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saltygilmores · 10 months ago

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THOUGHTS WHILE WATCHING GILMORE GIRLS: S3/EP6: TAKE THE DEVILED EGGS (Pt 2) (This One's Gonna Be a Real Rage Inducer) (Lots Of Interesting Development Though) (So many things happening) (Salty Rambles about Jess Mariano's Birthday)

There is something to be said about Luke (on multiple occasions) readily admitting he pays Jess in ketchup packets to toil in the Coffee Mines more or less against his will. I get that it's just a part time job after school...before school..while he's cutting school..always working...never stopping...never reicieving any tips from Lorelai and Rory... Rory needs a job... Rory and Lorelai need to pay for their food... Anyway these comments shed a light on the shaky economies of small businesses in small towns which is interesting to me. Gilmore Girls is really, at it's core, a show about class. One day he could wake up to find his diner has been turned into a Dunkin Donuts (this is Not-Quite-But-Almost-New England after all, where DD is king).

Hahahahaha!! Jess stole money to buy a car and he committs attempted murder! Hahahahaaha! You're SO FUNNY LORELAI GILMORE. Your daughter stole a boat.

Yeah. And maybe back home, he did had to steal to survive sometimes. How about them apples, Lorelai Gilmore. God, do I loathe her.

Don't say that around Lorelai, I think she'd believe you were being serious.

A couple of the moots and I recently decided that in the recent past, Liz managed to land and then lose a halfway decent boyfriend/ father figure to Jess who had a car and taught Jess to drive and do repairs and some other light adulting. I honestly feel like this is the only thing that makes sense.

HE LOOKS SO GOOD IN THIS SCENE!!! Fuck meeee. Look at that li'l curl...

LOOK AT IT!!!! You know what, I'm calling it. I'm putting my foot down. This is the hottest Milo had ever looked in the entirety of seasons 2 and 3. It's that perfectly gelled hair, the jean jacket, the cool tshirt. Very James Dean. Woof. Let's see, what would I choose for second place? I have to go with the party scene in KegMax, another episode with impeccably jelled hair and a jean jacket (and even while he was apparently sick shooting that episode too). He just progresses in hotness the further season 3 marches on.

These four words "I'm still a minor" are a point of contention for me in the ongoing debate about his birth month. My beliefs: Jess is a Virgo. He was born in August or early September. This would make him just older than Rory by just a smidge. Since well over a year has passed in the show since the episode he arrived in Stars Hollow as a 17 year old (when he arrived, it was early September as Rory had just started school in that episode), he had just celebrated his birthday before arriving and so he has to have already turned 18 by this episode. However, I will consider the theory that Luke was clueless or misinformed about his age at the time he arrived (because it's not like LIz is in any way reliable with information) and he was actually 16 going on 17 when he hopped off the bus last year, and maybe he has an October or November birthday making him slightly younger than Rory. It would make sense that both missed the kindergarten cut off dates in 1989 at their respective schools (which is rock solid canon already for Rory, as she was born in October 84 but graduated in 03 instead of 02), putting them in the same grade.

Salty has put a pathetic amount of thought into this. So, how can I accept this statemen? I attribute it to the same brand of biting sarcasm that gave us "I mugged an old lady" moments ago and also because this scene doesn't make a whole lot of sense to begin with. He's still a minor, but he got his own insurance all by himself under his own name, which is not really a thing, but not his own car registration? Committing insurance fraud perhaps? Sketchy insurance company that didn't ask too many questions? He knows a guy who knows a guy who can print up some fake documents? At that point why not go all the way with the white collar crimes and forge Luke's signature on the registration too? See, Lorelai thinks Jess is a thief and murderer when he's really a white collar criminal like Taylor Doose.

My memory was certain that he produced a cigarrette and not a pen in this scene. I had to edit this post to remove a line about him smoking. I guess I confused it with the Then She Appears/ Cmurrh kissing scene, where he's also wearing a jean jacket with a popped collar. Damn. I can't wait for that scene...

Just some light fraud. If the car belonged to someone in Stars Hollow, whoever's registration he stole probably deserved it anyway. This is how I approach all "Crimes" Jess commits in Stars Hollow. There are only a few people who don't deserve it. Your honor, my client is innocent.

Oh no, the couch of doom. No good conversations ever happens between Rory and Lorelai on the couch, especially after one of them comes home at night and finds the other one on the couch. The Gilmores recieve an invitation to Sherry's baby shower. The moots and I have determined that Doula and Gigi will eventually band together to form the most powerful duo of neglected half sisters the world has ever seen. For the record, today Doula would be 17 and Gigi would be 21. Since Jess eventually comes to adopt and raises Doula she has a somewhat decent chance of coming out a well adjusted adult. At the very least, if she was stuck with TJ and Liz, Jess would still be a positive influence on her life, visit her and look out for her and make sure she didn't get sucked into any cults. The odds are a lot more grim for Gigi with Crusty and Sherry as her forever "parents" and let's face it, very likely her relationship with big sister Rory or any of the other Gilmores is non existent.

And things were so peaceful. Especially since Dean hasn't reared his ugly head in the last two episodes, either.

You flip flop with Crusty so much how can anyone possibly keep track of whether you're on the outs with him or banging him at any given time?

And by saying that out loud you're gonna tip the balance of the universe and he's going to show up. I looked ahead and although this is sadly still a Crusty-Focused episode, he doesn't actually make an appearance. Small blessings. To Lorelai's surprise, Rory admits that she's been in contact with Crusty and Lorelai is okay with it but upset that Rory was hiding it from her. God, he's such a parasite.

Emails. How quaint.

Highly debatable.

#gilmore girls #denise rewatches gilmore girls #gilmore girls season 3 #TDDE #Take the Deviled Eggs #Rory Gilmore #Lorelai Gilmore #Jess Mariano #Luke Danes #Milo Ventimiglia

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annakie · 4 months ago

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Let's Spend Lots of Money!

Back in June I posted about how after a huge storm rolled through, I was without power for over five days and then talked about all the insurance and stuff going on.

Well, things have progressed since then!

Would you like to read/see pictures of exterior home renovation? This is the post for you! Warning: It's really long! And the story isn't done yet!

Here's a cut for extreme length!

PART ONE: The To-Do List

When it was over, at the end of my post, I posted some To-Do's:

Call Plumber - Done, and I thought the problem would be solved for another year or more.

Get garage door serviced. Done. The guy I called was clearly trying to rip me off. He told me immediately that I needed new springs, and when I pushed back and pointed out how shiny and new my garage springs were, because they were less than five years old, and they just needed to be tightened, he tried telling me that it's not possible to tighten garage door springs, something I knew for a fact was bullshit. I pushed back on him and was about to tell him to just leave when instead he had me sign a thing saying that he couldn't promise that fixing the springs would fix the problem and if I called them out again it would be another service call fix instead of guaranteed work. In the end, I got what I wanted but paid too much and marked that company in my phone as "never call again." The work they did do was fine, but screw them.

Get Handyman to take care of the fallen tree - Check, a day or two after power came back. I tipped him extra for it, too, because he always takes care of me. My insurance lady told me what I paid was quite inexpensive for the job.

Work with Insurance - Yep! We'll get to that.

Talk to my neighbors about the fact that I’m going to get a wood fence put up to replace our chain link one. YEP. We'll get to that, too.

Get the electrician back to wire up the house for a generator. Nope. Not yet. But someday.

Buy a generator Not yet, but again, someday.

Clean out the garage, for real. Maybe when it's not 100 degrees out every day again. But yeah, on the list, for multiple reasons.

So yeah... the last six weeks or so have been a trip.

PART TWO: Getting Money

One of the things I did when I didn't have power was see that we could file a claim with FEMA for disaster assistance. I figured... why not. A day or two after I got power back, a FEMA inspector lady called and then came to the house. I pointed out all of the things. I ended up getting a little bit from FEMA. Not a ton, but honestly, I was grateful. Anything helped.

Later that week, or maybe the next, my insurance sent an adjuster. Crazily she was flown down from another part of the country, she was living in the exact town that I grew up in. Like it is not a huge town. Not "small" but also just not somewhere you'd expect to meet someone from on the reg. So we had a good time chatting about the city when she came to inspect the house.

Insurance gave me an OK amount. My roof was old so they only paid out 40% of the replacement cost. And yeah, that's about what I got from them them with the final price when it was all said and done.

PART THREE: Finding Help

My roofer initially seemed great. I was excited to work with him. When the insurance came, instead of him coming, he sent an "assistant" who didn't really seem like he knew much of what he was doing or was very helpful. But hey, you know what? right after a storm like that, they're gonna be busy.

Several times over the next couple of weeks I texted him asking how things were progressing on just getting me a quote. He sent a whole other guy over like two weeks later for the fence quote. He barely seemed interested to be there. Um, okay. He also wouldn't even give me a ballpark at the time. Whatever.

Two weeks after that I hear from the roofer that he's almost done with my quote. By then it was the weekend before July 4th.

I'd gotten the money from the insurance. I'd sent the documentation of their payout to the roofer and made it clear I had a sum of cash above that (not exactly how much) to come out of pocket, and a priority list for the work to be done. My best guess is that he figured my business wasn't worth as much time as other people's, so I kept getting shuffled to the bottom of the stack. OK. His prerogative. Fair. But I was at the limit of my waiting, considering how bad my roof was.

My across the street neighbor had told me that she had her roof redone a year or two ago who she said did a good job, and he'd come to see how her roof fared from the storm and told her to give me his number if I wanted him to look at it. So when I didn't hear from my roofer after July 4th week, I went and asked her for the number, then texted Joel, the new roofer.

Anyway, Joel came out the next day. I showed him all the work I'd been approved for. He and I negotiated a price and materials for the roof. A price was set that was right about what I thought it should be.

Still had some money leftover in the budget so I asked about a fence, specifically an 8' Cedar fence. His quote was $1k more than I was hoping it would be, but honestly, still what I thought was a good deal.

He also mentioned a price for the patio roof. I was at my hoped-for spend limit and would get back to him about the patio roof.

In the end, I pulled a little more money together and told him to go for it.

That was Tuesday and Wednesday.

Original Builder sent me my quotes on Wednesday. How nice. Too late. Also they were like 30% higher than what I settled on with Joel. He just emailed them, didn't even bother to follow up with a text.

I had a polite response planned out in my head if he'd texted or called. But he didn't. Oops, I guess I didn't see that email.

PART FOUR: The Survey Drama

Thursday, Joel and his main builder came out, tore out the chain link fence and started putting up 10' poles for the 8' fence (2' of which is buried in concrete in the ground.)

Joel also told me that he needed a copy of my land survey for the build permit, which I should have from when I bought the house.

I spent a good hour searching through every document I had from when I bought my house in 2003 looking for it. And I felt I'd pretty much kept everything. I had my bids on houses I didn't win in there. I had notes that I took back then.

I did not have a survey. Well... shit.

So, I started by looking at the city website online. The city does not keep copies of surveys.

