diff --git a/client/app/dashboard/page.tsx b/client/app/dashboard/page.tsx
index 4a8c716..e3ee168 100644
--- a/client/app/dashboard/page.tsx
+++ b/client/app/dashboard/page.tsx
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ export default function DashboardPage() {
   const [memberPulse, setMemberPulse] = useState(false);
   const prevSuperChatCountRef = useRef(0);
   const prevMemberCountRef = useRef(0);
+  const hasInitializedRef = useRef(false);
 
   const handleSelect = useCallback(
     async (message: ChatMessage) => {
@@ -113,13 +114,24 @@ export default function DashboardPage() {
   const newMembers = useMemo(() => messages.filter(m => m.membershipGift || m.membershipGiftPurchase), [messages]);
   const regularMessages = useMemo(() => messages.filter(m => !m.superChat && !m.membershipGift && !m.membershipGiftPurchase), [messages]);
 
+  // Initialize counts on first load without triggering pulse
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!hasInitializedRef.current && messages.length > 0) {
+      prevSuperChatCountRef.current = superChats.length;
+      prevMemberCountRef.current = newMembers.length;
+      hasInitializedRef.current = true;
+    }
+  }, [messages.length, superChats.length, newMembers.length]);
+
   // Detect new superchats and trigger pulse
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (!hasInitializedRef.current) return;
+    
     const prevCount = prevSuperChatCountRef.current;
     const currentCount = superChats.length;
     
-    // Trigger pulse if count increased (but not on initial mount when both are 0)
-    if (currentCount > prevCount && !(prevCount === 0 && currentCount === 0)) {
+    // Trigger pulse if count increased
+    if (currentCount > prevCount) {
       setSuperChatPulse(true);
       const timer = setTimeout(() => setSuperChatPulse(false), 10000);
       prevSuperChatCountRef.current = currentCount;
@@ -131,11 +143,13 @@ export default function DashboardPage() {
 
   // Detect new members and trigger pulse
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (!hasInitializedRef.current) return;
+    
     const prevCount = prevMemberCountRef.current;
     const currentCount = newMembers.length;
     
-    // Trigger pulse if count increased (but not on initial mount when both are 0)
-    if (currentCount > prevCount && !(prevCount === 0 && currentCount === 0)) {
+    // Trigger pulse if count increased
+    if (currentCount > prevCount) {
       setMemberPulse(true);
       const timer = setTimeout(() => setMemberPulse(false), 10000);
       prevMemberCountRef.current = currentCount;
@@ -613,7 +627,7 @@ function ChatItem({ message, isSelected, onSelect, onLinkClick }: ChatItemProps)
             )
           )}
         </p>
-      ) : message.text && (
+      ) : message.text && message.text !== 'N/A' && (
         <p className="chatItem__text">
           <MessageText text={message.text} onLinkClick={onLinkClick} />
         </p>
@@ -652,7 +666,7 @@ function MemberItem({ message, isSelected, onSelect, onLinkClick }: ChatItemProp
             )
           )}
         </p>
-      ) : message.text && (
+      ) : message.text && message.text !== 'N/A' && (
         <p className="memberItem__text">
           <MessageText text={message.text} onLinkClick={onLinkClick} />
         </p>
diff --git a/client/app/globals.css b/client/app/globals.css
index e92b3b0..676ff40 100644
--- a/client/app/globals.css
+++ b/client/app/globals.css
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ main {
   background: #1f1f1f;
   border: 1px solid #2a2a2a;
   text-align: left;
-  transition: all 150ms ease;
+  transition: all 250ms ease-out;
   cursor: pointer;
   flex-shrink: 0;
   width: 100%;
@@ -647,6 +647,7 @@ main {
   background: rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.15);
   border-color: rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.5);
   box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.2);
+  filter: brightness(0.85);
 }
 
 .chatItem__header {
@@ -781,7 +782,7 @@ main {
   background: #1f1f1f;
   border: 1px solid #2a2a2a;
   text-align: left;
-  transition: all 150ms ease;
+  transition: all 250ms ease-out;
   cursor: pointer;
   flex-shrink: 0;
 }
@@ -796,6 +797,7 @@ main {
   background: rgba(16, 185, 129, 0.15);
   border-color: rgba(16, 185, 129, 0.5);
   box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(16, 185, 129, 0.2);
+  filter: brightness(0.85);
 }
 
 .memberItem__header {
diff --git a/client/app/overlay/page.tsx b/client/app/overlay/page.tsx
index 9db5c1c..edc2310 100644
--- a/client/app/overlay/page.tsx
+++ b/client/app/overlay/page.tsx
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ export default function OverlayPage() {
                     )
                   )}
                 </p>
-              ) : message.text && (
+              ) : message.text && message.text !== 'N/A' && (
                 <p className="overlay__superchat-text">{message.text}</p>
               )}
             </>
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ export default function OverlayPage() {
                     )
                   )}
                 </p>
-              ) : message.text && (
+              ) : message.text && message.text !== 'N/A' && (
                 <p className="overlay__membership-text">{message.text}</p>
               )}
             </>
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ export default function OverlayPage() {
                     )
                   )}
                 </p>
-              ) : message.text && (
+              ) : message.text && message.text !== 'N/A' && (
                 <p className="overlay__text">{message.text}</p>
               )}
             </>