u/CrayCrayB

I've always loved historical and costume dramas, especially those set in royal courts. I'm also a huge fan of "upstairs/downstairs" stories that explore both the nobility and (even if just in the background) the lives of the people who serve them. Doesn't matter if it's history or completely fictional. Until now, almost everything I've watched has been European.

Then, completely at random, I saw someone recommend Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace on another social media app. I gave it a try and ended falling in love with it during the first episode & binge-watching all 80-something episodes while I was recovering from surgery. Hoooly crap, I was absolutely blown away. The costumes! The politics! The love story! The infighting. The intrigue. The Cinematography, The social order, all of it.. delicious beyond delicious! I know I'm going to have to rewatch it in a few years.

My first thought when it was over was, "Seriously. Where has this genre been all my life?" Funny enough, it even took me a while to realize these shows were called Cdramas, which is how I eventually found this subreddit, though I'm still trying to decipher all the acronyms. I've been watching youtube videos to get a (very basic) understanding of all where the dynasties fall in the timeline and the hierarchical system of the court (e.g. Wives, consorts, attendants, etc..) but I have A LOT to learn.

So yeah I'm starting from square one! QUESTION: If you could recommend your absolute must-watch Cdramas for someone who's completely new to the genre, what would they be? Historical dramas are definitely my first love, but I'm 100% open to anything that's exceptional and it doesn't even have to have the upstairs/downstairs element that's always just a bonus for me. Movies and TV shows are both welcome but I do need English Subtitles.

Thanks so much! I'm excited to see where this rabbit hole takes me. HECK YEAH!

EDIT: Wow, THANK YOU everyone, I am so grateful! I have so much to watch now.. Thank you for all the wonderful suggestions and to the suggestion for Viki which I didn't even know existed. I'm about to retire in 2 months and nowI know that for sure I'm going to take the first 6 months to decompress from the fast lane and binge as much Cdrama as I can. I have so much catching up to do.

I have a question for the loss prevention folks because I'm probably overthinking this, but it's been living rent free in my head. TLDR at the bottom if you don't want to read my novel, lol.

I was in Walmart with my daughter (11) and my nephew (10). We'll call him Chucklehead. At one point I asked Chucklehead to hold a pair of swim goggles while we walked over to the shoe department to look for his water shoes. He also grabbed one of those little foam footballs, even though I told him we're not buying anything else today except what we needed for his swim class.

Turns out they didn't have the shoes we needed. I'm out of town trying to get him ready for swim lessons so I'm standing in the shoe department calling stores, checking inventory online, figuring out who has water shoes in his size. I became completely focused on that and, 100% my fault, totally forgot he was still carrying the goggles and football. I was on a mission so I guess I just blanked on everything else.

We headed out of Walmart to drive to the store that had water shoes. I was walking in front both kids were behind me so that's why it took me a hot minute to notice. About two thirds of the way to the car I finally turned around and saw Chucklehead still holding both items. ACK!!! "Oh no! My bad! I completely forgot you were carrying those. That's on me because I'm the adult. I asked you to hold the goggles, and I should have remembered. You are not in trouble, but in the future if you're ever carrying something, your job is to remind me. Let's go back and pay."

Then came the part that almost gave me a stroke. He says, "but Auntie!!, me and my mom do this all the time. It's totally fine."

Excuse me... WHAT?!

We immediately turned around and went back inside. I put the football back on a shelf since we weren't buying it, then paid for the goggles at self checkout. Once we got back in the car, Chucklehead got an earful (and so did my sister the next day!) I told him his mom is absolutely wrong. Stealing is never okay. I explained that walking out with stuff without paying can get people arrested, and if he keeps thinking that's normal, it's going to end badly for HIM someday too. I gave him a pass because today was genuinely an accident that I caused, but I also made it crystal clear that if he ever intentionally tried that while he was with me or his cousin (my daughter) there would be SEVERE consequences.

Now for my questions: I'm sure Walmart's cameras saw us leave with unpaid merchandise. But would they also notice when someone immediately turns around to come back and pay? Is that something LP actually sees, or is the first part all that's remembered? Am I now on some Walmart "watch this lady" list? Would it have been better to find an employee or LP and explain what happened instead of just going back in and paying? I'm probably borrowing trouble here, but I've been anxious about it all week. I am not a thief and it bothers me that maybe now I'm labeled as one.

And yes, the bigger issue is that my degenerate sister apparently thinks this is acceptable parenting. I'm trying to help my nephew get what he needs for swimming lessons this summer because I hate seeing him go without, but finding out he genuinely believes it's okay to walk out of Walmart (or any store) with stolen items because "Mom does it all the time" was... absolutely positively not on my bingo card for 2026.

TL;DR: We walked out of Walmart & my 10 year old nephew was still holding 2 small items that we didn't pay for. Walked about two thirds of the way to the car before I noticed. We immediately returned to leave the football and pay for the goggles. My question is whether LP would also see that we came back and paid, or if I'm now flagged for accidentally leaving with unpaid items.

Edit: Thank you to everyone for putting my mind at ease, I really appreciate it.

BACKGROUND: Hello! I am looking for someone to do a photoshop (or similar program) edit for me for a favorite co-worker's retirement celebration. It's very kind and fun spirit and he'll absolutely love it. You will be editing a kids book cover that is done in the form of an illustration. The idea will be to make these changes while keeping in the same illustration style.

SCOPE OF WORK: 1. Changing the title slightly and changing title color; 2. Switching in a face of my co-worker; 3. Changing some apple trees for a specific kind of plant with flowers; 4. Changing the boy holding an apple to holding a specific flower; 5. Change the written by and illustrated by names. More specific details given after job acceptance.

REQUIREMENTS: You are experienced with photoshop or similar program and I need some samples of your past work. Can turn the job around within 24 hours from taking the job. NO AI!

PAYMENT: $20USD Paypal, Zelle, Venmo ONLY immediately upon completion. If you are outside of the USA any foreign transaction fees will come out of the pay but I can show you what they are ahead of time so you can decide if it's still worth your time. [If you cannot take one of those payment systems, you cannot take the job, no exceptions, please don't waste your time or mine.]

Please $bid before contacting me and then let me know you've read the entire job, understand that payment forms I can give and a link to samples of your work. Thank you!

Location: California

In the past 2 months I have received a series of 6 snail mail letters from someone that I worked with very briefly 34 years ago.

Background: I worked with this person for approximately 3 months back in the early 90's. We were cordial but not close by any stretch... never spent any time with them outside of work, never talked about my personal life with them. I had completely forgotten about their very existence until these letters started arriving.

Facts:

• They live across the country from me.

• They are the same sex as me (I am no gay or bi).

• The letters are increasing in terms of desperation but have not been out and out threatening. They have said things like, "I know this is you so why are you not replying to me" and "I won't stop until you talk to me" and "I think I'm in love with you."

• I do believe it's them, they described themselves, our manager, and other details, plus sent a picture of what they looked like back then.

• I have their facebook (which is basically empty), their phone number and mailing address. I have these items because they've provided them in the letters.

• I have not responded in any way, nor do I plan to.

• Since they are across the country from me and haven't made any threats, I don't think a police report is in order, but the repeated contacts and rising level of desperation still puts me a bit on edge.

QUESTIONS: Would it be legal to hire an attorney to send a one time, strongly worded cease and desist? Is that even a thing? Or should I just continue to ignore?

Anything else legally I could or should do?

EDIT: This has job has been completed and marked solved. Please no more DM's, thank you everyone!