Hey All,
The mod team here has decided to black out starting on June 12th for 48 hours in response to Reddit's API price changes and near enough killing of third-party apps. For those of you who are unaware, below I've pasted some information gathered from another participating subreddit for the site-wide scoop. I know as a community this single change affects an ever shrinking percentage of our user-base. However, we should have a say in how our forum, that we all have built and continue to build together, can be accessed and used.
If anyone has any questions I'd be happy to answer them in the comments, and if anyone is looking for a branch community to fill in the gap - the Steelers Discord channel is linked in our wiki and is run by a former /Steelers mod.
-The Mod Team

What's going on?

A recent Reddit policy change threatens to kill many beloved third-party mobile apps, making a great many quality-of-life features not seen in the official mobile app permanently inaccessible to users.
On May 31, 2023, Reddit announced they were raising the price to make calls to their API from being free to a level that will kill every third party app on Reddit, from Apollo to Reddit is Fun to Narwhal to BaconReader.
Even if you're not a mobile user and don't use any of those apps, this is a step toward killing other ways of customizing Reddit, such as Reddit Enhancement Suite or the use of the old.reddit.com desktop interface.
This isn't only a problem on the user level: many subreddit moderators depend on tools only available outside the official app to keep their communities on-topic and spam-free.

What's the plan?

On June 12th, many subreddits will be going dark to protest this policy. Some will return after 48 hours: others will go away permanently unless the issue is adequately addressed, since many moderators aren't able to put in the work they do with the poor tools available through the official app. This isn't something any of us do lightly: we do what we do because we love Reddit, and we truly believe this change will make it impossible to keep doing what we love.
The two-day blackout isn't the goal, and it isn't the end. Should things reach the 14th with no sign of Reddit choosing to fix what they've broken, we'll use the community and buzz we've built between then and now as a tool for further action.
What can you do?

1. Complain. Message the mods of reddit.com, who are the admins of the site: message reddit: submit a support request: comment in relevant threads on reddit, such as this one, leave a negative review on their official iOS or Android app- and sign your username in support to this post.
   
2. Spread the word. Rabble-rouse on related subreddits. Meme it up, make it spicy. Bitch about it to your cat. Suggest anyone you know who moderates a subreddit join us at our sister sub at ModCoord - but please don't pester mods you don't know by simply spamming their modmail.
   
3. Boycott and spread the word...to Reddit's competition! Stay off Reddit entirely on June 12th through the 13th- instead, take to your favorite non-Reddit platform of choice and make some noise in support!
   
4. Don't be a jerk. As upsetting this may be, threats, profanity and vandalism will be worse than useless in getting people on our side. Please make every effort to be as restrained, polite, reasonable and law-abiding as possible.
   

Talk about anything music related that doesn't need its own thread. This thread is not for discussion that is tangentially music related; that belongs in the general discussion threads. If you're new here, we encourage you to introduce yourself and tell us about music you're passionate about.
Support your favourite indiehead bands in the Battle of the Bands! Check out what everyone's listening to on the Weekly Charts. Find out who's going to concerts near you in the Concert Roll Call. Check out recent Hype Thursdays to find artists with under 50 upvotes here on indieheads. // Vote for your favourite songs from particular artists in Top Ten Tuesday, or check out the results from previous votes. Check out our the most recent Rate Announcements to have fun rating great music, or see the results from previous rates. // See recent AMA announcements here. Check out the most recent New Music Friday posts, discuss recent album releases, and join the Album Listening Club.

Watching Courtineers on Friday at Heaton Park. Where is best place to park so we can get away quickly at the end. Would rather walk an extra 10-20 minutes and get straight away rather than sit on a carpark for an hour.

I met him 3 weeks ago at a techno warehouse rave. We are both 22. I found him cute and very shy. I remember he said to me that night "I'm very happy to have met you, really", and I found it strange that he told me that already. He made me listen to his favorite songs that night (all sad songs). He is extremely shy, it was me who asked if I could kiss him and it happened. We exchanged numbers and it turned out we were both planning to go to the same rave in 2 weeks. We haven't spoken in between and so I saw him again a week ago. We couldn't hang out too much, we kept getting lost and he kept disappearing with his friend.
He texted me the next day to apologize and say he thought it was a shame we couldn't talk enough. So I suggested we go for a drink in a park. We did that last Friday. It was amazing. We saw each other at 7 p.m. and we stayed at the park until 11 p.m., then raved until 7am. We kissed a lot, he also admitted to me that he is shy and that I intimidate him. He told me that this evening at the park is an "unforgettable memory" for him. We met again on Saturday for another rave, my friends were there too, I suggested he comes to mine after. We didn't have sex, we just hugged a lot, he held my hand a lot and pressed it hard, he gave me a lot of kisses on the forehead and cheeks. He told me "you are beautiful you know" which I really appreciated because he is VERY shy.
But one weird thing: he always looks sad. He's always "sigh-ing" around me, I feel like I'm pissing him off? Why does he do that? I like him a lot, it's a shame he's moving to another city (2 hours by train) at the end of June :(. He told me several times "so I'm not leaving anymore" (but in an ironic tone. because he has to leave... for a job contract he has already signed). He did mention quickly that his friend died a year ago : i didn't ask more as i can imagine that is very traumatizing. Anyways, idk if he really likes me? Maybe he doesn't really like me and he's using me to forget another one or to forget his trauma? What do you think?

