#trying to save up and set a reasonable budget for myself

[horsefigureoftheday]

Less than 2 weeks until Bella Center Flea Market

[rootspiral]

Agatha All Along deep dive: episode 3 part 3

(Wandavision entries: [1][2][3])

(AAA entries: ep1 [1][2][3][4] ep2 [1][2][3][4] ep3 [1][2][3] ep4 [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][+1] ep5 [1][2][3][4][5] ep6 [1][2][3] ep7 [1][2][3][4][5][6] ep8 [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] ep9 [1][2][3][4][5][6])

lilia: falling through time, desperately trying to help alice

agatha: bitch I'm trying to save myself!!!!! oh she's so awkward when she thinks lilia's going mad. she's a moment away from grabbing a broom and going there, there like in that 30 rock scene

I know they had a relatively low budget for this show and it was such a blessing in disguise. they invested in great sets and instead of cgi they relied on classic cinema tricks that I find so satisfying?? Idk if it's just nostalgia talking. here they simply move the camera away for a moment, lower the lights and move the actor in position, and it makes for an amazing jumpscare.

baby lilia asking 'vuoi vedere?' do you want to see? because it is a choice for lilia. for a long time she chose not to use her gift- she was simply too powerful, she saw too much, and the knowledge of the future scarred her and made her an outcast among others

alice's smile at seeing a vision of her mom T-T

why inconvenient? what was jen doing? she was an obstetrician and midwife. she was helping women out with herbs and pagan knowledge passed down from mother to daughter. Back in the day midwives were struggling to get their skills recognized in an increasingly male dominated field, they were advocating alternative treatments for women constantly humiliated by condescending modern doctors - from forced bed rest to insane asylums to lobotomy in worst case scenarios. think Charlotte Perkins Gilman's short story, The Yellow Wallpaper. think about everything that happened to Virginia Woolf.

we know that alice was a teenager when lorna died in a fire. she wasn't well, alice says, and we see now that she had a drinking problem. it's equally possible that the demon got to her or that she set herself on fire out of desperation. and if lorna could feel her own mother dying, alice could too.

daang great zombie makeup on the teacher lady

lilia when her incredible abilities made her able to see Death: burdened by knowledge way beyond the scope of humanity she goes into exile

agatha when her incredible abilities made her able to see Death: you know what I'm gonna tap that

I saw people saying that because the Road wasn't real nothing that happened in the show mattered, that they all died for nothing. I disagree completely, and not only because Billy's chaos magic is so astonishingly powerful that he can create a functional Road out of thin air. like, it wasn't a trick, he made it real. But more importantly, what happened to these women, their experiences, their growth on the Road is real. Even if Billy didn't do it on purpose, even if it's fucked up that a teenager can essentially go, you know what would be cool? if they all experienced their deepest trauma! but that's the point, that's the point, that's the whole damn point of the show. life is chaos and nonsense and heartbreak, it's up to you to find a meaning where there isn't any. look at lilia! the lesson is not that you're going to die, but what you choose to do with the cards that you're dealt, with the time that you're given.

while Patti clearly has an american accent, she is speaking correct sicilian, tutti morti su' - they could have had her talk in italian and hardly anyone would have noticed, but they went above and beyond with the details. the latin in the show is also rather impressive, like they actually hired experts rather than relying on google translate

agatha has gotten too used to run leaving a pile of bodies behind. not so easy to consider them just food when you have to live alongside them and witness their feelings, is it?? first wanda and now this!

@perpetualanon pointed out yesterday that agatha also had selfish reasons for wanting to save billy, i.e. she didn't want to risk him being poisoned because who knows what horrors a hallucinating billy could create. Yes! exactly that! it's always worth saying that when agatha has these fleeting moments of compassion and altruism it's in the context of a whole lotta selfishness. i think of her as that drawing of Stitch's badness level, her whole body is almost filled to the brim with awfulness and there's only a thin layer of goodness that she's constantly trying to smother. her actions on the Road are almost entirely selfish, but for the first time in centuries she's surrounded by people, like Lilia here and Jen and Alice and especially Billy, who are accidentally nurturing her almost atrophied good side. and lemme tell you she's pissed about it!

of course these two don't know what a sous vide is, one is dirt poor and the other eats people.

I'm gonna take a stand for zoomers here, he might have never learned what counterclockwise means, but millennials like me would also have hesitated and tried to picture it in our minds. because a lot of us lack spacial intelligence and are generally rather dumb

the shock and terror on her face when she hears nicky crying

another great special effect achieved only with lights and the cast shuffling out of frame

they show the darkhold because they need to mislead viewers and can't give nicky's story away just yet, but doesn't it make sense that agatha would see it? all these centuries blaming rio, and deep down agatha is haunted not by Death, but by her own actions and choices. the way she kept Nicky isolated and unsafe. the way she insulted his memory by going on killing sprees instead of letting herself mourn. the way she used the darkhold to corrupt her soul more and more, because she was never brave enough to confront her guilt.

kathryn hahn really said, do you want Emotional Devastation???? do you wanna see a woman SUFFER? do you want your heart put through a blender??? I can do that in TWO seconds

agatha wants to NOT DIE so badly that she has to drop the clown act and give jen a proper pep talk. because she knows what makes people tick and she can uplift just as well as she can destroy, she can help jen because she knows her so well. there's always that potential there, all of agatha's talent and her intelligence and experience could shape her into a great mother and sister in a coven. a potential that evanora refused to see and that will likely never be fulfilled.

and the irony, the irony of never wanting to hurt jen, to deliberately avoid going after her - because she's a midwife. because nicky was stillborn, because she had to give birth alone in the woods. agatha believes with all her heart that jen's work is fundamentally good and important. and yet she was the one who bound and tortured and violated her. she was so fucking focused on herself that she didn't even realize she was tramping and destroying everything in her path like a mad steamroller. she allied with the enemy, she went against her community's best interests. there's a lot to think about there, I really want to explore it more

patti during that hot ones episode

NOW YOU GUYS REMEMBER HER. and of course it's alice who does

your internalized stereotypes are really testing lilia's patience, billy (and while they consider the oven sharon is writhing and dying on the table)

how it started: jen pushing lilia out of the way

how it ended: "you are my sister in the craft" 🥲

I love you patti lupone

alice is strong! alice is noble! alice is pure of heart!

gee i wonder why

they had to add a goonies poster in billy's room because of this scene, but i guess disney didn't want to buy the copyright so the poster says "the goofballs"

agatha shoving everyone and then kicking jen twice for good measure

my guilty pleasure is watching reactors on youtube (don't judge) and everyone, everyone had my same reaction to sharon's death: she is not really dead. it was too unceremonious, too sudden. you cannot have debra jo rupp unconscious for half an episode and then get rid of her like that, she's too talented, too funny, how can they keep the humor up without her? if sharon is gone they don't want to watch anymore! no, they're gonna bring her back for sure, they're witches, they're going to find a way.

And then Alice dies, and it's unfair, it's too sad, she just had her big victory! that doesn't sit right with you, that the writers would do her so dirty. And then Lilia dies.

Wanda said it from the very beginning: we cannot reverse death, no matter how sad it makes us. Some things are forever. Sharon's death was horrible and uncomfortable and senseless on purpose, because these shows are about the exploration of grief. How can you make peace with the impossible? How can you reconcile yourself with a nice fun lady dying after losing her last shred of agency, scared and alone and forgotten? Didn't she deserve so much more than being just a casualty of witchfolk drama? And how can you reconcile yourself with someone as good and as wonderful as Alice dying in such a cruel way? What about the death of a parent? of a spouse? of a child? What about your own death, as inevitable and inescapable as your birth?

I'm posting this one early cos I didn't sleep last night and I wanna take a nap now 🥲 when I'm tired i ramble, I knew that already. sorry-y!

we get to episode four tomorrow, and y'all know what, or rather WHO, that means!

go to episode 4 part 1

[theunaestheticstudyblr]

How I prep for a new semester at uni:

I make a new time block sheet. I put all my classes in, then my commute time. From there I plan study hours, when I need to wake up to not feel rushed, work hours, etc. This plan helps to keep me from getting too overwhelmed and let me feel like I have everything under control.

I do my school shopping on prime day or after the back to school rush. You'll find those nice multi subject notebooks on sale for cheap and fun stationary and backpacks a lot cheaper like this!

I try to get a head start in classes. If I know we're reading a book or something I'll start a couple weeks before school starts. I try to take notes on as many chapters/subjects as I can and all that. This not only helps me get ahead, but it also helps me for when I inevitably fall behind.

I get all the routine maintenance done on my car. I drive over an hour to get to classes so this is very important. Oil change, tire rotation, balance, filters, etc. I save up my summer tips to get all this done.

I stock up on easy and fast foods. Instant noodles, granola bars, frozen meals, etc. Between working a lot and doing classes I don't have the energy to cook and do dishes so this saves me.

I give myself little reasons to get excited. The teacher or the campus or a friend. Whatever it may be. I HAVE to have a reason to drive that long to attend a class for an hour and come back and not get stressed.

