So i played GTA up until February this year. The reason for this is because my ps4 went into safe mode and I couldn’t download the file that was required because it was either corrupted or the playstation couldn’t detect it.
I got a new ps4 but in order to transfer data i needed to be able to access my old ps4 which I couldn’t do since it was stuck in safe mode.
I logged into my account and i redownloaded the game, the story mode had restarted and when i went to play online it have to play the break in story that you play when you first play the game.
My question is have i lost all my progress and will i have to start from Level 1 again if i play online?

Please use this thread to ask any questions you have about the game. Please search though the comments section as your question may have been answered already or through the search bar.

General Resources

• General Database - Good for seeing Stats of Students, Drop Rate, Raid Stats
• Gameplay Help Overview - Great for New Players
• Min-Turn Stage Guide - Text Version, Japanese Website
• Min-Turn Stage Guide - YouTube Video Version
• PvP Guide -
• Raid Guide - More in-depth description on each Raid's Mechanics
• Raid Character Guide - Recommended Students for each Raid
• Unique Equipment Guide - More detailed stats number for Equipment
• Upcoming Banners
• Student Skill Level Up Priority - More in-depth guide for Student's skill level up
• Midokuni's Student Insights - General Overview of Students
• Global Event
• Gameplay Overview (Legacy Content)
• Upcoming Banners (Legacy Content)

REMINDER: Bind your account!

Please remember to bind your accounts and take note of your UID, member code, server location, and any information related to your account (e.g. amount spent, student roster, etc). If anything happens to your account (e.g. losing access, unauthorized access), you will need to provide as much info as you can to Nexon's customer support email. Guest accounts that are unbound will be extremely difficult to recover, perhaps impossible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

[01] When does the server reset?
For global, dailies reset at 19:00 UTC and weeklies reset on Sunday.
[02] Should I re-roll this account?
This will depend on your priorities with PvE, PvP, or both, but you can generally see the “ideal” units as Iori, Hibiki, and Tsubaki for most content, while Shun and Haruna are great for PvP.
[03] Who should I spend my elephs on? Who should I mystic unlock?
At the start, prioritize spending your blank elephs on getting Serina to 2-star for the increased healing stat, Tsubaki to 3-star for the extra tankiness when she is reloading. It is generally advised not to spend your elephs on increasing characters to 4-star and 5-star ratings, since there is only a stat increase and the amount of elephs needed is quite high.
[04] What do my support students’ stats do?
Aside from increasing the stats of their own skills, support students will provide additional stat boosts to your striker team. The specific increase(s) can be viewed by clicking on “Support” on the right side of the team formation screen.
[05] What should I buy in the shop?

• Credit Shop - Buy out the bottom row of materials, then the first two tiers of enhancement stones as needed. Feel free to buy the higher tiers of enhancement stones if you feel that you have an excess of credits, which is very common.
• Eligma - This will depend on you, can reference question [03].
• Total Assault (raid) - Prioritize Maki’s elephs (until you unlock her) and save the rest of your currency for future updates that will add more low-rarity students to the shop, meaning you can unlock mystic for them without spending your eligma. You can also purchase the skill discs/blu-rays depending on your needs.
• Tactical Challenge (PvP) - Buy out the energy drinks as needed (warning: they are instantly consumed, they won’t be moved to your inventory). Many suggest to save these for events in order to buy drinks, refresh the shop, and repeat.

[06] What does the “leader” position do?
This is purely cosmetic, as it changes which student’s chibi shows up on the map.
[07] What benefits are there to joining a club?

• 10 AP are given daily and deposited automatically on teacher's mailbox, upon checking in.
• A maximum of two assistant can be set for Total Assault and Joint Firing Drill respectively.

1. Students assigned to assist with TA cannot also be selected to assist with JFD.
2. 20 credits are rewarded every minute by setting assistants.
3. The specific unit that is borrowed can be only used once a day.
4. There's a fee of 40,000 credits, when borrowing a assistant student.
5. The donor receives 50,000 credits instead; even though the fee is 40,000 credits.
6. The fee can only be received 20 times a day.

• It can be unlocked after clearing Mission 3 Act 4

[08] How does the pity system work?
You need to pull, at a minimum, 200 times in order to get 200 recruitment points that are redeemed for the character you want. The recruitment point system does not carry over from banner to banner, it is only shared between banners that are concurrently running.
[09] Why can’t I find my friend’s club?
While the servers’ updates are separated from JP and global, the global servers are separated further into smaller divisions. You need to be on the same server as your friend, which you can check from the home screen: top-right menu button > account > version info. The server must be the same.
[10] When is X banner coming? Should I save for X student?
We never know for sure, due to the fact that global servers are on an accelerated schedule compared to JP. Please refer to this guide for some more info.
[11] Should I use Pyroxenes to refill my AP?
If you want to prioritize progression, the first three daily refills are decently valuable, this is because the Pyroxene cost of refilling will increase for every three refills. If you are focused on character collection or future banners, you should be saving your Pyroxenes.
[12] Why can’t I buy X student’s eleph in the shop?
You can only buy elephs of students you own.
[13] What should I craft?
At the start, prioritize crafting cafe furniture until your comfort is maxed out, then students’ gifts, then whichever upgrade materials you need. The crafting system is the only way to get furniture and gifts at the moment.
[14] What is the “Anniversary” in account settings?
This is your birthday, used for characters to wish you happy birthday.
[15] When will the beginner guide missions for Nonomi end?
This is a permanent addition, so feel free to take your time with the tasks.
[16] What is the best place to farm EXP?
You can run any map to farm EXP, as the EXP gain is equal to the amount of AP spent (i.e. 10 AP spent = 10 EXP gained). You should be looking at the stages that drop the equipment upgrade materials that you need.
[17] What is the “Secret Tech Sheet” in the Total Assault shop?
This is used to upgrade a student’s (non-EX) skill to level 10.
[18] Is it worth doing a raid if I can’t pass X difficulty level?
It is always more efficient to clear the highest difficulty you can finish instead of failing/forfeiting a higher difficulty.
[19] Can I claim the Limited Students through exchanging Expert Permits? How often does the Expert Permit shop resets?
You cannot get the limited students via this method. You will still need to pull for them. There's no specific mentioned but it's expected to be monthly.

OthePast Megathreads

• Daily Questions
• Weekly Club Recruitment
• Weekly Kivotos Lounge
• Weekly Storytelling Plaza
• Technical Issues

Please have patience with other members of the community and be as polite as possible. Everyone has to start somewhere!

group pic w/ timestamp
more detailed photos
paypal invoice only. buyer covers paypal fees. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. no returns/exchanges. i am not responsible for the item after providing tracking. i am not picky about flaws so i can't speak on them but feel free to request more pics.
WHEN READY TO BUY, PLEASE SEND ME YOUR PAYPAL EMAIL SO I CAN WRITE AN INVOICE
---
ITEMS (shipping not included)

1. 4cne stud1os gray face logo fa1rview sweatshirt XL: $55. length: ~72cm, pit to pit: ~62cm
   1. in inches: ~24.5W x ~28.5L. only tried on, tag still on! minimal and clean design. soft fleece on the inside
2. b3ams j4pan penguin cardigan L: $37. length: ~74cm, pit to pit: ~59cm
   1. ~23W x ~29L. only tried on! not a knit cardigan. nice basic. has pockets. tag on the bottom says b3ams surf & skate
3. ad3r 3rror x k1tsune 2020 tshirt A3: $30. length: ~75cm, pit to pit: ~58cm L to XL is my guess but please check measurements
   1. ~23W x ~29.5L. only tried on, tag still on! cool design
4. j1l s4nder logo tshirt S: $28. length: ~72cm, pit to pit: ~61cm OVERSIZED, could probs fit M/L but please check measurements
   1. ~24W x ~28L. only tried on, tag still on! nice basic

