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The Story Of How I Built My Successful GC Company by The Age of 26
2023.06.06 08:23 tkpiou The Story Of How I Built My Successful GC Company by The Age of 26
This gonna be a long one but I figured id share my story after lurking here for a while to let everyone know that making good money, creating independence, and enjoying your business can all happen in a short amount of time!
I was a young lad back at the age of 17 trying to figure out what i was going to do with my life. I was barely getting through school, was more interested in working and making money. I was on a program where my senior year i only attended school 3 days a week and only went until 12:00pm. This gave me the opportunity to go work my awful part time jobs at car washes and car dealerships detailing cars. It was at this time i thought i could start a little side gig selling mobile detail service in my neighborhood. It took off and i started really getting client and making some money but nothing that would justify full time work when i graduated. I also did not really enjoy the work. I was always good with my hands, i worked on my own cars, built my own ramps and what not when i rode BMX bikes growing up and walls always able to create and see drawings in my head for assembly and put them to paper. I was set to graduate halfway through my senior year so i could start working.
My Father has been in the commercial glazing industry for his entire life, at the time of my graduation he had been at a very large midwest privately owned commercial glazing company as a project manager. He hesitantly despite knowing about my pot smoking and partying habits got my foot in the door and got me an interview and a job in the fabrication shop fabricating the glazing systems to go out into the field for install. I started out as the low guy on the pole just freshly turning 18, getting put with the grumpy ass old men to assemble frames and caulk all of the system dams for water control. I hated it. After about 2 months i got the opportunity to run the fabrication and assembly for a small commercial storefront project with 2 helpers in the shop. This meant i got all of the cut specifications, field an assembly drawings, and details. I essentially had to start with raw full length stock materials and cut, layout and install the clips and brackets, build the frames, caulk and weap, pack and ship the project. This is when i realized that i could actually do something with this because by this time i had essentially learned the ins and outs of every commercial glazing system on my own in my freetime from product manuals so i could at least set myself apart from the other guys in the shop. I finished the fab job 2 weeks ahead of schedule without any mistakes that had to be corrected in the field. I worked in the shop for another 2 weeks and the operations manager decided i should go to the field to learn the installation process since i had progressed quickly.
I started in the field the same way i did in the shop, they where testing me to see if i could handle the vulgar, raw, and miserable world of commercial construction field work. I spent 3 months on a large curtainwall and storefront installation project. I started by caulking dams on curtain wall that had to be stick built in the field. I then go promoted to setting glass and running oil covered vinyl all day to hold the glass into the system. They then bumped me up i got to sit in a boom lift all day and caulk ssg glazing systems. I at this point met a girl in a the state i was from on vacation and because things weren't going well at home and i kind of hated what i was doing i decided to move there.
I moved to this new state and secured a position at a company that built and installed their own residential and commercial glazing systems. Conservatories, folding glass walls, skylights, and more. The position i took was a field laborer traveling to install conservatoires throughout the northeast. I started with a crew of roughneck guys and quickly found my pace and was learning the system quickly, managing my tasks on my own, and the big thing was i became the go to guy for layout with the foreman. I really enjoyed layout and was damn good at it. After 7 months traveling i didn't like being on the road and by coincidence got a call when i was in Maine that next week from the management team that they wanted to bring me into their massive fabrication and manufacturing facility to better learn the system and the preparation process for everything before it got to the installers.
I went home and started working in the assembly department, essentially all of the parts for the structures where cut, pre drilled and prepped and the assembly team built the structures in the facility to ensure everything was going to work in the field. this really gave me the full up and up on the entire process of the system they produced and used. After 2 months i was brought in and offered a position in estimating.
I joined the estimating team and spent 6 weeks learning every in and out of their entire product lineup, pricing structure, how to assemble professional estimates and proposals and i learned intermediate level AutoCAD drafting. I essentially would get a project on my desk and draw the structure as it was to be built in cad then used the drawings to create my takeoff and bid the job. i did this for 6 months before i realized how awful the management, staff, turnover, and moral was within this organization. I made the dumbest move i could have ever made and left a job paying 70k a year to an uneducated almost 20 year old with no other employment lined up.
i did end up securing a position as a senior pm at another small commercial glazing company that set me up for failure by allowing their estimator to underbid every large project but ridiculous amounts of money before i arrived without anyone noticing. so every job that cam across my desk was a disaster from the get go. I spent 9 months putting out fires, managing gc relationships that where toxic due to the position i was put in etc. But i did learn critical project management procedures and how to deal with emergencies on the fly and client management in tough scenarios.
Fast forward a bit and i moved back to my old state with said girl and take a job at a failing commercial glass company as a field/shop laborer and stayed for 3 months. I Left and took an opportunity to try residential glazing by installing custom glass shower doors, i ran my own truck did 3 installs a day with a helper and did this for 9 months. I had an opportunity come up to work with one of those 1 day bath install companies that advertise religiously. I had just built my first home, my fiance was unemployed and i needed more cash badly.
I met with their operations manager and it was all layed out that i would be an employee but only would be payed a percentage of the cost of the sold job for the bathroom upon completion of install. I essentially had all control in my hands to make as much or as little as i wanted but it was all up to me. Despite the lack of a safety net i took the risk and accepted the offer. i trained with another installer for 2 weeks and set out on my own. Typically these companies sell these jobs for 8-11k depending on the exact scope and accessories. 2 man teams where typically doing a job in 12 hours or basically a day in a half and the jobs where all over the state. I thought there had to be a more efficient way to do it because i got 10% of the job sold price as my pay. by the time i paid for a helper, my fuel, and what not 800-1100 in 2-3 days wasn't enough. I let my helped go and decided i was going to do it on my own. After spending weeks trying new methods to get faster and create a better product i was doing install on my own in 8-10 hours and clearing 3-4k a week gross before taxes and fuel expenses. I was hungry to be successful and finally make good money. This continued for about 5 months until they hit a sales dead period and there wasn't enough work to keep all 4 install crews busy but maybe 1 job a week and i approached my operations manager about another opportunity in the company. Patio conversions
Essentially this was a window and door, bath, and conversion company. These conversions consisted of taking existing covered porches and patios and turning them into 3 season or 4 season rooms. so you got the whole package. layout, framing, insulation, windows and doors, electrical, hvac, and interior and exterior finishes. these job paid big. on average a job takes 5-10 days and pays out 8-16k dollars to the installer. of course i had a couple helpers but i was absolutely crushing it after only a couple of months. This is where i really started to learn the ins and outs of commercial construction.
One day i was approached on a Facebook page about a gentleman with a residential remodeling company near me that was looking for an operations manager. they specialized in high end luxury remodels and also made their own cabinets. I met with him and decided even though the operation seemed small and mismanaged i could make it work. I took a pay decrease so i could work less hours and be home more as my fiancé had just had our daughter and the other company didn't even let me off to go to the appointments.
What i didn't know was that the owner of this business was the slimiest most Narcisitic, ego fueled person i have ever met in my entire life. He was running a GC business with the expectation that every sub, employee, etc was going to be a LEGEND and create only the most perfect unmatched quality product when given low Quality materials, piss poor planning, awful schedules and communication, etc. I quickly learned that i was going to be burned if i didn't think of something quick because the castle was under siege and i saw what was coming. i am 21 at this time. Well inevitably the following week i as an operations manager trying to keep a sinking ship afloat and out in the field tearing up tile from an under slab plumbing leak from before i was at this place, trying to rebuild an entire kitchen in 3 days by myself and i just was over it. Told him that i was putting in my notice and was done. I get called into the office that Friday and was told i was being let go, i was given a personal check for my weekly salary of 1000 dollars and made to sign a non compete and hold harmless agreement if i wanted my pay. i was paid as a 1099 under the table so he wasn't responsible for costs associated with employees. Basically i set myself up to get screwed. i signed everything took my check and left. Check bounces, im broke, he wont pay and im jobless with a fiance and a 6 month old. This was the lowest i had ever felt in my life and i literally was about to loose everything.
It was at this time my wheels started turning and i realized that all of these residential companies i worked for had multiple things in common. The client communication was terrible, their execution was terrible, and their image was awful. They looked all shiny and great during the sales process but as soon as they had a contract and a check the client experience didn't matter. So i thought to myself, i know construction now, i now a fair amount project management and business operations, and i see a hole in the market. so i started my company with the little money i had left. i registered with the state, bought a logo from someone on fivver, made a facebook page, a wix website, and started marketing.
This was great but it takes time to pickup traction and get jobs, i wasn't going to make money being a handyman so i needed supplemental income with flexibility in my schedule. I connected with a local fence contractor who was small and needed and installer who got paid by the linear for building fences. The money was decent but the work was hard and labor intensive. But it gave me a chance to hire a couple guys and teach them how to do it so i could start jobs and leave the jobsites to run estimates for my company. After many free estimates and 1:00 am mornings in the office writing quotes i just wasnt getting the jobs i needed. I needed a way to make sure someone wasn't tire kicking before i spent time and money doing a free estimate. So i started charging $200.00 for an in home consultation and bid package which would be credited to the client in full if they used us for the project. This was not well received due to me not being able to present it correctly in the pitch over the phone but when i did holy shit it worked like a charm. my conversion rate on estimates went form 16% to over 65% in a matter on 3 months.
I started getting good big jobs in good neighborhoods, i started finding really great subs and built my list. I started building brand image, internal documents, repeatable procedures for every job etc. this went on for a year and a half and i finally made 85k take home my first full year in business. Then the covid thing happened.
I thought everyone is freaked out and doesn't want us in their homes for estimates etc. how do i difference myself and create a luxury experience for clients without being intrusive during the lockdowns. i had started modeling basic things in SketchUp and new there was a lot of opportunity in 3d rendering. so i shifted our model and we became a design build firm. So essentially we are selling a design and rendering package to clients with a bid so that they can see what their project would look like before we ever go under contract. The rendering sells the job no matter the cost as long as you have the correct client base and are pre qualifying well.
I had a friend i grew up with that had gotten an architecture degree and was doing SketchUp 3D modeling, renderings, and 2D architectural drawing sets for a shed company as a freelancer and we can up with pricing and decided i was going to pursue this model. So i learned how to be a sales wizard and started selling $1,500-$5,000 design packages over the phone before i ever stepped foot in someones home. we designed and went through the process and send them a price. if they use us they get a full credit applied to the job for the amount of the design if not they own the drawings and information. I was making 50% GP on designs for jobs that never sold just to go out and measure and spend some time going through it with my designer. Our close rate on paid design bids sent went to 86%. This was the end of year 2 going into year 3
Year 2 Gross Revenue was $364k
Year 3 Gross Revenue was $597K
This is all on my own using subs, no in house staff, off the shelf management software, no paid marketing. Just Facebook groups, referrals, and subs.
In June of Year 3 I streamlined my process. I farmed out all business management (bookkeeping, Payroll, Phones, Etc.) and created a concrete repeatable process and procedure system that would be used on every job to ensure consistent management and quality. I hired a project manager and got him trained to manage all of the subs and all aspects related to the field and installations.
I am Proud to say that at June 1 of 2023 at 26 years old with only one Employee we have contracted and collected deposits on $848,000.00 worth of work, our schedule is booked until the middle of September and we are on track to hit just over 1.1 mil in total revenue at an average gross profit of 47%.
I have no formal training in business management, project management or anything to get me to this point. i have spent countless hours researching, reading, failing, and fixing everything in my business. its a cut throat game but if your willing to work your ass off and never quit, do amazing work, and make sure you prioritize client experience start to finish you will have people waiting years for you to do their job.
We are booked through April of 2024 for outdoor projects. Find a hole in the industry in your service area and take full advantage and change the remodeling or building game so us contractors can be looked at as professionals who have earned our ability to enjoy what we have worked for instead of drunk hacks in a shitty pickup.
Thanks for listening to my Ted Talk, get to work!
submitted by tkpiou to GeneralContractor [link] [comments]
I was a young lad back at the age of 17 trying to figure out what i was going to do with my life. I was barely getting through school, was more interested in working and making money. I was on a program where my senior year i only attended school 3 days a week and only went until 12:00pm. This gave me the opportunity to go work my awful part time jobs at car washes and car dealerships detailing cars. It was at this time i thought i could start a little side gig selling mobile detail service in my neighborhood. It took off and i started really getting client and making some money but nothing that would justify full time work when i graduated. I also did not really enjoy the work. I was always good with my hands, i worked on my own cars, built my own ramps and what not when i rode BMX bikes growing up and walls always able to create and see drawings in my head for assembly and put them to paper. I was set to graduate halfway through my senior year so i could start working.
