Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 01:30 pm

Those Athletes Deserve A Better Coach!

Posted by Not Always Right

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She did not zero in on the cop directing traffic at the road, or his supervisor nearby. Oh, no. She beelined for the 100-pound "takes five months to grow a five o'clock shadow" teenage boy working there.

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Cake Wrecks ([syndicated profile] cakewrecks_feed) wrote2025-05-15 01:00 pm

All Hail The Pink King!

Posted by Jen

Ever write an I and a C so close together that they kind of look like the letter K?

 

Why do I ask?

 

Oh, no particular reason.

 

Thanks to Allison E. for the royal screw-up. (And how do you figure the baker knew to use pink icing?)

*****

P.S. You know what goes great with pink icing? An adorable mini waffle maker... in pink:

Mini 4-inch Waffle Maker

So cute, and less than $10!

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 01:00 pm

Not The Happiest Of Feet

Posted by Not Always Right

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I overhear a child asking their mother something as I am working at the penguin exhibit. The mother responds:
Mother: "Of course penguins can fly, they just don't want to because they're too lazy."

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Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 12:45 pm

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I transfer schools when I am about 20 and my new school is in a completely new state where I don’t know anyone. I get a job not too far away from campus, though the hours are pretty whacky. One night I end up working until 2am and am not comfortable walking. This is before […]

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Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 12:15 pm

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I don’t tend to travel unless I have to, and like to go, mostly, when I’ve got the money. Things happen however. My mom’s only brother (sibling) has just lost his wife, and I go the funeral en route to see my mom for her surgery. Due to a lot of things, my mom isn’t […]

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Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 11:45 am

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After discovering I haven’t had a night out in over 2 years, my mother in law steals me away to see a live band she enjoys and a few drinks. She is an attractive woman, so of course while standing at the bar a man that was already sitting there takes notice of her. Man: […]

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Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 11:30 am

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[At the time, i am a sophomore in college, A freshman girl has come to me for help with history class. I usually charge my fellow students a reasonable fee, but she “persuades” me to waive it for her. The girl is very sweet, but a complete ditz.] [We have a surprise quiz in class […]

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Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 11:00 am

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I was working as temp seasonal staff in [jewellery store]. This store also sells a well known brand of crystal figurines and ornaments, some of which are limited edition for vip members only. One day it is discovered that one the these vip items has been sold out of the display case, the manager checks […]

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Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 11:00 am

Please Try Being More Open To Our Answers

Posted by Not Always Right

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Me: “The pharmacy opens at 9:00 am. It is now 9:06 am.”
Lady: “But I waited in the drive-thru for twenty minutes.”
Me: “I understand that. But we weren’t open yet. We opened at 9:00.”
Lady: “Then why were people waiting in the drive-thru?!”

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Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 10:30 am

(no subject)

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My father is a stickler for having dinner at 6.30, I am over at my parent’s house while they are preparing dinner. Dad “Shouldn’t you be home getting dinner ready for your husband?” Me “We don’t eat until 7.30 or 8 oclock” Dad “WHAT? You should have dinner on the table at exactly 6.30 so […]

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Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 10:00 am

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It’s 2012. I’m having a stressful year. Days before my thesis is due, I’m crossing the street when I get hit by a car. Thankfully, the driver stops immediately, and I suffer only minor injuries. I get permission to submit my thesis draft late and am able to reschedule my defense, only to find out […]

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Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 09:30 am

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(This is when the nickname “Daddy” was popular when referring to a boyfriend, especially an older one. In my school, it’s used satirically and is made fun of a lot) (I get a text from my dad, who is in my contacts as “Daddy”) Daddy: Hey Babe, are you going to pick up your cello […]

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Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 09:00 am

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Im Quality Control in a warehouse so Im always walking around checking peoples work. Everyone knows me. To be fair to everyone we switch the radio stations every day. I have hated the song Jack and Diane because for my entire life because people think its funny to sing it to me. On this day […]

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Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 08:30 am

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(My sister has recently had a baby, and I’ve gone over to see her newborn. She uses this as a chance to take a much-needed bath and get food while I rock the baby to sleep. She comes back in the room thirty minutes later to find the baby is asleep in the crib, and […]

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Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 08:00 am

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Ok, so, not too long ago, I made a reference to a meme. I find it pretty much harmless, as did a few others. Then some nutjob showed up and ruined everyone’s day by calling us all racists for it. Ok, I feel I may have overreacted a bit and misunderstood his message. (Seriously, it’s […]

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Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com ([syndicated profile] notalwaysright_feed) wrote2025-05-15 07:00 am

That Swirl Ain’t Swell

Posted by Not Always Right

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Customer: "It's still not really that tall."
Me: "Well, this is the size that our cones typically are."
Customer: "Over at [Location], they have more swirls."
Me: "Well, that may be true, but this is the size of our cones."

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Fantasy Book Critic ([syndicated profile] fantasy_book_critic_feed) wrote2025-05-15 03:00 am

Review: Level: Ascension by David Dalglish

Posted by Caitlin G.


Buy Level: Ascension
Read our review of Book 1, Level: Unknown

FORMAT/INFO: Level: Ascension was published by Orbit Books on May 13th, 2025. It is 400 pages long and available in ebook, audiobook, and paperback formats.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS:  In order to save his world, Nick will have to end another. With a large black disc traveling closer and closer to his research station, Nick spends nearly all his time in the fantasy world of Yensere, a digital simulation created by a mysterious alien artifact. In Yensere, the god-king Vaan has frozen a similar looking black sun in the sky; this has prevented an apocalypse in Yensere but disrupted the patterns of time and nature in a way that seems to be destroying the world anyway, if more slowly. If Nick is to understand the doom that approaches his people, he will have to kill the god-king Vaan and unleash disaster on Yensere so that he can gain whatever knowledge he can. But before then, he'll have to defeat the god-king's chosen champions - a task that will come with a devastating cost.

Level:Ascension continues to expand its world in interesting ways, but the plot was overwhelmed by the sheer number of fight sequences. On the plus side we get to learn more about Frost, her origin, and how her sister went missing. It added some much needed personal stakes to the story beyond the also important "save the world." I also appreciated the teases we get indicating that Yensere isn't the only digital world contained within the alien artifact.

But these small nuggets of clues and character insight were overwhelmed by fight after fight after fight. On the one hand, I understand that a LitRPG is going to have a lot of battles in it, especially when it's inspired by a game like Dark Souls. Going from one epic fight to another is literally what that game genre is all about. But the more fights you have with everyone wielding awe-inspiring powers, the less exciting each encounter feels.

Don't get me wrong, in a vacuum the individual fights are impressive. As always, this author delivers a powerhouse finale that is a great set piece with personal stakes. But I could have used one or two fewer fights and a little more time expanding on some of the other characters. Sir Gareth, for instance, was a strong part of book one, but gets a bit left by the wayside in this sequel, a hazard of several new characters entering the playing field.

CONCLUSION: For some of you, hearing that Level: Ascension is chock full of impressive fight scenes is going to be fantastic news, and I encourage you to go give this series a try! For me, while I enjoy the overall concept of this simulated world, I had a bit of trouble finding the momentum in this particular outing. Perhaps with everything coming to a head in upcoming Level: Apocalypse, I'll find that momentum once more.