#types of cartridge case

[koiiiji]

new year's eve cuddles

summary ; batboys edition!! this is the first part of new year headcanons, gonna add more with lookism boys soon🕯️💌

author's note ; i haven't read/watch DC comics for a while so it maybe a little too ooc😔🥀

JASON TODD

Jason acts like he doesn’t care about new year’s eve but secretly goes out of his way to make the night special. he would never tell you about his plans because he wanted to make it a surprise, but because of his 'work' he of course forgot, and so all the preparations are made at the last minute. generally domestic life with Red Hood is chaotic, but preparation for new year is another level.

literally nothing is prepared. the apartment is in complete chaos - shell casings and guns are lying on the kitchen table, Jason's endless junk is scattered on the shelves, your things are stacked on a chair instead of a closet, unwashed dishes from previous times are in the sink, and a pile of other junk is scattered around the apartment of an ordinary young couple.

but Jason's sudden will to set new year mood is helping, he calls you on the way home and asks you to start cleaning the apartment while he buys the last little things (liar, he didn't have anything ready and it was a big shopping for about EVERYTHING) btw did he help cleaning? no, he got stuck at the moment when he needed to remove the cartridges and guns... but don't worry, he was your moral support!!

at least he might have a movie marathon ready, a bottles of beer (or cider, depending on your preference), and a cozy blanket fort in the living room.

Jason is the type who would want to spend at least one peaceful night at home, with you, to let you lay on his chest while he wraps an arm protectively around you. he’ll make sarcastic comments about the movies you’re watching but also unconsciously stroke your hair or rub your back.

as the countdown begins, Jason pulls you closer, his voice softening as he teases you about how cliche the moment feels. but when the clock strikes twelve, he kisses you deeply and mumbles something gruff about how much he loves you, his ears tinged red.

after midnight, Jason keeps holding you close, either discussing plans for the upcoming year or sharing quiet moments of contentment. he’ll eventually fall asleep with his head resting on top of yours, and his grip on you unrelenting even in his dreams.

DICK GRAYSON

Richard loves the energy of new year’s eve, so he might take you to Wayne manor to celebrate holiday with his family and have a great view of the city’s fireworks after midnight. but if you’d rather stay at your shared apartments, he’s all about cooking dinner together and dancing around the kitchen with you!

Dick really loves holidays so everything was set up, bought and prepared months ago!! he is super excited about gifts, about your reaction and what you prepared for him!

when dinner is prepared, gifts are opened and it’s time to settle down, Dick is the ultimate cuddler. he’ll have you tucked into his side, one arm around your shoulders, your legs tangled together as you both lounge on the couch or bed. he’s always running his fingers over your skin absentmindedly, either tracing patterns or giving little squeezes.

Dick is so into the little rituals!! he will ask you to sit under the table to eat that 12 grapes and make a wish as the clock strikes midnight. spoiler : you have no excuse to say no to this! giggling like a kid, almost choking on last grape, he makes sure you’re looking at him when the clock strike twelve and gives you the most tender, heartfelt kiss. he’ll then whisper something about how this year is going to be amazing as long as he has you.

Dick’s the kind of guy who suggests staying up late to watch the sunrise or talk about your hopes for the new year (or gossiping about batfamily). he’ll hold you close under a blanket, sharing quiet giggles and soft kisses until you both drift off to sleep.

DAMIAN WAYNE

Damian approaches new year’s eve with almost awful sense of formality. he insists on sticking to traditions, whether it’s preparing a specific meal or writing down resolutions.

it's his habit to wake up early, but on 31 of december its insanely early. Damian acts like old man, mumbling about mess, starting spring cleaning, food preparation and adding final decoration(i mean you wanted it, not him, and if Damian start to do something it needs to be perfect!!) however, he secretly loves when you convince him to relax and enjoy the night in a more carefree way (ofc all animals included!!)

Damian’s cuddles start a little stiff — he’s not the most physically affectionate at first — but once you’re settled, he melts. he’ll keep his arms securely around you, one hand resting on your back or waist while his head leans against yours.

as the countdown starts, Damian pretends not to be fazed, but he keeps stealing glances at you, his expression softening. when the clock hits twelve, he kisses you gently, almost shyly, and murmurs a quiet “happy new year” before tightening his hold on you.

after midnight, Damian might surprise you by asking about your goals or sharing his own hopes for the year ahead. he values the quiet intimacy of the moment and makes it clear that, whatever happens, you’re an essential part of his future.

[krjpalmer]

TRS-80 Microcomputer News July/August 1982

A professional writer described her high-end system (complete with official sound-muffling case for her high-end Daisy Wheel II printer) in this issue, which included a chart of how she backed up (including an off-site backup) the eight-inch floppies for her Model II. Her husband mentioned how he'd settled for a Model III for his own use, although he'd picked up a Line Printer VIII after finding "the limitations of the LP VII." Some type-in text editors were included, some for the Color Computer. There were also notes about what bugs burned into the "Program Pak" ROM cartridge of Color Scripsit had to be avoided, including pressing "7" at the main menu.

[norskheks]

Have you ever wondered what it's like being chronically ill in the US?

I have type 1 diabetes and use an insulin pump. Here's briefly how that works: my pump, which I typically keep in my pocket, has a spot for a cartridge that I fill with insulin, which is attached to tubing, which is attached to an infusion site, which is basically a piece of plastic and adhesive that goes on top of my skin, and a cannula that goes underneath it. These get changed every 2-3 days. (This is not universal; different pumps work differently.) I use a pump because the constant infusion of insulin results in the best control over my blood sugar levels for me (type 1 means my body makes zero insulin).

I'm struggling right now because I only have 2 sets of pump cartridges & infusion sets left (that's 6 days max), and my insurance is refusing to cover them at all. Insurance coverage is often split between medical (like doctor's visits) and pharmacy, which are administered by different companies even under the same plan. So now, medical says pharmacy should cover the cartridges and infusion sets because they're "diabetes supplies" (even though no pharmacy near me carries these supplies and as far as I can tell they are only available from medical supply companies, not pharmacies), and pharmacy says they are not considered to fall under "diabetes supplies" and medical should cover it under Durable Medical Equipment (correct afaik).

Twenty each of these (which lasts 40-60 days) costs about $300. I'm very very lucky that I can spare that right now, so I'm paying out of pocket while I fight with insurance, but on top of that, the medical supply company I get it from says that they haven't received any of the documents they requested from my doctor's office, while the doctor's office says they sent them a week ago. So I asked them to re-send it on Friday, but it has to go from receptionist to nurses and it's a whole process, plus my doctor's office closes at 4:30 on weekdays and isn't open on weekends. So now I'm grocery shopping for low carb meals and snacks so I can stretch the supplies out as long as possible (fewer carbs = less insulin).

My insurance is through my employer (I pay $75/week for it!), and they have hired a company to advocate for insured employees in cases like that. Not because of my case, just because they know that health insurance here sucks so much shit and is so confusing that they knew they would get complaints if they didn't. So I am working with an advocate there, and I have basically had to teach him all about how insulin pumps work so that he understands what it is I actually need. Most non-diabetics have no idea, even in the healthcare industry. (I have read horror stories from fellow type 1s whose surgeons for unrelated issues had no idea how to manage their diabetes while they were under anesthesia and they ended up with dangerously high blood sugar because the surgical staff refused to give them insulin for several hours because they weren't eating, which, that is not how type 1 works!!) But he is now recruiting colleagues to help pore over the details of the insurance plan documentation to figure out how to appeal it.

And to top it all off, whenever I call the insurance or the supply company, it is impossible to speak with anyone who has any decision making power, and they all just repeat the "It's not covered" line no matter how much I try to explain the nuances of the coverage. And then I have to make an effort not to scream at people who are just trying to survive by working a shitty job at an evil company (because that's basically a majority of available jobs). But I can't be TOO calm, or they won't understand how serious it is. So I have to sound upset but not angry, while I am shaking with rage that the system is like this.

