#from taking advantage of the introductory offer over and over again
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alex51324 · 1 year ago
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Everyplate unboxing
I did the Everyplate offer again! Seriously, guys--I'm not trying to be, like, a corporate shill here, but if you do their introductory offer and then immediately cancel, they will beg to give you the introductory offer again. And again. And again. I've done it like six times, all with the same credit card/address/etc. They've even started adding bonus offers--this time I got an extra meal and a packet of steak for $1.
If you live in the US, have a credit card, and like cooking, you should probably do it, is what I'm saying. All you have to do is remember to cancel it when the box arrives.
Here's the box:
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It's a nice box, with a corrugated/reflective lining for temperature regulation. It's sturdy enough that you can re-use it (and the ice-packs that you get) as a little picnic cooler several times.
Here's inside the box:
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Everything's just kind of jumbled in there, so you have to unpack it and sort out what goes with each meal. I've been doing the 6 meals/2 servings plan the last few times (the first few times I did 3 meals/4 servings), and with the extra meal offer this time I got 2 servings each of 7 meals. (You can get a smaller number of meals, but the shipping is a flat $11 no matter how many you get. If you pay attention when you're choosing which recipes you want, you can easily stretch the box out over 2 weeks--pick some things with vegetables that keep well, like carrots and so forth, and put the meat component in the freezer.)
Chicken stir-fry and dijon mustard steak:
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With their stir-fries, I like to add some extra vegetables; I made this one last night and put in carrots and some more peppers, and it ended up being more like 3 servings than 2. The other one is originally a pork-chops recipe, but I'm going to do it with my free steak instead; I'm planning to have it tomorrow.
Shepherd's pie and linguine:
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These two I'm putting aside for next week--I put the ground beef in the freezer, and everything else should be OK.
Sweet-potato hash and sausage flatbreads:
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The sweet potato hash is also for next week. I made the flatbreads today. It was a little more complicated than I thought--they have you making a white sauce from scratch; I had to go out and buy milk--but it was really good!
Cherry pork chops/chicken:
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They do a lot of recipes that are chicken or pork chops with some sort of fruit jam--I've done apricot and fig ones; this one has cherry jam. Since I ordered two meals that came with pork chops (this one and the dijon mushroom one) I swapped one set of pork chops for chicken, but then I also got the $1 steak, so I have an extra packet of meat; once I decide which one I want to have, I'll put the other one in the freezer.
I paid, like, $35 for all this food. I don't really understand why it's worth it to them to keep sending me this introductory offer when I have never bought a single full-price box, but they keep sending me emails asking me to please consider letting them send me a big box of food that they cannot possibly be making any money on, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ . I will oblige them.
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soupthatistohot · 2 years ago
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BSD: An Absurdist Analysis - Chapters 7 & 8 (Part 1)
Yosano and Kyouka: The Agency’s Women
[Masterpost]
I will be covering chapter 7 and 8 different from how I usually do these analyses, focusing on certain characters rather than the linear narrative. These two chapters revolve around the introduction of Yosano and Kyouka into the story, so I will focus on them for this post and make another ch. 7 & 8 post regarding other aspects of the chapters. 
So, let’s talk about Yosano!
This is her introductory chapter, spotlighting her personality and eventually her ability. One of my favorite moments by far is when she’s apologizing on Atsushi’s behalf for bumping into a rude, wealthy and entitled man who then kicks her in the face and she replies by threatening to stomp on his dick.
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Later in the chapter, after Motojiro Kajii begins the bomb threat on the train, the same man begs for Yosano to save him after realizing she’s with the agency, perhaps hinting to the reader that he’s now had a change of heart… but then asks her to step on his dick. Appropriately, she drop-kicks the pervert. 
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This highlights the absurdity of sexism and classism in modern society, the man flaunting his wealth earlier and insulting Yosano for being a woman, and is still unable to get over his bigoted ideology when his literal life is in danger. One would like to think that a woman being part of a powerful detective agency would earn the man’s respect, but in reality, this is not quite so true. He just wants to reap the advantages of having Yosano on his side by offering to pay her, but still objectifies her in the end. It’s a nuanced criticism that doesn’t magically solve sexism/classism by Yosano simply existing as a badass woman. 
This continues with Kajii’s interaction with Yosano, where he remarks that “women are so tough nowadays,” implying that it’s not in women’s nature to be strong. His sexist assumptions already put him at a disadvantage, because although he acknowledges Yosano’s strength, he still thinks himself more powerful and her stupid for trying to defy him.
In chapter 8, he calls her a “girl” and questions her intelligence, to which Yosano retaliates, calling Kajii "an idiot."
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She’s goading him into injuring her here, knowing that her own ability will only work if she is on the brink of death, and it works. He drops a load of bombs on her, ignorantly assuming that there’s no chance of her survival. When he checks on her again, she uses this to her advantage, attacking him and effectively putting him in his place. 
Earlier, he had basically tried to mansplain death to her, not knowing who she was or what her background is, so she reveals her status as a doctor and explains her ability and understanding of death, threatening him.
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After this, she half-kills Kajji and uses her ability on him enough times that she gets the information she needs and is able to speak to Atsushi over the intercom, allowing him to take charge of the situation. 
In summary, this chapter introduces Yosano as someone consistently overlooked because she is a woman, but she proves that she is capable and intelligent, which is not negated by the fact that she is also revealed to be borderline sadistic. It paints a nuanced portrait of a female character that will be further explored with her backstory much later in the manga. 
Now, let’s shift focus to Kyouka. 
Kyouka is silently present throughout chapter 7: capturing Dazai at the beginning and bumping into Atsushi at the train station. We know she is a threat, likely affiliated with the Port Mafia, but she is kept mysterious until the conclusion of chapter 7, using her appearance as a young, quiet girl as a cover until then. Atsushi tries to warn her against going toward the bomb before she reveals Demon Snow, who is being controlled by Akutagawa at this point. 
Continuing into Chapter 8, Atushi is shown to have been pretty injured by Demon Snow, and when he asks why a young girl like her is there, she reveals her very innocent interests and fears… and the fact that she’s killed thirty-five people in the last six months. 
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Pairing the seemingly normal and even sweet personality traits consistent with a young girl with the fact that she’s an assassin is jarring, those two things do not belong together, and yet, in this absurd reality, there exists and girl who likes rabbits and has caused death. It’s absurd. 
After battling with Atsushi some more, she reveals that the bomb is strapped to her chest, reiterating her body count. Atsushi implores her to “express herself,” telling her that there’s more to life, imploring that they stop. Yosano then interrupts and Kyouka hands over the switch, only for Akutagawa to reveal through the phone that there is no way to defuse the bomb and it will go off regardless. 
She then pushes Atsushi away, attempting to jump off the train, and he then realizes that the phone controls her ability, that she has no autonomy and did not want to commit the murders she did. She has no autonomy. 
But rather than be resigned to her fate and allow herself and everyone on the train to die, Atsushi’s words seem to have affected her, and she decides to sacrifice only herself, jumping off the moving train.
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While I cannot label this action as explicitly absurd (she believed she was dying either way and had completely lost hope), the fact that she’s rebelling against what Akutagawa wanted her to do, something she was unable to do thus far, is significant. I also think it is noteworthy that her ability is being controlled by a man, rendering her mostly unable to control her own actions, her hopelessness allowing for this. This appears to be in theme with the feminist lens these chapters seem to be taking. 
But as we already know with BSD, there is no situation that is completely hopeless, and Kyouka’s intended act of sacrifice allows Atsushi to jump out after her and save her, the bomb detaching from her chest far enough from the train that nobody gets injured. 
Kyouka will be further developed in future chapters, so I’ll wrap this up here at the end of chapter 8. What I will bring up is Kyouka’s similarities to Dazai, especially in his younger years. This is by no means an original idea, as many others have brought up this point on social media, but I do think it’s worth noting considering that the two share a certain amount of nihilism, which is only perpetuated by the toxic environment of the Port Mafia. Here, we see 
Kyouka taking her first steps toward breaking from this mindset, taking direct action so that nobody else got killed, seemingly the first decision she’s made for herself since her parents’ death. In this moment, she's reclaimed her autonomy.
This post is long enough as it is, so I’ll end it here. I will be making another post soon about chapters 7 and 8, focusing on Dazai’s capture, Kajji’s ideology, and Atsushi’s actions.
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americanelectricrates · 16 days ago
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How to Find the Cheapest Electricity Rates in Pennsylvania
With household bills taking more than ever before from your pocket and rising electricity costs among the biggest culprits, finding the cheapest electricity rates in PA is more important than ever. 
The good news, as a Pennsylvania resident, is you enjoy the advantages of access to a deregulated energy market. This means you have the option of shopping around for the best rates to find the biggest savings out there. To do this as effectively as possible, you need a plan. In this guide, we will lay out exactly what you need to do to lock in the best electric rates in PA, avoid hidden fees, and reduce your monthly bill.
Why Pennsylvania’s Deregulated Market Can Save You Money
Pennsylvania’s energy deregulation is designed to increase competition and provide customers with better service at reasonable prices. Ultimately, it allows its residents to choose their electricity provider instead of being forced to accept high utility company rates and shoddy customer service. This means:
You can compare rates from multiple suppliers to find the best deal.
Switching providers is easy and often free.
You can lock in a low fixed rate to avoid price spikes.
Competitive pricing keeps rates lower than standard utility prices.
If you haven’t switched providers recently, chances are you’re overpaying. Taking advantage of this competitive energy market can lead to significant savings on your monthly bill, and there is no time like the present to get the ball rolling.
How to Find the Cheapest Electricity Supplier in PA
Securing the cheapest energy supplier in PA is not just as simple as identifying the lowest advertised rate. There are certain pitfalls to avoid and key elements to consider when deciding if an offer is as good as it appears on the surface. Follow these steps to ensure you’re getting the best possible deal:
1. Use a Trusted Comparison Tool
Often, electricity providers do not advertise their best rates upfront. Using a trusted comparison platform like American Electric Rates gives you access to a real-time list of some of the most competitive prices in your area. This means you can be sure that the rates are current and available, aiding you in the decision-making process.
2. Look for Hidden Fees
Some energy suppliers apply a form of ‘bait and switch’ with what appears to be the cheapest electricity rates in PA to lure customers in. These low introductory rates are not all they seem and can contain hidden charges such as:
Termination fees if you switch early.
Rate hikes after an initial promotional period.
Monthly service fees that increase the total cost.
It is crucial to read the fine print before selecting a provider, as it can greatly impact how much you have to shell out at the end of each month. While you want to save money as soon as possible, slow down before making any hasty decisions you may come to regret.
3. Know the Best Time to Switch
Again, it’s important to fully consider your options if you want to find the best electric rates in PA. Timing is an often overlooked part of this consideration but is a significant factor in differences in rates. Electricity rates tend to be lower in spring and fall when demand is lower. Locking in a fixed-rate plan during these months can help you avoid peak-season price spikes in summer and winter.
Proven Ways to Cut Your Electricity Bill Even Further
Identifying and switching to the best electric rates in PA is just the beginning of ways to knock money off your monthly energy bill. Here are additional ways to reduce your electricity costs:
1. Choose Fixed Over Variable Rates
Fixed-rate plans lock in a consistent price, protecting you from market fluctuations.
Variable-rate plans often change monthly and may lead to higher bills in peak months.
2. Negotiate a Lower Rate
Many providers are willing to offer better pricing if you ask about promotions or longer-term contracts. It’s worth checking before you commit.
3. Consider Green Energy Plans
Some renewable energy providers offer rebates or tax incentives for using physical solar, wind, or other green energy options. These can help lower costs while supporting sustainable energy. You can also purchased renewable energy credits through electric suppliers when enrolling in 100% clean energy offers.
Biggest Mistakes That Cost PA Residents More Money
Many Pennsylvania residents unintentionally overpay due to common mistakes. Avoid these costly errors:
Only focusing on the initial rate—some providers raise prices after a few months.
Ignoring contract terms—watch for cancellation fees and automatic renewals.
Failing to compare rates before renewal—this can lead to higher automatic pricing.
Waiting too long to switch—delaying could mean missing out on lower seasonal rates.
Why American Electric Rates is the Best Resource for Finding the Lowest Rates
Finding the cheapest electricity rates in PA doesn’t have to be overwhelming. American Electric Rates makes the process simple and fast by:
✅ Comparing real-time electricity rates from multiple suppliers in one place. ✅ Highlighting fixed-rate plans that help you avoid surprise price hikes. ✅ Providing transparency—no misleading promo rates, just the best deals. ✅ Saving you time and money with a streamlined, user-friendly platform.
Start saving today! Use our free comparison tool to find the best electric rates in PA now.
By taking control of your energy choices, you can lock in a great rate, avoid overpaying, and keep your electricity costs low. Check rates now and secure your savings!
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papillon82fluttersby · 1 year ago
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Famous Five Art Nostalgia #LC08
Introductory post
Introduction to ‘Les Cinq’
‘Les Cinq’ Masterpost
🤿🦈🪙 Les Cinq et le galion d’or – The Famous Five and the Golden Galleon
Original publication date: 1974 (France), 1982 (UK)
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(Original cover by Jean Sidobre, 1974)
This one could have been titled Famous Five and the Wandering Gold.
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Plot summary:
(Disclaimer: All provided translations are my own.)
For these summer holidays, the Five have decided to go camping all on their own on Kirrin Island. A few days in, a violent storm strikes the island, causing part of the cliff to collapse and reshaping the seabed. After the weather has settled, the children discover that a sunken ship has been brought near the surface.
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(George’s cousins can’t quite believe their ears when she brings the news that a sunken ship has been brought close to the surface)
[TRANSLATION: George: If you don't believe me, let’s go and have a look. Let's take my boat! Narrator: George’s boat, anchored and sheltered in a small cove, has stood up well to the waves and the wind.]
They explore the wreck using diving equipment and discover that the ship is a strange blend of modern technology and ancient design, made to look like a Spanish galleon of old, and aptly named the Golden Galleon. They make an exciting discovery in the Captain’s cabin where they find three crates full of gold ingots. They try to bring some to the surface, but their exploration is cut short when a dogfish (a small species of shark) takes a dislike to this intrusion in its domain.
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(Underwater exploration)
[TRANSLATION: George (thinking): There's no doubt about it! This is a modern yacht!]
The children decide to go back to Kirrin Cottage and tell George’s parents about their discovery. Mr Kirrin recalls a story that made the headlines a couple of years ago, about three men who had stolen a yacht from an excentric American billionaire after presumably robbing a bank. The ship sank shortly afterwards in a storm and the three robbers were arrested, but they were only condemned to a short sentence for stealing the yacht, as there was no proof that they had stolen the gold from the bank. It so happens that the three men were recently released from prison.
The police are informed about the newly-discovered shipwreck and they send divers to retrieve the gold on the next day, but there is no more gold to be found!
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(The police get involved)
[TRANSLATION: Narrator: A few moments later... Policeman: Say, kids, you've been dreaming! There's not a single ingot down there. George: Haven't you seen the Golden Galleon? Policeman: The ship is there, but the divers haven't found any gold.]
They deduce that the three bandits have retrieved the gold in the meantime, and the police sets up roadblocks in the larger area, with no success. Over the next few days, since the bandits have not been caught at any of the roadblocks, the Five are convinced that they have stayed in the area, laying low until the police stop their search.
One night, the children are woken up by the sound of voices on the island. From the conversations they can overhear, the children realise that the intruders are the very thieves they have been looking for, and that the gold had been kept hidden in the castle all this time! The Five try to stop them but they are overpowered and the bandits flee with the gold. The bandits' vehicle is stopped at a roadblock in the early hours of the morning, but the gold has vanished yet again!
The children spend the next few days scouting the area, looking for likely hiding places, with no luck. One day, they decide to visit one of their friends, Pierrou, a young boy who is a bit simple-minded and lives alone in small shack. They soon realise that the bandits have taken advantage of the boy’s naiveté and offered him money in exchange for hiding the gold in a hole in the shack.
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(An unexpected discovery!)
