#Bitcoin presentation

[visual-sculptors]

 Techniques for Building Strong Client Relationships in Presentations

Building and nurturing strong client relationships is a cornerstone of success in any business environment, particularly during crucial interactions such as presentations. An essential technique for fostering these relationships is active listening, where one attentively takes in the client's needs and concerns.

This practice not only demonstrates respect for the client's perspective but also underscores a commitment to addressing any challenges they may be facing.

Additionally, personalizing the presentation to align with the client's specific interests and industry is pivotal in showcasing a deep understanding of their business and a genuine investment in their success.

By tailoring the content to resonate with the client's unique preferences, one can significantly enhance engagement and build a more meaningful connection. Furthermore, maintaining a positive and professional demeanor throughout the presentation is imperative in leaving a lasting impression on the client.

A confident and courteous attitude not only instills trust and credibility but also reflects positively on the company as a whole.

Following up with the client post-presentation is equally essential in solidifying the relationship, as it demonstrates a continued commitment to their needs and ensures their satisfaction.

By employing these strategies consistently, businesses can forge enduring client relationships that lay the foundation for mutual growth and success in the long term.

Visual Sculptors – Serving clients globally across the industry.

PowerPoint presentations are essential tools for effective communication in various industries. Apart from management consulting firms, our services cater to Listed and Public Companies, assisting them with Quarterly and Annual Investor Presentations. C-Level executives of Large Corporations rely heavily on Microsoft Power Point for their daily communication needs. We support Business Schools and Colleges in creating educational slides for e-learning purposes.

These examples showcase the diverse industries that consistently rely on our expertise for creating professional and effective presentations. Our team of designers are experts in using the latest graphic design software to come up with contemporary designs.

[hikiclawd]

Rip Chihiro estrogen could've actually saved you like bigtime

Hello hello hello I'm back to terrorize the danganronpa tag yes i draw her with byakuya yes theyd probably never have a good relationship in canon even if dr1 never happened NO i dont rly care 😄 this is danganronpa bitch we clown here in this motherfucker take your sensitive ass back to hundred line defense /j idk if i'll make more drawings but the first two are for my own personal no despair au called blueberry perfume-verse so i'll just tag it incase i do more with it ^_^7 smiley... it takes place like around modern times if the events of thh didnt happen . yes its chigami-centric leave me alone giggles. anyways chihiro has to work for some branch of the numerous togami businesses where byakuya is personally overseeing it and its like romcom-esque and shenanigans ensue, kuya learns empathy at like 32 years old (embarrassing), and chihiros just tryna do her jobbbb brauh 😭. probably doesn't make sense but im having fun so i think that makes it ok

[solarpunkpresentspodcast]

If technology wasn’t such a central aspect of solarpunk, we’d all just be hippies redux. Yet not all tech, right? Because solarpunk is also about living the good life while building a just, inclusive, and sustainable society. So, what is solarpunk’s attitude toward and relationship with tech? How do solarpunks decide what’s worth it and what’s beyond the pale? And what’s all this about appropriate technology?

[bob3160]

Blockchain Beyond Bitcoin - Unraveling the Magic of the Distributed Ledger

[prokopetz]

I actually had the opportunity to get involved in the whole Bitcoin thing right at the very beginning, when it was still possible to mine non-trivial amounts of Bitcoin on a shitty desktop PC, but I decided it looked like a scam (and installed SETI@home instead – yes, cast your barbs at will!), and I've always kind of wondered whether any of those early adopters really ended up getting rich when the value of Bitcoin suddenly skyrocketed a few years later, or whether rampant fraud and the impracticality of actually cashing out Bitcoin for real money have always been sufficiently present that that was never a possibility.

[delespresso]

HONEY TRAP ━━ Jay Halstead x Fem!reader

author's note; finally done with my presentations yippee! can go back to my requests now hehe, also this was kinda short?? idk, i hope its okay!

prompts; Jay Halstead with Hozier "I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife"

summary; in which jay's undercover and she's told him everything

━━ ☄. *. ⋆

It’s been a month since Jay was sent undercover. Something that was supposed to only last for a week ended up being extended far longer than they’d expected— and there was yet to be an end date in sight. But he’d adapted, he always did.

They knew him as Ryan, the expert in bitcoins and such. The organisation Intelligence had been gunning for was planning a pretty big heist and they needed someone who knew their way around it.

Jay himself was no expert. But he was good at bullshitting. And he learned a thing or two from Mouse to equip his undercover work.

What he never expected was the mob boss’ daughter taking over the heist planning. She became the mastermind, using him for her plans and unknowingly leaking everything to the Chicago police.

Mainly because he ends up in her bed every other night that he's been undercover. It was supposed to be a job — a simple honey trap so they could bust the crew.

But God, she was everything he could ever dream of. But she was the very thing he couldn't have if he wanted to keep his job.

“Your mind's in the clouds again.”

He was brought right back to reality when her sweet voice spoke so quietly. She was right there, on top of him, in nothing but his shirt as she pressed fleeting kisses on his collarbone.

The slightest smile pulled on his lips as he looked down at her, his fingers running through her tousled hair — his very own handiwork.

“Just thinking ‘bout tomorrow,” he muttered, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. “You're so sure it's gonna work out.”

She hummed softly, her body molding against his with a soft smile on her face.

“It will. Everything's gonna be fine,” she assured softly.

“And if the cops find out?”

He couldn't tell her. But the cops already knew — Voight had already planned a bust, ready to finally have the crew in cuffs like he'd been planning for months.

All because Jay had told him everything she tells him.

“They won't. I told you everything, just go accordingly,” she shrugged.

It felt like a knife was stabbed and twisted in his gut when she said so surely. She did tell him everything — and he told his team. Because it was his job.

He cupped her face in his hands, making her look at him with a raised brow. For a moment he was just silent, his eyes tracing her sweet features. If only she wasn't the mobster's daughter. If only she wasn't a part of it herself.

He pulled her in, their lips meeting in a languid kiss. Because God knows it might be the last.

He rolled them over so she was on her back, not once releasing her from their kiss. And even this was all he could have of her — he'd make it worthwhile.

By the next afternoon, everything blew to pieces. The crew was getting ready to get the heist done. The other guys were in a separate van, pretending to be technicians coming to fix things.

She was in the passenger seat of another car with Jay driving. He knows Intelligence would be there, busting the whole heist soon. And he made a decision he knew could possibly cost him.

He took a different turn, going the opposite direction of the building they were heading for.

Her head shot up, realising he was diverting.

“Ryan,” she looked at him with raised brows.

“The cops are gonna bust your ass if we go there right now. You need to leave,” he said firmly.

She stared at him in confusion and bewilderment.

“I told you the plan, it's foolproof—”

“You told me the plan and I told my boss.”

She paused at his interruption. He was still driving, focused on the road but he was tense beyond words. Her sudden silence made his heart race faster.

“I'm a cop. I've been undercover for the past month,” he finally spoke again, confirming her silent thoughts.

Then he felt it — the knife against his neck. The cool metal was pressing against his skin and he cursed under his breath.

“I trusted you—”

“I lied. I know. You kill me now, we're gonna crash. Do you want that?” he retorted.

