#also probably going to have to consult the 8 ball about whether or not to go to my 3pm class tomorrow

[quitedisastrous]

i have to go to my french class tomorrow. sigh

[theseerasures]

Re: that anon who asked about the shuffle step of the themes of sacrifice

I also found the ideological shift in the volume very interesting, and I think she most interesting bits are with Team RRAYNBOW. Like I think the dynamic between Yang and Ruby and their respective missions this volume is very interesting (if maybe a bit underdeveloped, atm at least). You said a little about it with Team JOYR in Chapter 7. Do you have anymore thoughts about the "shuffle step" in regards to that?

i’m gonna admit upfront that i find this question kind of perplexing, because i don’t know what “ideological shift” it could be alluding to when imo our heroes didn’t so much pivot (or shift, or shuffle step) ideologically so much as make a series of context-specific decisions according to what they felt in the moment they could live with, or would die for (don’t make me tap the sign, etc).

what i DO think might be helpful, though, is to lay out what was at stake in each of the weighty choices/discussions our heroes took part in, from the very beginning of the Long Night to the end of volume 8, to see what (if any) throughlines persist or change. so:

Cordially Invited (7.8) to Out in the Open (7.10): our heroes are all in accord. transparency (telling the truth to Robyn) and collaboration (working with/helping Mantle) are paramount, and Ruby specifically takes steps to remedy her own wavering in that earlier in the season, by letting Oscar tell the whole truth to Ironwood. what’s key about this run, though, is that our heroes aren’t calling the shots yet. they advocate for certain actions when advising Ironwood, but they still trust him to take charge of deciding Atlas/Mantle’s fate.

Gravity (7.11): the Big Shift in terms of status quo. our heroes (JNR more implicitly) remain in accord--abandoning Mantle is the line in the sand they refuse to cross. but what does RWBY advocate for, if not Ironwood’s plan? they all agree that the best thing to do is to stand their ground, but for what? Blake and Weiss are comparatively silent on that front, but Ruby and Yang are more explicit. Ruby makes her plea about Amity--that if they hold out long enough, they can do what they always planned, and unite the world, and get help. Yang’s argument is that Huntsmen and Huntresses don’t back down from a fight. (she’s also the first person to suss out that Amity isn’t ready for launch.) this difference is going to come up later.

The Enemy of Trust (7.13): Oscar makes his last individual plea to Ironwood. his reasoning, much like Blake’s (and presumably Weiss’), is simply that abandoning Mantle is a sacrifice of such magnitude that it becomes unconscionable. it’s wrong because it’s wrong, and Ironwood’s rebuttal that it’s pointless to argue about philosophy when Salem’s right on their doorstep, is dickish, but not incomprehensible. Oscar is still looking to retain the advisory capacity that Team Unwieldy Acronym has had for the entire season, and guide Ironwood to making the right call, but that bridge has already been burned. they have to decide the fate of Atlas/Mantle now if they want to save both.

Divide (8.1): The team is no longer in accord. Ruby and Yang recognize that though they agree about Ironwood, their reasons for not abandoning Mantle are different. Ruby’s looking at the big picture, both in terms of what they have to do for the world, and what the world can do for them. Amity looks to be the only obstacle to getting both and saving everyone. Yang thinks it’s pointless. Yang didn’t want to abandon Mantle because that’s just not what you do, but she has no expectation of fighting toward any good outcome. she’s gonna do what seems more readily achievable, which is saving whatever lives can be saved. Ren and Nora split along similar lines more acrimoniously, because Ren at this point is desperate for tangible success and Nora is...just as desperate for total consuming optimism. Blake throws her lot in with Ruby, Weiss abstains, remaining the most quiet on the fate of Atlas/Mantle despite being Atlesian. Jaune and Oscar, though they go with Yang, mostly go for pragmatic reasons.

Refuge (8.2) to Midnight (8.6), Yang’s Team: the plan to help with Mantle is almost immediately derailed when the Hound kidnaps Oscar. i’ve talked about JYR’s plea to Winter in War, but that of course is not the first time that team chooses the few over the many; they do that IMMEDIATELY after Oscar is kidnapped, when Fiona calls for their help and they--without even verbally consulting with each other--go for Oscar instead. in that moment the more proximal thing they can and need to achieve becomes rescuing their friend, whose captor was still in view. but crucially: as soon as they lose Oscar in Fault, and especially after they discover the Grimm River in Amity, JYR had been on their way back to Mantle, and presumably, back to the less impossible thing to do, the thing they promised the Happy Huntresses they’d help with. running into the AceOps and Salem’s invasion throws a monkey wrench into that plan. suddenly rescuing Oscar becomes possible (though not probable)...

War (8.7), Yang’s Team: but not if Ironwood blows up the Whale, whereupon the equation changes again because now doing nothing for Oscar means leaving Oscar to certain death. tbh the confrontation on the airship is about like fifteen different things at once, because the variables keep changing and everyone is having their own argument over whether to rescue Oscar, and why. Yang’s response once she hears about the bomb is mostly you can’t; it is once again just not what Huntresses do, with some personal stakes thrown in. for the AceOps it is about the weighing of lives, and how they can’t put the mission to save Atlas on hold for one life. Jaune is the one who thinks of an idea where they might be able to do one without delaying the other (the second time this season Jaune has suggested the “go for both” option), where they would be the only ones risking their lives, and no harm comes to the greater good. only then does Ren jump in and shift the argument to caring and friendship; that is to say, after the stakes have been lowered so it’s not Oscar vs. Atlas anymore. i don’t think it takes away from his big moment, though: we know from Fault that Ren has taken Yang’s challenge of “let’s do what we can do” and run with it, and come up with “and what we can do is nothing because we’re not ready and we get everything wrong,” so him vowing to do whatever we can here is important. the point is clear: Team Hero draws their strength from their friends, and they’re willing to die for each other...but the question of if they’d let the world burn for their friend is put off for now.

Strings (8.3) to War (8.7), Ruby’s Team: in contrast to Yang’s plan faceplanting at the first hurdle, Ruby’s plan...works. they accomplish their primary objective! but they had to pay a steep price, and the only immediate consequence of that victory was entirely negative. Nora threw so much of herself into Ruby’s optimistic gamble that she now has lasting scars, and if they had never gone to Atlas Command Penny would not have been hacked (so easily; she might have been regardless). Ruby successfully put the ball in the world’s court, but that the problem: the ball is in the world’s court, and the longer it stays there the less sure she is that help will come. and it IS just about the help they’ll receive by War; Salem batting away Atlas’ hard light shields has shifted the goalposts from “hope the other Kingdoms can prepare :/” to “BLAKE’S PARENTS CAN YOU PICK US UP???” the question of Atlas or Mantle rears its ugly head for the first time since Gravity, and this is the first time Weiss is the first one to advocate, and she says we can’t leave--which, not coincidentally, is also what RWBY said to Ironwood in Gravity. May’s argument, of course, is driven by far more compassion: the need in Mantle is greater, and having finished facilitating Ruby’s (and Robyn’s) plan she’s going to do what Yang decided to do, what Joanna wanted them to do, which is fight for every last life. there’s no longer any big wheels to turn, nor any big powers to convince; all they have to do is decide what they themselves will do, and who to fight for. and Weiss finally shows her hand here. she believes in not leaving Mantle behind, but when it comes to the faces she’d fight and die for, Weiss’ are still in Atlas. Blake and Ruby are the ones to abstain this time, and notably when Ruby tries to argue that they’re all in this together it’s much less effective, because...there’s nothing left for them to do together. Ruby is out of concrete solutions.

Witch (8.9): what goes easily missed here that in retrospect is very important is...Oscar kills Hazel. (which means that an Ozcarnation killed BOTH of the Rainart twins.) we all thought he doubled back to make a sacrifice play, and he did, but not for himself. he received Hazel’s verbal consent, and Hazel would have died regardless, but the point still stands. he had to kill Hazel to neutralize Salem, to buy them the time they desperately needed. an unsettling portent for what comes later, innit? it highlights what his own kidnapping, Nora’s injuries, and Penny’s hacking already illustrates, which is that they are now risking every inch of their body and souls in this fray, and it also illuminates the other part of that, which is that by continuing to throw themselves back into this conflict, they now control the fates of other people as well. Hazel trusted Oscar to make the right call, but Oscar had to make the call.

Risk (8.11): where we ultimately land with the splitting of teams is that: Yang’s team went out to achieve the easily graspable, and they ended up forging alliances they never anticipated and dealing a devastating blow to Salem. Ruby’s team went out to achieve what should have been much more difficult, and they did, but with little palpable impact beyond the negative. what comes out and blends exquisitely with their conversation about Summer is that yes, Ruby sent out the call to warn the world, because she believed in humanity and unity, but Ruby sent out the call because she wanted help. she wanted people--say, parental figures--to save her and tell her things would be okay, and she wanted back the innocence to believe them. Ruby didn’t ask to be the face of the war against Salem, and she most certainly does not want to be in charge of it; she has lived with the material consequences of her family being the centerpiece of that war for her entire life. the Hound reveal is the final twist in the knife of Ruby’s childhood, because now the figure on the highest pedestal in Ruby’s mind has been perverted to a malevolent specter, and if that’s the case there are no more adults. THEY have to be the adults now, and look what a terrible job she’s done with that. Yang’s response is that Ruby is not alone--either in her traumatic fall into adulthood, or in her choices not panning out as expected. all they can do is the best they can in the moment, and Yang’s probably going to keep defaulting to what feels more tangible to her, but that doesn’t mean she wants Ruby to stop going for pie-in-the-sky options, either. Summer is still Yang’s hero, which means Ruby is too. what matters most is that they remain responsive to the moment, and don’t get bowled over by despair when something inevitably go off the rails.

so given all these developments, what are we to make of the plan from Creation (8.12) to The Final Word (8.14)? we start with the archetypal Third Option, as championed by Ruby and Jaune: use the Staff to save Penny and Mantle, and Atlas along the way. but the priorities of the plan--civilians first, presumably even before the Relics or the Maiden powers (though the question of one of them or a Relic is really only answered by Winter, who does not speak for Team Hero)--have Yang all over them. we have to do this for Yang isn’t just because Yang’s gone, it’s because they know it’s what Yang would have wanted, and they will respect that. they made a Ruby n Jaune style Big Plan, but when that plan fell to pieces there was no time to think of a fourth, or fifth, or sixth option that would get everyone out, so they had to improvise and double down on what they all agreed was most important. the choice between their friends or the people could no longer be deferred, or augmented, so they chose. civilians, then the Relics and the Maiden powers, then each other. and when any of them wavered--Blake, Ruby, Jaune--someone else checked them, reminded them to trust and respect what they all committed to. they’re still drawing strength from each other, still dying for each other, but they acknowledge that they are not directing just their fates with their decisions anymore. they took a huge desperate gamble to save Atlas/Mantle, and it worked, but what they gambled with was their own lives. and they made themselves make peace with that--that they’d have to do what they can, everything they can, without hoping for salvation for themselves, even from friends or family.

in the end, what comes across just from doing a close reading of these moments is that RWBY’s views on sacrifice, logic vs. sentiment, the greater vs. the few, etc can’t really be plotted on a solid line. that’s why i can’t really think of what happened this volume as a palpable shift--because so many of these choices were context and character dependent. what i DO think happened with our heroes’ ethical beliefs (or “ideology” ig) is that they were tested across a sequence of stressful and traumatic situations, and as a result they had to compromise on a few things they hoped to never have to compromise in order to shore up defenses on what they were certain they could not live without, or would die for (or both! in the case of six of them). if they have to die like every other Huntsman in history so be it, but they refuse to be so cavalier with the lives of others. none of that is meant to be definitive, however: in-universe RWBY is far from over, and Team Hero is going to get to re-litigate and reexamine these questions from lots more angles, out-of-universe...RWBY is far from over, and the point of the show is not to provide an ethical rubric against which the audience can judge themselves and the characters. there are things--like y’know. genocide--that this show will always consider to be beyond the pale, but in terms of grayer complex questions it is content to simply feel out what is and is not allowable in each particular instance, without trying to resolve all options into One Correct Option.

because sometimes you do just have to sit with the discomfort of there not being one right choice or one golden rule, and sometimes you are awash in the consequences of not only your own actions but the actions of others. and then you have to keep going.

[kunikiiida-kuuun]

Against our will, wisdom comes. (KuniKatai)

Nothing was out of ordinary when Kunikida stormed into Katai Tayama’s house. He grumbled about his old friend’s usual untidiness, (and yet, rolled up his sleeves and started washing the unwashed dishes.) The room was still cluttered with take-out boxes, plates, bottles, books, and numerous wires ran across the room, connected to a hoard of electronic devices. Everything was the same except, the figure under the futon remained unmoved.

Kunikida should have known something was off when he saw that hung up expression on his face. (Yes, even more hung up than usual.) The Katai who would at least retort or hum in response was unusually quiet. He wondered whether he was ill.

Kunikida’s suspicions were confirmed when he placed a plate of Takoyaki, and Katai eyed it from under his futon, and after several moments, picked one up with the toothpick and nibbled on it like a mole. (Dated two days ago in Kunikida’s notebook: Katai craved for some street Takoyaki from Motomachi. He purchased some on the way to his house today.)

Kunikida sighed, placing his hands on his waist, he bent to take a closer look at his face, “What is it?”

“Huh?” Katai grunted uninterestedly, still looking at the plate of Takoyaki.

“Come on, what is bothering you? Are you ill?” Kunikida can see the lift of his eyebrows as a surprised expression takes over his face. He remains quiet and motionless, which elicits another sigh from Kunikida. He wonders if it’s something else, something he difficult to talk about.

“If it’s about that Yamato Nadeshiko again-“

“It’s not that!” Katai denies instantly and winces a bit. Kunikida’s frown deepens, “Then what is-“

"I'm having a toothache." Katai answers in a slightly begrudging tone, as a child would admit having eaten a sweet too many.

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" before he can reply, Kunikida pushes another question, "Have you been following the proper dental care plan I explained to you? First you need to gargle properly-"

Katai waves his hand dismissively, "Yeah, yeah I've done all that,"

Kunikida pretends to be unbothered by his careless answer, "Since when has it been paining?"

"It's been a few days," Katai frowns at the glaring screen in front of him. It takes him quite a while to recall as he confirms the day of the week with Kunikida. When one remained in the house for as long as Katai did, all the days seemed to blend into one, making it hard to discern whether he did something that morning or whole week ago. Meanwhile, Kunikida remains unconvinced about his friend's adherence to a strict dental care routine, when he couldn't tell even remember the day of the week or tell from night and day, shelled up in his futon all day.

"And how bad is the pain?" Kunikida inquired as if he were a doctor inquiring a patient.

"I've seen better days." Katai's hand absentmindedly brushes the left side of his cheek where a light stubble was growing. "It's particularly painful at the very back on this side...quite hard to chew. My jaw hurts too, and it just feels uncomfortable."

He gingerly picks up a Takoyaki and puts it in his mouth; his face morphs into that of a painful look, as he struggles to gulp the octopus ball down. While Katai struggles, Kunikida wordlessly whips out his phone, presses a few buttons and makes a brief call.

It catches Katai's attention only after Kunikida ends the call with curt pleasantries. "Who was that?" Katai raises an eyebrow at him inquisitively.

"The dentist. I've booked an appointment for you tomorrow." Kunikida pulls his notebook and pen from his pocket and writes down the details without wasting a heartbeat.  

Katai gawks loudly at him, "You- you WHAT?" he pushes his futon aside and stands upright.

Unfazed by his reaction, he continues scribbling into the notebook, "The appointment is at nine thirty, and the clinic is about twenty minutes away from here, so-"

"I'm not going!" Katai declares defiantly.

Kunikida doesnt even bother to look up; he had expected such a reaction, "That's ridiculous. If you have a persistent tooth ache, the natural course of action is to consult the dentist. That's all there is to it."  

