Health care select sector spdr
Nutrition
2008.11.17 03:35 Nutrition
A subreddit for the discussion of nutrition science. Macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, diets, and nutrition news are among the many topics discussed. Civil discourse is required.
2020.10.19 06:35 timcanada2015 thevitaminhippo
Women’s Health. Men’s Health. Sexual Health. Anti-Aging. Skin Care. Hair Products. FREE Shipping on Select Orders. Helping You Live Your Best Life 🤍 Visit https://vitaminhippo.com/ today!
2011.03.01 01:47 flipmosquad r/23andMe
Talk about your genes and their possible implications! Discord: https://discord.gg/3Jjc3GdmtB
2023.06.01 17:06 Dats_Russia Is “just move” a reasonable argument for addressing political issues (ex taxes, infrastructure, health care etc)?
Lately some dggers seem to use this line to shut down discussions or avoid defending their positions.
As I understand it, Destiny used this line to address people who don’t wanna do the work to improve their own lives. As personal advice I think saying “just move” is fine. However, I don’t feel this is a viable response for societal or political issues.
For example, let’s say for sake of argument 40% of people in an area had the financial means to move, a 40% population drop would be catastrophic i feel like. Like HCOL areas are seeing stagnant growth or slight decrease but they aren’t experiencing massive degrowth. Furthermore let’s say 20% of those people moving move to the same city, this would add growing pains to the new city and possibly create the same problems the previous city had.
Like is “just move” a valid response for addressing problems or is it just a lazy way to stop a conversation?
submitted by Dats_Russia to Destiny [link] [comments]
As I understand it, Destiny used this line to address people who don’t wanna do the work to improve their own lives. As personal advice I think saying “just move” is fine. However, I don’t feel this is a viable response for societal or political issues.
For example, let’s say for sake of argument 40% of people in an area had the financial means to move, a 40% population drop would be catastrophic i feel like. Like HCOL areas are seeing stagnant growth or slight decrease but they aren’t experiencing massive degrowth. Furthermore let’s say 20% of those people moving move to the same city, this would add growing pains to the new city and possibly create the same problems the previous city had.
Like is “just move” a valid response for addressing problems or is it just a lazy way to stop a conversation?
2023.06.01 17:04 Adept-Error9978 How do I support my spouse through pregnancy?
We are starting to pregnancy plan. I have a lot of health problems and know I will require a high risk OB as part of my care. My husband has OCD and is seeing an ERP therapist. how do I help him through the urge to search the internet deep dives about "risks of genetic diseases" and "risks of medications". I have urged him in the past to attend my regular doctor visits, but it appears he's flustered by that. any advice how I can help? for information, we have no genetic diseases in our families and the medication I am currently on has been cleared pregnancy safe by my doctors.....so I am feeling at a loss.
submitted by Adept-Error9978 to OCD [link] [comments]
2023.06.01 17:03 AstronautPuzzled6733 Do You Need a College Degree to Get a Good Job?
An ideal job is defined as one that allows you to pursue what matters to you while providing security and stability. According to research, those who find their jobs satisfying report greater levels of well-being and satisfaction with life overall.
Many jobs require a college degree, especially four-year bachelor's degrees in fields like STEM and healthcare management. But some don't necessitate one; these could include working at a restaurant that doesn't need one!
Although on-the-job training and experience can serve as valuable credentials, obtaining a college degree has become more and more essential. Without one at least, it may be impossible to gain entry to new companies or initiate conversations with recruiters without first possessing at least a bachelor's degree, which opens up additional career options and advancement opportunities.
Your chosen degree depends on your field and desired career path. A master's degree may be needed if you want to become a clinical psychologist; otherwise, a doctorate degree may provide more opportunities. But an undergraduate degree offers diverse career possibilities from finance to healthcare management while opening doors to further graduate study.
Alongside job-specific skills, pursuing a degree provides both personal and professional growth. You'll meet people from diverse backgrounds while building relationships with professors and classmates that could come in handy later when seeking out new employment or promotions in your career.
No matter your college experience level or current career circumstances, earning a bachelor's degree could increase lifetime earnings by 57% over time - an especially valuable benefit during times of economic downturn, when workers without degrees may be more vulnerable to layoffs and long-term unemployment.
Jobs requiring a bachelor's degree often offer benefits in addition to higher pay, such as health care coverage and retirement savings options. These perks make life easier for yourself and your family while relieving financial uncertainty.
However, if you're in search of high-paying jobs without degree requirements, companies like Google, Amazon, Netflix and Hilton offer plenty of opportunities. These organizations tend to value experience and on-the-job training more than educational requirements if candidates meet 80-90% of those listed in their job descriptions.
Consideration should also be given to the average starting salary in your desired field. STEM degrees usually offer the highest starting salaries, followed by accounting, business, and finance degrees. Knowing this information will allow you to select an appropriate major based on your financial needs.
Acquiring a degree can open the doors to rewarding opportunities you never considered before, including higher-paying jobs and advancement in your field.
College degrees equip graduates with skills employers want in candidates, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication - qualities that employers look for when selecting employees for positions such as problem-solving or critical-thinking jobs. Employers require these abilities so you will have a competitive edge when searching for and keeping jobs. While each individual's goals and lifestyle choices must be taken into consideration before pursuing this route - for those wanting a sustainable career with fulfilling lives a college degree is almost always an excellent way forward.
submitted by AstronautPuzzled6733 to NewsAroundYou [link] [comments]
Many jobs require a college degree, especially four-year bachelor's degrees in fields like STEM and healthcare management. But some don't necessitate one; these could include working at a restaurant that doesn't need one!
A good job is a position that meets your basic needs.
A successful job should meet your basic needs such as housing, food, utilities, and so forth while also offering opportunities for personal and professional growth.Although on-the-job training and experience can serve as valuable credentials, obtaining a college degree has become more and more essential. Without one at least, it may be impossible to gain entry to new companies or initiate conversations with recruiters without first possessing at least a bachelor's degree, which opens up additional career options and advancement opportunities.
Your chosen degree depends on your field and desired career path. A master's degree may be needed if you want to become a clinical psychologist; otherwise, a doctorate degree may provide more opportunities. But an undergraduate degree offers diverse career possibilities from finance to healthcare management while opening doors to further graduate study.
It offers personal and professional growth.
College education equips you with skills that will serve you throughout your career, such as problem-solving, analytical thinking, and the ability to critically consider complex subjects - essential ingredients for success in any industry.Alongside job-specific skills, pursuing a degree provides both personal and professional growth. You'll meet people from diverse backgrounds while building relationships with professors and classmates that could come in handy later when seeking out new employment or promotions in your career.
No matter your college experience level or current career circumstances, earning a bachelor's degree could increase lifetime earnings by 57% over time - an especially valuable benefit during times of economic downturn, when workers without degrees may be more vulnerable to layoffs and long-term unemployment.
Jobs requiring a bachelor's degree often offer benefits in addition to higher pay, such as health care coverage and retirement savings options. These perks make life easier for yourself and your family while relieving financial uncertainty.
It pays well.
With increasing college costs, many students question if pursuing a degree is worthwhile. While the answer depends on your career goals and major, generally a bachelor's degree does lead to increased earnings.However, if you're in search of high-paying jobs without degree requirements, companies like Google, Amazon, Netflix and Hilton offer plenty of opportunities. These organizations tend to value experience and on-the-job training more than educational requirements if candidates meet 80-90% of those listed in their job descriptions.
Consideration should also be given to the average starting salary in your desired field. STEM degrees usually offer the highest starting salaries, followed by accounting, business, and finance degrees. Knowing this information will allow you to select an appropriate major based on your financial needs.
It gives you a sense of purpose.
While some individuals don't need a college degree to find rewarding work, most Americans believe obtaining one is crucial. Although successful individuals like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs managed to succeed without one, studies indicate that earning one will substantially enhance your job prospects.Acquiring a degree can open the doors to rewarding opportunities you never considered before, including higher-paying jobs and advancement in your field.
College degrees equip graduates with skills employers want in candidates, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication - qualities that employers look for when selecting employees for positions such as problem-solving or critical-thinking jobs. Employers require these abilities so you will have a competitive edge when searching for and keeping jobs. While each individual's goals and lifestyle choices must be taken into consideration before pursuing this route - for those wanting a sustainable career with fulfilling lives a college degree is almost always an excellent way forward.
2023.06.01 17:01 Martyr_Missions Undiagnosed Adults- Where do we get help!!?
Hello! I was just wondering if anyone could shed some light on this or give me some advice if they have been at this point. I am in my 20s and based in the US.
I believe I am on the autism spectrum and didn’t receive the care or attention I needed as a child. I am female (you know how that goes) and Mexican (notoriously ignorant to mental health and invisible disabilities)and from a low income household (bad insurance) so I honestly believe I was pushed under the radar for these reasons. I am basing this diagnosis not only on my symptoms, but my therapist who brought it up to me after I was telling her things I would do in my childhood (adopting other people’s traits and dialogue to emulate “normalcy “, my meltdowns and organization compulsion) and her then asking me if I was autistic. We then went through the handbook together and I had all of the symptoms. Since she was not a psychologist or specialist she couldn’t help me. I went to my local Autism Center which provided free screenings and was told I had a high chance of being autistic, but since I am an adult I am not able to get a proper diagnosis so easily as most psychologists specialize in diagnosing young children.
I feel like without being taught proper ways to deal with this from a young age I am at a huge disadvantage in life. I feel stunted and alone. I still depend on my mother for care and feel I am not able to support myself. Because of my poor communication skills I bomb more interviews for potential jobs than I would like. I believe with a proper diagnosis I can get the resources and support I need to move forward in life.
Any advice on how to deal with this would be greatly appreciated!
submitted by Martyr_Missions to autism [link] [comments]
I believe I am on the autism spectrum and didn’t receive the care or attention I needed as a child. I am female (you know how that goes) and Mexican (notoriously ignorant to mental health and invisible disabilities)and from a low income household (bad insurance) so I honestly believe I was pushed under the radar for these reasons. I am basing this diagnosis not only on my symptoms, but my therapist who brought it up to me after I was telling her things I would do in my childhood (adopting other people’s traits and dialogue to emulate “normalcy “, my meltdowns and organization compulsion) and her then asking me if I was autistic. We then went through the handbook together and I had all of the symptoms. Since she was not a psychologist or specialist she couldn’t help me. I went to my local Autism Center which provided free screenings and was told I had a high chance of being autistic, but since I am an adult I am not able to get a proper diagnosis so easily as most psychologists specialize in diagnosing young children.
I feel like without being taught proper ways to deal with this from a young age I am at a huge disadvantage in life. I feel stunted and alone. I still depend on my mother for care and feel I am not able to support myself. Because of my poor communication skills I bomb more interviews for potential jobs than I would like. I believe with a proper diagnosis I can get the resources and support I need to move forward in life.
Any advice on how to deal with this would be greatly appreciated!
2023.06.01 17:01 tmarie1013 Fat Friendly / HAES Doctors - Northern NJ
Hi all - I saw some posts about fat friendly doctors in NY, but I couldn't find anything for NJ / Northern NJ here. I found some lists but most are not primary care doctors and one that I did find was not near me (I am in Bergen County). I have to get rid of my PCP bc she is just literally the worst. I originally started to see her because her bio said she had a focus in weight management (now I realize that is a huge red flag) and I am now learning I have distorted eating / eating disorder working with my RD. When I expressed this to her, she continuously dismissed everything I said, told me I shouldn't trust my RD and proceeded to hand me a 50+ page document of "healthy salads" i should eat to stay at 1200 calories ("But wait! These are recipes that serve 4... DONT EAT ALL 4 SERVINGS" she would tell me). The stigma is just disgusting, even after tearfully explaining my restrict / binge cycle.
I just want to see a doctor who doesn't go straight to weight for EVERYTHING (I have a preexisting prolactinoma but no other health issues) and doesn't make me feel like I'm a terrible person for being in a larger body.
submitted by tmarie1013 to PlusSize [link] [comments]
I just want to see a doctor who doesn't go straight to weight for EVERYTHING (I have a preexisting prolactinoma but no other health issues) and doesn't make me feel like I'm a terrible person for being in a larger body.
2023.06.01 17:00 Content_Scheme_4420 Joining date extended (Campus Placement)
Hello everyone, First post here.
I hope this message finds you all in good health and high spirits. I am reaching out to this wonderful community seeking guidance and advice regarding a situation I am currently facing with a job offer.
Let me introduce myself briefly. I am a 2023 Btech graduate(CSE) from a tier-3 college , having completed my studies this month. I got placed at a reputable company through campus drive with a great package for a fresher (close to 7 figure) and the offer letter I received initially stated June as joining date. However, the company contacted us all selected candidates notifying an extension of our joining date, pushing it further by three months.
This news has left me feeling anxious and uncertain about the status of my employment.While I understand that companies sometimes encounter unexpected obstacles, I can't help but worry about the potential revocation or cancellation of my job offer during this extended period. I have been eagerly anticipating the start of my professional journey, and this delay has caused some apprehension and uncertainty.
Therefore, I am reaching out to this forum, seeking advice from those who may have faced similar situations or have knowledge about the industry norms. What would you recommend I do in this scenario? Should I express my concerns to the company? Is it common for companies to delay job offers? How can I ensure that my offer remains secure during this extended period?
