Remote won t turn on tv

I bought my dog a nice dog bed called the express comfort. I thought it needed to break in before he slept on it on a dusky basis but he just refuses to and won’t even get on it. He usually likes my bed so I can see how that’s a downgrade for him comfortability wise but he would even sleep on the floor before the bed I got him. The bed I got him has amazing reviews too but honestly it’s not as comfortable as I thought it would be which makes me wonder maybe he just doesn’t like it. We had an older much more smaller and rugged dog bed and he slept on that a lot more than this new and improved one

Can I purchase something now on my corporate card for the well-being subsidy? I know the charge won’t appear until next week on DTE, so if I expense it when the new charge comes in, will that be okay?

I’m trying to centralize some operational activities on a single machine and I’m running into a problem. I have a central terminal server and for example I want to be able to run SQL commands like get-clusterresource on a remote sql server. The sql server has the power shell modules for SQL but the terminal server doesn’t which throws a “xxxxx is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet” when I try to run an Enter-Pssession remote command. Do I have to add all the modules for SQL, AD, DFS Management etc to powershell on the terminal server for this to run properly or is there another way to run the remote sessions?

Hello everyone! I'm getting ready to gear up for summer and want to add another table to my games. I have been dming for a year and a half now, currently have three tables that I dm for on twitch, if you want to check it out to get a feel you can at https://www.twitch.tv/charliexavierdnd
Story Hook: Embark on an enchanting journey through the treacherous realm of Neverland. With fairies, mermaids, and pirates, it's a world of wonder and peril. Fly through the air, explore hidden caves, and battle fierce creatures. Forge alliances or clash with the inhabitants, but always stay vigilant. Only the bravest can conquer Neverland's unpredictable challenges. Are you ready for the adventure? Join us now!
Apply here if interested: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfMfRhbAGwD2zqPmPvIJluz1BoAnnYQoX-qcVvxKj0Nzz1hew/viewform I will reach out on a rolling basis. I'm looking for 1-3 additional players. Currently have 3 players recruited, looking to add 1-3 more. I know Neverland can be a niche setting, but this isn't the Neverland from your childhood, think more Hook then Peter Pan for comparison. We have a fairy, dhampir, and drunken former lost boy turned pirate in the mix, there are endless possibilities available for this! Logistics:

• This game would be streamed on Twitch, webcam and decent audio is a must.
• We will have session 0 on June 4th
• Session 1 will be June 11th
• Looking for individuals who are at least 18+ (I'm a teacher so this is a must for my games)
• Looking for between 1-3 additional players

For VTT we will use the following:

• Foundry VTT
• Discord for Video and Audio
• VDO Ninja to feed video to Twitch
• Splitcam to allow Twitch and the party to see everyone
• Camera can be discussed as being optional, we can use reactive images as well

for the past hour i wanna say i’ve been trying to purchase a couple things and i’ve tried different payment options but every time i try to pay it doesn’t let me? a message pops up that says ‘unexpected error - try again in a few secs’ but it still won’t let me after a few secs 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 i’m pretty sure it isn’t an issue with my bank since i’m still able to send money and i’ve tried using different cards under different banks. was going on??!!! is this just happening to me.

TW - Overdose experience, vivid description as I need to get it out and process.
Hello all - this will be somewhat lengthy. Please stay, and read. I just need someone to tell me I am not crazy for feeling how I feel..
Tuesday night was a normal night day absolutely perfect. Until it wasn't. I (28f) and living back at home with my parents, and also my older brother (34m). My brother has struggled for over half of his life with drug addiction and alcoholism. We were in the living room eating dinner around 8pm, me, my dad, and my 8yo were all in the living room, his bedroom is on the 2nd floor directly above. We heard a thud and when we yelled there was no response. I was the closest to the stairs so I got up and went to check on him (he's been clean for years off H, so I wasn't instantly thinking the worst). When I got to the top of the steps I heard his dog frantically barking and I knew something was wrong. I busted into his room and he was face down on his bedroom floor having convulsions. I immediately screamed for my dad to call 911, I am not trained in CPR or rescue breathing but I knew I couldn't shut down.. I somehow was able to turn him over, and started to do the only thing I could think of which was compressions and making sure he wasnt choking. I can't get the image out of my head, he was blue his lips were grey/purple, his eyes were open, he has blood coming from places where blood shouldn't come out of. I'm traumatized beyond belief. I thought he was dead right there in front of me. EMS arrived rather fast and I guess he wasn't as gone as he looked because he was resuscitated. He's fine but I can't even go hoke without having a panic attack. Just being in the driveway I start to relive that night again, and again.
I feel like I'm going crazy, he's alive so why do I feel this much anxiety and trauma. I feel like this isn't normal, like I shouldn't be like this because everyone is okay but it's just this endless loop and I can't stop seeing him like that.

