#I'll save this as a resource but... I don't think this applies much when your parents are falling in with the crowd that hates you

[amayikes]

They aren't going to become themselves again but you can help them not crumble completely

My mother is all into homesteading and off-grid living videos right now. Every time I check up on her, this is what she wants to talk about.

It gives her a sense of peace and purpose I guess. Which is good, she’s been struggling to find that with her injuries and condition. She’s learning skills, and feeling prepared for “the worst”. Like I can’t get her to stop watching conspiracy theory bullshit on YouTube so at least this kind of content alleviates some of the anxiety the other content amplifies, because she feels like she can do something now to secure her safety later.

But to get through these conversations, I have to tell myself— hey, if natural disaster comes our way, some of this might be useful. But I know she’s not just thinking a big storm or natural disaster. She’s preparing for the collapse of society. And I don’t know how to break it to her that we wouldn’t survive that. You can make long lasting candles with crisco? Cool. Where you going to by crisco when society collapses? You’ll stock up now? Ok cool. What will you do when it runs out? Honestly, before it runs out, what will you do when people with guns come to take your various stockpiled supplies?

If we hit a point where society collapses, we’re done for. Food, medicine, etc. we can’t survive without society, without a world where people are working together trying to help each other out.

So, I’ll go through with this shit in the name of natural disaster preparedness, and because it helps her. But that’s as far as I’m willing to put energy into it. I refuse to prepare for, bet on, or hope for the collapse of society. I’d rather spend my energy trying to prevent society collapsing, what little part I can play in that. I’d rather spend my energy supporting people in my community. I’d rather work and build towards a better future, not prepare for the worst.

[urlknight]

Hi there, Love your work! I'm also doing stuff in Unreal and it feels like it's rarer to find other indie devs using it. I love how clean all your UI feels, and UI is something I seem to really struggle with.

Do you have any recommendations for workflows / tips / sources etc for getting better at UI?

Also I'd love to know more about the material / shader workflow for your latest post if you have more information anywhere.

Thanks :)

Hello there! Thank you!! I hope you don't mind me answering publicly as I feel like some people might be interested in the answer!

I really appreciate your UI (User Interface for those not knowing the acronym) compliment as it's something I've spent a long time working on and specializing in, in my career as a software engineer. UI/UX often goes completely unacknowledged or taken for granted even though it takes a lot of time and hard work to create and develop. In the engineering world I frequently had to advocate for and explain user experiences to those who didn't have as deep of an appreciation for UI or a very sophisticated understanding of why a good, visually appealing user experience makes, or on the flip side, can break everything. I think it's a very challenging, overwhelming topic to grasp and communicate, but just by being interested in it you're already way ahead!

There's a lot going on with UI. From visuals to knowing common design elements to successfully conveying a story to the user to implementation to testing to designing for accessibility to animation and I probably didn't cover everything with that run-on sentence. There's frontend engineers out there whose role is solely to maintain and improve UI component libraries for companies. And that's without throwing games, whose UIs are all uniquely visually tailored to their experiences, into the mix... I could keep going on about this honestly, but I'll get to what I think you can do personally! 1. Learn about common design patterns. What's a toast? What's pagination? What's a card? Little things like that. These apply to all software UI/UX, including video games- and knowing these off the top of your head will make it so much easier for you to invent your own UI designs and patterns.

2. Study the UI in the everyday applications you interact with. Step through menus and think about how you got from point A to point B. Take a moment to think about the why someone put a button where they did. Study the UI in your favorite video games, too! Take a lot of notes on what you think works really well and what you think doesn't. And also there's online resources that are great for inspiration. I personally spend a lot of time on the Game UI Database. - https://dribbble.com/ - https://www.gameuidatabase.com/ 3. Don't be afraid to start with basic sketches or even just simply representing everything with grey boxes. All my UI starts out as really crappy sketches on paper, or tablet sketches on top of screenshots. Visualize your ideas and then keep iterating on them until you've got something. For example, I went from this:

To this. (And come to think of it I might actually still want to make those cooler looking buttons in my sketch) 4. Break everything out into pieces and individual components. A good UI is made up of building blocks that you can reuse all over the place. That's how it stays consistent and also saves you a lot of stress when you need to go in and update components. Instead of a million different looking UI pieces, you just have to update the one! These individual components will make up your very own UI Component Library, which will be the standardized design system and source of reusable components for your project. This also applies to your visual elements that don't do anything (like I personally have a whole mini library of diamond and star shapes that I reuse everywhere).

For reference, here's a breakdown I made of my Inventory UI. On the right, I've labeled most of the individual components, and you might be able to see how I'm reusing them over and over again in multiple places.

5. Spend some time listening to designers talk, maybe befriend some designers! Many of them have an unique, interesting view of the world and how we interact with it even beyond just software. Their perspectives will inform yours.

6. Test your UI on users whenever you can. Get feedback from others. This is the best way for you to see what works and what doesn't. As game devs we spend so much time with our games it's easy for us to lose sight of the full picture.

7. Be patient and don't give up. Continue to be open to expanding your knowledge. These UI skills take time to develop. I personally am still learning even after like 10 years of doing it. Coming up with the visual elements is very challenging for me and I spend a lot of time rearranging things in photoshop before I actually start coding anything at all in Unreal.

Whew, that was a lot, but I hope that gives you some thoughts and a place to start!

I don't have any posts out there about Blender/Unreal shader workflows right now, but I'll consider making another post sometime soonish. I appreciate you asking and you're welcome! :)

[charmedreincarnation]

Hi Maya! I've seen the success story of the girl who went from homeless to living lavish and i related to her so much and i need your help. I'll give you whatever little money i have if you'll just coach me.

Hi there! I can see that you're feeling desperate and willing to do whatever it takes to change your circumstances. That determination is something to be admired, but I want to make sure you're using your resources wisely.

Firstly, I appreciate your offer, but I have to tell you this because I care - you don't need to pay me or any other coach to learn about manifestation. All the information you need is freely available online or in books. In fact, paying for coaching when you're in a vulnerable position like this can sometimes lead to more harm than good. It's easy to get taken advantage of in such situations, and I don't want to see that happen to you.

I understand that the success story you read resonated with you, and that's great. But if your first reaction was "I need to pay someone to help me achieve that," then I think you might have missed the point of the story. The girl in the story didn't rely on paid coaching or external help. She used the power of her own mind and the principles of manifestation to transform her life.