I have been together with my bf for over a year and a half now. The start of our reltionship was unconventional just like most relationships that start off a dating/hook up app are. My bf at the time was recently seperated from his wife of almost 5 years for 3 months when I met him and I was still dealing with the truama and heartbreak of my first relationship 8 months prior.
When we went on our first date i think we both realized we got along really well and really liked eachother but we agreed in the beginning that we both werent looking for anything serious... until i started seeing him multiple times a week and started spending the night everytime we hung out. A few months later I had ended up getting really sick and quarantined myself for 2 weeks, and in those 2 weeks we were playing games online together every night, he would message me he missed me, he told me one night during those 2 weeks that i was 'his person'. So obviously from that point the dynamic of our relationship had shifted and things that hadnt bothered me before now started to.
One big thing is that my bf likes to go out every weekend with his friends, he really didnt have friends when him and his ex had moved to the area and once they seperated, he started going out and making friends and then it became his ritual every weekend. I didnt care about that, he deserves to have fun and at that time it wasnt really my scene anyway. Until i saw how much fun he and his friends would have and the cool experiences he would go to. Night art festivals with fire breathing dancers. Nightime pool dj parties. Clubs with cool themes and concepts. Silent discos. I started to get that fear that i was missing out on my life too. I started to want to be involved but when i brought up the idea of inviting me out some nights he got uncomfortable at the idea. He likes when we're together but he also needed a life outside me too so he didnt feel like he was jumping out of one relationship into the other. He needed to feel free and bringing me with would be an acknowledgement of commitment and he wasnt ready for that yet. Since this was ealier on in the relationship (probably 4 months in) and i wanted to be respectful of his life i let it go and started trying to go out by myself to find friends of my own and start having my own experiences but people are fucking crazy ngl. Some attempts i made to make friends resulted in funny stories to tell other people but also had discouraged me to keep trying. So i conceded and just went back to what i was doing before but the jealousy slowly built over the course of our time together.
I know everyones healing processes are different byt after a year of being consistently together i decided maybe i could bring up the idea again but as a comprimise and I had texted him this: "I love you so much. Youre so patient and caring and its really helped me feel more comfortable with my emotions and expressing them to you. I feel safe to talk.
I also want to preface that Im perfectly fine with you going out every weekend you going out doesnt bother me at all. I dont want you to think i dont like it cause i really dont mind.
what does cause me to be sad is that some nights when you go out it just looks and sounds like a lot of fun. It sometimes hurts my feelings when you guys will make plans right in front of me and i know im not invited too
Im def not the kind of person that goes out every weekend and I like that you have your time for just you and friends, its perfectly healthy to have seperate lives!! But being able to party and be loose with you sounds like fun some nights. I just feel sad and left out and that im not a fun friend to let your guard down around.
Is there some way we can compromise where you still have your freedom but every once in a while i can come with you guys on a friday night?"
This was my first true attempt at a comprimise but he still has the same reservations he had the first time.
So again i conceded, but this time the anger and jealousy were now constantly there. I would get hurt everytime i saw clothes that he would wear on weekends. I would get upset when i saw his friends. I would get uspet when he would start to get excited that the weekend was getting close knowing i was just an outsider looking in.
Another 4 months had gone from that point and we finally had our first big blowout. Not over the weekends or anything else but over something really small and it wasnt a huge fight either but it was enough for us to realize that i wasnt okay and neither was he. I took a couple of weeks to be by myself and when we came together we had a really big talk over everything. I told him that I wasnt interested in being an addition anymore. If he wanted his seperate friends and places, thats fine, but would it hurt if just some night it could be just us? Going to new places? That way i can get to go out with him like ive been wanting and he wont feel like im trying to insert myself into all aspects of his life. He kind of disagreed again but for different reasons. He said due to my truama with my ex hed feel like we wouldnt have fun going out because id be too busy watching him to make sure hes not checking out other women to have a good time.
I said "well are you the type of person that would openly disrespect me like that in front of my face and give me a reason to behave like that?"
He said "no"
So i said "then its not fair for me to be penalized for something i havent done yet. Why cant i have the opportunity to show you that I wouldnt do that and also gain the opportunity for you to show me that you wouldnt to that either?"
I could tell he still wanted to say no so i finished my piece by just telling him to think about it. If he couldnt give me a better reason to say no then there was no reason for us to not go with the plan.
That was 2 months ago. He ended up never bringing up an 'answer', i knew it was going to be no in the end so i just gave up.
I decided to get a 2nd job on the weekends to make some extra money and to help pass the feelings of loneliness. Its helped because my new coworkers are so nice and working nights with them fulfills the social need ive been searching for. My bf started taking a medication too that he'll be on for 6 months and during that time he cant have a drop of alcohol or else it could really mess up his liver so he stopped going out on weekends too but the pain of it all still sits heavy on my mind. Hes my best friend but i feel like im being treated less than a friend. I love him so much and i know every relationships have their ups and downs and theyre 80% and 20% but i feel like the 20% im missing out is too much. Im really starting to want a more conventional relationship with him after being together for so long and i guess that our biggest issue
He also has an affinity for saying since he wasnt looking for anything when we first met he doesnt want to have any power over me to hurt me. I get where hes coming from with this, but at this point when he says it, hes using it as a scapegoat to absolve himself of guilt for when he does things that inevitably hurt me. In the beginning I understood what he was saying depsite thinking it was a little unfair because at that point I didnt want to let him have anypower over me too, but that was a year and a half ago, that statement.
The reason I need help and advice is because of this most recent text from us here:
He said "I know you wanted to hang out today but I think you should take time to think about how we should go about things because we just keep kicking the can down the road. It's like "oh hey I want this. But I know you don't want this. Yeah. Okay anyways I'll see you tomorrow" and I get not wanting to switch things up but it's not gonna make either of us happy in the long run"
So i replied "Tbh i have thought about it and continue to think about it. I know what i want and i think im more just coming to terms with understanding and realizing what i want i might never get or probably wont see for a long time. I just dont know what the best course of action is because comproming on my end has been hurting me a lot. But i dont know what or if youre willing to compromise anything. I think its hard coming to terms wth what it means to actsully be incompatible. I just dont know how to feel everytime you tell me i need to take time to think about things."
So he said "Well. It's not that I think you need time to think about things. It's that we can't just keep kicking the can down the road"
And i left it at thag because I just dont know what to do. If i bring up ending things he tells we both dont want that, and yeah, i love the guy, we've talked about when we're both ready having a family and a house together. He even brought up the idea of matching tatoos of a character for the video game we played together from when i was sick and he told me i was his person, and that coming from him felt so sincere and significant because thats a big commitment right there in my opinion. Of course i dont want to end things but if hes unwilling to compromise then what? I know im partially in the wrong because this is soemthing hes wanted to keep seperate from the beginning but for me being able to go out with your partner helps build emotional connections and experiences I feel like.
I dont know. Since this is my 2nd relationship and the only relationship ive been in since being of age to drink and really go out I feel like its important to me to have those experiences with him.
Please help reddit. Im sorry if this was so rambly and long. This is my first time posting and i know there are a lot of sincere and genuine people who want to help.
Tldr; after being together for a year and a half im starting to want a more conventional relationship. Ive suggested comprimises to help with our situation but he wants things to remain as they are and in the end its hurting us both. When i bring up ending things he just syas that isnt what either of us want. But if he doesnt want to break up and he doesnt want to compromise, then what?

