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Season	Round	Opponent	Venue	Result	Record	Win %
1977	Divisional	Pittsburgh Steelers	Mile High Stadium	W 34-21	1-0	1.000
1977	AFC Championship	Oakland Raiders	Mile High Stadium	W 20-17	2-0	1.000
1984	Divisional	Pittsburgh Steelers	Mile High Stadium	L 17-24	2-1	.667
1986	Divisional	New England Patriots	Mile High Stadium	W 22-17	3-1	.750
1987	Divisional	Houston Oilers	Mile High Stadium	W 34-10	4-1	.800
1987	AFC Championship	Cleveland Browns	Mile High Stadium	W 38-33	5-1	.833
1989	Divisional	Pittsburgh Steelers	Mile High Stadium	W 24-23	6-1	.857
1989	AFC Championship	Cleveland Browns	Mile High Stadium	W 37-21	7-1	.875
1991	Divisional	Houston Oilers	Mile High Stadium	W 26-24	8-1	.889
1996	Divisional	Jacksonville Jaguars	Mile High Stadium	L 27-30	8-2	.800
1997	Wild Card	Jacksonville Jaguars	Mile High Stadium	W 42-17	9-2	.818
1998	Divisional	Miami Dolphins	Mile High Stadium	W 38-3	10-2	.833
1998	AFC Championship	New York Jets	Mile High Stadium	W 23-10	11-2	.846
2005	Divisional	New England Patriots	Invesco Field at Mile High	W 27-13	12-2	.857
2005	AFC Championship	Pittsburgh Steelers	Invesco Field at Mile High	L 17-34	12-3	.800
2011	Wild Card	Pittsburgh Steelers	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	W 29-23	13-3	.813
2012	Divisional	Baltimore Ravens	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	L 35-38	13-4	.765
2013	Divisional	San Diego Chargers	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	W 24-17	14-4	.778
2013	AFC Championship	New England Patriots	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	W 26-16	15-4	.789
2014	Divisional	Indianapolis Colts	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	L 13-24	15-5	.750
2015	Divisional	Pittsburgh Steelers	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	W 23-16	16-5	.762
2015	AFC Championship	New England Patriots	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	W 20-18	17-5	.773

Away:

Season	Round	Opponent	Venue	Result	Record	Win %
1978	Divisional	Pittsburgh Steelers	Three Rivers Stadium	L 10-33	0-1	.000
1979	Wild Card	Houston Oilers	Houston Astrodome	L 7-13	0-2	.000
1983	Wild Card	Seattle Seahawks	Kingdome	L 7-31	0-3	.000
1986	AFC Championship	Cleveland Browns	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	W 23-20	1-3	.250
1991	AFC Championship	Buffalo Bills	Rich Stadium	L 7-10	1-4	.200
1993	Wild Card	Los Angeles Raiders	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	L 24-42	1-5	.167
1997	Divisional	Kansas City Chiefs	Arrowhead Stadium	W 14-10	2-5	.286
1997	AFC Championship	Pittsburgh Steelers	Three Rivers Stadium	W 24-21	3-5	.375
2000	Wild Card	Baltimore Ravens	PSINet Stadium	L 3-21	3-6	.333
2003	Wild Card	Indianapolis Colts	RCA Dome	L 10-41	3-7	.300
2004	Wild Card	Indianapolis Colts	RCA Dome	L 24-49	3-8	.273
2011	Divisional	New England Patriots	Gillette Stadium	L 10-45	3-9	.250

Super Bowls:

Season (Super Bowl)	Opponent	Venue	Location	Result	Record	Win %
1977 (XII)	Dallas Cowboys	Louisiana Superdome	New Orleans, LA	L 10-27	0-1	.000
1986 (XXI)	New York Giants	Rose Bowl	Pasadena, CA	L 20-39	0-2	.000
1987 (XXII)	Washington Redskins	Jack Murphy Stadium	San Diego, CA	L 10-42	0-3	.000
1989 (XXIV)	San Francisco 49ers	Louisiana Superdome	New Orleans, LA	L 10-55	0-4	.000
1997 (XXXII)	Green Bay Packers	Qualcomm Stadium	San Diego, CA	W 31-24	1-4	.200
1998 (XXXIII)	Atlanta Falcons	Pro Player Stadium	Miami, FL	W 34-19	2-4	.333
2013 (XLVIII)	Seattle Seahawks	MetLife Stadium	East Rutherford, NJ	L 8-43	2-5	.286
2015 (50)	Carolina Panthers	Levi’s Stadium	Santa Clara, CA	W 24-10	3-5	.375

Final Tally:

Games	Record	Win %
Home	17-5	.773
Away	3-9	.250
Super Bowls	3-5	.375
Totals	23-19	.548