Thank you in advance for your time and assistance.
submitted by Content_Scheme_4420 to developersIndia [link] [comments]
I hope this message finds you all in good health and high spirits. I am reaching out to this wonderful community seeking guidance and advice regarding a situation I am currently facing with a job offer.
Let me introduce myself briefly. I am a 2023 Btech graduate(CSE) from a tier-3 college , having completed my studies this month. I got placed at a reputable company through campus drive with a great package for a fresher (close to 7 figure) and the offer letter I received initially stated June as joining date. However, the company contacted us all selected candidates notifying an extension of our joining date, pushing it further by three months.
This news has left me feeling anxious and uncertain about the status of my employment.While I understand that companies sometimes encounter unexpected obstacles, I can't help but worry about the potential revocation or cancellation of my job offer during this extended period. I have been eagerly anticipating the start of my professional journey, and this delay has caused some apprehension and uncertainty.
Therefore, I am reaching out to this forum, seeking advice from those who may have faced similar situations or have knowledge about the industry norms. What would you recommend I do in this scenario? Should I express my concerns to the company? Is it common for companies to delay job offers? How can I ensure that my offer remains secure during this extended period?
Thank you in advance for your time and assistance.
2023.06.01 16:58 priyanka-india Embracing a Holistic Approach to a Healthy Lifestyle
Introduction:
In today's fast-paced world, the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle has become more important than ever. With the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and the constant bombardment of sedentary habits and unhealthy food choices, it is crucial to adopt a holistic approach to achieve and maintain a state of optimal well-being. In this blog, we will explore a new perspective on healthy living, focusing on the mind-body connection and the integration of various lifestyle factors for a truly balanced and fulfilling life.
The Power of Mindfulness:
To cultivate a healthy lifestyle, it is essential to prioritize mental and emotional well-being. Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises, can help reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall mental clarity. By dedicating even a few minutes each day to mindfulness, we can create a solid foundation for a healthy lifestyle.
Nutrition as Nourishment:
Instead of viewing food merely as a means to satisfy hunger, let us shift our mindset and embrace nutrition as a form of self-care and nourishment. Opt for whole, unprocessed foods, including fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Strive for balance and moderation rather than strict diets, allowing yourself occasional treats while focusing on long-term sustainable habits. If you guys are interested in writing blogs and want to share articles then you can contact us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) can write in the category Write For Us Healthy Lifestyle.
Active Living:
Physical activity is a cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. Engage in activities you enjoy, whether it's brisk walking, dancing, yoga, or playing a sport. Regular exercise not only improves cardiovascular health and strengthens muscles but also releases endorphins, promoting a positive mood and overall well-being.
Quality Rest and Sleep:
Adequate sleep is often underestimated in our busy lives, but it is vital for our physical and mental health. Establish a consistent sleep schedule, create a relaxing bedtime routine, and ensure your sleep environment is conducive to rest. Prioritizing quality rest will help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.
Social Connections:
Nurturing meaningful relationships and fostering a strong support system are crucial for a healthy lifestyle. Cultivate connections with loved ones, engage in social activities, and seek out communities that share your interests and values. Human connection provides emotional support, boosts happiness, and contributes to overall well-being.
Conclusion:
A healthy lifestyle encompasses more than just the physical aspect; it involves nurturing our mind, body, and spirit. By embracing mindfulness, making informed nutritional choices, staying physically active, prioritizing restful sleep, and fostering social connections, we can achieve a truly holistic approach to well-being. Remember, small, consistent steps in the right direction are key to lasting change. Start today, and let your journey towards a healthier lifestyle be filled with joy, balance, and self-discovery.
ALSO READ: top strength preparing activities to OR 5 simple habits for maintaining good OR why its not good to wash face with soap
submitted by priyanka-india to u/priyanka-india [link] [comments]
In today's fast-paced world, the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle has become more important than ever. With the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and the constant bombardment of sedentary habits and unhealthy food choices, it is crucial to adopt a holistic approach to achieve and maintain a state of optimal well-being. In this blog, we will explore a new perspective on healthy living, focusing on the mind-body connection and the integration of various lifestyle factors for a truly balanced and fulfilling life.
The Power of Mindfulness:
To cultivate a healthy lifestyle, it is essential to prioritize mental and emotional well-being. Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises, can help reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall mental clarity. By dedicating even a few minutes each day to mindfulness, we can create a solid foundation for a healthy lifestyle.
Nutrition as Nourishment:
Instead of viewing food merely as a means to satisfy hunger, let us shift our mindset and embrace nutrition as a form of self-care and nourishment. Opt for whole, unprocessed foods, including fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Strive for balance and moderation rather than strict diets, allowing yourself occasional treats while focusing on long-term sustainable habits. If you guys are interested in writing blogs and want to share articles then you can contact us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) can write in the category Write For Us Healthy Lifestyle.
Active Living:
Physical activity is a cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. Engage in activities you enjoy, whether it's brisk walking, dancing, yoga, or playing a sport. Regular exercise not only improves cardiovascular health and strengthens muscles but also releases endorphins, promoting a positive mood and overall well-being.
Quality Rest and Sleep:
Adequate sleep is often underestimated in our busy lives, but it is vital for our physical and mental health. Establish a consistent sleep schedule, create a relaxing bedtime routine, and ensure your sleep environment is conducive to rest. Prioritizing quality rest will help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.
Social Connections:
Nurturing meaningful relationships and fostering a strong support system are crucial for a healthy lifestyle. Cultivate connections with loved ones, engage in social activities, and seek out communities that share your interests and values. Human connection provides emotional support, boosts happiness, and contributes to overall well-being.
Conclusion:
A healthy lifestyle encompasses more than just the physical aspect; it involves nurturing our mind, body, and spirit. By embracing mindfulness, making informed nutritional choices, staying physically active, prioritizing restful sleep, and fostering social connections, we can achieve a truly holistic approach to well-being. Remember, small, consistent steps in the right direction are key to lasting change. Start today, and let your journey towards a healthier lifestyle be filled with joy, balance, and self-discovery.
ALSO READ: top strength preparing activities to OR 5 simple habits for maintaining good OR why its not good to wash face with soap
2023.06.01 16:57 vaxx66 Fully funded PhD positions in Mathematical Sciences - Politecnico di Torino
Fully funded PhD positions in Mathematical Sciences - Politecnico di Torino
The PhD programme in Mathematical Sciences of Politecnico di Torino has opened a call for fully funded PhD scholarships in Mathematics and its applications. The text of the call and the instructions to apply are available at:
https://www.polito.it/en/education/phd-programmes-and-postgraduate-school/admissions-to-phd-programmes/admissions/call-for-applications.
The deadline for application is the 20th of June 2023 at 12 PM (CET).
The Department of Mathematical Sciences of Politecnico di Torino proposes a new PhD programme in Mathematical Sciences, whose nominal duration is three years. The PhD programme encompasses all areas of pure and applied Mathematics, including Statistics and Data Science.
For the 39th cycle of the PhD programme, which is to start on the 1st of November 2023, the following fully funded PhD scholarships are offered:
For further information on the PhD programme in Mathematical Sciences at Politecnico di Torino please visit the website
https://www.polito.it/en/education/phd-programmes-and-postgraduate-school/phd-programmes/mathematical-sciences.
This website is regularly updated by the Doctoral School, though sometimes not at the same pace at which new scholarships may become available. Therefore, make sure to check it frequently so as not to miss important updates on new scholarships.
For information about research groups and research topics of the Department of Mathematical Sciences "G. L. Lagrange" please refer to:
Prof. Andrea Tosin
The vice-coordinator of the PhD programme
Prof. Elvise Berchio
submitted by vaxx66 to mathematics [link] [comments]
The PhD programme in Mathematical Sciences of Politecnico di Torino has opened a call for fully funded PhD scholarships in Mathematics and its applications. The text of the call and the instructions to apply are available at:
https://www.polito.it/en/education/phd-programmes-and-postgraduate-school/admissions-to-phd-programmes/admissions/call-for-applications.
The deadline for application is the 20th of June 2023 at 12 PM (CET).
The Department of Mathematical Sciences of Politecnico di Torino proposes a new PhD programme in Mathematical Sciences, whose nominal duration is three years. The PhD programme encompasses all areas of pure and applied Mathematics, including Statistics and Data Science.
For the 39th cycle of the PhD programme, which is to start on the 1st of November 2023, the following fully funded PhD scholarships are offered:
- 4 scholarships without a preassigned topic: the successful candidates will work on any topic in pure and applied Mathematics at their choice;
- scholarships in the frame of PNRR (“Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza”):
- Advanced parallel numerical methods for model driven and data driven large scale complex physical models
- Distributed control of infrastructure networks
- Mathematical models for smart devices
- Modelling and Machine Learning in search of hidden patterns in signal detection;
- additional scholarships devoted to specific research topics:
- Advanced numerical methods for wave propagation problems
- Optimal design of integrated communication and sensing, metasurface-based networks
- Robust and stochastic optimisation
- Statistical methods for health monitoring and health care
- Statistical models for steel wheel design and production
- Stochastic models of chemical reaction networks and applications.
For further information on the PhD programme in Mathematical Sciences at Politecnico di Torino please visit the website
https://www.polito.it/en/education/phd-programmes-and-postgraduate-school/phd-programmes/mathematical-sciences.
This website is regularly updated by the Doctoral School, though sometimes not at the same pace at which new scholarships may become available. Therefore, make sure to check it frequently so as not to miss important updates on new scholarships.
For information about research groups and research topics of the Department of Mathematical Sciences "G. L. Lagrange" please refer to:
- https://www.disma.polito.it/en/research/research_groups
- https://www.disma.polito.it/en/research/topics.
Prof. Andrea Tosin
The vice-coordinator of the PhD programme
Prof. Elvise Berchio
2023.06.01 16:57 rainbow--penguin [SF]
Once Madeline and Billie had hauled themselves out of the lake it was time to get moving again. Lena had used the time they’d been “mucking about” in the medic’s words to plan out the next section of their route on the map.
Madeline struggled to pull on fresh socks over her shrivelled, soggy feet before hurriedly retying her trainers and hauling her bag onto her back. It was going to be odd walking in sodden clothes, but she was sure they’d dry soon. In fact, the cooling effect might even be a bonus — so long as the chafing wasn’t unbearable.
As the three of them made their way out of the valley, they converged slightly, all having to take the same path before they diverged out to a safe distance again so as to avoid detection by the Poiloogs. Lena went ahead, leaving Billie and Madeline to linger until they judged she was far enough away.
“Enjoy the swim?” Billie shouted over to her.
Madeline pointedly lifted her walkie-talkie to her lips and pressed the button. “Pardon?”
“I said did you enjoy the swim?” Billie’s voice came over the radio.
“You know I did!”
“Yeah, but it’s good to hear you say it.”
Madeline turned to face them more fully, glaring. As she did, she noticed their gaze skirt over her body and glanced down to realise her clothes were plastered to her skin. She instinctively went to wrap her arms around herself but paused. What point was there in being shy or ashamed of herself anymore? The world had practically ended. The apocalypse had come. Being alive was achievement enough without worrying about what your body looked like.
Heart fluttering at the brazenness of it, she let her own gaze slip down slightly, taking in Billie’s chiselled form underneath the wet fabric. Her lip twitched up as she noticed Billie’s arms jerk slightly, before falling to their sides just as hers had. It was nice to know that, as confident as her friend seemed, they all had their insecurities.
“Are you two coming, or not?” Lena’s voice jerked Madeline back to reality, and heat rapidly rose up her neck.
“Right behind you,” she said quickly, hurrying after the medic as Billie watched her go with a grin on their face.
The feared chafing soon reared its ugly head, wet fabric rubbing against her skin under the straps of her backpack, but it was a price worth paying for even a moment of fun. And there was plenty of time to take the journey slow, with lots of opportunities for breaks. They had to make the most of the time they had left, after all. Once they attempted their rescue mission, who knew what would happen?
Their next stop was at an old holiday park — a perfect place to stay the night. Once they’d performed a quick sweep of the area between them, they each chose a static caravan. The selection of keys hanging behind the front desk by the entrance made breaking in significantly easier than usual, and they were soon tucked away and getting settled.
Though there was still a little daylight left, they had a rule never to congregate before a night’s sleep. If a Poiloog detected them because of their proximity, they wouldn’t have long enough to disperse before darkness fell. Besides, they still weren’t sure how far away Poiloogs could sense them from. It might take a while for the creatures to turn up, and if they were already asleep by then…
If only they knew more about the Poiloogs. But even after sharing knowledge with Billie and the rest of the resistance — as she called them — there were still so many questions. How did they sense humans? Why was it easier for them when people were closer together and in larger groups? How did their mind control work? And what were they doing with the people they took away?
At least some answers might finally be on the horizon.
And until then, they had all their precautions to keep them safe amid the uncertainty.
Not wishing to dwell on questions that she could do nothing to answer just yet, Madeline settled onto one of the sofa beds in her caravan and tried to absorb herself in her book.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When morning came, and still with more than enough time to reach their destination, Madeline, Lena, and Billie decided to hang around a little before setting off for the day. After a lot of searching, they managed to find a caravan that still had gas left in the external canister. Billie fired up the stove as Lena and Madeline searched through their packs for anything that would make for a nice hot breakfast.
Between them, they came up with some baked beans and some tinned spam. It wasn’t exactly a full English breakfast, but it was as close as Madeline had managed in a while.