I, 22F, met him, 22M, 3 weeks ago at a techno warehouse rave. We are both 22. I found him cute and very shy. I remember he said to me that night "I'm very happy to have met you, really", and I found it strange that he told me that already. He made me listen to his favorite songs that night (all sad songs). He is extremely shy, it was me who asked if I could kiss him and it happened. We exchanged numbers and it turned out we were both planning to go to the same rave in 2 weeks. We haven't spoken in between and so I saw him again a week ago. We couldn't hang out too much, we kept getting lost and he kept disappearing with his friend.
He texted me the next day to apologize and say he thought it was a shame we couldn't talk enough. So I suggested we go for a drink in a park. We did that last Friday. It was amazing. We saw each other at 7 p.m. and we stayed at the park until 11 p.m., then raved until 7am. We kissed a lot, he also admitted to me that he is shy and that I intimidate him. He told me that this evening at the park is an "unforgettable memory" for him. We met again on Saturday for another rave, my friends were there too, I suggested he comes to mine after. We didn't have sex, we just hugged a lot, he held my hand a lot and pressed it hard, he gave me a lot of kisses on the forehead and cheeks. He told me "you are beautiful you know" which I really appreciated because he is VERY shy.
But one weird thing: he always looks sad. He's always "sigh-ing" around me, I feel like I'm pissing him off? Why does he do that? I like him a lot, it's a shame he's moving to another city (2 hours by train) at the end of June :(. He told me several times "so I'm not leaving anymore" (but in an ironic tone. because he has to leave... for a job contract he has already signed). He did mention quickly that his friend died a year ago : i didn't ask more as i can imagine that is very traumatizing. Anyways, idk if he really likes me? Maybe he doesn't really like me and he's using me to forget another one or to forget his trauma? What do you think?

I would like to ask you Bulgarians to point out and correct any inaccuracies in the following text (Im not Bulgarian).
"The average high school day in Bulgaria during 1998 was typically long and demanding. Students would typically start their day at 8:00am and finish at 3:00pm, with a one-hour lunch break. They would typically have six to eight classes per day, each lasting forty-five minutes. The classes were taught in Bulgarian, and students were expected to wear uniforms.
The curriculum in Bulgarian high schools was rigorous, and students were expected to master a wide range of subjects, including mathematics, science, history, literature, and foreign languages. There was a strong emphasis on academic achievement, and students who did not perform well were often placed in remedial classes.
In addition to their academic studies, students were also expected to participate in extracurricular activities, such as sports, music, and clubs. These activities were seen as an important part of a well-rounded education, and they helped to promote teamwork, leadership, and social skills.
The average high school student in Bulgaria in 1998 faced a number of challenges. The country was still in the early stages of its transition to a market economy, and the education system was struggling to cope with the changes. There was a shortage of teachers, and the schools were often overcrowded. As a result, students often had to learn in less than ideal conditions.
Despite the challenges, the average high school student in Bulgaria in 1998 was determined to succeed. They were motivated by a strong sense of national pride, and they were eager to contribute to the country's future. Their hard work and dedication paid off, and many of them went on to achieve great things.
Here is a more detailed breakdown of a typical high school day in Bulgaria during 1998:
7:00am: Students wake up and get ready for school. 7:30am: Students eat breakfast. 8:00am: Students arrive at school and attend morning assembly. 8:30am: Students start their first class. 10:30am: Students have a break. 11:00am: Students start their second class. 1:00pm: Students have lunch. 2:00pm: Students start their third class. 3:00pm: Students finish school.
After school, students often had extracurricular activities, such as sports, music, or clubs. They also had time to do homework, relax, and socialize with friends."

