#christmas loans 2019

[hangon-silvergirl]

for the au ask game: a roommates or housemates au??

So I've had this rough idea in my head for a while:

It's December 2019 and Eddie Munson's roommate, Gareth, announces that he's going to be moving out of the two bedroom apartment they've been sharing for the last few years, come February (to move in with his girlfriend). Eddie's happy for his friend, obviously, but is annoyed by the now tedious task facing him: He can't afford this place by himself, and none of his friends need somewhere to live, so he needs to find a new roommate.

Technologically impaired Eddie rebuffs all offers to post on sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace on his behalf; instead he posts an ad in the newspaper, and sticks fliers up in his neighborhood, and around the local college campus.

Chrissy Cunningham has a massive falling out with her family over Christmas. She breaks up with her long-term boyfriend, gets cut off financially, and gets kicked out of her house with nothing but a backpack full of clothes, another full of her school things, and her car. She sleeps in her car for a few nights before her friends figure out what's up, and then she starts couch-surfing. She gets a job at a café on campus (this girl is just a barista in my brain, idk); her next semester of school is already paid for, but she needs somewhere to live, and to figure out loans for the rest of her degree, and how to pay for food and books and car insurance and etc.

She sees Eddie's flier on the community board in the café, re-reads it a lot, but doesn't know how she feels about living with a man. She keeps seeing the fliers EVERYWHERE though; gas station and library and the campus pub, and even one day tucked under the windshield wiper of her car (Eddie's getting desperate). Eventually one day in late January when cleaning up a combed through newspaper off of a table at work, she sees the published ad and thinks, that's it's, gotta listen to the universe, so she finally takes the plunge and texts him.

They meet and hit it off alright and agree that she'll move in. Things go a-okay for the first little while; they're living separate lives after all, so really only see each other in passing, and for the occasional shared meal. A little flirty, there's potential there obviously, but they've both got enough going on and this friendship is new, so... foundations first, ya know?

Then... Then the pandemic hits, and into lockdown mode they go. They have to navigate the trials and tribulations of learning to live with someone you do not know, spending 100% of their time together, in the midst of the world falling apart; remote school, remote work, government payouts, making bread, etc. The whole nine yards.

Naturally the stress of it all plus all the teeny, little annoyances stack up and up and up until they culminate in a massive, yelling argument over... idk toaster and jam crumbs in the margarine container or something otherwise equally stupid, and that ends in them kissing each other aggressively to shut each other up, and thus begins a very passionate and distracting way to pass the time.

Thanks for the ask, @hellcheerocracy!

Request comes from this post: Send Me an AU & I'll Give You 5+ Headcanons About It.

[phoenixrising0308]

Meet My MC

Face Claim: America Georgine Ferrera

Why the face claim: I wanted to write a strong Latina lead. The actress is very vocal about what she believes in and supports various charities and causes that resonate with this blogger. (some listed here).

Book: The Royal Romance

Full Name: Jessica Maria Garcia

First Appearance on Tumblr: June 30, 2019 (under a previous username *same author*

Nicknames: Jessie, Agent Bossy Pants, Jecca (to her family), and only to Liam Jess or Muñeca

Birthday: March 8th

Nationality: Latina of Puerto Rican Descent

Height: 4’11

Hometown: Brooklyn, New York

Education: John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a Double Major in Political Science. Jessica also has Ph.d. in Criminal Justice.

Languages: English, Spanish and Italian fluently. Conversational French painfully taught by Leo. Greek lovingly taught by Liam. Spoken well enough to be considered for Legal attaché for FBI offices in those regions.

Occupation: Federal Agent (on loan to Cordonia) currently undercover as one of Liam’s Cabinet Aides

Love Interest: Liam Rys is her OTP but in various A/U dating Damien Nazario and Ethan Ramsay or Bryce Lahela.

Things that annoy her: People that park too close to her car and the lack of pockets in dresses

Children: None in Agent Phoenix but in various future A/U yes

Family: Mateo Garcia (Captain NYPD) Adam Garcia (NYPD Sgt.) Daisy Garcia (Wedding photographer)

Family Traditions: Super Cereal Sunday - every Sunday, the Garcia siblings gather together to have cereal and talk about their week.

The Epiphany (Three kings or little Christmas)

Favorite Cereal: Fruity pebbles

Personality Traits: Loyal, loving, and fierce

Positive: Opinionated

Negative: Opinionated

Favorite things: Mail order clubs like chocolate of the month or IPSY, and dancing with Liam.

Book: The Birth of Venus

Film: Real women have curves

TV show: Cobra Kai, The Office, Superstore, Ugly betty, and Jane the virgin

Perfume: A custom curated blend of Roses, Vanilla, and Lavender created by Liam (private reserve)

Clothing brand: Valentino

Where is she living: Cordonia in the palace

Hobbies: boxing and baking

Music: Listens to everything but loves Selena

Three Random Facts:

Sleep eats

Sings in the shower

Loves to binge-watch shows with Liam. (who plays with her hair so she can fall asleep and so he can change the channel)

[bondstreetmortgage]

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – December 23rd, 2019

Last week’s economic reports included readings from the National Association of Home Builders on housing markets; the National Association of Realtors® released data on sales of previously-owned homes and the Commerce Department released readings on housing starts and building permits issued. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released.