Please submit your ID requests as top-level comments within this post (i.e., direct comments to this post). Any top-level comments in this thread that are not ID requests will be removed, and any ID requests that are submitted as standalone posts to geology will be removed.
To add an image to a comment, upload your image(s) here, then paste the Imgur link into your comment, where you also provide the other information necessary for the ID post. See this guide for instructions.
To help with your ID post, please provide;

1. Multiple, sharp, in-focus images taken ideally in daylight.
2. Add in a scale to the images (a household item of known size, e.g., a ruler)
3. Provide a location (be as specific as possible) so we can consult local geological maps if necessary.
4. Provide any additional useful information (was it a loose boulder or pulled from an exposure, hardness and streak test results for minerals)

You may also want to post your samples to whatsthisrock or fossilID for identification.
An example of a good Identification Request:

Please can someone help me identify this sample? It was collected along the coastal road in southeast Naxos (Greece) near Panormos Beach as a loose fragment, but was part of a larger exposure of the same material. The blue-ish and white-yellowish minerals do not scratch with steel. Here are the images.

--- O V E R V I E W ---

• You download the provided sample pack.
• You make a song using ONLY those samples.
• You upload your submission before the deadline.
• Everyone votes on the submissions.
• The winner provides the next sample pack.

--- R U L E S ---

• Only the provided samples can be used in your song. What does that mean? Well, it means that you can't use your own samples or unrelated synth patches in the song. The goal is to be limited by using only the sounds that you were provided and using them in your own creative ways within the provided scope.
• You CAN, however, use the provided samples as wave tables or modulators in a synth (Serum is an example here) because the wave table is still the provided sample. You can use the provided samples in any way that utilizes them as the sound source.
• You CAN NOT change the shape of the waveform if using Serum (Formula Preset functions, draw in shape). You CAN morph, normalize, or cross fade the wave tables (Morph and Process functions).
• Resampling is allowed. As long as you start with one of the provided samples, it doesn't matter how different it ends up sounding. You just have to start with what you're given.
• You can effect the sounds however you like.
• You can submit only one song for the contest.
• By participating in the contest, you agree to submit your project file in the event that your song's implementation is contested for any reason warranting review.
• The winner of the competition will provide the sample pack for the next competition within the required time frame upon notification of results.

--- S U B M I T T I N G ---
Upload your submission to SoundCloud or Youtube. At the link below, Fill out the form in the "submit your entry" section with your reddit user name, song name and the link to your track, then click submit. Links can be private but must be viewable to anyone accessing the link. The submission form will not be available after the voting period starts.
--- D E A D L I N E ---
The submission deadline for this contest is June 23, 2023 at 7PM (CDT). Please have your entries submitted before then!
--- V O T I N G ---
Voting will begin on June 23, 2023 at 7PM (CDT) and end on June 27, 2023 at 7PM (CDT), and the results posted shortly after. The winner will be notified at the time of the post and will have until the last day of the month to submit their sample pack.
--- R E S U L T S ---
The winner of the contest will be announced in a stickied thread at the top of this subreddit for the duration of the next contest. In addition, the winner may submit a link to their music to be featured in the sub.
--- S A M P L E S & S U B M I S S I O N ---
Samples and submissions here
Good luck, and most importantly, have fun!