I met him 3 weeks ago at a techno warehouse rave. We are both 22. I found him cute and very shy. I remember he said to me that night "I'm very happy to have met you, really", and I found it strange that he told me that already. He made me listen to his favorite songs that night (all sad songs). He is extremely shy, it was me who asked if I could kiss him and it happened. We exchanged numbers and it turned out we were both planning to go to the same rave in 2 weeks. We haven't spoken in between and so I saw him again a week ago. We couldn't hang out too much, we kept getting lost and he kept disappearing with his friend.
He texted me the next day to apologize and say he thought it was a shame we couldn't talk enough. So I suggested we go for a drink in a park. We did that last Friday. It was amazing. We saw each other at 7 p.m. and we stayed at the park until 11 p.m., then raved until 7am. We kissed a lot, he also admitted to me that he is shy and that I intimidate him. He told me that this evening at the park is an "unforgettable memory" for him. We met again on Saturday for another rave, my friends were there too, I suggested he comes to mine after. We didn't have sex, we just hugged a lot, he held my hand a lot and pressed it hard, he gave me a lot of kisses on the forehead and cheeks. He told me "you are beautiful you know" which I really appreciated because he is VERY shy.
But one weird thing: he always looks sad. He's always "sigh-ing" around me, I feel like I'm pissing him off? Why does he do that? I like him a lot, it's a shame he's moving to another city (2 hours by train) at the end of June :(. He told me several times "so I'm not leaving anymore" (but in an ironic tone. because he has to leave... for a job contract he has already signed). He did mention quickly that his friend died a year ago : i didn't ask more as i can imagine that is very traumatizing.
TL;DR: Anyways, idk if he really likes me? Maybe he doesn't really like me and he's using me to forget another one or to forget his trauma? What do you think?

What's going on?

A recent Reddit policy change expected on July 1, 2023 threatens to kill many beloved third-party mobile apps, making a great many quality-of-life features not seen in the official mobile app permanently inaccessible to users.
On May 31, 2023, Reddit announced they were raising the price to make calls to their API from being free to a level that will kill every third party app on Reddit, from Apollo to Reddit is Fun to Narwhal to BaconReader, to Sync for Reddit. Reddit's planned API changes on July 1 would cost the Apollo app developer nearly USD 20 million a year in API fees.
Even if you're not a mobile user and don't use any of those apps, this is a step toward killing other ways of customizing Reddit, such as Reddit Enhancement Suite or the use of the old.reddit.com web browser interface.
This isn't only a problem on the user level: many subreddit moderators depend on tools only available outside the official app to keep their communities on-topic and spam-free; tools that are dependent on access to the API.
For some visually impaired Redditors, the decision is disastrous as the official apps are inferior or even unusable for some compared to the various third-party mobile apps available today.

What's the plan?

On June 12th, many subreddits will be locked down to protest this policy. Some will return after 48 hours: others will go away permanently unless the issue is adequately addressed, since many moderators aren't able to put in the work they do with the poor tools available through the official app. This isn't something any of us do lightly: we mods do what we do because we love Reddit and the communities we are responsible for, and we truly believe this change will make it impossible to keep doing what we love.
The two-day blackout isn't the goal, and it isn't the end. Should things reach the 14th with no sign of Reddit choosing to fix what they've broken, further actions will be necessary.
This subreddit will be taken private for at least two days starting June 12th. We will monitor the situation and make adjustments as needed before, during, and after the June 12th Black Out date.
REMINDER: No one is saying that Reddit can not demand a fee to use the API. The primary issue here is the extreme rates they are demanding which will effectively kill third-party apps coupled with the fact that API users were only given 30 days notice of the specific details of this API policy change. The Apollo developer has said that even an API fee that was 5 to 2 times less might be workable. However, the removal of sexually explicit content from the API used by third-party apps will likely make even that relatively modest reduction untenable as Apollo and other apps lose supporters. Killing apps with better usability, better accessibility, and better mod tools unilaterally with minimal notice to their users, their moderators, and their app developer partners can not be tolerated. Compromise must be sought. This action is our collective appeal to engage in real, good-faith, productive discussions about a solution that meets everybody's needs as closely as possible.

What can you do?

1. Complain.
   
   • Message the mods of /reddit.com, who are the admins of the site.
   • Message reddit/.
   • Submit a support request.
   • Leave a comment on any relevant threads on /reddit, such as this one.
   • Leave a comment of support in any and all relevant threads on the site, including this post.
2. Spread the word. Rabble-rouse on related subreddits. Meme it up, make it spicy. Suggest anyone you know who moderates a subreddit join us at /ModCoord/.
   
3. Boycott and spread the word...to Reddit's competition! Stay off Reddit entirely on June 12th through the end of the day on 13th- instead, take to your favorite non-Reddit platform of choice and make some noise in support!
   
4. Don't be a jerk. As upsetting this may be, threats, profanity and vandalism will be worse than useless in getting people on our side. Please make every effort to be as restrained, polite, reasonable and law-abiding as possible.
   
