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Slightly fancy dining?
2023.03.31 18:14 craigwasmyname Slightly fancy dining?
Hi!
As a reward for doing a good job at work I'm able to go out for a meal for 2 (I will go with my wife) with a value up to ~€130 and expense it.
I don't think I've ever spent close to that amount for a meal for 2 in Berlin. Typically we would spend way less than that and come out full and happy. But I don't want to "leave money on the table" by not getting close to the amount I'm able to use.
So, do any of you have good recommendations for exceptionally delicious places we should check out that are maybe a bit pricier than usual (and hopefully also better!)?
Info that may be relevant: - I'm a vegetarian, so veggie-friendly is important. - we both drink, so wine / cocktails / beer can be included, but we also have small kids at home so won't be up for getting wasted. - we live in Karlshorst, so travelling a bit in the city is no problem, but recommendations in Spandau or Potsdam aren't likely to work out.
Thanks very much!
submitted by craigwasmyname to berlinsocialclub [link] [comments]
As a reward for doing a good job at work I'm able to go out for a meal for 2 (I will go with my wife) with a value up to ~€130 and expense it.
I don't think I've ever spent close to that amount for a meal for 2 in Berlin. Typically we would spend way less than that and come out full and happy. But I don't want to "leave money on the table" by not getting close to the amount I'm able to use.
So, do any of you have good recommendations for exceptionally delicious places we should check out that are maybe a bit pricier than usual (and hopefully also better!)?
Info that may be relevant: - I'm a vegetarian, so veggie-friendly is important. - we both drink, so wine / cocktails / beer can be included, but we also have small kids at home so won't be up for getting wasted. - we live in Karlshorst, so travelling a bit in the city is no problem, but recommendations in Spandau or Potsdam aren't likely to work out.
Thanks very much!
2023.03.31 18:11 ProjectRAD The Haters' Guide to Wrestlemania 39
Yes, this is the 5th year in a row I'm doing a Wrestlemania Haters' Guide. Why? Because the subject of pro wrestling hasn't been banned from the subrebbit, so loopholes ahoy, baby!
Anywho, this year's event is at SoFi Stadium in California. The last Wrestlemania in the state of California? Wrestlemania 31. A mostly well regarded PPV with one of the most shocking main event outcomes in Wrestlemania history. Remember when Wrestlemania shows had SEVEN matches on the main card? Apparently, since everyone needs their Wrestlemania payday, and two nights pay better than one, that is a reality that can no longer exist. Nowadays, Wrestlemania weekend means that for four consecutive days from Friday Night SmackDown to the Monday Night RAW the night after, your eyes are to be glued to the squared circle with zero deviation. With that in mind, and considering how batshit crazy WWE's behind the scenes drama and shift in power balance has been over the past year, we actually made it to Wrestlemania 39. Let's see the 13 matches vying for ultimate immortality.
Brock Lesnar vs. Omos (with MVP)
Try to act surprised when I tell you that this matchup is rumored to be a Vince concept. It seems HHH has given Vince the one match to book, and thankfully nothing more.
That being said...guys...we need to take this time to particularly talk about Omos. This dude isn't getting over. He's fallen off ever since he lost the tag titles, and ended his feud with his former tag partner, AJ Styles. What's he been doing since? Mostly matches with Bobby Lashley again. Yes, Lashley vs Omos was a match at last year's Wrestlemania, and that loss has proven to only hurt Omos' relevance, and especially his TV time. Over the past year, his matchups have pretty much been exclusive to house shows. Either squashing much smaller men, or jobbing to Lashley in order to make The Almighty look better. The one time WWE actually chose to use him in any meaningful situation was a matchup against Braun Strowman at Crown Jewel. Which of course he lost that match.
Bottom line, He's just not that much of a presence anymore. I know that WWE under the HHH regime has seen the end of mass talent layoffs, but this guy is a waste of a matchup. He's got to go. His career is going absolutely nowhere, even with MVP at his side. Who in their right mind believes he can hang with Brock Lesnar?
Granted, Brock's the perfect opponent for him. A typical Omos match does not exceed 10 minutes, which is perfect for Brock's aggressive, fast-forward style. Furthermore, in terms of overall size, Omos is outside Brock's normal range of opponent. It's gonna be a Wrestlemania moment on its own when Brock lifts Omos up for the F-5, but after that... you're left with Omos getting tossed back into the toy chest until the next house show rolls around. Take the hint, WWE. Give Omos another loss, and send him back to his home in Nigeria. He misses his family dearly, and I think his fellow Omo-sapiens will understand how homesick this man is. (It's really bad when The Great Khali has done your act better).
Seth "Freakin" Rollins vs. Logan Paul
Ok, you also get ONE celebrity based match, too, but that's it.
In all honesty, Logan Paul has lived above expectations as far as his in-ring performances are concerned. He's not the most compelling and relatable character, but he's able to put on matches that are at least good (vs Roman) to above average (vs Miz). I like to think of him as the male equivalent to Ronda Rousey, where WWE is just using his name for brand recognition. Although unlike Ronda, his name is not exactly lighting up the mainstream media, just social media. And it's not translating well to ratings and awareness that he's living in WWE City. I know that WWE saw how well Logan adapted to the sports entertainment scene. That's just what the Paul brothers tend to do. But here's the kicker. People don't want to see a Paul brother succeed. They want a Paul brother to get knocked on their ass via a huge crushing piston called "reality". Here's an example. When Jake Paul won a boxing match, it was whatever. When he lost to Tommy Fury just recently, now THAT is where the entertainment value was. And Jake did say to judge him by his losses, not his wins. We are prepared to do the same to Logan. Because all he has done so far in WWE is lose. Match quality aside, he has put the "L" in Logan. Let's see if this showdown with Seth gives him his Wrestlemania triumph.
Speaking of which, there's so little to say about Seth Rollins in this equation. At least he knows who his opponent is this year. At least he had the spectacular Cody Rhodes feud before the wrestling gods gave Cody time off (and a hell of a match to go out on). He did kinda get stuck trying to put Matt Riddle over before Riddle succumbed to his own vices, but this is the most over Seth Rollins has been. Most of it is the fancy new "sing me to the ring, and never stop singing" entrance, but it's the little things that make you a big star around these parts. And really, I can't picture anyone else in this scenario. The Visionary vs The Influencer. This should be a fun contest, and bragging rights for weeks to come if Rollins walks out the loser. However, if it means more of Logan Paul appearing in WWE... honestly, every wrestling fan loses. I know Logan says his contract is up after Wrestlemania, but somehow, I'm not a believer WWE will let him slip away that easily.
Trish Stratus, Lita, and Becky Lynch vs. Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky)
Let's take you back to Summerslam 2022. Bianca Belair standing tall over an obsessed Becky Lynch, and then out comes Bayley. Away from the WWE for over a year to rehab a freak accident during training for the return to live events. But the twist no one was expecting is that Bayley didn't return alone. She brought back two women to form a stable that would be ever present across RAW ever since. Dakota Kai, previously handed her pink slip a few months prior, was given a second chance at her WWE life by Bayley. As well as Iyo Sky, who already had one foot out the door while living in NXT limbo. Thus, they formed the group Damage CTRL, and while neither member was successful in capturing singles gold (Especially Bayley.), the Women's Tag Team Championships... that was a different story. Aside from one week being without the titles, Kai/Sky have held them for 5 months. It's only recently that Becky Lynch and a returning Lita have come into possession of said titles, with a little help from Trish Stratus, who much like Lita, is never REALLY retired.
And now we have an interesting 6-woman tag contest that's been put together as a result. Becky Lynch and two Hall of Fame legends combat a group that needs a decisive Wrestlemania victory as a trio. Becky's been fighting Damage CTRL longer than anyone else, so it is safe to assume this will be the beginning of the end of this neverending war. Especially if Damage CTRL can finally walk away from their battles against Becky with heads held high... hopefully.
Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio
Yeah, this match was pretty much a foregone conclusion. I feel like they could have done this match at any Wrestlemania possible, but first we need someone to be heel in this contest, and it's sure as hell not gonna be Rey Mysterio.
So... Dominik... I'm a bit mixed on his career trajectory. Because right now, across the board, he's just good, but not great. He's trying to be on the same level as his father, sometimes even emulating him either for heat or grasping the Mysterio name for some miniscule level of credibility... but at this point, it's been more than a minute since his career started, and the excuses are running out. Hell, that promo where he declared he's the next Eddie Guerrero... yeah, that definitely ruffled a few feathers online. btw, still using Eddie's name as a vehicle in your Wrestlemania matchup build in 2023... come on, guys. And yes, Eddie came a long way as shown by his WCW work, and the level of promo that Guerrero was cutting at the time. So maybe it's better we get this shit version of Dominik out of the way now, so he can eventually become WWE Superstar Dominik Mysterio, with a celebrated World Championship reign of... 2 months.
What is actually happening here is that Rey Mysterio is being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year, so his career clock is running out. So this match is immediately happening before Rey's knees collapse into themselves, and thankfully, the way this match was booked ensures that Wrestlemania will be the point where this feud has absolutely peaked. God, the pop on Rey finally striking his son. I haven't seen him get that much pleasure out of beating his kids since he got his copy of WWE '13.
Hell in a Cell Match
Edge vs "The Demon" Finn Balor
Ladies and gentlemen, your neverending feud. It wasn't too long ago that Edge formed The Judgment Day, a heel stable dedicated to taking the younger generation under Edge's wing. First, it was Damian Priest, a lost soul looking for guidance, looking to escape his never ending punishment. Then, it was Rhea Ripley, a individual whose presence in the group took on a life of its own (more on that later). And somewhere along the way, they even added Rey Mysterio's son, Dominik, into the fray, which he sorely needed. But none of those additions compared to their last member... Finn Balor, who immediately led a coup overthrowing Edge as their leader. It could be because Edge opposed the direction that The Judgment Day was going, but don't let rumors and heresay dissaude you from the fact that the preceding battle of Finn Balor leading The Judgment Day in a crusade to make Edge's life a living hell has been happening for a couple months too long. Even Edge's own wife had to pay the price for her troubles, and because Edge taught them too well. It feels like we've gone just about everywhere these two can go together... except Hell in a Cell. Oh, and Finn Balor's "Demon" persona is listed as the opponent, but hey, 3-4 hours in the makeup chair will absolutely be worth it to bring back a character he said he discarded in his second NXT run. Of course, wrestlers say a lot of things, but Finn's such a professional, we figured that declaration would stick.
At least this way, these two can guarantee a great Wrestlemania match... for about 15 minutes until Damian gets involved in some way. Plus it's probably Edge's match to lose. Unless he makes another agreement, this is his last year on his WWE contract. And of course The Judgment Day has nowhere to go but up. Even though it could possibly be a splintered group if Rhea gets the job done at Wrestlemania (again, more on that later.)
Men's Wrestlemania Showcase
Braun Strowman and Ricochet vs. The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) vs. Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis) vs. The Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar)
Since the Tag Team title match later on is a 2 team affair, we need to show the world that, yes, we do indeed have other teams in reserve, and no, our tag team division is NOT dead why would you even say that!
These are, admittedly, the usual suspects. The Viking Raiders have been a "pushed one week, not pushed the next" team over the past couple years. More importantly, they haven't been consistently healthy. Finally getting their chance to make their mark, and a new face among them in Valhalla who's career is probably gonna last longer than theirs, perhaps they get a credible win this time around?
The Street Profits... still exist. WWE, in their endless quest to not pull the trigger on a Montez Ford push, has him continued to be weighed down by Angelo Dawkins, a guy who is good, but not AS good. Even if they win, let's be real. It's not going to improve their standing as a tag team.
Alpha Academy... is also still here. Despite WWE not knowing exactly what they are going to do with Otis, and Chad Gable continuing to be another jobber to the stars, we still have a team, miraculously. It feels like nowadays these two would be better off apart, which is weird to say considering they were mostly on top around this time last year.
The underdog in this scenario is the makeshift team with no name... Braun and Ricochet. Braun has seen success in the past, but Ricochet... the mountain he climbed wasn't nearly as tall. You look at this team, and you look at a duo that just doesn't belong. Individual success in singles, cannon fodder in a tag match. If anything, they might be the team to surprise everyone, and secure a victory here. It all depends on what their future holds, as well as the future of the tag division, considering what lies ahead.
Women's Wrestlemania Showcase
Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya and Shotzi vs. Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler vs. Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville
Supposedly, Becky Lynch & Lita were supposed to defend their Women's Tag Team Championship at Wrestlemania on top of the 6-woman clash with Damage CTRL. Now that is crazy. And clearly, WWE wasn't crazy enough to have Lita wrestle 2 nights in a row. So we have a Women's Tag Team showcase. And what a tag team showcase it is. Including tag teams that... aren't really tag teams. I could give you writeups on where each of these women are in their career prior to this tag team extravaganza, but let's cut to the chase. Ronda Rousey is in this match. Considering all the other women in this mix, Ronda Rousey is not walking away with an L at Wrestlemania (forget Wrestlemania 35, one of the most celebrated wins in women's wrestling). Her and Shayna Baszler would have more than likely become Women's Tag Team Champions had things been a little different, and I believe they will be by the end of the year, so if anyone needs this win for bragging rights and for the rocket to propel them towards the gold, it's Ronda and Shayna. Any other win is a waste of time. I will say I am surprised to see Chelsea Green at Wrestlemania. I feel like I just saw her in Impact Wrestling 6 months ago. She was absolutely gonna team with Carmella, but it appears the wrestling gods aren't done bringing maximum misfortune upon Carmella, so Sonya Deville, you're here. You're not doing anything. The rest of you... one of you is more than likely eating the pin. Natalya, thank you for your 15 year long service to WWE, and your service will continue with a Ronda exclamation point. You understand, of course...
Still, what would Wrestlemania be without title defences? A legit question I hope that WWE never answers.
WWE United States Championship
Austin Theory (c) vs. John Cena
John Cena has not wrestled at Wrestlemania in 3 years. And hasn't wrestled at a live Wrestlemania in 5 years. And it was an Undertaker match that wasn't even properly advertised (Is a 2 minute match at Wrestlemania even a REAL match?)! It's so weird to see the hero of the Ruthless Aggression era absent from Wrestlemania. Not even talking about a match, just... not even a cameo? But it's fine. John Cena has his noteworthy career in Hollywood, and has to stop being Peacemaker to become WWE Superstar for one night only. His opponent?
Austin Theory. Austin Theory is absolutely living up to his potential, at last. Over the past year, he has become a superstar that you can slot into pretty much any situation. Get your cheek bashed in by Tyson Fury? Done. Keep the US Championship relevant? Oh yeah. Main event for RAW? Done and dusted. While Roman is mostly King of SmackDown, it's RAW that is lacking in a World Title to call its own, and it feels like Austin Theory has done his damndest to take up the mantle. It's a shame that he has yet to receive that one victory to cement his place on the upper card. That match could very well be pinning John Cena at Wrestlemania, which is more than likely going to happen because Cena has so few Wrestlemania matches left in him, and the torch needs to be passed. Not that such a torch passing achievement is a sure thing, because Kurt Angle passed the torch to Baron Corbin in 2019, and... yeah. Should be a better match than people are thinking considering I don't think Cena has lost a single step post-Hollywood, and Austin Theory will no doubt be not only pulling out all the stops, but ripping them out, to boot. I assume there's a lot of certainty behind this stop ripping, because it's going to be the opening match of Wrestlemania on Saturday. Best of luck, Theory. Admittedly, this isn't the Austin vs Cena match I wanted, but we haven't fully invented time travel yet.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Gunther (c) vs. Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre
Damn. Just... damn. If there was a singles match with any combination of these 3 men at Wrestlemania, you are guaranteed ****1/2 star minimum. The evidence speaks loudly. Drew and Sheamus wallop each other, and it's 4 stars. Gunther and Sheamus take lumps of flesh out of one another at Cardiff, it's considered a match of the year candidate. I feel for the human bodies in this war. Through Gunther's own impatience, what would have been a competitive 1v1 brawl turns into a Triple Threat clusterfuck, said in the nicest terms. There's only so much unique text I can type being envious of everyone in this match. It's not THE main event, but it's my main event.
Sheamus has spent the past year or two putting the heavy in heavyweight, being the hard hitting bruiser he always knew he could be. Teaming with The Brawling Brutes and being an overall menace in the 6-man division (Ha! You thought there was a Trios division in WWE, didn't you?).
Drew has been all over the card. World Title shot one month, feuding with Karrion Kross the previous months, and now he's got his chance at gold he can realistically carry for at least a couple months. If only said gold wasn't held by Gunther.
Gunther... the walking weapon of WWE (get well soon, Josh Alexander). I petition this man should absolutely get his name changed to Midas, because everything he touches is gold. All I have to do is point directly at his NXT matches with Ilya Dragunov, and say that such excessive violence is the peak of WWE content. And his match quality has stood strong even when he leapt up to the main roster. It's been that way for the past 9 months ever since he won the IC title. Body after body falling before his presence. The best IC Champion in a long time. If he loses this match, it's because WWE looked back at his... well, it's less of a true one-on-one match, and more of a "last two guys in the Royal Rumble" match against Cody, and realized that Gunther is that guy. And hopefully, he does not fall between the cracks in the process. This match has potential to be match of the year. Watch out, grab a bucket of popcorn, and hold it tight.
RAW Women's Championship
Bianca Belair (c) vs. Asuka
Bianca, congratulations on your year long success. I'm all for you breaking down barriers, and making history (herstory's too cheesy, and I don't want to devalue her accomplishments), but what awaits you at this Wrestlemania is a challenger to your title unlike any other before her.
Asuka.
Asuka has transformed into a figure better representing her previous life as KANA. This is an Asuka not hindered by wacky dancing and horrendously awkward promos, this is an Asuka that plays with your head. Make you fear NOT what is coming, but why it hasn't already appeared. We've seen so little of this Asuka in WWE, and we've seen very little of these two in a one-on-one setting. Maybe a match here and there on RAW, but this pairing have yet to see a long term rivalry. At last, WWE have realized to, as the Fighting Game Community used to say, save that shit for nationals. Well, Wrestlemania is your nationals.
Asuka is a dangerous customer all her own. If she hasn't knocked your head off with precise kicks, or ripped you limb from limb in one of her many submissions, then beware what awaits you if she opens her mouth. And heaven knows how this new persona has affected her typical approach.
Bianca, you also know the score with her. Stamina to spare, and power for miles. She's been holding that RAW Women's Championship ever since last year's Wrestlemania, and has worn that title to the fullest, decimating any and all competitors who think they can hang with her. Including against Asuka at Hell in a Cell, with a little help from Becky. Now Bianca and Asuka need only focus on each other. This is a fresh new Asuka against a Bianca who is prepared to weather this tsunami threatening to take her title. Another classic Wrestlemania encounter awaits.
As for who will walk away with the cherry championship, I feel like Asuka wins, just because Bianca isn't ready for Asuka. Not to seem cliche, or desperate to squeeze in a catchphrase or two, but I feel like one of Asuka's newest unknown tricks is going to be the deciding factor. And it's also definitely not going to be the last time these two square off with a championship at stake. Here's hoping.
SmackDown Women's Championship
Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
You know, when this match took place 3 years ago, I hoped Rhea would win. A rising star straight out of NXT with the boost she needed to be at the top of the mountain. But that's not what happened. Charlotte outperformed her. Back then, I figured Rhea winning was a must. The momentum of WCW Lex Luger after his world title win over Hollywood Hogan, and with a loss, it would be turned into WWF Lex Luger with no title to his own. That's also not what happend. Rhea climbed her way back up, scratched and clawed for every achievement. For a while, she was at the top of RAW's Women's Division. It's clear now she didn't need the boost, she just needed to plant her feet above ground level, and the business would work for her from there. And then something happened. She became a part of The Judgement Day. She got the kudos, she got the tutelage, and she got herself a Royal Rumble win. And a ticket to a championship opportunity. The roles are reversed. Now it's not Rhea insisting Charlotte use her Rumble win to challenge her for the NXT Championship, now it's Rhea using her prize as a chance to correct history, and become SmackDown Women's Champion.
There is debate on whether or not this match is worthy of a Wrestlemania main event slot. Considering how white hot the storylines are in the last two matches being covered, and the potential of just having women main event a Wrestlemania night for PR backpatting, it's definitely a match with a case to state. A Royal Rumble winner being in the last match of the show isn't a sure thing, and the build might not make the match seem as hype as others, but if these two think they are worthy of closing the show... then I hope they tear the roof off SoFi.
These two are top of the line. Charlotte can turn her offensive focus on a dime, Rhea is prepared to play dirty to realize her dream, and Rhea is facing the daughter of the dirtiest player in the game. This isn't gonna be a pretty contest. A heated, brutal slugfest is a much better descriptor. I believe Rhea will leave behind any shred of doubt that she is on Charlotte's level. But Charlotte's not just gonna lie down, and let her title slip away. Look forward to this match being talked about for the next few months afterward.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) (c) vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
The year is 2023. The Usos continue their eternal stranglehold on the WWE Tag Team division. It's been due to The Bloodline's dissention being one of the most compelling storylines in recent WWE memory, and at the center of that discourse is Sami Zayn. We've been watching him over the past year align with Roman, damn near become the second-in-command of The Bloodline, fight against his best friend Kevin Owens (which to be fair, is neither the first nor the last time that's happened), and then have Sami reach his boiling point with a payoff betrayal of Roman Reigns being a deafening roar of heroism, to Sami getting squashed underneath Roman's boot. But now Sami knows his true target; The Usos. But he can't do it alone. He needs help from his former best friend, Kevin Owens. Owens wants no part of Sami's personal war, considering that Sami joined in on any and all Bloodline beatdowns of Kevin Owens. However, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, so friends turned rivals turned friends again believe they have the best chance of finally overcoming The Usos and their umpteenth day reign as Tag Team champions.
