Walk in nail salons open on sunday

I will make this short and sweet if, you would like the full story of everything I can comment it below (it's humiliating to tell even over the internet so I'm trying to keep some dignity, as posting this in the first place is very vulnerable).
cystic acne since 9-10, first real treatment that did anything for me was accutane at 18. This helped so much and cleared my acne mostly completely. Just the normal few breakouts here and there. I started breaking out more than usual I think at the end of 2021 because of wearing masks at work which culminated in December 2022, when I started breaking out again--worse, due to switching moisturizer. I went back to my normal and since then I have been fighting acne breakouts that have slowly gotten to be where we are today.
Current routine: I work nightshift so my AM is in the evening and PM is in the morning before I sleep.
AM: La Roche Posay purifying cleanser, HA, Cerave moisturizing lotion
PM: La Roche Posay purifying cleanser, HA, Cerave moisturizing lotion, Sunday Riley Luna night oil.
I recently cut out using cosrx snail mucin as I think that was one thing contributing to break outs so I think I'm still healing from that? I know most people are going to say cut out the luna night oil as well but I actually never noticed it being the one to break me out. When I first started using it I felt like it was helping even a little bit and that it was something else in my routine that was causing my current breakouts. Even though I am still currently breaking out, I think that using the retinoid as weak as it is in the night oil is the one thing that is drying up the breakouts faster. (I have considered the possibility that it is doing both, breaking me out and then healing the breakouts, I just hope this isn't the case).
A few questions that I would love answered.

1. is it possible that my breakouts are purging from the night oil, even with a weaker retinoid in it? (I have been using it for 6 weeks.) Could I heal from this and be clear?
2. how do I tell the difference whether this is purging or new breakouts? I've literally never known.
3. is it worth it to me to cut everything out but face wash and moisturizer just to see where I am with them? (I should note that I only started incorporating more "skincare" into my skincare 2021 summer I think.)
4. If I wanted to try a different retinol/noid in my routine, would I still purge as badly since I was using Luna night oil? should I finish out 12 weeks with it to see if I'm getting any benefit from it or just drop it and switch to something like Differin? (basically I'm wanting to know if I will regret starting Differin and watch as my bad acne get worse with something stronger.)

Any other advice I'm willing to take into consideration. There are some things that I just really don't want to do, (i.e. see a derm again and be started on accutane or BC) but I really want to get help from people who are more experienced in skincare than me. --sorry if this post sounds very factual, but my longer, more emotional post will never leave the drafts, lets just say that my mental health was in the toilet before my acne came back and I'm slowly just getting worse and worse. I spent the night curled in a ball crying until my eyes swelled and either spent my days inches away from the mirror inspecting my skin or avoiding every reflective surface.

I want to set my manual HVAC in my rental to Heat or Cooling, but have the garage door opener “click” on or off when the temperature declines/rises.
https://www.ice-air.com/product/rsz/
https://www.amazon.com/meross-Compatible-Assistant-SmartThings-Notification/dp/B07TDLY7LK?th=1

FTM 33yo, 38w so almost there! I have already suffered of post traumatic back pain before pregnancy, and had to seek medical treatment and manipulations on two separate occasions.
I have been almost completely stuck in bed for 2 weeks now, and got out of the house only on 2-3 occasions when I absolutely had to, but I walk with a limp in the house too and can’t do anything. I have parestesia in my foot and sharp pain all over the leg, and my back is completely blocked and not responding to my command.
I think I have mixed problems, possibly something like PGP and sciatica as before pregnancy. I have an appointment with an osteopath for tomorrow morning hoping finally to recover even a little bit.
Anyone with the same experience in the past? I am afraid this might be an obstacle for natural birth. Please, any advice/previous experience is welcome.

Shadow work can cause public panic attacks
Today I went deep again, last time I was on a train, today I was in hotel lobby.
Today wasn't as severe as last time on the train where I felt like possession by demon, well today I still felt like forever in samsara but I remembered to embrace the pain to be in nirvana.
Also activating the throat chakra seem to really open me up and let emotions out. My throat chakra is the most open I've ever been. I have opened up the pain but at the same time pain relief. Opposite is the same.
Someone said throat chakra is ether chakra, which I completely agree from experience. It is also mercury planet.
Last time on the train I started screaming and had my hands contracting to a zombie claw and it was numb I lost control of it.
This time I froze a few times in public busy streets.
Over stimulation, over arounsal, over adrenalised. I am just gonna stay home and get well. Instead of the psych ward, I'll create a similar environment, no food no water no internet just silence.
I may have pushed myself too far with it, but I came back with a lot of insight of how much I think I deserve to suffer from last experience and memories. Trauma is real, more real than anything.
When others ask me what is the mental health diagnosis I just say it's panic attack, schizophrenia, psychosis, cptsd. These are just medical terms for dark night of the soul, Claire abilities, interdimensional astral travels, spirit world connection, but use the medical terms sounds a bit off to me, it's easier to get the message across.

Just out walking the dog and met a wild Q. Brings his phone to the car but won't carry it in the woods because "they're" watching him.
Went on about snake venom somehow being in the water leading to covid?? Of course cancer cures which are being withheld by big pharma. And how vaccines and big pharma are culling humanity.
I said every industry kills people. Cars, tires, fashion, oil, beauty, farming, politics, food, etc., etc., and every industry has corrupt people.
I also said, if you just focus on this human time line reality and not any alien-hybrid, giant or super-human race that was supposed to live for 400 years, then, why is it that humans who lived without vaccines, without big pharma drugs and without additives and toxins in their food, DID NOT LIVE AS LONG AS HUMANS DO TODAY??

