3rd party reservation from Crooking.bomb - guest, or maybe I should say potential guest, comes in and declares his friend is paying for the room. I tell him said friend has to come in to the lobby with their card and ID.
Card declines - "Oooops" giggle "I have the card locked. Be right back. I need my phone." Comes back and declares the card is now good to go. Nope, declines again. She swears she has enough money and shows me her balance (which was $5 over the cost of the room and tax). She cannot understand why the card would decline when she has "so much money" in her account.
They go back out to the car and about 10 minutes later, he comes back in and says his dad transferred money to his card. He has $2 over the cost of the room so he KNOWS it will go through. Nope, declined, twice!
I try to explain to them that some financial institutions will authorize the card for an amount equal to the first nights stay and then charge the full amount. He said that it impossible, no bank would do that - okay, bud - I've been doing this job 11 years, trust me, they do it - we have a sign that says in on the desk. He wants to argue that it is the hotel doing it because his phone says the HOTEL declined the card. I tried to explain to him that of course it says that because we are the ones trying to charge it, but that doesn't mean that we are the ones declining it.
He mutters a few insults about me and walks out. Comes back, while on the the phone and asks my name - normally, I wouldn't give it out, but what the hell. I tell him and he says "Yeah, her name is Any. She's the one I want to report."
As he is walking out the door he tells me that he is reporting the hotel and me to the Better Business Bureau because I am deliberately declining his card.
I have been threatened with lawyers , the newspapers, the tv news, and corporate headquarters, but this is the first time anyone has tossed out the BBB at me. I'm calling FDA Bingo!!!

this could be in the friends/dates flair ig because i'm not looking for anything serious naman atm since i'll be moving out of the country soon. i just want to have someone to chat with - about our day or our problems, goals, ambitions ganon then let's just see where that goes. i've also been feeling medj sad and lonely these days and kinda need support lang and siyempre it's a two-way street so i'll always reciprocate naman :) we can also do a lot of online activities like movies and games whatever i'm easygoing naman
about me: - fil-chi - studying rn sa big 4 - 5'3 - slim with an hourglass body shape - INFJ - i like dogs, watching netflix shows, movies and cooking - loves trying out new places to eat - loves to travel also - conversationalist if we vibe well
about you: - fil-chi din hopefully - 21-25 - big 4 student/grad - mostly vibe with ateneans hehe - conversationalist; like i dont mind naman if you take time to reply but pet peeve ko talaga is when ppl just kill the vibe or reply super dryly in the middle of a convo like if you're uninterested just stop replying i get the message - hopefully around 8/10 sa looks and cute and i like sporty and tall guys hwehwe (5'9 above sana and someone who does sports/exercise etc) - no vices but drinking is ok - good sense of humor and knows what he wants in life - no manyakis weird nsfw stuff plz i'm also rlly skeptical with calls/video calls/meet ups AGAD so if u're not ok with that pls dont message
pls send me an intro of yourself agad so that i can choose to accept/ignore and not waste each other's time na hahah like if u message with "hi" i'll most likely ignore sawry

As a dog lover and owner myself, I always find myself in awe of the zany antics our furry friends can get up to. Have you ever come home to find your dog has completely redecorated your living room, or found your shoe collection in disarray due to some curious canine exploration?
Share with us the craziest thing your furry friend has ever done. Maybe they have an insatiable appetite for strange objects or have an uncanny ability to jump over fences. Whatever it may be, we want to hear it!
Perhaps through sharing these hilarious stories, we'll all feel a little less alone in our crazy dog ownership adventures. So let the anecdotes flow and let's revel in the joy that dogs bring to our lives! 🐶🤪

So glad I found this group, I’ve been wanting somewhere to share my boyfriend and I’s story, buckle in, it’s a little long
Sometime at the end of January last year, I started playing video games online. Starting with a game called Counter Strike. I had only been playing a short time (probably less than 10 games) when I met a couple of people who invited me to queue with them next game. I agreed, and when we queued up for the next game, they added another player, RJ (not his real name, using for anonymity purposes). RJ asked who the new person was and I said hello. The first words he ever said to me were “Oh great, an e-girl, can’t wait to see how this goes.” We play one game together and I figured that would be the end of that. He had added me to his friends list though.
A few days later, we’re both online, and he invites me to play again, much to my surprise. We play a few games, and actually end up talking a good bit, and add each other on discord. This was February 7th 2022.
We start texting everyday, and gaming every night. This graduates to phone calls, which turn into FaceTimes. Eventually, we exchange numbers and move off the discord app as a means to communicate. We talked, Every. Day. We started getting closer, realized we had a lot in common. Honestly, it was just like we clicked, from the moment we started talking we couldn’t stay away from each other. I had just gotten out of a 4 year relationship and wasn’t looking to get into another. He had be hurt pretty badly by his last girl (won’t go into details) and borderline swore of females. So, there was no reason, after playing a few games, we should’ve become so attached to each other. I think one reason was because I could read him so well, even through text. He was more guarded than I was, but I’ve had my fair share of hurt (more so friends/parents) but I could see through his defense mechanisms, and call him out, and be understanding a patient and loving to him.
But. One issue. I lived in Pennsylvania and he lived in Florida. 900 miles apart.
I am a religious person, as is he. So I started praying on it, basically it consisted of “Lord, I feel like this man is right for me, in my soul he feels right, but I’m going to get hurt with us being so far apart. It’ll never work, please, if this isn’t what it feels like take him from my life because I won’t be able to do it”
That SAME week, my dad (I’m 21, but still live at home currently) stops me in the kitchen and just randomly asks “hey, how would you feel about moving to Florida?” My family has always wanted to move south, but it was always NC, never Florida. (And I hadn’t told them about the boy in Florida who I was falling for yet) Turns out his company had a job opening down there and he was considering taking it. The first thing I do is check how far the town we would move to is from RJ. My shock when it turns out I would be an hour away from him if this move happened.
So we start going through the process and my family decides to make a trip down to Florida to check out some properties. And I ask if we could possibly spend our first night in his city so I could meet with him in person. To my shock, and anyone who knows my parents, they agreed. This is now April. So two months after we started talking, we’re finally going to meet. I’m iffy on if I believe in Angel numbers, but out hotel room that night, after a 14 hours drive, was 222 aka the soulmate number. And at 11am the next day, we go to a nearby mall, and finally meet up in person. We were never awkward, it was comfortable from day one. We actually ended up kissing (more so making out, trying to keep this PG) in a dressing room in one of the stores. Literally had friends asking me what book I’m living in after hearing about it. We spent a blissful 2 hours together and then I had to go. We looked at property’s and then back to PA.
Another two months goes by, this time it’s even harder. I talk one of my girlfriends into a “girls trip” to Florida. But her and everyone knew it was just to see RJ. We go down for four days, I spent as much time with him as I can between his work. We would just sit in a car (he lives where he works, so we couldn’t hang out there) talking, lots and lots of talking and kissing until 3am.
FINALLY. In July of last year, my family made the move to Florida. We have a small farm (horses chickens etc) so it took us 19 hours to move all of them down there. And since we moved, seldom has there been a weekend we didn’t spend together.
And just this last week, RJ and I closed on a house we found together, I won’t be moving in with him for a bit, we have to build a barn and pasture for the horses, but I’m writing this after spending the last 3 days with him getting a few things set up, and cleaning and “playing house” with him. We also got a dog together. We still play games together every night. It just hit me on my way home from there, how crazy it is, a year ago, we were messaging 900 miles apart, after a chance meeting playing a video game (something I never did) falling for each other but thinking we were stupid for even letting ourselves get attached because of the distance to, now we have a house and are planning a wedding and a future. I also think back to his first comment, “can’t wait to see how this goes” and I make myself laugh thinking “well, you buy a house with the e-girl” Our story just makes me giddy, I never would’ve dreamed to have what I have with him, we have grown so much too, I could keep going on a thousand little details that mean something to me, but I don’t want to make this entirely too long. I just wanted people to share this with, if you made it to the end, thank you for reading❤️