Extended family members in my family, namely grandparents and my last set of great grandparents are very persistent to question what I still ‘know’ about heaven and hell, god and Jesus, etc. (as though somehow I’d forgotten about indoctrinated things as a youth)
My maternal great grandmother was talking to me about how she wants me to be careful out in the world because there’s crazy people blablabla I made mention that things will happen regardless of being careful, and then she told me “I want you to be around me forever, you know how that’s possible, right?”, looking to me with this sincere smile on her face, which I just closed my eyes and gave a bleak smirk of ‘I won’t answer your question’ and she rubbed my arm and said “I know you know”, and then continued on about how my paternal grand parents used to take me to church, so I was ‘brought up knowing the good word’.
Later on, my maternal great grandfather was talking to me about nature and he mentioned how baffled he was about how each planets and stars have names blablabla and then he said “I always wonder who was able to name all the stars and planets, then I remember Adam was a pretty smart guy”, and then I interjected with “Well ancient astronomers were pretty smart, since most names of planets are of Latin or Greek origin”, and after I said that, he just shrugged his shoulders and said “Well, it’s a god given gift to give names to things”.

Hi all -
22M, 5’11, 300 LBs.
I’ve had anxiety for a very long time, currently taking buspirone & lexapro.
I’m currently trying to get in better shape and going to be incorporating protein powder (whey isolate - https://www.amazon.com/Dymatize-Hydrolyzed-Protein-Absorbing-Digesting/dp/B099HXNRKK?tag=wiserwtb106-20&th=1&psc=1).
When searching it up, it says it could potentially cause anxiety because when you digest protein, it breaks down to amino acids like tyrosine, which can raise norepinephrine and dopamine levels and lead to further anxiety.
When searching further, it appears that there is substantially more tyrosine in chicken, which I eat almost daily and it doesn’t affect me.
Should I even be worried about this, or anything else in it that could cause or worsen my anxiety?
I really just don’t want to have to go through a panic attack or something if it could potentially happen. Also don’t want to waste $40 on a tub of protein that I won’t be able to use.
TIA

My (F48) partner (M48) has had the habit of not talking to me for days when there has been a fight or even a disagreement.
We’ve been in a relationship for 5 years now and this happened more frequently in the first few years and happens less frequently now. The last times were July 2022 and October 2022.
In the years we have lived together (we don’t currently due to other circumstances) this would mean barely speaking to me for a day or two, three. But there would be some communication around logistics and I felt slightly more secure thinking that we are living together- he’s gonna have to come around sooner or later.
However in the years we have not lived together (such as now), it will look like not calling, maybe one very distant and dry WhatsApp on one day and then nothing the next day, or only the very very bare minimum and only if needed (like mailing an official document that I also needed to read or whatever).
In the first few years when it happened more frequently - thinking back on the topics of the disagreements- I can totally imagine that he really needed to distance himself from the situation and use that time to think about how to go forward and whether it was healthy to stay in the relationship. Nevertheless I’ve always thought it’s not a good tactic to just temporarily ghost somebody.
Whilst I understand the early years, I think I’ve really been traumatized by the last two times I mentioned. In July, There was no fight, it was me crying on the evening of last day of our holiday because I had a lot going on that I didn’t want to bother him with. He interpreted it as me crying over something he had done (he started the evening out irritated with me so he thought that’s why I was crying). In October we had an animated disagreement.
None of which warrants days of being given the silent treatment.
Apart from this we are really good together. He is super loyal, caring, generous, loving, with good values and a good character etc. I love him with all my heart and I know very well that he lives me too.
I just also know that he never learnt how to deal with intense feelings of irritation or anger that can arise in him - and then he then needs time to cool down. He says he does it so that he doesn’t do anything that could damage the relationship (like saying stuff in anger). He says he never runs away from me, but from the situation. For context his family was very volatile and there was always lots of shouting and fights and him getting stuck between all the fighting as a child. I know one of the things he values most are peace and quiet and a calm chill relationship.
My post is actually not to understand him better (although if you can provide insight that would be appreciated too). My question is rather that I need to understand my own feelings about this. And how to move forward if at all.
I’ve never really discussed this behavior in detail with him. I’m always to grateful it’s over and happy to have him back that I have never really brought his “coping mechanism” up. I did two weeks ago though. - and i simply mentioned once that I would not live through this again because I feel like it crushed my soul the last two times. Knowing him, and knowing we discussed a lot of other serious things too, this may not have landed. I did also say that it’s ok to take some time and distance to come to your senses, but that he needs to communicate that that’s what’s happening. Something like “I’m upset and I need some time but I love you and I’ll check in tomorrow with you.” He did say that he can’t guarantee that he’ll have the presence of mind to do that when he’s that level of upset or angry.
I am built a bit differently- I bottle things up and I know if he does this once or twice more there won’t be coming back from this and it will be like a switch that flicked in my head and I will never want to see him again. I don’t want to tell him this so clearly because I feel like I know that he will do it again and so saying this to him now will mean that I now signed the relationship’s death.
I’m probably looking at this all wrong but I can’t get past this in my head and I don’t allow myself to think of a future with him because of this.
Can anybody explain why people do that and what my position should be and how to get it through to him?