Katai flops himself back onto the futon and whines, "I didn't ask you to book an appointment for me!"

The blond shoots an incredulous look at him, "It's for you own good, you idiot."

"I'll just take some painkillers and I'll be fine." Katai insists, he picks a Takoyaki indignantly and forces it down his throat, to calm himself down. Instead of calming him down, it reminds him of the terrible toothache. He wasn't the one to shy away from doctors when he had a serious ailment, but in his head, he was convinced that dentists were evil, and getting any kind of treatment from them was worse than the pain he was experiencing right now. He wasn't going accept any arguments, not even from his old friend.

"No, I doubt that. Besides from the kind of pain you're describing, it's probably a chance that it's a wisdom tooth." Kunikida explains with a serious look.

“Wh-What?” Katai splutters in confusion.

Kunikida explains to him about wisdom teeth and how some time ago, Atsushi had been complaining of the same. He also explained how the pain became worse and he developed a swelling in his mouth and had to have it extracted. Katai’s expression morphed from shock to fear and mortification in the span of the whole story.

“Well, by the looks of it, it seems that almost always, the wisdom tooth is extracted. So that’ll probably be the result.” Kunikida says nonchalantly, putting his notebook and pen away and proceeds to clear away the clutter in his room systematically. He couldn’t stand the sight of it any longer, even though he tried to ignore it.

He continues as Katai wails loudly in despair at his friend’s completely insensitive remark. After a solid minute, Kunikida lets out an exasperated sigh, “Katai, it’s not that bad, trust me. I drove Atsushi there myself. And he came to work the next day.”

"You're just saying that because you have a perfect set of teeth!" Katai spews grudgingly.

"I only make sure to follow a proper, well curated dental care routine from time to time. After all, it is essential to look after your teeth for a trouble-free and healthy life-" Kunikida continues to rant till Katai interrupts him as he declares once again,

"No! I won't go! Doctors, dentists, with all their equipment; people terrify me! I am not stepping out of his house, ever! I'd rather bear with this pain for the rest of my life!"

He couldn't do it. He didn’t have the courage to face all that alone. The sight of the cold reception, the beeping sound of the machine that displays the number, the smell of the clinic, the sounds of those torturous devices, he doesn't want to experience it. His heart sinks at the thought of his own childish behavior and stubbornness and wonders why Kunikida puts up with him at all. He couldn’t stand his pitiful self, unable to face the outside world like a normal person.

"Stop being so dramatic, Katai. Firstly, it’s just an examination. The doctor won't immediately whip out his tools and extract your teeth out. There's some protocol to that too."

Kunikida goes on talking, as Katai focuses with bleary eyes and furrowed eyebrows on the screen in front of him, mostly tuning out everything the blond says, lost in his own little shell, the futon wrapping around him like a protective shell.

"-The clinic. I'll borrow the agency's car, so you have to be ready at 8:45 am. Eat a proper breakfast and-"

Katai blinks, "What did you say?"

Kunikida gives Katai a cross look, "I said eat a proper breakfast because-"

"No, I mean before that-"

"I'll borrow the agency's car?" Kunikida repeats raising a brow at him as Katai continues to stare at him blankly.

Kunikida resumes decluttering the room, half done already. "Anyway, I'll get you some painkillers for now. Yosano-sensei is well acquainted with this dentist so everything should be alright."

"You're coming along with me?" Katai asks in a small, hesitant voice.

"Huh?" Kunikida stops for a second to throw him a confused look, "Of course I’m coming along. Why wouldn’t I?” he huffs in satisfaction as he puts away all the trash neatly into trash bags. “Besides, I thought while we’re at it, I might as well have my own teeth examined.”

Katai couldn’t describe the relief that washed over him upon hearing these words. It only came out as a strangled gasp and gibberish, which earned him another confused look from Kunikida.

"Oi Katai." Kunikida's voice calls him out in an irritated voice. “Have you been listening at all?”

“Yes.”

He looks pressingly at the black-haired man, before shrugging and lifting the trash bags. “I’ll throw these out.”

Just before he steps out, Katai calls him, “Kunikida?”

Kunikida halts by the door of the room and waits. “Thank you.” Katai murmurs, softly. If the man was confused as to why he thanked him he gives no such inclination; Kunikida simply nods in response, and walks out wordlessly. Katai figured that he understands after all. The two of them had a way to understand each other after all, after that many years of companionship.

Maybe he doesn’t have the courage to face the outside world yet on his own. Maybe he can’t throw away that shell yet. But maybe someday, he will. (And it doesn’t have to be by himself.)

Kunikida went along with Katai for his appointment at the dentist. Needless to say, he brought his futon, Yoshiko along, and attracted quite a lot of attention at the reception. He insisted to have it wrapped around him during the examination as well, but Kunikida managed to coax him out of it for a while. While he was being examined, some of electrical equipment in the room started malfunctioning as well.

(Kunikida suspects it was because of Katai’s ability, but it may not be intentional, and possibly due to his nervousness.)

It turns out that Katai was indeed in pain due to the emergence of a wisdom tooth. Upon further inspection, it was concluded that they did not need to be removed and was prescribed a few effective painkillers to get rid of his pain.

When Kunikida sat down to get his teeth checked, it turns out that he too, had wisdom teeth coming along, not one, but four, two of which were severely decayed and needed to be removed surgically. Kunikida didn’t hesitate to have it extracted the very next day, (as such a hinderance was not written anywhere in his notebook.) and immediately booked an appointment.

Katai couldn’t come along with him.

The only one who was free to take Kunikida to the dentist was Dazai.

Dazai to drove Kunikida to the dentist (upon his insistence that Kunikida must vocalize repeatedly, or his gums may weaken and the surgery would have to be cancelled.)

(It was a lie.)

He almost threw up on the way because of his terrible driving. The wisdom teeth were extracted successfully, although it was slightly complicated procedure. He had to be partly sedated and he had a huge swelling by the end of it.

In a state of sedation, Kunikida confessed guiltily, on the verge of tears the one time when he arranged a file in the wrong shelf, and another time he forsake cleaning duty because there was a limited sale on eggs and fish. He also threw a fit over the ice-cream which Dazai bought him to relieve the pain as instructed by the doctor, which he claimed wasn’t icy enough.  

Dazai recorded everything, of course.

 -x

  Wisdom teeth grow in at the back of the mouth, behind your molars, crooked, sideways, or otherwise misaligned. As they grow in, they can push on other teeth, causing problems of overcrowding and misalignment for them as well. According to my non-existent medical opinion, pls don’t get it extracted.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hey Steph, me again, I'm on a bit of a streak here: I just spent until midday in bed with such a brilliant Johnlock ghoststory, I simply had to share it and ask for more. So, the story, giant rec: The Master of Latham Hall by Kryptaria on AO3. (can't include link in an ask, ugh) And then the question: please please please give me more Johnlock haunted house case fics or the like. Ghost cases. Gah. October has me in its paws.

@miss-marvel95​ said to inevitably-johnlocked: Halloween fics? :D

HI GUYS!! 

Hope it’s okay I put both of your fic reqs together since they’re both for a theme of Halloween, LOL!! 

Thought it would be a good time to update all my Halloween-y fics and all the ones I have MFL’d over the past couple years. Note that I am posting JUST Ghost fics or fics labelled Halloween! PLEASE check out the masterpost I made last year to a HUGE list of supernatural-type fics, so there will be some Vampires, werewolves, creepy fics, etc. on that list for you @dreamingbrownie if you want more than just “Halloween” fics, LOL! 

I hope you guys enjoy this list, and PLEASE add your own Halloween fics!!!!!!

GHOSTS & HALLOWEEN

See also: 

MASTERPOST: Halloween Fics (October 2018)

Ghosts / Figments

Dies After the Fall and Becomes a Ghost

By the Graveside by CraftyLion (K, 1,505 w., 1 Ch. ||  Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Death) – But what if Sherlock never really survived The Fall? What if the Sherlock in the graveyard was merely a spirit, forlornly watching his friend from the Other Realm?

33 by Indigo Blue.x (K+, 2,936 w., 1 Ch. || Humour) – "I haven't made a zombie," Sherlock says scathingly, which would be more convincing if there were not a zombie in the flat.

Equine Arse Anonymity by Kayjaykayme (E,  3,834 w., 1 Ch. || Est. Rel., Public Sex, Coming in Pants, Humour, Halloween, Hand Jobs) – Sherlock needs to speak with suspects at a fancy dress ball. He chooses a couple's costume for himself and John. It is logical, practical and well thought out. John doesn't agree and exacts sweet revenge.

Electric Potential by pygmymeese (T, 5,011 w., 1 Ch. || Supernatural) – It's not clear why everyone in the world suddenly gets a ghost only they can interact with. All John Watson knows is that he's stuck with a brilliant, if smug, ex-consulting detective, and that life is definitely looking up.

London's Ghost by JustlikeWater (K+, 5,642 w., 1 Ch. || Tragedy, H/C, Angst, Post-TRF AU, Sherlock POV) – "Today, it's been weeks since Sherlock died. Other times, years. He doesn't know for sure, though. Time passes differently for the dead"

The Haunting of 221B Baker Street by earlgreytea68 (M, 10,388 w., 2 Ch. || Post TRF, Halloween / Ghosts, Pining Sherlock, Ghost Sherlock, Stroppy Sherlock, Sherlock POV, First Kiss/Time, Angry Sex, Ghost Sex, Love Confessions, Open / Ambiguous Ending) – In which Sherlock Holmes is a ghost.

To See You Again by Arisprite (T, 11,255 w., 1 Ch. || Suspense, H/C, Supernatural) – When John wakes to a world where no one can see or hear him, it takes everything he has, including the upheaval of past mistakes to find out what happened in time to save his own life. No slash.

The Red Dianthus by kinklock (T, 11,382 w., 3 Ch. || Supernatural Elements, BAMF!John, Misunderstandings, Fluff, Romance, Halloween, Dev. Rel., Case Fic) – The boys investigate a mysterious disappearance in a supposedly haunted house, and get much more than they bargained for.

Fear Itself by KCS (K+, 12,289 w., 3 Ch. || Suspense, Friendship) – John is accustomed to being kidnapped by now, but he never expected a criminal to adopt Mycroft's method of doing so, to ensure he comes along without a fight.

Hallowed Eve by EventHorizon (T, 14,750 w., 6 Ch. || First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Halloween) – It probably wasn't the smartest idea to let Sherlock choose the costumes for Halloween, but John never considered himself the smartest man in the room, anyway.

I Think I’ve Come A Long Long Way To Sit Before You Here Today by ArwenKenobi (T, 18,251 w., 3 Ch. || Grief/Mourning, Passage of Time, Major Character Death, Alternating POV, Sherlock Whump, Pining Sherlock, Hospitalization, Coma, Revenge Murders, Hallucinations, Love Confessions, Brutal Accident, Mystrade, Ghost John) – One year after John is killed Sherlock starts to wonder whether John has actually gone anywhere.

The Cost of a Wish by slashscribe (E, 102,493 w., 12 Ch. || xxxHolic Fusion || Spirits / Ghosts and Magic, Love Confessions, Slow Burn, Soul Mates / Fated Lovers, Adventure, Immortal Sherlock, Powerful John, POV John, Frottage, Wish Granting, Angst with Happy Ending, Nightmares) – John has been plagued by a secret his entire life that has made him feel hopeless until he meets a mysterious, seemingly omniscient man named Sherlock Holmes who owns a wish-granting shop. Their meeting sets off a series of inevitable events that will change the course of both of their lives forever.

MARKED FOR LATER:

A Spirited Companion by TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel (T, 3,124 w. || ASiP AU, Ghosts, Crack) – In which John is a ghost haunting the skull on Sherlock’s mantlepiece.

In a manner of speaking I’m dead by fellshish (T, 6,372 w., 1 Ch. || Halloween, Mystrade, Angst With Happy Ending, PIning, First Kiss, Drunk Idiots, Drinking Games, Humour) – Sherlock and John accidentally dress in matching outfits for Lestrade’s Halloween party. Things only get worse: someone pushes them to play ‘Never have I ever’.

Let’s Say I Let You In by kedgeree (E, 9,972 w., 1 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Halloween, Costume Kink, Est. Rel., Humour, Smut, Vampire Sherlock, Bloodplay, Biting, Romance) – It’s Halloween and Sherlock’s vampire costume is turning John on, but Sherlock doesn’t quite get the idea of a sexy vampire. At least…not at first. Part 4 of the Holidays series

Hallowe'en Homecoming by earlybloomingparentheses (T, 12,594 w., 1 Ch. || Unconventional Relationship, Halloween, Sherlock’s Childhood, Family Videos) – Sherlock and John are solving a case when Mycroft turns up and persuades Sherlock to return home for his mother’s Hallowe'en celebration. John thinks that seeing where Sherlock grew up will help him understand the detective better; instead, he finds himself more confused than ever. But it’s John Watson’s job to look after Sherlock Holmes, come hell, high water, or Hallowe'en, so that’s just what he’s going to do.

Balance by Laur (E, 13,939 w. || First Time, Alternate Universes, ASiP AU, Soulmates, Ghost Sex, Supernatural Elements) –  Each stuck in a universe where the other does not exist, a distortion of space allows Sherlock and John to meet each other through touch alone.

The Halloween Party by XistentialAngst (M, 19,044 w., 3 Ch. || Halloween, Sexy Sherlock, Vampires, Costumes/Disguises, Mutual Masturbation, BAMF John, First Time, Humour, Romance, Frottage, Friends to Lovers) – Sherlock and John attend a Halloween party on the trail of a vampire killer – a man who’s been seducing his victims and taking all their blood. Sexy costumes, bad puns, hideous danger, frantic sex in hidden places and some Halloween-flavored fluff are all on hand to “treat” you. Boo.

A Spirit In 221B by bbcatemysoul (T, 19,359 w., 8 Ch. || Ghost Sherlock, Past Drug Use / Overdose, Humour, First Meetings, Paranormal, Fluff, Pre-Slash) – John rents a flat, only to find that it’s already occupied by the ghost of a previous tenant. Part 1 of the A Spirit In 221B series

The Haunting of Sherlock Holmes by MapleleafCameo (E, 25,333 w., 9 Ch. || Ghosts, First Kiss / Time, Supernatural Elements, Mysterious Disappearance, Ghost Sex, Hauntings) – Forced by his interfering git of a brother to the countryside to recuperate, Sherlock stumbles upon a 60 year old mystery. Captain John Watson, returning after WWII mysteriously disappeared one night. Bored, Sherlock investigates, but what if Watson didn’t disappear? What if he’s still there? Sort of a ghost story. Eventual Johnlock

The Afterlife of Doctor John H. Watson by flawedamythyst (G, 31,103 w., 1 Ch. || Ghost!Watson, ACD Canon) – An account of Doctor Watson’s actions in the years following his death.

The Master of Latham Hall by Kryptaria (T, 47,679 w., 11 Ch. || Post-TRF, Angst, Fluff, Sussex Downs, Ghosts) – Ten years after meeting Sherlock Holmes, John Watson has successfully kept only one secret from the world’s only consulting detective: the most important secret he’s ever had.Now, drawn into an impossible web of murders at Latham Hall, John learns the terrible price a man must pay for keeping certain things secret.

FictoberLock 2018 by FinAmour & unicornpoe (M, 60,875 w., 31 Ch. || Halloween, Protective John, Smitten Sherlock, Fluff, First Kiss, Injured Sherlock, Various Prompts) – 31 different prompts, 31 Johnlock fics: one every day for the month of October! Each chapter is a stand-alone story. Some are written by unicornpoe, some by FinAmour, and some are written by us both! They range in length from ~500 words to ~3500 words, and there’s something in here for everyone.

Skeletons by flawedamythyst (T, 174,262 w. across 3 works || Implied Character Death) – Sherlock’s refusal to talk about his past hides far more skeletons than John could ever have guessed at. Halloween-esque AU.