She seemed to consider it. But she didn't move the knife even as he kept driving.

“And how do I know you're not leading me right to them?” she asked.

This time he was the one who went silent. For a moment there, he couldn't say a word. Because really; how can he prove it to her that he won't?

“Because you know how I feel about you. I lied about everything but never that,” he confessed softly, daring a glance at her as he drove.

Then he looked back forward, the cool metal of the blade still glaringly obvious against his skin. She hesitated, considering her options. All their nights together — it wasn't just sex. It became something much more than that.

Slowly, she pulled her knife away. But she didn't keep it.

“Airstrip,” was all she said.

Because now there was no way she could stay in Chicago. So she'd have to disappear. But not without a lingering kiss goodbye — despite the betrayal she felt.

Jay made up an excuse for Voight. Something about her changing her mind and ditching the crew last minute. Intelligence managed to cuff the crew though, all except her. The mastermind.

And something in his gut told him they'd see more of her eventually

liked this tale? be a member and buy me some coffee!

[block-tales-headcanons]

Player is an absolute Green Goop fanatic and when they realized that Griefer has a whole shelf of the newest line when the cards just released they went feral

It's not even in just the past era, there's a whole ass collection book (like those pokemon card display books) in one of the player's drawers in the present with so many of the cards inside and they just couldn't get their hands on some special edition limited card set that costs a fucking fortune in the present. Lucky for them, the special card line comes from the past era they're in. A good amount of the time spent in-between chapter 1-3 was spent card hunting (when they weren't looking for leads on where Builderman and the Mysterious Figure went ofc)

I like to think that post ch4, Player and Griefer started to bond over the Green Goop cards and even dueled each other a lot of the time. Winning is always 50/50 because while Player knows more advanced strategies, Griefer is more familiar with dueling itself and can counter really well because Green Goop cards are more popular in his time and he's more immersed in the ins-and-outs of the game.

Can you tell I really like thinking about Player/Griefer friendship dynamics

- Coin Anon

thi si slike bying 100000 bitcoin 10 years ago

[visual-sculptors]

Strategies for Trust in Consulting Presentations

Establishing trust with your audience is a critical component of delivering effective consulting presentations. One of the key strategies to achieve this is by clearly communicating your expertise and experience in the subject matter. This can be accomplished by presenting your credentials, highlighting successful projects or client testimonials, and demonstrating a deep understanding of the topic at hand.

By showcasing your competence and track record, you can instill confidence in your audience and establish credibility as a trusted advisor. In addition to showcasing your expertise, utilizing visual aids and data to support your recommendations can further enhance your credibility and build trust with your audience.

Visual aids not only help in conveying complex information in a more understandable way but also serve as evidence to support the insights and solutions you are presenting.

Moreover, actively listening to your clients' concerns and addressing their questions demonstrates your commitment to understanding their needs, fostering a sense of collaboration and partnership that is essential in building trust and credibility.

By incorporating these strategies into your consulting presentations, you can effectively establish trust with your audience, leading to successful engagements and long-lasting client relationships.

Visual Sculptors Designs – Aligned to Client Branding Guidelines.

To ensure that presentations are in line with a management consulting company's branding and messaging, we adopt various important strategies: After signing an agreement with a firm, we have calls to understand past projects and brand guidelines. We then create a detailed style sheet for approval, usually finalizing after 1-2 iterations. For the initial 10-15 deliveries, the agency prioritizes delivering high quality work with multiple quality checks. This includes ensuring brand consistency in aspects like color scheme, choosing appropriate chart types, and formatting elements. Graphic design process helps familiarize the agency team with the client's brand.

[ausp-ice]

Profit (he/they/any), an Edeia representing the Idea of Profit.

This all started with me having a silly thought of using the name "Rob Banks" based on a video I saw...

Edeia Site | Edeia Discord | Personal Website

Profit

"Everyone should profit. But of course, I should profit the most." 

At present, Profit is charismatic and persuasive, creating mutually beneficial arrangements where they still came out ahead. They became more patient, willing to invest in long-term growth rather than immediate exploitation. Profit developed genuine curiosity about innovation and began to enjoy watching their investments flourish. Their demeanor was often inviting, rather than threatening, though they always carried an undertone of calculation with them. At present, he is more forthright about his profit motives, but he is more honest about his practices and always follows through on his promises to partners. 

He has quite the sense of humor, though he cares more about what's amusing to him than what's amusing to others. So long as there's no real harm, he delights in others' ruffled feathers (for instance, by making puns). He enjoys peppering his speech with business jargon, often for humorous effect, but avoids using it so excessively that others can't understand him.

While still fundamentally self-interested, Profit now values sustainable profit over destructive exploitation, understanding that a healthy economic ecosystem yields greater returns than a series of depleted targets. He creates transparent but advantageous deals where all parties benefit—though, of course, he benefits the most. He considers himself an investor, finding promising individuals and ventures to provide all sorts of resources, with the intention of getting a return in the future. He does still participate in black markets and corruption, but only when it generates new growth and value—not when it simply transfers opportunity from one individual to another. 

Abilities

Market Intelligence

Profit can sense untapped value and potential profit in people, places, objects, and situations. He also has an innate awareness of past and current market trends, as well as a predictive sense for future market movements. This ability can be temporarily granted to others as an intuitive sense for good deals and profitable ventures. 

Seed Capital

Profit can create one "whole unit" (e.g. 1 USD, 1 bitcoin, etc.) of any currency that exists in his current dimension, so long as he has any amount of information on its existence, if he does not own any physically or in assets.

Binding Proposition

Profit can create magically binding contracts for deals involving currency or valued assets. These contracts cannot be broken by conventional means and ensure that all parties fulfill their obligations or pay the penalties agreed upon.

Portfolio Diversification

Profit can maintain countless business ventures, investments, and assets across multiple dimensions simultaneously without loss of oversight or control. This allows them to spread risk and maximize returns by operating in various economies with different rules and growth patterns. They can mentally "check in" on any of their ventures at will.

Return on Investment

After investing time, energy, or resources into a person or venture, Profit is guaranteed some form of return. This doesn't guarantee success, but it does mean that even failures will yield valuable lessons, connections, or alternative opportunities that can be monetized in some way. Nothing Profit invests is ever truly lost. This is a passive ability, but Profit can focus to apply it to others, guaranteeing a "return" for those individuals.

Asset Empowerment

Profit can designate individuals as "Associates" through magical contracts, granting them enhanced abilities related to their role in Profit's ventures. These enhancements are tied to performance conditions and limitations:

Associates must share a percentage of all gains with Profit.

They cannot act against Profit's interests.

Their abilities cannot be used for unauthorized ventures.

The magic enforces compliance, with abilities failing or backfiring if terms are violated.

Successful Associates may see their capabilities grow over time, creating a mutually beneficial relationship while allowing Profit to extend their influence through a network of empowered agents across markets and dimensions.

Abstraction

Profit's original Abstraction took the form of a large building of countless rooms, filled with all sorts of things. After those were lost in Profit's transition to the Main Continuity, that building was rebuilt alongside a sprawling, glittering city of modern skyscrapers and glass buildings. The sky is in an eternal golden twilight. Streams of gold light pour from the sky in straight lines, and the air is filled with glittering gold particles. 