She found all the guidance she needed for free, and so can you. There are countless resources online that explain the law of assumption, living in the end, and other manifestation techniques. Start by researching these concepts, reading success stories, and applying what you learn to your own life.

Remember, the key to successful manifestation is your belief and your imagination. No coach or guru can give you that - it has to come from within you. So save your money, invest time in learning and understanding these principles, and most importantly, believe in your power to create your own reality. You've got this!

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #163

How are you doing today? Like most any day, I miss you a lot, and I'm always on the lookout for any sign that you might be safe. Today, I found a nice picture that someone called @valentimmy drew of you. In this one, you're coming home from the grocery store to your three cats who love you and trust you so much that they've gathered around to try to figure out what you've brought home. Your lovely wing is out in this one, too, and in this one, it's just an ordinary part of you, like an arm or a leg or whatever else; I don't think it's portrayed as anything really special or strange or anything out of the ordinary in this one, and it feels really nice to see. Even with your wing, you can still be a normal guy doing normal guy things, like getting groceries.

Here's the picture I saw:

Incidentally, I came across it just moments after wishing I could find anything that would show me that you'd be okay. I'm gonna take this as a sign that after everything is over, you can have a normal life. I'll be over here cheering for you on your way to that normal life, at least until you don't need me to anymore. Though I'll probably still keep rooting for you long after that, hahaha…

…I really hope you'll be okay…

My body is losing a lot of resources today, and I'm in a lot of pain from that, too, so I decided to rest. As part of resting, I tried another sample packet from Adagio. Today was the jasmine dragon pearl tea. Here:

Dragon pearl tea is special in that it starts out crunched up in tiny little balls, and they unfurl when you apply hot water:

Naturally, I added a bit of honey and cream:

...But much like the others so far, even though it was fragrant, it wasn't very flavorful. I'm not sure how that can be. It's very confusing.

...Well, no matter. Today I made some new blends there, and really I'm just after the little tins that will have pictures of you on them. I have a collection of very wholesome pictures of you, in which you are doing ordinary things like drinking warm, delicious beverages, reading books, eating tasty snacks, and stuff of that sort. I thought you deserve to have your image associated with nice things like tea, instead of always being portrayed as this menacing, horrible thing that you're not.

...I just want that there can be good, kind, wholesome, and healing things for you. Like all humans, you deserve this. The world that I live in is really sad because the most deeply troubled of us don't usually get to have things like that. I came so close to never getting to have things like that, but then I got really lucky, and... Sephiroth, I'm not any better than you or anyone else. If anything, you are better than me, and I'm one of the weaker examples of a human being where I'm from, so most anyone else is better than me, too, and I don't really wanna live in a world where I get to be okay and you or others don't. It's not right. It's not fair... It's not right that I should be saved by you, and then you end up getting stuck forever in some forgotten hole at the bottom of the Northern fucking Crater. It's not right that I get to eat every day while there are children in my very same general geographic vicinity who don't get to have enough to eat, and I know that they exist because I used to be one of them, but it's already everything I can do just to make sure the people in my immediate circles are safe and cared for.

...It's not right that I get to be okay, but the rest of my biological family is stuck in dysfunction junction just because I'm not smart or skilled or charismatic enough to get them to hear me when I try to tell them that there's a better way of being than... all of this... if only they're willing to try a little to learn new things.

...The sheer number of starfish stranded on the beach sand at low tide... and I know that in the course of my life, I'll have the capacity to maybe toss a small handful of them back into the sea, because I am also a lost starfish. And of those, I know that a number of them will crawl back up on the beach and strand themselves again; I've seen it happen to some of the folks I've tried to help in the course of my living, and... it really doesn't have to be like this...

Sometimes I get really sad when I think too hard about how very little it seems I can do in the grand scheme of things.

...Am I too weak and unimportant to save anyone at all...?

...

Well. Like I said, I rested today. And I made some pretty good progress in my quest to stop the Grafted Scion from shredding my salad:

...M was kind enough to take pictures as I tried to teach this entity all about why failure to manage its lust for my blood is a bad idea. I wasn't successful today, but I'm getting better, slowly but surely.

...Like I said before in a previous letter, it is this entity that is in trouble, not me. This one leaps from a huge distance away just to try to julienne me, even though I am definitely NOT part of a balanced breakfast. This one could use some critical thinking skills or even some self-preservation skills to "nope" themself right the fuck away from me, but... alas. I will grow and change, but this one will not.

This one's insatiable desire for a human-flavored smoothie is going to be their own undoing, because I only need to succeed once, whereas this one will have to face a foe (who could be friend if only this one changed their attitude...) that becomes stronger after every single attempt. Human brains are learning machines; dyspraxic though I may be, it's only a matter of time and persistence before I get to see what's behind the sealed doorway.

While I worked on this, my friend R came over. R is perhaps one of the best bakers on my whole planet!! And he brought us some oatmeal cookies; some of them were chocolate chip, some were cranberry-walnut, and some were raisin. They were ABSOLUTELY DELECTABLE:

...I really, really, REALLY wish you could try some of R's baking. R is amazing, and he's one of the finest humans I know. I think you'd like him a lot of you could meet him; he's very generous, and he's very kind. He's the sort of person who cares about everyone, and he'll go out of his way to make someone smile. I'm very lucky to have his presence in my life. I'm glad that at this point, his relationship to my house is like family.

He came over and we just did our own activities without anyone worrying about entertaining anyone else. M and J did their activities, I played Elden Ring, and R played on his Nintendo Switch; it was a very relaxing time in which there was absolutely no pressure on anyone to mask or to perform socially, and it was beautiful. In exchange for his lovely cookies, I gave him 30 cups worth of the kaleidoscopically beautiful tea that I mixed with you in mind:

...This is what I mean when I say you can come to my house and no one would bother you. At my house, there is no pressure to be any which way, as long as you're not hurting anyone. You could just relax, and no one here would demand your time, energy, or effort. You could just... be. And I know that this isn't typical in most places, but you'll find spaces like mine scattered about; just look for gatherings of neurodivergent folk, and you'll find those spaces.

Sephiroth, you're not nearly as broken or weird as your brain would like you to think. You're not beyond turning around. You're not too far gone to make a different choice. You can still fit with others who love you; not everyone is selfish and horrible like the people who raised you, I promise! And you can still have a normal life no matter what you're made of; please look no further than all of the neurodivergent and disabled people in my world if you need proof, because there are SO MANY versions of "normal", and all of them are good enough. You can still find people who will accept you as-is. So come on. Keep trying. Be like a sunflower - keep your face turned to the light, okay?

