Yoosung Kim, Jaehee Kang, Hyun "Zen" Ryu, Jumin Han, and Luciel "Seven" Choi. The whole point of the Otome was centered around those characters and they were the components of the game. But did he know that I did as far I knew? No. "I do," I said.

"Yeah, that image I sent you of the game consists of the characters that I've been developing. Those will your chatting partners... All five characters in the image are members of an association called the R.F.A." Unknown explained away his plans. He believed that this was a game that he had made, or was this some kind of ploy? These were real people, right? "R.F.A is a closed organization with the purpose of holding fundraising parties... You've been set as the party coordinator, in charge of inviting guests. Just think of it as you being the one in charge of choosing who attends the party."

His voice sounded very familiar. Although, I wasn't sure if Unknown was who I honestly assumed he was just yet. It could just be a coincidence. It couldn't be Saeran Choi, no, no, it couldn't be him and this was just some dream that I was having after a lousy night. I couldn't just gauge by his voice through my cell phone. I wouldn't know until my eyes were on him and I couldn't be sure that, that was a good option. I focused on talking about this game he was telling me about instead. "Whomever you invite as this coordinator will probably gain you more affection points with certain characters, right?" I said. "Though it would depend on how well you can pick up which answers are right and wrong."

"You pick up pretty quickly." There was a chuckle on the other end of the phone. "It would be pretty boring if all you had to do was just that, though, wouldn't you say? You will find out more of their secrets by chatting or calling with them. It would be faster to learn by playing it if I'm honest." So what did he want me to do? He wanted me to test his game that wasn't a game. These were real people with real problems and lives. That was the primary purpose of Mystic Messenger from my world. You play the game and solve the problems for a character. Unknown leading MC to Rika's apartment was the only scenario I was aware of that lead her to the RFA.

This wasn't like that.

I was somewhere that I didn't know the lay of the land and I had no way of finding my way back home. Mystic Messenger was set in South Korea and that was leagues away from where my home was. This wasn't what I knew. I couldn't exactly refuse what he was offering If I did, that might run the possibility of something worse then being on the streets of a country that I didn't entirely know. If I was really in this game right now than I could cause a bad ending by doing something wrong. That didn't leave much of an edge room to make any other answer than the one I had to. Was it possible this was a parallel reality to Mystic Messenger where Unknown was just trying to make a game? That would be too easy of a theory to believe in. Something was going on right now that I couldn't be sure of. His intentions have to be similar to the regular story...? He wants me to get the RFA on my side, so they could be lured to Mint Eye one by one for his savior... Rika.

How would I be able to do this, under the guise of an Otome?

It didn't entirely make sense given what I know.

I had no choice but I decided that I would stick with it.

My silence might have left him nervous about what I was planning - but I brought myself out of my head and gave him my answer. "Sure, alright, I'll do it for you. You've been nothing but polite to me so far. I see no harm in doing something that might help you feel better." Was I going to be in trouble if I went along with him? My memory of the sad endings flashed in my head. He wasn't a bad person, but he had been twisted into something by someone who wanted him to be a pretty pawn. We had that in common. But he was my only choice given my situation. I didn't know where else to turn to but to him now, hopefully, it wouldn't come back to bite me in the ass.

"Thanks! I was worried you would refuse." His cheery response caught me off guard. I didn't remember Unknown coming off like this... He was supposed to brash and calculated. He didn't put up the pleasantries because that was too much effort for him. Unknown seemed different than the one that I had come to know playing the game. "Right, but the game hasn't been released yet and it cannot be revealed to the market. So, to perform the tests, you have to come over here." He said.

Come here? He couldn't mean what I thought. Was he intending to bring me straight to Mint Eye?

"Where's here...?" I asked him.

"You probably won't know even if I told you. It's in the mountains and hard to see from Maps. To maintain confidentiality before the release, it's being developed in a sparsely populated area... Of course, you don't have to come here by yourself if it's too troublesome. I'll send a car over to you if you tell me your address. You could hop onto that and head this way." Well, that answered that question. This was the kind of thing that your mother and father would tell you never to do when you're talking with strangers. It wasn't like I could get his location and head there myself.

I doubted that that sort of liberty was ahead of me. "You're not ridiculing my sense of direction, are you Mr. Unknown? I'm competent, you know. I'm sure I could find my way around."

"Oh, of course not! It would be easier for you is all I'm saying, and it keeps everything tied to the game confidential." Unknown was quick to reassure me of this. "This just saves you some headache, Wisteria."

"Well, I guess if you put it that way. How - How can I refuse?" I gave him the address. I knew my hands were shaking now, I was aware that this was becoming too real for me. If I was going to find out how I got here and understand the situation at hand - It meant that I was going to have to throw myself into the unknown. That meant standing in a place where the root of unrest and fear lived ahead. There was a trickling fear crawling up my back and I wanted desperately for him to take it all back.

"I'll send a car there right now. Please be there. Keep in mind that the road there is confidential, so just do as I tell you and it'll be alright. I should hang up now. I need to get ready." He hung up.

"Wait, tell me this was just a prank!" I cried out, at last, the dull end of the other line of the call was silent.

Unknown wasn't going to answer me. This wasn't a joke anymore, I wasn't playing a game, this was real. I was living and breathing this game now. The morning air seemed thick, just as thick in the bile in my throat. I was left with my thoughts and the jarring realization that I didn't know what was to expect ahead. What had I just gotten myself into? I signed myself to the devil more or less, in a country that wasn't my own and a fear that I knew too well. This city surrounding me wasn't familiar to me and what was worse was the colors of this city seemed muted, not as lively as it should have been. At first, I thought it was my eyes adjusting to the sun once again... But, I now realized this wasn't normal.

I rubbed my eyes.

Everything was blocky, and in a sense, two dimensional. Why was that? The streets were barren for this time of day and I wouldn't be able to confirm my growing thought until the car arrived. My theory was confirmed when a driver appeared a half an hour later, with a blindfold in tow and the appearance of a two-dimensional person.

The driver drove for a period that I couldn't gauge, the roads twisted and turned so much that I would never have had a chance to make a mental map of the roadway if I wanted to do it. It was well outside of the residential area that I had once been in. It was at least an hour away from anything at most - no wonder it took so long for anyone to find out what they were running here. This was somewhere out of the way and out of sight of the average person. "We have arrived." The driver informed me when the car finally went silent and died down and was swallowed by the noise of nature. "You'll need to wait here for a moment, and place the mask back on." I did as I was instructed to do.