So I tried calling my mortgage company. Except oops they went out of business in like 2010.

Getting real panicked, I threw a hail mary and went to look up my Title company. They'd been bought out in like, 2007. But there were a couple of people working under franchise names of that company still. A total longshot, but I called the person nearest me.

That very nice man said he couldn't help me BUT I should call the home office. He gave me the name and number of a lady named Kim.

So I called Kim, and she was very very sweet. And extremely doubtful she had anything on file, but she would get with the records department and look.

A half hour later she called back. THEY'D FOUND IT. Holy crap. Even she was astonished.

I thanked her profusely and asked her to thank the records department. A few minutes later, the survey was in my email. And hey, it had my signature from 2003 on it! I sent that over to Joel and we got the permit. WHEW. Work continued.

I printed out three copies of the survey and emailed it to myself at two other email addresses.

PART FIVE: Communication

I texted my neighbor on the side where the fence would be built (the other neighbor had built their fence, also an 8' cedar fence, like 20 years ago, so hey, at least I only had to pay for two full sides and two fronts.

Technically I text with their daughter, as her parents don't speak English. They knew that this was coming and were cool with it. They knew the fencer would need to do some work in their yard and that there would be no fence for a little while. I asked Joel to please help minimize the time there was no fence for their dog (a pitbull, she's very sweet) to be penned in by.

Just want to say my neighbors are saints. They were very cool with everything, though I sent them many apologies. It was especially frustrating because we took the fence separating our yards down on Friday and there was no full fence put back up all weekend. It couldn't be avoided, though. Just wish the days had gone by faster. They could only let the dog our on the leash for those days. I asked (daughter) several times what I could do to say I'm sorry and thank you and they were really just kind and chill about it anyway. I am still thinking of something I could do for them, though, once this is all over. My initial thought is a small basket of dog toys and treats for the pupper.

I also started discussing paint stain colors for the fence with Joel, and let my neighbors help me make a decision, since they'd have to look at it, too. In the end, we decided to go with the same brown color that the fence on my other side already was. I kinda wanted to go with maybe a dark grey, which would also match the neighbors house well, but that's what they wanted and having a color match was my other main choice, and probably the right one, even if it doesn't match with our houses.

Mostly I'm glad my good relationship with my neighbors is intact.

PART SIX: CONSTRUCTION BEGINS!

Okay yeah so Thursday some poles got put up. Friday the rest of them got put up. Joel is mostly coordinating everything, the main builders are Jose and his wife Maria. Neither of them speak English and my High School and College Spanish were uh, 30 years ago but I retained a decent amount. Mostly though, we communicate through whatever sentences I can piece together and a lot of Google Translate. We have had entire conversations through Google Translate. It's great.

Saturday the work on the poles were finished and Sunday no work got done... I mean... it's Sunday. It was only annoying because of my neighbors having to take care of the dog and I felt bad about it.

Over the weekend I also picked out roof shingles. I got an architectural single, which is a nicer shingle. I wanted a medium-grey color -- I never liked the light grey my old roof was, I didn't pick it out, though I know lighter is probably cooler. I picked what I thought was a nice compromise.

PART SEVEN: Roof Day One

AKA my new Skylight.

Monday I woke up stupid early for no reason. But it was fine that I did because at 6:30am the doorbell rang. The roofers were here. And they got started right away.

It... was loud. I knew it would be but I don't think I was quite prepared for how loud.

But I had little to do after welcoming them, so I mean, when it was time for me to work (my job is 100% WFH still, yay!) I just got to work, doing my best to ignore the noise and hoping they wouldn't fall in on me. The cats were terrified and hiding, curled up together under my recliner in the living room, their normal safe place. I put food, water and their litter box in there, closed the door 90% of the way, and let them be.

Anyway, here I was, working away in my office and at about 10:15 am, there was a bright light and a foot in my ceiling.

First and most importantly, he is fine! He slipped and his leg fell through. It wasn't the end of the world, and MOST important, he CRAZILY fell through right above my very tall bookcase, the tallest piece of furniture I own. Instead of falling completely through the ceiling, he "stepped" two feet down, and his foot caught on the bookcase, and he pulled it right back up. If this had happened ANYWHERE else, it might have been a LOT worse.

Joel and Jose came in and assessed the situation and Jose said no problem. For about three hours the hole remained, until Joel came back from Home Depot with some drywall, and I had a funny story to tell all my friends, co-workers and family. That angle in that pic up there is literally an angle from where I sit while I work all day. Lots of fun comments about my new skylight and terrible puns from my brother.

It currently looks like this:

You can see the scuffs on the wall from the guy who fell's shoe!

Jose came in and got the drywall on and the spackle in. There was a crack already from the window to the ceiling, from the house settling, so he just went ahead and spackled that, too.

I actually have the paint can for that paint in my garage, so I handed that over to them to paint match.

Honestly, aside from being glad the worker is OK, I do not get upset over stuff like this as long as it gets fixed, and it well, so it's fine!

There's a similar hole in my garage ceiling, too, which still needs fixing.

The roof workers worked from 6:30am until 9pm. It was 100 outside that day. They were amazing.

This was taken Mid-day when they were eating lunch.

I not only was getting new shingles, but new decking (aka the wood that the shingles rest on that is connected to the rafters. I know they didn't redo the decking in 2003 when I bought the house and they put the cheapest roof possible on it before selling it to me. Joel confirmed that there were several rotting places in the decking and I saw a few pieces myself. And under in the attic the decking they installed a Thermal layer for more insulation that wasn't there before.

I did have good insulation installed pretty early, like 2005, so at least when the power has gone out since it's stayed nicely warm/cool depending on the season.

I had some old whirly type vents coming out of the house. Several of them were either broken or uh... very squeaky. Especially when it was cold, one of them had a definite squeak that you could hear outside and it was mortifying if my neighbors could hear it. That one, or maybe another one, rattled really badly when it was windy, too. TBH I would just put in my headphones to sleep sometimes because of roof noise the last year or two during very cold or windy nights.

Well, the roofers got rid of all of those. In place, they put a ridge vent, which basically means a tiny gap along the entire top ridge of the house, covered up by a special shingle. I learned all about it when I watched a Youtube about it the next morning after looking at it and going "WTF is that little bump?" Anyway, no more loud squeaky/rattling vents for me. My house is modern now. :D

So anyway, Monday night they finished getting roofing over the entire house, but the garage still wasn't done.

This was taken early Tuesday morning, there'd been tarps over the garage that night. There was no rain forecast, so everything was cool.

PART SEVEN POINT FIVE: No Internets (Part 1)

This is part 7.5 because I had to come back and add it in later when I forgot to add it until I was almost done writing, and I don't feel like correcting all the section titles, but it is absolutely part of the story.

Monday early evening as they were hurrying to finish getting roofing over at least the house part of the roof they got some of the garage done. Around 7pm there was a blip where my internet went out, but it came back.

And then at like 8:15 as they were finishing, it went out and DIDN'T come back.

I did all the normal troubleshooting things, put in a ticket with my provider, and called tech support.

Eventually I got someone on the line who asked me to make sure everything was plugged in, what, like I'm some kind of idiot? I work in IT! I know what I'm doing! But, I humored her. And she reminded me that there's not only the box on the outside of my house, but also the one in the garage, could I please check to make sure that was plugged in?

OK Sure. Constructions been going on, I'll humor her.

So anyway, I had forgotten the the box in the garage was plugged into an outlet in the ceiling that had been put there for my garage door. It had come completely out in all the banging from the roofers.

OK no problem, right? I'll just plug it back in, and voila! Internet!

Um except the plug is right above my car, like dead center.

OK sure, just gotta move my car!!!

...except there was a dumpster in my driveway, riiiight behind my car. I couldn't move my car more than a foot if I tried.

I spent like 10 minutes trying to reach it with my stepladder (nope not even close) or maneuver it back in with a broom handle (lol noooo chance) and gave up.

I took this pic just now for illustrative purposes. The plug is now plugged back in. But yeah, I had to cancel my Monday night PF2e game from last of Internets.

In the morning, I overslept, and they rang the doorbell to let me know they were there. I saw Joel and waved to him, and one minute later I went back outside to tell him about the internet problem. He was gone. I texted him, didn't hear back. It was getting close to work time, so I called him and he'd left as soon as he saw I was home and ready for the workers to work. I didn't realize he was so far away already, but he still turned around, came back in, and figured out a way to plug the plug back in without standing on my car. I was a half hour or so late to logging into work but it all worked out. Just a little bump in the road. I felt bad that he had come come back from wherever he went, too. I swear I looked for him a MINUTE after I saw him that morning!

Part EIGHT: Fencing!

While the roofers roofed, Jose and Maria were busy with the fence. And by the end of the day Monday, they had most of the neighboring fence with the dog put up.

In the picture in part 7 above, on the left is the fence that's been there 20 years. You can see that those neighbors put the "ugly" part of the fence with the poles and boards on my side.

Honestly I've been mad about it for the 20 or so years it's been up. Not like super mad, I never talked to them about it, but I just thought it was really shitty of them to do that. I've always tried hard to be as kind and thoughtful to my neighbors as I could be and wouldn't have dreamed of doing that if I had put the fence up first.

In the alley and the other side of their house, the pretty side is the outside and the ugly side is inside. But on THAT ONE SIDE, they gave me the ugly side. Never talked to me about it, never consulted me about the fence, it just went up one day and I was left to deal with it.

I've always even since been kind about granting them access to fix their fence and am on good terms with the wife of the couple of who lives there. And when my house was broken into in 2011 the husband heard it happen and called the police and gave a statement, which I thought was very good of them, the police were able to get my house sealed back up somewhat so when I came home a few hours later the damage as minimized.

So yeah, I'm not sure why I got the ugly side of the fence from them. Also like, it seems way easier to climb that side of the fence so all they did was make their own yard less secure? I didn't want that! A big part of wanting an 8' fence was more security!

Anyway, it was important to me to not make my other neighbors look at the ugly side of the fence. Also, I just figured why not have it look the same all the way around? And again, the security issue.

But also... like two or three years ago the neighbors on that side put up sheds on their property... and backed them right up to the property line. Again, no discussion with me, they just did it, and by the time I saw it, happened it was too late to change anything.

I wasn't super happy with it because of this scenario right here.

Sunday Joel and I had a long conversation about what to do about it, and I was still committed to wanting the ugly side on the inside. But they literally couldn't hammer back there to get the fence up behind the sheds.

In the end, we went with an, admittedly weird, compromise.

Note that that side of the fence goes that far back so that both of the windows on that side of the house are inside the fence. Again, security.

So yeah, the fence swaps facing mid-way for just the part where their sheds are. I still have mixed feelings about it but honestly, it's fine. I wish it could look completely the same all the way around, but, it works OK this way. Maybe I should have made the neighbors look at the ugly side the entire way, but the security issue was important in my mind... even though tbh anyone who really wanted to could just climb up on my neighbors sheds and hop over. It's a little weird and I guess technically I gave up a few inches of unusable property there, but it's a compromise I can live with any whoever buys the house after me can live with it, too.

