There's been a lot of talk of Suzanne doing another book on the 1st Quarter Quell since there was quite a bit of lead up to it in SOTR, especially regarding Plutarch's story. Very likely Plutarch will be 16 years old and a mentor to one of the tributes.
Anyway - I always found the idea of the 1st Quarter Quell hysterical. Imagine your district voting for you to die, only to come back a winner when they thought you were never coming back.
Full transparency: I (30M) am not in the Navy. Apologies for a glaring lack of knowledge of the Navy, on a subreddit for those who serve.
I am writing a historical fiction that's inspired by the numerous attempts by the U.S. Navy to discharge homosexual sailors, the main two inspirations being the 1919 Newport sex scandal and the 1981 "Friend of Dorothy" investigations. Supposedly straight rogue Navy personnel, private investigators, and NIS operators would honey trap gay enlisted personnel by seducing and performing sex acts on them.
As a gay man, while persecution of LGBT people and discharge for military personnel is a very serious subject matter - the story is intended to be a comedy (taking the piss at idiotic homophobes). My story is essentially a sex comedy about current and discharged gay sailors who are trying to protect each other and also exact revenge by intentionally seducing the undercover investigators and having the most ridiculous, insane gay sex before sending them on a wild goose chase with false leads.
At this point, my story is taking place at Naval Base San Diego in 1997-1998, with an epilogue in 2011. An over-looming presence in the story is "Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT).
If there are any current/former LGBT Navy personnel on here that served in the 90s, I had a couple of questions:
I'm willing to answer questions, and thank you.
So sorry if this kind of post floods this subreddit.
I (30M, American) have made the decision to get a hair transplant. It was around 2016 (when I was 21) that it was brought to my attention that I had a receding hairline. Not too long after, using my phone camera, I saw I was crowning, too.
I was an idiot and didn't think of getting hair treatment until 2023 when I saw just how bad my crown was after doing the two mirror trick. My dermatologist at the time was an idiot because she only gave me oral min. Didn't realize until this past year you also need oral fin. I'm on that now, but it means I spent three years on a treatment that still resulted in hair loss. At this point, in 2026, I would say I'm a 3V on the Norwood scale.
It's depressing because I'm kinda an ugly guy, but the one feature that was good and I got compliments on was my hair. People, especially women (not that it matter, bc I'm gay), loved how full and luscious it was. It's still got some, but it's thinning. It's causing me a lot of distress. I'm ready to take the plunge and get a hair transplant.
So the question is - what are first steps?
Do I need to consult my dermatologist even though I plan on getting treatment internationally? Like how do I begin this journey? Do I just research until I find an actual good doctor in Turkey - one that preferably has an all-inclusive package of airfare, hotel, transport, etc.?
Disclaimer - I do NOT want to hear "own it! who cares?" about being self-conscious. It sucks when people look at you, talk about you, make fun of you. Especially if you're somebody like me. Also, if you aren't going to be sympathetic - do NOT comment. "Tough love" doesn't work on me.
I'm seriously considering getting a hair transplant. I have thick hair, medium-length (to my shoulders). I have a receding hairline, the front part of my hair is thinning, and I have a bit of a crown. I have been on Oral Min. for 3 years now, and Oral Fin. for several months now.
As a gay man, I have a lot of body issues. I'm fat, got a meh face. The one good thing I had going for me was my hair, but now that's going. From what I've seen, the hair transplant works and isn't THAT expensive for what it is (a round trip, intense procedure, possible hotel stay + aftercare coming in around $4k).
I have yet to even start my journey for HT, other than the fact that I want it. However, I struggle with two things.
1. I'm from Missouri. I can fly out of my local airport to O'Hare, and thankfully O'Hare has direct flights to Turkey and back. However, when coming back from my procedure - I will have to be at the airport in Turkey for at least 2/3 hours, get on a 10-11 hour flight, have a 1 - 4 hour layover in Chicago, and then fly home 2 more hours and stand in line for my luggage.