It was a few minutes before the driver spoke up once more: "Mr. Ray has arrived." The door opened to my right. "Welcome. I've been waiting. Welcome to this wonderful place. It wouldn't have been an easy decision to come here... Thanks for trusting me."

It wasn't that I trusted him - this was the only thing that I could accept at the moment. I knew better than to say his name, his actual name if it were him, instead, I opted for: "Unknown?"

He seemed to be pleased that I could it was him. "You knew who I was just by listening to the sound of my voice?" He laughed that off. It was the voice that I knew it to be from my time listening to him in the game. There was little no doubt left in my mind that this was him. "Yeah. It's me, username Unknown. Didn't you think Unknown was a funny name? It was a default option because I didn't set up a username in the first place. No special meaning. My name is Ray. Thank you for coming all this way."

"I wanted to show you around," He continued. "I prepped up this and that while waiting for you." Show me around? This was news to me. The Unknown that I knew didn't play around like this. He wouldn't have asked he would have just done it. My fingers lingered against the edge of the mask. I wanted desperately to confirm his identity - the voice wasn't enough for me to accept my situation - I wanted to be entirely sure that this was real. "Oh, don't take off the mask just yet. You can't take it off until you reach your room." He said.

"My room?" I echoed him. I wasn't entirely sure what to make of that. That meant that there was somewhere in this place that I wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. He seemed intrigued by how well I was playing into this on the surface. "Yes, I prepared a comfortable space for you while you're here... I mean, while you're testing you have to stay here. I was worried though since I didn't know what you liked... I hope you'll like it." He said. "I'll hold your hand on the way down from the car."

I took his hand. "Thank you."

"Oh, no thank you. You are doing what I tell you to do." Ray said. Something about that kind of praise didn't make me good. He leads the way into the building and I stayed close by his side. Ray, as he told me, didn't say much at first until we had been walking for a while around the jungle that was this massive building. This was no different than the roadways that lead to this place. You couldn't try to know how you were turning if you wanted to do it. An escape plan wouldn't be possible yet. "You have no idea what a relief it was when you said you'll help. What a relief, thanks to you. You'll be a big help."

I looked in his general location. "Well, you didn't give me any reason not to trust you," I told him even if it was only half sincere. "You seem like a nice guy, I honestly don't mind helping you if it means it'll do you some good." It was better to be on his right side. I didn't know how to predict his movements - I liked Saeran, as much as I liked anyone in the RFA, but I wasn't sure what to expect from him when I wasn't trapped in Rika's apartment. Everyone was hurting to some degree and I couldn't bring myself to be with ill thoughts. He was acting so pleasant and cheery compared to the twisted persona he had garnered from this place.

This response seemed to be good enough. "That's very kind of you," Ray said. "I'll do my best to make you happy while you're here for your diligence." He stopped in his tracks right then as his footsteps died down "Oh. We're here, come I'll remove your blindfold." My eyes readjusted to the light and he came into focus at last in my vision. It was Saeran, it was him. Why was he referring to himself as Ray now? Was it just another alias? He was dressed much differently as well, the tailored coat was bright and he was looking at me with green eyes filled with hope.

"This would be our first time seeing each other face to face, right?" He was smiling. It wouldn't be for me, I thought. This was my first time seeing him in a light different than the dark demeanor and look he had as Unknown, the sole hacker against the RFA. Ray was much softer in appearance somehow - Ray wore a magenta overcoat over a grey vest and white button-up, a striking blue flower was pinned to the lapel of his overcoat. It was a change to the leather and ripped clothes. If he noticed any hesitation in me, I couldn't be sure.

"I suppose it is." I murmured when I found the use of my voice. His character was one that had a lot of struggle. I could relate to his pain on many levels but seeing him in the flesh made me very... wary. It wasn't a good idea to trust someone who lied to you like this. I did want to like him. I just needed to think clearly as I moved forward. "It's nice to put a name to a face."

He returned that with a solid nod of his head, Ray gestured around the room where we were. I just noticed the environment for the first time. This was the kind of room that walked out of a princess fantasy. It was impressive at its grand scale and I had to give them credit for keeping up with the theme like they did. "This is your room. I did my best to prepare everything in here to your liking... still, let me know of any inconvenience. You have full access to this floor of our headquarters, but you'll have to let me know before you go anywhere else. The reason... you know why, right?"

"Because it's strictly confidential like you said," I echoed his words from earlier. "Right?"

"Correct. You have a great memory... I don't hate smart people. I get the feeling you'll pull this off quite well." He said. There was something in his tone that left me feeling like there was more to this then he let on. If the RFA truly were real as Ray was, what did that mean for me? "We still have some time left, I'll explain a bit about the game. As I mentioned before, the purpose of the game is to hold a party with the RFA. All of the characters are the AIs that I have designed. There's one problem as I've tried to make it super realistic with the AIs."

Super-realistic? Was he just trying to downplay how they were really... real people? "They aren't self-aware, are they? That would be a concerning bug to deal with." I cocked my head to the side. "Science hasn't exactly figured out how to perfect them just yet so if you cracked the code, color me impressed, Ray."

He had a small chuckle escape him at my inquiry. "Aha... it's not like that per say. The AIs become just super suspicious when a new person comes in. Your concept is that someone hacked into your messenger and that's how you got into the RFA messenger. Quite suspicious, isn't it?"

I pursed my lips. "Oh. Yeah, that would be cause for alarm."

"Exactly. That's the setting of the game, it's not fun when everyone likes you from the start, is it?" Ray nodded, clearly pleased with my assumption. "They'll ask you about this hacker, of course. But you can't answer them because you know nothing. They will try to pry information out of you though, like your location and this hacker, and they might even try to get information about the creator, me." He continued. "At that, you can't reveal the truth. You must keep the secret until the end. Can you promise me that you won't reveal what we've been talking about to the AIs?"

"It would be game-over otherwise, right?" That look in his eyes told me my answer. "I'll do my best, Ray. That's all I can promise." I told him.

I wasn't entirely sure that I was going to able to keep that promise, however, I would be doing my best for everyone.

"Thanks! I'm so happy that you're so cooperative! Meeting you might have been... fate. Just remember to avoid a game-over, okay? Everything up until now is a secret, and who I am, the fact that they're AIs is a secret too. Be careful, if the game goes through a forced shut-down, you have to start all over again from the beginning. Slight differences are depending on how you talk to them... but even if they don't accept you from that, just tell them: Someone called Rika sent me to hold the party."

