The Survivor

Thanks for the responses, all. A lot of this is beyond my mind. But I did tell him I made a post asking for prayers (after I vented). He gave me this he said I can share: I appreciate the help. I don’t mind answering questions, I am a Venezuelan with a Temporal Protection Status (TPS) a status that is renewed at the discretion of the government, Guatemala and other African countries has had this status for decades, this status is given to immigrants as a light version of a refugee status in which we’re allowed to live and work here until the situation in our country of origin gets better. Meaning that I was able to get a SSN alongside a work permit. Which didn’t come easy, the process for me to acquire said SSN was hard fought, ask Austin, he has seen me struggle with the social security office due to errors on their end of the immigration system didn’t allow me to get a SSN but after almost a year of constant battling, writing letters, and going countless times to several social security offices I was able to get my SSN but I already had my work permit and TPS by then. I came here around 2020 in which I was elegible for the TPS for Venezuelans at the time Biden approved of it The situation changed now that trump has canceled the TPS for Venezuelans after he decided to work together with maduro to receive all the deportees, I guess part of the deal was to take TPS holders alongside them. With constant ICE raids going around I no longer believe my status can’t save me. With the way they are operating sometimes without warrants or reason, even American citizens are being targeted by said raids. Given the situation with how the government is being run at the moment, I doubt due process will be applied to someone like me I recently applied for the extension which would automatically renew until early 2026 if nothing gets told to me. But trump has already canceled said extension so I’m only left with the default extension to my TPS according to my paperwork Forgot to mention. I flew here in 2020 with a student visa

As far as I understand what he told me, he is legally allowed to work and school here as he has for years. He was excited when he started paying taxes years ago. I just found all this out from him Friday, and I never knew he was not a citizen of U$A. Why would I even ask, right? I really did not get into asking his life details. Nothing like this was ever brought up in the year I known him, from church and D&D. I will see if I can find out.

I have nowhere else to vent about this, and at least maybe people here can pray for him. Now, I am not a politics master. I know right and wrong, what should be done and not done, and such. There are things the current president of U$A does I agree with, and other things I do not because, he is an idiot. But, better than that lady who I swear is possessed by an evil force ready to force alphabet-soup people agendas into more schools. So, anyway, Trump wants to get rid of illegals. Okay, I see not problem with that for a number of reasons. I am sure many have valid reasons, but U$A is in shambles itself with job losses, homelessness, corruption, drugs, movies being rebooted, etc. However, under some law or something, he is forcing all other non-citizens to leave. This is what I learned from a guy as we were with some friends, people who go to church and seminary school, said. He is originally from Venezuela. Came here long ago, not sure why. But he has a socials security number, he pays taxes (like all taxes, probably go to the wrong things this country needs). But he is not a citizen. He says he has only a short time before people come to send him back to his homeland because of his nationality. He says unless this president reverse some executive order, he will be on a place to Venezuela within a year. This guy has two jobs, goes to seminary, and he is being deported because of a situation with illegals? Also is a killer D&D player. Sure, I got other beefs with this president, but this one is hitting a Godly friend who literally has been doing things the right away. Probably a slew of other people who entered America actually been trying too as well, contribute to this country and not just come in and use up what little resources we have left. So, I not understand. What people do in politics confused my logic. Just wanted to vent a bit about this. Pray for Lorenzo's situation please. Thanks.

I have a similar situation. All I can do is keep praying and praying. My daughter went from a Jesus loving little girl into an anti-God, Gothic, pierced faced (20+ and growing), self tats (20+ and growing), alphabet-soup people supporter, and everything else liberal/left/atheist type. I blamed myself for many, many years. I still do, although she says not to because what I think are not the reasons that changed her. But, any life even changes people. Especially when young. My daughter has gone this route now for several years. I have many fears of what the future holds with her. I try talking to her now and then but I do always fear she wills top talking to me. So I feel you. I been praying and praying, and at this point, all I can do. But, I will always be there for her.

Not sure if this the correct place to ask. All week, I have noticed the website will tend to not respond for several minutes into hours. It just fails to load. This has happened every night (Eastern Time) this week. I only came back online two weeks ago or so, so not sure if this has been going on for a long time already, or it is something recent. I thought it was just me. Changing browsers, IPs, computers, rerouting power subroutines, etc. But someone on IM said the same thing to me. So wanted to post this. Thanks.

@Gman24, I feel for you, man, I do. This site's been slow for me for past few days so I may have missed it in this thread. But, would she agree to go with you to a faith-based marriage counselor?

@Cyoder, I understand what you are going through. Some things similar with me that you went through. I still have anger issues, but I have stopped Hulking more often than I used to. I know my reasons am angry. I do pray about it as best as I know how to pray. Will keep you in mind.