Honestly at this point, can't wait for them to finish the fence all-around because I feel like I can barely sleep knowing all this expensive STUFF is just laying around my wide-open yard.

It's also real dumb because my 4' chain link fence kept no one past five years old out of my yard, it wasn't even padlocked, and yet I feel less secure with no fence.

This is what the back of the fence looks like right now (Thursday morning) and has since... I think Monday or maybe Tuesday. Joel's had problems sourcing more of the right boards. The gap on the left is, of course, where the back gate will be. I do feel better having it like, two-thirds done at least. there's also no gate on the front yard yet, either, which will just be flush with the end of the fence there.

PART NINE: The Patio Begins!

The roofers were done with their parts Wednesday afternoon. And I love the roof so much, but I'm going to hold off on posting pictures of that quite yet!

The patio roof before, if I had to guess, was built in the 1980s. The roof itself was just a big piece of corrugated metal, held up by some OK-built wood beams and ironwork pillars in the front. It was fine, it was functional. You can see in this pic from last month pretty well the construction and also how it was getting holes in it.

The wood was also really starting to rot. There were a couple of places where it barely still connected because of wood rot. I'd guess within 5 years it would have been falling down. It was definitely time for a new one, and the price Joel gave me I thought was really fair for a patio roof of the same quality.

Well, I was wrong about the quality.

When Jose ran out of wood for the fence, he and Maria got started on the patio. First, they demo'd it.

Oh hey, also first look at the new roof color.

That's how my patio looked all Tuesday night to Wednesday morning. You can clearly see in that second picture some of the wood rot. Here's some more of it.

That piece on the upper left I'm pretty sure was the part right over my patio door that I had to look at basically like, all the time. It was disintegrating.

So yeah, I was so glad to see that go.

A couple of years ago, when the big tree near my house was still there, it hadn't gotten trimmed recently and there was an ice storm. The tree branches swung low and the icy branch ends were smacking against that metal roof in the wind. It was loud and spooky. I had to go sleep in the living room that night from the sound. I really didn't like that metal roof.

I'm never going to have that problem again, since no tree there (for now...) but also the construction of the new patio roof is very different.

We'll get back to that.

PART TEN: Crazy Wednesday

Wednesday morning began with me realizing that all the banging and knocked one of the lights off of my bathroom ceiling. No problem, Let Joel know, it'll get fixed.

Jose and Maria finished up the demo of the patio roof (chunks of it are still in my yard).

I honestly had no idea what they were planning to do to replace it. Joel just told me to trust him, it's going to be great. OK!

The next thing I knew they're cutting into my house. WTF? Trust me, Joel said, it's gonna be great. OK!

Tuesday the sewer had started backing up again. God damnit, it JUST HAD backed up and I had it cleaned a month and a half ago when I got power back. So I called the plumbers, they were scheduled to come out that afternoon.

Just another thing I didn't need, but whatevs. I had a very productive morning for once this week while working, at least.

In the early afternoon, they had started to demolish more of the patio than I expected. They cut through some of the eaves, and took some of the facing off of the house where I wasn't expecting.

The plumber also arrived and was doing his thing. He then told me that my entire sewer was fine, I didn't have a stoppage. He took me out in the alley, though, and showed me that there WAS a stoppage outside the property line in the alley, and told me to put in a ticket with the city.

Kinda hate that it cost me $350 to find that out, but mostly it was a bit of a relief that it wasn't actually my problem.

I went back inside, put in a ticket with the water department, and got back to work.

Then, weirdly, my internet went down again a half hour or so later.

I checked all of the connections, then got a sinking feeling. I went outside and saw more stuff cut down and in that stuff was... a wire. I looked inside that wire and yeah... that's an internet cable.

That's a terrible picture but you can see some of the facing it came out of, lol.

Literally as I was taking that picture, a guy from the water department walked up to me and told me that there was indeed a stoppage in the alley. Because some kid had unplugged the cleanout line behind my house and dropped a baseball down there. The baseball was probably stopping up the entire block.

They couldn't get it out, so they were putting in an emergency ticket to dig up the line, and pull it out. I wouldn't have sewer for a day or so.

I think the "How SCREWED AM I with all of this going on!?" look on my face (though I was very polite and not upset with him obviously) paired with the state of my yard and the work being done gave me some sympathy -- he assured me I didn't have to pay for it, and he'd let me know when things would stop.

Ooooohkay.

It also started to drizzle a little at that point, but it never actually rained and work didn't have to stop, thankfully! Instead, Jose and Maria had a lovely overcast day in the 80's to work in. I had been worried about them the last couple of days and had supplied them with a big box of water (From a water delivery service) and big cups of ice to make sure they were well hydrated.

I went back in my house, laid down on the couch, and tried putting in a ticket with my internet company. The chatbot wouldn't let me do it, so I called and sat on hold for 45 minutes just staring at the wall. This was A Lot.

I also let my boss and Eric, my friend/co-worker who lives nearby know. Eric was up at the office today, but told me he was about to come back home and would bring me a hotspot, so I'd have SOME internet.

While I was laying on the couch, the doorbell rang. It was the water guy, and with a big smile on his face he told me that his coworker was able to use some tool to get the baseball out! There'd be no sewer work needed and things were flowing freely.

Fiiiinally, a break.

Eventually got to talk to a real person on the phone with the internet company, and not long after Eric arrived with the hotspot. I showed him around the mess a bit. After over an hour "break", I got back to work.

And as of Thursday morning, I'm still on the hotspot. But this one is pretty fast, and it has a network jack, so I even got to run my Wednesday night D&D game off my PC last night. What a relief.

Internet company should be here this afternoon to fix stuff. I'm probably going to have to pay for that, though.

The other great news is that somehow i didn't even notice that the gutter contractor had been here, done his job and left!! I don't even know when he was there/did his job, and my office is the front of the house! Maybe he did it when I was laying on the couch in the living room!? It was FAST, though. Joel just called to tell me to go outside to look, and WOW. He'd said they might do black gutters. I was unconvinced but trusted him.

He was so very, very right.

Anyway, finally, here's a pic of the front of the house, with the new roof and black gutters.

Holy crap, what a difference. My house almost looks fancy now. Almost. The shingles are so gorgeous.

You can see that ridge vent pretty well there. And that's with the old white gutters obviously. The black gutters give the house a really striking and defining line that really pops.

Here's a quick comparison with the old roof and gutters:

A truly amazing difference. And yeah I need to paint the garage door. Going to actually get to that now.

PART ELEVEN: The Patio Continued.

SO! They got so much done, and although there's a lot to do, I am already so well pleased.

The reason they were cutting into it so much was because they'd determined that the best course of action was to have hte patio become a part of the roof, and it would be built on a similar slant instead of just a flat piece of metal. Instead, it would just be a full roof anyway.

The posts are huge, thick wooden posts, which Joel tells me will be covered when they're done.

The roof is literally... the thermal barrier, decking and will be the same siding as the roof I already have.

This is what it looks like as of last night...

They did accidentally also break the light cover over my porch light so that'll need to be replaced, but it's small potatoes.

I still don't have a full picture of what it's going to look like, and I'm so excited for it. It's going to look so nice. I've loved the work Joel and Jose/Maria have done so far and honestly trust them completely with whatever now. The quality is fantastic and despite the little hiccups, things are actually, honestly going well.

I'm going to post this now and report back in a couple of days when it's done! I'd planned on holding off until it was ALL done, But this is post is already long enough!

This has been one of the biggest money commits I've ever done, after buying my home and buying cars, but honestly, totally worth it.

Gonna suck if I end up selling the house to gtfo of Texas in the next couple of years, but at least it'll sell for more if it looks this good!

#personal post tag thingy #home renovation #new roof #i hope you enjoyed

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anti-clerical · 3 months ago

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What to Consider Before Hiring a Nationwide Car Carrier Service

When it comes to transporting your car across the country, choosing the right nationwide auto transport companies is crucial. With so many options available, it’s important to know what factors to consider before making a decision. From understanding costs and insurance to checking reviews and delivery times, being informed can save you time, money, and stress.

This guide will help you identify key points to evaluate, ensuring that your car arrives safely and on time. Let’s explore what to keep in mind before hiring a car carrier service.

The Importance of Transparent Pricing

Transparent pricing is crucial when it comes to finding information about a reliable nationwide car transportation reviews. Car owners deserve to know exactly what they are paying for and should not be surprised by hidden costs or unexpected fees. Transparent pricing builds trust between the customer and the auto transport company, ensuring a smooth and satisfactory experience for both parties.

Types of Additional Fees

Auto transport services may have various additional fees that customers should be aware of. Some common types of additional fees include:

Storage Fees: If the vehicle needs to be stored at a facility before or after transportation, there may be storage fees involved.

Expedited Delivery Fees: If you need your vehicle to be transported within a shorter timeframe than usual, there might be an expedited delivery fee.

Insurance Coverage Upgrades: Standard insurance coverage provided by the auto transport company may have limitations, so customers might opt for additional insurance coverage at an extra cost.

Fuel Surcharges: Fluctuating fuel prices can lead to fuel surcharges being added to the overall cost of transportation.

It is essential for customers to inquire about these potential additional fees upfront and ensure that they are included in the initial quote provided by the auto transport company.

Avoiding Hidden Costs

To avoid hidden costs with auto transport services, here are some tips:

Read Contracts Carefully: Thoroughly review all contracts and agreements before signing them, paying close attention to any fine print or clauses regarding additional charges.

Ask Questions: Don't hesitate to ask the best nationwide auto transport about any potential hidden costs or fees that may arise during the transportation process.

Get Everything in Writing: Request written documentation detailing all costs and fees associated with the auto transport service to have a clear record of what is included in the agreed-upon price.

Research and Compare: Conduct thorough research on the reliable nationwide car transport, comparing their pricing structures, services offered, and customer reviews to ensure you choose a reputable company that offers transparent pricing.

By being proactive and well-informed, customers can minimize the risk of encountering unexpected fees or hidden costs when using auto transport services.

Transparency in pricing should be a top priority for both customers and auto transport companies to foster trust and provide a positive experience.

Research and Choose a Reputable Nationwide Car Carrier Company

Before you can transport your car with a nationwide car carrier company, it is important to conduct thorough research on a reputable and reliable company. Start by asking for recommendations from friends, family, or colleagues who have previously used such services.

Additionally, read online reviews and ratings to find more information of the experiences other customers have had with different companies.

Once you have gathered a list of potential car carrier companies, it is essential to verify their credentials and licenses. Check if they are registered with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and have the necessary insurance coverage. You can also check their safety records on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's website.

Considerations when Choosing a Nationwide Car Carrier Company:

Years of experience in the industry

Type of services offered (open or enclosed transport)

Pricing and payment options

Insurance coverage provided

Delivery time-frame

Get Quotes and Compare Services

Once you have narrowed down your list of potential car carrier companies, reach out to each one to request quotes for transporting your car. Provide them with accurate information about your vehicle, including its make, model, dimensions, and any modifications that may affect transportation.