My Father has been in the commercial glazing industry for his entire life, at the time of my graduation he had been at a very large midwest privately owned commercial glazing company as a project manager. He hesitantly despite knowing about my pot smoking and partying habits got my foot in the door and got me an interview and a job in the fabrication shop fabricating the glazing systems to go out into the field for install. I started out as the low guy on the pole just freshly turning 18, getting put with the grumpy ass old men to assemble frames and caulk all of the system dams for water control. I hated it. After about 2 months i got the opportunity to run the fabrication and assembly for a small commercial storefront project with 2 helpers in the shop. This meant i got all of the cut specifications, field an assembly drawings, and details. I essentially had to start with raw full length stock materials and cut, layout and install the clips and brackets, build the frames, caulk and weap, pack and ship the project. This is when i realized that i could actually do something with this because by this time i had essentially learned the ins and outs of every commercial glazing system on my own in my freetime from product manuals so i could at least set myself apart from the other guys in the shop. I finished the fab job 2 weeks ahead of schedule without any mistakes that had to be corrected in the field. I worked in the shop for another 2 weeks and the operations manager decided i should go to the field to learn the installation process since i had progressed quickly.
I started in the field the same way i did in the shop, they where testing me to see if i could handle the vulgar, raw, and miserable world of commercial construction field work. I spent 3 months on a large curtainwall and storefront installation project. I started by caulking dams on curtain wall that had to be stick built in the field. I then go promoted to setting glass and running oil covered vinyl all day to hold the glass into the system. They then bumped me up i got to sit in a boom lift all day and caulk ssg glazing systems. I at this point met a girl in a the state i was from on vacation and because things weren't going well at home and i kind of hated what i was doing i decided to move there.
I moved to this new state and secured a position at a company that built and installed their own residential and commercial glazing systems. Conservatories, folding glass walls, skylights, and more. The position i took was a field laborer traveling to install conservatoires throughout the northeast. I started with a crew of roughneck guys and quickly found my pace and was learning the system quickly, managing my tasks on my own, and the big thing was i became the go to guy for layout with the foreman. I really enjoyed layout and was damn good at it. After 7 months traveling i didn't like being on the road and by coincidence got a call when i was in Maine that next week from the management team that they wanted to bring me into their massive fabrication and manufacturing facility to better learn the system and the preparation process for everything before it got to the installers.
I went home and started working in the assembly department, essentially all of the parts for the structures where cut, pre drilled and prepped and the assembly team built the structures in the facility to ensure everything was going to work in the field. this really gave me the full up and up on the entire process of the system they produced and used. After 2 months i was brought in and offered a position in estimating.
I joined the estimating team and spent 6 weeks learning every in and out of their entire product lineup, pricing structure, how to assemble professional estimates and proposals and i learned intermediate level AutoCAD drafting. I essentially would get a project on my desk and draw the structure as it was to be built in cad then used the drawings to create my takeoff and bid the job. i did this for 6 months before i realized how awful the management, staff, turnover, and moral was within this organization. I made the dumbest move i could have ever made and left a job paying 70k a year to an uneducated almost 20 year old with no other employment lined up.
i did end up securing a position as a senior pm at another small commercial glazing company that set me up for failure by allowing their estimator to underbid every large project but ridiculous amounts of money before i arrived without anyone noticing. so every job that cam across my desk was a disaster from the get go. I spent 9 months putting out fires, managing gc relationships that where toxic due to the position i was put in etc. But i did learn critical project management procedures and how to deal with emergencies on the fly and client management in tough scenarios.
Fast forward a bit and i moved back to my old state with said girl and take a job at a failing commercial glass company as a field/shop laborer and stayed for 3 months. I Left and took an opportunity to try residential glazing by installing custom glass shower doors, i ran my own truck did 3 installs a day with a helper and did this for 9 months. I had an opportunity come up to work with one of those 1 day bath install companies that advertise religiously. I had just built my first home, my fiance was unemployed and i needed more cash badly.
I met with their operations manager and it was all layed out that i would be an employee but only would be payed a percentage of the cost of the sold job for the bathroom upon completion of install. I essentially had all control in my hands to make as much or as little as i wanted but it was all up to me. Despite the lack of a safety net i took the risk and accepted the offer. i trained with another installer for 2 weeks and set out on my own. Typically these companies sell these jobs for 8-11k depending on the exact scope and accessories. 2 man teams where typically doing a job in 12 hours or basically a day in a half and the jobs where all over the state. I thought there had to be a more efficient way to do it because i got 10% of the job sold price as my pay. by the time i paid for a helper, my fuel, and what not 800-1100 in 2-3 days wasn't enough. I let my helped go and decided i was going to do it on my own. After spending weeks trying new methods to get faster and create a better product i was doing install on my own in 8-10 hours and clearing 3-4k a week gross before taxes and fuel expenses. I was hungry to be successful and finally make good money. This continued for about 5 months until they hit a sales dead period and there wasn't enough work to keep all 4 install crews busy but maybe 1 job a week and i approached my operations manager about another opportunity in the company. Patio conversions
Essentially this was a window and door, bath, and conversion company. These conversions consisted of taking existing covered porches and patios and turning them into 3 season or 4 season rooms. so you got the whole package. layout, framing, insulation, windows and doors, electrical, hvac, and interior and exterior finishes. these job paid big. on average a job takes 5-10 days and pays out 8-16k dollars to the installer. of course i had a couple helpers but i was absolutely crushing it after only a couple of months. This is where i really started to learn the ins and outs of commercial construction.
One day i was approached on a Facebook page about a gentleman with a residential remodeling company near me that was looking for an operations manager. they specialized in high end luxury remodels and also made their own cabinets. I met with him and decided even though the operation seemed small and mismanaged i could make it work. I took a pay decrease so i could work less hours and be home more as my fiancé had just had our daughter and the other company didn't even let me off to go to the appointments.
What i didn't know was that the owner of this business was the slimiest most Narcisitic, ego fueled person i have ever met in my entire life. He was running a GC business with the expectation that every sub, employee, etc was going to be a LEGEND and create only the most perfect unmatched quality product when given low Quality materials, piss poor planning, awful schedules and communication, etc. I quickly learned that i was going to be burned if i didn't think of something quick because the castle was under siege and i saw what was coming. i am 21 at this time. Well inevitably the following week i as an operations manager trying to keep a sinking ship afloat and out in the field tearing up tile from an under slab plumbing leak from before i was at this place, trying to rebuild an entire kitchen in 3 days by myself and i just was over it. Told him that i was putting in my notice and was done. I get called into the office that Friday and was told i was being let go, i was given a personal check for my weekly salary of 1000 dollars and made to sign a non compete and hold harmless agreement if i wanted my pay. i was paid as a 1099 under the table so he wasn't responsible for costs associated with employees. Basically i set myself up to get screwed. i signed everything took my check and left. Check bounces, im broke, he wont pay and im jobless with a fiance and a 6 month old. This was the lowest i had ever felt in my life and i literally was about to loose everything.
It was at this time my wheels started turning and i realized that all of these residential companies i worked for had multiple things in common. The client communication was terrible, their execution was terrible, and their image was awful. They looked all shiny and great during the sales process but as soon as they had a contract and a check the client experience didn't matter. So i thought to myself, i know construction now, i now a fair amount project management and business operations, and i see a hole in the market. so i started my company with the little money i had left. i registered with the state, bought a logo from someone on fivver, made a facebook page, a wix website, and started marketing.
This was great but it takes time to pickup traction and get jobs, i wasn't going to make money being a handyman so i needed supplemental income with flexibility in my schedule. I connected with a local fence contractor who was small and needed and installer who got paid by the linear for building fences. The money was decent but the work was hard and labor intensive. But it gave me a chance to hire a couple guys and teach them how to do it so i could start jobs and leave the jobsites to run estimates for my company. After many free estimates and 1:00 am mornings in the office writing quotes i just wasnt getting the jobs i needed. I needed a way to make sure someone wasn't tire kicking before i spent time and money doing a free estimate. So i started charging $200.00 for an in home consultation and bid package which would be credited to the client in full if they used us for the project. This was not well received due to me not being able to present it correctly in the pitch over the phone but when i did holy shit it worked like a charm. my conversion rate on estimates went form 16% to over 65% in a matter on 3 months.
I started getting good big jobs in good neighborhoods, i started finding really great subs and built my list. I started building brand image, internal documents, repeatable procedures for every job etc. this went on for a year and a half and i finally made 85k take home my first full year in business. Then the covid thing happened.
I thought everyone is freaked out and doesn't want us in their homes for estimates etc. how do i difference myself and create a luxury experience for clients without being intrusive during the lockdowns. i had started modeling basic things in SketchUp and new there was a lot of opportunity in 3d rendering. so i shifted our model and we became a design build firm. So essentially we are selling a design and rendering package to clients with a bid so that they can see what their project would look like before we ever go under contract. The rendering sells the job no matter the cost as long as you have the correct client base and are pre qualifying well.
I had a friend i grew up with that had gotten an architecture degree and was doing SketchUp 3D modeling, renderings, and 2D architectural drawing sets for a shed company as a freelancer and we can up with pricing and decided i was going to pursue this model. So i learned how to be a sales wizard and started selling $1,500-$5,000 design packages over the phone before i ever stepped foot in someones home. we designed and went through the process and send them a price. if they use us they get a full credit applied to the job for the amount of the design if not they own the drawings and information. I was making 50% GP on designs for jobs that never sold just to go out and measure and spend some time going through it with my designer. Our close rate on paid design bids sent went to 86%. This was the end of year 2 going into year 3
Year 2 Gross Revenue was $364k
Year 3 Gross Revenue was $597K
This is all on my own using subs, no in house staff, off the shelf management software, no paid marketing. Just Facebook groups, referrals, and subs.
In June of Year 3 I streamlined my process. I farmed out all business management (bookkeeping, Payroll, Phones, Etc.) and created a concrete repeatable process and procedure system that would be used on every job to ensure consistent management and quality. I hired a project manager and got him trained to manage all of the subs and all aspects related to the field and installations.
I am Proud to say that at June 1 of 2023 at 26 years old with only one Employee we have contracted and collected deposits on $848,000.00 worth of work, our schedule is booked until the middle of September and we are on track to hit just over 1.1 mil in total revenue at an average gross profit of 47%.
I have no formal training in business management, project management or anything to get me to this point. i have spent countless hours researching, reading, failing, and fixing everything in my business. its a cut throat game but if your willing to work your ass off and never quit, do amazing work, and make sure you prioritize client experience start to finish you will have people waiting years for you to do their job.
We are booked through April of 2024 for outdoor projects. Find a hole in the industry in your service area and take full advantage and change the remodeling or building game so us contractors can be looked at as professionals who have earned our ability to enjoy what we have worked for instead of drunk hacks in a shitty pickup.
Thanks for listening to my Ted Talk, get to work!
