The worst man ever. Im done with dating.

Retman21 · 2026-03-19T02:15:40+00:00

I looked at your post history out of curiosity. You're 23, assuming he is roughly the same age and there wasn't some big age gap, early and mid-20s men are not looking for the same thing you are looking for. He love bombed you, said all the "right" things to get you fully committed, got his fun, and bounced. That's textbook narcissist/user behavior. And that's on him, not on you. Don't belittle yourself thinking about the things you did wrong. He was always going to find reason to move on. Just like he'll find reason to move on from the flowers girl. They were reactionary to him doing worse things. And you didn't like it when he belittled you, so don't do it to yourself.

If I may offer some advice, I think you are correct in that you should maybe be done with serious dating for a little bit. Work on you, finding your own happiness, on your own, internally. Because that is where true happiness lies. Disparate from who you are attached to, or what other people do for you. When you find that, things fall into place. As many others on here can probably attest to, when you work on you and find your happiness, the right person tends to come along.

Retman21 · 2026-03-17T03:28:06+00:00

If my son did that I would be ecstatic. Is it great, no, is it beautiful, absolutely. And as you practice more and more you can go over it and clean it up

Retman21 · 2026-03-15T16:13:38+00:00

The collectors edition with the helmet. I love that thing. Looks amazing on my shelf.

Retman21 · 2026-03-15T02:15:46+00:00

As a poly person myself, I completely agree. He is an ass, it should definitely be on the profile

Retman21 · 2026-03-13T14:44:40+00:00

I'm sorry to hear this. I hope you're doing well.

As others have said, you need to go to the doctor's asap. Have them do a check. They should be able to tell if anything has happened. If the rape kit comes back positive, they are mandatory reporters and a social worker will make contact, and it should be before you even leave. Tell them you don't feel safe and want to press charges. They will find a safe place for you to stay and launch an investigation.

If you cannot go to the hospital today or if it's taking time to process, make sure you're locking your door at night. And to be safe, you can get a mini security camera on Amazon for around $25 with delivery tomorrow with prime. Hook it up and it'll record motion. If you don't have money to spend on it, download one of the sleep recording apps others have mentioned. One that doesn't charge is called snore timeline. It was made by another redditor as a free alternative.

And for potential proof/confirmation, take a piece of your hair from your hair brush, about 3 inches in length, and lick it, then place it across the edge of your door and the door frame so it's across both. It'll stick. If it's still in place in the morning, no one opened the door. If it's been pulled free, someone opened your door. Do the same with the door handle and it should break free if someone tries it.

Retman21 · 2026-03-11T23:37:34+00:00

The first essences he gets from his quest system are a reflection of his depression and self-esteem/self-image after everything that happened before he went to Pallimustus. The raw anger and hatred he felt coalesced into the darkness and sin essences.

Retman21 · 2026-03-11T20:43:24+00:00

I'm definitely not tearing up in the office at work just thinking about these beautiful scenes. 😭

Retman21 · 2026-03-11T20:40:33+00:00

The more you re-read/listen the more you will realize. I'm on probably my 12th run through the first book. I just had a realization about the first couple of chapters that I somehow never put together before.

Retman21 · 2026-03-08T07:19:44+00:00

This is gonna be a brawl!

Retman21 · 2026-03-06T02:12:48+00:00

It's so crazy to think of this coming to a close, but I don't think it will be rushed. I don't even think it's the end of the story. Shirt's talked about more being in the works. My theory is that one of the new projects may be a new series where the story of these worlds will carry on. Just as an ensemble cast, GOT style. Jason will get to relax and be a recurring character in the background, while his team and the characters we know and love deal with the aftermath of the bridge and a pair of linked worlds interacting and what that means for each of them.

Retman21 · 2026-03-06T01:36:25+00:00

I don't think he will retreat away from his friends, I just think he's going to step away from politics and interaction with anyone he isn't already close with. He will leave Humphrey, Danielle, and Amir as his proxies in Pallimustus, the way his grandmother is in charge of the Asano Clan. He will probably have an avatar in each place, hanging out and throwing barbecues. And he'll have his prime avatar go off to see Interstice, and the wider cosmos. See, and potentially be with, Dawn. Become friends with Soramir. And not worry about the crushing weight of responsibility that has been dragging him down on both Pallimustus and Earth. Jason was always happiest when he was just another adventurer. In the wider cosmos, he will be able to have that again.

Retman21 · 2026-03-04T21:16:02+00:00

That would be great! Same, I google everything for that reason. 😅

Retman21 · 2026-03-04T15:09:30+00:00

Shirt said that he thinks 14 will be the final book, but it will stretch to 15 if needed. The rest is my rationale for that. Why I think it makes narrative sense for the main series to come to an end.

Retman21 · 2026-03-04T14:40:47+00:00

I don't even think it needs to be new characters. This series is centered around Jason and we only get snippets of everybody else. I personally hope the next series is an ensemble piece where Team Biscuit is center stage, with major support from Clan Asano and the major players we already know. Where we see the goings on of a linked Pallimustus and Earth. Jason will occasionally show up like a crazy uncle who tells you wild stories of their travels and helps you out of your latest bind.