And the bond of The Usos is stronger than it's been. Jey Uso, with a small drop of uncertainty, spent a whole month absent from WWE itself, uncertain if the direction of The Bloodline was one he was willing to follow. In the end, blood was thicker than water. And rather than Sami and Jey be the duo to get it done, Jey kicked those dreams away, picking family over personal glory. Just be glad the titles haven't been given the proper Freebird rule, because there was a house show or two where the part of Jey Uso was played by Solo Sikoa. Ah yes, Solo is finally a part of WWE's main roster proper. Spent the first 6 months of his career undefeated (just had his first loss to Cody on Monday. Still looked strong). If the Usos start to, in any capacity, show signs of losing, expect this enforcer to interject.
In reality, you know how strong The Usos are as a unit. Slick teamwork, lethal attacks and combinations to double up their mighty blows... they've been holding on to those titles legit, even without interference. Will this reunited twosome of Kevin and Sami be any different? I don't think so. Sami's been on the inside until recently, and Kevin's been fighting them longer than anyone. In my mind, they might just be the force to catch The Usos slipping, and become the new Tag Team Champions. Of course, that depends on if the wrestling gods have grown tired of seeing The Usos hog the tag titles for over a year plus. I think most of us are.
---
With the dirty dozen of Wrestlemania clashes chronicled, we now come to the final contest; The Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. You know the first name, but the second one is a name seeking glory that his generation could never grasp. Let's get the obvious one out of the way first.
Roman Reigns wanted his Head of the Table gimmick realized, or he would walk out on WWE. The fans believed in their Tribal Chief becoming the face of WWE. Over the past 900+ days, that's what happened. The fans got their reward..... their eternal reward. Roman has stood on top for far longer than any human being in the Wrestlemania generation. Male or Female. Singles or Tag Team. In fact, walking into this match, this is the 3rd straight year that Roman is defending his world championship. No one else can make such a claim. Not even Hulk Hogan, who felt like his time at the top of the mountain lasted far longer.
It's not hard to see why Roman is breaking as many records as he is. It's because of how far he has come. You look back at his time even 5-10 years ago, a time where the crowd wanted absolutely none of Vince's personal project. His promo material was awful, his matches were against people who were either leagues above him in wrestling ability, or they were far too immobile to be of any help. Roman Reigns was everything except over with the crowd. You can throw him in as many main events as you want, he will never be acknowledged. The fans despised him because of the simple fact that he was "The Guy". The guy in the big Wrestlemania matches, the second man ever to have defeated The Undertaker at Wrestlemania, the guy who got chance after chance at the spotlight when many other favored sons received diddly-squat in comparison.
With that, Roman worked smarter. Seeking his family entourage to grant them guaranteed success, his wise council in Paul Heyman being the Don King to his Mike Tyson, his general improvement and diversity in his offense beyond just spears and superman punches, as well as limiting when and where his title matches take place to make them the big deal that they deserve to be. Roman has been used in a significantly smaller capacity over the past year, to the point of some considering him a part-timer, which is a dangerous role around these parts. The continuous rumors over Roman taking time off were constant, and everpresent. They felt more like a tease that the oppressive era of The Bloodline was coming to an end. In actuality, it meant that the other members of The Bloodline got their chance to shine on equal terms.
Roman has been at the center of damn near every major storyline going on in WWE. Whenever Roman appears, whether making his way to RAW, or defending his title at a Premium Live Event, it is a big deal. A must see for any and all eyes on the product. He is what he, and the people who believed in him all those years ago, wanted him to become. The face of WWE. His actions as of recent have made him anything BUT face. Him destroying Sami Zayn at Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber have secured his place as the top heel of the company for the near future, and it has been reflected in how he achieves his Ws. One way or another, he has pulled win after win out of his ass, either through capitalizing on chaos, or outpeforming the opposition. But there is one man he has never been able to defeat in a meaningful encounter. That is Roman's Wrestlemania opponent. A man, who as of 4 years ago, was All Elite.
This really is the embodiment of never say never. Cody Rhodes left the WWE in a huff, shamed and embarrassed at his personal exit. But he didn't linger for long. He went back on the grind.
So.. what do you wanna talk about? Well, let's talk about Cody's post-WWE life.
You name a wrestling promotion in the United States, the likes of the NWA, the likes of Ring of Honor, he has swam to the top of it. Creating and forging his own legacy and identity. Not afraid to speak his own mind, not afraid to step above his station, and especially not afraid to fight his ass off, and put on matches well above his own average. As a result, a special thing happened in 2017. Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer felt that Ring of Honor would not sell out a 10,000 seat arena any time soon. Cody took him up on that declaration. In an event known as "The Bet", such a PPV exceeding that crowd capacity was called All In, and it planted the seeds for what is now the #2 wrestling promotion in the United States. It's crazy to think way back when that THAT Cody Rhodes would be partially responsible for helping to create the first promotion to take a sizable chunk out of WWE's audience since the WCW days; All Elite Wrestling.
But what no one else was expecting in the early days of AEW was Cody's career trajectory. The first to challenge for the AEW World Title held by Chris Jericho under the condition that if Cody can't beat Jericho, he will never challenge for that title again. It would be Cody's one, and only, shot at that title. He failed. From then on, Cody would obtain a title worth fighting for; the TNT Championship. Challenger after challenger vanquished every single week for as long as Cody held that title. With the exception of getting mauled into submission by the late Brodie Lee, Cody would stay the course. The only thing that would stop him... was discourse. Among the AEW fans. They felt that Cody only had his success because it was his company. And it was that stigma that eventually caused the fans to turn on him. Through a combination of that bitterness, as well as clashing with his fellow EVPs, Cody felt the time was right to leave AEW to its own devices. Unthinkable at the time, but by January 2022, it became reality. Cody was a free man once again.
From there, it was a matter of days. The day... was Wrestlemania last year. Speculation on Seth Rollins' mystery opponent had the rumor mill swirling. Perhaps Gable Steveson, maybe Shane McMahon? But Cody Rhodes? Come on, there's no way. And then the lights went black come match time.. to the tune of "Kingdom". And a crowd reaction that broke the sound barrier. My god... it actually happened. Cody Rhodes returned to WWE.
It must have come with a hex on Cody's body, because a couple months later, Cody tore a pectoral muscle meaning his WWE return would be short lived... if this were a man of logic and discretion, perhaps. Cody wrestled a classic Hell in a Cell encounter despite his pec looking incredibly sore against Seth Rollins to cap off that rivalry. And then the recuperation began.
Not a peep on Cody's return until the Royal Rumble. After putting on another clinic with Gunther to fight over the Wrestlemania main event, Cody stood tall. And thus, the match was set in stone. It's Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes. WWE's golden boy, vs AEW's exiled founding father. Cody Rhodes attempting to realize a dream that his father, The American Dream, was never able to make reality. A matchup that didn't even seem possible 2 years ago is now suddenly the main event of Wrestlemania. Wrestling is a special thing, sometimes.
In short, this matchup is indeed main event worthy. It's an even bout from top to bottom. Roman's power and authority vs Cody's acumen and knowhow. A godlike force vs a man seeking wrestling immortality. It's either going to be jaded WWE fans swearing to never watch again as long as Roman's still the champ, or AEW fans seething and coping that Cody is standing tall in enemy territory. A main event for the ages that one man has to lose. A duel of the fates that will be spoken of in documentaries and future montages to come. The quest to decide the undisputed WWE Champion.
Who will it be?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aST-5fzb1Iw
\A DYNAMITE PREDICTON**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_HFnIGszr4
All things considered, I think this match is a lot closer than people think it is. Cody has been fighting to no end, and he's confident that he has Roman's number. He has a reason to be champion other than just being the top guy in the company, but to Roman, that is his only reason. And that is his driving motivator. And such an obsession will be his undoing. All it will take is one mistake, one spear off the mark, and Cody will strike with an unforeseen fury and desire. This is Cody Rhodes' night. He will raise both titles, and discard both physical championships to bring back the golden World Heavyweight Championship that his father once wore proudly. Don't deny me this moment, WWE. Don't deny your fans someone new at the top for fucking once. And please keep away from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The morality of your fanbase depends on it. Not like morality has stopped any of your poor decision making in the past. Speaking of poor decisions, enjoy your weekend of bodyslams and crossbody splashes to the outside. Ring the bell, fuckers!
---
https://youtu.be/4CUXV3BfeD4?t=184
Thanks for reading. Have fun with Nick Khan saying the quiet part out loud.
Nick Khan: Just one note on that, I don’t run the WWE. There’s only one person who actually runs the WWE, Vince McMahon. A lot of folks help me to help run the WWE.
submitted by ProjectRAD to UrinatingTree [link] [comments]
Anywho, this year's event is at SoFi Stadium in California. The last Wrestlemania in the state of California? Wrestlemania 31. A mostly well regarded PPV with one of the most shocking main event outcomes in Wrestlemania history. Remember when Wrestlemania shows had SEVEN matches on the main card? Apparently, since everyone needs their Wrestlemania payday, and two nights pay better than one, that is a reality that can no longer exist. Nowadays, Wrestlemania weekend means that for four consecutive days from Friday Night SmackDown to the Monday Night RAW the night after, your eyes are to be glued to the squared circle with zero deviation. With that in mind, and considering how batshit crazy WWE's behind the scenes drama and shift in power balance has been over the past year, we actually made it to Wrestlemania 39. Let's see the 13 matches vying for ultimate immortality.
Brock Lesnar vs. Omos (with MVP)
Try to act surprised when I tell you that this matchup is rumored to be a Vince concept. It seems HHH has given Vince the one match to book, and thankfully nothing more.
That being said...guys...we need to take this time to particularly talk about Omos. This dude isn't getting over. He's fallen off ever since he lost the tag titles, and ended his feud with his former tag partner, AJ Styles. What's he been doing since? Mostly matches with Bobby Lashley again. Yes, Lashley vs Omos was a match at last year's Wrestlemania, and that loss has proven to only hurt Omos' relevance, and especially his TV time. Over the past year, his matchups have pretty much been exclusive to house shows. Either squashing much smaller men, or jobbing to Lashley in order to make The Almighty look better. The one time WWE actually chose to use him in any meaningful situation was a matchup against Braun Strowman at Crown Jewel. Which of course he lost that match.
Bottom line, He's just not that much of a presence anymore. I know that WWE under the HHH regime has seen the end of mass talent layoffs, but this guy is a waste of a matchup. He's got to go. His career is going absolutely nowhere, even with MVP at his side. Who in their right mind believes he can hang with Brock Lesnar?
Granted, Brock's the perfect opponent for him. A typical Omos match does not exceed 10 minutes, which is perfect for Brock's aggressive, fast-forward style. Furthermore, in terms of overall size, Omos is outside Brock's normal range of opponent. It's gonna be a Wrestlemania moment on its own when Brock lifts Omos up for the F-5, but after that... you're left with Omos getting tossed back into the toy chest until the next house show rolls around. Take the hint, WWE. Give Omos another loss, and send him back to his home in Nigeria. He misses his family dearly, and I think his fellow Omo-sapiens will understand how homesick this man is. (It's really bad when The Great Khali has done your act better).
Seth "Freakin" Rollins vs. Logan Paul
Ok, you also get ONE celebrity based match, too, but that's it.
In all honesty, Logan Paul has lived above expectations as far as his in-ring performances are concerned. He's not the most compelling and relatable character, but he's able to put on matches that are at least good (vs Roman) to above average (vs Miz). I like to think of him as the male equivalent to Ronda Rousey, where WWE is just using his name for brand recognition. Although unlike Ronda, his name is not exactly lighting up the mainstream media, just social media. And it's not translating well to ratings and awareness that he's living in WWE City. I know that WWE saw how well Logan adapted to the sports entertainment scene. That's just what the Paul brothers tend to do. But here's the kicker. People don't want to see a Paul brother succeed. They want a Paul brother to get knocked on their ass via a huge crushing piston called "reality". Here's an example. When Jake Paul won a boxing match, it was whatever. When he lost to Tommy Fury just recently, now THAT is where the entertainment value was. And Jake did say to judge him by his losses, not his wins. We are prepared to do the same to Logan. Because all he has done so far in WWE is lose. Match quality aside, he has put the "L" in Logan. Let's see if this showdown with Seth gives him his Wrestlemania triumph.
Speaking of which, there's so little to say about Seth Rollins in this equation. At least he knows who his opponent is this year. At least he had the spectacular Cody Rhodes feud before the wrestling gods gave Cody time off (and a hell of a match to go out on). He did kinda get stuck trying to put Matt Riddle over before Riddle succumbed to his own vices, but this is the most over Seth Rollins has been. Most of it is the fancy new "sing me to the ring, and never stop singing" entrance, but it's the little things that make you a big star around these parts. And really, I can't picture anyone else in this scenario. The Visionary vs The Influencer. This should be a fun contest, and bragging rights for weeks to come if Rollins walks out the loser. However, if it means more of Logan Paul appearing in WWE... honestly, every wrestling fan loses. I know Logan says his contract is up after Wrestlemania, but somehow, I'm not a believer WWE will let him slip away that easily.
Trish Stratus, Lita, and Becky Lynch vs. Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky)
Let's take you back to Summerslam 2022. Bianca Belair standing tall over an obsessed Becky Lynch, and then out comes Bayley. Away from the WWE for over a year to rehab a freak accident during training for the return to live events. But the twist no one was expecting is that Bayley didn't return alone. She brought back two women to form a stable that would be ever present across RAW ever since. Dakota Kai, previously handed her pink slip a few months prior, was given a second chance at her WWE life by Bayley. As well as Iyo Sky, who already had one foot out the door while living in NXT limbo. Thus, they formed the group Damage CTRL, and while neither member was successful in capturing singles gold (Especially Bayley.), the Women's Tag Team Championships... that was a different story. Aside from one week being without the titles, Kai/Sky have held them for 5 months. It's only recently that Becky Lynch and a returning Lita have come into possession of said titles, with a little help from Trish Stratus, who much like Lita, is never REALLY retired.
And now we have an interesting 6-woman tag contest that's been put together as a result. Becky Lynch and two Hall of Fame legends combat a group that needs a decisive Wrestlemania victory as a trio. Becky's been fighting Damage CTRL longer than anyone else, so it is safe to assume this will be the beginning of the end of this neverending war. Especially if Damage CTRL can finally walk away from their battles against Becky with heads held high... hopefully.
Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio
Yeah, this match was pretty much a foregone conclusion. I feel like they could have done this match at any Wrestlemania possible, but first we need someone to be heel in this contest, and it's sure as hell not gonna be Rey Mysterio.
So... Dominik... I'm a bit mixed on his career trajectory. Because right now, across the board, he's just good, but not great. He's trying to be on the same level as his father, sometimes even emulating him either for heat or grasping the Mysterio name for some miniscule level of credibility... but at this point, it's been more than a minute since his career started, and the excuses are running out. Hell, that promo where he declared he's the next Eddie Guerrero... yeah, that definitely ruffled a few feathers online. btw, still using Eddie's name as a vehicle in your Wrestlemania matchup build in 2023... come on, guys. And yes, Eddie came a long way as shown by his WCW work, and the level of promo that Guerrero was cutting at the time. So maybe it's better we get this shit version of Dominik out of the way now, so he can eventually become WWE Superstar Dominik Mysterio, with a celebrated World Championship reign of... 2 months.
What is actually happening here is that Rey Mysterio is being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year, so his career clock is running out. So this match is immediately happening before Rey's knees collapse into themselves, and thankfully, the way this match was booked ensures that Wrestlemania will be the point where this feud has absolutely peaked. God, the pop on Rey finally striking his son. I haven't seen him get that much pleasure out of beating his kids since he got his copy of WWE '13.
Hell in a Cell Match
Edge vs "The Demon" Finn Balor
Ladies and gentlemen, your neverending feud. It wasn't too long ago that Edge formed The Judgment Day, a heel stable dedicated to taking the younger generation under Edge's wing. First, it was Damian Priest, a lost soul looking for guidance, looking to escape his never ending punishment. Then, it was Rhea Ripley, a individual whose presence in the group took on a life of its own (more on that later). And somewhere along the way, they even added Rey Mysterio's son, Dominik, into the fray, which he sorely needed. But none of those additions compared to their last member... Finn Balor, who immediately led a coup overthrowing Edge as their leader. It could be because Edge opposed the direction that The Judgment Day was going, but don't let rumors and heresay dissaude you from the fact that the preceding battle of Finn Balor leading The Judgment Day in a crusade to make Edge's life a living hell has been happening for a couple months too long. Even Edge's own wife had to pay the price for her troubles, and because Edge taught them too well. It feels like we've gone just about everywhere these two can go together... except Hell in a Cell. Oh, and Finn Balor's "Demon" persona is listed as the opponent, but hey, 3-4 hours in the makeup chair will absolutely be worth it to bring back a character he said he discarded in his second NXT run. Of course, wrestlers say a lot of things, but Finn's such a professional, we figured that declaration would stick.
At least this way, these two can guarantee a great Wrestlemania match... for about 15 minutes until Damian gets involved in some way. Plus it's probably Edge's match to lose. Unless he makes another agreement, this is his last year on his WWE contract. And of course The Judgment Day has nowhere to go but up. Even though it could possibly be a splintered group if Rhea gets the job done at Wrestlemania (again, more on that later.)
Men's Wrestlemania Showcase
Braun Strowman and Ricochet vs. The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) vs. Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis) vs. The Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar)
Since the Tag Team title match later on is a 2 team affair, we need to show the world that, yes, we do indeed have other teams in reserve, and no, our tag team division is NOT dead why would you even say that!
These are, admittedly, the usual suspects. The Viking Raiders have been a "pushed one week, not pushed the next" team over the past couple years. More importantly, they haven't been consistently healthy. Finally getting their chance to make their mark, and a new face among them in Valhalla who's career is probably gonna last longer than theirs, perhaps they get a credible win this time around?
The Street Profits... still exist. WWE, in their endless quest to not pull the trigger on a Montez Ford push, has him continued to be weighed down by Angelo Dawkins, a guy who is good, but not AS good. Even if they win, let's be real. It's not going to improve their standing as a tag team.
Alpha Academy... is also still here. Despite WWE not knowing exactly what they are going to do with Otis, and Chad Gable continuing to be another jobber to the stars, we still have a team, miraculously. It feels like nowadays these two would be better off apart, which is weird to say considering they were mostly on top around this time last year.
The underdog in this scenario is the makeshift team with no name... Braun and Ricochet. Braun has seen success in the past, but Ricochet... the mountain he climbed wasn't nearly as tall. You look at this team, and you look at a duo that just doesn't belong. Individual success in singles, cannon fodder in a tag match. If anything, they might be the team to surprise everyone, and secure a victory here. It all depends on what their future holds, as well as the future of the tag division, considering what lies ahead.
Women's Wrestlemania Showcase
Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya and Shotzi vs. Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler vs. Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville
Supposedly, Becky Lynch & Lita were supposed to defend their Women's Tag Team Championship at Wrestlemania on top of the 6-woman clash with Damage CTRL. Now that is crazy. And clearly, WWE wasn't crazy enough to have Lita wrestle 2 nights in a row. So we have a Women's Tag Team showcase. And what a tag team showcase it is. Including tag teams that... aren't really tag teams. I could give you writeups on where each of these women are in their career prior to this tag team extravaganza, but let's cut to the chase. Ronda Rousey is in this match. Considering all the other women in this mix, Ronda Rousey is not walking away with an L at Wrestlemania (forget Wrestlemania 35, one of the most celebrated wins in women's wrestling). Her and Shayna Baszler would have more than likely become Women's Tag Team Champions had things been a little different, and I believe they will be by the end of the year, so if anyone needs this win for bragging rights and for the rocket to propel them towards the gold, it's Ronda and Shayna. Any other win is a waste of time. I will say I am surprised to see Chelsea Green at Wrestlemania. I feel like I just saw her in Impact Wrestling 6 months ago. She was absolutely gonna team with Carmella, but it appears the wrestling gods aren't done bringing maximum misfortune upon Carmella, so Sonya Deville, you're here. You're not doing anything. The rest of you... one of you is more than likely eating the pin. Natalya, thank you for your 15 year long service to WWE, and your service will continue with a Ronda exclamation point. You understand, of course...
Still, what would Wrestlemania be without title defences? A legit question I hope that WWE never answers.
WWE United States Championship
Austin Theory (c) vs. John Cena
John Cena has not wrestled at Wrestlemania in 3 years. And hasn't wrestled at a live Wrestlemania in 5 years. And it was an Undertaker match that wasn't even properly advertised (Is a 2 minute match at Wrestlemania even a REAL match?)! It's so weird to see the hero of the Ruthless Aggression era absent from Wrestlemania. Not even talking about a match, just... not even a cameo? But it's fine. John Cena has his noteworthy career in Hollywood, and has to stop being Peacemaker to become WWE Superstar for one night only. His opponent?
Austin Theory. Austin Theory is absolutely living up to his potential, at last. Over the past year, he has become a superstar that you can slot into pretty much any situation. Get your cheek bashed in by Tyson Fury? Done. Keep the US Championship relevant? Oh yeah. Main event for RAW? Done and dusted. While Roman is mostly King of SmackDown, it's RAW that is lacking in a World Title to call its own, and it feels like Austin Theory has done his damndest to take up the mantle. It's a shame that he has yet to receive that one victory to cement his place on the upper card. That match could very well be pinning John Cena at Wrestlemania, which is more than likely going to happen because Cena has so few Wrestlemania matches left in him, and the torch needs to be passed. Not that such a torch passing achievement is a sure thing, because Kurt Angle passed the torch to Baron Corbin in 2019, and... yeah. Should be a better match than people are thinking considering I don't think Cena has lost a single step post-Hollywood, and Austin Theory will no doubt be not only pulling out all the stops, but ripping them out, to boot. I assume there's a lot of certainty behind this stop ripping, because it's going to be the opening match of Wrestlemania on Saturday. Best of luck, Theory. Admittedly, this isn't the Austin vs Cena match I wanted, but we haven't fully invented time travel yet.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Gunther (c) vs. Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre
Damn. Just... damn. If there was a singles match with any combination of these 3 men at Wrestlemania, you are guaranteed ****1/2 star minimum. The evidence speaks loudly. Drew and Sheamus wallop each other, and it's 4 stars. Gunther and Sheamus take lumps of flesh out of one another at Cardiff, it's considered a match of the year candidate. I feel for the human bodies in this war. Through Gunther's own impatience, what would have been a competitive 1v1 brawl turns into a Triple Threat clusterfuck, said in the nicest terms. There's only so much unique text I can type being envious of everyone in this match. It's not THE main event, but it's my main event.