Kolshian Homeworld ‘Aafa’, 8th September 2136
Rushing through the corridors of the governance hall, Cilany desperately attempted to keep hold of her data slate. This would be the story of a lifetime! She had originally come to Aafa to report on the planned attack on Earth, once news broke that the humans had survived. That the conquering beasts had superior weaponry, and had clearly amassed a significant fleet, was enough to upset the Federations’ pre-existing plans. Cilany had bluffed her way onto a diplomatic courier in the hopes of getting a front row seat to the summit of Federation leadership.
The news had come mid-flight that the humans had struck Gojid space, along with claims of several races fighting alongside the predators. There was even mention of some ‘Inter-Species Union’. Last Cilany had heard, the Cradle itself was under attack, this latest update coming just as her ship arrived in the Aafa system. She had immediately found an itinerary for the upcoming meetings, and waited for the discussions to begin.
All of her plans, and those of everyone on Aafa, had been turned upside down by the arrival of a human vessel in the system. Appearing two light-hours from Aafa, it had approached in a manner designed to let the Kolshians know it was there. When challenged by the defence fleet, a transmission had come from the gigantic tree-like vessel, broadcast across all channels. It showed a prey creature with dark grey-blue flesh and a short, crushing beak. Nodules and spines of bone protruded from its skin, and it seemed to be comprised of nothing but muscle. Flanking it were a pink-furred creature with a long snout, and a Mazic-like creature with two trunks. Standing a little to the left of the spined creature was Governor Tarva of the Venlil. This had shocked Cilany, as she had assumed that the leader of a conquered species would have either been executed (likely being eaten alive) or enslaved. Most shocking of all, the three unknown species were taller than the woolly leader. The blue-grey beast had spoken, their voice deep and rumbling with occasional hoots.
“Greetings, people of the Federation. I am Clan Lord Ulcalna Zhor-Latt, ambassador of the Covenant of Zhulrin. We are here as diplomatic representatives of the Inter-Species Union, on a mission of peace. We know that there is a summit taking place on this world, in which you plan to make war upon one of our member states, the Federation of Human Systems. It is our intention to find a peaceful alternative. We have brought with us an ambassador of the humans, who will explain to you exactly how this conflict can be avoided. You may attempt to prevent the discharge of our duties, but we will be heard. This is your one and only chance at peace.”
And that was that. The implicit threat conveyed by the mighty warship had prevented the Kolshian forces from engaging, while the apparent prey creature with long pink fur had continued the declaration. This ‘Ambassador Voronsk of the Rishtaln’ had explained that the assembled representatives of the ‘ISU’ would meet with the Federation Council. One would give a speech explaining who they were, the human ambassador would give an account of what was happening in Gojid space, and then they would return to their ship within half an hour. Cilany had heard that the assembled leaders had argued over whether to allow the human to speak, with many siding with Jerulim of the Krakotl and demanding that they blow the human ship out of the sky.
Then the Zurulian representative had pointed out the unpleasant truth: if the humans and their ‘allies’ were denied access, they would likely just bomb Aafa. If their representatives were killed, they would bomb Aafa. If the ‘diplomats’ were allowed to land and they attacked Federation citizens, it would destroy any attempt by the predators to deceive them. And besides, if they let the human talk, there was the possibility of gaining vital information about their plans.
So now, Cilany was rushing to the council chamber to get first-hand footage and live notes of the first act of predatory diplomacy in Federation history. From what she had picked up on the way, the diplomatic entourage had caused quite the stir when they exited their shuttle, though why was not clear. Panting, Cilany arrived at the door to the chamber. The area around the speakers’ podium was filled with Kolshian soldiers, nervously brandishing their weapons. Seating herself in the public gallery, along with maybe six other journalists brave enough to be in the same room as a predator. Surprisingly enough, there were many more ambassadors in the chamber than she would have thought. Cilany had just turned her pad on when the doors to the main podium opened. Into the room strode a veritable menagerie of new species. And at least four were predators.
The first into the room were two large reptilian bipeds, towering over the assembled guards much as the Arxur would. Their bodies were lined with blades, and their taloned digits clutched at their waists, as if reaching for weapons that were not there. They moved to the sides, taking up positions to the left and right of the speakers’ podium. From the position of their eyes, Cilany could see they were prey. The way they had placed themselves suggested they were guards, but why would the humans use prey as security?
Following behind came the rest of the ‘ISU’ representatives. On the left were the three creatures from the original message, and this time Cilany could see the entirety of their bodies. The Rishtaln moved with a sort of loping grace, and Cilany could almost imagine this pink prey creature sinking those wide spatulate nails into the flesh of an attacking predator. There was just something… menacing about how they moved. The grey creature who had identified themselves as ‘Clan Lord Ulcalna’ was larger in person than she had previously thought, their head easily level with that of an Arxur. The bony spines running along their back rose upon entering the chamber, some sort of threat display? Cilany could not think why a prey creature would feel the need to threaten fellow prey. And those arms… they looked capable of breaking a Mazic in half.
Perhaps the most horrifying was the quadruped with the twin trunks. They were surrounded by three bipedal creatures the size of a Venlil, with rust-red feathers and hooked beaks, their forward eyes betraying their predatory nature. Strangely, the beasts seemed to be holding data slates in their clawed hands. The four-legged prey showed no signs of fear or hesitation, seeming almost to swagger as the ambassadors entered the chamber. And the feathered beasts were not the only shocking sight. To the right of the party, a tall predator with purple-grey fur spotted with black and a short muzzle walked in front of a bright yellow creature that reminded Cilany of a Kolshian, save for its pot-belly and four large tentacles where the Kolshians had only two. Bringing up the rear was a tan biped whose long tail ended in a mass of long spines. If the position of its eyes did not make its diet clear, the two long fangs protruding from its lips did.
These seven species surrounded four central figures. Tarva was immediately recognisable, walking right next to the dark-skinned human. How could she be that close to a predator and not be whimpering in terror? The human ‘ambassador’ was tall, with some sort of form-fitting garment obscuring most of its near-black skin. A cloak with what looked like a stylised star-chart printed on it flowed from its back as its binocular eyes swept over the assembled dignitaries. On its left, a blue-furred quadruped with a long, bladed tail followed, their twin stalk eyes mimicking the humans’ predatory gaze. On their right was the tallest biped Cilany had ever seen, standing at least eight feet tall at the shoulder, with its long, branching antlers reaching even higher. Four yellow eyes, two side-mounted, two front-facing, took in the entire chamber as the green-furred creature marched forward. Four long arms extended from its torso, holding claws more terrible than even those of the Arxur. Cilany could only stare in shock at the advancing party. How could the humans have allies, and how were the prey creatures not terrified?
The ‘diplomatic party’ arranged themselves around the podium, as Clan Lord Ulcalna climbed the steps up to where the microphone stood. The spiked blue-grey biped looked out at the crowd of fearful and confused prey, cleared their throat, and then spoke.
“Greetings, representatives of the Galactic Federation. I am Clan Lord Ulcalna Zhor-Latt, representative of Clan Suraln, and ambassador of the Covenant of Zhulrin to the Inter-Species Union. With me are Ambassador Ansur-Telen-Noran of the Andalite Electorate, Visser 19 of the Yeerk Republican Committee, Emissary Elone of the Nimthyl Command, Ambassador Voronsk of the Rishtalishk Congress, Designate Harri Walln of the Manper Imperium, Speaker Zon-Das-Rop of the United Kelvar Sapients and his aides, councillor Roshanat of the Leeran Shoal, and Captain Williams of the FHS. First contact between our two interstellar coalitions has led to bloodshed, and it is our hope that by explaining who we are and where we come from, we may prevent further death”.
Cilany began taking notes as the Federation ambassadors looked on in trepidation. One new predator species they could understand, but one with the support of several other species was unimaginable. Even if the new prey species were slaves or thralls, it still gave the humans greater resources and numbers than previously thought. And it certainly does not explain the other predators…
“The Inter-Species Union is an intergovernmental organisation consisting of nineteen full members and seven associate members. There are also twenty-three species with whom we have close diplomatic ties, and thirteen species within our combined territory whom we have no formal contact.”
As the ‘Clan Lord’ inserted a data-storage of some kind into the view screen, Cilany considered what the Federation had just learned. There was another multi-species body in the galaxy, smaller but still highly advanced, if the reports from Gojid space were anything to go by. Most worrying of all, it included several predatory species. While the flesh eaters likely dominated their prey members, the sharing of power between them had… concerning implications.
An image appeared on the screen and Cilany’s heart stopped. There were at least twenty different species in the image, which appeared to be some sort of social gathering or reception. At least six were obvious predators, and there were some, such as a long insectoid with four stalk-eyes, which gave Cilany a sinking feeling in her stomach.
“The Union was formed approximately one-hundred and thirty years ago, with five founding members: the Andalites, humans, Yeerks, Hork-Bajir, and Taxxons. My own species joined fifteen years later, the ninth to do so. It was envisioned as a peace-keeping force, as well as a platform for inter-species cooperation. Through the trade of resources and technology, members enjoy security and comfort, with the assistance of other species in the improvement of their infrastructure and completion of large projects. To say nothing of cultural enrichment and the exchange of luxury goods.”
Now that got Cilanys’ attention. The humans were not only members of a multi-species alliance, but were founding members? How had that happened, given the anti-social tendencies of predators? And why had prey creatures allied with them in the first place? Clearly, they were tainted by their proximity to the flesh eaters, especially given the ‘cultural exchange’. The image changed, showing a map of the galaxy. Cilany stared at the two coloured masses filling the majority of the image. One she recognised as Federation space. The other, about one third the size, touched what she could only assume was Venlil space. This group of predators and their thralls control a significant territory. Striking Earth won’t be enough, the Federation will need to actually go to war with a force equal to a third of itself. And if we need to contend with the Arxur as well…
“Through the efforts of Expeditionary Corps, the ISU have explored and colonised a significant volume of the galaxy, especially given the relatively short time it has existed. But there are dangers in this galaxy, and so each and every member is pledged to support and aid their fellows in a time of war or other crisis. This has allowed for a period of peace that has been more or less interrupted for over a century. In addition to keeping the peace, the Union has dedicated itself to spread life through out its territory. It is thus that we come to the pride of the ISU: its Terraforming Initiative.”
The screen changed once again, displaying two images side by side. One was of a rocky, inhospitable planet, the sort that every system had. The other was of a green and brown world spotted with blue, clearly life-supporting. Cilany looked closer. The stars in the background were the same, and the landmasses of the habitable planet matched formations and high points on the barren one. Did this mean…? Blessed divines!