[TRANSLATION: George: The... The gold from the Golden Galleon! Pierrou: The... The men made me promise not to say anything! If they knew you'd seen those crates, they'd beat me! George: Victory! Now all we have to do is tell the police! They'll set up a trap for the bandits!]
But the bandits arrive just then and lock the children in the shack before taking off with the gold in a handcart, presumably before loading it in their car.
The bandits are arrested the very next day after a car accident, once again without the gold, which they have obviously hidden somewhere else. The Five are more decided than ever to recover the treasure, especially as the bank promised a reward to anyone who finds it, and the children want to buy Pierrou a new house.
While at Pierrou’s, Timmy discovers a handkerchief belonging to the bandits; he follows their tracks and, to the children’s surprise, leads them to a nearby archaeological site, in the ruins of an ancient monastery, where they find the gold hidden in a sarcophagus. Fearing that the bandits might come back soon, the children carry the heavy sacks of gold to a nearby trench and cover it with dirt. Not a moment too soon, because the bandits arrive just then!
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(A setback for the bandits!)
[TRANSLATION: Bandit #1: It can't be true! The gold can’t have just vanished! Bandit #2: Maybe we've got the wrong sarcophagus! Narrator: With feverish movements, the two men successively lift the lids of all the sarcophagi... to no avail. Bandit #2: Robbed! We've been robbed! I bet it's those bloody kids! Bandit #1: You're right. They're the only ones who could've beaten us to the punch! And yet... how did they make away with the gold?]
The children hide in the ruins and evade the bandits for a while. Anne manages to get away and call the police while the others hold off the villains.
The bandits are arrested once and for all, and the bank gives the Five a large reward for recovering the stolen gold, as promised. On the last day of the holidays, the Five bring Pierrou to the new house they have bought for him, where he will be cared for by well-meaning neighbours.
~~~~~~
Fun lines:
That sweet, sweet island life:
Dès leur réveil, ils petit-déjeunaient gaiement, puis allaient à la pêche aux coquillages. Ils se baignaient, nageaient, couraient, jouaient au ballon dans l’eau. Les repas étaient prétexte à d’interminables bavardages. Les enfants, durant l’après-midi, canotaient, se prélassaient au soleil et se baignaient encore. Dans la soirée, on allumait un feu de camp. Mick et Claude jouaient de l’harmonica. Annie chantait de sa voix claire. François avait toujours une histoire à raconter. Parfois, il accompagnait Annie sur sa guitare.
Translation:
As soon as they woke up, they had a cheerful breakfast, then went shell-fishing. They bathed, swam, ran, and played ball in the water. Meals were a time for endless chatter. In the afternoon, the children canoed, basked in the sun, and bathed again. In the evening, a campfire was lit. Dick and George played the harmonica. Anne sang in her clear voice. Julian always had a story to tell. Sometimes he accompanied Anne on his guitar.
~~~~~~
Cover art through the ages:
(Disclaimer: This is not an exhaustive list; sometimes the dates are difficult to pinpoint; and I have purposefully not included editions that re-used similar cover art, with differences only in layout and font style.)
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(Subsequent cover art by Jean Sidobre, Hachette, not sure of the actual date but probably late 70s – minor changes in layout and font style compared to the original 1974 edition)
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(Yves Beaujard, Hachette, 1989 – YOU SHALL NOT PASS! 😁)
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(Paul Gillon, Hachette, 2000, based on earlier art from 1992 – that dogfish WILL protect its territory!)
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(Frédéric Rébéna, Hachette, 2012 – ooh, pretty colours!) [Note: Please ignore the fact that, in the book, all four children are never underwater at the same time – and Anne never actually dives to explore the ship.]
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(Auren, Hachette, 2022 – our fearless underwater explorers) [Note: Ditto!]
~~~~~~
Thanks for reading!
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lunayogastudios · 1 year ago
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Elevate Your Well-Being: Discover Power of Yoga at Fitzroy Yoga Studio
Yoga was first practised in India a long time ago and then brought to the West by many individuals over a period of time. Yoga Studio in Fitzroy provide classes that are appropriate for both seasoned practitioners and beginners. With the help of professionals at these studios, yoga's benefits spread throughout Australia, and its popularity grew. Due to the various advantages yoga has offered over the years, its popularity has increased, and many people now practise it to enhance their overall physical health.
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Top yoga studios provide Iyengar yoga classes, which have been practised for many years and are quite popular. The teachers at the specialist studios provide a variety of yoga programmes, including led practice, general classes, beginner courses, and experienced classes. Together with physical strength, yoga enables people to strengthen their minds and emotions. Yoga has potential health advantages for all people, including enhanced strength, flexibility, and balance.
Classes from Reputable Yoga Studios at a Glance
Introductory Course: As the name implies, this course is designed to teach everyone the advantages of yoga and how to apply it for the betterment of their health. Anyone may sign up and experience the power of yoga; one does not need to be at a specific level of experience or fitness to benefit from these sessions.
General Class: Those who have finished the introductory course and have some prior experiences are intended for this course. More difficult postures are taught to the students in the class in order to greatly improve physical health while also the postures that have been taught are revised again.
Experienced Class: As the name implies, this class is intended for yogis who have advanced farther up the ladder of experience. In these classes, students learn increasingly challenging poses including headstands, backbends, etc. Also, with these, the people are taught how to better their health with yoga.
Teacher Training: This curriculum takes students' yoga knowledge to the next level and equips them with the necessary skills to teach. After taking this course, one has a greater grasp of yoga, which elevates the comprehension of the practice to a whole new level. Also, one does not need to become a teacher after taking this training but to develop the concepts to a whole new level after the training is received.
As yoga is practised, a number of subtle health advantages become evident and it requires consistency on the part of the individual. To begin your yoga adventure, get the schedules for the top studios right now!       
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ohioelectricityrates · 2 years ago
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How to ID Scammy Electricity Telemarketers
New Post has been published on https://www.ohenergyratings.com/blog/how-to-id-scammy-electricity-telemarketers/
How to ID Scammy Electricity Telemarketers
Protect Your Home From Electricity Scams
Scammy Electricity Telemarketers lie to you to take advantage of you. Learn what these tricks are so you can avoid them and still shop the best energy deals in Ohio.
Let’s say you’re spending a morning relaxing at home, when your phone rings. Your caller ID shows it’s your local Ohio utility company, so you pick up. The representative asks you to verify your account number. They then tell you that you owe a ton of money for your last bill. You give them your payment information. The next month, a company you’ve never heard of autobills you for hundreds of dollars. This is just one of the examples of deceptive sales practices from scams that target Ohioans every day. What can you do? To help you not be a victim, let’s cover the most common tactics so you can ID scammy electricity telemarketers.
Common Electricity Scams
There are a few common electricity scams you may find out in the wild. Door-to-door sales representatives will lie about the details in the plans they’re offering. They may skip that a variable rate plan has an introductory rate good for one month. Instead, they say“the current rate is”. Customers who jump on the super low rate wind up seeing it doubling or tripling within a few months.
Another common tactic is for suppliers to illegally misrepresent themselves as being from your utility. Remember that your utility will never call to threaten a shut off for an unpaid bill. Ohio law requires that utilities follow a specific procedure to ensure electricity consumer rights. That means all correspondence from your utility must be sent through the mail. As with any scam avoidance, make sure you never give your credit card details over the phone. Unless, of course, it is a number you yourself have dialed.
Some agents may lie about the reason they’re calling you. Scammers offer special “rebates” tied to signing up to a new plan, or a state-run program that doesn’t exist. They also lie about how the energy market works to scare customers into switching providers. This can include saying your utility charges a fee each time you use an appliance or flip a light switch.
How To Protect Yourself From Scammy Electricity Deals
Make sure you always have information about the plan you’re signing up for. It’s a red flag if representatives pressure you into signing a contract before you read the terms and conditions. Another red flag is if they try to claim they’re from your utility. Again, your utility will never call you asking for money.
The very best way to shop for your Ohio electricity rates is to use a trustworthy site. That way you can compare plans at your own speed and stay informed about important issues. At Ohio Electricity Ratings, you can even see customer reviews to make sure you’re teaming up with the best company.
Be sure to stay safe from scams and shop for your new plan at www.ohelectricityratings.com 
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bevercges · 4 years ago
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🐭 • So we literally know nothing about Bradley’s shenanigans between the end of Coon vs. Coon & Friends, when he left Earth to discover what happened to his home planet, and Bring the Crunch, where he states that he is living there now and doing who knows what.
Well I always wanted to write a post giving my thoughts on the subject (and I have a bit of a teaser here) so, for the sake of future RPs, I may as well do it. I will probably divide this into two posts because the Lore and my shenanigans are different things.
Just saying it now: this is mostly my own making and ideas as there’s very little canonical backing on the topic. If I have anything that I can quote to use as proof of my statements I will do it, but this is mostly my own interpretation.
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Bradley Biggle has been around as a background character since Season 3, joining the main four as one of their classmates after moving to the fourth grade in Season 4. Still, until Season 14, he has been a (recognizable) background character with voice roles that could be easily counted with your hands –akin to characters like DogPoo or Kevin Stoley–.
The introductory paragraph above is a way of saying: we didn’t really know that much about Bradley until the Coon & Friends Trilogy. Hell, we still don’t, it is only on the final part of the trilogy, Coon Vs. Coon & Friends, when we learn a few things about him, and that episode starts with the video above.
“But Bradley Biggle is no ordinary fourth-grader!”
I am not going to waste time explaining why is Mintberry Crunch and what he does (for that’s what his About Page is all about) but, obviously, the entire clip is a form of foreshadowing to the ending. Spoilers to a 10-year-old episode: Bradley receives a message from outer space in which he’s told that he’s an alien from a far away planet whose destiny is to save Earth from C’thulu. Also Kenny thought that this revelation was going to be for him so he got scammed of his backstory, I guess.
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So yeah, Bradley is a superhero with a backstory akin to Superman: he is an enhanced alien that was sent off to safety as a baby during times of crisis, and was found, adopted and raised by a human family, the Biggles. Yeah, I don’t think anyone really thought that Bradley and Henrietta were biological siblings, but whatever.
While we don’t know if everyone in the planet K'oh Kajan (or Kokujon, as I will be typing it like that) has the same powers as MBC, since we know that the berries of that planet “have the power to fuel nearly anything”, I’m going to take a guess that the “nearly” is there because they cannot grant superpowers to people, so Bradley is the outlier and a case of the chosen one. He is the only one with this powers, basically.
So he defeats C’thulu with his mint and berry superpowers and stuff (yes, defeats, he can only summon mint and berry to his aid, which would mostly work to reduce an opponent rather than killing them), and this episode ends with what would mark MBC’s exit from the show (outside of the very rare background appearance) for a very long time:
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Canonically-speaking, this is what we know.
Bradley left to search for his biological parents (and his home planet, I suppose) and we would not hear about him for sure until Season 21. To be more precise, we would not hear about MBC’s shenanigans until his appearance in Fractured But Whole’s second DLC, Bring the Crunch.
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Timestamp goes from 1:06 to 2:22 (unless you want spoilers).
Funny enough, while this would mark MBC’s return, it still does not give us much information about what he has been up to before the events pertaining this DLC. However, we still get a few clues from his in-game dialogue which I’m going to interpret for you guys.
"I picked up your distress call from the berry mines of my home planet. I've come to offer my assistance."
Something we know for sure is that he made it back to Kokujon!! This means that the main reason he has been away for so long (or so it’s my guess) is because he found his home planet, reunited with his biological parents and decided to settle there instead of returning to Earth with the Biggles. We still know that he visits, however, as he appears in Stick of Truth and in some more episodes (before disappearing again in Season 22):
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We still don’t really know anything about his home planet, though, outside of very selective information he gives in and out of battle. Here’s a few examples:
"It's so weird being back on Earth. I can't believe you guys only have one sun!"
“You wanna know the best thing about Kokujon? No school."
"I didn't travel halfway across the galaxy to be treated like this."
He doesn’t live anywhere in the Solar System, that’s for sure, because not only he has traveled “across the galaxy” to respond to Fastpass’ distress call (which is another can of worms in itself, because how could have he received a call like that from literal light years away?), but also our system only has one sun.
This is just me trying to tie things together with South Park canon (so it’s a bit of a tangent), but in Season 13, in the episode Pinewood Derby, we are made aware of the existence of the Federation of Planets, a government body that is on a galactic level. The only reason I mention this is because MBC has proven to be capable of traveling at warp speed –traveling from his home planet to Earth in a matter of (what I am going to suppose were) minutes after receiving that distress call–, and all the planets that have discovered warp speed are part of the Federation, so that must be the case for Kokujon.
The exception to this rule, if anyone has watched the episode, would be Earth, but that’s because they didn’t meet the requirements to join the Federation and were blocked off the rest of the galaxy instead.
Not sure if this is canon anymore, but if it is that means that Bradley is constantly breaking the law by visiting a planet that has been labeled as off-limits, but he is not the only alien that has set foot in South Park anyways.
Actually, speaking of breaking the law and stuff, that reminds me... here is a screenshot of MBC’s character sheet:
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While most characters in FBW have the Lawful (and only Lawful) alignment, MBC stands out because he has a more specific alignment. Not only he is Chaotic (which explains the possibility of him being breaking the law whenever he travels back to Earth), but also Neutral, which makes him... a morally grey character. He is neither good, neither bad, he is just... well, himself.
Why am I bringing this up anyways? Because there is one detail about the Kokujonian society that those that have played the DLC are aware about: the caste system.
"On my home planet, you'd get 10 years in the berry mines for that!"
The mention of these berry mines have been a thing ever since Season 14, but this line that can pop up when MBC is attacked in game has quite the connotations. Simple: you commit a crime, you are sent to the berry mines. You commit a crime, you work at the berry mines. You commit a crime, you become a slave. But you could say “oh, Mouse, but it could be like community service like many prisons on Earth- “ and I would have to tell you that you’re wrong because even MBC says so himself.
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Despite being a trope in many sci-fi stories based around alien societies it is a very fucked up elephant in the room and everyone and their mother knows this. The last mission in the Bring the Crunch DLC involves fighting (and killing) a mind-controlling alien whose motivation was revenge against the society that put his family (and possibly his entire race to) into this position. Not only that, but if MBC is being truthful, the Kokujonian society has no issue to do the same with anyone that breaks the law, even their own people.
So, does the fact that he is part of this society make Bradley evil? No. Once again, he is Chaotic Neutral, he is just Bradley. And looking at the definition of Chaotic Neutral:
“Chaotic neutral characters like to indulge in everything.  [...]  This type of character will at least consider doing anything if they can find enjoyment or amusement.  Life has meaning, but theirs has the greatest meaning.  According to chaotic neutrals, laws and rules infringe on personal freedom and were meant to be broken.  This character is always looking for the best deal, and will work with good, neutral, or evil to get it; as long as he comes out of the situation on top.  The chaotic neutral is constantly teetering between good and evil, rebelling, and bending the law to fit his needs.”
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His alignment makes him more complicated than the black-and-white idea that is being good or being evil on one fact alone. He is defined, however, by the fact that he does what he pleases regardless of what society, morality and laws say. And this is easily backed up by how he addresses the Crooked Cop enemy class in FBW:
"Earth police have no jurisdiction over... Mintberry Crunch!"
"Authority figures are no match for... the crunch!"
So, basically, his alignment makes him a free spirit and, at best, because his family owns slaves, he would be a proxy. He’s mostly a 10-year-old with superpowers that has been granted total freedom to do what he wants and takes full advantage of it (an also a superhero and an illegal alien on Earth, literally and figuratively), so he is not precisely defined by the society of his home planet. I do believe, though, that he has been influenced by the Kokujonian society as a result of living with his biological parents, so his morality and ideas flip-flop a lot.
“Chaotic neutral characters are extremely difficult to deal with. Such characters have been known to cheerfully and for no apparent purpose gamble away everything they have on the roll of a single die. They are almost totally unreliable. In fact, the only reliable thing about them is that they cannot be relied upon!”
