1. Location is Important Whether you choice to buy an asset withinside the industrial region or a residential place, it’s far important to don’t forget the place. Various different elements come as subsequent precedence due to the fact place is that component which can not be modified after you very own the asset or the assets or a house. Usually, first time homebuyers pay attention extra on luxuries and services and don’t trouble an awful lot approximately place, however they’ll repent later. Location ought to usually be taken into consideration as a top component of your asset. Location dictates the opposite elements of the asset. If it’s far a residential assets, then one has to search for the fame of the neighbourhood, nearness to centers and services, get entry to to water, protection quotient of the place, perspectives from the assets, etc. Any buy of an asset in actual property ought to be subsidized with the aid of using a right place.
   
   1. What Makes a Good Location

Several elements make a contribution to show a place into a great place. A few are cited below.
2.1. Futuristic Areas The regions that have a excessive scope of improvement are taken into consideration to be futuristic regions. These localities are a chunk farfar from the metropolis however are in excessive call for. These regions have nicely advanced infrastructure and smooth atmosphere. With non violent and tranquil atmosphere, you will stay a wholesome life-style on this pollutants unfastened environment. One ought to additionally don’t forget the destiny, further to the prevailing centers. Areas that are futuristic and certain for destiny improvement will assist to growth the assets values. Any type of improvement is certain to growth the assets values. One can get top ROI in futuristic regions.
2.2. Key Services in Proximity If you anticipate to get pleasant training to your children, you then definately ought to choose a place that has reputed instructional institutions. It ought to have a great social infrastructure too. One ought to additionally search for nearness to hospitals, purchasing centres, banks, malls, and ofcourse grocery stores. The place turns into a top component if is supported with the aid of using the proximity to those crucial services.
2.3. Convenient Commute If you’re in a futuristic place, you’re a chunk farfar from the metropolis however the gain is which you are a chunk farfar from the site visitors too. One ought to pick a place accurately so you do now no longer spend an awful lot time in shuttle. Pay interest to regions that are near ORR and highways so you can attain your vacation spot without difficulty thru them. The place ought to additionally have right approach of transportation.
2.4. Safety Matters Sometimes, we forget about protection issues, for you to come up with the money for the assets withinside the first place. It is a reality that regions with crook sports do now no longer gain the equal fee as a assets placed in a secure neighbourhood. The place ought to be secure for the women and children. One has to take word approximately the protection of a place earlier than finalising the asset. The protection of a place is likewise very critical and it contributes to growth the fee of the assets.
2.5. Lifestyle Needs Preference Never live in a place which does now no longer fit your life-style. One ought to stay in a place that can provide you and your own circle of relatives a satisfied life. Your life-style necessities ought to be supported with the aid of using your surroundings.

1. Location is a Prime Factor of Your Asset at Risinia Risinia Builders are very specific approximately choosing a place for his or her ventures. They understand thoroughly that place is a top component of your asset. A top fee along side a great place will convey peace and happiness to your life. If your private home is in a great place and has adequate expensive services, then it’s far in extra call for and could surely are looking for a better promoting fee, bringing you a great ROI. The places decided on with the aid of using Risinia consist of all of the required elements like — pleasant of life, college choices, shuttle time, and social sports. Risinia Builders by no means compromise on things — place and pleasant. They also are acknowledged for well timed deliveries. They usually choose a futuristic place that’s desirable, specially for millennials. One shouldn’t examine the modern-day fame of a neighbourhood however ought to be aware of the destiny of the place. All the ventures of Risinia are RERA approved, which means absolutely sincere and wellknown ones. Their expensive and comfortable ventures, Skyon and Trendilla are placed at Bachupally while Oyster is located at Nizampet. All those ventures are at the verge of completion.
   
2. Why Did Risinia Select Bachupally Bachupally is taken into consideration to be a fast-developing residential place withinside the suburbs and an upcoming place. It is part of the extension of Greater Hyderabad City. Situated withinside the North West Zone of Hyderabad and being in proximity to the mainstream regions, Bachupally is turning into the favorite vacation spot of the techies. The infrastructural improvement has created a growth in Bachupally actual property. Every homebuyer desires to very own a domestic in a neighbourhood which can boast of everything, from world-magnificence worldwide colleges to massive pharma labs. This dream comes actual in case you very own a domestic at one of the ventures of Risinia, placed in Bachupally.
   

This place homes world-magnificence colleges like The Oakridge International School, Delhi Public School, Silver Oaks, Laurus — The School of Excellence, VIKAS and Geetanjali IIT Olympiad School and a few reputed Corporate and Engineering colleges. With malls, supermarkets, restaurants, banks, all styles of stores, corporations and services, Bachupally is becoming a chief motive force of economy.
Bahupally is a process hub in itself and is likewise withinside the area of Hitech City. It is nicely related thru a community of roads which include ORR, Nizampet Road, Bachupally Road, and Bollaram Road. One of the top elements of Bachupally is that, you will discover houses at inexpensive rates.

My sister needs to be a victim so bad that it's pathetic. Not only that but she's become more and more of an sjw about pretty much everything. If she can't just scream and cry about me abusing her, she turns it into me being sexist as she runs to our mom about me.
I told her to keep her 3 toddlers out of my things, as it's an ongoing problem, and instead of just saying ok she went on a rant, deliberately shouting loud enough for our mom to hear that "that reflects on how you feel about me and women in general"
Later she was calling me ignorant and rude literally just due to the fact that I'm a male, even though I said or did literally nothing at all to provoke her. I told her quietly that she needs to stop being a victim. In an instant she ran to our mom about me abusing her. This is typically what she does. She will press your buttons like an elevator until you explain why she's wrong or being ridiculous, and then she will devolve into screaming and crying about you.
Numerous times I have gotten into an argument with her because she blew something out of proportion, and when she can tell that I'm right she just screams about "another ignorant male mansplaining" when nothing happened. I tell her to stop screaming and crying all the time, she screams and cries about mansplaining. I tell her to stop throwing her trash in the sink, she screams and cries about mansplaining. She was drunk and throwing a fit, I asked why she was angry (over something that didn't even happen, mind you) she screams and cries about mansplaining. I make literally any statement that reflects on her toxic behavior, she screams and cries about mansplaining.
She's not "men and women are equal" feminist, she's "men bad and women good" feminist. Usually I never say a word to her. I will go weeks without so much as looking at her despite the fact we live in the same house, all while, like I said above, she is deliberately trying to anger me so she can look like the victim, and usually turn it into a misogynist thing. Most of the time I never bother to entertain her ridiculous narcissism but the few times I do try to explain she's angry over NOTHING or she is intentionally trying to be a victim, it turns into mansplaining.
She then runs to our mom about it, and will blow it way out of proportion so I look like the bad guy. And... you know the drill by now, when I try to explain she's lying or stretching it, it turns into me mansplaining. I can't be the only one here with a "progressive" family member who does this shit