"Rika, huh?"

The savior of this place.

"She's a character. The other characters will tell you what kind of character she is, but simply put, she's the one who founded the group in the game. And as I mentioned over the phone, your role in the game is the party coordinator. Depending on how you talk to those potential guests means whether they will attend or decline." He nodded his head. The run-around he was giving me had my head spinning. It was like he was trying to drill the information into my skull over and over to make sure that I understood him. "The number of party guests is also dependent on whether or not a good end is reached, right?" I asked.

That was how it worked, after all.

He nodded his head, pleased. "That's a good guess. It'll spoil the fun if I tell you in advance, if you wanna find out, you'll have to play. Inviting the guests is crucial, try to invite them with whole-heartedly. Don't forget that there will also be interesting events beside the party, within the RFA itself, depending on the choices that you make. You'll have to tell me what you think as you play... even the smallest things are okay. Tell me everything, how the party went, what those characters said to you... That way, I'll know how well the game is going... Your role is important."

I nodded my head and reaffirmed my words. "You can count on me."

My gut told me if I didn't do what they asked I would be in trouble.

"You're very confident! I'm also getting more confident thanks to you. I'll work even harder making his app. It was worth waiting for a tester." That last comment seemed to be more for himself than for me. He outstretched his hand towards me with a lift of his right hand. "Here, hand me your phone, I'll add the app for you."

"Here." I lifted the gadget from my bag and into his waiting hands.

"Thanks, it will only take a few minutes!"

I was being used for something.

Rika's sick little game with her former organization couldn't be stopped quickly.

"Do you have any more questions about the game?" He asked.

There was something I was curious about. "I'm a little more interested to learn about you, Ray." I inquired. "I mean, this is your creation after all. The more I know about you the more that I can understand your game and give you feedback worth listening to, you know." The more that I understood about him the more natural it might have been for me to understand my environment. What was going on in Magenta? What year was it? What was the RFA going through if Saeran was like this? The boy in front of me was much softer than the Unknown I knew. As we looked into each other's eyes, I could see something in them that I often held.

Ray seemed startled by the admission. "Me? Hahaha... You're more interesting then I thought. Though I'm not a character inside of the game. I've always dreamed of someone who's a good listener to what I say. My voice is quite small... Most people don't seem to listen very well. Oh, I know I keep emphasizing this but... don't forget to keep the secret, alright? Don't ever... try to get game over easily, promise me that, please?"

"Of course." I didn't want to face something grim.

He handed my phone back to me with a smile. "Thanks a lot! I want to talk to you some more, but I have to get going now, Wisteria. I want you to give it your best, party coordinator." Ray made the move to head to the door after this. I turned around to watch him take a few steps towards the door and when his hand touched the knob - the words left my lips before I could stop myself.

"Wait."

He didn't move.

"My name isn't Wisteria."

"Oh?" Ray was staring at me from the corner of his vision, he didn't say much else when I spoke. I'm sure he had his theories if he hadn't found out already by going through my phone. "Is that so?"

"It's not safe to give out your name over the internet so easily you know. That's why people use usernames in the first place, sometimes you chose something you like other times you just let the default stick as you did with Unknown." That was a layer of protection, be it chosen or not. Nobody wanted everyone to know who they were, it was easier to pretend. I wanted to trust Ray because I knew he could be good. Anybody else with the right mind would have refused him and called the police about the operation. That was the realistic option. But if I dropped the line and did that would it solve the problem of me being a different country by myself? How would I know that that was going to do it? Even if I said no to him in the first place, was somebody watching me while I was on the phone with Ray? Would they have gotten me if I didn't?

What was even a stronger thought was: I couldn't be sure that I even existed in this reality. There was a massive possibility that any attempts at searching for me would be filled with confusion and endless error screens. If nobody knew I existed here, then there wasn't a chance of getting out of the situation unscathed. I didn't have any records. No one could come looking for me. I guess it didn't matter if I gave my name or not. The only traces of who I was were with me. It wouldn't hurt me if Ray at least knew my first name.

"Is there a reason why you chose that one?" Ray asked, breaking my train of thought.

"I guess you could say that, or it could no different than how you accepted Unknown as yours," I said. "It's just one of those things you learn the truth of after you've been friends for a while." I wasn't sure why I felt compelled to be honest with him. Somewhere inside of me, I knew that Saeran wasn't intentionally a villain in this story, he had been coerced and deceived by Rika for a long time and it took its toll and twisted him into someone he was not. I wanted to trust him, or maybe I just wanted him to trust me. "And - And if we're going to working together from now on, then, then I would like us to be friends someday."

I lifted my head and looked at him. "It's Lila."

"Lila, huh?" With those words in his mind, he exited the room and went back to who knows where in the building. This was different then the Mystic Messenger I had been playing, the last route I had completed was Seven - It had seemed to be the route that explained everything and cleared up all the answers that we learned along the way in the other routes with the RFA members.

The fact that I was standing here meant there had to be something more to the game or this was some kind of alternate universe. The moment Saeran- no, Ray left me to my thoughts was the first moment that I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. I had to do a double take on my reflection. "It's me...?" I raised my hand to the mirror - my fingertips brushing against the edge of the cold glass. It looked like me, but at the same time, it didn't seem like it was me. It was as if I were me, but I wasn't me.

As if it wasn't jarring enough to my vision for the world to appear two dimensional- it appeared as though I had been changed to match my surroundings. My eyes and hair were the same color as always, brown as always. My features were much more subtle here, I almost wasn't sure this was me. I was wearing the same dress that I had on when I left my house this morning, my hair was tucked back with the black bow I always pulled it in when I wanted it out of my face and a reassuring pinch lets me know this was more than mere fantasy. My figure was as thin as it had become... I knew underneath my clothes there was the body I hated and yet it still belonged to me. It was like I had become a drawing in my own notebooks and not in a good way. My heart pounded in my chest at a resounding rate.

"It is me."

My phone went off in my hand. I lifted it into view and saw the notification alerting me to an open chatroom that I could enter. That meant that my game had officially begun.

Wisteria has entered the chatroom.

[itesservices]

Outsourced Data Labeling Service: What Makes it a Feasible Option?

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are no longer the technologies of the coming age. They have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Right from unlocking our phones via biometric identification, sending automated replies via emails/messages, getting traffic updates from GPS, or getting recommendations based on your choice of music, series, brands, etc.—all of these are just marvelous applications of AI and ML.