The city, referred to as Gold, is inhabited by residents from all across Ideation and other dimensions, including humans and non-humans. Every resident is in the pursuit of profit, though they are more cooperative than competitive. There are corporations and small businesses, artists and consultants—any occupation, any role, so long as they hold a doctrine of "profit for all, profit for Profit" in their hearts. 

Time is strange and nonlinear—those who need more time will have more time, and those who wish for time to pass faster will experience time passing faster. Those who wish to rest can rest as long as they like, and still be on time for work. In some cases, some will be able to be present in multiple places at once or step back in time to remedy a mistake, though this requires authorization from Associates that handle governance of the city. Associates can also authorize a "storefront," which involves that business merging a door, room, or other part of their venture with a physical location to interact with united society or extradimensional societies. 

Gold is considered an independent magical society by united society. 

Story Synposis

Profit began as Robert "Rob" Banks in the Calamity Continuity, where he rose from a business prodigy to become a ruthless financial mastermind who eventually gained control of the nation of Adamant. As reality began crumbling around him—partially due to his own exploitative tactics—Profit faced the meaninglessness of his accumulated wealth and power. Given a second chance by Possibility, he abandoned his Abstraction's contents and transferred to the Main Continuity in 1805, where he embraced a more sustainable approach to wealth creation. In this new timeline, Profit established himself as "the Prophet of Profit," building ventures across magical and mundane societies while creating a golden city in his Abstraction for those who shared his values of "profit for all, profit for Profit."

For more, see his profile.

[sexymemecoin]

The Expansive World of Altcoins: Exploring the Diversity Beyond Bitcoin

Bitcoin, the original cryptocurrency, has long dominated headlines and market discussions. However, the world of digital currencies is vast and diverse, with thousands of alternative coins, or altcoins, each offering unique features and value propositions. Altcoins encompass a broad range of projects, from utility tokens and stablecoins to meme coins and more. This article delves into the rich ecosystem of altcoins, highlighting their significance, various types, and the innovative projects that make up this vibrant space, including a mention of Sexy Meme Coin.

Understanding Altcoins

The term "altcoin" refers to any cryptocurrency that is not Bitcoin. These coins were developed to address various limitations of Bitcoin or to introduce new features and use cases. Altcoins have proliferated since the creation of Bitcoin in 2009, each aiming to offer something different, whether it be improved transaction speeds, enhanced privacy features, or specific utility within certain ecosystems.

Categories of Altcoins

Utility Tokens: Utility tokens provide users with access to a specific product or service within a blockchain ecosystem. Examples include Ethereum's Ether (ETH), which is used to power applications on the Ethereum network, and Chainlink's LINK, which is used to pay for services on the Chainlink decentralized oracle network.

Stablecoins: Stablecoins are designed to maintain a stable value by being pegged to a reserve of assets, such as fiat currency or commodities. Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) are popular stablecoins pegged to the US dollar, offering the benefits of cryptocurrency without the volatility.

Security Tokens: Security tokens represent ownership in a real-world asset, such as shares in a company or real estate. They are subject to regulatory oversight and are often seen as a bridge between traditional finance and the blockchain world.

Meme Coins: Meme coins are a playful and often humorous take on cryptocurrency, inspired by internet memes and cultural trends. While they may start as jokes, some have gained significant value and community support. Dogecoin is the most famous example, but many others, like Shiba Inu and Sexy Meme Coin, have also captured the public's imagination.

Privacy Coins: Privacy coins focus on providing enhanced privacy features for transactions. Monero (XMR) and Zcash (ZEC) are notable examples, offering users the ability to transact anonymously and protect their financial privacy.

The Appeal of Altcoins

Altcoins offer several advantages over Bitcoin, including:

Innovation: Many altcoins introduce new technologies and features, driving innovation within the cryptocurrency space. For example, Ethereum introduced smart contracts, enabling decentralized applications (DApps) and decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms.

Specialization: Altcoins often serve specific niches or industries, providing targeted solutions that Bitcoin cannot. For instance, Ripple (XRP) focuses on facilitating cross-border payments, while Filecoin (FIL) aims to create a decentralized storage network.

Investment Opportunities: The diverse range of altcoins presents numerous investment opportunities. Investors can diversify their portfolios by investing in projects with different use cases and growth potentials.

Notable Altcoins in the Market

Ethereum (ETH): Ethereum is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization and has become the backbone of the DeFi and NFT (Non-Fungible Token) ecosystems. Its smart contract functionality allows developers to create decentralized applications, leading to a thriving ecosystem of financial services, games, and more.

Cardano (ADA): Cardano is a blockchain platform focused on sustainability, scalability, and transparency. It uses a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, which is more energy-efficient than Bitcoin's proof-of-work. Cardano aims to provide a more secure and scalable infrastructure for the development of decentralized applications.

Polkadot (DOT): Polkadot is designed to enable different blockchains to interoperate and share information. Its unique architecture allows for the creation of "parachains," which can operate independently while still benefiting from the security and connectivity of the Polkadot network.

Chainlink (LINK): Chainlink is a decentralized oracle network that provides real-world data to smart contracts on the blockchain. This functionality is crucial for the operation of many DeFi applications, making Chainlink a vital component of the blockchain ecosystem.

Sexy Meme Coin: Among the meme coins, Sexy Meme Coin stands out for its combination of humor and innovative tokenomics. It offers a decentralized marketplace where users can buy, sell, and trade memes as NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens), rewarding creators for their originality. Learn more about Sexy Meme Coin at Sexy Meme Coin.

The Future of Altcoins

The future of altcoins looks promising, with continuous innovation and increasing adoption across various industries. As blockchain technology evolves, we can expect altcoins to introduce new solutions and disrupt traditional systems. However, the market is also highly competitive, and not all projects will succeed. Investors should conduct thorough research and due diligence before investing in any altcoin.

Conclusion

Altcoins represent a dynamic and diverse segment of the cryptocurrency market. From utility tokens and stablecoins to meme coins and privacy coins, each category offers unique features and potential benefits. Projects like Ethereum, Cardano, Polkadot, and Chainlink are leading the way in innovation, while niche coins like Sexy Meme Coin add a layer of cultural relevance and community engagement. As the cryptocurrency ecosystem continues to grow, altcoins will play a crucial role in shaping the future of digital finance and blockchain technology.

For those interested in the playful and innovative side of the altcoin market, Sexy Meme Coin offers a unique and entertaining platform. Visit Sexy Meme Coin to explore this exciting project and join the community.

[wambsgansshoelaces]

hiii could you maybe write something about a first kiss with roman roy? I feel like he’s so unpredictable that it could be fluffy or angsty 💖

Vending Machine Oreos

Roman Roy x Reader

oneshot

anon I’m so so sorry this is so late!!! I hope I delivered though :( please let me know what you think and enjoy x

honestly I’m kind of worried because I’ve been struggling with life and my writing’s been suffering because of it so I’m really sorry if this seems unrealistic or rushed or just bad. I hope you guys like it anyway!!!

Word Count: 2.215k

“Roman!”

“What?” he snaps back, not bothering to look up from his desk.

“You’re going to make us fucking late! Come on!”