5. Sign the Open Letter regarding API pricing.
   

Further reading

https://www.reddit.com/Save3rdPartyApps/comments/13yh0jf/dont_let_reddit_kill_3rd_party_apps/
https://www.reddit.com/apolloapp/comments/13ws4w3/had_a_call_with_reddit_to_discuss_pricing_bad/
https://old.reddit.com/ModCoord/comments/1401qw5/incomplete_and_growing_list_of_participating/
https://www.reddit.com/SubredditDrama/comments/1404hwj/mods_of_rblind_reveal_that_removing_3rd_party/
https://www.reddit.com/redditdev/comments/13wsiks/api_update_enterprise_level_tier_for_large_scale/jmolrhn/?context=3

Pretty pictures

https://preview.redd.it/91zby5ht044b1.jpg?width=1116&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=746417bbd904506fc8c7b9c702c16b7fbb47bf06

Good Afternoon Jets Family,
I'm organizing a bus trip to NJ from New Brunswick Canada for the Black Friday game vs the Dolphins. I'm bringing down about 50 ppl on this bus for the game. I'm looking for your advice on any catering companies or tailgating suggestions for a group of 50. I think we would prefer a private caterer to joining a tailgate such as Tailgate Joe or The Gotham Crew but maybe those are better options. Please let me know your advice and thoughts. All help is appreciated.

I'm not new to airbrushing but I am by no means an expert, and this is the first time this is happening to me so I have no idea what caused it
I primed a series of models (army painter black then an army painter white zenithal, both rattlecan) then used an airbrush to apply a few layers of colour (waiting for each layer to dry before doing the next)
I then tried to wash one of the models and all the layers of airbrush paint peeled off with the wash (the primer paint did not) I tested and the same happened with just water
I then decided I didn't want to strip the models, so applied a layer of Vallejo Matt airbrush varnish to them, I waited a full 24 hours before I continued to make sure it had dried, only to find that the varnish also peeled off with the tiniest amount of pressure when the surface was wet (I have used the varnish before on other models and they have not had the same issue)
I have no idea what's causing this but it's making my airbrush essentially unusable until it's solved as any layers I apply with it just come up the moment I take a brush to the model

Boiling take: There's been too much rose goggles blind Miyazaki chode gobbling going on on this website, and it's time to call it out. It's been a year and counting since the worshipping began. Miyazaki is not god. Elden Ring is above average at best, with no meaningful plot or memorable characters.
The developers tore the plot into a million fragments scattered around the world that it takes 10, 20 extra hours of roaming to full put together. It's not cohesive, and we have to do all the work because the developers couldn't implement the story. This is an arbitrary time sink and we, the players, deserved better. The majority of average players have no idea WHY they're doing what they're doing. It's vague and time consuming to find out, even with multiple playthroughs. It's mindless action.
I've played each and every game from the inception of Demon's Souls uncountable times. I've seen the weird blind maiden that Miyazaki has to include in every game (he can't have free, independent, intelligent thinking women in his games, and bosses don't count). I understand the games, what they are, what they try to teach and impart to players. Elden Ring is an above average open world ARPG to be sure, but it ends there.
Games like Black Flag, AC: Origins, Last of Us have undoubtedly done facets of this genre so much better. Red Dead Redemption 1 and 2, I would posit, are the greatest games of the last 15 years in terms of rich storytelling, character building and world creation.
I don't think a blind, mute, sexualized virgin woman (Miyazaki's favorite fetish in EVERY ONE OF HIS GAMES, along with feet) is a great character. Nor do I think a world where the NPCs in it are not aware of the events and information that is readily apparent makes for a rich world and story. Example: most of the notable characters you deal with in Elden Ring have no idea what is going on and forces at play, but you have the all the answers because of a description on a jar?
It's like GRRM just wrote this novel (and ASOIAF means a ton to me) and Miyazaki's team had no idea how to implement any of it. Elden Ring is Dark Souls 1 unbound in a fresh coat of paint with free roam, more mob variety, and more items to collect while leaving the player unfulfilled. Wide and shallow as a puddle, as Skyrim fell prey to.

Hey Reddit, I wanted to share a recent experience I had as my "almost" girlfriend's prom date, which unfortunately took a turn for the worse. I feel terrible about it and wanted to reflect on my mistakes and seek some advice on how to make things right.
To give you some context, the trouble began when we were discussing the details of my arrival for prom night. I admit that I felt a bit annoyed and unwanted during the planning process. You see, we were talking on the phone while she was walking home after a party, slightly intoxicated. In her intoxicated state, she expressed a desire for me to be there immediately.
In an attempt to accommodate her wishes, I made arrangements to arrive on Thursday, even going so far as to hire someone to cover my work shift on Friday (which she wasn't aware of). However, when we discussed it again, she changed her mind and wanted me to arrive on Saturday instead. Despite this, I insisted on coming on Friday, hoping to have some time to relax before prom.
Later on Friday afternoon, she changed her mind again and asked me to come on Saturday, as she wanted some time to wind down and didn't feel up for hanging out for five days straight. Feeling a bit taken for granted and deceived, I acted annoyed and reluctant, without sharing my true feelings, because I wanted her to enjoy her prom night (a decision I now regret).
After prom, we went back to her place, accompanied by her best friend and her boyfriend, which I agreed to. We played games and had fun, but my social battery was running low, and I started to disconnect from the conversation. The exhaustion and frustration from the previous day began to weigh on me, and I couldn't shake off my negative thoughts.
As we all hopped into the jacuzzi, I grew increasingly tired and withdrawn, barely participating in the conversation. My mind was consumed with thoughts of the previous day, and my annoyance escalated into anger. In my intoxicated state, I confronted her about wearing a black string bikini on Friday, without even confirming if it was true. The details from that point on are blurry as I eventually fell asleep.
Regrettably, I didn't even engage in any intimate moments with her that night. It's devastating to think about the effort she put into looking good and making the night special, only to be met with my own insecurities and jealousy. I can only imagine how unwanted she must have felt in that moment, and I never want her to experience that.
Now, I find myself questioning the future of our relationship. While she isn't officially my girlfriend yet, we were heading in that direction. However, I fear that my behavior may have jeopardized what we had.
I'm reaching out to you, Reddit, because I genuinely want to make things right. I'm looking for advice on what I can do to apologize and rectify the situation. I don't want to lose her over my own foolishness. Any suggestions or insights would be greatly appreciated.
​
​
TL;DR: As my "almost" girlfriend's prom date, I let my insecurities and miscommunication ruin the night. I want to make amends and salvage our relationship. Seeking advice on how to apologize and move forward.

