I'm so confused. I know no one can for sure know what I am, but maybe I can get help figuring out. By the way for the moment since I'm still figuring out who I am I identify as Queer, and I am born female-bodied.
For the past six months or so, I've been thinking about what my life would be like if I was born a guy. I had a lot of dreams about it. What it'd be like romantically, socially (like in the society), sexually, academically (school), and what my relationship with my body would be like, you know. And I can't help but think I might be transgender. Cause I want what cis boys have so bad. I thought it was just attraction to men at first, but then I realized it might not be "I want to be with him", but "I want to be him". And it drives me CRAZY. (What follows is kinda embarrassing) I've been drawing and photoshopping pictures of myself to make me look more masculine. I cry when I see the original picture compared to what the final result looks like. I also contour and do masc makeup occasionally.
I feel like an impostor, like "stRaiGHt WitH eXTra StepS" and I really hate myself for even thinking about being what I've been told to hate and taught isn't normal. My dad is somewhat transphobic. I can't even imagine what he'd say.
But I just want to be a guy so bad. I feel so, so empty. I would feel fulfilled if only I could get surgeries to give myself a body I'd prefer. But I don't know, is this pretty much what being trans is like? Cause I don't feel ready (and I'm always told it isn't right to want to) to actually do something about it. So like, is that what you Trans Men felt like before starting to transistion?.. Kinda?..
I'm desperate for answers. I feel like an idiot. I hope this is coherent.
I'm 14 years old by the way.

I want to learn how to draw but at the same time, I'm not really sure where to even start? Like I'm looking at references and watching videos of people drawing and trying to draw things from different perspectives by mentally picturing it, but I feel like I'm not making any progress? Does anyone have any advice on where to start or how to practice?
And while I'm asking questions, is there anything I can do to make it easier to draw on a tablet or is it just something you gotta get used to?

FYI: I'm a complete beginner with SD I wanted to make some images with knights but it seems to be kind of an issue as getting a proper sword seems basically impossible plus in the desired pose.
I took my sons wooden sword made some poses and tried to work from there but either the sword gets removed entirely (pose-only) or it takes over way too much from my image so the "knight" then wears shorts and tshirt. How can I get the correct pose including the sword but excluding any other aspect of my "reference image"?
Or is there another way to get a proper sword without photo shopping it, entirely "AI -based"?

Ive been on HRT for almost three years, and ive also had SRS. And im still really dysphoric. The HRT didnt really do much in terms of dysphoria.
I dont regret transitioning at all, but im getting really frustrated at how my dysphoria just doesnt seem to get much better. Social transition helped me a lot more than physical did honestly. The dysphoria i feel now, compared to before i started HRT, is about the same, it hasnt really changed much, i still get good days that are about on par, and i get really bad days about on par.
I hated my body before, and i hate my body now. Im not super masculine and im able to pass if i exclusively wear female clothing and padded bras. But i still feel like shit. Even if others perceive me as female, that doesnt make me not hate how my body looks. All i ever see when i go outside is all the people that i could be looking like if i wouldnt have been refused transitioning when i first came out as a preteen, and all i see when i look at my own body is something that isnt *my* body, but a body that my parents forced onto me. Every body part is a constant reminder of how my body was changed against my will by other people.
Ive tried getting help from other places, ive been trying to get mental help for close to 5 years now, nobody wants to help me. Dysphoria isnt a mental illness anymore, therefore psych clinics dont take in trans people here, but also dont tell me where to go. And when i try to go in through other diagnoses, im either told theyre too much work, or not bad enough to warrant help. Ive been referred to 6 different psych clinics as well as been outpatient at a ward, and numerous municipal offers, and all of them ended up rejecting me.

i just make myself sound as pretentious as fuck and like i actually know wtf im waffling on about and that jsut works somehow lmao here are some examples of the crap i write
some of this is 100% way over the top but hey if it works it works & could subconsciously make the examiner think im smarter than i actually am so idk more marks?? i hope so. ok anyway examples of my waffling:
one way the writer [...] is by incorporating [subtle/blatant] details about [subject] through verbs like "[verb]" – which conveys [...] – and "[verb]" which [shows/implies/connotes/gives us insight as readers into] [...]
the writer's choice to mention "[literally any slight reference of a character's past]" serves to flesh out the character whilst adding chronology and to [make us readers think or feel/allow us to relate/emphasising/highlighting] [...]
[...] which gives us insight into the character's emotional state and perspective, allowing us to emphasise with them which brings us closer to the characters and adds a sense of depth and realism.
[...] which draws detailed visual imagery in the reader's visuo-spatial sketchpad
[...] which adds to the imagined sensory experience, intentionally stimulating the reader's mind into conjuring an extremely vivid and detailed landscape in their mind.
[...] this auditory imagery skillfully influences the reader's phonological loop, immersing them into the text and into the world the writer has created.
[...] through this synesthesia, we as readers are brought into a detailed sensory environment filled with a cascade of sensory stimuli
i also write rhetorical questions & hse colloquillism or however tf its spelt occassionally to make my writing slightly less boring to re-read & ask myself 'why?' to make myself expand on stuff more.

Just finished watching the Destiny v Lead attorney debate on child custody and I think half of my brain turned to soup listening to Destiny. This entire debate felt like Destiny just being contrarian because he had already staked out a side of the issue.
Destiny references a 40 year old study from one state looking at temporary custody orders and uses that as the basis to draw conclusions about child custody matters as a whole. When this is pointed the defense is "well there aren't any other studies so I've got to defer to this one" (Paraphrasing)
Lead attorney did a piss poor job of hammering in the point but he was correct on a number of points. I'd like to expand on some of them. Disclaimer: I'm an attorney so according to chat I'm actually brain dead and don't know what I'm talking about.

1. Lead was correct to fight about the use of the word "amicable" when referring to child custody agreements. It is true that the vast majority of custody orders end in what is called a "consent judgment" however, those judgments are still highly contentious and fought over by the parties on a regular basis and many people attempt to modify them (which is allowed) afterwards. Typically your attorney will advise you if they believe you are in a losing position for whatever reason and will guide you in to a consent judgment.
   
2. Destiny fundamentally misunderstands the way child support payments work and how the courts determine who gets paid. Child support in most states is not just about physical custody. Many states have what is called a "domiciliary parent" this is the parent that is assigned the final say in where the child goes to school, what medical procedures they have, etc etc. The domiciliary parent is also the parent that receives child support EVEN IF the parties have shared or joint custody of the child. Many people are happy to give their ex partner joint custody assuming they are assigned domiciliary status and this is where the fight takes place.
   
3. The push back against anecdotal experience is a dogshit take and should be treated as such. Anecdotal experience has some value. Just because people on the internet scream "YOU'RE USING AN ANECDOTE" doesn't mean that anecdotes are worthless. Anecdotes are assigned a lower weight due to personal bias, issues with repeatability etc, but they still have some value. This also ties in to why reliance on an old, narrow study is such a poor defense. The WEIGHT we assign to a study like this should be extremely low. Destiny attempts to circumvent this argument by acting like its the only evidence he has, however that is incorrect. Anecdotal evidence is still evidence, and in this case the weight assigned to those anecdotal experiences, especially the experiences of individuals that work in this field should be higher than that of the study Destiny was referencing. Just because something is an anecdote doesn't mean you get to ignore it outright, especially when there is virtually no evidence on the topic at hand. Destiny ROUTINELY uses personal anecdotes to push forward a point saying things like "I get you're all 20 year old virgins but in the REAL WORLD when you're an ADULT this is MY EXPERIENCE okay?" (paraphrasing)
   