Because this is not remotely the first time I have been desperately low on supplies fighting to get prescriptions covered by insurance, sent by the doctor to the pharmacy/supplier, and filled by said pharmacy/supplier, plus shipped by the supplier in a timely manner. I have had to switch the type of insulin I use multiple times because different insurance companies cover different ones. And again, I'm very lucky because all the rapid-acting insulins work the same for me so switching is more of an inconvenience than a real issue -- for some people they don't, and some people are actually severely allergic to certain types of insulin and cannot use them even if their insurance company tries to make them (so the insurance is basically giving them a choice whether to die by diabetic ketacidosis or anaphylaxis)!!

And then people wonder why I take it so personally when they say they're against universal health care. What I hear when someone says that is, "I think this process is fine and good, actually. I think you deserve to stress out and fear for your life and health regularly because of an illness, and I don't want my taxes to go to preventing that." Because that issue is not hypothetical to me. It is literally about me and my life.

If you're still reading, thank you for reading my rant. I'm not asking for help, I'm both very privileged and very knowledgeable and I'll be okay, but I am so so angry and just needed somewhere to fully express my anger. And I wanted to do it publicly because I think it's important for people to know that this is happening all the fucking time in this fuckass country!

And by the way, this has been happening for years and years. I've been an adult for 20 years now (and I've been diabetic for 30 years), and it's basically been happening that whole time. This is not just an issue with the current administration or party; this is a problem with the whole damn system. It is a system that is hoping that I fall through the cracks so pharmaceutical companies (including supply companies) profit, or that I give up and die, so the insurance companies can save some money.

[wizardinrhyme]

Summary: Sometimes you just gotta read the End User License Agreement instead of taking the System at face value.

Just a little something for Genuary 2025 :)

“So I see here in this Agreement there is a section about point conversion. What points can I convert and how?”

[System can convert Earth’s Karma Points to B-Points. Karma Points will be lost on transfer if not converted. Convert all points? Yes/No]

“Yes. Now, I see there is a shop. How do I access it?”

[System Shop is available at Save Points. Would you like to access the Shop now?]

“Yeah, show me what you’ve got.”

A virtual store popped up, looking like a games shop with shelves of cartridges, disc cases, books, and miscellaneous tchotchkes. Shen Yuan strolled through the aisles, having no basis for what was or wasn’t a good deal.

“What’s my balance and how do I get more points?”

[Shen Yuan Account currently has 0 Protagonist Satisfaction Points and 19,836 B-Points. Points are awarded for improving Protagonist and Reader satisfaction. Further point types may be unlocked by user actions.]

Okay, that didn’t really give him any idea how easily replaced these points were, but you can never go wrong with a permanent income booster. He grabbed a cartridge marked 'B-Point Multiplier x4' off the shelf and continued shopping.

“How frequent are Save Points? Can I just save whenever? And can I reload?”

[System will auto-save before and after key story events. Saves will only be used as a backup in case of System Error.]

“So useless to me, then. What’s up with this?” He waved at an empty display marked ‘Special Offers’.

[System may offer scenario specific rewards at any time by its own discretion. Offers are nontransferable, non-refundable, and offered for a limited time only.]

“Are there rewards that are transferable or refundable?”

[Insufficient access]

“Are there other users?”

[Insufficient access]

“I see. You said my role now is to improve the original story; how much can I change?”

[Key events must occur; Protagonist must participate in key events. System will issue quests as appropriate.]

“What happens if I reject a quest?”

[Rejecting a quest may result in punishment up to and including account termination if System determines you have failed to comply with the Agreement.]

Hm. Shen Yuan had never been in danger of inheriting the family business, but he had certainly learned a few things about contracts. He leaned against the shop counter and made a few edits to the Agreement (which he had forced the System to create a physical copy of), initialing and dating each change.

“I will sign if you agree to my updates.”

[…]

[Processing…]

[Agreed]

On the signature line of Shen Yuan’s copy “SysAdmin02 (Authorized System Representative)” appeared in a stereotypical console font.

“I’ll hold you to it,” Shen Yuan promised, leafing through to make sure each edit had been initialed before adding his own signature.

Fast forward and he’s standing in front of a portal to the Endless Abyss, Luo Binghe is freaking out, and the System is threatening to send him back home.

“This goes against our Agreement.” He says, face and tone dark.

[Correct. User has failed to comply with the Agreement. Account will be terminated in- two… minutes… if not brought into compliance.]

“No, you’re the one breaking the Agreement. You stated that 10,000 points would be lost if I didn’t push the protagonist into the Abyss; I have 30,000 points which is well over enough even after you tried to double the penalty. I didn’t reject the quest and I have the means to pay the fine for not completing it. In what way have I not been compliant? You on the other hand are saying you’ll send me back to my original world- which is in clear violation of the conditions. Look under ‘Terms and Termination’. See where it says ‘previously purchased Content will remain available to You’? Now how is that going to work if I’m in another world?”

He jabbed a finger at his purchase history.

“What about this body?” He had purchased quite a few power-ups, not to mention the back-up clone waiting in stasis. “What about all of my artifacts? My custom skins (so much easier than getting ready every day)? My exclusive pets? Can you send those with me in a usable state? Would I even be able to use them after being sent back to that body?”

He was prepared to keep going, but the System beeped in protest.

[Error. This condition is not part of the Standard Agreement.]

“You agreed to my edits. You signed the updated contract,” he smiled, all teeth and no warmth. “I think you should direct your attention to the ‘Arbitration and Compensation’ section where you’ll find you owe me recompense for attempting to unjustly terminate my account.”

And that is how Shen Yuan, now Shen Qingqiu, got away with doing whatever he wanted for the next few years until the System got too frustrated and terminated the Agreement, paying a hefty fine and leaving everyone to their own devices.

[ui-alcoholic]

Twin Famicom

NES with internal Disk system from Sharp

The Twin Famicom is a video game console system that was produced by Sharp Corporation in 1986 (Juli 1) and was only released in Japan. It is a licensed Nintendo product that combines the Famicom (NES) and the Famicom Disk System into a single piece of hardware.

The essential parts of the Twin Famicom include a 60-pin socket for Famicom cartridges and a socket for Disk System disks. The player could switch between the two media types with a switch – cassette "カセット" or disk "ディスク" The Twin Famicom is fully compatible with the NES and can handle accessories made for the NES (e.g. Beam Gun). But there is also an extra port on the Twin Famicom. This allows a 'regular' Famicom to use the Twin Famicom's disk drive.

The original Famicom only has one color combination, and the Twin Famicom was initially sold in two colors: red with black highlights (AN-500R), and black with red highlights (AN-500B). A second version of the system was released in 1987 with a slightly different case design, turbo controllers, and two different color schemes; black with green highlights (AN-505-BK) and red with beige highlights (AN-505-RD).

Like the Famicom, the Twin Famicom uses NTSC but with an AV output rather than an RF modulator with an RCA connector for composite video and mono audio, allowing for greater audiovisual quality on TVs and monitors with such inputs. An external RF modulator is bundled with the unit for connection through a TV's antenna/cable input. The two gamepads are hardwired into the console, so they cannot be disconnected.

More info:

https://ultimatepopculture.fandom.com/wiki/Twin_Famicom

[is-the-battlemech-cool-or-not]

Verlangen (pistol)

Type: Semi-automatic heavy pistol

Place of origin: Merdengard, Lyran Commonwealth

Designer: ???

Designed: c. ???

Manufacturer: Custom / One-off

Produced: 1 unit

Users: Dieter Marten-Steiner

Overview: Verlangen is a custom-engineered heavy handgun designed as a personal sidearm for Dieter Marten-Steiner of the Merdengard-based Marten-Steiner family. It combines elements from both revolver and semi-automatic pistol designs and is optimized for armor penetration and high stopping power.

Feeding system: An 8-round detachable magazine feeding a dual-chambered rotary cylinder.