I write book reviews on Half Past Midnight, a blog dedicated to the surreal world of fantasy and science fiction. A few days ago, I posted a review for the first book in the series, The Ruin of Kings. While this review does not have spoilers about book 2, The Name of All Things, it does have spoilers for book 1.
After the explosive ending to The Ruin of Kings, it was too hard to resist finding out what happened next. It has been a while since a series had me hooked so deeply that I simply could not wait to start the next part!

Plot

The Name of All Things starts a couple of days after the ending of the previous book. In the wake of the Hellmarch in Quur, Kihrin has a lot going on between his resurrection, the discovery of Miya's (or rather, Khaeriel's) betrayal, and the murder of almost the entire D'mon line. Urthaenriel has destroyed The Stone of Shackles, and demons roam the streets of the capital. Heading to Jorat with a fireblood, Kihrin soon encounters an interesting character in a tavern.
This person turns out to be Janel Therannon, the count of Tolamer - the intriguing woman who's been haunting Kihrin’s dreams ever since his encounter with Xaltorath. Not only does she claim to know him, but Janel also has a story of her own to tell... one that will help Kihrin understand the events that have been unfolding around them. Those events include a stray dragon, a city on the brink of rebellion, and more plotting, which, as always, include our favorite baddie, Relos Var.
Then starts the boring part.
Janel insists that for Kihrin to fully understand how they ended up here, he needs to know a huge chunk of her past. She takes turns narrating it with her friend, a priest named Qown, in a manner reminiscent of Kihrin and Talon's narration in the first book. The result, although easier to follow, is terribly slow and hard to get through.
Janel starts her story by going a few years back into the past. I thought we were done with being all confused by a brand new character narrating their history, but here we are. AGAIN. I almost felt like I was reading a completely different book. Let's read about completely new, one-dimensional characters and their tedious lives while waiting for something more exciting to happen, shall we? Something like this isn't a problem with the first book in a series, but I just couldn't get invested enough in those new side characters or figure out how they tied into the original story. I'll be honest - these chapters did not add much to the story and could have been easily shorter or more interesting. Instead of knowing what happens next with Kihrin, almost the entire book is about Janel's past.
Unfortunately, the only thing you must do is get through it (yes, I know I said the same thing last time - but bear with me!) Because things ramp up significantly after the 50% mark. After that, I was hooked... again. Janel is an interesting character when she moves past the local disputes in Jorat and into more powerful circles of kings, god-kings, god-queens, and witches and prophecies. We meet Darzin D'Mon again, and he remains just as psychopathic as ever. It is interesting to finally understand how Janel happens to end up in her current situation, but boy, does it take a while to get there.

“A prophecy.” I stared at him. “I don’t like prophecies.”
“They can be useful.”

Some of the most interesting parts of the plot were when the timeline finally catches up to the one in The Ruin of Kings - and we finally start seeing events that happened in the previous book from a different perspective. When she ends her story, we start to move again in real time. Unfortunately, the plot hops forward by only a few days, so don't get your hopes up.
The ending, though, more than makes up for it. Lyons is excellent at endings. The story ends with a certain degree of (literal) explosiveness that rivals even that of the previous book. For all the effort needed to drudge through the boring first half, the ending was fantastic - and I'm not complaining.

