These are not in any particular order - some may have come a few weeks ago, some today.
But I do have good news: I did NOT work on cards at all this weekend, because I spent Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday all doing amazing fun things with my wife as we kicked off our celebration of Pride month. For those who don't know, we currently have two houses, in two different states, one where she mostly lives (in the U.S. Pacific Northwest) and one where I mostly live (in the U.S. Southwest, known as the Cactus Cathouse). We are gearing up to sell our northern outpost house and live together in the Cactus Cathouse, and this was sort of our "last hurrah" weekend before showings and whatnot really get started.
But now, I'm trying to get cardthings caught up so that I'm not trying to deal with them during the eventual relocation, starting with these thanks and hopefully progressing on to a request and an offer tomorrow as time permits.
Also, someone in this (long) list sent me a lovely, large rainbow snail vinyl sticker, but I couldn't tell whose mail it came from. (Maybe u/amyt13?) Anyway, whoever you are, I appreciate you immensely and I'm sorry for not organizing myself better.
Thanks to:
(First of all, thanks to the flair team, because yikes this is the worst and I'm very sorry!)
u/amabisca - This handmade purple card (my favorite color!) is amazing and was such an uplifting surprise. Thank you so, so much!
u/amyt13 (x2) - Thank you for the beautiful handmade collage card, the Oscar Wilde card, and all the extras! I hope you are able to find a good place to call home too - the one you were describing sounds like my kind of town, and I hope it works out. I'll cross my fingers for you!
u/AppleCritter723 - This cute botanical card/letter I an opening from you is dated in April. APRIL, friend. I am sorry. It is full of good news and cute stickers and I swear I will write actual mail and not just send weird envelopes of things to you and your "bigger little" soon. I hope your Memorial Day weekend travels weren't too bad, and that Gandalf the adventurer is letting you occasionally stay inside. You created a meow-monster!
u/awachob - Goose!! I can't believe I got to be the goose! Thank you so much for a fun offer. (And for the neat stickers!)
u/blue-wanderer-quartz - I am very late saying thanks for the Five of Pentacles cat tarot sticker reading, but it was incredibly appropriate to read about pooling resources as my wife and I re-combine households in part due to love but in large part due to, well, wanting to actually have disposable income! I think it's interesting that we both chose pentacles for each other! (And the cat postcard your reading is on is very cute, I don't want to forget that!)
u/bluedecemberart (x2) - I love the vintage VA hospital postcard from Maine... and we already chatted about the "not noticing the chores" thing but rereading the card as I went to post this made me sure again that we are somehow the same person. WEIRD, but COOL. And your New York skyline postcard is lovely, and now I want to watch A Crown of Candy!
u/championvilla - I adore this MarioKart card! My wife and I used to play a lot (right now, we have the game systems packed for house-showing). I hope that your husband is continuing to feel better (and that the cat finally decided to get off of him, lol!)
u/chiquita61 - The sloth mermaid dolphin thank-you card with penguin stickers is absolutely wonderful... and I am so happy you liked my "reject" sticker card in all its glory!
u/comingtogetyoubabs (x6) - This crystal ball card with Petit's ABSOLUTE WISDOM is just amazing, friend. (Also, did I get a little teary at "writer of hugs in card form" MAYBE). And the amazing goodies you included - the cat-yang patch, your beautiful handmade notepaper... there is no way I deserve the awesomeness that is you "buzzing" into my life. And then the second cat card and all the goodies, including the adorable bookmark...! And THEN I realized you had hand-drawn me three tarot cards that you wrote about, AND then I found your origami letter... I am in awe, friend. You are wonderful!
u/cswl (x10) - This is what I get for not keeping up with my thanks, I feel silly with how behind I am for you, my dear friend! (Both in thanking AND in writing back.) Thank you for the cute plant notecard (I do not do Informed Delivery because it will just make me sad, I think); the red fox postcard (did you go to Fogo, which is one of my favorite places ever??); the "sources of acid" postcard (I always feel better when I have time for myself too, and also always delay it too long); the absolutely delicious LouPaper charcuterie board postcard (I have both too many cards and somehow never the ones I really feel like I wish I had to send people); the postcard from The Lion King (yay garage sale days!); the Strange Planet vibrating cat postcard (so outnumbered, I have given up, they are in charge now); the two different New Yorker cartoon cards (you are 100% right - hard times are harder on the one holding down the fort in SO many ways, been there/done that, and also guilt trips suck and I'm sorry the person tried to send you on one); the cute bird saying hi card (the one-house thing was her idea first, and it will definitely be for the best, though I need to make sure I keep focusing on me too!); and especially thanks for "Content Lives Everywhere" collage you made - that is just wonderful. You are so great. I am sorry I'm such a bad postal pal but I'm trying to do better!
u/dazeyferry (x2) - My dear friend, this penguin with flowers card is AMAZING and I am so, so grateful that you thought of me when you saw it. And the little floral thank-you card addition was perfect as well. I love you and I am so glad we are friends! As far as bingeworthy shows - have you seen Ted Lasso? Schmigadoon? (Both on AppleTV.) Those are amazing. We also started watching Hello, Tomorrow, which is a bit sad sometimes but really good! I'll try to think of some more, too.
u/draconic_healing - I love this little tiny Polaroid-style postcard - it's adorable! Please pet the kitty for me - I couldn't tell if you wrote "Bear" or "Bean" but both are great names!
u/dwrfstr - This gold penguin card is amazing and adorable and I cannot believe your luck to find it thrifted! I picked up a set of hundreds of vintage postcards from an art reuse store that's near where we met up, and I ended up with, like, 16 of the same weird chapel at a church camp in South Dakota, so you definitely win...
u/fancayschmanzayyy - Your cat thank-you card was wonderful (as were the cool stickers!) And most of all, I very much appreciate you telling me about your act of kindness and I especially appreciate your caregiving nature. I cared for my mom for many years before she passed away and stories like the one you told will always be especially important to me. You make a difference and I am so grateful you exist!
u/Fancykiddens (x2) - I feel terribly, terribly guilty for how late I am thanking you for this amazing CARD-CEPTION package!! First, from the pengin section: the pengin family you drew me, how awesome are they?! You are so talented! I almost never keep envelopes but this one got immediately saved with my "penguin stash." Then there was your beautiful handmade Frida Kahlo card - exactly my vibe, I love it! The penguin goodie bag with the penguins and their fish snackles inside was adorable too. And then, moving to the "monsteroo" or cute monster section, I adored your Monsters Inc. letter and goodies as well! I especially liked hearing that, at the time you wrote it, you were feeling particularly well and accomplished, and I adored hearing how much carding has helped your outlook. SAME, FRIEND. So much so!!
u/feellikebeingajerk (x2) - Holly Hobbie card (the first, maybe?) has arrived! And yes, it brought back awesome memories. I didn't get a lot of "trendy" things growing up, as my parents and I didn't have a lot of money, but there was a discount department store near us, sort of an early version of a T.J. Maxx or Ross that was called Hills, and it would sometimes get slight misprints or seconds of things like bedding, which is, I am -positive-, how I came to be able to have Holly Hobbie. And I don't remember anything "wrong" with it, so, way to go, Mom of PinkPengin, for that find! LOL. Also, thanks for the cool Papyrus thank-you card from your random offer, and for the stickers!
u/fieldofcabins - This adorable bee thank-you postcard is so great (and the penguin as the stamp image, ahhh!) I am glad your dad is healing and please let him know I'm still thinking of him. (And of course I'm always thinking of you, too!)
u/GizmoDOS - Thanks for the solar system postcard, friend! I loved hearing from you. Life really has been hectic lately. I hope yours is moving in the direction of settling down. Mine is going to be rough briefly but then hopefully a lot smoother!
u/hermitcreature - I love this Studio Ghibli-themed card and all the great stickers and dragon facts from your book (and the amazing Zimbabwean owl stamp)! I hope you will like your card from me in exchange when it arrives - I just sent it this week, I am very sorry!
u/HexagonalRainbow - I loved your anime postcard but even more, I loved hearing about your concert!
u/isar-love (x2) - These cartoon owls with their hats and shoes on your card from March are AMAZING! (And the accompanying postcard with more behatted owls also made my day!) I agree with you very much that owl facial expressions are the thing that especially warms my heart to them. They seem so intelligent and curious and often kind (especially in illustrations) with their big eyes looking right at me! I have several little stuffed-animal friend owls, including two very special ones named Swoops (who is tan) and Fwoops (who is pink, though his name reference is from fuschia - he is a "Fuschia Swoops" - way better than a Pink Swoops, who I fear would have to be "Poops," LOL!) Thank you so much for your wonderful kindness and friendship and fun mail!