As always, thank you to u/SpacePaladin15 for the wonderful universe that is NoP
Thank you to u/cruisingNW for proof reading and helping me out of some hang ups, you're the man! And for letting me use Barry, Borven and Tarva (No relation)!
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Memory Transcription Subject: Christopher A. Dewey, Human Merchant Sailor, Venlil-Human Exchange Participant
Date [Standardized Human Time]: August 24th, 2136.
The door to Suite 4006 didn't look all that different from the door to our bunk room, though the walls around it lacked the friendly atmosphere of the exchange areas; guess admin offices are bland no matter the species. Taisa was beside me trying to appear confident; I noticed she did that a lot. Originally I had thought it was for my benefit, to make me feel like she wasn't scared of me; but I wasn't so sure of that anymore. It seemed that any time she was in a situation that made her feel small or scared she did her best to puff up and push through it. It was one of the things I liked best about her; but that didn't mean I'd ever stop giving her shit for fainting.
"Taisa," I started, placing my hand on her shoulder, her tail curling a little and resting against the side of my leg. "It'll be alright, I figure they wanna ask some questions about what happened earlier. Verify reports, get the story first hand. That sort of thing."
She took a deep breath as her ears flicked at my statement and her tail swayed off my leg. I think that one means she understands, or maybe it's agreement? Still tryin’ to figure those out.
"We tell 'em what happened, get it all cleared up on our end, easy and free 'fore too long. Once we got their questions outta the way we can drop our little 'research idea' on ‘em and see where it goes from there." I squeezed her shoulder gently at the end, she beeped a little but seemed to puff her chest out with a little extra confidence.
"Here goes nothin'." I raised my hand to rap against the metal door, I assume I looked a fool when the door opened up before I actually managed to knock.
"Christopher A. Dewey and Taisa, I presume?" A Venlil in the door stated, keeping the two of us in the span of his left eye. "Come in, have a seat."
He maneuvered his way around behind the desk, sitting down in a chair next to a Human at a shared desk as Taisa and I got situated. "I am Borven, and this is Barry." He stated, introducing himself and then the Human with his tail. "We are the liaisons for the exposure program. I assume that you know why we called you in this waking?"
I nodded, leaning back in the chair. "I'd wager a guess it has something to do with a certain upset Ensign, a bunch of angry Humans and a... pawful of scared Venlil?"
Barry nodded, pulling something up on the pad in front of him. I figured it was probably the report drafted by the guard that questioned us. "We wanted to confirm your side of the story as reported by Officer Gentry and Officer Jaisle, would you mind?"
I motioned with my hand for him to proceed. "I'd be happy to."
“Very good. To start, can you verify that this record of your account is accurate?" Barry queried, handing the pad off to me.
I sat for a few minutes, reading through the report and follow up answers that had been written down. Taisa took the pad as I offered it to her, "Looks good to me."
A few minutes longer, “Yeah, me too. Although two of the Venlil that had hidden behind Chris are missing, A female with white wool and a male with black wool with gray striping. I’m sorry I didn’t think to ask after their names.” She corrected, handing the pad back over to Barry.
“Thank you, we’ll be sure to correct that error.”
Taisa's ears perked up as she beeped out a question, her curiosity from earlier evidently not satisfied, "What does the UN intend to do with him?"
"Well, that depends, do you still decline to press charges, Mr. Dewey?" Barry asked, setting the pad back on the desk as he tapped a button to confirm the report.
I shook my head, "Nah, he needs help, not a lawsuit."
"Then in that case I am not at liberty to discuss an ongoing investigation beyond confirming your account. I apologize." Taisa's tail lashed in what I figured was annoyance at that before she took a breath and steadied it.
A few more questions were leveled at us, asking about the mood in the room just before and after the announcement, what individuals we could remember that looked the most agitated and if we could identify any of the pairs that had departed before the shouting began. Then Borven struck on a question that seemed to give Taisa pause.
"Taisa, what motivated you to intervene and guide the Venlil hiding behind your partner out of the altercation? You could have risked a stampede and caused far more problems than you were solving."
Her ears drooped for a moment, her tail coming to a standstill as she thought over the question. “I saw people in trouble, saw Chris doing something and I just… I had to help. I didn’t really think about whether it would cause a stampede until after I had already gotten them moving. After that I tried my best to stay calm; I’ve read that people at the front of a herd keeping a level head is what can start or stop a stampede.”
Borven’s tail flicked as he tapped something into his pad before swiveling his ears towards Barry. “I think that covers everything I have, Barry, any further questions?
Barry shook his head, tapping away at the pad before setting it back on its mount. “I believe that’s everything that I need. Unless the two of you have any further questions yourselves, you are excused. Thank you for your assistance.”
Taisa and I exchanged glances for a moment. “Actually, we did have one question.” “As I stated earlier, Mr. Dewey, unless you wish to press charges I cannot divulge information with regards to the Ensign’s punishment or prospects moving forward.” Barry sighed. “Please pose your question with that in mind.”
“And I understand that, this is about something else.” Barry raised an eyebrow as Borven fixed a single eyed gaze on me.
“Taisa and I were thinking that we’d, in the spirit of the exchange program, like to run an experiment.” “An experiment?” Borven asked, refocusing his ears on Taisa. She flicked her ears at him and tapped me with her tail, prompting me to continue.
“Yes. We’d like to run an experiment on Human-Venlil Business partnerships; see how we work together. Taisa is a trained ships engineer and I’ve spent the last 15 years hauling freight, organizing and working merchant ships all across Earth. I’d need some more targeted flight training and familiarization with rules and regs but I’ve spent plenty of time in simulators at home.”
A few moments of silence hung in the room before Barry shrugged. “That’s not under our department's purview but I can get you two in touch with the two people you’d likely need to… convince of the feasibility of your proposition.”
“Thank you, Gentlemen.” I said, standing from the seat before turning to walk out the door behind Taisa.
As the door closed I heard Barry and Borven bickering about how many of the pairs were going to want to stay together in one way or another. They seemed like fun, if maybe a bit stiff. After a minute or two of quiet walking down the hall our pads chimed, indicating we had received a message: Barry and Borven notified me that you and your partner have suggested an experiment. Please report to Conference Suite 4185. Sent by Thomas Ashforth, UN Liaison.
It wasn’t a terribly far walk around the station’s outer ring to arrive at the conference room, only a few minutes.
“Alright… 4185 it is.” Taisa spoke up next to me, taking a deep breath as her ears swiveled back a little; she looked worried.
“Hey, don’t worry. We got this.” I soothed while patting her on the back; trying to put a little pep back in her step. “It didn’t get sunk in the bay so we’ve got a chance at least!”
“I know,” She took another deep breath, puffing her chest up as we stepped up to the door. “I’m just scared they’ll say no. Or worse, find a reason to split us.” “We’ll just have to make sure that doesn't happen. You won’t be rid of me that easy.” I joked, putting a small twinkle of mirth in her eye as her tail lashed about.
I saw a retort brewing but it was cut off by a stern voice from beyond the door. “Enter.” Both of us stiffened a little as the door slid open to reveal a room with a small conference table, 6 chairs in total surrounding it. The two at the far end were occupied by a man wearing a UN dress uniform and a small union jack pinned to his lapel, while a very… very small ice-white Venlil sat on a cushion atop the table.
“Please be seated, we’ve got a few questions about your experiment. My name is Thomas Ashforth.” Said the man, gesturing across the table.
As Taisa and I sat down the small Venlil began. “And I am Professor Tarva, no relation. I’m head of the Integration efforts. You must be Taisa!” Taisa returned the enthusiasm with a flick of her ears before Tarva turned her ears towards me. “And you must be Christopher! Protector blessed, you’re certainly the largest Human I’ve seen so far!” I nodded in return. “My friend here is coordinating the fiscal side of the exchange program. So, why don’t you two tell us about this idea of yours?”
I took in a breath to steady my nerves, Taisa’s tail coiling around my ankle helped motivate my voice forward that little bit more. “We know that the recent blockades have caused issues for Venlil prime, and while Earth may not need anything from Venlil prime to get by there’s a lot of people who I’d bet would want plenty. Taisa also tells me a fair few of the freighter captains are still ‘bolty’ about trading directly with Humans; neither Taisa nor myself have that problem. From what she has said there’s a lot of surplus ships floating around VPs shipyards waiting for trade to open up again. The experiment would be to acquire a smaller freighter for Taisa and myself to crew, command, and operate so as to gather a better understanding of how Humans and Venlil work together in a civilian ship environment as well as the operation of an enterprise. Plenty of research is going to come up for military applications but I think opportunities to gain information on Civilian settings will be few and far between for some time.”
“An interesting theory! But what extra information do you think we can get from a civilian vessel that we can’t from a military vessel? What you’re suggesting could easily be replicated within the logistics corps instead!” Her tail was swaying slowly as her ears stayed pointed directly at me.