My MIL is pretty great regarding most things, but I can’t stand how she trains, or more accurately doesn’t train, her dogs.
MIL is an “animal lover.” Has 2 dogs and 2 cats. Jokingly calls her house a zoo when in reality it’s chaos. The dogs are very poorly trained. They bark constantly, they jump all over the furniture, and worst of all, they greet people by jumping on them.
I’m also an animal lover, grew up with dogs, and hubby and I have a cat and dog of our own. But we train our animals.
When the younger of her 2 dogs was no longer a puppy (but still acting like one) MIL took both dogs to a training program. But the training didn’t stick because MIL didn’t continue to enforce it after, and FIL isn’t a pet person (aka he doesn’t put any effort into raising their dogs but that’s a whole separate issue in and of itself). Hubby and I try to train the dogs a bit here and there when we’re at his parents’, but it’s awkward trying to train someone else’s dog, and ineffective when you know the actual owners aren’t continuing the training when you’re not there.
In-laws live fairly close by but I genuinely dread going over to their house for fear of being scratched up and/or knocked over. I’m always uncomfortable when I get to their house and am on high alert the first few minutes (when the jumping and knocking over is most likely to happen). I deliberately don’t wear shorts there because my legs have been scratched up so much.
Thinking ahead, I’m dreading when hubby and I have a baby, because I genuinely don’t know if grandma’s will be a safe space when our child starts crawling and walking. The older dog has mellowed out the last year or so, and sadly she probably won’t be around when we start a family. The younger dog though is a big, sweet but clumsy golden who’s already knocked my hubby over a couple of times. I’m hoping the golden will mellow out and stop jumping with time, but then MIL has always had a 2-dog household, and I’m worried that she’ll just get another dog after the older one passes, and the cycle of bad mannered, poorly trained dogs will continue.

It is not uncommon for TikTokers who are still students to earn a significant amount of money from their videos. Many successful TikTokers have been able to monetize their content through brand deals, sponsored posts, and merchandise sales.
However, it's important to note that the actual amount earned can vary greatly depending on the individual's level of success and engagement from their audience.
Some notable examples of TikTokers who have earned a million on videos while still being students include:

1. Will Smith is a multi-talented celebrity widely recognized as an actor, rapper, producer, and songwriter. Although not primarily known as a TikTok influencer, he has gained immense popularity on the platform with over 72 million followers and has posted more than 160 videos. His earnings per post on TikTok reportedly exceed $53,000.
2. Charli D'Amelio, a competitive dancer, first gained fame on TikTok in June 2019 with her viral dance videos. Her success earned her an invitation to perform with Bebe Rexha during the latter's opening act for the Jonas Brothers at the Barclays Center in New York that year. She has a net worth of $20 million and has ventured into other endeavors, such as selling merchandise and publishing her book "Essentially Charli: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping It Real." Charli and her sister Dixie also have their TV show on Hulu.
3. Addison Rae Easterling, a 20-year-old TikTok star, has amassed over 88 million followers on the platform since December 2021. Her tremendous success, estimated at a net worth of $15 million by Celebrity Net Worth, led her to leave college to focus on her TikTok career. She has also become a global spokesperson for American Eagle clothing company, co-hosts a weekly Spotify podcast with her mom titled "Mama Knows Best," and has appeared in the movie "She's All That."

I'm posting this over here because relationships is...lower quality advice, haha.
So here's the deal. My marriage took a dramatic nosedive when my son was born 2 years ago. I was looking at divorce and documenting my husband's behavior by the time the baby was 6 months at least.
Simultaneously, I did try to work on the marriage. We saw 3 therapists in that time period. But I was also keeping that log, consulting with a lawyer as well as a women's advocate, and sharing my husband's behavior with my therapist.
By the time my son was about 18 months old, I was done. I gave up. After a fight, I found a job (I was a stay at home). I started planning my escape. By the time my son was 19 months, I had moved in with my mom. I asked for divorce 3 times but caved when my ex said all the right things. Finally, a month ago, I filed for separation. Yesterday, I filed for divorce.
So where am I going with this? When I moved out, I told a guy friend about it. We met up because me moving in with my mom meant we could hang out/see each other for the first time in years, since my ex and I had been living in a different city. We caught up and walked around talking. One of the things was a very vague overview of my marital troubles and that I was filing for divorce (this was after I had already asked for a divorce once). And that was that, I didn't think much of it.
A couple weeks later, guy friend wants to hang out. This time, he confessed he had strong feelings for me. That he understood this might mean the end of our friendship, but that he just needed to say something.
And I like him back. Quite a bit. I had kept him at a bit of a distance before because we hit it off so well in the past, but we had shared classes and projects, so we had gotten to know each other. It never became a deep friendship, again because I knew that feelings might develop. But I remember, at the time I met this guy, I thought: "I wish I'd met him first". I didn't leave my husband at that time because I was totally dependent on him. I didn't know how to leave. And I thought I needed to just work harder at our relationship. But we ended up marrying.
So after my friend confessed these feelings, my husband convinced me to not divorce. He said he really was going to change, he was going to schedule to see a therapist for the first time. That impressed me, so I said let's do a separation instead. But my then husband really never followed through. One session and then suddenly he was too busy with 4-day workweek job, which he had previously insisted would give him so much time to work on himself.
And since I was no longer filing divorce, it didn't feel right anymore to hang out with the friend. I told him we couldn't hang out or talk anymore, that I didn't think it was right, or fair to him, myself, and my ex.
Fast forward to now. I held true to not talking to the friend. But now I really, really, finally am divorcing. My husband already filed anyway -- since I couldn't seem to follow through, 3 different times.
And I want to be with this friend. I would love to date him. Is this wrong? I do worry about what others will think. It makes it look like I was cheating, or broke up with my ex for another relationship. I feel bad for visiting the friend at all though...was that wrong?
I want to do what's best in the situation. I've also considered waiting six months to grieve the relationship -- except the relationship died some time ago. I've already come to terms with it. So waiting six months feels arbitrary. So does qaiting 6 months because I'm worried about what others will think.
If I dated him, all talk about the divorce would be off limits. I would want to use him as an emotional crutch. I have a therapist, and I could share these things with her.