Where: East to West Ski Traverse from Shepherd's Pass Trailhead (Independence, CA) across the Sierra to Wolverton (Western Sierra Foothills), sometimes referred to as the "Sierra High Route Ski Traverse" or the "David Beck Route" after the ski guide who pioneered the route in the 1970s. Getting to cross the Sierra on skis, particularly with a historic snowpack, was an amazing experience.
When: May 25, 2023 – May 28, 2023
Distance and Vert: 50 Miles, 15,000' ascent (CalTopo: https://caltopo.com/m/FH2VE)
Conditions: Continuous snow from mile ~6 at 9400'. Weather varied from zero visibility clouds, scorching direct sun, precipitation/graupel, and frigid mornings.
Lighterpack: for a couple (shared sleep system and ski gear for two) https://lighterpack.com/rp5unn
Cars/Transportation: This might be one of the biggest challenges of the trip. Some people choose to stage cars at both trailheads, but that would require a six-hour drive before and after the trip. The ideal situation, which we were able to work out, is to swap cars with another group crossing in the opposite direction simultaneously, trading keys on route. However, not everyone will be this lucky. Another option is to hitchhike from Wolverton to Three Rivers, then get a ride to the Fresno airport, fly to Reno, and take the 395 shuttle to Independence. But this will add days to your trip.
Road Closure: This year, an additional complexity was that the road from Hospital Rock to Wolverton was closed due to rain damage. It is a 14-mile stretch with an elevation gain of approximately 5000'. We spoke to rangers at SEKI, and suggested they might look the other way if we rode our e-bikes outside of construction hours, which they believed were from 7 AM to 7 PM. So, one group rode e-bikes with cargo trailers we purchased on Amazon from Hospital Rock at 2700' up to Wolverton at 7400'. They locked up the bikes and trailers and headed east. When we arrived at Wolverton after our traverse, we unlocked the bikes, loaded our gear, and rode the bikes back down to the car parked at Hospital Rock. Walking that stretch would be a pain after already crossing the Sierra, particularly because you'd probably have to haul boots and skis down the road with you on your back.
Purpose of [Long] Report: I've wanted to cross the Sierra on skis for many years, but poor snow conditions had stymied previous attempts. With the historic snowpack this year, I finally got a chance to ski it. Prior to this trip, I scoured the Internet for information, but most of it was either old and lacked details or came from guide companies that lead clients across in about six days. In the interest of aiding future skiers, I wanted to put together a comprehensive trip report with some of our group's learnings. However, a caveat to future readers, our trip was much later in the year than is typical and followed the deepest winter in recorded memory in the Sierra, so your experience may differ greatly.
GEAR
Our kits were relatively light given it was a ski traverse, which was essential due to the long ski and boot carry on day one. This lighter pack is my wife and I's shared and personal gear combine. She was less egar to list out her clothing individually (she does not share our affliction) however she let me weigh it all at once: https://lighterpack.com/rp5unn
Sleep Kit: For anyone contemplating winter camping with someone they feel comfortable sharing a sleeping bag with, I cannot recommend the Feathered Friends Spoonbill enough. It is the single greatest piece of kit I have ever owned. It's absurdly light and warm and more comfortable than a solo bag because it's large enough for both people to stretch out. Of course, it only really works if you feel comfortable cozying up with your partner, but if you're a couple, like we were, it's the greatest. Just make sure that you have pad straps that hold the two sleeping pads together. When we first got the bag, we contemplated one of those double sleeping pads, but they're heavy and not as warm as the Therm-a-Rest Xtherm. Instead, I've sewn pad straps with grosgrain, similar to the ones you can purchase from Gossamer Gear, that hold the pads together perfectly. It's also nice that each person has their own pad to inflate to their preferred firmness. The Xtherm is also warm enough to eliminate the need for extra closed cell foam pads.
Skis: If you're contemplating this route, you might be tempted to reach for ultralight skimo skis, but I'd urge caution. The snow conditions you're going to encounter are wildly variable, and unless you're used to skiing sun cups with a super heavy pack down steep passes, you may want something more robust. I ended up opting for my Blizzard Zero G 105 because I wanted that additional flotation in the soft afternoon snow. It ended up being a pretty good choice, although it was pretty heavy to haul up Shepherd's Pass on my back.
Sharps Kit: We carried aluminum boot crampons and ski crampons. Both were essential. My partner had a BD Whippet to assist on some of the passes. I just opted for poles. If you're used to booting, I think crampons are probably enough, and you can likely leave the ice ax at home.
Stove: We debated bringing an alcohol stove (Trail Designs Ti Tri), but we ended up bringing a MSR Reactor, worried that we would have to melt snow for water. We ended up collecting 95% of our water, and we could've easily collected all of it. I've heard from other groups that when the weather gets cold, it can be more difficult to track down water, but we could have gotten away with an alcohol stove.
Footwear: I wore light road running shoes up Shepard's Pass. They got pretty shredded on the trip, but they were a welcome addition and served as great camp shoes too while I tried to dry by boots in the afternoon sun.
Eyewear: At the last minute, I ditched my goggles and wore Smith Wildcats exclusively. Although I did have a backup pair of sunglasses, just in case I lost the Wildcats, I'm glad I didn't bother with goggles. The descents themselves were pretty short.
Pack: We both used HMG Porter packs without the HMG ski carry mod, but our own MYOG tubular webbing contraption to hold skis in place without damaging the webbing straps. They were perfect for the trip. I do know HMG now makes a ski-specific pack, but I purchased the Porter many years ago. However, even if the new pack had been available, I'd still prefer the Porter for versatility in other activities like climbing, packrafting, general backpacking, etc.
DAY-BY-DAY REPORT
Early on the morning of May 25th, we left the Courthouse Motel in Independence, CA bound for Shepard's Pass Trailhead. With skis and poles in hand, the proprietors looked perplexed when they asked us were we were headed and we told them “Fresno.” Despite significant runoff this year, the road to the Shepherds Pass Trailhead is passable with a low-clearance vehicle. While we couldn't reach the "hikers" trailhead, we easily reached the "stock" trailhead at 5600'. Starting our traverse from there, we ascended Symmes Saddle toward Shepard's Pass in lightweight running shoes, with skis and boots on our backs. Along the way, we encountered clear evidence of the historic avalanche cycle, including massive trees blocking the trail. Crossing the creek multiple times, we devised creative ways to keep our feet dry, using pack tosses and rock jumps. At the final crossing, we bypassed a sketchy log and carefully waded through the creek with our heavy packs.As the trail steepened into switchbacks, intermittent snow appeared around 8400', soon becoming continuous. Pushing on through snow with sneakers, we reached Symmes Saddle at 9100'. There the trail transitions to a south aspect and the snow disappeared completely. After a few more miles, we arrived at Mahogany Flat, there we switched from shoes to skis, encountering consistent snow for the rest of the traverse. Our first night's camp was set above the "Pothole" on granite slabs, offering a breathtaking view of the Owens River Valley below.
The following day, we ascended Shepherds Pass using boot crampons, reaching the Tyndall Plateau. Descending on firm, sun-capped snow, we made our way to the Kern River, where we were fortunate to find a snow bridge, a crucial element of our route. Crossing without a bridge would have been sketchy. From there, we faced the grueling climb up Milestone Basin under a scorching sun. Fortunately, afternoon clouds provided relief and intermittent graupel. We ascended Milestone Pass late in the afternoon, then descended into Milestone Bowl, where again we camped on granite slabs.
On the third day, we descended the remainder of Milestone Bowl before embarking on several long traverses across massive bowls. At the end of the first ski traverse, we booted up an unnamed ridge marked by glide avalanche cracks. After briefly meeting the other party traveling from West to East and exchanging information on conditions ahead, we crossed over Triple Divide Pass. The next pass, Copper Mine Pass, presented more glide cracks and cornices that showed signs of recent collapse. Instead of taking the conventional route north of the peak, exposed to hazards, we managed to skin up just below the Copper Mine Pass summer trail, which surprisingly was melted out and allowed passage to the next drainage. We finished the day with an easy skin up Horn Col and a relaxed ski down to Lonely Lake.
On the final day, we climbed over Pterodactyl Pass below Big Bird Peak before turning north and continuing to ski into the Tablelands. Once near Tablelands Pass, we removed our skins for the second-to-last time and enjoyed a fun but gentle descent toward Pear Lake Hut. The hut was completely buried in snow, having sat unused throughout the entire winter. From the hut, we skinned up the final hump before embarking on a true survival ski down to Wolverton. The snow extended all the way down to the parking lot, but it was wet and covered in pine needles, branches, and pine duff—the type of snow one can't truly fathom without venturing beyond ski resort boundaries.
Finally, we arrived at the parking lot and found our e-bikes securely locked to the barricade, which the eastbound group had prepared for us. We assembled the cargo trailers, attached them to the bikes, and began the long and winding descent from 7400' to 2700', reaching the road closure at Hospital Rock, the truck, and very welcome warm beers.

Hi everyone - I'm relatively new to Legends/EU and just finished up the Bane trilogy and LOVED it. I'm trying to pick what to read next and have come up with a few ideas, and would appreciate some input as to what I might like best based on what I've enjoyed previously.
What I've read:

• Thrawn Trilogy: It was great - perfect intro to Legends/EU and really captured my attention and interest. It felt like a proper continuation of Luke, Leia, Han and the gang's journey post-ROTJ without bringing in a big bad guy who is more powerful than the Emperor and trying to out-do or water down the victory they earned in the OT.
  
• Shatterpoint: This book was a WILD ride - it was sitting on the shelf at my local comic/book/sci-fi store so I grabbed it. I couldn't put it down - it was a crazy story and really had me hooked. It gave some cool insight into Mace Windu, The Clone Wars, and had a crazy story with a new type of setting/character that I haven't seen elsewhere in Star Wars.
  
• Darth Bane Trilogy: This was awesome - I loved every moment of the Bane trilogy - I loved the origin, his quest for knowledge, wrestling with planning/the future of the Sith, apprentices, and how things come full circle.
  

What I've thought about reading next:

• Old Republic Novels
  
• Lost Tribe of the Sith series (and then Old Republic)
  
• Outbound Flight
  
• Republic Commando Series
  
• Dark Lord Trilogy
  
• Movie Novelizations (Phantom Menace through Return of the Jedi)
  

I'm not sure I'd like to dive into the post-Thrawn trilogy universe yet, I enjoyed Bane and the Old Republic the most so far because it was entirely new to me, so hopefully I can continue to explore that era. Additionally, the writing style was great, which is why I thought maybe I'd visit the Old Republic Novels. That being said, Shatterpoint was great and I'd look forward to reading Stover's Revenge of the Sith during a movie novelization run. I also loved the world and style in the Thrawn Trilogy, which is why I might want to check out Outbound Flight. I also thought that I might hit the Lost Tribe of The Sith series before The Old Republic because I think they might provide some interesting lore that supplements Revan's and Bane's stories.
So, if anyone has any ideas as to which of my above might be best, or if I'm missing something that I should consider, feel free to share!
MTFBY!