u/jaimekj - Thank you for the floral card, great stickers and most importantly your note and your friendship! I do like New Mexico (more than my part of the Southwest, honestly, but we had family reasons we picked where we did)! I'm crossing my fingers about an interest-rate drop. If I had my choice, I'd either like to find someone bigger in Washington, or move back to Pennsylvania, I think. There are ups and downs to both. And I will VERY much hate going back to snow, that's one thing I do love about where I am in the desert!
u/jvanct88 - I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to have a letter from you with an update (and updated address), dear friend! In one way, I am VERY sorry for all the things you have been finding out, but in another way I am happy that you finally know the truth and I believe that knowing it will be very helpful in having closure and a good feeling as you move to a new chapter in your life. And I am VERY hopeful that your tattoo came out amazing! I am a big, big fan of tattoos and piercings. A funny story is that I got 2 new tattoos and several piercings when my wife and I were separated, including a nosering, which she always said she hated. (She didn't mind other tattoos and piercings generally.) When we got back together, she apologized for ever saying that, and said how good it looks on me. That was nice, but I very plainly also told her, "I wouldn't care even if you hate it, because I love it and I'm keeping it forever." LOL! Anyway, I love this dinosaur princess cactus card and I am very happy to hear from you and will write to you again soon!
u/KatDuq (x3) - My dear friend!! This butterfly card you made to thank me for MY card in honor of your new letter opener is beautiful (as are the included penguin stickers, which are beautiful, of course!) I also loved your separate letter talking about the things you make. I do journal, sometimes, but I suffer from the problem of all notebook and journal-havers... I hate to USE the beautiful books I have lest I "mess them up!" What really helped me get out of that mindset somewhat was actually the Happy Planner notebooks, because I felt like I could always remove pages and rearrange! And now I am getting into bookbinding and I feel like that helps too because I can more easily make things "modular" and not have the fear of ruining a whole gigantic book right off the bat. I know that's perfectionism talking and I am working on getting rid of that mindset altogether, but for now, baby steps. And HUGE congrats on what you've sold, you definitely have a customer in me if you get an online store set up! Finally, thank you for the lovely oracle reading, which (unsurprisingly) was just what I needed to hear now, tonight, as I write this! I specifically didn't look closely at it until now because I figured I'd see it when the time was right and... yup. I did. You are amazing and I appreciate you sharing your beautiful new deck with me. (And that logo stamp you got! SO worth it, it looks amazing!)
u/littlemermaidxx - Your Pride Is Everyday postcard is beautiful - thank you so much! I have Pride happy mail coming your way too.
u/maiiiu (x3) - WOW, you are way too kind to me!! What an adorable thank-you postcard, first of all. And I adored your wonderful handmade penguin collage thank-you card too, and loved hearing the good news about your summer trip plans. I hope it is a truly special time for you and your dear best friend! And then this custom penguin stationery... WOW. You are just amazing and I am very grateful! (Also, the way you attached your sticker gifts in your collage card was great, I might steal that method.)
u/melhen16 - Where did you find this amazing desert-post-office-style card? Did you make it? It's amazing! (And thank you for the beautiful stickers, too!)
u/mumbagoespainting (x3) - Your handmade hometown card is so beautiful, my friend! I loved hearing how you learned to say it. (I admit - I get that one wrong on the first try and have to correct myself every time, despite being from not terribly far south, where we heard it more than occasionally!) And your watercolor dragon is absolutely fabulous!! I loved hearing that we have very similar color tastes - purples, grays, teal! Seeing the dragon pick up those colors was perfect. Finally, your black-and-white abstract card with the glitter made me smile, though I was sad to read about why you had to miss the trip... I hope you are feeling better! And, of course, thank you again for all your stickers and other extras and most importantly for your kindness and friendship. I am beyond grateful for you!!
u/ninajyang - I like the crafty postcard from Pipsticks! And yeah... Hairspray... love the music, definitely not sure about some other things... sigh.
u/nirelleth - I absolutely adore this great penguin and fox postcard for our "wish" exchange! I hope you like yours when it arrives, too. (I just sent it last week, I am so sorry for the wait!) I think my favorite fact about penguins is that they are not all polar; in fact, some of my favorites are temperate ones. (I say, in fact, that I myself am a "temperate pengin!")
u/non_avian (x3) - I am VERY sorry this has taken me so long to write (and even to open and fully enjoy). Your handmade Scoffby postcard with my past-present-future reading was absolutely amazing and is going on my "display shelf" of some of my most treasured cards! I need to know how you made his crystal ball, which is gorgeous! Also, please tell Scoffby that I am very much food-motivated (in fact, I just bribed myself tonight with hibachi). So, his signature chant is VERY well-placed when directed at me. I also adored your letter and the cute paper it was written on, and I am thrilled about the Furby washi card and all the goodies, too! I had no idea that Furby washi even existed, though I guess I shouldn't be surprised... and the capy noodles sticker and adorable penguins and everything else... I am so grateful. I have some mail coming your way very soon; all the "parts" are ready, I just need to put them together and actually get it sent!
u/Peonynote (x2) - Your cat thank-you card was adorable and most importantly, I am so excited for all your travels (and I LOVED seeing your penguin friends together!) And the lovely rainbow card with penguin stickers and super-cute penguin sticky note, in honor of Pride Month, made my day! I hope your walking is going well, still, now that it's getting warmer and stickier.
u/ResidentComposer1939 - I loved your sweet bird notecard and your penguin drawing (it's WAY better than my drawings, let me tell you!)
u/SherlockLady (x3) - Your beautiful butterfly card was lovely as it was, and then I saw the cute mini-card with the reminder about being the happiest/healthiest version of myself, AND the special penguin painting from your young carding apprentice... and wow, I just felt so special! What an awesome gift.
u/soft_distortion - This Gender Is Such a Drag postcard is perfecttttttttt. I loved hearing about the drag brunches too!
u/thecalendonianrose - This square penguin card is amazing and I am so grateful that you thought of sending it to me! (And all the stickers are lovely, thank you!) My wife and allllll the kitties say hello back.
u/TigerLady13 - This is definitely a late thanks, I apologize! But I appreciated the vintage Continental Divide postcard and the "Peng-Win" pun... made me giggle!
u/TyeDyeAmish - I love this pufferfish card, and I have really enjoyed getting to chat with you recently! Most importantly, how was the book sale?! I'm fairly certain it's one I've been to in the past, based on the date you said you were going, and I miss it and a few others in the area so much!
u/umeshufan - Why, yes, this Cat Island postcard DOES look like my house, and yes, there are really 19 inside, and even funnier, YES, I am allergic to cats. The thing is, you do build up a tolerance to ones you are around regularly, but when I travel and then come back, it is truly a nightmare. Thankfully I almost never let any in my bedroom and never to sleep, so I can at least breathe overnight!
u/wabisabi_sf (x2) - My friend, I am in awe of these amazing pink-and-penguin-themed pieces of happy mail!! I had never seen these before and I am DEFINITELY going to be getting more. You are so wonderful to me!
u/welshfancy (x5) - Thanks for the Laughlin postcard (very belatedly)! Your trip to Long Beach sounds almost as multi-stop as my recent cards' journeys to you, though thankfully you didn't need your passport, at least?! And thank you also for the amazing handmade "blooms" collage card (which, as far as I'm concerned, is appropriate for spring OR summer, so it seems perfectly timed to me); the great cat mini-card that you wrote while either eating breakfast or getting your tires changed on your travels; the penguin-with-J-based-life-preserver doodle (which I thought was GREAT, so don't even say it's worse than your others, which I also liked!); and your lovely letter on penguin paper, plus of course the bonus stationery! You spoil me!! I'm thinking of you as you try to decide "what's next" locationally, too.
u/yetanotherblankface - I think your beautiful handmade card for the "Hometown" meta challenge is giving exactly the right vibes! It certainly made me feel cozy and relaxed, which is the feeling I'd most like to associate with home.
u/yviantics - Your hand-drawn Pink Party Penguin postcard with its lovely hat, and the great penguin sticker, absolutely made my day!! I do not draw well at all and I am always amazed when people who can will share their talent with me. Thank you so, so much! (And, by the way, I tried the bananas-and-barbecue-chips combo and was really surprised at how good it was, so thanks for that, too!)
u/56thorns and u/UseYourRuler - Thank you for the wonderful postcard from the "Falls!" My wife and I were there to ring in the New Year for 2019 and I've been a couple other times too. Such a lovely place for a getaway, and it sounds like you had fun!
u/todayisfab, u/sebisrude and u/KeenEvergreen - In my stack of not-thanked-yet mail I found my very own postcard from our meetup, and it made me smile all over again. Thank you all so much, again, for a fun day. And to whichever of you put penguin stickers on this along with the cacti - I am super impressed that you pulled that off without me noticing, they are WAY too cute.