When comparing quotes, consider not only the price but also the services included. Some companies may offer additional perks like door-to-door delivery or real-time tracking updates. It is important to weigh these factors against the cost to determine which option provides the best value for money.

Tips for Comparing Car Carrier Quotes:

Ensure all quotes include similar levels of insurance coverage

Ask about any additional fees that may apply, such as storage charges or fuel surcharges

Inquire about the company's cancellation and refund policies

Check if they offer expedited shipping options if you need your car delivered urgently

Prepare Your Car for Transportation

Prior to handing over your car to the car carrier company, it is important to properly prepare it for transportation. Start by thoroughly cleaning both the interior and exterior of the vehicle. This will make it easier to inspect for any pre-existing damages and ensure a smooth handover process.

Next, remove all personal belongings from the car. The car carrier company is not responsible for any items left inside the vehicle during transport, so it is best to empty it completely. Additionally, disable or deactivate any toll tags or parking passes to avoid unnecessary charges during transit.

Steps to Prepare Your Car for Transportation:

Clean both the interior and exterior of the vehicle

Inspect for any existing damages and take clear photos as documentation

Remove all personal belongings from the car

Disable toll tags or parking passes

Ensure the fuel tank is no more than a quarter full to reduce weight

Finding a trustworthy auto transport service in California and nationwide is essential for secure, swift, and hassle-free car transportation. By considering key factors such as experience, reputation, pricing, and customer support, you can locate a reliable company.

Additionally, verifying certifications and licenses, checking the track record of safely transporting vehicles, and consulting reputable resources for reviews and ratings will help you make an informed decision.

Be cautious of red flags indicating an unreliable company. Taking steps to ensure the safe transportation of your vehicle, such as thorough inspection, removing personal belongings, and providing accurate contact information, is crucial.

Reliable auto transport companies may offer additional services like enclosed carriers, GPS tracking, expedited shipping, door-to-door service, and insurance coverage options for added protection.

With this guide in mind, you can confidently find a trustworthy auto transport services in california for your car transportation needs.

youtube

#auto transport #car carrier #car blogging #Youtube

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s7ray-cat · 7 months ago

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PSA for any LGBTQ2IA+ people traveling abroad

This is a link to the LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index

(Disclaimer: These are excerpts from an article I found)

These are some tools to find safe places to travel for LGBTQ2IA+ people:

LGBTQ-specific travel news and safety basics

U.S. State Department ✈ A section of this government-run online resource offers basic pointers for LGBTQ travelers such as travel document checklists, general safety tips, and information about travel insurance and various U.S. embassy locations.

Equaldex ✈ Launched in 2014, this interactive map-anchored website keeps a running tab on LGBTQ rights–related laws around the world via a global network of user contributions.

National Center for Transgender Equality ✈ This Washington, D.C.–based advocacy organization addresses information relevant to gender-nonconforming and transgender travelers. It features a particularly comprehensive guide to airport security that addresses concerns related to potentially intrusive TSA screening procedures.

OutRight Action International ✈ Formerly known as the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, this nonprofit publishes news, studies, and reports on LGBTQ issues around the world that can help travelers stay informed about safety in various destinations.

Erasing 76 Crimes ✈ Journalist and LGBTQ advocate Colin Stewart heads up this news-oriented blog that spotlights global developments related to LGBTQ rights spanning countries across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas.

GoAbroad’s LGBTQ Study Abroad Guide✈ For queer students interested in studying abroad, this PDF provides a wealth of information, including tips for coming out to a host family, LGBTQ-specific scholarships, and a list of queer-friendly study abroad programs.

LGBTQ-friendly accommodations and services

The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association ✈ This website acts as a one-stop-shop for all things related to LGBTQ travel planning. It brings together a massive network of queer-approved hotels, transportation providers, tourism boards, travel agencies, tour operators, event promoters, and local media in over 80 countries worldwide; it also maintains recommendation-based travel and business blogs.

Purple Roofs ✈ An LGBTQ mainstay since the late ’90s, this booking website showcases small, family-owned bed-and-breakfasts, hotels, vacation rentals, inns, and tour companies worldwide. It also hosts a variety of related travel resources, including event listings and a dedicated LGBTQ travel blog.

World Rainbow Hotels ✈ This modern travel directory combines a curated list of stylish, queer-friendly hotels in countries where attitudes toward gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans travelers are for the most part accepting. The website also features an image-driven blog full of travel inspiration, global news, events, and other articles.

Travel Gayand Travel Gay Asia ✈ These twin booking sites serve a predominantly gay male audience, pointing international travelers to city guides with relevant information about bars, clubs, saunas, shops, beaches, and events, as well as queer-friendly hotels across the globe.

GayCities ✈ A similarly gay male–focused online travel guide, this web resource recommends gay-friendly bars, clubs, restaurants, hotels, shops, gyms, and more in 238 different cities from Cape Town to Mexico City.

In addition to explicitly LGBTQ outlets, you can now find pages dedicated to LGBTQ consumers on mainstream online travel booking sites like Expedia and Orbitz. Queer-oriented promotions and packages are also often offered by big-name hotels such as Marriott and Kimpton.

LGBTQ-specialized tour operators and agencies

LGBTQ-friendly tour operators for organized trips

For LGBTQ travelers who’d rather leave trip planning to the experts, award-winning tour operators such as Outstanding Travel, Zoom Vacations, Out Adventures, Toto Tours, Detours Travel, and Concierge Travel all offer a diverse array of international group and private trips. International tour operator R Family Vacations also designs and leads LGBTQ family-friendly trips (plus a few new adults-only options) on land and at sea for public groups and individuals. The queer-run wilderness education organization, The Venture Out Project, operates LGBTQ-specific backpacking trips in the United States for teens, adults, and families.

LGBTQ-friendly cruises

Inclusive travel company Vacaya hosts curated LGBTQ getaways on chartered cruise ships, as well as to all-LGBTQ international resorts. The popular lesbian travel brand Olivia Cruises has been running entertainment-filled cruise, resort, adventure, and riverboat group trips exclusively for queer female–identified travelers since 1990. And cruise company Source Events, which caters predominantly to gay men and their families, organizes both all-gay charters and private LGBTQ groups aboard larger cruise ships (as well as personalized cruise journeys and on-land group itineraries).

Related Free Travel Apps to Download Before Your Next Trip

LGBTQ-friendly travel and networking apps

From joining queer-specific networking groups, to checking for upcoming LGBTQ events in different cities, to starting important conversations about shared experiences through hashtags such as #travelingwhiletrans, LGBTQ travelers have long relied on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter when planning for domestic and international trips. More recently, meetup apps have created new opportunities for connection between LGBTQ travelers.

Apps (available on iOS and Android)

Meetup ✈ This stalwart community-building platform is a great tool for connecting with fellow LGBTQ folks and getting to know local queer scenes on the road. The “LGBTQ Meetups” section points app users toward various happy hours, professional networking events, book clubs, and hiking groups, as well as playgroups for LGBTQ parents.

SCRUFF Venture ✈ Gay dating app SCRUFF recently launched a travel-oriented edition aimed at making it easier to connect with LGBTQ people “before and while you travel.” By clicking into one of the app’s 500-plus destinations, users can view members marked as “visiting now” or “visiting soon” in each given location. The app also provides travel tips from city “Ambassadors” (members who volunteer to give advice and recommendations to visitors), plus updates about LGBTQ issue–related travel advisories.

Refuge Restrooms ✈ This important resource for trans, intersex, and gender-nonconforming individuals maps out safe restrooms in various countries around the world, which users can search for based on proximity to a location.

Related Seeing the World Through Rainbow-Colored Glasses

LGBTQ-focused travel magazines and blogs

Magazines

Out Magazine’s online outpost Out Traveler covers everything from luxury LGBTQ-friendly hotels and nightlife hot spots to the latest must-have gadgets for jet-setters. Passport Magazine, available in both digital and print formats, touches upon a wealth of topics related to LGBTQ travel, with sections devoted to food and drink, hotel reviews, product roundups, and events. Also worth checking out is Connextions Magazine, which compiles long-form hotel reviews, human interest stories, destination guides, and other global lifestyle content relevant to LGBTQ travelers. (The print and digital publication also has a Spanish edition.)

Although not their main focus, many widely circulated LGBTQ lifestyle outlets like the Advocate, Curve, Autostraddle, Diva, and Chill also feature travel-related news, commentary, city guides, hotel reviews, profiles, and more.

Blogs

Touted as “a lifestyle blog for men and other stylish travelers,” the popular blog Travels of Adam hosts op-eds and personal essays, LGBTQ travel tips and hacks, and restaurant, bar, and hotel reviews in destinations from Egypt to England. Married couple Auston and David head up another gay male–focused travel blog called Two Bad Tourists, which features navigating international gay-friendly destinations, festivals, and events.

On the queer female travel blog Dopes on the Road, you can expect to find a wide range of content, from travel diaries and safety tips to pop culture commentary. Beautiful photo galleries, travel journals, LGBTQ profiles and interviews, travel tips, and destination guides dominate Once Upon a Journey, a helpful travel blog from lesbian couple Roxanne Weijer and Maartje Hensen.

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dubairealestate24 · 4 months ago

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Common Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for a Home Loan in UAE

Applying for a home loan in the UAE can be a complex process, and avoiding common mistakes can help you secure the best terms and conditions. This guide highlights common pitfalls to avoid when applying for a home loan in the UAE.

Understanding Home Loans

Home loans, or mortgages, come in various forms, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, and Islamic mortgages. Each type has its benefits and considerations.

Fixed-Rate Mortgages: These loans have a fixed interest rate for a specified period, providing stability in monthly payments.

Variable-Rate Mortgages: The interest rate fluctuates based on market conditions, which can lead to lower initial rates but potential increases over time.

Islamic Mortgages: Compliant with Sharia law, these mortgages involve profit-sharing rather than interest payments.

For detailed information on home loans, visit home loan dubai.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not Shopping Around: Failing to compare different lenders and loan products can result in higher costs and less favorable terms.

Overlooking Fees: Be aware of all fees and charges associated with the loan to avoid unexpected expenses.

Ignoring Pre-Approval: Getting pre-approved helps streamline the home search and strengthens your bargaining position.

Taking on New Debt: Avoid taking on new debt during the loan process, as it can affect your financial profile and loan approval.

Not Understanding Loan Terms: Ensure you understand all terms and conditions of the loan, including interest rates, repayment terms, and early repayment penalties.

For property purchases, explore Buy Luxury Property in UAE.

Steps to Securing a Home Loan

Assess Your Financial Situation: Begin by evaluating your financial health. Calculate your income, expenses, and savings to determine how much you can afford.

Improve Your Credit Score: A high credit score improves your chances of loan approval and favorable terms.

Save for a Down Payment: Aim for at least 20% of the property's value to reduce mortgage insurance costs and improve loan terms.