Sheamus has spent the past year or two putting the heavy in heavyweight, being the hard hitting bruiser he always knew he could be. Teaming with The Brawling Brutes and being an overall menace in the 6-man division (Ha! You thought there was a Trios division in WWE, didn't you?).
Drew has been all over the card. World Title shot one month, feuding with Karrion Kross the previous months, and now he's got his chance at gold he can realistically carry for at least a couple months. If only said gold wasn't held by Gunther.
Gunther... the walking weapon of WWE (get well soon, Josh Alexander). I petition this man should absolutely get his name changed to Midas, because everything he touches is gold. All I have to do is point directly at his NXT matches with Ilya Dragunov, and say that such excessive violence is the peak of WWE content. And his match quality has stood strong even when he leapt up to the main roster. It's been that way for the past 9 months ever since he won the IC title. Body after body falling before his presence. The best IC Champion in a long time. If he loses this match, it's because WWE looked back at his... well, it's less of a true one-on-one match, and more of a "last two guys in the Royal Rumble" match against Cody, and realized that Gunther is that guy. And hopefully, he does not fall between the cracks in the process. This match has potential to be match of the year. Watch out, grab a bucket of popcorn, and hold it tight.
RAW Women's Championship
Bianca Belair (c) vs. Asuka
Bianca, congratulations on your year long success. I'm all for you breaking down barriers, and making history (herstory's too cheesy, and I don't want to devalue her accomplishments), but what awaits you at this Wrestlemania is a challenger to your title unlike any other before her.
Asuka.
Asuka has transformed into a figure better representing her previous life as KANA. This is an Asuka not hindered by wacky dancing and horrendously awkward promos, this is an Asuka that plays with your head. Make you fear NOT what is coming, but why it hasn't already appeared. We've seen so little of this Asuka in WWE, and we've seen very little of these two in a one-on-one setting. Maybe a match here and there on RAW, but this pairing have yet to see a long term rivalry. At last, WWE have realized to, as the Fighting Game Community used to say, save that shit for nationals. Well, Wrestlemania is your nationals.
Asuka is a dangerous customer all her own. If she hasn't knocked your head off with precise kicks, or ripped you limb from limb in one of her many submissions, then beware what awaits you if she opens her mouth. And heaven knows how this new persona has affected her typical approach.
Bianca, you also know the score with her. Stamina to spare, and power for miles. She's been holding that RAW Women's Championship ever since last year's Wrestlemania, and has worn that title to the fullest, decimating any and all competitors who think they can hang with her. Including against Asuka at Hell in a Cell, with a little help from Becky. Now Bianca and Asuka need only focus on each other. This is a fresh new Asuka against a Bianca who is prepared to weather this tsunami threatening to take her title. Another classic Wrestlemania encounter awaits.
As for who will walk away with the cherry championship, I feel like Asuka wins, just because Bianca isn't ready for Asuka. Not to seem cliche, or desperate to squeeze in a catchphrase or two, but I feel like one of Asuka's newest unknown tricks is going to be the deciding factor. And it's also definitely not going to be the last time these two square off with a championship at stake. Here's hoping.
SmackDown Women's Championship
Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
You know, when this match took place 3 years ago, I hoped Rhea would win. A rising star straight out of NXT with the boost she needed to be at the top of the mountain. But that's not what happened. Charlotte outperformed her. Back then, I figured Rhea winning was a must. The momentum of WCW Lex Luger after his world title win over Hollywood Hogan, and with a loss, it would be turned into WWF Lex Luger with no title to his own. That's also not what happend. Rhea climbed her way back up, scratched and clawed for every achievement. For a while, she was at the top of RAW's Women's Division. It's clear now she didn't need the boost, she just needed to plant her feet above ground level, and the business would work for her from there. And then something happened. She became a part of The Judgement Day. She got the kudos, she got the tutelage, and she got herself a Royal Rumble win. And a ticket to a championship opportunity. The roles are reversed. Now it's not Rhea insisting Charlotte use her Rumble win to challenge her for the NXT Championship, now it's Rhea using her prize as a chance to correct history, and become SmackDown Women's Champion.
There is debate on whether or not this match is worthy of a Wrestlemania main event slot. Considering how white hot the storylines are in the last two matches being covered, and the potential of just having women main event a Wrestlemania night for PR backpatting, it's definitely a match with a case to state. A Royal Rumble winner being in the last match of the show isn't a sure thing, and the build might not make the match seem as hype as others, but if these two think they are worthy of closing the show... then I hope they tear the roof off SoFi.
These two are top of the line. Charlotte can turn her offensive focus on a dime, Rhea is prepared to play dirty to realize her dream, and Rhea is facing the daughter of the dirtiest player in the game. This isn't gonna be a pretty contest. A heated, brutal slugfest is a much better descriptor. I believe Rhea will leave behind any shred of doubt that she is on Charlotte's level. But Charlotte's not just gonna lie down, and let her title slip away. Look forward to this match being talked about for the next few months afterward.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) (c) vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
The year is 2023. The Usos continue their eternal stranglehold on the WWE Tag Team division. It's been due to The Bloodline's dissention being one of the most compelling storylines in recent WWE memory, and at the center of that discourse is Sami Zayn. We've been watching him over the past year align with Roman, damn near become the second-in-command of The Bloodline, fight against his best friend Kevin Owens (which to be fair, is neither the first nor the last time that's happened), and then have Sami reach his boiling point with a payoff betrayal of Roman Reigns being a deafening roar of heroism, to Sami getting squashed underneath Roman's boot. But now Sami knows his true target; The Usos. But he can't do it alone. He needs help from his former best friend, Kevin Owens. Owens wants no part of Sami's personal war, considering that Sami joined in on any and all Bloodline beatdowns of Kevin Owens. However, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, so friends turned rivals turned friends again believe they have the best chance of finally overcoming The Usos and their umpteenth day reign as Tag Team champions.
And the bond of The Usos is stronger than it's been. Jey Uso, with a small drop of uncertainty, spent a whole month absent from WWE itself, uncertain if the direction of The Bloodline was one he was willing to follow. In the end, blood was thicker than water. And rather than Sami and Jey be the duo to get it done, Jey kicked those dreams away, picking family over personal glory. Just be glad the titles haven't been given the proper Freebird rule, because there was a house show or two where the part of Jey Uso was played by Solo Sikoa. Ah yes, Solo is finally a part of WWE's main roster proper. Spent the first 6 months of his career undefeated (just had his first loss to Cody on Monday. Still looked strong). If the Usos start to, in any capacity, show signs of losing, expect this enforcer to interject.
In reality, you know how strong The Usos are as a unit. Slick teamwork, lethal attacks and combinations to double up their mighty blows... they've been holding on to those titles legit, even without interference. Will this reunited twosome of Kevin and Sami be any different? I don't think so. Sami's been on the inside until recently, and Kevin's been fighting them longer than anyone. In my mind, they might just be the force to catch The Usos slipping, and become the new Tag Team Champions. Of course, that depends on if the wrestling gods have grown tired of seeing The Usos hog the tag titles for over a year plus. I think most of us are.
---
With the dirty dozen of Wrestlemania clashes chronicled, we now come to the final contest; The Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. You know the first name, but the second one is a name seeking glory that his generation could never grasp. Let's get the obvious one out of the way first.
Roman Reigns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZwTHoHI8cQRoman Reigns wanted his Head of the Table gimmick realized, or he would walk out on WWE. The fans believed in their Tribal Chief becoming the face of WWE. Over the past 900+ days, that's what happened. The fans got their reward..... their eternal reward. Roman has stood on top for far longer than any human being in the Wrestlemania generation. Male or Female. Singles or Tag Team. In fact, walking into this match, this is the 3rd straight year that Roman is defending his world championship. No one else can make such a claim. Not even Hulk Hogan, who felt like his time at the top of the mountain lasted far longer.
It's not hard to see why Roman is breaking as many records as he is. It's because of how far he has come. You look back at his time even 5-10 years ago, a time where the crowd wanted absolutely none of Vince's personal project. His promo material was awful, his matches were against people who were either leagues above him in wrestling ability, or they were far too immobile to be of any help. Roman Reigns was everything except over with the crowd. You can throw him in as many main events as you want, he will never be acknowledged. The fans despised him because of the simple fact that he was "The Guy". The guy in the big Wrestlemania matches, the second man ever to have defeated The Undertaker at Wrestlemania, the guy who got chance after chance at the spotlight when many other favored sons received diddly-squat in comparison.
With that, Roman worked smarter. Seeking his family entourage to grant them guaranteed success, his wise council in Paul Heyman being the Don King to his Mike Tyson, his general improvement and diversity in his offense beyond just spears and superman punches, as well as limiting when and where his title matches take place to make them the big deal that they deserve to be. Roman has been used in a significantly smaller capacity over the past year, to the point of some considering him a part-timer, which is a dangerous role around these parts. The continuous rumors over Roman taking time off were constant, and everpresent. They felt more like a tease that the oppressive era of The Bloodline was coming to an end. In actuality, it meant that the other members of The Bloodline got their chance to shine on equal terms.
Roman has been at the center of damn near every major storyline going on in WWE. Whenever Roman appears, whether making his way to RAW, or defending his title at a Premium Live Event, it is a big deal. A must see for any and all eyes on the product. He is what he, and the people who believed in him all those years ago, wanted him to become. The face of WWE. His actions as of recent have made him anything BUT face. Him destroying Sami Zayn at Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber have secured his place as the top heel of the company for the near future, and it has been reflected in how he achieves his Ws. One way or another, he has pulled win after win out of his ass, either through capitalizing on chaos, or outpeforming the opposition. But there is one man he has never been able to defeat in a meaningful encounter. That is Roman's Wrestlemania opponent. A man, who as of 4 years ago, was All Elite.
"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i36tXq7yK6c
This really is the embodiment of never say never. Cody Rhodes left the WWE in a huff, shamed and embarrassed at his personal exit. But he didn't linger for long. He went back on the grind.
So.. what do you wanna talk about? Well, let's talk about Cody's post-WWE life.
You name a wrestling promotion in the United States, the likes of the NWA, the likes of Ring of Honor, he has swam to the top of it. Creating and forging his own legacy and identity. Not afraid to speak his own mind, not afraid to step above his station, and especially not afraid to fight his ass off, and put on matches well above his own average. As a result, a special thing happened in 2017. Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer felt that Ring of Honor would not sell out a 10,000 seat arena any time soon. Cody took him up on that declaration. In an event known as "The Bet", such a PPV exceeding that crowd capacity was called All In, and it planted the seeds for what is now the #2 wrestling promotion in the United States. It's crazy to think way back when that THAT Cody Rhodes would be partially responsible for helping to create the first promotion to take a sizable chunk out of WWE's audience since the WCW days; All Elite Wrestling.
But what no one else was expecting in the early days of AEW was Cody's career trajectory. The first to challenge for the AEW World Title held by Chris Jericho under the condition that if Cody can't beat Jericho, he will never challenge for that title again. It would be Cody's one, and only, shot at that title. He failed. From then on, Cody would obtain a title worth fighting for; the TNT Championship. Challenger after challenger vanquished every single week for as long as Cody held that title. With the exception of getting mauled into submission by the late Brodie Lee, Cody would stay the course. The only thing that would stop him... was discourse. Among the AEW fans. They felt that Cody only had his success because it was his company. And it was that stigma that eventually caused the fans to turn on him. Through a combination of that bitterness, as well as clashing with his fellow EVPs, Cody felt the time was right to leave AEW to its own devices. Unthinkable at the time, but by January 2022, it became reality. Cody was a free man once again.
From there, it was a matter of days. The day... was Wrestlemania last year. Speculation on Seth Rollins' mystery opponent had the rumor mill swirling. Perhaps Gable Steveson, maybe Shane McMahon? But Cody Rhodes? Come on, there's no way. And then the lights went black come match time.. to the tune of "Kingdom". And a crowd reaction that broke the sound barrier. My god... it actually happened. Cody Rhodes returned to WWE.
It must have come with a hex on Cody's body, because a couple months later, Cody tore a pectoral muscle meaning his WWE return would be short lived... if this were a man of logic and discretion, perhaps. Cody wrestled a classic Hell in a Cell encounter despite his pec looking incredibly sore against Seth Rollins to cap off that rivalry. And then the recuperation began.
Not a peep on Cody's return until the Royal Rumble. After putting on another clinic with Gunther to fight over the Wrestlemania main event, Cody stood tall. And thus, the match was set in stone. It's Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes. WWE's golden boy, vs AEW's exiled founding father. Cody Rhodes attempting to realize a dream that his father, The American Dream, was never able to make reality. A matchup that didn't even seem possible 2 years ago is now suddenly the main event of Wrestlemania. Wrestling is a special thing, sometimes.
In short, this matchup is indeed main event worthy. It's an even bout from top to bottom. Roman's power and authority vs Cody's acumen and knowhow. A godlike force vs a man seeking wrestling immortality. It's either going to be jaded WWE fans swearing to never watch again as long as Roman's still the champ, or AEW fans seething and coping that Cody is standing tall in enemy territory. A main event for the ages that one man has to lose. A duel of the fates that will be spoken of in documentaries and future montages to come. The quest to decide the undisputed WWE Champion.
Who will it be?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aST-5fzb1Iw
\A DYNAMITE PREDICTON**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_HFnIGszr4
All things considered, I think this match is a lot closer than people think it is. Cody has been fighting to no end, and he's confident that he has Roman's number. He has a reason to be champion other than just being the top guy in the company, but to Roman, that is his only reason. And that is his driving motivator. And such an obsession will be his undoing. All it will take is one mistake, one spear off the mark, and Cody will strike with an unforeseen fury and desire. This is Cody Rhodes' night. He will raise both titles, and discard both physical championships to bring back the golden World Heavyweight Championship that his father once wore proudly. Don't deny me this moment, WWE. Don't deny your fans someone new at the top for fucking once. And please keep away from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The morality of your fanbase depends on it. Not like morality has stopped any of your poor decision making in the past. Speaking of poor decisions, enjoy your weekend of bodyslams and crossbody splashes to the outside. Ring the bell, fuckers!
---
https://youtu.be/4CUXV3BfeD4?t=184
Thanks for reading. Have fun with Nick Khan saying the quiet part out loud.
Nick Khan: Just one note on that, I don’t run the WWE. There’s only one person who actually runs the WWE, Vince McMahon. A lot of folks help me to help run the WWE.
2023.03.31 17:58 CentralEuropeanSoul 27 [M4F] Europe - Looking for a similar soul
So, who am I? I'm 27, as the title says, living in Central Europe for the foreseeable future (minimum next year to 2 before I consider moving again). While I'd love to say that I have a very regular 9-5 job, I'm working in hospitality at the moment and have more of a chaotic schedule, changing weekly and in shifts, nevertheless I try to keep up with my friends and spend some time with them when I'm not working or on my days off. I am in the process of looking for a new job though which would finally calm my life down more.
So, the details:
Appearance: I'm 185cm tall, roughly 87kg. I have dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, pierced ear and next year I will be working on tattooing my right arm. Ideally a sleeve but I will need to see how far down my arm I can go due to my future field of work. I used to rock a beard but due to this line of work I wasn't allowed to keep it, that will change again as I've quit my job and I will go back to my bearded ways. Nicely kept, but a beard anyway.
Hobbies: Primarily I'm gonna name music and gaming at the moment. I've been a manic fan of music for years and I don't go out without my earbuds. Rock and metal being my absolute favourite genres, although I'm not opposed to try different things. I own a guitar and even have guitar picks from my favourite guitarist but simply lack the desire to play. I'm sure it'll come back eventually, maybe when I can dedicate more time to it. Gaming has always been something I enjoyed. My current go-to games are FFXIV, Genshin and occasionally Hearthstone when I am extremely bored. I'm down to try new games though. Once warmer times hit I plan on adding Kickboxing and learning Norwegian to the list. I absolutely fell in love with Wardruna and it's one of the biggest reasons why I want to learn Norwegian (I am aware Wardruna is dialectal) and I intend to visit Norway, Iceland and Sweden sooner or later.
So, what am I looking for?
Nothing special in my mind, someone who isn't overly serious. Life is fun at the end of the day and I don't enjoy stressing or panicking over things I don't have to. Ideally you're looking after yourself, keeping healthy, have the means to travel/visit so we can visit each othemeet in the middle. Very important - actually live in Europe. I'm not interested in people outside it. If you know Norwegian, swedish or finnish or live there, that's a big plus :P
If you think any of this sounds interesting, shoot me a message.
submitted by CentralEuropeanSoul to ForeverAloneDating [link] [comments]
So, the details:
Appearance: I'm 185cm tall, roughly 87kg. I have dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, pierced ear and next year I will be working on tattooing my right arm. Ideally a sleeve but I will need to see how far down my arm I can go due to my future field of work. I used to rock a beard but due to this line of work I wasn't allowed to keep it, that will change again as I've quit my job and I will go back to my bearded ways. Nicely kept, but a beard anyway.
Hobbies: Primarily I'm gonna name music and gaming at the moment. I've been a manic fan of music for years and I don't go out without my earbuds. Rock and metal being my absolute favourite genres, although I'm not opposed to try different things. I own a guitar and even have guitar picks from my favourite guitarist but simply lack the desire to play. I'm sure it'll come back eventually, maybe when I can dedicate more time to it. Gaming has always been something I enjoyed. My current go-to games are FFXIV, Genshin and occasionally Hearthstone when I am extremely bored. I'm down to try new games though. Once warmer times hit I plan on adding Kickboxing and learning Norwegian to the list. I absolutely fell in love with Wardruna and it's one of the biggest reasons why I want to learn Norwegian (I am aware Wardruna is dialectal) and I intend to visit Norway, Iceland and Sweden sooner or later.
So, what am I looking for?
Nothing special in my mind, someone who isn't overly serious. Life is fun at the end of the day and I don't enjoy stressing or panicking over things I don't have to. Ideally you're looking after yourself, keeping healthy, have the means to travel/visit so we can visit each othemeet in the middle. Very important - actually live in Europe. I'm not interested in people outside it. If you know Norwegian, swedish or finnish or live there, that's a big plus :P
If you think any of this sounds interesting, shoot me a message.
2023.03.31 17:58 LieSerious2561 19m , hit me up !! Socially anxious but open online , tell me your travel stories [friendship] [relationship]
So i wanna travel the world when i get a job, i love watch travel vlogs and wanna travel a lot, would love to hear your stories . Soo i am from india, i love anime and mystery thrille horror films, i am a marvel fan as well, not a fan of recent films tho, I really love reading fantasy and thriller as well, i am pretty nerdy and into progamming, soo pls be 18 plus and im straight
submitted by LieSerious2561 to MeetPeople [link] [comments]
2023.03.31 17:57 LieSerious2561 19m , hit me up !! Socially anxious but open online , tell me your travel stories
So i wanna travel the world when i get a job, i love watch travel vlogs and wanna travel a lot, would love to hear your stories . Soo i am from india, i love anime and mystery thrille horror films, i am a marvel fan as well, not a fan of recent films tho, I really love reading fantasy and thriller as well, i am pretty nerdy and into progamming, soo pls be 18 plus and im straight
submitted by LieSerious2561 to MakeNewFriendsHere [link] [comments]
2023.03.31 17:51 Hen-stepper The constant climb, survival, midlife crisis thoughts
A few years ago I was thinking that "success" looks like having a steady job, acceptable pay, your own place, and basic independence. I was able to get some bonuses like a long term relationship, friendships, some awesome cats, maintained connection to family.
After ditching some high, unachievable goals from my 20s, recently all I have wanted is a good PC and survival like food, shelter, a simple car, bare minimum retirement for later in life, etc. No kids, no fancy cars or toys, no vacations or travel -- nothing. I want to no-life on my PC and balance it out with relationships and a healthy lifestyle. Just typing that out sounds like a pretty awesome life and maybe some people here feel the same.
The midlife crisis has hit hard and I am able to see every aspect of how the phenomenon of Asperger's has become a barrier to "success." It's almost remarkable that doctors were able to determine all of this just from a few isolated behaviors as a kid, for which they slapped on the "Asperger's" label. It amazes me how much knowledge society has accumulated to figure this out... your kid doesn't make great eye contact? Well he's half screwed. Not as screwed as many others but you get the picture. Admitting that society knows better is a big, humbling change from my know-it-all "screw society" younger years.
Correct, I am averse to change and socially awkward. When I really think what that means it is truly defining as a restriction. Finally I am open to the possibility that Asperger's indeed is a disability.
One of the most terrible parts of school as a kid was starting a new grade or, worse, starting at a new school. It happened every single year too. That is the wonderful experience that a new job promises, and we are supposed to do it every 2 years to be "successful" in my field. And to get there you have to pass a gauntlet of social tests where teams of people probe your weaknesses. And do this over and over again. If you're awkward they can kick you out before the interview ends. We have knowledge that this process is promised with each job search.
So we have the option of skipping all of that and staying at the same job? Combine that with the fact that some of us don't care about money at all? Then the choice is obvious. But what does that mean for us and the result of our life's work if we reject the climb and stay at almost the same spot? Is staying at the same job costless? No, some abuse will be taken in that situation too.