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Summer is formerly then!!!!! Summer camps have everything rolled into one that offers an occasion for children to play and have fun while exploring and learning precious skills.Summer camp is a special place where children come together to have fun while literacy. Within the summer camp setup, kiddies develop a sense of freedom as they try on new adventures and creative conditioning. Summer camps are known for furnishing a safe terrain where kiddies gain tone- confidence as they learn new chops.
Summer camp is important because it frequently provides a structured occasion for children to grow. kiddies go from home to academy to extracurriculars, with each terrain contributing to their development. In addition, camp provides another unique venue for growth, allowing kiddies to come independent and tone-confident, while fraternizing, making new -and learning newskills.Summer camps allow kiddies to explore new openings, spend time in a new terrain and try new effects, which are the stylish ways to develop their tone- confidence and independence.
Summer camps give children experience and an advantage in academy and in life. Why is Summer Camp Important?
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• Enhance Social Chops and Build New gemütlichkeit
• Reduces Screen Time and Provides Exercise
• Supports Learning, Growth, and Development
• Teamwork
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• Fostering Creativity
• Build Confidence and Independence

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• Summer Camp
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I think Average rating on RTgets closer to metacritic scores and can help put in perspective that a lot of critics are giving this a three out of five. I mean if may not mean reviews improve with the wider release however, I think it also shows it’s OK to go into this film expecting something OK. Transformers only has 13 reviews but clearly started with an audience wanting to call a 3 out of 5 film fresh by the franchise standard.
I just wish Disney had approached this with more care because I think we want Indy films to succeed, but also be a great time, because most other adventure films often imitate but don’t capture the same feeling!

Acne is a common skin condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is caused by a combination of factors, including excess oil production, bacteria, and inflammation. There are many different treatments available for acne, including over-the-counter (OTC) medications, prescription medications, and home remedies.
Metasol Gel is an OTC medication that is used to treat acne. It contains the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide, which is a topical antibiotic that kills bacteria that can contribute to acne. Metasol Gel is also a keratolytic, which means that it helps to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. This can help to unclog pores and reduce inflammation.
Metasol Gel is generally effective in reducing acne and breakouts. However, it is important to note that it may take several weeks or even months to see results. It is also important to use Metasol Gel consistently to get the best results.
Metasol Gel is generally safe for most people to use. However, it can cause some side effects, such as dryness, itching, and redness. It is important to talk to your doctor if you experience any side effects that are bothersome or do not go away.
If you are considering using Metasol Gel to treat acne, it is important to talk to your doctor first. They can help you determine if Metasol Gel is the right treatment for you and can answer any questions you have about the medication.

Here are some additional tips for using Metasol Gel:

• Wash your face with a gentle cleanser twice a day.
• Apply Metasol Gel to the affected areas of your face and neck after washing.
• Let Metasol Gel dry completely before applying makeup.
• Avoid using other acne treatments on the same areas of your face at the same time as Metasol Gel.
• If you experience any side effects, such as dryness, itching, or redness, stop using Metasol Gel and talk to your doctor.

Metasol Gel can be an effective treatment for acne. However, it is important to use it correctly and to talk to your doctor before using it.
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How could any parent raise a violent hand to their kids?
I grew up in a straightforward house… mom and dad and two siblings. My mom was amazing and busted her ass. My dad, in my opinion, was an often nasty selfish asshole. And most times we did something he didn’t like, we’d get a whacking. If he wasn’t in the mood for that then a tirade of name calling and screaming might suffice. I don’t remember a positive conversation or a hug, but I remember getting plenty of hard slaps for this and that, or for nothing at all.
I know I’m not the only guy on here who grew up with that… style of parenting (??). And I know many of you dudes probably had it far worse. I’m not trying to make a sob story.
But it plays on my mind now because I have my own. I hold my little baby in my arms or we smile and giggle together and it’s my whole world. I daydream about all the adventures we, hopefully, can have and all the fun and learning and love that awaits. And I cannot ever fathom a situation in which I would ever raise my hand to correct my child. Or tell them things to destroy their confidence. I want to build my child up. I want to fill their life with as much wonder and joy and silliness and love as I can.
As a kid I believed my mom when she said “your dads like that because his dad was”. Well I’m not like that. And my siblings aren’t. It’s a shitty excuse. But I believed it because I knew no better.
Now when I look at my child that excuse rings around my head as bullshit louder than ever. I don’t know what the point of this post is , but seriously… How?

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Europe has for some time been a fantasy objective for understudies looking for experience, social submersion, and extraordinary encounters. Europe provides student travelers with a diverse and enticing landscape of historic landmarks, vibrant cities, breathtaking landscapes, and rich heritage. We will explore the world of student travel in Europe in this blog post, highlighting the advantages of student travel packages and highlighting the top destinations that cater to young travelers' wanderlust.

1. The Perks of Student Travel Packages:

Student travel packages are itineraries that have been carefully crafted to provide an immersive and cost-effective travel experience. These bundles frequently consolidate convenience, transportation, and directed visits, making it more straightforward for understudies to explore their direction through Europe's tremendous scenes. The following advantages are available to students who select a student travel package:
- Value for money: Discounts on student packages frequently ensure that young travelers can still afford to travel.
- Ease of Use: Students are freed up to concentrate on exploring and making memories because packages take care of the details, like lodging and transportation.
- Security and Help: Understudy travel bundles give a degree of safety and help, guaranteeing that understudies feel sure and upheld all through their excursion.
- Immersion in the Culture: Local experiences and escorted tours are frequently included in packages, providing insight into the diverse cultures, customs, and history of the destination.

1. Student Travel Europe Destinations:

a. Spain's Barcelona: Barcelona is a popular destination for student travelers due to its vibrant energy, stunning architecture, and breathtaking beaches. Barcelona offers the ideal blend of culture, adventure, and relaxation, from seeing the famous works of Gaudi to eating tapas and enjoying the city's lively nightlife.
b. The Czech capital of Prague: Students from all over the world are captivated by Prague's fairytale-like charm and rich history. Students will be immersed in a truly magical experience as they explore Prague's Old Town's medieval streets, visit Prague Castle, and sample traditional Czech cuisine.
c. The Netherlands' Amsterdam: Amsterdam is a popular destination for students traveling because of its picturesque canals, historic buildings, and vibrant culture. Highlights of this singular and dynamic city include touring the city's famous museums, biking along the canals, and experiencing the lively atmosphere of Dam Square.
d. Greece's Athens: For history lovers, Athens offers an unmatched excursion through old development. Students can take in the iconic Acropolis, the fascinating archaeological sites, the Mediterranean charm, and the hospitality and food of Greece.
e. Germany's Berlin: Berlin is a vibrant mix of culture, art, and nightlife in a city steeped in history and innovation. Through the Berlin Wall, world-class museums, and the thriving alternative scene, students can learn about the city's divided past.
Student travel in Europe opens up a universe of experience, learning, and social submersion. Students can embark on a cost-effective and well-organized journey by selecting student travel packages, allowing them to explore iconic locations and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Starting preschool is a significant milestone in a child's life, and it is natural for parents to feel anxious about their child's transition. However, with some preparation, parents can help ease the transition and ensure their child has a positive and successful experience.
Adopting a positive attitude is the first step in preparing your child for preschool. Children pick up on their parent's emotions, so it's essential to approach this new experience with excitement and enthusiasm. Talk to your child about all the fun things they will learn and the new friends they will make. Encourage your child to see preschool as an adventure and an opportunity to grow and learn.
Familiarizing your child with the school is another essential step. Arrange a visit to the school with your child, and let them explore the environment. Show them where the classrooms and bathrooms are located and where they will eat snacks and lunch. Introduce your child to the teachers and let them ask any questions they may have. This will help your child feel more comfortable and confident on their first school day.
Practice separation with your child before they start preschool. Start by leaving your child with a trusted caregiver for a short period, and gradually increase the time as your child becomes more comfortable. This will help your child develop coping skills and feel more secure when they start preschool.
Encourage your child to do things independently, such as dressing, using the bathroom, and packing their backpack. Preschool is a time when children start to develop their independence and self-confidence. By encouraging independence before starting preschool, your child will feel more confident and capable when they start preschool.
Children thrive on routine and structure. Establishing a routine at home can help your child prepare for the structure of preschool. Set regular times for meals, naps, and bedtime. This will help your child feel more secure and comfortable starting preschool.
Communication between parents and teachers is essential for a successful preschool experience. Before your child starts preschool, introduce yourself to the teacher and let them know about any special needs or concerns your child may have. Attend parent-teacher conferences and keep in touch with the teacher throughout the year. This will help you stay informed about your child's progress and address any concerns as they arise.
Choosing a quality preschool is also crucial. Inventure PreSchool is one of the best preschools in Whitefield and understands the importance of a child's early education and has designed its curriculum to cater to your little ones' needs. Their programs combine the best of traditional and progressive learning models, giving children a solid academic foundation while promoting personal development. Focusing on multiple intelligences, they encourage children to question and explore the world around them. Their Beyond Academics programs also help children develop interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills, fostering overall development.
Preparing your child for preschool is essential to their academic journey. Adopting a positive attitude, familiarizing your child with the school, practicing's separation, encouraging independence, creating a routine, reading books about starting preschool, and communicating with the teacher can help ensure that your child has a positive and successful start to their academic journey. Remember to be patient and supportive, and choose a quality preschool like Inventure PreSchool for your child's early education.