The entire point of this debate was to determine if males who seek custody are disadvantaged compared to females. Yet Destiny goes off on schizo rants about deadbeat dads and how most of these redpill men don't even want their kids they just don't want to pay child support. Okay and?? That's not what we're talking about Steven. We're talking about males who do seek custody. Your views on deadbeat dads are irrelevant.
If Destiny ever reads this, I've been watching your content for years and I think it's entertaining, but please stop talking with such confidence when it comes to legal issues/the way courts work. You do not have the insight you think you do. o7

ive been going to collins for about 7-8 years now, usually as often as i can through the summer, so... a lot.
public sex is illegal, indecent exposure is illegal, public masturbation is illegal. staring at folks, recording folks, uninvited intrusions are extremely poor form. we all know these things.
personally, i more or less accept the lesser creeps - the older single men who look a little too long, sit a little too close, or try to chat up every young lady on the beach ... youre noticed by all, expect to get the occasional snide comment in response to your poor form.. but whatever.
and actual sex acts - not everyone will agree with me on this, from ethical and/or legal standpoints, but its my contention that even sex acts are acceptable at the beach so long as you dont make it public. if a couple (whether together or strangers) wants to go off into the thick shrub and find a spot to get frisky, fuckin go for it. especially up at the "gay end." dog knows ive had a romp or two out there, but never in front of others - youd have to be out bushwacking to come upon us. or inside a tent, or when theres nobody else around and you can see folks coming long before they can figure out what youre doing. and the letter of the law supports me on this.
so all of that said, heres the problem as i see it, and what i would like to do/see done about it........
when my partner cant just relax, like really at all, for sake of all the fuckin scumbags out creeping around our blanket; when they feel intimidated, inhibited about going, or feel like they have to wear a bathing suit despite hating tan lines; when i find myself going alone half the time because they dont want to deal with the creepycrawly feelings theyre sure to experience, it becomes a real big problem for me. and im not somebody who just puts up with bullying when i observe it, and you creeps are essentially just that: fuckin bullies. you get off on making others uncomfortable. its a power thing. very similar to the psychology of r--e.
the few times ive had to take care of shit, ive been a little surprised that i always end up standing there alone and a lone voice against this bullshit. its always met with the same response - "im not doing anything," and a refusal to leave the area. im not one to draw police attention and i dont enjoy making a scene, and certainly dont want to end up being the one in the wrong/on the wrong side of the law by getting physical with some saggy assed 60 year old dude who refuses to move his chair somewhere other than facing our blanket from 15-20' away while moving his hand between his legs, but one angry dude cant get much done by himself without becoming the law-breaker himself.
so im proposing we draw some lines in that dredge sand, and have it in our minds well in advance, that when someone crosses the line and someone calls them out on it, we stand up for each other.
line crossing, to me:

• open displays of arousal ... unabashed standing with a full blown hardon, walking along the water with a full blown hardon (talking about you, douchebag from yesterday), etc
  
• openly masturbating/masturbation visible to strangers in any capacity, at least anywhere south of the "gay end" (its certainly potentially highly inappropriate up there too, but that is the area where lines blur a lot more)
  
• single dudes setting up uncomfortably close to folks who arent solo cis males when theres plenty of room and prime real estate elsewhere
  
• covert recording of anyone, ever, at all, for any reason. its poor form to be taking pics or vids with nonconsenting folks in perspective, if not illegal. but when you do it in an obviously directed way i dont give a fuck if its illegal or not - i might just be sending your phone about 50m offshore. good luck getting it back. think im just tough talking? try me.
  

fuckin tired of this shit, gents. i never even realized how bad it truly is, being someone who always respectfully keeps his eyes out of others' business, but since my current partner has pointed out the dudes that creep on her, jesus christ man - i see it almost constantly when we go. she stopped wanting to go to the north end because were cis male and female and it made her feel like we were intruding, i reckon - but now she pretty much refuses to go anywhere but the north end.
where i get creeped on mercilessly instead. 🤣
in summary, i just want us all to be thinking and talking about the conduct thats just a hard "no" on the beach, cement these lines in our minds, and at LEAST be willing to back each other up when something needs to be said, if not be willing to take the initiative. and i understand not everyone is interested in taking initiative, but i think all decent folk are morally obligated to at least aid in the resistance of offensive behavior.

do we have here in this sub any of the "regulars" from the volleyball area? you particularly well-tanned folks that are there every weekend and have been for decades? i would love to get yalls perspective on on this, because even though ive been going for quite some time myself an have considered myself a regular for a while now, i dont subconsciously classify myself as any kind of collins guardian of conduct decency, and the times when ive wanted to say/do "something" and havent are when some regular creep - like the short, fat, old, long haired, deeply tanned solo man who likes to masturbate everywhere from his chair to whilst standing thigh-deep in the river facing everyone - is barely hiding his dick-stroking, and not a goddamn body much closer to the misdeed seems to have a problem with it. are you guys just so numb to it that it isnt worth calling it out, or h'wat? im not calling anyone out with this question, just straight up wondering.
anyway.. i reckon thems my thoughts. all others welcome, to include opposing viewpoints.

Clarification Note

- This is a new post format I am trying out on different platforms.
- I am going to be more direct in this post, that said if you do not fit the criteria in my post please do not contact me unless you're seeking friendship.
- I am interested in a sugaring dynamic added to BDSM, this takes time. If you want a buyer or a John please avoid me.
- If you're out of country, refer to the first note.
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Special NoteIt's Sunday. If you're still hung over, and or still going to have your fun take care of yourself - eat some protein and drink plenty of water. If you have an extreme headache and over the counter meds aren't helping and you're still wanting to be a masochist cayenne pepper mixed with warm water will do the trick. Aside from that, if you do not read this entire post I'll know.
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Side Note
If you're curious to get to know me, just ask.
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All about what I am looking for and offer

- Age range 18 - 28.
- Good Hygiene, you can take care of yourself mentally and physically.
- CIS Female
- Body Type Preference: Slim/Petite to average and or curvy.
- Switches, Switchtastic times are the best times. Slaves, littles, and subs are nice as well though.
- Positive influence, that goes both ways in expectancy.
- Conversation, if you hit me with the ole buy meh nudes I will meme you. If you hit me with with the ole Daddy comment imma hit you with the worst site I can think of which is currently omegle.
- Gamers - preferably a female but if you're a guy and do competitive gaming I am open to a mutually beneficial arrangement in the realm of gaming.
- You're in Louisiana, yes this unfortunately dead state it seems. But if you're in the surrounding states I am open to it.
- Adrenaline junkie - We only have one life, might as well test it a little by zip lining or jumping out of a plane together.
- An Adult, if you've attempted to meet and or have met someone from here or other platforms you know what I am speaking of.
- BDSM, be into it and or open to being guided in it.
- Kinky Oranges, this better be in your first message to me.
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Dynamics I align with best
Equal Ownership
Master to slave
Daddy to little
Owner to pet
Care Giver to little
​
Payment Methods I work with
- Google pay (primary option)
- Amazon Wish List (secondary only, meant for gifts)
- Gift Cards (secondary only, meant for gifts)
- The Dollar (because reddit doesn't like the C word for some reason) (primary option)
- Ko-fi's site (primary option)
- CA (primary option)
- Open to other alternatives if asked.
​
How my arrangement works
This is meant to be long term, it's going to take time to establish a connection and trust. If you're expecting to talk to me for 2 hours and get 400$ it's not going to happen. Ironically, I was scammed last month out of a starting trial period with a real person for 400$ after speaking to that person for two weeks. I don't always take two weeks to get to know someone but it depends on the vibes. For additional context, I believe this platform does not like the discussion of allowances in post so I will be omitting the allowance amounts from all stages.
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Consideration
Where you and I will be when you decide to reach out to me. We'll get to know the other from our vanilla life to our experience in the kink life, learning of the others limitations and interest. At some point I am going to prompt us both to do a SFW verification via call and or picture exchange. Silverware is a thing so don't be surprised if I prompt for something random. I will likely prompt for at least 1 - 2 calls, if we mesh then we mesh. If we don't then we can agree for friendship or parting ways.
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If in Louisiana - The above will take place first, then an initial meet to a restaurant will be prompted. I will cover all expenses, and if needed support travel. If we mesh we mesh, if we do not mesh we can part ways and or maintain a friendship.
Trial
In this stage, we've agreed we mesh in chemistry and wish to push forward.
This is a two week trial. In this trial a light core dynamic will begin, I will take on the Dominant role regardless if you're a switch or not. I expect moderate time to be given while we continue to engage with the other. This will include a bare basic rule system to give a glimpse of interest in real time, light NSFW play, and establishing further trust in the other.
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If in Louisiana - The above will likely be online. Meets to restaurants and or events will be expected. This is SFW.
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Training
In this stage, we've agreed we still mesh in kink and chemistry and wish to push forward.
This will continue into a two week allowance arrangement with occasional gifts. The allowance will be raised from the trial period. This stage will consist through a time span of 2 - 6 months. I will maintain the Dominant role at least for the start dependent on our interest for dynamics. This will be a true start to a generic Dom / sub dynamic that will merge into others as time passes with moderate rules and guidance both in kink and your life as I wish to push you toward your goals. NFSW and SFW.
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If in Louisiana - I do expect regular meets which will be determined together, it will be SFW and NSFW for scene play and or sessions along with outtings. Sadistic Pineapples better be in your first message.
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If out of state - Semi regular to regular meets are expected. Travel will be covered. First meet will be SFW if you are uncomfortable for anything beyond.
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Formal
We've established that we're both in it for the long run. We will either maintain two week allowance periods or weekly allowance periods dependent on what we're looking for. Gifts are regular. A true formality collar is introduced, if you're interested I also have a role play based BDSM contract. A true dynamic will be established between us with my full list of rules, guidance and scene play.