Saying "no" to the climb and "yes" to a more peaceful life has some unexpectedly extreme results. Friends, even younger ones with major issues, start passing you. Some might have kids, or become managers, some enjoy money or nice things. They just keep climbing and they're rewarded, not punished, so they want to keep going. I will stop here. Good luck to all of you as you get older... lol.
submitted by Hen-stepper to aspergers [link] [comments]
After ditching some high, unachievable goals from my 20s, recently all I have wanted is a good PC and survival like food, shelter, a simple car, bare minimum retirement for later in life, etc. No kids, no fancy cars or toys, no vacations or travel -- nothing. I want to no-life on my PC and balance it out with relationships and a healthy lifestyle. Just typing that out sounds like a pretty awesome life and maybe some people here feel the same.
The midlife crisis has hit hard and I am able to see every aspect of how the phenomenon of Asperger's has become a barrier to "success." It's almost remarkable that doctors were able to determine all of this just from a few isolated behaviors as a kid, for which they slapped on the "Asperger's" label. It amazes me how much knowledge society has accumulated to figure this out... your kid doesn't make great eye contact? Well he's half screwed. Not as screwed as many others but you get the picture. Admitting that society knows better is a big, humbling change from my know-it-all "screw society" younger years.
Correct, I am averse to change and socially awkward. When I really think what that means it is truly defining as a restriction. Finally I am open to the possibility that Asperger's indeed is a disability.
One of the most terrible parts of school as a kid was starting a new grade or, worse, starting at a new school. It happened every single year too. That is the wonderful experience that a new job promises, and we are supposed to do it every 2 years to be "successful" in my field. And to get there you have to pass a gauntlet of social tests where teams of people probe your weaknesses. And do this over and over again. If you're awkward they can kick you out before the interview ends. We have knowledge that this process is promised with each job search.
So we have the option of skipping all of that and staying at the same job? Combine that with the fact that some of us don't care about money at all? Then the choice is obvious. But what does that mean for us and the result of our life's work if we reject the climb and stay at almost the same spot? Is staying at the same job costless? No, some abuse will be taken in that situation too.
Saying "no" to the climb and "yes" to a more peaceful life has some unexpectedly extreme results. Friends, even younger ones with major issues, start passing you. Some might have kids, or become managers, some enjoy money or nice things. They just keep climbing and they're rewarded, not punished, so they want to keep going. I will stop here. Good luck to all of you as you get older... lol.
2023.03.31 17:49 ParanormalM The Haunted Apartment: A Tale of Ghostly Encounters
In the summer of 1997, I moved into a small apartment in a downtown area of a large city. It was an old building, with creaky wooden floors and peeling wallpaper, but it was cheap and close to my job. At first, everything seemed fine. I unpacked my boxes and settled in, enjoying my newfound independence.
But after a few weeks, strange things started happening. It started with little things, like doors opening and closing by themselves, and objects moving when I wasn't looking. I brushed it off as my imagination or the wind, but as time went on, the occurrences became more frequent and more unsettling.
One night, as I was getting ready for bed, I heard footsteps in the hallway outside my bedroom. They were slow, deliberate steps, and they seemed to be coming closer and closer. I froze in fear, convinced that someone had broken into my apartment. But when I flung open the door, there was no one there.
Over the next few days, I started seeing strange shadows moving across the walls. They were human-like, but distorted and elongated, like something out of a horror movie. I tried to ignore them, but they were always there, lurking just beyond my peripheral vision.
One night, as I was lying in bed, I felt something sit down on the edge of the mattress. I was too scared to turn over and see what it was, but I could feel the weight of it pressing down on the mattress. I lay there, frozen in terror, until the weight lifted and the presence was gone.
By this point, I was convinced that my apartment was haunted. I started doing research on the building's history, and I discovered that it had been built in the early 1900s as a hotel for travelers passing through the city. Over the years, it had been converted into apartments, but rumors persisted that the hotel's original owner had died in one of the rooms.
I knew I had to do something to get rid of the ghostly presence in my apartment. I consulted with a spiritual advisor who recommended a series of rituals involving sage, salt, and prayers. I did everything she told me to do, and for a few days, it seemed like the apartment was back to normal.
But then, things took a turn for the worse. I started hearing whispers in my ear, and I felt cold spots in various parts of the apartment. Doors would slam shut by themselves, and the shadows on the walls became more menacing. I knew I had to leave, but I couldn't afford to break my lease.
Finally, one night, I woke up to find the ghostly figure standing at the foot of my bed. It was a tall, thin man with a gaunt face and sunken eyes. He didn't say anything, but I could feel his anger and his despair radiating off of him. I knew then that I had to get out of the apartment, no matter what the cost.
I moved out the next day, leaving most of my belongings behind. I never went back to the apartment, but I heard from a friend that the building had been condemned a few months later. The owners claimed that it was due to structural problems, but I knew better. The ghost of the hotel owner was still there, haunting the halls and scaring away anyone who dared to stay too long.
submitted by ParanormalM to Paranormal [link] [comments]
But after a few weeks, strange things started happening. It started with little things, like doors opening and closing by themselves, and objects moving when I wasn't looking. I brushed it off as my imagination or the wind, but as time went on, the occurrences became more frequent and more unsettling.
One night, as I was getting ready for bed, I heard footsteps in the hallway outside my bedroom. They were slow, deliberate steps, and they seemed to be coming closer and closer. I froze in fear, convinced that someone had broken into my apartment. But when I flung open the door, there was no one there.
Over the next few days, I started seeing strange shadows moving across the walls. They were human-like, but distorted and elongated, like something out of a horror movie. I tried to ignore them, but they were always there, lurking just beyond my peripheral vision.
One night, as I was lying in bed, I felt something sit down on the edge of the mattress. I was too scared to turn over and see what it was, but I could feel the weight of it pressing down on the mattress. I lay there, frozen in terror, until the weight lifted and the presence was gone.
By this point, I was convinced that my apartment was haunted. I started doing research on the building's history, and I discovered that it had been built in the early 1900s as a hotel for travelers passing through the city. Over the years, it had been converted into apartments, but rumors persisted that the hotel's original owner had died in one of the rooms.
I knew I had to do something to get rid of the ghostly presence in my apartment. I consulted with a spiritual advisor who recommended a series of rituals involving sage, salt, and prayers. I did everything she told me to do, and for a few days, it seemed like the apartment was back to normal.
But then, things took a turn for the worse. I started hearing whispers in my ear, and I felt cold spots in various parts of the apartment. Doors would slam shut by themselves, and the shadows on the walls became more menacing. I knew I had to leave, but I couldn't afford to break my lease.
Finally, one night, I woke up to find the ghostly figure standing at the foot of my bed. It was a tall, thin man with a gaunt face and sunken eyes. He didn't say anything, but I could feel his anger and his despair radiating off of him. I knew then that I had to get out of the apartment, no matter what the cost.
I moved out the next day, leaving most of my belongings behind. I never went back to the apartment, but I heard from a friend that the building had been condemned a few months later. The owners claimed that it was due to structural problems, but I knew better. The ghost of the hotel owner was still there, haunting the halls and scaring away anyone who dared to stay too long.
2023.03.31 17:48 SchlesingerMindy323 [HIRING] 21 Jobs in KS Hiring Now!
2023.03.31 17:47 No_Competition4897 [HIRING] 25 Jobs in WA Hiring Now!
2023.03.31 17:47 Worldly-Ad6223 51 [M4F] #Mississauga, looking for that special lady to be my ever after
Hello to all the lovely ladies out there!
I'm at a stage of my life where I'm finding myself not being able to relate to most people my age and I'm at a bit of a crossroads in my life. I've been married and divorced, I've had kids and they have now left the nest and I'm feeling as though I still have a lot to offer to that special someone. I'm looking for a partner in life, not someone to dominate or to be my sugarbaby but someone I can view as an equal and someone that I will be able to spend countless hours staying up at night with just chatting about anything our hearts desire. I'm also open to the idea of more children if that is something you want.
Ideally you are in your 20s or early 30s, have a lot of energy and have an adventurous spirit, because I love the outdoors and I love to travel and see new things/places. But mostly I am looking for someone with a good heart.
About me: I love to cook, I'm a great listener, intelligent, compassionate and passionate. I also have a great sense of humour! I'm also at a point in my life where I'm pretty open to relocating just about anywhere if that makes the most sense for the two of us. I have a very good and stable job, can work from just about anywhere and I am open to purchasing a new house somewhere.
I don't know that I've ever actually truly been in love before and that's because I have yet to find my soul mate. Could you be her?
If any of this has piqued your curiosity, drop me a line and let's chat!
submitted by Worldly-Ad6223 to AgeGapPersonals [link] [comments]
I'm at a stage of my life where I'm finding myself not being able to relate to most people my age and I'm at a bit of a crossroads in my life. I've been married and divorced, I've had kids and they have now left the nest and I'm feeling as though I still have a lot to offer to that special someone. I'm looking for a partner in life, not someone to dominate or to be my sugarbaby but someone I can view as an equal and someone that I will be able to spend countless hours staying up at night with just chatting about anything our hearts desire. I'm also open to the idea of more children if that is something you want.
Ideally you are in your 20s or early 30s, have a lot of energy and have an adventurous spirit, because I love the outdoors and I love to travel and see new things/places. But mostly I am looking for someone with a good heart.
About me: I love to cook, I'm a great listener, intelligent, compassionate and passionate. I also have a great sense of humour! I'm also at a point in my life where I'm pretty open to relocating just about anywhere if that makes the most sense for the two of us. I have a very good and stable job, can work from just about anywhere and I am open to purchasing a new house somewhere.
I don't know that I've ever actually truly been in love before and that's because I have yet to find my soul mate. Could you be her?
If any of this has piqued your curiosity, drop me a line and let's chat!
2023.03.31 17:40 Wonderful-Wave9508 If you're looking for something
- G Spot vibrator
2.App controlled vibrator
If you're looking for something that works well with your partner as well as solo use, this is the vibrator with app for you! It comes with a remote control so that you can control when and how your partner uses it on you (or vice versa). You'll never have to worry about having a bad night in bed again!
- G Spot vibrator
2023.03.31 17:39 Frame_Late Interloper V
The greatest tragedy of war is that for some people the war never ends.
Prev/First
Silijima hopped into the truck, next to Sargen. The massive Gojid's head nearly reached the roof of the vehicle forcing him to crouch ever so slightly. He was an even more imposing figure up close, his muscles bulging and his scars held taut against his skin. He seemed preoccupied, as if her presence made him uncomfortable when they were close. His claws gripped the steering wheel, lightly scraping the carbon material. He seemed to be in his late thirties to early forties, and a distinguished Gojid at that save for the eye and the prosthetic arm. Most would consider him quite handsome if it wasn't for the damage he had received, and even then she was sure some women would find a prosthetic like that doubly enticing.
Senek sat in the back, leaning his head back and yawning. He seemed exhausted, most likely from being on duty for the last good knows how many weeks. He kept an eye on Sargen, but it wasn't a distrustful one, more like he was concerned for Sargen's wellbeing. It was hilarious to Silijima, to think that Sargen warranted concern, but she didn't know him or his past so she wouldn't judge; sometimes the strongest people held the greatest burdens.
"So, where to next? Do we have any other stops to make?" Silijima asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
"No, not unless you want to stop," replied Sargen.
Behind them, Senek grumbled. "We need to head back to the Collective and finish for the day; I'm fucking exhausted."
Sargen started the truck and turned around. "Then go home, Senek; you've done your work for the day. I'll show Silijima a bit of the station before I deliver the goods and introduce Silijima to the captains."
Senek didn't seem convinced. "They won't be happy that Sujek and I bailed halfway through the delivery."
Sargen snorted. "Ayaz and Igor won't give a damn as long as the delivery gets delivered. Take a tram and go home and see your mate and kids; you looked harrowed."
Silijima was inclined to agree. Before today, she didn't know if it was possible for a reptile to have bags under its eyes, but Senek surely did. He looked like shit, although Silijima would never voice that out loud.
Senek hissed but didn't argue, opening the door and leaving the back of the truck with a grunt. Silijima saw him walk down the street towards a tram stop in the distance, where one was unloading all sorts of people heading to shop at Zapadnyy tsentral'nyy rynok, as well as those ready finished with their shopping trips. Eventually, Senek disappeared into the crowd of humans, arxur, and the occasional venlil, harchin and gojid.
"So," Sargen started with an apprehensive sigh, "My name's Sargen, as you've probably been told. I'm sure Senek and Sujek have already told you all about me."
Silijima chuckled nervously. "Not much, actually. I've been wondering where you got that arm from; it seems very high tech. I've only seen prosthetics like that on high ranking military personnel in the federation."
The question only seemed to make Sargen even more tense. "I lost my real arm in battle. They replaced it with this." He flexed the arm, the prosthetic was agile and precise in its movements. "It's near identical to the real thing utility-wise, although the look of it took some time to get used to."
Silijima nodded absentmindedly, admiring both the arm and his physical build. Sargen must've been through hell and back to be so torn up.
"Are you ex-military? You have the hardware to be."
Sargen frowned lightly. "You could say that. But that's enough about me." Then Sargen put a soft smile on his face, a fake one, as if he was trying to hide his true feelings. "I was told you served in the navy; what was that like?"
Silijima didn't push for more information. "I was a Master Technical Coordinator for the Unwavering Credence. I kept the Guns and the hull functioning along with crews of grunt welders, and I pieced the ship back together after battles.
Sargen whistled, impressed by her rank. "You were pretty high up on the totem pole on that ship. Why'd you leave?"
Silijima scoffed. "The lies, the brutality, and the stress. I came to Skhamar looking for answers after losing faith in the state I defended for over a decade. Now that I know the truth, I realize that I hated every second of it, although I do miss it in a way. Once you get out, well, nothing seems right. For the first few months, I couldn't stand being off duty. I still miss that safety of knowing I was on a military vessel; at least we could defend ourselves. Back on Nishtal, I felt so… exposed, since I wasn't allowed to carry a firearm on my person anymore."
Sargen chuckled. "I know how you feel. I couldn't sleep right after I… left: I kept expecting an attack at all hours. Sometimes I'd wake up in a panic, clutching my ion pistol and ready to kill, only to realize it was just the sound of some puny asteroid bouncing off the outer shell of the station or a ship taking off."
Silijima snorted. "I remember nearly having a heart attack from the fireworks they set off for unification day. My parents didn't understand, or maybe they couldn't, but I don't celebrate that day anymore. It sounds too similar to Arxur hybrid charges slamming against the hull of a ship."
Silijima chuckled at first, but the laughter quickly died as reality set in. Her service in the navy had messed her up in more ways than one, but she couldn't imagine not living that life; she wouldn't know what to do with herself otherwise. She hated it, but she was better for it.
"So… What is there to do on this station? I'm pretty new to all of this freedom. What is there to do?"
"That's the good thing about this job; you get a good week or so in between missions to relax," Sargen smiled bitterly, but it was still a happy smile, "Me and the rest of the crew have so much to show you."
Silijima's heart skipped a beat at his statement. "Senek didn't seem too excited to show me anything."
"Senek's just tired; in fact he's always tired. He worked two missions in a row, same as Sujek, and they're probably going to push for another one," Sargen stated, "although I bet both Ayaz and Igor will send them both home and tell them to spend some time just relaxing for once since those two practically kill themselves working." He chuckled before continuing, "But as for things to do, well, there's a lot: Theaters, Restaurants, Museums, a full-sized futbol stadium, and even a few more exotic things the humans brought over. Humans are kind of the cultural heart of the entire Commonwealth; The big Arxur houses might be the dominant economic forces besides the coalitions, but the Humans really brought a heart and soul to what would otherwise be a pretty dull and barren place."
Silijima thought about that for a moment. She had seen sporting events before; Nishtal had plenty of ballastier stadiums to choose from, where Krakotl would work as a flock to move a floating ball from one end to the other. There were also games of airborne agility and such, so she wasn't too interested in sports.
But the idea of a theater intrigued her. Nishtal didn't have many theaters: the Krakotl didn't like being cooped up in a dark place for too long, since their instincts were to nest under the open sky instead of burrow underground. Mix that with a lack of any big theater culture and you git a species that vastly preferred doing over watching. Sports and music were far more popular with the Krakotl, their ability to fly and vast vocal ranges helping them flourish in alternative mediums of entertainment.
"How are the theaters here? I've never really gone to one before."
Sargen eyed her with disbelief. "Neither did I before I came here. They're pretty great, with lots of cheap snacks and reclining seats. There aren't any 'new' movies yet since there's no real movie industry here on Skhamar yet, but they play a lot of older human movies. A few months ago I went with Timothy, Sarah, and their daughter Maggie to go see The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. The art style was pretty mind-blowing, to say the least."
"The art style?"
"Animation. It's considered a proper medium of theater in human culture. There are a plethora of what humans call 'the animated classics': movies that have achieved universal human acclaim due to their outstanding quality. If I'm not mistaken, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is one of them."
Human art seemed so fascinating to her; the Federation was so cut and dry with what they considered art that anything that pushed the envelope was ridiculed and even reviled, often only gaining traction in underground groups that appreciated the bizarre and the condemned. To hear of artistic styles having entire mediums dedicated to them was astounding to her.
"That sounds incredible! What other movies have you seen?"
"Well, I've been itching to see Star Wars, but it's a long trilogy that's best watched at home. There's also a relatively new western by comparison called The Cursed that's being shown this week, so we can go see that. I've heard nothing but good things about it."
Silijima didn't know what a 'western' was, but if it was anything like how Sargen describes their animated movies, she was sure a human western couldn't be bad.
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Silijima casually read the synopsis for the movie they would be watching on her holophone.
The year is 1886: Aging civil war veteran turned outlaw Thomas 'Death-Singer' Lawrence ekes out a humble living amongst the Ojibwa Indians of what is now modern-day Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, hoping to live out his final years of his life with his beloved wife, son and adopted tribe in peace. But when a bitter ex-Confederate, Klan member, and son of a wealthy plantation owner Shaw Cunningham and his gang of killers massacre the tribe for supporting the Union during the war, his entire world is torn from him. Now, all that's left after the carnage is himself and a teenager named Nanabush, the fatherless black sheep of the tribe.
Now, with nothing but vengeance burning in his heart, Thomas once again takes up the mantle of 'Death-Singer', and along with his newly adopted ward Nanabush, he travels south to reform his old gang of thieves and outlaws, 'The Cursed', in a last-ditch effort to gain the ultimate revenge and both kill Shaw Cunningham and ruin his family fortune. The curse must be passed on, and there couldn't be a more worthy recipient…
Now that sounded interesting. Silijima didn't understand much of the context, but a revenge plot wasn't a common theme in Federation media, or federation art at all for that matter, so it seemed like a great place to start. Besides, it wasn't like it was real, so if it was overly violent then she could just finish the movie and never watch it again.
But first, there were snacks to buy. Silijima didn't know why Sargen insisted on buying snacks, but he stated that they 'improved the movie experience', or whatever that meant. Either way, he practically dragged Silijima up to a counter operated by a bored human, preparing to order a whole slew of snacks for the both of them.
"I'll get two medium boxes of Çäkçäk style popcorn, a large bag of Korivka, and two large bottles of… Give me a moment." Sargen turned to her. "What do you want to drink?"
Silinima browsed the menu nervously, not knowing what to choose. "Uhhh, I guess I'll try some Baikal? Is it good?"
Sargen shrugged. "It's pretty good, a bit different than most colas." Then he turned back to the snack vendor. "And two large bottles of Baikal."
The bored human sighed, obviously just ready for his shift to end, and prepared the food for the two of them. Sargen prepared his credit chip and handed it to the worker when he returned, paying for everything.
"You don't have to, Sargen, I can pay for myself."
Sargen chuckled. "Maybe, but I'm the one who's taking you out. Just let me take care of it."
The human returned with the popcorn, which was two buckets of strange yellow… things that had a slight glowing orange sheen, along with a large bag of candies and two massive bottles of soda, which were also huge. Sargen somehow deftly balanced all the snacks in their arms as they made their way to the movie room they were assigned to without even a grunt and gave her a soft grin. Despite his obvious optimism, he seemed tense, as if she reminded him of something.
Sargen hurried down the hall, his large stride making it difficult for Silijima to keep up with him, but she managed. He avoided her gaze, his eyes focusing on absolutely anything else. There it was again, the strange behavior. It was as if she was some kind of phantom to him, but he couldn't point out her existence without seeming crazy.
They made their way into a door on the side that led down a dark hall with dim lights lining the floor. It opened up to a massive screen showing adverts for products before the movie began.
"Where would you like to sit? I'm partial to the back; you get better seats and a better view."
Silijima shrugged her feathered shoulders. "Wherever you think is best; I have no clue."
Sargen chuckled, but led her up toe stairs to the upper row of seats. They made it there, sitting down near the center, and Sargen handed Silijima her popcorn and baikal. Silijime pecked at the popcorn hesitantly, but found that she loved it! The sweet, nutty and floral flavors of the coating reminded her of the Vagra nectar from Nishtal when peddlers would sell organic jars of it during the summer months, and it paired wonderfully with the salty-sweet crunch of the 'corn' itself. The baikal was another thing entirely; the sweet-spicy and pine flavors of the cola tasted like nothing she had ever experienced like fruit and spices boiled in bitter tree sap and carbonated, but palatable. By the time the movie had started, a third of her popcorn was gone, causing Sargen to chuckle.
The lights dimmed, causing Silijima to panic for a bit, but Sargen's hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder, calming her. He was there, and he was big; nothing could hurt such a giant, right?
Then, the movie began to play. The sound of some kind of delicate stringed instrument being strummed softly alongside the croaking and chirping of amphibians and insects on a warm summer night. The sounds of the wildlife stopped suddenly for a moment, as did the instrument when a small gang of about a dozen humans riding strange, four-legged creatures reminiscent of suleans without horns advanced towards a gathering of flickering lights in the distance; probably a village. Their gallops were thunderous and destructive, nothing like the sound of a stampede. It was the sound of unwavering strength.