Character Name	Description
Ace	Luffy's older brother and former commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' 2nd Division.
Akainu	Marine admiral and current Fleet Admiral.
Aokiji	Marine admiral and former member of the Navy HQ.
Bartolomeo	Captain of the Barto Club and a member of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet.
Boa Hancock	Captain of the Kuja Pirates and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Buggy	Former member of Gol D. Roger's crew and the leader of the Buggy Pirates.
Carrot	A rabbit mink and a member of the Straw Hat Pirates' temporary allies during the Whole Cake Island Arc.
Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom)	Captain of the Big Mom Pirates and one of the Four Emperors of the Sea.
Coby	Marine officer who was once Luffy's friend and rival.
Crocodile	Former president of the criminal organization Baroque Works and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Donquixote Doflamingo	Former king of Dressrosa and a former member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Dracule Mihawk	A swordsman and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea known as the "Greatest Swordsman in the World."
Edward Newgate (Whitebeard)	A legendary pirate and one of the Four Emperors of the Sea who was once the "strongest man in the world."
Eustass Kid	Captain of the Kid Pirates and a member of the Worst Generation.
Franky	Cyborg and shipwright of the Straw Hat Pirates who has a cola-powered body.
Fujitora	Marine admiral who has the power to control gravity.
Galdino (Mr. 3)	Former member of Baroque Works and user of the Wax-Wax Fruit.
Garp	Marine vice admiral and Luffy's grandfather.
Gol D. Roger	Former Pirate King who discovered the One Piece and started the Great Pirate Era.
Helmeppo	Marine officer and Coby's friend who was once a coward.
Jinbe	A fishman and a member of the Straw Hat Pirates.
Kaido	Captain of the Beasts Pirates and one of the Four Emperors of the Sea.
Kizaru	Marine admiral known as the "Yellow Monkey" who has the power to move at the speed of light.
Monkey D. Luffy	Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and a rubber man with a dream to become the Pirate King.
Mr. 2 Bon Clay	Former member of Baroque Works and leader of the Okama Army.
Nami	Navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates who has the ability to forecast the weather.
Nico Robin	Archaeologist and member of the Straw Hat Pirates who has the ability to create limbs and eyes from any surface.
Portgas D. Rouge	Ace's mother and the wife of Gol D. Roger.
Roronoa Zoro	Skilled swordsman and Luffy's first mate.
Sanji	Cook of the Straw Hat Pirates who uses kicks in battle.
Sabo	Luffy's adopted older brother and chief of staff of the Revolutionary Army.
Sengoku	Marine admiral and former Fleet Admiral.
Shanks	Powerful pirate and former member of Gol D. Roger's crew who gave Luffy his signature straw hat.
Silvers Rayleigh	Former member of Gol D. Roger's crew and the Dark King.
Smoker	Marine captain and the wielder of the Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit.
Tashigi	Marine officer and Zoro's frequent opponent.
Tony Tony Chopper	Reindeer who has eaten the Human-Human Fruit and can transform into a human/reindeer hybrid.
Trafalgar Law	Captain of the Heart Pirates and a member of the Worst Generation.
Usopp	Sniper of the Straw Hat Pirates and a compulsive liar.
Bepo	A bear mink and a member of the Heart Pirates.
Charlotte Katakuri	One of Big Mom's three sweet commanders and possessor of the Mochi-Mochi Fruit.
Diamante	A former executive of the Donquixote Pirates and user of the Flag-Flag Fruit.
Enel	The former "God" of Skypiea and user of the Goro-Goro no Mi.
Fisher Tiger	The founder and former captain of the Sun Pirates, a crew composed of fishmen and merfolk.
Gol D. Ace	A member of the Whitebeard Pirates and Luffy's older brother.
Hancock Sisters	Boa Hancock's younger sisters and members of the Kuja Pirates.
Inuarashi	A dog mink and one of the two rulers of the Mokomo Dukedom.
Jozu	A member of the Whitebeard Pirates and possessor of the Diamond-Diamond Fruit.
Kuma	A former Warlord of the Sea and one of the Revolutionary Army's commanders.
Arlong	A sawshark fishman and former captain of the Arlong Pirates.
Bartholomew Kuma	A former Warlord of the Sea and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea who became a Pacifista cyborg.
Bellamy	A former pirate and a member of the Donquixote Pirates' Diamante Army.
Big Mom Pirates	A powerful pirate crew led by Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom) and composed of a variety of unique characters.
Brogy and Dorry	Two giant warriors and captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates.
Burgess	A member of the Blackbeard Pirates and captain of the First Ship.
Capone Bege	A member of the Worst Generation and captain of the Fire Tank Pirates.
Caesar Clown	A mad scientist and former subordinate of the Big Mom Pirates.
Cavendish	A member of the Beautiful Pirates and possessor of the Superhuman-Human Fruit.
Corazon (Donquixote Rocinante)	The younger brother of Donquixote Doflamingo and former member of the Donquixote Pirates.
Crocus	A doctor and caretaker of the Twin Cape's lighthouse.
Dalton	A former king of the Sakura Kingdom and a bison mink.
Denjiro	A member of the Nine Red Scabbards and former retainer of the Kozuki Family.
Doflamingo Family	A powerful criminal organization led by Donquixote Doflamingo and composed of several officers with unique abilities.
Edward Weevil	A self-proclaimed son of Whitebeard and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Fukuro	A member of CP9 and user of the Rankyaku technique.
Gaimon	A pirate who was trapped inside a treasure chest on an island for 20 years.
Gin	A former member of the Baratie staff and captain of the Krieg Pirates.
Hannyabal	The vice warden of Impel Down and user of the Devil's Cane-Cane Fruit.
Hawkins	A member of the Worst Generation and captain of the Hawkins Pirates.
Ivankov	The "Queen" of the Kamabakka Kingdom and commander of the Revolutionary Army's Newkama Land forces.
Kaido's Calamities	Three of Kaido's most powerful and feared subordinates: Jack, Queen, and King.
Kin'emon	A samurai from Wano Country and a member of the Nine Red Scabbards.
Koby's Marines	A group of marines led by Coby, consisting of several individuals who have trained under Garp.
Kokoro	A mermaid and conductor of the Puffing Tom.
Krieg	The captain of the Krieg Pirates and an infamous pirate who used underhanded tactics to win battles.
Kuina	Zoro's childhood friend and a skilled swordsman who dreamt of becoming the world's strongest swordsman.
Marco	A member of the Whitebeard Pirates and possessor of the Phoenix-Phoenix Fruit.
Momonosuke	The son of Kozuki Oden and a member of the Kozuki Family.
Monet	A former officer of the Donquixote Pirates and user of the Snow-Snow Fruit.
Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas	A pair of Baroque Works agents who are skilled in explosives and wrestling, respectively.
Nekomamushi	A cat mink and one of the two rulers of the Minks.
Oars Jr.	An enormous giant and former member of the Thriller Bark Pirates.
Pell	A member of the Royal Guards of the Alabasta Kingdom and possessor of the Falcon-Falcon Fruit.
Pica	An executive of the Donquixote Pirates and possessor of the Stone-Stone Fruit.
Pudding	A member of the Big Mom Pirates and one of Big Mom's daughters, who has the ability to manipulate memories.
Rayleigh	A former member of Gol D. Roger's crew and the Dark King.
Rebecca	The gladiator champion of the Corrida Colosseum and a member of the Riku Family.
Rockstar	A member of the Red Hair Pirates and possessor of the Float-Float Fruit.
Ryuuma	A legendary swordsman from Wano Country and possessor of the Shusui sword.
Saboady Archipelago Supernovas	A group of rookie pirates known as the Worst Generation, consisting of Eustass Kid, Scratchmen Apoo, Capone Bege, Basil Hawkins, and Urouge.
Saint Charlos	A World Noble who was responsible for the enslavement of the Fishman Island.
Sabo's Revolutionary Army	A group of revolutionaries led by Sabo, consisting of several individuals who oppose the World Government.
Sabo's Family	The family members of Sabo, including his adopted father and brother.
Scratchmen Apoo	A member of the Worst Generation and captain of the On Air Pirates.
Senor Pink	An officer of the Donquixote Pirates and user of the Nui-Nui Fruit.
Shakky	A former pirate and current owner of Shakky's Rip-off Bar.
Shiki	A former member of the Roger Pirates and the captain of the Golden Lion Pirates.
Silvers Rayleigh's Crew	The crew that accompanied Rayleigh during his time as a pirate, including Zephyr.
Spandam	A former member of CP9 and director of the Cipher Pol organization.
Stelly	The current king of the Goa Kingdom and Sabo's adopted younger brother.
Straw Hat Grand Fleet	A fleet of ships and pirate crews who allied themselves with the Straw Hat Pirates, consisting of the Barto Club, Happo Navy, Ideo Pirates, Tonta Corps, Yonta Maria Grand Fleet, and Beautiful Pirates.
T-Bone	A Marine commodore and commander of the 77th Marine Branch.
Tom	The shipwright who built the Oro Jackson, Gol D. Roger's ship.
Tsuru	A Marine vice admiral and commander of the Navy's Marine Headquarters.
Urouge	A member of the Worst Generation and captain of the Fallen Monk Pirates.
Vergo	A high-ranking officer of the Donquixote Pirates and undercover agent in the Marines.
Wapol	A former king of the Drum Island and user of the Baku-Baku Fruit.
Wapol's Family	The family members of Wapol, including his father and brother.
X Drake's Marine Fleet	A fleet of ships led by X Drake, who defected from the Navy and joined the Beast Pirates.
Yonko	The four most powerful pirate captains in the world: Shanks, Big Mom, Kaido, and Blackbeard.
Zephyr	A former Marine admiral and leader of the Neo Marines.
Alvida	A pirate captain and the first person Luffy defeated after setting sail.
Baby 5	An officer of the Donquixote Pirates and user of the Buki-Buki no Mi.
Basil Hawkins' Crew	The crew that accompanies Basil Hawkins, consisting of several individuals with unique abilities.
Bellemere	The adoptive mother of Nami and a former Marine.
Blackbeard Pirates	A powerful pirate crew led by Blackbeard, consisting of several officers with unique abilities.
Bonney	A member of the Worst Generation and captain of the Bonney Pirates.
Buggy's Delivery	A delivery service run by Buggy, who employs former members of the Baroque Works.
Carrot	A rabbit mink and a member of the Mokomo Dukedom.
Chaka	A member of the Royal Guards of the Alabasta Kingdom and possessor of the Inu-Inu no Mi, Model: Jackal.
Charlotte Amande	One of Big Mom's daughters and a member of the Big Mom Pirates.
Charlotte Brûlée	One of Big Mom's daughters and a member of the Big Mom Pirates, who has the ability to create and manipulate mirrors.
Charlotte Compote	One of Big Mom's daughters and a member of the Big Mom Pirates.
Coby's Mentor	A Marine vice admiral who served as Coby's mentor during his time at the Marine Academy.
Dadan	The leader of the mountain bandits on Mt. Colubo and the adoptive mother of Ace and Luffy.
Daz Bones	A former officer of Baroque Works and user of the Supa-Supa no Mi.
Doberman	A Marine vice admiral and commander of the G-1 Marine Base.
Drake	A former Marine admiral and captain of the Drake Pirates.
Edward Newgate (Whitebeard)	The captain of the Whitebeard Pirates and one of the Four Emperors of the Sea.
Foxy	The captain of the Foxy Pirates and user of the Noro-Noro no Mi.
Fukaboshi	A prince of the Ryugu Kingdom and a shark merman.
Gaimon's Friend	A friend of Gaimon who was stuck inside a treasure chest on an island.
Gatz	The host of the Corrida Colosseum and a member of Dressrosa's ruling family.
Gedatsu	A member of the Shandia tribe and former priest of the Skypieans.
Gladius	An executive of the Donquixote Pirates and user of the Pamu-Pamu no Mi.
Gloriosa	The former queen of the Alabasta Kingdom and Nefertari Cobra's predecessor.
Hajrudin	A giant warrior and captain of the New Giant Warrior Pirates.
Hina	A Marine captain and user of the Ori-Ori no Mi.
Hyogoro	A former yakuza boss and member of the yakuza alliance led by the Kozuki Family.
Ikaros Much	A member of CP9 and user of the Mogu-Mogu no Mi.
Jaguar D. Saul	A giant warrior and former Marine vice admiral who befriended Robin.
Jinbe	A former member of the Shichibukai and captain of the Sun Pirates.
Kabuto	A member of the Revolutionary Army and a former Revolutionary Army commander.
Kaido's Army	The army of subordinates who follow Kaido, consisting of a variety of powerful and unique characters.

