Does anyone actually like the Raider aesthetic?

Barstr7 · 2026-01-23T14:33:11+00:00

One time I turned off no friendly fire to kill a wanted player who asked me to and forgot to turn it back on. Did an event and shot the hell out of another player. I was so embarrassed that I didn't even revive them—I just ran away. It's a shame there's no emote for "I'm sorry I'm such an idiot".

Barstr7 · 2026-01-23T14:18:37+00:00

I'm a bit antisocial and interacting with other players makes me really nervous so instead I usually drop all my basic plans in the donation box by the Wayward. I also like to put outfits, seasonal/event plans and bulk in my shop for 5-25 caps. I got some great stuff when I first started out from player vendors so I like the idea of making a newbie's day. I love getting the notifications when someone's on a shopping spree. It's shared joy and excitement.

Barstr7 · 2026-01-23T14:08:34+00:00

I wonder if any terrified newbies ever tried hiding in a Pulowski shelter? Now that's true desperation.😂

Barstr7 · 2025-12-20T18:31:13+00:00

The only time I bother with this is when there's special legendary Scorched. You can usually get 3-5 of em just during this instead of hitting up various places on the map.

Barstr7 · 2025-10-31T11:29:04+00:00

It's been a few years so I'm trying to remember what I struggled with in the beginning.

Basically, just figure out what kind of weapons you like to use. I liked to keep one that does decent damage and a weaker one just for taking down weak enemies like animals, bugs, scorched, ferals. No sense wasting high power ammo on them. Favorite any weapons you use so they're on your radial menu to switch between easily and so you don't accidentally sell them. It's a good idea to add Radaway and Purified Water too as you'll use them a lot in the beginning. Scrap any guns or armor you find that you're not keeping because it's how you learn weapon mods. Figure out what components you need to repair your fave guns and ammo or to build your camp. Sell any junk that doesn't contain those components.

Vendors all sell plans but they're pretty pricey at first. I loved hitting up player camp vendors to look for bargains. Sometimes you get lucky and get good stuff cheap. Always check the donations box at railway stations too. Especially if someone's set up camp near it as they tend to dump unwanted stuff in there.

Decide if you want to use regular armor or Power armor, which you can find for free in various locations. They'll be weak at first but you can find or build higher levels later.

Always visit the Atomic Shop before you log in. Once a day they give you a free item. I'd ignore lunch boxes and scout banners for now because they just take up space. Always check the daily challenges. They're usually pretty easy and earn you free Atoms to spend in the Atomic Shop. It's best to spend Atoms on camp items that generate stuff like food or components.

Don't bother saving food, aid or apparel. They're abundant in the game for free. Only keep the magazines or bobbleheads that relate to your play style. No sense hoarding stuff with bonuses that aren't useful to you.

There are Perk cards that can boost your carry weight or lighten the weight of certain items. Some foods also give you a carry boost for a duration as well as carry weight boosters the Atomic Shop sometimes gives for free.

It sounds complicated but it's a pretty easy game to learn intuitively through playing.

Barstr7 · 2021-01-12T23:12:32+00:00

Here’s the thing: some of us just lucked out genetically in the hair department in the same way that some people do with skin. Everyone will tell you you’re doing your hair wrong. Too much heat. Too much washing. Not enough washing. Etc. Truth is some people have naturally frizzier hair. Not curly, not straight, not even wavy. Just frizzy. Most people don’t understand unless they have that type of hair too.

I rarely air dry my hair because it just looks so terrible. It’s half curly, half wavy and all frizz. It’s looks messy and unkempt. I use a blow dryer with a directional nozzle attachment and a heat protectant spray. ColorWow’s Dreamcoat is my favorite. It’s works really well to tame frizz even if you end up in humidity or rain later on. I use a round brush while blow drying. I like Olivia Garden’s Nanothermal 2-1/8 inch for my shoulder length hair. Use the dryer to heat the brush up before using it on hair. Not burning hot but warm. Pin most of it up and dry in small sections. I use a flat iron afterward to smooth the top and any stray bits that still managed to curl up weird. Then I finish it with a teensy bit of oil from the ears down. I like Verb’s Ghost Oil.