After 5 weeks of dealing with bluehost, over server issues and terrifying customer support. Finally fixed that, a 2 day adventure which was over 8 hours on phone support to move a domain over to another account... total failure, time wasted, their customer support was just lacking in any training for this.
THEN.... I found a $710CAD ($540USD) charge. They charged me for 3 years renewal without my consent, without notifying (NO, I did not get an email of any kinnd before, during or after as a receipt or order confirmation). I was put thru to their "billing", created a ticket, I have received THREE scripted responses all saying the same nonsense, not one single rep actually looking at records and looking thru the problem. I actually sense that they dont even understand what I'm trying to explain.
DO NOT USE BLUEHOST!

Homebrew: Kingmaker Faerun For centuries, the western heartlands had never been to home to a unified kingdom. The separate but amenable towns along the Trade Way and Uldoon Trail existing in relative peace and reservation from one another. This dynamic changed after the Tormish clerics and paladins of Elturel united the surrounding towns and villages into the Kingdom of Two Suns, Elturgard. Now more Kingdoms form, and Waterdeep looks to expand its influence on the Western Heartlands. You and nearby nobles, warriors, adventurers, and anyone willing to risk their life, heeds the call of the Kingmaker. A charter is formed, and you and your allies prepare to lay claim to the heartlands and build your own kingdom! This campaign will range from lvl 1-20, your party will be tasked with clearing out the heartlands nearby threats, building a kingdom, and dealing with the politics of nearby kingdoms. As you progress you'll unlock magics, discovering magic secrets lost to time, acquire ancient magical items, and mold Faerun to your liking. Slots Available: 0/6 (6 seats Available) System Used: 5e & Homebrew supplements. Style: Kingdom building, Strategic combats, Heavy Roleplay, Political Intrigue, Exploration and Camping, Crafting and Discovering Formulas, and much more! Session Duration: 3-4 Hours per session with a 20 minute break. Schedule: Saturday @ 6pm est / Session 0 Requirements: FoundryVTT / Discord / DnDbeyond / SPG accounts (all free) https://startplaying.games/adventure/clijtlfva000m08l6e1ar9c8s About me: I'm DM Nick aka Bludelf. I've been running 5e adventures for over 3 years on foundry and spg! You can check out gameplay of my module and homebrew games at https://www.twitch.tv/bludelf . I bring roleplay voices, character emotions, detailed maps, detailed plots, backstory development, and a great environment for you to fully enjoy the game itself!

In the quiet corner of the country, beyond the cascading corn fields and the monotonous drone of cicadas, nestled my hometown, a place familiar with the rhythms of time and change. I, an ordinary young man with extraordinary ambitions, had been on a personal quest for self-improvement. For six relentless weeks, I had been treading the path of discipline, working hard, exercising, and eating healthy. It was as though I had been harnessing a latent energy within me, cultivating an inner strength that lay dormant, only to be awakened by sheer will and determination.
This journey had a purpose - to redefine my existence, to step beyond the boundaries of my own comfort zone. With a sense of accomplishment, a sense of readiness, I decided to venture into an unfamiliar world - a nightclub just outside my hometown.
Nightclubs, I had been warned, were vortexes of hedonism. Yet, I saw them as portals into a realm of human connection, mysterious and enchanting in their own way. Stepping through the strobing neon entrance that night, a surge of exhilaration rushed through me. It was as if I had become an embodiment of raw, unadulterated energy.
People swirled around me in a colorful, frenetic haze. The pulsating music was like a heartbeat, throbbing in the underbelly of the club. A playful smile danced on my lips, a manifestation of the spunk and vitality I had cultivated. Faces, names, stories - I was in a sea of fascinating individuals, each with their own allure.
The night unfurled like a dream. I felt a magnetic pull, a connection that I had never experienced before. It was as though I had unknowingly tapped into an unseen force, the universe's own network of charisma and charm.
Among the myriad faces, one particular man stood out. Towering and mysterious, he approached me with a peculiar curiosity. Mistaking me for an actor from NCIS, he was intrigued. My sister, always a co-conspirator in my adventures, and I decided to play along with the masquerade. The thrill of pretending, the power of a story spun in the moment, was intoxicating.
He claimed to be a producer, convinced of my 'talent', and we commemorated our encounter with a photograph. A promise to be in touch echoed in my ears as he disappeared into the crowd.
The night held more surprises. A young woman, her eyes gleaming with ambition, requested a picture with me for her business. It was an unexpected but intriguing proposition. I found myself in the unexpected role of a model, swept up in the whirlwind of her entrepreneurial spirit.
Throughout the night, I noticed the glances from the crowd, the nods of acknowledgement, and the hints of interest. The magnetism was tangible, an electrifying undercurrent that I had never felt before.
I stood there, awash in the neon lights, my heart pounding to the rhythm of the music, reflecting on the remarkable shift that had occurred within me. The man I was a year ago could never have predicted this scene, this change, this moment of triumph. This night was a testament to my journey, a testament to the power of transformation. It wasn't merely about venturing into a nightclub or being mistaken for an actor - it was about witnessing the metamorphosis of my own identity, and truly feeling the exhilarating freedom that comes with embracing change.