Characters

Janel

Janel Theranon, or the Count of Tolamer, is a fiery young woman. After briefly meeting her last book, we get to know her a lot better this time around. Janel is intelligent, resourceful, and determined. Jorat has a very different hierarchical structure than the one we're used to and she's clearly had some interesting experiences navigating it. She's soon embroiled in a dangerous game of manipulation and deceit, into a dance where Relos Var is pulling the strings (as usual). But you know what they say about the enemy of your enemy...

Kihrin

Kihrin is a secondary character for almost 80% of the book. For the most part, he is a listener to Janel's story, occasionally interjecting with his comments. However, he does play an important role in the story towards the end. His dynamics with Janel are interesting. I'm pretty excited to see how their relationship plays out next book, given his closeness to Teraeth.

Teraeth, Tyentso, Thurvishar, Therin, and Khaeriel

Don't expect to see most of these characters in this installment. This isn't Kihrin's story, and although he and Janel tend to know a lot of the same people, very few of them actually show up in this book. Which is a shame, since most of the side characters in Janel's story don't quite have the same charm. Nonetheless, now that everyone's on the same timeline, rest assured we'll see them in the next part.

“No nefarious tricks,” Thurvishar promised. “On occasion, I like talking to people whose primary interests don’t include new and interesting ways to conquer the world.”

Worldbuilding

A majority of this book is set in Jorat with its quite progressive culture. The Joratese have a lot of interesting ideas about power, identity, and sexuality. However - the dialogue just threw me off at times. They use extensive horse-based terminology to refer to people, and hardly a page goes by without someone being called a mare, stallion, colt, foal, or gelding. It was cool in the beginning, but having the same words repeated over and over was a bit much after a while.
In terms of exposition, this book makes a worthy successor. It clears up and reiterates quite a few points which assured me that I was following the book correctly. After that, it beautifully accomplishes the task of expanding on the lore of the world. A lot more things about the Eight, Relos Var, and S'arric are elaborated on, making it an engaging read. Plus, more dragons.

Demons run when gods take the field.

Writing Style

Unfortunately, the writing felt weaker this time. I wish that this and the previous book had found a way to combine in a way that switched between Kihrin's story and Janel's. A lot of things unclear in his story would have been explained in hers. Since we're stuck with the alternative, the starting is pretty hard to get through. Additionally, the footnotes are a pain. While Thurvishar's footnotes added extra exposition in The Ruin of Kings, the person who writes them this time is just... annoying.
Although the narrative structure is similar to the previous book, none of the narrations really gripped me the way Talon's or Kihrin's did. One advantage this time around is that the story is much easier to follow than its predecessor. While it does remain non-linear, the timelines in the past remain chronological and shift only in location. This makes it much more accessible and I didn't end up feeling so confused all the time.

In Conclusion

The Name of All Things has a slow start that explores the themes of family, power, and identity to build into an engaging climax. Although marred by a tedious and flat beginning, it soon picks up its pace. However, you'll need some patience and an open mind to get there. Unfortunately, while this does bring it a step down from its predecessor, it remains a strong novel with complex characters, magic systems, and political intrigue. Lyons’s book wove together a lot of threads into an immersive ending that hooked me. I, for one, knew I'll be starting the next part soon.

Here is a pic of my wiring capable of a 5.1 in the living room/kitchen area. https://imgur.com/a/1xfPqT6
I currently have the 2 in-ceiling speakers installed in the kitchen and I was hoping to use those in combination with the tv speakers but found out I can’t do that. I know I’m going to get roasted here but my tv is mounted above the fireplace and I was hoping to add a soundbar on the mantle since there isn’t much clearance below the tv and top of said mantle.
I currently have a dual-zone Denon receiver powering the in-ceilings. My question is, can I use a 3.1 soundbar in conjunction with the receiver to play audio through that and the in-ceilings simultaneously? If so, just wire it to the center channel? Or do I need to get a dedicated center, L, R?
I’m trying to keep the mantle as “clean” as possible and would like to avoid having multiple speakers up there. If there’s no way around it, are there slim options?
Currently I’m either only using the in-ceilings when in the kitchen and switching to tv audio when on the couch.
I know I’m trying to commit two sins at once but I have a dedicated theater elsewhere in the house to atone for it.
Thanks for any suggestions!