MBC choosing to fight that alien (an alien he carelessly allowed to follow him to Earth) could also be interpreted as personal defense and him defending planet Earth from an outer space threat as the Zarganor voices his intentions pretty clearly in-battle, but everyone is welcome to draw their own conclusions since both of them were motivated by very different things.
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Anyways, once again, Kokujon is a pretty fucked up planet, but it is also Bradley’s home planet. We can assume that finding this planet and his biological parents helped him discover his real identity as Gok'zarah and, once he accomplished this goal, decided that he had nothing else worth pursuing and settled. He is rather unpredictable, as his alignment dictates, so he may not even stay on Kokujon a lot and instead travels through the galaxy- but those are headcanons of mine.
In conclusion, as a TL;DR: Bradley disappeared from Season 14 to Season 21, and then from Season 22 and onwards, because he’s an alien and has chosen to live in his home planet. Said planet’s society has its fucked up side but Bradley is so unpredictable due to his free spirit nature it is hard to pin-point his morals.
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Anyways, for a character that started as a joke character that was used as a deus ex machina, I think he’s pretty cool! :·D And probably one of the strongest characters in this show’s universe.
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ihititwithmyaxe · 5 years ago
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How to teach someone Magic: the Gathering
I got asked to explain how to teach someone Magic: the Gathering. I have taught many players, and here’s what I found works best when you’re starting from literally nothing. I hope you find this guide useful.
Magic is a hyper-dense game. There are 10x as many rules to teach as a starting player needs to know. If you’re introducing someone with zero experience with Magic, start with the bare minimum. The hardest thing about learning Magic is the sheer volume of rules. It is much harder than you’d think to present the game as too simple, but it is incredibly easy to overwhelm someone new with a barrage of rules and mechanics and vocabulary and interactions and and and and and. Magic is really complex, so the key is starting slow and simple.
Lesson 1: The most basic fundamentals Make two 30-card monocolor decks with only basic lands, creatures, and sorceries. No other card types to start with! You want the decks to be pretty low power level, evenly matched, with a good mana curve, have some simple ways to draw more cards, and include a few exciting but simple cards (Pelaka Wurm, Goliath Sphinx, Sunblast Angel, Rune-Scarred Demon, Thunder Dragon). Use those decks to teach the major essentials:
-parts of a card -turn structure -the mana system -the different zones (except exile and the stack. save those for later!) -how to cast spells and execute other common game actions -very basic rules (one land per turn, how to attack and block, etc) -essential vocabulary (destroy, untap, discard, draw, sacrifice, damage, target, etc)
Keep creatures simple: mostly vanilla and french vanilla, and a very few with enter the battlefield triggers. Avoid repeatable triggers. Use only one or two different keyword abilities per deck and stick to the really easily understood ones that don't break other rules: trample, lifelink, deathtouch, flying, defender, and reach are great introductory keywords. Avoid cards and mechanics that are exceptions to normal rules--as simple as they seem to experienced players, using vigilance, haste, first strike, hexproof, prowess, protection, menace, indestructible, and other creature mechanics make it harder to learn the essential game rules and get the hang of everything 'normal' these mechanics disrupt (tapping, timing, combat damage, targeting, lethal damage, power/toughness, etc). Don't even mention the stack. Don't use any creatures with activated abilities. Only teach the three card types in the starting deck. Use clear, straightforward, flavorfully resonant sorceries: Concentrate, Enlarge, Sever Soul, Righteous Charge, Flame Wave.
It is actually pretty useful to stack the top 10 or 11 cards of their deck the first game so they get a reasonable good flow of lands and spells they can cast on the first few turns (don't let mana screw or flood be their *very* first experience with the game, lol). Practice a few games with those decks, let the newbie stop whenever they want, try to let them win at least one game. Offer to switch decks so they can get a feel for the other deck they’ve seen you play and because seeing how an experienced player uses the same cards they were just using can be helpful, too. Unless the new player is super eager to keep playing, take a break here and call it a day before moving on to the next lesson.
Lesson 2: Enchantments and new Keywords When the new player is ready to play again, play a game to refresh the skills, vocabulary, and information from the first lesson. After a refresher game or two with the basic decks, if it seems like they mostly get the rudimentary game mechanics (not strategy--that’ll come later), explain enchantments by showing some auras and non-aura enchantments, add about 3 of each and 3 lands to both decks, add one sorcery or creature that can destroy enchantments to both decks, then shuffle up and play some more games. After creature, land, and sorcery, the easiest card type to explain using flavor is enchantment, and they are a very helpful bridge to understanding artifacts and equipment. Play a couple games with the decks until the new player gets some hands-on experience using enchantments and figures out how both types work. Then swap out a few vanilla creatures for ones with new keyword abilities that come up a lot: haste, vigilance, first strike, hexproof, menace/intimidate/fear (depending on what era of cards you have). Play a few more games with these decks, then probably take a break before advancing to the third lesson.
Lesson 3: Instants and the Stack Next time you play, if things so far are going well, play another game or two to refresh their memory of what they learned so far, then introduce instants. Instants are a fundamental step up in how games flow and open up a lot of strategy doors. Start with very simple but useful, interactive instants: giant growth, disperse, murder, lightning strike, disenchant. This is when you finally introduce the stack, and it will probably take some getting used to because it’s just a weird game mechanic, but necessary to how the game truly works. Some things have easy flavor to help you explain: “things with deathtouch are extra deadly,” or “things with wings can fly over things without wings.” The stack has no flavor to help you explain, it’s purely a bunch of game rules. This is also a good point to swap out the simplest vanilla creatures for a few slightly more complicated ones that can help players get excited and interested, cards that are easy to fall in love with and show off the most iconic things a color does: Overrun, Vampire Nighthawk, Mind Control, Ghostly Prison, Flametongue Kavu. Play a few games with just simple instants, sorceries, enchantments, creatures, and basic lands. The mechanics and strategies and gameplay here represents a huge amount of what Magic is about, and after a few games with these decks, your protege should have a pretty good foundation.
Recapping what you taught them Take a few minutes to talk through what they’ve been learning and put it into context. Ask them if they are seeing how the three major tangible resources (mana, cards, and life) interact. By now they probably are starting to ask strategy questions, which is great! Explain in simple terms the single most fundamental pillar of Magic strategy: card advantage. Illustrate with different kinds of card advantage: Divination & Mind Rot, Flametongue Kavu, Second Thoughts, Cloudkin Seer, etc. Give some general pointers they can apply in most games, like the more mana you use during each of your turns the better, and think through what creatures live or die in combat if you attack or block a certain way before you decide to do so.
If your pupil is really showing interest in the strategy, now is a fine time to explain the essence of the five colors and basic strategy of the five major deck archetypes. I’ve outlined a really simplified version of each below. But if they aren’t especially showing interest in this, it’s fine to save these explanations for later:
White wins because it’s tougher than you. Blue wins because it’s smarter than you. Red wins because it’s faster than you. Green wins because it’s bigger than you. Black wins because it wants it more than you.
Aggro (aggressive) decks deploy as many cheap, fast threats as early as possible to kill the opponent before they can get set up. They excel in the early turns of the game. Control decks prevent and disrupt the opponent’s game plan, build up card advantage, and win with just one or a few powerful, expensive threats. They excel in games that go long. Midrange decks deploy a mix of mid-sized threats and efficient answers, out-classing aggro decks and pressuring control decks. They’re at their best in the midgame. Ramp decks seek to increase their mana supply faster than the opponent in order to dominate them with more powerful spells than their opponent can afford. They effectively reach the later turns of the game sooner than the opponent. Combo decks combine cards that interact to generate an effect more powerful than the sum of their separate pieces, often winning immediately. They want to find assemble their combo pieces as fast as possible before dying to more conventional strategies.
Where to go from here If they are on board, learning well, and enjoying the game so far then it’s probably you have successfully recruited another Magic fan! If your card collection allows, there are some very common but tricky game elements it’s best if you’ve avoided until now: activated abilities and artifacts, +1/+1 or -1/-1 counters, and multicolor cards. If lessons 1, 2, and 3 went well, it doesn’t matter much which order you introduce these four new game elements. But consider if anything is giving them trouble. If your padawan is struggling with the instants and stack, more practice with that is helpful before introducing activated abilities. Similarly, someone having a hard time with combat math might benefit from more practice with that before learning counters that modify power/toughness. For someone not totally comfortable with how the mana system works, hold off before you introduce multicolor cards and 2-color decks.
The game mechanics I’d suggest learning after these are a teeny bit more complicated, but very common and just about essential for getting into the game at this point: the exile zone, tokens, and cards that care about creature type. It’s also a good time to start slowly introducing mechanics that make the actual gameplay better and more enjoyable: scry, cycling, modal cards, cantrips, tutoring, and color fixing. Getting mana screwed/flooded, not having useful cards, and not having the right colors of mana can make a game very frustrating. These mechanics make those common unfun situations in Magic much more avoidable by helping your rookie player draw the right cards in the right order in more games, which will in turn make learning the game a much happier experience.
Things new players don’t need to worry about Some parts of the game are just too complicated to bring up with someone just learning Magic. You will make learning the game easier for a rookie if you just don’t even bring these up until they really have the hang of the game. -Planeswalkers: They are so much more complicated than any other card type, but they are very cool. -Legendary: this adds so little from a game-play standpoint and is (just in mechanics) basically all downside and extra rules for negligible payoff. -Layers: while necessary for the game to work, put off explaining the layer system as long as you can. It boggles and frustrates, and is a pain to remember, even for people playing for a year or longer. -Formats: it’s easy for new players to worry about card legality and formats, but just focusing on what cards and gameplay are exciting and fun will reel someone in better without touching on this for a while. Compounding a new player’s efforts to learn basic rules with format-specific rules like Planechase, Archenemy, Commander, etc won’t help either. -Multiplayer: As tempting as it is to throw people into multiplayer games to play up the social aspect, many new players can find this overwhelming. A common new player response is to just give up trying to understand what’s happening in a game if there are too many cards to read and track, or play is moving too quickly. Patience on this. -Infrequent, retired, or complex mechanics: stay focused on practicing the basics and the evergreen mechanics (the ones in every or almost every set). Learning the core of the game is easier when you aren’t overloaded with new vocabulary. You can teach someone better without adding in proliferate, exalted, flashback, bushido, hybrid, escalate, or suspend. Protection has come back to the game and is starting to show up more, and regenerate is on tons of old cards that show up in reprint sets and Commander, but both of those mechanics are much denser than mechanics like double strike or scry. -Deckbuilding: this can be a daunting challenge that turns many new players away and often rubs in their face the parts of the game they are the least proficient in. You should do most or all of the deckbuilding or use precons for someone just learning the ropes unless they express a lot of interest in doing this themself.
I hope this guide helps you, but it is only a guide. Remember to teach following the interest and excitement of a new player. Magic is an awesome game, but lots of people find different things to love about it. Finding what your newbie loves is what will hook them into the game, so look out for that as they learn. And when you find things that especially delight them, show them more so they know whatever it is they love is something Magic is full of!
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beetlefursuits · 5 years ago
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Why Your First Fursuit Commission Was a Disaster! (or How to Prevent it)
Being approached by a stranger asking you to be THE fursuit artist they have chosen can make you feel AMAZING and eager to say YES!
Out of all the artists out there, they picked you!
The immediate assumption is that you can knock that project out and get some money in your pocket, while filling out your portfolio, gaining some experience, and having some fun!
But pause a moment, step back and think “Am I ready for this? Is this the right client for me? Do I even WANT to do commissions?”
Before you jump into business with someone, consider the following list of reasons that this project (or this client) might not be the correct fit for you.
Six Tips For Success in Choosing Which Fursuit Commissions to Accept (and which to avoid!)
#1. Will I ENJOY Doing This Project? 
Is this REALLY something you want to make? 
When a new project crosses your eyeballs and you get that excited glow, you can immediately imagine how great it will be to show off the finished product in your portfolio.
But stop and REALLY think about the project you are considering, break it down into every aspect, every small detail that you will have to source and buy materials for, that you will have to construct and sew and cut and sculpt and paint, and then decide how jazzed you really feel about building it.
300 rosettes (you realize only after counting each one) will look amazing but consider sewing each one and how does that make you feel. Sew a test spot just so you can time yourself and feel it out.
Those cool markings? How will you do that? By machine? By hand? Do you have the fur for it in stock? Does it even exist and do you know where to find it?
How will you do the long hair to get that particular shape? Does it have Spikes? Horns? Both? What will they be made from? Have you done it before? Does that prospect of making something new excite you? Or do you feel dread?
If you are not starting it immediately, consider how interested you will still be in a few weeks or months once that initial glow has faded, the deposit has been spent, and what’s left is a pile of materials and the prospect of a lot of hard work.
If there is an aspect of the project that you do not like, consider that future clients will see this work and assume it’s the type of project you wish to do again.
#2. Am I CAPABLE of Completing this Project?
Building a commission is NOT like building a personal fursuit.
With a personal project, you do not need to discuss your ideas with others, you do not need to stick to a reference or plan, you can cut corners with sewing or final finishing, etc.
A commission requires a lot of back-and-forth discussion between the artist and the client. You have to consider the opinion of someone else. You need to accurately size it to a person you have never met and who cannot try it on during the process. Everything has to be finished and durable and clean.
Following are 4 quick tips to consider if you’re ready to accept client work:
Do you know how long it takes (roughly) to build a (non personal) fursuit?
Have you already made and sold artistic liberty/artist-designed/premade projects? When you are starting out, this is how you decide on your pricing and deadlines. It’s not good to enter into an agreement with no idea what to charge or how long it will take you!
Do you have a dedicated work space/guaranteed amount of time available?
Fursuit making takes a lot of space (Huge awkward foam rolls to store and fur to spread out while you pattern/cut. Duct tape dummies awkwardly starfish out their arms and legs all the time and don’t help at all with the sewing) and it’s much easier to work on commissions when you separate life and work areas.
If you currently have other major obligations besides fursuit making (such as work, family, health, and school) which already take (or have the potential of taking) most (or all) of your available time, then it might not be the right time to take full suit commissions. Artist-designed projects and smaller projects will offer more flexibility for unpredictable and limited time—and energy.
Are there a lot of new elements to the project that you have not done before?
Some things may look easy and then when you start building it you realize that it’s much more involved than you expected. This can be a huge drain on your time, your money, and your motivation (which just compounds those first two issues).
An example could be a character with 3 tails. It’s just 1 tail(X3) right? But will they all fit correctly together? Do you make and attach them as one tail or leave them separate? Will they bounce or sit weirdly? Do you now need to make a new ‘side tail’ pattern so they splay out in an appealing manner?
Or say you take on a particularly tall client and you suddenly have to research and develop all new larger hand and foot designs as your current ones do not fit them or the padding you normally make looks too small now and needs to be remade larger.
These are all aspects worth considering. To prevent taking on more than you can handle, my suggestion is to take on no more than one new aspect (that is preferably no more than 10-15% of the project) on each commission that you’ll need to research and develop. You will probably go over time and over budget on these new processes at first (as you gain experience you naturally find ways to craft things quicker and easier) so it’s best to not knowingly take projects that you do not yet have the skills and/or experience to fulfill.
Can you take criticism?
Paid artistic work invites criticism. Sometimes something you make does not work out. You loved it and the client hates it. Or it doesn’t fit. Or it fell apart. That is all part of learning and growing and trying new things. Can you take the corrections, make it right, and move on?
If you feel that you currently cannot emotionally/mentally/physically handle potential setbacks/obstructions/times where things just don’t go your way; stick with non-client projects that are easier to control and fit to your schedule (premade suits. ears and tails. fursuit props.) and revisit commissions further down the road.
#3. Is the Client Displaying Red Flags?
Knowing which clients to turn away is a valuable skill.
As your business grows, it pays in your time, resources, and sanity to know when to refuse a commission (or when to cancel a commission) and to do so as early and gracefully as possible.
If you watch for situations like these, you can focus on cultivating happy, excited, and RESPECTFUL clients who love your work and your preferred artistic style. Not those who try to cut corners or denigrate or manipulate you for their own goals.
Here are 6 ‘red flags’ to consider when picking or accepting client projects.