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A thread for new collectors to ask basic questions of the community.
Frequently Asked Questions below!
A longer version of the subreddit rules is here.
For questions specifically concerning bootlegs or vendor legitimacy, please ask in the Bootleg Megathread.
NSFW & Spoiler Guidelines

• For Self Posts: include a bolded NSFW note next to links in that post.
• For Links to sites/images: If the figure is NSFW, or the website has any NSFW content (including ads) be sure to tag your post NSFW and use the appropriate link flair.

Bootlegs
Any collection posts containing bootlegs, comments advocating buying bootlegs, or links to sites selling bootlegs, recasts, or unlicensed merchandise will be removed.
People often ask about the legitimacy and/or safety of a number of websites which sell large resin statues. The more commonly-asked of those deal primarily in resins from studios which do not have a license from the Japanese IP holders to produce merchandise. Therefore links to those sites are not permitted here. Another sign is if MyFigureCollection doesn't list the either the statue, its manufacturer, or the shop it's being sold on.
MyFigureCollection
My Figure Collection is like MyAnimeList... but for figures! Their database includes thousands of items which been produced during the last couple of decades, along with reviews of shops and other helpful articles. One can also list their own collection and post gallery photos.
Shops

Retailers:
AmiAmi HobbySearch Mandarake (sells rare figures) Good Smile Company Online Shop (often has exclusives) Good Smile Company US shop Crunchyroll Shop Hobby Link Japan (aka HLJ) Solaris Japan (MFC partner) BigBadToyStore (MFC partner, US retailer) Big in Japan (also has proxy service) Tokyo Otaku Mode Right Stuf FigureHaven Archonia (EU) Yorokonde (EU) Figuya (EU) Dekai Anime (UK) Gamersheek (UK) Jungle
List of retailers on MFC
/AnimeFigures' List of Retailers
Community Guide to Shopping in Japan

Blogs/News:

Nekomagic (News/Previews) NyaaFigurines (Reviews/Releases) Kahotan's Blog (News/Reviews) Figma Blog (JP)

Buying & Shipping

1. What’s the best place to buy my anime figures from?
That’s going to depend a lot on what works for you, but most people around here buy them from Amiami, Big in Japan, Hobby Search, HobbyLink Japan, or Tokyo Otaku Mode. If none of those work for you for whatever reason, there’s a list of reputable retailers in the sidebar that you can check out at any time. Be extra careful when ordering figures from websites like Amazon or ebay, as there are a lot of bootlegs on those sites. Don’t be afraid to ask in our Bootleg Megathread if you’re unsure.
2. What differences are there between the shipping options I get from most Japanese shops?
Below is a rundown of the main shipping choices you’ll get at most retailers. Keep in mind that if an order is large enough you will be forced to use one of the more expensive options, as SAL shipments have lower size and weight restrictions.

• Unregistered SAL: Sometimes referred to as uSAL, is usually the cheapest method. It does not come with any tracking or insurance. Usually takes up 2-4 weeks for delivery.
• Registered SAL: Sometimes referred to as rSAL, is insured for the declared value up to 6,000 yen. It comes with a tracking number and usually takes 2-4 weeks for delivery.
• EMS: This method of shipping is much faster than either SAL options, usually arriving within a week of shipment. EMS shipments are insured for the declared value up to 2,000,000 yen.
• Airmail
• E-packet
• Surface: Shops don't offer this very often. It's an actual cargo ship and slow as a result.
  
• DHL: Becoming more available as an alternative to EMS on AmiAmi and other sites. Can be less expensive than EMS and of comparable speed, but may be more reliant on the specific geographical area being shipped to. The price is also determined by the size of the box. Offers their own tracking.
  

3. I placed two+ orders for figures at different times. Will my items be shipped together, or will I have to pay shipping twice?
Most shops will ask you to pay shipping on a per-order basis, but here are some that will allow combined shipping:

• Amiami: You can combine orders here, as long as the orders ship in the same month. It doesn’t matter if the item is new or preowned. Any preorders that are set for that month can also be combined with other orders for that month. However, be aware that if the preorder gets delayed, Amiami will remove that item from that month’s shipment and place it on a new order. To combine orders on Amiami, use the “Combine Orders” feature under “My Account”.
  