This post is my second attempt. I thought I found a nice attorney in Austin—he told me to quit chatting with other guys and delete my post. I did both then a few days later, he ghosted on me. Never again I will ever do those things until I know for sure I’ve met a decent man.
I’d love to be used by an aggressive and ruthless attorney. Someone who’d argue with me and be in it to win me over. I need to feel defeated and weak on my knees. I want to be not able to sit straight when you eventually give me the details.
Having said that, I am not looking for roleplaying or someone to pretend that they are an attorney. I want a real one who is practicing law. Nothing makes me more moist down there than them as they are my ultimate fantasy.
I want you to take delight in having total power and control over my life. My weight, my appearance, how I spend my time, etc… I feel this strong urge to serve domestically and sexually both - tell me to clean your place or kneel down and devour on your cock. I am deeply submissive when I am infatuated with the person. You need to be also loving, caring and understanding. Your marital status isn’t my business.
Please make some effort in your response. You will be ignored if you message ‘hi’ or ‘how are you’. Take it easy with explicit language, please. Let’s get to know each other first and foremost of all.
I live in Houston and I can host but prefer traveling. As to sexual preferences, we can turn to those at the right point. I am moderately overweight, below to average looking and grad level educated. I am shy and a gentle soul.

Where memories fade, love's essence ignites.
A car crash into a pine tree shatters the facade of a once seemingly blissful marriage. Jack's desperate attempts to bring down the tree with a chainsaw leave his wife, Hazel, wondering what has become of their bond. Is he still the same man she fell in love with three decades ago? As Hazel battles her fears, "Journey to the Treetop" invites readers on an emotional ride through the tumultuous landscape of a mind affected by memory loss.
------‐-------------
CABIN ROAD is the gateway to paradise.
But why does this feel like a path to hell?
I smash into a tall pine tree that stands in the middle of the otherwise straight gravel road. I've gone around it hundreds of times before. But now, my fingers are firmly gripped on the steering wheel, disregarding all my commands. Have I become paralyzed?
A potato is wobbling on the dashboard, having obviously leaped out of the potato crates in the back seat. Jack gets out and strides to the front bumper. His lips press into a thin line as he appraises the destruction and cost of fixing it. Nothing should hold him back from swearing. But he maintains his composure, anger simmering just beneath the surface.
The memory of thirty years of marriage fills my mind. I question whether this man has drugged me. A fleeting thought that he might have crashed the car surfaces, but it seems too much of a stretch. I take a deep breath and try to clear my head.In the rear-view mirror, Jack gets an axe from the trunk. He comes and gazes at me from my window, his eyes looking heavy and weary—like two precious pearls inside their oyster-like shells. I straighten and open the window:
“Thank goodness it wasn't worse.”
“I'll chop it down.”
“That’s a pretty big tree, Jack.”
Jack blinks several times.
“I do have a chainsaw...”
“Yes.” I wonder what stories this tree has witnessed during its lifetime. Will we see the marks of our journey on its rings? There’s always something that gets squeezed in tighter, begging to be unraveled.
“I'll drive you to the cabin and grab the chainsaw,” Jack says. “Prepare some coffee while I'm gone.”
Our short passage to the cabin around the bend is like shifting through the fog of memory. I'm in the kitchen. My fingers clench around the coffee tin can and spoon. Bewilderment engulfs my brain. I spot Jack with his saw. He slips around the corner, the curve of his bottom visible through his tight work trousers. I feel anxious about the crash. Did I deliberately hit the tree?
The measuring spoon slips from my hand. It drops onto the floor along with the tin can. I clean up the mess. Could someone drive into a tree on purpose? Accidents do happen after all. It's fascinating to see him take on this role of being so chivalrous. Far away from his academic duties.
As the chainsaw outside whines, I scroll through social media on my phone. People arguing about something or other makes me tired. I pick up a copy of Science magazine from the coffee table and scan through an article titled “Quantum Communication Across Interstellar Space,” authored by Jack. As usual, the details go right over my head. I like to amuse myself with the idea that it speaks about communicating with individuals who have passed away.