“The exchange of technologies between member states includes technologies for environmental modification and atmospheric synthesis. The same energies that power our ships and weaponry can be turned towards generating magnetospheres, and other requirements for a world to support life. Through the introduction of specific plant and animal species, we can create ecosystems that maintain what technology began. Thus, every system held by the Union contains at least one inhabited planet with a population of ten million or more.”
Gasps filled the chamber. Cilany herself could think well enough to continue her notes. The ISU modified planets to make them habitable. Such a thing was beyond the Federations’ capabilities. They could maintain their worlds, but it required significant investment, used only for homeworlds and major colonies. And if every one of the Union’s systems was habitable… then their population and industry must be much higher than anyone had thought.
“And with that introduction, I bring us all back to the reason we are here: the recent conflict between the Gojid Union and ourselves. I leave it to the human ambassador to give an account of how this happened, and to lead the efforts in finding a peaceful solution.”
With that, Ulcalna turned and strode from the podium as the human walked up to it, along with Governor Tarva. The predator reached down to adjust the microphone, looked up at the shocked Federation ambassadors, and then spoke.
“I am Noah Williams, designated ambassador of the Federation of Humans Systems. And I come in the hopes of preventing an escalation in the hostilities that have arisen in recent weeks.”
The human paused, as if to consider its words, then continued.
“For eons, humanity looked up at the stars with wonder and hope, creating a thousand thousand different stories and mythologies to explain the majesty of the night sky. As we advanced and learned of the nature of the cosmos, we wondered what the worlds orbiting those distant points of light were like. Was there life out there, were there people on those worlds, were there others like us? Much as we had gazed at the horizon in earlier times, and wondered what peoples and new lands were out there, what adventures awaited us. And then we actually met intelligent life”. The human slowly spread their arms wide, encompassing the nine bizarre species that had accompanied them. Cilany typed frantically, taking down every impression and thought that popped into her head. Here it came, the humans’ boasting of how prey were inferior and needed their guiding hand.
“And despite any physical differences, such as diet and appearance, not to mention cultural values, we found friends. Some species were more aggressive than others, some terrifying, heck, the Yeerks tried to enslave us before we even had interstellar travel.” The human gestured at the massive antlered biped. Cilany took note of that, as everyone else stared in shock. So, the four-eyed creature was a predator after all. But if they had tried to enslave humanity pre-spaceflight, how had the humans won? Suddenly, it hit her. Friends. The human had referred to these other species, including the prey, as friends. Not allies, for that was a relationship of convenience, but friends. Including a species that had tried to enslave them. What in the name of sanity is going on?
“Even through all of that, we helped to form a community of star-faring races, all working together to nurture life in this galaxy and work for the mutual benefit of all. Through the exchange of technology and knowledge, all species thrived. The galactic peace was upheld, the common defence assured, and worlds that had been nothing but barren rock were turned into lush gardens. Imagine our shock, when we came to this region of space, and found a full-blown war in progress.” The human looked straight at Chief Nikonus. It occurred to Cilany that Governor Tarva had likely told the humans who the influential members of the council were. But why look at the unofficial leader of the Federation with… distain?
“A war in which a species of carnivorous reptilians was committing genocide against every other species in the area, even going so far as to keep those species as livestock, like something out of a bad novel. And what is more, the local species were unlikely to accept our aid, simply because of our diet.” That stopped Cilany cold. Had the human really just suggested they would have… helped the Federation? Why? What was more, the human seemed to think of their predatory nature as irrelevant to how species interacted. She immediately began typing. Could it be that the humans thought of the Arxur as a bigger threat than the Federation…?
“But, we thought, no matter. We had established calm, cordial relations with the Venlil, and begun introducing technologies and ways of thinking that would enable them to better assimilate into the wider galactic community. We even began repairing the damage they had done to their ecosystems.” Now that was shocking. Had the humans really shared their powerful technology with the Venlil? The way the human had spoken, it was almost as if they expected that Tarva would discard her peoples’ long history with the Federation to join a group of predators and their ‘allies’. And what was that bit about damaged ecosystems?
“Then suddenly, we discovered that there was a species of warlike brutes, known as the Gojid, right on our doorstep. That the local coalition of species had, apparently, taken one look at our pre-Space Age world and decided to commit genocide, in violation of all civilised standards of behaviour. And the way we found this out is particularly telling.” Cilany saw many of the representatives bristle at the blatant hypocrisy of the predator. For her own part, she was confused. The human had decried warfare and genocide as evil. Yet almost two hundred years ago, they had committed such acts. And given how the human referred to the Gojid as ‘warlike brutes’, and doesn’t seem to empathise with our fear, is it possible that they intend to exterminate them?
“During an Arxur attack on one of the Venlil border stations, a human soldier on secondment to the Venlil garrison, along with his Venlil partner, were separated from the rest of the defending force. They were taken aboard a Gojid ship, and subjected to treatment that violates every code of military ethics held sacred in civilised space. And before you start claiming that I have no proof, Andalite mind-transcription tech really is a marvel.”
The human inserted its own device into the screen and a video appeared. It showed a cage of some sort, and there, standing in the foreground, was Sovlin. A four fingered hand was visible to the right-side and Cilany realised something. This was the view through the eyes of a human.
“Please, I keep telling you, my people came to Venlil Prime in peace! We’re helping them, giving them technology to repair their world, improving their defences. Our allies…”
Sovlin lashed out with a clawed paw and there was a cry of pain. The view abruptly moved.
“Predator lies! You monstrous flesh eaters have enslaved the Venlil! They are now your cattle, and if you think that I will permit your species to blight my people, you truly are insane!”
The image shifted again, suggesting the passage of time. The human seemed to be looking at the floor of its cage.
“Please. I need to eat. Surely there’s something, anything, you can feed me…”
A shock baton appeared momentarily on the screen and there was a horrifying scream.
“Disgusting predator. As if I would feed your degenerate appetite. What kind of beast do you take me for?”
The image cut out. The human ambassador stared up at the horrified Federation members.
“We have more than seven days of similar memories. Beatings. Torture. Starvation. An attempt to rape the Venlil Slaneks’ mind with the Gojids’ hateful ideology. That this Captain Sovlin refused to even feed his prisoner demonstrates the utter depravity of the Gojid military. That Prime Minister Piri did not turn him over to us immediately, or even send a message deploring his actions, but instead began mustering her fleet shows that this taint extends to the entire Gojid culture. It also says something about those species they associate with. Can you truly blame us for punishing the kind of behaviour that would have earned Sovlin the death penalty anywhere in ISU space?”
She saw shock sweep the chamber. The human had just hinted that their species followed some sort of ethical code, defying every piece of evidence on their psychology. Where was this code when they were gassing children? And how could Sovlin have fed his prisoner? There was no flesh aboard their ships, other than the crew. Did the humans expect Sovlin to butcher members of his own crew? Her heart stopped. No one had heard from Sovlin since the war began, if the humans captured him…. Be safe, old friend.
Cilany could see the Ambassador Jerulim was on the verge of exploding in rage at the predators’ words. Chief Nikonus clearly saw it to, as he immediately interjected. “Surely, ambassador, you understand our reluctance to tolerate a predator species on our border, especially given the inherently violent nature of such sapients.” The human ambassador fixed Nikonus with their piercing gaze, causing the Kolshian leader to stop.
“We appreciate that the Arxur have been terrorising you for over a century, but that does not excuse attempting to exterminate every species of carnivorous sapients you find, Chief Nikonus. Not to mention the ecocidal campaign the Gojid Union has been waging since before the Arxur were even an issue”. That last part caught Cilany, and everyone else, off guard. Are they talking about exterminators? But that’s a key aspect of any civilisation. Jerulim finally could not contain himself.
“You dare act as if you are sapient? You are predators, festering tumours of death and pain! No predator is capable of higher intelligence, and the idea that they have any place in the universe is obscene!” Clan Lord Ulcalna snorted in a way that reminded Cilany of a roar, silencing the Krakotl. The human, no longer being heckled, turned to the avian, a fearsome look upon their savage features.
“Ambassador, the disproportionate number of herbivorous sapients in this area of space does not change the fact that the Federation has no right to decide who is and is not considered sapient. And I find it disheartening that the Gojids’ perverse anti-predator ideology has tainted more species.” Disproportionate number…? The implications of that statement occurred to Cilany at roughly the same moment as they did the Farsul Ambassador. High Elder Darq stood, and mustering her courage, asked the same question as Cilany. “W-w-what do you mean, disproportionate?”
The look on the humans’ face was almost…amused. “Ambassador, to the best of my knowledge, approximately three-quarters of all know sapient species consume meat in some form. Of those, about one third eat nothing but meat”. The entire chamber went silent with shock. Surely that was not possible, predators could not make the majority of sapient races. Darq could only splutter at that, and Cilany did not blame her. The Farsul responded. “Then why is the universe not filled with rampaging predators, endlessly hunting for prey? Why are there not a hundred warring races fighting over our worlds, as we cower in fear?”
The human looked at Darq with what Cilany could only call derision. “Because, Ambassador, contrary to your interpretation of the facts, predators are not innately warlike. Despite what the amateurs you call ‘scientists’ may think, violence on the scale you witnessed during your ‘observation’ of Earth is not humanity’s natural state. To put it bluntly, that six-year conflict, which we call World War Two, was the single largest war in our history, and the worst thing we have ever done to ourselves.”
The human swept their predatory gaze across the chamber. “By the standards of human scholarship, the volume of data collected and the degree of actual analysis is inadequate. In a conflict that lasted six years, you have data from maybe a month, if that. There was no attempt to consider an alternative viewpoint, no attempt to even discover what the war was about. You criticise us for killing millions of our own kind, and then treat murdering billions of innocent people as some sort of moral right”.
From her vantage point, Cilany could see Nikonus rallying after the humans’ dismissal of Federation culture. “You speak of civilisation and morality, yet your government refers to itself as collection of smaller entities. It is clear that you are not unified as a species, and as recent events show, you have not yet put aside your warmongering ways.” Cilany agreed with the Kolshians’ words. Still, there was something in the humans’ statement about ‘insufficient analysis’. The way they had spoken of this ‘World War Two’, definitely suggested a more complex narrative than Federation scholars had thought.