I'll leave you with this; someone named Kate made it. Kate makes lots of stuff like this:

...Sephiroth, don't give up. Don't give up, because you inspire so many others to not give up. Don't give up, because even without that, you're worth not giving up on. You're worth your own effort. You're worth every word I write to you. You're worth all this, and so much more. You belong living that ordinary life you wanted, not merely living on in the memories of the people who care about you.

I love you. Please stay safe. Please make good, kind, and conscientious choices for yourself and for the people around you. I'll write again tomorrow; look forward to it.

Your friend, Lumine

[metalheadsforblacklivesmatter]

Hey, I'm messaging random people out of desperation, so please forgive me if this is annoying- my partner is looking for a remote job while studying for his CompTIA A+ cert, and hasn't been able to find anything. We've hit a wall as far as where to look (LinkedIn, Indeed, etc. are filled with scams and useless) and I'm reaching out to whoever I can think of/feel called to ask, to see if they have any ideas/directions to point us in. Thank you for your time, and I hope you have a good night

Shit this is really hard because I usually gotta ask follow up questions before giving specified advice.

But I'm a misogyny experiencing person in the tech fields. So I'll try.

First of all. Is your partner a person that experiences misogyny or a person of color? (I use "person that experiences misogyny because trans-men or enbies that are AFAB that don't medically transition can experience sexism in the field.)

Another trait I have that I say "gives me experience in the struggles of the field" is I've been unemployed for over a year twice. (Not by choice).

Gaps in your resume, anything in your resume that can indicate you're a person that experiences misogyny, or anything that can give away that you're a person of color will make it harder for your partner.

You can apply to large companies if you want, but don't get your hopes up. Large companies get thousands of applicants and rely on AI to filter resumes. Unfortunately AI is racist and sexist. Because it was trained by people with an unconscious bias. Small companies around 100 employees is literally how I keep finding my jobs.

Go to career fairs. My resume wasn't that great, but I knew I was smart enough to get the job if I could get them to just meet me. Which sucked because I never got an interview. One employer met me, and I guess I said something right because he put a big ole star on my resume and I was put on top of the applicants list.

Use Christian resources. "But fae. I'm not Christian." Yeah. It was really fucking weird for a long time to constantly be told like "I'm so glad we're if the same beliefs. This is a Christian company." But like... companies that want to keep is "in-house" so to speak will only send job descriptions to Christian resources. And honestly I've seen near no competition at these places for jobs.

I'm not saying lie or exaggerate on your resume. I'm saying floof on your resume. Instead of "developed the website". Maybe think "Hey. I realize I was the primary person working on the website, and the person everyone went to for help." BAM. Put "lead web developer" on the job description (not job title).

Look at the type of job the description is asking for. If they're a company that contracts their employees time. You want to focus your job description on how much time you saved and money you made fit the company. If they build products. You want to focus on your skill sets.

POST YOUR RESUME EVERYWHERE. Put it up on indeed. LinkedIn. Monster. Everywhere. Check the box that says you're looking for a job. Make it visible. Many companies don't want to go through the hiring process and will pay a contractor to do the work. Those jobs won't be posted. The contractor will be searching resumes on these sites and making calls.

Have a job already. It makes you look desirable to employers.

If you have gaps in your resume. Pencil it in. You weren't unemployed during that year you were studying for your certification.

Your resume should only be 1 page (longer if you have work experience but no more than 2 pages) and the first third of the first page should have the most important info. A quick blurb about you. Your skills/certifications. Your work experience. If you don't catch their attention by then, your resume will go on the trash.

I see a lot of people put irrelevant information on their resume. You don't want gaps in your resume but they don't need to know about that baby sitter job when you were 16. They don't need to know that you also made the coffee in that job as a web developer. Don't include information that you can't relate to the job.

It never worked out for me but a lot of people suggest using those sites that scan your resume against the job description and it's honestly worth a shot.

Don't let anyone throw a thesaurus at you when they offer to help with your resume. If you have people that help by thesaurusing your words, don't listen to them. Hiring managers and recruiters see through that shit.

It's honestly been a hot minute, so I'm probably forgetting stuff, but I do hope this helps!

-fae

[lokimobius]

hi, would you mind posting a gif tutorial? your gifs are so pretty!

helloooo! thank you so much for saying that 🥹

firstly, when it comes to making gifs, i like to use 4k files. at the very least, i don't want to use anything lower than 1080p. this post helped me in finding where to download things like tv shows, movies etc.

i'm really not very good at explaining how i make gifs, so i hope that it's ok if i can link you to some tutorials that i have personally used and that have helped me learn more about making gifs.

i'll link along the way and show you some of my settings!

when i got back into making gifs a couple of years ago i used this tutorial. it's so thorough and takes you through every step you can think of. it has lots of really good information and it was so helpful to have a reference to help me get myself reacquainted with photoshop and the whole gif making process.

here are some of the things i personally do when making gifs.

SHARPENING: these are my sharpening settings! mess around with each of the bars and drag them to see what suits you. you may want your gifs to be sharper, but this is what works for me!

here's a gif i made, fully coloured, before sharpening:

here's the same gif after the sharpening has been applied:

as for colouring, i like to make colours bright and vibrant. i focus a lot on using the vibrance and exposure tools to create this effect. i like to try and bring out the colours that are already in the video and enhance them without washing out the subject. this takes A LOT of trial and error but it's so much fun to experiment with.

this tutorial is SO helpful when it comes to the basics of colouring. i also found this tutorial that was so helpful when learning to colour gifs and tackle yellow lighting in scenes.

this post also has some really good resources to help you colour gifs without white washing people of colour.

finally, these are the settings i use to save my gifs:

the settings really do change the quality of the way your gifs display on tumblr. mess around with these settings below to find a look that you feel happy with.

when posting to tumblr, i like to save every gif set i make for a set into my drafts before posting for everyone to see. colours look different on every screen so i like to check how things look on mobile too before i post!

sometimes it really helps being able to visually see a whole gif set together. it can help point out to you if your colourings look consistent and then you can tweak anything before posting!

i really hope some of this was helpful to you. sorry for not being able to articulate and explain for myself. the ops of the tutorials i've linked have been so thorough and have explained things far better than i could. i've always got them saved in my drafts just in case i need to reach for them again.