It was dark, if it wasn't for the fact that I still felt pain, if it wasn't for the fact that I could feel myself being moved, I would have assumed I was dead.
Andreas was a good friend of mine, he and I met during a high school biology experiment, one that was about how blood type was tested. I was O-, and so was he. I remembered how we were the only ones in the class with that blood type, it was probably the strangest foundation for a friendship I'd ever had.
Andreas was, and still remained, my best friend, always sticking by my side even when people tried their damnedest to split us up. Any significant other he had, who demanded he cut me out of his life, he immediately dropped.
"I do not betray my friends." These were always the words he spoke.
I felt a warm hand on mine. I knew who it was, simply because we were out and about, a night on the town, celebrating graduating college. He stepped away just for a moment, just to get some snacks for him and I.
Neither of us could have imagined I was going to get mugged immediately afterward.
The man stabbed me in the gut, I began to bleed out as he rifled through my pockets, I didn't even have my wallet on me, it was completely pointless. I don't really know what happened next, all I knew was he was pressing something against my wound, telling me it was going to be okay.
"Jake." I remembered him say. "I can save you, but there's something you need to know. The life you live will end, there will be no going back."
I don't recall what he said after that, all I remember was mumbling something.
I remembered the feeling of fire in my veins, a heat that spread throughout my body, that brought a kind of agony I hadn't anticipated. But, I was still alive.
"Jake." I opened my eyes to see Andreas looking at me. "It's going to be okay, I'm here for you. We'll make it through this."
I passed in and out of consciousness, yet even in those moments of being dead to the world, I still felt that sensation of fire being injected into my veins, I simply got used to the pain.
I was discharged, once it was clear I wasn't going to die, I just had to be a little careful with my stitches was all. Andreas was quiet the entire drive, every now and then, he looked at me, there was guilt and worry in his eyes.
"It's not your fault." I said.
He didn't respond.
I was a bit surprised when he pulled into his driveway, I'd only been here a few times, back when his family lived in town, before they moved. It was on the edge of a forest, there were miles of land before it crossed into state park territory.
"I'll be fine." Andreas said softly. "He'll be okay."
He wasn't listening to me when I told him things were alright. "After all, I'm pretty sure you were the one who saved my life."
He looked at me. "You don't remember?" He asked, he'd gone pale.
"I mean, unless there was another O- around, you're the most likely one who donated to keep my dying ass alive." I playfully elbowed him. "C'mon, I'm alive, you're alive, that's all that really matters."
"Yeah." He said, nodding. He didn't sound convinced.
If it were anyone else, I'd be extremely concerned, but Andreas had always been a worrywart, always checking to make sure I was alright, always making sure I was healthy.
I always appreciated the effort he took to ensure my comfort.
He set me up in his old room, "It's familiar." He said. "You should be fine in here." I just took his worrying in stride, he'd eventually calm down, he'd apologize for freaking out, and we'd continue, life as usual.
The wound healed, of course, getting the stitches out sucked, but as the doctor said, "You're a quick healer."
Even though I was fine, Andreas insisted I say for a while longer. "I've got a family reunion soon, everyone wants to see you again."
Thus, I stayed.
One night, I just couldn't get to sleep. Andreas was having trouble sleeping as well. "I know it's a bit soon, but d'you want to go on a walk?"
"Yeah." He said. That honestly surprised me, I'd expected him to say, 'absolutely not', but he was calm. We got out the old flashlights and we took the trail, like we used to as kids. Andreas' folks had always insisted on him knowing how to take care of himself, even as teenagers, he knew his way around the woods, even at night, he had this unerring sense of direction, even though I'd get lost easily.
The trail was calm, there were bugs making noises, as usual. After basically being cooped up for weeks, healing and recovering, it felt comforting.
Welcoming.
I remembered this trail as clearly as he did, within moments, we were out in the clearing, the same one that his family held picnics in. It was peaceful, well-lit by the full moon.
"Jake." He said. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry for wha-?"
I felt that fire again, the pain turned my question into a pain cry. I heard the sound of bones creaking, popping and cracking, I watched as Andreas began to change. His fingernails lengthened, grew thicker, just as mine did. Thick hair began to sprout across his body, just as it did for me. His skull shifted and twisted, becoming less human, more lupine. Just like mine.
Oh, shit. That's what he meant.
The pain rocked my body, the fire growing hotter and hotter as I felt like my thoughts were being drowned out by something pained, something angry.
Something primal.
A bloodcurdling growl escaped my lips, as the werewolf my friend had become stood over me. He knelt beside me, his eyes no less wild than the instincts raging within me. I lashed out when he reached for me, my claws slicing through his flesh with far more ease than I expected, the parallel slashes slowly and visibly knitting together.
He took hold of me, I could smell a sweet, earthy aroma emanating from him, and I felt myself beginning to calm. He raised his head to the sky and led out a piercing howl, one that I couldn't resist the urge to join in on, followed by many more.
Werewolves, at least a dozen of them, entered the clearing, all of them gathering around us, around me. Clawed hands reached out and touched me, soft tongues licked my fur, at least two actually hugged me.
Andreas let go of me as the other Werewolves began to head toward the forest, he started after them, then looked back and gestured for me to follow.
I did.
I can't describe the sense of joyous freedom I felt, running through the forest with them. I was awkward, tripping over myself, but they never outran me, they were always ready to help me up before we continued running.
One of them startled a deer from its hiding place, and pure instinct took over as I chased after, our barking filled the night as we chased it down.
I was the one that tackled it, I was the one who bit down on its throat, swallowing the chunk of meat I tore free without hesitation. I felt proud of my kill, felt satisfied as they joined in, until there was only bone and blood, and even then, we picked apart the skeleton, chewing on the bones.
When we started moving again, I followed without hesitation, and was surprised when we found our way to the clearing once more.
That wave of heat overwhelmed me once more, as the sun began to rise, and within minutes, I was sat on the ground, back to human.
I looked back, the Werewolves were still in wolf form, except Andreas, who was just as naked as I was.
"They can't change back." He said. "The more you transform, the more you change, the more remains. There comes a point where you just have to embrace the change, let it remain." He gently scratched behind the Werewolves' ears, they leaned into his touch, each one hugged him, gave his face a lick, before they ran back into the wild.
"This is permanent." I said.
He nodded. "I told you, but you must not have been in your right mind." He looked at me. "You consented, but I made the choice to give my blood to you. I made the choice to save your life, not knowing if you really understood." He approached me and hugged me. "I'm sorry."
I hugged him back. "I don't mind." I said. "To be honest, I used to wish Werewolves were real so I could join them, so there's that dream come true."
He laughed at my blatant lie. "Please, you couldn't stand to be around a normal dog, let alone a wolf." He let go and rest his hands on my shoulders. "We've got around sixty years to live as Humans, though, around the forty year mark, we'll need to be careful." He paused. "Also, do not go to a furry convention. You were safe because we were there, without guidance, you would have been a feral man-killing beast. Understood?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I understand."
He smiled. "Alright. Let's get back and eat some breakfast."
He got into a bag I hadn't noticed, pulled out some spare clothes, and tossed them to me. Once dressed in somewhat oversized clothes, we headed back.
In spite of the fear I had felt, I was okay with this.