I make a food budget. It's so easy to spend $150 a week on snacks and treats and coffees and such. So I have to set a budget and a plan for myself so I can actually pay my rent haha

I plan my walks to classes on campus. Where I'll park, how much time I have between classes, how to get there, etc.

If I have late classes, I make sure that I can call someone after every class as I walk to my car to make sure I'm safe.

Plan little treats and rewards. If I realize there's a week that's going to be super hard on me, I'll plan a little early morning walk or something special I don't do often after as a reward.

I try to be more positive to myself the closer the semester comes. I have to be proud of me and my work. I have to be confident in my abilities. So I have to have that mindset. Which is super hard as someone with severe anxiety and depression and who has been conditioned growing up to be quiet and a background character essentially. But I AM good. I AM smart. I can ace these classes. I deserve to be here and I deserve good things.

I triple check with my job to make sure they have my updated availability and will give me the flexibility I require due to my classes.

Overall, I just get my shit together once again and try and get myself excited. I have the opportunity to study at a university and that in itself is absolutely amazing and something I don't take for granted.

[academicfever]

68/100 day of productivity!

Hello beautiful people! Happy Valentines Day... I am not celebrating but I am sending love to all of u out there!

Lately I have been struggling to keep myself motivated because everyday feels the same and there is no joy ... So few days ago I tried rewarding myself without feeling guilty about it... It absolutely changed my days and I feel much better...

Log: 14.2.25

mental health check_ journal

Morning Language session

Battery modelling _Matlab

Set up PC for sim

Research Work_2P

UDL _2P

call home_go on a long walk

Here is a reward system that motivates you without derailing your study flow:

Quick Rewards (after 1-2 hour study sessions):

15 minutes of your favorite show/YouTube

A short walk outside

Make your favorite tea/coffee

Listen to 3-4 songs you love

Quick social media check (set a timer!)

Stretch or do a quick workout

Text or call a friend

Medium Rewards (after completing weekly goals):

Watch a full movie

Order your favorite takeout

Buy a small item you've been wanting

Extra hour of gaming

Video call with friends

Try a new coffee shop

Take a long relaxing shower/bath

Big Rewards (like after finishing 1 chp of ur thesis)

Buy something significant from your wishlist

Full day off to do whatever you want

Special outing with friends

Start that show you've been saving

Visit somewhere new in your city

Get a massage or self-care treatment

Make plans for a weekend trip

Important tips:

Keep rewards reasonable - they shouldn't take longer than your study time

Choose rewards that don't break your budget

Don't "borrow" future rewards - earn them first

Pick rewards that energize rather than drain you

Write down your reward system and stick to it

[sugarpuptard]

didnt sleep good last night and havent been as active as usual on here cuz im still resetting tbh after spending the week with my fiancé and then being sick for the next week (-﹏-。) i finally got myself to shower on the 19th since not having a super good shower since the 2nd then a not super great one a day or two before my love left so that was between the 7th-9th so thats way too long without cleaning myself good ;-; but it fixed now! and i try n shower tonight cuz my scalp keeps being stupid. yesterday i managed to get some stuff off my floor and organize food in the kitchen too so im making a stock list kinda so i can brainstorm stuff to make :3 i still gotta go thru a lot of things tho, but it'll help me figure out more safe foods so its worth it

i gotta try and take it easy on myself today and not overdo it, i made sure to medicate myself since i keep forgetting to take too many of my pills so now my body isnt spasming for no reason TwT i forget stuff too much. i need to not forget to reply back to my friend too cuz i dont wanna make her feel bad cuz i havent had social energy to talk to ppl besides my fiance for over 2 weeks, i'll make sure to message her soon and check into her stream again and say hi cuz i forgot to last time while i was cleaning ;3; (i also hope i am using the right pronouns cuz i dont remember asking before but her twitch chat calls her she so imma stick with that to be safe) i hope me not replying doesnt make her feel bad,,; ive been feeling too guilty aaaaaaaa i gotta hang out with her in vrchat again

for now imma just try to clean my pc cuz its super dusty then maybe see if i gotta update more things then i do more computer stuffs, im probably gonna play some games and test some new ai stuff since i figured out how to turn virtualization on so i can use open web ui to test lots of stuff :3 i got it all downloaded before going to bed so i can get it set up ez yay, im curious what my current pc can handle since my specs are okay but my gpu isnt the best for what i want, hopefully i can figure out how to save up money for a better one or when my fiancé can budget it he maybe get a new one or upgrades for me >w<

im hoping i get out of whatever funk i've been in soon, i wanna be normal and do happy stuff and stop bedrotting and feel nice, i'll plan to do even more comfy stuff tomorrow

[clustercollective]

Things they don’t tell you about food insecurity as a child:

I’m 23 now. I buy my own food. I have food in my kitchen, and I can afford to go out to eat every so often. I have nutritious food, and I do not have any logical reason to worry it won’t be there later.

Yesterday I had a panic attack in the grocery store because I didn’t budget for cat litter. I could afford cat litter, and I need cat litter, but I could not leave the aisle until I put it back on the shelf because what if I can’t afford food now. I will have to make another trip to the store today to buy the cat litter.

I ate lunch earlier today. I ate leftovers, but it was a decent amount. I had chicken and mashed potatoes. By the time I finished eating, I was not hungry anymore. I am still not hungry. I have checked the kitchen 3 times looking for something to eat; not because I am hungry, simply because I need to eat so that when I inevitably run out of food, my body will have fat stores to sustain me.

Whenever I go out to eat, I set aside half of my meal to bring home, so I can guarantee I’ll have food for my next meal. When I get home though, I immediately panic that the leftovers won’t be there and I usually eat them right then, so that I will have fat stores and won’t have wasted food.

I keep a single cup of easy mac in my pantry so that no matter what, I always have food in the house. I keep cokes in my kitchen so that when I inevitably don’t have food, I at least have a sugary drink to lessen hunger pains. I compulsively buy ramen because it is cheap. If I have less than 3 packs of ramen in my house, I buy another box of it so I don’t run out, because it’s cheap and it’s at least filling. It’s not healthy or nutritious, but it’s filling.

I have a panic attack if my total at the grocery store is more than $50. If it is more than $50 I have to do multiple transactions. Because growing up, we never had more than $50 to spend on food. If the grocery bill was more than $50, my mom had to call my dad to ask if we could afford to pull money out of the utilities budget to pay for food.

If any one item in the cart is more than $10, I desperately try to find a cheaper alternative. Yesterday at the grocery store I nearly lost it on my fiance because they picked out a roast that cost $16. I had to walk away and splash water on my face in the bathroom to avoid breaking down in the middle of the meat aisle.

I’ve seen people talk about the physical effects of food insecurity, how it causes similar physical effects as famine. Even if where you live has an abundance of food, if you can’t afford it your body will end up in the same starvation mode that survivors of famine experience. You learn to function with a headache, sleep instead of eat. You get used to ignoring hunger pains, when your stomach growls audibly you blame it on indigestion. An inability to lose weight because your body is desperately holding onto those fat stores.

But I rarely see people talk about the emotional result of food insecurity. So I feel crazy when I start crying in the grocery store because milk went up by 10¢. I feel crazy when I eat nothing but ramen for a week because i had to buy $8 cat litter, and needed to make up for that cost in my savings. I feel crazy when I eat and eat and eat, because what if this is my last chance to eat this week. I feel crazy when I eat nothing but grilled cheese sandwiches for a week before I have friends or family over for a meal, so that I can afford to cook them good food. I feel crazy when I ask my fiance to go to the store so that o don’t have to see the cost of food, and then I feel crazy when I can’t eat because I’m worried if I eat all of their food, they won’t have any for themselves. I feel crazy when I go get fast food or pizza because I can’t make myself cook anything in the kitchen because what if it isn’t there later and I need food for tomorrow. I feel crazy when every time I’m asked where I want to eat I suggest cici’s pizza, because then I can eat enough that it won’t hurt for a couple of days if I don’t get to eat later, and it’s carbs, which is energy that takes a while for your body to process so it’ll be energy for tomorrow. I feel crazy when I shy away from any kind of salad because it just takes up room in your stomach that could be used for something with a higher caloric value.

Food insecurity makes me feel crazy. It isn’t just a physical issue, and it doesn’t go away just because food is more available. Not having access to enough food when I was I child has permanently altered my brain chemistry. It is a trauma. And it is not something I see taken seriously enough.

[thessalian]

Thess vs Preparation

Why does preparation have to be so damn painful?

Groceries arrived, and it was ... a lot, but it was well-planned. I have emergency calories - raisins, peanuts, some yoghurt-coated raspberry things I like because they were on sale. I have tinned fruit because the fresh stuff goes off so fast - peaches because cheap own-brand, and fruit cocktail because, again, on sale. After much searching, I found some soups that aren't thickened with wheat flour, and got some of that for when I'm too tired and sore to even move and too ragged to have an appetite. Fixings for smoothies and some breakfast cereal, because maybe skipping breakfast is a bad idea. That shit is important.