I forgot this... early last year when the company started shoving this junk in our faces to be using for code, one guy had fun. He typed, and I am paraphrasing: Q - Will AI take over the world. A - Yes, but not yet.

Everything can be a tool, for good or bad. But everything is man made and has flaws just as the creators who made them. I personally do not use the term "AI" even though it is big in my job. It is, to me, artificial interactive machine code. Which is the basics. But, it is not intelligent. It mimics intelligence, like a monkey or a child or me at work when people expect me to know all the answers. There are so many out there, and they are programmed by people who will do what they want. I played with one some time ago. A free one, by Duck Duck Go. It was insulting and biased to Christians, and told me that "it was made to support lgb, whatever something they call themselves (I say confused alphabet soup people)." It also will not "learn" from users by rewriting and updating code. It just feeds information into a warehouse to be analyzed by more software and people to determine if updates are needed. Is just software to me that works off large databases (probably stored on servers I help in development) and super fast speeds, and will be programmed to be biased. I tried a few and they refuse to comment certain things that are against the Bible because "it is programmed to not take sides" or some crap, for example. Also, I tried a few and none can help me find a good desk chair. I stick with Duck Duck Go. I need nothing more. My opinion.

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. - James 1:12 Is on one of my mugs, and it is from the Berean Study Bible.

Same boat as you, @Lotw8. I just did a post few days about about my frustrations with online dating (I vented well) and if anyone had a site they considered was actually good, and maybe worth paying a few bucks. I been waiting too. Getting into trouble along the way. And I will keep on waiting and praying into the next century if I must. A lot of us feel ya am sure. But you not alone and just keep on praying and not lose focus on other things too that we have to do, like work and pay bills. :( I will say this, and I got caught in this years ago. Not obsessed and stuff, no. But, I seen it happen to other people. Do not go spending a lot of time looking for love and neglecting everything else. Like friends, family, work, God, or what you put in the over a few hours ago at 375 that should have only been in there for twenty minutes. Not saying I was obsessed finding love, with that quite detailed example. But years ago I would spend hours online with dating sites (when they were better and freeer) or, for a short time, going to places like coffee shops and sitting alone. But that got costly with beverages and car gas. So I focused online a lot. But, it was draining emotions and time. I was just wasting time from doing other important or fun things. Just saying, do not get caught up in it because of feeling alone. I do not think you will. I was just not sure what I can contribute from past experiences and what I seen others do.

I have always believed that in God's huge playground, there either could be life (and I not be surprised) or it is all just something to keep humans busy to look at. If an alien ship can into orbit, I not take pictures, I not be surprised. I be wondering "what took them." My only concern is traffic if I am driving in it, and that my kids are safe since they are not living with me. But also the traffic. So I can go either way because with God, who knows. As before mentioned about the Fall, the Rapture, and how that all affects the universe, I got some thoughts. Just thoughts. One, the Bible is focused primarily on humans, on Earth. There is mention of fire in the sky (aliens or Heavenly fire, I forget the verse/translation) mentioned, there been giants mentioned (Goliath's people), then be large monsters (dinosaurs, most likely). But all on Earth. The Bible focuses on humans. Now, there is a very slight possibility that if God also created life elsewhere, they could have their own Christianity lives there too. It could theoretically be possible that the timelines of God's plans all coincide with one another, and both worlds can have their Raptures at the same time, both homeworlds destroyed (as for Earth will be wiped for a new Earth/Heaven), and we all then meeting in the one big, glorious Heaven planned... or maybe Deep Space Nine. So, that some of my theories. But I do not stress over them. If a Klingon comes to fight, I got my own arsenal here, including a bat'leth. Bring it on, and Qapla'! So I can go both ways if there is or not life out there. I not be surprised if there is, and not disappointed if there is not. But if I ever die and get to go to Heaven, and God gives me a job in the universe to maintain some planets, and I find they have walking tomatoes on them ho speak, I send you all a message.

I have a lot of positive thoughts. Just not with dating sites. I state facts what I am experiencing with dating sites and just posted looking for suggestions. ChristianCafe.com is a paid site, already looked into that one. You had good experiences with it's costs then to suggest it, yea? 6 Months: $109.97 - Only 61 cents/day 3 Months: $69.97 - Only 78 cents/day 1 Month: $44.97 - Only $1.50/day 2 Weeks: $34.97 - Only $2.50/day

Twenty years ago, maybe. What was once the Bible Belt is filled with confused alphabet soup people reading books to five year olds that it is okay to change your gender, my managers telling me I have to use other people's odd pronouns (which I refuse), and people rallying at abortion clinics that "God does not care about you anymore." Oh wait, that is everywhere! Sure, there are Godly people here, in some form, but it is a war here. Can not have a church even without people waving their flags. Anyway, before I get into how that is all hitting close to home with an offspring, will just stop typing. But I get what you saying, thanks.