“Chaos.” I said, simply, shrugging at the statement.
That seemed to catch her off guard a moment, her tail falling still before her ears perked up and her eyes came alight with a fire of interest. “And why exactly would I want to include chaos in my experiments?”
“Military ships, combat and logi, all have an inherent order to them, in combat or out of it. They are specifically trained for, and sometimes raised in it. Civilian merchants and shippers don't have that training, which means the operating conditions, stresses and strains on the crew of a military ship are different than that of a civilian ship. Monitoring how Taisa and I work together, our responses to those stresses and strains could provide valuable insight into future workplace ‘integration’ efforts.” I leaned forward, bracing my elbows on the table as I looked over her head, trying to avoid spooking her.
Despite those efforts, her favored eye bore into mine, before she changed her tactic and tried again, “Ok, so the idea has merit. But why should we get a whole ship for the two of you? Why not register you with a freight company and have you work with them as well?” She countered, a gleam in her eye as she focused on my face.
“Please point us to a freight company that won't make a stink about having a human pilot, let alone one my size. Even if you did find a freighter willing to stomach my presence that doesn’t change the fact that baseline interactions would be easy enough to find examples of, and could be done with any pair of applicants in any setting. What we are proposing is the examination of a joint business venture. Taisa and I have experience: I was the first-mate on my last ship, and Taisa is a Venlil-trained and registered ships engineer. These are the backbone of any ship, giving you a clean sample to get readings, uncluttered by other people”.
“That comes to another question. Why the two of you? There’s plenty of running freight companies we could organize this same exchange with, without having to dig up the money for a ship.” She retorted, despite the wording and my still… developing understanding of tail signals, I was pretty sure she was enjoying this.
As I mulled over the question, trying to think of the best response, Taisa spoke up from the chair next to me, her ears peaked straight up, a confident look in her eyes with a voice as sure as steel. “Because we’re here. You already planned on something similar or ‘integration’ wouldn’t be on the table. I’d guess that you’ve got pairs picked for all sorts of ‘experiments’, and business is just one part of it.”
Atta Girl Taisa! Said it better than I ever could.
Tarva opened her mouth for another question; if I didn’t know better I’d think she loved this kind of back and forth. But before she could begin Thomas’ voice drifted in and I was reminded of the sharp cold of the Bering Straits. “I’m very pleased you work so well together. But how would that benefit the program? Why should the UN invest in your… ‘integration’.” His eyes passed between us, like we were being measured for a casket, it was clear that wasn’t a question, it was a statement.
Flipping open a ledger, Thomas pulled a pen from his breast pocket, the motion felt like it carried more weight than the drawing of any sword. “Firstly, this, as all business ventures must be, has to be profitable. To you, to the program and to the U.N. until you’ve paid back your debt, and more. How do you intend to actually make a profit? Have you considered fuel costs? Maintenance? Registration? Permitting?” His gaze felt like it could turn me to stone, I hated accountants, near as much as lawyers.
Taisa seemed not to have such hangups, someone had been thinking. “Fuel costs would be negligible when compared to the overall short trip and high margins that could be made by hauling higher value cargo. Maintenance would be handled by myself, limiting costs only to parts. I doubt that we will be acquiring a fresh off the line ship, and I know my way around a scrapyard. Registration and permitting are firm plan-able costs that can be included within the operating budget since they come up at regular intervals.”
Thomas nodded, writing in his ledger before looking back up at us. “And what do you intend to actually ship? The most profitable ventures have a plan and a consistent schedule.” I sat up a little straighter, I wasn’t going to let an accountant send me running like a dog with my tail between my legs. “My experience is with Tramp freighters, sir.” The use of the term earned a look of confusion from Tarva and a slight sigh from Taisa, while Thomas was clearly familiar with the term. “Charging higher rates for a slightly less consistent schedule would make up for the irregularity. I am of the opinion that limiting what is hauled to one type, brand or item of cargo would, in this case, be a poor decision at such a small scale. Bulk freighters at home only work because of their scale and the guaranteed regularity, to make such a thing work for that kind of enterprise the U.N. would have to invest far more into the ship just to get the idea off the ground. Taking bespoke contracts for individuals, or groups of them within the same city or province, would allow us to keep a more flexible margin for each run. As well, I already have a few old associates on Earth that are likely chomping at the bit to open a trade route with VP.”
His eyes narrowed a little as he wrote in his ledger again, that infernal brass pen making notes I couldn’t see. “What guarantees can you give us that this will last? How can the U.N. be sure that in a month’s time this doesn’t blow up in our faces and we’re left with an old freighter, a diplomatic incident, and an empty bag?”
To my surprise Tarva spoke up on our behalf. “Christopher's Empathy test puts him in the top 5th percentile of those tested. Taisa has been searching for a job since she graduated, and from her application wants very much to avoid returning home for work, that coupled with Christopher’s registered work history and their obvious compatibility I think it unlikely the experiment will ‘blow up’ in the U.N.s face.”
Thomas’s eyebrows scowled, like his ledger insulted his mother. He laid his pen down with a sigh, “The U.N. Reserves the right at any time, during the period in which the debt for the ship has not yet been paid, to requisition cargo space. Christopher, you will be completing a mandatory course to bring your capabilities inline with UN or Venlil freight pilot standards, failure of this course is unacceptable.” He let the ultimatum hang in the air… then continued, “Taisa, you will be tested on how much of your education you have retained in your time since graduation, as well as your efficacy in this role. Finally: any and all damages, maintenance, modifications and or ‘personalizations’ made to the vessel, beyond what is required by both species’ workplace safety requirements, will be done at your own expense. The U.N. will not be liable for these costs.”
“These are the terms of our little venture. And they are non-negotiable. Do you accept?”
Taisa and I exchanged a quick glance before responding “Yes.” In unison.
“With that concluded, hard copies of your agreement will be provided shortly. You both begin your respective written portions tomorrow. Congratulations! I look forward to seeing your ‘experiments’ results.” Thomas chuckled the last sentence, breaking the accountant’s stony demeanor, maybe he wasn’t that bad.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “So, that means…”
“That means you’re approved.” Tarva beeped, her tail swaying happily. “We of course will need to work out your overall flight training schedule, lodging and a business plan but we can handle that. My counterpart here will need to source a ship, but none of that should be particularly difficult. For now, congratulations on your acceptance into the Integration program!”
I thought for a moment, weighing the last few days in my head, if there was something I could lay my head down under each night it would be that brilliant twilight sky. “What about Heartwood? For lodging, I mean; Taisa’s family lives there. She says it's a small town but I’m sure something could get worked out. Could also help with introducing the people there to Humans!”
Tarva paused, her ears swiveling in thought. “I think that could be arranged, if I remember correctly there is a small shuttle port there. Although I do want to make sure that you understand: rural communities are likely to be less accepting of Human presence, you will be met with some degree of prejudice. You may not get the welcome you’re hoping for.”
Taisa spoke up before I could respond, one eye focused on me while her ears were directed towards Tarva. “I think the people of Heartwood would come around. It might take a bit but if anyone could get through to them it’ll be Chris.”
I smiled a little, looking over to Tarva. “I’ve never met a farmer I couldn’t charm! I’m willing to give it a go, just gotta avoid gettin’ torched, apparently.” For the first time, for the briefest moment, that seemed to set Tarva off balance; Taisa did mention that Exterminators were a sensitive subject.
“W-Wonderful!” Clearing her throat, she regained her composure, “In that case we’ll see what we can work out. I’ll make sure to include an extra form for you to fill out to request any personal belongings you need from home! For now, though, I think the two of you should get a good rest, you’ve both got busy paws tomorrow!” She beeped excitedly and her tail swayed happily as she turned to Thomas and began discussing the arrangement.
Taisa and I took the cue and rose from the table, headed out the door, and walked back to the room in silence until the door to our space closed behind us; both of us releasing heavy held breath as it did.
“I can not believe that worked.” Taisa said, her tail wagging as she wrapped her arms around me. “We’re going to actually have a ship… I’m actually going to get to do what I trained to do, what I want to do.” I returned the hug. “We’ll both get to do what we want, but first we’re gonna have to get through those tests.” She giggled a little, the joy at the prospect evident in her voice. “We’ve got this, together.”
Confident as ever. I pulled her into the hug a little tighter.
“Together.”
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First Prev. Next