Compare Loan Options: Different lenders offer various products. Compare rates, terms, and conditions.

Get Pre-Approved: Pre-approval provides an estimate of how much you can borrow, making the home search more focused and efficient.

Submit Your Application: Complete the mortgage application, providing necessary documents such as proof of income, credit history, and property details.

Loan Approval and Offer: Once approved, the lender will present an offer detailing the loan amount, interest rate, and repayment terms.

Finalizing the Purchase: After accepting the offer, work with your lender to finalize the purchase. Ensure all legal and financial aspects are in order.

For rental options, visit Apartments For Rent in Dubai.

Tips for a Smooth Home Loan Process

Maintain a Good Credit Score: A high credit score improves your chances of loan approval and favorable terms.

Avoid New Debt: Refrain from taking on new debt during the loan process to maintain your financial profile.

Consult with a Mortgage Advisor: Professional advice can help you navigate the complexities of securing a home loan.

Understand Fees and Charges: Be aware of all fees and charges associated with the loan, including processing fees, valuation fees, and early repayment penalties.

For luxury properties, explore Luxury Properties For Sale in Dubai.

Legal and Regulatory Considerations

The UAE has specific regulations governing mortgages. Ensure compliance with all legal requirements, including property registration and transfer fees.

Dubai Land Department (DLD): The DLD oversees property transactions. Ensure all documents are registered with the DLD.

No Objection Certificate (NOC): If buying from a developer, obtain an NOC confirming no outstanding payments or disputes.

Conclusion

Avoiding common mistakes when applying for a home loan in the UAE can help you secure the best terms and conditions. By following the tips outlined in this guide, you can navigate the process efficiently and achieve your homeownership goals. For more resources and expert advice, visit home loan dubai.

#dubairealestate

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cameoamalthea · 15 days ago

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Arizona Down Ballot Proposition Breakdown

Proposition 133: Partisan primaries (NO)

Proposition 133 would amend the state Constitution to require partisan primary elections for all partisan offices. Not good. Primaries should be open so independents have say. Having open primaries is on the ballot so this is like a shitty way to counter if that one passes and stop us from trying.

Proposition 134: Changes to citizen initiatives (NO)

They want to make it harder to have citizen initiatives and are probably salty we managed to legalize weed and get abortion protections on the ballot.

Proposition 135: State of emergency powers (NO)

Proposition 135 would give the state Legislature the authority to end a state of emergency and to alter the emergency powers of the governor. Our Covid response was honestly terrible, like we opened way early, but they still don't like anything happened at all. No emergency powers to protect people.

More On Arizona Prop. 135 (NO)

Proposition 135 could restrict Arizona governor's emergency powers

Proposition 136: Ballot measure challenges (NO)

Proposition 136 would allow Arizonans to challenge the legality of potential ballot measures before they’re voted on. They want to make it harder for the people to directly pass laws we want. Anti-democratic nonsense.

Proposition 137: Judicial retention (NO)

We can vote out judges and a couple of judges who supported reinstating an 1800s ban on abortions may be voted out and they want to make it so no one can vote out judges ever.

Proposition 138: Tipped workers (NO)

Proposition 138 would allow employers to pay their employees up to 25% less than the minimum wage if those employees are paid the equivalent of the minimum wage plus $2 per hour due to tips. Yeah, they want to be able to pay people 2 an hour so restaurant costs can be passed on to us?

Proposition 139: Right to abortion (YES)

Proposition 139 would establish a right to abortion in Arizona’s Constitution. Actually good, people worked hard to get this on the ballot.

If you vote yes on anything, vote YES on this.

Proposition 140: Open primaries (Yes)

Proposition 140, also called the Make Elections Fair Act, is a citizen initiative that would create an open primary election system in Arizona.

I voted yes, I hope we could have an open primary with one big ranked choice. But who knows if it will do anything.

Proposition 311: First responder death payment (NO)

Tricky. Yes, we want life insurance for firemen, but this prop says the government can use the funds for other things and also pays for it by putting more fees on all criminal charges. And like if someone is arrested for unpaid parking tickets are they gonna be able to pay this extra fee? And shouldn't the government fund their own employee benefits?

Proposition 312: Property tax refund (NO)

Republican lawmakers sent Proposition 312 to the ballot. It would give property owners the opportunity to apply for a property tax refund once per year between 2025 and 2035 to offset expenses they incurred due to a city, town or county’s failure to address a public nuisances, including illegal camping, obstructing roadways, loitering, panhandling, public urination or public consumption of drugs or alcohol. The law would allow property owner to recoup the cost of documented expenses not to exceed the total primary property tax the property owner paid to the responsible municipality in the prior year.

What a yes or no vote means

A “yes” vote shall have the effect of establishing the right to apply for a refund from a property owner’s most recent property tax payment up to an amount that matches costs incurred by the property owner to mitigate the effects of a governing authority’s repeated failure to enforce laws and ordinances prohibiting illegal camping, loitering, obstructing public thoroughfares, panhandling, public urination or defecation, public consumption of alcoholic beverages, and possession or use of illegal substances.

Basically, a criminalize the homeless and if you don't you have to pay rich people money. Bullshit.

Proposition 313: Child sex trafficking sentence (NO)

If passed, Proposition 313, which was sent to the ballot by the Arizona Legislature, would create a mandatory life sentence for individuals convicted of a Class 2 felony for child sex trafficking. Under current Arizona law, a person convicted of Class 2 felony for child sex trafficking faces a prison sentence of seven years to life in prison depending on a number of circumstances, including the age of the victim, the nature of the crime and the person’s prior convictions.

Sounds good right? Fuck sex traffickers. BUT victims of sex trafficking could also be charged so mandatory minimums are problematic.

Proposition 314: Secure the Border Act (NO)

Proposition 314, also called the Secure Border Act, was referred to the ballot by Republican lawmakers. The broad border and immigration legislation was inspired by Texas’ SB 2 and would create a new state law criminalizing crossing Arizona’s border with Mexico outside a legal port of entry.

They want state police to enforce federal immigration laws and cops can just arrest you if they think you're here illegally? Bad

Proposition 315: Regulatory rule changes (NO)

Sent to the ballot by Republican lawmakers, Proposition 315 would require state agencies to submit proposed regulatory rule changes to the Legislature for approval if the proposed rule is estimated to increase regulatory costs by more than $500,000 within five years. The law would allow any legislator or person affected by the rule to ask the Office of Economic Opportunity to review a proposed rule change to determine if it meets the threshold for legislative review.

Makes it so regulators can't effectively regulate because they have refer back to the legislature. Nightmare.

#Elections #voting

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don-forever · 1 year ago

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Semen Retention Guide

How to quit porn

Written 2022 - 2023

Below is a guide to help you better understand your addiction and help you quit porn for good.

Find Peace. †

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Pre

*Nothing is scientifically proven and is just my experience

*Document subject to change

*I kept track of every relapse for about 6 months to gain data, and recorded my mindset during the first few weeks of retention to better understand addiction and what causes relapses.

How to Start

Planning ahead (in my experience) is more effective than starting immediately. I find that planning ahead gives you time to come to terms with the End. Plan retention 1 week ahead for best results.

Tip: If you keep planning ahead then delaying it saying "I'll do it next week" then it means you dont WANT to get better. Dont lie to yourself. Make your decision certain.

Triggers

Instagram and Other Social Medias (uninstall)

Uninstall instagram for good.

Dont install instagram to text women. It leads to overall desire, which leads to porn use when these desires aren't met.

Uninstall all social medias. The internet has become lusty.

Mindless Socialization

Mindless communication is the act of texting people with the sole purpose of avoiding solitude. Before texting, ask yourself what are you trying to gain from the person you are talking to. Mindlessly texting random people you are attracted to will not fill your void. It will only make you horny which will cause you to masturbate OR will lead to sex, which will turn your porn addiction into a sex addiction (which is way worse). Once the sex stops the porn addiction will return.

Socializing should be pure. In person. Authentic. One must be comfortable and in love with themselves before searching for love outwardly. Socialization should be healthy and not be centered around sex. Socialization should not be used to fill a void.

Some women will not have your best interest in mind and talk about sex even though you are on retention. Beware of this.

To insure your intentions are pure it is best to wait at least a month before texting women to avoid relapse from lust, rejection, or unmet expectations. Or only limit socializations to in person communications.

Explicit Content (stay off explicit sites)

Avoid / Remove anything that can lead to relapse.

Lack of Sleep / Energy

Willpower is exhaustible. Strength is exhaustible. Sleep early / Eat healthy to get the energy needed to withstand the battle.

Most of my relapses occurred 2am - 5am. I should have been sleep.

Boredom (preoccupy self)

When there is too much time on your hands, there is nothing stopping you from masturbating. Exercise, Take walks, Sit with family, Etc. To preoccupy self. Create a healthier routine.

Days where you know you will have a lot of free time, create a schedule or have plans set aside. The less you plan ahead the more likely you will have free time on your hands. The more free time, the bigger the urge to masturbate.

Tip: Plan some things in public. It gets you out the house and out your head. It gives you a sense of what life really is.

First 4 weeks are hardest (in my experience).

Meditate more frequently and pray more frequently. Take walks more often. Be in public more. Sleep earlier. Cold showers. Hobbies. Fight through.

Lustful thought

Lustful thoughts are like seeds.

If you look at one person lustfully, it may not do much. But, as time goes on and you get more horny, that seed will grow into something much more. The more seeds you plant the less likely you are to win.

Keep your mind away from lust or you risk having those same lustful thoughts reemerge in the future when you lack the willpower to overcome them.

Do not think lustfully at all.

A crack in the dam will cause the water to spill in due time.

Keep your mind seedless.

Keep your dam without cracks.

Wet Dreams

Wet dreams do not count as a relapse. Days after wet dreams (in my experience) are some of the best days. In my research I've found that I was most social after a wet dream. I felt a renewal. This may not be true to all people and the renewal may not come after every wet dream.

Side note: When horny do not try to force a wet dream. Do not look at lusty things before bed. It will not lead to a wet dream. It will only plant seeds. Horniness doesn't increase chances of wet dreams. Wet dreams occur on a biological clock (Mine are about once a month). Horniness caused by trying to force a wet dream will only plant seeds. Too many seeds and you will be plagued with horniness and your chances of success when plagued are near 0.

-----------------------------------

EVERY TIME I relapse I write down the specific reason so I can know what my triggers and weaknesses are. I write down my emotions before relapse to better understand what thoughts lead me to relapsing. I also write down the time i relapsed to better understand when I'm more susceptible to failure. I recommend you do the same. It's very helpful.

Sudden Spike

A sudden spike is a random surge of horniness.

Upon these spikes, one must immediately release them in a healthy way.

(Cold shower, Taking a walk, pushups, etc.)

The bible says: "Run from temptation" So upon being tempted, get rid of it immediately.

I found that these spikes only last 10 minutes or less, so stay mindful of that before you do anything drastic.