Action: The weapon utilizes a toggle-lock action similar to the ancient Luger P08. Upon firing, the toggle-lock actuates under recoil, extracting and ejecting spent casings while the rest of the action cycles the next round into place.

Recoil System: Recoil is partially mitigated through a multi-port muzzle brake and an internal magnetorheological balanced recoil system.

Materials: The main frame is machined from a titanium-vanadium alloy for strength and thermal resistance. The grips are made from inlaid wood, reinforced internally for durability. Despite its complexity, Verlangen is designed for field reliability under limited conditions, with the assumption of regular expert maintenance.

Caliber: .46 (11.68 mm)

Case Length: 46 mm

Bullet Mass: 23 grams

Muzzle Velocity: ~945–975 m/s

Muzzle Energy: ~4,100 joules

Chamber Pressure: up to 65,000 psi

Feed System: 8-round detachable box magazine

Ammunition: Verlangen fires a proprietary cartridge, combining a polymer-metal foam hybrid casing with an armor-piercing high-explosive hollow-point (APHE-HP) projectile. The standard projectiles, all being fully custom-manufactured, are designed to achieve penetration against high-grade personal and light vehicle armor, while also ensuring devastating performance against soft targets. The standard projectile combines a "Clan copper" expanding jacket with a sub-caliber armor-piercing explosive penetrator fused to detonate several micro-seconds post-impact. In organic targets, detonation often occurs after jacket expansion is complete.

Appearance and Finish: Verlangen is highly customized. It features hand-engraved, platinum/germanium-filigree inlay detailing along the frame, including the Marten-Steiner family crest. The grips are made from the bark of Merdengard's native Bluteispflaume tree, engraved and lacquered, secured with custom-forged grip screws.

[trek-tracks]

hello! I am also diabetic (type one). I’m curious if when you think of star trek or yourself in Star Trek if you imagine having diabetes still? I think either way is valid, just curious. I go back and forth trying to figure out if they would have cured it or just advanced insulin pumps to the point of being practically seamless with day to day life. For me being diabetic is so integral to my personality I kind of don’t know if I would like to think of it as being cured? It’s cool if you don’t want to answer too! Just thought I’d ask :)

This is an interesting question.

I've always thought about my type one diabetes as being solidly on the second end of the disability "spectrum," so to speak, where the first end is "this is integral to my personality and who I am, accommodate but do not 'cure' me," and the second is "this brings nothing but pain to my life, please cure me immediately."

The only accommodation that would fully make my life better, in my opinion, (which is only my opinion about my own disability), is either a functional cure (artificial pancreas) or actual cure (no machinery necessary), the latter of which I would prefer, because frankly I'm sick of wearing a pump and a cgm 24/7 and the sheer amount of waste it produces, which is not my fault because I need to live, but still weighs heavily on me (and takes up a large amount of space in my apartment). Not to mention the scheduling--this message brought to you by me being woken up at 5am by an empty insulin pump and realizing that, no, I don't seem to have any unused cartridges left, so I have to use an old one and pray that the pump accepts it while waiting for the delivery of the supplies I just now ordered, which cost $750.

When I think about a life in the Star Trek universe, I can really only think about being transferred there now, as I am, with the life I have led, and I think that's what also shapes my decision. If I had been born into the Star Trek universe, there are so many aspects of my personality that might have been different, considering I wouldn't have to worry about scarcity and affordability of, for example, housing. Instead of being a theatre critic as a second job that feeds my soul but doesn't pay the bills, I'd probably be a playwright/dramaturg/critic full time. However, I might find not having a job outside of the theatre world to be detrimental, because when people don't have lives outside of theatre, their writing tends to get smaller and more insular.

This is a digression, but what I mean is: I can only see me as I am now joining a Starfleet world, rather than trying to envision the person I would be if I'd begun my life there. I mean, I certainly wouldn't be known for making memes about Star Trek, the TV show, if Star Trek were reality instead of entertainment, so things would be different in a number of ways. I can't even think about all the ways my life could have been different in this reality without getting a headache.

In that case, I have learned a lot from being diabetic, including patience and empathy for other people, and a strong sense of social justice. I've learned a lot about food and exercise and how they affect the body. I've learned responsibility and self-management. I've made more peace with aging than many of my friends, because I've felt prematurely "old" (aches, pains, contemplation of mortality) since I was a preteen. I think I would have some form of these things without diabetes, but my worldview would likely be different. In a way, I'm grateful for these lessons, and I don't know if born-into-Star-Trek me would be insufferable.

That being said, I firmly believe that having diabetes for more than 25 years means that diabetes has taught me all about life it's going to teach me. I'm done. If I were to wake up tomorrow without it, I'd, in the words of Beyond McCoy, "throw a party." A party with plenty of cake. Or, to misquote The Voyage Home, "The doctor gave me a pill, and I grew a new pancreas!"

Now that it's part of me, its absence might leave me somewhat adrift, but I think of all the time I've lost to it where I could have been enjoying life and been allowed to be the unfettered me I desired to be, and I say, good riddance.

[disease-danger-darkness-silence]

SELLING THINGS, NEED CAR INSURANCE

Hey y'all!

I really need to get my car insurance reinstated. I can't finish moving without it. I don't drive without insurance.

Obviously, I'd love to pay $558 and not have to worry about it for six months, but that's not an option, I don't think.

We're currently crashing at a friend's house but that is over as of the 1st. We have to be fully moved out of the old place by then. The car also needs to be insured and running.

More info below the cut, but TLDR: I am accepting gifts/donations, I am selling things, and I am selling services.

I have a Ko-Fi, where I can accept most forms of payment, and a PayPal.me. I also use the username/tag NovasPrime on PayPal, Cashapp, and Chime. Ko-Fi also has monthly donation options. I set up tiers starting at $1/month, and I'm hoping to add things to them as actual perks some time soon. Just like. Downloads of things I make and shit.

I also have a PO Box where you can send me physical items: PO Box 20422, Carson City, NV, 89721. I love getting postcards and notes and stuff! And like. Uh. If you have any physical gift cards to car parts/repair places that you're not gonna use, I wouldn't say no to them. 🙃

Please consider sharing! Thank you!

I have most of the things I need to fix the car. Most. I still need a few things, most of which I'll need to get next payday. But the major things I have. I just need to let the weather allow me to do so.

So here's where you come in, lovelies!

I need money.

I have things! I can ship to the US and Canada, possibly other places, but my God, would it be worth it for you? Maybe for books. I have a ton of those in a ton of subjects. I used to work at a college library and when they downsized the collection because they got a big digital collection, we got to take lots of it home - and I did. Ask me a subject and I can tell you what I have. I'll make a list tomorrow.

I have a non-cartridge printer I'm willing to sell - still has ink and works well. I'd drain it and ship the bottles with it. I'd sell it for $90 plus shipping.

I have one of those manual standing desktops that you set on a desk and use a lever to maneuver. It's heavy so probably best for local pickup. $25 takes it.

I have several old phones and tablets I'm willing to sell for a few bucks here and there. They're all fairly old, 4G or wifi only, so like $5 apiece plus a dollar or two for shipping.

I have various shoes and clothing - most will be unisex or women's in EITHER large/size 10-12 pants/skirts, or 3x/size 20 pants/skirts. The shoes run from 8.5 women's through 14 women's (7 through 11 men's). Let me know your style and color preferences, size and body type, and I can send you pics of what I have that may work for you. I'll work on a post of clothing stuff.

I have like no gaming stuff because most of my gaming stuff is digital these days (I DO have a PS5 but I'm not giving that up, it's the crappiest model so it's not worth a lot anyway). I lost my Switch to pawn forever ago, but I have some assorted Switch accessories, like wireless controllers and stuff. If you're interested in that stuff hit me up and we'll talk. I also have a few PS4 controllers of various stages of working, both on- and off-brand. Those, those I'll give up cheap, like 5 bucks each, cuz I'm not sure which ones need work.