My husband and I have been building a raised bed garden. I got a load of mushroom soil . The man that delivered it said that it had manure in it from several animals including pig. My heart sank as I thought, oh no I just paid for something that I can’t use. My husband and I discussed this and decided it was ok . Our thoughts were, We were not eating pork or touching a carcass by using this soil. There’s pig poop in the soil, but we aren’t eating the soil. How far removed from the pig itself do you have to be? What do people think? This experience did cause us to really consider the Law and how to apply it to our lives. We are figuring it out day by day. Thoughts?

I currently work night shift (10 hours, +-1 hour) with a weird pattern: 4 on, 3 off, 2 on, 2 off. My commute is a 10 minute walk.
It has worked ok for me for training for one marathon and two half marathons each year.
My new job starts in a few weeks is 12 hour night shifts which will usually be: 3 on 4 off or 6 on, 8 off depending on the month. My commute will be 45 minutes long each way. The work will be a ton less stressful than my current job. I’m also doing part time online school.
I also lift weights twice each week for an hour.
Should I just forget about marathon training until I’m done with school? Just stick with a couple half’s?
Has anyone had a similar or is in a similar situation?
I also live in the Southwest (USA) and it will be 100°-115° until October. This sort of limits outside runs to just the early morning or going to a nearby gym.
I don’t really think I’ll be able to do anything on days that I work for my new job? I stand for 80% of my job. I’ve never done twelves or had such a long commute.