TLDR; Luffy's dream is creating a Pirate Kingdom, which is the same goal of the Ancient Kingdom and the People of D.
Just a (I hope) short theory about what Luffy's dream could be and why it connects the One Piece story altogether. I'll try to be brief and explain as clearly as I can, with reference images. Without further ado, let's start.
Luffy’s Dream and his significance for the entire story
The first time we hear about Luffy’s dream is in Marineford, when Ace is on the verge of death and is speaking his last words to his little brother. Then we jump into Luffy’s childhood flashback (chapter 585) and we have an hunch of what it could be. But most of all we get to see Ace and Sabo’s reactions to it.
https://preview.redd.it/6xadvwcm214b1.png?width=873&format=png&auto=webp&s=06873113a2d1ca7c3e1edffd4a6379db430c7b29
https://preview.redd.it/19ydcywn214b1.png?width=881&format=png&auto=webp&s=43380f79b3af157ad17da6b2e6948a5d49320328
At this point we as readers understand that it seems to be something weird, childish and almost impossible to achieve. Now let’s move to Chapter 966, during the fateful meeting between the man who will be known as the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, and Kozuki Oden. In this istance, Roger reveals his dream to Oden and Whitebeard, just like Luffy did to Ace and Sabo. But this time pay attention on how Roger’s full statement is presented.
https://preview.redd.it/zpbm00us214b1.png?width=898&format=png&auto=webp&s=a69c754e43bb95f4fc0874731aa6dfd2d4cd7d09
Roger talks about reaching the very last island, becoming the greatest pirate crew in the world and AFTER THAT Roger talks about carrying out his dream. To me, this means that you need to be the Pirate King to achieve this dream, although Roger would be called like that only after he finds the treasure. Becoming the greatest pirate crew pretty much carries the same meaning.
Let’s stay on the same track and jump forward to Chapter 1060, when Luffy reveals his dream to his crew for the very first time.
https://preview.redd.it/1mnu2tax214b1.png?width=1004&format=png&auto=webp&s=e75e8006715c4369e488ed6b18241a34d82c6822
The crew obviously looks amazed and somehow amused, but what is of the most importance is following the trail left by Roger’s words. Luffy states that he will have a shot on achieving his dream IF he BECOMES Pirate King.
Not long after that, Franky confirms that Luffy needs to be Pirate King to make his dream possible.
So now we have all the info we needed to try to figure out what Luffy’s dream could be. The key of it all lies in the title of Pirate King. And what would a Pirate King be without a Pirate Kingdom? That’s it. Luffy’s dream is creating a Pirate Kingdom. It may sound pretty straightforward but it makes so much sense for the entire story. Let me explain!
What is a Pirate to Luffy
​
We know from page one that Shanks and his crew inspired Luffy to be a pirate. But what of course inspired Luffy the most is the fact that Pirates have freedom!
​
He then proceeds on remarking that concept to Rayleigh, when asked.
So, knowing all this, we can assume that Luffy’s Pirate Kingdom is not your average Kingdom, but one in which the iron rule is freedom, since a Pirate, according to Luffy, is a being who is completely free. In his childish mind, he may expect that all the “citizens” of this Kingdom will become pirates and chase the freedom. After all, the D. people, whose letter Luffy carries, belong to freedom themselves.
Blackbeard’s dream
Speaking of D., there’s one individual whose dream was revealed to us recently and is similar, if not the same, of Luffy’s one, although the meanings are completely different from one another.
https://preview.redd.it/p5qqb4dp314b1.png?width=934&format=png&auto=webp&s=1ee0c6630abac35dc58c8c739313a12dc57487a6
https://preview.redd.it/cu3ylq0q314b1.png?width=1004&format=png&auto=webp&s=4f9a3daf59d8a9586ba7ffa8976067cc2984f6d5
We learn that Blackbeard’s dream is to make Pirate Island a full-fledged nation, thus creating a Pirate Kingdom. Sounds familiar? While most people at this point would discard this theory since Blackbeard’s idea is the same of the well concealed dream of Luffy, I think that the fact that both have almost the same idea should strengthen the theory.
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https://preview.redd.it/0dybxrut314b1.png?width=991&format=png&auto=webp&s=ce5af20120130e904c0411436ae6b3e7689d8768
They have the same dream, they just look at the opposite side of the coin. Just like the both of them ate the very same cherry pie back in Mock Town but their reaction to its taste was completely the opposite. Blackbeard, having most likely inherited Rocks’ will, is chasing the goal of becoming the King of the World, and the first step is making Pirate Island a nation affiliated with the government and creating the Blackbeard Kingdom. Luffy, on the other hand, will create a Pirate Kingdom which will involve the entire world and where the absolute ruler is freedom itself.
The Ancient Kingdom
It is indeed time to tie the Ancient Kingdom and Joyboy himself to the theory.
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https://preview.redd.it/adazvj76414b1.png?width=878&format=png&auto=webp&s=b125438ff1589f71a87bfe3c79fe6009515c2d00
The immense kingdom which existed in the past could very well be a Kingdom which comprehends the whole world united under the same flag, pretty much like what Luffy in my opinion intends to do: they’re the same Pirate Kingdom! Joyboy must’ve been a citizen of that kingdom, thus a pirate, with a specific purpose to carry out. More about this later tho.
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https://preview.redd.it/5c96w6r8414b1.png?width=884&format=png&auto=webp&s=a0bcdf80f0578fa5726f54f6bfd4e240ece3a583
Of course, the top of the world, the absolute rulers aka the World Government finds the very existence of a Pirate Kingdom who chases freedom to be very threatening to the status quo. Eventually, the will of Joyboy would be inherited by Roger first and then Luffy. Then Clover also states that, while the nature of the threat that the Ancient Kingdom poses is still unknown, the key lies in the name of the Kingdom itself. But what could it be?
The Will of D.
In the latest chapter, we learn a lot of things. Nefeltari Lili’s blunder and her real name, Nefeltari D. Lili. D., the same letter which Imu indeed confirms to be carried by his/her ancient enemies. The most important piece of information related to this theory lies in the letter left by Lili to future Arabasta’s rulers. We can hear Cobra speaking few words of that very letter, although they carry the utmost importance.
​
“The Poneglyphs must be protected. Fly the flag that heralds the world’s eventual Dawn.”
Could the name of the Ancient Pirate Kingdom be the same of D? Could this name be Dawn? The Dawn Kingdom and the will of Dawn! The word dawn that by coincidence, sure, carries the almost same sound of DON. The will of Dawn is the will of pirates to chase freedom and to be united under the same Kingdom, the same Flag. Now obviously, every pirate crew needs its flag, which would eventually be the same of the Kingdom. And what could it be?
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https://preview.redd.it/6gemby6h414b1.png?width=852&format=png&auto=webp&s=0f303c5ebbd90999c799953e48fbff46453d815d
Nothing’s better that an old-fashioned goofy ass Strawhat crew’s flag. Or maybe the one that Bellamy is designing? Who knows. That leaves us with just one question. What was Joyboy’s purpose?
The Binks Sake
What I think was Joyboy’s purpose is delivering the Binks’ Sake to all the Pirate Kingdom, just like the song states, thus making everyone brothers. But at some point, he was forced to interrupt this mission, thus leaving it all in one place. Sounds familiar? That very place is Laugh Tale, and the treasure itself could be Binks Sake. Why the treasure would be sake of all things. Let’s head back to chapter 585, which at this point I think is one, if not the most important of the entire series.
https://preview.redd.it/zne6ms3m414b1.png?width=873&format=png&auto=webp&s=b2d6f796385f19b0b45403a4ed24550fa8b93242
Right after mentioning Luffy’s mysterious dream, the next page is the one above, the one in which the three kids exchange the Sake cups and officially become brothers. In short, Chapter 585 might be telling us that Luffy’s dream is to create a Pirate Kingdom, thus using the Treasure to exchange Sake cups with every pirate, or “citizen” of the Kingdom, making everyone brother. Just like Joyboy was supposed to do but couldn’t, waiting for Luffy to do it in his place. Furthermore…
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https://preview.redd.it/mu1rugyn414b1.png?width=1004&format=png&auto=webp&s=d103810bd823eba18dd412b7bdb40cc2f12207b6
https://preview.redd.it/qyhxpego414b1.png?width=748&format=png&auto=webp&s=2addcba0ab9c58fb449a1d091fbed81ad6015ba1
This may be the biggest hunch, but the key could lie in the titles of chapter 999 and 1000. It doesn’t seem right to me that every time a new chapter goes out we get pretty much straightforward titles that anticipate what is supposed to happen in the same chapter. EXCEPT for this two chapters in particular. I believe this to be an hidden message of what the treasure is. It is to be read as a sentence. It’s like Joyboy speaking: “The sake I brewed to drink with you, Straw Hat Luffy.”
Conclusion
This is it. As you can see it is not a brainy and fanciful theory, but more a connection of some dots scattered in the story. Let me know what do you guys think about it!!!