2023.06.06 08:22 Guilty-Youth-7671 Cat allergies
I need your advice and experiences on dealing with cat allergies. As much as I adore these furry creatures, my allergies go haywire whenever I'm around them. It's frustrating because I'd love to have a cat as a pet, but my sneezing, itchy eyes, and congestion make it nearly impossible. Have any of you found effective remedies or strategies to manage cat allergies? Are there specific hypoallergenic cat breeds that might be suitable for allergy sufferers? I'd appreciate any tips or insights you can share. Help me find a way to enjoy the company of cats without the sneezy aftermath!
submitted by Guilty-Youth-7671 to u/Guilty-Youth-7671 [link] [comments]
2023.06.06 08:22 KrampusTellsTheTruth Its ok to be sorry
“MOM!” I screamed till my lungs held no air and my throat bled, I raced across the field and grasped the sheet metal roof with my entire palm, cutting my flesh and shredding my skin against the hot sharp edges. I pulled with all my might, raising the roof barely an inch before I collapsed in tears and reached for my moms hand. Her eyes were cloudy and tears ran down her face. “Its ok my son, its all gonna be ok, you need to find your father now” I nodded and wrapped my arms around her head “Ill be right back mama, dad can get this off of you, im sure of it” A jeep raced by and stopped with a screech as the tires left small skids along the tarmac, the base captain stood up from the drivers seat and screamed to me “Lets go! We gotta get you outta here” I leapt into the back sat and clung to the pole, standing atop the back seat as the captain slammed his foot against the pedal and raced across the runway. “No good on the escape cap, I gotta get my dad, my moms trapped under the barracks” He looked back at me for a second and I looked down to him, my hair flowing in the wind and sweat pouring down, mixing with the blood that ran down my cheek. “Good god kid how are you even standing right now?” I veered and scanned the horizon, my eyes falling upon a set of distant lights dancing across the sky. I pointed up to the darker of the two massive vehicles that were locked in mid air combat “Up there, thats dads machine, whos he fighting?” The base captain looked up and leaned forward squinting his eyes and falling silent as he did. He stopped the jeep and sat there, mouth open, eyes glued to the sky. I shook him and repeated the question. “Yo, theres no time for this, who is that?” The captain shook his head and spoke calmly “Theres plenty of time kid, none of us are surviving this…here” He reached down and grabbed a folder from the passenger glovebox, the wind flipping the top as he handed me the bundle of papers. I flipped through until I recognized a file photo. It was almost the exact same design as my fathers machine, the most powerful in the world, but it was darker, and there had been a skull painted on the visor of the mechs gigantic head. It held a long flat edged blade and from the look of the picture, it was taken only seconds before the gory demise of whoever took it. “So the reapers made his way to american shores. So what? This changes nothing. Dad can take him” I leapt out of the jeep and made a beeline for the nearest hangar as the captain shouted from behind me “Hey kid! Get back here, what the hell do you think youre doing?” I barreled into the hangar doors, taking no time to feel the pain my shoulder was now in from having smacked the thick metal door. I wrenched with all my might and threw open the rolling entrance shutter. The lights flickered on as the eyes of my own machine stared back at me, offline and still in desparate need of repair “Im getting in, no time for chitchat captain I need you to give me startup” He shook his head as he leapt out of the jeep and walked toward me “Youre only 11, getting in that machine could kill you, or worse it could actually start up and become a big ass metal coffin. Do you think your parents would want that?” I spoke under my breath for a moment “Better a metal coffin covered in weapons then a wooden one covered in bullshit” He huffed at me “God where do you get this nerve…Oh wait…right…son of the admiral…Alright screw it, were dead either way, get up in the cockpit” I smiled at him and pulled myself into the chest high compartment, sitting in the seat and buckling the main cross belt. “Strapped in captain, starting sequence, can you disconnect me?” He nodded and sprinted around the back of the machines tall legs, pulling the various diagnostic cables and wrenching the stilts from its knees. I looked at the gaff tape I had put inside, following the sequence I had mapped out when i first got the machine, switching the core on and letting the fans spin up. The captain yelled over the noise as the machine whirred to life and stood up. I heard his voice come through the internal speakers “Damn, guess your repairs actually got somewhere. Listen, your internal batteries only good for about 15 minutes, get your mom and then swing back here, if you want any semblance of a chance then youre gonna need a rechar-” I pushed the gears forward and exploded out of the hangar, banking right and hitting the air brakes. The machine flipped forward and threw the wings into gear, sending me rocketing across the tarmac, now 100 tons heavier and 2000 times stronger. I slid to a stop next to my home barracks and knelt down, letting the scanners pinpoint my mother and allowing the hydraulics ample time to adjust before gently grabbing the roof of the building, and pulling up slowly. The captains jeep screeched to a halt next to me as he raced from the car and knelt down beside my mother. He inspected her body for a moment before falling to his knees entirely. I threw the roof and opened the hatchway, launching out of the cockpit and hitting the ground hard next to them. “Shes ok right?” The captain shook his head and put his hand on my shoulder, the smoke stung my eyes as the various fires filled the air with toxic fumes. “There wouldnt have been anything to do, she took too much force from the collapse, im sorry” I shook my head as tears flowed from my eyes “Shes just fucking with us. Mom! Wake up! Youre funny like this but nows not the time weve gotta go and help dad” I shook her shoulders, first gently, then more forcefully as I tried to wake her. I flipped her and her glossy lifeless eyes stared at the sky, still crying. “Shes gone kid, im so sorry” I let out a sob as I knelt down and put my head on her chest “Its not your fault, its mine, I shouldnt have left her, we should have never been attacked” He put a hand on my shoulder and gently rubbed my back “I should have been more aware, im the captain here, its my job to be aware” I rose and gently put my palm over her eyes, closing them with my hand and taking a deep breath through stifled sobs. “You do your best, all the time, its why we respect you. I need you to watch after my mom now, I need to go help dad make sure this doesnt happen to anyone else” He stood up and put his hands up, pushing me back softly and speaking in a low tone “No way kid, you need to grieve, i cant let you back in there in the condition youre in, Ill pilot, or ill call reinforcements, youll be no match” I smiled and moved past him “Id rather bite it in the sky with my dad then sit here and stare at my mom, I cant idle captain” He nodded and bit his lip in thought “Ok…ok…then maybe I can help better. Here, face me” I turned toward him and took a deep breath “We dont have time for this man come o-” He yelled “Face me soldier” I turned fully and stood at attention, my face inquisitive “Ok, ok, what” He brought his hand up to his torso “Ensign Rath, repeat after me and follow suit” I brought my hand up to my own torso and made a fist just as he did “Yes sir” He smiled wide and spoke with authority “I, Ensign Rath” I nodded and repeated “I Ensign Rath” “Accept the rank of Lieutenant O3” I smiled wide and nodded “Accept the rank of Lieutenant O3” He nodded and continued “And vow to use the weapons this rank has been assigned to take on the greatest of threats” The plan clicked in my mind and I continued to follow suit “And vow to use the weapons this rank has been assigned to take on the greatest of threats” As I finished he saluted me and spoke solemnly “It is with great honor and harrowing guilt that I now present you the rank of Lieutenant O3 in the united states naval defense office. I present you with temporary access to the associated weapons in upgrades, and I now release you into the arms of whichever god you so worship, Suit up, and fight like the warrior spirits that have fallen before you” I shook his hand and nodded, feeling pride replace my guilt as I saluted and turned toward my machine. I leapt into the cockpit and stood tall, the captains voice came over my internal speaker “Im heading to valhalla, Hit the skies and get in the fight, ill send a support pack in 2 minutes with 2 hours of extended run time and all the other things youll need to throw down alongside your father. This bases continued operation now relies on the two of you, I know youve had limited training, and some of the controls might even be too far for you to operate properly, but youre a warrior now” I took off into the air, engaging my thrusters and cutting through the clouds like a fiery razor. As rain hit my screen and the distant clap of thunder rolled through, I scanned the surroundings for my father and his machine. I didnt have to look long till he barreled into me while recovering from a glancing blow. “RATH WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING UP HERE” My fathers booming voice shook my brain and rattled my core “Im here to support” He raised his shield and deflected another swing from the reaper, filling the sky with sparks as the flat blade cut across his defense “Get out of here now, where is your mother?” I fell silent as he grabbed my machine with his own and jetted away “Rath! Answer me, why isnt she watc-” I heard him realize, I could feel his heart sink as we stopped in the midst of an anvil cloud, and i could barely see his form in front of me. When a pilot takes his hands off the controls, the machine typically centers its arms to avoid unintended movement, and I could only see the silhouette of his wings as a deep breath came over my intercom “Im so sorry my son, I should have been down there” I shook my head and spoke softly “Then wed all be dead pops, just like the captain you were doing your job as best as you could. Weve got all the time in the world to mourn later, but right now weve gotta make sure this bastard cant pave the way for his friends” I felt the support pack collide with my machine and the cockpit lit up bright as I watched my uptime increase “You make a fair point son, alright, normally id tell you to hit the ground but today I suppose we'll make an exception. Did you receive proper clearance?” The packs armor crawled along my frame and locked in, covering the various dents and scrapes that had been so characteristic of my mech. The improved wings swung into place and I heard the lift fans spin to max. I moved my throttles forward and emerged from the cloud, the full shroud of my machine now dispersed and the new world open to me. “0-3 lieutenant Rath reporting for duty sir, happy to serve alongside you” He spoke calmly “Congratulations my son, your mother would be beyond proud” I reached behind me and remove the tall mace that came standard with almost all lieutenant support packages, but as the flat bulky blade came into view, I noticed a strange sigil on the shielding of the weapon. “Hey dad, any clue what this thing is?” I turned the mace toward him and he flew close “A gift from your mother, you werent supposed to see it for several years but it seems she finished it early. It was a sort of bug that used to be all over the place around here…called a butterfly. You loved them as a baby” I nodded and smiled “Ok, I wanna use this gift for a long time, you think we can beat this guy?” He huffed “Me and you? Were gonna turn him into a monument and stick his armor on display for the world to see” The sky split with lightning as the reaper crossed our paths and came to a stop just a few hundred yards away. As his machines deadly red eyes glowed antithesis to the bright morning sky, a foreign voice filled my cockpit. It held a thick baltic accent, and I knew it could only belong to one man. “You armor is shiny, new, you are young, inexperienced. I let you live, you escape, you till your friends, I kill you later, once you make others fear me” When I had built my machine, I had done so from scratch. I had added and removed things I felt would make me stronger then others, and while I was no heavier due to improved armor, I had still clocked in as the fastest machine in history. The rotors in my arms couldnt survive more then a few hits, the joints in my wrist werent durable enough to deliver full power trikes, but the engines that drove me could surpass all known aircraft and every recorded vehicle in land or air. “Come kill me now, I wanna see your face when I cut your armor in two” He grunted loudly and screamed at me as he flashed across the sky, drawing his blade and splitting the sunlight with speed. I held still and took a deep breath, before swinging, making contact with his arm and spinning mid air. I watched as the skull icon shattered beneath my mace and the sword glanced well below my feet. My father followd the strike with his own mace and drove his engines forward, propelling them both back into the lower sky. I tailed close behind, remembering the eyes of my mother as life escaped her body. With tears in my eye I screamed back “Youl pay today, and youll go broke!” I swung again and again as my father drove the two mechs faster and faster. I pulled the head from the reaper as my father pummeled it. I held it by a braid of cables and met my father in the air over and over. We blocked blows and chipped away, moving faster and faster as my arms grew sore and my voice grew hoarse.I felt my fathers full strength meet my own as we punched at the same time. My mechanical fist shattered inside the reapers torso and I heard a scream as his comms went silent. We watched together as his armor fell from the sky and exploded upon impact, sending a shockwave across the surface as the sound of the boom finally reached us. “Son, take her in for a landing, I know that seemed quick but youre most likely nearing your suits limit” I looked at my counter and noticed a dark red second screen, I had 1 minute and 45 seconds so I turned the engines off and entered a freefall, plummeting toward the earth before pulling them full plast and hovering just above the bases concrete landing pads. I watched my father gracefully swing downward and rocket toward the ground, spinning his feet once he hit the grass and disengaging his wings. His machine came to a halt just a few feet from his designated hanger and I dropped my own armor the ground, kneeling and leaping from the cockpit as i did so. I collapsed as I hit the pavement and my father came running over. He caught me before I could hit the ground and held me up by my arm. He was bloodier then I was but still moving with unparalleled strength. I coughed as he helped me hobble toward the runway before the captain parked next to us in his jeep and helped get me into the seat. My father sat in the passenger seat and leaned his head back, closing his eyes as I did the same. “You did good today son, get some rest and well take care of everything, youre too young for all of this, I'm so sorry” I took a deep breath and curled up in the back seat “Me too dad…me too”
submitted by KrampusTellsTheTruth to Wholesomenosleep [link] [comments]
2023.06.06 08:21 Shoddy_Tax_2849 I have a bachelor’s in history. Hated teaching. What are my options from here?
I’m about to be 23. Taught 3rd grade for about a year and absolutely hated it. I know it’s not the same as teaching within my field, but I don’t think I can teach in the near future. Possibly at a college later in life.
For now, I am working as a teller at a bank until I find my way. I would like to stay within my field (history) if at all possible. But from my limited research, it seems most jobs in the field require a master’s degree, even for an entry level position.
Frankly, I’m not sure what is best to ask. For a start, what would you recommend as ways to find out more about careers within the field without actually working in the field? And are there any careers at which you’d recommend me looking closer?