If you remember my X and I purchased the four unit she's been living in for the past 10 years. My daughter got married and lives near Springfield MA. Grand kids soon. I'm looking to relocate to Albany as my final move. Semi-retired and looking to fully cut the work cord soon. I've been looking in Center Square and there's literally nothing. I'd be ok with a condo or another income property where I would live in one of the units. What is available is trash at premium pricing. I'm thinking of broadening my search area but I really like Center Square. I just lost one that I put in an offer on. I think it was because they thought I was going to be a absentee landlord which is not thecase.
I'd love to hear any insight you might have on the market in general and other areas to consider. I'm open to a ranch style a little out although my preference would be a Condo. There's a fe Condos avalable on Chapel and Monroe that are nice on the interior but look out at a parking lot.
If you know anyone getting ready to sell that would be great. It would be a cash deal so no bank involvement.
Thanks

Before you read my notes, check out my outline for the saga here…
https://www.reddit.com/fixingmovies/comments/13y9ozk/star_wars_my_outline_for_a_saga_set_30_years/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1

1. 25 years after ROTJ, Grand Admiral Thrawn unites the scattered remnants of the Galactic Empire into the First Order, a smaller military junta interested in galactic domination. His backstory would be covered in several Disney Plus shows prior to the saga. Several other tidbits would be covered like the formation of Jedi Praxeum, the New Republic, and the fate of the Mandalorians.
   
2. Thrawn’s goal is to take over the galaxy and prepare it for war with Abeloth, but would not anticipate her arriving sooner than he anticipated. He would be trying to build a fleet using the Star Forge, an ancient, automated shipyard in the Unknown Regions. It draws energy and matter from a nearby star and uses dark side power from Exegol to create ships. The Star Forge would be the First Order’s main base of operations instead of Starkiller Base or the Supremacy.
   
3. The First Order fills a role similar to that of the Separatists from the PT: a villain faction that becomes irrelevant once a deadlier faction appears.
   
4. The third film in the first trilogy ends with the Eldritch Empire showing up from the Unknown Regions and laying waste to the defeated First Order and wage war with the New Republic. The second trilogy centers around the heroes battling Abeloth and her undead army.
   
5. Abeloth is very different than how she was in the old EU. Instead, she is an 8,000 year old alien who lived during the Old Republic Era. At one point during her youth, she got corrupted by the dark side, and attempted to harness the power of the Sith Shrine on Coruscant or Mortis. She formed an army of followers and traversed the galaxy murdering anyone who stood in her path. But she was stopped and banished from the galaxy by the Jedi Order. Out in the Unknown Regions, Abeloth continued to grow in the dark side, becoming a dark side necromancer and creating an army of undead foot soldiers using Dark Side Alchemy. She also attacked various nations living out in the Unknown Regions, including the Chiss Ascendancy. Her powers include durability, telepathy, and resurrecting the dead. Think less of the EU Abeloth and more of Tor Valum from DOTF. She and her undead army are sensed by Palpatine during the Imperial Era, which motivates him to launch an exploration campaign into the Unknown Regions to find the source of the presence. Grand Admiral Thrawn leads this campaign and forms the First Order out of the remnants of the Galactic Empire to bring down the Eldritch Empire.
   
6. Thrawn and the Chiss have a dark history with Abeloth. After Abeloth was exiled to the Unknown Regions by the Jedi Order, she invaded the Chiss homeworld and massacred its inhabitants with the help of her followers. When Palpatine senses them in the Unknown Regions and has Thrawn go out and investigate the presence, Thrawn discovers what it is and forms the First Order. Holding a personal vendetta against Abeloth for murdering his ancestors, the Chiss seeks to dominate the New Republic so that he can prepare the galaxy for war.
   
7. When Abeloth returns to the galaxy, she seeks out the power of Mortis or the Sith Shrine hidden underneath the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.
   
8. Ben Solo’s fall to the dark side would also be covered in a Disney Plus show called Jedi Reborn. In Jedi Reborn, Ben Solo comes to believe that Darth Vader would have made for a better leader than Palpatine. But that he ruined his career by redeeming himself in ROTJ. Ben feels that Vader was weak for allowing love and sentiment to cloud his judgment, and decides that he must carry on his legacy by destroying the Jedi and becoming as powerful as him. While he’s under the tutelage of Luke Skywalker, Ben wishes that the Jedi involved themselves in the affairs of the Republic like the old Jedi Order did. He wants them to be active peacekeepers instead of negotiators (this is before they scatter).
   
9. Luke’s Jedi Academy, Jedi Praxeum, differs from the Jedi Order in the PT. Instead of being a militarized, monastic order, Jedi Praxeum is a smaller, independent institute spread across the galaxy, with its members patrolling galactic frontiers like vigilantes or Texas Rangers. It is also an open-door organization, allowing anyone of any age to become Jedi. Now, Jedi Praxeum wasn’t always this way. It was initially assembled as a unified Jedi Academy like the old Jedi Order. But after Ben Solo, Luke Skywalker’s first pupil, turned to the dark side, destroyed the Temple on Ossus, and killed one-third of the students, Luke realized that his small Jedi Academy was vulnerable. He and the other Jedi decided it was best for them to settle in different star systems across the galaxy to make it harder for future enemies to find and destroy them. They wanted to avoid repeating the mistake of the old Jedi Order. They became so complacent that they couldn’t stop Palpatine from becoming Emperor and wiping them out during Order 66. After Ben turned on the academy, Jedi Praxeum scattered across the galaxy. Instead of directly involving themselves with the New Republic and local planetary forces, the Jedi mostly keep watch of people from a distance, only stepping in to help when necessary. Otherwise, they mostly spend time helping themselves and each other connect with the Force. Because of this, the Jedi are a rarity in the galaxy. Although the Jedi will provide humanitarian aid to the New Republic, they don’t serve them like the Jedi of Old did with the Old Republic. This is to avoid complacency during times of peace. However, when vital matters must be addressed, the Jedi are called to Ahch-To for group meetings with Luke Skywalker. They will only unify when it is absolutely necessary.
   
10. Luke Skywalker gets blinded by Ben Solo during a duel after he turns to the dark side.
    
11. Kylo Ren acts as an opportunist in the second trilogy. After killing Han Solo at the end of the third film, he goes into hiding when the Eldritch Empire invades the galaxy. Kylo would become a fugitive and continue to sink further into the dark side while in exile. He seeks out ancient knowledge in Darth Vader’s castle and on other planets strong in the Force. One of the things he discovers is how to defeat Abeloth.
    
12. Kylo Ren remains a villain throughout the whole saga. The moment he crosses the point of no return is when he kills Abeloth and siphons her powers for himself, much like Doctor Doom stealing the Beyonder’s powers in Marvel’s Secret Wars.
    