Kaid

If you think that training your dog means punishing them whenever they do something wrong, think again. This is one of the most common misconceptions about dog training that has been around for years. The truth is, training your dog is more about positive reinforcement and building a bond between you and your furry friend.
Another misconception is that training your dog is only for puppies. This is far from the truth as dogs of all ages can benefit from training. Whether you just adopted an adult dog or have had them for years, training can help them learn new behaviors and reinforce good ones.
Finally, some people believe that training your dog is too time-consuming and difficult. While it does take time and effort, it's important to remember that training is an ongoing process. It doesn't happen overnight, but with consistency and patience, you can turn your dog into a well-behaved companion.
So, are you guilty of believing any of these misconceptions? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Me(40 f) and my boyfriend (38M) live together. He has a 5 yr old daughter who I've watched for some short periods of time while he went to the gym or got a haircut... etc and once to do bedtime bath and routine while he had to go to work during his visitation time. I did so each time without hesitation because it helped him and as a partner you step up when they need you, as my point of view.
I am the maid of honor in an upcoming wedding and her bachelorette party is this weekend in Joshua tree. We have hiking, pioneer town, and hanging out at the house planned. Nothing wild and crazy with clubs, bars, strippers... or anything of the sort.
I have 2 dogs that I asked his thoughts on possibly watching them for me (since we live together). He said he'd only feel comfortable watching one. Didn't make sense to me but that's fine I'll get a sitter for one of them. He had another day event planned where I assured him he didn't need to rush home to let the 1 dog out because I can have the neighbor let her potty during the day so he didn't feel obligated to stay close. It turns into a huge fight days later where he tells me "watch my own fucking dogs" "my dogs are my own responsibility" I shouldn't "dump them on him so I can go off to party" and "I don't want to be stuck to the house to watch them."
Now I have 2 sitters for each of them to be watched, paying a lot for them to be watched and having to drive all over to drop them off and pick them up.... etc.
I feel that this was unreasonable, a way to punish me for going away with my friends(which he hates) and overall an immature way of thinking for a 38 year old man who says he loves me and wants to marry me. I don't feel like he has my back when I need him.
I would love thoughts and opinions.

And I'm going to prove it.
What follows is an in-depth analysis of the Pokemon world and its culture (hereafter referred to as the “Poke'verse.”) Where I’ll attempt to understand just what these beings actually are, and how they relate to the humans of their universe. The relationship between human and pokemon is obscure, but we'll be defining it today. For this post, I will reference the video game lore, but I will, to a large extent, be pulling examples from the anime. While I can understand why some might say this invalidates my points, I truly think the anime should be considered fair game. It depicts what the Poke'verse is truly supposed to be like, as the writers intend it to be, unhampered by the restrictions of a video game.

Let's dive in.

At this point, I know that the Pokemon fandom and the general public have a well-established and largely iron-cast interpretation of what it means to be a Pokemon Trainer, but today I’m going to attempt to challenge that interpretation. Because on the whole, it’s not especially flattering, and I think it’s false. You’ve seen the jokes, and the video essays, and the parody comics. You’ve seen it all. People have criticized Pokemon for the premise of the game effectively being a system of romanticized slavery. That the heartless humans kidnap these innocent animals and force them into sadistic dog-fights to further their own power, to the point where it is a global, televised sport. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you, Pokemon…are slaves. It's animal abuse. Those who argue it are in denial.
The funny thing is, most people don’t argue it. Which is because, to a large extent, most people don’t care. It’s just a video game, right? It’s not as though the Pokemon are outwardly suffering. Pokemon fans seem to just accept this premise and live with it, because the Pokemon world is bright and enjoyable and the formula of the games is addicting. To most people, the problematic premise of this universe isn’t a big deal. Nobody takes a passionate stance against it, apart from Gamefreak itself. They have little choice but to dismiss these claims, to argue against them…but nobody really listens. The franchise may do the best it can to play up the whole “friendship” angle, but the majority of fans, casual and otherwise, would say they’re not fooling anyone.