• How old are you? What's your gender? Give us a general description of yourself.
I'm a 20y.o female. I'm
• Is there a medical diagnosis that may impact your mental stability somehow?
No
• Describe your upbringing. Did it have any kind of religious or structured influence? How did you respond to it?
My parents are religious but I'm not. I pretty open about it, I don't believe in any specific god but I do believe there is a god or maybe even gods.
• What do you do as a job or as a career (if you have one)? Do you like it? Why or why not?
I just graduated from a bachelor's degree in Chinese language. I will then continue my studies with a master's degree in marketing. I love languages and I love Chinese, but I don't see myself as a teacher (I don't like it and I'm not good at it), and I do like translation but that isn't a good job for the future, so that's why I chose a master's degree in marketing. As I know languages and I'm creative, plus, I wish to find a career that wouldn't disappear in the near future, I didn't chose it for passion no.
• If you had to spend an entire weekend by yourself, how would you feel? Would you feel lonely or refreshed?
A weekend is okay, I would feel good, I don't mind being alone and doing my own stuff. I often go traveling alone btw. But I do feel lonely pretty often, so more than a weekend would make me feel lonely.
• What kinds of activities do you prefer? Do you like, and are you good at sports? Do you enjoy any other outdoor or indoor activities?
I like to study honestly haha. Otherwise, drawing, reading, hanging out with my friends, traveling, visit museums... I go to the gym to be in good health, but I wouldn't say I like it, moreover I absolutely hate team sports. I enjoy both indoor and outdoor activities.
• How curious are you? Do you have more ideas then you can execute? What are your curiosities about? What are your ideas about - is it environmental or conceptual, and can you please elaborate?
I'm pretty curious about people, what they think, what they do. Sometimes I can just spend a whole hour thinking about what a person I know could be doing right now, they are not even my friend, and I don't even mind knowing what they were really doing, I just find thinking about it pretty fun. Otherwise I'm also curious about the world and some common knowledge. I wouldn't say I have more ideas that I cna execute though, I have lots of friends like this and it quite irritates me when they are all talk no action...
• Would you enjoy taking on a leadership position? Do you think you would be good at it? What would your leadership style be?
I like to have control over a situation, I like to give ideas in a team work and wish people could follow them. However I'm way too anxious to take a leadership position.
• Are you coordinated? Why do you feel as if you are or are not? Do you enjoy working with your hands in some form? Describe your activity?
I'm not. I'm pretty oblivious to my surroundings and I feel like I have no control over my body. However I'm a pretty good artist, I know how to draw and paint well. That's all though. I'm the worst at dancing.
• Are you artistic? If yes, describe your art? If you are not particular artistic but can appreciate art please likewise describe what forums of art you enjoy. Please explain your answer.
I love impressionism!!! Lots of colors! I hate how cliché this sounds but I do enjoy Van Gogh's works the most, they make me feel something. But I don't think the art I make is even close to impressionism, I things I like and the things I do are pretty different I think.
• What's your opinion about the past, present, and future? How do you deal with them?
I am always feeling nostalgic, it's terrible. Sometimes I can't sleep just because I'm thinking about a good memory I had, and I would feel so terrible and cry because I know it won't happen again. The worst is that my memory is so good, so sometimes I replay some moments I had in my life and feel terrible about it. I don't like the past. As for the future, it's difficult... I had a moment in my life when I was really hopeless, and wouldn't even try to think about the future or I would just think about negative outcomes. Now though, I am very hopeful, and I have looots of ideas about the future, lots of things I could do, lots of places I could go to. But I never ever had thoughts like "in the future, I want a xxx husband, with a big house, 3 kids and a dog" my ideas are never this detailed.
I guess in short I usually live in the present, but if I feel bad/hopeless, I wouldn't think about the future, or think only negatively about it, and rather spend my time thinking about the past and how good it was, only to feel sad and even more desperate because I will never experience these moments again...
• How do you act when others request your help to do something (anything)? If you would decide to help them, why would you do so?
Honestly, it makes me feel very uncomfortable. Even though I like to help people and always agree to help, when people directly ask for my help it makes me a little upset, and helping them would depend on my mood and on who they are, and also the task they need help with.
• Do you need logical consistency in your life?
No not really, I'm more of an emotional person. However, when it comes to making a rather important decision, I prefer to listen to my head than my heart.
• How important is efficiency and productivity to you?
Very important. I always try to do something everyday and feel bad if I haven't done anything productive. I have my own vision of productivity though, so spending a day hanging out with my friends is productive, as social relationships also need to be taken care of.
• Do you control others, even if indirectly? How and why do you do that?
I don't think so?
• What are your hobbies? Why do you like them?
I like studying, mostly languages, drawing, hanging out with friends, traveling, watching tv, listening to music
• What is your learning style? What kind of learning environments do you struggle with most? Why do you like/struggle with these learning styles? Do you prefer classes involving memorization, logic, creativity, or your physical senses?
I have a good memory so I don't really struggle with studying. I can study on my own at home, in a café or with friends, it doesn't matter.
• How good are you at strategizing? Do you easily break up projects into manageable tasks? Or do you have a tendency to wing projects and improvise as you go?
Pretty good actually, I'm always the one making plans and trying to make it the most efficient possible to make the most out of my time. But I have no problem improvising and do quite like it when I feel lazy actually haha. Planning is more like a hobby, something I do for fun, but I don't constantly need it.
• What are your aspirations in life, professionally and personally?
I wish I could just have a job I could do online, so that I can go discover the world and make money at the same time.
• What are your fears? What makes you uncomfortable? What do you hate? Why?
I fear missing out, things not turning out the way I want them in my head. Also, I hate insects.
• What do the "highs" in your life look like?
Me traveling, speaking multiple languages, doing what I want to and not being limited by people, I still want a lot of people in my life though.
• What do the "lows" in your life look like?
Doing something I despise, being poor and asking people for help.
• How attached are you to reality? Do you daydream often, or do you pay attention to what's around you? If you do daydream, are you aware of your surroundings while you do so?
I often daydream about real things. I don't really pay attention to the world around me when I do so though, which I actually don't like as I wish I would stop overthinking and just enjoy the moment and the things I see, especially when I travel. I could visit a new place while thinking about something else and then feel like I haven't visited anything.
• Imagine you are alone in a blank, empty room. There is nothing for you to do and no one to talk to. What do you think about?
I would think about way too many things, why I'm here, what's going on outside, how to escape, and is it really a good idea to escape, etc.
• How long do you take to make an important decision? And do you change your mind once you've made it?
I make decisions pretty fast, and often change my mind afterwards lol
• How long do you take to process your emotions? How important are emotions in your life?
I'm t.e.r.r.i.b.l.e with emotions, I noticed that after starting a relationship with a very emotionally intelligent person. When I feel upset, I would completely shut down, I won't be able to talk at all, and feel a blank in my head, I just become dumb. The worse is when I'm angry, I'm like a bomb ready to explode, at this moment I would be mean to people close to me, and then feel bad about it and hurt myself. When I'm happy, I can't really feel it with my body, I'm not so excited or anything like other people, but I know that I'm happy, other people though, would ask me why I have such a sad face haha... I think emotions are really really important though!!
• Do you ever catch yourself agreeing with others just to appease them and keep the conversation going? How often? Why?
Yes, very often, when I'm not close to them and fear to ruin a new relationship.
• Do you break rules often? Do you think authority should be challenged, or that they know better? If you do break rules, why?
I don't think authority should be challenged, nor that they know better, I don't really care. I do sometimes break the rules when I'm having fun, but that's really rare though.
I hope you have an idea of my type and could give me some feedback :)