• Hobby Search: Hobby Search will let you combine orders that release in the same month, but you cannot combine in stock items with preorders. If you want to combine multiple preorders, or multiple in stock items, you can do so using the “Order Recombination” feature on your account page.
  
• HobbyLink Japan: At HLJ, you have the option to send paid orders to their “Private Warehouse”, where you can store them for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to ship the items, you simply select which items to ship and HLJ will combine them into one shipment for you. To use this, just select the “Private Warehouse” option as shipping when you order.
  

If you’re unsure about whether or not a shop we haven’t listed will combine your orders, please refer to their individual FAQs.
4. When will I get charged for my preorder?
Most Japanese shops charge you once the item is in stock and ready for shipment. When that happens, they will send you an email asking for payment. Some shops (mostly overseas ones), will allow you to pay for the item up front though, if you’d like. A few with that option are:

• Big in Japan (Japanese store)
• Tokyo Otaku Mode
• Anime Island
• Crunchyroll

Keep in mind that overseas stores will likely get the figure a few months after Japanese ones, so pay attention to the release date stated on the website you are buying from so as to avoid that confusion.
5. Should I expect to pay customs fees when importing figures?
That depends on where you live. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Australia: 10% GST is now assessed up front.
• Canada: Minimum declared value for charges is around CAD$20 for regular shipments, and CAD$60 for gifts (gifting something only seems to lower the declared value by about CAD$40, not deplete it completely). When using Amiami, try their Small Air Packet option. It comes with tracking, gets there in about the same time as EMS, and is better at avoiding customs.
• European Union: As of 1st July 2021, VAT has to be paid on all goods imported from outside of the EU. Retailers are supposed charge VAT for purchases under €150, however many Japanese retailers currently do not, so VAT will be charged when your order arrives in the EU. Orders that are >€150, VAT and duty will be charged by your local customs.
• UK: As of 1st January 2021, VAT is to be charged by retailers for orders <£135. However, customs isn't currently charging VAT on parcels valued at <£135, even if the VAT hasn't been paid. Goods >£135 will have their VAT and duty calculated and charged by customs.
• Mexico: Minimum declared value for customs fees is USD$300 for shipments by post, and USD$50 for shipments by courier.
• United States: A shipment has to have a declared value of USD$2,000 before customs starts hitting you with fees, so you most likely won’t have to worry about them at all.

6. The figure I want is an exclusive, how do I go about ordering one outside of Japan?
You have three options for this:
A. Big in Japan is known to stock exclusive figures and ship to other countries. Usually the price is higher because they build in their proxy fees, but it’s easier than worrying about using a forwarder or proxy service. If you live in the US, Crunchyroll, Right Stuf, and Tokyo Otaku Mode also get exclusives sometimes, but out of the states the shipping can get expensive.
B. Forwarding Services: A forwarder is someone who you ship an exclusive item to so that they can forward the package on to you, usually for a flat fee + shipping. When using a forwarder you still make the purchase yourself, and enter their address into the shipping field. When the box arrives at the forwarder they will then stick your address onto the package and send it on its way.
Some popular forwarders are:

• Big in Japan
• Tenso

Be sure to read each sites instructions on forwarding carefully!
C. Proxy Services: With a proxy, you tell them what the item you’re looking for is and they will purchase it in your stead. This is handy for when a company doesn’t accept foreign credit cards, or you’re having trouble navigating a Japanese website.
Some popular proxies are:

• Big in Japan (Won’t proxy for Yahoo Auctions)
• From Japan

Again, be sure you thoroughly read through each sites proxy instructions.
7. I see a bunch of really cheap figures that ship from China on ebay. Are those okay to buy?
Generally, no. They’re most likely bootlegs. If you want a second opinion on that, feel free to ask in the Bootleg Megathread that’s always stickied at the top of the sub.
8. What’s a bootleg, and how can I avoid buying them?
A bootleg is a counterfeit figure often made using rejected molds of the official product. They are usually priced significantly lower than the genuine article, and in order to make their profit, bootleggers use lower quality materials and have less attention to detail- resulting in a substandard figure.
The Bootleg Megathread that I mentioned in question 7 is a great tool to avoid buying any bootlegs. It has a few tips and tricks to avoiding them to begin with, and a few more on how to spot them if you’re worried you might already own one.
9. Does anyone know when figure X is going to be released? How do I know if it was delayed?
My Figure Collection (sometimes referred to as MFC) does an excellent job of staying on top of information like release dates and delays. If you’re curious about an upcoming figures release date, check there first. This information can be found directly under the “Releases” section on a figure’s entry. If you only see a month and a year in that section, it means the release date has not yet been announced by the manufacturer, and there is still a chance the figure could be delayed.
If you make an account on MFC you can also subscribe to comments, changes, and pictures via a checkbox on the right hand side of a figure’s listing. Subscribing to any of these things will allow MFC to send you an email anytime the subscription in question updates. Subscribing to “changes” is a great way to keep up with release dates and delays, among other things.
10. The figure I want is long sold out at normal retailers! What’s the best place to pick it up in the aftermarket?
A list of reputable retailers can be found under the “Shops” section of the /AnimeFigures sidebar. They all sell legitimate products, and many of them also sell figures second hand. However, the most frequently suggested second hand sites are Mandarake and Amiami- who has a preowned section that they update every night save Sundays and Japanese holidays around 1PM JST and again around 6PM JST.
AmiAmi grades their pre-owned items on a letter scale. The general consensus from buyers is that their ratings are conservative, so unless the item and/or packaging is specifically indicated as having significant flaws, pre-owned items from them are usually in at least as good a condition as their rating suggests.
Note: When you search Mandarake, you’ll get the best results by using the Japanese characters for whatever you are searching. If you don’t know them, you can find them on MFC by clicking on any of the “details” in that figure’s listing.
11. Amiami has a figure I’m interested in labeled as “For sale in Japan only”. Does this mean I can’t order it without a proxy or forwarder?
No, you can still order it. Amiami’s English site has that warning on many items, and it’s mostly meant to inform you that this product was made for a Japanese market, and as such, will have Japanese speaking/writing in it- so don’t expect any instructions to be in English. If Amiami doesn’t want foreigners buying a certain product, they won’t even list it on their English site.