I have assorted computer components. I'm not sure what all I can give up because I'm Frankensteining a computer tower for Adrienne, but I'll know shortly! I have at least a few hard drives and some RAM, but they're all like 10 years old. If you're trying to build a crappy desktop for a kid or something, hit me up, I have cheap prices.

I have a pistol, an IWI Masada. I'd rather not sell it, but needs must - if nothing else goes, it will. It comes with two 17+1 magazines, wrist braces, a bunch of 9mm ammo, and a cheap padded waterproof case with a handle. You can put a padlock on the case. It was $500 new, and it's in great shape, so I'd want $300. You'd have to pay for transfer and background shit.

NOW ON TO SERVICES!

I can do a lot of things, as you may well know. I pride myself on being a jack of all trades, master of like two. Here are some services I can perform, as a small independent contractor (all jobs will involve a small one-page boilerplate contract outlining the job, with a few exceptions).

In-person, locally, if you're in Carson City, Reno, or surrounding Nevada/California areas:

Cleaning. Think maid service. I will provide my own materials if you want but it costs more that way. I can deep-clean or unfuck, too, but that's more expensive. Rate is Nevada minimum wage: $12 an hour. Deep-cleaning and unfucking is more specialized and harder on my body, so that's $18 an hour.

Organizing/filing paperwork and mail. Got a bunch of shit you don't even know if you need to keep? This bitch knows. I'm great at filing and organizing by any organizational system you'd like. Hourly rate is Nevada minimum wage: $12/hr.

Personal assistant/driver. I'm a pretty good driver, with 24 years of fairly clean driving. I don't drink or smoke weed. I am great at shopping, running errands, taking directions, taking notes, etc. I also have some minor medical training, experience writing copy and press releases, and experience doing minor graphic design and photo editing. Need a personal assistant for a few days? Hit me up. Prices start at $15 an hour, but you have to provide the vehicle (or pay my insurance up-front as part of the wages).

Simple taxes. I am not a CPA! I am, however, better and more honest than H&R Block and places like that. I will not DO the taxes. I will GUIDE YOU ON HOW TO DO THEM, so that you never have to have someone else do it for you ever again. I can do this online too, but I'm not thrilled with the idea. Nevada doesn't have state taxes so it's easier. Price depends on complexity of taxes and how much your refund winds up being.

Personal shopping/delivery pickup. Once again, you'd have to provide the car, or pay my insurance as part of the fee. Price depends on where and what.

Very minor car repair. I can't do anything major but brake pads, tune-ups, oil changes, starters and alternators, batteries, etc. You pay for parts. Price depends on complexity of job, starting at NV Minimum wage.

Minor clothing repair or alterations. I can do bigger stuff too, but I don't really want any big sewing commissions right now. But if you need pants or a skirt taken in, or hemmed up, or patched/repaired, or some patches sewn onto a battle vest, or anything like that? I have a sewing machine and knowledge.

Minor handyman-type work. $12 an hour. This is like. Putting flat-packed furniture together, fixing minor plumbing issues, patching wall holes, building a table or bench from old pallets, etc. I can physically fix a lot of electronics as well, although I avoid working on phones and tablets like the plague. But I won't work on electricity. Exceptions are installing a new plug or light switch - shit is easy enough.

Scrapping things. Got a bunch of shit you want scrapped down to components. Hit me up!

Things I can do in-person OR online:

Ghostwriting papers. Doesn't matter how esoteric the subject, I'm great at writing papers. Price depends on complexity of topic and research needed, as well as length and how much I need to adapt my writing style, but it starts at $25 for a basic 5-page term paper, excluding cover, index, and citations. If you want nice formatting (a cover, index, and complex citations section) that's an additional $10. Price goes up from there. So...average is roughly $5 to $10 per page.

Ghostwriting articles. I won't write on certain topics but I can write on almost anything. Cost varies based on what is needed.

Resume and cover letter writing. I usually only charge $20 for this.

Resume and cover letter editing. Again, usually $20. I'm not out to gouge people looking for a job.

Proofreading and line-editing, with a heavy emphasis on proofreading erotica. I have done this professionally several times. The price for this depends on the task and the length of whatever I'm reading. I'm willing to work within a budget, within reason. I read very fast - I can proofread and line-edit 50k in a few hours.

Sensitivity reading on the following topics: gender nonconformity, SA victim, invisible disability, autism, ADHD, perceived privilege, bi/pansexual, aromantic, polyamorous, chronic pain, drug use, dyscalculia, dysphoria, dysmorphia, blindness with correction, nonconformity to beauty standards, visible queer-ness, WLW, t4t. Price for this is much like the proofreading and line-editing thing: I prefer to work with you directly.

Page layout and design. I won't print the stuff for you, but I'll design it so you can print it out. I do everything from calendars to coloring books (you provide the art, I just do page layout and formatting and conversion) to ebooks to journals to planners.

Muse. I know this sounds hilarious but just hear me out. You want to write but can't think of an idea. I have ideas but can't write fiction right now. Sounds like a match made in heaven, right? 30 minutes of bouncing ideas off me in chat or via zoom or something an helping you outline your latest project? Letting you get inspired by my fan theories or whatever? Send me what you can afford, no specific price in mind.

[thesilliestrovingalive]

Updated: May 2, 2025

Reworked Character #24: Madoka Aikawa

POTENTIAL TRIGGER: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to divorce, alcoholism, torture, and death.

Occupation: Private and battle supplier of the Regular Army, double agent and medical support officer for the Rebel Army, and bodyguard for General Morden

Retirement plans: To become a proprietress of an arcade centre in Andrew Town

Special skills: Jogging, navigation skills, handling of anti-tank weapons, knowledge of medical aid and logistics, and coordinating programs to support the mental health of soldiers

Hobbies: Treasure hunting, collecting psychology books, messing around with logistics simulators, exploring off-limit areas at night, and playing carnival games with her younger sister

Likes: Rumi, arcades, frozen waterfalls, successful treasure hunts, and hugging her beach ball when she’s extremely stressed

Dislikes: Kerfuffles, grey lockers, getting lost, being physically weak, and her younger sister being subjected to immense distress

Favourite food: Nishin soba

Sexuality: Sapphic autosexual

Gender: Female

Age: 30 (in 2022), 36 (in 2028), 38 (in 2030), 40 (in 2032), 42 (in 2034), 49 (in 2041), 51 (in 2043), 52 (in 2044), and 55 (in 2047)

Blood type: A+

Weight: 136 lbs. (61 kg)

Design: She’s a 5’ 7” (170.18 cm) Japanese mesomorph with a pear-shaped body, broad shoulders, well-toned muscles, and a curvy bust. She has rose beige skin, dark cyan eyes with a slightly dull look, and a hairstyle that resembles Madoka's in the Metal Slug SV-001 slot machine. Her hair was originally a shimmering bronze, but she has bleached it to a red blonde. She often styles her hair in a ponytail secured with a black hairband. Madoka has scrapes on her knees and a bullet graze below her right gluteus maximus. She covers the small scar running horizontally across the bridge of her nose with a tan-coloured bandage.

When working with the Regular Army, she wears a cool mint blouse with cuffed sleeves that fall just above her elbows. The blouse features the same collar style as Madoka's outfit in her Metal Slug Defense portrait. It's fastened with six silvery white buttons, the top one left unbuttoned to reveal a hint of her cleavage. Her blouse is tucked into a pair of mid-thigh glaucous cargo army shorts with cuffed azure white hems. A walkie-talkie is tucked into the right pocket of her cargo shorts. A Prussian blue belt with a bronze buckle secures her cargo shorts around her hips and holds a case for her stun gun. Madoka wears a baby blue armband on her right arm, featuring the insignia of the Regular Army. Additionally, she wears mid-calf white socks, an ultramarine wristband on her left wrist, and spike-soled gunmetal paratrooper boots, secured with platinum grey laces.