I see things differently.

This conclusion about the Pokeverse is not the only one that can be drawn from analyzing this world. It's also based on several assumptions, headcanons, and interpretations of this world’s symbolism. I interpret these things another way myself, and I’ll try to explain how. But the bottom line is that humans and Pokemon exist together in this world and have a unique relationship. Our world has humans, but not Pokemon, so one can assume that the Pokemon are a deliberate symbol of…something. What that something is will probably vary based on who you ask, but just about everyone seems to interpret them as the “animals” of their universe. As in, living creatures who are not human. (Because Humans…are also Animals, and that’s kind of the whole point right there, but I’m getting ahead of myself.)
We seem to draw an inherent comparison between Pokemon and #RealWorld Animals, which is where all of this stems from. I believe this is a mistake. Or if nothing else, it’s not the definitive interpretation of what they are. If anything, the closest comparison I can think of is…maybe Angels? But even that doesn’t truly describe their role. The more the Poke'verse gets fleshed out, the clearer it becomes to me that catching and training Pokemon are completely misunderstood concepts. They’re not really comparable to anything in real life, certainly not the training of animals or the keeping of pets. I genuinely don’t think that the relationship between Trainer and Pokemon has an equivalent in our world.
I do understand where the impulse to make this comparison comes from. Of course people look at Pokemon and see animals. After all, they're living, breathing creatures, magical creatures that coexist with humanity. A not insignificant number of them do resemble real-life animals or are otherwise based on them. The most crucial bit of evidence for this idea is that the Pokeverse, by all appearances, lacks “real world” animals of its own. There are no recognizable creatures from our world to speak of, apart from humanity. So I can see how people reached this conclusion and I get why they draw the parallel.

However, it’s just not a fair comparison to make. Not at all.

Some animals do have the means to defend themselves, of course. But Pokemon have abilities on another level entirely. They’re basically magic. They have superpowers unique to themselves. Can a human spit fire? Tunnel a hole in seconds? Can they summon storms in the blink of an eye? Can a human block all damage with Wonder Guard? The answer is no. They cannot do this. Humans are one race, and a relatively mundane race at that. While they are distinctly separate from Pokemon…that doesn’t make them superior. It doesn’t make them more powerful. The sheer variety in Pokemon species, not to mention the variety of their powers, means that if war was to break out between the two communities…the humans would not win. It wouldn’t even be close.
Pokemon are baked deep into this culture. If you had to guess which of these two societies was here first, would you really guess humanity? I wouldn’t. Just look at the spiritual side of this world. It has deities who are confirmed to exist, who created this world as we know it..and they’re all Pokemon. Who knows where the humans even came from, but the Legendary Pokemon are the ones who fashioned the universe. It is vanity to assume that Humanity is the dominant species of the Poke'verse.
They are not, nor have they even been in charge of this world. Pokemon explicitly range from human to above-human level intelligence. The humans attempt to understand them, but the Anime clarifies that they’ve chosen to name the Pokemon based on their speech patterns. Pokemon don’t “say their name” and nothing else. It’s the reverse. They speak unique languages that the humans elected to name them for. By contrast, Pokemon can clearly understand human language. There’s no way around it, they are smarter than us. So it’s no surprise that they have their own communities and systems, totally independent from humanity. However, there are also countless Pokemon who choose (read: CHOOSE) to work with humans, on individual and group-wide scales.

In fact, Pokemon and Humans may not be so different at all.

I bet their DNA is remarkably similar. They may descend from a common ancestor. There is consistent flavor text that verifies this, stating that on a fundamental level, Pokemon and Humans are all but the same. Perhaps humankind and Pokemon weren’t always separate beings? Perhaps they were once one and the same? It’s pure conjecture, but according to the Library in Canalave City, there was a time in the ancient past when Pokemon ate at the same table as Humans and would even marry them sometimes. That last bit of trivia is cut from the English version, undoubtedly because of the popular interpretation I discussed earlier. Fans see Pokemon as animals, and the dubbing team probably wanted to avert any weird implications.
What’s odd is that in Legends: Arceus, which takes place in the ancient past…humans and pokemon have clearly already been separated, and have no relationship beyond hostility and fear towards each other. There are exceptions, of course, but by and large, the idea of a “Pokemon Trainer” is a new concept to the humans in Hisui. I’m getting very off topic now, but it does make a fan wonder. Just what happened to separate pokemon and humankind? They were as close as kin at one point, before some kind of split occurred, and it’s taken countless generations for them to redevelop a closeness...there’s a greater mystery here that isn’t relevant to the topic at hand, but these questions are worth asking. Either way, the point is that the two communities are almost fated to come together.
The Pokemon are drawn to humanity, and whether they invest in an official “trainer” or not, they seek out humans just as often as the humans go looking for them.
The Pokemon will form these partnerships out of their own desire. A desire for what, you may be asking? I think it varies, but when it comes to the TrainePokemon relationship, we can assume the typical goal is shared strength. The human and the Pokemon form a symbiotic relationship in the Training system. This is stated numerous times, especially in the Anime - A wild Pokemon will never reach their full potential. Not without a Trainer. You see? It isn’t only the humans who benefit from this relationship, and the Pokemon understand this. The vast majority of them want to be caught, they seek a trainer who can help them harness their powers.
Mewtwo decries Pokemon Training as Slavery during Mewtwo Strikes Back. Pikachu contradicts him, and Ash literally puts his life on the line in the effort to prove him wrong. Much later, in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, the same question comes up. Lucario asks if Ash is Pikachu’s “master” and Ash rejects that terminology. Because Pikachu is his best friend, nothing less. There is a reason why the word is “Trainer” and not “Master” or “Owner.” Because Pokemon Trainers do not own their Pokemon. Full stop. The Poke Ball isn't a prison. It, and the PC Boxes from the games, are implied to be a kind of virtual reality. The Poke Ball is a symbol, a convenience more than anything else, but not a requirement. Ash is living proof. The Poke-Ball may be the norm, but if you're claustrophobic like Pikachu, or you're just not feeling it, you can abstain. Ash has never treated Pikachu as a captive. Or any of his Pokemon for that matter. We don't ever see anyone keeping Pokemon as prisoners apart from the villains.

But what about catching Pokemon in general? That's still messed up, isn't it?

There is an obvious counterargument to be made to my stance, a Donphan in the room, and I won’t ignore it. The counterpoint here is that capturing Pokemon is almost always done against their will. Or at least, that’s how it’s traditionally done, and the norm in the games remains consistent. Still. Ash winds up befriending the majority of his Pokemon instead, and he’s far from the only trainer we see doing so. James is another human who recruits his teammates primarily through his own likable qualities. You might argue that while obtaining a Pokemon can happen without fighting, that style is still unusual. But again, based on the anime, it doesn’t seem to be that uncommon. I think what’s considered rare is that Ash seems to specialize in doing this despite his intended goal of training Pokemon for battle.
Regardless, capturing Pokemon through battle still happens. It happens quite a lot. The examples that differ from this norm don’t erase that, nor do they erase how repugnant it is. After all, the Trainer is cornering a creature who more often than not, was just minding their own business. (A wild Pokemon is very often the one to initiate battle, but never mind.) The trainer then forcibly kidnaps them after violently assaulting them. Even the term “capturing” Pokemon has problematic connotations. No way around it - on paper, this sounds bad. It sounds horrific. But if I may, I’d like to offer a different perspective based on what I’ve been able to observe of the Poke'verse’s culture. First of all, I’d like to offer a scalding hot take about the violence of Pokemon battles. This may be where I lose a lot of people, but hear me out.