The more relaxed pace of the last few days had had many benefits. With all the sitting around outside, Madeline had managed to fully charge all her solar-powered battery packs. Now she’d be able to use her hot plate and her walkman without fear of running out of power. It was nice to feel at least a little on top of things rather than like she was continually drowning and just about scrambling to keep up.
Once they’d wolfed down the food, Billie left to patrol and keep watch while Madeline and Lena reclined in a pair of camping chairs. Though Madeline always enjoyed the other woman’s conversation, she also loved moments like this, sitting in comfortable, companionable silence. It felt like such an indulgence to enjoy the presence of someone else with no purpose. To just relax.
Of course, relaxation never lasted long when Billie was around. They returned from their patrolling at a jog. Madeline was halfway to her feet, sweat pricking at her skin and heart racing before Billie waved at her with a relaxed smile.
She slumped back into her chair, clutching a hand to her chest. “You scared me half to death!” she shouted. “I thought you must be running from something.”
“Nope,” Billie replied. “Just figured I’d enjoy this wonderful morning and make my patrolling more efficient by going for a jog.”
“Of course they did,” Lena said, throwing her a sidelong glance.
Madeline laughed. It was an oddly giddy giggle, bubbling up out of excess adrenaline that was no longer needed. “How silly of me,” she said. “I forgot for a moment that you were completely insane.”
“Not insane! Just… enthusiastic. There are some habits it’s hard to shake.” Billie grinned. “Did I ever tell you that I used to be a personal trainer?”
Suddenly, so many things clicked into place in Madeline’s mind. Another giggle bubbled up. “No, I don’t think you did,” she said. “But it makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right?” Lena climbed to her feet. “I suppose one of us should go and keep watch,” she said as she walked off. “I’ll come back when I’m bored. Or if I see anything dangerous.” She glanced over her shoulder, a grin pulling at her lips. “But I’ll try not to give you a heart attack when I do.”
“So,” Billie slumped into the now vacant chair, “what did you mean by ‘it makes perfect sense’?”
Madeline turned to face them, returning the challenge of their arched eyebrow with her most innocent expression — eyes wide with a slight smile. “Oh, you know,” she said. “Just that you’re insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Billie gaped at them. “Wow! Tell me what you really think.”
For a second, she worried that she might have gone too far in her teasing. It wasn’t too long ago that she’d managed to hurt her friend’s feelings and the experience had been unpleasant enough that she knew she never wanted to repeat it.
Then, Billie cracked a grin. “You know me so well, Mads. Or do you?” They dramatically whipped their head around to face her, narrowing their eyes in an accusatory stare. “Can you guess what my second job was?”
“Second job?” Madeline asked, buying time as she considered everything she knew about them. They were definitely into fitness, but that had already been covered. They were friendly and good with people, but that could lend itself to all kinds of roles.
“Yeah. The PT work could be a little sporadic so I had another way of making money.”
Coming up empty, Madeline spread her hands in a shrug. “I don’t know… delivery rider?”
“Aha! No!” They paused, eyes drifting up as they considered. “Okay, well, I might have done that for a bit. But it wasn’t what I was doing most recently.”
“So what was your second job?”
“Bartender. And I was damn good at it too.”
Just like before, as soon as Billie had said the words it all fit perfectly. She could imagine them behind the bar, charming customers, darting back and forward mixing drinks, and, of course, swiftly dealing with any inappropriate or violent behaviour.
“See,” they said, sitting back and folding their arms, “maybe you don’t know everything about me.”
“I’m certain I don’t,” Madeline replied. “You certainly don’t know everything about me.”
Billie instantly leaned forward again, rising to the challenge. “Oh really? I bet I can guess what you used to do!”
The childish excitement on their face at this new game made Madeline’s chest swell with warmth. “Go on then.”
“I think you were…” They stared at her, rubbing their chin as if deep in thought. “I think you were a librarian.”
“I wish!” Madeline scoffed.
“An English teacher?”
“What, with all those children? Hell no!”
“A writer? Journalist? Editor?”
Madeline clutched a hand to her heart in mock affront. “Wow! It’s almost as if you only know one thing about me!”
“Hey! I know lots about you!” Billie insisted. “It’s just that none of it is useful in figuring out what sort of job you’d have had. So are you going to put me out of my misery, or what?”
“I was a marketing executive,” she said with a sigh.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means sitting at the same desk every day coming up with ways to promote products to people who don’t need them.”
“Sounds fun!”
“It wasn’t.” Madeline shifted forward slightly in her chair, leaning her elbows onto her knees to be ever so slightly closer to her friend. “So what do you know about me then?”
Billie tilted their head quizzically. “Huh?”
“You said that you knew lots about me. So what is it you know?”
“Ah.” They leaned forward too, mirroring Madeline as they chewed their lip in thought. “I know that you love books — obviously. I know that you’re slow to trust, but that once you do you trust completely. I know that despite everything you’ve been through, you still put others before yourself to the point you're willing to risk your life for those you care about. I know that you’re smart, and like to plan things out properly. And that you hate it when things don’t go to plan. I know that you’re tough and fiercely independent, but that you crave connection even though you fear it. Oh, and I know that you favour your left foot and your right hand in a fight.”
Madeline stared at them, mouth hanging open slightly as she took in their view of her. It wasn’t that it was completely wrong. It was just that it seemed somewhat selective. Sure, she’d put her life on the line for Liam or Billie or Lena, but she was fairly certain she’d killed people, or that her actions had at least led to their deaths. She’d hoarded supplies for herself tucked away in the safety of her library without worrying about anyone else. She wasn’t sure whether she liked this view of herself, or if it sat in uncomfortably stark contrast with what she knew to be true.
Finally, her mind caught up with Billie’s words, reaching the final sentence. She snapped her mouth shut and forced her eyes to focus once more. “Hey!” she said. “How is it that you find a way to bring everything back to sparring or exercise?!”
“Because I’m insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Madeline rolled her eyes and groaned, but she couldn’t help the smile creeping across her face.
“Speaking of, how about we work on evening up your form a little now, eh? We’ve got a while before we have to get moving.” They pushed themselves up and started clearing a space.
“I’m going to regret ever saying that, aren’t I?” Madeline said as she got up to join them.
They grinned. “Definitely!”
The rest of the morning was spent sparring, interspersed with the occasional break when Lena stepped in for a turn. Madeline was soon sporting many a bruise, but she managed to inflict a few of her own too. She also got the satisfaction of seeing Billie visibly struggling against Lena. With the woman’s longer reach and well-practised form, she was a formidable opponent indeed.
It was nice to know that she had these two in her corner for whatever was coming next.
Next chapter hopefully on 8th June
submitted by rainbow--penguin to shortstories [link] [comments]
Madeline struggled to pull on fresh socks over her shrivelled, soggy feet before hurriedly retying her trainers and hauling her bag onto her back. It was going to be odd walking in sodden clothes, but she was sure they’d dry soon. In fact, the cooling effect might even be a bonus — so long as the chafing wasn’t unbearable.
As the three of them made their way out of the valley, they converged slightly, all having to take the same path before they diverged out to a safe distance again so as to avoid detection by the Poiloogs. Lena went ahead, leaving Billie and Madeline to linger until they judged she was far enough away.
“Enjoy the swim?” Billie shouted over to her.
Madeline pointedly lifted her walkie-talkie to her lips and pressed the button. “Pardon?”
“I said did you enjoy the swim?” Billie’s voice came over the radio.
“You know I did!”
“Yeah, but it’s good to hear you say it.”
Madeline turned to face them more fully, glaring. As she did, she noticed their gaze skirt over her body and glanced down to realise her clothes were plastered to her skin. She instinctively went to wrap her arms around herself but paused. What point was there in being shy or ashamed of herself anymore? The world had practically ended. The apocalypse had come. Being alive was achievement enough without worrying about what your body looked like.
Heart fluttering at the brazenness of it, she let her own gaze slip down slightly, taking in Billie’s chiselled form underneath the wet fabric. Her lip twitched up as she noticed Billie’s arms jerk slightly, before falling to their sides just as hers had. It was nice to know that, as confident as her friend seemed, they all had their insecurities.
“Are you two coming, or not?” Lena’s voice jerked Madeline back to reality, and heat rapidly rose up her neck.
“Right behind you,” she said quickly, hurrying after the medic as Billie watched her go with a grin on their face.
The feared chafing soon reared its ugly head, wet fabric rubbing against her skin under the straps of her backpack, but it was a price worth paying for even a moment of fun. And there was plenty of time to take the journey slow, with lots of opportunities for breaks. They had to make the most of the time they had left, after all. Once they attempted their rescue mission, who knew what would happen?
Their next stop was at an old holiday park — a perfect place to stay the night. Once they’d performed a quick sweep of the area between them, they each chose a static caravan. The selection of keys hanging behind the front desk by the entrance made breaking in significantly easier than usual, and they were soon tucked away and getting settled.
Though there was still a little daylight left, they had a rule never to congregate before a night’s sleep. If a Poiloog detected them because of their proximity, they wouldn’t have long enough to disperse before darkness fell. Besides, they still weren’t sure how far away Poiloogs could sense them from. It might take a while for the creatures to turn up, and if they were already asleep by then…
If only they knew more about the Poiloogs. But even after sharing knowledge with Billie and the rest of the resistance — as she called them — there were still so many questions. How did they sense humans? Why was it easier for them when people were closer together and in larger groups? How did their mind control work? And what were they doing with the people they took away?
At least some answers might finally be on the horizon.
And until then, they had all their precautions to keep them safe amid the uncertainty.
Not wishing to dwell on questions that she could do nothing to answer just yet, Madeline settled onto one of the sofa beds in her caravan and tried to absorb herself in her book.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When morning came, and still with more than enough time to reach their destination, Madeline, Lena, and Billie decided to hang around a little before setting off for the day. After a lot of searching, they managed to find a caravan that still had gas left in the external canister. Billie fired up the stove as Lena and Madeline searched through their packs for anything that would make for a nice hot breakfast.
Between them, they came up with some baked beans and some tinned spam. It wasn’t exactly a full English breakfast, but it was as close as Madeline had managed in a while.
The more relaxed pace of the last few days had had many benefits. With all the sitting around outside, Madeline had managed to fully charge all her solar-powered battery packs. Now she’d be able to use her hot plate and her walkman without fear of running out of power. It was nice to feel at least a little on top of things rather than like she was continually drowning and just about scrambling to keep up.
Once they’d wolfed down the food, Billie left to patrol and keep watch while Madeline and Lena reclined in a pair of camping chairs. Though Madeline always enjoyed the other woman’s conversation, she also loved moments like this, sitting in comfortable, companionable silence. It felt like such an indulgence to enjoy the presence of someone else with no purpose. To just relax.
Of course, relaxation never lasted long when Billie was around. They returned from their patrolling at a jog. Madeline was halfway to her feet, sweat pricking at her skin and heart racing before Billie waved at her with a relaxed smile.
She slumped back into her chair, clutching a hand to her chest. “You scared me half to death!” she shouted. “I thought you must be running from something.”
“Nope,” Billie replied. “Just figured I’d enjoy this wonderful morning and make my patrolling more efficient by going for a jog.”
“Of course they did,” Lena said, throwing her a sidelong glance.
Madeline laughed. It was an oddly giddy giggle, bubbling up out of excess adrenaline that was no longer needed. “How silly of me,” she said. “I forgot for a moment that you were completely insane.”
“Not insane! Just… enthusiastic. There are some habits it’s hard to shake.” Billie grinned. “Did I ever tell you that I used to be a personal trainer?”
Suddenly, so many things clicked into place in Madeline’s mind. Another giggle bubbled up. “No, I don’t think you did,” she said. “But it makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right?” Lena climbed to her feet. “I suppose one of us should go and keep watch,” she said as she walked off. “I’ll come back when I’m bored. Or if I see anything dangerous.” She glanced over her shoulder, a grin pulling at her lips. “But I’ll try not to give you a heart attack when I do.”
“So,” Billie slumped into the now vacant chair, “what did you mean by ‘it makes perfect sense’?”
Madeline turned to face them, returning the challenge of their arched eyebrow with her most innocent expression — eyes wide with a slight smile. “Oh, you know,” she said. “Just that you’re insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Billie gaped at them. “Wow! Tell me what you really think.”
For a second, she worried that she might have gone too far in her teasing. It wasn’t too long ago that she’d managed to hurt her friend’s feelings and the experience had been unpleasant enough that she knew she never wanted to repeat it.
Then, Billie cracked a grin. “You know me so well, Mads. Or do you?” They dramatically whipped their head around to face her, narrowing their eyes in an accusatory stare. “Can you guess what my second job was?”
“Second job?” Madeline asked, buying time as she considered everything she knew about them. They were definitely into fitness, but that had already been covered. They were friendly and good with people, but that could lend itself to all kinds of roles.
“Yeah. The PT work could be a little sporadic so I had another way of making money.”
Coming up empty, Madeline spread her hands in a shrug. “I don’t know… delivery rider?”
“Aha! No!” They paused, eyes drifting up as they considered. “Okay, well, I might have done that for a bit. But it wasn’t what I was doing most recently.”
“So what was your second job?”
“Bartender. And I was damn good at it too.”