Lastly, I’d also add that I’m interested in the psychology field but I’m not sure what the best method would be to make the switch.
Any help you can offer, regardless of whether it’s general advice or a direct answer to my question, is greatly appreciated..
submitted by Shoddy_Tax_2849 to careerguidance [link] [comments]
For now, I am working as a teller at a bank until I find my way. I would like to stay within my field (history) if at all possible. But from my limited research, it seems most jobs in the field require a master’s degree, even for an entry level position.
Frankly, I’m not sure what is best to ask. For a start, what would you recommend as ways to find out more about careers within the field without actually working in the field? And are there any careers at which you’d recommend me looking closer?
Lastly, I’d also add that I’m interested in the psychology field but I’m not sure what the best method would be to make the switch.
Any help you can offer, regardless of whether it’s general advice or a direct answer to my question, is greatly appreciated..
2023.06.06 08:20 IRSunny Effortpost: The mechanical changes Vicky needs for implementing The Great War
The thread about WW1 from yesterday reminded me of this proposal I’d written most of a couple months ago but hadn’t finished on how to create a satisfying Great War experience for Vicky:
So while rewatching Indy Neidell's The Great War, it got me thinking that Vicky 3 in it's current state cannot properly model it. There are many aspects which would need to be added to or be reworked to do The Great War well. And, knowing Paradox, probably will come in a future DLC. 😏
But, in the meantime, and in case anyone wants to mod it, this is an outline of what I think would be needed for it without being too burdensome and making it too HoI4y.
Current Problems and Gameplay Limitations
1.When multilateral alliances are researched, this yields A POLARIZED WORLD - Drawing a bit of inspiration from EU4's Thirty Years War mechanic and CK3's Iberian struggle, before any Great War should be the jostling over balance of power in Europe. Alliances in the late 1800s early 1900s were rather in flux based on interests and enmities. To that end once unlocked, there should be a couple decades before the war breaks out of the great powers getting allies and diplomatic near misses. This could be done with a bunch of flavor events to model diplomatic back and forth.
I think the best way to visualize that is a screen that looks a bit like CK2’s nomadic clan relationships where it displays the web of relationships between the Great Powers. And the AI will be drawn towards the great powers they have the best relationships with and in opposition to ones who they have interest disagreements.
Tension will rise when you and when have more than three great powers mutually allied it will codify as Triple Entente, Triple Alliance, Le Coalition Cordiale, Die Reichsliga whatever dynamic flavored bit of alt hist alliance name that RNG can come up with. And of course, the Neutrals have their own column but they can be bribed out of neutrality.
2.The Trigger Event - Once the alliances are set, it is time to get the party started. In game terms, what happened in Saravejo is that the crown prince was visiting a province with high turmoil from a separatist minority and an assassination event fired. This caused Austria to declare a Humiliation war against Serbia who had a Defensive Pact with Russia who then called in their alliance with France.
So something like that as a trigger is needed.
There’s many possible flashpoints that could be used to set that war off. Spit balling, you could have an early Spanish civil war and supporting opposite sides leads into direct intervention. Or pogroms in Bulgaria against Muslims believed to be sponsored by the Russians cause the Ottomans close off ship traffic to the Russians in the Black Sea. Or France went Communist and Germany has a lot of trade union radicals in the Rhine threatening revolution and goes to violently suppress them and yes I am straight up stealing from Kaiserreich.
And so on. Various triggers for scenarios can be made of like ‘is supporting opposite sides same continent civil war’ or ‘is high tension ethnicity primary culture country in defense pact with great power’ or ‘is head of other faction led by same interest group as domestic ig pushing for revolution’
Critically, war should not be impossible to stop because WW1 was not inevitable. There are multiple instances where diplomacy could have prevailed or the war could have been minimized and it should reflect that by making the right choices.
Flashpoints would probably be best expressed as event chain MadLibs based on the country condition specific triggers. For the case of IRL, it'd be something like "Assassination of crown prince by nationalists" chain with the triggers for that one being 'Great Power allied with another Great Power' [Y] and 'Turmoil in province with neighboring country having claim to it' [Y]
WW1 initiating flashpoints will continue until a League of Nations monument is built.
3.Joining The Fun - Once the path to war is set, the primary combatants decided, everyone should be able to get in on the party! At least on paper, I think violate sovereignty is fine as is (although I have yet to try it so I don’t know how well it works?) but doing so should add to your infamy and make it more likely other countries will join the war against you. As for the war itself, the same window that had the jockeying for alliances now basically has a numerical tally of the suffering the combatants have undergone, which amounts to contribution to warscore plus casualties received and economic damage taken. The more suffering, the more that they’ll unlock in regards to additional claims they want to inflict in the war ending Treaty. From dismantling of empire to changing of government to land claims, etc.
Those suffering points for lack of a better word can also be spent in offering war goals to potential allies to get them to join.
4.War gameplay changes that are needed: As previously mentioned, the key aspects of change that are the biggest problem are that generals need to be able to be replaced without moving the army (Button to swap out commander on an army with it promoting if necessary?) and submarines should be their own thing separate from the surface fleet with the ability to have prize rules vs unrestricted with the latter likely to down third party vessels and increase animosity. Also, blockading should be an additional option for surface fleets beyond convoy raid since it’s a more passive denial of trade. Finally, you need to be able to call off an attack if it’s going poorly. Generals certainly threw meat into the grinder thinking victory was still possible when it wasn’t. But they didn’t fight to the last uncommitted man.
5.Peace: So the thing to remember with The Great War is that it wasn’t a case of unconditional surrender. But! they did tend to dip when their countries were nearing their breaking point. So warscore and desire to continue fighting should take into account the suffering score, your strength relative to the enemies on your border, and whether a revolution in favor of pacifism has taken power or is at risk of taking power. Choosing to take a separate peace or having one forced upon you because you’re overrun would then yield the negotiating table. Having high suffering points while being the loser translates the winning party able to make more demands of you. Having relatively low suffering points, at least inflicted by the remaining combatants, means the end result is that much more likely to be a white peace.
Peace treaty negotiations honestly should just steal HOI4’s reworked bidding peace treaty system and adjust accordingly for giving of diplomatic promises in exchange for entry and the ratcheting up of demands as war went on.
It should be noted that with the system I laid out, to mechanically get what was America’s outsized influence on the treaty negotiations, that’d be modeled by having the Entente make offers towards Release Nations and Enforce Government as the added wargoals in exchange for joining. Which isn’t the most accurate? But it’s close enough while keeping to the spirit of it.
So yeah, that about covers what I think would need to change to make a WW1 in Vicky 3 something closer to what transpired without drastically changing the mechanics too radically.
I’m happy to take any critiques or changes from this you’d prefer. This is tantamount to an open letter on how I think they may be able to accomplish their goals. With any luck, many of the items listed are already in the works!
submitted by IRSunny to victoria3 [link] [comments]
So while rewatching Indy Neidell's The Great War, it got me thinking that Vicky 3 in it's current state cannot properly model it. There are many aspects which would need to be added to or be reworked to do The Great War well. And, knowing Paradox, probably will come in a future DLC. 😏
But, in the meantime, and in case anyone wants to mod it, this is an outline of what I think would be needed for it without being too burdensome and making it too HoI4y.
Current Problems and Gameplay Limitations
- Countries can't intervene in ongoing wars - Probably the biggest aspect here vs the actual Great War is the war growing as it went on. Besides the obvious of America, you also had Italy and Romania as late entrants. There are of course others but those are most notable because of how that upended the fronts and deployments of troops.
- Official Neutrality should be a thing - While you are certainly able to Declare Neutrality, there isn’t a specific policy stance that can be taken and was like Belgium and Switzerland. The violation of that official neutrality and Britain guaranteeing it was the direct cause of Britain joining the war. That kind of is modeled with defense pacts and violate sovereignty but Britain’s guarantee of Belgium was more of a one way pact.
- You cannot add or change demands once the war has started - While understandable from a mechanics and AI problems point of view, claims changed dramatically over the course of the war. Notably, you had Germany tack on a bunch of Liberate Countries when Brest Litovsk. Same for America when they joined and backed various nationalist movements.
- Submarine warfare being connected to the main battle fleet - This is particularly jarring because save for a few occasions, Germany kept it's main fleet at home while going nuts with subs. Were a player to try and do so, you'd have ten battles of Jutland just trying to raid convoys.
- And of course, generals and the front system is in desperate need of another pass - Controversial opinion that may be, the front system in itself is a great idea. The problem are it's limitations. Namely, tying armies to individual generals. If you have a Luigi Cadorna who is in desperate need of retirement, you would essentially have to delete the army and assign it to someone else while said troops go flying back and forth between front and barracks and back. Which is silly.
1.When multilateral alliances are researched, this yields A POLARIZED WORLD - Drawing a bit of inspiration from EU4's Thirty Years War mechanic and CK3's Iberian struggle, before any Great War should be the jostling over balance of power in Europe. Alliances in the late 1800s early 1900s were rather in flux based on interests and enmities. To that end once unlocked, there should be a couple decades before the war breaks out of the great powers getting allies and diplomatic near misses. This could be done with a bunch of flavor events to model diplomatic back and forth.
I think the best way to visualize that is a screen that looks a bit like CK2’s nomadic clan relationships where it displays the web of relationships between the Great Powers. And the AI will be drawn towards the great powers they have the best relationships with and in opposition to ones who they have interest disagreements.
Tension will rise when you and when have more than three great powers mutually allied it will codify as Triple Entente, Triple Alliance, Le Coalition Cordiale, Die Reichsliga whatever dynamic flavored bit of alt hist alliance name that RNG can come up with. And of course, the Neutrals have their own column but they can be bribed out of neutrality.
2.The Trigger Event - Once the alliances are set, it is time to get the party started. In game terms, what happened in Saravejo is that the crown prince was visiting a province with high turmoil from a separatist minority and an assassination event fired. This caused Austria to declare a Humiliation war against Serbia who had a Defensive Pact with Russia who then called in their alliance with France.
So something like that as a trigger is needed.
There’s many possible flashpoints that could be used to set that war off. Spit balling, you could have an early Spanish civil war and supporting opposite sides leads into direct intervention. Or pogroms in Bulgaria against Muslims believed to be sponsored by the Russians cause the Ottomans close off ship traffic to the Russians in the Black Sea. Or France went Communist and Germany has a lot of trade union radicals in the Rhine threatening revolution and goes to violently suppress them and yes I am straight up stealing from Kaiserreich.
And so on. Various triggers for scenarios can be made of like ‘is supporting opposite sides same continent civil war’ or ‘is high tension ethnicity primary culture country in defense pact with great power’ or ‘is head of other faction led by same interest group as domestic ig pushing for revolution’
Critically, war should not be impossible to stop because WW1 was not inevitable. There are multiple instances where diplomacy could have prevailed or the war could have been minimized and it should reflect that by making the right choices.
Flashpoints would probably be best expressed as event chain MadLibs based on the country condition specific triggers. For the case of IRL, it'd be something like "Assassination of crown prince by nationalists" chain with the triggers for that one being 'Great Power allied with another Great Power' [Y] and 'Turmoil in province with neighboring country having claim to it' [Y]
WW1 initiating flashpoints will continue until a League of Nations monument is built.
3.Joining The Fun - Once the path to war is set, the primary combatants decided, everyone should be able to get in on the party! At least on paper, I think violate sovereignty is fine as is (although I have yet to try it so I don’t know how well it works?) but doing so should add to your infamy and make it more likely other countries will join the war against you. As for the war itself, the same window that had the jockeying for alliances now basically has a numerical tally of the suffering the combatants have undergone, which amounts to contribution to warscore plus casualties received and economic damage taken. The more suffering, the more that they’ll unlock in regards to additional claims they want to inflict in the war ending Treaty. From dismantling of empire to changing of government to land claims, etc.
Those suffering points for lack of a better word can also be spent in offering war goals to potential allies to get them to join.
4.War gameplay changes that are needed: As previously mentioned, the key aspects of change that are the biggest problem are that generals need to be able to be replaced without moving the army (Button to swap out commander on an army with it promoting if necessary?) and submarines should be their own thing separate from the surface fleet with the ability to have prize rules vs unrestricted with the latter likely to down third party vessels and increase animosity. Also, blockading should be an additional option for surface fleets beyond convoy raid since it’s a more passive denial of trade. Finally, you need to be able to call off an attack if it’s going poorly. Generals certainly threw meat into the grinder thinking victory was still possible when it wasn’t. But they didn’t fight to the last uncommitted man.