Please come up with an update for EA APP. The app is very buggy and glitchy.
1) The game library and sometimes the store does not load. The game library is always empty 9/10 times when i try to open the EA app. It says a message like "Things are taking a little while, please hang tight while we try to solve the problem"
2) If out of 9/10 times, by any miracle the app works fine and shows the games present in the library, it's of no use. Because, neither I can download the game as it gets stuck in the preparing to download menu, nor I can cancel the download as it gets stuck on cancelling.....
3)I had FIFA 22 on origin. It was completely fine until EA APP automatically updated in my PC and remover origin. Firstly, it could not launch my FIFA 22 as it said that game files were missing and secondly, i tried to delete my FIFA 22 and reinstall it but to my dismay, the EA APP doesn't even show my game library. As i told you, my library appears empty 9/10 times and by any chance, even if I am able to see FIFA 22 in my library, it's of no use because the game gets stuck on preparing to download. Again when I try to restart the app, again the same old problem which is an empty game library.
4)This was the reason I bought FIFA 23 on steam but little did I know that EA APP will be there to shit on my face. When I click play on Steam, it redirects me to EA APP where it says that "You don't have access. This title may be downloaded by another user or you do not own it. Please restart the app and try again." Despite having my Steam account linked correctly and verifying if my account is linked correctly by an EA SUPPORT MEMBER, the app still shows the error that I don't have access to the game.
5) Almost half a year went by and EA APP has made my life sad and depressing. I am not able to play games for which I literally paid for. It's like EA is robbing me of my money.
6)Please bring an app update because i have tried every possible way to make this work. I have been contacting EA HELP for months but in vain. The end result is always the support member saying ," I will report this to my team and they will fix it soon." That "soon" never came. MONTHSSSS...waited for months and now I am tired of waiting.
7)Tried running app as admin. Tried clearing caches. Tried app recovery. Tried restarting the app. Tried logging in and out of app. Tried downloading a game and cancelling mid way to kill the glitch. Tried running the game from STEAM. Tried uninstalling and reinstalling EA APP thousands of times. NO USE.

So I’m back in the hornet after a 4 week hiatus and was doing some BVR gauntlets in the hornet (and failing). I know the root cause will come down to poor airmanship, but I keep getting sucked in head down trying to play with the radar, which led to me getting a fox 2 up my arse or ending up in a merge with the disadvantage of not having eyes on the bandit.
So aces of hoggit, how do you manage the radar while flying the plane and not losing SA? How do you spot targets visually at long range while working the radar? Also any tricks to finding the target on radar without any AWACS providing you data (I always seem to struggle finding the right elevation it seems).
This noob thanks you for any advice you have.

Noticed sets of flashing lights hidden (disguised in the station, like a lantern or some of the lights on the wall above the train at Guardians) on some attraction platforms over the last few days at DHS and Epcot? Can anyone provide insight to what these are/do? Can’t find anything online.

Hi All,
Sorry for gatecrashing from UniMelb - but I thought this post was relevant to share here, given the work issues at CQU as well. I'm running a survey on young people's experience of work and pay. If you're interested and have time, the details are below :)
Melbourne School of Government is interested in young people's (18-30) experiences of work and pay. The National Young Workers Survey will provide much-needed data on the pay issues young people experience at work. By completing this 15-20min survey, you'll provide valuable data to help inform policy, digital tools, and other support services for young people experiencing issues at work. Access the survey at this link: https://government.unimelb.edu.au/news-and-events/news/national-young-workers-survey/

Rant: Genshin impact is still my fav by far but a major part of the game, the storyline feels horrible compared to hsr. After playing HSR, Genshin's bloated dialogues and presence of paimon makes the storyline unbearable. And its because of dialogues written for 5 year olds which repeat the same thing twice and paimon, the 10 iq floating twerp, ruining everything by making me feel like the MC is actually paimon.
Blaoted text: everything can be said in 3 times lesser lines but genshin Devs made it long for no reason. And if supporters say that it is to simplify the dialogue, it's not doing that job, it's making the dailogue longer and more complicated. This time, I just ended up skipping the main event storyline cause it got unbearable with 300 lines of paimon and 150 lines of Charlotte and a few more of others. Why does ten lines worth of content need to be stretched to 100 lines bruh 💀
Paimon interfering in traveller's personal and crucial moments: there are many emotional moments in the story, especially about traveller's sibling, are ruined by paimon by saying what we should be staying without any emotional attachment which takes away the seriousness. There are too many such occurances.
Zero contribution of paimon in the story: paimon has no real positive contribution in story except for emotional support which is provided by side characters anyway ;_; like she isn't even useful anymore unlike in monstadt, where she served as a guide (for literally the first 7 minutes of playing), now she is just repeating what others say.
Paimon: a huge problem. She has no personality outside of being traveller's spokesperson with no personality apart from always being salty, having 10 iq, always hungry for food, and always hungry for mora. Second, she is supposed to be a companion but she is more like a pet who doesn't let us speak. She is great to have around but that is as long as she doesn't forcefully spoon-feed us. It's even more frustrating that paimon is the one used to bloat dialogues which makes me dislike her even more.
I am scared for Fontaine cause if things proceed this way then even an amazing storyline will turn into mid cause everything is just one line expanded into 50 and paimon screaming in our face for like 20 minutes straight while not giving any valueable info or guidance at all. Oh and not to forget that tiny animal asking for food and using garbage humour to make us "enjoy" those essays she says.
What are your thoughts on it?

Hi All,
Sorry for gatecrashing from UniMelb - but I thought this post was relevant to share here, given the work issues at Griffith Uni as well. I'm running a survey on young people's experience of work and pay. If you're interested and have time, the details are below :)
Melbourne School of Government is interested in young people's (18-30) experiences of work and pay. The National Young Workers Survey will provide much-needed data on the pay issues young people experience at work. By completing this 15-20min survey, you'll provide valuable data to help inform policy, digital tools, and other support services for young people experiencing issues at work. Access the survey at this link: https://government.unimelb.edu.au/news-and-events/news/national-young-workers-survey/

I have a rare progressive neurological disorder but I have mental illness and have been told I’m at risk of developing psychosomatic symptoms. I have developed new symptoms and it’s grey area of they are my disease progressing or psychosomatic. I know I will ultimately need to seek treatment but it’s a lose-lose situation. If my disease is progressing more rapidly than expected (which unfortunately I think is the more likely outcome) it will be a huge sorrow. There are very few treatments for my condition and none that can truly stop disease progression, so I’m not necessarily going to get a miracle pill. If it’s a psychosomatic symptom, I will be verbally abused by providers at best and physically abused at worst. I’m already in psychotherapy and on antidepressants and in many ways my health has worsened. I’m engaged, a recent college graduate, have a great job and many friends so I don’t know if there’s anything I can change as far as my lifestyle if symptoms are psychological. I’m just anxious about my disease progression and maybe part of me wants to stay in denial. I know I have to seek medical attention, I’m just venting because nothing good will come out of this.

There is some sort of Talmudic passage that when certain things happen, that results in anti-semitism and other maladies. Something like when Jews don't story Torah, it results in hatred of Jews, when Jews don't do something else it results in famine, when Jews don't do a third thing it results in flooding, etc. I'm not saying I agree, I'm sure I don't, but I remember seeing it when perusing one of the books of the Talmud. Can anyone provide the quotation? Thanks!