[trevorhunter]

16 Rules to Live By

1. Bed Making:

- Never make your bed unless you're having company. Even if you're properly good at it and it only takes 4 minutes, that's 30 hours a year of bed making. Fuck that, do something productive. No one cares if your bed is made.

2. Socks:

- This rule applies to people who don't wear suits. Colorful, dope socks with a suit are cool. But if you wear suits, buy four types of socks: black tall, white tall, black ankle, and white ankle. That's all you'll ever need. Buy major brands and at least 12 of each, then toss all your old ones. One drawer for black socks, one for white. Never have to fold or pair socks again. Save who knows how much time, and it's cheap to do. Throw away all the old and start over right. Thank me later.

3. Cooking:

- You can cook anything. If you can read and follow instructions, you can follow a recipe step by step. You might not be Gordon Ramsay, but it will be good. Stop saying "I can't." Fuck that, you can just fucking do it.

4. Learning:

- Stop saying "I can't" or "I don't know how." Fuck that, figure out why you can't, who knows how, and what you can do to learn how. Some things are easier and cheaper to pay to have done, but most are life skills that will help you in other facets of life.

5. Designer Clothes:

- Don't buy designer clothes for casual wear. If you wear a suit, buy the baddest suit you can because it matters. But if you wear jeans and t-shirts, buy a regular fucking shirt. No one gives a shit about your $400 Gucci belt that is made in China for $14 or your Supreme T-shirt. Literally no one. Stop buying that shit and use that money to get out of bad debt and invest. The Magnificent 7 is a nice place to start. Your future self will thank you. Watches don't count; if bought right, they are an appreciating asset.

6. Rich Dad Poor Dad:

- Read "Rich Dad Poor Dad" and focus on the assets and liability part. Make decisions based on that. Put your money into assets, not liabilities.

7. Time Management:

- You have time. Stop saying "I don't have time." You don't want to take time. You make time for the things that are important, so stop saying "I don't have time to do that thing that will help me." Instead, say "I'm too comfortable with things as they are and I'm not willing to change them to make them better" because that's what we all hear. Harsh reality, but it's true.

8. Procrastination:

- "I'll do it tomorrow." No, you won't. Do it now. If it's a less than 5-minute task, why the hell would you delay it to another day? Then you have to spend time thinking about it again. By doing it now, you save time spent planning to do it later and actually doing it.

9. Time as a Resource:

- Time is the only resource that limits you. You can't make more; you only have so much of it. Scrolling Facebook or TikTok for an hour a day—how does that help your big picture goals?

10. Vacations:

- This one is touchy and might offend some folks. If you feel like you have to escape your life and go somewhere else to do so, then fix your daily life. Make your life good enough that you don't NEED a vacation. This excludes travel to places where you learn and experience culture and enhance your knowledge of the world. These types of trips are useful in making you a more well-rounded person. I'm talking about the beach trip you've been on 20 times. It's the same water, beach, and people—they are all in jobs they hate, existing in a life they hate. Stop it. Go somewhere meaningful and fix your life so you enjoy every day, one step at a time.

11. Affording Purchases:

- Can I afford this? Houses and cars excluded. If you can't buy five, you shouldn't buy one. Period.

12. Investing:

- Treat investing like a bill. Set an amount to come out of each paycheck or bank account weekly. Invest first; don't invest with what's left over. I mean, you've said, "I'll invest when there's extra," but that never happens. Yet, you have a new phone, and 2-4 other lines you pay for, probably more than one streaming service, and you eat out how many times a week? Invest first, eat out less.

13. Trust but Get It on Paper:

- Written agreements. We've all done it, you trust someone, so you do something because you trust them and you get screwed. Get an agreement, and if they fuck you and they owe you more than you make in 5-10 hours, file a civil suit. It's about 100 bucks and get a judgment; that money will come to you one day. Tax return or something. Do it.

14. Learn Something New Every Week:

- Doesn't matter what, just learn something new every week. Watch a documentary on the SR-71, learn how to make risotto, learn about a war. Literally anything. Spend some time learning something and make mental notes of it. Try to switch it up a bit, don't get too far down a rabbit hole on one thing. Being well-rounded helps you interact with people better, allows you to engage better, and makes you a more interesting person.

15. Get Better Friends:

- I don't mean stop being friends with your friends, but broaden your circle. Find a group or something you can be a part of. A networking event, an online weekly meetup. Find friends that have done the things you hope to do and find ways to engage them. And listen, you don't have to be the center of attention. Listen to them, engage, learn from them. Be positive, uplifting, and supportive of their positive endeavors.

16. Be Happy and Positive:

- Stop talking about what went wrong, stop talking about how you got fucked over, stop gossiping about who's sleeping with who. Train yourself to engage and think positively. Detach yourself from those that don't align with that ethos. Negativity breeds negativity, but positivity does the same. Smile when things are shitty. Don't fake it; when things are shitty, find the light, find the thing that makes you smile. It's never all shitty. Set a new rule for yourself: if you are saying something, if it doesn't help, encourage, or support someone or yourself, then don't say it. Delete all negativity from your life. It takes a lot of effort to do this because you'll see negativity everywhere. Throw on your blinders and be fucking happy.

[traumasurvivorshelpingsurvivors]

advice/vent

For background I'm sharing a small apartment with an older sibling who basically hated me up until I was 18 and we both had to leave an abusive house together, since it was easier to afford with both incomes combined. Things used to be okay around that time but after I was hospitalised due to mental health issues and being assaulted they've sort of began to hate me again.

They never talk to me and practically ignore my existence except when we have to talk about bills or my parents, I feel super lonely and suicidal every time I come home from work. Practically 60 percent of my money goes to them and I understand it's just a part of life yet it's like I'm a slave to their negativity and I feel too stuck to even help myself.

I've been considering saving up to move out when the lease ends even if I'm broke but anytime I mention us renting separately they freak out and cry about how much harder I'll be making things for them and ignore any of my concerns then just giving me silent treatment, almost guilt tripping me I guess? Like moving out would be hard on me too in every way but not as hard as living like this another year. It seems so unfair to share a space with someone, where they don't even allow you to feel welcome in. I don't know anyone else who's been in the same situation or similar before it's just beyond isolating and I'm tired.

So tldr I'm asking for any advice on how to leave behind a toxic family member who won't change or respect you even though you were both abused and sort of survived it together?