I also have menu plans. I found a recipe for gluten-free cereal bars, so I'll be making those. There's some cooked chicken in the freezer that will go into risotto, and that'll last me quite awhile. I also have plans for chicken stew and beef stew. Well, the chicken stew can be immediate but the beef will have to wait a little because a substitution by the grocery store means I have less beef than I needed. But that's okay, because when I go out to get more, I can also get fresh green pepper and courgette for the bolognaise I'm planning. Basically this month is going to be a lot of batch cooking and a lot of stuff going in the freezer. With the way this month's been, having a variety of stuff I can just put in the microwave feels like a good idea. If it keeps getting hotter, I won't feel much like cooking.

However, all of this preparation? OW. Putting it away is one thing, but I also had to do a little bit of a clear-out of the cupboards. Because they're a bit high and fairly deep, I have a hard time reaching to the back of them, so there was some stuff that needed to be binned. But of course, since I do have a hard time reaching to the back of the cupboards, that was also made of ow. I already hurt when I got up today but now, just ... ugh. Still, everything's all set up tidily, and all I need to do is take the stuff that needed binning out to the trash. That's not going to be fun either, but the trash needs to not be in the house.

Preparation is also expensive - the sticker shock on the grocery bill, even when budgeted for, and even when it is an overall savings, is painful. But then again, everything is expensive. At least I can arrange the budget to do that and afford to replace my ancient Blu-Ray / DVD player, which I got second-hand from the parentals ages ago. The old one works, more or less, but makes wonky noises if I try to play Blu-Rays in it, and half the stuff I want to get (as I rebuild my video library because I no longer trust the streaming services) are more easily available on Blu-Ray. Thus, new player. And possibly a little left over to make a bit more of a dent in my Steam wish list, given the Steam summer sale. (Because I need more games, right? Yeesh. Someone needs to keep me away from the Steam Next Fest next year; giving me access to demos is bad for my bank balance.)

Not that there aren't reasons to be cheerful. The groceries? I will be making things with all that. Soup - as well as my usual potato soup, I will be attempting sweet potato soup, because I have become quite the fan of sweet potatoes lately, and soup is good to have around. The stew and bolognaise and risotto. Cereal bars. I might even attempt brownies. I do enjoy making things. As for the new Blu-Ray / DVD player ... well, for those times when sitting in the desk chair is unthinkable, at least I'll have entertainment.

So ... it's worth it. I just have to remind myself that it's worth it. Otherwise, all the pain and expense and everything just gets depressing, and I can't afford to be depressed on top of everything else.

On another note: Scarlet Hollow. Hoooooooooboy. Glad I sprang for that one, I have to say, but ... creepy. Which is good - I like creepy.

[butts-bouncing-on-the-beltway]

I'm deeply ready for the days off I've planned for myself, including PRIDE night for me and wifey (and maybe some new clothes to go with? Neither of us have had a new outfit in over a year. I think maybe for wifey for sure, as her wardrobe always take harder and faster hits than mine does)

I've got a nice four day lil 4 day weekend, and a 3 day weekend to follow, so hopefully by the end of it, I will be feeling much better rested and will have gotten a few things handked around the house.

God and I have our anniversary to plan for next month already, and I'm still neck deep in initial planning for our tenth so I honestly don't even know what that's gonna look like. Maybe just a nice dinner at our favorite place? And maybe buying a new movie to watch together and cuddle. A nice jug of cider for me to spice up.

Lord I'm just tired all the time lmao, and I'm trying to get myself in order, but I'm just usually so busy or exhausted or we've run thru the paycheck for the week, or whatever the fuck.

We definitely need to buy and build the chicken run first thing during my long weekend, because it's almost butchering day for the waffles, and the ladies are almost big enough to deserve real exercise space (the hen house is huge lol, and until now genuinely has been big enough for them all to not need outdoor space at all). They can managw another week together in there with no consequences, but after that, they're gonna need their outdoor run.

I think I'll buy the berry bushes and the fencing supplies all in one go so I don't have to worry about coming back to it later and disrupting the ladies. Which really means I need to find a local nursery with native berry bushes, because I don't feel up to driving all the way down the mountain to Ream in the same weekend if I don't have to. I can save that trip for picking up our trees later in the sunmer.

Man, I really am looking forward to having the garden set up and the ladies grown enough to lay. Free fresh eggs are a huge relief on our budget, especially if we keep doing periodic waves of meat birds to keep cutting down our meat budget alongside it. I'm thinking probably 2-3 sets of meat birds per year, maybe a dozen each time? I'm never doing Cornish Rocks again tho, these little abominations are a disaster to raise. Literally every bird we lost (4 total) was a fuckin Waffle, and they always died for the stupidest reasons. One literally just ate too much and then passed out for a nap under the heat lamp until he got heat stroke because he didn't bother also hydrating???? The only other birds I've raised with this kind of mortality rate are fuckin great white turkeys and they drown in the goddamn rain. Apparently it's not just us either. If I'd taken the time to research more instead of trusting the meat and egg chick mix, I'd have seen all the other homesteaders online panicking about half their flock dying and meing warned by more experienced folks that Cornishes are really only viable for industrial scale farming that can reliably take those kinds of losses. In retrospect, now that I *do* know that, I'm almost proud we managed to keep 80% of our Waffles alive.

Point being, I'm never going through that again. There are plenty of heritage meat birds, and I'll be sticking with them please and thank you.

I've considered starting to do rabbit too? It would cut down on our pet food costs a fair bit, and then maybe I could co-graze themand the chickens in a tractor along the yard to manage overgrowth of ground cover. I'd prefer a goat obvi, but I don't think the council will let me have one, even if wifey would lmao. That's definitely a later thing tho. Gotta get the humans more sustainably fed before I can consider any new livestock lmao

I think the chicken run, the berry bushes, the first order of seeds, and a chest freezer are probably the major expenses this coming paycheck. We might be able to postpone the chest freezer? Our freezer isn't overly full at present, and I think could actually fit 20 processed Waffles if needed. We'll need one soon regardless tho, cuz it definitely won't fit the next butchering day product at that point, nor the frozen fruits, veggies, and easy preps we'll be starting to make over the summer. So if not this pay period, then the next one.

God, I guess that means I should prep all my orders so I can place them first thing on Friday when I get paid, and price out the batches. Ughhhh I'm so busy today, that's gonna be hard to make time for during my breaks, and after work it's dinner and eorzea time, plus probably some tidying.

Awww fuck i gotta bring in the washing too and maybe do another load.

Whatever. Point is, I'm gonna be busy for a while. Which is good. But also means I have less time to sit and think and write which does make me a lil sad. It's just until harvest season is through tho! Once everything is planted and plucked and canned and stored, I'll be back to having time for other things. I'm probably gonna prioritize my writing and my sewing thru the winter so I can be ready for fiber processing in spring and publishing season in summer/fall. I'll want to get back to the zine soon too, because I really do want to add in the documentation I've been building around appalachian riperians

Lordt

Someone needs to tell my brain to pick a goddamn lane. This is how I end up pulled in so many directions that nothing gets done lmao

[lightsburnbrite]

The Love You Want: Part 3

I was sitting at my desk preparing the morning's market reports for my boss when my phone pinged with an instagram notification. Leon had posted a picture of what I assumed to be a post workout or training meal. I laughed to myself, unable to resist giving him a hard time over his lack of culinary prowess. After some gentle ribbing, Leon challenged me to do better and I happily took him up on it. Of course he didn't know that Alex liked when I made meals for him so I busied myself with cooking classes in London.

We had arranged that he would come and pick me up and I'd make dinner for the two of us. I stopped at the market on my way home for a few things and then changed into something comfy. After taking Greta on her walk and making sure she was set for the evening, I waited for Leon.

After hearing a knock at the door, I opened it to find Leon leaning against the frame with a smirk on his face. "You look cute today."

"Nice try." I handed him the bag to carry. "But flattery won't work on me."

I heard him laugh as  walked to the passenger side door. "What? I can't give you a compliment now?"

“Not entirely convinced it’s genuine, but whatever.” I shrugged as I fastened my seatbelt, deliberately keeping my eyes focused on the road in front of us.

I saw Leon smirk again from the corner of my eye before he cleared his throat. “So how was your day? I know you work for a bank but I don’t remember what it is that you do.”

I couldn’t help but smile when he said he didn’t remember. Truth is, he never knew what I did. “Well, when I first started, I was involved in wealth management. When I got married and quit, I was a financial advisor. Now, since I’ve been out of the field for almost four years, they suggested that I work my way back in so I’m a personal assistant to an investment banker. I do boring things like read market reports, schedule meetings, make reservations, take messages. So basically, my day is very tedious."

He frowned. "Have you thought about switching jobs?"

"Right now," I hesitated for some reason. "I'm mainly focused on getting settled. Then I can start figuring out my other options. Alex helped me set up a little non profit where I helped low income women with budgeting and savings plans. I enjoyed that but I don't know if I'd be able to replicate that here."