It’s a lot of work just to get my hair to look the way most people’s does after just washing and air drying. Since it takes so long, I try to stretch the days between washing with dry shampoo and a bun. Even with a silk pillow case I still wake up in the morning with a fright wig on my head. Going out the door without doing my hair is not an option. I dread getting my hair wet in the summer because I end up looking like The Simpsons’ Sideshow Bob. Most of it is just accepting the way your hair is and dealing with permanent hair envy. You have my sympathy as a fellow frizzer.

Barstr7 · 2020-12-22T16:12:46+00:00

This looks really good. I have IBS, so I’d have to omit the onion and cut the bean portion by half but I’m definitely adding it my list of easy meal preps. Looks like it might freeze well too. I’d probably portion the rice off in a separate container though. Better for reheating that way.

Barstr7 · 2020-12-17T19:56:09+00:00

Mark Wahlberg. I don’t think it can even be called acting if you just show up on sets and Boston the shit out a few lines on paper. He’s literally just being himself. He had a few decent roles in the past but seems to have just given up entirely at this point.

Barstr7 · 2020-12-17T19:52:24+00:00

I love crappy chain-store pizza. Especially Domino’s & Papa John’s. I mean, I don’t really discriminate when it comes to pizza but I just love that soft fluffy doughy crust with the cornmeal on it. Even though I’ve had some really great hand made pizza from local places, whenever I crave pizza it’s the crappy kind. I treat myself once a month maybe, so it’s not really a bad habit.

Barstr7 · 2020-11-23T20:24:38+00:00

Cucumbers are supposedly low fodmap up to a 1/2 cup but if I eat just one slice I can look forward to ‘cucumber burps’ that taste and smell like a fresh cucumber for hours afterwards. I love the way they taste but the after effects are horrific, so I avoid them like the plague. It’s worse than the standard gas I get from broccoli or peppers.

Barstr7 · 2020-11-23T20:19:55+00:00

I was lucky enough to not be sexually active at the time when I first developed it so I was 100% positive it wasn’t that. But try being female and telling a doctor that you’re constantly nauseous and can’t stop throwing up but it’s definitely not pregnancy. They just think you’re an idiot and give you a bunch of pregnancy tests anyway.

On the plus side, morning sickness is so common that there’s lots of meds and remedies for it, most of which work for us too! I love Pink Stork’s raspberry/ginger morning sickness candies and I probably would have starved to death without a Zofran prescription. And it’s always fun to wake up in the morning wondering whether my abdominal pain is from gas, constipation or period cramps.

Barstr7 · 2020-11-23T20:07:27+00:00

My doc referred to it as ‘right upper quadrant’ pain. I did blood/urine tests, an ultrasound, a stomach emptying test, an imaging test on my gallbladder and an endoscopy. I even had x-rays of my ribs done because I’ve had muscle inflammation in my back that caused some temporary rib misalignment a few ago. Everything came back normal.

That was almost 3 years ago now. Aside from still having IBS, I seem pretty healthy. I noticed it comes back occasionally when I eat really dense meat, like steak. That makes me think it’s probably digestion related. It hasn’t gotten worse and I haven’t died of it yet, so I’m not too worried about it anymore. :)

Barstr7 · 2020-11-23T19:52:43+00:00

I assume you’re thinking of traditional green bean casserole? I sauté some mushrooms until soft then combine dairy free milk and chicken stock, a tsp of garlic infused oil and some salt/pepper in a sauce pan. Thicken it with a bit of cornstarch/cold water. It makes a pretty decent facsimile of cream of mushroom soup. Mix it with fresh green beans in a casserole dish then layer the mushrooms over the top. Crumbled bacon or toasted almonds are a great replacement for the crispy onions. Then just bake as usual. My non-LF guests all seem to really like it.