Just like before, as soon as Billie had said the words it all fit perfectly. She could imagine them behind the bar, charming customers, darting back and forward mixing drinks, and, of course, swiftly dealing with any inappropriate or violent behaviour.
“See,” they said, sitting back and folding their arms, “maybe you don’t know everything about me.”
“I’m certain I don’t,” Madeline replied. “You certainly don’t know everything about me.”
Billie instantly leaned forward again, rising to the challenge. “Oh really? I bet I can guess what you used to do!”
The childish excitement on their face at this new game made Madeline’s chest swell with warmth. “Go on then.”
“I think you were…” They stared at her, rubbing their chin as if deep in thought. “I think you were a librarian.”
“I wish!” Madeline scoffed.
“An English teacher?”
“What, with all those children? Hell no!”
“A writer? Journalist? Editor?”
Madeline clutched a hand to her heart in mock affront. “Wow! It’s almost as if you only know one thing about me!”
“Hey! I know lots about you!” Billie insisted. “It’s just that none of it is useful in figuring out what sort of job you’d have had. So are you going to put me out of my misery, or what?”
“I was a marketing executive,” she said with a sigh.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means sitting at the same desk every day coming up with ways to promote products to people who don’t need them.”
“Sounds fun!”
“It wasn’t.” Madeline shifted forward slightly in her chair, leaning her elbows onto her knees to be ever so slightly closer to her friend. “So what do you know about me then?”
Billie tilted their head quizzically. “Huh?”
“You said that you knew lots about me. So what is it you know?”
“Ah.” They leaned forward too, mirroring Madeline as they chewed their lip in thought. “I know that you love books — obviously. I know that you’re slow to trust, but that once you do you trust completely. I know that despite everything you’ve been through, you still put others before yourself to the point you're willing to risk your life for those you care about. I know that you’re smart, and like to plan things out properly. And that you hate it when things don’t go to plan. I know that you’re tough and fiercely independent, but that you crave connection even though you fear it. Oh, and I know that you favour your left foot and your right hand in a fight.”
Madeline stared at them, mouth hanging open slightly as she took in their view of her. It wasn’t that it was completely wrong. It was just that it seemed somewhat selective. Sure, she’d put her life on the line for Liam or Billie or Lena, but she was fairly certain she’d killed people, or that her actions had at least led to their deaths. She’d hoarded supplies for herself tucked away in the safety of her library without worrying about anyone else. She wasn’t sure whether she liked this view of herself, or if it sat in uncomfortably stark contrast with what she knew to be true.
Finally, her mind caught up with Billie’s words, reaching the final sentence. She snapped her mouth shut and forced her eyes to focus once more. “Hey!” she said. “How is it that you find a way to bring everything back to sparring or exercise?!”
“Because I’m insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Madeline rolled her eyes and groaned, but she couldn’t help the smile creeping across her face.
“Speaking of, how about we work on evening up your form a little now, eh? We’ve got a while before we have to get moving.” They pushed themselves up and started clearing a space.
“I’m going to regret ever saying that, aren’t I?” Madeline said as she got up to join them.
They grinned. “Definitely!”
The rest of the morning was spent sparring, interspersed with the occasional break when Lena stepped in for a turn. Madeline was soon sporting many a bruise, but she managed to inflict a few of her own too. She also got the satisfaction of seeing Billie visibly struggling against Lena. With the woman’s longer reach and well-practised form, she was a formidable opponent indeed.
It was nice to know that she had these two in her corner for whatever was coming next.
2023.06.01 16:57 PalemoonKing [AVAILABLE] Community Health and Wellness Principles of Primary Health Care 7th Edition - eBook
![[AVAILABLE] Community Health and Wellness Principles of Primary Health Care 7th Edition - eBook](https://b.thumbs.redditmedia.com/8ndXmHZ8Dj6yVbT5UjomyygmhhY61Fnkkqj3ZcSx-GE.jpg "[AVAILABLE] Community Health and Wellness Principles of Primary Health Care 7th Edition - eBook") | submitted by PalemoonKing to BookxArchive [link] [comments] |
2023.06.01 16:55 rainbow--penguin [The Weight of Words] - Chapter 54 - Getting to Know You
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Once Madeline and Billie had hauled themselves out of the lake it was time to get moving again. Lena had used the time they’d been “mucking about” in the medic’s words to plan out the next section of their route on the map.
Madeline struggled to pull on fresh socks over her shrivelled, soggy feet before hurriedly retying her trainers and hauling her bag onto her back. It was going to be odd walking in sodden clothes, but she was sure they’d dry soon. In fact, the cooling effect might even be a bonus — so long as the chafing wasn’t unbearable.
As the three of them made their way out of the valley, they converged slightly, all having to take the same path before they diverged out to a safe distance again so as to avoid detection by the Poiloogs. Lena went ahead, leaving Billie and Madeline to linger until they judged she was far enough away.
“Enjoy the swim?” Billie shouted over to her.
Madeline pointedly lifted her walkie-talkie to her lips and pressed the button. “Pardon?”
“I said did you enjoy the swim?” Billie’s voice came over the radio.
“You know I did!”
“Yeah, but it’s good to hear you say it.”
Madeline turned to face them more fully, glaring. As she did, she noticed their gaze skirt over her body and glanced down to realise her clothes were plastered to her skin. She instinctively went to wrap her arms around herself but paused. What point was there in being shy or ashamed of herself anymore? The world had practically ended. The apocalypse had come. Being alive was achievement enough without worrying about what your body looked like.
Heart fluttering at the brazenness of it, she let her own gaze slip down slightly, taking in Billie’s chiselled form underneath the wet fabric. Her lip twitched up as she noticed Billie’s arms jerk slightly, before falling to their sides just as hers had. It was nice to know that, as confident as her friend seemed, they all had their insecurities.
“Are you two coming, or not?” Lena’s voice jerked Madeline back to reality, and heat rapidly rose up her neck.
“Right behind you,” she said quickly, hurrying after the medic as Billie watched her go with a grin on their face.
The feared chafing soon reared its ugly head, wet fabric rubbing against her skin under the straps of her backpack, but it was a price worth paying for even a moment of fun. And there was plenty of time to take the journey slow, with lots of opportunities for breaks. They had to make the most of the time they had left, after all. Once they attempted their rescue mission, who knew what would happen?
Their next stop was at an old holiday park — a perfect place to stay the night. Once they’d performed a quick sweep of the area between them, they each chose a static caravan. The selection of keys hanging behind the front desk by the entrance made breaking in significantly easier than usual, and they were soon tucked away and getting settled.
Though there was still a little daylight left, they had a rule never to congregate before a night’s sleep. If a Poiloog detected them because of their proximity, they wouldn’t have long enough to disperse before darkness fell. Besides, they still weren’t sure how far away Poiloogs could sense them from. It might take a while for the creatures to turn up, and if they were already asleep by then…
If only they knew more about the Poiloogs. But even after sharing knowledge with Billie and the rest of the resistance — as she called them — there were still so many questions. How did they sense humans? Why was it easier for them when people were closer together and in larger groups? How did their mind control work? And what were they doing with the people they took away?
At least some answers might finally be on the horizon.
And until then, they had all their precautions to keep them safe amid the uncertainty.
Not wishing to dwell on questions that she could do nothing to answer just yet, Madeline settled onto one of the sofa beds in her caravan and tried to absorb herself in her book.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When morning came, and still with more than enough time to reach their destination, Madeline, Lena, and Billie decided to hang around a little before setting off for the day. After a lot of searching, they managed to find a caravan that still had gas left in the external canister. Billie fired up the stove as Lena and Madeline searched through their packs for anything that would make for a nice hot breakfast.
Between them, they came up with some baked beans and some tinned spam. It wasn’t exactly a full English breakfast, but it was as close as Madeline had managed in a while.
The more relaxed pace of the last few days had had many benefits. With all the sitting around outside, Madeline had managed to fully charge all her solar-powered battery packs. Now she’d be able to use her hot plate and her walkman without fear of running out of power. It was nice to feel at least a little on top of things rather than like she was continually drowning and just about scrambling to keep up.
Once they’d wolfed down the food, Billie left to patrol and keep watch while Madeline and Lena reclined in a pair of camping chairs. Though Madeline always enjoyed the other woman’s conversation, she also loved moments like this, sitting in comfortable, companionable silence. It felt like such an indulgence to enjoy the presence of someone else with no purpose. To just relax.
Of course, relaxation never lasted long when Billie was around. They returned from their patrolling at a jog. Madeline was halfway to her feet, sweat pricking at her skin and heart racing before Billie waved at her with a relaxed smile.
She slumped back into her chair, clutching a hand to her chest. “You scared me half to death!” she shouted. “I thought you must be running from something.”
“Nope,” Billie replied. “Just figured I’d enjoy this wonderful morning and make my patrolling more efficient by going for a jog.”
“Of course they did,” Lena said, throwing her a sidelong glance.
Madeline laughed. It was an oddly giddy giggle, bubbling up out of excess adrenaline that was no longer needed. “How silly of me,” she said. “I forgot for a moment that you were completely insane.”
“Not insane! Just… enthusiastic. There are some habits it’s hard to shake.” Billie grinned. “Did I ever tell you that I used to be a personal trainer?”
Suddenly, so many things clicked into place in Madeline’s mind. Another giggle bubbled up. “No, I don’t think you did,” she said. “But it makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right?” Lena climbed to her feet. “I suppose one of us should go and keep watch,” she said as she walked off. “I’ll come back when I’m bored. Or if I see anything dangerous.” She glanced over her shoulder, a grin pulling at her lips. “But I’ll try not to give you a heart attack when I do.”
“So,” Billie slumped into the now vacant chair, “what did you mean by ‘it makes perfect sense’?”
Madeline turned to face them, returning the challenge of their arched eyebrow with her most innocent expression — eyes wide with a slight smile. “Oh, you know,” she said. “Just that you’re insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Billie gaped at them. “Wow! Tell me what you really think.”
For a second, she worried that she might have gone too far in her teasing. It wasn’t too long ago that she’d managed to hurt her friend’s feelings and the experience had been unpleasant enough that she knew she never wanted to repeat it.
Then, Billie cracked a grin. “You know me so well, Mads. Or do you?” They dramatically whipped their head around to face her, narrowing their eyes in an accusatory stare. “Can you guess what my second job was?”
“Second job?” Madeline asked, buying time as she considered everything she knew about them. They were definitely into fitness, but that had already been covered. They were friendly and good with people, but that could lend itself to all kinds of roles.
“Yeah. The PT work could be a little sporadic so I had another way of making money.”
Coming up empty, Madeline spread her hands in a shrug. “I don’t know… delivery rider?”
“Aha! No!” They paused, eyes drifting up as they considered. “Okay, well, I might have done that for a bit. But it wasn’t what I was doing most recently.”
“So what was your second job?”
“Bartender. And I was damn good at it too.”
Just like before, as soon as Billie had said the words it all fit perfectly. She could imagine them behind the bar, charming customers, darting back and forward mixing drinks, and, of course, swiftly dealing with any inappropriate or violent behaviour.
“See,” they said, sitting back and folding their arms, “maybe you don’t know everything about me.”
“I’m certain I don’t,” Madeline replied. “You certainly don’t know everything about me.”
Billie instantly leaned forward again, rising to the challenge. “Oh really? I bet I can guess what you used to do!”
The childish excitement on their face at this new game made Madeline’s chest swell with warmth. “Go on then.”
“I think you were…” They stared at her, rubbing their chin as if deep in thought. “I think you were a librarian.”
“I wish!” Madeline scoffed.
“An English teacher?”
“What, with all those children? Hell no!”
“A writer? Journalist? Editor?”
Madeline clutched a hand to her heart in mock affront. “Wow! It’s almost as if you only know one thing about me!”
“Hey! I know lots about you!” Billie insisted. “It’s just that none of it is useful in figuring out what sort of job you’d have had. So are you going to put me out of my misery, or what?”
“I was a marketing executive,” she said with a sigh.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means sitting at the same desk every day coming up with ways to promote products to people who don’t need them.”
“Sounds fun!”
“It wasn’t.” Madeline shifted forward slightly in her chair, leaning her elbows onto her knees to be ever so slightly closer to her friend. “So what do you know about me then?”
Billie tilted their head quizzically. “Huh?”
“You said that you knew lots about me. So what is it you know?”
“Ah.” They leaned forward too, mirroring Madeline as they chewed their lip in thought. “I know that you love books — obviously. I know that you’re slow to trust, but that once you do you trust completely. I know that despite everything you’ve been through, you still put others before yourself to the point you're willing to risk your life for those you care about. I know that you’re smart, and like to plan things out properly. And that you hate it when things don’t go to plan. I know that you’re tough and fiercely independent, but that you crave connection even though you fear it. Oh, and I know that you favour your left foot and your right hand in a fight.”
Madeline stared at them, mouth hanging open slightly as she took in their view of her. It wasn’t that it was completely wrong. It was just that it seemed somewhat selective. Sure, she’d put her life on the line for Liam or Billie or Lena, but she was fairly certain she’d killed people, or that her actions had at least led to their deaths. She’d hoarded supplies for herself tucked away in the safety of her library without worrying about anyone else. She wasn’t sure whether she liked this view of herself, or if it sat in uncomfortably stark contrast with what she knew to be true.
Finally, her mind caught up with Billie’s words, reaching the final sentence. She snapped her mouth shut and forced her eyes to focus once more. “Hey!” she said. “How is it that you find a way to bring everything back to sparring or exercise?!”