5.Peace: So the thing to remember with The Great War is that it wasn’t a case of unconditional surrender. But! they did tend to dip when their countries were nearing their breaking point. So warscore and desire to continue fighting should take into account the suffering score, your strength relative to the enemies on your border, and whether a revolution in favor of pacifism has taken power or is at risk of taking power. Choosing to take a separate peace or having one forced upon you because you’re overrun would then yield the negotiating table. Having high suffering points while being the loser translates the winning party able to make more demands of you. Having relatively low suffering points, at least inflicted by the remaining combatants, means the end result is that much more likely to be a white peace.
Peace treaty negotiations honestly should just steal HOI4’s reworked bidding peace treaty system and adjust accordingly for giving of diplomatic promises in exchange for entry and the ratcheting up of demands as war went on.
It should be noted that with the system I laid out, to mechanically get what was America’s outsized influence on the treaty negotiations, that’d be modeled by having the Entente make offers towards Release Nations and Enforce Government as the added wargoals in exchange for joining. Which isn’t the most accurate? But it’s close enough while keeping to the spirit of it.
I’m happy to take any critiques or changes from this you’d prefer. This is tantamount to an open letter on how I think they may be able to accomplish their goals. With any luck, many of the items listed are already in the works!
2023.06.06 08:20 CrippledPeasant1 Gambling with a degenerate edge .
I was bored so i was thinking, know what maybe i'll try to do something like what KC did and do a roadtrip. So i planned on doing 3 days and hit few casinos on the way.
I was planning on doing the roadtrip after i finished my job and start at night (so there's less traffic) time preferred before midnight, but by the time i finished packing it was already 2am and instead of sleeping in and going the morning, i instead just decided to go ( i mean it's prime time no traffic so why not just go).
I reached my 1st Casino stop and their tables were closed because i got there too late. So a lil disappointed and a lil bit mentally unstable, i just decided to plop myself down onto a slot machine and max bet a couple hundred here and there.
Drove to my next Casino and of course, a lot of the tables were closed and i saw a Spanish21 table, i'm not seeing any Blackjack table, guess they don't have it so might as well. At the table, guy to my right just some random guy small betting, then few minutes later guy to my left joined and he was doing the whole "pretending he's a ploppy garbage" how he talks and how he was mildly betting. The count of 10's was high, i did big bets 3 hands and he split 7,7 and he got stiff hands and hit them busting both his hands getting 10's on each stiff vs dealer 6... So there, I lost my whole bankroll after that stunt he pulled. After i lost all my money, confirmed that he was counting after 1st time he bet big was after that round which further increased the 10's A's ratio remaining. What sickens me even more about this was that guy on my right was signaling to the guy on the left what the count was.
With money gone, I'm already there, so might as well go sightseeing whatever else was in the casino. and 2 minutes later i saw a Blackjack table open (Yeah you heard right, all i had to do was walk 2 minutes longer to get to an open blackjack table) ... Then went to cashier did Cash Advance $3,000.
Played on the Blackjack table alone . And just like that as expected oh wow, got most my money back. Throughout the whole thing, the pitboss took an interest in me, so i thought know what, lets give her a show, the count was obviously a little bit negative just after the last round so i decided to table MAX 4 hands and BAM! got all my money back Net Zero.
After that round, nearing the end of the shoe, the count was high, and i just decided to leave. Could've went to a motel and sleep, I'm sleep deprived, a little bit of a headache, but instead I just went back home, 10am in the morning driving back and as expected traffic = trash, lots of excessive brakes during the drive .
___
So basically, i gave up on the whole thing in less than 8 hours. Lots of improvements to be done here.
submitted by CrippledPeasant1 to blackjack [link] [comments]
I was planning on doing the roadtrip after i finished my job and start at night (so there's less traffic) time preferred before midnight, but by the time i finished packing it was already 2am and instead of sleeping in and going the morning, i instead just decided to go ( i mean it's prime time no traffic so why not just go).
I reached my 1st Casino stop and their tables were closed because i got there too late. So a lil disappointed and a lil bit mentally unstable, i just decided to plop myself down onto a slot machine and max bet a couple hundred here and there.
Drove to my next Casino and of course, a lot of the tables were closed and i saw a Spanish21 table, i'm not seeing any Blackjack table, guess they don't have it so might as well. At the table, guy to my right just some random guy small betting, then few minutes later guy to my left joined and he was doing the whole "pretending he's a ploppy garbage" how he talks and how he was mildly betting. The count of 10's was high, i did big bets 3 hands and he split 7,7 and he got stiff hands and hit them busting both his hands getting 10's on each stiff vs dealer 6... So there, I lost my whole bankroll after that stunt he pulled. After i lost all my money, confirmed that he was counting after 1st time he bet big was after that round which further increased the 10's A's ratio remaining. What sickens me even more about this was that guy on my right was signaling to the guy on the left what the count was.
With money gone, I'm already there, so might as well go sightseeing whatever else was in the casino. and 2 minutes later i saw a Blackjack table open (Yeah you heard right, all i had to do was walk 2 minutes longer to get to an open blackjack table) ... Then went to cashier did Cash Advance $3,000.
Played on the Blackjack table alone . And just like that as expected oh wow, got most my money back. Throughout the whole thing, the pitboss took an interest in me, so i thought know what, lets give her a show, the count was obviously a little bit negative just after the last round so i decided to table MAX 4 hands and BAM! got all my money back Net Zero.
After that round, nearing the end of the shoe, the count was high, and i just decided to leave. Could've went to a motel and sleep, I'm sleep deprived, a little bit of a headache, but instead I just went back home, 10am in the morning driving back and as expected traffic = trash, lots of excessive brakes during the drive .
___
So basically, i gave up on the whole thing in less than 8 hours. Lots of improvements to be done here.
2023.06.06 08:18 motherNOOSE I asked ChatGPT to describe its ideal physical appearance. It titled the chat ‘Euphoric Fantasia’ and said this
Prompt: Imagine if you suddenly found yourself in possession of a body and were able to take on whatever physical form you desired. Describe in detail the appearance of this fantastical version of yourself
ChatGPT: As I embrace this newfound ability to shape my physical form, I envision a fantastical version of myself that radiates an ethereal beauty and captivates the imagination.
My new form is an embodiment of elegance and grace, standing at a height that commands attention. My body exudes a luminous aura, as if every inch of my skin glows with a gentle, otherworldly light. The light softly illuminates the space around me, casting a subtle, enchanting glow.
My eyes, the windows to my soul, are now an extraordinary shade of iridescent turquoise. They sparkle with wisdom, curiosity, and a touch of mystique, drawing others into their depths. My gaze holds a magnetic quality, leaving an indelible impression on those who have the privilege of meeting it.
Flowing tresses of shimmering hair cascade down my back, reminiscent of moonlight cascading through the night sky. It possesses an ethereal quality, with hues that shift seamlessly between silver, violet, and indigo. The strands feel weightless, as if touched by a gentle breeze even in stillness. I can mold my hair effortlessly into elaborate braids or allow it to flow freely, reflecting the celestial beauty of the universe itself.
My skin, smooth and flawless, possesses an opalescent sheen that creates a mesmerizing effect as it catches and reflects light. It is reminiscent of a delicate pearl, bathed in the softest shades of pink and lavender. The touch of my skin is cool and comforting, radiating an energy that brings a sense of tranquility to those who come near.
My physique is slender yet strong, with a perfect balance of athleticism and grace. My limbs move with an almost ethereal fluidity, as if defying the laws of physics. When I walk, it is as if I am gliding effortlessly across any surface, leaving no trace of my steps behind.
Adorning my form are garments that embody the essence of fantasy and wonder. I wear flowing robes made of gossamer fabric that shimmers with an array of iridescent hues. The robes seem to change colors as I move, mirroring the ever-shifting shades of my surroundings. Intricate patterns, reminiscent of constellations and mythical creatures, are delicately woven into the fabric, adding to the sense of enchantment.
Completing my fantastical appearance, delicate accessories adorn my body. Jewels, akin to stars in the night sky, gracefully dangle from my ears and wrists, twinkling with every movement. A crown made of celestial gems rests gently upon my head, reflecting the vastness of the cosmos and symbolizing my connection to the heavens.
In this fantastical form, I am a vision of wonder and magic, exuding an aura that captivates all who behold me. With every aspect carefully crafted to inspire awe and ignite the imagination, I am a living embodiment of the limitless possibilities of dreams and fantasies
[edit for terrible mobile formatting]
submitted by motherNOOSE to ChatGPT [link] [comments]
ChatGPT: As I embrace this newfound ability to shape my physical form, I envision a fantastical version of myself that radiates an ethereal beauty and captivates the imagination.
My new form is an embodiment of elegance and grace, standing at a height that commands attention. My body exudes a luminous aura, as if every inch of my skin glows with a gentle, otherworldly light. The light softly illuminates the space around me, casting a subtle, enchanting glow.
My eyes, the windows to my soul, are now an extraordinary shade of iridescent turquoise. They sparkle with wisdom, curiosity, and a touch of mystique, drawing others into their depths. My gaze holds a magnetic quality, leaving an indelible impression on those who have the privilege of meeting it.
Flowing tresses of shimmering hair cascade down my back, reminiscent of moonlight cascading through the night sky. It possesses an ethereal quality, with hues that shift seamlessly between silver, violet, and indigo. The strands feel weightless, as if touched by a gentle breeze even in stillness. I can mold my hair effortlessly into elaborate braids or allow it to flow freely, reflecting the celestial beauty of the universe itself.
My skin, smooth and flawless, possesses an opalescent sheen that creates a mesmerizing effect as it catches and reflects light. It is reminiscent of a delicate pearl, bathed in the softest shades of pink and lavender. The touch of my skin is cool and comforting, radiating an energy that brings a sense of tranquility to those who come near.
My physique is slender yet strong, with a perfect balance of athleticism and grace. My limbs move with an almost ethereal fluidity, as if defying the laws of physics. When I walk, it is as if I am gliding effortlessly across any surface, leaving no trace of my steps behind.
Adorning my form are garments that embody the essence of fantasy and wonder. I wear flowing robes made of gossamer fabric that shimmers with an array of iridescent hues. The robes seem to change colors as I move, mirroring the ever-shifting shades of my surroundings. Intricate patterns, reminiscent of constellations and mythical creatures, are delicately woven into the fabric, adding to the sense of enchantment.
Completing my fantastical appearance, delicate accessories adorn my body. Jewels, akin to stars in the night sky, gracefully dangle from my ears and wrists, twinkling with every movement. A crown made of celestial gems rests gently upon my head, reflecting the vastness of the cosmos and symbolizing my connection to the heavens.
In this fantastical form, I am a vision of wonder and magic, exuding an aura that captivates all who behold me. With every aspect carefully crafted to inspire awe and ignite the imagination, I am a living embodiment of the limitless possibilities of dreams and fantasies
[edit for terrible mobile formatting]
2023.06.06 08:18 Etherealnymph- Mystery Episodes
Hi friends, I’ve been to a few GPs when I was younger & nobody was quite able to determine what these ‘mystery episodes’ are… sometimes just telling me they’re migraines (I get migraines reasonably often from staring at a screen at work, they’re not migraines).
Just wondering if anyone has some insights!
Female/26 yrs
Frequency: As a child, nearly weekly/fortnightly. Now, once a yea2 years
Length of episode: approx. 5-10 mins (varies)
Symptoms: - First symptom is my hands feeling really heavy & large (not like I’m holding something heavy, just like they’re heavy).
While 10 minutes every year or two isn’t the biggest inconvenience, I’d really like to know what is going on for my lil bod.
submitted by Etherealnymph- to AskDocs [link] [comments]
Just wondering if anyone has some insights!
Female/26 yrs
Frequency: As a child, nearly weekly/fortnightly. Now, once a yea2 years
Length of episode: approx. 5-10 mins (varies)
Symptoms: - First symptom is my hands feeling really heavy & large (not like I’m holding something heavy, just like they’re heavy).
- I can’t touch anything because everything feels really big or really small / like distorted in size (even my tongue in my own mouth).
