I know you’ve said that you’ve asked her, and she’s stated she’s fine, but I think it matters how you ask. Sit down with her, mention the behaviors you’ve observed, explain how these things make you feel (I assume you’re worried about a friend), and just let her know you’re there for her if she ever wants to talk. Try not to make it too much about yourself, but be honest with your emotions… and try not to offer fixes for anything unless she asks. Myself and a lot of other women aren’t always open with men, even friends, because it can be exhausting dealing with their problem solver personalities; we normally know how to fix things already, but doesn’t mean they don’t weigh on our minds.

Definitely make sure to listen to the game’s music if you play! Such an amazing soundtrack!!

This game and Roboquest are two of my favorite roguelikes! They both have a different feel when using the weapons, but both are incredibly satisfying! The progression and unlocks feel rewarding, the coop is fun (only played them with friends, so idk how online‐strangers coop is), and I enjoy how the difficulty scales. Love the weapon, perk, and build variety!!

I never used TikTok either! I’m not super into short video content. I had a macro photography account on IG about 5 years ago with 30k followers; I closed it after a lot of life obstacles but recently started shooting again. I’m not super into supporting Meta, so I thought I’d just see how RN is since it’s both image and video content. I’ve honestly been incredibly surprised! There’s a lot more user interaction in posts with so much of it being supportive. There are creators posting there whose content on other platforms would always attract negative and hateful comments - absolutely none of that so far on RN. The CN community has been very welcoming, patient, and helpful to new users. I definitely think it’s worth checking out, even if it’s just to get a glimpse of another culture!

Anecdotally, most of my explore is lgbtq posts with plenty of comments and interaction. Some posts are many days old. I’m 100% sure there is and will be further censorship, but I’ve not really encountered it yet… I’ve also been seeing articles about there being a large amount of specific content (Luigi, guns, etc) that I haven’t encountered at all.

I was wondering this as well and have been incredibly surprised how different the landscape is from my assumptions. Their algorithm very quickly understood my identity and preferences and started mixing in a good amount of wlw content with just an overflow of positive comments and engagement. I was also super happy to see creators that I enjoy being welcomed and praised on the platform - creators which 100% of the time have people leave the most unkind comments on their posts. There’s one in particular, a man who showcases and slays in his dresses, which I’ve yet to see one negative comment towards. Time will tell how long things stay this way!

Soo it’s nowhere near the same- but in FFXIV I once spent weeks after an expansion crafting/gathering to make money to buy a large housing plot. By the end of it I had around ~600million (an absurd amount). Unfortunately my luck just wasn’t here and I lost every lottery I entered. Now- I probably have like 5 million. Where did it all go? To other players. I’d just buy people things. Someone in chat said they really wanted this or that- I’d buy it. People wanted a small/medium plot and didn’t have the money? I’d give them the gil. I found literally no reason to have so much gil just for the sake of having it, and I love seeing people get excited. I’d put together little welcome packages with expensive mounts, minions, clothes, etc and gift them to new players. I kind of started doing this in real life to, just to a lesser degree as a stranger handing you a gift can be a bit weird. I’d like to imagine, with infinite wealth, I’d do the same thing to a larger scale- really find ways to improve and bring joy to the lives of others. I’d obviously spoil myself with things, but I imagine I’d spend most of it on other people.

Thank you for sharing this! I was a software engineer for over 10 years and was let go with most of my department in June. I’ve been coasting on SUB payments, enjoying the temporary freedom, and learning sooo much about myself. I’ve been applying to similar jobs, but the longer I’ve been away from that world, the less I want to go back to it. So much of me wants to run to a job I always wanted growing up - a barista, and restart my photography business which I had to drop as it was too much to balance with a full-time job. I’ve been mentally stuck the last few months trying to figure out what I want to do… it’s nice to read something from someone in a slightly similar situation who is also considering a completely different path. I wish you the best of luck on your new journey, and I hope you find happiness in whatever work you decide on!

Absolutely giggling that there’s an organization for this, but I’m happy to see it. I’m not unfamiliar with these devices, and it’s always in the back of my mind that the makers probably aren’t prioritizing security and potential vulnerabilities. Literally, everything these days wants you to use an app or connect to your network 🙄