I challenge the idea that a Pokemon battle is “violent.”

Or at least, I don’t believe the characters consider it to be violent, not in the same way we understand it. A pokemon battle isn’t assault, because they’re not human. But it’s also not animal abuse, because the Pokeverse doesn’t have animals. Again, it’s worth remembering that Pokemon are supernatural creatures with magical powers, and I’d say their powers, the “moves” they learn, play by different rules than conventional fighting. There’s actually quite a bit of evidence to suggest that this is true.
In Mewtwo Strikes Back, the Pokemon very specifically fight their clones without access to any of their actual moves, after Mewtwo psychically blocks their powers. Everything about this scene is meant to convey tragedy. All of a sudden, a series that’s been all about battle is preaching against violence. Sure, we can call it bad writing, executive meddling, or anything we want. But ignore the Fourth Wall and ask yourself, why would the characters react this way in-universe? Why is it that Pokemon battling has always been okay, but in this one instance, it’s not? The movie goes to great lengths to show us that the Pokemon are hurting each other. Which we don’t normally see.

The only difference? The Pokemon aren’t using their normal moves.

From this, we can conclude that the typical, conventional Pokemon battle, where the two Pokemon fight using their special abilities...it doesn’t hurt them. It may tire them out, but a Pokemon Center can heal basically any injuries in record time. Nurse Joy is some kind of miracle worker…or maybe she isn’t. Maybe The Pokemon are being tired out from their battles, but not actually harmed in the long term. Ever wonder why Pokemon can use hidden moves in the field, even when they're supposedly "fainted?" Or why Pikachu is able to get right back up after fainting in battle to cheer Ash on? This would explain why Pokemon attacks don’t cause lasting damage to humans, either. Get hit with a Flamethrower? Don’t worry, you’ll just be temporarily stunned and have soot all over your face. The doylist explanation is, once again, that it’s a children’s cartoon, but that doesn’t explain what’s happening in-universe. Team Rocket has been electrocuted by Pikachu a near-infinite number of times. So how are they even alive?
Simple. Pikachu isn’t actually trying to kill them. Because of course he isn’t. It’s quite possible that Pokemon moves simply are not capable of inflicting serious damage, or perhaps Pokemon have an inherent resistance to them. But I suspect it’s not a lack of ability that stops Pokemon moves from being violent…but an almost universal choice. That when Pokemon go on the offensive with their powers, or at least, when they direct said powers at humans…they are always pulling their punches. That’s why the fight on New Island was so grotesque - the Pokemon were not remotely familiar with battling that way, engaging in true violence, and there’s little doubt that they were figuratively and literally scarred by that night. (The ones who still remember it, anyway.)
It’s no wonder they never use their powers to cause actual bodily harm to anyone - I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some kind of sacred, unspoken taboo among Pokemon against doing so. A taboo that wouldn't be known to the newborn clone Pokemon on New Island. A taboo that may not have existed centuries ago, in say, the ancient times of the Hisui region. But present day, communities of Pokemon are more civilized, and they a working relationship with human society that ranges from neutral to friendly. We’re in head-canon territory now, but this kind of law among Pokemon kind makes a lot of sense. There may be Pokemon out there who break this taboo, but they would be few and far between - probably outcasts among their own kind. It would add a new dimension to Pikachu's refusal to fight back against his clone counterpart.
Again, this scene makes a point of telling us over and over, that what we’re seeing is wrong. “Pokemon aren’t meant to fight. Not like this.” That line right there is precisely the point. Battling isn’t meant to be like that, and in practice, it almost never is. There’s a reason why Pokemon almost never actually die in battle, and only get “very weak,” a condition that is cured flawlessly with the medical science of a Pokemon Center. It’s almost like a Pokemon’s powers create a kind of invisible simulation system, allowing them to spar with their opponent safely. Because that’s what a Pokemon battle is, at heart. It’s a test of skill. It’s meant to just be friendly sparring. A kind of sport that the Pokemon and Trainers engage in together, and it’s stated many times that they need to be in sync to have any hope of a successful career in professional matches. Again, I refer you to Mewtwo Strikes Back. The Pokemon were able to use their powers collectively to restore Ash to life. There’s clearly a lot more to a Pokemon’s power than just combat. That part is nothing more than recreation for them.

I deviated tremendously from the original question about capturing Pokemon, but I feel that it’s important to address this point.

Pokemon Battling is not violence. It’s effectively a sport that all sides consent to playing, a sport that has safety measures practically built in, as well as further precautions offered like the Pokemon Center. In that sense, it's more or less just another interpretation of Pokemon Contests, and Showcases, and everything else. A human helping a Pokemon study their powers and use them to fullest potential. This is the reason why I don’t actually consider a Trainer fighting a wild Pokemon to be so obscene. However, that only addresses the question of violence. Trainers are still kidnapping Pokemon against their will, right? That’s why one has to “weaken” a Pokemon to catch them. Well, believe it or not, I’m going to debunk that too.
Barring exceptions, the wild Pokemon must be exhausted to the point that they can no longer resist a poke-ball, before you can obtain them. Their opinion about being caught is always a non-issue. By all accounts, it doesn't seem as though this is acceptable. But even this, I think, is part of the cultural dissonance. Among other things, we don’t know what the little “click” of the Poke-ball actually means. It signals that the capture was a success, but is that the Pokemon choosing to yield, or the Poke Ball’s technology locking them in? It’s a little ambiguous, I’ll freely admit as much…but I would argue that the former idea isn’t impossible. Again, wild Pokemon, generally speaking, actually want to find a Trainer. The first episode of the anime even hints that certain wild Pokemon are jealous of those with trainers. With that in mind, why is catching them even a fight to begin with?

I’ll tell you why. When a wild Pokemon battles a trainer, they are essentially giving that trainer a test.

They’re gauging the trainer’s abilities to bring out the potential of their Pokemon. If you’re a trainer, and your Pokemon defeats another Pokemon in the wild…you’ve just proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that your Pokemon is stronger than the wild one. You have now proven that you have something to offer, you’ve passed the test. The wild Pokemon now realizes that it stands to learn something, to grow more powerful, by accepting your tutelage. That’s why it’s considered acceptable to the Pokemon to follow a trainer after they are overpowered and captured. It’s like…right of conquest, but with fully informed consent.
Consent is key here, and I believe this cultural understanding to be the reason that most Pokemon are immediately comfortable with following the trainer who caught them. While one might argue that they don't really have a choice anymore...that simply isn't true. The anime clarifies that Pokemon can release themselves from a Poke-Ball whenever they want. Misty’s Psyduck is the most iconic example of this, but there are countless others. In theory, a Pokemon could just leave a trainer who they find unsatisfactory. Actually, that’s not just a theory. That’s canon. Something that most people don’t seem to realize (or at least, they forget) is that it’s not just Trainers who ditch Pokemon they no longer want. It happens in reverse as well.

Pokemon can and do abandon their trainers, if they deem said trainers to be unworthy of their talents.