This time he shrugged as he pulled into his parking space. "Well, you never know."

Once we were inside and he led me to the kitchen, he turned with a grin, clasping his hands together. "Alright, what are we having?"

"Salmon with asparagus and baby potatoes." I handed him a bottle of wine. "But you'll have to wait until it's done to see how I fix it. Here, this needs to chill."

I got to work, slicing the filet into two equal portions, trimming the asparagus, and slicing the potatoes. Not thinking anything of it, I had taken a few pictures during the prep work and posted them to my instagram account.

“Ok, have you ever juiced a lemon before?” I called Leon back over and he raised an eyebrow at my question.

He laughed albeit uncertainly. “Like, squeezing one?”

“Yes, but,” I pulled him next to me. “Here, we’ll slice it, then kinda cup your hand around the sliced side and then squeeze it. You want to catch the seeds in your hand.”

Once he had juiced the whole lemon, he smiled proudly. “Not so bad.”

“See? Now we’re going to chop some shallots, and then mince some rosemary, thyme, and parsley.” I could only laugh at the look he gave me so I figured I’d be doing that myself. I showed him how to gather everything with a bench scraper and put it in the same bowl as the lemon juice. “And then, we’ll add this to some melted butter which then goes over everything. Can you add some salt and pepper to the salmon first?”

Leon watched me as I spooned the butter mixture over everything and placed the pan in the oven. “Ok, how do you know how to do this?”

“I did take some classes back in London,” I moved him to the side with my hip so I could get to the sink. “But once you have the basics, it’s just practice and then following a recipe plus adjusting it to suit your individual taste.”

He gave a little nod in acknowledgment. “Still, I’m impressed.”

We both looked in the direction of the front door where we had just heard a knock. Leon had a puzzled look on his face as he wasn’t expecting anyone but I stayed put.

"What is she doing here? What's going on?"

I froze as soon as I heard Lara's voice. Her tone was nothing short of irritated and it caught Leon off guard. She had pushed past him and was obviously looking for me. I didn't think me cooking Leon dinner was a big deal but obviously she was following me via instagram and she was put out. It only took a moment for me to come up with an idea to salvage the evening. For Leon, anyway.

"Lara, hi!" I walked over, wiping my hands on a dish towel. "Leon wanted to tell you, but I thought it would make a nice surprise. I took a lot of cooking classes when I lived in London so I helped him with dinner for the two of you tonight. It's in the oven and just about finished so my work here is done. Oh, and there's a Sauvignon Blanc chilling in the fridge to go with dinner. Enjoy!"

Leon's eyes were wide but he recovered quickly. "You're, um, ok to get home then?"

"Yep." I smiled brightly, hoping not to give anything away as I put my coat on. "Absolutely!"

Once outside, I put one earbud in, making sure it was on transparency mode, and pulled my hat down over my ear so passers by wouldn't notice. I put my address into maps and had the voice navigation give me directions by foot. After about two hours I made it home, kicking myself for being too stubborn to take an uber.

"Right." I slumped down on the sofa, talking to myself. "Get your shit together."

Greta cocked her head to the side making me laugh. "Yeah, I know. It was stupid of me to think that I'd move here and we would get together just like that. Maybe I should take a step back and adjust my expectations."

I changed into a hoodie and some joggers, made a packet of instant ramen and parked myself on the sofa with the latest Matthias Schweighöfer film on Netflix. I was only half paying attention when I saw my phone screen light up. 

I am acknowledging the effort you went through to make our meal but I am becoming increasingly uncomfortable with your friendship with my partner. I would appreciate it if you would respect this boundary and not attempt to contact Leon any more.

I snorted as I tossed the phone next to me on the sofa. I'd definitely be taking a step back, then.

In a way, it was better for me to stop worrying about what Leon was thinking or where he wanted things to go with us. Once I realized there was no "us", I was able to fully concentrate on myself and let myself get acclimated to living in a new city.

I bought myself a nice little BMW X5 and made friends with some coworkers my age. There were a couple others that were divorced as well so we bonded over that. I even didn't throw myself a pity party when my mother asked if I would be ok with her spending Christmas with her sister in Lake Como. I spent Christmas alone and I was quite pleased with how content I felt. 

I had largely ignored his calls and his texts, giving only one word responses when I did reply. When things began to taper off, I figured either Lara talked to him or he got the message. 

Coming home from work one day, I stood in my bedroom and sighed. I could easily call up someone from work and meet them for dinner but I didn’t feel like going back out. Cooking for one always left me with more food than I could eat and it felt wasteful so the whole process became discouraging. I decided to take Greta for a walk and hoped that inspiration would strike.

I stepped out the front door and stopped in my tracks when I saw Leon leaning against his car. "Hi."

"Hey," Leon smiled with a little bit of a raised eyebrow. "Do yo have a minute?"

Holding up Greta's leash, I shrugged. "If you don't mind walking."

He nodded and joined me as I started walking toward the park. "Did I do something wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Of course I knew what he was talking about but I figured it wouldn't hurt for him to be more specific.

He shrugged as if he didn't need to explain any further. "You haven't spoken more than a few words to me, I thought I'd see you at Christmas but you never came home. I felt like we were in a really good place but…was I misreading things?"

"You didn't do anything wrong," I let my arm brush against his. "But you need to talk to Lara."  

Leon stopped and faced me this time. "Does this have something to do with when she came over?"

"She sent me a message saying that..here." I pulled out my phone, queueing up the message she sent me.

He handed my phone back while shaking his head. "I know that you were trying to be helpful when you left and I honestly don't know what else you should have done, but I wanted to have dinner with you, not her."

"I'm just trying to avoid causing any unnecessary drama for you." I kept my attention on Greta because I couldn't look at him.

He let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah, but you shouldn't have to. She doesn't get to decide who I can and cannot have in my life. If she's uncomfortable with you, that's her problem, not yours." 

"Ok, well," I stopped a few steps ahead of him. "I don't know what you want me to do then."

"You don't have to do anything. We just continue on like normal."

I didn't really have a response to that. By this time we made it back to my apartment and Leon came inside with me. With my fingers pressed to my temples, I shook my head. "Just continuing on like normal isn't an option, though. Either we do and Lara gets pissed off at me or we pretend like I never moved here and Lara is happy."

Leon flopped down on the sofa and held his hand out for me to join him but I pretended like I didn't see and he eventually let it rest on his thigh. "I guess I don't understand why you care so much about what Lara thinks."

"Because I've been in that position. Alex had an assistant that I'm pretty sure he was sleeping with." I couldn't look at him by this point. I went to the counter and busied myself with the kettle.

"Yeah, but," He let out a little laugh. "We're not sleeping together so it's not like she has anything to worry about."

Pinching the bridge of my nose as I leaned into the counter, I felt myself sigh. "That's something you need to discuss with her. I've got an early meeting in the morning so I was just going to call it a night…"

I didn't like lying to him but I also couldn't take any more of this conversation. I just wanted to move on.

"Ellie, come on." He started to plead but must have realized it wasn't going to work. Leon stood and met me in the kitchen. "Alright, but next time I call you, please pick up."

Leon ruffled my hair before letting himself out and I turned off the kettle, opting for wine instead.

I woke up early the next morning with the starting of a migraine. I got my eye mask from the freezer and took one of my emergency tablets and waited to see if I needed to call out from work. Any slight shift in atmospheric pressure used to knock me out for the whole day but I finally found a doctor that took me seriously and he started me on a daily preventative with a dissolvable emergency medicine when I felt one coming on. Part of me wanted to call out anyway but I also knew I had just started and wasn't sure of how it would look, calling out so soon.

I was able to fall back to sleep and when my alarm actually went off, I felt well enough to hop in the shower. I had friends back in London who had elaborate skin care regimens but I couldn't be bothered to do much more than a cleanser, a moisturizer and sunscreen. After a little eye liner and mascara, that was the extent of effort that I was willing to put into the morning. 

My migraine medicine left me feeling foggy and it was all I could do to make it to my lunch break.

"Hey!" Serena came up to my desk on the way out for her break. "Any plans tonight?"

I shrugged but raised an eyebrow thinking she was probably going to tell me what I would be doing later.

"Good." She flashed a grin. "My boyfriend's little brother is in town and I was thinking we could do a double date."

I tilted my head, starting to protest. "Little brother?"

"Younger brother." She corrected herself. "But he's like 24, not a total kid."

I hesitated, momentarily, before agreeing. What could it hurt? I'd met Serena's boyfriend and handful of times and he seemed like a nice guy. Not exactly my type but if I didn't like his brother, I wasn't really out anything. 

Serena grinned. "Fantastic. We've got reservations at Tantris, Kai is staying with us so we'll swing by and pick you up."

It was times like these that I appreciated Alex's expensive taste. Outside of the office, I leaned towards more casual apparel but with Alex, we attended many events where the dress code was black tie or close to it. One of my favorite dresses was a black long sleeved mini dress that  was a soft and stretchy material. It was completely plain so I could add whatever accessories that I wanted and the length hit me just right so it made my legs look elegantly long when I wore pointed toe stilettos.