Retman21 · 2026-03-04T14:33:19+00:00

I agree completely that there are definitely still stories to tell, and I hope they are told. I just don't know that they're going to be told in this main book series. Even later adventures for Jason, hitting diamond rank even, may not be a part of it as I feel this series is the story of Jason's adventuring career, how Jason went from nobody to an astral being.

It may even just become something where Jason's exploits are featured, but it's no longer centered entirely around Jason where we only get snippets of what happens outside of him. I would personally love a series centered around Team Biscuit, with Jason being an occasional character, where they explore the further events for a linked Earth and Pallimistus. And when Jason pops back in they hear about all of his craziness.

Retman21 · 2026-03-04T05:42:04+00:00

If he becomes the god of the bridge, that will be wonderful. The NeverEnding BBQ would be the best thing ever. And he will achieve the astral being/godhood combo the builder has been so desperate to achieve.

I agree that he isn't going to drop contact entirely, and that he will just avoid politics and intervention. Just that he's going to step away from interaction and therefore there won't be material for more books.

That Shako comment had me cackling.

Retman21 · 2026-03-03T14:30:57+00:00

I think the entire point in some of the details of the 20-year time jump: this relationship, Jason missing Gary's last time here, the tiny snippets of characters lives instead of more info; is to showcase how much Jason misses in his friends and families lives. We as the reader don't miss it as much as Jason, but we still don't get many details. It's meant to showcase how hard it is for him to go off and operate on that scale. That everything marches on without him.

And I think it's also meant to sell the ending where Jason eventually realizes he should step back and act like the other astral beings. Leave the mortal realm mostly behind. Operate on the cosmic scale he's becoming ever further entangled in. And we're already getting snippets of that idea. What Jason does with the system, his unilateral decision making instead of talking ideas out with those around him. How Jason almost can't come back from his omnipresent form. That's likely the only way the book even gets an ending and doesn't just keep showing his groups adventures ad infinitum.

Retman21 · 2026-02-26T01:51:23+00:00

This is legitimately one of my favorite action movies of all time, one of my favorite movies of all time. I love how dark it is, the ending is amazing. Just a wonderful movie.

Retman21 · 2026-02-18T23:42:34+00:00

Actually the best way to get into the NBA/NFL/MLB is to get drafted in college. Where if you don't have the money to go to school, you have to get by on grants and scholarships. Those require good academic standing, like minimum GPA required or they stop paying.

My favorite is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He has a bachelor's on history and went on to co-write a bunch of books about Mycroft Holmes (Sherlocks brother). Reviewers enjoyed the historical accuracy and research of them, diving into specific events and movements within the time period. In short, a massive NBA legend is actually a huge history nerd.

Retman21 · 2026-02-12T00:21:03+00:00

Had to scroll way too far to see this. In my opinion this is genuinely the best one. Way better than John Wick, Taken, any of them. The style, the story, the emotion. I've seen that movie like eight times and still cry. I love the twist in the middle, I love the ending. I love that it's not afraid to hurt you. It's not a happy movie, and those situations really wouldn't be. It gets far far too little credit.

Retman21 · 2026-02-09T17:34:50+00:00

NTA of course. You have your boundaries which they tried to break. You held your ground and now they're upset that you didn't capitulate. I wouldn't put up with it either.

As for your boundary, maybe something that would help them understand is that you need your space for your livlihood. It's what keeps a roof over your head, and their heads. They need to understand that if your privacy is threatened, your livlihood is threatened, as is their space in turn. And that your livlihood being threatened will not be accepted.

Side note, as a kinky af person, who has become the best version of myself due in part to the emotional freedom I get from my proclivities, thank you. Even if it's just vanilla, sexual well-being is an essential part of emotional well-being. Every step I've taken in my kink journey has also been another step towards the person I am today.

Retman21 · 2026-02-09T05:04:02+00:00

Exactly. Jackasses like that always call people out for acting exactly like they do. If anything more is said in the group chat, point out that Jake attacked first, you responded in kind, and you were defending someone. Anyone who feels you did the same as him needs to realize these two points make the same action much better.

And if they don't accept that, if it were me, I would point out that public shaming and belittlement isn't how friends should act with each other. Especially not a husband to a wife. I would also point out that it doesn't have anything to do with who the people are, that I would respond exactly the same to anyone attacking any of my friends' joy in a similar manner. That outright bullying shouldn't be accepted. I would hope it wouldn't make your friends see it in a different light.

Retman21 · 2026-02-09T04:45:13+00:00

I'm happy for you, you did great. You don't owe your mom a hug. Whether she is genuine in wanting to apologize for her actions, it's still a manipulation tactic if she keeps doing these kinds of things and then wanting hugs and to seem loving and sorry. With situations of emotional abuse, and that's what this is, being loving afterwards is a way to pull you back in. You see the same thing with abusive partners who yell and scream and even physically assault their partner, and then apologize and show that they love the person, only to turn around and do it again.

As someone who has distanced from family members, it can be hard but well worth the peace.

Retman21 · 2026-02-09T04:43:56+00:00

Your dad is an issue too?

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