I also found that

1) constant and consistent exercise, meditation, etc may reduce the intensity of spikes one will have. (Due to the energy that leads horniness being used before it reaches high levels.)

2) the less amount of lustful seeds planted, the less spikes one will have.

Less seeds planted = Less spikes

More exercise = Weaker spikes

Overcome Darkness

Anger, Sadness, Fear, Loneliness, Stress, etc.

Along with sudden spikes you may feel long lasting changes in mood or may be more sensitive to the problems in your life. This is good because one must feel to heal.

These inner demons are a main cause to addictions due to our need to escape pain. I have gotten in arguments and then later that day watched porn. Our mood definitely effects our urge for relapse.

This is very important.

Your mood CAN CAUSE your horniness. If someone irritates you that day it is best to take precautions BEFORE HAND. If you are stressed, upset, angry, etc. it is best to take precautions BEFORE HAND.

You more than likely WILL get horny soon.

Heal.

Incorporate shadow:

Withdrawal causes negative emotions to occur because they can no longer be suppressed by porn use. When these emotions occur you are more likely to relapse shortly after, if you do not pay attention.

Listen to these emotions instead of running from them. Incorporate them into your being.

Fill the void.

Loneliness:

Avoid socializing aimlessly. Horniness leads to loneliness which leads to desire which leads to relapse when desires aren't met.

Find peace in solitude and in the now.

If you do socialize, it should be in person. Face to face. Learn how to be confident. Learn how to be a functioning member of society. Socialize without lust or expectation of something more. Do not use tinder. Do not use social media. In person socialization only.

Reprogram your mind to real life.

Anger / Resentment:

Speak your truth. Leave once truth is spoken. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. God is with you.

Meditate.

Release expectations.

Heal.

Sadness / Anxiety:

Ask the self "why?". Listen and you will hear the answer.

Last Resort

Before last resort you will be given a choice.

Do not lie to yourself when that time comes.

Masturbate with no porn. (Plan B)

Dont masturbate at all, but IF YOU DO, then do it WITHOUT PORN. Porn is a separate addiction from masturbation, so even if masturbation relapse occurs, a porn relapse doesn't have to happen too.

Porn badly damages the brain and causes addiction to worsen. Porn must include masturbation habit,But masturbation habit doesn't have to include porn.

Still, do not masturbate at all! This Plan B is a very last resort, only to be used by people who dont want to be on retention anymore. You should remain on Plan A if you want more for yourself.

Upon Relapse

After relapse (no porn) reset streak back to 0 and go on another streak.

Do not masturbate again or you will fall back into a habit and eventually start using porn again.

Plan A

Do not relapse regardless of Plan B.

Do not let the plan B give you a reason to give up on plan A. Do everything in your power to not relapse at all.

I feared putting the Plan B in this document at all because some people will grow soft and say to themselves "I'll do the Plan B because i cant make it through A." Those who rely on the Plan B should beware that Plan B may NOT even work. If you are not deep enough / disciplined enough in retention, Plan B will cause you to want to watch porn again in due time.

It is a slippery slope. Once you lost your Plan A streak you WILL LIKELY watch porn again soon because the incentive to keep going is close to zero. A plan B ejaculation has caused me to eventually watch porn because while masturbating i couldn't help but think about porn.

While one half of me believes masturbating with no porn can be a viable strategy, I also believe it is a terrible strategy for an addict. Its comparable to telling a raging alcoholic who is on rehab to drink a beer. Soon that beer will turn into two and those two beers will turn into whiskey again.

So please dont use plan B if you wish to better yourself. Plan B has failed me multiple times.

Stick to plan A with 100% certainty.

Tips

View horniness as a good thing. Something to be proud of. Something to be held on to. View horniness as VITALITY.

Retention with friends can help or hurt you. Their strengths may become your strengths, but their failures may lead to your failures. Choose wisely.

Don't forget your truth. You will lie to yourself sooner or later. Who will win? Who is stronger?

You may experience vivid dreams.

In ancient alchemy, the philosopher's stone is believed to be a substance that can turn lead into gold and turn humans immortal. This immortality, however, was not the end goal, but a necessary step to achieve what comes next. In the same way, semen retention is not the end. It is a means to it. If you treat semen retention as the end goal you will feel your "benefits" leave if you relapse. Use semen retention as a tool to achieve a greater purpose, not as the purpose itself.

When the body begins to fail get it back in order. The mind is harder to fix than the body so do not let the wreckage spread. If your mind fails and you are confused, keep faith. The spirit is harder to fix than the mind. Do not lose your spirit if you lose your mind.

When I quit porn I had no end goal. No set time. I just said "I'm done." If I said "I'll just go one month", then I would relapse eventually because my heart wasn't 100% dedicated to quitting my addiction. You must be ready to 100% give it all up. FOR GOOD. Until then you will constantly fail. Think about all the negatives. Think about what your life has come to. Think about how much worse it would be if you never quit this habit. Think about how great you will be if you quit. Its all or nothing. Small goals will yield smaller results.

The Key

Christ is the only way out of the darkness. Porn addiction is a demonic attack that makes you susceptible to more demonic attacks. The ONLY way to ward off such demons is through a relationship with Christ. Read the bible. Put on your SPIRITUAL armor. It is impossible to quit porn through your power alone. The spirit of God is needed to ward off all spiritual forces.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

- Ephesians 6:12-13

Jesus loves you more than you can ever imagine. No matter how dark your life may feel, and no matter how deep you are in addiction, He loves you regardless. When society rejects you, remember that you are enough for him. He is by your side, and He always will be.

Final

Once the first wall of your defense is broken the rest will break in just a matter of time.

Do not allow seeds of doubt or negativity to seep in. Do not allow your thoughts to stray from the path. Do not question your journey.

Willpower is exhaustible. Without aim, willpower will fail. So, without a REASON to remain strong, the first wall will break. Do not allow your first wall to be broken. Have aim. Have a reason to stay strong. A reason to not fold. Have Something / Someone to fight for. Something to fight towards.

Reach the peak of your existence.

It is your purpose.

Reach for more.

God bless.

Forever.

End.

#self help #semen retention #psychology #addiction

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chiangmailawyer · 22 days ago

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One-Year Multiple Entry Visa

Thailand's One-Year Multiple Entry Visa offers a fantastic opportunity for those seeking extended stays or frequent travels within Southeast Asia. This visa allows you to enter and exit Thailand multiple times within a year, making it ideal for digital nomads, business travelers, and adventurers who want to explore the region at their own pace.

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justproshiprants · 1 year ago

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Re: the last couple of asks about proship-leaning people who harrass antis

I do believe it happens, even though I've never seen it for myself (but I've seen dozens and dozens of antis /claim/ they've been harrassed by proshippers, never with any proof or evidence) but I'm sure it does happen sometimes, because there will simply be bad toxic people in every community if the community is large enough, you know?

So I'm sure it happens. But there's a few major points that the antis always leave out

1 - proshippers will denounce this kind of harrassment and we don't claim that behavior. We will make it known that we don't agree. Antis will not, they either join in with their side's harrassment or they are complicit

2 - Antis have a proven documented history of not only lying about things that never happened (that "X proshipper did Y immoral thing" with no proof or even when facts prove otherwise) but also of embellishing or twisting things, making callout posts that end up being over nothing, etc. So I do not blame anybody who no longer believes them when they claim harrassment. It's alarm fatigue

3 - no matter how many proshippers /might/ have harrassed antis, the cases of antis harassing proshippers unprovoked has always been /thousands and thousands/ of times greater. For every one proshipper who harrasses an anti, there will be 1000 antis who harrass proshippers, because that's what their community is literally built on.

Which is why it's difficult to have sympathy even when it does happen. Oh, poor anti, a proshipper called you stupid and a child for not being able to tell the difference between reality and fiction? Well, hundreds of antis are telling proshippers to kill themselves, sending proshippers graphic descriptive death threats, gorespamming them, calling their irl workplaces, reporting them to the actual FBI, every single day. There's a disabled queer artist who was fired from their job unjustfully and lost their health insurance and now is going to die. A cosplayer who was wrongfully accused of being a pedophile (the accusors were proven to have lied and made it up) literally killed himself on Tiktok live. Countless, Countless others have been driven out of their communities and no longer participate in fandom, or have been cut off by entire friend groups, isolating them.

So yeah, sure. I believe that sometimes proshippers have harrassed antis. But the level and frequency of harrassment isn't even comparable. The scales are so dramatically, ridiculously uneven between the two sides it's almost a joke. Things are tipped so deeply toward one side over the other it would be insane to claim otherwise.

Yeah, big agree here. I don't endorse proshippers harassing antis. I don't endorse going into tags and starting arguments or sending hate on anon, but it's not particularly arguable that these are largely things antis do. I can't particularly say I've ever seen a proshipper say, even in a joking manner, that they hope someone kills themself due to harassment because it's "deserved", but I sure as hell see that from antis a ton.

#tw suicide mention #proship #proshippers please interact #antis dni #anti harassment

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nfcrent · 29 days ago

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the12thnightproject · 1 year ago

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Chapter 9: Night Work Katsu sneaks out to send a message to Sasuke, and in the process discovers what Yoshimoto sleeps in (nothing).

Mitsuhide x OC; Hideyoshi x MC (Mai)

All Chapters Archived on Ao3

Logline - With Mai, Hideyoshi, and Aki missing, Mitsuhide and Katsuko reluctantly team up. Disguised as a merchant and his concubine, can they outsmart the man known as the God of Deceit?

Plan A… Be casual. He doesn’t know for a fact that you-

Mitsuhide was at my side so fast I hadn’t even seen him walk. Perhaps he teleported. He tipped my face up to meet that implacable gaze. As he stared down into my eyes, apparently preferring to interrogate me at uber-close range, he asked, “Find anything worth stealing, Brat?”

Plan B… The best defense is a good offense, even if the opposition is a kitsune with a habit of teasing.

“You took my letter. I want it back.” Better to admit what I had been looking for, rather than let on that I had found it.

It seemed my half-truth was admission enough. “I consider that document a form of insurance for… good behavior. Unless… you have an interest in earning the letter back another way?” Mitsuhide didn’t alter the way he was touching me or make any move to suggest that he was insinuating horizontal currency. And yet I knew exactly what he meant. And that he was just teasing. Probably.

Plan C … Exit as gracefully as possible.

Doing my best to ignore the way my breathing had sped up, I backed away from his touch and strolled back to my room – slowly, so that he wouldn’t think I was intimidated by him. Casually, so that he wouldn’t think he could get away with trying to scare me.

I did not look back.

No, I wasn’t scared. I didn’t have an identification yet for whatever this uncomfortable feeling was, but it was not fear.

It was only after I had crawled under the warm blanket on my futon that I put a name to my feelings.

Intrigue.

There was a part of me that was curious…? No, that couldn’t possibly be true. He was using some kind of Jedi mind trick on me. Or weird psychology… or not even that. So much had happened over the past few days that my brain was just latching onto the thing in front of me – Mitsuhide – as a way to not think about anything else. Anything other than the fact that -

Aki is my father.