[jq37]

The Report Card – Fantasy High Sophomore Year Ep 8

Poor Little Rich Kids (in which Fabian Decidedly Does Not Get His Groove Back and Adaine Chooses a Nice Hill to Die On)

We are at the Row and the Ruction and the Bad Kids are in the fight of their lives, facing off not only against Captain James Wicklaw and his crew over the crown of the Pirate King, but also a contingent of elves from Falinel who have shown up to drag Adaine back with them and they’re commanding a huge air elemental. Not only that, Fabian is still suffering from two levels of exhaustion AND--due to his recent trauma--Fabian has lost the Champion sub-class and is not able to apply any class features. No second wind, no action surge, no extra attacks. Our boy has been nerfed to hell. And, to make matters worse, the Bad Kids didn’t roll stellar on initiative and they’ll continue to roll like trash all fight. And they haven’t rested since their last fight! Everyone is damaged and/or low on spell slots. 

Fabian rolled the best on initiative but, there’s not much he can do. At Cathilda’s urging, he falls back and fires his crossbow. The elves have the air elemental attack and then Banish Tracker which is not great for such a banged up party. Gorgug sends Gilear in the Van after Garthy and then wrecks some pirates. One of the elves casts Flesh to Stone on Adaine and she fails her save. She begins petrifying and has to roll death-like saves to keep from turning fully to stone. Cathilda gets a Nat 20 on one of her attacks and slices a tentacle off of Captain Wicklaw. Sandra-Lynn and Ragh also do well on their turns. 

Everyone but Riz (who is hiding in the rafters) has to make an Int save against Captain Wicklaw’s psionic hate blast and all of the PC’s fail and are stunned which means they can't move, can only barely speak (hindering even vocal only spells), and have attacks taken against them with advantage. They also auto fail Strength and Dex saves. Not a good condition to have at any time, but especially now.

After some attacks, the pirates are badly injured but not badly enough for the Bad Kids to have any comfort. Adaine makes her save to become unstunned but then rolls a Nat 1 on the petrification save. Riz shoots from the rafters to try and break the concentration of the elf who banished Tracker but she rolls exactly what she needs to save. Wicklaw takes a legendary action (because of course this dude has a legendary action, he’s a MINDFLAYER) and shoots Fabian before teleporting up to the Ruction. Fabian rolls a Nat 1 on his save for being stunned. Siobhan stages an impromptu Baptism for Lou’s dice irl. 

The elves’ elemental grabs Adaine and bring her up to the Ruction. Fig gives Adaine some Bardic. And then, plot twist! Adaine’s DAD (Anguin Abernant) drops Greater Invisibility and casts Dominate Person on Adaine. Adaine makes her Wisdom save (with a +6 mod and advantage plus her Bardic from Fig) and tells her dad to go to hell. 

Fig (who is at 9 HP at this point) gets attacked by a pirate and drops to zero, taking down a pirate with her with a Hellish Rebuke. Gorgug, the tank, is at 5 HP. Yeah, it’s that bad. With Cathilda’s help, Gorgug finally snaps out of his stunned condition. Sandra-Lynn brings Fig back up. Wicklaw shoots Fabian. Adaine fails a petrification save but makes her stun save. Then, she takes a Misty Step away from the elemental that has her. Riz tries to steal the crown from Wicklaw and fails but, luckily, Wicklaw fails on his retaliatory attack. Fabian and Kristen continue to fail their stun saves. 

The air elemental grabs Adaine again. Fig Dimension Doors herself and Gorgug to where Adaine is and gives her Bardic. Anguin tries to Dominate Person on Adaine again and also to guilt trip her. Adaine makes the save, easy, and sidesteps the parental guilt trip even easier. A bunch of pirates have made it into the Ruction, Sandra-Lynn is looking bad and Kristen is at 3 HP. Things are looking bad. Real bad.

Which is why one of the elves offers Adaine a choice. Teleportation only works on a willing creature. If Adaine allows herself to be teleported to Falinel, the elves will stop helping Wicklaw and give her friends a fighting chance. Even though she technically has two options, Adaine only sees one. She’s defiant as ever but she goes with the elves. They poof away but, as they do, Adaine makes a petrification save (again, with Fig’s Bardic) and the casts Sending to tell Ayda that her friends are being attacked and ask for help. She gets a reply: “Your friends are my friends.” Ayda’s on her way. 

Gorgug does a bunch of damage on Wicklaw and goes down, but pops back up to 1 HP with Relentless Endurance. Cathilda kills some pirates then stays close to the still stunned Fabian to guard him. Wicklaw stuns Gorgug again, puts him in a grapple, and gets ready to eat his brains. Riz blasts an already badly injured Wicklaw for 25 damage. Kristen and Fabian fail their stun saves AGAIN. Fig fails her attack on Wicklaw but heals Gorgug for a few points. 

Sandra-Lynn rushes Wicklaw and knocks him out of the Ruction and into the Row (freeing Gorgug from his grapple) but then Wicklaw stabs her and she goes down. Riz hides and then shoots with a Nat 20! 47 damage! Wicklaw goes down...but we find that he’s not completely out when Riz runs to grab the crown and gets shot at point blank range and then slashed with Wicklaw’s saber. He drops and falls into the Row next to Sandra-Lynn, taking two death save fails from getting trampled. Emily weighs her in game loyalty to her mom against her out of game loyalty to Murph and then heals Sandra-Lynn. Then she and Gorgug tag-team the final chunk of damage and kill his ass. FINALLY. Fig also steals his soul because, why not? With Wicklaw dead, the pirates not affiliated with him quickly beat the tar out of the rest of his men and the gang take his hate-sword (which Fig gets later).

Tracker pops out of Banishment and passes out heals. Ragh and Cathilda snap Kristen and Fabian out of being stunned. Cathilda tries to comfort Fabian but he’s still feeling awful about Cathilda being forced to babysit him and him not being able to help Riz. Riz tries to give him a pep talk (eliciting probably the *second* saddest Hoot-Growl to date) but it doesn’t seem to stick. Fig, confusingly paranoid, insight checks Cathilda (finding nothing suspicious that she’s not making up in her own head). Jemina Joy shows up and informs everyone that Gilear has crashed the Van because Of Course he has. 

Riz asks Fabian what they should do with the Pirate King crown but he’s still uncharacteristically indecisive, deferring to Cathilda who suggests they mount the crown on Wicklaw’s head in Gibbety Square where the old one was. They do so. Then, they debate whether they should take a rest before going after Adaine and decide going after her ASAP is the best move, especially considering she sacrificed herself for them. Ayda agrees to teleport everyone to Falinel but first, they head back to the Gold Gardens to regroup. 

Gorgug takes Fabian aside to tell him that it’s OK that he didn’t get to be the hero this fight because that’s the whole point of being on a team but also that he needs to get it together for Adaine’s sake. Kristen also pulls Fabian aside (either before or after she and Tracker have a poorly times tryst upstairs) and tells him that, as the Queen of Being a Hot Mess, it’s OK for him to be a Hot Mess for a bit while he’s figuring things out because the party will have his back. She also apologizes for comparing him to Gilear. Then Gilear pulls Fabian aside and--nah, he doesn’t have a pep talk lined up. He needs money to pay someone off. Fabian gives him the gold.      

Once everyone (sans Adaine, of course) gets back together, Jemina Joy tells them that they’re welcome back any time. Garthy asks where specifically they want to go since Falinel is a big country. Because of the way Adaine was taken, their best guess for where she is is wherever Aelwyn is being held. They consult the dossier which says she’s being held in Calethiel Tower. Teleporting there is a no-go because of the heavy security but there are a number of adjoining provinces, one of which (the land of the Lomenelda) is actually where Fabian’s mom is from. They decide to poof in there. As they go (Ayda included, she’s not just sending them), Tracker (and Gilear for that matter) notices a strange, loaded goodbye between Garthy and Sandra-Lynn. What’s that about, asks Tracker. Uh, let’s put a pin in that, Kristen replies. 

Back with Adaine (who is now fully clear of petrification), she has been teleported to a very nice courtyard with these elven wizards and her dad. Her dad and one of the elves (whose name sounds like Kier to me but who the hell knows between the weird spelling and the low, breathy, elven talking) stay with her. Kier tells Adaine she made a noble choice but Adaine isn’t having it. She tries to Misty Step out of the room and her dad dispels her magic. She casts Greater Invisibility of herself. Boom, dispelled by Kier. Adaine refuses them even an inch of cooperation or cordiality, even when they volunteer the information that her friends made it out of the fight. Kier leaves Adaine alone with her dad and Adaine, again, absolutely refuses to play ball (don’t worry, I’m skimming because I’m coming back to this). Anguin tells Adaine to stop being obstinate. Falinel will have an oracle. And if they don’t have one, they will make one. Fine, says Adaine, with no pause at all. Kill me. Adaine is determined to be a thorn in her fathers’ side for the rest of her life and death if it comes to that. Anguin finds her response more annoying than actually frustrating and leaves.

An elf comes to take Adaine to her room but she does the little kid thing of lying down and refusing to engage so he handcuffs her instead and drags her away and up the tower. On the way up, she sees a beautiful marble chamber with a 15 ft diameter glass orb that is slightly rotating. Inside is Aelwyn, on her hands and knees, crawling as it rotates. Aelwyn doesn’t notice her but Adaine can tell she’s been kept from trancing for almost a year and is extremely “trance-deprived”.

Kier and Anguin come back in as Adaine hides under the blankets. On a failed Wis save, Kier lands a detect thoughts on her. Kier asks Adaine about the last time she saw her mom. Adaine doesn’t answer but runs into the “Don’t think about a pink elephant,” problem. Her thoughts betray her, even as she remains tight-lipped. As she’s being interrogated, she sees the stars through a window and can tell, more or less, where in Falinel she is (which could be helpful once she can cast Sending again). 

One last question for Adaine: Is she going to start cooperating or is she going to keep being a pain in their ass?

Take a wild guess at which option she picks. 

She picks the hard way. Fine, says Kier. Put her in a trance-deprivation Torture-Orb. Because F the Fantasy Geneva Convention I guess. 

Detention

Anguin for Being an Absolute Sunuvabitch and the WORST Father in the Kingdom and Any Other

I’m not giving him the dignity of more than a single sentence devoted to him so there. 

Honor Roll

Adaine for So Much

My Girl!

Adaine was on fire this episode, starting with the long overdue confrontation with her father. When he dropped Invisibility to try to Dominate Person her, I felt my stomach drop. Losing control of your character sucks in general but, in the context of Adaine’s relationship with her dad, it would have been that much more painful a loss, but she resisted like a champ both times!

Then, as I suspected might happen, she was given the opportunity to surrender to give her friends a better chance, and she took it without question. She didn’t even consider it a choice. She willingly walked into basically her worst case scenario, and not even for a guarantee at their safety. For a chance. To maybe turn the tide. She gave herself up for any advantage she could give them.

And THEN, when she cast Sending to Ayda--a SUPER clutch move by the way--she didn’t even say, “Hey, help me please.” She didn’t say anything about herself at all. She said, “My friends are in danger. Please help them.” And, because Adaine put the effort into building that bridge and making that friend last episode, even though she didn’t have to--they already had what they needed at that point--Ayda says yes. “Your friends are my friends.”

And, here’s the thing. Adaine isn’t stupid. She’s very much the opposite of that. I mentioned last recap that Adaine was potentially putting herself in dangerous waters by not cooperating seeing as Falinel could kill her to trigger a new elven Oracle being selected. I was concerned she might not have thought about that. Oh, no. She’s thought about it. She just doesn’t give a single damn. She is being obstinate in the face of her potential demise. She went with them, fully aware that her death was on the table. And, then, she proceeded to be as difficult a prisoner as she was capable of being.  

And, I have to give major, major, major props to Siobhan. In my opinion, one of her biggest strengths an an RP-er (besides being one of the Keepers of the Party Brain Cells) is her ability to string words together on the fly in just the most perfect way. Like her speech to the American Dream in Unsleeping City? She gave a small pause and then the exact perfect combination of words fell out of her mouth, like magic. But it wasn’t, she’s just that good. And that’s how I felt in this episode too. The second she was alone with Anguin, I thought, “Alright Siobhan, showtime.” And she delivered, as always. She went ALL the way back. It wasn’t, “I can’t believe you kidnapped me just now.” It was, “You abandoned me.” OF COURSE, that’s where Adaine would start. OF COURSE, she’s still raw about that. OF COURSE she wants to talk about her shitty childhood. But it wasn’t the meek, broken, childish tone from Promocalypse. This was cold, and hardened, and defiant to the core. Anguin hinting at her possible death and her basically spitting it back in his face was such a power move. Absolutely outstanding. And then her final line: “That unfinished business will remain unfinished because there is no level of an annoyance to you that will be satisfying to the ghost of me.” That sentence is constructed in such a way that it would have been very easy to trip over but Siobhan delivered it flawlessly and stuck the landing for maximum impact. 

Bravo to Adaine for being put in a situation that would have had her rolling for panic attacks in S1 and, instead, helping her friends and standing her ground.

Random Thoughts

Apologies that my fight play-by-play isn’t exact. People were getting stunned and unstunned all over the place and it was hard to keep track. Trust me, the details are less important than the fact that everyone had a bad time.  

We got new character art for Fabian and Cathilda here. 

Brennan, channel Big Cubby Energy: All laws are actually just structured threats.

What are the kids supposed to do for the last 2-3 months of school? Also, I ask again, are all of the quests going on at Aguefort right now this personal and entwined with emotional baggage? Or is it just the Bad Kids being forced to fight their family members and dead families' enemies and the like?

“Friends don’t let friends’ brains get eaten by their fathers’ mortal enemies.”

More than anyone, Emily was LIVING for Lou’s choice to nerf Fabian. Game respects game.  

Also, the mild panic and then relief from Emily when Zac said that he called for Gilear...to get in the Van and go get Garthy was so funny. Mark my words, Emily is going to die for an NPC eventually. It might be in NADDPOD, it might be in D20, but it’s gonna happen.

That bit where Adaine is like, “We can hear your music through your headphones,” and Gorgug is like, Oh no! Relatable. 

This was yet another fight where, after it was over, I was like, “I can’t believe all this happened in like 45 seconds of game time.” I mean, we had people dying or almost dying multiple times, they lost two party members (one for real), they were getting hit with so many status conditions, it was a whirlwind of a fight. And also a good example of how bad initiative can totally screw you. 

Having both healers incapacitated all fight also really screwed them. If they hadn’t both been down and could have provided some buffs, thrown up Spirit Guardians, and healed, that could have been an enormous help. Of course, I get the sense the elves could have thrown down a lot harder than they did if they’d had to, but it still would have been better to have at least one functioning cleric. 

And then the lack of rest between this fight and the last. RIP them.

Even though they spent most of the fight getting womped, I didn’t feel the energy drop that I did during some of the other hard fights they had. Everyone was still obviously having a good time, which is great because it makes it more fun for us as the audience. 

Fig: I’m kind of a closed book.

Also Fig, Midfight to Adaine: Love you girl! 

Also Fig, Upon Being Given Permission to do an AoE Attack the Would hit Adaine: NOOOO!

Also Fig, Distraught: I used my everything to try and save you!

Also Fig, Who Knows the NK can and Has Controlled People, specifically Her and Ragh: The Nightmare King could be anyone except my six friends.

Man, Ally invoked their nat20 summoning powers a bunch this ep but it just wasn’t happening. The dice really were not on the party’s side at all this ep. 

Like Emily, I thought for a sec at the end of the fight that Brennan was saying Anguin was left behind, not referring to Gilear. I would have LOVED to see the crew gang up on him post-fight. Remember when Riz was interrogating Biz and started blasting off fingers? Good times. 

I also low key thought Fig was gonna do something to torture Wicklaw’s soul. I’ve been trying to figure out why she can do that. I think she said it’s a racial ability, but I haven’t figured out what it is yet.