13. At one point during the second trilogy, Anakin Skywalker visits Kylo Ren and tries to bring him back to the light.
    
14. Rey trains Finn in the ways of the Force during the second trilogy. The first trilogy is about Finn breaking away from the First Order’s indoctrination, and the second is about him becoming a Jedi.
    
15. Finn leads a Stormtrooper rebellion at the end of the third film, and the defected Stormtroopers side with the New Republic in their battle against the Eldritch Empire during the second trilogy.
    
16. Throughout the second trilogy, the New Republic and the Eldritch Empire control their own domains in the galaxy.
    
17. Thrawn is imprisoned with other remaining First Order officers by the New Republic at the end of the saga.
    

https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/023/964/538/large/tim-feeney-sithwitch-artstation.jpg?1580887300

Short Synopsis
A young boy with an interest in local history and cemeteries learns about life and the value of friendship when he meets a child named Peter in the local cemetery that may not be all that he seems.
•
When I was a kid I had a fascination with graveyards, burial grounds and old churches. I wouldn’t call this a morbid fascination but more of a learning place for a kid of the age of 5 or 6 to explore death and what it means to be remembered by loved ones and friends. As this fascination grew it lead me to the study of local history which would become a keen interest for the rest of life.
My great uncle Tom, who was a mountain of a man as he had worked all of his life as a miner in the local pits, encouraged this interest I had shown in history and at my behest, after Uncle Tom picked me up from school, we would often take long walks with his mongrel dog Tina around the local cemetery. The cemetery was scattered around the large hillside of the local church on the hill. The church cut quite an imposing presence in the small village I grew up in, as it seemed to loom over the whole place sitting high above the rows of houses, local pub and farms. Everyone in the village attended the church at least a few times a week, but at night it was considered a spooky place to the children in the village and my friends considered me very odd and often ridiculed me for my interest in the place and I gained the affectionate nickname Spooky Steven. This wasn’t a bad thing, it was just kids playing around and now we are all grown, we often all sit together having a pint in the local pub and laugh about it. I had my fair share of pokes of fun at them too when we were kids, there was no Internet or game consoles back in those days, so entertainment was what we would make it.
The church was ancient and had gravestones and markers now crumbling with the decay of age that dated as far back as the Anglo Saxon period of Great Britain. This history always fascinated me and it became a common practice for me to head to the graveyard, most often alone in my youth, and make grave rubbings to find names from the past and look them up in the local archives at the town library. This small library was full of old documents such as land registry papers and birth or death records which dated back for hundreds of years, it was like google before computers. I would spend hours in there till closing time at 6pm, looking through all these ancient records and when names came up again and again in certain papers, you could slowly build up a picture of someone’s life. You could see when they were born, who they worked for, who they married and how their lives progressed, most of the older papers ended up with people inheriting land or buying farms and making their way as countryside workers, it was enthralling to me. I think it made me realise early in my life, that if you say someone’s name aloud or read it, that person’s memory is still alive. Even at a young age I found that rather comforting.
Listening to this I’m sure you can imagine I was a bit of a loner, you don’t get the nickname Spooky Steven for being the captain of the football team. No-one was ever cruel to me or anything, I was bullied a little for being different and that was upsetting at times but I wasn’t bothered and I always just kind of did my own thing, so you can imagine I was happy when at about 12 years of age I found a friend who was interested in the same things as I was.
One beautiful summer afternoon while in the graveyard among some shady ancient oaks swaying in the breeze, I was taking some graphite rubbings in a particularly old part of the cemetery and I meet a boy named Peter. Looking back it’s strange that I didn’t know Peter from school, but you don’t think about these things at a young age. When ever I was in that part of the cemetery Peter would often turn up unexpectedly and talk to me about what I was doing and why I was interested in these old names from the past. He was full of information and seemed old for his 13 years, he talked about a lot of the old names on the gravestones as if they were still living. He would tell me about Mr Jones the welsh baker, who spoke with such a strong accent that he was hard to understand and how John Blakley the blacksmith would often let the local children into his shop and teach them how to use the kilns and pay them a small wage for helping him keep the fires burning good and hot. I checked out all of these people that Peter talked about in the library and they were all legitimate people who had lived in the town often hundreds of years in the past. I didn’t question this as Peter would have access to the same documents from history that I did, but I had never seen Peter in the library and I was there most afternoons.
On another occasion Peter told me that he was made to leave school and work from a young age because his father had died in a farming accident, so he had been put to work to help support his family. These times I met Peter we’re all in the late 1980’s and early 90’s and it was only when I began to get a little older that I started to think Peter was not from around here. There was no way a boy of 13 years old would be allowed to work at the hard labour Jobs that Peter talked about doing. Drystone walling or working in the fields are highly dangerous jobs that deal with heavy equipment and chemicals that a child of that age would never be allowed to use in this day and age. But, still I thought nothing of it at first, my young ego thought that maybe he was trying to impress me so I would be his friend. I started to ask about him at school amongst my friends and then the teachers and no-one knew who this boy was. I was again ridiculed for having an imaginary friend so I took a bunch of school friends to the church yard to meet him, but he would never show when I was there with other people. This became very frustrating, so I stopped talking about him.
After about a year or two of meeting with Peter on a few different occasions in the cemetery, I began to notice things that were odd or different about him. The clothes he wore seemed old fashioned and unlike me he didn’t seem to be getting any older, at that age kids grow at an accelerated rate and I was already almost a whole foot taller, but Peter had remained the same. On the last day I saw Peter in those years I questioned him about his clothes and the way he looked and he took great offence to this, his eyes welled up and tears began to roll down his cheeks. I told him I was sorry and that I wouldn’t mention this again, he then said to me some words that I will never forget “Its ok” he said through his tears “It’s been my absolute pleasure to spend this time with you. Just do me a small solid and say my name every once in a while when you are here, I’d appreciate that” he then smiled at me in a way that breaks my heart when I remember it and walked away into a shady part of the cemetery and that was the last time I would see him as a child.
By the time I was around 16 years of age the local historian knew me by name and we had developed a friendship and she began to tell me stories from the past which were not written in any of the history books. Some of the stories she told me were spooky ones about hauntings and other strange paranormal stories of local legends. Because of this interest she had and the passion with which she told me these tales of local occurrences, I felt comfortable enough with her to mention Peter. Her eyes lit up and she asked me to please tell her more. I told her everything and we stayed together well passed closing time looking up names and histories of local residents but we couldn’t find anything about about a young local worker named Peter, however we did find information in a record about the death of a local farmer in his 40s who was crushed in an accident with his wheat plough in the summer of 1889. The strangest part of the story is still to come.
Later in life when I turned 18 I was a regular in the village pub and became very friendly with the landlord and often did shifts in the bar serving in the evening to help pay my way through college where I took a bachelor’s degree in history. In the summer for extra pay the landlord asked me if I were interested in clearing out some of the old attic spaces to get the place ready for an extension that they were going to build. The extra money was welcome so I agreed and that is where the most amazing thing happened. Amongst all the cobweb ridden stacks of books, papers and a wealth of old furniture I found a framed portrait from a very old 1890’s camera. The picture was of a boy laying dead on a bed of flowers on one of the big old wooden tables in the pub, it was Peter. I rummaged around and to my amazement I found hidden in the back of the frame an old newspaper clipping about the death of a 13 year old chimney sweep named Peter Robinson. I was not afraid, but the revelation came as more a relief to know that perhaps I wasn’t crazy and that Peter had reached out to me from somewhere beyond our own understanding of this world. I chose not to mention this to anyone as Peter had never shown himself to anyone else and it felt it would have betrayed our friendship that had occurred in those early years of my youth.
A few weeks later I found myself drawn back to that shady part of the church on the hill amongst those ancient oaks and mossy gravestones with bottle of beer in my hand. It was a beautiful day, there was a gentle breeze and the crickets, birds and insects chatted in the gentle afternoon, just like those summer days I had spend in this place as child with my Uncle Tom and Tina who were now themselves long since departed. I rose the bottle of beer in the air and said Peter’s name out loud and for a brief moment, from the corner of my eye I thought I saw the flicker of a boy standing in the distance in the summer shade and a smile spread across my face. That day I learned a lesson for good, that if we think of those who are dead and gone and remember them out loud they will live on and never be forgotten.
The End
Written By John Renney