Billy's message pops up. He asks for money for a fishing trip with his buddies somewhere in Lapland. I am more than happy to support him since he’s enlisting in the army soon in July. My big boy.
I tell him about the car crash, and he gives me advice about a car repair store. Jack comes back earlier than expected. He plops into his seat, sweat beading on his forehead and the smell of resin emanating from him. He seems disappointed.I pour coffee to the brim.
“Did the saw get stuck?”
Jack shakes his head and adds sugar to his mug.
“It got shattered under the tree. I stumbled...”
Silence descends slowly, like dust.
“My helmet cracked.”
“Do you want me to buy new parts when I go to the store?”
“No need.”
“But there's pruning and cutting to do first.”
Jack takes a bite out of a cinnamon bun.
“I can sharpen the axe.”
“Ask the neighbors for help, that's what they're for. You can also mow the lawn while I'm away.”
“The grass is already short— it'll die off.”
“You don't want ticks taking over! Think about your mother's joint pain. She would roll in her grave if—”
“Cremated?’
“Yes!” My answer is like a flyswatter, leaving no room for further discussion or quantum physics.
Jack is busy chewing on the bun. His regular coffee breaks, which have become part of his daily routine in his sixties, have honed impressive jowls.
We enjoy our coffee and stare at the lake. Calm as a mirror. I have a feeling Jack will soon suggest fishing. As I gather my things to leave, I call to him:
“Don't hurt yourself. Should I bring more buns?”
“I was thinking of skipping the sugar and wheat...”
I simply smile in reply.
“Can you refuel the car?” Jack asks.
I'm already off. The door slams shut in the middle of his sentence, but Jack knows better than to expect a response.
I jump into the driver's seat and immediately notice forgotten potato baskets in the back seat, but my mind drifts away before I can do anything about it. As I pass by our old well, I remember that we need to discuss connecting the cabin to a new water source. No matter what it costs, it needs to be done. Why should I agree to be responsible for our running water anymore?
I collide with something hard. Airbags abruptly inflate around me, disorienting me as my vision blurs. Struggling to escape from the tangled mess of seatbelts and inflatable bags, it feels like I'm an old person trying to climb out of a bouncy castle.
My gaze rests on the scene before me, but my thoughts can't understand it. I have plowed into a tree stump. The tree stretches over the ditch. Nearby the chainsaw lies crushed. The cutting chain is nowhere to be found.
I get back in the car. Should I phone Jack for an urgent call? Inhaling slowly helps me stay calm. Why didn’t he mention the tree stump?
Someone taps on my window.
I jump and my neck stiffens up. I reach for the window switch.
“I should have told you about...” Jack says.
“The stump?”
“Didn't you see the tree on the ground?”
“I'm sorry. I was daydreaming.”
“Great galaxy, Hazel! You're burning through our last savings as if money grew on trees!”
Jack is being truly authentic with me. I stare back at him like some big-eyed exotic species from Madagascar that I can't identify in all this chaos. Jack opens the door and starts to put the cushion back in its place. We turn on the engine, giving the accelerator a test ride.
“Let's go to a repair shop. I'm sure our insurance will cover this,” Jack suggests. “We can say that we had an accident with a reindeer.”
“You're supposed to report it to the police or game warden if you hit an animal,” I reply.
Jack pauses for a moment. He then reverses and drives forward again, but when he looks into the rear-view mirror, he slams on the brakes.
“I have a better plan.”
He retrieves an orange towing strap from the trunk, a burst of determination on his face. He connects the stump and the tow hook.
“Get ready. We’re going to take a quantum leap here.”
We buckle our seat belts with a single click as we prepare for the inevitable disaster. We had already made so many mistakes together, starting with raising our children—though sometimes failing was just part of parenting.
Jack revs up the engine. A sudden lurch forward, then Jack howls in pain as the stump smashes through the rear window, clambering through the seats and lodging itself onto the gearbox, trapping Jack's hand. He veers off toward the ditch. The Milky Way spins around us, potatoes fly in the air and suddenly, all is quiet. We find ourselves upside down—surrounded by earthy potatoes and broken glass.
I try to break the silence:
“I just remembered: Billy's friend can repair cars at the vocational school much cheaper.”
Jack looks so pale, his face almost white. I guess he’s contemplating the next step.
Through the cracked windshield, I see the chainsaw chain lying in the ditch. How did it come to be rusting away? Maybe everything will go back to normal if we sit here and wait.