Hi! I am trying to create a graphic maze using JavaSwing where u can create a maze object using arrays and then using next/previous button the panel shows where a blue circle should go to which position in the maze. My problem right now is the animation of the blue circle doesn't work.
the maze class looks like this:
it finds the way out recursively and saves all the boxes it needs to go to in a list

import java.util.ArrayList; 

import java.util.Collections; import java.util.List; import java.awt.Point;
public class Maze {

private char[][] maze; private List solution; public Maze(char[][] maze) { this.maze = maze; this.solution = new ArrayList<>(); } public boolean canExit(int i, int j) { int n = maze.length; if (i<0 j<0 i >=n j>=n) return false; if (maze[i][j] != ' ') return false; maze[i][j] = '.'; if (i==n-1 && j==n-1 canExit(i+1,j) /* unten */ canExit(i,j+1) canExit(i-1,j) /* oben */ canExit(i,j-1) ) { solution.add(new Point(j, i)); maze[i][j] = '+'; return true; } return false; } public void printMaze() { for (int i = 0; i < maze.length; i++) { for (int j = 0; j < maze.length; j++) System.out.print(maze[i][j] + " "); System.out.println(); } } public List getSolution(){ return solution; } public char[][] getMaze(){ return this.maze; } 

}
for the graphic part, i have the class Graphic that inherits from JPanel and supports the following methods :

1. Graphic(int width, int height) : Constructor with size of canvas
2. void setColor(Color color) : sets drawing color for next operations
3. void drawRect(int x, int y, int width, int height) : draws rectangle with reference point (x,y) and given width and height
4. drawOval : similar to drawRect, but oval instead of rectangle
5. fillRect , fillOval : draws a filled rectangle/oval
6. void clear() : clears drawing (needs to call redraw() afterwards )
7. void redraw() : redraws drawing
8. void sleep(int millis) : pauses program for number of milliseconds

now, for the GUI of the maze i that i have done so far:

public class NavMaze extends JFrame { private Container c; private Graphic g; private Maze maze; private List solution; private int currentIndex; public NavMaze(Maze maze) { this.maze = maze; this.solution = maze.getSolution(); Collections.reverse(solution); this.currentIndex = 0; c = getContentPane(); g = new Graphic(600, 620); c.add(g, BorderLayout.CENTER); setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE); setTitle("NavMaze"); JPanel buttonPanel = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.CENTER)); setupButtons(buttonPanel); c.add(buttonPanel, BorderLayout.SOUTH); generateMaze(); //drawSolution(); animateSolution(); pack(); setVisible(true); } public void generateMaze() { char[][] mazeArray = maze.getMaze(); int mazeSize = mazeArray.length; g.setColor(Color.BLACK); for (int i = 0; i < mazeSize; i++) { for (int j = 0; j < mazeSize; j++) { if (mazeArray[i][j] == 'X') { g.fillRect(j * 100, i * 100, 100, 100); } else { g.drawRect(j * 100, i * 100, 100, 100); } } } } public void drawSolution() { g.setColor(Color.BLUE); for(int i=0; i nextX) { currentX -= stepSize; } if (currentY < nextY) { currentY += stepSize; } else if (currentY > nextY) { currentY -= stepSize; } g.redraw(); g.sleep(delay); } } public void setupButtons(JPanel buttonPanel) { JButton previousButton = new JButton("Previous"); previousButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener() { public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) { if (currentIndex > 0) { currentIndex--; animateSolution(); } } }); buttonPanel.add(previousButton); JButton nextButton = new JButton("Next"); nextButton.addActionListener(new ActionListener() { public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) { if (currentIndex < solution.size() - 1) { currentIndex++; animateSolution(); } } }); buttonPanel.add(nextButton); } public static void main(String[] args) { char[][] maze = {{' ', 'X', ' ', 'X', ' ', ' '}, {' ', 'X', ' ', ' ', ' ', 'X'}, {' ', ' ', 'X', 'X', ' ', 'X'}, {'X', ' ', ' ', ' ', ' ', 'X'}, {' ', ' ', ' ', 'X', ' ', 'X'}, {'X', 'X', ' ', ' ', ' ', ' '}}; Maze myMaze = new Maze(maze); myMaze.canExit(0, 0); NavMaze navMaze = new NavMaze(myMaze); } 

}
i tried following this code where it creates a rectangle that keeps moving across the panel but it doesn't work. The blue circle just waits for the delay and pops up in the next position:

public void animate() { for (int i=0; i<200; i++) { g.fillRect(i,100,100,100); g.redraw(); g.sleep(100); g.clear(); } } 

This isn't specifically IT-related, but since we all work in IT, was just wondering what the rules are these days in our circles. I've worked in the field for almost 20 years, I generally try to treat the women I work with no differently than the men who I would refer to male co-workers on a first-name basis. I've found that this is generally accepted even with managers, male or female.
However, when looking for a job or talking to recruiters, I tend to default to "Mrs. (last name)" which I'm afraid is probably too antiquated and possibly offensive. But using "Miss" could also be offensive to some. If they email me first however and start with a "First Name," I just stick with that. I'm having trouble knowing how to navigate this.
Also, if there are any other recommendations on how to treat women in the workplace that we fellas might be missing that you'd like to add to this thread, I would appreciate the input.