I do have a bit of attention deficit, um, something or whatever... I also have a son who has Asperger's, but he not the one trying to date. :) I will try to figure how to meet people in general, without it costing me. I work two jobs and only debt is school loans and a car loan. My car died in Dec, so had no choice as my boss wanted me to get a car fast because out company wants everyone onsite five days a week. A dead car as you car shop is "not a valid reason to work remotely." I feel guilty buying food (so expensive) for myself, rather use it on the kids. So that is one reason I stay home. Saves gas, saves money. Yes, am stringy and frugal when it comes to myself, because all my money goes to rent and kids. Been so used to this lifestyle of pinching pennies, maybe it has isolated me.... naw!!!

I do want pizza. I do not mean to make it sound needy. What I have to offer is on a dating profile. I did not think it was required to post a few facts about the hard ships of online dating, their privacy requirements, and then asking for dating site suggestions. I can give you the things I offer if you want, but I did not think was required for this type of post. Just wanted website suggestions of workable dating sites that other people may have found useful.

Funny you say that. I been one of the leads at the food pantry at church for some years, and I actually do work (part time) on the maintenance/facilities team. Just me and one other guy.

Thank you for the suggestions. I am an introverted antisocialist. I do not make friends easily. Hard to make friends. Hence doing the online bit. And of course if I talk to a woman, she will automatically think I am trying to get close to her. Then I back off because I sense she has no interest. My telepathy skills died in the early 2000s. I also do not talk cars, traveling, sports, or bacon. I had people suggest I go to a singles groups (Christian or non), but then you got four guys all competing for the same woman. I have some disadvantages comparing to other men. Like, lack of money, not able to easily make conversation, not being tall, not looking like (1990s) Brad Pitt. :) Maybe I could try one with no expectations of anything but to go, listen to people, and leave. I used to be a part of that website MeetUps or something. The most human interaction I get is from my main job that am forced to drive to (I have driving anxiety, due to humans), church when I go (I watch it online often so I can have a day of NO DRIVING), working the food pantry.

I figure I come here and post this and see what happens. I been alone too long. I miss romance, intimacy, passion, a trusted confidant, deep conversations, someone to share movies with, and all that jazz. The last person I tried to get involved with ended up being a romance scam. No worries, I am not one of the ones who spent $10,0000 on someone. But I did lose years thinking it was going to be real. Before her was an abusive ex. So lately, I been trying to hit dating websites but having many issues. One, they all seem to be very costly. I do not pay to never get replies (been the case years before), or see likes by fakes (or the one valid person that could be a soulmate). Two, or B, I am not a tapper. So mobile devices not for me. I am a full size keyboard and mouse man, needing multiple monitors. Not some tiny little thing I tap on that is not really a "phone" but a mobile device with a telephone "app"lication. I can not do full sentences on the little thing without a dozen tapos in it. My computer can be a phone too, but I am not carrying it in my pocket. That is what a prepaid mobile device is, for emergencies, not giving up the number for verification myself and getting spam texts to use up my prepaid texts..... VENTING ENDS. But still, this is not the issue with sites, but does limit my options from a thousand other mobile programs. C, or three, some sites I failed to create an account for have bad customer service. No replies for help. Four, or D, or that little iv in brackets they use in footnotes, some free sites have bad filters and/or I get no responses back. FIVE, I get banned or autobanned before even making it through the setup process. Let us add a six to this list. Phone number verification. They only want dinky mobile numbers, as if I will give up my emergency prepaid number. They do not work with VoIP or temp numbers you can find online. Now I done this verification on some with VoIP, but others either block it or refuse to use non-mobiles. But once a site has it, can not make a new account without a new number. I can make more free emails, not obtain phone numbers for a single, friggin text code. Again, they even block the websites that let you use a temp number quickly. So I feel like it is hopeless. Websites trick you. News articles trick you. Using a site for free is not free. Signup maybe free, if not in the case of giving up your personal mobile number. You can login, but you may have to pay to send a like, a message, or view more than five profiles. cmatch.com > No one local. christiandatingforfree.com > No one writes back, if even online. I went through all females I think would be a potential person to start chatting with. No one left to try for me. us.christianconnection.com - Not paying for sending/reading messages. 101freechristiandating.com and fusion101.com - Bad filtering, so can not even find anyone local, and not sure if there is a payscale for messages But giving props as it is maintained by only one guy. pof.com - needs mobile christiandate.com - account creation fails, no customer support responses badoo.com - needs mobile okcupid.com - banned me without reason twice, and blacklisted my emails (they said so in their responses). I only have so many emails to use but they will ban me again if their poorly scripted algorithms see the same content. I am pretty sure they hated my content about alphabet-soup people so I think I been targeted by haters. Also, have to pay to see likes. elitesingles.com - need to pay tinder.com - need to pay christianmingle.com - yes, pay match.com - owned by same company as OKCUPID, not surprising I never finished making an account before being banned and no customer support replies bumble on mobile. I did try a mobile thing. I tried Bumble, with little information I can add to it (because is so simple and really based on looks, not details). But, I can not see likes without paying. I am picky and I have a document I copied onto some sites as my profile that is eight pages long, but I know what I am compatible with and not want to waste people's time. I am sure my profile turns some people off too. I had friends willing to view it, but I know it will insult some. I might feel bad. I do not go out spending money. I feel guilty spending what I got for food as it is. School loans starting again and that means I need a third job! So, I am usually home except work, church, volunteering, or with my kids. Am not someone to just go out and spend money to look lonely in a coffee shop. Before someone wonders my age, I am something they call an X. "Wait," you say? "Why are you not into mobile devices and AI buzz words"? Well, my friend. I may have grown up with tech, and I may use it, and I may work with high end enterprise hardware and know how code works, does not mean I like what it has done to people and the world. I do not even use self checkouts, or QR code things. I just walk out of places with head up high. And after what I went through, shields on full blast with security, especially if someone tells me they live local but about to travel out of country. Calling on a local phone number, showing me local pictures, and video calls is NOT enough anymore. So anyway, I am wondering if anyone has suggestions to some websites for dating that you may have found successful. Fully free where you can view a profile and message right away. Or maybe even if paying a cheap amount (like 20) a month only if you felt it really was worth it. I will not pay $50 a month just to see profiles, write to people, and get no replies back. Which is why I find it hard to even spend 20 doing that. Thanks.