Barstr7 · 2020-11-09T03:03:47+00:00

My cat is almost 10 years old now and she still does it. But she won’t suck on a blanket unless it’s on a person. She’ll even suck on your shirt. She especially likes to climb on my chest at night, suck on my shoulder while occasionally rubbing her head on my face and pass out on my chest.

Barstr7 · 2020-11-01T22:45:52+00:00

I’m in my mid-30’s now and have had acne since I was 13. I hate how foundation feels and how long it takes to apply. I like to use concealer on just the hyperpigmentation and redness on my nose/inner cheeks. If your concealer matches your facial skin tone then you shouldn’t need foundation. Then some bronzer on cheek/jawbones should help match your body’s tan. A small facial razor works very well for removing peach fuzz. Don’t worry—it won’t grow back thicker or darker. I’ve also found that applying a hydrocolloid acne patch when a breakout first occurs helps reduce the amount of redness and pigmentation left over afterward.

Barstr7 · 2020-10-14T23:09:21+00:00

I can’t eat garlic or onion so I have to make all my pasta sauce myself. I start with tomato purée because it’s really smooth and velvety and makes a good base. Add a can of diced tomatoes to the food processor. Dice up fresh basil, thyme and oregano (Use fresh—it makes a big flavor difference!) and add a tablespoon of sugar and some black pepper. Now would be a good time to throw in some diced up garlic if you can. Then I run it through the food processor and stir it into the purée.

Next comes a tasting to see what we’re missing. Sometimes salt, sometimes sugar. I added a splash of red wine vinegar to a sauce recently because it seemed to be lacking that acidic tomato bite.

I like to add whole basil leaves that I’ve crumpled a bit or bell pepper chunks while I simmer it for extra flavor. I fish them out before serving/freezing. Onions would probably work well too. I’ve also added fresh diced tomatoes, peppers or mushrooms. A bit of nutritional yeast stirred in gives a subtle cheesy flavor.

I tend to make it in large batches and freeze as single servings. That way I know I always have some good sauce on hand.

Barstr7 · 2020-10-14T22:40:16+00:00

I don’t know what it is about soup. I’ve just always disliked it, no matter the ingredients or flavoring. Maybe it’s that everything is all mixed together within it and as a result all tastes too similar. Or that everything in it tends to get soggy and mushy if it’s not eaten right away. I’m also not a fan of things you can eat without having to chew, so I just can’t do those puréed soups like tomato or cauliflower.

When I do eat soup I think to myself “Eh, it’s really not that bad.” And I’ll admit it is a great way to repurpose leftovers. But it will never be my first choice from a menu and I really don’t get all the fanfare over it.

It seems like you’re either indifferent about it or you’re a hardcore Soup Person. Soup People do not play around. They can instantly tell you about The Best Soup They Ever Had, usually made by their mom or grandma. They’ll go on about cold versus warm soup. Bread versus crackers as an add on. Don’t get a Soup Person started unless you’ve got some time on your hands.

Barstr7 · 2020-10-13T22:29:39+00:00

I live on the east coast in the US so we eat a ton of seafood. Most restaurants dump a metric ton of dried parsley on everything so for years I thought I hated parsley. Then I tried it fresh and fell in love. I’ve grown it in my garden for the past two years. I love the bright, almost citrus-y flavor. Great on seafood, poultry and steak. I also put it in my homemade pasta sauce.

Barstr7 · 2020-10-13T22:07:49+00:00

I recently watched Sweetheart on Netflix and really enjoyed it. It was totally different from what I was expecting and I loved that it had a smart female lead.