TLDR; is Dutch linguistically closer to English or Norwegian? Is the Germanic language tree insufficient in describing the relationship between the languages?
Ok i have a question about the similarities and overlap between germanic languages
I'm fluent in Norwegian and English (mostly), and I'm currently learning Dutch. There are of course a lot more resources to learn Dutch from English, so that's the route i am taking. However I find it much easier to understand dutch through Norwegian. In my opinion they have a lot more similarities than dutch and english. The sentence structure, especially the V2 rule, the vocabulary, some conjugation rules, certain idioms and phrasings that exist in both NO and NL but not EN are some examples. I find this weird because Norwegian is always classified as being in a different branch of the germanic language tree, while dutch and english are seemingly much closer to each other. Does anyone have an explanation for this?
I feel like the language tree puts too much emphasis on a linear evolution model, not taking into account how they might have influenced each other later on. Yes, Norwegian developed from Old Norse, but was heavily influenced by Danish long after these two languages "split" in the tree model. Denmark is close to Germany and therefore has some German influence. English and Dutch are both classified as west germanic, but english also has a lot of french influence because of the Norman conquest. Norwegian has a lot of middle/low german influence as a result of the Hanseatic league, etc etc.
I'm not a linguist so i might be way off here, but is there a chance that Dutch and Norwegian are actually closer to each other linguistically than Dutch and English? How would that even be measured? Or do they just seem more similar to me because I am more proficient in Norwegian? I also haven't been learning Dutch for that long so maybe I will see more similarities with English as I go on?

DLF Crest 2
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DLF Crest 2 is a luxurious residential project located in the heart of Gurgaon, India. The project is an extension of the highly successful DLF Crest, which is known for its world-class amenities and superior design. DLF Crest 2 is designed to offer an unparalleled living experience to its residents, with a focus on luxury and comfort.
The project comprises spacious and well-designed 3, 4, and 5 BHK apartments that offer breathtaking views of the surrounding greenery. The apartments are equipped with the latest amenities and are designed to provide maximum comfort and convenience. The project is spread over a vast area of land and offers a host of facilities such as a clubhouse, swimming pool, gym, landscaped gardens, and more.
One of the key highlights of DLF Crest 2 is its location. The project is situated in Sector 54, Gurgaon, which is a prime residential area that is well-connected to the rest of the city The location is also in close proximity to some of the top schools, hospitals, and shopping centers in the city, making it an ideal choice for families.
DLF Crest 2 has been designed with a focus on sustainability and energy efficiency. The project is equipped with rainwater harvesting systems, solar panels, and other green technologies that help reduce the carbon footprint of the development. The project alsofeatures an advanced security system, which includes 24/7 surveillance and monitoring. ensuring the safety and security of its residents.
DLF Crest 2 is an excellent residential project that offers a perfect blend of .luxury, comfort, and convenience. The project is designed to provide an unparalleled living experience to its residents, with a focus on sustainability and energy efficiency. With its prime location, world-class amenities, and superior design, DLF Crest 2 is an ideal choice for those looking for a luxurious and comfortable lifestyle in Gurgaon.
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https://reddit.com/link/13y9re6/video/9o7givkr8l3b1/player

As a truth seeker and spiritual person, my role as a gamer is to seek hidden knowledge and wisdom in video games and other pop cultures pieces of entertainment. TES, is a universe made by Bethesda as we all know, but the way these games are designed are completely inspired by solipsism and Gnostic philosophies in my opinion. The development of these games, start with the world design and his metaphysical rules so the world itself and is aliveness can make sense.
That’s why most objects, people and even the world is their own entity compared to others games where the world was essentially made for the player and the story. But everything in TES games have their own importance. The world Influence the people in it, like the people influence the world. The lore is apart of the world itself, the atmosphere, the design, people backstories, books, cities, objects, vegetation etc… but you are the only real soul in his construct who have complete control on your existence within these worlds which is why they are ultimately solipsist.
Even if the game world is a entity on his own, it is ultimately designed for the player experience because he is the only one to truly experience it, everything else, as much as alive as they seem, are just pawns for the player to immerse in the world.
Morrowind was also different for adding deities who are self aware of their own divinity and gnosis like the well known vivec who is aware that he dreaming his entire existence. But even after achieving CHIM, he can’t wake up from the dream, because well he still apart of the program. We are the only real living soul in these games and that’s why I feel like these games are ultimately centered about solipsism and why we have this chosen one role in each game. Feel free to share your thoughts !

