Joe’s Disgust with Online Dating

Joe’s Disgust with Online Dating and a Dream Date with Nelly

Joe stared at his phone, his thumb hovering over the Bumble app icon. He hated it. Swiping left, swiping right, sending messages that went unanswered—it all felt so hollow. His friends had convinced him it was the best way to meet someone these days, but all it had done was make him feel lonelier.

He tossed the phone onto the couch and ran his hands through his hair. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to be,” he muttered to himself.

Joe’s mind wandered back to Nelly. They had met years ago in college, before the era of apps and algorithms. Nelly was magnetic—her laugh was infectious, and her love for her Portuguese heritage shone through in everything she did. She had a way of making the simplest things feel special. Joe had been smitten, but life had pulled them in different directions. They’d lost touch, and he’d always regretted not telling her how he felt.

But fate had a funny way of working. A few weeks ago, Joe had run into Nelly at a farmer’s market. She was as radiant as ever, her arms full of fresh produce, talking animatedly with a vendor in Portuguese. They’d exchanged numbers, and now, as he sat in his living room, he realized he didn’t need Bumble or any other app. He needed to see Nelly.


The next evening, Joe picked Nelly up and drove to Little Portugal. He’d chosen Café Algarve, a cozy spot tucked between a bakery and a small grocery store. It wasn’t flashy, but he knew it would be perfect for Nelly.

As they walked in, the warm aroma of freshly baked pastéis de nata and espresso greeted them. The café was simple: wooden tables, tiled floors, and a few faded photographs of Lisbon on the walls. Nelly’s eyes lit up.

“This place,” she said, her voice filled with wonder. “It feels like home.”

They sat by the window, and Joe ordered two galões and a plate of bacalhau à brás to share. Nelly talked about her childhood summers in Portugal, visiting her grandparents in the Algarve, and how she missed the sound of fado music drifting through the streets at night.

Joe listened intently, captivated by her passion. He loved how she could turn an ordinary café into something magical just by being there.

“You know,” Nelly said, stirring her coffee, “this is exactly what I needed. Something simple, real. Thank you, Joe.”

He smiled, feeling a warmth he hadn’t felt in years. “I just wanted to make you happy.”

As the evening went on, they laughed and reminisced, the connection between them growing stronger with every word. Joe realized he didn’t need the endless swipes or the algorithms. He just needed this—a quiet moment with someone who made the world feel brighter.

When they left the café, Nelly slipped her arm through his. “Joe,” she said softly, “this was perfect. Let’s do it again soon.”

Joe nodded, a grin spreading across his face. For the first time in a long time, he felt hopeful.

And as they walked down the street, the glow of the café behind them, Joe knew he didn’t just have a dream date with Nelly—he had a chance at something real.

The Shadow General:

The Shadow General: Joe Jukic’s War on the Illuminati

Joe Jukic was a name whispered in the darkest corridors of power. A Croatian Psyops General with a mind sharper than a scalpel and a will forged in the fires of the Yugoslav Wars, he had spent decades mastering the art of psychological warfare. His weapons were not bullets or bombs but ideas, narratives, and the manipulation of truth itself.

When Jukic uncovered evidence of the Bavarian Illuminati’s pervasive influence—spanning secret lodges like Skull and Bones, Propaganda Due, and the elusive Swiss Grand Alpina—he knew he was facing a foe unlike any other. These lodges weren’t just social clubs; they were command centers for global manipulation, pulling the strings of governments, economies, and wars.

Jukic’s mission was clear: dismantle them from within, using their own tactics against them.


Phase 1: Black Propaganda – Turning the Shadows on Themselves

Jukic’s first target was Skull and Bones, the infamous Yale secret society. He crafted a campaign of black propaganda, planting false but believable narratives that sowed distrust among its members. Anonymous leaks suggested that certain Bonesmen had been embezzling funds from their endowment to finance personal ventures.

The fabricated emails and documents were so meticulously detailed that even the most loyal members began questioning their peers. Infighting erupted, and the society’s once-united front crumbled. By the time the truth surfaced, the damage was done—alliances were broken, and their influence waned.


Phase 2: White Propaganda – The Truth as a Weapon

Propaganda Due, or P2, was a Masonic lodge notorious for its ties to Italian corruption and organized crime. Jukic’s strategy here was different: white propaganda, exposing the truth.