“It’s not even- oh, fuck, you’re right.” He abruptly gets to his feet, slamming the lid of his laptop shut, and hurries out of his office, you not far behind.

Working at Waystar was certainly an experience. You like to say Logan Roy made you see red, and it’s a sentiment you know Roman shares. When you stop and think about it, you suppose that you’re making way too much money to actually care. Besides, Roman Roy is easy on the eyes. It’s not like all of him was so horrible. If you were honest with yourself, you never really thought he was such a bad person. He was kind to you, in his own neurotic way, and made sure all of his work was done on time. You actually find him kind of endearing, and you both happen to get along extremely well.

“Is the car outside?” he asks, pulling his coat on.

“It has been for ten minutes,” you say back, ushering him into an opening elevator.

“Why do we have to do this again?” he mutters to you in question, glancing at you sideways as you slide into your seat next to him in the car.

“Because your dad wants us to mingle,” you say bitterly. “Some new hotshot piece of shit to impress.” He sighs, turning to stare out the window and watch as New York blurs by.

The event building is large and lavish, the epitome of modern day architecture. The entire thing is floor-to-ceiling windows, and the interior does not let you down. This is the corporate version of a party. You’d spend the night milling about, pretending to listen to half-assed pitches while Roman fucked with all of the corporate jockies he hated. Logan had asked you in person for you and Roman to go. Something about the mind games he was playing with rivals and the fact that a Roy needed to be present at these kinds of things.

You and Roman get your coats checked, and you’re guided into the ballroom. The room is already bustling and half-drunk, and you mentally steel yourself for the next few hours. The two of you get roped into a mind-numbing conversation about stocks and bitcoin, so much so that when you look over at Roman, he’s staring up at the vaulted ceiling.

“And what about you?”

You don’t realize the question was aimed at you until after it hangs for a few moments.

“Sorry?” you ask, returning your attention to your peanut gallery of what’s only men. You notice Roman doing the same.

“We were talking about the whore houses,” an older one chortles, immediately causing your face to sour. “We were wondering if we would see you there. What with the job performance and all.” He laughs, a loud, gaudy sound that makes you want to vomit.

All of the heat rushes to your face. You are by no means bad at your job. But despite your confidence and your skill, you can’t help how disgusting you feel.

“I speak for all of us here when I say nobody would really mind if you were,” another, younger one chimes in. You all but gag. You throw a glance at Roman, pleading, but he looks just as uncomfortable as you are. Disappointed, you realize you’re not going to get any help from him.

Without saying anything, you turn on your heel and calmly make your way out of the ballroom. You feel like ripping your skin off. Maybe then the feeling of those eyes will get off of you then.

You stroll through the halls, trying to comfort yourself. You don’t expect it, but after your second lap around the complex, you find Roman at your elbow, reaching out to take you by the arm.

“Holy shit, I’m sorry. I should’ve said something,” he admits. “That was disgusting. They’re disgusting. I’m really sorry.” He pauses, chewing on the inside of his cheek. “I know that doesn’t help.”

“It’s okay,” you say quietly, rather unconvincingly at that.

Roman makes a face at you. “We both don’t believe that.”

“Really. It’s fine. I should’ve just made a scene so we could leave,” you say, attempting to lighten the mood, change the tone. Roman gives you his signature pout, refusing to take your word for anything. He’s worked with you for long enough to be able to sense when something’s wrong.

“Oh, come on.” He leans in towards you conspiratorially. “Wanna just ditch? Pretty sure I saw a vending machine while I was chasing you around. You walk way too fucking fast, by the way.”

He sets off down the hall, fishing his express card out of the zipper pocket of his dress pants. You follow, catching up so that you’re walking side by side. “You keep a credit card in your pocket?”

“Debit.” He hands it to you, and you hesitantly take it. He pats himself down, rooting through his other pockets. He fishes out some paper money and unfolds it. “Hey, look, five bucks.”

The card is sleek and impossibly expensive. You grip it tightly. Even though you don’t really know how you’d lose it, you don’t think you’ll know what to do with yourself if you do. “Do they even have vending machines in places like these?”

“Yeah, ’course they do. Saw it with my own eyes, anyway. Just told you,” he replies, letting you press the card back into his hand. He turns it over in his palm absentmindedly, eyes flitting about. “They just charge triple ’cause they know nobody’s checking the price.”

You both walk together for a short while, Roman getting a bit frustrated. He tells you that he was ‘just fucking there’ before a comfortable silence stretches, him focused on finding the damn thing. You don’t have to wait too much longer. “Hey, look, there’s an entire row,” you say, pointing.

“You know it’s fuckin’ crazy ’cause these aren’t even the ones that I saw earlier,” he mutters to you. “You like spicy chips?”

“Oh, you don’t need to get me anything,” you tell him after you process what he said. He sighs, turning back to the nearest vending machine.

“Cool. You’re getting Oreos.” Roman takes the crumpled five dollar bill and tries to smooth it out against the machine’s glass. You don’t think it’s going to help. That thing looks like it’s been through hell.

He presses a few buttons and inserts the bill. The machine eats it, and the small screen above the keypad flashes the word ‘PROCESSING’ in red, blocky text. You watch as the curly thing keeping the treats in the machine unfurls, pushing the sleeve of cookies forward, before it shuts, the cookies hanging on to the gadget instead of dropping so that you could get it.

“I feel like that shouldn’t be possible,” you say quietly.

“Fuck’s sake,” he says back. He bangs on the glass, and the sleeve sways. But nothing happens. Roman glances towards you. “Is this real? Are we in one of the most expensive fucking office buildings in fucking New York where the vending machines are holding my fucking Oreos hostage?”

You shrug, then fish out your wallet. “Here, put another five in,” you suggest, offering him another five. He pushes your hand back towards you, making a face, instead inserting his card into the machine. Again, a sleeve of Oreos gets pushed out. The previous ones finally fall from their position, but get stuck on the slot immediately below it. The same thing that happened with the first one then happens with the one just bought.

“This can’t be real,” Roman says incredulously. “Help me out, will you?”

He squeezes himself in between the vending machine and the wall, somehow managing to tilt the entire thing forward. You brace your hands on the front of the thing, keeping it from tipping all the way over. Carefully, you jerk your arms up, trying to shake the cookies free. A couple of tries later, a strange smattering of THUDS sound, spotty and horribly nonrhythmic. Roman peers out at you from his little nook, eyebrows raised.

You manage to get the machine back upright so that he can shuffle back out into the hallway. As you get your first glance through the glass, it’s painfully obvious a lot of what was once in the machine is now at the bottom for you to take.

“All this for only ten bucks is pretty good if you ask me,” you say, smile playing on your lips.

“Thank fuck this company is cheap in their manufacturing,” he murmurs back, grinning. He leans his back against the machine once you both hear footsteps approaching. The young man who’d made that gross fucking one-liner. Even though you have no proof, you get the disgusting inkling he was looking for you. He slows his pace when he sees you, and you do your best to school your face into neutrality. He stops entirely, opening his mouth to say something, look of confidence plastered over his face.