Displaying Your Figures

12. What display cases do you recommend?
If you live near an Ikea try out one of these:

• Detolf *
• Klingsbo
• Billy (Often used with Morliden doors and glass shelves.)

*If you decided on a Detolf, you might find that there is a lot of wasted space. Here are a few tutorials on raising the shelves or and adding extra ones in.

• Using metal clips
• Using acrylic supports and PVC pipe

If you don’t live near an Ikea, Amazon has a few display options, though they are more expensive. Also keep an eye on your local Craigslist (or your country’s equivalent) and stores near you that are closing up.
13. What lighting do you guys recommend?
Ikea’s Dioder LED strips were discontinued after a long run. A current version is the Vattensten, if you're inclined to buy your case and lights at the same time.
LED strips have become very commonly available in recent years; most hardware and home furnishing stores carry a selection now. Just make sure that the lights don’t get too hot!
14. What are those clear plastic boxes that I see under everyone’s figures in their collection posts, and where can I get them?
Those are called risers. Most of us use standard acrylic risers like these. Some other, easy to find things that have been suggested are:

• Plastic picture cubes
• Card Deck Boxes
• If you’re feeling adventurous, try making your own!

Check your local hobby store for the first 2 options, or your local hardware store if you want to make your own.
Another common suggestion is to visit The Container Store if you have one near you. They have a lot of things to choose from that can suit a variety of needs. Be sure to check out their standard acrylic risers, their Amac boxes, and the various display cases they sell (baseball cases, mini car cases. hockey puck cases, etc).
15. Should I keep my figures sealed?
That is, of course, up to you really, but here are a few things to keep in mind when debating this question:

• Keeping it sealed can actually damage your figure. PVC figures usually have something called plasticizer in them, and that plasticizer needs to be able to breath. If a PVC figure isn’t exposed to oxygen, after a period of time the plasticizer starts to break down and form a sticky substance on the surface of the figure. Simply opening your figures and taking them out of the box prevents this from happening. If you happen to find plasticizer goo on one of your figures, Kahotan has a handy guide for dealing with it.
• Unlike some other figure markets, keeping an anime figure sealed won’t raise its value by a whole lot. In fact, because of the plasticizer problem mentioned above, your figure could actually be in better condition if you open it versus keeping it sealed.

Finding the Right Figure(s) for You

16. What are "scales" and "prizes"? What is the difference between them?
Those are classifications for figures based on a few factors.

• "Prizes" are generally more simply produced figures which are intended to be given as prizes for playing arcade games such as claw machines. They are inexpensive and lack the detail of scale figures, though some prize figure lines have standouts which may approach lower-end scales in quality. That is uncommon and often depends on the individual figure.
• "Scales" are called such because they are nominally designed to be proportional to the dimensions of the character which they are based on. They are generally of much better manufacture and materials than prize figures, allowing for more detail in painting, accessories, or complex poses.
• "Trading" figures appear in gashapon machines or as blind boxes on shop counters, often as sets which include multiple characters. As suggested by the class name, the randomness encourages trading. They are usually very inexpensively-produced, though as with prizes, some series are better than others.
• "Non-scale" encompasses a variety of other categories. It is often used to encompass poseable figure lines such as figma (which actually do fit inside a broad scale classification) and Nendoroids.

In recent years producers such as Good Smile Company have attempted to further bridge the gap between prize quality and scales by introducing figure lines which are intended to be moderately-priced while retaining a higher level of detail than the typical prize figure.
17. There are so many figure companies! Who makes good figures?!
Obviously this is a very subjective question, but as a general starting point, here are a few well renowned figure companies:

• Alter
• Max Factory
• Good Smile Company
• Kotobukiya (usually hit or miss for people. Use your best judgement based off of the prototype)
• Flare
• Stronger

18. I really love “series X / character X”- how can I check if any figures were ever made for it?
My Figure Collection can be your best friend here. Simply do a search on the name of the series or character using the search bar located at the top right of the screen, and all associated figures pop up!
Alternatively, if you’re looking at a figure’s MFC entry, most of the text under the “Details” section can be clicked on and used to run a search.
19. How can I commission a custom figure?
None of the major figure companies (Alter, Kotobukiya, Good Smile Company, etc.) will take a commission for a single figure. This thread has a few websites in it that you can check out, or you can look into garage kits. Some kit painters would be willing to resculpt, frankenstein together, or otherwise modify kits for the right price.
If you're looking for help completing a garage kit, /brushforhire may be useful.