The whole group telling Ayda that her formal friendship declaration is weird, but objectively less confusing than the typical way of doing it. 

Also, I told you making friends was gonna pay dividends! The secret (“secret”) goal of every D&D campaign is to make as many friends as possible, starting with your party members and the sky’s the limit after that. And it works out perfectly since Adaine is gone but they have another high level wizard with the same specialty filling in.  

Gilear shaking down Fabian for 250g instead of giving him a pep talk was low key hysterical. The comic timing on that from Brennan was so good.

I wonder what Riz was going to tell Fabian during his pull aside. I think this is like the second time Riz was going to pull him aside and then it ended up not happening. He’d already talked to him earlier so I wonder what else he wanted to say that would have required a pull-aside.   

Wild that Kristen took the Warding Bond to help Fabian and then both of them were basically out the entire fight. Lol, maybe that’s why Ally couldn’t dicemance this episode. Their luck was tied to Lou’s terrible streak. 

Looks like we’re finally gonna get some insight on Fabian’s mom’s side of the family. We really don’t know much about her. Wouldn’t it be wild if all of them were essentially country/farmer elves and Halariel is the only one who’s Like That because she moved away and “made it”.

“Minus 3 to Dex, also in real life.”

As much as I loved every choice Adaine made in this episode, (1) I feel like I would have at least counter-offered the elves something like, “Help us win then I’ll go,” and (2) I couldn’t help but worry about the position she was putting herself in by not playing along at least a little, although it would only have helped her so much because outright lying to someone who has detect thoughts on you is damn near impossible. She at least could have saved herself the torture of trance-deprivation. But, like, is she gonna be able to take her meds? Because this very much seems like an Anxiety Inducing Situation. 

I’m gonna fight Kristen and Tracker for stopping to have sex in the middle of this and I’m gonna fight Brennan for ending this episode on a sex joke. 

Also, looks like the whole Sandra-Lynn/Garthy/Jawbone situation is finally about to come to a head. So just add that to the list of things you’re bracing for. 

Sandra-Lynn re: Fig Stealing A Pirate’s Soul: Horrifying, You’re wonderful. 

“My friend’s a rock star!”

I love that Fig consistently says, “You wanna go for a ride?” before she uses Dimension Door with someone. 

“Is almost died the same as having died?”

“I think I have a lot of friends but then everyone is mean to me.” Rizzzzz. But also, all my closest friendships in high school could easily be mistaken for my enemies for all the time we spent clowning on each other. 

Lol at that one elf trying to turn Adaine’s words back on her as a zinger (“Must not be a great oracle.”) but failing twice because Adaine/Siobhan’s genuinely did not remember what she said before. 

As blunt as Ayda is, her, “Your friends are my friends,” was one of the sweetest moments of the episodes. There is something really touching about plainly stating emotional information. 

Man! I have been wanting to see what exactly is going on with Aelwyn for AGES and we finally caught a glimpse. I was wondering whether she was in a country club prison or more of a Gitmo situation and I forgot that elves are so into The Aesthetic that they will put you in a torture device in a country club. But yeah, they def aren’t pulling their punches. They’re been torturing her for almost a year. That’s brutal (and mechanically bad because even if they break her out, she’s gonna have zero spell slots and 5 levels of exhaustion probably which is one less than it takes to kill you). And I’m curious. Is it a means to an end or is the torture the end itself? Is there information she refused to give them or is this just how they punish people in Falinel? In any case, you don’t get tortured for a year without at least a little mind-breakage. Very interested to see where is on a scale from 0 to Avanash and how she reacts to Adaine when they inevitably meet again. And I’m curious to see if Adaine softens to her sister at all under the circumstances. That Aelwyn redemption arc is within our grasp.

Likewise, this gives us more information we can use to make guesses about what’s going on with Adaine’s mom. She pretty clearly isn’t working with Falinel seeing as the don’t know where she is and Aelwyn is being held under bad conditions. All signs seem to point to her going rogue and breaking from both her husband and Falinel to try and spring her daughter. I want Adaine to have at least one half-decent parent and I also want the Drama of it All so I really hope that’s what we end up seeing. 

F Adaine’s dad, man. Like, truly and from the bottom of my heart. To make a kid--your kid--feel so unloved is frankly a travesty. And to be able to do something this terrible to your kid without showing any emotion really in either direction is heartless and cruel in such a casual way. I hope he has enough capacity for emotion to feel properly brought low when the Bad Kids kick his ass. 

And I’m very ready to see all the rest of the Bad Kids [Edit: Just Realized I never finished this thought. All I was gonna say was I’m excited to see the rest of the Bad Kids torn up/angry/determined/whatever over this. A character getting kidnapped is great for any found family story because then you get to watch everyone else move heaven and earth to try and rescue them which is very my jam.]   

Everyone calling for Fabian (particularly Riz who was like Dying-dying) and Fabian just not being able to do anything was so rough. And even rougher because, out of game, Stunned is a status condition but, in game, there’s really nothing actually stopping you. It’s not like you’re being physically held back. It’s all in your head. So Fabian knowing he can run over and help but simply not being able to is just so painful.

“Usually I drive an automatic. This is...also an automatic but it’s slightly different.” (Gorgug, zero judgement: Oh, OK.)

“You’re rich, I’m not. Help me.”

Man, D&D y’all. Can you imagine how differently this story could be going if they’d just gone straight to Falinel and not stopped in Leviathan? At the very least, Fabian’s arc would be going very differently. 

And speaking of, Fabian is still having such a rough go at it. Having another fight in two days where he was basically reduced to firing a crossbow once and retreating while his allies got smacked down must have been rough. And now he’s got to go straight into another emergency situation with basically no downtime. This isn’t gonna be good for his psyche. Maybe there’s someone at his mom’s old stomping grounds that can help him get on the road to a better headspace. Or maybe he’ll end up in a situation where he has to step up or something will die and he’ll go with option A. Or maybe Lou will sell his soul for dice powers like Allie did. Only time will tell. 

Kristen and Fabian are bagging on Gilear. The camera shifts slightly to the left and he’s standing barely 5 feet away from them. 

Also, I love the detail of Garthy’s aura around the Gold Gardens softening Fig’s deafen curse on Gilear.

Adaine blowing all her spell slots to be as annoying as possible is so on brand. Adaine is so funny to me because, on a normal day, she’s the most polite and easiest to deal with Bad Kid but she is just as prone to childish taunting or dedicating her life to making yours a living hell if given half a reason.   

Loved Ally’s callback to the “this is also a forest” metaphor from a few eps back.

Again, just to make sure no one is blindsided, we have one more episode to go before the Holiday break. I estimate they the kids probably won’t get to Adaine in that time or will just barely get to her with little time to interact (though D&D is hard to predict due to the high probability of unexpected player moves). Anyway, my point is, I’m bracing for a maddening cliffhanger between the next ep and the one after that.

Riz and Cathilda both got Nat 20s this episode. Fabian, Gorgug, and Adaine all got Nat 1s (1 apiece) and Brennan as I think Wicklaw got 2 Nat 1s.

[theparanormalperiodical]

17 Ways To Predict The Future That You Can Do For FREE (#8 Will Have You Shook - And I Should Know, I Totally Saw It Via Augury)

It was 8.57pm on a Wednesday night. I was sitting on my bed, waiting for the microwave to let me know my lasagne is ready, and that’s when I first heard it.

Silence.

Day 2 of UK lockdown was nearly over, but the tidal wave of boredom - and the consequential existential crises - was set to hit the nation at any moment if it hadn’t already.

Amazon orders of ‘watercolour kits for beginners’ had surged, YouTube workouts I’m pretty sure were filmed in some murderer’s basement were clogging up YouTube's trending page, and returning to the dark side of Duolingo was filling the days of my fellow countrymen.

Whether it’s not being able to work, losing your job, or being sick with the virus yourself, people across the globe are on the hunt for new skills, hobbies, and how-to’s on filling the 24 hours.

The thing is, your next hobby (the one you will inevitably ditch once you realise you have the artistic ability of a dented tin of tuna) will probably require items you can’t scavenge in the home you’re currently self-isolating in.

And God forbid the skill you decide to take up includes making self-expressive sculptures about your childhood with toilet paper.

Why not take up a skill that doesn’t require paint pots you will inevitably spill on the carpet and lie to your landlord about? Why not occupy your time with the occult, instead?

Of course - you should become a fortune-teller!

With 44 methods of predicting the future available and most of them requiring, well, nothing - or, at the very least, a handful of beans and maybe the odd animal sacrifice - trying and testing methods of seeing need not use up your time, nor the scraps left in your cupboards.

And once you’ve fulfilled your destiny as a prophet, why not let us know when this pandemic will be over?

But before you’ve even learnt to read palms, and before you’ve even considered how Mercury’s retrograde will affect the heaviness of your next period, you should probably find out what the methods are, and which ones you can do with half a tin of bins and the protein powder from last year when Love Island shamed you into thinking you weren’t good enough.

(Bro, you totally are.)

That’s why I’ve decided to guide you in the next step your spiritual journey. Or at least keep you busy for the next 79 minutes. And given the current state of the world, the latter is far more precious.

But before I launch into the 17 different ways you can trace out your future in self-isolation, I thought we should actually know what fortune tellers are.

A Brief And Totally Ironic History Of Predicting The Future

*pushes glasses up nose*

Fortune telling is defined as the principle of predicting the future events of someone’s life. There are many different types of the practice and the people that predict the future, from those that practice divination (which involves rituals to see into the future), to fortune telling (which takes place in a less formal setting and is far more symbol based).

The latter found its feet in the Renaissance era, and was firmly planted in Romani culture, explaining why gypsy fortune tellers are the most prevalent image representing the art. In fact, it was ol’ Nostradamus that made his name in this period.

Michel de Nostrodame was a typical 16th century Frenchman.

Only he spent his time working in apothecaries, predicting the future, and writing down what he claimed would happen. In total, he made 6338 prophecies and 11 annual calendars, and it’s one of these prophecies which has become rather relevant to 2020.

That is, it predicts the end of the world. And it’s kind of coming true.

Nevertheless, the once forbidden art of predicting the future has been founded in our cultures since ancient times.

Astrology was the OG, setting the trend that would spark the uncountable practices currently in practice. Those that could predict the future - whether from their own abilities as prophets, or using systems as clairvoyants - had a strong political stance as prominent advisors.

Obviously, the role has lost respect over the years.  

However, the practice faced their greatest amount of opposition during the Enlightenment era as reason began to prevail, ditching superstition. Once it had become, like, so uncool, it became cool again in the 19th century alongside the rise of Spiritualism - AKA dead people can talk to us, k - which tied the capabilities of mediums with those that could see the future.

This was the root of popular culture’s current approach to today’s soothsayers, a relationship sealed with the New Age culture of the 1960s.

Getting your palm read, or having a flick through some tarot cards became a tradable commodity during this decade. And an odd 30 years later, the term ‘psychic’ officially hit the scene.

Psychics were people that utilised ESP (Extra Sensory Perception) to identify extra sensory information we normal mortals can’t quite detect. Often, this involves telepathy or clairvoyance to assist in their predictive skills.

So - are you ready to join the ranks?

*Throws sticks onto floor to find answer*

Here Are The 17 Ways You Can Predict The Future Even If You’re In Lockdow

Aeromancy 

Divination that uses the weather to predict the future

Go outside. Look up. Look for symbols in the sky.

Boom - you’ve just practiced one of the oldest forms of divination to man.

In less stuttered terms, aeromancy is the practice of seeing symbols in the weather that point you to what’s happening in your life right now, and what will happen in the future. Most of these practices rely on this symbolism, and thus have a few explanations for certain types of weather-based events.

Not only is this one of the simplest - and least costly - ways to predict when the lockdown will end, it also makes you a bad bitch. And that’s because it was one of the forbidden arts in the Renaissance period.

Once you’ve discovered your inner rebel when getting your daily quota of vitamin D, you might wish to specialise in one of the sub-types of this art: you can investigate storms, peruse wind patterns, stare at the stars or keep it simple with clouds.

Astrology 

Divination by the movements of celestial bodies.

Okay - this one’s gonna take some reading.

Finding out your horoscope these days is as easy as mispelling ‘Gemini’ in google and hoping you don’t end up on a website dodgier than that kebab you consumed 3 days ago.

(Just hasn’t quite settled in my stomach, yet.)

Astrology is a pseudoscience - that is, it mixes sciences and the supernatural - which studies how the position of the celestial bodies impact events here on Earth. It might be mocked within an inch of its life, but it's figured prominently throughout history.

Going back to 2BC, this has designed the basis of our calendars and our seasons. Historically, cultures have assigned vital importance to astronomical events of note. And now you can too!

Astrology these days focuses merely on horoscopes as astrologers believed those born around the same time of the year when the planets were aligned in a similar way had a lot in common and thus had certain personalities. From there, individual predictions created in the forms of charts were brought to the table.

Finding your chart might be a simple feat thanks to the internet, but interpreting it? Whole ‘nother ball game.

And that’s what you’re going to do for the next 3 hours!

Numerology 

Divination via numbers

As with all methods of divination, numerology has a variety of sub-types held to its name - but the basic definition is the practice of assigning spiritual value to numbers. This typically focuses on numerical patterns.

One of the more basic methods of seeing the future, numerology is actually more anchored in our culture than you’d expect. Pythagoras - yeah, that guy that forced you to spend two sevenths of your teenage years obsessed with triangles - even followed its basic principle, claiming numbers were a universal language offered by god(s) as a “confirmation of truth”.

Triangles, man.

This started with the Ancient Egyptians, who believed life was made up of cycles of numbers, and that harnessing those cycles was how you could discover your key to success. Their fundamental claim was that each individual number has a personality, for example, the number 7 is the thinker or the searcher of truth.

By deducing key facts of your life with numerology, such as your date of birth, and what you should do on the different days of the months, navigating your future via numbers is your next hobby.

Augury 

Divination via the pattern of bird flight

As I write this post, I am following the UK government’s guidance to only go outside once a day. You’d think that this would restrict access to this form of fortune-telling, but if you can get to a window, you’re ready to forecast major world events.

Birds have always featured prominently in cultures, with many belief systems claiming the animals are messengers from the gods and can even transcend the borders of heaven. This means if you want to try your hand at augury, you will have to consult ancient texts which outline the patterns you need to be looking for.

And there’s a lot of patterns to look for.

You could be investigating how fast they fly, you could be interpreting the movement of their flight, and you could even be considering the way birds eat if you chuck a handful of grain on the floor.

Evidently, this form of divination is best practiced at Brighton when you’ve got a bag of chips in one hand, and an unknown meat-like substance in the other.

Automatic Writing 

Divination via writing

This one might be the easiest to do - but it's the most difficult to do right.

Pen? Check. Paper? Check. Access to the inner thoughts of spirits surrounding you? You’ll need all three to correctly practice this form of clairvoyance.

Many believe that otherworldly beings essentially write through you in this process. So, clear your mind, take a deep breath, and let your hand be guided.

Bibliomancy

Divination using books

Another simple form of fortune telling, this requires you opening a book to a random page, reading the paragraph you feel drawn to, and interpreting the message the gods are clearing letting you in on.

Bibles are the most popular book used for this practice, but any ol’ book will do.

Ceromancy and Capnomancy 

Divination using candles

If, like me, you have a minor addiction to candles, this is the perfect pastime to enjoy the pleasant experience of burning a candle and predicting your future.

The former requires you asking the, uh, candle a question, pouring melted wax from a candle into the water and interpreting the shapes of the cooled wax to find your answer.

The latter involves the interpretation of the smoke of the candle. As this is measured in the same way as interpreting the clouds, you can follow the same principles of aeromancy here, too.

Palmistry 

Divination via hands

One of the most famous forms of telling the future, palmistry follows several simple principles and practices. You can read hand shape, you can investigate line reading… And the options don’t stop there.

From more general observations of your own, to more specific divination, all it requires is a hand, and a guide to reading that hand.