“Fuck’re you looking at?” Roman snaps, arm coming to drape across your shoulders, hand going to cup your jaw. He tilts your head up, quickly crashing his lips against yours. You’re surprised, but not even the slightest bit opposed. You grin into the kiss, and you can feel Roman smirking. He pulls back only slightly, glancing sideways at the other man. “What, you into voyeurism or something? We’re having a moment, shoo.”

You can’t help but laugh, clamping your hand over your mouth to trap the noise, and you watch the guy scuttle awkwardly away. Roman’s fingers stay on your jaw, brushing gently up the expanse of your skin. Without thinking, you lean back in and deposit a peck on his lips. He returns the fleeting kiss as he can, head then following yours back when you pull away to press his lips back to yours.

The kiss is deep, tender, needy. In between kisses, he murmurs praise. “You know you’re thirty times the employee any of those dipshits ever will be, mm?” Another lingering kiss, his hands drifting to your hips to turn you towards him. “And you’re so fucking attractive. Thank fuck this is finally happening. I think my staring at work was getting creepy.”

As his fingers travel to tangle in the hair at the nape of your neck, you pull back enough to be able to kiss up his neck. You line kisses along the underside of his jaw, and he lets out a strangled noise. His free hand cups your hip, squeezing gently as his face flushes with pleasure.

He turns his head to take your lips with his again, sighing happily into your mouth between kisses. Your hands are now braced on his chest, and your heart flutters.

“Did it really have to take this to get us to make out?” you ask, smiling giddily, rubbing a hand over his pecs.

“Maybe, maybe not. Another few weeks without you and I probably would’ve lost it, anyway,” he admits to you. “You’re so fucking hot.”

Roman pulls away from you entirely, disentangling your limbs from each other. He stoops down to the output compartment, your previously won treasure forgotten in the heat of the moment. He pulls out a bag of chips, sitting down with his back leaning against machine. You go down and settle in next to him, sitting as close as physically possible. He tears open the bag before winding an arm around you, keeping you close, holding the bag so that it’s easily accessible to the both of you.

“What’re we going to do with the rest of it?” you ask, cheek pressed to his shoulder so you can rest your head against him.

“Planning on taking it with us.” Roman chews a bit, swallows, then dots kisses across your forehead. “Hey, wait, your Oreos.”

He twists to reach into the compartment behind him, roots around for the bit, and turns back around to hand you what got you into this mess in the first place. You tear open the sleeve, then offer a cookie to him. He pops one into his mouth, fat smile plastered on his face. You have to admit, you enjoy seeing him happy. Roman Roy’s smile does things to you. You mirror his expression as you gaze up at him.

He plants another kiss right onto your lips.

It’s a bit of a struggle to transport all of your loot to the car an hour later, but thankfully, nobody’s around as the two of you carry all of the junk across the building.

The drive back, you sit practically on top of each other, giggling and munching all the way.

Neither of you waste any time as the weeks go on. You start going out, and you find yourselves spending more time in each others’ offices.

One morning, a few months after you’ve made things official, you step out of your office to come face to face with a vending machine.

All that’re in it are bags of Oreos, and a small sticky note pasted to the glass with a sloppy heart drawn onto it.

[saturdaynightspecialpresentation]

Let's Watch a Truly Bananas Libertarian Informercial

@freebroccoli asked, “Other ideologies create children's media to propagate their views, so why shouldn't we?”

And after thinking about it a bit the answer I came up with is, “Because those are badly made so you shouldn’t copy them.”

My longer thoughts pertain to this Tuttle Twins minisode/infomercial which has shown me an entire world that I had no idea existed. I know I said you can kind of skip the first episode but I need you all to watch this one because somebody needs to explain it to me.

Hey, so, uh, what the heck?

Okay, well, so, for context there’s at least one episode (The civil disobedience one) where the twins shoot a movie starring their Grandma’s pet Raccoon, as “Dark Dumpster Derek” which is his superhero name.

Honestly I kind of don’t get it as a superhero name. 

You can get him as a plushie or a poster based on that episode.

And also I think if you watched this (And if you have YES I KNOW I will get there eventually)  you’ve seen, like, half of the Dark Dumpster Derek stuff. Like even the actual episode about this that isn’t an infomercial still really doesn’t have a lot of him in the costume. If I put on my writer’s hat and look at that poster, I imagine a subplot where, through some shenanigans, maybe he gets mistaken for a real superhero or maybe he just is a real superhero when the twins aren’t around and he and Karinne get in some wacky adventure white the Tuttles are out talking to Friedrich Hayek or who the hell ever.

But there’s no time for stuff like that because we need to spend half of every episode for historical lectures!

This show spends so much time on dry educational (or “educational”) lectures that it noticeably takes time away from the fun parts of the cartoon. When it comes to kids shows, you’re always selling partly to the kids, and partly to the parents, but the ratio of who you are selling to more changes from show to show. And this show is selling hard to the parents.

And here’s the thing: I have no idea why parents would care what their kids think about the gold standard.

And yes, this particular bit is an ad but believe me, there are multiple episodes of the show that deal with sound money (You Mormon homeschoolers should probably not let your kids google “The Inflation Monster”).

And I truly don’t know why. It’s not so much “Why would people advocate for a return to the gold standard?” as “Why would people want a cartoon show to teach their kids about the wisdom of the gold standard?”

I mean, I’m pretty worried about Trump’s tariffs but it has not occurred to me to discuss the dangers they pose to free trade with my six year old niece.

I especially don’t understand why you’d sell this bonkers product through a children’s cartoon.

I’ll just say it: sort of seems like you’re just not very good at buying presents. Maybe next time bring the kids some ninja turtles and see how those compare.

Okay, I am amazed by this bizarre product. 

One thing that drives me just as crazy about this as with bitcoin is that if you have a currency whose overall direction is deflationary but whose specific value swings wildly from day to day, and that’s paired with a currency that is overall subject to inflation but maintains a fairly steady value day to day (i.e. the dollar), then the incentives are going to be to treat the deflationary currency more like an asset, and when you need to buy things you won’t buy them directly with the deflationary currency, you’ll sell a bit of the deflationary currency for dollars. A goldback is going to be worth more in six months; a dollar a little less, so you never spend a goldback if you can spend a dollar instead. And since everybody is paid in dollars, you can always spend a dollar.

On the merchant side, it’s really hard to price things in a currency that fluctuates wildly in value. A single Goldback today is worth 34 cents more than it was worth a week ago. A goldback a week ago was worth 14 cents less than it was a week before that.

All of this is why your local 7/11 doesn’t take payment in Tesla stock, it is so weird to me how people just never seem to even bring this up in alternative currency circles.

Also, I don’t really understand how the gold standard works, it seems like for most people gold is only valuable because of the social agreement that it is valuable, but also, like… Maybe I’m just dumb but isn’t part of the point of a gold coin is that if you wanted you could just, like, melt it down and make it into jewelry? If these only have a tiny amount of gold can you, like, even get it back, and if you can’t is that in practice any different than fiat currency?

People on some subreddits have also pointed out that there is a manufacture cost to make these on top of the price of buying the gold to put in them, and that how this is priced in is not very transparent. Also the redditors keep mentioning “Stacking” a lot which is making my “Tulip Mania Alarm” go off at full volume.