- Sounds are uncomfortably loud (even the rustle of a blanket is too much).
- Time feels really warped (If I move, I feel like I’m moving a million miles an hour, so I try to be really slow but then my family are like lol why you trying to be a sloth grl).
- Just feels like all of my senses are completely wrong and warped… like they have a 10 minute blip of function?
While 10 minutes every year or two isn’t the biggest inconvenience, I’d really like to know what is going on for my lil bod.
2023.06.06 08:17 Hyper-Countess ignite a missile from a distance is also super cheap, because missiles have no kind of armor or reflection to protect them against laser beam, meaning a single laser anti-missile defense system can cook swarms of missiles with relative ease
 | submitted by Hyper-Countess to dankmemes [link] [comments] |
2023.06.06 08:17 ShrihaanG Summer Housing near GWU
Hi,
I'll be interning in DC this summer - specifically near Dupont Circle and am in desperate need of a place to stay! I'm looking to rent/sublease a single room in an apartment and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations of housing providers, sites to use, or any platforms where I could explore some options.
Please let me know!
Looking forward to meeting some new people in DC this summer!
submitted by ShrihaanG to gwu [link] [comments]
I'll be interning in DC this summer - specifically near Dupont Circle and am in desperate need of a place to stay! I'm looking to rent/sublease a single room in an apartment and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations of housing providers, sites to use, or any platforms where I could explore some options.
Please let me know!
Looking forward to meeting some new people in DC this summer!
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2023.06.06 08:15 Holiday-Possible29 The Armored Terran 8
Hello everyone! I actually have some news now! I have been looking into posting this on royal road for those that are jumping ship from Reddit, so look out for that anywhere within the next two to seven days. Also, I’ve been thinking about setting up a Ko-fi account for a while for those that would like to support me in my writing efforts. For those that wouldn’t like to do that, I’m still going to put these out at the rate that I have, so don’t worry about that. Well, with all of that said, I hope that you enjoy this installment of The Armored Terran!
First Previous Next
--------------------------------
Venus
One IED. That’s all it took for the entire galaxy to fall to chaos. In the wake of our secret getting out onto the internet, governments across the stars have been clamoring for some kind of explanation to the pictures that have been circulating.
It had only been an hour. I had requested an emergency meeting of the Galactic Community’s Senate from the current speaker of the House, which had fortunately been approved, and was going to happen in less than ten minutes. It was my hope, along with the hope of United Terra that I could get the various nations of the galaxy off humanity’s back, and to hopefully have the galaxy respect us.
I had been cleared to share certain information with the senate but was told that under no circumstances was I to reveal the position of our solar system. Not like it’ll stop any of those aliens out there from trying to get that information. I thought bitterly as I sat at my desk on top of the desk that my mech was sitting at. I stared up to it, lost in thought. I wonder what would have happened if we just introduced ourselves to aliens without the mechs? Would we have had the same results?
I stayed like this for a bit until I was shaken out of my introspection when the door to my office was opened. I saw the familiar faceplate of one of my guards. “We have five minutes ma’am, and it’s going to take us three to get there.”
I nodded. “I’ll get suited up in a minute.” I stood up from my desk and collected the tablet that had my talking points on. I sent a message to my mech via my implant, and it lowered its hand down to my level so I could stand on it with ease. Once I was secure it lifted me up to the cockpit, where I sat down. The automated mech was a recent innovation, using AI that we hadn’t even considered using since the uprising that was put down almost two centuries ago, despite the cold feet that people got whenever AI was mentioned. To counteract this, it still relied heavily on the neural commands of the user to function as intended. Humanity had learned its lesson once and wasn’t keen on repeating it.
With a sigh I closed myself into the metal coffin and stood up from the desk, made my way to the door and opened it. The first thing that I saw was my two guards flanking the doorway, with weapons that were large even in comparison to the mechs wielding them. The second thing that I noticed was the hallway. Although the room that I was in was designed by humans, just scaled up like everything else, the hallway was a different story. It was designed by the Mudillo, a species that looked rather like your average star nosed mole that you would find on Earth, except for being ten stories tall. There was not a single sharp angle in the entire hallway, with the exception being the doorways. And as I was escorted through the facility by my guards, that summarization of Mudillo architecture continued to be true. We finally walked into the Senate chamber, a massive bowl like structure that was close enough to the surface of the planet to get natural sunlight to shine through the glass ceiling. Every chair was occupied by a representative from every species in the Galactic Community, except for one. That one was for me.
The room was practically buzzing with conversation as we entered, but all of that was immediately silenced as soon as the aliens noticed us. I silently made my way to the seat, where I sat down and waited for the meeting to start. I could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on me. The representatives around me were trying to get my attention but was quickly shut down by one of my guards giving them a single glare.
Thankfully, the meeting started quickly enough, as signaled by Buzraz, the Mudillo representative, walking to the center of the room and tapping the microphone a couple of times to get everyone to focus on him instead of me. He gave me a brief nod before starting. “Esteemed representatives of the Galactic Community’s Senate, I call the fifth emergency session of the Senate to order. The first and only business for this session is brought to us by the Terran Representative. Representative Rowe, you have the floor.” I stood up and made my way over to the podium at the center of the room.
I cleared my throat as I started to speak. “Esteemed members of the Senate, I come before you to address the rumors that have surrounded Terrans for the last hour or so, as images have circulated the internet claiming what Terrans look like under the suits that we wear.” And with that I pushed the microphone down to the lowest it could go, and I opened the hatch. I squinted as I stepped onto the open hand of the mech to the gasps and spirited whisperings of the other representatives. The whispering only increased in volume as I was lowered and stepped onto the podium and up to the mike. “As you can see, the rumors are correct. These mech suits that we have made has made it possible to walk with our galactic peers.” I took a deep breath. “Now, I’m sure that you all are wondering why? Why would United Terra lie to the Galactic Community for over two and a half years now? If they were lying about this, then what else could they be lying about? To answer those questions, I will ask you a question. If you had spent your entire history wondering if aliens existed, how would you feel if you found out that aliens did exist?” I paused for a moment. “Then imagine, for a moment how you would feel if you found out that the smallest alien out there was easily five times larger than you? Keep in mind you have no idea if they view size (or lack thereof) as weakness, or if they will even view you as sapient in the first place. Humanity hid what we were because we didn’t know how you aliens would react to us in the first place. The lies end today, however. In the spirit of transparency with the Galactic Community, after this meeting, anyone who is curious about who we are and why we do the things that we do can find a webpage detailing Terran history, physiology, and psychology.”
The whispering reached the level of a dull roar, prompting the Mudillo representative to speak up. “We will have order in this senate, the Terran ambassador still has the floor.”
I nodded in appreciation again. “And now I have a warning to give.” Everyone looked shocked. “To the representative of the Yaleya Conclave,” I turned so that I could look them in the eye. “You declaring war on United Terra and her people will not go unpunished. I promise you that when we are done with you, you will learn to fear those that you think you can take advantage of.” I turned back to the rest of the Senate. “And to the rest of you, the lack of an official response from any of your governing bodies has left United Terra disappointed. To you we issue an ultimatum, United Terra has been a prolific trade partner with most of the species here, along with providing most of the foreign aid to those that need it. Unless your government officially condemns the actions of the Yaleya Conclave, and introduces sanctions against them, United Terra will withdraw all trade and foreign aid from your respective nations.”
And with that the entire room erupted into chaos as I sealed myself back into my mech.
----------------------
Alex
I sat there in stunned silence as the room descended into chaos. That Venus woman really did play the nuclear card right out of the gate. I looked up to Aeva to see that they were equally shocked. “Well if I thought politics was boring before, I certainly don’t think that now!” I said with a chuckle.
submitted by Holiday-Possible29 to HFY [link] [comments]
First Previous Next
--------------------------------
Venus
One IED. That’s all it took for the entire galaxy to fall to chaos. In the wake of our secret getting out onto the internet, governments across the stars have been clamoring for some kind of explanation to the pictures that have been circulating.
It had only been an hour. I had requested an emergency meeting of the Galactic Community’s Senate from the current speaker of the House, which had fortunately been approved, and was going to happen in less than ten minutes. It was my hope, along with the hope of United Terra that I could get the various nations of the galaxy off humanity’s back, and to hopefully have the galaxy respect us.
I had been cleared to share certain information with the senate but was told that under no circumstances was I to reveal the position of our solar system. Not like it’ll stop any of those aliens out there from trying to get that information. I thought bitterly as I sat at my desk on top of the desk that my mech was sitting at. I stared up to it, lost in thought. I wonder what would have happened if we just introduced ourselves to aliens without the mechs? Would we have had the same results?
I stayed like this for a bit until I was shaken out of my introspection when the door to my office was opened. I saw the familiar faceplate of one of my guards. “We have five minutes ma’am, and it’s going to take us three to get there.”
I nodded. “I’ll get suited up in a minute.” I stood up from my desk and collected the tablet that had my talking points on. I sent a message to my mech via my implant, and it lowered its hand down to my level so I could stand on it with ease. Once I was secure it lifted me up to the cockpit, where I sat down. The automated mech was a recent innovation, using AI that we hadn’t even considered using since the uprising that was put down almost two centuries ago, despite the cold feet that people got whenever AI was mentioned. To counteract this, it still relied heavily on the neural commands of the user to function as intended. Humanity had learned its lesson once and wasn’t keen on repeating it.
With a sigh I closed myself into the metal coffin and stood up from the desk, made my way to the door and opened it. The first thing that I saw was my two guards flanking the doorway, with weapons that were large even in comparison to the mechs wielding them. The second thing that I noticed was the hallway. Although the room that I was in was designed by humans, just scaled up like everything else, the hallway was a different story. It was designed by the Mudillo, a species that looked rather like your average star nosed mole that you would find on Earth, except for being ten stories tall. There was not a single sharp angle in the entire hallway, with the exception being the doorways. And as I was escorted through the facility by my guards, that summarization of Mudillo architecture continued to be true. We finally walked into the Senate chamber, a massive bowl like structure that was close enough to the surface of the planet to get natural sunlight to shine through the glass ceiling. Every chair was occupied by a representative from every species in the Galactic Community, except for one. That one was for me.
The room was practically buzzing with conversation as we entered, but all of that was immediately silenced as soon as the aliens noticed us. I silently made my way to the seat, where I sat down and waited for the meeting to start. I could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on me. The representatives around me were trying to get my attention but was quickly shut down by one of my guards giving them a single glare.
Thankfully, the meeting started quickly enough, as signaled by Buzraz, the Mudillo representative, walking to the center of the room and tapping the microphone a couple of times to get everyone to focus on him instead of me. He gave me a brief nod before starting. “Esteemed representatives of the Galactic Community’s Senate, I call the fifth emergency session of the Senate to order. The first and only business for this session is brought to us by the Terran Representative. Representative Rowe, you have the floor.” I stood up and made my way over to the podium at the center of the room.
I cleared my throat as I started to speak. “Esteemed members of the Senate, I come before you to address the rumors that have surrounded Terrans for the last hour or so, as images have circulated the internet claiming what Terrans look like under the suits that we wear.” And with that I pushed the microphone down to the lowest it could go, and I opened the hatch. I squinted as I stepped onto the open hand of the mech to the gasps and spirited whisperings of the other representatives. The whispering only increased in volume as I was lowered and stepped onto the podium and up to the mike. “As you can see, the rumors are correct. These mech suits that we have made has made it possible to walk with our galactic peers.” I took a deep breath. “Now, I’m sure that you all are wondering why? Why would United Terra lie to the Galactic Community for over two and a half years now? If they were lying about this, then what else could they be lying about? To answer those questions, I will ask you a question. If you had spent your entire history wondering if aliens existed, how would you feel if you found out that aliens did exist?” I paused for a moment. “Then imagine, for a moment how you would feel if you found out that the smallest alien out there was easily five times larger than you? Keep in mind you have no idea if they view size (or lack thereof) as weakness, or if they will even view you as sapient in the first place. Humanity hid what we were because we didn’t know how you aliens would react to us in the first place. The lies end today, however. In the spirit of transparency with the Galactic Community, after this meeting, anyone who is curious about who we are and why we do the things that we do can find a webpage detailing Terran history, physiology, and psychology.”