When working with the Rebel Army as a combat medic, her blouse is Japanese violet with golden buttons. On her left arm, she wears a carnation pink armband featuring the insignia of the Rebel Army. Her outfit includes black knee pads, a gold-buckled English lavender belt, and knee-length rose ebony cargo army shorts with cuffed rosy brown hems. Additionally, she wears English lavender gloves, along with the same socks and boots as her Regular Army uniform. In addition to her stun gun, she has an integrated belt loop to hold her sheathed hatchet and a right-side drop leg holster for her Heckler & Koch USP pistol. She wears a rust-coloured bandolier slung over her right shoulder, containing .45 ACP cartridges.

When serving as a bodyguard for General Morden, she dons the same suit Rebel bodyguards wear, but it excludes the integrated load-bearing backpack and her bodysuit is a cool mint.

She carries the exact same load-bearing backpack as Rumi, but its color differs between her affiliations: it's ultramarine when she's with the Regular Army and Persian red when she's with the Rebel Army. Madoka’s Bazooka is carefully secured by three sturdy straps on the top of her backpack. It contains the same medkit carried by Madoka in Metal Slug Attack, her sky blue-and-pale azure beach ball, lip gloss, eyeliner, a makeup sponge, a square pinkish-yellow blush compact with a built-in mirror, and a small selection of nail polishes in various purple shades.

She wears a canary yellow tank top and a custom-built cool grey wristband on her right wrist, featuring a military compass at its centre. She has two hololith bracelets: the right wrist features a thinner sunglow band, while the left wrist has a thick white smoke one. She often wears peachy lip gloss, bold black winged eyeliner, and coral pink blush, while her nails are either painted in a French mauve or a Japanese violet shade.

Character summary: Unlike Rumi, she's a quiet, soft-spoken individual who only speaks when addressed or she views it as necessary. However, there are rare moments when she becomes more talkative, but this only occurs when she's off-duty and needs to distract herself from the constant stress of her work. She remains composed in chaotic situations and typically knows how to respond, either by walking away or intervening firmly and fearlessly. Her patience only wears thin when people deliberately provoke her, insult her or harm those close to her, particularly her younger sister and friends. She sometimes wears a calm, enigmatic smile, which she uses to either alleviate tension and put others at ease or unsettle her enemies, causing them to wonder her true intentions.

She's a surprisingly skilled navigator, but occasionally struggles to recall where she came from. This misremembering of directions leads to aimless wandering, getting terribly lost or stumbling into the chaos of a busy battlefield. She takes pride in supporting soldiers by providing them with the right equipment during battles. Madoka’s genuine concern is that no soldier should ever be underprepared or trapped in a desperate situation, struggling to survive with dwindling resources. Although she's opposed to violence, she's a competent fighter. She's able to think critically and act swiftly, leveraging available resources to her advantage and effortlessly adjusting to changing circumstances. She often appears disturbingly courageous, but is prone to fear and anxiety, particularly when she's unfairly vulnerable or confronted with the suffering of others.

She's tormented by overwhelming guilt for collaborating with the Rebel Army because it contradicts the basic morals of society and forces her to work alongside individuals she deems morally reprehensible. Furthermore, she carries the weight of responsibility for Rumi's trauma, stemming from the Great Morden War, which she believes was caused by her own initial reluctance to join the Rebel Army. She harbours a deep-seated hatred for the Rebel Army, driven by her fear that their mentally unstable leader will succeed in imposing a ruthless dictatorship on the entire planet. Madoka understands their disdain towards the Regular Army, having extensively learned their underlying corruption. However, in her view, the Rebel Army is even more corrupt, citing instances of strict brainwashing, misogynistic and racist behaviour among some of its members, and blatant cover-ups by commanding officers who shift blame for their own wrongdoing onto others.

Madoka is deeply afraid that her affiliation with the Rebel Army will eventually ruin her sisterly bond with Rumi and the friendships she worked hard to build and maintain. She fears losing those she cares about due to a single misstep that exposes her secret, believing they're the only ones who make her feel human and loved. She's slightly insecure about her physical appearance, so she strives to present herself modestly by wearing tasteful clothing and using a touch of beauty products. Although she's making significant physical progress, she still struggles with feelings of weakness. She fears that her rare condition could relapse, worsening to the point of leaving her severely crippled and feeling utterly helpless. After Rumi obtained her cyborg body, people began mistaking her for Rumi's twin sister, a misconception that deeply frustrates Madoka.

She's a gentle, meticulous, and self-disciplined claustrophobe who provides a safe haven from life's storms and offers comfort during a person's darkest moments. She's assertive, bravely standing up for others and scaring off anyone who tries to cause them unnecessary trouble. She's very observant, particularly in intense situations where she must keep a watchful eye out. She values logic as a healthy mindset, believing it enables her to make informed decisions and discern wisely. Madoka is willing to use manipulation to achieve her goals, leveraging others to do her bidding or create diversions when necessary. Although she's often serious-minded and mature, she also likes to party hard and have a good time, which can bring out her irresponsibly silly and impulsive side. She enjoys posing in a provocative manner to tease people, especially those who are flirtatious.

She deeply cares about Rumi, viewing her as both a good sister and a very close friend. She worries about Rumi's safety when she's sent to the battlefield, fearing she'll be brutally tortured again and potentially lose her to the ravages of war. She shares a profoundly close bond with her younger sister, frequently engaging in intimate activities like sharing a bed and meals. However, she prefers to keep these moments private, finding them embarrassing and fearing that Rumi might be teased about their unusually close relationship.

During her time in the Rebel Army, she formed a friendship with Guilherme, empathising with his mixed views on the military organisation and his desire to aid the Regular Army. Through Guilherme, she met Torquil and Ferdinand, whom she maintains relatively good relations with, although the details of their relationship are unexplained. She's disgusted by Abul Abbas' womanising behavior and is creeped out whenever he tries to woo her with luxury goods. This often results in her reacting violently, kicking him in the balls and storming off. However, she does appreciate it when Sagan intervenes, keeping Abul occupied while she returns to work.

She's surprisingly on good terms with Sagan and frequently provides medical aid when she desperately needs it. Interestingly, they often engage in playful, flirtatious banter, but this is purely platonic because they don't have any deeper romantic feelings and only regard each other as friends. She harbours intense contempt for General Morden, who coerced her into working with the Rebel Army by threatening to take Rumi's life. Although she acknowledges his charisma and desire to do what is right, she believes his unrelenting ambition has consumed him. She feels profound sympathy for the numerous individuals he has deliberately killed and mercilessly tortured in pursuit of his own objectives.

Backstory: Madoka Aikawa was born on February 21, 1992 in Kyoto, Japan. She was raised by a lower middle-class family with her breadwinner father, Shigeo Aikawa, and stay-at-home mother, Honoka, who was nearing completion of her university degree at the time. Her father worked as a salesperson for novelty children's toys, while her mother studied communication science. She has limited memories of her father because his busy schedule often kept him away from home, and when he was present, he was frequently exhausted. Additionally, she recalls that he would often drink after long work hours, which has led her to suspect that he may have had a drinking problem. Her parents frequently argued about financial troubles, and the more time they spent together, the more their relationship deteriorated. Initially, they had hoped to salvage their struggling marriage by having a second child, but they ended up getting a divorce just a month before Rumi was born.

She fondly recalls the times when her mother would read bedtime stories to her and Rumi, particularly those that featured themes of heroism, love, and sacrifice. Unfortunately, their mother's busy schedule soon made such moments a rare occurrence. As a result, Madoka took on a caretaker role for Rumi, and the two sisters spent a great deal of time together. Although they would sometimes bicker over minor inconveniences or differing opinions, they deeply cared for each other. They would usually play games, either indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather and their moods, and enjoy karaoke sessions together. As they progressed through school, they frequently helped each other with homework. Madoka regularly protected Rumi from bullies who targeted her for being absent-minded and overly feminine. She also had to defend herself against bullying as some peers targeted her for being slightly overweight, which sparked a lingering insecurity about her appearance.