Moreover, autonomous vehicles have traveled from a science fiction plot into an unbelievable-yet-true thing of reality. Businesses across dozens of verticals ranging from manufacturing, healthcare, military, sports, smart city planners, renewable energy, automation, and so on leverage AI/ML-based models to interpret trends, identify patterns, solve problems and harness the true potential of their data in the best possible way. But what is the driving force behind all these AI/ML applications? It’s the data annotation process.

Understanding Data Annotation in Machine Learning

Machines certainly do not have ‘brains’ of their own and cannot interpret things as humans do. At the same time, feeding these computers with raw data wouldn’t make any sense. They need properly tagged and labeled datasets to acquire intelligence and perform the desired actions. So, this is what data annotation does—helps machines to make sense of the input data.

Simply put, data annotation is the process of adding tags, labels, descriptions, and meta tags to datasets, which can be in the form of text, images, audio, or videos. These tags and labels provide a context to the Machine Learning algorithms that help them easily comprehend their environment. The AI/ML-based models can identify different objects, calculate attributes, and perform other desired tasks.

Annotation in Machine Learning is, therefore, a critical step. Any errors in data labeling not only impact the algorithm’s performance but also cause AI-based models to make false decisions. In the worst-case scenario, AI/ML-based model investments can turn into business losses. So, how to go ahead with this?

In-House Data or Outsourcing Data Annotation Process: Which is the Best Option?

Constant access to relevant and accurately labeled data is an important prerequisite for Machine Learning algorithms before they go live. The more input data they are fed, the more accurate and reliable are their predictions. Hence, constant streams of well-tagged data for a long time are a challenge for many companies; adding to this, are the budget constraints as operational expenditures immediately shoot up when you hire skilled annotators and implement relevant tagging technology. As a result, businesses need to make a choice whether to create an in-house team or opt for established AI data labeling companies. Here you go:

Process Management

In-House: Handling an in-house data labeling team, whether it is big or small, is a daunting task as it involves a tiring recruitment and training process. A huge amount of time and other resources are spent on monitoring and managing these employees. In addition, troubleshooting the tool and ensuring quality (in terms of accuracy and relevance) in training datasets might be burdensome for data professionals and annotators. As a result, they get distracted from the core activity, which is adding unbiased information to the input datasets.

Outsourcing: You can either consult a professional annotator or avail of data annotation services to get enhanced quality training datasets. They take care of the entire tagging process and focus on creating precise data labels, making sure that your AI/ML model is trained properly. These experts can also look after troubleshooting data labeling tools, detect problems, and get them fixed in real-time to avoid any blunders.

Versatility

In-House: As annotation in the Machine Learning process is gradually gaining importance and becoming a top priority for many organizations, there’s a shortage of skilled annotators in the market. And even if you have an in-house data annotation team, it is intended to fulfill a specific requirement. But what if the demand for labeled data fluctuates over time?

Suppose, you’ve got a requirement where more text needs to be annotated in the next month. To fulfill this, you either end up overloading your in-house team with work at times or underworking at others. Such inefficiencies negatively impact the bottom line as the demand for datasets changes and organizations expand their business.

Outsourcing: Professional data annotation companies can easily handle spikes in the data volumes as they work day in and out on such tasks. They can easily sync with the changing needs of your AI/ML models; hence, you get the best possible data training sets within the stipulated time and budget. Isn’t this a smart way to eliminate inefficiencies and make room for resource optimization?

Staff Training and Skill Development

In-house: Getting an in-house data annotation department includes lots of staff training along with adequate technology implementation. Experienced annotators and data professionals need to teach the untrained ones about the project goals, business objectives, and particular obligations of the specific projects, eliminating individual biases, other than training them on how to operate annotation tools. This not only affects the allocation of resources but also hampers the overall business productivity which may have profitably been used for tasks with higher importance.

Outsourcing: Established data annotation companies already have a pool of data professionals, skilled annotators, and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who can swiftly adapt to fluctuating demands for training datasets. Having the right blend of skills and experience ensures excellence in every data labeling endeavor.

Operational Costs

 In-house: Especially for startups as well as small-and-medium-sized businesses or enterprises with strict budget constraints, getting a data annotation team in-house might be a costly option—managing and building the infrastructure required to train Machine Learning algorithms involves significant costs in terms of acquiring an office space, expenses of hiring employees, and buying the annotation tools.

 Outsourcing: When you collaborate with a data labeling service provider, you only have to pay for the genuine services availed. From manually tagging data samples to leveraging AI data annotation tools to training machines, they offer reasonable pricing for all your needs. This way, you not only cut down on operational costs but do not compromise on accuracy or quality either.

Bottom Line

 To conclude, in-house data annotation setup is a costly affair that doesn’t even provide flexibility. On the contrary, outsourcing annotation activities not only help you get enhanced quality training data as and when required but also optimizes operational expenditures and accelerates the AI/ML implementation project. Hence, you can easily figure out which approach is the best for your business.

Read here the inspired blog: https://www.datasciencesociety.net/outsourced-data-labeling-service-what-makes-it-a-feasible-option/

[backtothestart02]

Human Error - Chapter 1

Tagging @champagneholland, my standalone fan for this fic (thank you for your enthusiasm always! lol).

*Many thanks to @valeriemperez for beta’ing.

Chapter 1 -

He thought it would be easier than it was to see her again. As the years passed, he’d been able to dwell on Oxford without immediately associating it with the horrendous riot club. Becoming consumed by his studies and his future had turned out to be the right solution. This past holiday, unlike the one two years prior, he’d engaged in conversation with nearly everyone at the annual Richards Christmas party. He talked about Oxford, his studies, the career path he had all planned out. He’d gotten better too at maintaining neutral conversations with his parents’ prized bride for him, Stephanie Bellington. He was so good at conducting them that, in so many words, he’d gotten the message across that he was never going to choose her himself.

As a whole, Miles Richards felt the past two years had done him good. He’d separated himself completely from those who had – intentionally or not – almost ruined him. He was making his family proud and behaving appropriately. He was putting that first semester behind him and never looking back.

Yet there she was, her snug fitting jeans, cute fuzzy boots and plaid jacket set to shades of toned down purple and gray. Her hair now cut into a little bob that a sliver of a headband fit neatly into. Her smile almost reached her eyes as one of the girls beside her made a joke in the conversation and it sent a stab of pain to his insides, making his stomach flip over. She was still as gorgeous as ever, still impossible to look away from, and still the reminder of everything awful he’d ever done.