Remember when I said that I would be chiefly referencing the anime, because it’s the most reliable depiction of what the Pokeverse is supposed to be like? This is exactly what I was talking about. Because obviously, this never happens in the games. Your Pokemon don’t just disappear from your party or PC boxes, because that would be an incredibly stupid and unfair mechanic. But in the anime, where the relationships between Pokemon and Trainer are more fleshed out? In the first season, Bad To The Bone is about a Marowak who chose to ditch his trainer after said trainer had his badges stolen. While the Marowak eventually changed his mind, at no point did any character voice the idea of trying to return him by force. That was never on the table. It was Marowak’s choice and no one else’s, which is why the trainer was heartbroken.
But that’s not a one-off, it’s not the only example. There are quite a few. Due to a misunderstanding, Gym Leader Pryce once believed his Piloswine had abandoned him. Then there’s Ash. Always the mother hen, he’s adopted many Pokemon who were abandoned by previous trainers, but the opposite has also happened. His Snivy, and his Greninja, are both Pokemon who were explicitly stated to have had previous trainers whom they chose to leave, because they didn’t feel understood. Typically, it seems that Pokemon choose to leave because they feel as though the unspoken contract that is “pokemon training” has been violated somehow, or they’re otherwise not getting what they signed up for. This is why the traditional method of “catching” Pokemon is so vital. Because it’s an honor system. There's a reason we aren't able to capture a Pokemon has already fainted. That would be the most efficient way to go about things, but the MC won't do it. Why? I can only assume this is to ensure the Pokemon gets a voice in whether they're caught.
Any time a human does attempt to force a Pokemon into submission or otherwise harm them through any method that is not the traditional system of capture, the story treats them as unquestionably villainous for doing so. The other humans react in horror, and attempt to stop them. This is because forgoing the “defeat them in battle” route and instead using some kind of technology or whatnot to claim the Pokemon is seen as dishonorable at the best of times, and evil at the worst of times. The Trainer is ignoring the agency of the Pokemon. Attempting capture in the conventional way is a mutually accepted system, the wild Pokemon know and understand that a trainer may attempt to take them, and if they really don’t want to be said Trainer’s Pokemon, they can always choose to leave after they are captured. But the use of other means takes that choice away from them. These villains, usually the evil Teams, are using methods of capture that fail to demonstrate to the Pokemon why they are a worthy Trainer, and likewise rob them of the ability to judge them as unworthy.

There are exceptions, but for the reasons I have described, I fail to see how the idea of “slavery” is applicable to properly trained Pokemon.

They have the power to attack their trainers whenever they choose. Sometimes they do. They have magical abilities that enslaved humans in real life do not have. Legends: Arceus does a great job of highlighting just how dangerous Pokemon could be toward their human counterparts if they really wanted to be. They also have the power to leave. A Pokeball is not a chain. The only time a Pokemon struggles to escape a Ball is when it is first used on them, and the connection is initially forged. But, as I’ve talked about, I believe this to be a ceremonial process and little else. Trainers will immediately send out freshly caught Pokemon to heal or train, and the Pokemon don’t run. But once again, they could. What is stopping them? Ash’s Charizard never saw fit to abandon him, but if he had, what could Ash have actually done about it? Basically nothing. He’d get a flamethrower to the face and then Charizard would fly off. The same thing is true for any of Ash’s Pokemon, or the trained Pokemon of any Trainer ever.
There’s another Donphan in the room that I’d like to touch on real quick. I’ve talked a lot about how the anime clarifies the nature of Pokemon and their relationship to their Trainers…but I also mentioned that the developers have openly tried to beat back the claims of animal abuse, of slavery. The anime speaks for itself, but what about the time Black and White openly addressed these criticisms? You were probably waiting for me to bring it up, but the truth is, I don’t have much to say. The idea of Pokemon and Trainers having a symbiotic relationship, and needing each other…the idea that they shouldn’t be separated…all of that is touched on in the games, but the subject is mostly used as a scapegoat by a wannabe dictator.
I have yet to see any character in Pokemon honestly make the same comparison that critics make in real life, and I doubt we ever will see that happen. It’s just not an idea that can be properly explored in the Pokeverse, because our world is unknown to them. Our way of doing things isn’t something that any in-universe Trainer could hope to understand. It’s an entirely different culture. The way we personally view Pokemon as creatures is colored by our context, by the fact that we’re on the outside, peering into this world with the perspective of a society that doesn’t have Pokemon. To the humans, this is the way their world works. Team Plasma came the closest to approaching that idea, but even then, they were the villains. It was made abundantly clear that they were wrong.
​

• In theory, Pokemon are servants at the whims of their Trainers. In practice, they’re actually the ones with real power and the relationship is balanced, nuanced, and heavily based on mutual trust.
• In theory, Pokemon are the wild animals of their universe. In practice, they have no equivalent to our world. They are, as we're told many times, "wondrous creatures." They have no explanation.
• In theory, Pokemon are forced to engage in senseless violence day in and day out. In practice, Pokemon battling is an art form that the Pokemon themselves choose to pursue, and it is not remotely dangerous.

If you've stuck with me this long, know that I appreciate you. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk. If you need me, I'll be shiny hunting for Klawf.

Hey miteinander,
Habe vor, diesen Sommer mit nem guten Kumpel ca. 3 Wochen im Raum Asien zu verbringen, wo genau sind wir uns noch nicht sicher (Japan, China, Südkorea..). Wird ein aktiver Urlaub, wo wir beide viel sehen und lernen wollen, keine großen Hotel-Aufenthalte. Jemand, der schon Erfahrungen in diesen Gegenden gesammelt hat und/oder gute Tipps hat für Reisen weiter weg?

I'm going to Disney World in April with a friend. I'm excited/nervous, as I have never been. There are attractions I am excited to see. But I get overstimulated very easily, and that can lead to anything from headaches to panic attacks. Big triggers are crowds, loud noises, and bright flashing lights and colors. Basically everything I will be experiencing there on a busy spring break week. The friend I am going with is aware and plans to be ready to bounce if it's too much.
Usually when this happens, "turning it off and back on again" (sitting/laying down somewhere quiet, preferably in the dark for a few minutes) fixes the problem pretty quickly. I would hate to have to go back to my hotel and waste a ticket just for that.
How crowded is it, really? It feels unlikely, but what are the chances I will be able to pull away to somewhere less stimulating when this happens? And do I need to do something special in order to access them? The only resources I see are for families with autistic children and well, I'm a full adult without a diagnosis but probably somewhere on the spectrum.
I'm having visions of being unable to escape the crowds and having a panic attack/meltdown in the middle of Galaxy's Edge. I think if I could get to somewhere quiet for a few minutes every couple of hours, I would be able to actually enjoy the park.

Around eight-fifteen, in the middle of prom, Dennis and his three friends sat at the corners of the gymnasium stalking among the rest that danced. Lia’s boyfriend had just left with other boys to a diner, Jordan remained silent and paid attention to her friend, Alice, across the gymnasium, and Dennis remained calm as the rest spoke among each other; mostly about work, or their upcoming school projects.
As Dennis, being 16 years old, wiped his hair for the last time for effect, he got an odd thought and said loudly, hoping everyone at the table heard, “Someone has been saying I slept with Mr. Kane, our math teacher”. Two of his friends, Robert and Lia, glanced at him, now focusing the conversation on him holding their phones in hand, and asked excitedly, “Who?”.
Dennis, feeling pride in himself suddenly reached for his phone, to check the time. “I don’t know who? I'm thinking of that girl, Savannah”, Dennis said lazily, as if he just thought of the name just now.
All who sat at the table, at their prom night, especially Lia, glanced at Jordan, who from holding her wallet with strong stability, said harshly, “You don’t know how it got out? Does Mr. Kane knows?”. Dennis glanced across the dance floor, thinking how foolish everyone looked, especially popular couples and their fancy suits, and looked back at Jordan and said, “He was giving me weird looks last week. He probably thinks I'm the one making it up”. Dennis then giggles lightly to himself.
Jordan then sees her friend, Alice, come up near their table wearing a nice red sparkle dress, along with her boyfriend across the gymnasium talking among his group of boys. She strolled near Lia first, saying hello, then over to Jordan ignoring the rest at the table. “Hello Jordan, you fixed yourself well”, Alice said.
Jordan, without looking at her, says, “Thank you so much”, and raises a smile.
Dennis, hearing them continue to talk, and having no more talk about him, said loudly again, “Someone around here has been spreading rumors that I slept with Mr. Kane, our math teacher”.
Alice then looks at Dennis quickly. “Really? Who?”, Alice says as neatly as she can. Hoping her reaction looked well for effect.
Before Dennis can answer, Lia instead says, “We don’t know who?”, then adds quickly, “We think it's that Savannah girl”.
“That girl is always getting into trouble”, Alice says proudly. Dennis looked at all of them, and felt a need to giggle, but instead remained silent with himself.
By then, Jordan then asks strictly, “Is anybody up for food?”. Thus, when they all agreed, a few wishing they didn’t, all stood up and ditched their prom and started heading down the street where a nice diner stood neatly near a gas station.
When they arrived at the diner, a few boys from prom were there as well and said hello to them as they picked their seats. One of them, Lia's boyfriend, came and said hello.
"Do I wear too much makeup?", Lia asked cautiously.
Her boyfriend became stubborn when he responded quickly, "whatever you think".
Lia, disappointed she didn't get an offensive answer, agreed and made sure to smile instead.
But before Lia and her boyfriend can continue their conversation, Dennis says lightly, “Guess what?”.
Her boyfriend, still feeling nervous about his answer, looked up at Dennis.
“What?”, Lia's boyfriend says nicely.
“Someone last week has been spreading rumors I slept with Mr. Kane”, Dennis said strictly.
“Really who?”, then adds, “Is it true?”.
Dennis was not surprised by the quick need for answers and felt lonely when he realized he was mostly tired, and irritable, to go back home later, in a small apartment: then go on his phone, check some blogs, and slowly drift off to sleep. Hearing nothing but the loud stomps and tension between his dog, his parents, and the often harsh ventilation that blew sourly through his room.
Dennis looks at his reflection on his phone for what he thought was to check the time, sees how small and unattractive he thinks he is, and giggles sourly, before saying again without looking at Lia's boyfriend, who was tall, white, and handsome, “I don’t know who. But we think it's that girl Savannah. She is always getting into trouble”. By then, all who were at the table agreed.