But I think what I am most taken with here is that, like, all the bills for like, Utah and most of the states have these very old-fashioned 19th century looking designs with all kinds of symbolism and little animals and fillagrees like so:

But then the ones for Florida, and only the ones for Florida Are just, like

Sexy AI Pirate

Sexy AI Fighter Pilot

Sexy AI Statue of Liberty pulling a cruise ship (???)

I don’t know if they were just like, “Eh, clearly nobody in Florida has any taste just do whatever” or if this is the sign of a company that is rapidly running out of money to pay new artists.

Anyway. What is any of this? Seriously, please explain this to me.

[moku-youbi]

I get that TUA season 4 has so many plotholes for no fucking good reason (why bring back Raymond if you were just going to have him fuck off the next season without any explanation or any further scenes with his character? why is Klaus off on some pointless adventure that just heaps more trauma on him before killing him off when he's the one who always accidentally stumbles upon important shit? why did Reginald keep Abigail's body if he was just going to bring her back with Oblivion? if Oblivion can rewrite the universe, why didn't he just rewrite a world where the kids existed w/out Marigold, and Marigold didn't exist? and a world where Jennifer didn't exist? how can bitcoin exist in a world without the internet as we know it? why did taking Marigold make Luther turn into a monkey again??? what does it matter if they sacrificed themselves when there's still marigold in the universe elsewhere, and in fact DRIFTING OFF THE FUCKING FLOWERS IN THE END??? how does them being erased from existence in present time mean Reginald won't release marigold again, since he did so over a hundred years in the past? HOW CAN THEIR CHILDREN BE ALIVE IN THE TIMELINE WHERE THEY DON'T EXIST THIS IS WHAT CAUSES THE KUGELBLITZ, HOPE THEY ENJOY A WEEK OF FRISBEE BEFORE EVERYONE IS SUCKED INTO A RADIANT BLACKHOLE???)

But somehow, I've yet to see a SINGLE PERSON bring up this one:

HOW THE FUCK DID UMBRELLA BEN NOT KNOW HOW HE DIED?! So okay, fine. Reginald mind-wiped the kids after the fact, but he couldn't mind-wipe Ben's spirit. How did Ben not bring this up on the regular? Are we to believe that Klaus knew because of Ben, and somehow just assumed his siblings knew, too, and just never discussed it ever? Because Klaus sure doesn't *act* like he knows their dad murdered Ben. Clearly there's no love lost there, but it's more about how Reginald has treated him than the fear and hatred that would have come from knowing Reginald murdered his brother in cold blood.u

Anyway, all this to say what the fuck ever, season 4. You didn't even *try*

[a-d-nox]

it is my birthday tomorrow: so let's review the predictions i made last year based on my solar return chart

about a year ago, i made a predictions post for my year ahead and now here i am updating y'all with what actually happened as i previously suggested that i would! so let's jump into it - i pasted all my previous predictions in to this post for your reading ease!

paid reading options: astrology menu & cartomancy menu

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1H IN LIBRA AT 12° (contains: scorpio sun and narcissus (37117))

prediction: there is likely to be a relational focus this year and with venus (the house ruler) in the 12h it is likely to be with myself (what us my relationship with my self? how can i better treat myself? etc). my diplomacy skills are likely not going to be the best as i look at the 10h/11h, what is sitting in those houses, and that pisces degree on my 1h... with my scorpio sun present in the house, it is likely that it will be obvious that i trust no one this year (people may suspect that i only trust myself - they could feel as though i look down on them or think little of them). my sun is opposite my moon so i might feel a bit disconnected from myself... with my sun in the 1h, i will likely have a super intense vibe (not that i don't already) but in a way that seems like magnetism because it is a libra 1h? like drawing others in? i do feel like this year is going to be the sort where i am discovering who i am and who i want to be (i just have to make sure it doesn't get out of hand with the sun and narcissus (especially with his conjunction to my sun, mercury, and mars) present).

reality: i still do need to make my relationship with myself better. but it has become very apparent that i need to do so this year. i have been prioritizing things that i don't really care about more than those things i do care about. like money. the focus on money this year is really starting to annoy me can't wait to move on to something else... making money and job related stuff has taken priority over my health, my friends, my family, etc. and making a hobby into a business / job / side hustle has really annoyed me this year because i use to really enjoy doing this but i am starting to really hate it. and it truly is taking up a lot of my time. i work a full time job - i am there 45 hours a week only to come home write posts or readings for another 10 hours a week - that might sound like nothing but its really not in the grand scheme because i am starting to get older and realize that everything is a trade off. that's 10 hours i didn't exercise, i didn't see family, i didn't see friends, etc. and part of that is because i don't appreciate myself the way i should. your 20s are really precious - you are your healthiest, most free, etc. and i am spending it on fleeting things. it is possible one day i could wake up and everything i have done here won't matter - it's immaterial it could just fade into cyberspace. just like my job one day i could wake up and unknowingly it will be my last - the world of technology is ever changing. things are moving faster than ever before and i find myself cling to things locking in while everything around me goes miles a minute. change is happening and i am not letting myself go with it. i want to be my best self - which is a practice i preach to everyone but myself. that being things might evolve here as well as i try my best to live and do so authentically in the coming year.

2H IN SCORPIO AT 9° (contains: scorpio mercury, mars, and kassandra (114) AND sagittarius educatio (2440) and pythia (432))

prediction: what an interesting mix of stuff i have here... money makes the world go round this year i guess. my mercury is at 9° and my mars is at 11° - can i just cry a little...? bro wtf is bitcoin and why do i feel like i am gonna get into the world of online investing...? the coupling of these two planets (especially mars as the 2h ruler) makes me feel as though i will be making money and spending it or moving it relatively quick so that i can't use it? i say "i can't use it" because my mars opposes jupiter which makes me think of compounding interest like a CD... anywho, i am a money wizard? i have kassandra and pythia here, so i feel like i will probably make investments and use my money in unexpected ways (kassandra makes me think of emergency funds OR bad financial contracts though). i also have educatio here so at least i will be learning more about financial literacy plus i do think with mercury i will be extremely interested in learning more about finances. and with mars... it might just become a new passion of mine... aside from money, while i am likely to continue a lot of giving and receiving of knowledge this next year on social media (mercury things), there is a danger to the realm of social media... ESPECIALLY with mars present and both mercury and mars conjunct my sun then all three opposing jupiter... my self worth could take a hit which i do not look forward to.

reality: thank god i didn't touch bitcoin that can stay far far away from me. but yep investing has never been so hard core this year i am walking out of this cycle with a 401k (that has a company match), a new CD, a credit card, and a quarterly bonus type of job. i corporate girlied hard. and on top of that i have done over 100 paid readings this year. i think learning about money is very important in today's world with inflation, social politics, etc the way it is. i will continue to learn about it but i am going to stop pressuring myself as much to make a set amount here especially. also i am going to be VERY careful what influencers (idk any 23 year olds making 6 figures in real life but social media appears to be full of them) i watch because some of them are extremists and not at all realistic... some of the content is good be some of it can be very delulu - my boss told me that a person from my generation came in fresh from college asking for more than even she makes... we have to be for real while also playing the game. i have had a 51.16% increase in income in comparison to where i was at when wrote my predictions last year at this time. so trust me when i say slow and steady wins the race when the job market is the way it is.