Miles forced himself to look away and headed into the building for his first class in the last semester of his Oxford career.

But not seeing her right in front of him solved nothing. He heard her words in his head as if they had happened yesterday.

“You were there. You had a choice, Miles. You chose to do nothing.”

He tried to clear his head of those words, of that painful memory, but only worse, more painful memories came to take its place. That night at the restaurant. That poor, innocent man being beaten to almost the point of death. The fear and panic that had him shaking and unaware of what would happen first, throwing up or passing out. Fate wasn’t merciful to him that night, because neither happened. The closest thing he’d done to something good was making the police suspect all of them because he hadn’t told the lie that he’d been ordered to, that the restaurant manager had simply fallen.

Physically he didn’t contribute to the man’s wounds, and not verbally or emotionally either. Nothing in him had wanted that man to be tortured and mutilated the way he was. But restraining himself from even voicing that opinion hurt him. Who knew how much less that man might have endured if he’d spoken up? Maybe Lauren’s declaration towards him wouldn’t have been quite so severe, because then he would have been pleading only for her, not for her assistance. A thousand things could have gone down differently if he had had enough courage to act on the horror he felt watching the boys he’d thought were his friends torturing an innocent man.

None of this had been easy to get past. It still haunted him to this day. But when he saw Lauren again, it hit him head on.

It wasn’t as if he set out to see her – just the opposite. She’d more or less threatened to ruin him if he so much as stepped an inch in her direction. From day one he’d wanted nothing more than to win her back, to apologize and somehow make amends for the unspeakable trauma he’d put her through. It didn’t matter that he never meant to. It didn’t matter that he’d been a fool and an ass with every word that had come jumbled out of his mouth that night. It didn’t matter that he was as scarred by his inability to save her from his so-called friends as she was by the attack she’d been under.

None of it mattered, because in the end his feelings were insignificant. They were driven by pure selfishness – the desire to be accepted, the expectation of a stainless reputation, the need to have her in his life. The fact that, even though he’d known just how royally he screwed up, he still assumed she’d forgive him – that he had that right. He was entitled to her forgiveness.

He wasn’t.

If he could do any of it over, he’d undo everything and do it this time the right way. He wouldn’t assume he was the moral compass in a group of seemingly harmless pranksters. Because actions spoke louder than words, even the act of doing nothing.

Ripping himself from the past he knew he’d never fully escape from, he refocused on the large domed hallway he was walking down and started to scan the doorways for the appropriate classroom number. Having been there as long as he had, it was still easy to not know where you were going. Oxford was huge, bigger than any establishment he’d visited, surprisingly. Miles knew who was in what dorm and where events were held, or large public areas that were often frequented – the courtyards, library, cafeteria… He knew where those were. But individual classrooms were often just a little bit fuzzy.

A few more doors down though and he thought he was nearing the correct room. Until he heard a familiar sound, identical to the one he’d heard before he stepped into the building. He stopped, and hesitantly looked in the direction of the feminine accent. It had ceased. He didn’t catch her eye, but he knew who it was. He quickly looked down at the sheet of paper in his hand that listed his class schedule for the final semester. Then he looked back up where the number was etched on top of the doorway. He looked back and forth between both paper and stone numbers but there was no denying it. Just as there was no denying the petite brunette figure that quickly stepped inside the room before he could think to move his feet in the same direction.

A chill raced down his spine and he felt unbelievably warm. Sweat formed in droplets on his forehead and the tie around his neck suddenly felt unbearably tight.

By some miracle, he snapped out of his heightened senses and forced himself to start walking, right into the room Lauren had just entered.

For the first time since their first semester at Oxford they would be sharing a class. They would be in closer proximity than they’d ever been since they’d gone their separate ways.

Miles didn’t have the slightest idea of what to expect. He only knew he was doomed and he saw no way of undoing that curse.

…

 “Miles Richards,” the man, declaring himself Professor Irons, evenly called out. Another name down his roster of students.

Miles raised his hand, but it was futile. His new professor had his eyes glued to his list.

“Miles Richards,” he called out again.

Miles restrained himself from a sigh or a groan or a grumble, or any form of complaint really.

“Here,” he said.

Professor Irons made no vocal response. Just a swift check with his pen and he was on to the next student.

“Lauren Small,” he continued, and Miles froze.

He’d known it would happen. They were in the same class and her last name directly followed his alphabetically. But he’d heard only muffled chatter from her at a distance with her friends. Nothing clear or concise, nothing close by.

Her “present,” studious as ever, sent a jolt right through him. He felt light-headed, buzzed, and absolutely terrified.

Would she look back at him? Would she pretend he didn’t exist? Would she drop out of the class? Would she expect him to? Would he be able to pass this class at all with all of this weighing on him every moment it was in session?

“Good.” Professor Irons looked up and smiled at her, which made Miles frown, since every student before he’d neglected to so much as respond to.

He assured himself that it might be just that Lauren’s name was last on the list. Instead Professor Irons continued on till he’d reached a Charles Ziekler, ten names later.

There was no doubt in his mind that if it was between him and Lauren dropping out of class, it would be him.

“Well, students,” the professor resumed. “Welcome to Psychology 406 – or otherwise known as the class you must pass in order to graduate. I am the only one who teaches it, and this is the only time slot it is available.”

Miles felt his whole body overheat again as his heart plunged into his stomach and bile rose up his throat.

“You may be asking yourself,” he began, slowly walking across the long expanse of the front of the classroom. “There are thousands of final year students here. All of them can’t possibly fit in this one room.” He stopped moving and talking, pausing reflectively before somehow making eye contact with everyone sitting before him.

“You would be correct in your assumptions. However…” He started to walk again, turning when he got to the window and going back the way he’d come. “This class is not only available in the finale semester. It is available any semester you choose to take it. No doubt you all saw it as a requirement and figured you’d leave it till the last possible moment, thinking it would not matter or amount to much.”

He was almost to the wall by the door when he stopped again. This time he smiled almost maliciously when he addressed the crowd.

“In that, my fellow students, you would be wrong.”

He returned to the podium and flipped through some books, both for reading and writing respectively. He sighed and smiled contentedly when he reached the page he was seeking, and when he looked up at them all with that bright smile accompanied by a cool exterior, Miles once again sensed the oncoming disaster.