Again, I do not want to hear anything about "oh you will never see those people again!" I don't think I can stomach being freshly hair-transplanted in planes and heavily populated airports for 20+ hours. Like I almost get upset thinking about how embarrassing it is and the stares. Yes, I know I will probably never see any of these people again. And I know I will not be the only guy getting a hair transplant coming home from Turkey, but it still sucks. Is there seriously NO WAY to hide any of it? It's like a walk of shame that lasts an entire day.
In June 2025, I went to D.C. for my 30th birthday. On my actual b-day, I got pneumonia. When I flew back from D.C. to Chicago, I had about 2/3 hour layover. In that time, I think my flight moved gates 8 times. I am not joking. I had to go from one end of O'Hare to another. I was sick as a dog and couldn't breathe. If I have to go through that again, but looking like Pennywise with my bulging head and punctured follicles, I may self-immolate.
2. I work the service desks at a library. That means I am on the floor pretty much all day. I can save up SOME time off, but it will take weeks if not months for the initial "wounds" of the HT to go away. I will look red and swollen for a while. I deal with members of the community all the time.
I don't want weird looks or comments. Same goes for my coworkers. My bald spot and hairline is pretty noticeable. Like people know what my scalp looks like. Even if I didn't look like a tomato, they're gonna wonder why I suddenly have hair follicles. How do you handle an extremely public-facing job post-HT?
There is no amount of "owning" it. It fucking sucks. We shame men for balding, but then they're the butt of a joke for getting HT. Like it's an admission of insecurity.
Kindness will be appreciated. I know that's hard to find on Reddit, but just don't bother if you're posting a snarky comment just to get upvotes.
(Disclaimer: any anti-Gears 4/5 fans don't bother commenting unless you want an actual discussion instead of just saying "Gears post-3 sucks lolll")
Before Gears 5 came out, it was obvious that Kait was Myrrah's granddaughter, and the Swarm were targeting her because they need her body to act as their Queen so that they can grow as a species. I honestly thought Gears 5 would end sort of like Hereditary, with Kait assuming the role as Queen.
The series post-Gears 5 is not over. The developers have said that what happens in Gears of War: E-Day will affect the series story moving forward. What that might be is uncertain. But I do think the series is chronologically reaching an end (nothing more gets added after Gears 6, but there could be prequels like E-Day).
As we have seen in Gears 1, 2, and 3: you cannot kill the Locust. And that's accurate to most genocides. You can kill 99% of the targeted population, and you still wouldn't be able to kill all of them. It's just not possible, there will always be survivors. I believe the Mount Kadar lab genetic research that Del pulled in Gears 5 will hold the answer to stopping the Locust Swarm. Especially since the reason why they're still alive is a genetic evolutionary mechanism designed in them by Samson.
Queen Reyna is the new antagonist, except it's not her. Her body is being controlled by Myrrah whose consciousness has survived in the hivemind. If they could destroy Myrrah's consciousness, could the subsequent Queens have agency in how they lead the Horde? I think so. I think Gears 6 will be about how you can never truly vanquish your enemies. In your attempts to do so, it keeps wars going on. In addition, the populations of warring factions typically do not want war. It's the leaders who have something to gain. If it were up to the people, many would not war. Myrrah has a vendetta against humans who stole her life.
I believe the key to stopping the Horde will be eliminating Myrrah's consciousness and assuming role as Queen. Otherwise, they Horde will continue to evolve and exist. Kait still has her powers. Her ability to tap into the hivemind is still in her brain. It's just her connection to the Swarm via the Matriarch was severed. Samson said himself that being a Queen can be consensual (like Myrrah), or forcefully incorporated into the hive (like Reyna). The final boss will be Kait eliminating Myrrah from the hivemind. The Locust Swarm will continue to exist. Kait, being a human raised by humans and saw all the good humans can do will take it upon herself to show the Locust Swarm this way, that they could maybe co-exist. It wouldn't be a super happy ending, but it would be an interesting one that has a profound message.