I recently finished listening to this the second time on Audible. The seven books are available as an omnibus, so in terms of content per dollar, this series is a steal!
My thoughts: overall, S7I is good fun!
The series is plot driven rather than character driven.
There is a large cast of characters, but it is quite easy to keep track of them due to their straightforward characterization.
Readers can get a quick feel of most characters because of their actions, and because they embody common archetypes: the passionate bard who follows the adventurer to compose his saga(Jack), the brave Thumbelina-like girl who is too pure for this world(Ren), the inventor with an ingenious gadget for everything (Gamaliel) etc..
The two lead characters stand out as being more complex and introspective (more on that later)
The pacing is the best part of this book. The author really doesn’t get bogged down anywhere. The characters move between several very different and interesting locations, and they enact sweeping changes wherever they go. A war is fought on three fronts: Isles vs Revived Evil Emperor, Isles vs. Invading Barbarians, and Isles vs. Agents of the Netherworld who would destroy e-v-e-r-y-t-h-I-n-g.
Despite all this going on, the story avoids the common pitfalls of epic fantasies that become too sprawling. The main cast remains very connected, even when working on different quests, and their different activities all interlock and relate to each other very well. Nothing feels like bloat or unnecessary detail.
An interesting aspect to this series is its very directly stated philosophy: “People who seek power are innately unworthy of wielding it.” Also “People have the right to their property, their freedom, and their lives, but these rights can be forfeited if they violate the rights of others. In such a case, violence is justifiable.” These opinions direct all the activities of the main cast and serve as a sort if thesis which organizes the plot. The quest is largely about keeping power out of unworthy hands.
I think that this philosophy would stick in the craw of many modern readers who live in republics/democracies. After all, everyone who runs for office is a power-seeker, and this novel’s solution (ye olde inflicting power onto the unsuspecting royal farm boy trope) is monarchist. I think the author is very disillusioned and frustrated with modern politicians (can’t think if one who isn’t a liar) and has lost all faith in elections as a means of allocating power. I found it an interesting opinion to hear about, even if I don’t necessarily agree.
The male lead and female lead are very introspective. What is a good leader? How should they exercise their authority, how completely must they set aside personal interest, and what are their responsibilities? One of their main preoccupations is guilt. The author is quite firm that one should not feel guilt for the actions of others. “If an enemy forces an impossible choice on you, the guilt belongs to the enemy, not you. “” This mindset can come off as very warlike and domineering, but it seems to serve leaders well in tight situations.
The female lead (Isabel) spends a lot of the story fighting an internal battle. Portals to both Heaven and Hell are open in her soul, and her choices will save or damn the world. It’s an Eve story, but without a sexual theme. The temptations that would draw her off the righteous path are exhaustion, moral fatigue, despair, and sadism. Isabel struggles to choose perseverance, hope, and love instead.
The obstacles that the main cast go up against are varied, and each manages to be frightening and exciting in a unique way. I think this is helped by avoiding the insane power creep many fantasy novels/mangas run into. If your character levels up to godhood, what can really threaten him? The main character in this series develops strong powers of communication and surveillance, but never becomes someone who can’t be taken out by a lucky arrow, stab in the back, or household accident.
I particularly enjoyed an incident when the main crew was running away from night stalkers and took shelter in a structure, only to realize they had entered the stalkers’ den!
The magic and battle mechanics in this works tend to be both cool and fun. Very subjective opinion but… imagine a sword that can cut through anything, a magic fortress with heaps of money inside, a relentless monster that is immune to physical damage but can’t go through walls or beat geography, and a power to phase out of physical space—but if you stay gone more than a moment you get terrible frostbite and die! These things and more are just fun to imagine and play around with.
Two things I didn’t like:
I thought a certain bad-guy-turned-good could have been handled better. He hurt a lot of people very deeply, but everyone seemed to get over it at breakneck speed, as though keep up with the plot.
Second, the male lead managed to collect three women who are obsessed with him 🙄 One wife, a fairy who shares his soul, and an imprinted dragon. It’s not a raunchy book by any means, and the guy is always faithful to his main relationship, but I think some inspiration from harem fantasies leaked in.
On the other hand, quite a lot of the plot passes the Bechdel test. Two of the settings are matriarchal in nature, and both the adversaries and the problem solvers in these parts of the plot are women. Witch politics are brutal!
Overall, S7I is a very entertaining and interesting read. I don’t often see it discussed here, so I hope it gets more attention!

Demographics: Korean female, 1st gen, suburban Indiana, <30K family of 3 (low income)
Intended major: Biochemistry or Biomedical Engineering
GPA: 3.89/4.24
SAT: 1230 (gonna try to raise it)
Coursework
APs: AP Calc AB, AP European History, AP Calc BC, APUSH, AP Lang + Comp, AP Chemistry, AP Psychology
Dual Credit: PLTW Principles of Biomedical Science, PLTW Human Body Systems, PLTW Medical Interventions
Honors: Biology 9, English 9-10, Chemistry 10, Geography and History of the World
Regular Classes: Psychology (1 sem) and Sociology (1 sem), Visual Communications, Drawing I and II, German I-III
Classes taken over the summer: Gym (freshman), Health (sophomore), Econ (summer before 12th), and Gov (summer before 12th)
What I plan to do senior year: AP Lit, AP Stats, AP Biology, AP Physics (calc based), German IV, PLTW Medical Interventions, Study Hall/Tutoring (for volunteering), Calculus 3/Multivariable Differential Calculus
Awards + Honors (what I have rn): Questbridge College Prep Scholar, National Honor Society, Academic Achievement Award (for my hs), 2020-2022 IASB Individual Competiton Award (Gold rank in 2022)
Extracurriculars (including what I will do senior year):

1. IASB (spell bowl): 9th-12th, captain for 12th, went to state every year, got 2nd 10th and 3rd for 11th
2. IASSB (science super bowl): 10th-12th, captain for 12th
3. Model UN: 10th-12th, executive board member since junior year
4. Key club: 9th-12th, regular member
5. National Honor Society: 11th-12th
6. MathCounts coach 11th-12th
7. Volunteering at the Hospital: starting soon
8. School Tutoring for chemistry: 12th
9. Work part-time as an instructor at a math tutoring center
10. Freshman Helper: 12th
11. YJA, editor + a state chair
12. stem-based club, director of research
13. Paid Internship for cancer research at Notre Dame from June 2022-July 2022 (centered in an biochemistry lab), which was 40 hours each week, also got the chance to present at ND's cancer research day.
14. I have another paid internship this summer at Notre Dame but it will be based on an engineering lab

I’m mainly aiming for Notre Dame and Purdue. If I get into ND, I’m aiming for either biochem or engineering but if its Purdue, then I’m aiming for possibly biomedical engineering. But I would also appreciate any safeties/backups I would have a good chance in, especially if it's a Questbridge partner school. I'm not sure if my application is really competitive, but I would like to know if there's anything I can do to boost my application, esepcially for Notre Dame. I know I need to get my SAT score up, so I'm going to be studying the whole summer for that along with studying for the ACT. I'm also going to be volunteering at the hospital and doing more research at ND during the summer, so I wouldn't also mind if there was anything else I could do to boost the app ^^

I’m incredibly bored so I’ve started drawing a collage (I guess) of marvel characters, I’ve added room for my favourites but there’s still quite a lot of space left so feel free to drop your favourite characters! It’s well-needed inspiration lol, anything goes however I do prefer drawing males (still open to female suggestions). Thanks!
One’s I’ve already got: - Hawkeye - Quicksilver - Havok - Maximus - The Human Torch (Johnny) - Beast - Kraglin - Loki - Eddie & Venom