“Because I’m insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Madeline rolled her eyes and groaned, but she couldn’t help the smile creeping across her face.
“Speaking of, how about we work on evening up your form a little now, eh? We’ve got a while before we have to get moving.” They pushed themselves up and started clearing a space.
“I’m going to regret ever saying that, aren’t I?” Madeline said as she got up to join them.
They grinned. “Definitely!”
The rest of the morning was spent sparring, interspersed with the occasional break when Lena stepped in for a turn. Madeline was soon sporting many a bruise, but she managed to inflict a few of her own too. She also got the satisfaction of seeing Billie visibly struggling against Lena. With the woman’s longer reach and well-practised form, she was a formidable opponent indeed.
It was nice to know that she had these two in her corner for whatever was coming next.
Author's Note: Next chapter to be posted 8th June (hopefully). This is an ongoing project so I welcome any feedback you might have.
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< Previous Chapter Next Chapter >
Once Madeline and Billie had hauled themselves out of the lake it was time to get moving again. Lena had used the time they’d been “mucking about” in the medic’s words to plan out the next section of their route on the map.
Madeline struggled to pull on fresh socks over her shrivelled, soggy feet before hurriedly retying her trainers and hauling her bag onto her back. It was going to be odd walking in sodden clothes, but she was sure they’d dry soon. In fact, the cooling effect might even be a bonus — so long as the chafing wasn’t unbearable.
As the three of them made their way out of the valley, they converged slightly, all having to take the same path before they diverged out to a safe distance again so as to avoid detection by the Poiloogs. Lena went ahead, leaving Billie and Madeline to linger until they judged she was far enough away.
“Enjoy the swim?” Billie shouted over to her.
Madeline pointedly lifted her walkie-talkie to her lips and pressed the button. “Pardon?”
“I said did you enjoy the swim?” Billie’s voice came over the radio.
“You know I did!”
“Yeah, but it’s good to hear you say it.”
Madeline turned to face them more fully, glaring. As she did, she noticed their gaze skirt over her body and glanced down to realise her clothes were plastered to her skin. She instinctively went to wrap her arms around herself but paused. What point was there in being shy or ashamed of herself anymore? The world had practically ended. The apocalypse had come. Being alive was achievement enough without worrying about what your body looked like.
Heart fluttering at the brazenness of it, she let her own gaze slip down slightly, taking in Billie’s chiselled form underneath the wet fabric. Her lip twitched up as she noticed Billie’s arms jerk slightly, before falling to their sides just as hers had. It was nice to know that, as confident as her friend seemed, they all had their insecurities.
“Are you two coming, or not?” Lena’s voice jerked Madeline back to reality, and heat rapidly rose up her neck.
“Right behind you,” she said quickly, hurrying after the medic as Billie watched her go with a grin on their face.
The feared chafing soon reared its ugly head, wet fabric rubbing against her skin under the straps of her backpack, but it was a price worth paying for even a moment of fun. And there was plenty of time to take the journey slow, with lots of opportunities for breaks. They had to make the most of the time they had left, after all. Once they attempted their rescue mission, who knew what would happen?
Their next stop was at an old holiday park — a perfect place to stay the night. Once they’d performed a quick sweep of the area between them, they each chose a static caravan. The selection of keys hanging behind the front desk by the entrance made breaking in significantly easier than usual, and they were soon tucked away and getting settled.
Though there was still a little daylight left, they had a rule never to congregate before a night’s sleep. If a Poiloog detected them because of their proximity, they wouldn’t have long enough to disperse before darkness fell. Besides, they still weren’t sure how far away Poiloogs could sense them from. It might take a while for the creatures to turn up, and if they were already asleep by then…
If only they knew more about the Poiloogs. But even after sharing knowledge with Billie and the rest of the resistance — as she called them — there were still so many questions. How did they sense humans? Why was it easier for them when people were closer together and in larger groups? How did their mind control work? And what were they doing with the people they took away?
At least some answers might finally be on the horizon.
And until then, they had all their precautions to keep them safe amid the uncertainty.
Not wishing to dwell on questions that she could do nothing to answer just yet, Madeline settled onto one of the sofa beds in her caravan and tried to absorb herself in her book.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When morning came, and still with more than enough time to reach their destination, Madeline, Lena, and Billie decided to hang around a little before setting off for the day. After a lot of searching, they managed to find a caravan that still had gas left in the external canister. Billie fired up the stove as Lena and Madeline searched through their packs for anything that would make for a nice hot breakfast.
Between them, they came up with some baked beans and some tinned spam. It wasn’t exactly a full English breakfast, but it was as close as Madeline had managed in a while.
The more relaxed pace of the last few days had had many benefits. With all the sitting around outside, Madeline had managed to fully charge all her solar-powered battery packs. Now she’d be able to use her hot plate and her walkman without fear of running out of power. It was nice to feel at least a little on top of things rather than like she was continually drowning and just about scrambling to keep up.
Once they’d wolfed down the food, Billie left to patrol and keep watch while Madeline and Lena reclined in a pair of camping chairs. Though Madeline always enjoyed the other woman’s conversation, she also loved moments like this, sitting in comfortable, companionable silence. It felt like such an indulgence to enjoy the presence of someone else with no purpose. To just relax.
Of course, relaxation never lasted long when Billie was around. They returned from their patrolling at a jog. Madeline was halfway to her feet, sweat pricking at her skin and heart racing before Billie waved at her with a relaxed smile.
She slumped back into her chair, clutching a hand to her chest. “You scared me half to death!” she shouted. “I thought you must be running from something.”
“Nope,” Billie replied. “Just figured I’d enjoy this wonderful morning and make my patrolling more efficient by going for a jog.”
“Of course they did,” Lena said, throwing her a sidelong glance.
Madeline laughed. It was an oddly giddy giggle, bubbling up out of excess adrenaline that was no longer needed. “How silly of me,” she said. “I forgot for a moment that you were completely insane.”
“Not insane! Just… enthusiastic. There are some habits it’s hard to shake.” Billie grinned. “Did I ever tell you that I used to be a personal trainer?”
Suddenly, so many things clicked into place in Madeline’s mind. Another giggle bubbled up. “No, I don’t think you did,” she said. “But it makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right?” Lena climbed to her feet. “I suppose one of us should go and keep watch,” she said as she walked off. “I’ll come back when I’m bored. Or if I see anything dangerous.” She glanced over her shoulder, a grin pulling at her lips. “But I’ll try not to give you a heart attack when I do.”
“So,” Billie slumped into the now vacant chair, “what did you mean by ‘it makes perfect sense’?”
Madeline turned to face them, returning the challenge of their arched eyebrow with her most innocent expression — eyes wide with a slight smile. “Oh, you know,” she said. “Just that you’re insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Billie gaped at them. “Wow! Tell me what you really think.”
For a second, she worried that she might have gone too far in her teasing. It wasn’t too long ago that she’d managed to hurt her friend’s feelings and the experience had been unpleasant enough that she knew she never wanted to repeat it.
Then, Billie cracked a grin. “You know me so well, Mads. Or do you?” They dramatically whipped their head around to face her, narrowing their eyes in an accusatory stare. “Can you guess what my second job was?”
“Second job?” Madeline asked, buying time as she considered everything she knew about them. They were definitely into fitness, but that had already been covered. They were friendly and good with people, but that could lend itself to all kinds of roles.
“Yeah. The PT work could be a little sporadic so I had another way of making money.”
Coming up empty, Madeline spread her hands in a shrug. “I don’t know… delivery rider?”
“Aha! No!” They paused, eyes drifting up as they considered. “Okay, well, I might have done that for a bit. But it wasn’t what I was doing most recently.”
“So what was your second job?”
“Bartender. And I was damn good at it too.”
Just like before, as soon as Billie had said the words it all fit perfectly. She could imagine them behind the bar, charming customers, darting back and forward mixing drinks, and, of course, swiftly dealing with any inappropriate or violent behaviour.
“See,” they said, sitting back and folding their arms, “maybe you don’t know everything about me.”
“I’m certain I don’t,” Madeline replied. “You certainly don’t know everything about me.”
Billie instantly leaned forward again, rising to the challenge. “Oh really? I bet I can guess what you used to do!”
The childish excitement on their face at this new game made Madeline’s chest swell with warmth. “Go on then.”
“I think you were…” They stared at her, rubbing their chin as if deep in thought. “I think you were a librarian.”
“I wish!” Madeline scoffed.
“An English teacher?”
“What, with all those children? Hell no!”
“A writer? Journalist? Editor?”
Madeline clutched a hand to her heart in mock affront. “Wow! It’s almost as if you only know one thing about me!”
“Hey! I know lots about you!” Billie insisted. “It’s just that none of it is useful in figuring out what sort of job you’d have had. So are you going to put me out of my misery, or what?”
“I was a marketing executive,” she said with a sigh.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means sitting at the same desk every day coming up with ways to promote products to people who don’t need them.”
“Sounds fun!”
“It wasn’t.” Madeline shifted forward slightly in her chair, leaning her elbows onto her knees to be ever so slightly closer to her friend. “So what do you know about me then?”
Billie tilted their head quizzically. “Huh?”
“You said that you knew lots about me. So what is it you know?”
“Ah.” They leaned forward too, mirroring Madeline as they chewed their lip in thought. “I know that you love books — obviously. I know that you’re slow to trust, but that once you do you trust completely. I know that despite everything you’ve been through, you still put others before yourself to the point you're willing to risk your life for those you care about. I know that you’re smart, and like to plan things out properly. And that you hate it when things don’t go to plan. I know that you’re tough and fiercely independent, but that you crave connection even though you fear it. Oh, and I know that you favour your left foot and your right hand in a fight.”
Madeline stared at them, mouth hanging open slightly as she took in their view of her. It wasn’t that it was completely wrong. It was just that it seemed somewhat selective. Sure, she’d put her life on the line for Liam or Billie or Lena, but she was fairly certain she’d killed people, or that her actions had at least led to their deaths. She’d hoarded supplies for herself tucked away in the safety of her library without worrying about anyone else. She wasn’t sure whether she liked this view of herself, or if it sat in uncomfortably stark contrast with what she knew to be true.
Finally, her mind caught up with Billie’s words, reaching the final sentence. She snapped her mouth shut and forced her eyes to focus once more. “Hey!” she said. “How is it that you find a way to bring everything back to sparring or exercise?!”
“Because I’m insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Madeline rolled her eyes and groaned, but she couldn’t help the smile creeping across her face.
“Speaking of, how about we work on evening up your form a little now, eh? We’ve got a while before we have to get moving.” They pushed themselves up and started clearing a space.
“I’m going to regret ever saying that, aren’t I?” Madeline said as she got up to join them.
They grinned. “Definitely!”
The rest of the morning was spent sparring, interspersed with the occasional break when Lena stepped in for a turn. Madeline was soon sporting many a bruise, but she managed to inflict a few of her own too. She also got the satisfaction of seeing Billie visibly struggling against Lena. With the woman’s longer reach and well-practised form, she was a formidable opponent indeed.
It was nice to know that she had these two in her corner for whatever was coming next.
2023.06.01 16:55 mentalprisioner How to start a career in compliance?
Hello! I will be moving in October with my partner to Luxembourg and I would like to start a career in compliance. I would like to follow a path to become in a maximun of 10 years a consultant in IT compliance, I believe that as a techno-criminologist this seems possible. However, I'm not sure how to start, how to sell myself or if I should get any extra qualifications for it.
I'm an EU citizen currently in the UK finishing in September a Msc in Criminological Research with a dissertation focused on AI, Iot and robotic law whilst I work in IT/Online Banking Customer Support, due to the company demanding the end of remote work and being unable to move there because of my masters, which will be over in september. I will be working through an agency in health and social care until I move from the UK.
In the past, I worked 3+ years in health and social care (during covid aswell) in nursing home, forensic mental health (rehabilitation of people that committed crime due to mental health), child services, homelessness, etc. I done this full time whilst studiying for a Bsc Open at the Open University, being the majority of my modules Criminology and Forensic Psychology. I graduated with a 2:1.Previous to that I worked on retail.
I have done an Internet search and I have seem qualifications for AMC and KYC, in my currently employment we had courses for that, so are things that I'm familiarised with althought I don't have the official regulatory title. I have search for people working in Compliance in Luxembourg and I have observed that many of them got their AMC qualifications later mid-career and started with a business or law diploma.
I have some time after the delivery to my dissertation to get some extra education and I was thinking about perhaps getting a certificate in cybersecurity, six sigma or Microsoft azure. I'm not sure about what to do about AMC and KYC since they are a bit over my budget.
Which courses do you recommend me to do? Any ideas about how to sell myself? Shall I start looking for compliance jobs straight away or do you recommend me to follow a different path? Are my career expectations reasonable?
Thanks in advance.
submitted by mentalprisioner to careeradvice [link] [comments]
I'm an EU citizen currently in the UK finishing in September a Msc in Criminological Research with a dissertation focused on AI, Iot and robotic law whilst I work in IT/Online Banking Customer Support, due to the company demanding the end of remote work and being unable to move there because of my masters, which will be over in september. I will be working through an agency in health and social care until I move from the UK.
