First ever post I've made on here because I saw a lot of people's stories on tiktok and seems like it could help. Even if not, I just wanna get this off my chest as best I can. So I (m 18) have been going to the gym consistently, 5 days a week, 1.5 to 2 hours a day for nearly 3 years. I started for a few reasons, a few traumatic experiences but mainly down to body image and to help with self worth. I started the gym at 50kg(100 pounds) bodyweight and 6ft tall and over the years I grew to 80kg(176 pounds) at 6ft2. I've progressively gotten stronger to a point I could honestly say I was proud of what I could do. My first ever recorded dealift was 100kg(220pounds) and awful form, and I progressed to be able to lift 190kg(418 pounds) with correct form and lift it fairly comfortably. Last week after talking with my friends (between 17 and 23) I had decided to try and increase the weight and attempt 200kg(440pounds). So after warming up, putting on my belt, I attempted it. On the first attempt, I lifted it just above my knees but couldn't lock out. I then put it down and gave myself 15 to 20 minutes of rest. I can't back to it, lifted about an inch off the floor and then collapsed screaming in pain. After about 10 minutes, with the help of a few people, I managed to stand but couldn't move my legs any more than a small shuffle. I visited the hospital and, thankfully, nothing was broken but the doc said I have damaged the tendons in my back attaching to my spine. (Before anyone jumps to conclusions, I showed the doc the video and he had no issue with my form, it was just too much weight for my back to handle.)
It's has now been 2 weeks since it happened and I am on heavy doses of 2 different painkillers and ibuprofen. I am able to walk, mostly, freely and I'm able to stretch far enough to touch my knees again but I struggle with carrying more than around 15kg (33 pounds) due to the pain. Recently, I've been hit with a lot of negative things. For example we had to put my dog to sleep, my old friends are loosing contact, family members are moving away so my metal state isn't in a great place right now. Usually I'd use the gym as an outlet for any negative emotions I'm feeling. I struggle relying on people, opening up and being vulnerable so as it stands I don't have a healthy outlet and I can feel the effect its having on people around me. My temper has become shorter, my self image and pride has fallen and I'm scared ill end up taking it out on people I care for.
I would genuinely appreciate any advice people could give and any suggestions on a healthy outlet for me to release my feelings until I'm able to workout again.
TLDR: I ripped the tendons in my back lifting 200kg. Taken a massive hit on my mental health. Would appreciate some advice on how to go forward.

My guest room has been a doom room for several years at this point. It is an unholy mess and I have to tackle it. Every time I get it to some semblance of acceptable it just takes a few weeks (or days) to get it back to something apocalyptic. I have had organized closet/dressing areas before, so clearly the set up is not working for me. This whole house honestly is an ADHD nightmare but I can’t move so I need to figure out something I can live with.
Please read, critique, and share your favorite closet organizing method/item/trick/magic spell.
Here’s my plan so far:
1) I am going to order a garment rack from Amazon and hope that I can get it finished in 30 days and return it after or sell it on Craigslist. I’m going to first get everything I own off the floor and other surfaces. It has a rack below that I can store shoes as well
2) PURGE
3) PURGE MORE
4) Remove the existing guts of my closet. It is the most awkward space and the worst set up. I hate it.
5) Get temporary Amazon closet guts that can be easily rearranged. I found some tension rod ones that look really promising. I can play around with placement and configurations and see what works best for me. There are also shoe cabinets that can be used for shoes or as shelving. So as I figure out what I like folded vs hanged I can make space either way.
6) Once I accomplish a stretch of working organization, either live with the cheap stuff if it isn’t too much of an eyesore or look for a permanent approximation that is more durable/higher quality.
I think the biggest thing is that my underwear and pajamas are in a dresser and my clothes are in a closet that is awkwardly behind it. So I need to get those things in the closet so that I am forced to go into the closet every day. If I’m in there I will be more likely to use it rather than just the floordrobe. I think I will put heavy knits and other less often used stuff in the dresser. Obviously my work clothes and favorite lounge stuff should be the easiest to hang up and put away. I’m thinking leggings, underthings, and work out wear I can organize in hanging shoe cubbies. I’m thinking of pairing all my misc sleep tops and bottoms so the can be folded or rolled together. I want to avoid rummaging as much as possible.
Fin! That’s all I’ve got so far.

Minimum deposit of 10 euros to be able to claim the stock.
Steps:
1-install trading 212 in the play store/app store
2-Complete the registration process(Needed-identification, a selfie-and phone number)
3-After registering wait for approval(for me it was 5 minutes)
4-Go to the more button on the bottom left corner, click use promo code and insert 11QRtZTgpA
5-Win a stock of up to 100 euros (I won a Starbucks share).
PM ME for more information about the terms and conditions and how to do it. I will guide you step by step