Hey all! We've just put together a list of books that could be useful, especially for film music composers (but honestly, they're great for composers of any genre too.) These books are fairly well-known, so they might be more suitable for those who are just starting out as media music composers. Either way, we hope you find them helpful!
*Please note that the selection of books provided solely focuses on the theoretical aspects of music composition. Books specifically addressing the technical aspects of film scoring, such as spotting, synchronization, and other related topics, have not been included in this list.
​
- On the Track
Author: Fred Karlin, Rayburn Wright
Publisher: Routledge; 2nd edition (January 8, 2004)
Paperback: 560 Pages
Language: English
Publication Year: 1995
If you’re interested in a career in film scoring, then we have no doubt that you’ve probably heard of this book (or maybe it’s already on your bookshelf). This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about the craft of film scoring, from the basics of music theory and composition to the more technical aspects of working with film crews and recording studios.The book is divided into two parts. The first part covers the basics of film scoring, including the history of film music, the different types of film music, and the role of the film composer. The second part of the book is more technical and covers topics such as spotting, synchronization, and orchestration.The only downside to On the Track is that it was published in 1990. As a result, some of the information in the book is now outdated. However, the vast majority of the information in the book is still relevant, and it is still a valuable resource for anyone interested in film scoring. Also, the book does not come with any audio tracks, but you can find many of the examples discussed in the book on other sources such as YouTube.
(Sidenote: Inside the Score by Rayburn Wright (Kendor Music Publishing) is an extraordinary resource and a great guide for those interested in study of big band jazz.)
​
- The Art of Film Music
Author: George D. Burt
Publisher: Northeastern University Press
Paperback: 288 Pages
Language: English
Publication Year: 1995
“The pages are enriched with detailed discussions of iconic scores from memorable scenes in films like The Best Years of Our Lives, Laura, and East of Eden.”
This book delves into the significant role and profound impact of music in film by analyzing various scenes from classic movies spanning the 1930s to the 1980s. The author thoroughly examines both the practical and aesthetic aspects of film scoring, drawing on the insights of esteemed composers such as Hugo Friedhofer, Alex North, David Raksin, and Leonard Rosenman. The pages are enriched with detailed discussions of iconic scores from memorable scenes in films like The Best Years of Our Lives, Laura, and East of Eden. Additionally, the book serves as a technical guide for composing film music, covering topics such as the spotting process, timing, synchronization, and general compositional approaches. It’s worth noting that the book does not include any audio tracks, most likely due to copyright considerations.
​
- Principles of Orchestration
Author: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Published: June 1, 1964 by Dover Publications.
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
*First Published July 15, 1822
“This book provides valuable insights into topics such as tonal resonance, voice combination, effective utilization of tutti effects, and more.”
“The Principles of Orchestration,” authored by Rimsky-Korsakov, a renowned master of Late Romantic orchestration, serves as a comprehensive guide to arranging parts for either a string or full orchestra. This book provides valuable insights into topics such as tonal resonance, voice combination, effective utilization of tutti effects, and more. Many of the musical examples featured in the book are drawn from the author’s own compositions, including notable works like Scheherazade and Capriccio espagnol.
However, it is important to consider that while we highly recommend this book and acknowledge its immense value, it may not be the most suitable initial resource for novice orchestrators. “The Principles of Orchestration” assumes that readers possess a solid understanding of music notation, orchestral instruments, and notation conventions. It is also worth noting that the book does not include any audio materials.
​
- Modulation
Author: Max Reger
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dover Publications; Illustrated edition (June 5, 2007)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 80 pages
“Consider it an essential companion for your writing desk, providing quick and accessible references whenever needed.”
Let’s diverge for a moment. While this book may not be exclusively focused on film scoring, it proves to be an exceptional resource for music theory in general. Have you ever encountered challenges when transitioning between different keys? Aptly named, this book is dedicated to the art of modulation and transposing from one key to another. With a focus on 100+ modulations using a 4-part voicing, this concise guide offers valuable insights into navigating key changes effortlessly.
​
- Music Notation
Author: Mark McGrain
Publisher‏ : ‎ Berklee Press (July 1, 1990)
Language‏ : ‎ English
Paperback‏ : ‎ 216 pages
“This comprehensive book is a treasure trove of answers to the majority, if not all, of the notation questions you may encounter as a composer. “
Pausing your creative flow while composing due to confusion over technical aspects of notation methods can be quite frustrating. Fortunately, this book is specifically designed to alleviate such situations.
This comprehensive book is a treasure trove of answers to the majority, if not all, of the notation questions you may encounter as a composer. It covers a wide range of subjects, including Chord Notation, Dynamics (Location of Dynamic Information), Articulations (Placement of Accent, Staccato), and various other crucial aspects essential for maintaining a professional and polished appearance in your musical scores. Whether you’re seeking guidance on proper notation techniques or aiming to enhance the overall professionalism of your compositions, this book is an indispensable resource that every composer should have in their collection. With its extensive coverage and expert insights, it serves as a reliable and invaluable companion throughout your creative journey.
​
- The Study of Orchestration
Author: Samuel Adler
Publisher‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company; Fourth edition (June 1, 2016)
Language‏ : ‎ English
Paperback‏ : ‎ 1024 pages
“This book goes beyond being a mere reference and is often regarded as a bible for composers across various genres, not limited to film music. “
Samuel Adler’s “The Study of Orchestration” holds a prominent place on our list. Deliberately positioned as the final item, we assume that many readers of this article are already familiar with this renowned book. However, for those who are just starting their orchestration journey, it is an absolute must-have resource. Consider it a comprehensive guide that imparts essential knowledge, whether you are exploring the ranges and characteristics of different instruments, delving into specific notation methods, understanding timbre, or learning effective techniques for orchestrating your compositions, including considerations for doublings. This book goes beyond being a mere reference and is often regarded as a bible for composers across various genres, not limited to film music. Its invaluable insights make it an indispensable companion for anyone seeking to enhance their orchestration skills and craft remarkable musical works. And yes, this book comes with audio examples.
You can find additional learning resources on film composition right here.
… and the list goes on and on. While we couldn’t include all our recommendations here, we’ve compiled a concise list of additional books that we highly recommend. In our future posts, we will gladly share even more book suggestions. Thank you for your reading!
​
“Film Music: A Very Short Introduction” by Kathryn Kalinak: This book provides an overview of the history and evolution of film music, exploring different styles and approaches used in film scoring.
“Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen” by Michel Chion: While not specifically focused on composition, this book explores the intricate relationship between sound and image in film, which can help composers better understand the role of music in enhancing the cinematic experience.
“Music Composition for Film and Television” by Lalo Schifrin: This book, written by the acclaimed composer Lalo Schifrin, provides insights into the creative process of composing music for visual media. Schifrin shares his experiences and techniques, covering topics like melody, harmony, rhythm, and orchestration. (Major drawback: No audio examples)
“Complete Guide to Film Scoring” by Richard Davis: This comprehensive guide offers practical advice and techniques for composing music for film. It covers various aspects, including working with directors, understanding the business side of film scoring, and creating effective scores that enhance storytelling.
“Scoring the Screen: The Secret Language of Film Music” by Andy Hill: In this book, Andy Hill explores the art and language of film music, providing a deeper understanding of how music can shape the emotional impact of a film. It covers topics such as orchestration, thematic development, and the collaboration process between composers and filmmakers.
​
Source: https://filmmusictheory.com/article/recommended-books-on-film-scoring/

So, all the other cards I grasp and I think Opposite Day could be fun. But how is it suposed to work?
It isn't a reaction, so what action exactly is it refering to? Is it only for if someone draws an additional card?