The men wore sackcloth hoods with holes cut out for their eyes and ropes around their necks. In their hands were primitive revolving handguns. They wore a myriad of different clothes; some wore gray army uniforms, while others wore khakis, union shirts and suspenders. They laughed and bickered as they spurred their steeds onward, obviously ready to commit some unspeakable atrocity…
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Silijima has two panic attacks during the movie. Sargen was there, able to quell them by offering his support. He seemed to know what it was like to have one because he reached out and held her when she began to hyperventilate and raise her hackles. He didn't speak, but he made himself known. He was there, and that was enough.
At least the movie ended with a triumph: Thomas Lawrence got his revenge, even if he died in the end. His adopted ward, Nanabush, took up the mantle of Death-Singer, using it to defend the weak. It was a tightly wrapped story that should've been happy, but the memories of war still scarred Silijima; the sounds of the gunshots reminded her of the blasts of flechette cannons, and the blood on Lawrence's knife…
She still felt the phantom pain in her wing and body from being run through by an Arxur skimming blade. She had survived, of course, but the near-death experience had permanently changed her. She couldn't stand being around knives too long unless she was actually on the battlefield, and even then it caused her distress. Luckily, she never needed to be around too many sharp objects, being an engineer, but she had her… moments. She was able to quell her attacks, her panic and anxiety being quelled by the far more substantial fear of what she would be subjected to if her true state of mind were to be found out.
If the Federation found out you acted out of the norm, they'd spend weeks forcing you through the most agonizing 'therapies' before stuffing you full of pills and sending you home, never to be the same person again. She had seen the effects of these treatments; her former colleagues practically turned into zombies, their brains melted from the drugs. They lived off of government stipends, unable to truly contribute to the workforce, but the Federation seemed to consider this an acceptable tradeoff, the politicians being praised for lowering the rate of self-termination by any means necessary. In reality, it just created a state-funded drug epidemic.
Part of Silijima did want answers, but she realized her true motive for coming to Skhamar was to escape; she was so scared of staying home on Nishtal because every little thing could set her off. And if she were to have a serious enough outburst…
No, she wouldn't become what many of her former prey-in-arms had; a babbling mess of drugs and trauma. She was strong; she could do this. She wouldn't let her trauma overcome her.
"Are you okay, Silijima?" Sargent asked her, shaking her shoulder lightly. They were in the truck, riding to the Corsair collective where Ayaz and Igor had docked their cruiser. He seemed far more tired than before like she was exhausting to be around. She didn't doubt it; having predator disease was already exhausting enough for Silijima alone.
"I shouldn't have recommended that movie, it was too violent. Maybe something animated would've been better," said Sargent. "I was hoping that your experiences as a navy engineer would've been less traumatic than the average foot soldier, and I was wrong."
Silijima turned to him, emboldened. "It wasn't your fault, Sagren; I agreed to watch it. Besides, it might've opened up a few wounds, but it was still an excellent movie. And the popcorn and baikal were wonderful as well. And besides, it was a good movie, triggers notwithstanding."
Sargen smiled a little, although he was still feeling guilty. "I'm glad you liked it. But we should get to the collective; Ayaz and Igor will be happy to become acquainted with you."
Silijima nodded before turning back to the window, watching as the city raced by. The spires of the station-city rose hundreds of stories into the air, hover-tram systems connecting entire levels of platforms that connected to the taller towers. It made sense that the station would focus on the height of buildings; the width was a rare commodity on space stations due to the cost of adding extra floor-level infrastructure, so extremely tall spires interconnected by platforms and hover-tram systems that stretched for kilometers made sense. Everything was brightly lit: massive glowing LED signs depicting everything from clinics and dispensaries to shops and eateries were plastered across the buildings, along with almost lifelike and three-dimensional digital billboards depicting a wide array of advertisements and entertainment. It was the very definition of an urban jungle, sprawl and all, with tens of millions of individuals living their daily lives unimpeded.
"The station's pretty cool, huh? It's technically one of the larger cities in the galaxy, with a population of around twenty-five million inhabitants of all races."
That number was impressive for a city, but not for a nation. "But how many planets does Skhamar control? Fifty-five million is nothing compared to the five hundred billion sentients in the Federation alone."
Sargen nodded. "Yeah, that's true. Antheia and Calaïs are pretty sparsely populated at the moment, maybe a few million each, and the planet of Skhamar itself has about ten million. That means this place doesn't really have the manpower to keep up with the Federation or the Dominion in terms of fleet size. We still beat them in engagements though."
Silijima didn't believe that. "But how? The Federation outnumbers you guys a hundred to one!"
Sargen snorted, eyes focused on the road as he pulled into the parking lot of a ginormous building. "If there's one thing that I learned after only two years of living on Skhamar is that the Federation's school of naval doctrine is laughably bad. They solely rely on the force of numbers and firepower to overwhelm their enemies before they can strike back. This would normally work on smaller fleet engagements against lesser foes, but the humans don't play fair. They hide in gas clouds, and in asteroid fields. They launch silent torpedoes, drone strikes, and shells filled with toxic gas before initiating boarding actions to cause widespread panic in enemy fleets. Skhamar's newly minted traditions of piracy have led to a whole new level of Naval military thinking, one where the entire sector is an ever-changing battlefield and anything's fair game."
"But wouldn't they get discovered? How hasn't the Federation just listed down Skhamar's tactics for admirals to memorize and quantify in fleet engagements?"
"You're demanding too much from a Federation full of scared herbivores, and you're forgetting who runs that Federation. The Kolshians and the Farsul vehemently believe that thinking like a predator makes you a predator and that anything that resembles predatory behavior should be scrubbed away. To them, the 'herd' is the entire reason for their existence, and to stray from that is to become food." Sargen shook his head, obviously bemused by their rigid mindset. "In reality, predators have been chipping away at herds for thousands of years. To think that any herd is impervious is just stupid."
Silijima knew the former, and she had suspected the latter for a long time. "But herds need to adapt to survive, right? I bet you that was the reasoning behind the gene-modding and culture erasure at the hands of the Kolshians and the Farsul."
Sargen rolled his eyes like he had heard it all before. "It shocks me that you weren't thrown into an institution, with how perceptive you are. I'm telling you, the Kolshians and the Farsul couldn't care less about the other species in the Federation. All they care about is controlling and leading that herd they've stitched together with lies. To them, adaptability is only good when it benefits their narratives and power structures."
It made a sickening sort of sense, and it was completely believable now that the treachery of the Kolshians and the Farsul had come to light. The Kolshians and the Farsul being afraid of any change that challenged their ideals was a cancer on the Federation, and one that Silijima was sure would eat away at it until it was nothing more than a corpse. "I'm glad I left, you know, not being afraid of being locked up for having predator disease. I just hope that isn't a thing here."
"It isn't, believe me, or I would've been incarcerated a long time ago." Sargen replied, "Now let's go; I think we've wasted enough of Ayaz and Igor's time."
With that, Sargen stepped out of the truck, slamming the door and taking a deep breath of the blatantly recycled air. Silijima followed, leaving the truck and stepping out into a small, empty parking lot, which seemed strange for such a large and important building. The building itself was less of a spire and more short and squat but also very wide, with glass walls similar to those of the urban business centers on Nishtal. There was an entrance of glass doors in the front of the building, along with a massive sigil above them made out of what seemed to be platinum. There was a sword with wings skillfully engraved on it, along with the words Qui militat præter me, frater meus erit surrounding the edges. Her translator struggled to translate it due to the age of the language and her translator's lack of exposure to the esoteric language, but it came out as something similar to He who fights beside me shall be my brother. An interesting term, but certainly more unique than the Federation Navy's slogan, Defend the Herd.
Sargen grabbed her feathered shoulder and steered her away from the truck just as something hovered down and clamped its magnetic claws onto it. A massive, black-colored hover-drone the size of an eighteen-wheeler buzzed as it deftly floated around the two of them, one giant crimson eye with an LED dot acting as an almost animated pupil darting between the two of them. Then it lifted away, making beeping noises as it carried the truck in tow towards a large tower several hundred stories tall in the distance made from a monotonous gray material. "What in sweet Ina's name?" Silijima said under her breath, causing Sargen to chuckle.
"Moth Drones; they’re very useful things. There's not enough space on the station to have traditional parking lots, so Sarn Robotics found a pretty neat solution: massive drones come and pick up vehicles and transport them to large parking towers like the one it's flying to right now. Then, when we come back, I can just call back for my car, maybe wait a minute or so, and have my car returned to me. It's pretty awesome, and something you wouldn't find in a million years in the Federation."
That was true; the citizens would be spooked by so many flying objects. She could just imagine the number of stampedes such a creation would cause.
"Wait, what about the food and ammo?" She asked, curious as to why he'd leave it there."
"Oh, don't worry about that: that tower specifically has an automated storage system. All of our goods will be sent to our ship in the next few hours sorted, packed up, and sealed up in space-grade storage containers"
"Huh, that's pretty incredible," she replied.
"Yeah, it is. Like them or not, these predators seem to think of everything. I guess their minds just work differently; nothing wrong with that."
They walked through the doors as they conversed, and a massive lobby greeted them. Over two dozen secretaries of multiple races greeted countless individuals, many of them armed. Most of them were humans and Arxur, although she spotted a few Harchens and Gojids in the mix. The sound of phones ringing and computer keyboards being typed on resonated through the building with an echo. The entire lobby was beautifully decorated, with corners filled with fine gold-trimmed mahogany furniture and intricately woven carpets covering the marble floor. Sargen guided her up to the lobby and towards a young human wan with blonde hair. He greeted her with a smile, causing her to smile back. The snarl made Silijima's blood rush, but it was far less noticeable now, more like the feeling of adrenaline than pure fear.
"Hey, Csilla, how are you?"
The woman, apparently named Csilla, seemed to brighten up in Sargen's presence. "Oh, you know, just swamped as usual. Igor is waiting for you at dock thirteen, just take the tram down." Then her eyes swiveled in there sockets towards Silijima, causing her to flinch slightly. "And who is this? I didn't know a Krakotl was joining your crew."
"I'm Silijima," Silijima croaked, "I'm the new Engineer."
"Aww, isn't she just precious? It's been a pleasure to see you both, but I have to get back to work; we've got too many customers even with two dozen secretaries."
And with that, they were off. Sargen led her up multiple flights of stairs, passing different office levels before reaching floor seven, which was the connection to the Dok-stantsiya Vest-Enda. There were at least two dozen fully sized trans on multiple levels, with signs detailing over a hundred docks available to travel to. It was truly ginormous, more insane than any public transit system she had seen all packed into one place, but also a testament to the engineering of the station.
They boarded a packed train filled mainly with humans, although there were Arxur, Gojids and Harchen there sprinkled throughout. They rode for a few minutes, before reaching an open-space area sealed with active magnetic field shielding, keeping gravity and a working atmosphere within its borders while simultaneously allowing ships to pass through. There were hundreds of ships, both big and small, docked within the Corsair Coalition's docks, and some of them were exceptionally huge. They ranged from gigantic, rust-red lengths of bulbous metal covered in cannons to sleek, flat warships packed with rocket pods and covered with graffiti of snarling, gaping maws and bloodied talons. Eventually, they reached a point where their tram stopped, and they descended. Just a few dozen meters away was a younger human, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties, an old human woman who couldn't have been younger than seventy, and an Arxur practically made out of cybernetics, his body glowing with energy. The latter seemed to be organizing and directing a small number of droids, which were loading sealed containers into the fuselage of the large, rust-red battle cruiser with the word Iconoclast printed in bold letters on the side. The man saw us and approached, a wide smile on his face.
He was huge for a human, about six and a half feet, and had a long, bushy beard with a handlebar mustache, a short military buzz cut with a bit of hair left a little taller near the middle like a short mohawk, and a pair of black camo pants and a white t-shirt that showed the outline of his muscles underneath. He was practically a bear of a human, with arms the size of bridge cables and a neck thicker than your average gas pipe.
Despite all of that, he was obviously friendly, a wide snarl on his face. "Sargen! Dobriy den, how are you?" Even through the translator, his accent was thick and exotic.
Sargen scratched his head with his claws, obviously a little nervous. "I'm doing great, Igor, listen, this is-"
"Ah, yes, Silijima! Senek called me on his way home to explain their situation. It is a pleasure to meet you, my dear!"
Igor took her wing and shook it vigorously, having to bend down to do so. Having and snarling predator lean down on her in such a way, regardless of their intentions, sent shivers down her spine, but she kept it together. She would not break down in front of her new boss.
"T-the pleasure is all mine, Sir."
Igor didn't seem to notice how intimidating he was, but luckily a distraction appeared. Tarlim arrived just in time, carrying several crates of birch water and plums on his shoulders like they were nothing. The old woman seemed to spot him, because she hobbled over to help, only for Tarlim to prevent her from doing so. "No, Babushka, I can handle it."
"Nonsense," she said sternly, her accent even thicker than Igor's, "I can carry some, boy; your Babushka is not helpless."
Tarlim simply ignored her, carrying the crates over to the droids, with both Tarlim and the Arxur snickering at Babushka's pestering.
"Tarlim, what do you bring? Did I order something and forget again?"
Tarlim chuckled merely at that. "No, Babushka, Sujek ordered some Birch Water and Plums for you."
Babushka softened up at that, placing a hand over her heart like the delivery of birch water was an emotional matter. "Oh Tarlim, I thank you." She hobbled over and practically buried herself in his fur, hugging him as hard as an old woman could.
"Thank Sujek, I'm just the delivery boy."
Babushka snorted. "Hah, I know better. You probably dared him to do something for it."
Tarlim blushed at that. "Well maybe, but he demanded the plums as extra, so make sure you give him a big hug and plenty of food as well."
Babushka seemed to brighten up at that. "Come in, Tarlim; we are having a feast, to celebrate a great victory! No meat in the borscht, just for you!"
"Tarlim seemed very apprehensive towards the idea of eating anything that was even near the meat, but apparently he couldn't resist the old woman. "For you, Babushka, anything for you."
Igor snickered. "They are like a circus, no? Come, we are having a feast, and you shall partake."
Silijima wanted to leave, as the whole situation had escalated very quickly, but Sargen placed a hand on her shoulder. "There is no denying an invitation to a feast; it is a grave insult to do so."
Silijima just sighed and prepared herself for the horrors that awaited her.
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It's finally here; THE NEXT CHAPTER OF INTERLOPER! Somebody pop open a bottle of champaign.
I want to thank u/Acceptable_Egg5560 for the support and u/Bushbacon69 for the wonderful fanart.
If you want an AI generated picture, just let me know. That's become my new method of conveying what I'm creating to the world since I can't draw for shit.
The Next chapters for Chains made from Hope and The Apostate should be out this week, along with a new short called The Life Shaper.
submitted by Frame_Late to NatureofPredators [link] [comments]
- Nebojsa Knezevic, head of psychiatry for Pallas Medical Institute, 2142
Prev/First
Silijima hopped into the truck, next to Sargen. The massive Gojid's head nearly reached the roof of the vehicle forcing him to crouch ever so slightly. He was an even more imposing figure up close, his muscles bulging and his scars held taut against his skin. He seemed preoccupied, as if her presence made him uncomfortable when they were close. His claws gripped the steering wheel, lightly scraping the carbon material. He seemed to be in his late thirties to early forties, and a distinguished Gojid at that save for the eye and the prosthetic arm. Most would consider him quite handsome if it wasn't for the damage he had received, and even then she was sure some women would find a prosthetic like that doubly enticing.
Senek sat in the back, leaning his head back and yawning. He seemed exhausted, most likely from being on duty for the last good knows how many weeks. He kept an eye on Sargen, but it wasn't a distrustful one, more like he was concerned for Sargen's wellbeing. It was hilarious to Silijima, to think that Sargen warranted concern, but she didn't know him or his past so she wouldn't judge; sometimes the strongest people held the greatest burdens.
"So, where to next? Do we have any other stops to make?" Silijima asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
"No, not unless you want to stop," replied Sargen.
Behind them, Senek grumbled. "We need to head back to the Collective and finish for the day; I'm fucking exhausted."
Sargen started the truck and turned around. "Then go home, Senek; you've done your work for the day. I'll show Silijima a bit of the station before I deliver the goods and introduce Silijima to the captains."
Senek didn't seem convinced. "They won't be happy that Sujek and I bailed halfway through the delivery."
Sargen snorted. "Ayaz and Igor won't give a damn as long as the delivery gets delivered. Take a tram and go home and see your mate and kids; you looked harrowed."
Silijima was inclined to agree. Before today, she didn't know if it was possible for a reptile to have bags under its eyes, but Senek surely did. He looked like shit, although Silijima would never voice that out loud.
Senek hissed but didn't argue, opening the door and leaving the back of the truck with a grunt. Silijima saw him walk down the street towards a tram stop in the distance, where one was unloading all sorts of people heading to shop at Zapadnyy tsentral'nyy rynok, as well as those ready finished with their shopping trips. Eventually, Senek disappeared into the crowd of humans, arxur, and the occasional venlil, harchin and gojid.
"So," Sargen started with an apprehensive sigh, "My name's Sargen, as you've probably been told. I'm sure Senek and Sujek have already told you all about me."
Silijima chuckled nervously. "Not much, actually. I've been wondering where you got that arm from; it seems very high tech. I've only seen prosthetics like that on high ranking military personnel in the federation."
The question only seemed to make Sargen even more tense. "I lost my real arm in battle. They replaced it with this." He flexed the arm, the prosthetic was agile and precise in its movements. "It's near identical to the real thing utility-wise, although the look of it took some time to get used to."
Silijima nodded absentmindedly, admiring both the arm and his physical build. Sargen must've been through hell and back to be so torn up.
"Are you ex-military? You have the hardware to be."
Sargen frowned lightly. "You could say that. But that's enough about me." Then Sargen put a soft smile on his face, a fake one, as if he was trying to hide his true feelings. "I was told you served in the navy; what was that like?"
Silijima didn't push for more information. "I was a Master Technical Coordinator for the Unwavering Credence. I kept the Guns and the hull functioning along with crews of grunt welders, and I pieced the ship back together after battles.
Sargen whistled, impressed by her rank. "You were pretty high up on the totem pole on that ship. Why'd you leave?"
Silijima scoffed. "The lies, the brutality, and the stress. I came to Skhamar looking for answers after losing faith in the state I defended for over a decade. Now that I know the truth, I realize that I hated every second of it, although I do miss it in a way. Once you get out, well, nothing seems right. For the first few months, I couldn't stand being off duty. I still miss that safety of knowing I was on a military vessel; at least we could defend ourselves. Back on Nishtal, I felt so… exposed, since I wasn't allowed to carry a firearm on my person anymore."
Sargen chuckled. "I know how you feel. I couldn't sleep right after I… left: I kept expecting an attack at all hours. Sometimes I'd wake up in a panic, clutching my ion pistol and ready to kill, only to realize it was just the sound of some puny asteroid bouncing off the outer shell of the station or a ship taking off."
Silijima snorted. "I remember nearly having a heart attack from the fireworks they set off for unification day. My parents didn't understand, or maybe they couldn't, but I don't celebrate that day anymore. It sounds too similar to Arxur hybrid charges slamming against the hull of a ship."
Silijima chuckled at first, but the laughter quickly died as reality set in. Her service in the navy had messed her up in more ways than one, but she couldn't imagine not living that life; she wouldn't know what to do with herself otherwise. She hated it, but she was better for it.
"So… What is there to do on this station? I'm pretty new to all of this freedom. What is there to do?"
"That's the good thing about this job; you get a good week or so in between missions to relax," Sargen smiled bitterly, but it was still a happy smile, "Me and the rest of the crew have so much to show you."
Silijima's heart skipped a beat at his statement. "Senek didn't seem too excited to show me anything."
"Senek's just tired; in fact he's always tired. He worked two missions in a row, same as Sujek, and they're probably going to push for another one," Sargen stated, "although I bet both Ayaz and Igor will send them both home and tell them to spend some time just relaxing for once since those two practically kill themselves working." He chuckled before continuing, "But as for things to do, well, there's a lot: Theaters, Restaurants, Museums, a full-sized futbol stadium, and even a few more exotic things the humans brought over. Humans are kind of the cultural heart of the entire Commonwealth; The big Arxur houses might be the dominant economic forces besides the coalitions, but the Humans really brought a heart and soul to what would otherwise be a pretty dull and barren place."
Silijima thought about that for a moment. She had seen sporting events before; Nishtal had plenty of ballastier stadiums to choose from, where Krakotl would work as a flock to move a floating ball from one end to the other. There were also games of airborne agility and such, so she wasn't too interested in sports.
But the idea of a theater intrigued her. Nishtal didn't have many theaters: the Krakotl didn't like being cooped up in a dark place for too long, since their instincts were to nest under the open sky instead of burrow underground. Mix that with a lack of any big theater culture and you git a species that vastly preferred doing over watching. Sports and music were far more popular with the Krakotl, their ability to fly and vast vocal ranges helping them flourish in alternative mediums of entertainment.
"How are the theaters here? I've never really gone to one before."
Sargen eyed her with disbelief. "Neither did I before I came here. They're pretty great, with lots of cheap snacks and reclining seats. There aren't any 'new' movies yet since there's no real movie industry here on Skhamar yet, but they play a lot of older human movies. A few months ago I went with Timothy, Sarah, and their daughter Maggie to go see The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. The art style was pretty mind-blowing, to say the least."
"The art style?"
"Animation. It's considered a proper medium of theater in human culture. There are a plethora of what humans call 'the animated classics': movies that have achieved universal human acclaim due to their outstanding quality. If I'm not mistaken, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is one of them."
Human art seemed so fascinating to her; the Federation was so cut and dry with what they considered art that anything that pushed the envelope was ridiculed and even reviled, often only gaining traction in underground groups that appreciated the bizarre and the condemned. To hear of artistic styles having entire mediums dedicated to them was astounding to her.
"That sounds incredible! What other movies have you seen?"
"Well, I've been itching to see Star Wars, but it's a long trilogy that's best watched at home. There's also a relatively new western by comparison called The Cursed that's being shown this week, so we can go see that. I've heard nothing but good things about it."