At 14, Madoka developed a passion for games that challenged her analytical and logical skills. She spent her after-school hours at the local library, devouring books that tested her problem-solving abilities. At home, she would try to engage Rumi in strategy board games like Fox and Hounds, but she often lost interest or conceded defeat when Madoka gained the upper hand. She frequently challenged herself to solve puzzles faster than her friends. Recognizing her talent, her mother encouraged her to join the local chess club advertised by her school. Madoka eagerly participated, balancing her chess club commitment with her school work and caring for and spending quality time with Rumi.

Once their mother fell ill with heart failure, the household dynamics shifted. Madoka took on more responsibilities to care for Honoka, which meant staying at home to provide care. To balance her new role, Madoka began taking some of her school courses online and secured two part-time jobs: one in restaurant work and the other in retail assistance. As a result, her busy schedule led to less time spent with her younger sister. However, whenever she had a spare moment, Madoka would treat herself and Rumi to a fun outing at the local arcade, providing a much-needed escape from the daily stresses of her life.

Due to immense stress, she began to feel muscle tension and a sensation of weakness in her legs, initially believing it was just her adrenaline. However, as Rumi neared the end of her high school years, the weakness persisted. To manage her condition, Madoka reduced her work hours, quit her restaurant job, and focused on retail assistance, thinking that handling too much was contributing to her weakness. Unfortunately, her condition worsened, and she realised she potentially had a neuromuscular disorder. When Rumi enlisted in the Regular Army, Madoka first visited their facilities as a patient. At the time, her younger sister was interning in their medical facilities, where their ailing mother was also being treated. She discovered from the doctors and nurses that she had a severe weakness in her legs that could render her crippled permanently, but the underlying cause remained a mystery.

Shortly before the Arms Deal Barrage, her health began to improve, and she could move more freely without feeling like she would collapse. Honoka also experienced a significant recovery, which overjoyed Madoka and Rumi. Inspired by her younger sister's work, Madoka enlisted in the Regular Army as a battle supplier, aiming to improve her physical fitness. However, instead of a routine base transfer to receive her first mission, she was sent to a chaotic battlefield in South Africa due to a paperwork error. With no combat experience, Madoka was terrified. Fortunately, her time as a patient had given her the opportunity to observe physicians and learn basic medical skills. She successfully supplied Regular Army troops and provided simple medical aid and emotional support when needed. She emerged from the incident remarkably unscathed, sustaining only minor injuries. Her performance during the South African battle earned her recognition from the Regular Army, and she was subsequently promoted to the rank of Private.

Shortly after Rumi was deployed during the Great Morden War, she was dispatched to the frontlines to supply Marco's team with much-needed weapons and food rations. However, due to a mix-up, she was mistakenly sent to Ridge 256 prematurely and found herself wandering the area, disoriented, confused, and frightened. She would be captured by Rebel Army forces, held captive in one of the huts, and forced to serve as a POW, confiscating her supply bag and walkie-talkie. She was closely guarded by a pair of Rebels who attempted to woo her, but she stood her ground assertively. When one of them tried to force himself on her, she seized his combat knife and fatally stabbed him. His comrades quickly intervened, halting her escape attempt, and then throwing her into a grey locker, securing it with rope.

She pounded on the grey locker, screaming to be let out, but was warned to shut up or face immediate execution. She fell deathly silent, and just as she was about to lose hope, Red Eye burst in and slaughtered the guards, rescuing her. Red Eye had been tracking Colonel Tender, acting on mixed intel from Fio and Eri that suggested he was either stationed at Ridge 256 or being moved to Gerhardt City. She was also searching for Madoka, having spotted one of the Rebel Army special forces operatives using her bag to supply their comrades and an intoxicated fanatic fiddling with her walkie-talkie. Relieved by the rescue, she instructed Red Eye to salvage what was left of the supplies in her backpack and make the most of them. As per Red Eye's request, she would depart Ridge 256 via a cargo helicopter prototype.

When Rumi's group failed to get in contact with Marco's team, Madoka was dispatched to fulfill her younger sister's mission and deliver the necessary equipment. However, she became disoriented in the forested outskirts of Gerhardt City and was captured by Rebel soldiers on patrol duty. Instead of killing her or taking her hostage, Madoka was swiftly transported to the Rebel Army's base of operations aboard a functional Tetsuyuki. She was bound with rope and gagged with a cloth to prevent escape or outcry. Upon arriving at the base and General Morden's office, she was coerced into joining the Rebel Army's cause. When she resisted, Morden ordered his men to torture Rumi and her team, forcing Madoka to watch the brutality unfold through surveillance cameras. After witnessing the murder of Chris and Alexander, Madoka reluctantly agreed to collaborate with the Rebel Army, much to Morden's satisfaction.

After reaching an agreement, she was tasked with serving as a double agent and medical support officer. The Rebels then confiscated her supplies, freed her from her restraints, and transported her back to the Joint Military Operations Headquarters. She was accompanied by a group of Rebel spies disguised as Regular Army soldiers, and they traveled via a cargo helicopter stolen from the Regular Army. She lied about successfully completing her objective and revealed that she had received intel that Rumi's group had been captured and was being tortured somewhere, prompting a desperate rescue search. When Rumi was finally found alive, but badly damaged, she was utterly devastated, overcome with guilt and feeling responsible for her suffering. In the aftermath of the Great Morden War, she founded a program called "Courage to Heal" within the Regular Army, which is dedicated to providing therapeutic and psychological support for soldiers struggling with trauma.

Prior to the Extraterrestrial Alliance Clash, she underwent rigorous military and medical training within the Rebel Army, driven to reach her full potential. Unlike her younger sister, she quickly excelled in combat training and developed a fondness for wielding bazookas, drawn to their explosive power. Her impressive skills caught the attention of General Morden, who appointed her as his personal bodyguard. This decision was motivated by a desire to alleviate his loneliness during long hours at work, ease his growing paranoia, and increase the military presence in guard roles. In the meantime, she gathered intl on current Regular Army operations, enabling the Rebel Army and their latest allies to capitalise on the information and potentially gain an upper hand in their second coup. Although she would have preferred not to steal such a vast amount of confidential information, she feared that attempting to steal only specific details about Regular Army operations would have resulted in severe punishment.

During the Extraterrestrial Alliance Clash, she played a supporting role, assisting Rumi with supply logistics and providing tactical directions via walkie-talkie. In secret, she also offered medical aid to injured Rebel soldiers whenever Rumi was deployed to the battlefield.

Prior to the Survival Island Occupation, she conducted reconnaissance of the South Pacific archipelago, identifying strategic locations and equipping Rebel Army cadets with essential resources for survival. Once the incident was over, she met Walter, Tyra, and Dilovar, who had graduated with honours and were recruited by Division 6. They wanted to meet her in person after Rumi shared fond memories of her elder sister with them.

[transformers-spike]

I'm out of the hospital after a suicide attempt

And my new vape came!!!

Also, I wonder if cybertronians can vape

-☣️

(I hope you're okay. I'm not a medical professional, but I know where you're coming from. I assume you're getting the help you need, and try to remember that there will always be people in your life who love you. However, please don't send me these types of messages. I myself am dealing with my own struggles, and I cannot cope with such painful news on top of everything. So please, don't add this information to your asks. I certainly wish you well, but I have my boundaries) I'll still answer your question however. In canon they have cy-gars (usually just portrayed as tobacco but Cybertronian). Personally, for TFP I want to make things a lot more complicated (because these are aliens so of course stuff gets weird. Cy-gars were pretty pricey, and only the high to middle class could afford them (unless you got them second hand). The cy-gar was the casing and you had to purchase cartridges. They could go from something light that made your intake/throat feel fresh (kind of like mint), to minor drugs (something akin to weed or tobacco), to straight up hallucinogenic substances. Most of these were probably extracted from the mines (same as energon). However, after Megatron started his revolution a lot of miners quit working for those exploiting them and joined the side of the Decepticons, which meant none of that special stuff was being extracted anymore. Thus, a lot of the companies/brands ended up disappearing. Nowadays getting cy-gars is nearly impossible, your best bet is to scavange. Wheeljack for example used to be an avid enjoyer, although he got his second-hand pre-war.