Keeping Up with New Announcements

20. How can I keep up with figure news (announcements, updates, etc.)?
Most people use a MFC combined with any or all of the following news sites:

• Neko Magic
• Alter’s Blog (In Japanese)
• Kahotan’s Blog (Only GSC and their sister companies)

Many figure companies are active on Twitter, so following them there is recommended for quicker news.
To use MFC for this I’ll quote question #9.

If you make an account on MFC you can also subscribe to comments, changes, and pictures via a checkbox on the right hand side of a figure’s listing. Subscribing to any of these things will allow MFC to send you an email anytime the subscription in question updates. Subscribing to “changes” is a great way to keep up with release dates and delays, among other things.

Most companies have one or more Twitter accounts. Some examples: Good Smile Company sales, Good Smile's USA branch, Max Factory, AmiAmi Hobby News.
21. Everyone’s excited about something called Wonfes….. what the heck is that?!
WonFes (short for Wonder Festival) is a biannual figure expo where many figure producers (both large and small) show off new sculpts and updates to figures already under way. Most companies save their most exciting announcements for WonFes, so we all look forward to the expo whenever it rolls around! Winter Wonder Festival is usually held in February, while Summer Wonder Festival is usually in July. The event has also spread to Shanghai, in the late spring.
22. One or two (or 15) figures were announced at WonFes that I’m really excited about! How can I keep track of their progress once the event is over?
MFC is always really quick about getting new WonFes announcements (or any others throughout the year, for that matter) listed in their database, so we suggest using that. To find a figure from the event you can search any number of things, including the name of the character or the name of the show. You can also use the tag search to search “WonderFestival 20xx_[season]” to see all items announced at that event.

Cursed technique: cursed reality. This is basically a reality warping technique which I think might be op.
1st ability: this ability would allow you to shatter reality. It sends a shockwave out which launches everyone away. If you hit someone directly with it, it causes a massive amount of pain but doesn’t do in actual damage to them. This is his most used ability.
2nd ability: this ability would allow you to look into other realities to see outcomes that might happen, and would kinda show you what to do next. Sense the character would be so smart, he would know what to do the second someone start to do a attack.
3rd ability: you are able to pull items out of other realities to help in combat. This can be anything from shields, swords, staff, and many more things. You can also pull things like clothes and stuff like that if you want it.
4th ability: this would allow you to clone yourself by bringing version of you from different realities into your reality to help you. They can only stay in their for a certain amount of time and your clones can’t use their abilities.
5th ability: this ability would allow you to teleport by entering another reality at one spot and leaving at a different spot. They would enter a reality different to ours so that they have to travel much less time to get their then in here.
6th ability: this ability would allow you to bend reality. This would allow you to bend objects in reality. You do this by bending rocks, fire, walls, and other stuff like that. This can’t be used on living things. This also can’t be used if the things have cursed energy in them. It can be used at a good range. This is his second most used technique.
7th ability: his strongest of his normal abilities, he can completely delete objects from reality. This only works on non living things. This means he can fully delete someone’s weapon if he wanted. This takes a ton of energy and is only needed in few situations. The bigger the object deleted, the more cursed energy it takes. He can’t use it on living things because it would take more cursed energy to do that then he actually has.
Reverse cursed technique: sense the reverse cursed technique make you use the opposite of you power, what it the opposite of reality, its illusions, or fake things. Sense reality is real, illusion is the opposite so it’s fake. So this technique I would allow you to create a area like a domain expansion which shows a bunch of illusions. The illusions are normally used later in the fight when the user knows what the opponents weaknesses are.
Domain expansion: when used, your domain expansion will still have your normal looking area but then will combine that area with different lands from different realities. These realities can be taken out and put back into the domain to confuse your enemy so they never know what is going to pop up next. This also normally changes depending on where your at sense the original land in the domain changes. The character I made also normally leaves a opening for people which they have to find because it is basically like a maze. He also gives them a certain amount of time to get out or he kills them. If they try to use their domain expansion, he kills them.
Reverse domain expansion: this take your enemy into a black space which slowly starts to show different how different versions of them die. Once the whole black space is filled up, some of the dead bodies pop out and try to attack them. This only works because it combines your cursed domain with your reverse cursed technique which are illusions to create a reverse domain expansion.

My kid is a former preemie. He’s 13 months (11 months adjusted age). In the last few weeks he’s taken to screaming/squealing like a banshee at the top of his lungs. He thinks it’s funny and likes the sound of it or something. He especially does this if he’s in his high chair or if I walk away for any brief amount of time. It sets me on edge.
I don’t want to keep saying “no” since he just keeps doing it anyway or cries when I say no. I tried ignoring it. I tried queitly saying “we don’t scream in the house”.
I’m just at a loss. Advice needed to stop this/encourage practicing actual words instead.