3H IN SAGITTARIUS AT 10° (contains: sagittarius ambrosia (193), asclepius (4581), cupido (763), jormungandr (471926) rx, lev tolstoj (2810), and zeus (5731) AND capricorn aphrodite (1388) and chekhov (2369))

prediction: sagittarius and 10° for the 3h is giving "it's all fun and games until someone says/mentions ____". i have to be mindful of my mouth because while i am likely to make people feel alive with my words given ambrosia and asclepius in this house, i also have chekhov (where you want simplicity but receive drama), aphrodite, and jormungandr (where people try to end you - aka getting socially outcasted/cancelled) in the 3h... but lev tolstoj is here too so whatever i am saying that offends others or makes them mad is facts even though there is drama/gossip involved when i do say these things... the dangers of social media part 2? i feel like it may be romantic drama because zeus (i am not a zeus person because there are no aspects to the sun or asc - only a square is made from this asteroid to my venus), cupido, and aphrodite (and for aphrodite there are no aspects made to my inner planets this solar return - so it is definitely not me doing something sus like cheating) are here in the house too. i do have my suspicions as to what is happening already... and oh shiiii will it hurt because 10° is always a bit painful in my opinion. especially with the house ruler in the 8h... it just looks like emotional damage...

reality: when i tell you things that i have said were often misinterpreted or took negatively - i am not joking. i was messing with my boss and i was saying how no one has been using the form and i joked that we should make a new motto "no form, no fulfillment" and she snapped at me "thats a shitty way to do business". i didnt think i said it in a serious manner or anything but its been little things like that all year. me and my big mouth need to learn the power of silence again. and yes there was some romantic drama like the boy from last year calling me out of the blue to tell me he is planning to break up with his girlfriend... like okay? why are you calling me now after basically a year of not communicating with me? also don't bother me when you are with someone, boy. that's what he is too - a boy - because no man would play this type of game. like grow tf up. but alas of course it hurt my feelings because it sort of was flirty and it seemed like he was vetting me out for a potential hookup... it hurt me to hear how little he values me and how little he valued what he started with me to think that a hook up was all that i would be worth and desire.

4H IN CAPRICORN AT 14° (contains: capricorn pluto, balder (4059), and bellerophon (1808)

prediction: a lot of my astro friends who see this chart are like "oh are you moving?" and i am like ABSOLUTELY NOT. like i literally just moved so no. unfortunately (i hate to be this person) i do believe a beloved family member (4h balder conjunct pluto and square moon) will be passing this year. even more unfortunate - i do not think it will be an easy death with bellerophon present because he was thrown from pegasus... and not to be super disgusting, but i do believe i will inherit something expensive and very material given the earthy grand trine formed by pluto, venus, and uranus. that being said i feel like i might neglect my mental health because pluto squares my moon - i might stopping going to therapy (currently i see a therapist regarding my childhood ptsd). i might regress into people pleasing behaviors because it is all that i will be able to control if someone in my family passes... which is not the healthiest for me.

reality: i didn't move! yay thank god cause who has the energy! but the family dog did die this february... i picked her out and everything. so it was sad but she was 15 - she lived a very good life. my grandfather is still heartbroken... its very depressing. my mom had to go to the vet to put her down... but i know she was loved and now she is no longer in pain her last months she couldn't get on the couch, she struggled with having energy, wore a doggie diaper, etc. it was her time. switching gears. i have been neglecting and ignoring my mental health a lot lately just because i don't really have the energy or "time" to take care of it...

5H IN AQUARIUS AT 17° (contains: pisces saturn, amor (1221) rx, and karma (3811))

prediction: this seems like a good mix for me achieving something big with writing/blogging. especially because saturn is the traditional ruler of aquarius and capricorn (which is home - the work i do from home, a side hustle). my outlook for romance is not too good with amor in retrograde in this house nor with freedom loving aquarius ruling this house. not to mention i feel like the world will be showing me something that will cause me to have a grudge against love (saturn) and karma will be dished out. this could also be a sign that my childhood trauma could be triggered again with saturn in the 5h too (great).

reality: my goal was to reach 3k and at this point in time we are almost at 5k here. so goal reached! also unexpected but related i have a project i have been working on for over a year and it complete! which definitely is a 5h pisces saturn moment. but yes i was single the whole damn year. i think the grudge i have about love has a lot to do with my situation reappearing after a year of no conversation despite him saying we are just friends only to tell me he is going to break up with his girlfriend... but he really loves her. if you love her why are you talking to me and why are you calling me basically plotting the break up - it was icky to me... and honestly turned my stomach about love.

project: sunset cross stitch.

6H IN PISCES AT 17° (contains: pisces neptune rx, AND aries heracles (5143) rx and salacia (120347) rx)

prediction: i appreciate the that neptune is retrograde in this pisces house... last thing i wanted was for my health, routine, or hygiene to be confusing/frustrating, avoided, or to constantly be behind / running late / neglected. so this is fine by me. i might be obsessive with scheduling, health, and hygiene because jupiter (this house's other ruler) is in the 8h. it seems like the job hunt is at a standstill with heracles in retrograde - instead, i might get one great option that i take and stick to with given salacia in retrograde.

reality: i actually revamped my google calendar at the beginning of my 23rd year. i am now taking vitamins out of a pill box of all things like an old woman. and i am focusing on my hair health! i sleep with a bonnet on because i am a hard sleeper and its changing the fact that use to have tension breakage. i also am getting into hair oiling! and i did find a job in marketing after not having a lot of luck. so it only takes one person to say yes is very real.

7H IN ARIES AT 12° (contains: aries nn, chiron rx, part of fortune, pandora (55) rx, and signe (459) rx AND taurus moon and vertex)

prediction: it's a toss up as to what all this could mean. i could find myself in a very emotionally charged connection (this is the eclipse moon after all) - with chiron rx it could be the healing of past wounds. the combination of vertex, part of fortune, and north node dictates that any relationship/partnership i find myself in could be extremely significant. with pandora here i feel like it might be unexpected where this relationship will come from. WITH SIGNE HERE i feel like some people may look down on who this person is...

reality: i can officially say i am over my situationship i couldn't say that a year ago - i was too shocked that he cut me off cold turkey and started dating someone knew after telling me many time he didn't want to date anyone. but unexpectedly i did mean some really cool friends who i really get along with so that was very good this year.

8H IN TAURUS AT 9° (contains: taurus jupiter rx and uranus rx)

prediction: oof not my 8h ruler in the 12h - what's that screaming i hear lol? maybe i will be afraid of change - i mean that because of the 12h venus and jupiter retrograde... the combination doesn't really express embracing change and the unknown, you know? the uranus retrograde makes me think i will be moving away from shared finances and working on managing my own money. i definitely believe it is for the best that i keep my opportunities to myself... i don't get the sense people will be supportive of my wins - i more so sense the envy of others from this house. i don't think i will be shocked by my successes, but i feel like others will not see it coming...

reality: i really wrote that and this year can to understand its true - i fear change and i live small because of it and i 100% make my own obstacles. i am really working on ripping my own path with money. and i am learning to share a whole lot less with people because they don't always wish you well... i'm shocked i changed jobs twice. i'm even more shocked that i am changing my mind about my next move educationally and even more shocked to see i am exploring things i would have thought best to leaving in the past.