We adopted a second dog about 2 weeks ago and did not have much issue training our first, a golden retriever.
We decided to rescue and fell in love with what seems to be an American Black Lab (just sent out an embrace test). Although she is intelligent and has responded well with the first 2 lessons, sit and stay, her high energy seems a bit daunting so I figured I’d ask for any and all tips for training.
She is currently 5 months old. Potty trained (for the most part) and crate trained. She is VERY good motivated and has been counter surfing and rushing her sisters bowl as soon as she finishes her slow bowl. I’ve mostly been struggling with leash training and her tendency to bark (defensively?) at strange men and basically anyone passing our fenced in yard or on a bike.
She starts puppy basic training tomorrow for 6 weeks but I also try to train at home between walks for about an hour twice a day if I can.
Also her photos are in my previous post on this subreddit on my profile.

What's going on?

A recent Reddit policy change expected on July 1, 2023 threatens to kill many beloved third-party mobile apps, making a great many quality-of-life features not seen in the official mobile app permanently inaccessible to users.
On May 31, 2023, Reddit announced they were raising the price to make calls to their API from being free to a level that will kill every third party app on Reddit, from Apollo to Reddit is Fun to Narwhal to BaconReader, to Sync for Reddit. Reddit's planned API changes on July 1 would cost the Apollo app developer nearly USD 20 million a year in API fees.
Even if you're not a mobile user and don't use any of those apps, this is a step toward killing other ways of customizing Reddit, such as Reddit Enhancement Suite or the use of the old.reddit.com web browser interface.
This isn't only a problem on the user level: many subreddit moderators depend on tools only available outside the official app to keep their communities on-topic and spam-free; tools that are dependent on access to the API.
For some visually impaired Redditors, the decision is disastrous as the official apps are inferior or even unusable for some compared to the various third-party mobile apps available today.

What's the plan?

On June 12th, many subreddits will be locked down to protest this policy. Some will return after 48 hours: others will go away permanently unless the issue is adequately addressed, since many moderators aren't able to put in the work they do with the poor tools available through the official app. This isn't something any of us do lightly: we mods do what we do because we love Reddit and the communities we are responsible for, and we truly believe this change will make it impossible to keep doing what we love.
The two-day blackout isn't the goal, and it isn't the end. Should things reach the 14th with no sign of Reddit choosing to fix what they've broken, further actions will be necessary.
This subreddit will be taken private for at least two days starting June 12th. We will monitor the situation and make adjustments as needed before, during, and after the June 12th Black Out date.
REMINDER: No one is saying that Reddit can not demand a fee to use the API. The primary issue here is the extreme rates they are demanding which will effectively kill third-party apps coupled with the fact that API users were only given 30 days notice of the specific details of this API policy change. The Apollo developer has said that even an API fee that was 5 to 2 times less might be workable. However, the removal of sexually explicit content from the API used by third-party apps will likely make even that relatively modest reduction untenable as Apollo and other apps lose supporters. Killing apps with better usability, better accessibility, and better mod tools unilaterally with minimal notice to their users, their moderators, and their app developer partners can not be tolerated. Compromise must be sought. This action is our collective appeal to engage in real, good-faith, productive discussions about a solution that meets everybody's needs as closely as possible.

What can you do?

1. Complain.
   
   • Message the mods of /reddit.com, who are the admins of the site.
   • Message reddit/.
   • Submit a support request.
   • Leave a comment on any relevant threads on /reddit, such as this one.
   • Leave a comment of support in any and all relevant threads on the site, including this post.
2. Spread the word. Rabble-rouse on related subreddits. Meme it up, make it spicy. Suggest anyone you know who moderates a subreddit join us at /ModCoord/.
   
3. Boycott and spread the word...to Reddit's competition! Stay off Reddit entirely on June 12th through the end of the day on 13th- instead, take to your favorite non-Reddit platform of choice and make some noise in support!
   
4. Don't be a jerk. As upsetting this may be, threats, profanity and vandalism will be worse than useless in getting people on our side. Please make every effort to be as restrained, polite, reasonable and law-abiding as possible.
   