“This class will test your knowledge,” he began again. “But it will also test your skills, your ability to research and present. You’ve done those things in other classes, but in this one you will also have to prove your ability to work with others – even those with whom you don’t associate well.” Miles swallowed hard. “I will choose a partner for each of you that you cannot refuse. And by that I do not mean your heart will be overflowing for love for this person. I’m hoping it will be the contrary. No, your inability to refuse is based solely on the fact that my decision is final and your only way out of it is dropping the class and staying on an extra semester so you can take my class again, at least for you seniors.” He looked down at his books on the podium again, flipping through pages, appearing almost bored. “I would not advise the latter, but it is of course up to you.”

Miles sank farther into his seat. He glanced up to where Lauren sat three seats back and four rows over and told him he should feel comforted by the fact that she was fidgeting a little. But it didn’t. It only made him more on edge, because who knew what she would decide to do now?

The professor’s voice faded as if it were being spoken from a distance. In Miles head, every word was effectively blocked except for an occasional one or two that his subconscious must’ve somehow known would be important.

A full string of words stood out and made everything worse. Made both his and Lauren’s hands clench around their desk. Miles thought his heart stopped beating for a moment. He wondered if she’d had the same sensation.

“Miles Richards and Lauren Small. You will be the first set of partners. For every project for the duration of the semester, you will be put together and expected to do extraordinarily well. I will be the judge of that, of course.”

“Mister—Professor Irons, I really don’t think—” Lauren tried to interject, but it was a lost cause and Miles guessed she probably knew it.

“Miss Small, I believe I made it clear before that I was choosing the partners and there would be no refusals, else you take my class in a future semester.”

She slumped back into her chair, having been as straight and tall as her small frame could manage only a moment earlier.

“Yep, Professor,” she murmured.

The kindly look Professor Irons had bestowed on her when she’d first responded during role call had turned into one of annoyance and disappointment. He continued on with his list though, and no more objections were made.

At the end of the class period, an excruciating hour and a half later, Miles wanted nothing more than to race out of that class and never see it again until it was absolutely necessary. But Lauren was before him before he could even get out of his desk.

“Miles,” she said, addressing him in the most professional capacity he was sure she could muster.

He kept his mouth shut but focused entirely on her, reminding himself not to drown too much in her eyes or feel too much joy just from the sound of his name on her lips or tempt himself with the memory of what her hair felt like slipping through his fingers, soft as silk.

“I have not forgotten what I told you.” She looked away and it tore at him, as if she was disgusted just to be near him. “And I…I appreciate that you have respected my wishes.” She looked back at him, her eyes somewhat softened and yet still with shadows colder than ice. He wished he could tell what she was thinking.

“Even if it was done for completely selfish reasons.”

She was holding back a scoff. That much he could tell. She was holding back a lecture and a slap too. He saw her jittery fingers form fists at her sides. He felt pang of guilt and also fear on many levels.

“That being said,” she forged on. “It is obvious that neither of us can get out of the predicament we are now in. While I would very much like to force you to drop the class, regardless of what that would mean for your reputation or your family’s opinion of you, since certainly you could afford the tuition…” She held back another scoff.

He deserved a scoff though. He wished he could tell her she could scoff at him without making her angrier than she clearly was.

“We are just going to have to put aside our differences for the sake of this one class. You cannot be mute in this situation because then I will carry the majority of the burden of every project I take on, and I certainly do not deserve that. I’ve worked hard to get where I’m at, and I refuse to let this be the reason my grade in what is obviously the most important class of my university experience might be lowered. You should speak,” she insisted. “We will get through this in one piece if we follow the one guideline I know will ensure it.”

He just stared at her waiting, still too unnerved to speak.

“When we speak, it will be only about whatever projects we must cover together in this class. If there need to be excessive conversations so that something is done well, fine, but any other topic that comes up from your doing will be the end of our little truce. It certainly will not affect me if your sins come to light.”

His lips parted, but she had turned to leave before he could even straighten in his seat, not another word addressed in his direction. He watched her leave and was torn between aching need, fierce admiration and absolute terror.

“Mister Richards.”

His head swerved quickly in the direction of his professor’s voice.

“There’s another class in here in five minutes.”

He said no more but his stern gaze spoke volumes. Miles muttered something indistinct under his breath, gathered up his things and went out into the hall. He looked both ways, but Lauren was no longer there. She had to have disappeared into the masses of students now passing him in the halls.

He made no effort to find her, only followed the most open path until he reached the outdoors. Feeling on the brink of a panic attack, he walked quickly to the building across the courtyard and went inside. He found the stairs leading to the roof and went all the way.

His place of release, or relaxation, of clearing his head. The only place he could escape whatever worries plagued his mind or dragged down his soul.

The rooftop he’d shared with Lauren in the late afternoon of move-in day their first semester, swapping stories and backgrounds and barely stifling the obvious attraction between them – she more successful than he.

It should have been a haunted place for him, somewhere he never wanted to go again. Because they hadn’t just spent that one afternoon there, but several. They’d had moments here that burned brighter every time he returned. He should’ve wanted to erase those memories, forget they ever existed.

But he couldn’t. Those times were etched forever within him; the only warmth in the sea of bitter cold that infused the last three years of his life.

*Also posted on AO3 and FFnet.

[whateverneedsdoing]

User Experience and Measurement Lessons From Bike Sharing at the Beach

Let’s pretend for a second that the bike and scooter sharing startups have sound business models.  They’ll break even on the bikes/software/maintenance, and make money selling the route data to mapping and advertising companies or something.  Have you suspended your disbelief?  Great.  Now picture the perfect setup for customer acquisition for these startups…

It might look something like this:

A sunny day at Alki Beach in Seattle.  A jogging & biking path that goes on for 4 miles of beautiful views and people-watching.  A place where it’s really hard to find parking, there are tons of people outside, and they can’t walk all the way back to their cars in flip flops.  Where couples and families come specifically to move around in the sun, to see all the views, and to make it all the way from one end to the other and back.

People at Alki have the need for temporary bikes.  Pedestrians see folks riding colorful mobile-app-rented bikes all around them.  It’s like free advertising to a perfect target market.

This is the situation I found myself in a few weekends ago.  On a beautiful sunset walk with my wife.  Enjoying the views with tired legs and a hungry belly.  Bikers, skateboarders, and foursomes on rented rickshaws zooming by us.  We saw a number of people using bright green Limebikes, yellow Ofo bikes, and orange Spin bikes.  We parked our car and walked two miles West to a pirate-infested beach bar with bacon pizza and Adirondack chairs (no joke about the pirates).  On the way back, we wanted to pedal.  I’d used Limebike twice before, so I knew what to expect: a heavy, poorly-fitting bike that we could ride for a few miles for a dollar.  My wife was a bikeshare n00b.