As a proud owner of two dogs, I've encountered a lot of issues regarding their behavior. However, the most challenging issue we've faced is separation anxiety. Every time we leave the house, our dogs start whining, barking or even chewing on things.
I realized that this issue isn't just about my dogs, but it's a common problem for many other dog owners. And that's why I decided to write this post.
Separation anxiety isn't just about your dog missing you when you're gone, it's a feeling of intense fear and panic that can lead to destructive behavior. It's important to recognize the symptoms of separation anxiety, such as excessive barking, destructive behavior, or even urination inside the house.
As a dog owner, it's our responsibility to help our furry friends cope with this feeling. There are different methods that can help ease separation anxiety, including desensitization, crate training, or even playing calming music.
The truth is, separation anxiety is a tough issue to tackle, and it requires patience, persistence, and a lot of love. Don't hesitate to seek professional help if you're struggling to help your dog overcome separation anxiety. We all want our dogs to feel safe, happy, and comfortable, both in our company and when we're not around.
Let's keep our furry friends' tails wagging! \n\n #doglovers #separationanxiety #puppylove #dogbehavior #dogproblems

Region is Bay Area CA ( peninsula /south bay region) prior 12 month usage is 15.98 Kw. 2 EV, AC, gas furnace. Appreciate any insight /suggestions for better equipment and changes. Hoping to sign this week ( all bids have assured NEM2 submission)

• Proposal company "C": Cash price $41,441 or $3238 per Kw

This company comes personally recommended from friends that used them.
12.45 Kw system. Sunpower Corp. SPR-M415-BLK-H-AC
total Integrated 5th generation Enphase IQ7 microinverters
Equipment warranty 25 years, labor and materials
System warranty 15 years, labor and materials

• Proposal company "S" Cash price $49,456 or $3252/Kw

This company is in a big box store and provided an alternate bid.
16.2 Kw system
Panel is LONGi Green Energy Technology Co Ltd LR4-60HPB-350M
Inverter is: SolarEdge Technologies SE7600H-USSN

• Proposal Company "V" Cash price $39,830 or $2345/Kw

This company is a local company that I've had do some other (non-solar)work
16.98 Kw system
Panel is JA Solar 395
Inverter is Enphase 290W microinverter
I'm a little concerned about the site survey diagram provided - they have panels where the other guys don't due to vents / other roof obstructions

Ive been in QC for three months now and im missing going out with my friend from province. So im opening my circle to have someone new go out with.
Im 22 M. an introvert Very much foodie guy, lets visit your recos Im into arts, movies, books I love dogs Working as a science researcher Can host for tambay in my apt - Lives Vis Ave

I've made it through several work-related boozy evening events at this point and while I am feeling strong in my decision not to drink, I'm finding myself in the occasional awkward conversation that I would like to either avoid or make less awkward.
For example, people (who are drinking) want to talk to me about how I'm not drinking. I don't mind, exactly, but the conversation usually goes something like, "So great you're not drinking! I don't drink that much during the week any more... Except, well, tonight, but mostly just on weekends... Anyway, so are you not drinking at all?" And while I wouldn't mind having a real conversation with anyone interested, getting caught in someone else's buzzed loop is tiresome.
Or someone is really interested, but because we're work colleagues, I actually don't want to say what I would to a friend or acquaintance – that I was regularly blacking out and often waking up with the remnants of vomit in my hair and always hungover.
Or someone says something, like, "You used to be so much fun!" when I start gathering my things to go back to the hotel while everyone else moves on to the next bar. (Sometimes I go, but mostly after a few hours of sober socializing, I'm ready for some alone time.) And I feel kind of sad having that said to me, but don't have a good answer.
Or, most awkward of all, I inadvertently over-explain about how I'm not drinking and it's easier to not drink at all than have only one or two drinks, and that the whole staying sober thing is great but takes a lot of effort yadda yadda.
I think I need a set of "go to" responses to carry in my mental back pocket. Anyone relate to this?

Contributing my own experiences as I got a lot of helpful information on this sub!
Went to Osaka - Kyoto - Nara - Fukuoka - Nagasaki - Hiroshima - Matsuyama - Okayama - Himeji - Wakayama.
Will mainly be writing about highlights for each place after some general info:
General:

• Solo traveller in my early 20s from Australia. Travelling as an end of uni celebration for myself before I start my career. I am fluent in conversational Japanese, however reading and writing skills are at the level of primary school lol - google translate camera helped.
• I mainly travelled with one 32L backpack (used a light drawstring backpack on day trips when I left my 32L at hostels/ coin lockers). I did take a mostly empty suitcase to take souvenirs and just for some extra space at the end of my travels, but I left this at a friend's house while I was going around. And also to take my hiking boots for when I did the Kumano. Travelling light was amazing.
• JR pass was totally worth it as I used trains and shinkansen extensively. Also forgot my luggage like an idiot in a different city once and the JR pass saved me on a lot of time and money when I had to go back and retrieve it.
• I stayed in the cheapest hostels - great places to meet people and I met up with a few later on in my trip, which broke up the occasional boredom/loneliness of solo travel. Also went to izakaya and hot pot places with them where more = merrier.
• Got Mobal unlimited SIM card - however keep in mind that data speed slows SIGNIFICANTLY after going through the first 7GB, might as well not have been unlimited. I should have used free Wifi whenever possible.
• Withdrawing cash - major fuck up of mine, I only withdrew 10,000 to 20,000yen each time, so wasted a lot of money on transaction fees. Next time will cash out bigger amounts, especially as risk of theft in Japan is relatively low. Am counting this as a lesson for a first time traveller.
• Overall expenses including plane tickets, food/ entertainment expenses, accommodation, travel insurance (via RACV), transport, SIM card = $4000 AUD for 4 weeks (I did minimal shopping, also stayed with friends for free for 1 week).

OSAKA

• Churaisai: Okinawan cuisine restaurant - went on a friend's recommendation. Delicious, one of my favourite restaurants now. In Takatsuki, only a couple minutes walk from Settsu-Tonda Station.
• Mister Donut and Duskin Museum - small, however can decorate or make your own donuts if you book (which I didn't). Actually found the upstairs Duskin cleaning museum more fascinating.
• Namba, Dotonbori, Umeda - busiest part of Osaka, loved the vibes, great street food and shopping. Definitely get some takoyaki.
• Hattori Ryokuchi Koen - in Suita. Open air museum of old Japanese farmhouses, found it surprisingly very interesting to imagine how people must've lived. Beautiful plum blossoms in bloom as well.
• Minoh Koen - Beautiful landscape. Must try the momiji tempura (deep fried maple leaves).