Using hacked archives and whistleblower testimonies, he released a damning report detailing P2’s involvement in money laundering, political assassinations, and the Vatican Bank scandal. The revelations sparked outrage across Italy, leading to mass protests and government investigations.

Jukic ensured the media coverage was relentless, framing the story as a moral reckoning for Italy. The lodge, unable to withstand the public scrutiny, was disbanded, its members scattered and discredited.


Phase 3: Grey Propaganda – Manipulating the Middle Ground

The Grand Alpina Lodge in Switzerland was the Illuminati’s crown jewel, a retreat for global elites like Henry Kissinger. Here, Jukic employed grey propaganda—a mix of truth and lies designed to blur the lines.

He orchestrated a faux summit, inviting high-profile figures under the guise of a peace conference. Using deepfake technology, he created incriminating video footage of attendees discussing plans to manipulate global markets and orchestrate regime changes.

The footage was leaked online, where conspiracy theorists amplified it, blending it with genuine grievances about economic inequality. The result was a tidal wave of public backlash against the lodge and its members.

While the videos were later debunked, the damage to the lodge’s reputation was irreversible. Kissinger, a key figure, became a pariah, his influence eroded by the court of public opinion.


The Fallout

Within five years, Jukic’s campaign had dismantled the Illuminati’s most powerful lodges. Skull and Bones was a fractured relic, P2 was a memory, and the Grand Alpina Lodge was a hollow shell.

Jukic disappeared soon after, leaving behind only cryptic messages in the form of anonymous op-eds and encrypted files. Some say he retired to a quiet village in Croatia; others believe he continues his work in the shadows, targeting the next cabal.

The world, though still rife with corruption, felt a shift. The lodges that once controlled its destiny were no longer invincible. And while few knew the name Joe Jukic, his legacy as the Shadow General lived on—a testament to the power of propaganda, wielded for justice.

Nelly’s Server of Love

Nelly sat in her tiny apartment, staring at the glowing screen of her laptop. The cursor blinked on an empty webpage. It wasn’t just any webpage—it was the start of something new, something she had dreamed about since reconnecting with Joe, her old dance partner.

Joe had been her partner in countless competitions years ago, their movements perfectly synchronized, their chemistry undeniable. But life had pulled them apart. He had moved to another city for work, and she had pursued her studies in creative writing. Now, years later, they had reconnected online, and their conversations had taken a surprising turn.

They started writing a story together—a romantic tale inspired by their shared past. The story featured two dancers, much like themselves, navigating love and life in a world of shimmering ballrooms and shadowy secrets.

But their story quickly outgrew the confines of emails and shared documents. Nelly wanted more. She wanted to create a space where others could join in, read their work, and even add their own twists to the tale.

One evening, after a particularly long brainstorming session with Joe, she made a decision. She would invest in a dedicated server.

“It’s a big step,” Joe said during their video call, his face pixelated but his smile unmistakable. “But if anyone can do it, it’s you.”

Nelly’s heart fluttered. “It’s not just for me. It’s for us—for our story.”

She poured her savings into the project, choosing a reliable hosting company and spending late nights learning how to build an interactive website. She named it “Steps of the Heart” and designed it with themes of elegance and movement—dancing figures, soft pink and gold hues, and swirling patterns that evoked the flow of a waltz.

The site launched with the first few chapters of their story. Joe contributed his own writing, weaving in his perspective and adding depth to the characters. Soon, readers from around the world discovered the site. They left comments, shared ideas, and even submitted fan art of the fictional dancers.

One evening, as Nelly and Joe worked on the next chapter during a call, he said, “You know, I never thought we’d be creating something like this together. It’s almost like dancing again, but with words.”

Nelly smiled. “It’s even better. We’re telling our story in a way that will last.”

Months passed, and the website flourished. Nelly and Joe’s love story, both fictional and real, became the heart of a thriving community.

One day, as they prepared for a live Q&A with their readers, Joe surprised her. “Nelly, I was thinking… maybe we should write the next chapter in person.”

She froze. “You mean—?”

“I mean, I want to see you again. For real this time.”

Her heart raced, just like it had during their first dance competition. “I’d like that.”

As the screen filled with excited comments from readers waiting for their appearance, Nelly realized something. The dedicated server had been an investment in more than just a website. It had been an investment in a love story—hers and Joe’s.

And this time, she was determined to make sure it had the perfect ending.