Chapter 1 - Stranger
When Daglan woke up that morning he didn't see anything unusual. He had awoken from a drop of water falling from the ceiling as he did many mornings. His best friend Rozere was in the kitchen with her father cooking what smelled of eggs. The sun was shining through the cracks in the curtains and holes in the walls as it always did. What felt different? Then he heard voices outside, voices that grew louder and louder. At this point Rozere and her father Koshu had heard the commotion as well and stepped outside to see what it was. Daglan hastily followed suit, after finding his tunic and boots.
Lying on the ground outside was a young man, no older than 25. He lay face up in the dirt wearing only baggy purple pants and a black conical hat covering his face. His long black hair seemed to be tied at the base of his head in a long spiky ponytail, his slender muscular body was covered in dozens of battle scars, and at his waist was a black katana with its sword tied firmly inside its sheath. Almost the entire town had crowded around him, murmuring and shifting anxiously. It wasn't often people arrived in town, mostly just traders on their way to and from Inoris, and that too was a rarity.
"Back now people, give this man some room! And for the love of Reza, quiet!" Barked Doc Silvis as she pushed through the crowd. She immediately knelt down and felt his neck with her fingers. She paused for a moment and gave a very annoyed sigh, slapping away his hat. "He's alive alright. This dumbass is sleeping in the street." She gave the stranger a hard slap across the face, one that would have probably knocked him out, had he been awake. The crowd watched in awe as he yawned and scratched his nose, barely affected by Silvis.
"What should we do?" Someone asked.
"Do you know who he is?" Asked another.
As the murmurs heighted Daglan could tell Silvis was getting fired up, over the years Daglan had gotten to know Silvis quite well, with all his escapades outside the town walls. Daglan knew better than anyone that Silvis hated when a patient ignored her, and more so when she had to repeat herself.
"I said quiet! Don't you lazy bums have more important things to do?! Livani! Koreso! Aren't you two on watch?! Scram the lot of you!" A wave of fear crashed down upon the crowd and everyone began to disperse. All but Daglan, as Rozere pulled on his sleeve.
"Come on Daglan," she hissed, keeping an eye on Silvis like she was some wild animal, "You don't want to make her angrier."
"I'll be fine," he whispered, without looking back, his eyes stuck on the sleeping man. What was this feeling? It was like the feeling he got when Silvis healed his wounds, but not as warm. Almost closer to the feeling he got when abominations were near, when he ventures past the walls, but not as malicious. Before he knew it he was kneeling next to Silvis, watching her run her hand across his body, her hands glowing faintly, his curiosity bubbling.
"He isn't cursed or hypnotized, I can't feel a single thing wrong with him. I do believe this man is really just asleep, and slept through a slap in the face." Silvis sighed. After a few moments she looked at Daglan with a tired smile, then frowned. "Thanks for being quite Daglan, now since you're gonna bum around, get to work hauling this bastard back to my infirmary and don't let him out of your sight. I want to know as soon as he wakes up."
Daglan looked around to ask Rozere for help but she was already gone, how long had he been watching this stranger and Silvas? He looked down at the smiling, snoring face of the stranger, scooped under his arms, and with much difficulty began dragging the older, bigger boy to the infirmary.
The infirmary was quiet today, there hadn't been a major abomination attack in quite a few weeks which didn't happen often. It wasn't long before Rozere came in with a grimace on her face and her fingers on her nose.
"Honestly," she said in that strange nasally voice when you hold your nose, "I hate how much time you make me spend here. Between you getting hurt and my dad making me help Silvas, I can't get away!" She plopped down next to him and sighed. "So what's with this guy? Why are you still here with him?"
"Silvas asked me to watch him and tell her when he wakes up. Apparently I can't let him leave till she talks to him." He shrugged, trying more to convince himself. She eyed him suspiciously, but immediately dropped the subject.
"Did you notice his sword was tied closed? I wonder what that's about?" She reached out and placed a hand on his sword, and just then the weird energy the stranger gave off changed from similar to those of the abominations , to even scarier than anything he'd ever felt from them. Rozere fell to her knees and screamed as the stranger stood over her. When had he stood up?! Daglan shot to his feet, a smile ripping across his face as excitement crackled through his body. He prepared to defend his friend, when just as quickly as the evil energy had manifested, it disappeared. In fact the feeling Daglan had been getting from the stranger had all but subsided completely.
He stared at Daglan and Rozere with a confused look. When Rozere had eventually stopped screaming, Daglan held out his hand to help her up. Daglan’s mind raced with questions but could he do nothing but stare at the stranger as he stared back.
“Uh, hello-” he began and just then Silvas and Koshu burst through the door with Livani and Koreso close behind. Koshu sprang in between Rozere and the stranger, towering over him.
"What did you do to my daughter!" He said through gritted teeth. The stranger scratched the back of his head and opened his mouth when Rozere spoke up,
"It was nothing dad, he just woke up and scared me! Look at me I'm fine, now would you stop!" But Koshu didn't flinch, not until Silvas spoke up.
"Back off Koshu, Rozere is right, she's fine, and this boy is obviously no danger at the moment." He mumbled something under his breath but did as he was told . "Yeah, listen to Silvas and not me." Rozere grumbled, crossing her arms.
"Now listen here young lady, you will show your aunt some resp–" Koshu began but Silvas smacked him in the back of the head.
"Now isn't the time, Koshu, take her and go," she glared at the stranger, who was still smiling awkwardly and scratching the back of his head.
“Everyone out, now.”
"Uh, where am I? He eventually stammered.
"Daglan, out." Silvas said forcefully, without taking her eyes off the stranger. As well as Daglan knew Silvas, he'd never seen her this worked up, not even about the abominations . She was so strong-willed, so much more than anyone else in town. He had heard stories about Silvas, but only bits and pieces around town, probably all made up. Still there was one he heard more than others, he had heard before she lived in Graybarrow she had fought in some kind of war.
Daglan sat outside the infirmary trying to hear as much as he could. Wondering what could have gotten Silvas so worried, and if that man was even human. He could barely hear anything, mostly Silvas's mumbled questioning and the nervous laughter of the stranger. As he sat and pondered, an extremely tall, wide shouldered man sat down next to him and lit a cigarette. He had a long thick mustache that covered his upper lip but came down on the sides past his chin, and scruffy brown hair that stuck up at weird angles.
"Oh, hi Mr.Lucio." Daglan said as he pretended to have not been eavesdropping.
"I haven't seen you in class," he said as he blew out a cloud of smoke, "and I don't often see you hanging around here by choice." He continued to puff his cigarette as they sat in silence.
"Mr.Lucio… I can feel him like the abominations and Silvas's healing. What is he?"
"I'm not sure, from what I've heard he sounds human enough. What do you think?"
"I don't know… I think he's human? But why can I feel him?"
"There must be something similar between him, Silvas's healing, and the abominations from the mountains and forest, hmm?"
"I guess so…" They continued to sit in silence until Lucio had finished his cigarette.
"You can always talk to me if you need help, Daglan. You may like getting experience more, but a little book learning can go a long way." He stood up, pressing his cigarette out between his fingers and putting the butt in his pocket. "It's always good to see you, don't be a stranger." He said as he waved his hand walking away. Daglan thought about what Lucio had proposed, something similar. It didn't seem like Silvas or the stranger would be coming out soon so Daglan decided to go home and see what Rozere thought about all this.
When he did get home both Rozere and Koshu were in foul moods, having most likely fought since earlier. Deciding that he'd rather not be part of that, he grabbed his bag and scurried out the front door before Kusho had time to notice.
It's a short walk to the gate, the guards had patched up his last hole in the wall, but he had since come up with another, more thrilling way. Climbing up to the top of the traders hall, he'd be high enough to jump to the wall once the guards had passed. Then it was a quick jump down and a sprint out of their eyesight before he was able to relax. He walked along a path he knew quite well until he came up on a small ladder, it was built into a tree that led up to a small treehouse.
His exploration headquarters as he liked to call it. The inside was small and filled with trash, and his souvenirs from his adventures sat on a roughly made table. A small Salegitti skull, a broken dagger missing its tip, and a small crystal like rock that shown with faint yellow light. Next to them were three well worn books. He picked up the book titled journal and sat on the ground, scribbling furiously with a small piece of charcoal. He then began to study the other two, older, bigger books. One titled, Abominations of Hel’s Peaks, and the other, Creatures of South Shodun. Mr Lucio was right about book learning, but he liked his own books.
Back in town Rozere was wandering around with her hands behind her head, whistling to herself. “I wonder where Daglan is?” She pondered allowed, before realizing she had stopped in front of Silvas’s office. She stared at the large building with its off-white stone, and massive steel doors. There were various cracks and dents all along the wells and doors, as well as wooden planks over the windows, Silvas called them the clinic’s battlescars, there was nowhere safer to hide in the whole town.
She stared for a long time before realizing there was a man sitting in the grass, a large bottle of alcohol in one hand, and multiple empty bottles sitting neatly by his legs. His long spiky hair was a little cleaner, and the copious amounts of drool were now wiped away. His face was a bright red, and he had a cigarette hanging from his lips. He stared at her with a slight wobble,
“Hey… You're that girl that touched my sword right?” He took another large gulp from his bottle.
“Yeah? What of it?” She asked with defiance, her hands on her hips. He smiled a sickening smile and shot to his feet faster than Rozere could see.
“Why don't you try it again? Or will you simply scream for help? Little girls shouldn’t play with monsters.” He said as he towered over her. “Go ahead.” He lifted his arm in the air so his katana was unblocked. Rozere’s knees began to shake and a lump formed in her throat but she did not look away. She was an ant, and this man was a giant. She wasn't going to back down, but he could stand faster than she could see. Surely dropping his arm even faster would be no problem right? He was right, she wanted to scream, but she stood firm.
“Maybe I will!” She returned his malicious smile and reached out for his sword as fast as she could, bracing for the impact and the horrible crunch of bones as he grabbed her arm and snapped it in half. She flinched as her nerves went off, electric sensations coursing through her fingertips. It's happened! But what she felt wasn't pain, but the hard yet somehow soft grip of a katana hilt. She opened her eyes to see her hand firmly gripping his katana and a much more playful smile somehow even wider across this strange man’s face. He began to laugh loudly as she stumbled backwards and fell. He held out his hand, still giggling a little. She eyed him hard then after a moment smacked his hand away. She stood up, and began to brush herself off, glaring at him all the while. He apologized in between giggles.
“My name is Noboru, you've got quite the spirit to face me down. What's your name kid?” He asked as he sat back onto the grass and took another long swig from his bottle. Rozere straightened up and looked at him with a fiery gaze.
“Rozere of Grayborrow.” She said, crossing her arms. “And you dont scare me!”
“What are you yelling about Rozere?” Silvas asked as she appeared behind her. “You!” she exclaimed as she saw Noboru “Where did you get all of that from!? Rozere give me a hand and throw away these bottles would you?”
“She's already gone.” Noboru giggled. Silvas spun around to see that Rozere had indeed disappeared, as Noboru began to laugh louder. Rozere could hear the slap from across town as she sat against the traders hall. As she pondered just how big a lump must be on the side of Noboru's face, a ball smacked her’s.
“Hey who did that!?” She demanded as she hoped to her feat, tears forming in her eyes, which she quickly wiped away.
“Oh, sorry Rozere! I didn't mean to! Honest!” Said the boy as he ran up and grabbed his ball off the ground before the evil Rozere could kick it away, her foot swishing in the air. The boy was a few years younger than Rozere, had shaggy blonde hair, a tunic that was two sizes too big for him and a pair of round glasses broken in several spots.
“You better be sorry, pipsqueak!” she said, wiping her eyes and now running nose. “I'll have to beat you up if not!”
“Come on give Vilcus a break he said sorry. What are you doing over here by yourself anyways? Daglan run away again?” Said another girl with little blonde pigtails and red cheeks, as she came up behind Vilcus.
“Hi Meska and no he didn't run away again.” Rozere said, sticking her tongue out. “I just think he went for a walk is all… he'll be back… soon!” She crossed her arms and held her chin up. “Well why don't you come play with us until he gets back?” Meska asked, turning around and walking away, “We are playing dodgeball, maybe you can hit Vilcus in the face.”
“Hey nuh-uh! She won't hit me!” Vilcus persisted as he followed after her. Rozere sniffled, rubbed her nose with her sleeve, and smiled.
“Okay fine, but wait up!” She yelled.