NARA

• Super fast mochi pounding - see up close and then enjoy the freshly pounded delicious yomogi mochi filled with anko paste and covered in kinako powder.
• Todaiji - one of the largest bronze statues of Buddha.
• Horyuji - arrived 20 minutes before closing, was rushed through but also there were absolutely no other tourists left and the atmosphere of the quiet temple was something else.
• Kofun - ancient tombs/ graves for important people, interesting if you are into history.

KYOTO

• Arashiyama - beautiful bamboo forest but busy with tourists. My favourite part was the Monkey Park (requires a fair uphill hike but beautiful view of Arashiyama town). Tenryuji Garden was also very pretty and peaceful. Lot of food and souvenir stores.
• Kinkakuji - beautiful shrine covered in gold.
• Byodoin - tranquil garden and shrine. Located in Uji which is famous for its green tea.

FUKUOKA

• Best tonkotsu ramen I've ever had at a place called Kirin ramen. Fukuoka is famous for hakata ramen!
• Uminonakamichi Seaside Park - rented a bicycle and cycled around, is on a scenic island connected to the mainland. Then walked to Shikanoshima (which is further along the island) to the beach and Shimanoumi Jinja.
• Motsunabe at a place called Miyamoto, staff were super friendly and the food was so good! Convinced some people I met at the hostel to eat with me as nabe is something you can't really eat alone, and the place was only across the road. We had an unfinished bottle of sake there and they let us take it back to the hostel.
• Dazaifu - main temple sadly under construction but had umegae mochi (so good!). Pretty plum blossom trees. Line of shops leading to temple from the station selling souvenirs and other goodies.
• Ainoshima Cat Island - caught the ferry here with a new friend from the hostel. Beautiful ocean scenery. Friendly cats. Delicious roast curry for lunch at this hidden away restaurant, awesome vibes, they gave us pieces of sea glass to take home at the end. Very cute.
• Yatai - small mobile food stalls alongside the river in Fukuoka. The one we went to had great gyoza and vibes.

NAGASAKI

• Bomb Museum and Peace Park - heartbreaking and thought-provoking. I have been to the Hiroshima one before but this museum is definitely worth going to as well. Cheap admission, very well structured, very interesting and important lessons.
• Urakami Cathedral - beautiful cathedral but emphasised that it is not a tourist attraction.
• Oka Masaharu Museum - small 3 storey home exhibit tucked away, a shame it is not better known or advertised. I was the only one there and it looked closed from the outside when I was looking for it. Very detailed and informative sources on the war crimes committed by Japan on Korea and China.
• Dejima - open air museum of the preserved former trading Dutch post. Reconstructed buildings and exhibitions inside. Open til late.
• Champon at Lao Lee in Nagasaki's Chinatown. Must try
• Unzen Onsen - debated whether worthwhile the 1.5hr bus ride from Nagasaki but glad I went. Bubbling mud and vapour clouds. Wish I had planned better and went early enough to hike. Soaked in the onsen. Had to get used to the sulphur smell but very cool place.
• Toruko rice is a Nagasaki specialty with spaghetti, beef sauce, tonkatsu and curry pilaf on the one plate. Tasted great.
• Inusayama Observatory - took ropeway to the top of the mountain to see one of the top 3 night views in Japan.

HIROSHIMA

• Note: only time I stayed in a capsule hotel and didn't enjoy as much as my other accom. Something like 30 beds in one room, lots of business people coming and going at odd times, people not as friendly as a guesthouse. Obviously this is not relevant just to Hiroshima.
• Miyajima - ate Hiroshimayaki, climbed Mt Misen (very steep! Took around 75mins to climb 2.5km but view was worth it). Must eat age momiji manju.
• Fukuyama - went to the castle grounds, and the art museum. 2 exhibits in the art museum plus an additional special katana exhibit which we unfortunately didn't have time for. But art exhibits were cheap and I enjoyed it.

SHIMANAMI KAIDO CYCLING: ONOMICHI to IMABARI 76km

• Stayed in Onomichi the night before - small seaside town. Cinema Museum and History Museum were small but interesting, especially the cinema museum. However there is no English information so found it a bit inaccessible.
• Left early to rent the bicycle and catch the ferry across to the cycle starting point. Would recommend anyone in the area to do the cycle, it is absolutely beautiful going across the 7 islands between Honshu and Shikoku, biking across the ocean on the bridges connecting the land. I am not a cyclist but relatively fit so I finished in about 6 hours, and only stopped briefly for breaks. Because I left so early many of the stores weren't open for the first half of the trip. Doable for beginners as well, you can cycle part of it and go back or catch a bus, split it into two days by staying a night somewhere, or cruise along the whole thing in about 10 hours. Path is incredibly well marked and easy to follow, roads are safe and lead all the way to Imabari station, the finishing point.
• Area is famous for citrus, lots of citrus desserts even in the konbini.

MATSUYAMA

• Caught the train to Dogo Onsen after my cycle. Unfortunately the main onsen was under construction, and only allowing limited numbers to a restricted area. I opted to go to the two smaller onsens connected to it called Tsubakinoyu (soooooo hot! Couldn't stay in longer than 5 minutes at a time. Awesome for my fatigued muscles) and Asukanoyu (the newest of the three onsens, very clean and very warm).

OKAYAMA

• I may have been getting tired of travel at this point but felt like there wasn't much to enjoy here. Okayama Castle was pretty from the outside, they had English resources but I still found it a bit hard to follow. I should've also eaten beforehand as there was only a small cafe inside. Korakuen Garden is famous and huge but the grass looked a bit dead when I went. Still beautiful though, nice place for a picnic.
• Kurashiki was very cool! Old preserved merchant town with buildings converted into museums, shops and restaurants. Area is famous for producing denim. Easy access via train from Okayama.
• Kibiji / Kibi plans - rented a mamachari (bicycle) but I got lost and didn't make it the whole 17km between Bizen-Ichinomiya station and Sojo station as I didn't have enough time. Easy to get lost if not paying attention to signs. Pleasant trail meandering through rice fields, going past historical sites.

HIMEJI

• One of the few surviving castles in Japan. Obviously maintained and refurbished but walls still intact after hundreds of years! Beautiful structure, extensive and fascinating history exhibits. Definitely worth going.
• An artist called Yuki Matsuoka had a little exhibition in the shopping street between Himeji station and the castle. Was some really cool art, and artist is hella friendly.

WAKAYAMA - KUMANO KODO PILGRIMAGE HIKE, NAKAHECHI ROUTE

• Spent one night in Tanabe, then hiked 4 full days (80km total for me) staying in Tsugizakura, Yunomine onsen, Koguchi and Shingu.
• World Heritage Site. Beautiful and challenging hike across mountains. Saw 2 wild deer, felt very lucky. Visited the three Grand Shinto Shrines in the region: Hongu Taisha, Nachi Taisha and Hayatama Taisha, as well as Nachi Falls, the tallest single-tier waterfall in Japan.
• Required extensive planning as minimal food available, accommodation is limited and needs to be booked early. If staying in Yunomine Onsen my hostel had 3 of its own private onsens inside included in accommodation fee. Blissful after a day of hiking.
• I regret not collecting stamps from the very start, as if you do this and the Camino de Santiago they award you with a 'dual pilgrim' recognition, as they are the only two pilgrimage routes listed as World Heritage sites. Also the stamps are very detailed and unique to each area.
• I caught the train back to Tanabe from Shingu along the coast - stunning ocean scenery and beach areas. Stayed another night in Tanabe before heading to Kansai Airport to return home.

Had the most wonderful time :)) Just missed the cherry blossom season but also means I missed the peak tourist season too so am content. Would love to explore the north and east areas of Japan next time I travel!

Have you ever heard that a wagging tail means a happy dog? Or that you should dominate your dog to show who's boss? These are just a couple of many common misconceptions about dog behaviors.
As a dog lover, it's important to understand how your furry friend communicates and behaves. For example, a wagging tail can mean excitement or anxiety, depending on the context. And dominance-based training can actually harm your dog's mental health and lead to aggressive behaviors.
So let's unleash the truth about dog behaviors and strive for a better understanding of our four-legged companions. Share your own experiences and insights in the comments below!