Hello! I have recently gone on a healing journey. The other day, I was certified in reiki healing. It was a spur of the moment decision, I knew nothing about it.. my yoga instructor suggested and it felt right. In the class, there’s a moment where you go into guided meditation and then you just stay there. A lot of people had a lot of experiences, but mine was like I was on drugs. I had a whole ass vision dream situation happening.
Anyway, there are a few parts I’d like art work done for but the one I want first would be this part.
I had been pulled from my heart by a beam of light through so many universes. I finally landed on one where it was all purple and blue. I was under a huge tree (blue and purple) and I looked up and on the tree branch was (what I believe is my spirit guide at this point bc I’ve seen her multiple times now in different ways.. on drugs, in dreams, mediating.. she shows up) It is very hard to explain her. She’s huge. Maybe like the creatures in the movie avatar, but she is more human like. She has a shit ton of braids and usually has a staff of some kind like for battle. I think her skin is blue and her hair is blonde in the braids. Like dreads. Her face is strong, she has the essence of a female warrior who has never thought twice of doing something for a man, so I don’t want her to be depicted as sexy, even though she is beautiful. I want the essence of her to just be strong and focused.
Beside her in the tree was my yoga instructor who was sitting with her feet hanging off the branch looking down at me in an encouraging way. She was incapacitated in a gold aurora with hints of fuchsia on the outside. She was the only thing not blue or purple.
She’s watching me be underwater. I can breath but it’s so dark, I have no idea which direction I’m facing. It’s silent except for the sound of the water in my ears and I’m curled up like I’m in a womb kind of and then I have a gold essence around me that’s growing (but I’m underwater, so it’s not near as bright as the one on the tree) And there’s a ball of energy coming from my heart chakra that it’s connected to kind of.
So anyway I can give way more details, but I’d like someone to draw this / paint this / electronically create this who understands chakras and the healing process! As long as the image will speak to you as you create it, I don’t much care what the medium is! The budget will depend on further discussions, but I’m not looking at 250 range. 💞

I found this plant https://freeimage.host/i/H4BJbfI growing near my foundation today and am stumped as to what it could be. My first thought was maybe giant trillium, but the habitat is throwing me off considering I live in suburbia. Anyone have any ideas?

I need my next summer lover, do you play intramural sports? Sign up for leagues? Ride bikes around town? Get sweaty every day and not just because of the houston heat? HIT ME UP!!!
I need someone I can workout with regularly, in bed or working out you ask? Yes.
I also need you to be near me so we can get out of breath together! I’m not far from UH, so if you’re close by say hi!
Does a 15 mile bike ride scare you? No? Really? You can do more than that? AWESOME! Then please slide in the DM!
You like someone playful, flirtatious, talkative, foodie, hilarious, and sexy? Well, let’s say I got most of them most of the time. So come on down!!!
You like someone who can go down on you, get you off more than once in a session and give you all the aftercare? Then yes, you are indeed the chosen one.
Oh yeah, please be single. I don’t want to hide around, but instead be able to come over to see you whenever possible without any worries.
If you made it all the way over here then I am proud of you, you can keep up! Now send me a message!

trying to get a shiny but i rarely ever see them in gyms near me and the espurr queue on pokegenie is dead because no ones hosting.
6488 9291 9584 i have two remote passes so ill join the first two i get invited to ~

Preface:
I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan; I re-read the books typically once a year. I also adore the movies, and find all of Tolkien's legendarium absolutely awesome. Truly one of my favorite hobbies so I'd like to offer some critiques and excitement of flavor gems from Tales of Middle Earth. I won't do every card, but I'll comment on some individual cards and how WOTC did on it. I will comment on the cards abilities but only insofar as it impacts the flavor; i.e. what the card is doing not power level, etc.
To be clear: I understand there are sacrifices you need to make for the greater game, and sometimes those come first. For these articles: I am looking at each card in a vacuum, so if I seem harsh it's because I am using a single lens.
Next up: Saruman the White!
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https://preview.redd.it/4vnvcgku634b1.png?width=400&format=png&auto=webp&s=2631de76b2ea2251619c61e4829c6743c37bb60d
Flavor Preface
OK, at first I thought I would judge every character together, but I've since decided to switch it up; I've come too far on some individual cards to do them together. They already spoiled another version of Saruman, which I have some problems with, but we'll get there eventually. That being said, Saruman is a complicated character and he goes through some transformations which I think are worth discussing.
First, Saruman (like Gandalf) was sent to Middle Earth by Aule one of the Valar in Valinor and was appointed chief of the order of Istari (wizards). In the beginning: Saruman was true to his mission and worked to disrupt Saruon. He traveled first East and then after his return took up residence in Isengard, a fortress built by the Numenorians. At first he was a friend to Treebeard (Fangorn) and Rohan, but over time turned to evil. Saruman's downfall was his arrogance. He used the knowledge is Isengard for his own ends and eventually used the most dangerous tool: a Palantiri left behind. It was the Palantir which brought Saruman to Sauron, who ensnared Saruman and showed him the power he had amassed in Mordor. It was this power which convinced Saruman to become a power of his own (NOT, I might add, a servant of Sauron).
Then, Saruman worked to become a power in his own right. Becoming Saruman of Many Colors, or Saruman the Ringmaker (and indeed Saruman made a ring of his own). He raises an army of orcs, breeds men to orcs to create mighty Uruk-hai and attacks Rohan. It is in this stage that Saruman attempts to capture Gandalf, raises his army and attacks Rohan. This is the version we are most familiar with, and is the most prominent in the story.
Finally, after Saruman's schemes fail his staff is broken, he is stripped of much of his power, and eventually leaves Isengard on 'parole' by convincing Treebeard he isn't a threat. He then goes to the Shire and scours the Shire making it a partial industrial wasteland. This scheme fails and Saruman is killed.
Color
It's not clear to me what version of Saruman this is, I think it's meant to be Saruman at the beginning of the books (where Saruman confronts Gandalf), but I am not sure. If there is one thing Saruman is though: it's blue. Saruman is a learned lore master who years to discover deeply the mysteries of the world. Furthermore while Saruman is undoubtedly arrogant: his monologue to Gandalf is telling (to convince Gandalf to join him):

The Elder Days are gone. The Middle Days are passing. The Younger Days are beginning. The time of the Elves is over, but our time is at hand: the world of Men, which we must rule. But we must have power, power to order all things as we will, for that good which only the Wise can see.
And listen, Gandalf, my old friend and helper!" he said, coming near and speaking now in a soft voice. "I said we, for we it may be, if you will join with me. A new Power is rising. Against it the old allies and policies will not avail us at all. There is no hope left in Elves or dying Numenor. This then is one choice before you, before us. We may join with that Power. It would be wise, Gandalf. There is hope that way. Its victory is at hand; and there will be rich rewards for those that aided it. as the Power grows, its proved friends will also grow; and the Wise, such as you and I, may with patience come at last to direct its courses, to control it. We can bide our time, we can keep our thoughts in our hearts, deploring maybe evils done by the way, but approving the high and ultimate purpose: Knowledge, Rule, Order; all the things that we have so far striven in vain to accomplish, hindered rather than helped by our weak or idle friends. There need not be, there would not be, any real change in our designs, only in our means."