As Daglan walked through the trees, he could feel the malicious energies from abominations all around him, it was making his blood boil. He remembered the stranger looking down at him and Rozere, overflowing with the most malicious intent he had ever felt. A smile began to creep across his face once more, as he could feel something close behind him. He spun around to see a creature he had only seen in books, the sight of which excited and terrified him. 

A giant humanoid creature with a long smooth snake-like torso, and grotesquely elongated arms and legs stood before him. It had a small pair of arms on its hips that bounced as if boneless, and a strange human face. Smooth indents of skin sat where the eyes should be, and it had a beak lined with razor teeth that jutted out at multiple angles. It clicked its tongue and sniffed the air then began to lick its beak with what could only be called a smile.
“What should I call you big fella?” Daglan asked nervously as excitement shot through his body. This wasn't like anything he'd ever encountered in the forest, or during attacks. This creature was much more dangerous. He gritted his teeth and forced an equally disgusting smile, even though he was sure the abomination couldn't see him. He pulled out the dagger he had smithed in secret at Koshu’s forge and dropped his stance lower, lower, lower. The creator was clicking and sniffing in anticipation, no doubt it could feel Daglan’s bloodlust.
Daglan took a slow step forward, then another. The creature's head tilted and it sniffed harder, then in a flash that Daglan couldn’t even see, it lashed out, slashing his shoulder apart. Adrenaline had already made its way to Daglan’s brain and he didn't even feel the warm blood soaking into his tunic or notice his limp arm flailing behind him as he attacked. He rolled under the creature’s arm and slashed at its ribs ripping its open sending its guts pouring out. It screamed in pain and whirled around, but its tall body and long arms whizzed over Daglan’s head. He rolled again, this time in between its legs, slashing at its knee, cutting down to the bone. It screamed again and fell to its knees with a gross squishy thud from one. It twitched and spazzed as it began twisting its body around in a disgusting manner.
Daglan approached cautiously, but the adrenaline had worn off and he looked down at his arm. It was almost completely blue, and the little skin and bone that held his arm to his body squirted copious amounts of blood. There was a blur then he was flying through the brush stopping when he thudden into a tree. His eyes began to blur with red, then black. The last thing he heard was a familiar voice...
“You are by far the most interesting of the bunch. Hey, can you hear me?”
When Deglan awoke he was looking at a ceiling he knew all too well. In a bed he had awoken in many times. But this time he couldn't move. “Silvas! What's happening?! Silvas! Rozere!” Daglan began to thrash when he heard that same voice.
“Hey hey hey! You're going to hurt yourself more than you already have!” When standing over him, blocking the light with his conical hat, was the stranger. “That was a nasty creature you were tangling with out there. I heard you like to fight but I'm guessing you've never seen a lasari before? Ugly things, and not easy to kill with small weapons if you don't know how.”
“I do know how.” Daglan said matter of factly, “They have two brains located behind the eye sockets.”
“Oh-ho-ho,” the stranger smiled maliciously, “ but how do you stop them from reproducing after that?” Daglan went silent for a moment. “What do you mean?"
“Lasari have a fun ability to reproduce from their corpse. Specifically, their heart has two eggs inside that will hatch if it ever stops beating. So to properly kill one you must burn the heart.” He laughed and presumably sat back down, out of Daglan’s eyesight. There was a slight pause and Daglan was about to speak when he heard a gasp and the stranger continued.
“Anyway, you almost lost your arm. Luckily, your doctor and blacksmith were able to fix you up, those two are something else. It'll take some time for your bo-” Daglan cut him off.
“What do you mean I almost lost my arm?! What did they do to me?!” He exclaimed, thrashing, memories of his broken and bleeding arm flashing through his mind.
“If you don't calm down, I will calm you down.” He said forcefully. “I hate babies. I thought you were supposed to be a tough kid? Now anyways it's just me and you here, everyone else is asleep, so please. I know you've heard of the metal prosthetics of this country, Metics, I think they're called? I’ve seen people in town with them. Well your blacksmith had to help your doctor make you a new shoulder.”
“So why are you being so helpful? I don't know you, and you feel the same as an abomination.” “See it's things like that!” He shot back up his face noticeably red.
“You're so interesting! I don't remember how I got here…” He scratched his head for a second, “but boy have I had fun since I've shown up!” Your girlfriend Rozere-”
“She's not my girlfriend, and you leave her alone!” He shouted.
“Well she's fearsome! And you’re so interesting too! Definitely the best five year o-”
“I’m twelve. Rozere is thirteen.”
“Well twelve then. Point is, I like you and your little girly friend, so I thought I'd help out and not let you die.” Then it dawned on Daglan, there was no way a search party found him like when he normally gets in a scap and passes. He had thoroughly lost and was deep in the woods. By all accounts he should be dead. Daglan was so angry he hadn't even thought about what happened afterwards.
“It was you. So what do you want from me? Are you some abomination loo-” This time the stranger cut him off.
“My name is Noboru, the handyman.”
“I've never heard of that species.”
“Well I'm not an abomination, I'm a jack-of-all-trades, so to speak. I travel from place to place making money doing odd jobs. Anyways, you remind me an awful lot of someone I used to know. So don't go throwing your life away against such low level trash as the abominations around here.” Daglan began to feel the intimidating malice from Noboru, almost that of when Rozere had touched his sword. “I know you can feel my energy. Unlike the people of this town, save a few, I think you're gifted.” Then it was gone just as quickly as before. “What do you want, Daglan.” Daglan’s blood was fire and his eyes daggers, piercing the ceiling with determination.
“I want to be remembered.”
“So get out of this town and maybe one day you can fight me, and I’m not even the strongest out there. Come… show this world what you're… made of because I for one… can't wait.” Just then Daglan heard a thud followed by an endless cascade of snores from Noboru.
“Would someone get me out of here!”