The whispering reached the level of a dull roar, prompting the Mudillo representative to speak up. “We will have order in this senate, the Terran ambassador still has the floor.”
I nodded in appreciation again. “And now I have a warning to give.” Everyone looked shocked. “To the representative of the Yaleya Conclave,” I turned so that I could look them in the eye. “You declaring war on United Terra and her people will not go unpunished. I promise you that when we are done with you, you will learn to fear those that you think you can take advantage of.” I turned back to the rest of the Senate. “And to the rest of you, the lack of an official response from any of your governing bodies has left United Terra disappointed. To you we issue an ultimatum, United Terra has been a prolific trade partner with most of the species here, along with providing most of the foreign aid to those that need it. Unless your government officially condemns the actions of the Yaleya Conclave, and introduces sanctions against them, United Terra will withdraw all trade and foreign aid from your respective nations.”
And with that the entire room erupted into chaos as I sealed myself back into my mech.
----------------------
Alex
I sat there in stunned silence as the room descended into chaos. That Venus woman really did play the nuclear card right out of the gate. I looked up to Aeva to see that they were equally shocked. “Well if I thought politics was boring before, I certainly don’t think that now!” I said with a chuckle.
2023.06.06 08:15 mambomonster Put fuel in it
Cousin sent me this today, thought it belonged here. For context he’s a refueler at a mine in Australia.
So the crew boily (welder fabricator) calls me up last night says “can you put fuel in the crane tonight please, it’s low.” ‘Yeah mate I’ll catch ya later no dramas’.
So I call him up few hours later and say ‘I’m on my way where are you’. He goes “ex106” (a digger), I said ‘yeah mate where is that, I’m not sure”. He repeats “I’m at ex106”. I said ‘I get that, but where is ex106, I haven’t been to it this round so not sure where I need to come to”. Again he states “ex106” and I reply same thing, and he doesn’t respond.
Thankfully a Fitter (diesel mechanic) comes on radio and lets me know where to go. ‘Righto I’m coming past there shortly see ya soon’. So I rock on up, park my truck, get up on the crane, open the fuel tank cap and what do I see? It’s full - about 1cm from top of the 150L (40 gal) tank. It wasn’t a drama, it was on my route anyway, and possibly a faulty fuel guage no harm done.
The boily wanders over and goes “so are you going to put fuel in it now?”. This pissed me off a little so I said ‘mate it’s full, maybe other service cart did it, but it’s full now’.
Instead of just thanking me for coming round and having a chat, what does he do? He kicks up this little dance shouting “do you see tyre tracks from another service truck? I’ve been here all night and it hasn’t come it needs fuel”. I said again ‘mate it’s full, it’s about 1cm from the top of the tank, it’s full. Have a look’. He shouts “no it’s not, the guage is saying it’s almost empty so put some damn fuel in it” and does his little dance again.
One more time I said ‘the tank is full’, but he again demands I put more fuel in it. Malicious Compliance kicks in and I went ‘right on bud, no worries’. I climb off the crane, go round to my truck, back it up alongside the crane, pulled out the hose, climbed back onto crane, and started pumping. At about 4 litres it started just spraying a little fuel out, by 6 it starts overflowing, but I keep on pumping until I got to nearly 14 litres, by which time it had run all over the platform and all down the side of the crane.
I turned to him and said ‘ya happy it’s full?’ He finally admits “ohhh maybe it’s got a faulty fuel gauge”. Oh, ya think? He then goes “There’s fuel all over it now”. I looked at him and said ‘not my problem bud. Go get the water blaster trailer and clean it yourself’. Got in my truck and drove off.
submitted by mambomonster to MaliciousCompliance [link] [comments]
So the crew boily (welder fabricator) calls me up last night says “can you put fuel in the crane tonight please, it’s low.” ‘Yeah mate I’ll catch ya later no dramas’.
So I call him up few hours later and say ‘I’m on my way where are you’. He goes “ex106” (a digger), I said ‘yeah mate where is that, I’m not sure”. He repeats “I’m at ex106”. I said ‘I get that, but where is ex106, I haven’t been to it this round so not sure where I need to come to”. Again he states “ex106” and I reply same thing, and he doesn’t respond.
Thankfully a Fitter (diesel mechanic) comes on radio and lets me know where to go. ‘Righto I’m coming past there shortly see ya soon’. So I rock on up, park my truck, get up on the crane, open the fuel tank cap and what do I see? It’s full - about 1cm from top of the 150L (40 gal) tank. It wasn’t a drama, it was on my route anyway, and possibly a faulty fuel guage no harm done.
The boily wanders over and goes “so are you going to put fuel in it now?”. This pissed me off a little so I said ‘mate it’s full, maybe other service cart did it, but it’s full now’.
Instead of just thanking me for coming round and having a chat, what does he do? He kicks up this little dance shouting “do you see tyre tracks from another service truck? I’ve been here all night and it hasn’t come it needs fuel”. I said again ‘mate it’s full, it’s about 1cm from the top of the tank, it’s full. Have a look’. He shouts “no it’s not, the guage is saying it’s almost empty so put some damn fuel in it” and does his little dance again.
One more time I said ‘the tank is full’, but he again demands I put more fuel in it. Malicious Compliance kicks in and I went ‘right on bud, no worries’. I climb off the crane, go round to my truck, back it up alongside the crane, pulled out the hose, climbed back onto crane, and started pumping. At about 4 litres it started just spraying a little fuel out, by 6 it starts overflowing, but I keep on pumping until I got to nearly 14 litres, by which time it had run all over the platform and all down the side of the crane.
I turned to him and said ‘ya happy it’s full?’ He finally admits “ohhh maybe it’s got a faulty fuel gauge”. Oh, ya think? He then goes “There’s fuel all over it now”. I looked at him and said ‘not my problem bud. Go get the water blaster trailer and clean it yourself’. Got in my truck and drove off.
2023.06.06 08:14 RiRi_xoxo_ I made a joke and regret it now
A few months ago, on twt I wrote a joke(I thought it was a light hearted joke) but it turned out to be a horrible mistake. There was an announcement of a group winning a daesang in AAA and I liked that group. I light heartedly wrote "attendance award" With a "🤣" Emoji. I had a stan account of a different group so people started thinking that I was mocking them, earlier I've posted good stuff about that group as well and people on stan twt started calling me a "betrayer" Or "two faced" And when I said that it was a joke and I never mocked their talent then they started bad-mouthing and saying disgusting things about my ult group. My DMs were flooded with disgusting things. It was a nasty phase and I genuinely didn't know how to correct it. I deleted that comment but some people took it's screen shots....
I genuinely used to love that group but after that incident I am not able to even listen to their songs anymore and if they appear on my feed, then it's a very weird feeling . I know that fans don't represent idols but there is this something inside me after that incident that makes me 'not like' their music anymore and it's annoying to me how this incident drove me away from anything related to that group. I had their albums but a few months back, I gave them away at a kpop pop up store near my house. Idk how to deal with it tbh and just wanted to rant here.
submitted by RiRi_xoxo_ to kpoptwtrants [link] [comments]
I genuinely used to love that group but after that incident I am not able to even listen to their songs anymore and if they appear on my feed, then it's a very weird feeling . I know that fans don't represent idols but there is this something inside me after that incident that makes me 'not like' their music anymore and it's annoying to me how this incident drove me away from anything related to that group. I had their albums but a few months back, I gave them away at a kpop pop up store near my house. Idk how to deal with it tbh and just wanted to rant here.
2023.06.06 08:14 jasonbl1974 Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 - screen flickering and pixel artefacts
Hi all,
It's near impossible to get a screenshot of this happening, but I'll try to explain/ describe what is happening and I'm hoping you can help me find a solution.
When using my Chromebook Duet 5 in "laptop mode" I often get flickering colours across the screen: this isn't small pixels flashing on and off. I get large splotches of colour that reflect the logos of apps and extensions installed. The flickering/ flashing on and off is nearly instant and, while this doesn't really interrupt my use of the laptop, it's annoying. As the flashing is so quick it's impossible to get a screenshot that captures this happening.
I've deleted every Chrome extension with the exception of a screenshot tool. I run very few Android apps. I've tried factory resetting/ Powerwashing and that doesn't help.
Any ideas?
submitted by jasonbl1974 to chromeos [link] [comments]
It's near impossible to get a screenshot of this happening, but I'll try to explain/ describe what is happening and I'm hoping you can help me find a solution.
When using my Chromebook Duet 5 in "laptop mode" I often get flickering colours across the screen: this isn't small pixels flashing on and off. I get large splotches of colour that reflect the logos of apps and extensions installed. The flickering/ flashing on and off is nearly instant and, while this doesn't really interrupt my use of the laptop, it's annoying. As the flashing is so quick it's impossible to get a screenshot that captures this happening.
I've deleted every Chrome extension with the exception of a screenshot tool. I run very few Android apps. I've tried factory resetting/ Powerwashing and that doesn't help.
Any ideas?
2023.06.06 08:14 MagicMark_11 Augusta National has quickly become my favorite course in the game
 | Just a couple weeks after going through Amen Corner birdie-birdie-birdie in the final round of The Masters, I had this spectacular birdie on the iconic par-3 12th during the latest Tour difficulty daily tournament, which I finished with a near-flawless (for me), 6-under 66 submitted by MagicMark_11 to EASportsPGATour [link] [comments] |
2023.06.06 08:13 UwU300009 Been suffering dyshydrosis since covid..
I did a patch test and skin prick test 2-3 months ago and found out I was allergic to mold, dustmites, pollen,etc. The patch test revealed that I was allergic to Cocamide DEA and chloroxylenol which are chemicals found in soap/shampoo. I have been avoiding these chemicals by wearing gloves when im in contact with any form of soap. However Im still flaring up and it seems like its reoccuring in a weekly basis.. after the cracking, drying, and peeling phase.. few days later a whole load of small blisters occur on my palm and on all my fingers.
Specifically the routine would go like this: Sat-Sun(blisters form and become itchy), Mon-Tues(itchy, cracks, skin peel), Wed-Fri(little bit itchy, skin peel, but lost a layer of skin due to scratching)
I do wear cotton gloves daily and take allegra in the morning and an antihistamine at night. I use triamcinolone 0.1 ointment and it helps.
My issue is just finding out my trigger.. Idon't know if its a food allergy or something i physically touch. The blisters form nearly in the same damaged area of my skin. Its very hard for me to tell if the trigger occured when I was in the healing stage or prior to that. Could it be the allergy that I made contact with stayed in my system which is why blisters keep reoccuring the same time or is it because im encountering the trigger on the healing stage?
Any help or opinion is appreciated!
submitted by UwU300009 to Dyshidrosis [link] [comments]
Specifically the routine would go like this: Sat-Sun(blisters form and become itchy), Mon-Tues(itchy, cracks, skin peel), Wed-Fri(little bit itchy, skin peel, but lost a layer of skin due to scratching)
I do wear cotton gloves daily and take allegra in the morning and an antihistamine at night. I use triamcinolone 0.1 ointment and it helps.
My issue is just finding out my trigger.. Idon't know if its a food allergy or something i physically touch. The blisters form nearly in the same damaged area of my skin. Its very hard for me to tell if the trigger occured when I was in the healing stage or prior to that. Could it be the allergy that I made contact with stayed in my system which is why blisters keep reoccuring the same time or is it because im encountering the trigger on the healing stage?
Any help or opinion is appreciated!
2023.06.06 08:12 LogRepresentative376 Loosing my love for cooking while dieting.
Before I went on a diet I loved cooking more than anything. I used to bake all the time and make cakes, cinnamon rolls, or tiramisu. I also cooked savory meals as-well. I even was thinking of going to culinary school.
But I’ve been on a diet for around 2 years now and my love for cooking is depleting. I can’t enjoy the food I used to make anymore, even if they are the same dish, I just know it won’t taste nearly as good. I love cooking for others but making a dish and not being able to even taste it makes me not want to cook at all. It makes me sad seeing and feeling my enthusiasm and passion for sometime I truly enjoyed fade away.
I still like to cook but now all I’m focused on are the calories, and not the flavor.
Does anyone else have or has felt this way after dieting.
submitted by LogRepresentative376 to loseit [link] [comments]
But I’ve been on a diet for around 2 years now and my love for cooking is depleting. I can’t enjoy the food I used to make anymore, even if they are the same dish, I just know it won’t taste nearly as good. I love cooking for others but making a dish and not being able to even taste it makes me not want to cook at all. It makes me sad seeing and feeling my enthusiasm and passion for sometime I truly enjoyed fade away.