5. Sign the Open Letter regarding API pricing.
   

Further reading

https://www.reddit.com/Save3rdPartyApps/comments/13yh0jf/dont_let_reddit_kill_3rd_party_apps/
https://www.reddit.com/apolloapp/comments/13ws4w3/had_a_call_with_reddit_to_discuss_pricing_bad/
https://old.reddit.com/ModCoord/comments/1401qw5/incomplete_and_growing_list_of_participating/
https://www.reddit.com/SubredditDrama/comments/1404hwj/mods_of_rblind_reveal_that_removing_3rd_party/
https://www.reddit.com/redditdev/comments/13wsiks/api_update_enterprise_level_tier_for_large_scale/jmolrhn/?context=3

Pretty pictures

https://preview.redd.it/91zby5ht044b1.jpg?width=1116&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=746417bbd904506fc8c7b9c702c16b7fbb47bf06

I was at Walmart on a Friday morning and the cashier did not hand my license directly back to me after scanning it for a beer purchase. The next morning I stopped to get gas and noticed it missing, I called the Walmart since it was the last place I’d used it and I got through to electronics after trying the operator several times. The guy from electronics helps and tells me he will call the cash office and then call me back after management arrives. He does just that, he tells me it’s there, I ask if it will be safe until Monday or Tuesday when I work next and he says yes. Fast forward to tuesday morning after work at 7 am. I get to the Walmart and they search everywhere for an hour with no sign of it. Finally I ask them to call someone who worked the desk that day, they call and the person on the other end says something to which the caller replied: “you said someone already picked the ID up?” So now I’m freaking out and I’m demanding to know what happened. No one knows for sure and all they’ve given me in an hour is someone else has my license. So finally I write down all of my info and they tell me an asset protector or something is gonna review the footage and they will let me know. In the meantime I’m very concerned because I had a stalled for a very short time a few years ago and I’m wondering “what if…” Around 11:30 someone calls named “kasha” I think. She tells me that no one wrote down I called and it was because the employee didn’t know he had to… so they shredded my license. Around 12:00 I called the sheriff to file a report, at least to have something on file. I’m really just tired of the whole thing and I’m angry I’ll have to get a whole new license, I have to pay for it, and they literally had me so stressed and worried I had to call off work because I needed sleep (I’m a night shifter), and I’m still not sure I trust that they shredded it. Another concern I had was one of the women helping look for it said she had seen it and “had a cousin with the same exact name who looked like me”. It makes me anxious and I’m not sure if there’s any way to know for sure my information is safe. Also, does Walmart pay for my replacements? The women I spoke with said she would call later and let me know. I’m sure I’m over reacting and need to move on, but I just wanted to see if there was anything I hadn’t thought of that may be important.

Put maybe 20 hours of preparation in, 15 hours of which was the weekend before.
Used the AWS Cert Prep material including the paid material. Went through the full prep exam with the AWS console open and tried to work out the answers.
Worked with AWS >10 years, first cert attempt.
Definitely feeling zonked by 75 Questions in 180 minutes.
A few notes...

• READ THE QUESTION
  • Cost effective/low overhead/operational efficiency parameters will shape the answer.
• Know the Code* (Build/Deploy/Pipeline) parts
  • Build a test app, use git to push code to CodeCommit - Soooo valuable.
• OUs, Cloudformation, and Stack sets as they apply to IAM, Service Catalogue and SAM had some tough questions.
• A few json -> yaml evaluation questions.
• Loads on using ASGs with EC2. Not much on ECS.
• When in doubt EventBridge.
• AWS Config and SSM baked in operations come up a good bit.
• Some Kinesis in there.

Going through the SCS-C01 Exam prep now to diff it against the SCS-C02 materials. Likely going to take SCS-C02 in SeptembeOctober.
Will try and answer any questions I can.

What's going on?

A recent Reddit policy change expected on July 1, 2023 threatens to kill many beloved third-party mobile apps, making a great many quality-of-life features not seen in the official mobile app permanently inaccessible to users.
On May 31, 2023, Reddit announced they were raising the price to make calls to their API from being free to a level that will kill every third party app on Reddit, from Apollo to Reddit is Fun to Narwhal to BaconReader, to Sync for Reddit. Reddit's planned API changes on July 1 would cost the Apollo app developer nearly USD 20 million a year in API fees.
Even if you're not a mobile user and don't use any of those apps, this is a step toward killing other ways of customizing Reddit, such as Reddit Enhancement Suite or the use of the old.reddit.com web browser interface.
This isn't only a problem on the user level: many subreddit moderators depend on tools only available outside the official app to keep their communities on-topic and spam-free; tools that are dependent on access to the API.
For some visually impaired Redditors, the decision is disastrous as the official apps are inferior or even unusable for some compared to the various third-party mobile apps available today.

What's the plan?

On June 12th, many subreddits will be locked down to protest this policy. Some will return after 48 hours: others will go away permanently unless the issue is adequately addressed, since many moderators aren't able to put in the work they do with the poor tools available through the official app. This isn't something any of us do lightly: we mods do what we do because we love Reddit and the communities we are responsible for, and we truly believe this change will make it impossible to keep doing what we love.
The two-day blackout isn't the goal, and it isn't the end. Should things reach the 14th with no sign of Reddit choosing to fix what they've broken, further actions will be necessary.
This subreddit will be taken private for at least two days starting June 12th. We will monitor the situation and make adjustments as needed before, during, and after the June 12th Black Out date.
REMINDER: No one is saying that Reddit can not demand a fee to use the API. The primary issue here is the extreme rates they are demanding which will effectively kill third-party apps coupled with the fact that API users were only given 30 days notice of the specific details of this API policy change. The Apollo developer has said that even an API fee that was 5 to 2 times less might be workable. However, the removal of sexually explicit content from the API used by third-party apps will likely make even that relatively modest reduction untenable as Apollo and other apps lose supporters. Killing apps with better usability, better accessibility, and better mod tools unilaterally with minimal notice to their users, their moderators, and their app developer partners can not be tolerated. Compromise must be sought. This action is our collective appeal to engage in real, good-faith, productive discussions about a solution that meets everybody's needs as closely as possible.