Saruman is arrogant, and believes that he (the wisest of the wise) can control or direct Sauron's new power to better ends. He is, in many ways, a deeply blue character. Other colors join him later (black most of all) as he goes deeper towards Sauron (and eventually betrays him to attempt to become the Power himself). As the initial version: blue is fine.
Abilities
I would have done the opposite of what, I think, Wizards is doing. I would have made the most powerful version of Saruman mono-blue and a version of him before (or right before) his fall (at mythic rare) then made a White-Blue-Black version of "Saruman of Many Colors" as he is when he betrays everyone, and then a final version of Saruman as "Sharky" in his attempt to conquer the Shire. The most important power of Saruman is his voice. His power to persuade others, Tolkien describes it at length in the chapter "The Voice of Saruman" here is a brief description:

Suddenly another voice spoke, low and melodious, its very sound an enchantment. Those who listened unwarily to that voice could seldom report the words that they heard; and if they did they wondered, for little power remained in them. Mostly they remembered only that it was a delight to hear the voice speaking, all that it said seems wise and reasonable, and desire awoke in them by swift agreement to seem wise themselves. When others spoke they seemed harsh and uncouth by contrast; and if they gainsaid the voice, anger was kindled in their hearts of all those under the spell. For some the spell lasted only while the voice spoke to them, and when it spoke to another they smiled, as men do who see through a juggler's trick while others gape at it. For many the sound of the voice alone was enough to hold them enthralled; for for those whom conquered the spell endured when they were far away"

I don't mind the "second spell Amass 2" thing, but I think it completely fails to capture Saruman as Saruman. The other version of Saruman spoiled (Saruman of Many Colors) does not do any better in my opinion. I would have gone with a version of Saruman which steals creatures either when Saruman blocks the creature, or when Saruman attacks. Perhaps with a rider like "so long as Saruman's power is greater than the creature it remains under your control" to mimic the idea that stronger willed creatures are more able to resist his voice.
Overall this does invoke the idea that Saruman is amassing an army, and that isn't terrible, but it's a very surface level reading of the character which is not particularly appealing to me. We shall see if other versions or cards capture Saruman's voice better.
On a side note: I wish that Saruman and Gandalf were planeswalkers (perhaps even Sauraon) as they are not humans but more like angels. Furthermore, they in some ways 'travel the planes' by going from Valinor (where mortals typically cannot go) to Middle Earth and back. That's not quite Planeswalking but its close.

I was fired from my last job due to being frequently absent. I was there for almost 3 years and if I decide to apply at a different retail store, I feel like I should add it to my work experience since I was there for a while. I would take leaves due to my back issues and anxiety issues, and they would never get approved, which made those absences count.
If they ask me why I left, I don't want to lie and say something that might come back and bite me, so I just want to tell them that I was fired for my absences, but if I do say that, they're probably going to see that I'm unemployable. And if I tell them that I deal with a lot of anxiety around other people, they'll probably rule me out as well.
What would be the best thing to say in this situation?

Today is the first day my fever broke at a low of 98 however I’ll now back to 101.7 3 days now going onto 4.
I been having right eye pain, extreme cold chills, sore throat that feels kinda like there is a ball in my throat, runny nose, reduced sense of taste/smell, my ears feel like they are under pressure and I’m having reduced hearing, I been having little appetite eating as little as once a day when I force myself beyond that if I eat more I start feeling like I’ll puke, I’m noticing I’m also having some shortness of breath or breathing heavily and sleeping a lot.
I have had the 2 first doses of Pfizer in 2021 followed by the booster in September.
I returned from Africa 8 month stay and these symptoms started as soon as I got to a cooler climate, I’m currently near Phoenix AZ and these symptoms aren’t going away, I’m still taking my Malarone as directed.
I suffered a heat stroke in April a lil over 110 core temp so I’m thinking maybe it was originally my body unable to regulate core temp allowing me to get sick upon return.
I’m a 26 year old male
Gonna get myself seen tomorrow I just wanna know if I should be more concerned.
I honestly don’t think this is covid, it feels different than when I had it in 2020 before vaccines yet it feels the same.
I honestly hope it isn’t a new strain of covid because I think if whatever I have can spread by talking to others it could easily be a problem.

