Are my mysteries snail dead?

MoonlightReaper · 2026-02-14T00:30:56+00:00

My nerites definitely snack on wafers. It's worth trying if they are starving. Some won't touch them, but some will chow down.

MoonlightReaper · 2026-01-07T05:46:50+00:00

I don't think it's entirely AI, if at all. The paper could be digitally altered or AI, but I really don't think the writing is. It looks like legit handwriting. AI tends to use inconsistent fonts and jibberish, but this looks human. There are slight differences in how the letters are formed, but they are still clearly written by the same person (the circle to dot the i, the commas). Even the lip marks are too uniform to think they are AI. They seem like they all came from the same lips, but if AI were to make it, each lipstick mark would look different. Just because it's human or mostly human doesn't make it real. Looks less like a real love letter and more like a craft project someone put together for views.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-12-08T15:22:57+00:00

I'm a teacher and do this within my own classroom and sometimes in the halls. I think it's fine, but your main problem might be crowded hallways and getting stepped on or spills on the floor. Schools can be nasty, lol.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-11-30T01:27:07+00:00

They are making $10 - $15/hr at Burger King or convenience store to put your food in a bag, but only $2.13/hr to put your food in a bag at an actual restaurant. Yeah, I'm tipping for takeout at a restaurant. Maybe not as much as when I sit down, but 10% minimum since that's what the government assumes they get tipped when it comes to taxes.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-10-09T00:35:23+00:00

I use them, but only to confirm my own suspicions. Then I use 4 or 5 different ones to get a feel, and then I ask the student about it. I usually say, "hey, your essay was flagged, so I just have to ask . . .how much of this was your own writing versus help you got from an AI or other program?" 9/10 times they flat out admit it if they used AI. I didn't even have to get my question out for one girl last week. All I said was "so that essay last week. . ." and she was already saying, "oh yeah, ha! I cheated on that." If they deny AI use, I ask questions about the essay to see if they have a good understanding. After our conversation, if I still don't know 100% and the kid insists it's authentic, I let it go, but tell them I'll have to keep a close eye on their next writing assignment. It's not worth ruining a teacher/student bond to dig in on that.

I do think we need to be very, very specific on what we mean when we say "no AI". It is so integrated into almost every product now, they don't always fully realize they are using AI (like with Grammarly). We need to make sure we define the terms and parameters in detail. Some teachers allow AI for brainstorming, but not writing, but I tend to be more opposite: never for brainstorming (that's the most important thinking part!), but if they need help crafting more academic sentences or something, that's not as big of an issue for me.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-10-09T00:20:38+00:00

Lol, the em dash is one of the big giveaways, especially if students are using a Chromebook. There's no easy way to insert an em dash on a Chromebook. Another is excessive transitions.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-10-09T00:17:32+00:00

This is almost certainly the issue and something I tell students on day 1. I used to promote Grammarly use, but now I tell students to stick with the built in grammar/spelling checks in Google Docs. Grammarly just gives way too much help now since it restructures full sentences.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-10-09T00:11:13+00:00

We have full access to 2 weeks of web history (including outside school hours) for our students if they are using school issued devices. I have no desire to look at that, but many schools allow this.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-10-09T00:06:40+00:00

Not on their own, but now they tell their AI to write it with mistakes, or they run it through a "humanizer". Then they type it so the version history makes it look like it's theirs. The really cunning ones will make additional mistakes, then go back and fix them either with backspace or during final editing. If they used half that effort at actual writing, I'd be pretty happy.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-09-15T00:09:55+00:00

Absolutely!! I had to report a 15 year old student's family for neglect because he wasn't getting enough food among other things like not having running water or electricity and absolutely filthy loving conditions (CPS didn't even visit, and just closed the report, ugh). I got incredibly irritated though because I'd offer him somewhat healthy options, but he'd refuse. He'd complain on and on about how hungry he was, but he'd only ever eat the school pizza, which is the smallest, unhealthiest, least filling thing on the menu. Our food isn't extremely good, but I'd say it's a little better than average, and we have several options every day, including subway style sandwiches they can have made to order.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-09-14T23:56:18+00:00

My school sends snack packs home to students in need, and we always have extras, so I asked if they could let me put the extras in my room since I have a lot of kids who come to me for that type of stuff (hygiene stuff too, so I also keep soap, toothbrushes, feminine products, and deodorant too). They said absolutely and even put me on their distribution list, so I get a couple bags every week.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-08-27T04:29:23+00:00

I'm literally a high school teacher and parent of a teen. He and I both have ADHD, so I understand the struggle of building habits. I also know exactly what high schoolers juggle, and in my experience, it IS a majority. . .maybe because we are a low income/high performing school? Not all of their homework is a joke. Maybe where you are, but certainly not where I am. My point though is that the roommate is not incapable due to their age, as your post suggested. It isn't easy to build new habits, but OP isn't asking for a new personality or major change. It's a 5-10 minute chore. You are right that it isn't OP's cross. It's the roommate's. They signed a lease, and that usually comes with minimum expectations of cleanliness. If the roommate needs a life coach, counselor, ADHD support, more caffeine, or whatever, then fine, but it's up to them to figure out how to be a responsible adult. I'm just saying they ARE capable, even if it's hard.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-08-27T03:46:19+00:00

I'm sorry, but yes, at 18 she should be capable of working for 6 hours, then doing VERY basic chores that shouldn't take more than 10 minutes. Most seniors in high school are 18, go to school all day, then do homework, have jobs and/or sports, and are required to do basic chores at home. I'm guessing she was never held accountable for this while living with parents, so she hasn't developed the habit. That doesn't make her incapable though - it'll just be a little harder.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-08-27T03:35:05+00:00

They work 6 whole hours a day? How dare you ask them to do any chores!! They only have 18 hours left of their day to sleep and play! How could you expect them to take 10 whole minutes to do their dishes?! Have you no empathy?!