Silijima didn't know what a 'western' was, but if it was anything like how Sargen describes their animated movies, she was sure a human western couldn't be bad.
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Silijima casually read the synopsis for the movie they would be watching on her holophone.
The year is 1886: Aging civil war veteran turned outlaw Thomas 'Death-Singer' Lawrence ekes out a humble living amongst the Ojibwa Indians of what is now modern-day Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, hoping to live out his final years of his life with his beloved wife, son and adopted tribe in peace. But when a bitter ex-Confederate, Klan member, and son of a wealthy plantation owner Shaw Cunningham and his gang of killers massacre the tribe for supporting the Union during the war, his entire world is torn from him. Now, all that's left after the carnage is himself and a teenager named Nanabush, the fatherless black sheep of the tribe.
Now, with nothing but vengeance burning in his heart, Thomas once again takes up the mantle of 'Death-Singer', and along with his newly adopted ward Nanabush, he travels south to reform his old gang of thieves and outlaws, 'The Cursed', in a last-ditch effort to gain the ultimate revenge and both kill Shaw Cunningham and ruin his family fortune. The curse must be passed on, and there couldn't be a more worthy recipient…
Now that sounded interesting. Silijima didn't understand much of the context, but a revenge plot wasn't a common theme in Federation media, or federation art at all for that matter, so it seemed like a great place to start. Besides, it wasn't like it was real, so if it was overly violent then she could just finish the movie and never watch it again.
But first, there were snacks to buy. Silijima didn't know why Sargen insisted on buying snacks, but he stated that they 'improved the movie experience', or whatever that meant. Either way, he practically dragged Silijima up to a counter operated by a bored human, preparing to order a whole slew of snacks for the both of them.
"I'll get two medium boxes of Çäkçäk style popcorn, a large bag of Korivka, and two large bottles of… Give me a moment." Sargen turned to her. "What do you want to drink?"
Silinima browsed the menu nervously, not knowing what to choose. "Uhhh, I guess I'll try some Baikal? Is it good?"
Sargen shrugged. "It's pretty good, a bit different than most colas." Then he turned back to the snack vendor. "And two large bottles of Baikal."
The bored human sighed, obviously just ready for his shift to end, and prepared the food for the two of them. Sargen prepared his credit chip and handed it to the worker when he returned, paying for everything.
"You don't have to, Sargen, I can pay for myself."
Sargen chuckled. "Maybe, but I'm the one who's taking you out. Just let me take care of it."
The human returned with the popcorn, which was two buckets of strange yellow… things that had a slight glowing orange sheen, along with a large bag of candies and two massive bottles of soda, which were also huge. Sargen somehow deftly balanced all the snacks in their arms as they made their way to the movie room they were assigned to without even a grunt and gave her a soft grin. Despite his obvious optimism, he seemed tense, as if she reminded him of something.
Sargen hurried down the hall, his large stride making it difficult for Silijima to keep up with him, but she managed. He avoided her gaze, his eyes focusing on absolutely anything else. There it was again, the strange behavior. It was as if she was some kind of phantom to him, but he couldn't point out her existence without seeming crazy.
They made their way into a door on the side that led down a dark hall with dim lights lining the floor. It opened up to a massive screen showing adverts for products before the movie began.
"Where would you like to sit? I'm partial to the back; you get better seats and a better view."
Silijima shrugged her feathered shoulders. "Wherever you think is best; I have no clue."
Sargen chuckled, but led her up toe stairs to the upper row of seats. They made it there, sitting down near the center, and Sargen handed Silijima her popcorn and baikal. Silijime pecked at the popcorn hesitantly, but found that she loved it! The sweet, nutty and floral flavors of the coating reminded her of the Vagra nectar from Nishtal when peddlers would sell organic jars of it during the summer months, and it paired wonderfully with the salty-sweet crunch of the 'corn' itself. The baikal was another thing entirely; the sweet-spicy and pine flavors of the cola tasted like nothing she had ever experienced like fruit and spices boiled in bitter tree sap and carbonated, but palatable. By the time the movie had started, a third of her popcorn was gone, causing Sargen to chuckle.
The lights dimmed, causing Silijima to panic for a bit, but Sargen's hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder, calming her. He was there, and he was big; nothing could hurt such a giant, right?
Then, the movie began to play. The sound of some kind of delicate stringed instrument being strummed softly alongside the croaking and chirping of amphibians and insects on a warm summer night. The sounds of the wildlife stopped suddenly for a moment, as did the instrument when a small gang of about a dozen humans riding strange, four-legged creatures reminiscent of suleans without horns advanced towards a gathering of flickering lights in the distance; probably a village. Their gallops were thunderous and destructive, nothing like the sound of a stampede. It was the sound of unwavering strength.
The men wore sackcloth hoods with holes cut out for their eyes and ropes around their necks. In their hands were primitive revolving handguns. They wore a myriad of different clothes; some wore gray army uniforms, while others wore khakis, union shirts and suspenders. They laughed and bickered as they spurred their steeds onward, obviously ready to commit some unspeakable atrocity…
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Silijima has two panic attacks during the movie. Sargen was there, able to quell them by offering his support. He seemed to know what it was like to have one because he reached out and held her when she began to hyperventilate and raise her hackles. He didn't speak, but he made himself known. He was there, and that was enough.
At least the movie ended with a triumph: Thomas Lawrence got his revenge, even if he died in the end. His adopted ward, Nanabush, took up the mantle of Death-Singer, using it to defend the weak. It was a tightly wrapped story that should've been happy, but the memories of war still scarred Silijima; the sounds of the gunshots reminded her of the blasts of flechette cannons, and the blood on Lawrence's knife…
She still felt the phantom pain in her wing and body from being run through by an Arxur skimming blade. She had survived, of course, but the near-death experience had permanently changed her. She couldn't stand being around knives too long unless she was actually on the battlefield, and even then it caused her distress. Luckily, she never needed to be around too many sharp objects, being an engineer, but she had her… moments. She was able to quell her attacks, her panic and anxiety being quelled by the far more substantial fear of what she would be subjected to if her true state of mind were to be found out.
If the Federation found out you acted out of the norm, they'd spend weeks forcing you through the most agonizing 'therapies' before stuffing you full of pills and sending you home, never to be the same person again. She had seen the effects of these treatments; her former colleagues practically turned into zombies, their brains melted from the drugs. They lived off of government stipends, unable to truly contribute to the workforce, but the Federation seemed to consider this an acceptable tradeoff, the politicians being praised for lowering the rate of self-termination by any means necessary. In reality, it just created a state-funded drug epidemic.
Part of Silijima did want answers, but she realized her true motive for coming to Skhamar was to escape; she was so scared of staying home on Nishtal because every little thing could set her off. And if she were to have a serious enough outburst…
No, she wouldn't become what many of her former prey-in-arms had; a babbling mess of drugs and trauma. She was strong; she could do this. She wouldn't let her trauma overcome her.
"Are you okay, Silijima?" Sargent asked her, shaking her shoulder lightly. They were in the truck, riding to the Corsair collective where Ayaz and Igor had docked their cruiser. He seemed far more tired than before like she was exhausting to be around. She didn't doubt it; having predator disease was already exhausting enough for Silijima alone.
"I shouldn't have recommended that movie, it was too violent. Maybe something animated would've been better," said Sargent. "I was hoping that your experiences as a navy engineer would've been less traumatic than the average foot soldier, and I was wrong."
Silijima turned to him, emboldened. "It wasn't your fault, Sagren; I agreed to watch it. Besides, it might've opened up a few wounds, but it was still an excellent movie. And the popcorn and baikal were wonderful as well. And besides, it was a good movie, triggers notwithstanding."
Sargen smiled a little, although he was still feeling guilty. "I'm glad you liked it. But we should get to the collective; Ayaz and Igor will be happy to become acquainted with you."
Silijima nodded before turning back to the window, watching as the city raced by. The spires of the station-city rose hundreds of stories into the air, hover-tram systems connecting entire levels of platforms that connected to the taller towers. It made sense that the station would focus on the height of buildings; the width was a rare commodity on space stations due to the cost of adding extra floor-level infrastructure, so extremely tall spires interconnected by platforms and hover-tram systems that stretched for kilometers made sense. Everything was brightly lit: massive glowing LED signs depicting everything from clinics and dispensaries to shops and eateries were plastered across the buildings, along with almost lifelike and three-dimensional digital billboards depicting a wide array of advertisements and entertainment. It was the very definition of an urban jungle, sprawl and all, with tens of millions of individuals living their daily lives unimpeded.
"The station's pretty cool, huh? It's technically one of the larger cities in the galaxy, with a population of around twenty-five million inhabitants of all races."
That number was impressive for a city, but not for a nation. "But how many planets does Skhamar control? Fifty-five million is nothing compared to the five hundred billion sentients in the Federation alone."
Sargen nodded. "Yeah, that's true. Antheia and Calaïs are pretty sparsely populated at the moment, maybe a few million each, and the planet of Skhamar itself has about ten million. That means this place doesn't really have the manpower to keep up with the Federation or the Dominion in terms of fleet size. We still beat them in engagements though."
Silijima didn't believe that. "But how? The Federation outnumbers you guys a hundred to one!"
Sargen snorted, eyes focused on the road as he pulled into the parking lot of a ginormous building. "If there's one thing that I learned after only two years of living on Skhamar is that the Federation's school of naval doctrine is laughably bad. They solely rely on the force of numbers and firepower to overwhelm their enemies before they can strike back. This would normally work on smaller fleet engagements against lesser foes, but the humans don't play fair. They hide in gas clouds, and in asteroid fields. They launch silent torpedoes, drone strikes, and shells filled with toxic gas before initiating boarding actions to cause widespread panic in enemy fleets. Skhamar's newly minted traditions of piracy have led to a whole new level of Naval military thinking, one where the entire sector is an ever-changing battlefield and anything's fair game."
"But wouldn't they get discovered? How hasn't the Federation just listed down Skhamar's tactics for admirals to memorize and quantify in fleet engagements?"
"You're demanding too much from a Federation full of scared herbivores, and you're forgetting who runs that Federation. The Kolshians and the Farsul vehemently believe that thinking like a predator makes you a predator and that anything that resembles predatory behavior should be scrubbed away. To them, the 'herd' is the entire reason for their existence, and to stray from that is to become food." Sargen shook his head, obviously bemused by their rigid mindset. "In reality, predators have been chipping away at herds for thousands of years. To think that any herd is impervious is just stupid."
Silijima knew the former, and she had suspected the latter for a long time. "But herds need to adapt to survive, right? I bet you that was the reasoning behind the gene-modding and culture erasure at the hands of the Kolshians and the Farsul."
Sargen rolled his eyes like he had heard it all before. "It shocks me that you weren't thrown into an institution, with how perceptive you are. I'm telling you, the Kolshians and the Farsul couldn't care less about the other species in the Federation. All they care about is controlling and leading that herd they've stitched together with lies. To them, adaptability is only good when it benefits their narratives and power structures."
It made a sickening sort of sense, and it was completely believable now that the treachery of the Kolshians and the Farsul had come to light. The Kolshians and the Farsul being afraid of any change that challenged their ideals was a cancer on the Federation, and one that Silijima was sure would eat away at it until it was nothing more than a corpse. "I'm glad I left, you know, not being afraid of being locked up for having predator disease. I just hope that isn't a thing here."
"It isn't, believe me, or I would've been incarcerated a long time ago." Sargen replied, "Now let's go; I think we've wasted enough of Ayaz and Igor's time."
With that, Sargen stepped out of the truck, slamming the door and taking a deep breath of the blatantly recycled air. Silijima followed, leaving the truck and stepping out into a small, empty parking lot, which seemed strange for such a large and important building. The building itself was less of a spire and more short and squat but also very wide, with glass walls similar to those of the urban business centers on Nishtal. There was an entrance of glass doors in the front of the building, along with a massive sigil above them made out of what seemed to be platinum. There was a sword with wings skillfully engraved on it, along with the words Qui militat præter me, frater meus erit surrounding the edges. Her translator struggled to translate it due to the age of the language and her translator's lack of exposure to the esoteric language, but it came out as something similar to He who fights beside me shall be my brother. An interesting term, but certainly more unique than the Federation Navy's slogan, Defend the Herd.
Sargen grabbed her feathered shoulder and steered her away from the truck just as something hovered down and clamped its magnetic claws onto it. A massive, black-colored hover-drone the size of an eighteen-wheeler buzzed as it deftly floated around the two of them, one giant crimson eye with an LED dot acting as an almost animated pupil darting between the two of them. Then it lifted away, making beeping noises as it carried the truck in tow towards a large tower several hundred stories tall in the distance made from a monotonous gray material. "What in sweet Ina's name?" Silijima said under her breath, causing Sargen to chuckle.
"Moth Drones; they’re very useful things. There's not enough space on the station to have traditional parking lots, so Sarn Robotics found a pretty neat solution: massive drones come and pick up vehicles and transport them to large parking towers like the one it's flying to right now. Then, when we come back, I can just call back for my car, maybe wait a minute or so, and have my car returned to me. It's pretty awesome, and something you wouldn't find in a million years in the Federation."
That was true; the citizens would be spooked by so many flying objects. She could just imagine the number of stampedes such a creation would cause.
"Wait, what about the food and ammo?" She asked, curious as to why he'd leave it there."
"Oh, don't worry about that: that tower specifically has an automated storage system. All of our goods will be sent to our ship in the next few hours sorted, packed up, and sealed up in space-grade storage containers"
"Huh, that's pretty incredible," she replied.
"Yeah, it is. Like them or not, these predators seem to think of everything. I guess their minds just work differently; nothing wrong with that."
They walked through the doors as they conversed, and a massive lobby greeted them. Over two dozen secretaries of multiple races greeted countless individuals, many of them armed. Most of them were humans and Arxur, although she spotted a few Harchens and Gojids in the mix. The sound of phones ringing and computer keyboards being typed on resonated through the building with an echo. The entire lobby was beautifully decorated, with corners filled with fine gold-trimmed mahogany furniture and intricately woven carpets covering the marble floor. Sargen guided her up to the lobby and towards a young human wan with blonde hair. He greeted her with a smile, causing her to smile back. The snarl made Silijima's blood rush, but it was far less noticeable now, more like the feeling of adrenaline than pure fear.
"Hey, Csilla, how are you?"
The woman, apparently named Csilla, seemed to brighten up in Sargen's presence. "Oh, you know, just swamped as usual. Igor is waiting for you at dock thirteen, just take the tram down." Then her eyes swiveled in there sockets towards Silijima, causing her to flinch slightly. "And who is this? I didn't know a Krakotl was joining your crew."
"I'm Silijima," Silijima croaked, "I'm the new Engineer."
"Aww, isn't she just precious? It's been a pleasure to see you both, but I have to get back to work; we've got too many customers even with two dozen secretaries."
And with that, they were off. Sargen led her up multiple flights of stairs, passing different office levels before reaching floor seven, which was the connection to the Dok-stantsiya Vest-Enda. There were at least two dozen fully sized trans on multiple levels, with signs detailing over a hundred docks available to travel to. It was truly ginormous, more insane than any public transit system she had seen all packed into one place, but also a testament to the engineering of the station.
They boarded a packed train filled mainly with humans, although there were Arxur, Gojids and Harchen there sprinkled throughout. They rode for a few minutes, before reaching an open-space area sealed with active magnetic field shielding, keeping gravity and a working atmosphere within its borders while simultaneously allowing ships to pass through. There were hundreds of ships, both big and small, docked within the Corsair Coalition's docks, and some of them were exceptionally huge. They ranged from gigantic, rust-red lengths of bulbous metal covered in cannons to sleek, flat warships packed with rocket pods and covered with graffiti of snarling, gaping maws and bloodied talons. Eventually, they reached a point where their tram stopped, and they descended. Just a few dozen meters away was a younger human, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties, an old human woman who couldn't have been younger than seventy, and an Arxur practically made out of cybernetics, his body glowing with energy. The latter seemed to be organizing and directing a small number of droids, which were loading sealed containers into the fuselage of the large, rust-red battle cruiser with the word Iconoclast printed in bold letters on the side. The man saw us and approached, a wide smile on his face.
He was huge for a human, about six and a half feet, and had a long, bushy beard with a handlebar mustache, a short military buzz cut with a bit of hair left a little taller near the middle like a short mohawk, and a pair of black camo pants and a white t-shirt that showed the outline of his muscles underneath. He was practically a bear of a human, with arms the size of bridge cables and a neck thicker than your average gas pipe.
Despite all of that, he was obviously friendly, a wide snarl on his face. "Sargen! Dobriy den, how are you?" Even through the translator, his accent was thick and exotic.
Sargen scratched his head with his claws, obviously a little nervous. "I'm doing great, Igor, listen, this is-"
"Ah, yes, Silijima! Senek called me on his way home to explain their situation. It is a pleasure to meet you, my dear!"
Igor took her wing and shook it vigorously, having to bend down to do so. Having and snarling predator lean down on her in such a way, regardless of their intentions, sent shivers down her spine, but she kept it together. She would not break down in front of her new boss.
"T-the pleasure is all mine, Sir."
Igor didn't seem to notice how intimidating he was, but luckily a distraction appeared. Tarlim arrived just in time, carrying several crates of birch water and plums on his shoulders like they were nothing. The old woman seemed to spot him, because she hobbled over to help, only for Tarlim to prevent her from doing so. "No, Babushka, I can handle it."
"Nonsense," she said sternly, her accent even thicker than Igor's, "I can carry some, boy; your Babushka is not helpless."
Tarlim simply ignored her, carrying the crates over to the droids, with both Tarlim and the Arxur snickering at Babushka's pestering.
"Tarlim, what do you bring? Did I order something and forget again?"
Tarlim chuckled merely at that. "No, Babushka, Sujek ordered some Birch Water and Plums for you."
Babushka softened up at that, placing a hand over her heart like the delivery of birch water was an emotional matter. "Oh Tarlim, I thank you." She hobbled over and practically buried herself in his fur, hugging him as hard as an old woman could.
"Thank Sujek, I'm just the delivery boy."
Babushka snorted. "Hah, I know better. You probably dared him to do something for it."
Tarlim blushed at that. "Well maybe, but he demanded the plums as extra, so make sure you give him a big hug and plenty of food as well."
Babushka seemed to brighten up at that. "Come in, Tarlim; we are having a feast, to celebrate a great victory! No meat in the borscht, just for you!"
"Tarlim seemed very apprehensive towards the idea of eating anything that was even near the meat, but apparently he couldn't resist the old woman. "For you, Babushka, anything for you."
Igor snickered. "They are like a circus, no? Come, we are having a feast, and you shall partake."
Silijima wanted to leave, as the whole situation had escalated very quickly, but Sargen placed a hand on her shoulder. "There is no denying an invitation to a feast; it is a grave insult to do so."
Silijima just sighed and prepared herself for the horrors that awaited her.
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It's finally here; THE NEXT CHAPTER OF INTERLOPER! Somebody pop open a bottle of champaign.
I want to thank u/Acceptable_Egg5560 for the support and u/Bushbacon69 for the wonderful fanart.
If you want an AI generated picture, just let me know. That's become my new method of conveying what I'm creating to the world since I can't draw for shit.
The Next chapters for Chains made from Hope and The Apostate should be out this week, along with a new short called The Life Shaper.
2023.03.31 17:39 Dismal-Jellyfish Inflation Alert! The Fed’s Preferred inflation metric dropped a little. However, PCE Price Index for services rose 5.7%. Remember, Nearly 2/3 of consumer spending goes into services! While Corporate Media will trumpet the decline in goods prices, inflation is RAGING and showing no signs of slowing.
 | Before we get into the number, Governor Philip N. Jefferson's recent speech does a pretty good job level setting PCE price index for those wondering what it is:Different Ways to Measure InflationThe two primary measures of the price level in the United States are the consumer price index, commonly referred to as the CPI, and the personal consumption expenditures price index, commonly referred to as the PCE price index. Positive changes in these indexes are recorded as inflation. Each inflation measure has both total (or headline) and core subindexes, which I will talk about later. The CPI and PCE price indexes are constructed in broadly similar ways, but there are important differences between them.1 Both indexes measure inflation using a specific basket of goods and services consumed by households. These baskets are similar but not identical across the two measures. Both measures also weight each item in their basket roughly in accordance with its expenditure share. That is, the more households spend on an item, like rent, the higher the weight it receives in the overall index. The weights are broadly similar across the two indexes, but, again, there are some important differences.https://preview.redd.it/aagsfuti03ra1.png?width=962&format=png&auto=webp&s=e6724890bdf60a9c5138032220253f60d58b2bdb Now, let's talk in more detail about the differences between the CPI and the PCE price indexes. First, the PCE price index has a broader scope than the CPI. The CPI is limited to expenditures that households pay out of pocket, while the PCE price index covers a broader set of goods and services as it seeks to cover prices for all consumer expenditures in the national income and product accounts (NIPA). For example, the PCE price index includes prices of the health services provided to households through Medicaid, while the CPI excludes these items. Second, the PCE price index and the CPI use different weighting systems. The PCE price index, which is more comprehensive than the CPI, estimates expenditure shares using the national income and product accounts, while the CPI measures expenditure shares using a separate survey of households, the Consumer Expenditure Survey. This leads to some differences in expenditure weights that can at times be important. For example, the share of medical services is notably higher in the PCE price index (partly because the PCE price index includes more kinds of medical expenditures), and the share of housing services is noticeably smaller (because overall expenditures are larger in the PCE price index). As a result, when health-care services or housing services inflation behave differently than other prices, this can lead to differences in PCE versus CPI inflation.https://preview.redd.it/0yv71dzv03ra1.png?width=846&format=png&auto=webp&s=79ead139c8e9f2195056cd4eb8ef4ef9b9a8faff https://preview.redd.it/aj70n4y013ra1.png?width=943&format=png&auto=webp&s=a6880260c45a9f8e1367e9ed55d499996091cdf8 Today's Report: The Fed’s Preferred Inflation Metric Dropped a Little. It’s Still High, especially with services:https://www.bea.gov/news/2023/personal-income-and-outlays-february-2023https://www.bea.gov/news/2023/personal-income-and-outlays-february-2023 The PCE index for services dropped from February BUT there is no indication services PCE cooling--only jumping in transitory steps: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DSERRG3M086SBEA On a year-over-year basis, the PCE Price Index for services rose 5.7%. Look at that uptrend! https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DSERRG3M086SBEA Why does this matter?Nearly 2/3 of consumer spending goes into services! While the media will trumpet the drop in the price of goods (will get to that in a moment), where the majority of folks actual money is spent, inflation is RAGING and showing no signs of slowing.Goods prices are falling:The PCE price index for durable goods – new and used vehicles, appliances, furniture, etc. – declined from January but was still up .2%. Notice all the jumping up and down? This is transitory at work:https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DGDSRG3M086SBEA https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DGDSRG3M086SBEA Year-over-year, the PCE price index for goods has been getting knocked down by month-to-month declines. So what is happening here?Goods inflation is cooling, with some goods components dropping bigly, but services inflation is RAGING and not really slowing down. This has led to Core PCE stuck in the transitory doldrums.Core PCE Stuck in the Transitory doldrums:https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCEPILFEThis is the type of inflation JPow hates to see--means interest rate raising is NOT done. On a year-over-year basis, the core PCE price index rose 4.6% in part by the decline in durable goods inflation that is still out-powering the red-hot services inflation--remember this is supposed to be 2%...: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCEPILFE#0 TLDRS:PCE Price Index for services rose 5.7%. Remember, Nearly 2/3 of consumer spending goes into services! While Corporate Media will trumpet the decline in goods prices, inflation is RAGING and showing no signs of slowing.https://preview.redd.it/afzbvch7h3ra1.png?width=610&format=png&auto=webp&s=0585d64846ec69757a6bbbf40815a2bf19f9ecd8 |
2023.03.31 17:37 Ordinary_Ask_9628 Where to find women that are not trashy, bottom of the barrel or mentally deranged?