Hi anon,

I'm so sorry to hear about the situation you're in. It's not easy to navigate leaving a toxic family member, and so the answer unfortunately isn't clear or simple. Please know that you are seen and heard, and you do not deserve to be treated this way.

I think it's worth examining the fact that they take more than half of your money. Financial abuse is using finances as a means to assert power or control over another person. Things like taking control of someone else's finances, controlling how all the income is spent, and withholding your money can be considered financial abuse.

It sounds like your sibling is self-centered and doesn't consider your needs. It's important to focus on what you need to do to feel safe and happy, and not what would be most convenient for your sibling. You do not deserve to be taken advantage of, guilt tripped, and given the silent treatment.

Since it seems like your sibling isn't receptive to having a conversation about how this situation is impacting your health and safety, it may be worth just not telling your sibling about your plans, and perhaps not communicating with them at all if they continue to behave this way towards you. While I don't have any specific advice, the first step might be to try and save up some money, and look into other places you could live.

I recognize this may not be an option for you right now, but if you can access or afford it, a mental health professional such as a therapist could help you process your relationship with your sibling and come up with a strategy to leave. If you are comfortable, this may also be a situation worth bringing to the attention of the authorities, as they can potentially help escort you to a safe place to stay for a while.

Although these resources pertain more to intimate relationships, their tips can still apply to your situation - here is a guide to leaving an abusive relationship, and here are some other recommendations.

If anyone has any comments or suggestions, feel free to add on. Otherwise, I hope I could help, and please let us know if you need anything.

-Bun

[1shirt2shirtredshirtdeadshirt]

Mirror Mirror (02x04) Spirk Musings

Aren't Prime Kirk and Spock's reactions to their Mirror Universe incarnations of each other hilarious?

LOOK AT JIM'S FACE.

He is such a shook lil' cinnamon roll: What the what now? Where's my Spock?! BEARD!!! Spoop intensifies

It's also hilarious what a monumental deal that Jim is making over Spock's beard. Immediately. Like why does that matter so hard to him?

A grand total of nobody but Jim is making such a fuss about it. Nobody else is out here popping off over First Officer Spock's facial hair like this except Jim. And it is both Jim's doing it.

Zero chill about Spock's facial hair in every universe confirmed. Apparently Spock's grooming being Jim's business is a universal constant.

Also precious: How quickly Jim Prime just gravitates to Spock, even a Mirror Spock, when he is feeling in over his head in the Mirror universe. He immediately sets about trying to work with Spock - any Spock - to find a solution, because that's just second nature to him.

Spock is his security blanket in any universe, it seems.

Jim Prime even takes it so far as to join Bones in insisting upon saving Mirror Spock's life at the risk of not getting home to their own universe:

Jim Prime believes in his heart of hearts that every Spock - - that every single Spock in every single universe has an ounce of good in them that is worth appealing to and saving.

It amazes me how unwavering his faith in Spock's character is. It actually pays off for Jim Prime to put his faith in Spock, wherever he ends up in any universe.

And then there is Spock Prime back at the ranch with Mirror Kirk, exhausted:

Mirror Kirk : Has the whole galaxy gone crazy? What kind of a uniform is this? Where's your beard? What's going on? Where's my personal guard?

Mr. Spock : I can answer none of your questions at this time.

Mirror Kirk : [chuckling in amusement]  All right, Spock. Whatever your game is, I'll play it. You want credits? I'll give them to you. You'll be a rich man. A command of your own? I can swing that, too.

Mr. Spock : Apparently, some sort of transposition has taken place. I find it... extremely interesting.

Mirror Kirk : Spock. What is it that will buy you? Power?

Mr. Spock : [shaking it off]  Fascinating.

Aww, Mirror Jim doesn't understand what real love is. He is out here thinking that he can buy or favour his way out of this with Spock Prime.

Meanwhile Spock Prime is like: Wow. I wonder what actually motivates Mirror Spock to help this guy; I just do what I do simply because I love my Jim.

How sad. How pitiful. :( Bet Mirror Kirk is amazing in bed though. SHHH!-What? We are all thinking it, including Spock Prime.

Especially Spock Prime.

Y'all know Mirror Kirk was a handful, and it's kind of tender and sweet that Spock Prime seems happy and relieved to have his own Jim back.

(Also the way Mirror Spock says to Kirk Prime: "I must have my Captain back." Like, no matter which Spock we are dealing with, it applies. Ugh. Ugh. Spock loves his Jim in any universe. Don't even care how broken he is, give him back. Just . . . UGH. Primo.)

Still, cinna- I mean Kirk Prime really resonated with Mirror Spock. So much so that he convinced Mirror Spock to help him and led him to question the entire Empire in the process.

Mirror Spock : The Empire shall be overthrown, of course.

Captain James T. Kirk : The illogic of waste, Mr. Spock. A waste of lives, potential, resources, time. I submit to you that your Empire is illogical because it cannot endure. I submit that you are illogical to be a willing part of it.

Jim Prime just swooped in out of nowhere and shook up Mirror Spock's entire foundation, identity and life.

So now Mirror Spock is out there like:

Dang, I need to get me a Cinnamon Roll™ edition Jim Kirk of my own.

(P.S.: Do you think that after Jim Prime disappeared into the Nexus that Spock Prime went wild going through every single crackhead possibility, outcome and avenue he could explore in his desperation to try to understand or uncover what happened to his Jim?

And he'd lie awake at night thinking over theories and possibilities and places to look and it just hits him one night like: Merciful Surak. Did Mirror Spock finally come over here and purloin my Cinnamon Roll™ edition Jim Kirk?

. . . I'm gonna stop now.)

Image Sources: TrekCore

Inspired by @shyravenns post.

[cube-cumb3r]

The Means Reflect On The Ends Actually, (c!Dream & the conditioning of Exile)

What was the point of exile, storywise? What does it say about c!Dream? Sure, it’s showcasing how far he’s willing to go to achieve his own ends, but I don't think all discussion about what exile tells us about c!Dream should start and end there.

Dream is not cruel for cruelty’s sake. Dream’s end goal is not to hurt as many people as possible. He views his cruelty are “necessary evils”, and he doesn’t dwell much on whether the things he does are “good” or “bad”. He’s fully aware he’s hurting people and he ultimately thinks that hurting people, to the extent that he does, is worth it. That being said, while Dream has an ends justify the means mindset, but the truth is, the means absolutely reflect on the ends. His true intentions aren’t a mystery, it’s very clear in the text that his ultimate goal is unity, but why does he want unity? And what would said unity entail?