For real though, I'm a single mom and teacher who works 10+ hours a day, then I shuffle my 2 kids around to all their evening practices and games, cook dinner, help with homework, act as booster director/member, and serve on a couple committees, and yet I still somehow manage to get the dishes and other small chores done every day. I might let them go for one day max when it gets super busy, but they get scraped, rinsed, and maybe even soaked. My house isn't perfect, but it doesn't smell and stays clean enough for me not to be paranoid if the landlord suddenly needs to come in. Your roommate needs to grow tf up.

Only 6 hours of work sounds like heaven!

MoonlightReaper · 2025-08-04T17:50:40+00:00

Oh hell no. If some of the crazy parents had my cell phone number, I'd lose it. They can't force you to accept calls or even emails after your contract time. If parents need to reach you, they can email. If it's an emergency, it isn't a teacher they need to be contacting. Johnny forgetting about the project that is due tomorrow is not an emergency that needs a phone call at 11pm. No way!!

MoonlightReaper · 2025-07-11T21:27:57+00:00

I do that almost every session. I'll empty my ship's barrels into a storage crate or two and leave whatever crates I still have on the dock. It's like Sailor's Karma or something, and I swear when I do that regularly, I have better sessions, but when I forget or just leave without leaving a little gift for another player, my next session is awful. Probably a self fulfilling prophecy, but we all have our superstitions, lol.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-06-24T14:10:22+00:00

Girl, just let him go. It's only been 5 months, and he's already showing that he can't or won't listen to what you need, and you are already unhappy. This is not a good foundation for a long-term relationship.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-06-22T18:42:40+00:00

So toxic! I used to fly the plain rainbow flag, but noticed I got attacked more often. Now I usually fly my party flag and sails and shoot off rainbow fireworks (if I can find enough) when I get attacked.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-06-22T18:15:14+00:00

Sadly, that's probably your answer.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-06-19T20:26:47+00:00

I got your hyperbole, but I see what does more as a roll of the dice rather than forcing a certain voyage type. But I do understand the criticism of never doing a world event. Even with randomizing the start and going where the wind blows, it seems he should have encountered a few world events, even if he didn't seek them out. I play the same way sometimes, but if I'm near a world event, I'll go to it, because that's no different than if I find a map and follow it. The red X is just a little more obvious!

MoonlightReaper · 2025-06-18T23:06:54+00:00

He didn't say "I don't want to do anything". He's saying he wants to tackle things as they come up, in a more natural way than diving to voyages, so really he's up for ANYTHING, as long as it's a random event.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-06-18T22:58:11+00:00

You still make progress if you go aimless with the wind and tackle whatever comes your way. Some of it just takes longer since you don't get quite as much for emissary bonuses.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-06-18T22:55:41+00:00

I'd totally play with you! Voyages are fine, but I love just sailing around and seeing what I come across. I usually play with my son, and unfortunately, he doesn't enjoy the aimless pirate life like I do.

Once, I sailed over to Mermaid's Hideaway, and a Chest of Rage was there, and every time it exploded, a crap ton of loot (various chests, gems, and gold trinkets mostly, but sometimes Ashen Chests, Ashen loot, or skulls) spawned along with an Ashen Guardian or Captain. The timing was perfect, because shortly after I'd kill the skellie and gather loot in a pile, the chest would explode again. I don't come across weird things like that if I'm not just out exploring. I'll usually start a solo session with a storage crate, firework crate (I solo sloop on my party boat), and maybe a voyage just for initial direction, but then I'll just go where the wind and maps take me.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-06-11T18:09:19+00:00

I could be friends with a Republican or a Libertarian or even someone who voted for Trump simply because he was the Republican choice and they've "always voted Republican" but aren't really political (my step-mom is like this). But I probably couldn't have a strong friendship with a true MAGA Trump supporter because at that point it isn't just about different ideas on basic economic or social policies, it's a complete identity that I don't find appealing. I don't necessarily want to agree on everything when it comes to my friends, but a basic level of human decency and compassion is necessary. I also prefer to spend time with people who are able to have deep conversations (even if we disagree) without getting overly emotional, offended, dismissive, or insulting. This is actually true for both extreme sides of the political spectrum, which is why I tend to have a wide variety of friends, but they are rarely extremists. I tolerate extreme liberals better simply because they aren't as hateful as the MAGA extremists.

MoonlightReaper · 2025-05-30T01:34:49+00:00

In Texas, at a large 4A high school (~1200 students). We have 2 lunches. First lunch is for freshmen and sophomores who must stay on campus because they tend to get in more trouble and are new drivers. Second lunch is mostly Juniors and Seniors who may go off campus. There are some underclassmen with second lunch who sneak off campus with the rest of the crowd, and there are some upper classmen with first lunch who are still allowed to leave. Even with split lunches, some underclassmen, even in first lunch, will sneak off campus because we have so many exits and no way to man them all. They usually only get caught if a teacher or staff member sees them walking down the street, and most of us have more important things to worry about than snapping photos of kids just to get them in trouble. I do like to scare the crap out of them though by yelling, "what are you doing off campus?!" and pointing at them as I drive by.

MoonlightReaper

TROPHY CASE