I think I’m going to get fired.
So today I was taking out trash with a bin. When I was coming back with a bin I apparently hit a customers car and he started yelling at me. At other jobs I kept my cool but this time I couldn’t take it because I feel like I keep messing this job up. I’m new and learning to work the grill and there was a few times when people made me feel like I was just in the way, slow, and just plain dumb. I’ve had the manager take the grill from me yesterday and I just feel like I can’t do this job right right. I might just be paranoid but who knows. Anyways, the guy that was freaking out at me was saying I hit his car and I didn’t notice, I actually didn’t think I hit his car but he insisted I did so I tried defusing the situation and kept calm as I could. When I felt as if I was going to explode because of this and also I feel like I’m not doing a job, I walked off ready to quit. My manager came to me and told me not to quit. She had told me that I was doing great and how she was raving to her boss about how great I was doing. I told her that it didn’t feel like it and that she didn’t have to be nice. She ended up deciding that I could take the rest of the night off too cool off. I called the store to apologize about running off and to say that I never did that before, I also I asked if it was ok for me to still come bacon my scheduled work day. She said it was ok and she didn’t want me to quit. For all the managers out there, will I get fired? Does anyone think I’ll get looked down upon even more now? Be as honest as possible.

Inspired by The Shining
Do you really want to go live in that hotel, asked the son. Sure I do, Danny, it will be lots of fun. What about Tony does he want to go. He said that he doesn't, there'll be too much snow. Mr Hallorann, she said, he wants to come If there's any trouble, he'll come on the run.
There are bugs that can hurt us Because they can sting. There are bugs that are houses That store crazy things. There are bugs that breakdown And have flat feet in the spring. But your Bugs, Danny, Your Bugs has wings
Mid Flight my dear, chapter 42 Like my mommy wanted to eat me Now he wants to eat you
Dinner's at eight but it's served in the pantry I've got to keep regular if I want to be happy. A real good time, let's just wait and see. Everything will be fine, You saw it on the TV.
You see that it's your daddy, son He will never let us leave. But he told me I could leave him once, Do you remember when you were three? Another drop I'll never touch Then he broke his promise to me.
Keep your eyes wide open, doc, It is time to fall asleep. Can I ask you for a favor, doc? Will you stay in bed FOR me?
And will you hold your eyes still, doc, So that mommy can see? Then find your way to the old boiler's room And that's where I will be.
All your daddy can think about Is wanting to do the bad thing. It's been five months Since early July And your father will need to drink.
So I will be a pretender now And I will play the bartender now And he will do anything for me.
It won't be a matter that concerns him right now. Not until Hallorann arrives anyhow.
Then we will leave him and finally be free. And no one will EVER take you from me.

Inspired by The Shining
Do you really want to go live in that hotel, asked the son. Sure I do, Danny, it will be lots of fun. What about Tony does he want to go. He said that he doesn't, there'll be too much snow. Mr Hallorann, she said, he wants to come If there's any trouble, he'll come on the run.
There are bugs that can hurt us Because they can sting. There are bugs that are houses That store crazy things. There are bugs that breakdown And have flat feet in the spring. But your Bugs, Danny, Your Bugs has wings
Mid Flight my dear, chapter 42 Like my mommy wanted to eat me Now he wants to eat you
Dinner's at eight but it's served in the pantry I've got to keep regular if I want to be happy. A real good time, let's just wait and see. Everything will be fine, You saw it on the TV.
You see that it's your daddy, son He will never let us leave. But he told me I could leave him once, Do you remember when you were three? Another drop I'll never touch Then he broke his promise to me.
Keep your eyes wide open, doc, It is time to fall asleep. Can I ask you for a favor, doc? Will you stay in bed FOR me?
And will you hold your eyes still, doc, So that mommy can see? Then find your way to the old boiler's room And that's where I will be.
All your daddy can think about Is wanting to do the bad thing. It's been five months Since early July And your father will need to drink.
So I will be a pretender now And I will play the bartender now And he will do anything for me.
It won't be a matter that concerns him right now. Not until Hallorann arrives anyhow.
Then we will leave him and finally be free. And no one will EVER take you from me.

I saw on Instagram the studio near my office will be having a dedicated Taylor Swift playlist tomorrow, so I've booked their morning class instead of my regular evening at my home studio. I am actually looking forward to an AM workout, which is shocking to me haha. I am curious what other artists you'd enjoy an entire playlist dedicated to?

I recently completed a RTW award on ANA and wanted to share my experience to help others with this amazing award. I spent a long time researching before going through with booking --Hope this can help the next person! I did make a few mistakes/learnings along the way hope some can take into consideration. Overall, I spent 125,000 points transferred from Amex MR & ~$950 for 8 segments going East from the US in Business.

Routing

DEN-YYZ-LHR, VIE-BKK-SIN-DPS-SIN-HND-SFO - can paste into GCMap which results in a total of 21,526 mi; within the 22,000 Business Category.
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Routing	CarrieClass
DEN (Denver) - YYZ (Toronto)	AC (Air Canada) / Economy
YYZ (Toronto) - LHR (London)	AC (Air Canada) / Business
VIE (Vienna) - BKK (Bangkok)	BR (Eva Airways) / Business
BKK (Bangkok) - SIN (Singapore)	SQ (Singapore) / Business
SIN (Singapore) - DPS (Bali)	SQ (Singapore) / Business
DPS (Bali) - SIN (Singapore)	SQ (Singapore) / Business
SIN (Singapore) - HND (Tokyo)	NH (ANA) / Business
HND (Tokyo) - SFO (San Francisco)	NH (ANA) / Business

The total portion of my time is about a month, with a majority of my time spent in Europe between LHR and VIE, a small portion of time in Bali to break up flights, and about a week in Japan before flying home.