(Before this essay starts I have to do an ad break to promo @daggryet's very helpful [transcriptions from the exile streams], which I'll be using a lot of. Thanks for the very helpful resource.)

TW: Relatively extensive discussion abt the abuse in exile arc & the effects of said abuse.

Firstly, I don't think you should deny his relationship to control. A through-line of his character is achieving harmony through control, and more specifically, obedience. There’s a reason why he tends to single out Tommy the most. It’s not actually because Tommy is remarkably more troublesome than anyone else on the server, but rather, because his disruptive nature is at Dream’s expense. Tommy is the only character who’s consistently over and over again refused to respect Dream’s authority, and though he isn’t particularly threatening on his own, it’s the sentiment itself that’s dangerous. Similarly, this is why he has consistently targeted L’manburg, moreso than any other faction on the server such as, say, Badlands, El Rapids. It’s almost as if they represented the sentiment, “Hey, why are we listening to you anyway? Why can’t we be listening to anyone else?”, which is why he crushed them, over, and over again. What if everyone figures out they can just stop listening to him? What then?

We talk a lot about the effects exile had on Tommy, and rightfully so, but we don’t talk enough about what Dream was actually doing. What was the purpose of exile? Was it just a way to get closer to the discs? Just a means to an end? What was the end?

TOMMY: What, what could you possibly want more from me? You’ve tortured me.

DREAM: I’m just keeping an eye on you, Tommy.

TOMMY: What does that mean?!

DREAM: I’m just, I’m making sure that you’re not up to no good.

TOMMY: But, how, you’ve exiled me, you fucking stupid, manipulative fucking green bastard!

DREAM: I know! And you know why I did that?

TOMMY: Yes? 

DREAM: No, you know why?

TOMMY: Why?

DREAM: Because you don’t listen to me ever, you’re the only person who doesn’t ever listen to me. If I tell you to do something, you’re like “no, fuck you!”, and you go and like do like the exact opposite.

[full transcription]

As much as I have to preface this with that this is speculative and we may not have any irrefutable confirmation, I think it's very likely that it's literally just what Dream is saying he's doing. Tommy is the one person who refuses to listen to him, and he wants him to listen. Exile was not only conditioning Tommy to believe that nobody other than Dream cares about him, not only conditioning Tommy to be entirely reliant on him, but also conditioning Tommy to listen to him, without question, without disobeying. And that is such a significant and reoccurring motif for it to arguably just be the intended reading of exile.

Abuse is a vague term that encompasses a lot of abusive practices. There are a good handful that apply to exile, I'm sure if you ask someone qualified they'll be able to provide you a nice handy list, but ultimately, all of them target Tommy's own sense of agency and autonomy, and it all revolves around power and control. Dream creates rituals purely to disarm him, threatens him and punishes him when he doesn't listen, and rewards him when he complies (or rather, conditions Tommy into thinking that not being punished is a reward).

TOMMY: [begins throwing his armor and axe down for DREAM to explode.]

DREAM: No, no, it’s fine.

TOMMY: Re-really?

DREAM: Yeah. Today’s the party, right?

---

TOMMY: So when can I- no, I wanna go back. I… hey, thanks for letting me keep my armour today.

DREAM: You’re welcome.

TOMMY: Kinda nice of you.

[full transcription]

Dream isn’t only hurting Tommy for the sake of hurting him. People tend to frame it as if Dream Just Hates Tommy, but that’s not true. He finds Tommy fun, in a twisted way. There are a lot of moments in exile where they’re both on very good terms and Dream is friendly with Tommy. But, it's also all part of horror of exile, making Tommy reliant on him and his company, getting him to doubt his sense of reality, making him question whether his friends back in L’manburg ever cared about him at all, and possibly questioning whether he’s imagining the abuse as well, Dream is so kind to him after all, why would he ever want to hurt him?

Over the course of exile Tommy agency and sense of self start to deteriorate as well as his mental health, he starts worrying about what Dream would think, starts asking Dream for permission, going out of his way to avoid upsetting him, his only friend, his only reliable caring companion.

TOMMY: Yeah, so I’m thinking we- and then I can- but the thing is; so recently my buddy, Dream, has been doing this thing where he, uhm… it makes sense, though, because I’m not in his land anymore, but he takes my shit from me, so I need to make sure- […]

---

RANBOO: Yeah, so what do you say- does Dream like take your armor? Is that what you said?

TOMMY: I don’t know, he just- hey man, I just follow the boss.

[full transcription]

TOMMY: “Visit Techno” no, no, what would Dream think? […]

---

TOMMY: I’ve had a little idea, by the way, and I wanna know what you think, and also if I’m allowed

DREAM: Okay?

[full transcription]

TOMMY: Yeah, I know he’s actually - he’s sort of my- he’s borderline my owner, Big Q, so I’m not really sure.

MEXICAN DREAM: He’s your dad?

TOMMY: No, no-

MEXICAN DREAM: Ey! Ey, Papa Thomas!

TOMMY: No, no, we’re- as in labor.

MEXICAN DREAM: You gotta teach your child some manners.

[full transcription]

Dream’s outburst in exile after finding Tommy’s chests, is arguably one of Dream's most emotionally honest (and reckless) moments in exile considering it was what made Tommy realize he needed to save himself and escape. And it's punishing Tommy for going behind his back and planning to revolt.

TOMMY: I’m really, no, I’m really sorry, though. Why don’t we just pretend this never- yeah, let’s, shall we just pretend this-?

DREAM: Sorry doesn’t cut it, Tommy. Listen, I’ll leave you here to think about what you did-

TOMMY: What about the nether? What about the nether, my friends, what-?

DREAM: No! You can’t go to the nether, no one can come here, you are alone, okay? As soon as I think that you have changed, have become somebody who isn’t going to hide and lie and try and revolt; then people can visit you again. You can go to the nether again. But for now - no, no one can. You- I was being very lenient. Yesterday I let you go into the Dream SMP on a temporary pass, and then what do I find out the next day?

TOMMY: I’m so sorry.

DREAM: I have been nothing but gracious to you. Tommy. Think about what you did.