Me (19f) and my ex (20f), let's call her L, had been dating for about a year and a half. We'd been best friends beforehand as well and we were super close. As a little background info, I struggle with a major anxiety disorder and tend to let things get under my skin easily and deal with a lot of pattern recognition when talking to people. This is more of a catharsis post, and I'll make a TL;DR at the end :).
Everything was well at first, but within a few months she asked me about considering an open relationship, saying that she felt like she couldn't provide what I "needed" as we were long distance (About an hour drive both ways). I have never been comfortable with being in an open or polygamous relationship and declined. That's when I started getting suspicious. It's also important that I note that she would never let me use her phone, even in emergency situations.
Things started ramping up about 6 months into our relationship when she began to talk about how she wanted to stop using the label "girlfriends", and how she told people that asked her out that she was in a "somewhat serious monogamous relationship" instead of saying she had a girlfriend. She also constantly talked about how she wished things were like before our relationship. Hindsight always being 20/20, I should have left the relationship then but she had previously talked about how negatively it affected her life at one point where I broke contact with her after a serious argument before we began dating, so I felt pressured to stay.
The real serious issues began around our one year mark. At one point, she bragged to me about how she had kissed a friend in front of their father to make him mad, and I immediately expressed that it was not okay with me as I mentioned in previous boundary talks that I prefer those things to be exclusive. After that, she began treating me worse and worse. She would disappear for hours at a time and send very vague and short texts when I asked what she was up to, and tell me that she was out with friends who I didn't even know existed until after she returned home. On a few occasions, she would scream and berate me or make me feel bad about a game choice while we played video games together, or she would call me and go on violent rants about her issues and threaten other people, then tell me it was because she was stressed about things.
A few months after our one year mark, I attempted to break up with her. I told her that I no longer felt safe in the relationship because her verbal attacks and ranting were beginning to scare me, but she begged me to stay and that she would promise to get better. I ended up staying because she said that she needed me, and that I was a huge positive influence in her life. She also promised that we would get married and start building a life together.
A few months after that is when she broke up with me out of the blue. I was blindsided at first, and distraught for weeks after. I contemplated rebounding immediately to get back at her, creating profiles on dating apps, but I was not ready and deleted them almost immediately. However, just days after the breakup she told a mutual friend that she had begun seeing someone new. This began to make me realize that there had been someone else already. Things began adding up, her not letting me use her phone, the open relationship requests, the mysterious friends, the negative behavior.
I've begun to heal, seeing a therapist, learning to stick up for myself, but it's not me that I'm worried about. She's seeing someone else, and I am afraid for them. I don't know who they are, but I am afraid that they will be treated the same way with the manipulation, the verbal abuse, and the threats. I am worried that they'll go through the same thing I did, or even worse.
TL;DR - Ex became abusive towards me before breaking up, I'm worried that their new partner will face the same.