Below, the human was issuing a rebuttal of Nikonus’ accusations. “My species is united, Chief Nikonus. However, our history has taught us that the more people a government attempts to control, the greater the strain on that government, causing instability. One must also consider the imperialistic sentiments such large states tend to provoke. Thus, every human colony is in effect a separate polity in itself, being effectively autonomous save for three areas of government: the military, major laws, and colonisation efforts. Each colony elects its’ own ruling body, and that group provides a representative to the Conclave, the ruling body of the FHS Government.”
The human pressed a few buttons on the podium and another video appeared. It seemed to show a view of inter-planetary space with several orbital stations. There were cylindrical structures with some form of outer framework of girders, about five of them, dominating the foreground. For some reason, the inner cylinder seemed to be revolving inside the frame. The backdrop was taken up by what looked to be a large ring of some sort, canted at an angle, the inner edge a blurry mix of blue, green and white. Cilany thought that it may have been spinning, but why… A ship appeared, flying away from the camera towards one of the cylinders. Cilany held her breath. If the ship was about the size of a cruiser, as it likely was given the lack of visible viewports, then those cylinders were more than twenty times the size of any Federation station, save for asteroid bases. And that ring… it was much larger that the cylinders…
“Even with our terraforming technology, ambassadors, there is only so much habitable space a solar system can have. Not to mention the fact that our colonists need somewhere to live while the process is carried out. Thus, for every citizen living on a planet, there are at least three who call one of our space-habitats home. What this means ambassadors, is that even our smallest colonies have populations of nine billion or more. The Sol system, for example, has enough space habitats to house eleven times the population of Earth. Given the administrative strain such populations present, you can understand why we… decentralise our government.”
The sheer scale of the industry needed to create such things, Cilany could not believe it. If this was real, then the humans not only had a higher population than even the most pessimistic projections, but they could turn that construction industry to building warships. Which meant… they’d be able to replace losses faster than the Federation every could.
President Cupo of the Mazic signalled that he wished to speak. Quickly taking a photo of the tan quadruped, Cilany considered the positive optics of someone other than the three founding species speaking. Whatever Cupo said, it helped to signal Federation unity. “So, human, your people are still divided into factions. Are your…allies similarly disunified?” Now that, Cilany thought, was a good question. Surely, if a species was not united within itself, its’ bonds with other species would be fragile. This could allow the Federation to fracture the ISU, if they applied the right pressure.
The human shook their head, possibly signalling negation. “Every species is different, ambassador, and thus each member of the ISU maintains a different form of government. The Andalites, for example, appoint a Prince or Governor to oversee each of their colonies, reporting directly to the Electorate.” They gestured to the blue creature with the bladed tail. “The Andalites were spacefaring more than a thousand years ago. It was they who held the Yeerks at bay, and in many ways were our first alien allies. Also, on a ship-to-ship basis, their military is arguably the most powerful in the Union. It’s their environmental tech and hyperstrong meta-materials, above all else, that allow Union orbital habitats to be as large as they are.”
Many were taken aback by this, Cilany included. Elder Darq spoke out, clearly intrigued by this social dynamic. The alliance between humans and Andalites flew in the face of all accepted scientific understanding of how predators and prey interacted. “But why ally with them in the first place? I would think that your urge to control and dominate would lead you to integrate them into your structure, in a subservient role”. Cilany found herself disagreeing with that sentiment. The human had spoken of a community of species, and had suggested that the conquering practices of their past were considered immoral by the current leadership. Could it be, she thought, that the humans have put their baser urges behind them?
The human seemed almost offended by Darqs’ words. “Because, Ambassador Darq, we are not conquerors. And attempting to rule them would be pointless, because they are not the same species of us. Their psychology and biological imperatives are very different. What is necessary for one species could even be harmful for another. We have found that interfering in the development and culture of other species, trying to shape them into something they are not, always leads to instability and bloodshed. Every species has the right to self-determination. Those thirteen species with whom we have no contact are not advanced enough to interact with without causing massive societal disruption. Ultimately, every species must develop its’ own way of doing things. We can supply guidance and technology, but direct intervention in the affairs of another species is wrong.”
It was then that Jerulim let loose yet another of his outbursts. “You decry direct intervention as immoral, but what are you doing to the Gojid?! Are you not occupying their worlds, are you not even now butchering them, and using other prey species to do it?” The Krakotl spread his wings, as if daring the human to contradict him. “All of this is beside the point! All this discussion of human politics and history is meaningless! What matters is that these predators have attacked a member of the Federation, without provocation, and are even now slaughtering the Gojid as they do their own people!”
The human sighed, looking around at the Federation ambassadors, while their fellow diplomats gave the Krakotl what could only be looks of disapproval. Cilany had just finished taking note of Jerulims’ hysterical speech, when the human gave their reply. “We have only acted in defence of ourselves and the preservation of galactic order, and even then, we have used the minimum degree of force necessary. The Gojid plotted to attack us, we simply struck first”. Jerulim was not done. Cilany started wondering exactly how he had become an ambassador in the first place. “If that was the case, you would have simply struck the military bases. But no, you invaded their colonies and their homeworld. You have not risen above the conquering ways of your past”.
Cilany could see that the human was growing more and more agitated. Is it going to attack? “If that is the case, then why have we not eradicated the Gojid? It really would not have been all that difficult, given the forces we can bring to bear”. Jerulim sneered. “I would think that was obvious. You want to take cattle, to feed your aberrant appetites, to gain new tastes of flesh. The other prey species you have met are too strong for you to conquer, so you thought you could take the Gojid as livestock!”
There was a long pause. Then the human looked straight at Jerulim. Now that is a sign of predatory dominance if I ever saw one, Cilany thought. “I see. You are assuming that we are like the Arxur. Well, let me explain something to you, primitive. The eating of fellow sapients is one of the greatest taboos in human culture, going back to before our first cities. Even the token data you collected during the darkest time in our history should show you that. And on that subject, I find the Federations’ condemning humanity over a single pre-space conflict to be hypocritical. All species go through such times before developing interstellar travel. Only those uplifted before such a stage in their development continue such behaviour, as they have not had the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.”
Again, the human had returned to the subject of this World War. Clearly, it had been a complicated situation, with nuances which the humans believed had not been appreciated by the Federation. Still, what could possibly lead them to think all species committed such horrors, or that uplifts are more likely to do so?
“As for ‘new tastes’, Earth is one of the most biologically diverse planets in known space. We have enough variety from her alone, not to mention the foods available through interstellar trade. Those members of the ISU who are herbivores, ‘prey’ as you so crudely put it, do not share your unreasoning fear of predators, and so have no problem with us feeding off animals they do not utilise. So, if we did decide to utterly destroy the Gojid, there would be no need to take prisoners or round up the civilians. We would not even need to deploy troops to the surface. We could simply atomise their cities from orbit, unleash bioweapons, or just, well, blow up the planet”.
Cilany heard the gasps of every ambassador in the chamber. Blow up a planet? The power required for such a thing, an entire glassing fleet didn’t have that much firepower. Nikonus broke the stunned silence. “That joke is not funny, ambassador. To suggest annihilating an entire habitable planet…” The humans’ gaze shifted. “On the contrary, Chief Nikonus, I am not joking. Or lying. The primary weapons of the most powerful warships we have, fired at full power, could crack the crust of the Cradle like glass, and that is if the atmosphere didn’t simply ignite.”
There was a stunned silence at that. Cilany quickly began taking down her thoughts at these unpleasant revelations. The humans have either overcome their base hungers or otherwise have discarded us as cattle for practical reasons. This means they have no need to take captives, save out of some form of rudimentary compassion… Their prey allies lack any instinctual fear of predators, suggesting high aggression: possible similarities in culture allowing humans to overlook their diet… Human weapons not being used at full power, implying that they do indeed exhibit restraint: why do so if the Gojid wanted to exterminate them…? The human looked around the chamber. They seemed exasperated, as if there was something the Federation did not understand.
“What I do not understand, ambassadors, is why you expect the Gojid to receive special treatment. Regardless of what ecological role their pre-sapient ancestors had, all space-faring species must be held to the same standards. And quite frankly, their behaviour illustrates why uplifting species, as the Gojid likely were, is wrong. Giving a culture that is still going through its savage phase advanced technology, before it has had the opportunity to work through its aggression as we did, can only lead to destruction. From our perspective, the situation is fairly simple: The Gojid attempted to exterminate a sentient species. Thus, they must be disciplined. The fact that we were the species they attempted to murder doesn’t really affect matters, other than shortening the debate over what to do about it.”
Cilany saw Nikonus stand once more, the Kolshian clearly agitated. That was understandable, the human had been hurling criticism at the guiding tenants of civilised life for the entire meeting. “What do you mean, it shortened the debate, ambassador? Surely the mere presence of an… aggressive species would demand prompt action.”
Once again, the human appeared exasperated. “What I mean, Chief Nikonus, is that usually there would be an extended period of discussion within the Conclave, and of course the leaders of the wider ISU. Arguments would be put forward for and against military intervention, the chances of establishing peaceful diplomatic relations with the government in question, whether there is a danger of falling into the trap of imperialism. No one wants a war if it can be avoided. But the Gojid’s savagery made everything much simpler. They made their murderous intentions clear, and Captain Sovlin’s actions demonstrated that any diplomats sent to seek a peaceful solution would be tortured to death. Which really only left one option: render the uncivilised brutes incapable of harming anyone. Our allies offered us military aid, thus allowing us to maintain our pre-existing commitments in other sectors of space, and here we are”.
Cilany paused to consider that. The humans would not have attacked the Gojid if they had not felt threatened. For a species as aggressive as them, there was only really one response to the apparent threat: eliminate that threat. Really, it was a sign of their restraint that they had not glassed the Cradle out of hand. That was when she heard it.
“Bullshit!”