Since the cartridges have run dry, some bots have tried to fill/make them by hand. Potentially risky depending on the content, but can be done. Then there's the case of bots travelling to other planets during the war and potentially trading with the natives. Now, they can certainly try out whatever form of drugs the aliens have, but chances are, it's going to damage their insides. Maybe not straight away, but their bodies aren't made to consume these substances. I assume those who keep using cy-gars/other such substances are neutrals or rogues. Normally no one under Megatron or Optimus is supposed to partake in cy-gar use (maybe if recreational but even then you'd get chewed out if it's any of the drugged up varieties). There must have been at least 1 vehicon who snuck tobacco onto the ship then ended up exploding his internal components while using it. Fire, tobacco and fuel tanks don't mix, folks. Wheeljack doesn't even use his anymore. He just sticks it in his intake because he likes the look.

[sanguine-law]

@melancoliefatale | prev

Antoine kept quiet while looking at the vampire and both began to hear paws walking on the ground, sniffing around and growl intertwined with words. They seems to search them. They maybe not know where they are but they will soon as they can’t stay too much hidden. He nodded firmly while looking at the « best » perch of the area, it was something like a tower but seem to unsafe to climb up…but werewolf’s would not try to climb up if they didn’t want to die. then Antoine looked at the area…it’s seemed to be not too much covered. But it would be far more better to have their ennemies in the same place and in a more open area. silently Antoine Reassemble the parts of a precision rifle...even if it appeared to be modified certainly for dealing with those types of situations and targets

Joseph handed the charm to Antoine; it would just need a bit of magic to work. He figured Antoine could do that on his own. And if he couldn't... Well, he'd get dragged along anyway.

Because they couldn't stay here. They didn't have time.

He grabbed Antoine's shoulder and, with a levitation spell of his own, directed them to the top of the tower. Joseph looked for a high window to sit in, and chose there to sit. He'd let Antoine decide if he wanted to join or not.

If the other vampire decided to float instead, it wasn't Joseph's business right now.

Joseph leaned against the window frame, using the ring once again to grab something through a seeming hole in space. This time, it was a small case. Joseph looked at the rifle, and then back to the case. He'd guess a .33 for now. They'd need something big for werewolves, anyway.

He grabbed a handful in his right hand, and looked away. Hopefully Antoine couldn't see behind the box. Even with the amulet...

His hand glowed for a moment. Holy magic welled up in his palm, leaking into the cartridges. It swam before settling into the bullets. A moment passed.

And then Joseph held them out to the other vampire, keeping his voice low. "338, only touch the casing. The bullets are blessed."

His hand wasn't charred like before, but those latent orange veins on Joseph's right arm had become quite obvious and bright. And they ached.

This was one pain he simply couldn't avoid.

[gtzgoblin]

Let's settle in for story time. This is maybe oversharing, and I've not told a lot of people I know that we're thinking about this but I have a lot of mutuals with diabetes and maybe this will resonate with someone (though I'm in the UK so I'm far privileged compared to other countries and recognise that):

I'm type 1 diabetic. I've been type 1 diabetic since 2002, so 23 years now. I've had plenty of ups and downs (pun intended) and I've had a mix of very good and very bad care, currently on the side of good. I'm very well controlled, I hate my insulin pump, but it's been far worse and I'm trying not to complain too much considering.

In 2018 we decided we wanted a baby. This was reasonably straightforward compared to if we'd waited a year and landed it in COVID. My eyes were fine, my bloods were (low) fine. Everything went as planned, baby was born at 38 weeks, planned induction, 6lb 5oz, home the next day. All good. It was hard work, but it was fairly textbook. I was lucky that the pregnancy was less work than the diabetes was.

The follow up care didn't exist and that was hard, breastfeeding was a nightmare, I gained a lot of weight, my control wasn't good (but wasn't bad) but I've pulled it back. It's been a lot easier to keep it in range after pregnancy when I knew how than it ever was before. I guess the pressure helped in that sense.

6 years on and, after a lot of soul searching, we decide we might give it another go. So I ring the diabetes clinic preparing to fight them to get rid of the devils pancreas. They fit me in a lot quicker to pre-conception clinic (over the phone (thank you COVID)) and I'm getting a new insulin pump in a couple weeks.

All good? All good.

To use the new insulin pump I need new insulin cartridges (apparently fiasp isn't licensed with ypso, boo) and the doctor I spoke to recommended folic acid 5mg which is very standard procedure to protect against spina bifida and other birth defects in the first 12 weeks. Ideally, 3 months of this but just start whenever. I've just come off a statin so I want to wait 3 months anyway. I've done it before, I know what I'm doing, I have anxieties about doing it again but in my mind I've overcome them.

So here comes the issue:

I contacted my GP, a different one to last time as I've moved areas, and they have flat out refused to supply folic acid without a letter from the diabetes clinic as the dose is "above what they usually supply". I am a healthcare professional, I know the things to say, so I say "oh, sorry, NICE recommends this for type one diabetics, I had it last time, and my doctor has recommended it" and she said, fairly patronisingly, "I am well aware of why you need it, but we are not prepared to supply this without a letter from your diabetes team."

So I ring the diabetes team, after already ringing them re the fiasp (which I had to take a pic of the letter of to send to my GP practice because they won't do that either). They say "you were only seen two weeks ago and we're very behind with letters. I'll see if I can get it prioritised."

Now, like I say, I work for the NHS. I am patient facing, I have clinics. Maybe my expectations are higher because of this, and because of how I work, but I don't think that's the case. Even if it is, that's not what this is about.

I am a type one diabetic. This means that every single day I have to think about things that those people I've spoken to probably never even consider. I make, what is it? One hundred plus extra decisions per day? I have to dose myself with a medication that can kill me when I eat. Sometimes I don't need to eat and I have to dose anyway. My sugars go up and down with the weather, literally. Sometimes the cannula blocks and I get ketones which feels awful. I can't go for a run without thinking about it, or take my kid to the cinema and have a little snack without worrying my alarms will go off. I've run out of battery in a public place. I get anxious if my phone battery is low. I've nearly died while I was asleep before the tech existed. I have to stab myself. I have to know when the sensor isn't right just by how I feel. I have to eat, sleep and breathe this shit. I'm attached to a fucking box that can, and regularly does, try to off me.

So when I say I want to have a baby, not only am I remembering before (and I don't mean how cute she was, how nice pregnancy was but not the few times I was sick - I mean the 1.4s where I didn't want to accept treatment from my worried husband, I mean the fingerprick tests of upwards of 12x per day, I mean the constant worry of harming my baby when it's been over 7 after a meal, I mean a consultant saying "it's to be expected her stomach is big, I'm surprised she doesn't have more wrong" when the scan was massively inaccurate. It's the tears when I wondered if she'd get it too and the absolute joy when we had her tested and the risk is low).

I assume, and it's a big assumption here, that the people who I spoke to today if they have kids thought, hey, maybe I'll have a kid, popped down to Asda and bought their folic acid OTC. If they took any at all. I assume they've not had their kids antibodies tested to make sure they're not at risk. I assume they've not been frozen in fear at the thought of it killing them and leaving their kid behind. Or that something completely out of their control could cause a birth defect, or placenta failure, or preeclampsia, or any of this shit with diet and exercise and hypos and hypers.

How the hell can anyone turn around to me and tell me that my concerns, and my timeline, are not their problem because they are currently revolting against the system that is there to help patients and make their lives both safer and easier? What gives someone who doesn't live this the right to tell me that my opinions don't matter?