What can you do?

1. Complain.
   
   • Message the mods of /reddit.com, who are the admins of the site.
   • Message reddit/.
   • Submit a support request.
   • Leave a comment on any relevant threads on /reddit, such as this one.
   • Leave a comment of support in any and all relevant threads on the site, including this post.
2. Spread the word. Rabble-rouse on related subreddits. Meme it up, make it spicy. Suggest anyone you know who moderates a subreddit join us at /ModCoord/.
   
3. Boycott and spread the word...to Reddit's competition! Stay off Reddit entirely on June 12th through the end of the day on 13th- instead, take to your favorite non-Reddit platform of choice and make some noise in support!
   
4. Don't be a jerk. As upsetting this may be, threats, profanity and vandalism will be worse than useless in getting people on our side. Please make every effort to be as restrained, polite, reasonable and law-abiding as possible.
   
5. Sign the Open Letter regarding API pricing.
   

Further reading

https://www.reddit.com/Save3rdPartyApps/comments/13yh0jf/dont_let_reddit_kill_3rd_party_apps/
https://www.reddit.com/apolloapp/comments/13ws4w3/had_a_call_with_reddit_to_discuss_pricing_bad/
https://old.reddit.com/ModCoord/comments/1401qw5/incomplete_and_growing_list_of_participating/
https://www.reddit.com/SubredditDrama/comments/1404hwj/mods_of_rblind_reveal_that_removing_3rd_party/
https://www.reddit.com/redditdev/comments/13wsiks/api_update_enterprise_level_tier_for_large_scale/jmolrhn/?context=3

Pretty pictures

https://preview.redd.it/91zby5ht044b1.jpg?width=1116&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=746417bbd904506fc8c7b9c702c16b7fbb47bf06

Hi! My bfand I are taking a super short trip to New Orleans in about a week (2 days). We're big believers that the first 24 hours in a new city should be spent without any set plans, just wandering around and seeing the city life and people, ducking into a club or interesting looking shop or weird musuem if we see it, but not planning ahead to. What's the best central area or street to do this in New Orleans? Thinking kind of the equivalent of Michigan Avenue in Chicago, or Broadway in New York.
Also broad and general question, but if anyone has any general recommendations for a super short trip to New Orleans drop them! We love music and historical or just weird stuff. We arrive on the 11th which I think may be the last day of Pride?

44M. I've had this issue for 20 years now, but never this bad. My left parotid randomly swells as I'm eating (sometimes repeatedly, sometimes a year might go by without noticing), and I usually manage it by pressing and massaging it to drain. When it gets bad enough that the gland becomes solid and painful, I have to wait a day or two and it'll start going down and then I'll be able to massage it. I've twice gone for antibiotics before because I'd notice pus coming out of the duct. Always cleared it up without issue. (I had unrelated CT scan 3 years ago that showed that gland had atrophied and had some fat replacement. I don't recall it seeing any stones but I'm not 100% on that).
This time it's the worst I've ever had. It started Friday (5 days ago) and in several hours swelled to the max and was real painful. Could only sleep on one side, popped painkillers, etc. Next day I went to a clinic to ask for antibiotics because of history, and got clindamycin. Good thing I did, because between then and when I actually picked the drug up I got fever and chills. This resolved by Sunday, but the swelling hadn't changed. No drainage. Because it's the weekend, no doctors available, and I dont want to go to the ER and be given painkillers, sent home and charged thousands for it. I finally get ONE moment of drainage on Monday night, I manage to get some blobs of pus and brown sludge out of it, but can't keep it going. I managed to get an appointment with an ENT for Wednesday (tomorrow). But this whole time I'm sitting here in horrible pain and swelling, popping painkillers and antibiotics.
Is there ANY relief for this I'm unaware of? What does work: 1. Hot shower right on the face feels great and half the time does reduce pain afterward 2. Diclofenac does reduce pain, better than ibuprofin
What doesn't work: 1. Massage. The end goal is to get the swelling down enough so that I CAN massage, but right now there's no way. If I just touch my face a bit it will throb for hours after. 2. Sour candy. With no drainage, this is merely asking for horrible pain. Same with eating, not to mention I can't open my mouth very much anyway. I've been sticking to liquids. 3. Icepacks- they distract from the pain while using, but it comes right back when stopping. Heat is better. 4. Tylenol. Pretty useless. 5. Topical and oral Lidocaine- does seem to have a temporary effect, but its short-lived and not encompassing 6. Swishing hot salt water- I think this has helped in the past but only when drainage was happening. Hasn't helped this time
These are all the standard remedies you hear about. Are there ANY more tips and tricks that a doc (or more likely a patient) would know about? I do have my ENT appt tomorrow and that's the only thing keeping me going. I was psyched when I finally got some drainage but it didn't last long. I've gotten decent at pain management, but this swelling just won't go down!
I never considered parotid removal before this weekend, but I feel like if it wasn't for the potential face paralysation I really might!