Scrying 

Divination using mirrors or crystal balls

It’s the official mascot of telling the future - but you don’t need a crystal ball to master this art. In fact, using a mirror to open a portal to another realm and contacting the spirits is far more common.

It’s also far more dangerous due to the potential for negative spirits to cross the barrier into our realm. In fact, that’s how Bloody Mary really made her name.

You can read more about her story here.

Favomancy 

Divination using beans or peas

Are you a selfish prat? Were you one of those people that panic bought everything in my local Waitrose, and left shit all for that old guy who just staggered past me?

A - fuck you. And B - this is your new hobby!

All you really need to tell the future is a can of beans, and an open mind. With its origins in the Middle East, by dropping a handful of beans or peas and interpreting how they fell, you can see how the next few weeks might just pan out.

It might follow a complex set of rules, and it might follow very precise principles, but nevertheless, it can help point out the favourable and unfavourable signs for your future.

Haruspicy 

Divination via liver dissection

This is by far one of the simplest methods of fortune telling - trust me.

First, you sacrifice an animal to a deity of your choice. Second, you reach into its corpse, and rip out its liver with your bare hands.

Then, you sever the liver into several parts based on deities of your choice. From there, you’d investigate it for signs from the gods based on size, shape, colour, and texture.

Signs interpreted, messages understood, future predicted.

*drops mic into small intestine*

Iching 

Divination via yarrow stalks and Chinese coins

This might be the most complicated method of divination on this list, and this might cost the most as you try to get yarrow sticks by next day delivery, but thanks to websites offering to carry out the process for you virtually, finding your future might actually be the most effortless.

Harness the power of ancient Chinese divination via the I Ching (AKA The Book Of Changes) and the principle of cleromancy, the production of random numbers to determine messages from the divine.

This ancient Chinese manual is based on 8 symbolic trigrams and 64 hexagrams which are interpreted in terms of yin and yang...

Okay. I’ll be honest.

I don’t really know what’s going on.

There’s some vegetables, there’s some loose change involved, there’s more yin and yang references than the first day of Coachella… All I know is you find a website that does all that for you, and you ask it a question.

Moleosophy 

Divination using the moles on your body

Live in an urban area? More chance of seeing a fox hump a Chicken Cottage box than the Big Dipper?

Then why not try your hand at reading the moles on your skin?

This system of divination assigns significance to your moles, allowing you to interpret the marks on your body as warning you of your future. And warning is the right word.

Got a mole on your throat? You’ve more chance of being beheaded than Damien’s family members in The Omen. Freckle on your nether-regions? You’re a god-forsaken whore.

There’s many more meanings left to be unlocked - and hopefully not all of them are negative attributes about yourself or your death.

Oneiromancy 

Divination of dreams

Ever wondered what that dream you had, you know, the one with Gabriella from High School Musical saying all the old people should just die from Covid-19, cause, like, it’s inevitable, actually meant?

Well now you can!

With more online guides and overpriced books offering to analyse and interpret your dreams for you, accessing your subconscious and predicting future events has never been easier. But you will need to remember what actually happened in your dreams.

Fuck.

Cartomancy 

Divination using cards

Couldn’t get Prime delivery on your tarot cards? Have a knack for solitaire?

Pull out your pack of playing cards, and use ‘em to guide your future. There are many rules you need to follow, but it’s a good way to practice your divination skills before you move onto other oracle based cards.

It even follows the similar principle of tarot, with each card having a different meaning, e.g. the 8 and Hearts represents an unexpected gift or a visit.

And if you give up, just play a game of Clock Patience!

Scapulimancy 

Divination via bones

Still got the carcass of that animal you slaughtered in the name of your chosen god/goddess?

Good.

Reach into the body, and pull out the shoulder blade bones - aka the scapulae. Examine for messages and markings from your chosen god/goddess, and jot down the future events you predict on your calendar.

Then, check out your council website to see which day they take out the sacrificial goat bin.

Tasseomancy 

Divination using tea leaves

It’s the pop culture representative for the occult, making its name in the Harry Potter films and leaving us all with the vile experience of coughing up tea leaves into your morning.

It might be one of the most accessible forms of fortune telling - especially as it is primarily based on symbolism and your own interpretation of the messages your favoured god has left in the dregs of your hot drink - but tea leaves must be used for this practice.

Tea from tea bags won’t have the same effect.

Which One Are You Trying Out Tonight?

Leave me a comment and let me know. Or will I know already?

Fancy seeing a weekly article on horror films/the occult/ghost stories/all of the above? Also want to hear a new real ghost story everyday? Follow this blog and join the fam.

Read this post next.

[thegreenfairy13]

Dog Sitter Part 8 - A Hollow Victory

A Gobblepot fanfic. When Oswald loses his dog Ed, Jim Gordon finds it and does an excellent job when it comes to taking care of the mobster’s furry friend. Read it on Ao3 here.

The week passes way too quickly and not at all at the same time. Oswald is becoming more and more agitated with each passing day. Despite telling himself over and over again that that man isn’t a threat to his boy, he’s anxious and irritable. By Wednesday he’s convinced the thug has informed the syndicate he works for about Martin, and his son is about to get kidnapped any second.

His little prince had been kidnapped before. Ever since, Martin is on alert, watches his back and would definitely notice if anyone was following him.

A pang of guilt stabs Oswald’s heart. The little boy shouldn’t know what it means to be the victim of a crime. He shouldn’t have to watch out for shady figures hiding in the dark. He shouldn’t be the son of a crime lord but of loving, ordinary parents. Fear shouldn’t be his constant companion.

This little kid deserves so much better. Yet he chose Oswald to be his father and now he’s too weak to do the right thing and turn away from him again. He’s also too weak to give up on his empire. And now Martin could be in danger again.

If anything happened only Oswald would be to blame. And Jim considers him a good parent? He jeopardizes his kid’s life on a daily basis for money and power. The Captain would never do that. Jim Gordon, the golden boy, he would only endanger one life to save thousands. Unlike him, he isn’t selfish. The sacrifices this man makes are only ever made for the greater good. And while Jim lost his child, Oswald gained the love of his little prince. How he even deserves this gift is beyond him. It’s a love he doesn’t even deserve, not when he isn’t capable to respond to it.

His pride keeps him from turning to the only honest man he knows for help. His paranoia keeps him from consulting his employees. He’s stuck between a rock and a hard place and has no idea how to get out.

Yet outwardly, everything looks fine. His son is visiting school, complaining about his boring history lessons, and the uncomfortable beds at the boarding school. He’s already looking forward to the weekend when his dad comes back. And no, he hasn’t noticed anything unusual.

Maybe it’s all in the Penguin’s head. Maybe Martin is safe and sound and Brian Gold will be gone by the end of the week and he’s beating himself up for nothing. Maybe… Yet his gut tells him otherwise and his gut is rarely wrong.

By Thursday, Oswald can’t wait any longer. He texts Jim rather curtly that he’ll be bringing Ed to his place earlier than agreed upon. He’s dead set on picking up Martin from school by himself and guarding his boy himself.

If necessary, he’ll rip this Brian apart with his bare teeth if he as much as thinks about touching a hair on his boy’s head. And if his death would attract Jim’s attention, then so be it. His mother has died beneath his hands already, his son won’t follow her.

Thankfully, Jim doesn’t put up a fight, simply tells him to drop by his flat at any time. The gangster frowns. Jim Gordon, workaholic extraordinaire, has taken another day off? Yet it’s not the time to dwell on such facts. Not when he’s simply relieved Ed is going to be in capable hands while he’s taking a threat down.

He arrives at Jim’s place at ten in the morning, in a cranky and slightly aggressive mood. Even Ed feels his owner’s temper, for the dog isn’t quietly sitting in the car. Despite his little cage he’s whining and barking almost constantly. Oswald can’t help it: he screams at his dog to shut up while hitting the steering-wheel forcefully.

The pet whimpers and curls up into a ball while panting and licking his lips nervously. The gangster feels guilty but is unable to stop himself. He feels it in his bones: Martin is in danger and he needs to be in New Heaven right now.

When Gordon opens the door for him, Oswald is ready to tear their fragile truce to the ground. Whatever happens, this is the last time anyway the Captain will be taking care of Ed.

And isn’t that Jim’s fault? He trained the dog on how to endure a car-drive. For all Oswald cares, he can watch over him for a final time, collect the favor he for sure will claim, and disappear from his life again. It’s not like he needs Jim Gordon or his friendship. And after the weekend he won’t even need him to guard his pet.

In fact, he never needed him. The realization hits him like a truck. He only ever wanted Jim. The man is definitely a sight for sore eyes and he’s decidedly got a good heart. A heart that would never beat for him. Oswald was simply lusting after him all these years and now that he truly understands that, where’s the point?

Pushing past Jim, he drops Ed’s bag on the ground, ready to leave instantly when finally taking in the Captain’s wretched state. No wonder the fine policeman decided to stay at home. His right eye has a nasty black color, there are bruises along his jaw, the skin on his hands is battered, and he’s hunched slightly forward.

“Brawl at the bullpen,” he informs gruffly. “Decided it was a well enough reason to take three days off.”

Collapsing on his sofa, he waits for Ed to jump into his lap. Relieved to get away from his agitated owner, he does just that, and starts licking the cop’s hand. Jim pulls his arm away and pats his head. “Na, na, you shouldn’t do that,” he chides gently and the gangster almost explodes.

“You are in no fit state to guard my pet,” he snarls angrily. “Irresponsible as always,” he carries on, hardly holding himself back from screaming at the cop. Now he not only has to worry about Martin but about his pet, too. Jim looks like crap and can hardly move. How on earth will he be able to keep Ed in check? He’ll lose his dog again, Oswald is certain of that.

To his credit, Jim stays calm. He simply gives the kingpin a bored once over while continuing to scratch Ed behind his ears. The dog is still slightly unsettled but becoming calmer in the other man’s presence.

“My ribs aren’t even broken,” he retorts flatly. “I can assure you, I am perfectly capable of walking to the park and back.” Getting up, he hobbles slowly to the kitchen and fills Ed’s water bowl.

“You are limping,” Oswald snaps back and Jim stares at him incredulously before breaking out in loud laughter.

“You didn’t just really say that?” the cop asks, still giggling gleefully.  

Ignoring him, the crime-lord leans over the kitchen-counter and flashes his teeth at the cop.

“If that was true, you’d still be working,” he argues angrily.

Jim huffs. “Shouldn’t you be happy I’m staying in the entire weekend? Lowers the chances I’ll be taking Ed to a shootout that way,” he teases while placing a chicken on the counter and starting the oven.

Oswald examines the raw meat as well as the kitchen skeptically. He already wants to remark how something like chicken, prepared in Jim’s dirty home, will probably get his dog killed.

That is until he notes how immaculate the place in fact is. Not only did Jim buy a new sofa but also an entirely new kitchen. Gone are the shabby, white cupboards, decorated with dried sauces. In their place are rather nice, modern looking gray ones, as well as a bright-red fridge, and a new oven. It doesn’t stop there. The entire place is different: clean, cozy, well-furnished.

“Did you finally found out about Ikea-catalogues?” Oswald asks in bewilderment and Jim rolls his eyes.

“I decided this place needs some new furniture and cleaning,” he mumbles while dropping the meat into boiling water. Averting Oswald’s eyes, he turns around and washes his hands, wincing when the water comes into contact with his bruises.

“I can see that,” the gangster comments drily. “I’m almost not even afraid of getting a deadly disease in your home.”

Jim snorts in response and continues cleaning his fingernails. “When I first brought Ed here, he didn’t even want to jump onto my couch.” The cop pauses. His shoulders tense as if debating whether he should keep talking.

“I could see he wasn’t feeling comfortable here,” he continues for no known reason. “That changed when I started tidying the place…” Jim’s voice trails off.

Still not looking at the criminal he dries his hands. “And I thought...How am I living if not even a dog wants to stay here? So I bought a new sofa.”

“You bought a sofa so a dog would lie on it?” Oswald’s mouth drops open.

“I bought a sofa, and a new kitchen, and carpets cause this place looked like shit,” he states vehemently, for once dropping the stoic facade. “I just needed the dog to show me,” he whispers.

“And I’m staying in cause I’ve got the shit beaten out of me. And with your dog by my side, I have more to live for than the GCPD and swallowing way too many pain-killers.” Jim’s hands drop to his side. He opens his mouth as if he was surprised himself he confessed that much to the gangster. Or maybe there’s something else he wants to say.

Instead, he closes off again. The kingpin blinks, for once unsure what to say. This is decidedly unlike Jim. He probably doesn’t even expect him to respond. The part of him that admires Jim, the one that always wanted him to be his friend, yearns to console him, to tell him everything will be alright.

The little vindictive leprechaun in his soul rejoices at seeing the other man finally admitting how miserable and lonely his life had become. He can destroy him right now. No, he will destroy him by next week when no longer bringing Ed to his place. Oswald knows what it means to lose something that means a lot for good. Withholding the dog from him will crush him. Sure, Jim could get his own pet. But he won’t. Not with the job he has. And doesn’t he deserve it after all the times he wronged him?

Oswald always wanted Jim to admit how his quest to fight all evil in Gotham took its toll on him. And here they are at last. It’s a surprisingly hollow victory.

But a victory is a victory and Oswald could never stop himself from twisting the knife if given the chance. So he can’t help himself saying, “I’m glad to hear that old friend. And you’ll be relieved to learn that you’ll be having even more time in the near future to renovate your apartment. I guess I’ll be able to take him with me by the end of next week.”

Jim nods mutely, even bestows a little smile upon the gangster at that. “He’ll be much better off with your kid anyway,” he concedes, already walking towards the door and opening it for the gangster.

“Have a safe drive,” he tells him, unusually polite.

Only back in the car Oswald starts truly wondering about the other man’s odd behavior. Jim didn’t ask him why he had been in such a hurry all of a sudden. Shouldn’t he suspect he’s up to something shady again? He had expected to fight off a torrent of nosy questions. Instead, he had simply accepted the kingpin’s change of plans. There hadn’t even been a single insult. Maybe Jim’s himself up to something.

He forces himself not to think about Jim’s antics and focuses on getting to New Heaven as fast as possible. Martin texting him the gym lessons won’t take place due to his teacher being sick renders him even more nervous. He catches himself pushing down on the accelerator and racing to the place uncaring for any speed limits. Jim would not be satisfied with him, that’s for certain.

Despite his best efforts, he still arrives late. He’s about twenty minutes away from the school when Martin informs him his nanny is already there and they are both awaiting him at the mansion. Cursing loudly, he turns the car. He hasn’t informed his boy or his employee about his concerns, still hoping his worries would turn out to be uncalled for.

The adrenaline rushing through his veins tells him otherwise though. He just knows by now he had been wrong to let this Brian walk away. This decision had been a mistake, made under the terrible influence of Mr. Goody Two-Shoes for sure. How could he have been so stupid?  

He makes it to the house at lightning speed. When getting out of the car, he already knows something is wrong. The Penguin can practically taste it in the air. Usually, the curtains are open and Martin’s nanny is being visible from the street, preparing something in the kitchen.

Today, the curtains are closed and the lights above the door are off. Oswald grabs his shotgun from the backseat, extra ammunition, and his handgun. If this Brian survives his first attack, he’ll merrily torture him for days in the basement.

Gritting his teeth, the Penguin steps over the threshold. To his utter horror, his worst nightmares are already coming true when peering around the corner. Martin’s nanny is lying unconsciously on the living room’s floor. She had been bound and gagged, but to his relief,  she’s still breathing. At least he won’t have to explain to Martin why his nanny isn’t coming back.

Grabbing the shotgun tightly, he makes his way cautiously through the house. Martin is smart, he’s clever. Maybe he could escape the attack somehow? His faith wavers when hearing a scream from the upper floor and the sound of shattering glass.

Not wasting any time, he hurries upstairs and opens the door to his son’s room.