The client complains (a lot) about their previous artist(s)
Simple, constructive, and legit complaints are one thing (the client says “Artists tend to get this marking wrong so here is how I really want it.” or “My last artist used these materials but it broke so can we try something else.”)
If instead the client immediately gossips about/trash-talks previous artists to you, it shows a lack of social boundaries and the high potential that they will then trash-talk about you/your work in the future.
Poor Quality Reference art.
This one is not a deal-breaker as long as it is not paired with an uncommunicative and/or demanding client.
If the client wants a “sly grey wolf” then we may proceed as long as we both understand that it will be my personal version of that idea and might not match what’s in the clients head.
If the very specifically-desired concept involves complex unclear markings, specific tattoos that are not consistent across the reference, the client’s desired fursuit and the reference do not match, a blurred photograph of a scratchy OC reference, etc; IE ANYTHING you cannot make heads nor tails of.. then ask them to clear this up with a favorite reference artist first and get back to you.
(And If YOU are your favorite reference artist, make sure to charge appropriately for the extra service!)
The client is a child or cannot/will not prove their age.
Children cannot be held to a contract in the USA and most fursuit artists require their clients to be over 18 (many are starting to ask for proof such as a photograph of a legal ID). You may choose to proceed with the project but the contract, payment, and all discussion needs to go through the child’s legal adult caretaker.
A client who micro-manages you and/or your work through constant criticism, proposed changes, or ‘redlines’ of your work.
These clients (though generally well-meaning) are honestly hell on the self-esteem. The occasional suggestion or constructive criticism (as mentioned earlier!) can be very helpful in determining the angle to take on a project or future projects.
But CONSTANT red lines and complaints and ‘suggested changes’ to your work (that they keep suggesting because they don’t even KNOW what they really want from you) means that NEITHER of you is going to come out of it feeling very happy about the art. Cancel and refund them and move on. I promise that it’s worth it.
The client disagrees with the quoted price/requests a discount/attempts to change the commission parameters.
“No” is a complete sentence.
To elaborate on that further; not everyone who asks for a discount is like this but be warned that there ARE potential clients who look for bright new fursuit makers, with the intent to jump on them early and obtain a new commission at a low price by (knowingly or unknowingly) taking advantage of the artist’s inexperience.
I am going to give a fictional example of this situation to show how insidious it can be:
You are still unsure about fullsuit commissions but you say on social media that you’re thinking you could try a head? An acquaintance says yes! Me! PLeeeeese. They seem excited so you agree for an introductory price. This new client chats a lot and seems friendly.
Could they get feet?? Feeling on-the-spot you agree since they’re ‘friends’. You’ve not made feet on commission yet so you underestimate the difficulty and under-charge. The client seems happy tho. They discuss a few changes they want to the head (that they’re sure they mentioned in the initial quote). Maybe you forgot??
This all takes some time and meanwhile they show you some reference art they just got done of a different character and ask to move the commission to this since you don’t have THAT much done yet. Also how much for hands?? They find you at a con and offer to buy you a drink. You restart the work.
A few more rounds of these (or similar) behaviours. The client starts to complain how long it’s taking. Maybe they drive other potential clients away with their actions or threaten an artist beware on you. And eventually you realize you’ve been manipulated and bullied into taking on a complicated fursuit that you had no intentions of making and have very severely undercharged for. Not fun!!
Instead of this situation coming to pass, hold your ground in the beginning and refuse to ‘add’ to a commission or to change a commission after it’s been paid for and/or started. This muddles what you’re working on and allows the client an opportunity to keep changing things forever. (instead treat the add-on as a brand new commission to be started only after the current part is finished and paid for)
Do not entertain those who think you’re not worth the price you’re asking for. Do not give ‘friends discounts’. Friends want to see you succeed!
Other artists warn against working with them.
Get to know other fursuit artists! We are usually happy to vouch for good clients and warn about any particular issues you may experience with others. Sometimes there are issues that prevent one artist-client relationship but can be managed within another and eventually other artists might recognize which clients to refer to you (and you to them).
If you are wondering how to start this type of discourse, there are public groups on Facebook or considering joining a fursuit artist’s Patreon and/or Telegram chat! Many fursuit makers have one (or both) of these with various mentoring tiers.
As an example, all of my patrons are given a link to join my Telegram chat where you can share your work and receive critique from a like-minded audience. At higher tiers you can join my Discord to share and chat in real time.
If there is a fursuit artist that you admire, ask them and see what they offer!
#4. Do I Need The Money?
Fursuits are maybe NOT quite the jackpot they might first appear to be
Fursuits are deceptive. It sounds like a great deal to gain several thousand dollars in one simple cheque, but, if you are not careful with budgeting, if you undercharge, or under-estimate how long it will take; you can find yourself falling into a state of using future projects to pay your current project materials, shipping, taxes, etc; as well as your regular life expenses like rent, car, insurance, utilities, loan repayments, etc.
The simplest practice is to prevent this entirely right from your first commission! My suggestion is to first take on smaller projects with a quick turn-over. This keeps you flexible to increase your prices or change your practices as needed. Then when you have enough savings to keep yourself afloat (so that you will not need to dip into your fursuit deposit money even if things don’t go exactly on schedule), you can take larger projects with longer turn-around times and higher price-points.
If you do find yourself in a situation where you NEED the money immediately; the issue is that you will be much more motivated to take on more difficult clients, less fulfilling projects you don’t really like, and overall accepting a worse deal for you for the reward of immediate payment (which then exacerbates the issues by giving you more work for the future and then pushing you further into the hole). Sadly, getting out of this situation can be very difficult.
Sparkle Kreations writes:
In my earlier business years, I found myself in a deep hole; I struggled financially day to day, I had over 80 clients on my list, and I was overwhelmed by the amount of work to be done. There were solutions, all very challenging decisions laid out before me. One path was the one most recommended, was that I go out and get a full-time job as I slowly refunded everyone on my list (a viable decision, advised to me by furry and non-furry alike) while I continue living and paying my living expenses. Another path was that I completely close off all large commissions, only taking on a few quick/small commissions to keep a bit of income flow, closely budgeting every dollar that I spend as I worked on my queue and knocked out my commissions until they were all complete. So I chose a hard path to regain my business name; I started by being completely honest with all of my customers and offering refunds if they chose. I then worked 6-7 days a week/8-10 hours a day, for about 5 to 6 years. I watched my budget closely, avoided going to conventions so I could instead refund customers. I now run a successful business that is financially stable, with a comfortably-sized queue, where myself and my assistant comfortably work a 5 day/35 hour work-week.
Finally, keep in mind that what really matters is not the $$$$ on the cheque but actually how it distills into $/hour. An artist is limited by the hours they are able to put into the work and a sexy $$$$ fursuit deposit might not actually gain you more in the end than several smaller $$$ projects with quicker overall turn-around times. Track your time and choose the most profitable options to promote and pursue.
(For much more on the physical realities of running a business, read my previous blog article “What I’ve Learned From The Past Decade Working as a Professional Fursuit Artist”)
#5. Can I communicate effectively with others?
Good communications are key with all client-artist interactions.
Can you stay calm, be professional, and set expectations? Poor communication (on either artist or client end) can easily snowball into angry clients and artists, stress and anxiety, emotional withdrawal from your work, misunderstandings, and even artist bewares.
There are several important aspects to communicating effectively:
Can you stay calm and professional even when the client is combative?
At some point, you will have a difficult client. When this happens, you need to stay professional and work through the issues with them. If you cannot agree then you might need to part ways. You must do so with the grace and assurance that you did everything possible to fix the situation. If you think “Taken out of context, will this screenshot look bad?” And the answer is “yes,” then you need to step back, collect yourself, and rewrite your reply.
Can you set expectations?
As the artist, you can choose your commission methods, but you need to be VERY CLEAR to the client what those methods are, what your expectations are (for them and for you), and how the commission process will proceed. Before you take any clients, figure out what you what you want out of the commission process. Do you want to take on clients for money? For the satisfaction of a job well done? For the social challenge of managing an artist-client relationship? Or the artistic drive of working to a specific goal and schedule? Aka WHY do you want to take commissions??
If you have not developed your own drive and are not familiar with your own commission process then you are not ready to move a client through that process
Are you ready to directly and clearly (and repeatedly if needed) communicate your policies to a client through the design, payment, construction, delivery, potential changes or repairs of the commission?
If you need payment by X date or they’ll be dropped from the queue, you need to inform them of this. If they have an issue with the work you did (and you need them to ship the item back asap so you can fix it before their warranty runs out), you need to inform them of this urgency and what failing to act by the deadline will result in.
Don’t leave it up to the client to know your policies. Your policies/procedures should be on your website Terms Of Service (TOS) that you had the client read and agree to, but a little refresher (plus a reasonable and clear deadline, if applicable) allows everyone to move on informed and aware of the consequences.
Do you have a method to communicate with your clients and be available for them to discuss issues with you?
I’m not saying be available 24-7 (an important self-care aspect is having certain hours of the day and/or the week to yourself without any work concerns) but if the client has an issue, how will they communicate that with you so that you can respond in an effective and timely manner? Do you prefer Telegram? Email? Twitter? Decide how you want to conduct business matters and let clients know where/when to contact you.
Do you have a method to update your clients and ask their opinions?
Depending on how you like to work, you do not need to ask a client’s opinion on every aspect of the build. However, showing your work and giving updates on the progress will make the client feel happy and secure in their commission choice.
One easy method for updating that I like is to keep a Trello board of projects where the client can always see the current progress of their commission. Telegram is a popular group chat client. It’s nice for sending pics/videos to clients and the ever classic email is perfect for initial quotes and longer back and forth discussions.
Can you always be honest with your clients?
It’s hard to run an entire business by yourself and you might promise too much or underestimate how long something will take or you life circumstances change and you now have less time to work. When these things happen, you need to be honest and transparent to your client. Explain the issues you are having (in simple, appropriate terms), apologize, and try to work with the client on a solution.
If you are going through some things that might affect work or deadlines, let them know. Keep in mind though, this doesn’t mean you have to share ALL of your struggles if what you are going through will not affect them. Just share what you feel they need or deserve to know.
#6. Do I have other artistic or personal goals right now?
Are commissions even right for you? 
If you have other things that are important in your life right now, it’s perfectly acceptable to focus your time on them instead of commissions.
Depending on your stage of life, you might still be in school. Or have a family. You might have another job or a hobby you enjoy. You also might just have other artistic goals that existing commissions do not fit into right now. People love your canines but you want to try cats instead. Or cosplay.
Or you don’t know what you want to do yet but agreeing to a many-month long contract is not that.
The desire for quality fursuit work from reputable artists is high;
if you are active in your community, your peers might try to convince you into taking their project.
It’s great that they love your work! But if the project is not in the direction you wish to go, does not offer enough money in compensation for sacrificing something else you want to do instead, or you do not feel like you can dedicate the time needed, it’s okay (and probably necessary!) to say no!
The ultimate goal in taking client commissions is to have them bring you MORE satisfaction and fulfillment than they take away; Be that in monetary, social or artistic terms.
Figure out your personal drive in being a fursuit artist. Create and run a thoughtful, intentional, and passionate business; whether you decide to take on 30 clients, 1 client, or zero clients.
Above all, have fun with it! Bring those characters to life without losing your own.
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captains-log-reviews · 5 years ago
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Wendy (2020)
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After my initial review of the well-known Disney version of Peter Pan, I decided to drastically depart from the traditional and go for a retelling that is a bit more (okay, a LOT more) AU for my second review. Wendy (2020) is still fresh in my mind, so it seems like the perfect time to write up a review for it.
**WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS.**
Overview/Summary:
I’ll be honest...I don’t typically like AU stories that significantly depart from the canon time period and/or location. I’m a sucker for period films, and the Edwardian London setting is, for me, almost as essential to the magic of Peter Pan as Neverland itself...so I went into Wendy with fairly low expectations, and I was very pleasantly surprised with how much I ended up liking it.
Wendy starts off in a small town American cafe sometime in the recent past (1950-1980-ish??) where we are introduced to Angela Darling, single mom and owner of the cafe, along with her three kids--Wendy and her twin older brothers, James and Douglas. Right off the bat, anyone who is familiar with the original storyline will recognize that this retelling takes a major departure from Barrie’s novel. Many of the characters we think we know are almost unrecognizable, while others (notably John and Michael, Tiger Lily, Tinkerbell, and Mr. Smee) sometimes have similar stand-ins but are ultimately missing entirely from this tale. That seems like a recipe for disaster at first glance, but the film handles the characters that it DOES have so well that the oversight can be forgiven.
Wendy and her brothers initially get the idea of Neverland in their minds after one of their friends, Thomas, disappears one day after hitching a ride on a train with a mysterious young boy named Peter (wonderfully portrayed by the ten year-old Afro-Caribbean actor, Yashua Mack). Instead of worrying about her friend, Wendy makes up fanciful stories about what Thomas might be off doing without them...but she remains fascinated by the train and the boy she saw until one day, she and her brothers decide to hitch a ride themselves. Upon arriving at the island, Wendy and her brothers are introduced to a slew of lost boys and girls and are surprised to find that their friend Thomas has not aged, though it has been a few years since they last saw him. The other children, many of whom have taken on new nicknames, have apparently never seen identical twins before and are particularly intrigued by James and Douglas, who they collectively label as, “Two-Boy.” The first half of the film (about an hour) is mostly spent on this introductory part of the story with the kids exploring their new home and generally having a good time. It’s all fun and games until they explore a shipwreck of the Mañana (a symbolically interesting name if ever there was one) and Douglas has a serious accident and is presumed dead. And THIS is where the real story begins.
“This is the story of Two-Boy broke apart,” Wendy tells us. “All that was left was a half. His heart cracked right down the middle...and all the joy spilled out.”
Heartbroken at the loss of his brother, James begins to age at an alarming rate...starting with his right hand. Worried about what will happen to him if he continues to age, James decides that the best course of action to stop his rapid aging is to cut it off...a task he assigns to Peter, as the leader of the children. But the aging doesn’t stop and James, needing medical care, is taken by his sister to the colony of “The Olds”--a shantytown on the outskirts of the island “where Lost Boys go when they’re REALLY lost.” The next time we see him, James is an adult, forging a crude prosthetic for his missing hand out of pieces of scrap metal. This “Hook” is a far cry from the elegantly dressed, suave captain we are used to; he’s old and ragged and broken...and despite my attachment to Hook’s original design, the raw emotion we get from the actor(s) portraying James in this film is flawless.
James, having become an outcast, decides that he and the other “Olds” need to use one of the children as bait to capture and kill the Mother--a magical whale that is the source of the island’s power and the protector of the children--to avenge Douglas (who was not protected) and to become young again themselves. Wendy’s pleas to her brother and her determination to see the child he was behind the man he becomes is devastating. “James, tell them to stop,” she cries. “James, you’re GOOD. BE GOOD!” And perhaps even more heart-wrenching... “James, you gotta remember who you are. Do you remember home? Do you remember Mama?” To which he quietly and tiredly replies, “...That was a long time ago.”
Douglas, of course, eventually turns up unharmed...and still a young boy, though his brother--in his grief and anger--has become an old man. The first time they see each other again after the accident, Douglas is shocked...and James is deeply hurt. More determined than ever to capture the Mother, he moves forward with the plan...but the moment he strikes a seemingly fatal blow to the creature with a harpoon, even he knows that he has done something very, very wrong. With a rousing chorus of “I love my mother!” reminiscent of the famous “clap your hands if you believe in fairies” scene, the kids (and the adults, too) cheer on the Mother until she is revived and rejoice at her coming back to life. Only James, sitting quietly off by himself, remains silent throughout the affair until, in one of the most poignant moments of the film, Douglas slowly makes his way through the water to his brother and takes his one remaining hand. “I can’t go home,” James reminds him. Pressing their heads together, Douglas quietly replies, “I know.”
As the adventure comes to a close, Wendy and Douglas are left with the dilemma of what to do with their brother, who can't return to the "real world" but has also been banished from the camp of the Lost Boys and Girls. But then Peter gets an idea and, with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, proclaims that Two-Boy is his "greatest enemy." “Two-Boy is dead,” Wendy proclaims, standing in front of her brother. “All hail Captain Hook!” James, understanding the game, smiles and raises the claw. And so the story of Pan and Hook ends...or rather BEGINS.