I (25F) have been getting back to healthier habits gradually over the last three ish months after a bit of a slump that resulted in some weight gain over the last few years. I’m 5’2 and went from about 145lbs to 165lbs in about 1.5 years. So far, by eating between 1,300-1,500 calories a day and working out 7 days a week, I’ve lost 5 lbs.
For clarification, I weigh myself everyday and ignored initial upticks that were likely due to water retention and general body mysteries. The scale didn’t really budge downwards until after 2 months, and then it dropped a bit suddenly over the last couple of weeks. I’m now hovering at the 159-160 number. In total, I’m down 5 lbs in 3 months.
In terms of what constitutes a workout, I either take a hot yoga class, get 12,000 steps in, or hit the gym for 60 minutes. Gym workout is usually steady state on the stair master for about 20 minutes followed by a lifting session.
Also worth noting that I do full body measurements every Sunday. Everything has stayed the same except my “engaged waist” has lost close to an inch. My relaxed waist has not changed.
My question is, do you think it is feasible to lose 15 lbs in the next 45 days? I have an event Im hoping to look GREAT for and I know that 145 is a good weight for me.
I eat a plant based diet (though I do enjoy take out once or twice a week), am abstaining from alcohol, and would love any advice or feedback! I’m planning on sticking to the 1,300 calories limit and not giving myself those 1,500 days. Anything else? Would you tweak the numbers?
My work is a sedentary desk job as an extra detail!

My step father has cheated on my mom 2 times already the first time mom cut him some slack and continued being with him. The second time he cheated was with a coworker from our job, we work together in the same restaurant. My mom still forgave him because she loves him, and they have been together for 15 years now. He is also a huge help financially as we are unfortunately very poor. We rely on 4 incomes just to barely make it through. What I noticed when he was cheating with the 2nd woman was he would ioke with her alot and have phone calls with her away from my mom. At work they would touch eachothers shoulders or laugh at jokes. He got caught when one of the woman's friend told my mom of what was going on with the 2 of them. Im noticing very similar behavior with another woman from work, they whisper things at each other or laugh at jokes. When i came home from the gym today he was on the phone with this person i know it was her as i recognized her voice. As soon as i looked at him he looked at me, moments later he got up and walked away to the bedroom to continue the phone call. Am I being paranoid or should I confront him as he has already cheated on my mom twice. However if they do break up because my suspicions may be wrong we may not be able to financially handle our home. The car we rely on is his, he pays about 40 percent of the bills here. If they break up i may not be able to provide for my mom and my sibling. Please I don't know what to do, should I confront him, let it slide, or just stop being paranoid.

i get it, sometimes you're open, so you take it. that makes sense. sometimes it goes in and sometimes it doesn't. animation doesn't go your way and 2K decides the shot's outcome before it even touches the rim, trust me, i've had a MYRIAD of misses thanks to poor animations. the problem though is if you see your assignment is still on you on you and that post move didn't work or that beloved stepback didn't create enougb space....DON'T SHOOT. it is not the worst thing in the world to pass if it it doesn't result in an assist, it will at least help you salvage your shot percentage and give your teammates some confidence to take a shot or two.
if you ignore EVERYTHING in this long post, at least remember this...if you're open, shoot, if not...PLEASE don't 'cause just allowing the opposition to cherry pick lay-ups or worse...threes.

 This story saga was made by me, with the help of u/TheSuper300! In the last part of this story, Angie and Rantaro were on their way to see Novoselia on a private train that costed a hefty price. However, the ride took a devastating turn and crashed, sending the two of them into unconsciousness for a while. 