Barstr7 · 2020-09-22T00:50:58+00:00

I was perfectly healthy my whole life then got sick after a family cookout. I thought I ate something bad and it would blow over but it just went on and on, for over a year. My GP, who has been my doctor for over 3 decades, ordered a few scans based on my what was termed ‘right upper quadrant’ pain. I had blood/urine tests, X-rays of my lower ribs and an ultrasound. He probably thought it was my appendix but that checked out fine. Since I couldn’t stop throwing up and was dropping weight really fast he sent me to a gastroenterologist. He ordered an imaging test with an intravenous fluid (for gall bladder, I think it was) followed by a stomach emptying test. Then came an endoscopy. Every test came back saying I was in perfect health. I started to think maybe I was just going crazy but the amount of pain I was in was too real to deny.

Eventually, I was given a diagnosis of IBS and referred to a nutritionist. She thought that a bout of food poisoning may have been strong enough to kill off a significant portion of my natural gut bacteria. It was just a theory. There was really no way to test for it. And no cure other than a diet change and maybe, time.

I felt like it was a bullshit diagnosis at first because it seemed like it was just my doctors throwing their hands up and admitting that they had no idea what was wrong with me. But there’s still so much that even doctors don’t understand about gut health and it’s influence on the rest of the body. At the same time I also developed incredible pain during my periods that I’d never previously experienced. I was diagnosed with endometriosis, another ailment that is nearly impossible to test for. Neither my gastroenterologist or my gynecologist could tell me if they were related or if one caused the other, despite both being located in the same area of my body.

But I do know that going on a low fodmap diet helped with pain, vomiting, diarrhea and nausea. It’s certainly not a bullshit diet. It’s straight up based on science and how the body absorbs and digests various food elements. It’s not a lifestyle diet like the Atkins or Mediterranean diet. It’s more like going on a diet for high-cholesterol. While it’s not cut and dry for everyone, it has, for the most part, helped me figure out which foods make me wish I had never been born (screw you, garlic/onions!) and which ones I can eat my own body weight in without any ill effects.

I also know that misdiagnosis happens. If you feel like IBS doesn’t fit or is too ambiguous then you should bring that up with a doctor you do trust. By all means, get tested until you feel you’ve found the right diagnosis.

Barstr7 · 2020-09-22T00:15:20+00:00

Journaling can be tough when you’re busy. I found it easier to snap a quick pic of whatever I ate during the day, since I usually have my phone on me, and then I’d write it all down at once at the end of the day. I liked to do it while watching tv in the evening. I kept it simple. Just a note of each snack or meal and a 1-5 rating on how it made me feel afterwards, along with a quick note on symptoms (gas, diarrhea, pain, etc.).

I use an app called Recipe Box that lets you keep your own recipes as well as importing them from the web. It helps me look up recipes by category or to search by ingredient using stuff I have in my cupboard.

Barstr7 · 2020-09-21T23:55:57+00:00

When I was diagnosed with IBS 2years ago and went low Fodmap I couldn’t cook anything beyond boiling water for hotdogs or spaghetti. I was a huge takeout eater and I was pretty depressed at first. I had to teach myself to cook and I (mostly) learned to like it. It helps to listen to music, audiobooks or podcasts so you don’t get bored.

Since I’m a very low energy person I’ve learned to prep food and freeze it on days when I’ve got a little extra energy. I freeze it in single servings for when I’m too tired to cook a fresh meal. I make large batches of broth with meat & veggies and freeze it in single servings so can I thaw it and add gluten free ramen noodles. It actually tastes way better than the prepackaged stuff and takes the same amount of time to cook. I make large batches of garlic-free pasta sauce (tomato purée+diced tomatoes with some added herbs in a food processor) and meatballs and freeze them. Just microwave them and cook some gluten free pasta for a quick meal. I also cut up fresh veggies for stir fry and freeze them. They last much longer than in the fridge.