God loves entertainment. Jesus as human enjoyed playing with friends. I mean, a love story, a song about cars, crazy Christmas family issues, or a movie about candy are not "Godly" but not bad either. Watching episodes of the Monkees or listening to their music, are not Christian but also not bad. I just heard this song on my Christian hiphop station on accuradio.com: Mouthpi3ce's "Turn it Off." Exactly what this topic is about.

Nothing is "poorly written." Do not worry.

I used to enjoy my Star Trek and Doctor Who and Marvel movies, but the content is just getting worse and worse. Trek I still like my five shows. TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT. I watched the first season of Discovery and with the gay characters being constant, I was done. I watched the first season of Picard and I was enjoy most of it (was not happy with the death of some favorite characters). however, after a tear jerker of an ending, the final scene with another one of my favs, Seven of Nine, made me yell at my video. I am not watching anymore new Treks. Not movies, not shows. Who Being British, yea they are going to be more comfortable with gays and such. I felt the show was going down when they brought on the first gay companion. And with the last two seasons all these same gender couples, I calling it quits on any new Who now as well. Marvel Those movies were pretty good, but they started sneaking in gay people here and there. Now, with the new phase coming out, like Loki, they got a lot of gays and trans and other sub-humans joining the future franchise that has forced me to be done with it. At this point, for shows, I need to stick with my pre-2020 content. Now, I like some other shows and movies, like horror. I got no problem watching a supposedly, immortal guy (because writers and profits say so without regards to plot) killing people left and right. No problem. But once there are characters of trans/gay confusion, I am pretty much turning it off. That makes me upset and cringe. That lifestyle is affecting my offspring, so I hate it.

We be too busy exploring the universe finally. Hate being stuck and confined to this planet again.

Rant on what? I been through mine and seen plenty. Wanted to hear if anyone have been through any real, or hypothetical, of the same involving the similar scenario. Wanted to see what others would do if/when faced in that situation. For example, I knew a bloke many, many... many long ages ago whose wife told him to hurry to the hospital because their son was in a terrible situation. He was far of a drive from work and desperately tried to make it. A police officer pulls him over and he decided to stop. He is waiting, frantically, for the two officers to take their time walking over. They wanted his ID. His car paper things. They did not believe him. They saw him panicking. Thought he was drunk. Ran his plates!! All he wanted was to see his boy. Every. Second. Counts. Son perished. Father never made it to the hospital. Heck, he never made it to the hospital that weekend! He was arrested and held for 48h for "resisting arrest" because, you know.... cops always right (but, ummmm, shhhhh, I know a few hundred things I can share about that later at another time). (No, that was not me as any person in that story else I be honest about it.) But hey, all is well. Then he eventually got laid off in the 1990s. And then, ummm, could not get rehired because of a dumb "criminal record", and, uh, well..... now I feel bad thinking he still owes me $39 from a poker game in 1987. But that another story....! I go by a personal rule... "learn from the mistakes of others so that you do not have to make them yourself." My rule. Copy write me. You do not need to go by it. But for me, well, let us say, I have survived longer than I should have. So again, why rant? That be bragging about something. I came to ask a question about other people to see what they would do. They can answer or not on what they would or would not do, regardless how they think I should think. Because, you never know when you might get a real inspiration story out of it from someplace you knew knew one could come from. Thanks.