The man who had left my mother while she was pregnant… the man who had left his future child – children – in the care of an emotionally unstable woman… it had been Aki. How could I reconcile the man I had always resented, with Aki, the man who had saved me and had given me a purpose?

As a child, when I was feeling charitable, I would rationalize that my father hadn’t known my mother was pregnant when he left her. That if he had been aware that he’d left two children behind, he would have come back. He would have become part of our lives, even if he could not, or would not, be a part of my mother’s. I even used to fantasize that he had been taken prisoner by a Yokai and that when I was old enough, I would find him and save him. It had been my favorite daydream.

But now that I knew he had been here all along…

True, ‘flung back in time’ was a good excuse for ‘disappearing.’ Except, his letter had suggested that there was a way to return to the future, that there had always been a way to do so. And therefore, Aki had no excuse for abandoning us.

Had he brought Toshiie and I back in time on purpose?

Our time travel could not have been random, nor could his rescue of me. He must have known from the beginning I was his daughter. Unless it had truly been a coincidence… maybe he only figured it out after I had been here a while?

Why didn’t he tell me? I… might have been thrilled at the time.

Ugh! So many questions!

Would the answers make me never want to see him again?

Were the answers in the other half of the letter? I rolled myself into a tight, contained ball, feeling like any moment everything would snap and I would fly into a thousand pieces – damn Mitsuhide for taking the letter, leaving me only to speculate on the rest of its contents. Leaving me to wonder if there was an apology in it. If there was love. Or if there was only more mystery.

“Come on child.” My rescuer hurried to my side and wrapped me up in a warm cloak. “You’ll catch your death of cold.”

Aki saved my life – but not my brother’s. If he had brought me here on purpose, then why not be waiting at the spot where the wormhole opened up, and greet both Toshiie and I?

“What is it that you do?”

“I’m an information broker.” He moved the target about a meter further back.

“A spy.” That made sense of the vast amount of correspondence and the sheer number of messengers who came in and out of the manor. Although it didn’t explain why he hadn’t managed yet to find my brother. You’d think a spy would be better at finding lost people.

“Spies collect information. I know what to do with it. Then, I fix things.”

I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of that. It brought to mind the idea of mafia and assassins. “What do you mean?”

He picked up two stones from the ground and handed one to me. “You see that pear hanging off the tree? Try to knock it down.”

I flung the stone with all my strength to the pear – but it looked like I was a little off course.

CLINK!

Aki had thrown the other stone right after, hit mine, and diverted it back to the pear. The pear shuddered, and fell to the ground. Ok, that took mad skills, and I definitely wanted to learn how to do that.

“Impressive!” I retrieved the pear and offered it to him. He gestured for me to keep it. “I don’t understand though.” I took a bite of the pear, then wiped my chin on my sleeve when the juice attacked me.

“The rock you threw was on the wrong path. I fixed it,” Aki said. “In the same way, sometimes things need a little nudge to get on the correct path.”

Was I the second rock? Did Aki want me to fulfill some mysterious mission? Everything I had learned about Aki over the past seven years suggested as much. He could turn anything into a lesson, a learning experience, a puzzle. He’d treated me with gruff affection, but had he ever been fatherly? Had he ever acted like I mattered to him? Personally?

Muttering an oath under his breath, the monk picked me up in his arms – I was a sweaty smelly mess, with my hair matted around my face and tearstains on my cheeks. My breath was still coming out in panicked gasps. “Outside. Please, I need air.”

He carried me out into the street. It was all I could do to breathe, as he held my hair out of my face. I hadn’t realized it, but I was crying.

There was a shout from down the street, and I looked up to see Aki running toward us, looking more unsettled than I had ever seen him before.

“Katsuko.” His voice cracked when he saw me. “Thank the Gods.”

He cared… I had to hang onto that. For whatever reason he’d never been able to verbalize it… but Aki cared. Though he had missed the first nineteen years of my life – he had been everything to me for the past seven. I had to see this out. I would find him because of the past seven years… and then punch him in the face because of the first nineteen.

Temporarily giving up on sleep (granted, hadn’t been trying … but that was a nonstarter anyway) I started a mental ‘to do’ list. Read the rest of my letter, talk to Francisco… find Sasuke ‘Mikumo’. The letter was temporarily beyond my reach. No way in hell would I walk into Mitsuhide’s room while he was in there. Francisco, on the other hand – wasn’t going anywhere and could be found at any time. But… Sasuke was probably on the other side of the country. Contacting him would take time. It wasn’t like I could slide into his DMs. (Although knowing Sasuke, he probably had figured out how to keep a cell phone working by building a battery out of a potato).

Yoshimoto could get a message to Sasuke.

Eventually.

Yoshimoto just leaped to the top of my to do list. With a bullet. Er, figuratively, that was. I didn’t actually want to “do” Yoshimoto, even if he had offered to wrap me in jewel toned fabrics.

That decided, there was no time like the present. With my luck, Mitsuhide would demand all of ‘Kaya’s’ free time after sunrise again – not to mention that during the day, I also had the new maid to contend with. And technically, I had only promised Mitsuhide that I wouldn’t leave while he was gone. He was back now… and I had made that promise before reading Aki’s letter anyway, before realizing I needed to talk to Sasuke.

Therefore… I was going out the window again.

In less than twenty minutes after I made my decision, I was running across rooftops illuminated only by the light of the full moon. Sakai at night was a different creature. Below me, groups of sailors swaggered through the streets, laughing, yelling, even menacing the merchants and servants unlucky enough to be in their way. Somehow the air from the harbor seemed fresher, sharper. Without the sunlight, the Autumn air felt bracing. As always when freerunning, I was more alive, as if I were the wind itself.

It was the one part of me that had not changed from the girl I had been in modern Japan to whatever it was that I had become over the past seven years.

Even if Yoshimoto had not told me that was where he was staying, the honjin would have been the first place I looked. Every town had one chief Inn – the honjin, where high ranking travelers stayed. As the leader of the Imagawa, Yoshimoto, unless he was trying to be inconspicuous (and he clearly was not), would of course choose the honjin over the many other lesser inns scattered across town.

Given this status, the honjin would be likely to be housing any number of high-ranking samurai, so finding Yoshimoto’s room might involve a bit of trial and error… and a bit of logic. Even though the Imagawa clan had fallen on hard times (if an ignominious defeat and loss of territory to Nobunaga and his allies counted as “hard times”), they still had money and status. The name Imagawa carried prestige – I suppose that technically, Yoshimoto was a prince, and thus would have been assigned one of the nicest rooms – likely one on the top floor.

I carefully climbed into the window of a room facing the courtyard – Yoshimoto was likely to have asked for one overlooking the zen garden as opposed to one that faced the street. My logic proved correct; I found his room on the first try, for I recognized the kimono displayed on a rack near the wall as the one Yoshimoto had been wearing earlier that day.

A Yoshimoto shaped lump on the futon appeared to be asleep.

“Yoshimoto.” I stayed just at the window as I called his name. One of the major rules of Sengoku: never awaken a sleeping warlord. They startle easily and it tends to be the fastest way to become a human pincushion.

As the lump hadn’t moved, I raised my voice. “Psst! Yoshimoto!”

The second call was the charm and Yoshimoto, stirred, sat up, and grabbed a dagger from where it had been resting on the floor next to the mattress. He looked around and squinted through the darkness toward me. “What? Who are you?”

“Katsu – Sasuke’s friend.” I held still while I waited for him to wake up completely and access the memory of meeting me a few weeks ago. Or meeting me today, if he had actually recognized me at the warehouse.

He groped around until he found a lantern and lit it. Once the amber glow filled the room he lifted his arms, stretched and –

Ooops!

Yoshimoto sleeps in the nude.

Pretending a nonchalance that I didn’t feel, I grabbed a yukata that had been carefully draped over a screen and tossed it at him. “My deepest apologies for awakening you, Lord Yoshimoto”

“’Lord’ Yoshimoto? You were less formal a few moments ago when you woke me up.” He pulled the garment over his shoulders – which… didn’t cover the area in question.

Well, I possibly was trying to balance the informality of the naked with the formality of the title… but, details. I shrugged and made sure to keep my eyes on my feet when he secured the garment with a sash.

“I take it there’s a matter of some urgency for you to have climbed into my window. How were you even aware that I was in Sak-“ he broke off, tilted his head, and looked at me for a long moment. Then, he gave me a dangerous come-hither smile. “You wouldn’t, by any chance, have been disguised as a woman earlier today?”

Ok, I guess he hadn’t recognized me earlier, and the offer he made to ‘Kaya’ had been in earnest. As if he could read my thoughts, Yoshimoto beckoned for me nearer, patting the spot on the futon next to him. “Dare I hope that you’ve come to me to discuss a matter of jewel toned kimonos, and other… arrangements?”

“Er, I was in disguise, yes, that was me. Is me. But, no, I’m actually, looking at… FOR… I’m looking for… “ ARGH. I took a deep breath and started over. “Please could you, um.” My embarrassment would probably fill in the rest of the blank for him, but I wasn’t in the mood to get into the specifics of Katsu/Katsuko. I gestured to his naked area. As he fully donned the yukata, I hurried on. “I need to get an urgent message to Sasuke. Are you returning to Kasugayama soon?”

To his credit, Yoshimoto only looked slightly disappointed, and in response to the question, he nodded, held up one finger and exited the room.

I buried my face in my hands. Really, he was too attractive for his own good, and even though I hadn’t been tempted (much) … a naked Yoshimoto was very distracting.

Just as I had gotten my scattered thoughts corraled, Yoshimoto returned, leading a half-awake Sasuke. My ninja pal was not wearing his glasses and he bowed to the kimono on the rack. “Katsu?”

“Over here.” I waited for Sasuke to reorient himself. “What happened to your glasses?”

“They met their demise under Yoshimoto’s foot.” He flapped his hand in the general direction (very general) of Yoshimoto. “I have another pair in my pack, but it sounded urgent. I can listen without seeing you.”

“In my defense, if you had put your glasses on a shelf, they would not have ended up between my foot and the floor.” Yoshimoto added another kimono layer. “I’m off to see if any of the tea maids are awake, as I presume you wish to speak to Sasuke alone.” Once again, he glided out of the room.

“How does he do that?” Yoshimoto made me feel clumsy, and I am not a clumsy person.

“Er, Katsu, I am not able to see what he did.” Sasuke was still standing in the center of the room, arms outstretched like a zombie.

I walked him to a cushion and helped him sit. “Oh… it’s the way he moves, like he’s always wearing…” I automatically paused to censor myself, then realized that I no longer needed to do so with Sasuke. “Ice skates.

He went very still, no doubt trying to recall if ice skates had been invented yet (they haven’t, as far as I know). “Ice skates?”