Research Process

I had been targeting Spring/Early Summer 2024 for this award for awhile but hadn't nailed down a particular date. I wanted to travel during shoulder season to maximize value, crowds, and decent weather across these regions. I was just waiting for the award calendar to open up for most of the carriers. I started looking about a month out (April) and doing some random searches/looks to see what flights were coming available and possible routings. In my research I found that most flights leaving from the US to Asia booked up fastest right after being released at the edge of the booking window (ex: ANA opens up bookings on its metal 355 days out; and within say 3-4 days of release most of these flights are snatched up and go into Waitlist status in Business). I had originally been planning on flying West from the US and starting in Asia, however, after doing a few mock bookings this soon became apparent it would be near impossible (Especially since Japan in spring is peak season with the Cherry Blossoms, festivals, etc). I would occasionally find a random flight departing from the US to Asia within a month of the edge of the booking window; and try to plan flights around that going westward, but it would disappear extremly quickly and my plans would be spoiled. As a result I found for this time of year it would be easiest to go east from the US through Europe first, and then ending in Asia and snatching my return flights at the edge of the booking window when ANA's flights opened/other carriers.
I would definitely recommend being flexible and don't have your heart set on going one direction originally due to concerns about time in the Air vs. Jetlag etc. I had been reading a few articles/discussions about the best direction to take and really had my heart set on going westward originally; but would say after going through this process to ignore choosing a direction initially and try to do a few samples in either direction to see what is easiest. I think I wasted a-lot of time/frustration originally trying to go westward rather than just seeing what was easiest with the most connection opportunities.
Another research point is that domestic US Business availability/North America is extremly hard to come by. United basically was only offering Economy segments domestically; I didn't see any J fares. AC Departures from US up to Canada was nearly the same thing. I did randomly see consistent J availability from SMF - YVR on a CRJ AC was offering nearly every day, and from ORD on a few dates but didn't think going out of my way was worth it. It was at a bad time and on a relatively undesirable (IMO) CRJ so I could see why that route had wide open availability. The problem was once you made it to YVR; you usually had to connect to YYZ or YYC internationally and I had the same issue finding J space domestically in Canada; so it was a dead end. I ended up just booking my first segment in Economy on AC up to Canada - didn't want to waste valuable hunting time looking for a short segment in J domestically when the biggest fish looking for space was internationally. Don't obsess over having every segment in J especially your first flight. If space opens later you can always switch into a higher class on the same flight.
For research and booking I used FlightConnections to get routing ideas based on Star Alliance carriers. I then used United's monthly award calendar (without being logged in) to see Saver availability, and then confirmed this on ANA's website. I was going to use some other tools but didn't find them useful. I paid for a day trial of point . me but found it slow and cumbersome without the filtering I needed. I didn't find Aeroplan that useful either. If I was to do this again I would explore paying for ExpertFlyer Pro and using that to search more easily.. would have probably been faster. The trial wasn't long enough to be that useful for when I was researching/booking, but it did give me some ideas - and looking back I would have easily paid for a month or two of Pro Membership to speed up my searching. Overall though, I just stuck to FlightConnections + United + ANA confirmation.

Booking Process

The time had come to where the edge of the booking window was approaching the dates I wanted. I had a few routings in mind and had saved multiple variations targeting the 22,000 mileage cap. I had a few options but nothing nailed down; so I started the process to transfer 125,000 points from Amex to ANA. Even though as a "best practice" most say to not transfer until you have the flights chosen or held, I had read some conflicting points online stating ANA does not do holds, so didn't want to risk this. I was confident based on my research I would be able to piece something together as I had a-lot of backup options chosen. I attempted to transfer late on a Friday afternoon online but got the message the transfer was unsuccessful and had to call Amex; did that early Saturday morning and they completed the transfer for me manually. Turns out I didn't have a "Call Center Pin" setup; so make sure you go into your account and set one before trying and the transfer online should go through, according to the agent. This ordeal added to my stress during the process -- if you are going to be transferring MR please make note!
I was on edge waiting for the points to deposit the entire weekend, and kept tabs on my various options. US - Europe had a-lot of options on AC; and I also had a few backup options on TAP. The "riskiest" flight for me was VIE-BKK as I really needed to get out of Europe to Asia; and there weren't many options since I was booking really close to the edge of the booking window. I couldn't see any long haul availability on Turkish/Ethiopian/other European Star Alliance carriers; so I was pretty much banking on EVA with my backup as Egyptaiothers. I noticed that Singapore seemingly doesn't publish any saver J availability to partners on long haul flights; but it does have pretty decent availability in J on short haul interasia flights. It seems like the cutoff is around 4.5 hr; but found good availability from some cities in India and even Dhaka in Bangladesh to SIN I could have used to connect to with a mix of EgyptAir / Air India / Singapore if EVA didn't work out but honestly this was a last resort and I didn't want to; but at least I had a plan. During the weekend my original VIE-BKK flight selection disappeared; but luckily they had another flight the next day I was able to book into instead. They also had other options within Europe I could have fallen back on like LHR and AMS. I didn't want to depart from LHR unless absolutely necessary as the UK Departure tax would have been ~200 pounds; something that can be avoided if possible. Definitely look into 5th freedom routes for "hidden gems"; I know Ethiopian offers some too. Apart from this; within Asia there were alot of options, and I wasn't concerned about getting back to the US from Japan because I was purposefully booking on the edge of the booking window for ANA to ensure I had availability.
Points were finally deposited early Monday morning sometime between 1am - 9am EST. I saw them in my account when I woke up early which was perfect as I was targeting calling the ANA Call Center around then, some posters online had said calling around this time resulted in the shortest wait. I waited about 1.5 hours and got a nice agent who helped me. Of note; when I called the very first thing she confirmed was my point balance. It seems like they won't even entertain booking something for you (or at least this agent in particular) if you have 0 points; so I am glad I transferred my points before. She was very helpful in quickly researching and confirming the flights -- at the same time I was on the ANA website with the multi city booking tool confirming the space was there too alongside her. She questioned at first about me backtracking by going from SIN - DPS - SIN but realized I had to do this to connect with SIN - HND as there weren't any direct flights from SIN and was fine with it. At the end of feeding her the flights she said the routing I desired was greater than 22,000 miles (~23,5000 miles) and would trigger the next bucket to be 135,000 points -- my heart sank.
This is where my mistake came in... Originally I had 2 inter-european segments, and also wanted to fly from HND - IAH instead of HND - SFO. The entire time I had been researching with gcmapper to get the distances; I had been using nautical miles (nm) in the calculations rather than statute miles (mi)! The nautical mile calculation had been below 22,000 so I thought I was in the clear the entire time. The agent was super helpful and understood my mistake and I did some research in the background for a few minutes. I ended up dropping the inter-european segments and switching from HND-IAD to HND-SFO which made my routing 21,526mi which was below the 22,000 threshold according to gcmapper. She came back to me and quoted 21,523mi, so we were pretty close in our distances after this... 3 mile difference hah. Disaster averted.
After she confirmed all the segments had availability she put me on hold and calculated the taxes and fees ~($950). The majority of the taxes and fees were from the 2 ANA segments at the end of my trip; with fuel charges. I got sent to an automated phone system to input my card info, and returned back to her (don't hang up!). She told me that she had to have the fare desk ticket the itinerary and I should be getting an email or callback. Sure enough ~2 hours later she called me back and said I had to re-enter my card info as they had some issue with their system; the flight hadn't yet been ticketed. I took the opportunity to change one of the segments during this callback to a better time I had found and she helped me change it since It hadn't yet been ticketed -- I was flustered on the first call when she said the milage was too high.
Something interesting I noted is during the time between calls I was able to see the reservation on the ANA App; and an alert said "Complete Payment by *date*" which was 3 days from the present. So it looks like technically they will "hold" a reservation for up to 3 days while waiting for card payment. It sounded like the Agent was willing to work with me as well when I needed 135,000 points instead of 125,000 points; but I didn't want to spent more or risk the timing with transfers. I wouldn't bank on this at all. Just FYI though. After this second call I got an email about a half an hour later with my receipt and ticket/itinerary and PNR. I was able to select seats and finally relax after the ordeal.
After all of this, I probably spent about 12 hours spaced out during 3 days of the booking process plus my previous research over about a month. Definitely set aside some time for yourself during booking and research.