Bike Sharing #ProductFail x3 Companies

So what was the #ProductFail?  Where are the lessons?  Basically everything about the user experience starting at the point where I decided I wanted us to bike back to our car.

There was a Limebike right outside our pirate beach bar.  “Perfect!” I thought, and started fiddling with my phone to unlock it.

Problem #1: “This bike no worky.”

No dice.  “OK - well let’s walk a little farther away from the car to get a bike - I think I see another Limebike way down there.”

Problem #2: Two would-be bikers interested at the same time.

Just as we made it to the bike at the end of the line, another guy was walking toward it with his friend.  We talked about it awkwardly for a minute and he decided to let me have the bike.  OK, time to try unlocking it.

Problem #3: Out of battery

Two bad bikes in a row, ouch.  

“Wait, can’t we pedal an electric bike that’s out of battery?  No.  I can’t believe this.  OK, let’s start walking back the way we came from and keep our eyes peeled, there are lots of bikes around.”

After 5 minutes of walking back the way we’d come from… “Here’s a Yellow one.  I guess I can download another app and enter my credit card info - they all work the same way, one brand’s as good as another, right?”

Wait for the download over cellular.  Open the app and create an account.  Fiddle with my credit card out on the sidewalk - you can’t get your first free ride without a credit card entered...

Problem #4: This yellow bike no worky either :-(

At this point I was wondering if I just had unbelievably bad luck, or if all of these bikes are running on such a rickety operational model and software platform, that they’re basically unsuited for busy outdoor areas.  

It also occurs to me that when there’s high rideshare bike demand, there’s a much higher chance that any idle bikes which appear to be available are actually the ones no one can get to work.

...more walking with the wife… she’s resigned to walk back, but my feet hurt and I’m more determined than ever to get a working bike to ride.

Problem #5: Third green bike no worky.

“OMG - this is a laughably bad experience.  I’m gonna blog about it.”

...more walking...

Problem #6: Vandalism.

“We don’t want a third app do we?”

“Don’t bother, it has no seat. (orange)

...more walking...

Problem #7: I use my app to unlock a bike, but someone standing nearby says it’s his.

We see a bunch of parked yellow bikes and I’m thinking “finally, these must work!”  

I unlock the first one.  But then a kid looking at the view with his family says “that’s my bike, wasn’t it already unlocked?”  But my app has the bike checked out to me…  “Oh, sorry, but my app is counting time now.”  There are four yellow bikes here and three of you, is that OK?  He agrees, and I get a sweet, sweet, ride on a heavy, poorly-fitting bike.

Problem #8: A second Ofo bike is “closed for maintenance.”

The only problem is the other yellow bike that my wife tries (after downloading the same new app to her own phone, creating an account and entering a credit card) also doesn’t work and shows an error message.

So we pretend we’re 10 again and we actually try riding two people to a bike.  I thought it was hilarious.  But, my wife can’t keep from sliding off the seat and this is a bit nuts - we don’t really want to explain a bike crash with both of us on one bike with no helmets to our kids.  We decide to walk back.

===

Building a Better Bike Sharing Product

OK - so we can all agree that was a horrible customer experience.  How could the bike share companies build better products?

Let’s follow a straightforward approach that starts with understanding users and the problems they run into, prioritizes a good user experience, and tracks success in the metrics.

Understanding users and their bike share problems:

User feedback will come in through many mechanisms, including app store reviews and twitter… but to tangibly improve our user understanding, we want to survey some small percentage of our users.  When?  All the important times: right after they’ve finished a bike ride, right after they’ve encountered a problem, and when they’ve used the app an unusually long amount of time (this indicates a problem or an uncommon use case).  And we should couple this quantitative survey work with qualitative work (e.g. tag-alongs or diary studies involving frequent bike share users, and in-person street intercepts of new users in busy bike-sharing areas like Alki Beach).  

Prioritize a good user experience and track success:

In addition to our “understand work” above, we want to log all the bad experiences we can catch (such as bike inoperable error messages), and set goals to drive down the number of users having bad experiences per day/week/month.  With a goal set to minimize bad experiences, it will be easy to prioritize fixes to problems, and we can rank those problems based on how often they are experienced X the severity of the effect on user sentiment (e.g. Net Promoter Score).

Some ways to fix the problems I encountered:

Bike inoperable product fixes: 

In all the cases that I hit bike inoperable error messages above, I was clearly, obviously “having a bad time.”  This is the equivalent of a crash or hang with most software.  I was all ready to ride a bike and pay for my ride, but I could not.

The product teams could make major improvements by doing the following:

Log all these errors by type

Goal on reducing them both in terms of raw counts and in terms of total people affected

Do follow up field research in areas where error rates are abnormally high

Goal the maintenance teams on reducing the length of time bikes are inoperable and out in the field generating bad user experiences

Help users avoid these situations in the first place by much more obviously directing them to the closest working bikes, and warning them boldly in app (both visually and audibly) about any very nearby bikes that are offline for maintenance or out of battery.

Help users who hit a bike inoperable case find a working ride as quickly as possible, and both apologize and compensate them for the bad experience to turn a negative situation into a positive if possible.

Vandalism product fixes:

A bike with a missing seat, missing front wheel, or missing chain is just another form of inoperable bike.

The product team could invest in:

Detecting missing bike components via bluetooth or RFID sensors

Treating any bike with a missing component just like an inoperable bike (with the techniques above)

Social product fixes:

People will occasionally walk around and want the same bike at the same time.  But we can both minimize these cases, and help folks navigate these cases via the product. The product team could:

Attempt to steer nearby users with the app open to different nearby bikes

Institute rules about scanning bikes that are still on someone else’s clock - buzzing both phones and asking the current bike holder if they’re willing to release the bike to someone new or not.

Put a “two people want this bike” button front and center on the apps map view.  Hitting this button could suggest the next closest bike, offer some suggestions for communication and decision-making, and have an option to randomly select a “winner” in the case that neither person is willing to defer.  Underneath the random assignment function, the team could prioritize any person who just came off a bad experience such as losing a random assignment or finding an inoperable bike recently.