Sorry for my bad grammar in advice, I'm dyslexic. I'll do my best here.
I been single for almost 8 years since my late wife passed away. No kids, good caring supportive personality, good job and family, own a home all the other good things folks like to talk about. 🙄
However when it comes to dating I'm at a loss. At the time my late wife was the only person I was ever with and I had no clue how bad things are. I tied dating sties and I kid you not I want to poke my minds eyes out at the things I seen on them. In person it's not much better.
I tired dating sties, local gatherings/events, volunteer groups,randomly talking to women at the store or off the street, I have traveled up to 300miles for dates, but I just can't find anyone that is remotely good.
Is there someplace I don't know about where better off folks hang out at? Or are people these days just trashy in general?
Thanks.
submitted by Ordinary_Ask_9628 to dating [link] [comments]
I been single for almost 8 years since my late wife passed away. No kids, good caring supportive personality, good job and family, own a home all the other good things folks like to talk about. 🙄
However when it comes to dating I'm at a loss. At the time my late wife was the only person I was ever with and I had no clue how bad things are. I tied dating sties and I kid you not I want to poke my minds eyes out at the things I seen on them. In person it's not much better.
I tired dating sties, local gatherings/events, volunteer groups,randomly talking to women at the store or off the street, I have traveled up to 300miles for dates, but I just can't find anyone that is remotely good.
Is there someplace I don't know about where better off folks hang out at? Or are people these days just trashy in general?
Thanks.
2023.03.31 17:36 Yes_Not_creative Chosen of Darkness: Melissa Lumnai / Luna a.k.a. [Purple]
Height: 5'7
Age: 16
Backstory: Growing up in Flowriden, Luna's life was harsher before meeting the other Chosen. Darkness users face quite a bit of scrutiny as have gained the stigma of being the ones to always become evil. While it's common, it's not the same for every person that had darkness as their power. On top of being a Chosen, Luna kept this part of her hidden despite her birth being on television, she actively kept telling others that asked her that she was not a Chosen.
She wasn't born in Flowriden but she moved into the state when she was barely one year old. Her father wasn't the best, in fact, he was kind of a closeted racist. Luna never agreed with that ideology. Her mother kept taking night jobs so Luna barely got to see her unless she wants to pull an all-nighter.
All of that changed when she arrived in middle school, sharing certain classes with two other Chosen, Volt and Blu. Blu easily caught on that she was hiding that she was a Chosen and just hid that away. Blu breaking down her walls is what got the main Trio together. With Volt as the comedy and muscle, Blu as the leader and creative thinker, and Luna as the heart and clutch player the Trio would be nearly unstoppable when they started their journey to save the world with all they could.
Luna became a vital asset in the Trio, like family. After a couple of years Luna, Volt, and Blu came into contact with an alternate version of Blu that called himself "A Visitor." The Visitor told them about Surge, a multiversal threat who could spread his alternate selves to destroy countless universes along the Multiversal Helix Spiral. By now you know the rest. Trained by helping other universes until the day they met Surge for real, got their asses kicked, Visitor saved all 3 of them, retreat to their home universe to heal up and think of a better strategy, Uncreative was a sore loser, and went to fight Surge by himself, and vanished.
When Luna found out, she had a hard time comprehending why Uncreative would go on his own like that. She knew he usually isn't so impulsive but that mistake cost him. She called all the people she knew could help track down Uncreative, that being Volt, [Pink], and [Normal.] What's left is to put a plan into action and hopefully reach Uncreative from where [Pink] could last sense him before going off the grid. She hopes that they can pull this off, but she refuses to have another one of the Chosen fall and not be able to help.
Appearance: Luna has long black hair that extends down to the middle of her back. She wears a type of black long sleeve crop top (exactly like the ones that Gardenia from Pokémon has) that she puts a regular-size shirt over because she's slightly embarrassed about her belly being shown in public. And she wears track shoes with some tight, but surprisingly flexible, jeans that she tucks her shirt into.
Fighting style: Luna fights with speed and prefers to fight from long range. While she is more than capable of fighting up close with her quick movements, her fighting style revolves around projectiles, soul manipulation, and summons and steering clear of things that could hit her.
Abilities:
submitted by Yes_Not_creative to Dbmlore [link] [comments]
Age: 16
Backstory: Growing up in Flowriden, Luna's life was harsher before meeting the other Chosen. Darkness users face quite a bit of scrutiny as have gained the stigma of being the ones to always become evil. While it's common, it's not the same for every person that had darkness as their power. On top of being a Chosen, Luna kept this part of her hidden despite her birth being on television, she actively kept telling others that asked her that she was not a Chosen.
She wasn't born in Flowriden but she moved into the state when she was barely one year old. Her father wasn't the best, in fact, he was kind of a closeted racist. Luna never agreed with that ideology. Her mother kept taking night jobs so Luna barely got to see her unless she wants to pull an all-nighter.
All of that changed when she arrived in middle school, sharing certain classes with two other Chosen, Volt and Blu. Blu easily caught on that she was hiding that she was a Chosen and just hid that away. Blu breaking down her walls is what got the main Trio together. With Volt as the comedy and muscle, Blu as the leader and creative thinker, and Luna as the heart and clutch player the Trio would be nearly unstoppable when they started their journey to save the world with all they could.
Luna became a vital asset in the Trio, like family. After a couple of years Luna, Volt, and Blu came into contact with an alternate version of Blu that called himself "A Visitor." The Visitor told them about Surge, a multiversal threat who could spread his alternate selves to destroy countless universes along the Multiversal Helix Spiral. By now you know the rest. Trained by helping other universes until the day they met Surge for real, got their asses kicked, Visitor saved all 3 of them, retreat to their home universe to heal up and think of a better strategy, Uncreative was a sore loser, and went to fight Surge by himself, and vanished.
When Luna found out, she had a hard time comprehending why Uncreative would go on his own like that. She knew he usually isn't so impulsive but that mistake cost him. She called all the people she knew could help track down Uncreative, that being Volt, [Pink], and [Normal.] What's left is to put a plan into action and hopefully reach Uncreative from where [Pink] could last sense him before going off the grid. She hopes that they can pull this off, but she refuses to have another one of the Chosen fall and not be able to help.
Appearance: Luna has long black hair that extends down to the middle of her back. She wears a type of black long sleeve crop top (exactly like the ones that Gardenia from Pokémon has) that she puts a regular-size shirt over because she's slightly embarrassed about her belly being shown in public. And she wears track shoes with some tight, but surprisingly flexible, jeans that she tucks her shirt into.
Fighting style: Luna fights with speed and prefers to fight from long range. While she is more than capable of fighting up close with her quick movements, her fighting style revolves around projectiles, soul manipulation, and summons and steering clear of things that could hit her.
Abilities:
- Being a Chosen
- Superhuman strength, speed, and durability
- Dark energy/ Darkness creation and manipulation (Darkness is one of if not THE most versatile power to have if used right. Some of those powers include...)
- Flight (sprouts dragon wings and tail)
- Eldritch voice mimicking
- Telepathy
- Intangibility/phasing (she can make herself, objects, and other people intangible)
- Shapeshifting to a certain extent (she doesn't use it to disguise herself as other people but can shrink, expand and add things onto certain appendages like spikes to her tail)
- Extendable living hair
- Soul absorption/power stealing (she can steal people's/ creature's souls and use their power for herself)
- Portal creation (She's created portals to wherever she likes. Even sent a bomb that would have destroyed a continent to Segil, their version of Venus, which blew up and sent the planet on a course to die in the Sun)
- Possession
- Monster Summoning (too many to list)
- Reality Warping (while used to leave her universe, she can use it for other purposes like amply her voice for Sonic screaming, having a watered-down version of telekinesis, traveling through shadows, causing paranormal activities, gravity manipulation, etc.)
- Soul connect / health drain (she has a move where she attaches an invisible like to everyone but her that can let her drain the health of others or let her drain her health and give it to someone else)
- Dark variations of elements (Dark fire, dark lightning, dark ice, and that's it)
- Super / Eldritch form (In this form she completely lets any suppression she had left inside run wild and loose. She becomes a giant version of herself that turns herself and the world completely black and white, while her whole body turns into the size of a small country. Luna can create massive black holes, randomly erase people instantly, create galaxy-sized shockwaves, cause insanity, travel the universe in a bit under 3 minutes, connect and travel to other surrounding universes, erase people from existence, shape-shifting, clones, shoot planet-sized lasers, warp reality even more, and destroy universes without even being physically present. And if she's in the one you're in, may God help you.)
- If she ever gets mad, eyes sprout under her hair
- Eventually helped change her father's perspective on race to not make him racist anymore
- Bisexual but prefers males
- Is called the "clutch player" from how many times she saved the other 2 from certain danger
- Counted around 5000 monsters she absorbed, but only uses around 60 of them
- Has a food allergy to shellfish
2023.03.31 17:31 OtherwiseGrand840 Different affections for wife/daughter?
My husband (49M) and I (47F) have been married for 3 years. He has a 15 year old daughter from a previous marriage and I have an 11 year old son from a previous marriage.
Everything has been great for the most part except some occasional disagreements with different parenting styles. My husband is a "Disney Dad" and has always treated his daughter like an adult. There has never been any kind of parent/child boundaries between them and I struggle with that sometimes because I don't agree with it. For example, she has always been allowed full access to his phone, even after she got her own. I had asked him not to allow that (which he denied because "he has nothing to hide") because if I texted him something private (conversation or otherwise) she would see it. I don't think my conversations with him should be open to her viewing. I travel for my job, so I am away from the house sometimes and much of our conversations during those times are via text. There are alot more examples, but that is one that bothers me the most.
Basically he just treats me and her the same EXCEPT for the sexual stuff. There has NEVER been ANYTHING inappropriate with their relationship.
Onto my question: my husband usually will come up behind me and pull my hair back behind my shoulders and sort of play with my hair and then rub my shoulders. This has always been a non-sexual thing that he does with me that I love. It's comforting and special. Yesterday, he walked up behind his daughter and did the same thing. I got a little irritated because he has not done that before and that's his thing with me. He's always very affectionate with me, so it's not like he is with her and not me but I just feel like there should be certain shows of affection (even non-sexual) that are meant for the wife/gf/so that are not shown to other people. Like I said, he treats me and her the same except for our sex life so it was nice to have one thing that was special to just me and him. Am I in the wrong?
submitted by OtherwiseGrand840 to blendedfamilies [link] [comments]
Everything has been great for the most part except some occasional disagreements with different parenting styles. My husband is a "Disney Dad" and has always treated his daughter like an adult. There has never been any kind of parent/child boundaries between them and I struggle with that sometimes because I don't agree with it. For example, she has always been allowed full access to his phone, even after she got her own. I had asked him not to allow that (which he denied because "he has nothing to hide") because if I texted him something private (conversation or otherwise) she would see it. I don't think my conversations with him should be open to her viewing. I travel for my job, so I am away from the house sometimes and much of our conversations during those times are via text. There are alot more examples, but that is one that bothers me the most.
Basically he just treats me and her the same EXCEPT for the sexual stuff. There has NEVER been ANYTHING inappropriate with their relationship.
Onto my question: my husband usually will come up behind me and pull my hair back behind my shoulders and sort of play with my hair and then rub my shoulders. This has always been a non-sexual thing that he does with me that I love. It's comforting and special. Yesterday, he walked up behind his daughter and did the same thing. I got a little irritated because he has not done that before and that's his thing with me. He's always very affectionate with me, so it's not like he is with her and not me but I just feel like there should be certain shows of affection (even non-sexual) that are meant for the wife/gf/so that are not shown to other people. Like I said, he treats me and her the same except for our sex life so it was nice to have one thing that was special to just me and him. Am I in the wrong?
2023.03.31 17:30 Hail-the-whale I didn’t get the job I worked for.
I’ve worked so hard. 12-15 hour days, doing things over and above my job description, weekends, travelling…It’s an internal promotion.
The feedback is I was overall strong but not quite strong enough and my presentation was ‘factually incorrect’ which I find hard to believe given it was all source linked (I’m very particular about being truthful and demonstrating information). Also saying I’m nervous is a bad thing now?
They’ve said, keep at the same capacity, take on additional ‘strategic’ work and you might have a chance….
It’s funny how it’s the Directors mates or previous colleagues who are getting the roles though….
I’m mad and I’m upset… universe has a plan right?
submitted by Hail-the-whale to TrueOffMyChest [link] [comments]
The feedback is I was overall strong but not quite strong enough and my presentation was ‘factually incorrect’ which I find hard to believe given it was all source linked (I’m very particular about being truthful and demonstrating information). Also saying I’m nervous is a bad thing now?
They’ve said, keep at the same capacity, take on additional ‘strategic’ work and you might have a chance….
It’s funny how it’s the Directors mates or previous colleagues who are getting the roles though….
I’m mad and I’m upset… universe has a plan right?
2023.03.31 17:23 Ordinary_Ask_9628 Where to find women that are not trashy, bottom of the barrel or mentally deranged?
Sorry for my bad grammar in advice, I'm dyslexic. I'll do my best here.
I been single for almost 8 years since my late wife passed away. No kids, good caring supportive personality, good job and family, own a home all the other good things folks like to talk about. 🙄
However when it comes to dating I'm at a loss. At the time my late wife was the only person I was ever with and I had no clue how bad things are. I tied dating sties and I kid you not I want to poke my minds eyes out at the things I seen on them. In person it's not much better.
I tired dating sties, local gatherings/events, volunteer groups,randomly talking to women at the store or off the street, I have traveled up to 300miles for dates, but I just can't find anyone that is remotely good.
Is there someplace I don't know about where better off folks hang out at? Or are people these days just trashy in general?
Thanks.
submitted by Ordinary_Ask_9628 to datingadvice [link] [comments]
I been single for almost 8 years since my late wife passed away. No kids, good caring supportive personality, good job and family, own a home all the other good things folks like to talk about. 🙄
However when it comes to dating I'm at a loss. At the time my late wife was the only person I was ever with and I had no clue how bad things are. I tied dating sties and I kid you not I want to poke my minds eyes out at the things I seen on them. In person it's not much better.
I tired dating sties, local gatherings/events, volunteer groups,randomly talking to women at the store or off the street, I have traveled up to 300miles for dates, but I just can't find anyone that is remotely good.
Is there someplace I don't know about where better off folks hang out at? Or are people these days just trashy in general?
Thanks.
2023.03.31 17:19 CaptnQuesadilla 2 days in Irving for an interview - where to explore to get a "feel" for the area?
In 2 weeks I'll be in Irving for a final round interview. I've never been to DFW and will rent a car for 2 days to explore the area for potential neighborhoods and generally soak in the vibe. Where would you suggest I go to be efficient with my time? I'm trying to get a realistic feel for what it's like to live there and want to totally avoid touristy areas.
Should I visit more areas for a shorter time or select a few neighborhoods and hone in on the details? Where can I experience the worst traffic for an Irving commute so that I know what to expect? (Office near U of Dallas)
I'm early 30s M, single no kids. I'd like to live somewhere relatively dense with a good social scene. Based on my research it seems like Uptown, Lower Greenville, Carrolton are good options? I am not an upscale yuppie and don't care about trendy restaurants or art galleries or avocado yoga. I wouldn't avoid somewhere "hip" but it's not a priority. I like sports / biking / archery / video games and want to find an area that's relatively chill with down to earth people. Semi-close access to a swimming lake and/or bike trail would be a huge plus.
I'm looking for a 1BR for $1,300+/- with a pool and gym and there seems to be a ton of options so it's overwhelming. I will prioritize apartment amenities over neighborhood amenities so I don't necessarily need to live IN those dense areas but the closer the better. There will be a lot of travel so good access to DFW / Love is important. I'd like my daily commute to be <30min (by car) but longer to the airport is fine. Easily taking the DART to DFW would be a dream scenario.
I realize this is pretty open ended but I don't know what I don't know and you're the experts! It's an incredible job opportunity but I'm slightly hesitant & totally ignorant about DFW so I want to know / see the good, bad, and ugly so I have realistic expectations. It seems like north Dallas is generally where I want to be but I'm very much open to any and all suggestions. Thank you!!
submitted by CaptnQuesadilla to askdfw [link] [comments]
Should I visit more areas for a shorter time or select a few neighborhoods and hone in on the details? Where can I experience the worst traffic for an Irving commute so that I know what to expect? (Office near U of Dallas)
I'm early 30s M, single no kids. I'd like to live somewhere relatively dense with a good social scene. Based on my research it seems like Uptown, Lower Greenville, Carrolton are good options? I am not an upscale yuppie and don't care about trendy restaurants or art galleries or avocado yoga. I wouldn't avoid somewhere "hip" but it's not a priority. I like sports / biking / archery / video games and want to find an area that's relatively chill with down to earth people. Semi-close access to a swimming lake and/or bike trail would be a huge plus.
I'm looking for a 1BR for $1,300+/- with a pool and gym and there seems to be a ton of options so it's overwhelming. I will prioritize apartment amenities over neighborhood amenities so I don't necessarily need to live IN those dense areas but the closer the better. There will be a lot of travel so good access to DFW / Love is important. I'd like my daily commute to be <30min (by car) but longer to the airport is fine. Easily taking the DART to DFW would be a dream scenario.
I realize this is pretty open ended but I don't know what I don't know and you're the experts! It's an incredible job opportunity but I'm slightly hesitant & totally ignorant about DFW so I want to know / see the good, bad, and ugly so I have realistic expectations. It seems like north Dallas is generally where I want to be but I'm very much open to any and all suggestions. Thank you!!
2023.03.31 17:18 After_Examination_76 Time to give in?
So me (33F) and my BF who’s an DNP (38M) have been doing long distance almost a year. We are 2.5 hrs apart which isn’t far, but due to his job which is night and his student loans, he is always picking up shifts, considering travelling, etc. because the pay where I live is significantly less.
I’m in tristate area and have to go into office twice a week so where we move/meet in the middle is really tough with so much unknown. I’ve always wanted him to move to me or at least somewhere in the middle, as our families are closer to us and I’ve been unwilling to ‘lose’ which means moving to him. Despite the debt, he makes more than me and will always be able to, but he hates his hospital and doesn’t like the area.
We make so much time to spend together, but the time we spend together lately is more surrounded by events, family visits, friends etc. less US time and we’re both feeling it. I am overpaying for my apt and living in the city, I don’t socialize, my friends are ALL OVER, a lot of them closer to where he is and I can make a 2x a week commute to NY possible (though more difficult).
He’s the love of my life, but we can’t move forward unless someone gives and sacrifices a lot and the more I look at it I will be sacrificing much less, if I make the move to him. I’m not sure what next step is.
submitted by After_Examination_76 to MedSpouse [link] [comments]
I’m in tristate area and have to go into office twice a week so where we move/meet in the middle is really tough with so much unknown. I’ve always wanted him to move to me or at least somewhere in the middle, as our families are closer to us and I’ve been unwilling to ‘lose’ which means moving to him. Despite the debt, he makes more than me and will always be able to, but he hates his hospital and doesn’t like the area.
We make so much time to spend together, but the time we spend together lately is more surrounded by events, family visits, friends etc. less US time and we’re both feeling it. I am overpaying for my apt and living in the city, I don’t socialize, my friends are ALL OVER, a lot of them closer to where he is and I can make a 2x a week commute to NY possible (though more difficult).
He’s the love of my life, but we can’t move forward unless someone gives and sacrifices a lot and the more I look at it I will be sacrificing much less, if I make the move to him. I’m not sure what next step is.
2023.03.31 17:18 Sufficient-Engine514 I'm 34, make 210k a year, and just started paying down 170k of student loan debt while paying for fertility treatments.
Background
Me: 34F
Jobs: Consultant
Location: East Coast
Goal: Finding the balance between paying off my six-figure student debt while still enjoying life post failed fertility treatments.
Current Debt and Assets
DEBT
Credit card debt: $2,200 approximately. I usually never go more than 2 months without paying it off completely to keep me honest.