Change Process

Something I hadn't seen much of online was the process for making a change to an existing RTW booking - I ended up doing this as well, so hopefully this can help some.
About a week after booking I noticed one of the flights opened availability from SIN-HND on ANA at a better time. I was originally flying overnight but wanted to fly during the day to help minimize jetlag, and jumped at the chance. Also I wanted to spend more time in Singapore so this helped. Note you can only change the date + time of a flight; it must be the same routing and carrier and class (except you can move up a class if one becomes available and your original ticket allows for that class). I called around 2PM EST and it only took about an hour to get through this time. The agent simply told me I would owe the difference in taxes/fees for the change. There wasn't any penalty or call center charge assessed for this. I had read somewhere that apparently you'd be charged a 1,000 point fee for the change but this wasn't the case for me. The difference amounted to some small amount around a dollar or so which I happily paid. The agent shared something helpful to me -- she asked I save a card on the ANA website to my account rather than doing it on the phone. This would help the Fare Desk charge faster without needing to call me back like last time, I guess they have issues with their credit card system on the phone with some credit cards. I ended up doing this with her on the phone guiding me and she confirmed she could now see my card. The change ended up going through an hour later with a new ticket/itinerary and recipient emailed to me; no second call necessary.
According to the fare rules denoted on my PNR; you can do a similar change with date/time only up to 4 days (96 hours) before departure - also during the trip itself I believe as well. (full endorsements/restrictions on the ticket: NO MILEAGE CREDIT/NH FFP/NON END/RRT/DT CHNG UPTO 4DYS B4 NEW FLT)

TLDNeed to know Tips

• Successfully booked ANA RTW in Business at 125,000 points transferred from MR ~950 in taxes/fees. ANA was the culprit for majority of costs with fuel surcharges on 2 segments I flew.
• Don't have your heart set on going a particular direction upfront - go with what is easiest to book, and be flexible!
• Make sure you have Call Center Pin set in Amex if using MR before transferring to ANA to avoid issues.
• ANA seems to not hold for RTW for point transfer time if you have no points; I was asked upfront if I had the points before the agent would assist me. I had to transfer before.
• You can store a card online in ANA's system before calling which can help the Fare Desk/agent speed up processing to avoid callbacks/payment issues. You can store up to two cards. They were willing to hold itinerary up to 3 days awaiting card payment, and possibly for more points (but not with 0 points in my account) - did not test this. Use this info at your own risk. I wouldn't bank on it with points -- risky.
• Used United's award calendar without being logged in + FlightConnections; consider paying for ExpertFlyer too, also be savvy about the booking window(s) of carriers and book against the edge for the best availability especially with ANA.
• When calculating distance with gcmapper use statute miles (mi) not nautical miles (nm)!
• You can change flight(s) after booking as long as its simply a date+time change - no change in routing/carrier. Class change upwards is allowed if your original ticket allows for it. I was not assessed a penalty/fee for the change like some claimed online - could depend though.

I hope this was helpful - pardon the length - just wanted to be as detailed as possible and give back to the community after all the help I received. Since this is all fresh in my mind please feel free to ask questions and I'll try to answer. I sincerely feel all the effort was worth it for the value I received - best of luck booking!