In the world of trading and investing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the way we make decisions and manage our portfolios. Today, we'll take a thrilling ride through some of the best AI-powered trading platforms and brokerages that are changing the game.
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• The All-in-One Dynamo: AlgoTrader AlgoTrader is a swiss-army-knife of AI-powered trading platforms, offering a complete solution for strategy development, backtesting, execution, and portfolio management. With its customizable and user-friendly interface, you can craft your own trading strategies using Python, Java, or other languages. The platform also supports a wide range of asset classes, making it an ideal choice for both beginners and seasoned traders looking to optimize their investments.

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These extraordinary AI-powered platforms and brokerages are transforming the trading and investing landscape, making it more accessible, efficient, and profitable.

I've been wet shaving for 15+ years with a DE razor and water, and I'm finally getting into soaps and aftershaves for the first time.
Proraso:

• 1 tub of green soap, barely used
  
• 1 tube of green cream, never used Claimed
  
• 1 tube of white cream, never used
  

Clubman Pinauld aftershave (all 6 fl. oz.):

• Brandy Spice
  
• Gent's Gin
  
• Virgin Island Bay Rum Claimed
  
• Sweet Rum
  

Derby Extra double-edged blades — as many as you want
Willing to Trade For:
I'd like a shaving soap with a stronger scent. And I'm exploring my scent preferences, so any soaps or aftershaves with interesting or less-classic profiles. If you have samples you wanna get rid of, I'll take 'em.

I have my company LVL Up Lessons which is a marketplace app that connects athletes with private coaches from around their local communities. We currently have a strong (enough) user base of baseball trainers in New Jersey, and I am now looking to help drive traffic/awareness to their listings on my app. I have a list of ~6k emails of people who are interested in youth baseball from within the tri-state area; however, I don't want to fumble the bag with my first campaign to them.
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I've already uploaded this list into facebook ads to run a low-cost campaign to help warm them up a little so that they're somewhat aware or have at least seen my company's name before receiving an email, but I am now looking for the right strategy for an email campaign to them. What topics/sequence would you suggest? Should they be more design template focused with nice layouts and multiple pictures, or should I keep it to a straight-forward text only email?
​
Any help would be appreciated.
​
Thanks!

16 tries, one good print. I'm actually pretty proud of the quality..
https://imgur.com/a/PEGExzh
Above is my first print. A little background, I have no experience with this stuff.. I bought my Aquila used on eBay almost 7 months ago, it was $59 shipped and I expected it to be very well used/worn. Friday this week I decided to unpack and build it. A few missing screws, all of the parts look like they are used (not worn out), all the tools from the original were included, glass bed looks like its seen 1000lbs of prints.. After building and running some movement commands, taking a stab at leveling with the paper method I figured I would print.. I tried that default thingie with the shapes - after a few layers I realized it was warped and half unstuck to the glass and canceled the print.. Digested some videos from SOS and Horrors YouTube and did some research on troubleshooting these things on Reddit.. I decided to upgrade the firmware since this is a well used machine and I worried about thermal runaway and burning my house down for the low price of $59..
Since Alex stopped updating I went with 'Mriscoc for Aquila G32' firmware using the 5x5 MM option. Did the PID testing cycles, and the manual mesh.. I got .20 on every square fully green. I went on to my first print..
I could not get a nice run of PLA to extrude like I see in the videos.. Oh well, looks like enough was coming out to take a stab at a print.. So I figured i'd print the vertical mount for my screen. I kept having failures like first layer not sticking, touching, pulling. I would look these things up and find things that could be the cause.. Simple enough.. Eventually I was able to see my extruder was too tight, my wheels were too tight, my belts were too loose.. I had to splice my hotend fan to work again - somehow the black wire was snipped but hidden in the shroud. I had to clear a few clogs and had to cut and reinsert my bowden as it seems heat creep had messed with the tube and the old filament in there.. my hot end was totally clogged so I did all the things to clear the hot end and the nozzle.
Question.. Should my nozzle touch the bed when doing the manual mesh stuff? I think I have it too low because when the switch clicks I can see the reflection on the glass kind of move meaning the nozzle has to be touching..
Is there any video on how to properly level using these 3rd party firmware? I am doubting myself because it was way too easy.. Maybe my bed just holds a really good level but seems unlikely with how used this thing came and all the constant posts about leveling.

I'm eyeing a low-mileage 2012 RAV4 to use as a hunting/fishing vehicle. I would add a lift kit and decent tires, which I think it'd get me where I want to go (soft-roading; dirt and gravel roads).
Dealership nearby has a 2012 in stock, details are as follows:
$11,000 CAD (about $8K USD) and 110,000 kms (62,000 miles).
Facebook Marketplace ad screenshot: https://imgur.com/a/CkmpLfE
Very low mileage is attractive. Haven't seen it yet; going in person tomorrow.
I've previously owned a 2010 Prius and a 1999 4Runner. Current vehicle is a 2020 RAV4 hybrid. It gets me everywhere I need to go in the forest, but I'm beating the crap out of the body.
2012 RAV4 owners: What starts to go around the 10-year mark? What questions should I ask when looking at this vehicle (or another one like it?)
Edited: The vehicle doesn't have lift kits; I'd add them.