“So that kind of leads me to what I needed to talk to you about. Not ice skating, of course, but… ok, wait, don’t say anything yet.” I rushed on because he clearly had questions (so did I, if it came to that). “I’m trying to figure out where to start, but it’s a long story and Yoshimoto will be back before I finish, if I don’t-“

“No, he won’t.” Sasuke flexed his fingers… as if he was making invisible calculations.

“He just said he was going to find tea.” I had clearly heard that. Maybe the loss of his glasses was affecting his ears.

“To be one hundred percent accurate, he expressed the intention to find a tea maid. He won’t return until after sunrise.” Sasuke sighed. “I wish I had my glasses. I would prefer to take notes as I suspect several ideas will present themselves while you talk.”

“My mentor – the man I’ve worked for these past seven years has disappeared. That’s why I’m here in Sakai. And his friend had one of those ‘in case of emergency break glass’ letters for me, in which, among other things, mentioned he knew you… that is, if your name is actually Mikumo?” I cleared my throat, wishing that Yoshimoto would be bringing tea after all. I was already getting thirsty and my story was not a short one.

“Yes… that’s my name in modern Japan. I took Sarutobi when I came here because he was allegedly fictional.” Sasuke pressed his finger to the bridge of his nose – it looked weird, even as I realized that was a habit from when he wore his glasses. “However, I have no knowledge of any other time travelers aside from myself – well, and Mai of course – but I know she could not be your mentor.”

The missing Mai was also a time traveler? Finally, a connection (of sorts) to Aki. “His name is Yamakoa Akihira-”

“Professor Yamakoa?” His face stayed neutral, but his voice went up an octave.

“Um, I don’t actually know what he does, or did, in modern Japan. Until I read his letter, I didn’t even know he was a time traveler.” We were getting off track, but since Sasuke likely wouldn’t be content unless he heard my origin story, I gave him a quick summary of how Toshiie and I had ended up here.

“There’s another wormhole? Holy crap on a cracker!” Sasuke muttered to himself for a bit, throwing out scientific theories that were far above my pay grade. I waited impatiently for him to find his way back to our present. “Hm, I suppose it could be the same wormhole… this is indeed fascinating.”

“Minutes after we landed?” Manifested? What exactly was the best term for wormhole travel disembarkation? “We were attacked by bandits –“

“The wormholes don’t seem to care what sort of chaos they anchor to. Mai ended up in Honno-ji during the fire. I arrived right in the middle of a battle in 1578.” He coughed. “In the middle of a battlefield. And, er, immediately created a temporal paradox by giving CPR to Kenshin.”

Ah, that explained why Kenshin had unexpectedly been running around on a battlefield a couple years ago. “Could be worse. Could have been dinosaurs.” I shrugged. Had there been dinosaurs in Japan?

I didn’t realize I had spoken out loud until Sasuke nodded. “Didn’t you ever go to the National Science Museum in Toyko? They have quite a nice Futabasaurus fossil.”

“Never been. Only went to Toyko once on a school trip and we focused on the art museums – well, that doesn’t matter.” Somehow, I imagined that Sasuke could speak as enthusiastically about dinosaurs as he could about everything else, and there wasn’t time for that. If I didn’t get back to Mitsuhide’s townhouse before he realized I was missing, the result wouldn’t be pleasant. Or maybe he’d employ his pleasure torture, whatever that was, and I wasn’t terribly interested in learning the details of that either. Not firsthand. “Anyway. Aki – your Professor Yamaoka – rescued me, trained me, and give me a job, and well, you more or less already knew the rest.”

“He was a friend of my parents, er, Professor Yamaoka, that is. I’ve never studied with him, though. I’m a grad student in theoretical physics at Kyoto University and he’s based at another Uni. Even so, he is the one who hinted me toward wormhole theory. It sounds like maybe he’s been keeping an eye on that, um, node at Togakushi to look out for accidental time travelers, like Mai.”

“That would be the simple explanation, if he had ever bothered to mention to me that he was also a time traveler.” The thought was making me angry all over again. “No, he writes it all down in that letter. That and an ‘oh by the way, you’re my biological daughter,’ which might have been the bigger shock to me.”

Sasuke’s face, which I’ve often mentally called “resting Spock face” finally showed a surprised expression. He massaged his cheekbones. “Fascinating. Apparently, what I need to overcome my weak facial muscles is shock. Ahem. Er, I take it your parentage was the surprise, rather than your gender identity.”

Oh. Right. I had neglected to mention that when I was telling him the how-I-got-isakei’d-into-this-time-period story. I’d gotten too used to being around Mitsuhide. “Yes. That. Can we slide past the yes, I’m really a girl, for a moment because Aki is missing.”

“Hm, you did mention that at the outset. My apologies – it is rather a big chunk of data to input.” He closed his eyes for a moment (not that that was necessary since he clearly couldn’t see anything anyway), took a deep cleansing breath. And then another. “As you undoubtedly have already concluded, I do not know where Professor Yamaoka is.”

“Well, it was kind of a longshot anyway.” Basically, this was a wasted trip, although sneaking out of Mitsuhide’s at night was an illicit thrill. The only new information I’d uncovered was the news that Mai was also a time traveler. Although… that meant that two of our three missing persons were time travelers. Was there a connection? Or was the connection the fact that all three had been in Sakai investigating imports?

“Katsu, you are being very quiet and as I cannot see your face, I am left to conclude that you are disappointed. Or… have you thought of something?” Sasuke again pushed the vestigial memory of his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

“I did. Sort of. It could be a coincidence.” Was Sasuke even aware that Mai had disappeared? “Um, I didn’t even ask… what are you doing in Sakai?”

“I suspect that you already know that Mai and Hideyoshi have disappeared.” He frowned – his facial muscles really were working overtime for him tonight. “Although, if you didn’t know that, don’t tell any-“

“I know. I’m working with Mitsuhide to find them.” With, not for, though I’m sure Mitsuhide would have objections to my choice of preposition.

“And the shocks keep coming.” He reached for the bridge of his nose, then stopped himself at the last possible moment. “I wouldn’t have thought you two would work well together.”

Preaching to the choir, pal.

“We don’t… but that’s an even longer story.” I put the whole slavery thing into a ‘he doesn’t need to know that’ bucket. “Our separate investigations somewhat collided.”

“And I presume the ‘might be a coincidence’ that you referred to a few moments ago, is that Aki and Mai are both time travelers?” Sasuke once again twitched his fingers, and I was about ready to offer to hunt for his spare glasses, because I was starting to feel anxious for him.

I nodded, realized he wouldn’t have seen me nod, and said, “yeah.”

“It’s possible. But there’s been no wormhole activity since prior to their disappearance.” He rubbed his eyes. “However, I was not aware of the wormhole node at Togakushi. I suppose it’s not out of the realm of possibility that there’s another node here in Sakai.” His tone of voice, though, suggested he thought that unlikely.

“I was hoping that what you could tell me about time travel would help me figure out where to find him.” I fought the urge to throw myself on Yoshimoto’s bed and stare up at the ceiling, but figured Yoshimoto wouldn’t appreciate that (unless I stayed there until he returned). “All I can hope is that if you’re here to look for Mai, that if you also happen to run across Aki, you can tell him where I am.”

“The thing is.” Sasuke sighed. He sounded as conflicted as I had ever seen him (I’ve never seen him conflicted). “I planned to return to modern Japan when the Honno-ji wormhole opens in a couple weeks – I have a friend in desperate need of medical treatment. It was when I went to Azuchi to say goodbye to Mai, I discovered she was missing. I dislike the idea of leaving if she’s in danger, but…” He did that finger tapping thing again. “Now that you’ve opened the possibility of more wormholes, then theoretically, Mai, Hideyoshi, and Aki could be in the future. In modern Japan, I could use my resources in Kyoto to continue the search in case they are indeed in the future.”

Oh. Well. That was good, wasn’t it? Of course, there had been a part of me that had hoped that when I found Sasuke here in Sakai, everything would become clear, and would be neatly tied up in a bow, presented to me as mystery solved, and I could return to a non-Mitsuhide-infested life. Instead, I couldn’t help feeling that I had made matters worse for everyone.

Having learned my lesson yesterday, the sun had not yet risen when I climbed back into my room.

Not that it mattered.

“I believe I recall you saying you were going to stay put.” Once again, Mitsuhide’s voice came from the direction of my futon, where he again lay in that vampiric pose. “I would prefer not to have to lock you up to keep you from running off in the night.”

“What I said was that I had no plans to leave while you were gone.” And those plans had changed thanks to Aki’s letter.

“A rather dubious distinction.” Mitsuhide – well, if it were anyone else, I would say that he sighed – let out a huff of breath. “Apparently we are going to need to be far more precise when it comes to language.”

“We” need to stop referring to ourselves in the plural.

“I came back, didn’t I?” A decision I was already regretting. I detoured around the futon and stepped behind the screen. “Don’t you ever sleep?”

“I appear to sleep more than you do, unless-“ I heard a rustling that indicated he had gotten up, “you were sleeping in someone else’s bed. Yoshimoto’s perhaps?”

So, he had already known Yoshimoto’s identity when he asked earlier – and he’d known that my answer to his question had been a lie. Well. Lie adjacent. Had he followed me tonight? “Yoshimoto thinks I’m a young man.” Probably. Maybe. I hadn’t been, to use Mitsuhide’s words, exactly precise in my language when I told Yoshimoto that I had been in disguise.

Dammit, I’d left my night kimono in the main part of the – another rustle and it dangled over the top of the screen, falling on top of my head with Mitsuhide’s sarcasm. “I doubt that would make a difference to him.”

He was probably correct in that, but… “If he still believes I’m male, then it should be obvious that I wasn’t in his bed, giving him the opportunity to learn otherwise.”

When I emerged from the screen, I saw that Mitsuhide had turned down the blankets for me. “Mm. Perhaps. Perhaps not.” He patted the futon mattress. “Get some sleep, Brat. Sho will be here mid-morning to help you figure out what to do with your hair.”

Won’t that be fun.

I crawled under the blanket, then Mitsuhide tucked me in as if I were a child. However, once I was securely burrito’d in there, he leaned over me and fixed that intense amber glare upon me. “If you weren’t warming Yoshimoto’s bed, what were you doing?” He punctuated the question with a tap on my nose – almost a boop – sinister in its pseudo playfulness.

“I had something I wanted to look into, but it turned out to go nowhere.” I didn’t know if Mitsuhide was aware of Sasuke and Mai’s friendship, but it was not my secret to reveal.

“Care to elaborate?” The question was emphasized this time by a tap on my forehead.

Yeesh, what else is he going to tap on for future questions?

“I don’t really.” It really had been nothing and if I let him get the better of me now, then I was sure he’d continue to try and intimidate me this way again. Rolling onto my side, I turned my back on him. The blasé gesture was ruined by the fact that I had to tug the blanket free to do so.

“It pains me to have to repeat this, but if you determine you indeed have something to tell me, then you know where I’ll be.” He brushed his hand along the back of my neck, then finally left me alone.

If I thought that would be the end of the matter… it wasn’t.

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