About an hour ago a man that was around my age (early 30s) came into my place of work and put his hands on me and left fingernail marks on my arm. It was completely out of nowhere and he was very obviously high on some sort of upper and also possibly drunk. I was working alone I immediately went into fight mode and started screaming at him to gtfo and I called the cops and filed a police report. It happened just off camera, and the entire interaction was only about 45 seconds, but his face and outfit is seared into my head. I love my job and I’ve been there nearly a decade and never had anything like this happen to me. It’s a very safe area but now I’m terrified he’s going to come back and attempt worse. I got very big and loud and screamed at him to get out and he just kept saying “i just want to buy you everything in the world! I just want to buy you a gift!” Very stalker-like behavior but I have NEVER seen this man before and I have a really impressive photographic memory. His face/appearance are seared into my head and I gave a very accurate description but the cops weren’t able to find him. My partner lives a little farther than the police station and he arrived ten minutes before the cops. I’m just disappointed, scared, and really shaken up. I’m okay physically, I just can’t stop shaking. I had been in an extremely physically relationship a few years ago and now im mad because those scared feelings were brought back by some fucking creepy stranger. I’m aware it could’ve been so much worse but i am incredibly nervous to go back to work.

i didnt want a colonoscopy, saw 4 GI docs and presented with small intestinal issues, nobody was going to do a thing until i got a colonoscopy - it came out super clean like gold star with smiley face on colonoscopy report. i had unique risk factors that weren't taken into consideration, i think the nurse didnt prep my arm and poked me after i called her on it, got bacterial infection from something also other issues most of you wouldnt get
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got told theres indications its adhesions w/o hard proof or ruling out other SI issues - so now GI and PCP are of opinion its pointless to treat - just like that a dead stop at least with colon cancer i would know where i stand. i cant eat 95% of food at a grocery store, the pain and discomfort is bad, its impacting basic body and brain function real bad and i cant have these conversations with GI docs and my PCP is off limits for this sort of conversation b/c reasons
its possible some/most of my issues are related to electrolyte imbalances, i do have an imbalance im just unclear on treatment that will balance me right, i have no hopes of finding a US doctor i can talk to about electrolytes especially in how it relates to GI issues

In googling I've come across different names for different parts that may or may not be what I need, and my trip to auto zone had me looking at several options that don't seem to fit my car (according to the website.)
I've got a 2010 kia forte and I -think- the part I'm looking for is called a "linkage bushing," but I'm second guessing that because pictures of installation I've seen online for those look like they're under the hood, and not between the seats (which is where mine is.)
Anyway, if any of you know off the top of your head what I need to ask for at the store, I'd really appreciate it.

“MOTHER OF CLEARSIGHT!” Poison Oak yelled as the massive dragon rose.
Firefly couldn’t say anything. She stared as the dragoness shook dirt and debris off herself. She was mostly green, with a red ruff and golden wings. She looked at the two dragonets.
“Oh, sorry I almost crushed you.” Quetzalcoatl said. “What are your names?”
“I-I’m Firefly and this is Poison Oak.” Firefly said. “I’m guessing you’re Quetzalcoatl.”
“Why, yes I am!” Quetzalcoatl said. “Excuse me.” The massive RainWing quickly shrunk down to the size of a normal dragon. “I’m sorry if I scared you, and for the mess I caused.”
Firefly and Poison Oak slowly drifted down to land. Firefly, in her best queen voice, asked, “What do you plan on doing here?”
Quetzalcoatl chuckled. “You sound like my friend Iris.” She said. “Don’t worry. I promise I come in peace.”
“You better.” Poison Oak said. She extended one of her wings between Firefly and Quetzalcoatl. “If you hurt my girlfriend, I’ll kill you.”
Quetzalcoatl held her front talons in the air. “I won’t hurt anyone, I promise! By the way, what year is it?”
“It’s been 5,022 years since the Scorching.” Firefly informed her. “You’re the eighth Mother of the Scorching to resurface in modern day. Dragons and scavengers are mostly at peace. This is the Rainforest Kingdom.”
“I never thought we’d ever be at peace with scavengers.” Quetzalcoatl said. “Leviathan’s probably furious about that. She only likes scavengers as snacks.”
Firefly remembered what Gill, Magma, and Beetle had said about Leviathan. About how absolutely massive and unstoppable she was. About how she could destroy a human village by stepping on it.
Before she could say anything about that, the trees near her thrashed, and Magma fell out of them.
“Found them!” She yelled. Almost immediately after that, Beetle, Sandshard, Listener, and Gill fell out of the trees as well.
“Hi.” Sandshard said, popping up. “We saw her emerge. Talk about a dramatic entrance!”
“That was less scary than the first time I saw Leviathan.” Gill said, looking at Quetzalcoatl.
“Gee, I wonder why,” Beetle commented, straightening her glasses.
Listener gazed at Quetzalcoatl intently, then said, “She has absolutely no ill will toward anyone.”
“I see you’re a mind reader.” Quetzalcoatl said. “Have you met Nyx?”
“I have.” Listener said, smiling.
“I think we should go back to the RainWing village.” Firefly said. “My mother will want to know that we found Quetzalcoatl.”
As the others prepared to take off, Poison Oak whispered to Firefly, “Are you feeling better?”
Firefly smiled at her girlfriend. “You know what? I think I am.”