What I Liked:
There was so much of this film that I loved. The subtle details like the watch James is shown wearing in a scene shortly before he loses the hand, his broken reflection in the glass at the camp of “The Olds,” the symbolic meaning behind the name of the ship... It’s super well done.
The setting threw me for a loop initially but ultimately ended up leading me to feel personally connected with the characters in a way that I hadn’t before. I grew up (and still live in) a small Southern town, and I’ve met people like Angela. They were my friends’ mothers growing up. They’re my clients and coworkers and who some of my friends grew up to be now. The cafe could be one right down the road from my parents’ house. My brother and I grew up on a lake, and one of my best childhood friends and his brother (my brother’s age) lived nearby. The scene of James and Douglas catching turtles and exploring down by the water in their hometown reminded me of the days when we’d all go looking for minnows and turtles and toads in our backyard...and watching James grow up into the sad, cynical Hook from that boy who reminded me so much of my best friend really hit me hard.
James’ character as a whole was a breath of fresh air. Though the film is titled, “Wendy,” it’s really James’ story that drives the plot. It’s not often a film takes the approach of giving us a detailed backstory for Hook (books are a different story, but...), and the fact that they not only made him the real focus of the story but also made him incredibly human and sympathetic without demonizing Pan was unexpected but appreciated. Often, in making the villain likable, authors and filmmakers fall into the trap of feeling like they must, in turn, make the “hero” out to be a terrible person (as in Maleficent, where King Stefan’s character assassination was absolutely brutal and painful to watch). Instead, what we get is a lonely little boy who covers up his sadness with mischief and mayhem and a broken man who disguises his pain with bitterness...and Wendy sees past both their guarded exteriors.
This Wendy isn’t quite the proper young lady of Barrie’s fairytale, but she, like James, has the same heart as her original counterpart. One thing I love about Wendy in nearly any version is the fact that she alone seems to see the hidden grief both Hook and Pan have and acts accordingly; she mothers Peter when he needs her without condoning some of his more morally questionable behavior and sympathizes with Hook but ultimately isn’t afraid to stand before him with her head held high even when he threatens her and the boys. She’s a compassionate character, but she doesn’t allow anyone to take advantage of that and walk all over her. Indeed, she defies anyone who tries to. This Wendy is much the same. She calls it like she sees it. When James is hurt and possibly dying from blood loss, she goes against Peter’s wishes and takes her brother to the camp of “The Olds” so he can have proper “grown-up” medical care that the kids can’t offer. Once there, she isn’t afraid or repulsed by the old men and women but instead tries her best to bring out their inner child and remind them of things that once made them happy. When Peter claims that her brother has become evil and betrayed them by growing up, she blatantly calls him out on his own guilt—“You cut off his hand, you a**-face!!” (I almost choked with laughter at that one!) I’ve always thought that if anyone of the original characters could reach the goodness in Hook, it would be Wendy. This film, in making her his sister, really showcases that, and it makes for some incredibly touching moments...particularly at the end of the film when James finally re-embraces his inner child and takes on the role as Peter’s “enemy,” the legendary Captain Hook (though he’s just “Uncle James” to Wendy’s daughter).
What I Didn’t Like:
I suppose my only real complaint, if you can call it that, is that I miss a few of the more traditional elements of the storyline. There are some iconic moments that, because of changes to the story, we don’t get in this film like the fight scene when Tiger Lily is captured and freed. We also lose the crocodile in this version, which takes away some of the fear that is usually present in Hook and which I honestly consider as much a part of the character as his anger and sadness. The film as a whole doesn’t suffer for the changes that were made, however, and I can live with them because of how well done everything else is.
Would I recommend it?
If you’re a die-hard stickler for canon or favor one of the characters who doesn’t appear in this version, this might not be the film for you. BUT if you love Hook’s character and are willing to be a little open-minded, definitely give this one a shot. I had pretty low expectations going in, but having seen it now, I’d add it to my list of favorite Peter Pan retellings.
Overall Rating:
I’m taking off just a little because I miss some of the traditional characters and elements of the story, but overall it’s a beautiful film with a lot of heart. 4.5/5 stars
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ranma-rewatch · 5 years ago
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Episode 8: School is a Battlefield! Ranma vs. Ryoga
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Well, howdy there. I’m up to episode 8 of Ranma 1/2, the second episode of the introductory arc for the best boy in anime history, Ryoga Hibiki. Last episode gave us a general idea of who he is, but it’s this one where we’ll get to see him and Ranma actually fight, as the title gives away. I’ve said it before, but I absolutely adore titles like this. One time I was writing a fanfic for this series, and I won’t lie, making up similar styled titles for chapters was one of the best parts. So, excited to watch it, next paragraph I’ll have done just that!
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That...was kind of disappointing. I was really looking forward to this episode, and while there was a ton of stuff I really enjoyed about it, there was a lot I did not care for in the slightest. But before I talk more about that, I’ll do my recap.
Though there is a bit of an issue there, too. About half or more of this episode is Ranma and Ryoga fighting. I’m recapping the episode to you in a text-based format, so going blow-by-blow to describe every move of the fight would be pretty boring, I’d imagine, even if a lot of what happens is actually really great and ties together well. But on the other end of the spectrum, a lot of the plot momentum in the story is carried by the ebb and flow of the fight scene, so just glossing over it wouldn’t work either. I’m going to try for a middle path, but I apologize if I don’t stick that landing.
The episode starts at Furinkan High School, in the middle of the night, as the school’s Chemistry Club is secretly meeting to put their finishing touches on an...explosive mine? Which then blows up? I’d love to tell you this makes sense later...but it does not.
We cut from there to Ryoga, who is dramatically monoguing about how badly he wants to kill Ranma. NEXT SCENE. At the Tendo Household, Ranma and Akane are discussing again why Ryoga wants to beat Ranma up so badly. He’s still confused, since he was sure it was because of the bread. Speaking of Ryoga, Kasumi shows up to deliver a letter that arrived from Ranma, from his rival. It’s a letter of challenge, but the date on it was the day before. Ranma doesn’t think that’s a problem though, considering Ryoga’s relationship with timeliness. To accentuate that point, we get a small scene of Ryoga misunderstanding someone’s directions and going the wrong way, again.
The next day, in what looks to be between classes or during lunch or something, one of Akane’s friends comments on how long her hair has grown out. Akane notes in narration that it’s “finally” longer than Kasumi’s, to really connect the dots we see she’s thinking of Dr. Tofu. But there’s no time for that, Ryoga is back again! In the sports field! While sports are going on! He gets knocked out by a stray ball, but in no time Ranma is down there to fight him, and most of the school has gone down to watch.
Nabiki and her henchwomen, which she has apparently, smell an opportunity, and organize a betting ring on the fight. There’s some brief banter between Ranma and Ryoga, during which it’s revealed it’s actually been a month since the last episode and Ryoga ended up on Okinawa while lost (meaning he’s now been to all four of Japan’s main islands), but then the fight finally begins. Ryoga starts by mainly using his umbrella, and Ranma sticks to dodging.
From there, we get a few audience cutaways. It turns out everyone put their money on Ranma, so Nabiki realizes she’ll need to do something to make sure Ranma loses and she doesn’t lose a ton of money on the bets. The Chemistry Club shows up, and they realize that if Ranma dies, they’ll have a chance to...do something to Akane they never clarify, but is implied to be somehow taking ownership of her. Yeah.
Back to the fight, Ryoga tosses his umbrella at Ranma as a distraction, then pulls out a length of wire and throws a handcuff onto Ranma’s wrist. Now they’re chained at the hand, so they’ll have to fight close quarters, which favors Ryoga more. The umbrella ended up landing near the audience, and some of them try to lift it, only to realize it weighs an incredible amount. Even Akane, who is quite strong, can barely lift in less than a foot off the ground. Realizing that Ryoga’s been carrying this monster of a weapon with one hand this whole time, seemingly with no difficulties, Akane tries to warn Ranma that his opponent is far stronger than he seems.
We cut from there to a student running to see Kuno, and let him know Ranma is fighting some really strong guy who seems to be around Ranma’s level. Kuno claims he is “meditating”, which turns out to just be looking at posters of Ranma in his cursed form and Akane while trying to decide if he likes one more than the other.
Ranma finally decides to take this fight seriously, and uses Ryoga’s trick to his advantage by tangling Ryoga into being grappled, with only one hand to use and Ranma sitting on his back. It’s a great move, but Ryoga is in fact so strong that, with one hand, he can throw both of them dozens of feet into the air, where they start fighting mid-air. That was a miscalculation on Ryoga’s part though, as Ranma is basically built for air juggling.
They end up outside the initial fighting area, right where the Chemistry Club hid a bunch of their explosive mines. They don’t blow up as they’re stepped on though, and after several gags they end up trying to beat up Ranma by jumping out with mallets...right as the fighters dart away for somewhere else, setting off their mines and blowing themselves up. And that was the last anyone heard of them. I guess they’re actually dead. It’s canon now.
Nabiki runs after Ranma and Ryoga as they leave the school entirely for their fight. They’re just on some random street of the city now, and the handcuff tether broke as they left the filler characters behind. Nabiki approaches Ryoga as they’re fighting, offering him what she claims to be a steroid, but is actually just some vitamin pills. Ryoga takes them anyway, and with that plus Nabiki’s thorough encouragement, he acts as though he’s suddenly far stronger. Thanks, Placebo Effect! In fact, he lefts a cement telephone pole out of the ground and uses it as a melee weapon. Amazing.
Ryoga chases Ranma through the city and into the zoo, where some animals are let out from the carnage of their battle. By this point, Ryoga is getting tired of Ranma running away all the time, and says he’s acting like a girl. That hits Ranma’s Berserk Button, and he starts fighting back, breaking the weaponized piece of public property and several other things just as the other students start arriving to keep watching the fight.
The only problem is that A) Ranma broke a water fountain, making it spray water everywhere; B) Ryoga dodged the water using his umbrella, but Ranma got splashed and his curse activated; C) Ranma’s favorite shirt was slashed in the chest area earlier, meaning now parts of his breasts are showing. Ryoga is confused for a second, and Ranma actually gets really emotional, making it clear how much he hates his curse, how much of a struggle living with it is. From Akane’s face in the background, she finds it a bit overwrought. Kuno also briefly shows up to leap at Ranma, only to be taken out with a kick.
If Ranma thought the reveal of his curse and his explanation of how bad it makes him feel would make Ryoga take it easy on him, he thought wrong. In fact, Ryoga seems even more angry now, pissed off at the idea that looking so attractive could be a genuine problem. (Some fuel for you Ranma/Ryoga shippers out there.) Ryoga reveals a new trick. Apparently he has a bunch of bandanas, and he can throw them as sharp boomerangs? Okay.
Worried about him, Akane tries to help Ranma get out of there, sure he wouldn’t be able to win in his cursed form, only for Ranma to have to protect her, picking her up into his arms to run away to get some room away from their assailant. They then have a brief moment of realizing how close they just were, and each struggling with whether to go into why they’re upset at the other or say something about their cute moment. They both decide to go with the former. Oh, and there’s a brief cutaway scene of some zoo person trying to catch an animal, seeing Mr. Saotome come out of a store in his cursed form, and assuming he’s an escaped animal too.
While Ranma and Akane argue in a tree, or as Ryoga accurately calls it, “flirting”, he cuts down the tree using his best, which can apparently become tense and really sharp? Anyway, he’s on the attack again, and in the heat of the moment Ranma says a very bad thing, insinuating that he doesn’t like Akane. She slaps him, absolutely done with him. After all, she’s been worried about him, tried to help him, and in response he’s gotten angry and insulted her. Ranma tries to recover, going after her, but she dramatically turns around to say she is done caring about what he thinks...right as one of Ryoga’s sharp weapons falls from the sky, cutting off a large chunk of her hair mid-turn.
That’s the end of the episode! It was a lot, but it also wasn’t. Hmm...where to start, where to start...should I begin with what I didn’t like, or what I did? I think I’ll actually get the rougher parts out of the way first, so then I can relish talking about what I enjoyed.
There are no two ways about it: this fight, which I had remembered so fondly over the years, is full of filler material. To no one’s surprise, the Chemistry Club are anime-only characters, and unlike other such new elements from later in the series, which I enjoy to certain extents, these characters are nothing. Actually, nothing would have been better. They add no stakes, nothing worthwhile at all, they break up the fight in the process, and what we see of their characters is genuinely despicable, even worse than Kuno. It is left vague exactly what they want Akane for, but it’s left open to interpretation enough that it could be anything from getting her to join as their only girl club member, to being their shared sexual object. If you think I’m reaching for that, please, watch the episode. These are the inceliest incels who ever inceled, and they kind of scare me.
They’re not the only rancid fat in this episode. Kuno did not need to be here. At first, I was happy to see we’d get a little bit of him during this story, but his first scene was just a boring repeat of an already becoming stale joke (Hahaha isn’t it funny that he’s in love with two people at the same time?) and his second scene lasts for about four seconds and is a dull moment in the middle of an emotional scene for Ranma. Genma’s cutaway scenes aren’t as bad, but they’re not really good either. They’re the most neutral.
Of all the side-stories going on here, the only one I actually liked was Nabiki’s. It affected the plot a little, it was in-character for her while driving further to show how money-obsessed she is, she got some anime-only henchwomen out of it (Kikuko and Ryonami for those who care), and I never felt like it was hurting the fight itself. I get that a lot of these other elements of the episode were there for comic relief, but in my opinion it was bad comic relief. It undercut what the other parts of the episode were trying to do, not accentuating them like they should have, and they were just unappetizing. My last complaint would just be a lot of the opening scenes, which were basically mini-recaps about who Ryoga is and what he’s like, didn’t really feel needed.
All of that out of the way, allow me to now gush over what I love about this episode. This fight isn’t the best Ranma vs. Ryoga fight in the series (In fact, I don’t think it would make my Top 3. Yes, if you haven’t seen this show, they really do fight that many times over the course of it.) But it is still a pretty good fight with lots of memorable moments. Ryoga is the first opponent to actually test Ranma’s strength in any real ways, and there are some really killer bits of action here, such as the grappling, the mid-air fighting, and the telephone pole weapon.
What makes this more than just a cool looking fight are the emotional aspects to it. On Ranma’s side, he doesn’t really care about fighting Ryoga, up until his pride is hurt by Ryoga’s comments. For the first time, it’s Ranma getting mad, and from that we get to see how Ranma feels about his situation. That draws out some hints to the mystery behind why Ryoga is angry as well, if you’re paying attention to the clues. (I couldn’t think of anywhere else to mention this, but I am still reeling from how often Ryoga this early in the series relied on weird weapons. Where does he get them? I am quite glad (if I remember correctly) that they phased that part of him out with time.)
On Akane’s end, in addition to another case of Ranma saying the wrong thing to really hurt their attempts to connect with one another, we also learn more about her hair. While a little clumsy, early on it’s made clear, without being outright stated, that the reason Akane wears her hair long, and has been actively growing it out, is so she looks more like Kasumi, hoping to catch Dr. Tofu’s eye. Thus, when the episode ends with that hair being accidentally rendered far shorter, we know that means something to her.
I’d also say this episode does a good job of getting us further into the idea of a status quo developing. After all, it’s apparently been another month of Ranma living with the Tendo’s now, and the school at large seems to be settling into what Ranma brings to them with his presence. They’re not stunned by someone showing up to fight Ranma, they’re chasing after them to watch it. Only other thing to note is, in addition to Nabiki’s minions, Akane’s best friends finally appeared, Yuka and Sayuri. I actually wasn’t sure at first, since Yuka’s hair is a lot shorter than will be her norm later on, but I did confirm that they are in fact her equivalents to Ranma’s Hiroshi and Daisuke. They get even less characterization than those guys do, but they’re a nice addition to the growing cast regardless.