Personal loans: $0
Medical debt: $0
Student loan debt: $125,303.17 with 3.301% interest. I had a scholarship to undergrad. For my graduate degree, I took out 150k of loans. In the 4 years after graduate school where I was paying the minimum payment, the loan amount grew to $171,000. I paid off approximately 57k in the past 18 months (although because interest is so high, only 46k of that went to principal.)
Auto loans: $0 – My husband and I have had a ton of bad luck the past few years but one thing we were fortunate about is buying two used cars around 22k each right before the new and used car market went crazy. We paid them both off within 3-4 months of purchasing them. I used to think I would just lease a car because I had this idea that all used cars break down constantly but I’m glad my husband disabused me of notion because with some TLC, my car should last me a long time and with all the spending on gas and tolls, I am so thankful to not have a car payment.
Savings balance: $1,000. My husband and I used to have a very large savings/rainy day fund (30k-ish) but we’ve spent the past 3 years going through fertility treatments that have really eaten away at our savings. This amount of savings is pretty antithetical to how judicious we both are about money but we both have good job security and could cash out our investment accounts with penalty if we really needed it so we haven’t prioritizied replenishing it. That, and we are very emotionally spent after the past few years.
Checking account balance: $460.55
Crypto portfolio: $0. I don’t have the risk tolerance for this.
House: Bought for $580,000, now worth ~$700,000. Still owe around 545k.
Assets:
401K: ~$140,000. I max out my contribution to my 401k. I did not start contributing to this until I was 27 but all my past employers have had generous matches which has helped.
ROTH IRA: ~$11,000. My husband and I have a joint ROTH IRA that we’ve maxed out every year for past 4-5 years. All our accounts have taken a beating this year, not unlike everyone else, so these numbers used to be much higher. Keep reminding myself to play the long game!
Brokerage Account $6,000. I’d like to be more aggressive with this but we’re doing our best at the moment.
Income
I am currently working full-time as a tech consultant. I’ve only been here a year, but I love the work and the benefits are generous. The job is very stressful and a bit hectic sometimes but it’s hard to imagine I’ll get everything I have at this job elsewhere, so I plan to stay awhile a while.
Main Job Monthly Take Home: ~$4,825 2x/month
Other Income: I sometimes do other work with modest honorariums that probably only bring in around $2k a year. This year is an outlier thought and I will get almost $9k.
Total Income: ~$4,825. I don’t account for other income into my budget and whatever I get just gets chucked towards student loans.
Monthly Expenses
Rent: $1550 (Half of my mortgage. My husband has VA Loan so we didn’t need a down payment for the house, just closing costs, which is why our mortgage may seem a little high. We also live in a HCOL area so this probably seems high but this is not far off from what we paid for rent living in the city, so this wasn’t a hard jump for us financially.
Debt payments: Anywhere from $1700 (the minimum) to $4000, depending on the month.
Utility Bills: ~$200 (I pay)
Cellphone + Internet: $150 (Husband pays)
Subscriptions: $150 (Husband pays)
Car Insurance: $100 (Covers both of us, husband pays)
Dining Out: $150-250. We very rarely go out to eat especially in the past few years because of pandemic and IVF but we’re trying to get in the habit of doing so once a month to enjoy ourselves. We're more likely to order in with UberEats or something. My husband usually pays even though it goes on our joint CC, he usually pays it off.
Shopping: Wildly fluctuates but anywhere from 500 to nothing. The older I’ve gotten the easier it is for me to avoid impulse buys.
Groceries: $1200-1500 – I pay for all groceries and house toiletries like soap, toothpaste, medicine, etc. One of the things we splurge on is high quality meats, organic fruits and vegetables, blah blah blah etc. This lifestyle change hasn’t made any difference in our IVF success unfortunately but we both couldn’t deny how great we felt eating that way, so we continue to do so despite me sometimes wincing at the cumulative cost. I make almost double what my husband does, so I take over a slightly higher percentage of our monthly bills but not by much because we both agreed I should prioritize paying down my student loans. He also covers dog food, treats, and medicine for both our dogs which really adds up and those more random, quarterly house expenses like Home Depot visits, pest control, buying a new mower, lawn care, and other things that come up more than you think (Home owners know the struggle). Once my debt is paid down, we will probably revisit the split of monthly expenses to see what makes sense.
Cleaning: $165/month (I pay) Having a house cleaner is one of those luxuries I would never give up. I’d rather cut back on dining out, shopping, etc if someone could come once a month to clean. We also have two big dogs, so it feels less of a luxury and more of a necessity.
Pet Insurance $80/month, covers both dogs (I pay)
Gas: $300 (I have a long commute and I go into the office almost every day)
Tolls: $225
Parking: $0 Work covers this, thank goodness!
Health Insurance: $0. My work covers health insurance for me and my husband. Huge bonus I don’t take for granted.
Total Expenses: I’ve estimated it is roughly around $6,500 a month at least for my portion of bills, assuming I’ve only paid the minimum of my student loans.
Debt Diary
2006 – Started college at a public university where I got free tuition from a combination of my mom’s job and my good grades. We still owed room and board which my parents covered for the most part and then took out loans to cover the rest when they divorced. My stepdad paid off the remaining balance of around 8k for me in my mid-twenties.
2010 – Graduated and moved to abroad for four years. Got great experience but pay was very low so no savings and no financial planning at all.
2014: Started my graduate degree back in the U.S.. Took out *all* the loans for this to include living expenses (150k). During this time I wanted to be a public servant so I felt confident my loans would be paid off after 10 years through Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. That’s not exactly how it worked out.
2016: Graduated and started my first “big girl” job at 27 making around $75,000 . This is the first time I started contributing to a 401k. I was working for a 401c3 so I qualified to start paying into the PSLF program. My loan payments, based on my income at the time was around $350-400 monthly. I got modest raises over the next few years that brought me to 85k before I switched jobs. During these four years, my student loans ballooned to 170k because I was only paying the minimum.
2020: My husband and I cancel our wedding and honeymoon (covid) but still get married. Got a new job that finally got me a low six figure salary (120k) but was in the private sector so still paying minimum on student loans but no longer was making qualified payments for student loan forgiveness. Thought I might still go back into government/nonprofit world.
2021: Changed jobs – same ish salary @ 125k, still in the private sector. Start what will be many rounds of unsuccessful rounds of IVF. I think the total cost has been somewhere around 80k. My husband’s grandmother has helped us a lot which I quite literally don’t know what we would do without, but it’s still been very financially, emotionally, and mentally taxing. Wasted a lot of money on supplements and acupuncture that didn’t help.
2022: Started at the job I have now. Base started at 175,000 plus 25% bonus. In the first year I got a promotion and a 20% raise, so I now make 210,000. This is when I realize that this is the career I enjoy and will likely not go back government service in the future or at least not long enough to participate in student loan forgiveness program. I also do the math and realize if I continue to pay the minimum of income-based repayment (based on my now much higher pay) I will end up paying 3-4x the loan amount over the course of my life. I decide to privatize my loans and choose a 10 year pay off plan because I want to be somewhat aggressive about it, hence the relatively high minimum payment of $1700. Despite the good interest rate (3% ish) the principal is so high that $400 of that goes to interest. It’s why I’d like to aggressive pay it down now, if for no other reason than to get the interest payments down.
2023: I’m told after many failed rounds of IVF, I’m unable to have genetic children. We start figuring out how we will afford other ways to build our family, all of which cost in the tens of thousands. Fortunately, (?) I’ve gotten my student loans down to 125k.
Now: Between canceling our wedding, our honeymoon, living through a pandemic and years of fertility struggles and awful treatments, I am now re-thinking how aggressively I’ve been paying down debt this past year. Approaching getting pregnant and debt payment both as a sprint and not a marathon has done me no favors. I also just want my husband and I to enjoy life a little bit given all our struggles. We both work so hard, and I want to make sure we’re making time (and money) on the things that make us happy. I also realize we need to figure out how we’ll pay to expand our family which overwhelms me but I’m trying to treat this just as a second marathon, not a sprint.
Reflection
Do I regret my student loans?
Despite my six figure loans living rent free in my mind constantly, it’s hard to regret taking them because I can’t imagine how else I would have built the career I have now, which I love and am very grateful for. My career is everything I always hoped for and more although sometimes I lose sight of that in the daily grind. Grad school was so time consuming it’s also hard to imagine how I would have worked at the same time and made enough money to make a meaningful difference in my bills. And I focused a lot of time on substantive internships that would help demonstrate my ability to shifting gears into a different career which I do think paid off in more ways than one. This new career path that I’m on also opens a lot of doors for me to continue to be a higher earner so in the long run, this amount of debt, while daunting and a bit menacing, is somewhat of a first world problem. It will get paid off. My only concern is if something catastrophic happened, since my loans are private, I would still have a very high mandatory minimum payment. Again, both my husband and I have a lot of job security and could always cash out our investment accounts, heaven forbid something awful happened. I think because the past few years have been so mentally taxing, I have very little bandwidth for regret.
Impact of Infertility
It is probably also worth noting that dealing with years of infertility and infertility treatments only to be told ultimately that I’m unable to have [genetic] children has changed who I am as a person and how I see life. We spent 3 years of our life in a pandemic lockdown and then in back-to-back all-consuming aggressive fertility treatments. I feel like we lost so much time and had very little levity during those times. I still plan on being diligent about paying off my debt and investing, but I want to cut myself some slack and allow my husband and myself to live a little, travel and just spend time enjoying our lives instead of just focusing on destinations (of having children and debt pay off).
Generational Wealth
The city I live in is filled with lots of wealthy people and many a times I’ve been in conversations where people ask where you sailed in the summer and skied in the winter, like it’s a given that everyone does this (lol). Most of the people I went to grad school with had their school paid off from family (plus help with a down payment for a house and wedding costs), and it occurs to me over and over how critical a role generational wealth can play in setting someone up for an incredibly easier life. My husband and I grew up middle class (which still conferred a lot of privilege that is never lost on us) but would like to make sure we have saved money for our [eventual] kids college so they’re not saddled with debt – and thinking about other investment accounts we could open for them to start generational wealth. Without my student loan debt, I could have an additional 200k to invest which would have meaningful impact on my kid’s and kid’s kid’s life when invested correctly. I don’t dwell too much on this though, at least anymore, but rather something I consider when planning for the future. Both my husband and I are still grateful for the advantages and privilege we still did and continue to have. Oddly, getting more interested in personal finance has made me feel more neutral about money which I appreciate.
Husband’s Influence
I also have to credit a lot of good money habits to my husband who was a really great influence on me on the importance of making consciousness steps to get a better credit score, invest aggressively, etc. I was definitely living for a good time not a long time up until I met him lol. We still prioritize spending money on fun without guilt but now I enjoy the process about making sure we’re set up well for the future.
Thank you for reading. I'm feeling a bit vulnerable talking about this stuff so please be gentle with me :').
submitted by Sufficient-Engine514 to MoneyDiariesACTIVE [link] [comments]
Me: 34F
Jobs: Consultant
Location: East Coast
Goal: Finding the balance between paying off my six-figure student debt while still enjoying life post failed fertility treatments.
Current Debt and Assets
DEBT
Credit card debt: $2,200 approximately. I usually never go more than 2 months without paying it off completely to keep me honest.
Personal loans: $0
Medical debt: $0
Student loan debt: $125,303.17 with 3.301% interest. I had a scholarship to undergrad. For my graduate degree, I took out 150k of loans. In the 4 years after graduate school where I was paying the minimum payment, the loan amount grew to $171,000. I paid off approximately 57k in the past 18 months (although because interest is so high, only 46k of that went to principal.)
Auto loans: $0 – My husband and I have had a ton of bad luck the past few years but one thing we were fortunate about is buying two used cars around 22k each right before the new and used car market went crazy. We paid them both off within 3-4 months of purchasing them. I used to think I would just lease a car because I had this idea that all used cars break down constantly but I’m glad my husband disabused me of notion because with some TLC, my car should last me a long time and with all the spending on gas and tolls, I am so thankful to not have a car payment.
Savings balance: $1,000. My husband and I used to have a very large savings/rainy day fund (30k-ish) but we’ve spent the past 3 years going through fertility treatments that have really eaten away at our savings. This amount of savings is pretty antithetical to how judicious we both are about money but we both have good job security and could cash out our investment accounts with penalty if we really needed it so we haven’t prioritizied replenishing it. That, and we are very emotionally spent after the past few years.
Checking account balance: $460.55
Crypto portfolio: $0. I don’t have the risk tolerance for this.
House: Bought for $580,000, now worth ~$700,000. Still owe around 545k.
Assets:
401K: ~$140,000. I max out my contribution to my 401k. I did not start contributing to this until I was 27 but all my past employers have had generous matches which has helped.
ROTH IRA: ~$11,000. My husband and I have a joint ROTH IRA that we’ve maxed out every year for past 4-5 years. All our accounts have taken a beating this year, not unlike everyone else, so these numbers used to be much higher. Keep reminding myself to play the long game!
Brokerage Account $6,000. I’d like to be more aggressive with this but we’re doing our best at the moment.
Income
I am currently working full-time as a tech consultant. I’ve only been here a year, but I love the work and the benefits are generous. The job is very stressful and a bit hectic sometimes but it’s hard to imagine I’ll get everything I have at this job elsewhere, so I plan to stay awhile a while.
Main Job Monthly Take Home: ~$4,825 2x/month
Other Income: I sometimes do other work with modest honorariums that probably only bring in around $2k a year. This year is an outlier thought and I will get almost $9k.
Total Income: ~$4,825. I don’t account for other income into my budget and whatever I get just gets chucked towards student loans.
Monthly Expenses
Rent: $1550 (Half of my mortgage. My husband has VA Loan so we didn’t need a down payment for the house, just closing costs, which is why our mortgage may seem a little high. We also live in a HCOL area so this probably seems high but this is not far off from what we paid for rent living in the city, so this wasn’t a hard jump for us financially.
Debt payments: Anywhere from $1700 (the minimum) to $4000, depending on the month.
Utility Bills: ~$200 (I pay)
Cellphone + Internet: $150 (Husband pays)
Subscriptions: $150 (Husband pays)
Car Insurance: $100 (Covers both of us, husband pays)
Dining Out: $150-250. We very rarely go out to eat especially in the past few years because of pandemic and IVF but we’re trying to get in the habit of doing so once a month to enjoy ourselves. We're more likely to order in with UberEats or something. My husband usually pays even though it goes on our joint CC, he usually pays it off.
Shopping: Wildly fluctuates but anywhere from 500 to nothing. The older I’ve gotten the easier it is for me to avoid impulse buys.
Groceries: $1200-1500 – I pay for all groceries and house toiletries like soap, toothpaste, medicine, etc. One of the things we splurge on is high quality meats, organic fruits and vegetables, blah blah blah etc. This lifestyle change hasn’t made any difference in our IVF success unfortunately but we both couldn’t deny how great we felt eating that way, so we continue to do so despite me sometimes wincing at the cumulative cost. I make almost double what my husband does, so I take over a slightly higher percentage of our monthly bills but not by much because we both agreed I should prioritize paying down my student loans. He also covers dog food, treats, and medicine for both our dogs which really adds up and those more random, quarterly house expenses like Home Depot visits, pest control, buying a new mower, lawn care, and other things that come up more than you think (Home owners know the struggle). Once my debt is paid down, we will probably revisit the split of monthly expenses to see what makes sense.
Cleaning: $165/month (I pay) Having a house cleaner is one of those luxuries I would never give up. I’d rather cut back on dining out, shopping, etc if someone could come once a month to clean. We also have two big dogs, so it feels less of a luxury and more of a necessity.
Pet Insurance $80/month, covers both dogs (I pay)
Gas: $300 (I have a long commute and I go into the office almost every day)
Tolls: $225
Parking: $0 Work covers this, thank goodness!
Health Insurance: $0. My work covers health insurance for me and my husband. Huge bonus I don’t take for granted.
Total Expenses: I’ve estimated it is roughly around $6,500 a month at least for my portion of bills, assuming I’ve only paid the minimum of my student loans.
Debt Diary
2006 – Started college at a public university where I got free tuition from a combination of my mom’s job and my good grades. We still owed room and board which my parents covered for the most part and then took out loans to cover the rest when they divorced. My stepdad paid off the remaining balance of around 8k for me in my mid-twenties.
2010 – Graduated and moved to abroad for four years. Got great experience but pay was very low so no savings and no financial planning at all.
2014: Started my graduate degree back in the U.S.. Took out *all* the loans for this to include living expenses (150k). During this time I wanted to be a public servant so I felt confident my loans would be paid off after 10 years through Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. That’s not exactly how it worked out.
2016: Graduated and started my first “big girl” job at 27 making around $75,000 . This is the first time I started contributing to a 401k. I was working for a 401c3 so I qualified to start paying into the PSLF program. My loan payments, based on my income at the time was around $350-400 monthly. I got modest raises over the next few years that brought me to 85k before I switched jobs. During these four years, my student loans ballooned to 170k because I was only paying the minimum.
2020: My husband and I cancel our wedding and honeymoon (covid) but still get married. Got a new job that finally got me a low six figure salary (120k) but was in the private sector so still paying minimum on student loans but no longer was making qualified payments for student loan forgiveness. Thought I might still go back into government/nonprofit world.
2021: Changed jobs – same ish salary @ 125k, still in the private sector. Start what will be many rounds of unsuccessful rounds of IVF. I think the total cost has been somewhere around 80k. My husband’s grandmother has helped us a lot which I quite literally don’t know what we would do without, but it’s still been very financially, emotionally, and mentally taxing. Wasted a lot of money on supplements and acupuncture that didn’t help.
2022: Started at the job I have now. Base started at 175,000 plus 25% bonus. In the first year I got a promotion and a 20% raise, so I now make 210,000. This is when I realize that this is the career I enjoy and will likely not go back government service in the future or at least not long enough to participate in student loan forgiveness program. I also do the math and realize if I continue to pay the minimum of income-based repayment (based on my now much higher pay) I will end up paying 3-4x the loan amount over the course of my life. I decide to privatize my loans and choose a 10 year pay off plan because I want to be somewhat aggressive about it, hence the relatively high minimum payment of $1700. Despite the good interest rate (3% ish) the principal is so high that $400 of that goes to interest. It’s why I’d like to aggressive pay it down now, if for no other reason than to get the interest payments down.
2023: I’m told after many failed rounds of IVF, I’m unable to have genetic children. We start figuring out how we will afford other ways to build our family, all of which cost in the tens of thousands. Fortunately, (?) I’ve gotten my student loans down to 125k.
Now: Between canceling our wedding, our honeymoon, living through a pandemic and years of fertility struggles and awful treatments, I am now re-thinking how aggressively I’ve been paying down debt this past year. Approaching getting pregnant and debt payment both as a sprint and not a marathon has done me no favors. I also just want my husband and I to enjoy life a little bit given all our struggles. We both work so hard, and I want to make sure we’re making time (and money) on the things that make us happy. I also realize we need to figure out how we’ll pay to expand our family which overwhelms me but I’m trying to treat this just as a second marathon, not a sprint.
Reflection
Do I regret my student loans?
Despite my six figure loans living rent free in my mind constantly, it’s hard to regret taking them because I can’t imagine how else I would have built the career I have now, which I love and am very grateful for. My career is everything I always hoped for and more although sometimes I lose sight of that in the daily grind. Grad school was so time consuming it’s also hard to imagine how I would have worked at the same time and made enough money to make a meaningful difference in my bills. And I focused a lot of time on substantive internships that would help demonstrate my ability to shifting gears into a different career which I do think paid off in more ways than one. This new career path that I’m on also opens a lot of doors for me to continue to be a higher earner so in the long run, this amount of debt, while daunting and a bit menacing, is somewhat of a first world problem. It will get paid off. My only concern is if something catastrophic happened, since my loans are private, I would still have a very high mandatory minimum payment. Again, both my husband and I have a lot of job security and could always cash out our investment accounts, heaven forbid something awful happened. I think because the past few years have been so mentally taxing, I have very little bandwidth for regret.
Impact of Infertility
It is probably also worth noting that dealing with years of infertility and infertility treatments only to be told ultimately that I’m unable to have [genetic] children has changed who I am as a person and how I see life. We spent 3 years of our life in a pandemic lockdown and then in back-to-back all-consuming aggressive fertility treatments. I feel like we lost so much time and had very little levity during those times. I still plan on being diligent about paying off my debt and investing, but I want to cut myself some slack and allow my husband and myself to live a little, travel and just spend time enjoying our lives instead of just focusing on destinations (of having children and debt pay off).
Generational Wealth
The city I live in is filled with lots of wealthy people and many a times I’ve been in conversations where people ask where you sailed in the summer and skied in the winter, like it’s a given that everyone does this (lol). Most of the people I went to grad school with had their school paid off from family (plus help with a down payment for a house and wedding costs), and it occurs to me over and over how critical a role generational wealth can play in setting someone up for an incredibly easier life. My husband and I grew up middle class (which still conferred a lot of privilege that is never lost on us) but would like to make sure we have saved money for our [eventual] kids college so they’re not saddled with debt – and thinking about other investment accounts we could open for them to start generational wealth. Without my student loan debt, I could have an additional 200k to invest which would have meaningful impact on my kid’s and kid’s kid’s life when invested correctly. I don’t dwell too much on this though, at least anymore, but rather something I consider when planning for the future. Both my husband and I are still grateful for the advantages and privilege we still did and continue to have. Oddly, getting more interested in personal finance has made me feel more neutral about money which I appreciate.
Husband’s Influence
I also have to credit a lot of good money habits to my husband who was a really great influence on me on the importance of making consciousness steps to get a better credit score, invest aggressively, etc. I was definitely living for a good time not a long time up until I met him lol. We still prioritize spending money on fun without guilt but now I enjoy the process about making sure we’re set up well for the future.
Thank you for reading. I'm feeling a bit vulnerable talking about this stuff so please be gentle with me :').
2023.03.31 17:16 No_Competition4897 [HIRING] 25 Jobs in VA Hiring Now!