It feels almost as if we are flying in outer space, my nerves slowly calming down. But then a sudden stillness strikes that is anything but soothing.
“Jack, I’m feeling a bit dizzy…”
No answer.
“Jack...”
I snap open my eyes and the scene in front of me has changed drastically. It’s like I’ve been sucked into some kind of surreal void.
I hear a tapping noise on the window. An apology and then a loud thud; a huge rock has been hurled through the glass. A stench of strong aftershave ferments around me. A burly arm reaches across to release the seatbelt. An elderly man growls something crude, nothing like Jack's usual scout-like words.
My eyes close as I'm being cradled away, and visions of Jack's mathematics and symbols flicker around in my mind. Is the soul truly free when there is no force of gravity to pull us down?
I don't know who my savior is, but I can sense his worry as his face reddens. He is in military garb.
I come to as I feel my head thudding against the rubble. Instantly, I yearn to run away, contemplating that perhaps this experience is only a dream, and I'm back in the cabin chamber, tucked securely underneath a cosy blanket. A blanket that grants me the power to perform heroic acts like disappearing in a puff of smoke.
“Are you okay?” he speaks in a familiar voice.
Fingers brush over my clothes, picking out pieces of glass. My pocket contains an odd bulge—a potato? Suddenly, everything clicks: an aged Billy, wearing a major's rank insignia. How could he have achieved that rank so fast?
“Son, what are you doing on this tree ring?”
Billy peers at me from across the way, accompanied by a mysterious female figure. “We came to check on how you're doing,” Billy says. “Do you remember what happened?”
I raise my head and look around. There's nobody in the driver's seat of the car.
“Where is Jack?” I manage.
Billy furrows his brows like a detective would when weighing evidence. An image of the classic TV show Columbo flashes through my mind—he could lull suspects into a false sense of security before dropping the hammer of his sharp intellect on their inconsistencies. But I'm not hiding anything here. Though why are modern shows so bad? That's another mystery entirely.
“Mom, what were you doing out here? The road is an absolute disaster zone, with the car smashed up in the ditch.”
My thoughts swim haphazardly as Billy reads something from my expression, then casts his eyes towards his new girlfriend for assistance.
I try to get up but it hurts too much. Instead, I reach into my pocket and feel a sandy-sharp potato there. Maybe I can still wash it off.
“I’m fine,” I reply. “I need to get back to plowing the field... baking buns for Jack... buying a chainsaw...”
The darkness returns and I feel my body shiver. I'm in the car, traveling down bumps I've known for quite some time. Soon, I’m settled inside the cabin's living room on the couch. The coffee maker is gurgling in the corner of the room. Billy is on a call with a doctor about how to deal with grief and coping alone; it seems someone had died while cutting down a tree last year. He gets furious and threatens to take away the keys from the person he's talking to. It might be a good idea; many people have too many keys that they don't use anyway.
My head is spinning with thoughts about Jack's absence. Where did he go?Someone runs water over potatoes while a pot clatters on the stovetop. My temper rises as I wait for Jack's return. I won't stay here by myself without an explanation from him. I call out for Jack until there's no sound left but my coughing voice.
I crave sausage soup, and I know I must go to the store. As I try to move forward, I am wading through tar. They guide me to the coffee table. According to Jack, time runs faster the more hunched your back becomes. Let it be and let us sit here, motionless, gazing at the tips of our shoes. Surely, time has slowed down in this moment.
Billy reaches out and takes my hand. A handsome, greying gentleman. His girlfriend also places her hand on top of the pile. Her name is Ewa. A beautiful name, something familiar about her.
But did I hear her calling me mother?
In the yard, a squirrel hops with a cone in its mouth. It freezes and stares at me. I avert my gaze. My hands suddenly look wrinkled. I summon the inner strength that I've been striving to find for an eternity:
“Do we have to leave now?”
Billy exchanges glances with Ewa and then looks outside.
“You don't have to walk this path alone, Mother.”
We finish our coffee without saying another word. The wind sweeps across the lake. A pair of swans take flight, and a duet of gentle honks echo across the water. A shivering cold envelops me. Billy and Ewa take me to the car. The potatoes can wait.
The sun blazes brightly above us as we travel the cabin road; shapeless clouds dot the horizon and suddenly I sense a presence—as if someone is waving to me.
I surrender.
I believe I will be warmly welcomed.