I’ve just bought a light fitting via Facebook Marketplace. Handily it came with a TPLink smarbulb (LB110). I can remote control it via Kasa, but remote control is not available as it’s bound to another account.
I suddenly realised that since it was second hand this made perfect sense. Got in touch with the vendor and they declared that they’d just moved into the house and so had no control themselves.
Before I replace it, I wondered if there was anyway to gain (full) control of it. I imagine any number of factory resets won’t help (tired already) since unless the MAC address changes, it will always look the same to TPlink’s servers, I.e. bound to someone else’s account.
Anyone come across this before and solved it?
Thanks.

Assets and Debts
Retirement Balance/Investments: $65,239 – This is all in a Tax Free Savings Account. I add about $1800 each month to my Questrade brokerage account, which I started doing (at a lower amount) regularly around two years ago when I finished school. When the First Time Home Buyers Savings Account (FHSA) becomes available, I will swap my contributions towards maxing that first.
Equity if you're a homeowner: $0 – oop, in this market?
Savings account balance: $16,834 – Most of this is my emergency funds (vehicle maintenance, vet emergencies, FU money, etc.) and the rest is a sinking fund for travel/fun.
Checking account balance: $2873 This is where my pay cheques are deposited and the account I use to pay off my credit cards.
Credit card debt: None, paid off monthly.
Student loan debt: None, I lived at home during my undergrad and my parents set me up an RESP that covered all my tuition, books, etc. When I moved for grad school I received scholarships and grants which supported my research and my living costs. I worked on campus as well which helped cover tuition.

Income

Income Progression: This is my first full-time job in my field, and I’ve been working for a bit over a year and a half. My starting salary was $68,000 and I got a raise and promotion to $76,000 at around the one-year mark.
I work at a consulting company and my role is to manage and facilitate a variety of different environmental monitoring programs. I work out in the field in northern Canada mostly in the summer. The rest of the year I primarily work from home and travel periodically for conferences, meetings, and occasional project work.
Before I started this job, my income progression includes:

Role	Pay	Description
Sales associate/cashier	$10-11/hr	Miscellaneous retail and fast food jobs I worked in high school (15-20 hrs/wk)
Research assistant	$14-17/hr	I worked for research labs part-time during the school year and full-time during the summer while I did my undergrad (15-40 hrs/wk)
Teaching assistant	$25-28/hr	I TAed various undergrad courses while I was in grad school (100-250 hours/semester)
Wildfire service	$25/hr	I worked a summer in wildland fire after I finished grad school. This was my wages averaged out to once hazard and OT/stat pay are included (60 hrs/wk)

Main Job Monthly Take Home: $4650 after deductions (EI/CPP, taxes, medical/dental)
Side Gig Monthly Take Home: $600 – This includes a few different things. I work occasionally as a photographer (portraits, headshots, events), make and sell crafts, and save up my travel per diems. When I travel for work I get a flat per diem and don’t need to submit receipts so I usually prep and bring a bunch of vacuum sealed meals with me. The take home for all of this really varies month to month and $600 is my very rough estimate.

Expenses

Note: My partner G and I don’t have combined income. We maintain separate accounts, though they’re P2 on a couple of my credit cards. G is working part-time as a server and on campus while finishing up their degree. Their monthly take-home is probably around $1200-2000 depending on their hours. We split eating out, groceries, gas, cat expenses, and other living costs equitably, though occasionally some of these costs gets a bit jumbled when G, our roommate A, and I all shop together. We use Splitwise to keep this all sorted as cleanly as possible. Everything that is listed below is my share of costs.
Fixed Expenses:

• Rent (inc. utilities): $800 – I share a house with two others. The total is $2000, which I split with my partner, G ($500) and our roommate A ($700). We used to live with A’s (ex) partner as well and we were all students when we started living together so we split the rent equally. When G and I started working full-time (we graduate the same year), we decided that the two of us would cover A’s ex’s rent amount so that G could continue to pay the same amount while they’re in school.
• Internet: $40 – This is $120 total and it’s split between me, G, and A. We have Internet bundled with Crave + HBO.
• Therapy: $150 – Price is per session. I have bi-weekly sessions and will typically pay for one out of pocket and get one covered through work.
• Cellphone: $70
• Car Insurance: $110 – I share my car with G, but I pay for the insurance.
• Gym membership: $45 – Local gym membership, plus $22 for Zwift occasionally in the winter months when it’s too rainy/dark for big rides.
• Subscriptions:
  • Spotify: $15 – I pay for the duo account for G and me
  • iCloud: $5 – I pay for a family account for G and me
  • Amex: $13 – I have an American Express Cobalt card. I get a ton of points when I use it for groceries and restaurants, so this has definitely been worth it for me.
  • RBC: $12 – I have the WestJet Mastercard and pay $119 annually for it. This is my first year with the card and it’s already been worth the cost for free checked bags.
  • Costco: $10 – This is $120 per year and I pay for our house. G, A and I usually go 1-2 times per month for groceries and household items (and the occasionally hotdog).

Variable Expenses:

• Donations: $150 – Mostly recurring donations and mutual aid support. Occasional larger one-off donations.
• Pet expenses: $60 – This is what I budget for food, litter, medication for our two cats.
• Savings contribution: $400 – This is the set amount that goes into my HISA towards my vet fund and travel/fun sinking fund.
• Investment contribution: $1800 – Automatically deposited into my TFSA mid-month. I occasionally add a bit more on months when I’m making more side income.
• Paid hobbies: $300 – I don’t really have a set amount that I spend on paid hobbies, but this is what I budget for myself for going skiing, camera equipment, crafting supplies, etc. Whatever isn’t spent will just get rolled into my sinking funds in my HISA.
• Food: $500 – What I typically budget for groceries and eating out.