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I still have a few characters who have shown up that I haven’t done a spotlight on, but none of them really featured in this episode, so I decided to do my first repeat. That’s right, we’re talking about Ranma again, and because I’ve already discussed his voice actors and actresses, I won’t need to go over them again, except to say I still love his Japanese voice actor for his uncursed state, but find his actress in that language to not quite work for me.
So, it’s been a little while since the first episode, and we’ve gotten to see Ranma a little more. Since this was an action-heavy episode, I think I’ll start with talking more about his fighting style. I said in that first episode that Ranma is fast, and he is. So far, he’s spent most of his fights dodging his opponent, rather than attacking them, and when he does it’s sometimes with such speed that they don’t even see it happening. It’s the very fact he’s more defensive that is occasionally shown to annoy Akane, and you can see it having another layer to it: Ranma would much rather avoid things he doesn’t like, rather than face them head-on.
But he’s not just quick, he’s quick-witted. To match his meticulous mobility, Ranma thinks on his feet, always looking for ways to outmaneuver or outsmart his opponents. We can see from how easily he lifts Ryoga’s umbrella, even in his cursed form, at the end of this episode that Ranma is also very strong, but he doesn’t rely on that strength, he uses his brain instead. Personally, I’ve always thought that was evidence that, at least with Ryoga of all people, he would probably lose a straight-up strength vs strength fight, but I’m not sure if that’s ever openly stated. Still, I also don’t see Ranma lifting telephone poles out of the ground.
In terms of his personality, I’d argue that through the episodes thus far, Ranma has shown to be a complex protagonist. On the surface layer, he’s a fairly abrasive person. He enjoys nettling people, at least those he knows are easy to rile up, and frequently says the worst possible thing to someone without realizing the damage his comment will do.
But there’s also more to him than that. Whether he wants to admit it or not, and he clearly doesn’t want to, Ranma does care for Akane. He does go out of his way to try and comfort her, cheer her up when she’s down, give her advice with her problems. When she might be in danger, Ranma runs in to help, and is upset that she’d endanger herself during his fight with Ryoga. In other words, Ranma is a tsundere, leaning fairly heavily on the tsun side.
One other important piece of who he is that we’ve gotten only hints of here or there so far is his pride and how it relates to his masculinity. Ranma is a very proud person, and he’s clearly not a fan of people taking him lightly or treating him in a way he doesn’t like. That includes being treated as though he was a girl, because he isn’t.
That is honestly understandable. Sometimes, completely outside of Ranma’s control, his physical body changes into something he doesn’t feel comfortable with. When he’s in his cursed form, people see him and treat him differently, and he keeps trying to assert his masculinity, to no avail. Ryoga gets Ranma angry by saying he was acting like a “girl”, completely unaware of the curse at the time. As I’ve said before, I think this actually relates quite well to the transgender experience, in these cases specifcally gender dysphoria and midgendering. I can’t remember how much we’ve seen of it up to now, but Ranma’s rejection of femininity in any way, something he does to try and preserve his masculine pride, often leads to him acting rude or even misogynistic to others. It’s an interesting part of his character, but I do feel the need to say right now that I absolutely hate the stereotype with trans men where some people claim they act misogynistic to try and be more masculine. Like, I know some people do it, but using that brush on all trans men is just wrong and transphobic, no thank you.
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Welp, that certainly was an episode. Even after going into all the really interesting and good parts of this episode, I am still left with a bad taste in my mouth. By no means did the bad outweigh the good, but the fact the worst parts of the episode were frequently interspersed among the best parts of it broke up the pacing in a bad way for me. It’s still in the top half of the episodes so far, as I’d put it between episodes 6 and 4. The current ranking is now:
Episode 7: Enter Ryoga, the Eternal ‘Lost Boy’
Episode 2: School is No Place for Horsing Around
Episode 6: Akane's Lost Love... These Things Happen, You Know
Episode 8: School is a Battlefield! Ranma vs. Ryoga
Episode 4: Ranma and...Ranma? If It’s Not One Thing, It’s Another
Episode 5: Love Me to the Bone! The Compound Fracture of Akane's Heart
Episode 1: Here’s Ranma
Episode 3: A Sudden Storm of Love
This storyline isn’t over just yet though! Next week, we’ll be looking at the fallout of Akane’s impromptu haircut in episode 9, “True Confessions! A Girl's Hair is Her Life!”. See you all then!
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mor-beck-more-problems · 5 years ago
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White Crest 101 || Morgan & Margot
TIMING: Current
LOCATION: UMWC
PARTIES: @g0t-ri5h & @mor-beck-more-problems
SUMMARY: Margot gets a crash course in class from her new professor, and what it means to be a transplant White Crestian
The class had started several minutes ago and Margot had just barely rolled out of bed. She changed quickly into a pair of pants, not bothering to change the sweatshirt that she had slept in. There was no time. Margot had a habit of being late, a trait she had inherited from her mother. While her mother thought it was a fashionable faux pas, Margot was simply disorganised. By the time she busted through the back entrance of the room, the professor was halfway through her lecture. The nearest free chair was close to the front, one that would attract a great amount of unwanted attention. Margot trudged down to it, annoying a handful of students that had to stand to let her past. She sat down, listened to the remainder of the lesson, not following any of it. An advisor had called her over the weekend, told her that she didn’t have enough credits for the semester. To her chagrin, this class was one of the few that still had availability. English, a subject she had always struggled to comprehend, starting later would only make it more difficult. The lecture came to an end and Margot began to pack her things. “She’s a great teacher when she’s actually here.” One student said to another. Margot listened intently. “My roommate was telling me she was gone for like a month last semester. No explanation, just poof.” The other gossiped back. The two of them left, and Margot was just about to follow them out when she heard her name be called.
“Do your reflection responses! Do the reading! Make good choices! Remember you have agency in your life!” Morgan shouted her end of class reminders in one breath, waving goodbye to each of them as the filed out. Most waved back with a mix of confusion and embarrassment. They made faces, because they were still young and had too much pride, but no one was above a little personal attention or affirmation. “Ooh, not you, straggler! Yes, you, Margot!” She smiled smugly, waving the roster in front of her. It wasn’t magic powers that gave her the student’s name, just some really attentive refreshing of the faculty center page. “You know…” She eyed the girl and gave a wry smile, “If you only stay for half the class, you’re only getting half your money’s worth. Also, technically, no participation credit. Which is an extra bummer, since it’s the easiest thing to get. But since you’re new, I guess I can let the first day slide. You got some free time, Margot? I’d love to know what brought you to my class this late in the game while we go over make-up work?”
Margot let out a quiet and frustrated sigh. She was so looking forward to going back to her bed. Instead she turned to face the professor. “I’m sorry I was late. I overslept.” Margot knew this was not an adequate excuse by any means, but she had no patience or energy to think of something more creative or reasonable. Margot began to walk towards the lectern in the front of the room, towards Morgan. “It was a great lecture though, the parts I was here for. Very, uh, informative.” She offered this as a consolation. Margot glanced at her watch, as if she had someplace else to be. “Yes, I suppose I can stay for a bit.” She took off her backpack and sat it on the floor where she stood. Margot imagined this could take a while. “I thought I had enough credits for the semester, but apparently I didn’t. Yours was one of the only classes I could join so late. Is there much to catch up on?” Margot dreaded to think of all the homework she had missed, it would only add to the growing stack of overdue work on her desk.
Morgan let out a long-suffering sigh. Of course she had only come here for the credit. She had maybe even heard that it was an easy class to pass, which...wasn’t wrong either. Morgan didn’t think that being a hardass with grades was the way to students’ hearts, or to teaching them anything effective. She tossed Margot a syllabus and gathered the rest of her materials, leading her out of the room and off to the long series of halls and stairs it would take to get to her office. “No, there won’t be too much work. Just the introductory assignment, so I know some useful things about you. And you’ll have to grab the books and catch up on the book we’re finishing up next week. But, it’s really not much. I’m not interested in competing with your other courses for ‘Most Demanding Homework.’ I’m here to help you figure out how to think differently and express yourself more effectively. But--” She paused on the stairs to look over at the girl. “Maybe you have some questions for me? I’m not sure how long you’ve been at the school, but I know it can be a lot sometimes no matter what.”
Morgan’s sigh sounded nearly as pained as her own. If Margot was more empathetic, she may have even apologised for being so flippant and insulting the woman’s career. But, alas, she was not so perceptive. Margot caught the syllabus between her palms and began flipping through the first few pages as she followed Morgan out of the room. As she spoke, Margot made a mental note to source an online copy of this week’s reading material. It would be cheaper that way. “Introductory assignment?” Margot hoped it would be a simple questionnaire; name, age, perhaps favourite pets name. Hopefully it wouldn’t ask her about her lifelong hopes and dreams. She would most definitely fail. “I transferred in this year, so I’m still becoming acquainted with everything here.” Margot explained, “I do have one question, since you asked. Your absences,” Margot prefaced before continuing, “I overheard some students say you disappeared without warning last semester. I was just wondering, will attendance still be required if that occurs again?” Her question was admittedly influenced most by laziness and her wish to stay in bed as late as possible. But, Margot was also just curious, and rather nosey. It was probably an inappropriate question, but it was too late to rescind it.
“Oh, just a short reflection on how you feel about reading and writing about stories and what you want to learn this semester. Learning doesn’t happen by accident, and being clear with yourself on what your intentions are can go a long way to getting the most out of the semester!” Morgan explained. She jogged up the next flight of stairs and turned on the landing, bright with encouragement. She nodded along as she walked, commenting that asking questions were how everyone learned. And then Margot asked. Morgan’s foot slipped on the next set of stairs and she stumbled down to one knee. “Uh, my--a-atendance?” She understood that her students flourished better with consistency and she knew that even though none of last semester’s students had the nerve to ask her what had happened or express how it had made them feel, she knew they had their opinions on it. What Morgan did not know was that Margot was the kind of student to cut to the chase, no matter how sharp she needed to be. She straightened herself up and smiled again, scrambling to recover. “Uh, well, it is possible that I may cancel class for unforeseen reasons, in which case there won’t be any reason to take attendance, but if there is class, then there will be someone to teach you, even if for some reason it isn’t me. And if there is someone to teach you, then they will be taking attendance and passing on the roster to me.” Her voice was growing tighter, breathier. She was forgetting to breathe. Morgan hissed through her teeth for breath and forced herself to meet Margot’s eyes. “Is there something else that you wanted to ask me about my absences, Margot?”
Margot’s hand reached out to grab Morgan’s elbow as she stumbled. “Oh, shit!” Margot cursed under her breath. She had clearly taken her professor by surprise. But, as quickly as Morgan’s pleasant smile had faltered, it was back in it’s rightful place. “Very well.” Margot responded to the thorough explanation, “I only ask because my course load is already so full. My programming classes are very time consuming, and I just want to ensure I can keep my schedule intact.” A lie, Margot thrived in disorganisation. Her ‘unplanned routine’, she liked to think. “I’m glad to know that the class would be unaffected in such an event.” Margot smiled in a disingenuous, thin line, hoping to settle the sharpness of Morgan’s breath. She was being her most polite self now, the facade she reserved only for her mother and father. It seemed she had distressed the teacher, Margot wondered why. To her it was such a straightforward question. “No, your absences, and reasons for them are entirely your personal business.” For now anyways. Margot’s mind was already in front of her computer, researching. Her question had tugged at a nerve. Margot liked to know what made people tick, their darkest secrets and how best to exploit them to her advantage. “Did you still want to go over the make-up work?” They were still frozen on the staircase, and Margot wondered whether Morgan would still be willing to help her cause despite the hostility in her tone and posture.
Maybe all the mushroom stress was getting to Morgan too much. She’d been so sure a second ago that this girl was trying to get under her skin, needling about her ‘personal emergency’ last year. But Margot stayed on that line of courtesy, and Morgan wondered whether she made other people feel this way when she asked about their kids or their losses or their dates. Maybe people with their sanity just barely intact didn’t like surprise personal questions. Who knew? Morgan tried to smile again, better this time. “Thank you. I uh, appreciate that. And, yes, of course. I want you to succeed. There’s copies of all the handouts on the class website, since I know half of you guys live your life on your computer.” She climbed up the rest of the way and started down the dimly lit hall, ignoring its off-center doors and the soft give of the floor that was just too much on the wrong side of uncanny to bear contemplating for long. “I know I can’t promise a lot for you, Margot, especially in a place like White Crest, but I can say I’ll try my best for you.”
Margot was glad that she had somewhat diffused the situation, having Morgan dislike her would only make passing this class harder. Once more, they were on route to her office. Margot detested this university, most of all it’s appearance, it was as if it had never had a renovation or even been repainted. She visibly cringed as they continued on their path. She had never been in such a lacklustre environment before, having been born and bred in quiet luxury. She hadn’t acknowledged the privilege while she had it, but since leaving MIT, it’s all she could think about. What she had lost. What had been taken from her. “I appreciate the help. I need it.” It seemed that Morgan was one of the more passionate professors at UMWC, most would not give a student this much assistance. “I’m trying my best to fit in here. It’s just,” Margot paused, considering her words, “such a strange place.” Strange didn’t even scratch the surface. “Have you always lived here? In White Crest?”
Morgan’s office was all the way at the end of the hall, through a communal office supply room stocked with paper the wrong size for the printer and coffee that was perpetually burnt. Morgan’s office was through a sticky door off the corner, one desk in five crammed together. Today, only Karl and Kirk were nursing whiskeys in coffee mugs since Kyle (or his body rather) still hadn’t been found. “Sorry, boys. Official business. Come back in fifteen minutes?” Her voice was bittersweet, sharpening an invisible knife under its surface. Karl and Kirk put their mugs down so fast, whiskey spilled over the sides. They folded their laptops under their arms and shuffled away. Kirk clumsily dropped a mint tea bag on her desk before mumbling an apology and shutting the door behind him.
Morgan turned to her student, smile tight with awkwardness. “Don’t mind the Medieval Bros. They’re mostly harmless. Now, anyways. And I’m a transplant from Texas. Strange is probably...the gentlest word for how things are here. Which, just some unofficial wisdom? Don’t be out after dark alone, especially on the full moon. Stay away from the cosplay bars, the crowds there are more dangerous than they look. Don’t go off trail if you’re a hiker, ever. And keep some bleach on hand in case your bathroom starts sprouting blood, eyeballs, or fish.”
Margot restrained her laughter as the two bumbling men were ushered out of the room. She knew the smell of whiskey well enough to know that wasn’t coffee seeping from their pores. Normally such unprofessionalism would surprise her, but this was the new normal. “Yum, mint tea.” Margot picked the bag up, twirled it between her fingers a few times before dropping it into one of the mugs. She had a sly smile on her face, the result of witnessing something she probably shouldn’t have.
“Texas, wow. I never would have guessed. You don’t even have the signature accent.” Margot made herself comfortable, taking a seat in one of the desk chairs that had become vacant by Karl and Kirk. At Morgan’s advice, Margot’s mouth opened, then closed, not knowing how to respond. She didn’t know what to make of all of these random warnings; skeledogs, mimes, now full moons and the dark. “Why does everyone keep telling me to be careful?” Her eyes narrowed. “I know how to take care of myself.”
Morgan reached into her desk and took out some things from her cache of school supplies, the paper handouts, a journal to be graded, the first assignment, and a spare copy of the first book. “Oh, that,” she said, laughing at the teabag. “They’re just trying to...well, make up for their existence. I think they’re really coming along when it comes to respecting women, though they should probably figure out how to do it without being induced by fear.” She handed Margot the stack of assignments. “Maybe at your old school that was true, but things are different here in ways they don’t tell you in the brochures. So, take these, follow the instructions carefully, and have them in by next week, and I’ll waive the rest of what you’ve missed. And, seriously, be careful. Don’t die!”
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broken-clover · 5 years ago
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AU-gust Day 6- Hospital
I’m here early! Mostly because I had a lot of this written earlier, so if that didn’t make it obvious enough I really liked this prompt. While it’s a hospital prompt is isn’t especially intense or gory, after yesterday I tried to make this one pretty lighthearted. Honestly I feel like the only really uncomfortable part of this is how much effort I put in trying to make a Pokemon expy. Hehe.