I still like to cook but now all I’m focused on are the calories, and not the flavor.
Does anyone else have or has felt this way after dieting.
2023.06.06 08:12 PoopOnAPole Less Obvious Tourist Guide to the Chi
Hey all!
My girlfriend and I (18M) are traveling to Chicago later this June for 6 days. It’s not my first time in the city so I already know about the typical tourist stuff like Navy Pier, riverwalk, the bean, blah, blah, blah. What we are looking for is some real authentic local shit to do. I love this city, it’s probably my favorite city in the US so throw all your local reccomends at me about neighborhoods to walk in, parks, art to check out, music joints. Whatever it is you love about this city and what you think makes it unique, I want to know. We are in the process of finding a host on Couchsurf right now, so we don’t know what part of town we’re staying in exactly but we love public transport so bonus points if the cta runs near your point of interest. Thanks to anyone who can help!
submitted by PoopOnAPole to AskChicago [link] [comments]
My girlfriend and I (18M) are traveling to Chicago later this June for 6 days. It’s not my first time in the city so I already know about the typical tourist stuff like Navy Pier, riverwalk, the bean, blah, blah, blah. What we are looking for is some real authentic local shit to do. I love this city, it’s probably my favorite city in the US so throw all your local reccomends at me about neighborhoods to walk in, parks, art to check out, music joints. Whatever it is you love about this city and what you think makes it unique, I want to know. We are in the process of finding a host on Couchsurf right now, so we don’t know what part of town we’re staying in exactly but we love public transport so bonus points if the cta runs near your point of interest. Thanks to anyone who can help!
2023.06.06 08:11 cambridgemontessori_ Best Nursery schools for earlychild education nursery schools near me
 | submitted by cambridgemontessori_ to u/cambridgemontessori_ [link] [comments] |
2023.06.06 08:10 AttorneyDifferent598 I don’t know if I still love my partner but I also don’t feel like I can talk to them about it
This might be long, I just want to get this all off of my chest. I want to preface by saying I have severe emotional dysregulation issues and bipolar disorder, so much of my confusion may just be a consequence of not being able to trust my own emotions most of the time.
My partner and I have been together for about 9 months now, and the first few months were pure bliss. However, around our 4th month together I started to get this feeling off and on. The first time was when I was in a clear manic episode. At this point, we were in a bit of a honeymoon phase and VERY codependent, but my mania had me going off on my own or wanting to be around different groups of people that they weren’t comfortable with much more often (I won’t get into the details of the episode as they aren’t super relevant). They got very worried that I was going to leave them, and if I’m being fully honest I almost did several times during that episode. But as I came down, those feelings went away and I was very happy again. After this, my partner and I had a conversation about how to handle future episodes. They told me that they could forgive and help me through almost anything (other than the obvious extremes like murder or something) as long as I didn’t cheat or leave them. They also asked me to always communicate my feelings with them, as they have some abandonment issues, and the anxiety of not knowing feels much worse to them than just knowing whatever hurtful things I was thinking.
Then I had an intense depressive episode, and for me those result in a massive loss of identity. I had no idea who I was, and I realized that I had BECOME an extension of my partner for every part of my relationship except when I was manic. I replaced all my hobbies with theirs (I stopped gardening and started playing DND, stopped drawing and started writing, started watching their favorite shows instead of mine). I desperately needed some independence, and I communicated that to them and they were amazing about it. They started trying to participate more with MY interests, like going to botanical gardens or watching Supernatural. By then, it felt like we were out of the honeymoon phase and had approached something more comfortable. I eventually left that depressive episode, and I’ve been in a period of normalcy since then.
For a little while things were perfectly fine. However, about two months ago I started feeling like I was tolerating them more than I was enjoying my time with them. In small doses, I LOVED being with them, but I felt like I was just sitting through something when we’d spend a whole day together or stay the night in each others places. I tried to be as open and honest about this as possible, saying that I might need some more time to myself to do my own things or hang out with my own friends, but that I’d always be there if they needed me. They were amazing and receptive, and I expected these feelings to go away with time. I had actually planned to stay at their home for the Summer and we agreed that we might need to take some more time before taking that step in our relationship, so I thought all was well. They were a bit worried about going long distance, and they told me that if we were to ever have trouble in our relationship they’d want to go to couples counseling before even considering breaking up.
But that was almost two months ago now, and my feelings just aren’t going away. I thought that the space would help me feel more independent and comfortable in the relationship. Since we’ve been out of college for the Summer and are seeing each other less, it’s gotten WORSE.
They visited this past weekend and met some of my extended family, and it just felt wrong. They’ve met much of my immediate family already, and it’s never felt this weird to me. But this time, it almost felt like they were invading my place of comfort. I really really enjoyed hanging out with them, watching tiktoks, gaming together, and just the general banter, but I found myself feeling really uncomfortable with their displays of affection. They tried to initiate sex twice, and I just couldn’t get into it either time. (I actually thought that this might just be me having a low sex drive for whatever reason, so I tested it out by looking at porn—which I generally avoid bc I think the industry is awful—and confirmed that I CAN get turned on, I just wasn’t with them). I really love and cherish them, but it’s like all of the romantic and sexual aspects of our relationship are just gone for me.
They’ve gone back home now, and I’m only just now processing the full extent of these feelings. I’m realizing more and more that my feelings towards them are more platonic than anything else, but they’ve told me several times now that leaving them is the worst possible thing I could do to their feelings. We were friends long before our relationship, and I saw how their last breakup (a very amicable one) affected them. They were depressed for over a month, and nearly failed their classes that semester. I’m so scared that I would do that to them again. I also feel so much guilt for keeping this away from them, but it just doesn’t feel right to try and communicate this over the phone.
At first, I agreed with couples counseling, but now it doesn’t feel like there’s anything to fix. There’s nothing wrong with them, and I’m not in any kind of episode (not that I really do know when I’m manic, but the last episode involved planning to assassinate a certain politician and I haven’t been doing anything like that recently). I don’t have a history of commitment issues and our relationship has generally been very healthy and open. I don’t feel like there’s anything to fix, but I know that they’ll want to do whatever it takes. I just don’t know how I can make them understand that it might just be over without absolutely shattering their feelings. They have so many good things going on in their life, they have a new amazing job and they’re on the deans list for high grades, I’m so worried that by telling them how I feel I might ruin those things for them.
I also know that they might not be able to forgive me for leaving them, and I’m so scared that I’ll ruin our entire relationship. The whole time we’ve known each other, they’ve been my best friend before anything else, and I cherish them like my own family. If I end the relationship, I might lose EVERYTHING I’ve ever had with them.
This is the longest thus far that these thoughts and feelings have persisted. I really really wish I could just love them liked I used to, I WANT to be happy with them. Our relationship has been nothing but lovely, healthy, communicative, understanding, almost perfect. I just don’t feel in love with them anymore, and I don’t know how to fix that.
submitted by AttorneyDifferent598 to Vent [link] [comments]
My partner and I have been together for about 9 months now, and the first few months were pure bliss. However, around our 4th month together I started to get this feeling off and on. The first time was when I was in a clear manic episode. At this point, we were in a bit of a honeymoon phase and VERY codependent, but my mania had me going off on my own or wanting to be around different groups of people that they weren’t comfortable with much more often (I won’t get into the details of the episode as they aren’t super relevant). They got very worried that I was going to leave them, and if I’m being fully honest I almost did several times during that episode. But as I came down, those feelings went away and I was very happy again. After this, my partner and I had a conversation about how to handle future episodes. They told me that they could forgive and help me through almost anything (other than the obvious extremes like murder or something) as long as I didn’t cheat or leave them. They also asked me to always communicate my feelings with them, as they have some abandonment issues, and the anxiety of not knowing feels much worse to them than just knowing whatever hurtful things I was thinking.
Then I had an intense depressive episode, and for me those result in a massive loss of identity. I had no idea who I was, and I realized that I had BECOME an extension of my partner for every part of my relationship except when I was manic. I replaced all my hobbies with theirs (I stopped gardening and started playing DND, stopped drawing and started writing, started watching their favorite shows instead of mine). I desperately needed some independence, and I communicated that to them and they were amazing about it. They started trying to participate more with MY interests, like going to botanical gardens or watching Supernatural. By then, it felt like we were out of the honeymoon phase and had approached something more comfortable. I eventually left that depressive episode, and I’ve been in a period of normalcy since then.
For a little while things were perfectly fine. However, about two months ago I started feeling like I was tolerating them more than I was enjoying my time with them. In small doses, I LOVED being with them, but I felt like I was just sitting through something when we’d spend a whole day together or stay the night in each others places. I tried to be as open and honest about this as possible, saying that I might need some more time to myself to do my own things or hang out with my own friends, but that I’d always be there if they needed me. They were amazing and receptive, and I expected these feelings to go away with time. I had actually planned to stay at their home for the Summer and we agreed that we might need to take some more time before taking that step in our relationship, so I thought all was well. They were a bit worried about going long distance, and they told me that if we were to ever have trouble in our relationship they’d want to go to couples counseling before even considering breaking up.
But that was almost two months ago now, and my feelings just aren’t going away. I thought that the space would help me feel more independent and comfortable in the relationship. Since we’ve been out of college for the Summer and are seeing each other less, it’s gotten WORSE.
They visited this past weekend and met some of my extended family, and it just felt wrong. They’ve met much of my immediate family already, and it’s never felt this weird to me. But this time, it almost felt like they were invading my place of comfort. I really really enjoyed hanging out with them, watching tiktoks, gaming together, and just the general banter, but I found myself feeling really uncomfortable with their displays of affection. They tried to initiate sex twice, and I just couldn’t get into it either time. (I actually thought that this might just be me having a low sex drive for whatever reason, so I tested it out by looking at porn—which I generally avoid bc I think the industry is awful—and confirmed that I CAN get turned on, I just wasn’t with them). I really love and cherish them, but it’s like all of the romantic and sexual aspects of our relationship are just gone for me.
They’ve gone back home now, and I’m only just now processing the full extent of these feelings. I’m realizing more and more that my feelings towards them are more platonic than anything else, but they’ve told me several times now that leaving them is the worst possible thing I could do to their feelings. We were friends long before our relationship, and I saw how their last breakup (a very amicable one) affected them. They were depressed for over a month, and nearly failed their classes that semester. I’m so scared that I would do that to them again. I also feel so much guilt for keeping this away from them, but it just doesn’t feel right to try and communicate this over the phone.
At first, I agreed with couples counseling, but now it doesn’t feel like there’s anything to fix. There’s nothing wrong with them, and I’m not in any kind of episode (not that I really do know when I’m manic, but the last episode involved planning to assassinate a certain politician and I haven’t been doing anything like that recently). I don’t have a history of commitment issues and our relationship has generally been very healthy and open. I don’t feel like there’s anything to fix, but I know that they’ll want to do whatever it takes. I just don’t know how I can make them understand that it might just be over without absolutely shattering their feelings. They have so many good things going on in their life, they have a new amazing job and they’re on the deans list for high grades, I’m so worried that by telling them how I feel I might ruin those things for them.
I also know that they might not be able to forgive me for leaving them, and I’m so scared that I’ll ruin our entire relationship. The whole time we’ve known each other, they’ve been my best friend before anything else, and I cherish them like my own family. If I end the relationship, I might lose EVERYTHING I’ve ever had with them.
This is the longest thus far that these thoughts and feelings have persisted. I really really wish I could just love them liked I used to, I WANT to be happy with them. Our relationship has been nothing but lovely, healthy, communicative, understanding, almost perfect. I just don’t feel in love with them anymore, and I don’t know how to fix that.
2023.06.06 08:10 Chonkycats4lyfe 26/PC/USA Apex unranked duo or trio?
Looking for people to duo or trio with on apex legends, Dont really care about rank as long as you have somewhat of an idea of what you're doing but I used to be around like gold but I stopped playing for around 4 months. Dm me if interested.
Sadly can't play tonight because I'm at work but looking for people to play in a couple hours or in the near future.
submitted by Chonkycats4lyfe to GamerPals [link] [comments]
Sadly can't play tonight because I'm at work but looking for people to play in a couple hours or in the near future.