They came to pick me up and I slid into the back seat and instantly knew I had made the right decision. My date for the evening, Kai, was definitely attractive. He had kind eyes and dark brown hair that just covered his ears and he smiled as soon as he saw me.

We made small talk in the back seat but we both acknowledged that there was chemistry between us and although the dinner was enjoyable, we both had other things on our mind. I found out he was a photographer and he lived in Berlin so there wasn’t any long term potential but a quick rebound would do me good and help me get over my feelings for Leon. 

We barely made it through the front door before we had our hands all over each other. I had my eyes closed, my hand resting on the back of his neck while he continued to kiss me. Kai moved forward, a subtle nudge for me to move to the sofa, his hand at the hem of my dress, fingers finding their way up my outer thigh. With a natural inclination to tense as soon as someone new was starting to explore my body, I began looking for a distraction to help me relax and soon found that running my fingers through his hair gave me something to focus on.

I was just thinking of moving us to my bedroom when I heard someone at the front door. As soon as he heard the knock, Kai leapt up like we were two teenagers about to get caught.

"It's fine," I stood and pulled the hem of my dress down to a more modest length. "Just give me a minute to get rid of whoever it is.”

When I opened the door and saw Leon on the other side, I groaned out of frustration. "What?"

"I need to talk to you." Leon moved to walk around me and come inside, but I stepped in his path. 

"Now isn't a good time." I moved closer to him, hoping he couldn't see Kai. "Just call me later or something."

When I actually looked at him, he looked exasperated.

He sighed. "Ellie, please. Five minutes. That's all I'm asking." 

"Um, " Kai put his hand on my shoulder causing me to turn towards him. "Looks like this is a bad time. I'll see you around, I guess." 

"Kai, wait-" I called out after him but he kinda waved me off as he walked off down the street.

Furious, I turned back to Leon, glaring at him. "What do you want from me? Do you expect me to just lurk in the shadows until you decide that you're ready? I'm not allowed to live my life because maybe, maybe you have feelings for me? For fuck's sake, we're almost 30. If you don't know how you feel about me yet then it's not there and you need to let it go. You need to let me go."  

By this point, I couldn't stop myself from crying. I was so angry and frustrated that I no longer had any words.

"I know." He spoke softly as he stepped closer. "I'm such an idiot."

I just stared at him for what seemed like ages, trying to comprehend what he was saying.

"I love you, Elle.”

[bestseocompanymadurai06]

Top Reasons to Hire the Best Digital Marketing Company in Madurai

Let’s face it, in today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for any business in Madurai. But building and maintaining a successful online strategy can be a daunting task, especially for busy entrepreneurs. That’s where a Best Digital Marketing Company in Madurai comes in!

Now, you might be thinking, “Can’t I just do it myself?” Sure, there are free online tools and resources available. But here’s the thing: digital marketing is ever-evolving, and keeping up with the latest trends and algorithms requires expertise and constant monitoring.

So, if you’re serious about taking your Madurai business to the next level, here are some compelling reasons to partner with a Best Digital Marketing Company in Madurai like Rajagiri Information Systems (RGIS):

1. Expertise & Experience:

A seasoned digital marketing company has a team of professionals who eat, sleep, and breathe the digital world. They possess in-depth knowledge of SEO, social media marketing, content marketing, and other digital marketing tactics. This expertise ensures they can create a customized strategy that aligns with your specific business goals and target audience.

Think of it this way: would you perform your own surgery? Probably not! Similarly, digital marketing requires specialized skills — RGIS brings that expertise to the table!

2. Time-Saving Efficiency:

Let’s be honest, managing a business takes up a lot of your time. Trying to juggle your daily operations with the complexities of digital marketing can be overwhelming. Collaborating with a digital marketing agency enables you to dedicate your time to what matters most — running your business! They handle the day-to-day tasks of your online marketing strategy, allowing you to focus on growing your business.

Imagine all that extra time you could spend on perfecting your product or service, or building stronger relationships with your customers.

3. Data-Driven Decisions:

The best digital marketing companies rely on data to make informed decisions. They use analytics tools to track the performance of your campaigns, identify areas for improvement, and constantly optimize your strategy for maximum impact. This data-driven approach ensures you’re getting the most out of your marketing budget.

Think about it: wouldn’t you rather make decisions based on facts and figures, instead of guesswork? RGIS uses data to refine your strategy, maximizing your return on investment (ROI).

4. Stay Ahead of the Curve:

The digital landscape is constantly changing. New trends, algorithms, and platforms emerge all the time. A Best Digital Marketing Company in Madurai like RGIS stays ahead of the curve by continuously researching and learning about the latest developments in the digital marketing world.

This ensures your digital marketing strategy remains relevant and effective, keeping you one step ahead of the competition. Just like fashion trends change, so do digital marketing trends. RGIS keeps you looking sharp in the digital world!

5. Measurable Results:

A reputable digital marketing firm will focus on delivering measurable results. They’ll set clear goals for your campaigns and track key metrics, such as website traffic, lead generation, and conversions. This allows you to see the tangible impact of your marketing efforts and track your progress towards your overall business objectives.

In short, you want to see results, right? RGIS provides transparent reporting so you can see exactly how your marketing dollars are working for you.

Partner with RGIS, Your Trusted Digital Marketing Partner in Madurai!

By partnering with a reputable digital marketing company like RGIS, you gain access to a wealth of expertise, experience, and resources that can take your Madurai business to new heights.

Ready to unlock the power of digital marketing for your business? Contact RGIS today for a free consultation and learn how we can help you achieve your online marketing goals!

[yourgamemasterthewhiterabbit]

The great regular sleep experiment of 2024 day "I should stop making excuses for my stupid body"

Okay, I didn't sleep much during my night sleep. I'm tired.

And I know I was just blaming being a bit hyperthyroid, but the thing is I was more hyperthyroid the entire time since I had goiter and had to start packing in the iodine, and not sleeping didn't become the problem I was having until I tried to start pushing myself onto a regular schedule.

Before regular sleep I was sleeping 8-16 hours, now I sleep 4 hours okay-good-ish and then try and fail to sleep a separate 4 hours with mixed poor results...

This isn't sustainable for me and forcing myself to do a bunch of chores isn't either, but now that my brain is in this rough pattern I either have to wait for it to naturally break, or I have to try to force it to break and deal with whatever symptoms that causes.

I kind of feel like biting everything.

Anyway I finished making cookie batter when I got up and I had a thought yesterday about laundry... I want to catch up but doing a big tub in the shower hurts my spine so so bad... and there's only so much I can do in the sink and then have the room to hang, so I have been ding little batches and then having to wait for that to fully dry... BUT if I just set up the drying rack in the shower stall, I can hand wash clothes periodically through a day or two out here and then to hang them in the shower. They only take about a day to dry, so if I shower first, it shouldn't get in the way of anything. Then I can wash my bedding, then the only laundry I will ever have is to wash the outfit I am wearing, or my current bedding and towel, before I put it away/back. Bam. Forever completely caught up on laundry and dishes. I have a system now. I was only behind before because of all the times I had to run myself down organizing boxes and furniture in here since moving in.

Really the fact that I can maintain anything in my health should be super impressive, let alone chip away at other things, but I want to get downsized and settled in already. I want the 'reclaiming my life' part done so I can do the 'living my life' part. It's been almost a year since I got this place and escaped the problems involved with shitty roommates.

I have no idea what possessed me and made me think regular sleep would help me specifically. I am sure it was well intended, but I am always forgetting the very specific reasons why I don't do the things you would assume would be helpful to anyone. It's always because I tried it upside down and sideways, for months or years at a time, tracked and documented all of it, and made the very informed decision that it is worse actually, or at best unnecessary.

I am very much a 'runs a practical experiment on myself and uses the results' kind of person. Tracking the food I ate and my symptoms is how I eliminated half my migraines and figured out I have MCS which my doctor later confirmed, doing so no longer serves a function until a problem comes up. Doing monthly budgeting and tracking receipts for years is how I figured out I don't need to do that. I am consistently under budget and always saving up money if there's any money to spare, through most of it I was on welfare and had only 200 to spend per month and I just watched it all go to basic necessities every month. When I got more money I started ordering crafting supplies or buying tools here or there... And then I stopped that too and otherwise the only change in spending is that i still don't and just shove the extra in savings for the next emergency or need. Budgeting for me just doesn't accomplish anything, I KNOW where all my money is going. Or caffeine, turns out fully cutting caffeine for months on end does nothing except make me agitated and unfocused and increase the number of migraines I get as an overall trend, all long after the possibility of withdrawal symptoms, because I have adhd and a migraine disorder, both of which are known to be helped my caffeine.

I test these things but I also have a shit memory, apparently, because I fucking know why regular sleep doesn't work for me and I don't know why I thought this would help...

But for science, and because I already fell in this trap, we march on.

If I start to sound like maybe there's a gas leak in my apartment you'll know why.