“Martin!” he calls, horrified when seeing his son struggling against Brian’s firm grasp. Never one to be a coward, the kid locks eyes with his dad and bites firmly down on the hand holding him. He then jumps onto his bed and makes a run for his father. Only when the boy is safely behind his back, Oswald shoots.

He misses the intruder in his haste, which gives the thug a chance to pull his own weapon. Only concerned with his boy’s safety, the kingpin slams the door shut. Grabbing his kid’s hand, he starts running downstairs to his study, already searching his pockets frantically for the key to the panic room hidden beneath his desk. Above him, he hears Brian kicking the closed door open.

It doesn’t matter, Oswald thinks. Martin will already be in safety by the time Brian has reached them. Diving beneath his desk, he unlocks the door to his secret shelter.

“Quick, get in there,” he hollers, holding out his hand for his boy. To his utter astonishment, Martin refuses to move. His eyes dart nervously from the locked door behind him to his dad and back again.

Losing his patience, Oswald hobbles over to his kid and starts dragging him towards his desk. Yet the kid doesn’t cooperate, simply digs his heels into the ground, and  stays perfectly still.

“Martin, we don’t have time for this,” the kingpin shouts, shaking the kid’s shoulder forcefully. “You need to get in there, right NOW!”

In response, the little boy wraps his arms tightly around the mobster’s bad leg, causing him to yelp in pain. Oswald’s knee buckles beneath him from the unexpected pain and he crashes to the ground.

Snarling furiously, he pulls himself together and tries getting up again. “Release me at once,” he snarls. “And get in there!”

Finally, Oswald manages to stand up again. Yet his weapon is down on the floor and Martin is still firmly plastered to his bad leg. Wincing, the mobster tries bending forward and reaching his shotgun.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he grouses. “Get into the safe room,” he repeats frantically.

Martin only shakes his head. “You’ll send me away again,” he stammers out. “You’ll send me through the hole in the floor and send me away,” he repeats in his tiny, panicked voice.

Oswald curses. This situation must remind him of the time Sofia tried to kill him. When he faked his kid’s death and tried getting him to safety afterward. Back then, he also asked him to crawl through a door in the ground.

“I promise, I won’t,” Oswald vows, already hearing Brian’s steps approaching. “Please, just get in there,” he begs, petrified. “I’ll never send you away again, but please, get in there now.”

In response, Martin simply tightens his hold on him. Hot pain rushes through his leg, almost rendering the crime-lord motionless. Only his willpower keeps him from doubling over in agony.

And then it’s too late.

The door opens and the thug saunters into the room, grinning like the Cheshire cat. “Now that’s cute,” he remarks spitefully, already aiming his gun at the pair

The Penguin pulls his handgun and trains it at the man.

“Tzk,” Brian chides. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I’m aiming directly at the miniature penguin’s head, and I swear I’ll take him to the grave with me.”

Considering the man’s words and their sincerity for a moment, Oswald finally lowers his gun. He isn’t going to gamble with his son’s life.

“I should have cut off your head when I had the chance,” he presses out through gritted teeth.

“We all make mistakes.” Brian shrugs, driving the Penguin mad with his nonchalant behavior.

“What do you want?” he asks, suppressing a pained cry when Martin digs his little nails deep into his flesh in his distress.

“I told you,” the man responds. “I want to leave Gotham for good this weekend. I simply need some money to start over,” he explains as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.

“So you decided to kidnap my son.” The Penguin snorts. “And you think you’ll walk away with my money alive?”

“No,” Brian shakes his head. “I’ve been watching you coming here for months. When you finally noticed me, I knew it was time. I knew I had to catch the kid before you arrive here. I have to admit, if you had been here earlier, I’d probably be dead. Well, I suppose fate favors the bold.”

The mobster cringes at hearing the words he said himself so many years ago being directed at him. Oswald wants to vomit. Brian ignores him, just carries on.

“I want one million. I’ll shoot you, though,” he states matter of factly. “You’ll have to admit, I truly have no other choice. The money will only ensure the kid’s safety.” He nods at Martin. “You have a phone. Transfer the money to my account and I’ll aim a bit higher once you're done.” Brian smiles self-confidently gain.

The Penguin gapes wordlessly at the man.

“Easy and effective, right?” he continues. “If Gotham told me one thing, it’s how overly complicated plans go mostly south. Oh, and before you wonder: I killed kids before. His young age won’t hold me back. I never even understood how kids should be worth more than grown-ups.” Sighing, he stares expectantly at the Penguin.

Licking his lips, Oswald tries to evaluate the man’s words. Beside him, Martin starts sobbing while hugging his leg desperately. If he could only loosen his grasp and let him think!

“Hurry up,” Brian urges.

“And if I refuse?” he asks despite knowing the answer.

“Easy. I’ll shoot you both,” the man states. “But I’d rather only kill you and let the boy walk away.”

“How would I know you are going to do that?” Oswald asks haughtily, despite his own crippling fear. It’s not him he fears for, he notes. He accepts his fate, is calm, even. But he has to know his son will walk away from this unscathed.

“You won’t. But if you don’t take out your phone in the next two minutes I’ll shoot the little one in the head for sure. So either you take your chance or leave it. Besides, as soon as I have what I want, I won’t care less for the Baby-Penguin.”

Oswald’s mind, this effective machine that hardly ever fails him, stutters to a halt. His mother had been stabbed the last time he thought he could outsmart the person holding what was most precious captive. And now his boy shall die in his arms too? He’s the only family he will ever have, everything that counts now.

He finds himself nodding his consent. Yes, he’ll die by this worthless scums hand and come back from the dead if he shouldn’t keep his end of the bargain. The deal sounds fair, even. His life and money for Martin - an innocent kid. No, the deal is not fair. He’s worth infinitely more. Oswald knew he shouldn’t have adopted the child, shouldn’t have tainted his pure, little soul. He deserves to die, for this crime alone.

His voice is distant, contorted, disembodied when he asks the man about the account number. His fingers tremble only slightly when he starts typing.

This is going to be alright. Martin is going to be fine. He can barely hear his son’s desperate sobs by now. “Daddy, please no,” he whimpers.

Oswald pats his head. “It’s going to be fine. Everything is going to be alright,” he repeats over and over again, like a broken record. “I love you,” he tells his boy firmly. “Love you so much,” he mumbles.

“I’m touched,” Brian drawls nastily.

Looking up, Oswald already wants to hit “send” when his eyes widen in surprise.

Jim Gordon is standing behind the thug. He raises his finger to his lips, asking the mobster mutely to stay silent. Oswald nods, dazed, and then Jim raises his gun and knocks the guy out cold.

[financiallymint]

Students: I Challenge You to Earn an Extra $1000/Year

Very excited to be sharing this guest post by Tom from This Online World on side hustles and earning extra income. A fellow student all the way in Canada who’s passionate about online marketing, passive income and even crypto! He has a great hustle mindset and his website has a lot of good info on money hacking and earning a bit more $$ – you gotta check him out.

The article is written in dollar signs $$, but simply change the currency and it works just as well. What’s important is the idea!

Starting your own side hustle is one of the coolest ways to increase your income: it’s basically growing your own little money baby.

However, when it comes to the actual work, it can be difficult to know when or how to start. From finding extra time to securing side hustle opportunities, getting the ball rolling on your extra income generation journey requires time and some thought.

For students, it can be especially difficult to find the time or correct side hustle opportunity. Assignments and exams can occupy most of your day, and the nature of student life often equates to a less than stable financial situation.

I am currently in my last year college, and I’ve certainly had my share of cheap beer, instant Ramen, and a lonely bank balance.

However, whether you are in school or employed, wealthy or just making ends meet, skilled in a craft or a complete novice, it is possible to start a successful side hustle that makes you an extra $1,000 a year.

Don’t believe me?

Well, here’s the mindset I want you to approach this side hustle challenge with:

You have 12 months in a year to make an extra $1,000.

That means you only have to make about $85/month of additional income with your side hustles.

When you think about making an extra $1,000 a year as only having to earn an extra $85 a month, it doesn’t seem so daunting.

Personally, I take 1-2 days out of every month to dedicate towards my various side hustles.

It doesn’t matter if you take on a variety of side hustles or stick to a single job. As long as you take an active approach to making more money and stick to a plan, you can succeed.

Let’s take a look at 12 possible side hustle ideas that you can do once a month to make an extra $1,000 a year.

Idea 1: Content Writing Gigs

I’m a staunch supporter of working online to earn extra money, and content writing is always my first recommendation (especially for students).

Content writing can expand your skill set and open the doors for future employment or freelance opportunities (looks great on a CV!). Additionally, content writing jobs are often remote and have incredibly flexible working hours.

I’ve written content throughout my college years, and there are a number of ways to approach securing a content writing side hustle:

Look on job posting websites for companies that are seeking freelance writers (Indeed.com, LinkedIn, Monster.ca are some great ones).

Post your own advertisement on your local job boards or online marketplaces. Offer your content writing services to local businesses in your area!

Create gigs on online websites like Fiverr. There are many freelance writers who use Fiverr to generate income, and most price their content at $5-$10 for every 500 words of content.

Most content writing jobs won’t require you to be an English major or have an extensive portfolio. As long as you are a decent writer, you should be able to find work that pays between $10-$15/hour without a problem!

Idea 2: Get Busy with TaskRabbit

Let’s face it: no one really enjoys chores. However, every job someone doesn’t feel like doing is another side hustle opportunity that can make you some quick side income!

TaskRabbit was started to provide a secure task-based marketplace. By becoming a Tasker on TaskRabbit, you can set your own hours and choose to complete various tasks people are requesting for payment.

Common tasks on TaskRabbit include:

Yardwork.

Moving and packing services.

Furniture assembly.

Home improvement.

General handyman services.

The work you complete on TaskRabbit won’t be glamorous, but it typically pays well (and you are able to set your pay range). Chances are, you could spend a few hours helping someone move or do some yard work and easily walk away with $100+.

Idea 3: Food Delivery

Whether you work for Just Eat, Skip the Dishes, Grub Hub, Uber Eats, Deliveroo or some other delivery service, making money by delivering food is a simple but effective method for making some extra cash.

If your car isn’t too old, simply register to be a part-time delivery driver for a popular delivery service in your town.

You can set your own hours, and it will only take you a few deliveries to make your monthly target of $85. Depending on your town, people might tip slightly more or less, but a single night of work should help you reach that $1,000 a year goal.

Idea 4: Help your Landlord

3 college buddies and I moved into the most grungy, decrepit old student house around town when we started school.

However, part of me is really glad we did. Besides the fact that student living can be hilariously awful, I was also able to find some odd jobs and make a few extra hundred dollars simply by asking my landlord if he needed help.

Hiring professional painters, repairmen, garbage removers, or cleaning services is expensive.Hiring desperate students is not.

Trust me when I say landlords always have projects on the go. Whether you are currently renting or not, finding occasional work for fixer-upper projects is not difficult. Reach out to landlords or look online, and spend a day painting, tearing up carpet, fixing holes in the wall, or cleaning a place.

You can earn an easy $100-$150 for a day of work, and you’ll probably walk away with a newfound appreciation for your own home.

Idea 5: Busk

If you play an instrument or can sing fairly well, busking might be the right side hustle for you!

My housemate and I spent several weekends playing guitar on the street corner of our local downtown scene. We’re ok players, so busking provides us with a great way to bond, practice our songs, and also earn a simple $20-$30/each for a few hours of enjoyable music.

You don’t have to be an incredible musician to busk. However, you will need the ability to get over stage fright. Personally, I prefer busking with my friend since I don’t really want to go alone. But I still find busking to be an enjoyable way to make extra money for something that I would do for free anyway.

Just make sure your town or city doesn’t require a permit to busk (or obtain a permit if you need to).

Idea 6: Tutor

Have you ever looked back at high school/elementary homework and realized just how easy it is (shout out to our developed, adult brains).

Well, if your town or city has a few high schools nearby, chances are you can find some part time work tutoring students in math, science, or languages. In my school, tutors were regularly paid $15-$25/hour by parents, especially in more advanced subjects like calculus or chemistry.

If you have a knack for school and enjoy helping others, tutoring might be the right side hustle for you! Plus, most tutoring sessions only last 1-3 hours, so you can make some quick and easy side income without spending too much time!

Idea 7: Babysit

If you like babies and kids, babysitting is an excellent way to make extra money every month. Half the time the kid will be sleeping, so you’re pretty much getting paid to do nothing. Sounds like a dream!

Popular websites like SitterCity have made working as a babysitter (in the U.S.) incredibly easy. However, if you aren’t a U.S. resident, you can always post your own advertisements on local job boards or just ask around town.

Many of my college friends have been babysitters throughout their life, and it’s a great way to make additional income. Even if you only work for 1 family, you can probably make $85 a month from babysitting once or twice (depending on the length of the job).

Idea 8: Drive with Uber or Lyft

This is a similarly straightforward idea to delivering food (except you’re delivering people). If you have a car that meets Uber or Lyft’s requirements, you can just drive one day of every month and make extra money.

Uber or Lyft might not be a great long term solution due to variability in available rides and the hidden cost of every kilometer you drive (repairs, oil changes, wear and tear), but it isn’t a bad side hustle to do once in a while.

Ideally schedule your driving session around a busy time where you can benefit from surcharges!

Idea 9: AirBnB

I have two friends who have been dating for a couple of years and live in an apartment together. Their place has 2 bedrooms, so once in a while they rent out one of the rooms on AirBnB for the weekend to make some extra cash.

They don’t particularly enjoy having company over, so they usually schedule their AirBnB weekends around times they won’t be home often or there’s an event in town that their visitor will most likely be attending. In any case, it’s an incredibly straightforward way to make $200+ for a weekend of hosting.

If you live in a major city, using AirBnB to make some extra money every month should be even easier. All you need is a decent space, price level, and advertisement on AirBnB.

Idea 10: Reddit ForHire

Reddit is an incredible community, and also presents budding entrepreneurs and side-hustlers with money making opportunities.

r/forhire is one of my favorite subreddits, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: a job marketplace. Users can either post ‘hiring’ or ‘for hire’ posts that outline specific work and skills that are being sought after or offered.

Some of the most popular jobs on Reddit For Hire are:

Graphic design.

Programming.

Content writing.

Video editing.

Tutoring (especially in languages).

Advertising/marketing consulting.

If you have experience in any of these field or have another service to offer, definitely check out Reddit!

Idea 11: Dog Walking

It’s funny how many people buy an adorable companion only to realize they don’t ever want to actually walk it.

Dog walking, like babysitting, is a great way to make extra income just by taking care of a living thing. If you are good with dogs and enjoy the outdoors, consider walking dogs once or twice a month!

Popular dog walking apps include:

WagWalking.

Swifto (New York City only).

Rover.

Care.

coolest side hustle IMO

Idea 12: Slogan Slinger

While this isn’t a concrete side hustle, I couldn’t resist including something fun in this list.

Slogan Slingers is a website where companies request ideas for their next great slogan and have users deliver them the answer to earn money. For example, a plumbing company might post a contest for $250 that explains what kind of slogan they’re looking for, and users can submit up to 3 entries to try to win.

If you win, you get the money. If you lose, nothing happens! The website isn’t incredibly popular, but there is usually a new contest available every other day. 1,000-2,000 people usually enter a contest, but if you have a knack for marketing, it could be a fun website to visit.

I’ve only been slogan slinging for 1 month and haven’t won anything yet, but I plan to keep at it!

Okay, What’s an Extra $1,000?

You might be wondering what’s the point of working side jobs to earn an extra $1,000 a year, but you’d be surprised at how much you can accomplish with an extra $1,000 in your bank account.

Thinking of investing, but never had enough saved up to take the first steps? Use your thousand dollars.

Want to help ease the sting of utility bills and rent? Use your extra thousand dollars.

Or, want to start your own business but need a bit of extra cash to start out? Well, you now have an extra thousand dollars.