9H IN GEMINI AT 10° (contains: gemini midas (1981) AND cancer arachne (407) and odysseus (1143))

prediction: mmmm the contemplation to go back to school is real this coming year. it's weird because it might not be for my MFA? like the 9h midas sextile chiron is giving paralegal? nursing? idk but it's not feeling literary oriented... especially with cancer arachne present, i feel like that is nursing/medical-esque... alternatively, midas can be extreme change then add in odysseus, the traveler - i could be going on a trip that changes my life entirely.

reality: i did do a lot of contemplation and it really surprised me to think i should get a certification of some sort - marketing, editing, paralegal, etc. and no i didn't travel at all this year to somewhere long distance. but i did go on some road trips that are opening me up to the world around me.

10H IN CANCER AT 14° (contains: cancer ajax (1404), hannibal (2152), and loke (4862) AND leo agamemnon (911) and arthur (2597))

prediction: it's a REAL toss up how this house will manifest. i feel like sometimes people will love me and find my presence comforting and other times they will hate me and be annoyed by me. this is thanks to the moon ruler in the 7h... and ajax (who squares my chiron)... and agamemnon (who squares my moon)... i say ajax because i think of my 3h this year - i am falling on my own sword in that regard for sure because not everyone will like what i have to say especially when it is likely to be true (3h sag is starting to remind me of a verbal burn). while people are likely to look up to me (10h arthur AND hannibal) or be forced to - because of my status, they are likely to despise me for what i say/said (7h moon AND mercury and jupiter (3h ruler) square arthur). meanwhile, it might not even be me who is the problem i just look like the bad guy for making it more apparent like loki (10h loke).

reality: i am still someone who is tricky to get along with... i annoy my coworkers because i really do think too much at times... and i'm stubborn and cautious... when i was working at the hotel we got snowed in one night and everyone was like happy to be staying over but i was like i don't want to be here i wanna go tf home... but other times when people are being annoying and i am like "you're giving me a headache" my coworkers are like she said what she said and we were all thinking it...

11H IN LEO AT 17° (contains: leo charybdis (388), helena (101), and hestia (46) AND virgo beowulf (38086), juno (3), lacrimosa (208), and silentium (2710))

prediction: i feel like my popularity is going to be a thing / where i am on the social status food chain (high up). but i don't believe i can trust anyone this year... i feel like i am likely to reach big social media milestones with beowulf in this house (and this house being in leo at 17°) - social media might even take over my life a little bit (11h charybis). i do feel like friendships will be very love hate with juno and hestia here - i am likely to be a moderator of sorts but with helena here i feel like someone is going to accuse me of being disloyal because of how i am likely to moderate without bias. i might find myself truly alone again this year because of it (11h lacrimosa and silentium).

reality: i made quite a few new friends this year a lot of people came to enjoy my presence but there was one snake in the garden for sure. i am glad i didn't trust her she was complaining to my boss about me trying to get me fired... i also ran into an ex-friend which caused me a lot of stress and anxiety... but i just hard core avoided her and played cool. it was at my best friend's engagement party (juno here?). but on another note, i do feel more on the outside of friendships than ever before this year.

12H IN VIRGO AT 17° (contains: virgo venus)

prediction: greatttt i thought we were passed this but i guess not.... looks like i still need to work on my self esteem... intuitively, i don't sense social media is going to be kind to me, and i really hope that doesn't mean here. like i am okay if it is instagram (that app is dying anyway) but like here and tiktok are my favorite apps to be in. when bullying is involved though and it is consistent, there is a limitation to that favoritism in which it becomes apprehension to stay for something like a social media in comparison to showing up for myself. there could also be delusions in romance with this set up - i could experience over thinking in a romantic connections with that 12h virgo venus too. karmic relationships are highly probable with this placement too. OR it could be an ex becoming an enemy too (unknown enemies my a$$)...

reality: i didn't face bullying online i found out my bully was in my mind though... i was really not the kindest to myself this past year. i prioritized work and money over my mental, emotional, social, and physical health... and then i had the audacity to get mad i gained 8-10lbs. like no shit girl you have an office job now. so fitness is not just regularly mixed in to my schedule. or not having a boyfriend, seeing friends or family - no shit you spend all your weekends majorly on the couch at home working on your blog or paid readings... maybe i type slow but it takes a lot of time. time i am choosing to spend on making money instead of myself.

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[crimsonrubinus]

How to tell if a commissioner scamming you (with photos from one of my scammer commissioners as an example)

Looking at the conversation I had with a scammer below, you can clearly extract . hints how you know this person is a scammer.

Number 1: They are willing to pay more than the actual price.

This is red flag number 1# in every situation. Normal people would go for the lowest price ALWAYS. And who the heck in their right mind would turn down a 10$ COMMISSION? Do they realize how EXPENSIVE commissions are?? The artwork being a gift doesn't make it any less realistic that they'd want to pay extra. And the fact that I took many days to respond yet they still want to give me 50$ makes it even more unrealistic. And the fact that they said it was a BIRTHDAY present AND I'm taking my sweet time to reply (out of anxiety)... Like, are you not worried I'll be late to make the artwork?

Number 2: They ask for unnecessary information.

As you can see in the pictures of the conversation below, you can clearly see that the commissioner asked for my e-mail. This is unrequired. What this person actually intended to do with my e-mail was to send a phishing e-mail to me (which the commissioner kindly explains to us in one of the photos).

Number 3 (if you do get a phishing e-mail): The address ends with a personal mail service (gmail, hotmail, outlook, yahoo, proton, ect.)

Not only did the phishing address I got have a mysterious "91.co" at the end of the e-mail, but the end of the phishing e-mail was a personal and public mail service... GMAIL. A tip to NEVER click these e-mails as some may contain viruses or at least a link that contains a virus.

Number 4: If the person insists that the e-mail is in fact not a phishing e-mail despite how obvious it is.

I reassured this commissioner that this was a phishing e-mail and that I did not have to make a refund or whatever gibberish that e-mail has told me to do, and I even explained to them WHY it was a scam. But for whatever reason, they still said I needed to make a refund. But then they proceeded to say that their money was still pending, which means they did not send it and could still cancel it. So why did I have to make a refund with the money I didn't receive?

Number 5: They only have one strict payment method.

What I mean is that they ONLY pay with PayPal, or they ONLY use Cashapp, or they ONLY use Venmo... Or the most suspicious of all... BITCOIN. This doesn't fully apply to this conversation, as they were somewhat open to use Cashapp when I suggested it (I think?), but it applies to most scammers who pretend to be commissioners, so I just thought I'd put it here.

That was when I blocked them and proceeded to make this post.

Unfortunately, so others don't get scammed by this same person, I'll put their profile here. This is the scammer. If they ask for a commission, don't accept it from them. Of course you shouldn't harass them, you don't know their situation (they could be trying to raise as much money as possible to save their dying mother from cancer or something... hypothetically), but please don't accept commissions from them either. Just block them for your own sake.

Also wouldn't it be fun if I just had a whole trail of comments giving more tips on how to find a scammer commissioner?

[visual-sculptors]

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