This is not just a hypothetical discussion. I will be placing a large order of many of USea & other's newest and shiniest CEDH/Vintage/Legacy Staples in the near future.
So in a way this is also asking all of you which versions of the big expensive Cards you would want to see Reviewed here. I won't be able to compare the proxies to real cards like the best reviews here do, but I will at least be able to take HD pictures/video of 100+ Cards.
The Title fully asks my question for all of you, if you just want the TLDR and don't want to read this wall-of-text; but to add far more detail and discussion than is necessary:
I am trying to decide which versions of proxies to get for Casual-EDH & Competitive-CEDH; for playing with various EDH/CEDH play-groups or Events, and nothing else.
I am "over-analyzing" this, certainly, but I loathe to feel uncertain about my choices. And IMO this is an important topic worthy of in-depth discussion/debate that I feel many Proxy-Players brainstorm among themselves about, even if they don't ponder it as much as I do, lol.
I play with everyone from friends to strangers who I can't predict, both IRL and online via cam; so just "Rule-Zero'ing" doesn't really work. Plus if I say: "I'm playing with proxies", but then all my cards look real, then that seems very suspicious to me.
Most of the people I've played with have been fine with reasonable proxies, I've even seen people open a Scryfall image and put their phone in the Command Zone & Tap it etc! (Which is hilarious and awesome IMO!)
But I also sometimes play with some hyper-competitive "jealous stickler" types too, who 100% are not okay with Proxies because "they worked hard for their cards and it's unfair for other people to play those cards without earning them". Even though they play numerous Cards that neither I nor most people can afford. Basically, they want MTG to be "Pay2Win" because they have deep-pockets.
It especially stings since I personally owned most of the same Cards I want to proxy now. But I lost many old Cards to mishaps & accidents over the years, like floods and family mistaking them for worthless old junk and throwing them in the trash; and I sold some other Cards for stupidly low prices.
So to me it's like someone saying: "oh that Mox Diamond/ TimetwisteSavanna/Gaea's Cradle/etc that you had to sell years ago for $20 to fix your car is now worth thousands, but you still want to play with those cards now because they fill you with warm nostalgia? Nope!".
IMO it'd be like banning people from playing Super Mario Bros on emulators because they can't afford an expensive retro-System.
IMO it is far more sensible to just present a real looking Deck and not have to Rule-0-Debate the merits of Proxying $2,000 Cards before every game.
I just want to play powerful Cards that I played with as a kid, or that help create exciting fun games for everyone. I don't want to stomp on people, I just want to min-max my Decks while also encouraging healthy fun games.
After all, isn't it more fun when someone has a Force of Will to stop the comboing player from fully "going off" and just suddenly ending an epic game for everyone?
(Ban [[Thassa's Oracle]] BTW, it's super unfun/unsatisfying, deflates great games, and is just too dang easy/effective to use as a win-con!)
Or when someone has efficient removal spells for the turn-2 Sheoldred that the Mono-Black player just cast?
Or when someone can "do something about that 16/16 Voltron-monster" instead of just letting it murder the poor defenseless guy who got stuck without their Colors/Lands.
But since many people don't approve of proxies I want the Deck to look reasonably legitimate.
It's also important to me that my Deck looks "nice" and has a shiny/pretty aesthetic, whenever possible.
But I also want to avoid situations like some innocent Timmy looking over and exclaiming to the entire Table: "OHH! Is that a real Wheel/PoweDual-Land?!?!".

• And then they want to see it, and then everyone else gets curious and wants to look too, and next thing I know everyone is staring down my "expensive looking" Deck and questioning how I can afford so many "expensive Cards". -.-
  
• Or even worse: Making myself look like a ripe-target for thieves. I sure don't want to get mugged over some silly proxies!
  

So the goal is to be as low-key as possible, but also having the nicest looking cards that I can, because Shiny Things Spark Joy lol.
But to me, it also seems extremely "Sus" to play "realistic" looking proxies of "illegal" Gold-Border type Cards, since those "can't be played in Tournaments" it seems illogical for anyone to own a real $3,000 "unplayable Card".
Wouldn't it make much more sense for any rational person to pay a couple hundred more dollars for a fully tournament legal version of a $2,000 card?
If the Gold-bordered/30th-Anniversary versions were extra cheap sure that would make sense, but IMO playing a "tournament-illegal" card that is still technically $1,000+ seems far weirder and more suspicious to me.
But that is just me and I have no idea if most people would disagree.
It would be even more suspicious if I swapped proxy style later on too, like one week I have Revised Dual-Lands, but the next week I have 30th-Anniversary-Lands?
So it seems especially important to make the best call the first time.
Regardless of which option is the best and least suspicious, it all hinges on "Owning it".
So what do you all think?
Go with the "not-Tournament-Legal" versions and just quietly acknowledge that they aren't real? (Which might bring suspicion upon my entire Deck's "legitimacy")...
OR, go with the cheapest-legit-versions with White-Borders and "Foreign Black Borders", and just try and humbly play it off that I'm "borrowing" a "$20,000" Deck (when it's obvious I don't have that kind of money for a hobby).
I just want to play with shiny powerful cards and encourage a lively fun Table, but too many people aren't okay with just printing out the crazily-expensive Cards; and I don't want people to start thinking I'm shady because I play with "$1,200 Cards" while my trade-binder only has budget Jank.
I love to Trade legitimate-Cards too, and I absolutely definitely will not be trying to trade any of my proxies, if for no other reason than I don't want them "entering circulation" and being mistaken for real Cards; but if people found out that I play with proxies that are difficult to detect as fakes then they probably would be wary of trading with me at all, no matter how sincere or honest I was.
I suppose "damaging" the Cards would be an option, but with the amount of damage that would be required to make those Cards seem affordable I feel like that overlaps with just printing out obviously fake proxies and begging people to overlook them.
In other words: I feel like if someone cared whether I was playing with Proxies, then they would care equally as much if I was playing a Card that had been ripped in half or burned or otherwise severely damaged.
IDK I just want to mix-max and help the entire table have fun without breaking the bank, playing ragged damaged Cards, or making myself seem sketchy.
In the end - I think probably the best way to redirect suspicion would be to just act like all the expensive Cards are on Loan.
There are legitimate Paper-Card-Rental Services that Loan you Cards for a monthly-fee, right? Do they Loan expensive Cards too?
Before I go and use that as an excuse and someone at the Table says: "Well actually those places don't loan Reserved-List Cards, so that is a lie." and then starts interrogating my Deck.
(I've played with some really sweaty Gamers who really do crap like this, but good competition is tough to find :/ )
Maybe just acting like the Cards are from those Rental-Services or "on loan from old friends who don't play anymore" is the best strategy?
What do you all think about the topic?

• Get only "tournament legal" proxies, wear the edges down some, and insist that they're being borrowed or were bought for a bargain; that the proxies are "real" but definitely not for trade?

Or -

• Get the "NOT tournament legal" versions that look "real", but be honest that the cards are "high quality proxies" and try to convince the Table in a "Rule-0" way that it's unreasonable to essentially soft-Ban certain Cards simply because they are outrageously expensive now.

...
I got a bit carried away and long-winded, but I'm just passionate about pretty shiny pieces of Cardboard lol.
Do please tell me what You think!

Accepting I'm ace was difficult, but accepting I'm aromantic feels monumentally IMPOSSIBLE even compared to that. And I have no idea why.
I have zero desire for a romantic partner, even without sex. I don't want to share my life or soul or body or home with anyone. I genuinely love cycling alone and traveling alone and eating out alone and cuddling with my cats and marathoning Digimon Adventure 02 and Yu-Gi-Oh GX with no one to judge me. I clearly have no interest in romance.
So why am I so reluctant to call myself aroace? I'm aroace. I'm an aromantic asexual. My heart sped up just typing that. Why is this part so. Damn. Hard?!
Sorry, just feeling frustrated with myself. The human brain does the stupidest things.
I'm aroace. I'm aroace. I'm aroace. Nope, still reluctant. Maybe the reason why will come to me tonight or on my next bike ride or the next time I go ice skating. Will try to go this weekend...

Does this happen to anyone else? I mean I've always created a grove of beverage cups and diet Coke cans everywhere I've gone, but lately I'm actually just thirsty all the time. (My blood sugar levels are fine, even unusually good lately.) Yes it's hot out, yes I'm hot flashing, but lately I'll even resort to drinking water, like I'll pour a glass and chug it like a sweaty 8-year-old. The other day I even caught myself doing that thing I always thought sounded ridiculous, eating when thirsty. I just drank an entire mug of tea in about 90 seconds. Off to get water now. LET ME TELL YOU HOW HELPFUL THIS IS NOT JUST BEFORE BED

Hey folks, new GM trying to get my players into DCC. They're more interested in the more gonzo weird aspects, but after running Sailors they're kinda thinking 'eh, this is just d20 fantasy/Warhammer'. I can't totally disagree, and I've been looking at a few modules to run next. Specifically looking for lvl1 adventurers but happy for other suggestions. Purple planet looks great but higher level.
Doom of the Savage Kings is highly recommended but it's not that weird. One who watches from below is pretty weird but kinda long, I'm hoping to work up to it. Frozen in time is probably the other contender but I've read it's more focused on starting as a cave man?
Any other suggestions for getting my players right into the weird? Thanks!