Sorry-not-sorry for more Sin and Bedman, it’s a bit more ‘romantic’ then last time but still pretty much platonic friendship. Enjoy!
Though it felt weird to say, Sin knew his least favorite thing about his father was his charity. Helping out people in need was a good thing, obviously, but a ridiculous amount of his childhood memories involved being dragged along to food banks, hospitals, and shelters so his dad could give corny, well-wishing speeches and lend a hand to those less fortunate, forcing him to help out alongside the other volunteers. Sin had used to wonder if it was because something about having a cute little kid around raised everyone’s morale, or whatever.
Well, considering he was now a grown-ass teenager at the age of sixteen, and Ky was still dragging him along, maybe he’d been off the mark.
At least he’d been allowed to take a break after an hour of schlepping donation boxes up to the children’s wing. Of all the places his dad went to for charity work, hospitals were by far his least favorite. The colorless, sterile atmosphere was just unnerving to be around. As soon as he could, he made a dash for the nearest sign pointing him toward the courtyard.
Sin swiped his guest ID through the maglock, which released with a cheery beep. The white walls and stench of antiseptic gave way to an array of soft colors and the smell of flowers. He took a deep whiff of the aroma and sighed with relief. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his handheld, fully charged for when he got a break and could take a minute to loaf off and relax.
Which game had he left in it this time? He popped out the cartridge and smiled. That was right. Pocket Beasts: Light version. His current favorite. He just needed a comfy place to hunker down and play.
A few stone benches were placed in between bushes and flowerbeds, all unoccupied. The place looked really empty, but it made sense. Everyone who wasn’t already busy was probably at Ky’s speech. At least it meant he’d be able to get some peace and quiet and privacy.
He spotted a pretty lavender flower poking out of the bushes and approached. The ‘flower’ moved, making him realize he’d seen wrong. Sin groaned inwardly at the sight of another person, perched on the short stone wall surrounding the flowerbeds. They didn’t glance up, if they’d even noticed him at all, appearing too absorbed in their own handheld device to care about much else.
“H-hey.” He raised a hand at them, and offered a twitchy half-smile. There were so many ways he knew this could go wrong. Sometimes people screamed at him until he fled, or immediately launched into the most boring small-talk possible. Sin just wanted to play his game, he really had no interest in causing any trouble. “Can I sit down?”
Sin braced himself for a response, but he didn’t get one. “Hey?” He tried again, waving harder. Maybe they were deaf? “Is it ok if I sit out here?”
Eyes glanced up at him, but only for a half-second before they returned to the screen. Well, it wasn’t a ‘no,’ so the best he could assume was they just didn’t care.
Hesitantly, he found a place to sit. If the hospital gown and IV hadn’t already given it away, it was pretty clear that he was a patient, not a visitor. He was scrawny and spindly to the point where it was almost disturbing, his skin was pale and sickly, and the messy bedhead was only slightly offset by the awkward purple hair dye. Why was he out here in the first place, instead of at Ky’s speech?
He knew staring was rude, but he just couldn’t stop himself. Every time he tried, there was another odd little detail that caught his attention. A peculiar little hairclip in the shape of a pink arrow. A purple charm bracelet half-hidden by his standard-issue hospital band. Glittery star stickers on the sides of his handheld, and- hey, he recognized that game!
His expression brightened. “Oh, you play Pocket Beasts too? That’s my favorite! Who’s your starter?”
The only response he got was a couple of button clicks. Sin found himself sinking back into an uncomfortable silence. Well, he supposed it was better than being yelled at. He switched his game on.
Dad said he wasn’t supposed to use the internet at the hospital because it would mess with all the fancy machines, so online matches were out of the question. Well, there was always the battle tower. Maybe he could item grind to kill time. He still needed to finish his Soup Encyclopedia and some of the rare cooking items could only be found there.
Any discomfort he had was wiped away with the familiar music and intro screen of the game. How could he worry when there were battles to be won? All he had to worry about was making the most of his free time.
His avatar flickered into existence, still in the last town he’d visited. As soon as he moved towards the nearest building, though, a little indicator popped up on the bottom of the screen. Puzzled, Sin took his stylus and tapped on the icon.
Trainer BEDMAN would like to battle!
>Accept Decline
‘Bedman?’ He looked up at the little avatar that had appeared, then glanced off to the boy at his side. The messy lavender dye-job was surprisingly close, as was the magenta arrow pinning his bangs out of his eyes. Was it just some weird coincidence? If he wanted to play, he could have just asked…
Despite his confusion, Sin clicked ‘Accept.’ PvP battles were more fun than doing the same grind he had done over and over again. Even if he did lose, it was in a totally unique way.
The usual introductory animations played out as their avatars posed and tossed their first beasts into battle. Sin had to snicker at the disparity between their choices. He always liked sending his biggest and toughest beasts out in the beginning, and pretty much anything looked tiny beside it.
But smaller meant faster, so he wasn’t all that surprised to see the other one attack first. He braced himself for a tough starting move...only to be confused at the sight of a sand cloud being thrown at him.
Enemy Used SAND TOSS!
Accuracy Lowered!
Sand toss? What a waste of a turn! Sin grinned as it switched to his turn. Karate chop, a pretty powerful start, it always hit, and he had the type advantage, what a great way to start a match- !
Attack Missed!
“What!? How did that miss!?”
“Karate chop has a standard accuracy of 100%.” A low, quiet voice spoke up next to him, making Sin practically jump back in shock. “But I lowered your accuracy with sand toss, so now there’s a 15% chance it won’t hit.”
“...Huh.” He looked back at his screen. “Never see people use sand toss out of, like, NPC fights.”
“Most players treat accuracy-modifiers as a waste of time, but if you have a Pocket Beast with a high enough defense, then the turns spent not attacking are made up for when the opponent can barely hit you later.” The strange boy had such a casual tone to his voice, as though they’d been conversing for hours already.
It was a bit jarring, but Sin tried to roll with it. “I guess that does make sense. Sorta like when a beast has the ‘Decoy’ ability and the first attack never hits?”
“Kind of. But a lot of players know which beasts can have Decoy, so they know ahead of time to focus on stat-altering moves or poisoning instead of wasting a turn when they know attacking won’t do anything. Take your turn.”
It took him a moment to process the last bit, but he noticed the battle menu had popped up again. He picked another attack. “Why’d you want to battle me? Did you just pick at random?”
“You were the only opponent available.” Another sand toss. “It’s hard to find people to play with on local, and I’m not allowed to use global matchmaking in my room because it needs an internet connection.”
Sin waited for his two-turn charge move to activate, but before it could be his turn, a swift attack managed to knock his beast out cold. “Damn it! I thought I had that…”
He spotted a triumphant little smirk out of the corner of his eye. “Pocket Beasts is all about tactics. You have to take everything into account. It’s easy to just care about how much damage a move can do, but you’re doomed from the start if you don’t have the right stats, or the best moveset to compliment them.”
He couldn’t help but grin along with him. “Wow, you’re really good at strategy!
‘Bedman’ managed a small, awkward smile. “Well, um, not like I have much else to do…”
“Really?” Sin tilted his head. “I guess it’s good you’ve got something fun to do while you’re here, all this hospital stuff skeeves me out. When do they let you go back home? I dunno how long you’ve been here, but I think I’d go nuts after a couple of days.”
“I’m not sure. I’ve been here a while, already.” A lucky hit from Sin’s beast managed to knock his first one out. “Since...last January, if I remember correctly.”
Last January? Jeez, forget a few days, he was sure he’d be past insanity after a whole year!
Sin donned a look of pity. “That sucks. What’s wrong with you?” The words came out before he could think or realize that it wasn’t an especially nice thing to say. “Uh, shit, sorry-”
“Mmm. It’s okay. At least you don’t mince your words. I have a neurological disorder that affects how my brain processes information. It’s a bit hard to describe. Let’s say a human brain is like a computer, it processes the inputs that are fed into it. Powerful, modern computers can process a lot of information all at once, but if a computer is old, or wasn’t built properly, trying to process too much information can make it overheat and crash.”
“Oh. So how do you keep it from ‘overheating?’”
“Sleep, mostly. I’m only awake for a few hours every day. When I’m awake, and I don’t have tests to do, I like to play games. My sister and I play multiplayer sometimes, but usually I have to play by myself. She has the same problem I do, so a lot of the time one of us is asleep during the times the other’s awake.”
Was it weird to get all this personal information from someone he’d just met? Sin wasn’t sure. But he did like talking to this guy. “Well, want to swap Friend Codes? If we’re registered as friends then local multiplayer should work, then you don’t have to use an internet connection!”
“Where do you live?”
“Central Illyria!” Sin beamed. “Like, half an hour at most. It should still work from there.”
The other boy gave him an odd look. “I’m sure there’s plenty of hospitals closer to you, then. Why did you come out all the way here?”
That got him to roll his eyes, making an exaggerated gagging noise. “My dad. He always drags me along on his charity stuff, carrying boxes and shit. He only let me take a break because he’s making some dumb speech up in the-”
And the regret came just as fast as he saw his companion’s expression shift. He hated the visits, obviously, but he knew it was important to a lot of people. And if someone had been stuck in a hospital for that long, maybe they’d be happy to have someone new come by. He must have come off as such a dick-
Before he could stew on it more, he heard a little laugh. “Yeah. I hate those, too.” Bedman was smiling at him. “You’re Kiske’s kid? That’s got to be awful.”
“Heh. Yeah, it really is.” He rubbed the back of his head. “Never gave you my name, did I? I’m Samson, but everyone just calls me ‘Sin.’”
“I was curious about your name, that does make a bit more logical sense.” His companion nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, Sin.”
“Same! What about you? Can’t imagine your name’s really ‘Bedman,’ is it?”
“More of a screen name, really. My name is-”
“Mattie! Dr. Baldy says you’ve gotta have your IV changed!”
They both jumped at the sudden noise, accompanied by the slam of a door. A girl with shaggy blonde hair and familiar features limped into the courtyard, setting her sights on them as soon as she was visible.
“There you are! I just knew you’d be out here.”
“Well, there’s not many other places I could be…” He said. “When did you wake up?”
“‘bout half an hour ago.” She replied. “Just in time for mom and dad to send me out to look for you.”
The girl’s expression changed when she noticed Sin. “Oh! Mattie, who’s this?”
“Sin, this is my twin sister, Delilah.” ‘Mattie’ pointed to her. “Delilah, this is my...new friend.”
“New friend?” Delilah reached out and shook Sin’s hard with a remarkable amount of strength. “Did my baby bro talk your ear off about his favorite game again?”
“You’re only older by nine minutes, Delilah!”
“He’s really good at Pocket Beasts.” Replied Sin. “It was fun playing with him!”
At that, he realized neither of them had selected anything in a while. He looked down at his screen
TIME UP
DRAW
“Aww, maaaaan…”
“Do we have enough time for another match?” Mattie asked.
“Dr. Baldy looked really serious. We probably can’t make him wait that long.” Delilah shook her head.
Sin tried to bring the mood back up. “Well, we were still gonna swap Friend Codes, right? Then we can play whenever! Either of you have something to write with?”
Delilah pulled a thick black sharpie from her sock. “I have a marker! But no paper…”
“Oh! Hold on a sec.” Sin rolled his jacket sleeve up and held out his arm. Just write it on the back!”
The two of them looked hesitant. “Is that safe?”
“It’s totally fine! It’s a little hard to wash off, but that means it won’t smear before I get home!”
Mattie took the marker and began scribbling on his forearm. “You’re really quite strange, Sin.”
“Thanks!” As soon as the wet feeling on his arm went away, he twisted around to see two series of digits.“What’s this other number?”
“Our phone number. If, um, you ever feel like calling.” Despite his attempts to hide it, Sin could see the faint blush to the other boy’s cheeks. “Do you think you could do one more thing very quickly?”
He couldn’t think of what it could have possibly been. “Yeah?”
“Can you draw something on me? I’ve never done it before. I want to see what it’s like.”
He grinned. “Hell yeah! I’ll try and draw something cool real quick!”
Delilah winced. “You know mom and dad are going to kill you, right?”
“Just say it was my idea!” Sin beamed. Mattie flinched the first time he pressed the marker to his skin, but he managed to still draw a straight line. He couldn’t think of anything in particular to draw, so he settled for a series of sharp, criss-crossing black lines circling his forearm. “How’s that?”
“...woah.” Simple as it was, Mattie looked utterly awestruck. “It’s…
“C’mon, Mattie, we’ve gotta go!” Tired of waiting, Delilah all but dragged him off the wall.
“See ya!” Sin waved as they departed. “You’d better bring your A-game next time we battle, I don’t lose easy!” He folded up his game and tucked it into his back pocket. That was probably his cue to leave, too.
As he hopped off the wall, he could make out a faint voice trailing away to the other side of the courtyard.
“Huh? What’s the deal with you, Mattie? You never look that happy!”
Sin smiled as he turned to leave. Ky was probably waiting for him.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been excited for the next visit.
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tenaciousbananapuppy · 4 years ago
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7 First-Round Interview Tips That Will Help Land You A Second Interview
Getting the first-round meet is a significant achievement in your pursuit of employment measure: It implies that you accomplished something right with regards to the planning cycle. Your resume was on-point, your experience is on target, and your introductory letter was elegantly composed. Yet, presently it's an ideal opportunity to show them much more about yourself.
A first-round meet is normally done via telephone or by video call. It's a screen that you need to pass to be really considered for the work. It has its own arrangement of insurances and best practices that ought to be recognized to ensure that you're doing your absolute best.
Here are seven meeting tips for catching that second-round spot.
1. Have answers arranged for the three most basic inquiries questions
They're not all going to be this simple.
There are sure inquiries that each questioner will pose in some structure, so you must be prepared to answer them paying little heed to which field you're attempting to enter. The uplifting news is, in case you're an extraordinary possibility for the work, thinking of an answer that will dazzle your questioner ought to be simple.These inquiries are:
For what reason would you say you are keen on this job?
What are your qualities?
For what reason would you like to work at this organization specifically?
You ought to consistently answer "For what reason do you need this job?" with the accompanying two focuses:
Discussion concerning why you'll be an extraordinary fit for the position.
Clarify what you want to escape the situation in the long haul.
This way you're showing that in addition to the fact that you have something to offer the organization that the organization has something to bring to the table you (which makes you a shockingly better speculation on their part).
Most managers need to realize that the individual they're recruiting is searching for a profitable relationship—not simply an approach to bring in cash.
With respect to qualities, make certain to pick your main three qualities generally applicable to the position and have solid instances of when you showed them previously—regardless of whether that implies bringing a model from class or an extracurricular instead of a past work or temporary job. Furthermore, be straightforward here—distorting yourself will just damage your odds of giving a quality model.
The last inquiry will depend vigorously on your exploration around the organization's main goal, culture, and how those identify with your own objectives. For instance, you could say something like, "Since I need to be in authority over the long haul, I think your organization, which offers a huge load of the executives preparing, would be an extraordinary fit for me."
2. Show them that you've done your exploration
Simply make certain to do it before the meeting.
There are three things you truly need to find out about before your meeting:
Find out about the organization's business and history. You should understand what the business does (clearly) and how it began. Make note of things like acquisitions, significant defining moments, and the greatest successes (and misfortunes) in its set of experiences. This sort of data can prove to be useful and—more significant—isn't something you need to be found napping without.
Find out about your expected job. Understanding the business implies understanding what you would add to the business. Completely read the set of working responsibilities. From that point onward, search the name of the job in addition to the name of the organization to get more model based meanings of the position. This will significantly advise your answers concerning qualities, fit, and what you desire to acquire.
Check the news. When's the last time the organization made the news? You presumably will not have any desire to raise any outrages or PR debacles. Yet, showing them that you stay up to date with current undertakings as well as have an eye on the organization is an extraordinary chance to sparkle.
How are you going to show them you've taken every necessary step? Allow the exploration to illuminate your answers. It's alright to be express and say, "For instance, in my examination, I learned… " They don't anticipate that you should be a deep rooted master on the organization, just somebody who can get their work done when they're called upon.