Astral or Star Jelly is a real event/substance that has been found in all areas of the earth (please Wikipedia it). My friend performed a DNA analysis on a sample of Star Jelly, and the results were amazing. His group concluded that the sample mostly had mitochondrial-like DNA, but it was very different from anything reported (much longer and having possible different base pairs).
Astral/Star Jelly is often found after meteorite showers or other astral events. I found some when I was young (heavy Northern Lights and Meteor Shower event). I crafted the first chapter of a potential novel. Please give feedback. I am switching to google docs, so soon I will have links to my works.
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Chapter 1
The Byproduct of Gods
Her owners had held her for so many lifetimes that the stream, which flowed, near her family’s hut was gone. The trees that provided fuel, housing, and food were missing, replaced by a prairie. After all the years of the concept of returning home keeping her going, she did not feel safe. There were no people near her village, and it took her days to unearth signs of her youth. She discovered the land that she had first walked on only because the mountain and stones did not move. As she cleaned the Blue Volga granite idol of her parents’ deity, she felt nothing. The blue-green face of the god looked sad to her. He also was no longer safe. His followers were dead and his power forgotten.
Her first owner was a traveler. They moved with each new moon. Her master felt safe but she failed to understand that her entourage plodded along a predictable path. After many decades, a tale of a demon woman who did not age traveled the same circuit. Finally, a village attacked the demon. Her second owner was the daughter of the woman who bought her. The daughter decided to build a fortress and to rule her fief. Her third owner was the daughter’s son who had grown tired of never gaining his birthright. His guilt and myopic greed caused him to sell her to an alchemist. From that point on, she was an item for trade or barter.
Her final master failed to return home. She remained in his caravan for a week, performing her duties. When she had eaten all the food, she felt justified using her knowledge to destroy her metal shackles. It took her five days to dissolve her bindings with her jellies.
She thought of the places that she had felt safe. Those havens were all underground. A magician made her live in the passages beneath Kyiv when he was being hunted. The tunnels funneled the 15 rivers of the city and protected inhabitants from invaders or punishing ruling forces. For twenty years, she had lived in the coquina catacombs of Odessa. A man who thought he was a seer was convinced that his power had attracted the attention of dragons and demons. No one could approach the lair unseen.
After a week of searching the now unfamiliar area, the woman began to carve her home from the soil of her childhood. She spent fifty years making her home safe. Only she would know the paths and twists of her underground world. Only she would know where the escape exits emerged into the surrounding world.
Eventually, her home attracted others. The woman could have chased them away, but she felt a need to observe people. When the fourth generations of villagers were aging to the grave, there was no hiding the fact that she had not died. The villagers erected a semi-circular wall around the entrance to the woman’s cave. The wall grew and the woman did not protest the separation.
Generations later, people whispered that the villagers maintained the defenses of their community to keep the woman away from the town’s children at night. In the tavern, each generation of gallant males would boast that they would be the one to remove the blight of the woman from the town. When she inevitably outlasted them, she would attend the funeral of the most vocal warrior from each age group.
Daily the woman would remove more soil from her dugout. The community would search her discarded diggings for possible minerals or stones. They did not share any discoveries with the woman. During times of blight or famine, the locals would collect her soil and remove it from the community.
People would peer around the wall to scan the woman’s home. As the village grew, a leader placed two chairs at endpoints of the semi-circle barrier. During full moons, periods of strife, festivals, and other social events, menacing men sat in the chairs. Infrequently, people tried to enter the woman’s home. Aside from the guards, it was the more distraught people of the village who visited her.. The most recent person to enter the woman’s home was a grieving widow. Her grief made her seek the woman to find answers about her loss. Three mornings later, the villagers found the widow in the public square with drapes of herbs, flowers, and crafts around her limbs. The people thought the widow was dead or mindless from torture. When the widow awoke, she went to her house and began the chores for the day. When pressed about the woman’s abode, the widow would state that the home was loved, clean, and well maintained.
On the spring day when the widow was about to remarry, she was again discovered in the square coated with ropes of herbs, flowers, and idols. The woman disappeared for a decade after the wedding, but the widow brought her newborns to the opening of the earthwork to declare their names into the sunken space.
The aging hamlet relaxed when the woman was away. There was a sense of freedom in the people. They did not fear the retribution of the woman for their actions, and parents could not correct their children with threats of giving them to the woman. At times, the leaders of the people would consider filling in the woman’s hovel, but shovels and spades would split if used to cover the opening of the woman’s home. One regretful man tried using a mule and cart to dump rocks into the fastness. The stones crushed the man after his own tram flipped over on him.
Although the townsfolk feared and despised the woman, she had free reign in the village. As an indicator that she was amongst the people, the woman would adorn her head with a dark purple scarf. No other members of the village would wear that color. They looked for it whenever the woman shopped at the market. The woman paid with old and foreign coins, but the merchants welcomed the precious metals they were composed of. During the dark days of winter, the people collected the woman’s tender and deposited it into a lead box. The villagers had a belief that the more people touched the woman’s currency, the longer the winter would be.
After the community fortified against the woman, religious leaders organized efforts to erect carved idols and large wagon-wheel hexes aimed at her home. Each generation attempted to counter the woman with the current symbols of spiritual protection. The largest structure in the village was now a church, and the threshold of the church was oriented to face the woman’s home.
The woman was home when Alyona began her schooling in the church. She had learned the fundamentals of math, reading, and writing. She knew that her coursework would end soon. The village expected girls to be useful to a limit. Her mother walked her only surviving child to school along a path that would prevent their shadow from falling close to the woman’s realm. The villagers performed this ritual after someone claimed that the woman had controlled their behavior by stealing their shadow.
Alyona was daydreaming during school of a life away from the village when the woman touched her. Alyona had spent the morning in the woods collecting mushrooms and other edibles. Her findings made for great, free additions to their usually simple meals. . On days that Alyona returned with a bounty, they shared the extras with neighbors. It was a wager that these people would remember the gift and provide Alyona’s home with food during lean days.
The person gripping Alyona twirled her body so that she faced the opposite direction. Alyona assumed the culprit was another student or a young assistant at the church. It could have been a boy attempting to bully her to get her attention. She lowered her right hand, preparing to use the back to slap the violator. Alyona’s willingness to confront her accoster left when she saw the face of the woman under her purple scarf. Alyona knew she should look away from the woman, but her eyes locked with the woman’s gaze. All the stories the Alyona heard about the town ghoul stated that the woman was so old that her skeleton was all that was left of her body. The woman’s youthful face surprised Alyona. There were no lines or furrows on the woman’s forehead. If anything, Alyona would have stated that the woman’s face glowed.
I can smell it on your hands. The woman placed Alyona’s fingers under her nose. The force of the drawn air startled Alyona. She thought that the woman had pulled the top layer of skin off her index finger. Alyona’s toes curled when the woman sampled her hand. Across a church aisle, one of the priests was herding schoolchildren. He spotted the two of them. His face darkened at the sight of their contact.
WHAT IS ON YOUR HANDS, ALYONA? The priest shouted over the children.
Nothing, Sir. The woman’s tongue darted over the tip of Alyona’s index finger. I was harvesting in the woods before class.
You touched more than growths and nuts this morning, Singleton Child of the Crying Matron. The woman chewed on her thumbnail.
Alyona did not like her mother being referred to in that way, but the eyes of the woman immobilized her. How could she react forcefully to a person who was savoring her hand?
She is mine today, priest. The woman held out her other hand to the shepherd of the church. I will pay her mother for occupying her child for the day, and she will be returned unsoiled and whole.
The priest brought a gurgle of protest up but was shut down quickly.
My tunnels are beneath your place of worship and the bedchambers of Mistress Blake, The women stomped on the ground, and I know all of what has occurred within your walls.
Alyona realized that she was screaming when her throat began to sear. She expected that the woman’s hole would be dark, but the home glowed. There were mirrors and reflective glasses positioned throughout the house to harness sun rays from many holes and entrances in the surface of the residence. Therefore, Alyona was able to see herself yelling on fifty surfaces.
Hush child. The woman touched her mouth. Do not be afraid of the manner in which I inspected you. It is a show for the people. I only want to talk about your morning, and then I will let you go with a full belly and money to buy many toys.
Alyona felt her utterances dwindle down to a wheeze that slipped out her lips.
You have the scent on your fingers, girl. The woman was now examining Alyona’s left hand. It is on both hands, so you must have found a huge source.
A source? Alyona wanted to look at her hands but she maintained her attention on the woman.
Sit. The woman pointed to a well-padded chair. Sit and I will return with small pies and honey.
Alyona hovered over the seat. She wanted to be strong and to stand, but then she smelt the pies. The chair was very soft. There were no pins, claws, or spines in the cushion like she feared.
Alyona. The voice of the woman wove through the tunnels of the underground network. Alyona felt her name circle around her. She had never been afraid of her name before. Alyona Pistan…daughter of Fiva and the missing soldier.
Alyona closed her fist and felt the pain of her nails digging into her palms.
Fiva lives off the salary that the Duke must pay for your father’s military service. Your mother knows that the Duke no longer wants to pay this burden.
Alyona wanted to speak but her throat stung from screaming.
Your father’s name is Bay. He earned this title because he would not stop speaking when he was a baby. Like a horse that always had an opinion, your father would squawk at everyone before he knew words. The voice was now coming directly towards Alyona. My first gift to you and Fiva is the information that your father lives. There was a pause in the woman’s words. An enemy does not enslave him; he is lost with the simpleton that led him away. One day a map will lead him home, child.
The woman emerged from a cutout with a basket laden with pies, a pot of honey, wooden utensils, and slices of ham. In her other hand, she held a bucket of colored water.
We will eat together. The woman placed the basket on Alyona’s lap and retrieved two cups. After you accept the first pie, I will tell you an important secret of mine.
I do not think I want to know any of your secrets Starly-Gradda.
The woman laughed and placed the small wooden spoon into the pie directly in front of Alyona.
Elder-grandmother, you call me. The woman dunked a cup into the water and held it in her left hand. I think that term is the nicest thing a child has called me in a lifetime.
Alyona brought the food to her lips. She smelt the mint, berries, and kasha. Gently she laid the pie onto her tongue. She did not chew; she only let it rest in her mouth. She expected that the food would burn or numb her. The taste was full and made her wish to spit the substance out because it was too good to be real.
Ah, she eats. The woman clapped her hands. I was your age when I saw my first god being born.
Alyona choked on the pie.
I was sitting by a riverbank when the god entered our place. The woman drank from her cup. It was a bright yellow fish with shiny scales. I saw it come from nothing to being here.
The woman snapped her fingers and Alyona swallowed her food.
No one prayed for its existence. No one was singing for it to bring salvation. The woman made circles with her hands in front of Alyona. As far as I know, simple fish do not worship gods, but a god came for the fish of that river.
The woman tapped Alyona’s hand to take another bite of pie.
It floated there. The woman held up her hands. Here I am…a young maiden…thinking a god or demon turned itself into this creature to seduce or corrupt me. Again, a chuckle came from the woman. No other god cared about this special fish. I think it was floating only because it did not realize that a fish should swim in water.
Alyona grabbed a slice of ham. It had been two months since she had meat that was not paste.
Eventually, the golden fish fell into the water and swam away. The woman pulled back her hood and revealed her full face to Alyona. I tried to follow it, but it swam away from shore, and I lost sight of it.
Alyona cleared her throat and licked her lips.
Girl, if you want a drink, just take it. The woman filled Alyona’s cup and handed it to her. The ham is not that salty, but I think your sore throat would improve if you drank.
Alyona sipped the water. It did not taste bitter. It did not smell foul. In fact, the water’s taste was a mixture of apples, roses, and plums.