I hope you have found this side hustle challenge to be inspiring and provide some effective job opportunities to get started! As long as you take active, baby steps towards generating additional income, you can easily reach a goal of an additional $1,000/ear or surpass it completely.

Best of luck in your side hustle journey!

Read more like this over at Financially Mint

[crimethinc]

Steal Something from Work Day 2018: Three Stories of Employees Reclaiming What Is Theirs

April 15 is annual Steal Something from Work Day. Today, whether we like it or not, millions of employees around the world are stealing from their employers in a desperate bid to slow the process that is steadily expanding the gap between those who labor and those who profit. (Yes, even on a Sunday.) That makes it a good day to reflect on workplace theft. If you are confused about why people steal from their employers, review the Steal Something from Work Day FAQ or our colleagues’ text, How to Justify Workplace Theft. On the other hand, if you simply want to savor a few pulpy stories about workers who set out to get even, we’ve got just the thing for you.

Mind you, we don’t endorse any of the following behavior. We’re not trying to persuade you to drop a banner or engage in some kind of illegal activity! What we’d like to see happen is for those who violently impose the prevailing system of property and profit on the rest of us to think better of what they’re doing and help us create a world in which stealing from work will be impossible because there are no such things as property, work, or theft. Change their hearts and minds! Failing that, we hope you’ll enjoy the following (surely fictitious!) tales of risk and reclamation.

For more resources and other such stories, consult past Steal Something from Work Day commemorations:

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Steal Something from Work Day in Sweden

Sno-Från-Jobbet-Dagen: The banner reads “Your job is eating you up—Steal a little back!” The line of the advertisement still visible below it urges “Don’t let pollen stop you this year.”

We received this anonymous video from somewhere in Sweden, where enterprising rebels celebrated Steal Something from Work Day 2018 a couple days early by promoting it to their fellow workers.

You can also read about Steal Something from Work Day in German and a variety of other languages.

Stealing from Work Is a Gamble, but It Can Be a Good Bet

In the repertoire of punk jobs there used to be a job known as poster tour. Many people who have spent a little time on college campuses can conjure a memory of this traveling spectacle. Picture it: a company orders absurd quantities of posters from overseas and sends forth its minions to market them to the gaping voids of personality that are the college students of America. The premise is that these first-year students, lost in the sea of their future, will desperately cling to any kind of material affirmation money can buy—to be specific, by adorning their dismally blank walls with beautiful portraits of the complex identities they’ve laboriously constructed throughout their lives.

By and large, the students’ poster selections involve a constellation of beer pong, action movies, bikini babes, the ever-present visage of Bob Marley, and some poem about Jesus.

The life skills needed for this job are similar to those required for other facets of the punk life style, especially for anyone who has been on any other kind of tour. You wake up and eat a sorry excuse for a hotel breakfast, then get in a van and navigate to an unfamiliar destination; the host of the sale might meet you to introduce you to your venue (the requirements for the role of host do not include being available, being present, having any idea what’s going on, or being sober); you set up your poster sale, painstakingly facilitate access to it, and watch the clock until the event is over. Then you break down the sale, head to the cheapest motel the company could possibly find for you, fill out a bunch of paperwork, and cry yourself to sleep. Repeat this the next day, and the next, and the next—for six weeks.

The job attracted outliers from several sections of society. The largest faction, due to the connections of our subculture and the viral nature of our relationship to employment, was the punks. Besides us, there was a smattering of hippies, weirdos, a few wild cards (including some non-subcultural, seemingly successful people), and a healthy portion of Europeans. People from the last category were in a unique circumstance. Through shady outreach efforts and middle-men, they were promised gainful employment in the USA—at a price, of course. The company made sure that the workers’ profits were drained from what they owned to the company for securing their employment, as many companies do.

To top it off, we were tasked with selling the drivel of American culture. In rural Kansas, I watched as a dumbfounded Czech person was asked about the TV show Friends. Then the confused college student asked his companion, “Why are there Russians on campus?”

It goes without saying: the system was rigged. The company set projections of how much they expected you should sell; you wouldn’t get paid above a meager daily base rate unless you sold more than their projections. It was an easy way to motivate workers while making sure they could never get ahead. The workers were instilled with the desire to work harder, in order to reach their projections and make more money via commission, while the company sets the numbers high enough that the workers never truly make a profit—yet blame themselves for this.

It was obvious from the get-go that playing by their rules wouldn’t get us anywhere. We needed to create a new landscape if we wanted to take advantage of this opportunity that was taking advantage of us.

The first step is always to get organized. At orientation, we exchanged contacts, made friendships, and vetted each other for trust. Mixing fun and subversion, someone uploaded a bingo board to a blog and shared the login passcode with others. (This whole story precedes smart phones.) The idea was that this would help us to keep in touch and report our winnings.

The squares on the board included a fun mix of communal misery (crying yourself to sleep, an easy square to win), impossibilities (going a day without selling a Bob Marley poster, which was never achieved by any team), hi-jinx (selling cute monkey posters to really tough sports-bros), and bad behavior (go skinny dipping, drunk dial the boss, meet with other poster teams on tour). The blog served as a break room for us to grip about our working conditions, share tricks, and foster a work environment that would be increasingly hostile to our employers.

We showcased our commitment to slacking and time-theft front and center. This was such a pillar of our work culture that there was no place for people who weren’t slacking and boasting about it. With the help of the blog, every day became a competition to see who could do the most outlandish offense to the job. At the same time, the blog also helped us to share information, which enabled us to work out how much profit we were making for the company: with over 50 teams at work, we were making the company about a million dollars a week.

We tried to organize a strike. Unfortunately, in the end, the strike did not really come together and the team who was leading it decided just to quit. Quitting seemed like the best option—until we learned what happened when you quit: the company had all kinds of sly rules to ensure that you lost your earnings if you quit prematurely. Worse still, you might end up owing the company money afterwards! The team that quit ended up having to hitchhike out of the company office, as a final insult to the work they had done already.

This incident transformed our small-time scheming into war. We had already been telling each other how to pull the small scams we all depended on to stay afloat while working. The company gave you a small stipend for food, so we used our food stamps and pocketed the money. The company paid for hotels, so we would camp or stay with friends and pocket the money. The company allowed for a percentage of shrinkage, so we made sure that percentage of posters “disappeared” and pocketed the money. Teams got creative: one bought a bunch of their own merchandise and sold it alongside the merchandise provided by the company. They weren’t found out until a college contacted the company to say that it was not OK for them to be selling “all this marijuana merchandise.”

The company noticed our sales weren’t meeting their projections, so they authorized us to have a 20% off sale. We charged full price and kept the extra 20%. When you’re in this mindset, the ball just keeps rolling.

In a Super 8 motel, I began to toy with a new idea. We dealt with lots of cash. How do you make more cash out of cash?

The answer hit me soon the next day as we drove by a riverboat casino: gambling.

Obviously, this was a bad idea. Countless movies, crime novels, and real life disasters start this way. Still, we passionately hated the company, we shared an affirming and subversive worker culture, and we had already gotten away with a lot. The fact that it was a bad idea was what made it so appealing: workers at terrible jobs are always looking for something self-destructive to do that might just take the whole enterprise down with them.

There was one problem—I knew nothing about gambling. I sat in the motel for hours scribbling out math and probability problems, the way so many people have done in motels near casinos. The prudent gambler would have consulted proper sources via the internet or the library, as many people have written extensively on gambling tactics. But I was motivated and in my zone, and after a few days of neglecting the duties of the job, I had worked out my plan.

I won’t get into the mechanics of the plan; I wouldn’t want to bore the reader or showcase its obvious flaws. Let’s just say I came up with a strategy that felt safe as long as I would be working with a large amount of cash.

To play it safe, I did a test run with some of the money I had earned already. I was really nervous—taking risks with money is completely contrary to my character. I also hadn’t been to casinos, so it was terrifying to watch people lose hundreds and thousands of dollars in seconds. I watched a couple who had just gotten married earlier that day, still in their wedding attire, lose more money than I was slated to make all year in less than an hour. I wasn’t cut out for this.

Still, I persevered, comforting myself with the thought that if I lost my own money, I’d just take it from the company and figure out some way to get away with it. Sure enough, a nerve-wracking hour or so later, I had more than doubled my initial bet. Like many gambling strategies, it worked in the short term.

The next day just happened to be an anniversary dear to jingoistic patriots. It always feels appropriate to do something irreverent to capitalism and America on such a day. We went into the casino, a battlefield of flashing lights and singing machines desperately fighting to keep you feeling like a winner while draining all of the life and money out of you. I’d heard that when you’re gambling, it’s important to have a stopping point—a goal you set beforehand to keep yourself in check in case the desperation of losing or the elation of winning takes over. I won’t disclose the numbers, but with the pretty penny squeezed out of all those Bob Marley posters in my hand, I set out to make ten times the amount I walked in with.

In casinos, they don’t want you to stop gambling. They offer free drinks to gamblers, free food, members-only areas, concerts, shirts, stickers, and all sorts of other useless crap to assure you that you’re a winner in hopes that you’ll go on gambling until you’ve lost it all. I couldn’t fall victim to this nonsense; I had a scheme supported by math problems I did on napkins. It was mechanical, cold, exacting, and required the cool-headed rejection of any kind of victory-induced excitement that could tempt me to stray from my path.

Dealer after dealer watched me make the same tactical choices, unfazed by the results. While most gamblers would think about their next bets and take time to place them, I had already done my thinking and was simply executing a strategy. I didn’t take any of the free alcohol; I gave it to my tour buddy, who intelligently decided not to participate in my harebrained scheme. Like a rising flood, my winnings slowly grew while I watched other gamblers win and lose thousands of dollars around me. After a full day of what must be called work, I achieved my goal. I had taken company money and made tenfold what I put in.

I experienced none of the feelings I project to be associated with gambling—I felt no elation, no highs and lows, no sense that my good fortune would enable me to steal the wealth of the casino. I did a math problem and it worked long enough for me to quit while I was ahead. Having reached my self-prescribed goal, I was free to revel in all the benefits that the riverboat casino had to offer. We enjoyed all the free bowling we could handle, ate free hot dog after free hot dog, and danced with middle aged day-drunk casino-goers to a band of older men doing a cover of “What I got” by Sublime (with several additional gratuitous saxophone solos).

The money I made came and went, as money does. But the feeling of getting yet another one over on the company that had engineered nothing but failure for its workers is something that I’ll carry with me forever. It reminds me that if I divert the energy and time that my bosses want me to invest in the job towards the more strategic goal of subverting my workplace, my fellow employees and I will come out ahead.

The Hard Stuff

On March 30, 2018, longtime anarchist and author Paul Z. Simons passed away. Paul was a determined rebel and illegalist; his writing is both lively and erudite. He published an article entitled “Take Things from Work” in Black Eye, a journal he helped edit some three decades ago. More recently, in “Illegalist Praxis: Notes on a Decade of Crime,” he outlined his own experiences stealing from work as a young person.

Bear in mind that Paul was writing about a different era, when surveillance cameras were less of a concern. But you’re not the sort of person who would consider doing what he’s describing, anyway, are you?

Before I begin, a disclaimer or two. First, I never knowingly physically harmed anyone. Second, most of my criminal activities were driven by survival, in some cases by desperation.

A quick philosophical footnote: money taken in crime is far sweeter than money earned. The fact that one relies on oneself, or a group, to outthink, outsmart, and outbrave some stupid boss and his security precautions turns ill-gotten gains into reward beyond compare. Plus, the hours, while short and nerve-wracking, are never boring.

Oddly, one of the best ways to begin a burglary is by getting a job in the store you plan to hit. In general, places that have loads of cash, that deal with deposits in a lazy fashion, and that trust you just enough to let you know that the burglary alarms are “just for show.” After a week or two of drudgery, you’re ready. The neighborhood is dead quiet at night, there are rear entrances that haven’t been used in years, and hopefully those entrances have windows. Timing is key and I recommend between 3 and 4 in the morning on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. The cops are all changing out shifts, the security guards (if any) are drinking coffee somewhere trying to stay awake, and the neighbors are all tucked in their beds. Windows can be easily removed by breaking through the glass with a cloth wrapped hammer and steel bars can be separated using a tire jack. If the back is lit by floodlights, unscrew them. For windows placed high, use a car as a boost to reach them. A quick dash into the establishment—to exactly the place where you know the day’s cash receipts are hidden—and out. A peek in the rear view mirror to make sure you’re clean—and gone. Like it never happened. The rewards from burglaries can be surprising: in one short twenty minute stint I walked off with almost $5000. They can also be disheartening; one burglary took almost an hour and netted less than $300—but that was the exception.

[financiallymint]

Students: I Challenge You to Earn an Extra $1000/Year

Very excited to be sharing this guest post by Tom from This Online World on side hustles and earning extra income. A fellow student all the way in Canada who’s passionate about online marketing, passive income and even crypto! He has a great hustle mindset and his website has a lot of good info on money hacking and earning a bit more $$ – you gotta check him out.

The article is written in dollar signs $$, but simply change the currency and it works just as well. What’s important is the idea!

Starting your own side hustle is one of the coolest ways to increase your income: it’s basically growing your own little money baby.

However, when it comes to the actual work, it can be difficult to know when or how to start. From finding extra time to securing side hustle opportunities, getting the ball rolling on your extra income generation journey requires time and some thought.

For students, it can be especially difficult to find the time or correct side hustle opportunity. Assignments and exams can occupy most of your day, and the nature of student life often equates to a less than stable financial situation.

I am currently in my last year college, and I’ve certainly had my share of cheap beer, instant Ramen, and a lonely bank balance.

However, whether you are in school or employed, wealthy or just making ends meet, skilled in a craft or a complete novice, it is possible to start a successful side hustle that makes you an extra $1,000 a year.

Don’t believe me?

Well, here’s the mindset I want you to approach this side hustle challenge with:

You have 12 months in a year to make an extra $1,000.

That means you only have to make about $85/month of additional income with your side hustles.

When you think about making an extra $1,000 a year as only having to earn an extra $85 a month, it doesn’t seem so daunting.

Personally, I take 1-2 days out of every month to dedicate towards my various side hustles.

It doesn’t matter if you take on a variety of side hustles or stick to a single job. As long as you take an active approach to making more money and stick to a plan, you can succeed.

Let’s take a look at 12 possible side hustle ideas that you can do once a month to make an extra $1,000 a year.

Idea 1: Content Writing Gigs

I’m a staunch supporter of working online to earn extra money, and content writing is always my first recommendation (especially for students).

Content writing can expand your skill set and open the doors for future employment or freelance opportunities (looks great on a CV!). Additionally, content writing jobs are often remote and have incredibly flexible working hours.

I’ve written content throughout my college years, and there are a number of ways to approach securing a content writing side hustle:

Look on job posting websites for companies that are seeking freelance writers (Indeed.com, LinkedIn, Monster.ca are some great ones).

Post your own advertisement on your local job boards or online marketplaces. Offer your content writing services to local businesses in your area!

Create gigs on online websites like Fiverr. There are many freelance writers who use Fiverr to generate income, and most price their content at $5-$10 for every 500 words of content.

Most content writing jobs won’t require you to be an English major or have an extensive portfolio. As long as you are a decent writer, you should be able to find work that pays between $10-$15/hour without a problem!

Idea 2: Get Busy with TaskRabbit

Let’s face it: no one really enjoys chores. However, every job someone doesn’t feel like doing is another side hustle opportunity that can make you some quick side income!

TaskRabbit was started to provide a secure task-based marketplace. By becoming a Tasker on TaskRabbit, you can set your own hours and choose to complete various tasks people are requesting for payment.

Common tasks on TaskRabbit include:

Yardwork.

Moving and packing services.

Furniture assembly.

Home improvement.

General handyman services.

The work you complete on TaskRabbit won’t be glamorous, but it typically pays well (and you are able to set your pay range). Chances are, you could spend a few hours helping someone move or do some yard work and easily walk away with $100+.