On the bright side, when I am really tired or didn't sleep well, or get a headache, or the sudden onset sleepies... I only have to force myself awake till my next viable sleep slot, which is 5 hours in the morning and my night slot can happen at 6pm or 12midnight I don't care which. So it'll be easier to maintain that over time and my cat won't wake me up constantly if he gets used to it too.

Oh yeah, that's half of why i decided to try this... My cat thinks humans only sleep for 4 hours at a time max, unless they are very sick. Because of me. Because he lives with me, so trying to sleep 8 hours a day in a solid chunk at random times just meant he was waking me up every 2-3 hours no matter what and that wasn't sustainable either. I remember now. I always wake up half way through for a bit anyway, so whatever.

[chili-mango]

So, the good news is, without spending all of my time trying to improve your mental health and your life, I can concentrate on improving my own.

The bad news is, it means I have to start trying to address my underlying issues. Like the fact my depression and anxiety consistently manifests as a feeling of my life lacking meaning or impact. I find myself constantly frustrated by how little I've gotten done in my days, how much I'm filling my days with things like video games or resting. I feel disappointed about how much I rely on food to make me feel engaged with my life, how much I depend on distractions like TV or video games to distract me.

And for little reason, too--- I definitely am a compulsive eater, and I'm working on trying to replace the type of food I eat with healthier options (I ate an entire pound of baby carrots today) but what's wrong with me spending the weekend relaxing and playing video games? Especially since I also made sure I went out and walked around a local farmer's market with a friend for 2 hours?

I work for a nonprofit and, even though I'm very frustrated with my team members & my lack of progress on the project I'm currently heading, I still have job safety in a job with good coworkers that pays my bills & gives me insurance. I am additionally putting in a few hours a month to try and improve the diversity, equity & inclusion at my workplace as part of the DEI council.

I'm building my savings--- slowly. It's not much, but I'm managing to budget so that I can invest in improving my apartment and still put money into both my retirement savings and my emergency savings.

And yet it feels like my workdays go nowhere and I don't really accomplish any change; it feels like I come home to an empty and unfulfilling home life where nobody but my cat would notice if I died (not true, my family would notice).

I really was using taking care of you as a way to combat intense existential dread. I'm afraid of my life & death not meaning anything to anyone. I knew I meant something A LOT to you.

But it's like. That's 99.99999% of people's fate. I feel bad about it, but really, I'm doing pretty well in comparison to a lot of people, including you, who are struggling to even have stability in their lives, let alone meaning.

I just wish I knew how to convince myself of that. I feel like we can't BOTH constantly be overwhelmed by depressing understandings of the futility of our lives.

I think a key issue is the way we dealt with that feeling of overwhelm. When I feel overwhelm, I look for a way to combat that overwhelm, even if the things I do are futile in the big picture. Feel like my work is stagnated and not making a difference? I teach myself a new skill, look for new job opportunities that I think will allow me to have a more direct impact. Look for volunteer, donation, or community organizing opportunities. Feel like nobody cares if I die? Set and keep a goal that I will see my family and my friends socially at least one day a week so I'm building & upkeeping social relationships.

It felt like you recognized the futility and just. Accepted it to the point of stagnation. There was no winning, so why expend energy fighting it? Why delude yourself?

I can't give up. I have to delude myself that things can improve, that the next thing I do will give meaning to my life, even if realistically it won't. Otherwise I really would just kill myself. I've decided that the point of life is to try, even if I fail.

Every time I watched you give up a little more, it hurt me. It hurt me so badly. Because I was struggling so badly to try and keep my head above water, and it felt sometimes like you were content to just sink with dignity. I'm sure that's only what it looked like, I'm sure on the inside you were fighting like hell. But I never heard you talk like "okay, this is what I'm going to do. This is how I'm going to fight back the darkness this time. This is how I'm going to inch my way closer to being content & comfortable & happy." It felt like you were always saying things like "it's not like it matters" or "either way it won't fix things."

And I just wanted to shake you like, "motherfucker, of course it doesn't matter. Of course it won't fix anything. FIGHT ANYWAY. Fight for yourself. Fight for me. Fight for us."

Of course we're going to drown. Of course one day our short time in this world is going to end and there won't really be anyone who remembers us or who even really cares. But we have each other for now, and I NEED YOU to fight beside me. I need you to use that intense stubbornness of yours to grip onto the dregs of life and the dregs of happiness and rip every scrap of them you can hoard out of our time together on this earth.

I am not relentlessly positive and optimistic because I'm stupid. I'm relentlessly positive and optimistic because I refuse to let life put me down without a fight. I will bite down on joy like an alligator, locking my jaw til its blood fills my mouth; I will bite down and suck every last drop from it until it does, and then I will hunt for more.

[zenruption]

Expert Help Is A Must: Why Navigating The Customs Process Alone Is Ill-Advised

Navigating through the intricate maze of customs regulations and procedures can feel like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded. It's complex, often frustrating, and if done incorrectly, can lead to costly delays or penalties. That's why seeking expert help isn’t just advisable; it’s essential. Below, we’ll explore the reasons why going it alone in the customs process can leave you in a precarious position, and how professional guidance and someone dealing with the customs process for you can save you time, money, and headaches.

Understanding the Complexity of Customs

The Ever-Changing Landscape of Regulations

Customs regulations are not static. They change frequently, responding to new security measures, trade agreements, or political climates. Each country has its own set of rules and tariffs, which can be bewildering to navigate without deep expertise.

Key Points:

Regulatory Changes: Staying updated on international trade laws requires constant vigilance.

Country-Specific Requirements: Each destination has unique requirements and documentation.

Why Mistakes Are Costly

A small error in paperwork or misclassification of goods can result in delays, fines, or even seizure of goods. These mistakes can cost businesses valuable time and money, impacting operational efficiency and profitability.

The Benefits of Hiring a Customs Broker

Streamlined Efficiency

Customs brokers are professionals who specialize in the rules and regulations of cross-border transactions. They work as your advocate, ensuring that your shipments meet all legal requirements to pass through customs as smoothly and quickly as possible.

Advantages of Using a Customs Broker:

Expert Guidance on Tariffs and Taxes: Brokers provide valuable advice on the most cost-effective methods of shipment and tax implications.

Reduced Risk of Delays: Their expertise minimizes the chances of costly hold-ups at borders.

Case in Point: Simplifying Complexity

Imagine you’re shipping goods from the United States to a country in the European Union. Each step of the way involves different regulatory bodies and paperwork. A customs broker acts as a central point of coordination among various agencies, ensuring compliance and timely processing.

DIY Customs Handling: A Risky Endeavor

When Things Go Wrong

Handling customs yourself can be tempting, especially for smaller businesses looking to cut costs. However, this decision can backfire if you're not fully prepared for the regulatory hurdles. This section highlights common pitfalls and how they can derail your shipping plans.

Q&A: Common Concerns in Customs

Q: Can I handle customs paperwork myself? A: Yes, but it requires a deep understanding of complex regulations. Mistakes can be costly, both in terms of fines and delays.

Q: What happens if I misclassify a product? A: Misclassification can lead to severe penalties, including fines or denial of goods entry.

How to Choose the Right Customs Broker

Essential Criteria for Selection

Choosing the right customs broker is critical. Here are some factors to consider:

Credentials: Ensure they are licensed and have a good standing with relevant authorities.

Experience: Look for brokers with experience handling goods in your specific industry.

Reputation: Check reviews and ask for references to gauge their reliability and service quality.

Steps to Engaging a Customs Broker

Identify Your Needs: Understand what specific services you require.

Research: Look for brokers who specialize in your type of shipment and destination.

Interview: Discuss your needs and ask how they would handle your shipments.

Evaluate: Consider their expertise, fees, and the level of service they offer.

Decide: Choose the broker that best matches your needs and budget.

Leveraging Technology in Customs Management

Embracing Digital Solutions

In today’s trade environment, leveraging technology is key to streamlining the customs clearance process. Many customs brokers integrate advanced software solutions that can automate data entry, track shipments in real-time, and ensure that all documentation is compliant and up-to-date.

Technological Benefits:

Automation: Reduces the risk of human error in paperwork and speeds up the processing time.

Real-Time Tracking: Allows businesses and brokers to monitor the status of shipments at every stage, enhancing transparency and accountability.

Data Analytics: Provides insights into shipping patterns and potential bottlenecks, helping businesses to optimize their logistics strategies.

Final Thoughts: Why Expert Help Is Non-Negotiable

Navigating customs without expert help is not advised. The risk of making costly mistakes is high, and the consequences can be severe. By engaging a customs broker, you ensure that your shipments are compliant, efficient, and less prone to delays.

Remember, in the world of international shipping, what you don’t know can hurt you financially and operationally. Expertise in customs matters isn’t just a luxury; it’s a fundamental necessity. So, before you ship your next order, consider this: Is going it alone worth the risk?