3. Show energy and appreciation all through the meeting
Let them realize that you give it a second thought!
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As of now by applying, you've shown some interest in the position. In any case, to demonstrate to the questioner that this isn't "simply one more work" as far as you might be concerned, make a point to sound connected with, excited, and appreciative for the questioner's time and thought. This is particularly significant via telephone, where your questioner's just impression of your disposition is the sound of your voice.
Regardless of whether you're anxious, you should pick up the telephone with a merry, "Hey, this is ____." instead of simply a "Hello!" or "Hi." Listen near what the questioner says, express gratitude toward them for their time, and be certain you're showing your fervor with enthusiastic answers. Try not to stress a lot over being messy—it's positively better than the inverse!
4. For telephone interviews, ensure you're in a calm spot with a solid sign
Trust us, it never sounds as beguiling in a meeting.
Get yourself a room in the library, your home, or a school fabricating that will give you the protection and assets you need to effectively finish the meeting. You need to try not to accept any calls outside, in cafés, other public spots, or any place where you may be approached to move in your meeting.
This implies you ought to painstakingly prepare. Request your flatmate to get out for that window from time, book a room in the library ahead of time, or tell your family that you'll be in y room accepting a call at 10 o'clock.
You'll additionally need to have your PC prepared (with web admittance) to take speedy notes, reference any reports they should send you, or open any connections they may pass along. At times you'll even be approached to finish a test or exercise during the call, so prepare sure you're for anything.
5. Have a notebook and printed adaptation of your resume before you
Scribble down fast arguments you need to hit later… yet consistently look mindful, as so.
This is particularly significant on the off chance that they've sent you records to take a gander at on the PC or have requested that you follow a connection. You can't generally utilize your PC to take notes and you would prefer not to miss something significant. Additionally, on the off chance that your first-round talk with IS face to face, utilizing a PC to remove notes is from the inquiry (except if they teach you to).
6. For video calls, dress expertly and work in a spotless setting
Simply ensure you have some place to sit upright…
At the point when you're on a video call, there's a restricted visual component that you must know about. Ensure the room you're in is spotless and nothing also diverting is in the picture. You should likewise dress like you would for an in-person meet.
Bring down any diverting or dubious banners/divider workmanship and ensure your web association is sufficiently able to appropriately lead a video call. You may have to work off a school PC or Wi-Fi organization to get this going—thus, by and by, prepare.
7. Remember to follow up
I simply needed to say, "Much appreciated… and here are three reasons why I'm ideal for the work, accomplice!"
First round interviews normally mean numerous up-and-comers being evaluated for a similar position. Circling back to an eloquent, brief email momentarily helping the questioners to remember your abilities, why you would be an extraordinary fit, and your advantage in the position will help you stick out. Likewise, make certain to express gratitude toward them again for their time and disclose to them you're anticipating further talking about the chance.
By following these means, you're making a course for getting your fantasy work. Recollect that regardless of whether you don't get this specific position, you'll simply be more ready for the following meeting. Getting past a meeting is all by itself an achievement.
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priyanshusharma10 · 4 years ago
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IS BLUEHOST WORTH BUYING? COMPLETE GUIDE
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Did you know that Bluehost is home to more than 2 million websites?
Bluehost is a top option to consider if you’re in the market for a web host. They power more than 2 million sites across the globe.
But web hosting services are not created equally.
I see so many new webmasters make the mistake of just going with the cheapest web host or the web hosting site that appears first in their Google search results.
For something as important as web hosting, weigh your options in order to find the best web hosting plan for your needs.
Since so many of you will likely come across Bluehost during your search, I want to give you the best information you can to make a decision.
I’ll explain all of their hosting plans, pricing, and discuss the best parts about using Bluehost. I’ll even tell you about a couple of cons associated with Bluehost, just to make sure you have all the facts before you sign up.
Let’s look in to some of the benefits of bluehost webhosting!!
Benefits of Using Bluehost Web Hosting
While Bluehost offers a lot of great features, some of them are really stand out.
Low pricing options
Bluehost allows you to spend much less on web hosting. That’s great especially if you’re looking to build a site on a budget.
As you’ve already seen, the introductory rates for Bluehost shared web hosting starts at just $3.95 per month. Being able to host your site for less than $50 is a great deal.
All Bluehost shared hosting plans come with a free SSL certificate and free marketing credits. When you factor in the storage and bandwidth you’re getting, that’s a fairly decent value for the price.
Overall, this is one of the lowest prices you’ll see for a legitimate web host.
Great security
Even though Bluehost has some inexpensive pricing options compared to other web hosts on the market today, it doesn’t mean that they’re inferior when it comes to crucial security features.
I’ve already mentioned that an SSL certificate comes standard, regardless of which plan you choose.
Furthermore, their plans have a feature to hide the personal information that you used when signing up for a private domain. Lots of times hackers will target this information from website owners.
Bluehost has features to prevent malware attacks, as well as tools used for automatic daily backups. You’ll also get a security tool that offers spam protection for the email address associated with your website.
Again, this is all a great value considering how much these plans go for.
Top loading speeds
Page loading speed is something that always needs to be taken into consideration when you’re shopping around for the best website host.
If your site takes too long to load, it’s going to kill your engagement metrics. People will abandon your site, and you won’t be able to drive conversions. It’s as simple as that.
The average response time for Bluehost in 2020 is 352 ms. To put that into perspective, refer to my SiteGround web hosting review. SiteGround’s average response time over the same period of time was 662 ms, which is still fast.
Bluehost nearly cuts that time in half.
Easy to use
You don’t need to be a tech expert to host your website with Bluehost. Nearly anyone, regardless of their experience level, can find a beginner hosting plan from this platform.
That’s definitely not the case with all web hosting providers on the market today. There are plenty of web hosts out there that are specifically designed for advanced webmasters.
Whether you’re using WordPress or taking advantage of the Bluehost website builder, everything will be pretty straightforward and easy to follow.
Excellent support
Even though Bluehost is easy to figure out, you may still find yourself in a situation where you need some help or guidance.
In most cases, you should able to find an answer through their knowledge base page. This is essentially a support center that has how-to guides, tutorials, and articles with instructions for troubleshooting and FAQ. Simply search what you’re looking for, and there will likely be a resource to help you out.
Furthermore, Bluehost has 24/7 phone support, which is great for those of you who like to be talked through problems.
If you’re like me, you’ll probably just take advantage of their live chat agents. It’s a fast and easy way to get an answer without having to leave their website.
High uptime
You can’t give a web hosting review without referring to uptime rates. Take a look at where Bluehost stacks up compared to other web hosting providers in this recent study.
Bluehost ranked second on the list with a 99.991% average uptime for the year. That percentage is identical to MidPhase, which ranked first on the list.
Furthermore, you can see that Bluehost only had seven total outages on the year, which was the lowest for all hosts in the top five, including the top-ranking provider on the list.
It really doesn’t get much better than that. So if you host your website with Bluehost, you can rest assured knowing that your site isn’t going to have much downtime throughout the year.
Money-back guarantee
Like most web hosting services, you won’t get a free trial to try them out. But with that said, Bluehost does offer a 30-day money-back promise.
So if you’re on the fence about using Bluehost, it’s comforting to know that you’ll get refunded if you’re not ultimately satisfied in the first month.
But with that said, it’s worth noting that the refund only applies to web hosting costs. So if you use Bluehost for a domain name or other add-ons, those purchases are final.
WordPress hosting
If you’re using WordPress hosting, Bluehost is definitely a top option for you to consider. That’s because this web host is just one of the three “official” recommended choices from the WordPress website.
Hostgator and interserver are the other two recommended web hosting services on this WordPress resource.
With that said, you can still use nearly any other web hosting service on the market to create your WordPress website. But it’s definitely a positive sign that Bluehost is recognised as a WordPress partner.
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Compare Bluehost Web Hosting Plans
Not every website has the same web hosting needs. Bluehost knows this and has three different types of web hosting options for you to choose from.
• Shared
• VPS (virtual private server)
• Dedicated server
Choosing which kind of web hosting plan to go with will vary based on how much you want to pay, your expected site traffic, and the type of website you have. Below I will give you a more detailed description of the differences between these hosting options.
Shared hosting
If you have a new website and you’re on a tight budget, shared hosting might be your best option. Bluehost offers four different pricing plans for its shared hosting services.
• Basic — $3.95 per month
• Plus — $5.95 per month
• Choice Plus — $5.95 per month
• Pro — $13.95 per month
I know what some of you are thinking. If Plus and Choice Plus are priced the same, wouldn’t you automatically go with Choice Plus?
All Bluehost plans go up in price once you renew. The advertised prices above are just the introductory rates. It’s worth noting that Plus renews at $10.99 per month, while Choice Plus renews at $14.99 per month.
Bluehost has managed shared hosting platforms, meaning you won’t have to worry about managing servers or anything like that
VPS hosting
VPS hosting from Bluehost is the middle-tier option of the three plans. There are three pricing options for a Bluehost virtual private server.
• Standard — $19.99 per month
• Enhanced — $29.99 per month
• Ultimate — $59.99 per month
The biggest differences in these plans are the cores, SSD storage, RAM, bandwidth, and IP addresses.
With the Standard plan, you’ll get 1 core, 30 GB of SSD storage, 2 GB of RAM, 1 TB of bandwidth, and 1 IP address. Cores, SSD storage, and RAM double at each tier for the Enhanced and Ultimate packages.
Using Bluehost for a VPS gives you dedicated server resources. You’ll be able to use your RAM, CPU, and disk space, no matter what other users on the same server are doing. VPS hosting also has increased security, since you won’t be sharing an operating system with any other Bluehost users.
Dedicated hosting
Picking a dedicated server plan from Bluehost means you’ll be taking advantage of their top of the line services. These plans are made for those of you who are tech-savvy and want complete control over your server.
• Standard — $79.99 per month
• Enhanced — $99.99 per month
• Premium — $119.99 per month
As you can see, top-tier plans come at higher price points. With VPS hosting, you’re maxed out at 120 GB of SSD storage, 8 GB of RAM, 3 TB of bandwidth, and 2 IP addresses. But dedicated servers from Bluehost go all the way up to 1 TB of storage, 16 GB of RAM, 15 TB of bandwidth, and 5 IP addresses.
These plans will probably exceed the needs and uses for what most of you are looking for. But with that said, as your website grows and your traffic scales, you might want to consider a dedicated server in the future.
Conclusion:
With all said, I definitely recommend Bluehost as a web hosting option among various services in the market with it’s leading uptime and fast loading characteristics in the market.
It also has hosting types, plans and options to meet the needs of any website. From these options, I’m sure, you’ll able to find an option that best fit for your online business and hosting needs and plans.
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wmacos73 · 4 years ago
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Bluehost Hosting Review: Is it worth buying in 2021
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Bluehost has been a pioneer in the realm of facilitating since its foundation in 1996. Being one of the most punctual web facilitating specialist co-ops, it has amassed a huge measure of involvement and information to arise as the main brand for WordPress facilitating. Truth be told, they are authoritatively supported by WordPress as a suggested facilitating specialist co-op. Moreover, the organization offers all administrations from sites facilitating straightforward websites to cutting edge undertakings supporting Web-based business exercises. Host advice has accumulated genuine Bluehost audits from genuine clients to comprehend whether the host specialist organization merits the cash.
Buy Bluehost hosting with maximum discounts and a free domain. Click Here…
Advantages:
Moderate Estimating: Bluehost offers a scope of plans for clients to look over. These bundles oblige everybody, from a grounded company to a business in its beginning phases.
Dependability: Bluehost powers various sites while offering the least vacation.
Complete Rate Straightforwardness: Not at all like numerous other facilitating specialist organizations, Bluehost doesn’t exact any concealed charges for profiting their administrations.
Free Space Name: When you join at Bluehost, clients will be given a free area name for a time of 1 year.
30-day Unconditional promise: Bluehost offers a 30-day no inquiries posed to unconditional promise for all the facilitating plans
Disadvantages :
High Reestablishment Cost: Even though the underlying membership is reasonable, the area restoration cost isn’t as pocket-accommodating when contrasted with its companions.
Upselling of Addons: Bluehost follows a forceful mission to upsell add-ons when you are joining. Nonetheless, you can uncheck the discretionary add-ons on the off chance that you needn’t bother with them.
Site Movement Expenses: On the off chance that you are changing your workers to Bluehost, the organization will charge you site relocation expenses, which different organizations permit at no extra expense.
Bluehost Execution Examination
Speed is the principal rule while picking the right web facilitating specialist organization. A profoundly responsive site won’t just upgrade the client experience, yet it will likewise support your Website optimization rankings.
How about we look at how the Bluehost workers perform:
Bluehost Speed Test outcomes
For a site page of size 700kB, the heap time offered by Bluehost is around 1.24 seconds, which is quicker than 85% of host specialist co-ops. In any event, when the approaching traffic expands, the worker load time stays predictable even at top traffic. Moreover, Bluehost piles up a score of 99.99% uptime on a normal, which in some cases likewise reaches out to 100%!
The speed test results demonstrate that Bluehost can uphold quick stacking of sites even in high rush hour gridlock conditions. For WordPress facilitating, low idleness is significant.
Bluehost Worker Reaction Time
At the point when the Bluehost worker reaction time is tried utilizing the Bycatch apparatus, the workers reacted inside part of a second. Then again, worker reaction times from different areas take longer yet at the same time inside a second.
The worker reaction time shows that Bluehost workers are profoundly receptive to guests from the US. Notwithstanding, if your intended interest group is found everywhere in the world, at that point picking an alternate worker would be appropriate.
Bluehost Facilitating Plans and Estimating
Bluehost offers variable plans appropriate for different business settings. It offers committed workers, shared facilitating, cloud facilitating, VPS, WordPress facilitating, Woo Commerce facilitating, and substantially more. All the plans permit the client to introduce WordPress in a solitary snap.
We should take a gander at the valuing for shared facilitating plans offered by Bluehost:
Essential: Accessible at beginning membership cost of $2.95/month
Additionally: Accessible at beginning membership cost of $5.95/month
Prime: Accessible at introductory membership cost of $5.95/month (with Site Backup highlight)
Bluehost Reinforcement and Security
With regards to security, Bluehost performs 24×7 organization checking on their workers while Site Lock examines the host sites to identify infections and malware. Even though Bluehost offers free reinforcement to its customers, these reinforcements are not ensured by the organization. Accordingly, Bluehost prescribes that clients can utilize cPanel to make site reinforcement.
Bluehost Client care Administrations
Bluehost offers a scope of channels for clients to associate with the client service group. These mediums include:
Live Visit: Clients can get to the Live Talk include without joining at Bluehost. This office is accessible 24×7 for new and existing clients.
Telephone Backing: If you wish to look for help overcall, you can drop a line on the complementary number at +1(888)401–4678 (for US occupants) and global approaches +1801–765–9400
Email Backing: Even though Bluehost disposed of its tagging framework, you can even now leave a mail to Bluehost to address your issues.
Online Library: notwithstanding all the previously mentioned channels, Bluehost additionally offers an information base of supportive articles for the individuals who fix their issues without help from anyone else. The library contains guides, how-to posts, directions, and so forth to manage now and again happening issues.
Last Considerations
Note:  My Medium Account
Bluehost is an adept facilitating stage for novices who are searching for a dependable host sponsored by a solid standing. The effectively safe and straightforward UI permits even newbies to get their site going in a matter of seconds, particularly WordPress facilitating based destinations. Being the most established organization dynamic in this field, it appreciates incredible trust from its customers. For those on a tight spending plan, their shared facilitating plans are quite moderate aside from that upselling may build the expenses so be careful about that. WordPress clients who are eager to pay a couple of additional bucks to access extra highlights can depend on the administrations offered by Bluehost. Their devoted help and upkeep group of WordPress facilitating specialists will empower your activities to run consistently. Numerous sites believe Bluehost to be the #1 facilitating specialist co-op, and given its administrations, the position is advocated.
So why waiting, buy Bluehost hosting with maximum discounts and a free domain. Click Here...
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