Idea 3: Food Delivery

Whether you work for Just Eat, Skip the Dishes, Grub Hub, Uber Eats, Deliveroo or some other delivery service, making money by delivering food is a simple but effective method for making some extra cash.

If your car isn’t too old, simply register to be a part-time delivery driver for a popular delivery service in your town.

You can set your own hours, and it will only take you a few deliveries to make your monthly target of $85. Depending on your town, people might tip slightly more or less, but a single night of work should help you reach that $1,000 a year goal.

Idea 4: Help your Landlord

3 college buddies and I moved into the most grungy, decrepit old student house around town when we started school.

However, part of me is really glad we did. Besides the fact that student living can be hilariously awful, I was also able to find some odd jobs and make a few extra hundred dollars simply by asking my landlord if he needed help.

Hiring professional painters, repairmen, garbage removers, or cleaning services is expensive.Hiring desperate students is not.

Trust me when I say landlords always have projects on the go. Whether you are currently renting or not, finding occasional work for fixer-upper projects is not difficult. Reach out to landlords or look online, and spend a day painting, tearing up carpet, fixing holes in the wall, or cleaning a place.

You can earn an easy $100-$150 for a day of work, and you’ll probably walk away with a newfound appreciation for your own home.

Idea 5: Busk

If you play an instrument or can sing fairly well, busking might be the right side hustle for you!

My housemate and I spent several weekends playing guitar on the street corner of our local downtown scene. We’re ok players, so busking provides us with a great way to bond, practice our songs, and also earn a simple $20-$30/each for a few hours of enjoyable music.

You don’t have to be an incredible musician to busk. However, you will need the ability to get over stage fright. Personally, I prefer busking with my friend since I don’t really want to go alone. But I still find busking to be an enjoyable way to make extra money for something that I would do for free anyway.

Just make sure your town or city doesn’t require a permit to busk (or obtain a permit if you need to).

Idea 6: Tutor

Have you ever looked back at high school/elementary homework and realized just how easy it is (shout out to our developed, adult brains).

Well, if your town or city has a few high schools nearby, chances are you can find some part time work tutoring students in math, science, or languages. In my school, tutors were regularly paid $15-$25/hour by parents, especially in more advanced subjects like calculus or chemistry.

If you have a knack for school and enjoy helping others, tutoring might be the right side hustle for you! Plus, most tutoring sessions only last 1-3 hours, so you can make some quick and easy side income without spending too much time!

Idea 7: Babysit

If you like babies and kids, babysitting is an excellent way to make extra money every month. Half the time the kid will be sleeping, so you’re pretty much getting paid to do nothing. Sounds like a dream!

Popular websites like SitterCity have made working as a babysitter (in the U.S.) incredibly easy. However, if you aren’t a U.S. resident, you can always post your own advertisements on local job boards or just ask around town.

Many of my college friends have been babysitters throughout their life, and it’s a great way to make additional income. Even if you only work for 1 family, you can probably make $85 a month from babysitting once or twice (depending on the length of the job).

Idea 8: Drive with Uber or Lyft

This is a similarly straightforward idea to delivering food (except you’re delivering people). If you have a car that meets Uber or Lyft’s requirements, you can just drive one day of every month and make extra money.

Uber or Lyft might not be a great long term solution due to variability in available rides and the hidden cost of every kilometer you drive (repairs, oil changes, wear and tear), but it isn’t a bad side hustle to do once in a while.

Ideally schedule your driving session around a busy time where you can benefit from surcharges!

Idea 9: AirBnB

I have two friends who have been dating for a couple of years and live in an apartment together. Their place has 2 bedrooms, so once in a while they rent out one of the rooms on AirBnB for the weekend to make some extra cash.

They don’t particularly enjoy having company over, so they usually schedule their AirBnB weekends around times they won’t be home often or there’s an event in town that their visitor will most likely be attending. In any case, it’s an incredibly straightforward way to make $200+ for a weekend of hosting.

If you live in a major city, using AirBnB to make some extra money every month should be even easier. All you need is a decent space, price level, and advertisement on AirBnB.

Idea 10: Reddit ForHire

Reddit is an incredible community, and also presents budding entrepreneurs and side-hustlers with money making opportunities.

r/forhire is one of my favorite subreddits, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: a job marketplace. Users can either post ‘hiring’ or ‘for hire’ posts that outline specific work and skills that are being sought after or offered.

Some of the most popular jobs on Reddit For Hire are:

Graphic design.

Programming.

Content writing.

Video editing.

Tutoring (especially in languages).

Advertising/marketing consulting.

If you have experience in any of these field or have another service to offer, definitely check out Reddit!

Idea 11: Dog Walking

It’s funny how many people buy an adorable companion only to realize they don’t ever want to actually walk it.

Dog walking, like babysitting, is a great way to make extra income just by taking care of a living thing. If you are good with dogs and enjoy the outdoors, consider walking dogs once or twice a month!

Popular dog walking apps include:

WagWalking.

Swifto (New York City only).

Rover.

Care.

Idea 12: Slogan Slinger

While this isn’t a concrete side hustle, I couldn’t resist including something fun in this list.

Slogan Slingers is a website where companies request ideas for their next great slogan and have users deliver them the answer to earn money. For example, a plumbing company might post a contest for $250 that explains what kind of slogan they’re looking for, and users can submit up to 3 entries to try to win.

If you win, you get the money. If you lose, nothing happens! The website isn’t incredibly popular, but there is usually a new contest available every other day. 1,000-2,000 people usually enter a contest, but if you have a knack for marketing, it could be a fun website to visit.

I’ve only been slogan slinging for 1 month and haven’t won anything yet, but I plan to keep at it!

Okay, What’s an Extra $1,000?

You might be wondering what’s the point of working side jobs to earn an extra $1,000 a year, but you’d be surprised at how much you can accomplish with an extra $1,000 in your bank account.

Thinking of investing, but never had enough saved up to take the first steps? Use your thousand dollars.

Want to help ease the sting of utility bills and rent? Use your extra thousand dollars.

Or, want to start your own business but need a bit of extra cash to start out? Well, you now have an extra thousand dollars.

I hope you have found this side hustle challenge to be inspiring and provide some effective job opportunities to get started! As long as you take active, baby steps towards generating additional income, you can easily reach a goal of an additional $1,000/ear or surpass it completely.

Best of luck in your side hustle journey!

Read more like this over at Financially Mint

[financiallymint]

Students: I Challenge You to Earn an Extra $1000/Year

Very excited to be sharing this guest post by Tom from This Online World on side hustles and earning extra income. A fellow student all the way in Canada who’s passionate about online marketing, passive income and even crypto! He has a great hustle mindset and his website has a lot of good info on money hacking and earning a bit more $$ – you gotta check him out.

The article is written in dollar signs $$, but simply change the currency and it works just as well. What’s important is the idea!

Starting your own side hustle is one of the coolest ways to increase your income: it’s basically growing your own little money baby.

However, when it comes to the actual work, it can be difficult to know when or how to start. From finding extra time to securing side hustle opportunities, getting the ball rolling on your extra income generation journey requires time and some thought.

For students, it can be especially difficult to find the time or correct side hustle opportunity. Assignments and exams can occupy most of your day, and the nature of student life often equates to a less than stable financial situation.

I am currently in my last year college, and I’ve certainly had my share of cheap beer, instant Ramen, and a lonely bank balance.

However, whether you are in school or employed, wealthy or just making ends meet, skilled in a craft or a complete novice, it is possible to start a successful side hustle that makes you an extra $1,000 a year.

Don’t believe me?

Well, here’s the mindset I want you to approach this side hustle challenge with:

You have 12 months in a year to make an extra $1,000.

That means you only have to make about $85/month of additional income with your side hustles.

When you think about making an extra $1,000 a year as only having to earn an extra $85 a month, it doesn’t seem so daunting.

Personally, I take 1-2 days out of every month to dedicate towards my various side hustles.

It doesn’t matter if you take on a variety of side hustles or stick to a single job. As long as you take an active approach to making more money and stick to a plan, you can succeed.

Let’s take a look at 12 possible side hustle ideas that you can do once a month to make an extra $1,000 a year.

Idea 1: Content Writing Gigs

I’m a staunch supporter of working online to earn extra money, and content writing is always my first recommendation (especially for students).

Content writing can expand your skill set and open the doors for future employment or freelance opportunities (looks great on a CV!). Additionally, content writing jobs are often remote and have incredibly flexible working hours.

I’ve written content throughout my college years, and there are a number of ways to approach securing a content writing side hustle:

Look on job posting websites for companies that are seeking freelance writers (Indeed.com, LinkedIn, Monster.ca are some great ones).

Post your own advertisement on your local job boards or online marketplaces. Offer your content writing services to local businesses in your area!

Create gigs on online websites like Fiverr. There are many freelance writers who use Fiverr to generate income, and most price their content at $5-$10 for every 500 words of content.

Most content writing jobs won’t require you to be an English major or have an extensive portfolio. As long as you are a decent writer, you should be able to find work that pays between $10-$15/hour without a problem!

Idea 2: Get Busy with TaskRabbit

Let’s face it: no one really enjoys chores. However, every job someone doesn’t feel like doing is another side hustle opportunity that can make you some quick side income!

TaskRabbit was started to provide a secure task-based marketplace. By becoming a Tasker on TaskRabbit, you can set your own hours and choose to complete various tasks people are requesting for payment.

Common tasks on TaskRabbit include:

Yardwork.

Moving and packing services.

Furniture assembly.

Home improvement.

General handyman services.

The work you complete on TaskRabbit won’t be glamorous, but it typically pays well (and you are able to set your pay range). Chances are, you could spend a few hours helping someone move or do some yard work and easily walk away with $100+.

Idea 3: Food Delivery

Whether you work for Just Eat, Skip the Dishes, Grub Hub, Uber Eats, Deliveroo or some other delivery service, making money by delivering food is a simple but effective method for making some extra cash.

If your car isn’t too old, simply register to be a part-time delivery driver for a popular delivery service in your town.

You can set your own hours, and it will only take you a few deliveries to make your monthly target of $85. Depending on your town, people might tip slightly more or less, but a single night of work should help you reach that $1,000 a year goal.

Idea 4: Help your Landlord

3 college buddies and I moved into the most grungy, decrepit old student house around town when we started school.

However, part of me is really glad we did. Besides the fact that student living can be hilariously awful, I was also able to find some odd jobs and make a few extra hundred dollars simply by asking my landlord if he needed help.

Hiring professional painters, repairmen, garbage removers, or cleaning services is expensive.Hiring desperate students is not.

Trust me when I say landlords always have projects on the go. Whether you are currently renting or not, finding occasional work for fixer-upper projects is not difficult. Reach out to landlords or look online, and spend a day painting, tearing up carpet, fixing holes in the wall, or cleaning a place.

You can earn an easy $100-$150 for a day of work, and you’ll probably walk away with a newfound appreciation for your own home.

Idea 5: Busk

If you play an instrument or can sing fairly well, busking might be the right side hustle for you!

My housemate and I spent several weekends playing guitar on the street corner of our local downtown scene. We’re ok players, so busking provides us with a great way to bond, practice our songs, and also earn a simple $20-$30/each for a few hours of enjoyable music.

You don’t have to be an incredible musician to busk. However, you will need the ability to get over stage fright. Personally, I prefer busking with my friend since I don’t really want to go alone. But I still find busking to be an enjoyable way to make extra money for something that I would do for free anyway.

Just make sure your town or city doesn’t require a permit to busk (or obtain a permit if you need to).

Idea 6: Tutor

Have you ever looked back at high school/elementary homework and realized just how easy it is (shout out to our developed, adult brains).

Well, if your town or city has a few high schools nearby, chances are you can find some part time work tutoring students in math, science, or languages. In my school, tutors were regularly paid $15-$25/hour by parents, especially in more advanced subjects like calculus or chemistry.

If you have a knack for school and enjoy helping others, tutoring might be the right side hustle for you! Plus, most tutoring sessions only last 1-3 hours, so you can make some quick and easy side income without spending too much time!

Idea 7: Babysit

If you like babies and kids, babysitting is an excellent way to make extra money every month. Half the time the kid will be sleeping, so you’re pretty much getting paid to do nothing. Sounds like a dream!

Popular websites like SitterCity have made working as a babysitter (in the U.S.) incredibly easy. However, if you aren’t a U.S. resident, you can always post your own advertisements on local job boards or just ask around town.

Many of my college friends have been babysitters throughout their life, and it’s a great way to make additional income. Even if you only work for 1 family, you can probably make $85 a month from babysitting once or twice (depending on the length of the job).

Idea 8: Drive with Uber or Lyft

This is a similarly straightforward idea to delivering food (except you’re delivering people). If you have a car that meets Uber or Lyft’s requirements, you can just drive one day of every month and make extra money.

Uber or Lyft might not be a great long term solution due to variability in available rides and the hidden cost of every kilometer you drive (repairs, oil changes, wear and tear), but it isn’t a bad side hustle to do once in a while.

Ideally schedule your driving session around a busy time where you can benefit from surcharges!

Idea 9: AirBnB

I have two friends who have been dating for a couple of years and live in an apartment together. Their place has 2 bedrooms, so once in a while they rent out one of the rooms on AirBnB for the weekend to make some extra cash.

They don’t particularly enjoy having company over, so they usually schedule their AirBnB weekends around times they won’t be home often or there’s an event in town that their visitor will most likely be attending. In any case, it’s an incredibly straightforward way to make $200+ for a weekend of hosting.

If you live in a major city, using AirBnB to make some extra money every month should be even easier. All you need is a decent space, price level, and advertisement on AirBnB.

Idea 10: Reddit ForHire

Reddit is an incredible community, and also presents budding entrepreneurs and side-hustlers with money making opportunities.

r/forhire is one of my favorite subreddits, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: a job marketplace. Users can either post ‘hiring’ or ‘for hire’ posts that outline specific work and skills that are being sought after or offered.

Some of the most popular jobs on Reddit For Hire are:

Graphic design.

Programming.

Content writing.

Video editing.

Tutoring (especially in languages).

Advertising/marketing consulting.

If you have experience in any of these field or have another service to offer, definitely check out Reddit!

Idea 11: Dog Walking

It’s funny how many people buy an adorable companion only to realize they don’t ever want to actually walk it.

Dog walking, like babysitting, is a great way to make extra income just by taking care of a living thing. If you are good with dogs and enjoy the outdoors, consider walking dogs once or twice a month!

Popular dog walking apps include:

WagWalking.

Swifto (New York City only).

Rover.

Care.

Idea 12: Slogan Slinger

While this isn’t a concrete side hustle, I couldn’t resist including something fun in this list.

Slogan Slingers is a website where companies request ideas for their next great slogan and have users deliver them the answer to earn money. For example, a plumbing company might post a contest for $250 that explains what kind of slogan they’re looking for, and users can submit up to 3 entries to try to win.

If you win, you get the money. If you lose, nothing happens! The website isn’t incredibly popular, but there is usually a new contest available every other day. 1,000-2,000 people usually enter a contest, but if you have a knack for marketing, it could be a fun website to visit.

I’ve only been slogan slinging for 1 month and haven’t won anything yet, but I plan to keep at it!

Okay, What’s an Extra $1,000?

You might be wondering what’s the point of working side jobs to earn an extra $1,000 a year, but you’d be surprised at how much you can accomplish with an extra $1,000 in your bank account.

Thinking of investing, but never had enough saved up to take the first steps? Use your thousand dollars.

Want to help ease the sting of utility bills and rent? Use your extra thousand dollars.

Or, want to start your own business but need a bit of extra cash to start out? Well, you now have an extra thousand dollars.

I hope you have found this side hustle challenge to be inspiring and provide some effective job opportunities to get started! As long as you take active, baby steps towards generating additional income, you can easily reach a goal of an additional $1,000/ear or surpass it completely.

Best of luck in your side hustle journey!

Read more like this over at Financially Mint