Wrap-up:

Many products are a combination of physical goods, software, and operations.  Many products are used in complex social environments that can complicate usage.  Some products are local, and may perform well in terms of metrics at the top level (like across a city or a country), while still harboring very broken user experiences in lower-level locations and for a minority of users.  But any product with these attributes will hit a growth ceiling, as the bad experiences result in churn and negative word-of-mouth that creates a drag on the overall product.

Today we looked at three high-flying bike sharing companies with plenty of VC money, that are likely in this zone right now: showing positive growth and usage numbers, but perhaps also struggling with declining growth and metrics ceilings.  Thinking about your best case and worst case scenarios… doing a deeper level of understand work, and then prioritizing and thoroughly solving your top user problems can unstick your product and unlock a new round of growth.

Have a story like this?  A horrible user experience or a product with strong top-level metrics that’s slowing down or burdened by some bad user experiences?  Ping me on LinkedIn or Facebook Messenger - I’d love to hear about it.

--

- Mike    

[epistolizer]

Setting Ablaze Paraphernalia Of False Belief Not The Best Outreach Strategy

In a video posted on Facebook, a legalistic evangelist set a flame of a pair of Mormon ceremonial undergarments. The evangelist claimed that the action was Biblically justified.

Acts 19:18-20 reads, “Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly.... In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.”

From the text, readers can deduce a couple of things. To set down such a decree regarding such requires the believer to look at both the context and content of the passage. Only then can a more definitive policy be put in place.

Because of this account, those figuratively on fire for God insist taking the flame to any doctrinally dubious object is not only permissible under Scripture but actually required.

These items were not snatched by authorities out of the hands of those wanting to keep them.

Rather, it is emphasized that those bringing the occultic works forward for destruction were those once owning them that no longer wanted this dark influence in their lives.

Furthermore, what we see in the passage of Acts is an historical account of how a specific set of believers decided to implement a particular set of Christian principles.

Though in particular circumstances their example would be a noble one to emulate, the account is not presented as that of a command that must be adhered to in every circumstance where the Christian finds himself confronted by religious paraphernalia with which they are at doctrinal odds.

For others, it may simply be enough to dispose of the object if they are its owner without raising considerable hoopla or fanfare.

It is usually admonished that Christians hold to the principle that Paul is to serve as the Christian's example in terms of ministry. As such, though the customs and traditions of unbelievers troubled him, it is debatable whether or not he would be that deliberately abrasive in attempting to persuade in regards to matters of error and truth.

The approach used by Paul in dealing with competing belief systems is found in Acts 17:16-34. In this passage, the Apostle is disturbed by the amount of idolatry he sees around him in the city of Athens.

To confront this distressing situation, Paul sets out to present the saving knowledge of Christ in those places in the foremost city of the Western world whose very name is synonymous with discussion and argumentation. In verse 17, we learn that Paul did not shy away from controversy as he took the Gospel into the very hearts of Mediterranean cultural life such as the synagogues, marketplaces, and forums.

We are not privileged to have a comprehensive transcript of the exact dialog that took places in those learned circles. However, we are given a summary with quotes of what Paul talked about and the response of the Athenians to it.

Upon hearing Paul's message, a number of Epicureans and Stoics inquired, “What is this babbler trying to say?... He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” Scripture then clarifies, “They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.”

From what the Holy Spirit decided to preserve of that encounter in the pages of redemptive history, one does not get the impression that all that much time was spent criticizing (at least in a condescending way) the shortcomings of Greco-Roman mythology. Instead, the Apostle to the Gentiles emphasized the distinctive particulars of the Christian faith.

However, Paul's homiletical approach did not avoid the beliefs he hoped to persuade as to the error and insufficiency of. If anything, Paul actually utilized aspects of Classical thought to show how all truths that humans might deduce or stumble upon are ultimately God's truths.

One might dispute this from the way in which Paul began his oration before the learned gathered on the Aereopagus. Paul pronounces in Acts 17:22, “Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.”

From where we stand along history's unfolding drama, both the triumph of the Judeo-Christian tradition and the Scientific Revolution are behind us in terms of being events that have forever altered the way entire civilizations perceive reality.

As such, to our ears, to be labeled “too superstitious” sounds almost like an insult. However, a number of other versions translate the text as Paul commenting on the religious nature of the Athenian intellectual class. Irrespective of where numerous exegetes come down on this interpretative issue, from that point forward there is virtually no debate as to the approach Paul takes.

Those whose missiological approach consists of literally setting ablaze whatever paraphernalia offends their religious sensibilities would have had Paul rip to shreds the inconsistencies and shortcomings inherent to paganism in general and polytheism in particular. There is certainly Biblical precedent for such a strategy where, in Romans 1, Paul holds nothing back regarding how forsaking worship of the one true God to worship nature rather than nature's Creator leads to the most pronounced of carnal sins.

Yet in Acts 17, the Apostle shows that the message can be tailored to fit the nature of the audience addressed. Paul went about this by pointing out the commonalities between Biblical beliefs and Greek philosophy. In terms of apologetics, this phenomena is known as a point of contact.

Paul shares in Acts 17:23, “For as I passed by ... I found an altar with this inscription, 'To the unknown God'. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him I declare unto you.” From that point, Paul proceeded to point out other commonalities between Judeo-Christian and Greek thought.

In verse 26, Paul declares, “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell upon the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation...:” He emphasized that this simply wasn't the ramblings of a crazed Hebrew babbler Rather, as we are told in verse 28, “For in him (God) we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring.'.”

As such, in his conclusion Paul does not ridicule the Greeks into capitulation and compliance. Instead Paul commends what the Greeks got right in their philosophy as a reflection of the law written across the heart as spelled out in Romans 2 as to what the Greeks ought to set aside of their pre-Christian thought as they come to Jesus in repentance.

The act of setting ablaze the revered and venerated object of a faith outside the parameters of Biblical Christianity is without question a very provocative act. Even if one opposes the faith, worldview, or creed that the object represents, only the most fanatic would fail or refuse to admit how such a deed does more to alienate rather than woo those one is taking such a course of action to gain the attention of.

For example, it is doubtful many Christians are convinced to the alleged doctrinal error within their own positions of faith when ACLU lawyers descend upon nativities across America and abscond with the ceramic baby Jesus.

Often many a Scripture verse is invoked to justify all kinds of shocking actions.

For once, it would be edifying to hear a minister of solid reputation to go out on a limb emphasizing those passages extolling individual conscience and determining for oneself those things not quite so clearly spelled out in stone.

By Frederick Meekins