In the past, I worked 3+ years in health and social care (during covid aswell) in nursing home, forensic mental health (rehabilitation of people that committed crime due to mental health), child services, homelessness, etc. I done this full time whilst studiying for a Bsc Open at the Open University, being the majority of my modules Criminology and Forensic Psychology. I graduated with a 2:1.Previous to that I worked on retail.
I have done an Internet search and I have seem qualifications for AMC and KYC, in my currently employment we had courses for that, so are things that I'm familiarised with althought I don't have the official regulatory title. I have search for people working in Compliance in Luxembourg and I have observed that many of them got their AMC qualifications later mid-career and started with a business or law diploma.
I have some time after the delivery to my dissertation to get some extra education and I was thinking about perhaps getting a certificate in cybersecurity, six sigma or Microsoft azure. I'm not sure about what to do about AMC and KYC since they are a bit over my budget.
Which courses do you recommend me to do? Any ideas about how to sell myself? Shall I start looking for compliance jobs straight away or do you recommend me to follow a different path? Are my career expectations reasonable?
Thanks in advance.
2023.06.01 16:54 rainbow--penguin The Weight of Words: Chapter 54 - Getting to Know You
Once Madeline and Billie had hauled themselves out of the lake it was time to get moving again. Lena had used the time they’d been “mucking about” in the medic’s words to plan out the next section of their route on the map.
Madeline struggled to pull on fresh socks over her shrivelled, soggy feet before hurriedly retying her trainers and hauling her bag onto her back. It was going to be odd walking in sodden clothes, but she was sure they’d dry soon. In fact, the cooling effect might even be a bonus — so long as the chafing wasn’t unbearable.
As the three of them made their way out of the valley, they converged slightly, all having to take the same path before they diverged out to a safe distance again so as to avoid detection by the Poiloogs. Lena went ahead, leaving Billie and Madeline to linger until they judged she was far enough away.
“Enjoy the swim?” Billie shouted over to her.
Madeline pointedly lifted her walkie-talkie to her lips and pressed the button. “Pardon?”
“I said did you enjoy the swim?” Billie’s voice came over the radio.
“You know I did!”
“Yeah, but it’s good to hear you say it.”
Madeline turned to face them more fully, glaring. As she did, she noticed their gaze skirt over her body and glanced down to realise her clothes were plastered to her skin. She instinctively went to wrap her arms around herself but paused. What point was there in being shy or ashamed of herself anymore? The world had practically ended. The apocalypse had come. Being alive was achievement enough without worrying about what your body looked like.
Heart fluttering at the brazenness of it, she let her own gaze slip down slightly, taking in Billie’s chiselled form underneath the wet fabric. Her lip twitched up as she noticed Billie’s arms jerk slightly, before falling to their sides just as hers had. It was nice to know that, as confident as her friend seemed, they all had their insecurities.
“Are you two coming, or not?” Lena’s voice jerked Madeline back to reality, and heat rapidly rose up her neck.
“Right behind you,” she said quickly, hurrying after the medic as Billie watched her go with a grin on their face.
The feared chafing soon reared its ugly head, wet fabric rubbing against her skin under the straps of her backpack, but it was a price worth paying for even a moment of fun. And there was plenty of time to take the journey slow, with lots of opportunities for breaks. They had to make the most of the time they had left, after all. Once they attempted their rescue mission, who knew what would happen?
Their next stop was at an old holiday park — a perfect place to stay the night. Once they’d performed a quick sweep of the area between them, they each chose a static caravan. The selection of keys hanging behind the front desk by the entrance made breaking in significantly easier than usual, and they were soon tucked away and getting settled.
Though there was still a little daylight left, they had a rule never to congregate before a night’s sleep. If a Poiloog detected them because of their proximity, they wouldn’t have long enough to disperse before darkness fell. Besides, they still weren’t sure how far away Poiloogs could sense them from. It might take a while for the creatures to turn up, and if they were already asleep by then…
If only they knew more about the Poiloogs. But even after sharing knowledge with Billie and the rest of the resistance — as she called them — there were still so many questions. How did they sense humans? Why was it easier for them when people were closer together and in larger groups? How did their mind control work? And what were they doing with the people they took away?
At least some answers might finally be on the horizon.
And until then, they had all their precautions to keep them safe amid the uncertainty.
Not wishing to dwell on questions that she could do nothing to answer just yet, Madeline settled onto one of the sofa beds in her caravan and tried to absorb herself in her book.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When morning came, and still with more than enough time to reach their destination, Madeline, Lena, and Billie decided to hang around a little before setting off for the day. After a lot of searching, they managed to find a caravan that still had gas left in the external canister. Billie fired up the stove as Lena and Madeline searched through their packs for anything that would make for a nice hot breakfast.
Between them, they came up with some baked beans and some tinned spam. It wasn’t exactly a full English breakfast, but it was as close as Madeline had managed in a while.
The more relaxed pace of the last few days had had many benefits. With all the sitting around outside, Madeline had managed to fully charge all her solar-powered battery packs. Now she’d be able to use her hot plate and her walkman without fear of running out of power. It was nice to feel at least a little on top of things rather than like she was continually drowning and just about scrambling to keep up.
Once they’d wolfed down the food, Billie left to patrol and keep watch while Madeline and Lena reclined in a pair of camping chairs. Though Madeline always enjoyed the other woman’s conversation, she also loved moments like this, sitting in comfortable, companionable silence. It felt like such an indulgence to enjoy the presence of someone else with no purpose. To just relax.
Of course, relaxation never lasted long when Billie was around. They returned from their patrolling at a jog. Madeline was halfway to her feet, sweat pricking at her skin and heart racing before Billie waved at her with a relaxed smile.
She slumped back into her chair, clutching a hand to her chest. “You scared me half to death!” she shouted. “I thought you must be running from something.”
“Nope,” Billie replied. “Just figured I’d enjoy this wonderful morning and make my patrolling more efficient by going for a jog.”
“Of course they did,” Lena said, throwing her a sidelong glance.
Madeline laughed. It was an oddly giddy giggle, bubbling up out of excess adrenaline that was no longer needed. “How silly of me,” she said. “I forgot for a moment that you were completely insane.”
“Not insane! Just… enthusiastic. There are some habits it’s hard to shake.” Billie grinned. “Did I ever tell you that I used to be a personal trainer?”
Suddenly, so many things clicked into place in Madeline’s mind. Another giggle bubbled up. “No, I don’t think you did,” she said. “But it makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right?” Lena climbed to her feet. “I suppose one of us should go and keep watch,” she said as she walked off. “I’ll come back when I’m bored. Or if I see anything dangerous.” She glanced over her shoulder, a grin pulling at her lips. “But I’ll try not to give you a heart attack when I do.”
“So,” Billie slumped into the now vacant chair, “what did you mean by ‘it makes perfect sense’?”
Madeline turned to face them, returning the challenge of their arched eyebrow with her most innocent expression — eyes wide with a slight smile. “Oh, you know,” she said. “Just that you’re insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Billie gaped at them. “Wow! Tell me what you really think.”
For a second, she worried that she might have gone too far in her teasing. It wasn’t too long ago that she’d managed to hurt her friend’s feelings and the experience had been unpleasant enough that she knew she never wanted to repeat it.
Then, Billie cracked a grin. “You know me so well, Mads. Or do you?” They dramatically whipped their head around to face her, narrowing their eyes in an accusatory stare. “Can you guess what my second job was?”
“Second job?” Madeline asked, buying time as she considered everything she knew about them. They were definitely into fitness, but that had already been covered. They were friendly and good with people, but that could lend itself to all kinds of roles.
“Yeah. The PT work could be a little sporadic so I had another way of making money.”
Coming up empty, Madeline spread her hands in a shrug. “I don’t know… delivery rider?”
“Aha! No!” They paused, eyes drifting up as they considered. “Okay, well, I might have done that for a bit. But it wasn’t what I was doing most recently.”
“So what was your second job?”
“Bartender. And I was damn good at it too.”
Just like before, as soon as Billie had said the words it all fit perfectly. She could imagine them behind the bar, charming customers, darting back and forward mixing drinks, and, of course, swiftly dealing with any inappropriate or violent behaviour.
“See,” they said, sitting back and folding their arms, “maybe you don’t know everything about me.”
“I’m certain I don’t,” Madeline replied. “You certainly don’t know everything about me.”
Billie instantly leaned forward again, rising to the challenge. “Oh really? I bet I can guess what you used to do!”
The childish excitement on their face at this new game made Madeline’s chest swell with warmth. “Go on then.”
“I think you were…” They stared at her, rubbing their chin as if deep in thought. “I think you were a librarian.”
“I wish!” Madeline scoffed.
“An English teacher?”
“What, with all those children? Hell no!”
“A writer? Journalist? Editor?”
Madeline clutched a hand to her heart in mock affront. “Wow! It’s almost as if you only know one thing about me!”
“Hey! I know lots about you!” Billie insisted. “It’s just that none of it is useful in figuring out what sort of job you’d have had. So are you going to put me out of my misery, or what?”
“I was a marketing executive,” she said with a sigh.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means sitting at the same desk every day coming up with ways to promote products to people who don’t need them.”
“Sounds fun!”
“It wasn’t.” Madeline shifted forward slightly in her chair, leaning her elbows onto her knees to be ever so slightly closer to her friend. “So what do you know about me then?”
Billie tilted their head quizzically. “Huh?”
“You said that you knew lots about me. So what is it you know?”
“Ah.” They leaned forward too, mirroring Madeline as they chewed their lip in thought. “I know that you love books — obviously. I know that you’re slow to trust, but that once you do you trust completely. I know that despite everything you’ve been through, you still put others before yourself to the point you're willing to risk your life for those you care about. I know that you’re smart, and like to plan things out properly. And that you hate it when things don’t go to plan. I know that you’re tough and fiercely independent, but that you crave connection even though you fear it. Oh, and I know that you favour your left foot and your right hand in a fight.”
Madeline stared at them, mouth hanging open slightly as she took in their view of her. It wasn’t that it was completely wrong. It was just that it seemed somewhat selective. Sure, she’d put her life on the line for Liam or Billie or Lena, but she was fairly certain she’d killed people, or that her actions had at least led to their deaths. She’d hoarded supplies for herself tucked away in the safety of her library without worrying about anyone else. She wasn’t sure whether she liked this view of herself, or if it sat in uncomfortably stark contrast with what she knew to be true.
Finally, her mind caught up with Billie’s words, reaching the final sentence. She snapped her mouth shut and forced her eyes to focus once more. “Hey!” she said. “How is it that you find a way to bring everything back to sparring or exercise?!”
“Because I’m insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Madeline rolled her eyes and groaned, but she couldn’t help the smile creeping across her face.
“Speaking of, how about we work on evening up your form a little now, eh? We’ve got a while before we have to get moving.” They pushed themselves up and started clearing a space.
“I’m going to regret ever saying that, aren’t I?” Madeline said as she got up to join them.
They grinned. “Definitely!”
The rest of the morning was spent sparring, interspersed with the occasional break when Lena stepped in for a turn. Madeline was soon sporting many a bruise, but she managed to inflict a few of her own too. She also got the satisfaction of seeing Billie visibly struggling against Lena. With the woman’s longer reach and well-practised form, she was a formidable opponent indeed.
It was nice to know that she had these two in her corner for whatever was coming next.
submitted by rainbow--penguin to RainbowWrites [link] [comments]
Madeline struggled to pull on fresh socks over her shrivelled, soggy feet before hurriedly retying her trainers and hauling her bag onto her back. It was going to be odd walking in sodden clothes, but she was sure they’d dry soon. In fact, the cooling effect might even be a bonus — so long as the chafing wasn’t unbearable.
As the three of them made their way out of the valley, they converged slightly, all having to take the same path before they diverged out to a safe distance again so as to avoid detection by the Poiloogs. Lena went ahead, leaving Billie and Madeline to linger until they judged she was far enough away.
“Enjoy the swim?” Billie shouted over to her.
Madeline pointedly lifted her walkie-talkie to her lips and pressed the button. “Pardon?”
“I said did you enjoy the swim?” Billie’s voice came over the radio.
“You know I did!”
“Yeah, but it’s good to hear you say it.”
Madeline turned to face them more fully, glaring. As she did, she noticed their gaze skirt over her body and glanced down to realise her clothes were plastered to her skin. She instinctively went to wrap her arms around herself but paused. What point was there in being shy or ashamed of herself anymore? The world had practically ended. The apocalypse had come. Being alive was achievement enough without worrying about what your body looked like.
Heart fluttering at the brazenness of it, she let her own gaze slip down slightly, taking in Billie’s chiselled form underneath the wet fabric. Her lip twitched up as she noticed Billie’s arms jerk slightly, before falling to their sides just as hers had. It was nice to know that, as confident as her friend seemed, they all had their insecurities.
“Are you two coming, or not?” Lena’s voice jerked Madeline back to reality, and heat rapidly rose up her neck.
“Right behind you,” she said quickly, hurrying after the medic as Billie watched her go with a grin on their face.
The feared chafing soon reared its ugly head, wet fabric rubbing against her skin under the straps of her backpack, but it was a price worth paying for even a moment of fun. And there was plenty of time to take the journey slow, with lots of opportunities for breaks. They had to make the most of the time they had left, after all. Once they attempted their rescue mission, who knew what would happen?