For the longest time my wife and I only had 1 car and it worked for us. I work from home so no daily commute and she takes the car and on days I need it I plan my day around taking her to work getting my stuff done or one of using Uber.
We had our first child a few months back and I think we will need it. It won’t be used often but for the days when he gets sick at daycare or schedules change and I have to pick him up. I don’t love it, but I think it’s a need right now.
I really don’t care what the car is. It needs to be reliable, and in good shape, and more practicals that fancy. Maybe CarPlay and blind spot detection but that’s about it for flashy. What should I be looking at??
My first thoughts from other posts were Honda Fit. Seems cheaper than Prius and seems like s good car, but open to others opinions.

It’s 5am and my almost 12 month old won’t let me put her down since 1am. Since 9pm she was waking every 40 minutes. We have just started trying to get her back in her own room again after cosleeping for a while.
I don’t want to cosleep anymore. I miss having time for myself, I miss my husband and I want to sleep. I need some baby free time to function and I have not had this in months.
I want to keep breastfeeding but I don’t know if I can keep going like this. My daughter feeds so often, especially overnight.
Whenever I or my husband try to settle her in any other way than breastfeeding, she is absolutely inconsolable - she reaches this high pitched scream and is covered in sweat and just will not calm down.
I don’t know what to do - I am really struggling.
I’m trying to implement a routine but I am finding it impossible because I am so tired and so is my baby. My husband works long hours in a dangerous job so I am on my own with this.
I really regret always feeding my daughter to sleep. It hasn’t been working for months but I persisted because I wanted to be responsive but I am now just resentful and exhausted.
I don’t know where to start in how to fix this. Everything I have read talks about routine and breaking the feed to sleep association. But she’s hysterical when I don’t feed her to sleep and it’s just stressful for us both. I’ve read to just bring it forward in bedtime routine but she won’t go to sleep without crying her eyes out unless I feed her.
I wrote a list of what steps I need to take but I don’t know what to focus on first.

1. Routine
2. Set boundaries around breastfeeding
3. Day naps in cot
4. Night sleep in cot
5. Increase solids and water intake

I can’t set boundaries around breastfeeding because she becomes so hysterical. I can’t increase solid intake because she is getting so many calories overnight and isn’t interested in new foods. I can’t get her in her cot consistently and I can’t get into a routine because nothing else is working. Go with the flow doesn’t work for me.
Any advice? Thanks

Context-
I haven’t spoken to our HR department yet but will be making a call to do so when she’s available. I work for a delivery department of a furniture company and had issue with how the manager of the department handled certain situations but for the short span of time i was over there i voiced them the best way i could for it to be constructive. The issues i had were that the week of my secondary training i got told to switch my schedule to accommodate the lack of another supervisor returning from LOA. Of course i did it but the schedule forced me into a turn around which i wasn’t happy about but i made point to say all that. Before i got to speak to my managers i spoke to a person under me about a concern he had and explained what i was already planning to say. He told me that it was okay he would talk to our manager and get it squared away. He and the manager spoke before i did and come to find out the manager asked the lead what we discussed. That was a big issue for me because it feels like a breach of communication on more than one level. The manager said that it’s in the leads best interest to tell him what we discussed. I strongly disagree. The second issue was regarding how he handled a conversation about pay with one of the drivers that he had in front of all the leadership. In short the manager was not wrong in telling a commissioned driver he’s not getting paid more for the work he did where i think the misstep was he told the driver he has to think about what’s going on in the company(layoffs) before asking questions about pay. These happened over the span of 1 week 5/10/23. I got demoted and moved back to my original position before taking this one. In my demotion letter which i can post with redacted names it states that i being demoted for insubordination with no corrective actions taken or previous actions or warnings. I’m just curious if i have some legal standing for a case here

Hey everyone. One of my NVMe SSDs randomly just disappeared out of windows and BIOS. Haven’t had any symptoms of drive failure until when I turned my PC on this morning. I went to update a game, and I got an error. The drive still showed up at this point. I restarted and it’s completely gone out of BIOS as well as disk management. The drive is a Teamgroup MP34.
My specs are as follows: R5 5600X 32GB DDR4 RTX 3070 B450 Aorus Master
I have opened it up and reseated the drive. What other troubleshooting steps can I take to determine if it’s the drive, the NVMe slot, or something else? The drive is only about 9 months old. No issues before today.

Just installed a new 6-core cpu in my system and now it won’t post. I swapped my air cooler for an AIO and in the process of taking out my ram to make the radiator clear, a microscopic amount of thermal paste got on a pin or two. Between that or the BIOS not being current would be the two reasons why it’s not posting.
My question is: can I salvage this or is it new motherboard time?
Here’s my specs to help troubleshoot:
Cpu: 9th gen Intel Core i5-9400F Gpu: GeForce GTX 2070 Super Ram: (32gb total) 2x8gb T-Force ddr4 and 2x8gb Corsair Vengeance ddr4 Mobo: Asus Prime B-365M-A Psu: Thermaltake Smart 700W