I told my mother, and she whispered to my father that they needed to trade me into marriage now, before I became soft in the head. I did not want to marry at my age, so I told her that I would go find proof of my shiny golden fish. The woman used a toothpick to dollop out a portion of honey. There was nothing in the water when I returned. I waded in the cool stream. I put my head under the surface and looked at the rocks for the golden shimmer. I found nothing.
Alyona ate the ham.
I was weeping on the spot that I saw the god be born. My heart was full of dread. I started to believe that the shiny golden god was not real. I was so sad that I was quickly accepting that I would be married to an old man so that he would tolerate my problems. The woman tapped her top lip. I felt that my mother had no love for me. I thought that if the golden fish were my mother, it would love me just because that is what should be.
Alyona selected another pie. This pie contained spices and mashed nuts.
Your mother loves you. I listen to all the words spoken in this village. If a parent lacks love for their child, I correct them or have them leave. The woman did not form a fist. She turned her hand into a claw, the conviction in her words hanging in the air until she relaxed it. As all hope was gone, I put my hand down in the grass, and felt the substance.
The woman held her hand flat towards Alyona.
It was clear. It was squishy like the rendered bones of stock animals. It had a pleasant smell, but I was scared to taste it. The woman cupped her hands. I gathered this glob. I used the front of my dress to carry the material. When I believed that the last speck was contained in my clothing, I ran to my parents.
Alyona had felt something similar in the forest that morning.
My mother accused me of only finding the discarded waste of an animal. She threatened to smear it over my face. The woman moved the honey pot closer to Alyona. My father took me to the village shaman, and he looked at the material. They scraped the material off my clothes, but not around my breasts. The shaman thought it was bone waste from an owl, the eggs of a species of frog, a shell-less egg from a dying bird, a mushroom that was usually underground, or the spit of an evil spirit.
Alyona’s eyes widened.
Of course, something as amazing as what we found would be considered evil. The woman waved her hand. I have discovered many bundles and I have never seen the substance created by an evil thing.
No? Alonya asked, breaking her food-induced silence.
No, child. The woman touched the tip of Alyona’s nose. It is not to say that evil people and things are not interested in the substance, but the creation of it does not come from evil.
Alyona resumed consuming the luxurious treats.
The morning after I saw the god being born, people started to fall sick. The woman sighed. My mother blamed the god substance. It was hard for the village not to turn on me after my mother told them it was my fault. The woman’s shoulders lowered. I had not slept that night, and I did not clean after my discovery. They put me in a crate that only had three holes. My father fed me and still cared for me.
Alyona did not know how to react but to nod at the woman.
When my elder brother was close to death from the illness, my mother brought him to my crate. She told me that I would have to watch my brother die because I was an evil liar who unleashed a demon on the community. I could see him wither in pain from the openings in my prison. The woman moved a third pie in front of Alyona. The night my mother told me that my brother would die, my father talked to me. It was an act of rebellion against my mother, but he asked me if I knew what had happened. I cried to him about how this was not something I did. I pleaded with my dad that I would never make my brother suffer, and that the day watching him had crushed my will to live.
The woman tore a slice of ham into pieces and placed pieces of the meat on the floor of her keep.
My father and I wept. He told me that I was likely to die because of the sickness. The woman tapped the tray. Not that I was sick… or was likely to get sick, but because it would seem as justice to the people. I knew his words were true, but I could not think of anything else to say.
The third pie was berry and egg meringue. Alyona did not know that pies like this one existed.
I entered the crate in the dress I wore when I saw the god be born. The truth is that I only had that dress and a wedding dress. My mother kept the dress I would’ve worn to my wedding in a box near her bed. A cat approached the pieces of ham. My grandfather had given me the wedding dress when he died, but she took it from me. My father used what he received from his father to buy me the only special clothes I would have in my life. My father loved me, Alyona, just like yours.
The cat touched Alyona’s leg. It startled her, and she confirmed that the cat was not black.
We talked about the jelly I had found. My father told me that he had tried to burn it, thinking it was an odd piece of animal fat. The substance did not burn. My father then tried to crush it out of existence, but the material was soft, but not easily destroyed. The woman touched the center of her chest. My father’s words made me remember that there was still some of the jelly on my dress. I touched where they did not scrape, and there was a patch of the substance. I pinched the substance and it coated my fingers. It felt warm, but not hot.
Alyona was glad that the cat had returned to the ham.
My father grew angry. He was arguing with the air that if he were a real man, he would protect his daughter and revive his son. He was a good father. The woman showed Alyona a closed smile. He was crying because he knew he could do nothing. I was sore and battered from being in the crate. I felt so greasy and disgusting. I thought I was no longer the same girl that wandered in the meadows.
The woman offered to refill Alyona’s water cup.
For some reason, I brought the fingers I had used to touch the smear of the jelly that was on my dress to my mouth. The taste was tangy, but not foul. It was better than the food that my father had inserted into the holes in my crate. I sucked on it. With both hands, the woman rattled the basket. I felt so much better. It was amazing. I could not see it, but I felt my dry, cracked lips heal. My mind became clear. I knew what I had to do.
Alyona stopped eating to listen to the woman.
I asked my father to place my brother’s mouth in front of the biggest hole of my crate. He thought I was mad. He accused me of confessing that I pledged my soul to demons, but I told him that I felt different after praying to our god. The woman looked directly at Alyona. I rubbed my fingers on the same spot of my dress, and I placed them into my brother’s mouth. He was so weak that he did not respond to this action. I moved my fingers along his gums, his teeth, I even touched his tongue.
Alyona spoke to the woman. Was he healed right away?
The woman chuckled.
I like you Alyona, but you have the impatience of a child. The woman touched Alyona’s chin. It was not a sudden reversal, but he did not die. People died that night, but my brother lived. More importantly, he was the only person to get even slightly better. He was not running in the fields, talking to everyone better, but he was no longer crying in pain. His eyes were no longer looking like they would burst. Moreover, my father stopped crying for us.
I am glad. Alyona looked at the half-eaten pie. She wanted more of it, but she thought it would be rude to return to eating.
It was another day, another four deaths, before my father told the shaman that he thought I could heal the sick. They pulled me from the crate and inspected me. The women called for me to be stoned. The men wanted me burned. The shaman asked how my brother was alive, and how I was still in good health. The woman tapped her right temple. I knew I had to lie. I knew that I could not tell the truth. I had to convince these scared people that I was not dangerous.
The woman shuffled the half pie back to Alyona.
I fell in front of the shaman and shouted, ‘The Green Man came to me.’ I do not think you know the Green Man, child, but he was the god of the people before Christ came to the land. The woman pointed to a drawing of a large tree man. It matters not what god I said talked to me. I yelled that I knew that I did something wicked, but our god had forgiven me, and I was now able to cure the sickness that was killing the village.
Alyona returned to eating the pie.
They whipped me and bound me. I feared that they would burn my dress, so I yelled that the Green Man said that if I were to heal the village, I would need to be as I was when he forgave and blessed me. The woman opened her hands so that Alyona could see her palms. The oldest people would pray in this manner. They tied my legs together and only allowed my right arm to be free. However, that was all I needed to start to heal the people of my life.
Alyona finished her meal.
I would say our prayers; tell the people who were watching that the Green Man wanted everyone to close their eyes so that his healing ray could hit the person. The woman pulled her head backwards with a laugh. During this time, I would pull some of the jelly off my dress and stick the substance in the person’s mouth.
The woman laughed deeply.
What? Alyona asked.
I did not know that so many of my fellow villagers were missing teeth. Children of the people that always had food, had damaged and missing teeth. I was trapped and bored, so my mind began to guess how many disgusting teeth injuries each person would have.
Alyona shivered.
I thought the teeth were bad, but then it got worse. The woman looked upwards. It was on the third day of my healing that it happened for the first time. It was night, and the shaman had decided to blind me with a rag during the healing. Someone’s parents said that they did not want me to steal the soul of their child while I healed them. I placed my finger into a very small mouth, and everything was different. I did not feel a tingle from treating a person with the substance. I sang our songs to Green Man and rubbed jelly over my right fingers. I had planned to give the infant as much of the stuff as I could. The woman covered her eyes. The tiny body jumped, but there was still no response.
Why? Alyona wanted to know.
The baby was dead. I did not know if the god-gift could bring life back to a person. I was scared that if I did not return this child alive to their parents, I would be killed. The woman bobbed her head to the ceiling of her cave home. I kept doing it for a long time. I replenished the coating of my fingers four times, but still there was no living response. I finally shouted into the air. I faked arguing with the Green Man. I begged him to give me the infant. I spoke words that no one had ever heard in an odd voice that I thought would sound like the Green Man. This battle went on for minutes until I asked if whoever brought this child to me would allow the Green Man to have the special child live with him. I am not sure if the parents knew that their baby had died. I am uncertain if the parents wanted me to do something that I thought was evil, but a male voice eventually responded that it would be an honor if his young son joined the hunters of the Green Man.
Alyona gasped.
I spoke in my fake Green Man’s voice that the parents of his new hunter would be honored with a new child by the next spring. I informed the parents that they would find gifts for the next year. The woman rocked her head so that she was looking at the floor. They brought me five more dead people to heal, but no more deceased children. I did not make a fuss over the dead adults. I stated that the Green Man blamed the family for their death. If they truly believed in the power of the Green Man, they would have brought their loved ones to me before the sickness took them.
Alyona nodded her head.
On the fifth day, my fingers were raw. My nails felt like they were growing too fast. I guess I was healing and benefiting from the jelly, but I was placing the same fingers into people’s mouths most of the day. The worst problem was that my dress was getting dry. The woman traced her lips with her right index finger. I think my father was watching me. I think he saw me searching desperately on my dress for any of the substance. I believe this because he brought me fresh peas to eat that night. In the third pea he gave me, the pod was full of the jelly.
Did your village love you for healing everyone after those days? Alyona smiled at the woman.
No. The woman patted the girl’s forehead. They kept me in the crate. There was no joy for me after I found the jelly.
You saved them.
The woman breathed deeply.
I said that the Green Man had used me to save them. I was nothing but a tarnished girl who may have the power to harm or make people ill. The woman turned her head to the side.
Did your father and brother free you from the crate? Alyona looked hopefully at the woman.
No child, the town folk dispatched the shaman with me in that wooden prison out into the world to purge the town of my evil. He threatened to kill me daily. He attempted to abandon me at every opportunity. The woman cupped her hand in front of Alyona. When I sensed a second source of the god jelly, he was able to sell me to a person.
No! Alyona did not know if it was a spell, but she was extending her hand towards the woman.
The sum was so great that my parents and brother lived well. The woman clapped each hand separately. That was after the shaman took his share of my bounty and spent more money on food, drink, and women on the trip home.
That’s…..
That is life, my special girl. The woman grabbed her hand and they stood up. The woman led the pair through tunnels and caverns. Eventually, the woman pulled her through a blanket of vines that concealed an exit to her labyrinth.
Your forest, Alyona. The woman gestured to the glade Alyona crossed to enter the woods.
Alyona pulled her hand away from the woman and pulled her hair back.
I am not sure what you want me to find. Alyona looked up to the woman. She received a smile.
I have never told anyone this before, the woman stuck her tongue out to Alyona, when I first touched the jelly, I felt that there were ants under my skin. It was the power of the jelly moving through me. It was such an odd feeling that I thought it was a sign of madness.
Alyona lowered her head. I felt something like that. I thought it was worms latching onto me from the peat.
That is the place, little one. Take me there.
Alyona was about to step forward when the woman asked her another question.
What color was the substance you touched today?
It was not one color, ma’am. Alyona moved her hand down to her legs. She brushed unseen but felt passengers from her body. I grabbed it first because I thought it was rose root. My mother could turn the flower into medicine to sell or trade. Alyona knelt and touched the ground. Except that the flower was so low to the ground and it was not the red or yellow flower I normally pick. They were violet with orange centers.
They did not feel like flowers.
No. Alyona pulled her hand away from the ground. They stuck to me like honey.