Money Diary

Day 1 –
9 AM: I wake up and scroll on my phone until my partner (G) wakes up. We make the bed and get up to feed the cats and make breakfast. G is cooking ham silog, but I’m not really feeling a savoury breakfast today so I make a mango protein smoothie and have a slice of toast with peanut butter.
11 AM: G heads out for work and I lounge around indecisively. I had wanted to go to the gym this morning before meeting up with a friend, but it’s rainy outside and I don’t feel like putting on all my rain gear and biking over. I end up just catching up on some chores around the house while FaceTiming my Mom.
1 PM: My friend drives over and picks me up for a rainy walk in the park and to grab coffee. We walk drive to the park and walk around, chatting and catching up. Both of us have been busy with work so I haven’t seen him since last month. We walk to the coffee shop afterwards and I get a large latte and a breakfast burrito ($17.08). We walk back to my friend’s car and he drops me off at home.
4 PM: I strip off my rain gear and curl up on the couch with the cats and scroll social media. I put together a small platter of cheese, crackers, and grapes, and watch an episode of The Last of Us. G hates any shows that are spooky, so I’ve been watching it by myself when they’re not home. I text live updates to one of my friends who’s caught up on the news episodes and has been impatiently waiting for me to catch up so we can discuss it.
5:30 PM: G gets home from work and I drive to the gym. I stop into a bookshop on the way, pick up a book that my friend recommended to me this afternoon, and leave before I convince myself I need any more books ($33.59). I walk over to the gym and I do arms and shoulders, a bit of stretching, and then drive home to shower.
7:30 PM: G and I make totchos for dinner with garlicy chicken and cuddle on the couch and rewatch a few episodes of Shera. I would say I’m a Glimmer sun, Scorpia moon, and Mermista rising.
10 PM: G and I both shower and then I read in bed while G plays Stardew Valley before we fall asleep.
Day 1 total: $50.67
Day 2 –
8 AM: I wake up and check my phone in bed. I’ve developed this bad habit of immediately checking my work email and Slack first thing in the morning and immediately becoming stressed out. Most of the projects I work on are federally funded and the fiscal year end is in March, so my emails have been extra stressful lately.
10 AM: After taming my inbox and hopping off yet another meeting that could have been an email, I join G in the kitchen for breakfast. I have a chai latte and munch on leftover tater tots from last night – G added eggs to it so I’m pretty sure this constitutes as a breakfast item. They watch TV and feed that cats while I get back to work. I’m supposed to be travelling for work at the end of the month to facilitate some workshops and I and have been scrambling to get all the materials prepared for this.
1:30 PM: G leaves for class and I play with the cats while making some chili oil noodles for lunch, which I eat while mindlessly scrolling Tiktok before returning to my desk to work on a report that I’m finishing up.
4 PM: Take a break to lay in bed with my cat and then spend the rest of my work day catching up with messages before logging off. I get changed to go on a bike ride and stuff some snacks into my handlebar bag. I head out for a quick loop and pop on my earbuds. I am listening to Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin and it’s sooo good so far!
6:30 PM: G texts me to pick up a couple items, so I stop at the grocery store on my way home. I lock up my bike and grab a cucumber, some carrots, oranges, milk, potatoes, pork chops, and a big pack of trail mix ($35.52). I stand outside the grocery store shoveling trail mix into my mouth before riding home haphazardly dangling the bags off my dropbars. G helps me unload groceries and makes poke bowls for dinner while I shower.
8 PM: G heads out to meet up with some friends for drinks and I wash dishes and then read in bed with the cats.
10 PM: I drive downtown to pick up G and then we get ready for bed together, watch Tiktoks and snuggle.
Day 2 total: $35.52
Day 3 –
8 AM: I wake up, panic check my emails, and then get up with G to make the bed, wash up, and brush our teeth. They recognize I’m already stressing about work and coax me into making breakfast together. We make scrambled eggs together and toast with butter and eat together and I feel a little bit less overwhelmed when I finally sit down at my desk.
12 PM: I stop to eat lunch and then head out for a quick walk. It’s finally sunny after a week of cloud and rain. I stop by the pharmacy to pick up some tissue paper and a big jug of Metamucil ($24.65). Maybe TMI, but I’ve been weirdly constipated the past few days. I recently started upping my protein intake and perhaps I’m not quite drinking enough water to compensate. I walk home and gulp down a big glass of Metamucil before getting back to work.
5 PM: I meet G at their bus stop and we walk to the pet store together to restock on cat food and litter ($58.15). G starts cooking dinner and I bike to the gym to do chest and back. After my workout, I drink the protein shake that I brought with me. In the Costco Facebook group I’m in everyone is obsessed with these chocolate milk protein drinks that seem to always sell out immediately after they’re restocked. The last time I was at Costco, I finally got a glimpse of them in real life and everyone and their Moms was flinging them into their carts. I got caught up in the FOMO ended up buying two flats of them. G was seriously judging when I came home with my Costco haul and I revealed that I spent nearly $80 on chocolate milk… I counter that this is the price for gains, but I'm not so sure....
7 PM: I bike home, shower, and eat the katsu curry that G made. While I’m eating I finally order the cycling jersey I’ve been eyeing up because I got a discount coupon in my email ($78.75). G and I watch The Hunger Games and share a big bowl of microwaveable popcorn.
10:30 PM: I prep some overnight oats for G and me before showering, brushing my teeth, flossing, and heading to bed.
Day 3 total: $103.40
Day 4 –
6 AM: I groggily wake up to the sound of G making coffee. They work opening shifts at their serving job on Wednesdays and I always say that I’ll wake up early with them and get a head start to my day. I lay in bed, eyes closed, contemplating why I would want to do something so foolish.
7:30 AM: I finally actually get out of bed, dressed, and cleaned up.
8 AM: I hop into a meeting with some project partners and I finaaaaally get the go ahead to book my travel for later this month. My company allows me to charge my expenses to my personal card and claim it afterwards, which has been awesome for accumulating points.
9 AM: I feed the cats and eat my overnight oats before returning to work. I switch over to a report for one of my other projects that’s wrapping up soon. It feels nice to work on something where my efforts feel like I’m (at least working towards) a seeable endpoint, rather than an endless cycle.
11:30 AM: My brain is already over the day. I take an early lunch, wash dishes, play with the cats, and return to work.
4:30 PM: I log off and get geared up for a bike ride. I’m so happy I bought loaded up my handlebar bag with snacks. I eat multiple packs of sesame snaps and do a quick 30k loop, listen to an episode of Ologies, and return home.
7 PM: I do a quick, stretch, shower, and eat leftover curry with G. G has some assignments to work on and I join them on my laptop and watch Youtube videos. I FaceTime A, who is travelling this week for a conference. She emails us her flights so that we can pick her up at the airport this weekend.
9 PM: After my call ends, G and I decide to do face masks together and take a screen break before bed. We chat about our travel plans in the coming months. We’re meeting up with G’s siblings in southern California next month and we’re trying to figure out whether it will be worth it to go to Disneyland for a day while we’re there and which restaurants are a must-visit on our list.
10:30 PM: G and I get ready for bed and then read and cuddle before going to sleep.
Day 4 total: $0
Day 5 –
7 AM: I wake up to G getting out of bed. I stay in bed and see a notification on my phone for Facebook Marketplace. There’s a specific camera that I have a search alert set up for because I’ve been trying to buy for months now and someone in my city just posted it for sale. I message him and get a response right way. He lived within walking distance of my house and says I can come over any time to check out the camera! I get up and changed and bike to the bank and more or less empty my chequing account.
8 AM: I meet up with the seller and trust him right away. He invites me into his house and explains when he got the camera and that he’s selling it because he recently got a higher end model. I fiddle with the camera and check all the mechanics. Everything is in immaculate condition and I feel like I’ve seriously lucked out because he’s the original owner. I pay him in cash and happily bike home ($2200).
8:30 AM: G is making breakfast when I get home. They’re used to me hyperfixating on my various special interests and listen to my blab incessantly about the camera while we eat.
9 AM: I log into a Zoom meeting and then work on my workshop prep again. I’ve been travelling for this project numerous times since last May and I have yet to get approval for travel more than two weeks in advance and that two weeks is always so stressful and chaotic.
11 AM: G leaves for school and I bike to my office to pick up some materials that have arrived for me. I stay and chat with my supervisor and a couple of my coworkers that are in the office today as well.
12:30 PM: I bike home, boil some frozen dumplings for lunch, and finish off my workday at home. I squeeze in a load of laundry, bake a frozen lasagna, and watch a bunch of Youtube videos about my camera. It has truly taken all my self-control to not spend all day playing with it.
6 PM: I go out for a short walk with my camera and listen to my audiobook while I snap pics.
7 PM: G comes home from school and we eat lasagna and rewatch Everything Everywhere All at Once, which has been all over social media again after it swept at the Oscars.
10 PM: G and I get ready for bed and I watch some more Youtube videos while G plays Animal Crossing.
Day 5 total: $2200
Day 6 –
8 AM: Wake up and make a smoothie for breakfast and get started with work.
10 AM: I take a snack break and say bye to G as they leave for school.
12 PM: I join a meeting with one of my co-workers to discuss an upcoming deadline and stay on the call to chat about our weekend plans. One the call is over I boil some tortellini and top it with marinara and some shredded cheese for lunch.
4:30 PM: I bike to my gym and decide to do a full body workout. It is extra busy today and none of the racks are free.. I guess this is my sign that I can skip squats for the day…
6PM: I bike home, shower, and we eat leftovers for dinner.
7 PM: I work on some crafting in the living room while G watches shows. I was commissioned for a project by a friend that I have been slacking off on. I have really mixed feelings about monetizing my hobbies and go through waves where I sometimes feel really enthusiastic about it and consider investing more of my time into building a business and other times, I feel drained of all creative passion.
11 PM: G and I get ready for bed and I stay up a bit longer to read my book in bed.
Day 6 total: $0
Day 7 –
6:30 AM: I wake up to G giving me a lil forehead kiss before they go to work. Love it, but not enough to wake up.
8 AM: Woken up once again. This time it's by two very rude cats stomping all over me and meowing for food. I make the bed and get up to feed them and myself.
8:30: I sit down at my desk to catch up on some work. I usually don't work weekends, but I feel overwhelmed by everything I need to get done this next week. I cannot wait for March to be over and to return to a manageable amount of work.
11 AM: It’s a beautiful sunny day outside and I change into my bike gear to go out for a ride. I eat a leftover slice of lasagna and then a banana and some peanut butter. I never know how much to eat before I bike so I end up steaming some dumplings and eating those too.
11:30 AM: I meet up with a friend to ride together and we stop halfway through our ride to lounge in the sun and get milkshakes. I pay for both of us ($13.65).
4 PM: I get home, strip off my sweaty bike kit, and shower. G is home for work and surprised me with takeout sushi. I am famished and eat my spicy tuna rolls ravenously.
5 PM: G is napping and I sit outside on our front porch and work on a sewing project while listening to some music.
7 PM: G and I go out for a walk to watch the sunset and stretch out a bit. When we get home, we play a few rounds of Dominion. I win twice and G wins once. Then G showers while I read on the couch.
11 PM: G drives us to the airport to pick up A. We’re both exhausted and blast a kpop playlist so that we don’t doze off. I pay for short-term parking ($2) while we wait in the airport for A’s flight and then we all drive home together.
Day 7 total: $15.65