[cutievibes]

some key resolutions:

1.) try harder at work -- not in a bootlicker way but in a way that reduces some of my own ignorance about my own job LOL

2.) set up a monthly budget, including brokerage account investments, 401(k) investments (just 5% up to match LOL), what I want to put toward a Roth IRA, and I want to solidify my emergency savings. I guess I feel this is the first time in my life I'm making, like, um, money, and I want to really utilize and stretch it as much as I can while I have it. This is especially considering I daydream about quitting my job for at least two hours a week, so I need to safeguard myself in case the demons win, etc.

3.) (this is the last boring one) NO MORE STUPID PURCHASES!! (what this means is tracking my spending on superfluous things and setting myself a reasonable but not draconian annual cap. this doesn't include events or traveling or whatever because that's not superfluous ... TO ME.) Sorry if it seems like I only ever talk about fires, etc. etc. but I realized how much I spent on STUFF because of the information I sent to my insurance adjuster. Mostly on STUFF I hoped would make me feel better (does not work). In the words of that one text post: "maybe this next $25 purchase will save me" (it will not).

3.5.) This is connected quite a bit to the above. I want to spend a year without spending on ~feminine~ things -- that is, things that a man isn't expected/should spend money on*. I want to, ummmm, explore the reality of the pink tax and how much money i spend (unsuccessfully btw) on desirability. It's a lot. It's really a lot of money to spend to signify to other people that I'm a woman and that I want them to know that I'm a woman. and that being a woman means x,y,z. And there's a lot to say about gender and performativity and even the ~joy!~ of performing womanhood, but maybe that's not me. or maybe it is. or maybe womanhood is a long series of advertisements. I guess I want a break period to think about it.

*There are obviously lots of things I think men should spend money that I will continue to spend money on, even if many men DO NOT. Things like moisturizer, decent clothing etc. Not spending money on make up, FANCY clothing, nails, etc. I know people think these things are awesome. That's fine. I'm taking a break.

4.) have a chapbook of poetry written by the summer. optional if I even show anyone. I just want to write it.

5.) BE NICER! CONSIDER BEING A BUBBLY PERSON!

[clementiens]

i'm trying to show myself some grace after i got a new ebike in september that i'll be paying off until march, bc the previous one wasn't really meeting my needs for a few reasons, and i really thought i'd be able to continue biking for appointments and into the city with the trailer to pick up free groceries and other things. one time i biked everything with the trailer to table at a farmers market instead of having to ask for rides and help. at my budget i ended up having to choose between a step-through frame OR a stronger motor and battery, so i went with the motor and battery and figured i'd just deal. and then shortly after found out i need hip surgery, and finally applied for paratransit, and had to accept that i'm just not going to be doing those things. but i have this fuckn bike. i'm trying to sell it (not easy in november) to save the money for a step-through with a weaker motor once my hip has recovered. because i don't need it for that kind of distance, i just need it for my outdoors time, and i need one that i won't be hurting myself on to lift my leg over the frame.

i'm just annoyed with myself because i probably would have realized all of this if i'd just done paratransit earlier. it's just another instance of feeling like as soon as i've come to terms with one set of limitations, things with my body get worse and i have to start adjusting all over again. i really liked the independence of being able to just get on my bike and go and not worry about schedules and arrival windows or if someone's going to be late. i also just LOVE biking. when i was functionally able-bodied it was my main transportation. i live near the ocean now and i was so in love with biking over the bridges over the water it's so beautiful and the air and the speed felt so good. but my body can't handle biking to the ocean anymore no matter what ebike i'm on. i can handle going a mile or two to get to the woods. just sucks right now. grateful to have paratransit now but i really really really miss being able to just get on my bike and go

[delicrieux]

—MAKE YOU SAY “OH” EXTRAS: TINDER

extra meaning non-canonical occurrence; can be placed anywhere in the “make you say oh” timeline after couple (cha. 14) and before the final “oh”. 

pairing—corpse husband x f!reader warnings—tinder profiles, tw: men, swearing.  word count—2.6k. format— written. ─── ❥ req by nonnie​:  y/n makes a youtube vid/live stream where she's just swiping through her tinder acc and corpse literally blocks her lmao

author’s note—akldsljfs this was such a funny idea i could not not write it lmao

ultimate masterlist. myso masterlist

You have pulled the biggest brain move by setting up both a facecam and a screen recorder on your phone. All is beautifully displayed and visible during the stream. Your fanbase is particularly intrigued on what exactly are you planning on doing today, seeing as your tweet of “strea” had been a bit vague, if not downright ominous. No emojis. No elaboration. You couldn’t even be bothered to finish the word. Truly, a mystery. Everyone tuned in and are currently waiting with bated breath.

A few of your fans must sense upcoming doom because the overall mood in the chat turns from optimistically intrigued to...evil. It’s an entity all on it’s own now, clawing at you through the screen with various renditions of laughter and devil emojis. A few eggplants thrown in there for good measure, accompanied, naturally, by the scandalous water drops. At first the common consensus is that you’re biting the bullet and going through your camera roll on stream. Definitely an idea worth considering, though you frankly don’t know what lies at the start of the 11k photograph journey, and you are afraid to check in public. Could be a harmless meme, could be a salacious pic you had saved of an OF star. It’s really a gamble. Either way, you would definitely get banned. You might still get banned. Why do you insist on doing shit like this?

Because it’s funny. Because you’re kinda stupid. Because it’s just so absolutely laughably easy to do.

A smile quirks your lips, and while it is not explicitly smug, the look in your eyes sure is, “Greetings,” You utter lowly, dimming the lights--the budget for this stream! Ugh, you went all out, “my children.”

mother i crave violence

sensing evil energy rn!!

i do not claim the energy in this video for myself or anyone else watching this 💖💖

^with peace and love shut the fuck up

“I know y’all lowkey hoes-” Upon your words the chat splits into two: one side eagerly agrees (even shares a few OF accounts! How helpful, supporting small businesses!), whilst the other feverishly insists on innocence. You make a face stuck somewhere between offended and bewildered, “Now c'mon now-I know you. I know you all. We’re the same, don’t-what was that?”

You try to scroll back to the comment but it’s loss in the sea of incoming messages, “I swear to God I just saw-”

Corpse_Husband: i love late night streams it’s not like i have anything better to do.

“COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORPSE!!!!” 

rip headphone users

i cant feel my face when im with you by the weeknd but instead of face its my fucking ears

yall think full vol on pc is better?my parents woke up 😭😭😭😭

To think he’s spending his last waking moments for today with watching you (he probably still would have anyway, because you do not posses an ounce of shame or self-control and pester him relentlessly)! It makes your heart sing, and suddenly, a traitorous, fun hating idea barges it’s way through the crowd of incoherent buzzing and states: don’t do this. For some reason it also has the voice of Rae. As if that would work in guilt-tripping you- Rae never succeed, and her fictitious rendition in mind won’t fare much better either.

Still, you thought about it. That must count for something. Corpse will understand, won’t he? Why don’t you want to upset it in the first place? Men look so funny when they lose their shit, like hello, don’t you have anything better to do? But the image of Corpse just sitting there, hurt, distraught, leaving you on seen because he’s in his sad boy hours leaves a sour taste in your mouth. 

queen rly went from  🥺😊 to 😕 u ok bbgirl?

Corpse_Husband: no pouts cutie

akjdjoeijdfse cUTIE??? deadass boutta r.i.p.

Well that succeeded in eliminating everything from mind, doubts included. If this was an anime, the scenery would shift into something roseate, with flowers and bubbles and sparkles all around you along with a halo or two. Alas, not an anime, rather reality. The led-lights, however, seemingly possessing a will of their own, slowly turn from deep violet to pink. You smile brightly, like the absolute dumbass you are, and you are met with a ray of heart and blushing emojis. You are just so cute, a real cutie! Still in your disguise adorable state, you swipe your finger on your phone screen, the grin never leaving your lips.

There, among the plethora of apps, nestled sits a red square with a white fire plastered on it. The delicate calligraphy on the bottom reads: TINDER.

The mood changes once again- you’re giving the roaches emotional instability by how quickly everything flips over- and the chat spams eggplants vigorously; some, of course, bravely fight against the thirst.

nooooooo i thought y/n is gonna stream in a god honoring way!!!

^pack it up girl defined

“So, Charlie and I-” You note a few awfully curious comments and squint, “-yes, we talk a lot. Charlie is a really good friend of mine. We’re best friends. Brothers. Sisters. Cousins. The whole fucking family tree-no, that sounds weird. Delete. Anyway, Charlie, being the absolute fucker he is, said, hey, you know what would be funny? And I was like, nooo, what would be funny, Charlie? And he says to me, he says, says, making fun of men on Tinder. And if y’all need any more proof that Charlie and I are platonic soulmates, then dunno, my children, my roaches, I dunno-I dunno what more to give you.”

You can’t be bothered reading the comments, there’s too damn many. You also need to save your reading comprehension for the actual bios. It has a time limit, that darn thing. 