---

Exile wasn’t only a means to getting closer to the discs or getting Tommy out of the way. Exile was a means to conditioning Tommy into listening and respecting Dream as his superior. Dreams solution to Tommy being disruptive and troublesome was to [physically beat], emotionally abuse, and psychologically condition him into obedience. Only seeing exile as a testament to how far how willing he was go to meet his ends is reductive, and not acknowledging what Dream considers to be a “problem” and what he considers to be “solutions” is to not engage with his worldview. You have to take exile into account and what it actually says about his ideals of harmony and unity.

---

TOMMY: I can’t go back… I can’t go back, and see my friends and see Tubbo. This is a shithole! He wasn’t- he wasn’t here ��cause he was my friend. He was here to- what did he say on the first day? Got a little bug that he can’t flig off? I’m the only person who never does exactly what he says?

TOMMY: I’m the only person who never does what he says. Me! He said that to me, didn’t he?

TOMMY: He was here to watch me.

[full transcription]

Dream’s relationship to Tommy can (and honestly should) be compared to his relationship to the entire server at large. Not to imply that He Literally Wants To Abuse The Server, but rather the he views the server revolting as a problem, and the solution? Well. The [prison]. The hall of attachments. It’s no surprise that the disc war, a conflict that was initially only primarily between Dream and Tommy*, is suddenly about everyone. Bargaining and blackmailing using attachments, something Dream initially only subjected Tommy to, to keep him under his control, is now a means to control everyone.

Is Dream's goal of unity for the sake of the overall happiness and quality of life of the people living within said unity? I don’t doubt that this at some point in time was true. But, the fact that he’s willing to ruin lives and long-term psychologically destroy people over it, means that his goal isn’t unity for the sake of the people living in his ideal version of the server, but at their expense. Him believing he needs to control people to maintain unity and harmony means that he believes himself to know what's best for people moreso than the people themselves, and therefore he's the only one responsible enough to make decisions for them. And it also means that his motives has warped and twisted overtime, it’s likely that he’s become so fixated on the goal of unity itself that he’s lost track of why he wanted it in the first place.

Anyway. Stop buying into Dream's own self-justification of "ends justify the means" and put his deeply flawed and broken worldview and view of people under a little bit of goddam scrutiny.

[danielephraimite001]

Tips to guide you on how to make $200,000 in real estate in just 6 months

Starting off in a new field can be challenging. It may seem as though it will take years for you to build a reliable income as a new real estate agent, but this isn't necessarily the case. In this article, I'll discuss my first-year earnings as a real estate agent in detail and offer you some useful advice on how to succeed financially in this profession.

According to Indeed, the average salary is just over $83,000 for first-year full-time agents — but this rate can vary greatly. As a recent 2020-2021 report reveals, many agents start out by earning a significantly lower salary but actually double their income once that first year is under their belt. What if I told you that you can earn ten times these averages?  Well, you can and I’m living proof!

My journey in real estate began in june 2015, Right before i quit my job as a shopping mall security personnel. I was hot off the press from my career in new home sales, and eager to make a name for myself. I had worked in new home sales for five years, and while I gained a great deal of industry knowledge from that position, I knew that general real estate would be a whole new ballgame.

Strategy to apply on your journey on how to make $200,000 in real estate in just 6 months

If you want to make a six-figure income in real estate, you need to be willing to put in the hard work. Here are six steps to help you make 200,000 in real estate in just six months:

1. Invest in quality properties

Some people think that buying low and selling high is the key to making money in real estate, but that’s not always the case. You need to invest in high-quality properties that will increase in value over time.

2. Get a good real estate agent

When it comes to finding a good real estate agent, there are a few things you should consider.

First and foremost, it is important to find an agent who is knowledgeable about your area. Make sure the agent has plenty of experience in the area you are looking to buy or sell in.

Next, make sure the agent is licensed and insured. You don’t want to risk your money with an unlicensed or uninsured agent.

3. Start by researching the market

Before you invest in any property, you need to know what's available in the area you're interested in. Use online resources like Zillow and Realtor.com to get an overview of the current market conditions.

4. Get pre-qualified

Before you invest in any property, make sure you have pre-qualified. This means you have determined that the property meets your financial and other requirements. You can get pre-qualified through a loan company or by using a pre-qualification service like StreetEasy.

 5. Get organized

Once you have a good understanding of your market, it’s time to get organized. Make a list of all the properties you’re interested in and start researching each one. Make sure to get estimates from different professionals to get an idea of how much it will cost to buy and/or sell each property.

6. Be aggressive

There are many different ways to be aggressive in real estate. One way is to be persistent. Be prepared to keep following up with potential buyers and landlords. Be willing to work hard, and don't be afraid to ask for help.

Another way to be aggressive in real estate is to be determined. When you see a property that you want, don't let it go. Make a strong offer and stand behind it.

Further readings

5 Simple Tips to Save on Car Insurance

How To Get Certified In No Time With Our Easy Online Courses With Certificates

How To Save Money While Renting An Apartment

[blackribbonofficialheadcanons]

Spite list: vent

Get that fucking dumbass credit card so you can leave this painful state. Bonus points if it gets uncle to shut up about it.

Get the pointless excuse slip from the doctor so you can stay in Commons (stomach+migraine) cause fuck that supervisor he can shove a whole dick up his ass.

Neuropsychologist to figure out what the fuck is wrong!

If ADHD get med to help focus? So you can get the fuck out of here and live your own goddamn life and stop feeling like you have to do what other people tell you to do.

Just get the fuck out of here.

Work for yourself! This "because I told you so" shit is really starting to piss me off and I cant continue my life like this.

I think the suicidal thoughts are coming back

I don't want them back

Sometimes i think it would be easier if i didn't exist

Why isn't that a socially acceptable option?

I don't HAVE to be here

There's nothing going wrong in my life. So why do i not want to be here? Why am i not happy?

Why do i always break from the monotony and function of "that's just how this world works"? Especially when i know it doesn't have to work like this. But it only does to spite me and people like me without concern or malice. (Which might be worse) at least if the world outright hated me then my frustration would be supported and understood.

Study up on what car you want next i guess.

Would it be worth getting that tattoo?

Do i waste my money?

I literally save most my paycheck and uncle invests a chunk. I dont spend a lot.

I waste my money.

I think i waste my time too.

Im so tired.

I sleep too much.

I don't do enough.

I make all these lists and i don't do anything on them.

I don't allow myself to be mean. Its too much trouble and only makes things worse.

Why cant I just cuss someone out just a little sometimes?