Weekly Total:

Food & Drink	$66.25
Pet	$58.15
Camera	$2200.00
Shopping	$112.34
Other	$26.65
Total	$2463.39

Most of this week was pretty typical for spending. The camera was both planned (something I anticipated) and unexpected (the random timing). I know the reason I budget and save is so that I can spend that money guilt-free. Despite that, some anxiety still lingers and a lot of back and forth thinking, was this impulsive? No, I was prepared for this…. That was SO much money… Money anxiety has been one of the major discussion topics I’ve been working on with my therapist and that I have gotten better about over the past year or so. Spending time reading and engaging with a lot of personal finance content, I feel like I am constantly bombarded with messaging on how to minimize spending on ‘wants’.
Since I started tracking my finances in early 2021, my hobbies have been my top spending category besides rent and groceries. It brings me tons of joy to be able to go on trips, buy camera gear and bike gear, and do the activities that I’ve dreamt of having the means to do since I was a kid. I have been working on finding balance between saving and spending, living the type of joyous and adventurous life that little smolblobfish wanted to have, and ensuring that I’m doing my best to set up a secure future.
Edit: Realized I had only included my primary income in the title. Wanted to add a note that with side hustles, my income is around $82k presently.

Clearing out the rest of the fresh 35mm I have. Here is the time stamp and a pic of all the film. It’s all unexpired. Prefer to sell the lot as a whole.
Prices: - Portra 800 = $18/roll - HP5 = $7/roll - Lomo 400 = $13/roll - Lomo 800 = $15/roll - $215 for all 18
Also selling my Epson v550. Looking for $180 total (I’ll pay for shipping).
Scanner works perfectly. Includes both film trays, the document scanner, power chord, usb chord, lint free gloves and 4 sheets of AR glass that can be used for MF film instead of the stock holder, which is not included. Here the time stamp and pics of the scanner.
PayPal goods and services only for both the film and the scanner. I have 67 sales on eBay with 100% positive feedback and a handful of sales in the Leica Classifieds Facebook group.

Please read before posting

1. Price includes shipping to CONUS only. Looking for PP F&F ONLY. For items over $300, I will ONLY accept PP G&S to protect both of us. I have tons of feedback here, other marketplaces on Reddit, ResetERA, eBay, etc.
2. Reasonable offers accepted, especially on mulitples.
3. Also will be listing a good amount of loose GameBoy Advance games as soon as I can find my SP to test them. Including some really sought after ones (Ninja Five-O, Wario Ware, Metroid Fusion & Zero Mission). Keep an eye out for that.
4. Thanks for looking!

PLEASE MAKE OFFERS, I WILL LISTEN TO ALL OF THEM. NEED THIS STUFF GONE ASAP!!

Consoles

Item	System	Condition	Price	Timestamp
Steam Link	Console	Used	$30.00	https://imgur.com/a/UVFnG5n

PS2

Item	System	Condition	Price	Timestamp
Ape Escape 2 Black Label	PlayStation 2	Brand New	$185.00	https://imgur.com/a/Xdp3ulI
Def Jam Fight for NY Black Label	PlayStation 2	Brand New (Small tear on bottom of shrink, see pics)	$655.00	https://imgur.com/a/5OvRSZ2
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy Black Label	PlayStation 2	Brand New	$285.00	https://imgur.com/a/1dwqTZh
Killer 7 Black Label	PlayStation 2	Brand New	$50.00	https://imgur.com/a/LPGWPIG
Kingdom Hearts Black Label FOIL	PlayStation 2	Brand New	$450.00	https://imgur.com/a/Qk8R4co
Shadow Of The Colossus Black Label	PlayStation 2	Brand New	$30.00	https://imgur.com/a/Xd9Mhsp
Sly Cooper And The Thievius Raccoonus [Greatest Hits]	PlayStation 2	Brand New	$32.00	https://imgur.com/a/T9HZqRU
SOCOM II 2 US Navy SEALS Black Label	PlayStation 2	Brand New	$30.00	https://imgur.com/a/Q1w1ry6

PS3

Item	System	Condition	Price	Timestamp
Bayonetta	PlayStation 3	Brand New	$35.00	Incoming
Heavenly Sword	PlayStation 3	Brand New	$65.00	Incoming
Jak and Daxter Collection	PlayStation 3	Brand New	$30.00	Incoming
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands	PlayStation 3	Brand New	$28.00	Incoming
Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time	PlayStation 3	Brand New	$50.00	Incoming
The Simpsons Game	PlayStation 3	Brand New	$82.00	Incoming
Virtua Fighter 5	PlayStation 3	Brand New	$38.00	Incoming

Nintendo DS

Item	System	Condition	Price	Timestamp
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow [Konami's Best]	Nintendo DS	Used Complete	$50.00	https://imgur.com/a/6IazRJv
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime	Nintendo DS	Used Complete	$70.00	https://imgur.com/a/UVFnG5n
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels Of The Starry Skies	Nintendo DS	Used Complete	$53.00	https://imgur.com/a/HCcDo0S
Elite Beat Agents	Nintendo DS	Used Complete	$18.00	https://imgur.com/a/HCcDo0S
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective	Nintendo DS	Used Complete	$115.00	https://imgur.com/a/HCcDo0S
Kirby: Mass Attack	Nintendo DS	Used Complete	$32.00	https://imgur.com/a/6IazRJv
Nanostray 2	Nintendo DS	Used Complete	$65.00	https://imgur.com/a/y1o3Ckd SOLD to TransistorNetwork
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney	Nintendo DS	Used Complete	$25.00	https://imgur.com/a/HCcDo0S
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for All	Nintendo DS	Used Complete	$25.00	https://imgur.com/a/HCcDo0S
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood	Nintendo DS	Used Complete	$34.00	https://imgur.com/a/HCcDo0S
Space Invaders Extreme 2	Nintendo DS	Used Complete	$18.00	https://imgur.com/a/HCcDo0S
Tecmo Bowl Kickoff	Nintendo DS	Used Complete	$14.00	https://imgur.com/a/HCcDo0S
Ultimate Spider-Man	Nintendo DS	Used Complete	$22.00	https://imgur.com/a/HCcDo0S

Nintendo 3DS

Item	System	Condition	Price	Timestamp
Metroid: Samus Returns	3DS	Brand New	$40.00	Incoming

Nintendo Switch

Item	System	Condition	Price	Timestamp
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon LRG (Best Buy Variant Cover)	Switch	Brand New	$105.00	Incoming
Gyakuten Saiban 123 Naruhodo Selection	Switch	Used Complete	$37.00	Incoming
Hyper Light Drifter Special Edition LRG	Switch	Brand New	$70.00	Incoming
Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl LRG	Switch	Brand New	$68.00	Incoming
Kentucky Route Zero TV Edition	Switch	Brand New	$70.00	Incoming
Metroid Dread Special Edition	Switch	Brand New	$100.00	Incoming
No More Heroes LRG	Switch	Brand New	$38.00	Incoming
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic LRG	Switch	Brand New	$55.00	Incoming

Xbox Systems

Item	System	Condition	Price	Timestamp
Alan Wake Remastered	Xbox One	Brand New	$18.00	Incoming
NHL 22	Xbox Series X	Brand New	$8.00	Incoming

PS5

Item	System	Condition	Price	Timestamp
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart	PS5	Brand New	$30.00	Incoming
Riders Republic	PS5	Brand New	$20.00	Incoming

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