Their next stop was at an old holiday park — a perfect place to stay the night. Once they’d performed a quick sweep of the area between them, they each chose a static caravan. The selection of keys hanging behind the front desk by the entrance made breaking in significantly easier than usual, and they were soon tucked away and getting settled.
Though there was still a little daylight left, they had a rule never to congregate before a night’s sleep. If a Poiloog detected them because of their proximity, they wouldn’t have long enough to disperse before darkness fell. Besides, they still weren’t sure how far away Poiloogs could sense them from. It might take a while for the creatures to turn up, and if they were already asleep by then…
If only they knew more about the Poiloogs. But even after sharing knowledge with Billie and the rest of the resistance — as she called them — there were still so many questions. How did they sense humans? Why was it easier for them when people were closer together and in larger groups? How did their mind control work? And what were they doing with the people they took away?
At least some answers might finally be on the horizon.
And until then, they had all their precautions to keep them safe amid the uncertainty.
Not wishing to dwell on questions that she could do nothing to answer just yet, Madeline settled onto one of the sofa beds in her caravan and tried to absorb herself in her book.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When morning came, and still with more than enough time to reach their destination, Madeline, Lena, and Billie decided to hang around a little before setting off for the day. After a lot of searching, they managed to find a caravan that still had gas left in the external canister. Billie fired up the stove as Lena and Madeline searched through their packs for anything that would make for a nice hot breakfast.
Between them, they came up with some baked beans and some tinned spam. It wasn’t exactly a full English breakfast, but it was as close as Madeline had managed in a while.
The more relaxed pace of the last few days had had many benefits. With all the sitting around outside, Madeline had managed to fully charge all her solar-powered battery packs. Now she’d be able to use her hot plate and her walkman without fear of running out of power. It was nice to feel at least a little on top of things rather than like she was continually drowning and just about scrambling to keep up.
Once they’d wolfed down the food, Billie left to patrol and keep watch while Madeline and Lena reclined in a pair of camping chairs. Though Madeline always enjoyed the other woman’s conversation, she also loved moments like this, sitting in comfortable, companionable silence. It felt like such an indulgence to enjoy the presence of someone else with no purpose. To just relax.
Of course, relaxation never lasted long when Billie was around. They returned from their patrolling at a jog. Madeline was halfway to her feet, sweat pricking at her skin and heart racing before Billie waved at her with a relaxed smile.
She slumped back into her chair, clutching a hand to her chest. “You scared me half to death!” she shouted. “I thought you must be running from something.”
“Nope,” Billie replied. “Just figured I’d enjoy this wonderful morning and make my patrolling more efficient by going for a jog.”
“Of course they did,” Lena said, throwing her a sidelong glance.
Madeline laughed. It was an oddly giddy giggle, bubbling up out of excess adrenaline that was no longer needed. “How silly of me,” she said. “I forgot for a moment that you were completely insane.”
“Not insane! Just… enthusiastic. There are some habits it’s hard to shake.” Billie grinned. “Did I ever tell you that I used to be a personal trainer?”
Suddenly, so many things clicked into place in Madeline’s mind. Another giggle bubbled up. “No, I don’t think you did,” she said. “But it makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right?” Lena climbed to her feet. “I suppose one of us should go and keep watch,” she said as she walked off. “I’ll come back when I’m bored. Or if I see anything dangerous.” She glanced over her shoulder, a grin pulling at her lips. “But I’ll try not to give you a heart attack when I do.”
“So,” Billie slumped into the now vacant chair, “what did you mean by ‘it makes perfect sense’?”
Madeline turned to face them, returning the challenge of their arched eyebrow with her most innocent expression — eyes wide with a slight smile. “Oh, you know,” she said. “Just that you’re insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Billie gaped at them. “Wow! Tell me what you really think.”
For a second, she worried that she might have gone too far in her teasing. It wasn’t too long ago that she’d managed to hurt her friend’s feelings and the experience had been unpleasant enough that she knew she never wanted to repeat it.
Then, Billie cracked a grin. “You know me so well, Mads. Or do you?” They dramatically whipped their head around to face her, narrowing their eyes in an accusatory stare. “Can you guess what my second job was?”
“Second job?” Madeline asked, buying time as she considered everything she knew about them. They were definitely into fitness, but that had already been covered. They were friendly and good with people, but that could lend itself to all kinds of roles.
“Yeah. The PT work could be a little sporadic so I had another way of making money.”
Coming up empty, Madeline spread her hands in a shrug. “I don’t know… delivery rider?”
“Aha! No!” They paused, eyes drifting up as they considered. “Okay, well, I might have done that for a bit. But it wasn’t what I was doing most recently.”
“So what was your second job?”
“Bartender. And I was damn good at it too.”
Just like before, as soon as Billie had said the words it all fit perfectly. She could imagine them behind the bar, charming customers, darting back and forward mixing drinks, and, of course, swiftly dealing with any inappropriate or violent behaviour.
“See,” they said, sitting back and folding their arms, “maybe you don’t know everything about me.”
“I’m certain I don’t,” Madeline replied. “You certainly don’t know everything about me.”
Billie instantly leaned forward again, rising to the challenge. “Oh really? I bet I can guess what you used to do!”
The childish excitement on their face at this new game made Madeline’s chest swell with warmth. “Go on then.”
“I think you were…” They stared at her, rubbing their chin as if deep in thought. “I think you were a librarian.”
“I wish!” Madeline scoffed.
“An English teacher?”
“What, with all those children? Hell no!”
“A writer? Journalist? Editor?”
Madeline clutched a hand to her heart in mock affront. “Wow! It’s almost as if you only know one thing about me!”
“Hey! I know lots about you!” Billie insisted. “It’s just that none of it is useful in figuring out what sort of job you’d have had. So are you going to put me out of my misery, or what?”
“I was a marketing executive,” she said with a sigh.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means sitting at the same desk every day coming up with ways to promote products to people who don’t need them.”
“Sounds fun!”
“It wasn’t.” Madeline shifted forward slightly in her chair, leaning her elbows onto her knees to be ever so slightly closer to her friend. “So what do you know about me then?”
Billie tilted their head quizzically. “Huh?”
“You said that you knew lots about me. So what is it you know?”
“Ah.” They leaned forward too, mirroring Madeline as they chewed their lip in thought. “I know that you love books — obviously. I know that you’re slow to trust, but that once you do you trust completely. I know that despite everything you’ve been through, you still put others before yourself to the point you're willing to risk your life for those you care about. I know that you’re smart, and like to plan things out properly. And that you hate it when things don’t go to plan. I know that you’re tough and fiercely independent, but that you crave connection even though you fear it. Oh, and I know that you favour your left foot and your right hand in a fight.”
Madeline stared at them, mouth hanging open slightly as she took in their view of her. It wasn’t that it was completely wrong. It was just that it seemed somewhat selective. Sure, she’d put her life on the line for Liam or Billie or Lena, but she was fairly certain she’d killed people, or that her actions had at least led to their deaths. She’d hoarded supplies for herself tucked away in the safety of her library without worrying about anyone else. She wasn’t sure whether she liked this view of herself, or if it sat in uncomfortably stark contrast with what she knew to be true.
Finally, her mind caught up with Billie’s words, reaching the final sentence. She snapped her mouth shut and forced her eyes to focus once more. “Hey!” she said. “How is it that you find a way to bring everything back to sparring or exercise?!”
“Because I’m insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Madeline rolled her eyes and groaned, but she couldn’t help the smile creeping across her face.
“Speaking of, how about we work on evening up your form a little now, eh? We’ve got a while before we have to get moving.” They pushed themselves up and started clearing a space.
“I’m going to regret ever saying that, aren’t I?” Madeline said as she got up to join them.
They grinned. “Definitely!”
The rest of the morning was spent sparring, interspersed with the occasional break when Lena stepped in for a turn. Madeline was soon sporting many a bruise, but she managed to inflict a few of her own too. She also got the satisfaction of seeing Billie visibly struggling against Lena. With the woman’s longer reach and well-practised form, she was a formidable opponent indeed.
It was nice to know that she had these two in her corner for whatever was coming next.
2023.06.01 16:51 engineering-services Innovation and upgradation- Milwaukee Tool M12
 | Milwaukee Tool, a top producer of professional-grade power tools and accessories, produces a line of cordless power tools and machinery under the M12 brand. The M12 line of products is renowned for its portability, adaptability, and small size, which makes it ideal for a variety of applications. Mun Siong Engineering works with the upgraded Milwaukee Tool M12, which is effective for construction and integrated maintenance operations. submitted by engineering-services to u/engineering-services [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/osrg2nmj6f3b1.jpg?width=628&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77f78c80c4fa1f8ff9e3385d13974a628e799ed0 The main features of the tools from M12 range: ● It helps in the cordless operations ● It comes in a compact and lightweight design ● There are various types of tools in this range ● The designs of the tools are created with advanced technology ● Compatibility with M12 system ● It can be used for various types of applications ● These tools are durable and reliable ● Expandable system A wide selection of cordless power tools and other items are available in the Milwaukee Tool M12 line, which is intended for professional use. The M12 series offers consumers dependable and effective solutions for many applications across multiple sectors because of its small size, cutting-edge technology, and versatility. You can contact Mun Siong Engineering to learn more about the effective usage of these tools. For more information, you can visit our website https://www.mun-siong.com/. Contact number: +65 6411 6570 Email ID: [email protected] Website: https://www.mun-siong.com/ |
2023.06.01 16:51 AutoNewspaperAdmin [National] - A trans inmate wins health care and will move to women's prison after suing Minnesota NPR
![[National] - A trans inmate wins health care and will move to women's prison after suing Minnesota NPR](https://external-preview.redd.it/6kpfEpkgrXInupAEJygewpaBE8mnJ7R_kz0GOPW3p_Y.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=8d82da1da9c0158b8d88b7d0ccb4d50457fb9362 "[National] - A trans inmate wins health care and will move to women's prison after suing Minnesota NPR") | submitted by AutoNewspaperAdmin to AutoNewspaper [link] [comments] |
2023.06.01 16:50 Maximum_Specific2986 What are my chances?
i’ve applied for psych/ bio as my major options, was curious to see what a total strangers take would be on me lol.
my academics: 10th: 94% 11th: 82% 12th: 95% (pcb + psych)
ecs: shadowed a psychologist for about 6 months, counselling sessions at a local school
volunteered at a elderly care centre, developed awareness banners and other projects
community service captain at my school
karate for 12 years with a black belt and a couple silver medals at state championships
essays:
deeply passionate about social aspect of mental health, based on my experiences interacting with different age groups through my ecs
aat: essay on social media influencers- went well enough on spot, i had a few good points that i based it on. test was pretty good as well.
interview:
went well id say. they kept saying “if you decide to come here” which has me a little?? a little awkward on one question, but they seemed to be interested in what i was saying.
submitted by Maximum_Specific2986 to AshokaUniversity [link] [comments]
my academics: 10th: 94% 11th: 82% 12th: 95% (pcb + psych)
ecs: shadowed a psychologist for about 6 months, counselling sessions at a local school
volunteered at a elderly care centre, developed awareness banners and other projects
community service captain at my school
karate for 12 years with a black belt and a couple silver medals at state championships
essays:
deeply passionate about social aspect of mental health, based on my experiences interacting with different age groups through my ecs
aat: essay on social media influencers- went well enough on spot, i had a few good points that i based it on. test was pretty good as well.
interview:
went well id say. they kept saying “if you decide to come here” which has me a little?? a little awkward on one question, but they seemed to be interested in what i was saying.
2023.06.01 16:47 ParkSupervisor Your FBA inventory
I recently received an email with the subject line “Your FBA inventory”. This also showed up in my “Performance Notifications” (not on my account health page, though).
Backstory: Exactly two months before I received this email, I was hit with a IP Trademark violation. The reporting party of the infringement is a major college campus. The trademark they referenced is for a design that falls under the apparel (clothing) classification. I do not sell clothing. The item I had for sale cannot be confused with clothing. I also noticed that other sellers who have been selling the same or similar items as me also had their listings pulled. When I received the infringement, it showed up under my account health page. I acknowledged it and it disappeared from my account health. At that time, I also closed and deleted the listing. I do not recall if I tried to submit a removal order for the FBA items. I don’t think I did. I’m pretty sure my thought process was that they’ll be stranded and amazon will remove them. In any event, my main concern was my account health and I did not care to have the FBA inventory returned to me.
Fast forward to a few days ago. I received the below email from Amazon. I haven’t responded to the email. My main concern is keeping my account healthy and active. Has anyone dealt with this before? If so, what was the outcome? I have a dedicated account rep that I’ve reached out to. They said to basically not worry about it and that Amazon will just destroy my inventory after 30 days. I’m hoping that is the case. It’s been stressing me out pretty bad. Any input is appreciated.
Thanks.
-----‐------------------------
Hello,
We are writing to let you know that you have Fulfillment by Amazon inventory that is under review for authenticity. During this review, your listings may be deactivated and you will be unable to initiate a removal request for any impacted inventory. This review is separate from any action regarding the status of your account. If you do not respond to this message within 30 days, your inventory will be destroyed in accordance with the "Unsuitable inventory investigations policy".
Your response should address all of the following ASIN(s):
asin
title
quantity
[Title not found]
228
Why is this happening? We are considering this action because we have determined that your inventory may be counterfeit. The sale of counterfeit products is strictly prohibited, and items sold on Amazon must adhere to all applicable laws and Amazon policies. Failure to abide by these policies may result in loss of selling privileges, funds being withheld, destruction of inventory in our fulfilment centres and other legal consequences.