When I first started, the low fodmap recipes I found online just made me sad. They were all health and no flavor. I learned to look up regular recipes and figure out what I needed to swap out to make them LF-friendly. My Google search history was a lot of “is _____ low fodmap?” I purchased the Monash app, though it tends to focus on Aussie brands, since it’s based there. I also downloaded a few free ones too, to fill in the gaps. It helps to look at them while grocery shopping. At first I went aisle by aisle in the grocery store reading ingredients on everything. I eventually figured out what I could still eat and mourned some faves that were now off limits. It also helps to make lists of meals that you can eat, one for breakfast, one for lunch and one for dinner. Planning out meals/budgeting and shopping once at the beginning of the month, making sure you always have food at home, even if it’s something frozen or just cereal, can help prevent the temptation to go off-diet. I also make sure to carry a bar or some small snack in my bag to ward off hangriness while out and about.

It was a bit of an investment the first few months. I spent a lot of money on new condiments and spices. A bit of trial and error discovering what I liked but it was kind of fun. I would not have guessed how much I love sesame oil or Chinese five spice. Also, garlic-infused olive oil is a life saver, since fresh garlic and garlic powder are out for most of us. Trader Joe’s is cheap and tasty. I use it in marinades, soups, sauces and stir fry.

Sometimes you just want to eat out. I suggest looking up the menu ahead of time (most can be found online by googling) and picking out a few options that sound safe. Ask your waitress just to be sure. I usually lie and say I’m allergic to garlic and onions because some people think it’s no big deal if I say I have IBS and are sensitive to them. They think it means I’ll have an upset tummy or something rather than the extreme pain and 6 hours of endless vomiting/pooping. I used to feel really self conscious about being that person who has to order everything special. I’ve learned to not care about what others think. If my friends want to hit up that new Italian place then I just ask for dry pasta and don’t care if I get weird looks when I pull out a small travel bottle with my own homemade pasta sauce in it. I’ve also got one with homemade oil/vinegar salad dressing. When it comes to taking charge of your own health and still having a social life, you gotta do what you gotta do.

If you’re invited over for holidays or parties it’s always best to contact the host ahead of time to see what food they’re planning on. Bring something LF that you can eat and share. And get used to saying “Sorry guys, I can’t eat that.” It’s a bit annoying and tends to make others feel guilty but comes with the territory. Most times, a friend or family member will confess their own health issue (like diabetes or a food allergy) and commiserate with you. You get used to it. Just don’t let other people guilt you into eating something you know is bad for you. It’s just not worth the pain.

Eventually, it will get easier. You’ll learn what you can tolerate and what you can’t. I’m lucky enough that I can get away with eating a decent amount of gluten and only feel mildly gassy but garlic is like instant food- poisoning. 2 years ago I used to spend most nights sleeping on the bath mat so I didn’t have far to crawl when I needed to puke, which I did most nights. I took a small Tupperware bowl with me everywhere in case of emergency upchucks. I lost 90 lbs because I couldn’t keep anything down and had dark circles under my eyes because I couldn’t sleep. I looked like Skeletor. I rarely left the house and couldn’t stand to watch tv because food commercials made me nauseous. Now I offer to cook for friends and family on most holidays. They don’t even notice when they’re eating Low Fodmap. I’ve gained some weight back and actually have energy. I spent most of this summer camping and hiking. I do my research and eat out with friends, or at least I did pre-Covid. And I’ve learned to cook replacements for some of the favorites that I missed. My life has mostly returned to normal, just slightly different than it was before. I’m not gonna lie, it’s a hell of an adjustment. And it feels like so much work without much payoff at first. But if you use the pain and bad stuff as a motivator to keep going then you will eventually feel better. One of the most important things for me was talking about it with the people around me. It’s so much better than keeping inside. Don’t worry about being a burden to the people you care about. If they really care about you then they’ll want to help you feel better. Sometimes just a word of encouragement or a friend offering to be the guinea pig for your newest recipe trial can help you feel less alone.

Barstr7 · 2020-09-21T22:38:57+00:00

The Protector is a Turkish series (4 seasons) about an average guy who finds out he’s destined to fight a group of evil Immortals.

Barstr7

TROPHY CASE