“Okay, so I made a profile earlier, but I hadn’t swiped on anyone yet-” Despite the fact, Tinder helpfully informs you that already 99+ people have swiped right on you, “So, this is me,” You show the pictures you have of yourself, and damn, not to be a conceited narcissist, but you look really good. Like if you saw yourself on Tinder, you’d super like instantly. “Uhm, so, my bio-my bio says: let’s sauce in the tub together, ya dig? splishy splashy, giggle giggle.” 

i cant believe we are witnessing y/n trying to form a coherent sentence live 

shes trying give her time

ya dig??? y not capeesh

what scene from the godfather is this lol?

“My anthem, is,” You laugh, covering your lips with your hand, “Corpsie, this is form you-” Proudly, you show that indeed, Corpse’s E-GIRLS ARE RUINING MY FUCKING LIFE is listed as your anthem on Spotify, “Hehe.” Yes, you say that aloud.

Corpse_Husband: you’re killing me Corpse_Husband: thanks baby Corpse_Husband: now delete tinder ❤︎

You ignore his last quip, deciding it’s finally time to get this show on the road, “Right, let’s do this shit. I’m not actually going to swipe on any guys that look, uh, decent? Yuck, can’t believe I just said that, uhm, because I-because I feel like some actually deserve a chance with someone? I don’t wanna get anyone’s hopes up, as I am currently in a long distance relationship with Chrollo. So I’m just gonna swipe on, like, frat boy assholes. Because I don’t care if I hurt their feelings. Quite frankly I don’t think they possess them in the first place.”

The chat voices their agreements. With the ground rules set, you, giddy, click on the first profile.

Does Tinder know what you’re doing, your plan? The FBI agent watching you through your phone must be working overtime, bless his heart. They must, because the the first guy to meet you is named Jason, and there he is, blond hair and blue eyes, holding up a fish the size of his torso. Marginally adequate in looks, pretty good muscles. A solid 7 bordering on 8. He’s the same age as you, 15 miles away, and he studies at some college you don’t care enough to look up. Bio reads:

I like to drive fast. Fishing is my passion, but if you can’t catch me by the ocean, you’ll catch me catching waves, bro! Love a good gym date. You do squats, and I’ll keep a close eye to make sure you’re doing it correctly ;) You probably saw me at a party. Leader of the The Phi Kappa Psi. I’m a Gemini, if that matters lol.

You, of course, read it aloud, dramatically; provide some constructive criticism-he seems nice, but he’s a Gemini, so naturally, you can’t trust him at all! Also, that gym date session leaves little to be desired. With your rant done, you swipe right, and shocker! (not), it’s an instant match.

“Okie, I still wanna swipe of some profiles, so I’ll see what he’ll text later-” For a second you wonder the legalities of this stream, but you’re having too much fun to think of it further, “guys, I won't get sued, right?”

NOW she considers it

well....

if you do, we’ll kickstart your lawyer dw <3

Onto the next profile. Kevin, 25, is seen fixing his car- or, you assume he’s mid-fixing it, you don’t really know why else he’d hold a wrench and be covered in oil. He’s shirtless, and the caveman part of your brain echoes something closely resembling AWOOOGA!, but...but!...blonde hair, blue eyes. You pout again, “I don’t...I don’t really like blond boys, ya know? With the blue eyes and all, it’s just not my thing, uhm, unless it’s like-like...Armin from Attack on Titan. Else I don’t care.”

Onto the bio:

You have to treat a car like you treat a woman: go on long rides, take the lead, but most importantly, keep her oiled up 😜 

“What the fuck did I just read?”

The chat is equally confused. You swipe right anyway- another match. Too easy.

The stream continues without incident for a solid thirty minutes- all of your matches, expect a few that genuinely looked like normal dudes that really couldn’t write a decent bio to save their lives, had been blond hair blue eyed gym rats with ranging forms of misogyny. Some opened with asking for nudes out right, some asked about your day first before asking for nudes. You prefer the former. Straight to the point! You admire the gall. 

But then, down the forty-five minute mark a profile popped up that made you still by your phone, your smile dying as your eyes bulged. Dear God. Lord in heaven. Who is this demonspiit lookalike and why is he so fucking hot? The neck tats, the skateboard, the clothes- holy shit, you gotta close your mouth before some drool dribbles out.

No bio, just his name, Tyler, and that he’s 23.

“He boutta be 23 in me.” You mutter, swiping right with lightning speed.

WHAT DID SHE SAYYYYY?????????

tyler is y/ns karma for relentlessly mocking that one guy that had a whole ass list on what his “female” partner should be

^he deserved it and also tyler seems like a typical fuckboi y/n grow a braincell

look at mom 🥺 her eyes are sparkling

It wasn’t a match right away. You somehow expected as much, but it still upset you. Simp behavior, pathetic. The stream continued bravely, and when Tyler messaged you a simple “yo” you totally didn’t sequel. You didn’t manage to text him back on stream: texting all those guys that you didn’t really find all that attractive was easy, but this...You’re a sucker for a man who radiates red flag energy. His whole profile is a red flag. He might just be a red flag himself.

What can you do? Suddenly becoming color blind is not easy. Once the stream ends, you unmatch with everyone expect Tyler. He you chat with for a bit, but a sudden craving for different company makes you abandon him, too. You don’t feel too heartbroken for him- you’re certain there’s already too many girls in his dms. You wish them luck.

Happily, you delete Tinder. You go to Twitter, notice you’re trending again- look at you go! Queen shit- and as you compose a thank you tweet, something strange happens. You go to text Corpse, but when you click on his profile you grow cold.

YOU’RE BLOCKED. You can’t follow or see @/Corpse_Husband ‘s Tweets. 

...Pardon? You hop onto Instragram and-also blocked. Seriously? And you thought you’re one petty bitch. Corpse is seriously prissy about everything. Damn, if he didn’t like your stream, he could’ve just said so. Didn’t need to, like, block you from his internet existence. So not cool.

You try texting him but no text go through. Well how will you let him know you deleted Tinder just like he asked? You relieve your frustrations by punching your pillow a few times. Later, you apologize to her, you didn’t mean to hurt her, it’s not her, it’s you. Fuck, 5 minutes of exile and you’re already loosing your mind.

“Raeeeeeeeeeeee!” You whine loudly. It’s roughly 2am now, but you don’t care. You’re too heartbroken to care. There’s a thump from her room, but nothing else, “Raeeeeeeeee!!!” You wail, wallowing in self-pity on your bed. You hear a very loud, very annoyed sigh from her room, followed by angry marching. Your door is abruptly thrown open, and in the dim, colorful light you see her scowl.

“What?” She grits.

“Can you please tell Corpse to unblock me from everything?”

“What did you do now?”

“I made fun of men on Tinder.”

She pauses, “...That doesn’t sound so bad.” She surmises, voice laced with suspicion, “What else?”

“...There was one really hot guy that I kinda sorta talked to after--”

“Y/n.”

“-But I totally deleted Tinder and honestly he was pretty boring, so, like, uhm, please?”

She sighs, the servery of which implies she is holding the weight of the world on her shoulders, and instantly you know that you won. She taps away at her phone, “You owe me one.” She states, and before you can reply, she exits your room and slams the door behind her.

Grinning, you text his phone again. The message goes through, oh gosh, you’re so relieved you feel like crying. This has been, officially, the worst five minutes of your life.

You Y DID U BLOCK ME LOSER!!! MAJOR LOSER ALERT!! I DELETED EVERYTHING IT WAS A JOKE r u still mad at me? y u always mad at me i never do anything:(

my husband You’re my baby, how do you think I’ll react when I see you publicly simping for some asshole on Tinder?

Oh no, he used the words, he delivered the killing blow. You’re finished. Your heart can’t take such a workout. 

Not that you would ever admit it to him, though!

You hehe ur jellyyyy u always dis jealous hehe?

my husband Not jealous.

Yeah, you might not be the brightest tool in the shed, but even you know that’s a lie. You send him an array of kissy emojis that he doesn’t have the decency to reply to. Then, completely unprompted and dead serious, you send him a simple voice memo, saying: “You really have nothing to worry about, you know? You’re my favorite, Corpsie.”

He responds via text, reiterating that he’s not fucking jealous and that he just doesn’t like when you show such outward interest in anyone but it’s not like he cares or anything. It’s just really, like, weeeeird to see his baby simping for another man like that totally ruins the whole dynamic!!! It was only natural that he should block you on every social media platform, including his personal number (which, like, was completely necessary! Doesn’t matter that his viewers can’t see it, it’s gotta be super believable!), and inform his followers of that, because it’s all a joke, like, for the dynamic, that Youtube grind, you know? Ya dig? No personal feelings were involved at all. He totally wasn’t upset that you found someone else cute, no way!

my husband I’m not jealous. Lol.

You ik u repeated tht like 50 times  u trynna convince me or??? lmao

my husband No comment. ...You don’t actually talk to anyone else like we’re talking, right?

You no one else calls me their baby if thts wat ur wondering at least not to my knowledge lol im all urs

my husband That makes me very happy to hear:)

Yeah, it makes you very happy, too.

hope you liked it!! xx