I've planned this, I've got time, but why the hell should I wait for a prescription of a medication that's not harmful, that is proven beneficial, and that is part of national guidelines? I didn't ask for diabetes, I continue not to ask for it. I'm sure everyone else with diabetes would say that they'd give it up in a heartbeat.

I just want to do everything I can to have a healthy pregnancy. And I don't see why my pregnancy should be dictated by anyone that isn't me or my husband.

I'd like primary care to realise this kind of thing when they're refusing hospital recommended medications on principle. This is not a case of a new drug, or a new rule. It's something we've known about for years. Not just for diabetes, for loads of conditions. It isn't something outside of the competency of a GP and if it is, I'm worried about that GP.

No one asks to be chronically ill, and none of us want to take more medication. We're not trying to be awkward or contribute to more prescription burden or fucking spending or whatever. We're doing what we can to survive.

And that's hard enough without this.

[qsycomplainsalot]

The Magnumnomicon, from Fallout TRPG: Winter of Atom

The Magnumonomicon was commissioned by General John Whateley and incorporates many of the family's teachings, such as to "never raise up that which you are not prepared to put down." The gunsmiths involved in the creation of magnum died under mysterious circumstances. The magnum frame is made of a mix of heavy iron, with runes engraved in solid gold present on the barrel. The grip is crafted from leather of unknown origin, with "tentacle-like symbols" engraved into it. Ammunition fired from the gun is imbued with energies with unknown scientific origin.

Although the gun is described as a .44 revolver and for gameplay reasons uses the same ammo and modifications as other revolvers in the game, it has obviously been drawn after a Lefaucheux-type pinfire revolver from the second half of the 19th century.

The telltale features of a pinfire revolvers are the notch in the rim of each chamber designed to fit said pin, and the flat hammer wrapping around top of the cylinder to strike it. This arrangement is due to the pin jutting out radially from the side of the cartridge's case. Incidentally this makes the way the cartridges are stored in the display case a small mistake on the artist's part, as pinfire cartridges would have to be stored nose down. I think we can chalk this up to forgetfulness or even having to draw .44 rounds instead of confusing players too much, and appreciate the bit of variety brought by the inclusion of an old French revolver instead of your usual American 20th century gun.

[cyberphuck]

Tonight Sebastian showed me a very long r/nosleep story that he said had freaked him out a lot. I feel a little bad because glitchy technology stuff does not scare me at all, and I did warn him ahead of time that that was the case, but I think he’s a little mad at me because throughout the entire two hour run time I could not take the story seriously.

Even though he and I are only 11 years apart in age, we pretty much grew up in different eras of the Internet, as well as having vastly different backgrounds. Some creepypastas and nosleeps definitely scare me, but it’s never the technology glitch or evil technology ones. As a matter of fact, those who know me know that I think video game glitches are the funniest things to ever exist. One time I laughed so hard at a GTA glitch compilation that I legitimately thought I was going to rupture something in my gut. I literally could not stop laughing, and continued laughing all that night every time I thought about it. 

(Maybe the fact that I no longer fear most outside threats factors in to my being totally unfazed by most of the stories he shows me. FIGHT ME! FIGHT MEEEE!)

So the story about someone finding out that they had communicated with a dead girl on the Internet, who was maybe also a minion of a dead Internet God? (Or something) didn’t affect me at all. At one point, I couldn’t help myself and shouted “well then stop clicking on the links!” And Seb glared at me. At what was probably supposed to be the scariest part of the story, the narrator finds out that the skeletal remains he found in a hole in the wall at the Internet café are actually *his* skeletal remains, I thought ‘well obviously they’re not his remains because he’s standing right there.’ At least by that point I had stopped saying things out loud, lol.

there were a lot of inter linking parts of the story that maybe I wasn’t getting even though I was paying attention to the narrative, but I feel bad whenever Seb shows me something that affected him a lot and for me it just does nothing. I think for both of us the scariest stories involve a sense of inevitability or helplessness, but the method of delivery, whether it be through evil technology or monsters in the woods, differs for us both.

There’s also this thing that almost all creepypastas and nosleeps do which Seb and I call “And YOU were skeleton! And WROTE THIS!!” where they get to the climax, what should be the horrifying discovery followed by a cut to black, and instead they just keep going. “And the Evil Link came out of the TV and chased him around the house!” type of thing. Like dude, the story about a mysterious fucked up video game cartridge was fine, it was creepy enough. You have to leave some of it to the imagination. Any creepypastas that end with “in the morning they found his dead body with all his guts out and it was so scary” automatically gets an F from me.

The best stories, for me, are ones where something Not Normal is going on, no one knows why, and it’s never explained. The Smiling Man short story is a classic— the man is just wandering around being weird and uncanny, chases the narrator and is never seen again. What the fuck did he want? It COULD be that he’s going to kill you and wear your skin, or maybe he’s trying to sell you timeshares. You don’t know! If the obvious solution to “ghosts in my video game” is “go do something else then,” your story needs a rewrite, and don’t just do the playground tactic of “well you can’t because uhhhh, it’ll get you.” If my dead girlfriend is inside my copy of Animal Crossing I’m just gonna leave her in there.

Everyone knows it’s really hard to impress me when it comes to writing fiction, *especially* when it comes to horror, because I’ve been neck deep in true crime stories and gore videos for most of my life AND I’m a notorious snob about writing in general (and specifically popular works that I feel insult their readers by expecting them to put up with clunky dialogue and flimsy plots). Nosleeps are written by small time authors for the most part, but there are a few well known nosleepers who put out a lot of stories that are then recorded as YouTube videos and played to me by my brother whom I love dearly and would do anything for, and those authors need to step up their game so that I don’t laugh at the parts that are supposed to be scary.

For what it’s worth, Anansi’s Goatman Story scared the FUCK out of me.

[aokozaki]

A guy makes "an NES game play NES games", as in, fitting the components of a famiclone inside an NES cartridge shell, with enough room left for the cartridge's original game to fit too.

And it feels like a type of software gore... or, hardware gore in this case.

[supertrainstationh]

TWITCH VOD: I play Nintendo's Only Space shooter! :D

A number of years ago, I encountered a loose cartridge in a display case at a pawn shop for a Game Boy game called "SolarStriker", that I never heard of.

Even with nothing but the cartridge art to go off of, everything about the game struck me as being, as I thought in that moment, "charmingly generic".

And without bothering to look up anything else about the game, or even testing it to see if it worked, it sat in my shoebox full of loose GameBoy cartridges for five years, always on the fringes of my attention as that "charmingly generic" looking cartridge I got at the pawn shop that I was bound to love whenever I got to playing it. Someday.

Then, by accident, I ended up stumbling across the fact that SolarStriker was a R&D1 codeveloped title with Gunpei Yokoi involved, and the only shooter of this type to be developed and published within Nintendo, unless other examples can be suggested.

I finally demonstrated it on my show recently and pulled up some period era literature about the game.

For someone like me who genuinely likes 'sensory deprivation' games like, "Space Slalom" on Sega SG 1000, "NES Pinball" and "Alleyway", "SolarStriker" is a comparative AV extravaganza, and a title that fits in that early Game Boy era where Nintendo seemed unsure of how ambitious they wanted to get with Game Boy and whether or not this was just a supercharged Game & Watch with cartridges.

I wonder if it's co-development by Inakuchi Engineering lead to some sort of copyright problems where Nintendo wasn't free to re-issue the game digitally, as from what I've seen, this game's official availability is exclusive to its original print run.

It has cool music and progressive theming with the stage backgrounds, but its also the sort of title that even "retro games" would likely find to be a snooze fest.

Game Boy was the first Nintendo system I owned in the 90's, even prior to the release of Game Boy Pocket, and I've considered myself especially interested in its early history.

For "SolarStriker" to have slipped by me all these decades, to the point where I specifically added the title to my collection, all while I had no idea of its (minor) significance, was eye-opening indeed.

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