As a truth seeker and spiritual person, my role as a gamer is to seek hidden knowledge and wisdom in video games and other pop cultures pieces of entertainment. TES, is a universe made by Bethesda as we all know, but the way these games are designed are completely inspired by solipsism and Gnostic philosophies in my opinion. The development of these games, start with the world design and his metaphysical rules so the world itself and is aliveness can make sense.
That’s why most objects, people and even the world is their own entity compared to others games where the world was essentially made for the player and the story. But everything in TES games have their own importance. The world Influence the people in it, like the people influence the world. The lore is apart of the world itself, the atmosphere, the design, people backstories, books, cities, objects, vegetation etc… but you are the only real soul in his construct who have complete control on your existence within these worlds which is why they are ultimately solipsist.
Even if the game world is a entity on his own, it is ultimately designed for the player experience because he is the only one to truly experience it, everything else, as much as alive as they seem, are just pawns for the player to immerse in the world.
Morrowind was also different for adding deities who are self aware of their own divinity and gnosis like the well known vivec who is aware that he dreaming his entire existence. But even after achieving CHIM, he can’t wake up from the dream, because well he still apart of the program. We are the only real living soul in these games and that’s why I feel like these games are ultimately centered about solipsism and why we have this chosen one role in each game. Feel free to share your thoughts !

As a truth seeker and spiritual person, my role as a gamer is to seek hidden knowledge and wisdom in video games and other pop cultures pieces of entertainment. TES, is a universe made by Bethesda as we all know, but the way these games are designed are completely inspired by solipsism and Gnostic philosophies in my opinion. The development of these games, start with the world design and his metaphysical rules so the world itself and is aliveness can make sense.
That’s why most objects, people and even the world is their own entity compared to others games where the world was essentially made for the player and the story. But everything in TES games have their own importance. The world Influence the people in it, like the people influence the world. The lore is apart of the world itself, the atmosphere, the design, people backstories, books, cities, objects, vegetation etc… but you are the only real soul in his construct who have complete control on your existence within these worlds which is why they are ultimately solipsist.
Even if the game world is a entity on his own, it is ultimately designed for the player experience because he is the only one to truly experience it, everything else, as much as alive as they seem, are just pawns for the player to immerse in the world.
Morrowind was also different for adding deities who are self aware of their own divinity and gnosis like the well known vivec who is aware that he dreaming his entire existence. But even after achieving CHIM, he can’t wake up from the dream, because well he still apart of the program. We are the only real living soul in these games and that’s why I feel like these games are ultimately centered about solipsism and why we have this chosen one role in each game. Feel free to share your thoughts !

As a truth seeker and spiritual person, my role as a gamer is to seek hidden knowledge and wisdom in video games and other pop cultures pieces of entertainment. TES, is a universe made by Bethesda as we all know, but the way these games are designed are completely inspired by solipsism and Gnostic philosophies in my opinion. The development of these games, start with the world design and his metaphysical rules so the world itself and is aliveness can make sense.
That’s why most objects, people and even the world is their own entity compared to others games where the world was essentially made for the player and the story. But everything in TES games have their own importance. The world Influence the people in it, like the people influence the world. The lore is apart of the world itself, the atmosphere, the design, people backstories, books, cities, objects, vegetation etc… but you are the only real soul in his construct who have complete control on your existence within these worlds which is why they are ultimately solipsist.
Even if the game world is a entity on his own, it is ultimately designed for the player experience because he is the only one to truly experience it, everything else, as much as alive as they seem, are just pawns for the player to immerse in the world.
Morrowind was also different for adding deities who are self aware of their own divinity and gnosis like the well known vivec who is aware that he dreaming his entire existence. But even after achieving CHIM, he can’t wake up from the dream, because well he still apart of the program. We are the only real living soul in these games and that’s why I feel like these games are ultimately centered about solipsism and why we have this chosen one role in each game. Feel free to share your thoughts !

Prayer
Our Dear Lord, Thank you as always for these times of reading together. We ask You to open each of us to what You want us to see and learn each time. Thank You for helping us, one step at a time.
A lot of us feel tired, Lord. Tired of the pressures of life, of the news, of fears. Tired of not doing as well as we would like to in our relationships, and in dealing with other people. Please be with us each, and help us to show the kindness to others we ourselves would like to receive.
Thank You, Lord, for what we do have. Sometimes we don't realize how precious something or someone is, until that precious thing is gone. Let us appreciate the now, and let tomorrow worry about itself.
Please feed us on Your Word, and strengthen us so that we may not be tired, but energetic in You!
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen!

John 2:1-12 New Living Translation

¹ The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, ² and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. ³ The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”
⁴ “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
⁵ But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
⁶ Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. ⁷ Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, ⁸ he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.
⁹ When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. ¹⁰ “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”
¹¹ This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
¹² After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples.
THOUGHTS and COMMENTS
Jesus' mother Mary was already there. I'm trying to picture how it came about that Jesus and his disciples were invited. Jesus, I get. "Be sure to invite Mary's son." The disciples? How did that work? "Well, you see, he has at least 12 friends he's always with these days." "Sure! The more, the merrier!"
I love how Mary deals with the wine situation. She doesn't tell Jesus what to do, she simply informs him of the problem and lets it sit with him awhile. You can almost hear a very human, if adult, whine here: "Aw, mom! It's not time for that yet!"
But a mother always knows. She knows what he can do, and she knows he won't let the bride and groom become ashamed by poverty on their big day, "good timing" or not. So she doesn't argue. Instead, she walks over to the servants and says, "Do whatever he tells you." "Yes, Mary, if you say so."
And of course Jesus comes through.
And how! Six jars holding 20 to 30 gallons each? 120 to 180 gallons of the best wine? Talk about generosity!
Think of the bread and the fish. 7 baskets and 12 baskets left over! There's always more than enough when we let God provide! And he does it using what we already have on hand, even if it's just some water for washing up. Wow!
The generosity of God! Of Jesus!
QUESTIONS

1. Imagine you're one of the servants working at this wedding. Mary tells you to listen to her son. At that moment she's just the local Mary, and he's just another local guy who suddenly seems to have a lot of friends. "OK, if you say so." Sigh. It's been a long day, but you can do this for her. Then this happens. What are you seeing, feeling, experiencing as this happens?
   
2. In addition to revealing his generosity and mercy, what else does Jesus having done this at a wedding mean to us now? What else does this tell us about his character? Is there significance in his taking part in a wedding in this way? Or is it just a mom thing?
   
3. What questions do you have about today's reading?
   

Feel free to leave any thoughts, comments, or questions of your own!
“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38b, English Standard Version