Hey folks, I just finished playing through P5R for the first time (I only played a few hours of P5 vanilla) and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it for the last few days, so I wanted to write down a few disconnected thoughts I've had about the whole experience. Of course this is all my opinion, so please take it with a grain of salt. Since it's a reflection on the full game, there will be big spoilers here. Okay here's a big wall of text:
-First thing's first, this game rocks. It's just genuinely extremely fun moment to moment in a way that not a lot of JRPGs are, in my experience. It gets interesting very quickly and is varied enough to keep your attention pretty much throughout the whole thing.
-Man, this game really gets its hooks in you emotionally. It's a silly, goofy, dumb story at times, but something about the way it's constructed is really successful at drawing you in and making you care about your little band of weirdos. I find myself with a kind of empty feeling afterwards that makes me want to just jump straight into NG+.
-The extra semester added in Royal really adds to the experience IMO. I like that, after Yaldabaoth, the party is forced to think about what world they want to live in--like why are they rebelling in the first place? Maruki's an interesting antagonist here for a lot of reasons, but the main reason I like him is that he gives the party a difficult philosophical problem. He's not trying to enslave anyone or exploit them. He really is trying to look out for their best interests. At the same time, though, the world he promises is ultimately impoverished. He wants a world in which there is no such thing as genuine achievement, no real chance of failure, and one in which our relationships with others don't ultimately mean anything beyond making us happy. It's clearly hard for the party to intentionally choose a world in which they might struggle more and feel more pain. But you just can't have all the things that are valuable in our lives without some pain and failure. It's a cool dilemma, and much more interesting than the one Yaldabaoth sets up.
-With that said, I think they probably could have come up with a better way to integrate the semester into the game. It's very weird to me that your high-school guidance counsellor is ultimately like an eldritch being warping the fabric of reality, and the explanation of how he ends up that way seems super sketchy
-I do think there are some changes that could have made the plot a bit stronger. Just in the Royal content, the characters come to give up on Maruki's reality really easily. But I think anyone who's lost a parent would tell you that it wouldn't be so easy to do that--many people would give an arm and a leg just to talk to their mom or dad again. It would have been neat to have maybe a week where all the characters ignore you and start to drift away--maybe the game could even make their confidant levels start to decay or something to add some drama to the situation. Like there could be a full week of in game time where none of them are available to hang out with, and if you find them in the overworld, they tell you they're too busy or something, before eventually coming around to agree to fight Maruki at the end of the week. This might feel bad temporarily but I think it would really help raise the stakes for the final confrontation with Maruki. Some time for the story to breathe here would help.
-It would have been nice if fewer of the confidant lines were resolved with a trip to Mementos--it became a little repetitive around the middle of the game
-In general, I think the plot would have benefited from a bit more friction between the party members. I get that Joker's the leader, but they all just fawn over him and agree with everything he says, or take every one-word response to be sage wisdom. I get that part of what makes the game fun is forging relationships with your confidants, and that the game can't make it too difficult to do that (especially given how many confidants there are). I just would have liked it if they toned it down a little bit--like if people treated you a bit more like a normal person than a special wonder boy who knows everything (like Sumire starts referring to you as her coach at the end of her confidant line--what do I know about gymnastics???)
-On that note, it's hilarious to me that, when Akechi rejoins the party in the third semester, the party adds him back to the group chat. Like damn, I get you have to work with him, but that doesn't mean you have to hang out with him. Nothing brings down the billiards vibe like your father's killer lurking in the background. I think it would have been okay for them to just not invite him to things.
-Same with Yoshizawa. Nobody else in the party has spoken to her but I guess they all just love her anyway? I don't think everyone has to be best friends.
-Everyone in this game reacts very well to Joker saying "Calm down." Try saying this to real people when they're mad and see if you get any music notes lol.
-The game is overall a bit too easy for my liking. I played on Hard but there were only a few moments that I had to repeat (weirdly, the toughest boss for me was the boss of Sae's palace). This seems intentional--when you replay fights, you realize how annoying it can be to have to go through multiple scripted sequences in a 40-minute fight over and over again. But with how easy it is to farm in Mementos and get totally busted personas, the game just didn't feel that challenging. I intentionally tried not to optimize much at all and still completed the final boss in one go.
-Throughout the game, I was constantly thinking about Psychonauts, which is a very different game with a similar premise (jump into people's brains and do some questionably-ethical DIY therapy). There are interesting contrasts--Psychonauts is only ~8 hours and P5R is 100+ hours, Psychonauts is an indie platformer and P5R is a AAA JRPG. Still, I think there are some interesting points of comparison. In particular, the worlds in Psychonauts are very visually and mechanically distinct from one another, whereas in Persona 5 the palaces are all more or less standard RPG dungeons with a few twists as window-dressing. Again, I don't think the same level of variety would have been feasible (or even good--it would have been exhausting). Still, though, I think the palaces people really like are ones that stand out the most mechanically, like Sae's or Futaba's. Others, like Kamoshida's, just basically tell us that the palace ruler sees others in a messed up way and that's it. We don't get a lot of exploration of how the specific ways in which Kamoshida is messed up make him different from other messed up people.
-It's a bit of a shame that a lot of the game's distinctive personality fades in Royal. The music towards the end of the game becomes a lot less funky and unique and a lot more standard JRPG wailing guitars. This is a problem with Royal in particular, I think, but also in the base game. I really missed Tokyo Daylight about 2/3s of the way in, and Take Over is simply no replacement for Last Surprise (there's just no contest IMO). Of course, there are some absolute bangers in the last few boss fights, but it seems like the team at Atlus either intentionally chose a different direction for Maruki's world or just ran out of juice on their initial creative direction by the end.
-I found the ending cutscene of P5R a little weird and disjointed. After watching the vanilla cutscene on youtube, I can see why. The vanilla cutscene acknowledges the suit guys in the car a bit more, and the whole setup of the scene is confusing (we're driving to the train station, but oops we're not, but oops we're all here, but okay bye take the train). It seems like the P5R scene was designed to subvert the ending of P5 vanilla more than it was to give a standalone ending for the game.
-Okay lastly, I know people hate to talk about politics in games, but let me do it briefly. Representation issues aside, the politics in P5R aren't terrible, but I think they're inconsistent. On the one hand, it's very cool to have a game be about people trying to make society better by dealing with abusive powerful people who can't be challenged. On the other hand, it's weird to think about societal reform as just being about 'changing people's hearts'--we need to do a lot more than that. The ending seems to suggest that, ultimately, the best thing the characters can do is try to find roles in existing institutions that will allow them to pursue their own ethical code. That's not a terrible message, but it's not very inspiring either. The game doesn't have a lot of interest in the question of whether these institutions are good in the first place. Like it's very cool that they beat Shido and it turns out nothing has changed. You might think that's because Shido wasn't the problem--the system that produced him is the problem. But then the game says, nope, not that, actually there's an evil god manifested by the 'sloth' of the people, and that's the reason everything's messed up. So at the end of the day it's not that there are systemic problems that create injustices, it's that all the individuals in society just happen to be too lazy to fight for what's right, so what we need to do is inspire them to do...something? It's weird. Some games have diagnoses but no solutions. This game has a solution but no diagnosis.
Ok I'm done. Thanks for reading (if you did)!

A lot of hate recently for pull rate data. Happens with every set that comes out.
One post even went far enough to say there were statistical sampling issues with pull rate data that make them invalid. Specifically calling into question the randomization of the packs selected. This makes absolutely no sense.
It is true that randomization is needed for a statistically valid sample. This is necessary to account for the differences in the individuals being measured. A person in Texas is different than a person in California is different than a person in any other place. Randomization in selection limits the influence of each of these biases.
In the case of Pokémon packs, they are already randomized. The cards in the pack are randomized and the packs are randomized across products. This means that no matter where you draw your 5000 packs from (ETBs in Oklahoma or booster boxes in New York) you will have 5000 randomized packs.
TL:DR - Randomization is needed for a valid sample. Pokémon packs are already randomized, so selection method doesn’t matter.
Edit: removed ChatGPT reference as it was unnecessary.

I have a 7 yr old male cat (will refer to him as K) that I adopted when he was 3. For context, K's original owner had no experience with pets before and K was also mistreated. I worked hard to get past K's trust issues and he became the sweetest baby. One of K's issues I noticed is that he bites and uses his claws a lot when playing or when annoyed, which I worked hard on changing to him now licking us or pretending to bite instead and rarely using his claws anymore.
We recently adopted a 3 month old female kitten (will refer to her as S) about almost 2 months ago. K hasn't been acting the same since. S was confident and would just walk around everywhere curious and not caring about K. K would act curious but also scared and would mostly just hang out far away.
Now he seems back to normal, but not entirely. He plays with her, but a lot of the time he ends up latching onto her and biting her so hard that she screams and he ends up covered in her fur. She wants to cuddle so badly with him, which he lets her rarely, but most of the time he'll either kick her away, leave, smack her (without claws), or latch onto her and start grooming her for so long in the most intense way. S has a tendency to try to eat from K's bowl almost all the damn time (she acts like it's her mission), and K just sadly accepts it and walks away. On the rare occasion, K will softly groom her. K also lets her jump on him and play with his tail.
With me, he almost doesn't purr anymore. He doesn't come up to me anymore wanting love like he used to. If I try to play with him and S tries to join, he gets upset and just stops playing, but I can see that he wants to play so badly. He doesn't sleep on our bed anymore. He doesn't come cuddle with me anymore and leaves if I try to call him over and S comes running instead.
Is he okay? Does he not trust me anymore? Is he upset with her? Does he just not know how to interact/play with her properly? Please help!