How do I demonstrate authenticity? In order to demonstrate the authenticity of your inventory, please provide supply chain documents demonstrating that your inventory consists of genuine products. A plan of action is not necessary, and there is no required format for your response. Please submit documents such as: – Invoices and receipts. You may remove pricing information, but the rest of the document must be visible. For ease of our review, you may highlight or circle the ASINs under review. – Supplier information including supplier name, supplier phone number, supplier address and website. – Item descriptions. – Item quantities – Import or export documents such as bills of lading, commercial invoices and packing lists. – Brand letters authorising your use of trademark, design, patent or copyright. You should only send .pdf, .jpg, .png or .gif files. These documents must be authentic and unaltered.
How do I send the required information? Within 30 days of this notification, submit this information to mailto:[email protected].
What happens if I do not send the requested information? If within 30 days of the original notification we do not receive the requested information or if you are unable to demonstrate the authenticity of your products, the relevant inventory under review may be destroyed in accordance with the "Unsuitable inventory investigations policy".
We are here to help: If you have questions, please review the following policies on Seller Central: – Unsuitable inventory investigations policy at https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/H4YYXNDRW9BSZEN – Amazon Anti-Counterfeiting Policy at https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/201165970
Has this review been conducted in error? – If you believe that the products under review are authentic, and are permitted for sale on Amazon, please include evidence or documentation demonstrating that your account has not violated our policies listed above and we will investigate. – If we confirm that your products do not violate our policies, we will release the inventory to you upon completion of our review.
Regards, Amazon Services
submitted by ParkSupervisor to FulfillmentByAmazon [link] [comments]
Backstory: Exactly two months before I received this email, I was hit with a IP Trademark violation. The reporting party of the infringement is a major college campus. The trademark they referenced is for a design that falls under the apparel (clothing) classification. I do not sell clothing. The item I had for sale cannot be confused with clothing. I also noticed that other sellers who have been selling the same or similar items as me also had their listings pulled. When I received the infringement, it showed up under my account health page. I acknowledged it and it disappeared from my account health. At that time, I also closed and deleted the listing. I do not recall if I tried to submit a removal order for the FBA items. I don’t think I did. I’m pretty sure my thought process was that they’ll be stranded and amazon will remove them. In any event, my main concern was my account health and I did not care to have the FBA inventory returned to me.
Fast forward to a few days ago. I received the below email from Amazon. I haven’t responded to the email. My main concern is keeping my account healthy and active. Has anyone dealt with this before? If so, what was the outcome? I have a dedicated account rep that I’ve reached out to. They said to basically not worry about it and that Amazon will just destroy my inventory after 30 days. I’m hoping that is the case. It’s been stressing me out pretty bad. Any input is appreciated.
Thanks.
-----‐------------------------
Hello,
We are writing to let you know that you have Fulfillment by Amazon inventory that is under review for authenticity. During this review, your listings may be deactivated and you will be unable to initiate a removal request for any impacted inventory. This review is separate from any action regarding the status of your account. If you do not respond to this message within 30 days, your inventory will be destroyed in accordance with the "Unsuitable inventory investigations policy".
Your response should address all of the following ASIN(s):
asin
title
quantity
228
Why is this happening? We are considering this action because we have determined that your inventory may be counterfeit. The sale of counterfeit products is strictly prohibited, and items sold on Amazon must adhere to all applicable laws and Amazon policies. Failure to abide by these policies may result in loss of selling privileges, funds being withheld, destruction of inventory in our fulfilment centres and other legal consequences.
How do I demonstrate authenticity? In order to demonstrate the authenticity of your inventory, please provide supply chain documents demonstrating that your inventory consists of genuine products. A plan of action is not necessary, and there is no required format for your response. Please submit documents such as: – Invoices and receipts. You may remove pricing information, but the rest of the document must be visible. For ease of our review, you may highlight or circle the ASINs under review. – Supplier information including supplier name, supplier phone number, supplier address and website. – Item descriptions. – Item quantities – Import or export documents such as bills of lading, commercial invoices and packing lists. – Brand letters authorising your use of trademark, design, patent or copyright. You should only send .pdf, .jpg, .png or .gif files. These documents must be authentic and unaltered.
How do I send the required information? Within 30 days of this notification, submit this information to mailto:[email protected].
What happens if I do not send the requested information? If within 30 days of the original notification we do not receive the requested information or if you are unable to demonstrate the authenticity of your products, the relevant inventory under review may be destroyed in accordance with the "Unsuitable inventory investigations policy".
We are here to help: If you have questions, please review the following policies on Seller Central: – Unsuitable inventory investigations policy at https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/H4YYXNDRW9BSZEN – Amazon Anti-Counterfeiting Policy at https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/201165970
Has this review been conducted in error? – If you believe that the products under review are authentic, and are permitted for sale on Amazon, please include evidence or documentation demonstrating that your account has not violated our policies listed above and we will investigate. – If we confirm that your products do not violate our policies, we will release the inventory to you upon completion of our review.
Regards, Amazon Services
2023.06.01 16:46 Sleaze_Guy A trans inmate wins health care and will move to women's prison after suing Minnesota
submitted by Sleaze_Guy to news [link] [comments]
2023.06.01 16:45 SchlesingerMindy323 [HIRING] 25 Jobs in FL Hiring Now!
2023.06.01 16:45 Blackelvis2000 PAY ATTENTION TO ME AS I LEAVE!!!
 | submitted by Blackelvis2000 to LinkedInLunatics [link] [comments] |
2023.06.01 16:45 Tarrascraft Death Is No Longer A Matter Of Age.
FROM CRADLE to coffin, everybody may die whenever, wherever, anyhow. So many people think that when he's/she's young, he's/she's invulnerable, invincible and unkillable, and only old men/women die with health problems. We are all on the point of death, for we have a foot in the tomb. The other one is on a banana peel. It's an expression.
How many newborns die few after their birth? How many are there stillborn and miscarriages? How many teenagers (boys and girls) die by suicide, either because they feel next to nothing, because they're harrassed, threatened, violated and hated, or maybe because they had an unhappy childhood? By car crashes, drug overdoses, murder, struck by vehicles and any other causes? Even diseases and health problems may also concern the young people.
Dying may occur to anybody, yes, to ANYBODY. It is a matter, not anymore only of age, but of lifestyle, behavior, feeding habits, health, physical activities, nocturnal habits, activities, etc. Age only doesn't count anymore. It is a matter to be careful to how we live, how we behave, what we eat and how, how we treat our health, if we make or not physical activities, if we sleep enough every night, what are our activities (do we practice dangerous sports, violent sports, drive our car thoughtfully or thoughtlessly, like speed to impress or for high sensations?), etc.
May you not think you're unkillable, invincible or armored, either you're young or old. Death may strike whenever, wherever, anyhow; when we're not expecting it. We are MORTALS, not IMMORTALS! We are CREATED of flesh, blood and bones; we are HUMANS. As fragile as porcelain or ceramic. Death is a part of us, but this is not an excuse to devote ourselves to dangerous behaviors, acts, sports, lifestyles and any other hazardous activities.
So what you're gonna do now?
submitted by Tarrascraft to TarrascraftPost [link] [comments]
How many newborns die few after their birth? How many are there stillborn and miscarriages? How many teenagers (boys and girls) die by suicide, either because they feel next to nothing, because they're harrassed, threatened, violated and hated, or maybe because they had an unhappy childhood? By car crashes, drug overdoses, murder, struck by vehicles and any other causes? Even diseases and health problems may also concern the young people.
Dying may occur to anybody, yes, to ANYBODY. It is a matter, not anymore only of age, but of lifestyle, behavior, feeding habits, health, physical activities, nocturnal habits, activities, etc. Age only doesn't count anymore. It is a matter to be careful to how we live, how we behave, what we eat and how, how we treat our health, if we make or not physical activities, if we sleep enough every night, what are our activities (do we practice dangerous sports, violent sports, drive our car thoughtfully or thoughtlessly, like speed to impress or for high sensations?), etc.
May you not think you're unkillable, invincible or armored, either you're young or old. Death may strike whenever, wherever, anyhow; when we're not expecting it. We are MORTALS, not IMMORTALS! We are CREATED of flesh, blood and bones; we are HUMANS. As fragile as porcelain or ceramic. Death is a part of us, but this is not an excuse to devote ourselves to dangerous behaviors, acts, sports, lifestyles and any other hazardous activities.
So what you're gonna do now?
2023.06.01 16:45 DailyReplacement [VA] Harassment at Work
I'm going to try to keep this bizarre story short. My sister, "Alice", who left an abusive relationship and now is in the mental fetal position over weird, incessant harassment she has been getting from her ex, let's call "Jim". I'll give examples, but she is in VA and left CO (I'm still in CO) and the harassing parties are in CO, NY and TX.
My sister met a crazy, crazy-rich guy a few years ago. Alice never moved in but would spend more and more time visiting Jim in CO. He became more controlling and violent slowly over their relationship. Alice once made a joke that he might be trying to trap her in the state with all the incessant pressure he put on her - she still works in the DC area and won't move out of state officially because loves her job. Alice made many trips during COVID to live with him for extended periods of time, thankfully all the while keeping her apartment. She definitely got swept up in the financial benefits of this relationship, though it clearly affected her mental health - she kept pushing off long term commitment because of the behavior she was hiding from us (when she needed to go on work trips he would threaten to kill himself if she didn't come back, for example). She finally decided to leave him when one of his many country club acquaintances made a joke that she better be on birth control - which Alice found very unsettling as she was constantly "misplacing" it when she was living with Jim. She's confident he was moving or even removing these meds. Clearly that was the last red flag so she packs up to leave with all of her stuff - she decided to drive on her last trip to make it look very work-trip-related but as soon as she started putting things unannounced into the car, he went ballistic. The full saga unfolded with him slashing her tires while she was hiding in a closet calling 911. The police took him off in handcuffs and he went to jail, only to be immediately bailed by his sister. CO issues an immediate restraining order and gives my sister a few days to get everything out, now that she had no functioning car to drive home with. Despite this, he tries to contact her again, calling and even going to the house. He is rearrested. Fast forward through where the state gets tired of their money and delays for arraignment, throws out everything and he gets his file sealed. He stopped contacting me (which he also tried, blaming my sister completely) but now his sister is contacting me telling me that my sister is the source of all of his problems and if she just went back to him he'd be a different person. I've told them to never contact me again and I do not return their phone calls (from new numbers 1-2 times a week), but these people have gone on a harassment spree: my sister's work is now getting calls from fake numbers saying she's a danger to herself and concerned friends are trying to reach her; she is receiving calls from people impersonating police departments doing 'welfare' checks on family members that she cares about, like our elderly parents; she's getting calls that she needs to contact strange numbers for 'work projects' and all of these are going to her HR. Clearly these special-people with more time and money than sense won't stop and I have all kinds of feelings but unsure on legal protection. It's frequent enough to be clear this is a pattern. Any advice on how to stop the harassment would be appreciated.
submitted by DailyReplacement to legaladvice [link] [comments]
My sister met a crazy, crazy-rich guy a few years ago. Alice never moved in but would spend more and more time visiting Jim in CO. He became more controlling and violent slowly over their relationship. Alice once made a joke that he might be trying to trap her in the state with all the incessant pressure he put on her - she still works in the DC area and won't move out of state officially because loves her job. Alice made many trips during COVID to live with him for extended periods of time, thankfully all the while keeping her apartment. She definitely got swept up in the financial benefits of this relationship, though it clearly affected her mental health - she kept pushing off long term commitment because of the behavior she was hiding from us (when she needed to go on work trips he would threaten to kill himself if she didn't come back, for example). She finally decided to leave him when one of his many country club acquaintances made a joke that she better be on birth control - which Alice found very unsettling as she was constantly "misplacing" it when she was living with Jim. She's confident he was moving or even removing these meds. Clearly that was the last red flag so she packs up to leave with all of her stuff - she decided to drive on her last trip to make it look very work-trip-related but as soon as she started putting things unannounced into the car, he went ballistic. The full saga unfolded with him slashing her tires while she was hiding in a closet calling 911. The police took him off in handcuffs and he went to jail, only to be immediately bailed by his sister. CO issues an immediate restraining order and gives my sister a few days to get everything out, now that she had no functioning car to drive home with. Despite this, he tries to contact her again, calling and even going to the house. He is rearrested. Fast forward through where the state gets tired of their money and delays for arraignment, throws out everything and he gets his file sealed. He stopped contacting me (which he also tried, blaming my sister completely) but now his sister is contacting me telling me that my sister is the source of all of his problems and if she just went back to him he'd be a different person. I've told them to never contact me again and I do not return their phone calls (from new numbers 1-2 times a week), but these people have gone on a harassment spree: my sister's work is now getting calls from fake numbers saying she's a danger to herself and concerned friends are trying to reach her; she is receiving calls from people impersonating police departments doing 'welfare' checks on family members that she cares about, like our elderly parents; she's getting calls that she needs to contact strange numbers for 'work projects' and all of these are going to her HR. Clearly these special-people with more time and money than sense won't stop and I have all kinds of feelings but unsure on legal protection. It's frequent enough to be clear this is a pattern. Any advice on how to stop the harassment would be appreciated.