Why cant i just cry?

Im not okay sometimes

I dont think i remember that im not okay sometimes

Ill forget this tomorrow

Not "forget" but it'll be fuzzy. A statement of fact rather than a memory.

I know people love me.

I dont miss people when they're gone.

I dont fear being alone.

I fear people getting mad at me and stop loving me if they realize I don't need them.

Will they think Im heartless?

Im not.

I don't like talking

People don't like that.

I won't remember you.

People don't like that either

I'll move on and leave you behind as a pleasant phantom in my memory that ill never be able to place

I think that's fine. Preferable actually.

That thought hurts others.

Why do so many fear being forgotten and left behind?

Isn't being forgotten preferable?

I used to be motivated by spite. Now even that isn't enough

I feel like im doing something wrong. I dont know what.

Im so lucky to have my family

Im lucky to live like i do

Im lucky to not have to worry about bills and rent and resources

Im lucky i got out at all

Im lucky it wasnt as bad as it could've been

But i didnt do any of that

It was handed and given to me

Did i earn any of what i have?

I didnt earn my first car

...........

How do you earn love?

How do you earn care?

They say i worked hard for what i have.... Did I?

The easiest job ive ever had has paid the most. I like my job. I was originally told not to apply this time around.

College was the hardest and most costly. I hated it. I was pressured into it.

Should i just do what makes me happy at the risk of disappointing loved ones? Or the risk of failing horribly and burdening them with my failure and need of help?

So im passively suicidal again today. So i got something to eat and drank some water. Didnt realize it had been so long since i did either of those. I'm feeling extremely disillusioned with people and reality right now.

I cant believe some dumb bitch thought having a baby would save her marriage and now not only did she still break up now shes dead and I legally cant check out of an existence I never asked for. Like why am I forced to live in a world I was brought into against my will? I can quit a job, relationship, school, anything else at any moment in time. But I'm not allowed to quit life. That's bullshit.

Im sick of being nice all the time. Im sick of having to be the bigger person all the time. Im sick of being kind and patient until I snap and suddenly Im overreacting. And when i try to talk about the problem before i snap its always brushed off because i apparently don't act "distressed" enough.

[amai-no-ura]

Hmm, as semi-introvert, I struggle with this too. I mean, intentionally walking up to people and talk like a professional seducer is stressful and often ends up in jumbling speech which isn't really all that impressive. One lucky thing though, if we get pass our multiplayer block (ie, social anxiety, poor social skills) we will always be able to spot opportunity easily. We are geared toward looking for them and (I think) we naturally notice them when they emerge anyway, so the only thing we need to practice is to get better at talking to people. These are little things I do to practice my multiplayer skills:

1. Let go of fear - you'll be surprised how much fear hold us back when we do multiplayer. We often fear saying the wrong thing, appear stupid or worse, offend people unintentionally. The more we fear, however, the more crippling our multiplayer is and the more rigid we become. So, the first thing to keep in mind is it's totally alright to appear stupid or socially inept. So long as we don't blurt out the other person is stupid or something of a sort, it's totally fine. The more we mess up our multiplayer, the more our experience builds up. So we have to let go of fear.

2. Cold read people - our multiplayer motto is 'know thy enemy better then thyself' so, keep a keen eye on a person you are talking to. People often operate off the same framework, if you see them shifting nervously, they don't wanna talk about this or talk to you. Things like that. Keep a keen eye on these subtle clues and you'll become a LOT more charming and personable.

3. Narrow it down to just few people - when we talk in groups, we often try to be on the same page with everyone. But I find that we only need to focus on one person or two persons at a time. Grasp their attention, adapt and focuses on them and everything should fall in place.

4. You don't have to be playful or charming - I'm assertive, downright unsociable and lack general sense of humor, so I just don't try to be playful or charming that way. It's better to be true to who you are than trying hard to fake it (been there, done that, failed abysmally :) heh). It'll be stiff, totally unnatural and well, off-putting. If you are serious person, then just be serious. If you are fun person, go for it. The thing is, make use of your character and craft it to best suit the situation. The thing about snake is to 'circumvent with whatever resources we have' our character is a resource too hence we can use it to circumvent the situations.

(To be less abstract - if you are a serious, generally dry person in a party, instead of being boisterous, opt for talking deep and serious to one person you want to make contact with for whatever reason you have. Impress them with your character, maybe exaggerate it little. You see that?)

5. Most importantly, practice and practice - multiplayer is 'hard' and not everybody has talent for it. (Me included) So we will have to practice and practice until we get a hang of it. This might sound badger-ey but compare to Bird or even Badger, we actually need more practice multiplayer than them both. Because our multiplayer is instinctual so we need to put in more work in order to master it. Badger and Bird can just take in social cues or tricks they learn and apply it as it is. But for snake, no amount of tricks we learn will save us, because we will either forget them all, or we will try and stick to it and be unnaturally stiff. So we have no choice but to actually master it to enhance our improvisation.

--------

I have to take note for myself as well, I'm normally assertive but I have to admit talking to people can be tiring. Especially if they shut you off before you even begin. But unless we force ourselves to practice, we will never improve. So, no matter how dreaded talking to people is, do it.

Ps. This also applies to non-multiplayer stuffs too. Like when I practice martial arts, if I focus on getting the form right, I'll mess up, but if I just focus on its principle or better, actual sparring, I can get it right without much struggles. But that also means I have to put in more work because I really need to 'get' it in order to apply it in practice.

How Do Snake Secondaries Learn Multiplayer?

Badgers and lions depend on themselves, not on the situation. That means if they learn to trust themselves, they're probably good. From the two circumventing secondaries, birds can just do research, test a new strategy, and add it to their toolbox.

But how do you train circumvention AND improvisation in social situations? Researching a specific strategy and using it consciously feels restricting, but when I just go in and play it by ear, I often miss opportunities because I don't know enough ways to react to choose the best one. Or in other words: my instincts weren't good enough for the situation.

How do you train instincts? Experience is what comes to mind first. Just get out there and find as many and varied social situations as you can. That's very stressful to an introvert, though. Maybe you can go quality over quantity, and choose less frequent but more varied situations. Or maybe do it the bird way and consciously test a new strategy in a familiar situation. If it works and you do it often enough, it will become instinct at some point. The process is slow and painful, though.

And that's basically all I can think of. It's not much, and I would love to hear any and all suggestions you have to help out a struggling snake secondary.