SCENE START
It's been about 2 and a half hours. Upside down, Angie and Rantaro were still inside of the wrecked train. The pain in Rantaro's body was evident as his ears rung.
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!
Soon, he felt his body being shaken. While it was shaking, a beckoning voice tried to call to him.
R.....ta.....o.....Ra......tar...........Ranta.......ro....
Rantaro: M-Mghhhh....h-h-huh???
Rantaro's sights flickered on and off as he blinked. He saw the figure of a person above him, with her snow-white hair and blue eyes staring back at him. Then, his hearing returned...
Angie: Rantaro? Rantaro! Are you alright, Rantaro?!
Rantaro: N-Nghhh....An....gie???
Angie's eyes met his, and she sighed with relief.
Angie: Oh, thank the stars you are unharmed!
Rantaro slowly placed his hands on the wall. Slowly trying to stand up, he spoke.
Rantaro: I-I'm just glad that y-gh!!
Suddenly, his chest flashed with pain that shot through his entire body.
Rantaro: A-Aaaaghhh!!!
Just as he started to stand up, his body fell back down.
Angie: Rantaro!
Angie, with seemingly no injury, ran to Rantaro's side with worry.
Angie: You're hurt! Don't try to move, okay?!
Rantaro: W-We have....to get out of....h-here.....
Angie: Why did you do that, Rantaro?? You didn't have to.
Rantaro looked at Angie with a raised eyebrow.
Rantaro: H-Huh?
Angie: You held onto me....as the train toppled over and broke apart loudly, you covered my ears and held me tight....that's why you're hurt, Rantaro. You protected me and put yourself at risk!
Rantaro: I-I couldn't just....let you harm yourself...you didn't have on a seatbelt...you could have died. I couldn't have lived with myself knowing I couldn't save you, Ang...
Angie: R-Rantaro....
Angie tried to hide the blush that stretched across her face.
Angie: You.....you have my thanks....Rantaro....My apologies for not preparing myself beforehand...
Rantaro: It's alright....
Angie: I-I tried to check the front of the train....the driver wasn't responding to me, nor was he breathing. May Atua let his soul rest...
Rantaro: Ghhh...dammit.
Rantaro slowly stood up, holding his side.
Rantaro: A-Ahh...l-let's get out of this wreckage.
Angie: O-Okay!
Rantaro looked around and saw the hatch to the caboose.
Rantaro: L-Let's try.... twisting that open.
Rantaro tried to stand on a seat near the window to boost his height, but Angie stopped him.
Angie: Wait! You could cause a rupture in your body if you move too much! Let me!
Rantaro: A-Alright...
Angie stepped onto the elevated seat and held onto the hatch.
Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeak!!
Angie: Hmmmmmgh!!
Angie tried to open the hatch more and more, using all of what she had to get it to twist.
Angie: Mgggggghhhh!!!!!!
Creaaaaaaaaak!!!
Soon, the hatch slowly began to twist to the left side.
Rantaro: Alright, you're doing good. Keep going, you can do this!
Angie continued to twist more and more until....
Clink!! Screeeet!
The hatch slowly opened and pushed outward, revealing a muggy biome.
Angie: Haah...haah...nyahah! I Did it!!!!
Rantaro: Ngh! Haah...
Rantaro had to take a double take for a second. After a bit, the pain went away. Standing up, he looked around the wrecked train for one more important thing....their belongings.
Rantaro: Hey, Angie.
Angie: Hm? What is it, Taro?
Rantaro: Your bag. Do you know where it is?
Angie: A-Ah....that's right, it did get thrown around in the crash....
Rantaro looked around the ruined train, thinking aloud for Angie to hear.
Rantaro: Hmmm....where.....is it???
Angie: Oh! It's right over here!
Angie climbed over the flipped seats and eventually got to her and Rantaro's belongings.
Angie: Hup!
With a quick motion, Angie lifted the bags and held the straps on her shoulder before turning around with a spin.
Angie: Alrighty, Taro! Are you feeling better now???
Rantaro: Y-Yeah......this is all just too much....we almost died, and the train......the conductor....I can't believe this all happened....
Angie: It will be alright. I am here for you just as you are for me. Let's get out of here, mkay??
Rantaro, despite everything, still managed to smile hearing Angie's cheery voice. He gathered the rest of his courage and spoke up as he looked to the open hatch.
Rantaro: Heh....Yeah. Let's go, Angie. I'm following after you, no matter what.
The two of them began to make their plan of escaping the ruined train, happy they made it out with their lives.
SCENE END
OP NOTE: Next part shall come soon!

My partner(ace) and I(demi) have been together 7 years now. We got married 4 years ago. Our first date lasted more than 12 hours. Then we saw each other every day ever since.
When we first started dating, we were fucking like rabbits. Like stay up all night and have to go to work sleep deprived because we had so much sex but it's worth it kinda frequency. We'd be late to dinner invites from friends because we couldn't keep our hands off each other.
After 6 months of that, it naturally petered down and I didn't think much of it because I was going through IT. The first 2 years with me was rough so the severe decline in the frequency was understandable. But I do know that I started noticing it at year 3 as it was affecting my self-esteem.
I've spoken to my therapist and all 3 of us were finding solutions as I actually quite enjoy sex. Vanilla as my sex may be, I still have it on my needs list as this was one of the tenets I hung my last marriage on. (We had terrible sex, married too young and I didn't know how to express myself properly to get what I want.) I figured out on my last marriage that I do love sex and I love having good sex. I swore to myself never again will I stay in a relationship where I am not satisfied at all.
Our solutions included having sex differently, having sex in different places, different circumstances, etc. Naturally, this opened up more conversations about sex and kinks opening up our relationship and for awhile we were kinda doing okay. (Sexting, etc)
For awhile we went back to couples therapy. Then she confesses to me that she might be asexual. She cries, I cry, we all cry. Because she knows this was an important part of my life, having a sexual relationship with my romantic partner. I honestly thought we were getting divorced. But we talked through it and in the end, I made the decision to stay because I would rather wake up next to her for the rest of my life than have mind-blowing sex with someone else. I assured her this does not change any of my feelings for her.
We compromised by having her participate and help when I'm touching myself. So now we are going at minimum sexual activity and I no longer ask her as I do not want her to feel bad. However, our sex life has already died down months earlier and was now back to a range I was once again not content with. We haven't had any sexual relations in the past 8 or so months.
But then she tells me she's working on her 'asexuality' with her therapist cuz she might just have aversion due to trauma with her first ex. I then assure her that there's nothing wrong with being ace and she shouldn't try to dismiss her identity to trauma. Because for all intents and purposes, she is kind of the textbook definition of an ace.
To clarify, she is not the first person I've been with who's ace. I've just always known beforehand and we discussed boundaries and having my needs met prior to the relationship. I am trying my best to be supportive but my vajayjay is sad, my clit is lonely, and I'm kinda bummed by the fact that this is going to be like this the rest of my life.
I'm not really sure what I'm asking for here. I don't want her to think she isn't enough for me. I love her and I love being with her and I love sex with her specifically. But obviously there's no way of spinning my need for sex in any context because at the end of the day, I'm left unsatisfied.
TLDR: been together 7 years, married 4. Wife found out she was ace 2 years ago. I decided to stay. Now she's going to therapy in hopes that her asexuality is related to trauma but all evidence say otherwise.
Help?