I’m writing in my journal and working on my blanket. I’ve had two amazing nights with my husband and he is so happy and proud. I am too to be honest. Yesterday I almost had wine for breakfast. I know it will get much harder as I go.
Anyway I had a really promising job lead. I would still be doing business analyst and also heading up training and training materials. My husband said I think it might be good for you to be busy so you don’t end up drunk and logged off early. He wasn’t being mean and he’s totally right.
I tried to think back and for the last year I’ve been wfh (husband is gone 6am-5pm. Up until recently aka a few months we shared his truck. But my jobs have been very solo. At most I talk to people for 30 mins a day and then I just work alone. I often would find reasons to log off early on worse try and work through it. I think it will be good for me to have some normal adult interaction. The job is still remote but I would be on calls and presenting. Less likes to grab an airplane bottle or 5. It’s really eye opening
IWNDWYT

Please come up with an update for EA APP. The app is very buggy and glitchy.
1) The game library and sometimes the store does not load. The game library is always empty 9/10 times when i try to open the EA app. It says a message like "Things are taking a little while, please hang tight while we try to solve the problem"
2) If out of 9/10 times, by any miracle the app works fine and shows the games present in the library, it's of no use. Because, neither I can download the game as it gets stuck in the preparing to download menu, nor I can cancel the download as it gets stuck on cancelling.....
3)I had FIFA 22 on origin. It was completely fine until EA APP automatically updated in my PC and remover origin. Firstly, it could not launch my FIFA 22 as it said that game files were missing and secondly, i tried to delete my FIFA 22 and reinstall it but to my dismay, the EA APP doesn't even show my game library. As i told you, my library appears empty 9/10 times and by any chance, even if I am able to see FIFA 22 in my library, it's of no use because the game gets stuck on preparing to download. Again when I try to restart the app, again the same old problem which is an empty game library.
4)This was the reason I bought FIFA 23 on steam but little did I know that EA APP will be there to shit on my face. When I click play on Steam, it redirects me to EA APP where it says that "You don't have access. This title may be downloaded by another user or you do not own it. Please restart the app and try again." Despite having my Steam account linked correctly and verifying if my account is linked correctly by an EA SUPPORT MEMBER, the app still shows the error that I don't have access to the game.
5) Almost half a year went by and EA APP has made my life sad and depressing. I am not able to play games for which I literally paid for. It's like EA is robbing me of my money.
6)Please bring an app update because i have tried every possible way to make this work. I have been contacting EA HELP for months but in vain. The end result is always the support member saying ," I will report this to my team and they will fix it soon." That "soon" never came. MONTHSSSS...waited for months and now I am tired of waiting.
7)Tried running app as admin. Tried clearing caches. Tried app recovery. Tried restarting the app. Tried logging in and out of app. Tried downloading a game and cancelling mid way to kill the glitch. Tried running the game from STEAM. Tried uninstalling and reinstalling EA APP thousands of times. NO USE.

Hi All,
Sorry for gatecrashing from UniMelb - but I thought this post was relevant to share here, given the work issues at UniAdelaide as well. I'm running a survey on young people's experience of work and pay. If you're interested and have time, the details are below :)
Melbourne School of Government is interested in young people's (18-30) experiences of work and pay. The National Young Workers Survey will provide much-needed data on the pay issues young people experience at work. By completing this 15-20min survey, you'll provide valuable data to help inform policy, digital tools, and other support services for young people experiencing issues at work. Access the survey at this link: https://government.unimelb.edu.au/news-and-events/news/national-young-workers-survey/