I tend to go camping a few times between May and October. I've been as far north as Acadia National Park and as south as the Great Smoky Mountains. Like everyone else who has ever been camping, I've been caught in rainstorms where the tent advertised as weatherproof starts leaking at the seams. Then the wildlife-- bears outside my tent rummaging for food, then leaving as the scent leads them to a backpack strung to a far-reaching branch high up a tree. Despite the uneasiness these scenarios create, it's part of what makes camping special: exposure to the wilderness. This vulnerability has never bothered me much-- that is, until recently.
I packed my backpack the night before with everything I'd need for a 7.5 mile there and back hike. I woke up to a call from my buddy who would be joining me, saying he caught a stomach bug and couldn't make it. I was bummed to hear it, but I've been solo camping a dozen times before. I had a protein bar to curb my appetite until I got to a diner in a small town by the edge of the national forest I would be going to. I've been once before and couldn't get enough of their blueberry pancakes. For a town named Sandwich, you know they know food. I accounted for Memorial Day traffic and gave myself plenty of time to leave, and in fact, arrived at the diner before my ETA. A weather-tattered missing child flyer was posted on the entry door. A 14-year-old girl, last seen in November, walking home from the bus stop. It noted, "a hundred yards from her home."
I sat at the counter and by my second coffee, was talking Red Sox with a local beside me. Looking better than last season, we both agreed. We talked about Bogaerts leaving and traded stories of Fenway. "I'd take my kids down to see them when they were younger..." He paused. "Well, Becca goes to games sometimes. She goes to college in Boston now." He seemed like he was going to go on, but got lost in his thoughts. I tried lightening things up and asked him what he thought of Devers' batting. "I don't want to talk about baseball anymore." The food was great and I stayed for another cup of coffee, but the atmosphere was heavy. I'm sure losing a child with no sense of closure will rattle a small town.
My car almost bottomed out on the road to the trailhead. Rocks bulged from the ground as I navigated the narrow passage with a steep drop to my right. The sign to the trail was up ahead. No other cars were parked. Though it was a holiday weekend, as the sign explained, this is a seldom used trail. "Be mindful and be safe." The first mile is a relaxing stroll that eventually comes up to a pond with a beaver dam stretching across. The ground becomes extraordinarily soft here. There's a meadow up ahead where I took a break and enjoyed the view of nearby Algonquin Mountain. A mile further, the woods become dense. Here, a sign reads, "The following portion of this trail is poorly marked. The route can be treacherous. Proceed with caution." Though I wasn't far from the lean-to I'd be camping at, there were portions where I questioned whether I was on the trail at all. I looked at my map, then at my compass. I felt assured and kept walking. I was right-- I came to the brook that crosses the trail. A fresh moose print in the mud. I clapped to let my presence be known. As I gained elevation, the trail became exceedingly narrow. To my left were boulders; to my right was a hundred-foot drop. There were steps carved into the dirt ahead. I took a moment to self-assure my balance and continued. The elevation plateaued and just ahead I could see the lean-to.
While gathering wood for a fire, I found some wintergreen that would be great for making tea. With the campfire crackling and my tea beside me, I opened a collection of Hermann Hesse fairytales I brought. I could still hear the stream faint in the distance. The middle of the forest is peacefully noisy. The whistles of songbirds, the caws of crows, the breeze through the trees. At the risk of sounding pretentious, it's like a symphony. The forest gets darker sooner than town, and by now the sun was largely blocked by trees. Baked beans simmer in my camping pot and are gone soon after. I lie in my sleeping bag under the lean-to without much on my mind. Then, the bellow of a moose echoed off the trees. I listened intently for footsteps, but the sound had probably traveled from a mile away. As the hours passed, I extinguished the fire and continued reading stories with my book light until I fell asleep.
A call from the woods woke me. I figured it was another moose. It's not unheard of for them to be roaming around at night. Then, it called again. This time as I listened more closely, something was off. It had an almost human quality to it, like a hunter's call. I couldn't tell where it was coming from, but it didn't sound close. Several minutes of quiet passed, then again. This time right outside my camp, followed by footsteps. Moose sound like big animals on all four-- these steps were bipedal. One after the other through the brush. A branch snapped and I shot up and grabbed my flashlight. I called out "Hello?" in case it may have been a hiker. I checked my watch. 1:00 AM. Shining my flashlight in the direction I heard it, there was nothing. Ten minutes went by as I listened for more footsteps. Whatever it was I figured must still be in the area. I took my bear spray from my backpack pouch and with my flashlight in the other hand, searched the perimeter of camp. I didn't find anything and went back to the lean-to. I turned on my LED lantern and lie quietly, unable to fall back asleep. I checked my watch again: 2:15 AM. Then another noise, this time hooting. Animals, I told myself. It could be an owl, but again I had my hand on the bear spray. Another hoot, followed by a cackle. Then the footsteps. "Who's there!?" I called out. A cackle responded. Suddenly, from the direction of the noises, a flashlight was shined on me. Out of fear, I sprayed the bear spray toward the light, but whatever-- whoever it was didn't retreat. The flashlight turned off, followed by human laughter. I shined my flashlight towards it and it did stand on two legs, but its proportions were off-- its thin legs seemed too tall for its body. Its eyes reflected the light like a cat's as it receded back into the darkness.
I would hear its demented calls throughout that night, never sure whether or not it was near or far. I'm not sure whether it was human, animal, or something entirely different. I wish my friend was able to make the trip, because sometimes, like this very moment, as I type these words, it's hard to believe them. But it wasn't a dream, as I never fell back asleep that night. The moment the sun rose enough to see, I hit the trail. And with each ambiguous path, and each carved cliffside footstep, the sights and sounds of the night rattled through my mind. My car was a sanctuary-- still the only one parked by the trailhead. When I think about the town that lines that forest, the same heavy feeling that surrounded me in the diner hits. I hope that child is found, but I know something more than a bear or moose lurks in those woods. I hope it's not human, but I shudder to think what else it could be.