NAHB: Builder Confidence Rises in December

According to the National Association of Home Builders, builder confidence in housing market conditions rose in December to an index reading of 76 as compared to November’s reading of 71. Any reading over 50 indicates that most home builders surveyed were confident about housing market conditions.

Builder confidence in current market conditions rose seven points to an index reading of 84; builder confidence in housing market conditions in the next six months rose one point to 79 and the index reading for buyer traffic in new single-family housing developments rose four points to 58. Analysts noted that the index reading for buyer traffic rarely reaches a reading of 50.

Regional readings were mixed with builder confidence in the Northeast falling two points; the Midwestern region showed builder confidence five points higher than in November and builder confidence readings in the South and West rose one point and three points respectively.

Analysts said that low mortgage rates, a slim supply of pre-owned homes for sale and low unemployment contributed to rising builder confidence. Negative factors impacting builder confidence included high land and labor costs, and a disparity between builders focusing on high-end construction while entry-level homes were most in demand.

The National Association of Realtors ®reported fewer sales of pre-owned homes in November; 5.35 million previously-owned homes sold on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis as compared to October’s reading of 5.44 million sales of previously-owned homes.

Fewer sales were caused by slim inventories of affordable homes for sale. This data supported home builders’ assertion that fewer available pre-owned homes boosted builder confidence in current housing markets.

Housing Starts, Building Permits Issued Rise in November

The Commerce Department reported 1365 million single-family housing starts in November as compared to 1.323 million starts in October. Building permits issued also rose in November with 1.482 million permits issued as compared to October’s reading of 1.461 million building permits issued. Housing Starts and building permits supply estimates for future inventories of available homes.

Mortgage Rates Unchanged, New Jobless ClaimsFall

Fixed mortgage rates were unchanged last week according to Freddie Mac. Rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.73 percent and rates for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.19 percent. Rates for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages averaged one basis point higher at 3.37 percent.

New jobless claims fell to 234,000 claims filed as compared to expectations of 235,000 new claims filed and the prior week’s reading of 252,000 first-time claims filed.

What’s Ahead

This week’s scheduled economic news is limited due to the Christmas holiday. Data on new home sales will be released along with weekly readings on mortgage rates and new jobless claims.

Get In Touch With Us

115 West Century Road Suite Paramus,NJ 07652 888-588-5522 loaninfo@bondstreetloans.com

[thesearenotphotographs]

Crest Hardware 1962-2024

At the end of August, Crest Hardware (558 Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn, NY) will close their doors after 62 years in business. The store was founded by two brothers, Manny and Joe Franquinha, over six decades ago and became an institution in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Manny’s son, Joseph is the second generation owner of Crest.

I moved to the neighborhood in September 2008, only a block away from Crest and during the first winter, I made my first visit to the store to purchase a portable heater since I discovered that the radiator in my bedroom was shut off and I had no heat. About a year later, I moved out of that apartment (with the heater too, of course) but I thankfully relocated only a few blocks away. We’d occasionally pop into Crest to check in on their animals, Franklin (a pig) and Finlay (a parrot) and bring friends to visit them too. When Crest made magnets of both Finlay and Franklin, we made sure to get one of each for our fridge. In addition to countless purchases made over the years, Crest became the place my husband and I would get our annual Christmas trees (Crest would loan you a wagon cart to bring the tree home and hold your ID. Once the cart was returned, you got your ID back), and we attended art and music events at the hardware store space too.

In April 2019, I locked myself out of my apartment after the Camp Cope at Warsaw concert and the following afternoon, I went to Crest to get a spare set of keys made to keep in my camera bag so that situation wouldn’t happen again. Less than a year later after the lockout incident, Crest became a place we could reliably get PPE (masks, hand sanitizer, gloves, etc.) and other necessary items during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ahead of their closure, Crest’s owner Joseph Franquinha did an interview with Hell Gate that’s fantastic (if you’re curious about where Franklin and Finlay will live now that the store has closed, it’s addressed here), and here’s an older piece from The New York Times where Franklin was featured in a piece about NYC businesses with pets. The NYT also covered the wake & second line event Crest did on Monday, August 19th here. The gallery that appears in this post are images that I captured digitally and on 35mm film casually during the final days of the store when I visited. On Saturday August 24th, the store shelves were completely removed and the shop was turned into a giant open space that featured a tattoo station, bar, DJ booth, and the walls were adorned with personal messages from people. In their yard, The Meat Hook served food, there was an additional DJ booth, plus a stage set up for Reverend Vince Anderson’s live set, and an artist creating pieces throughout the day.

During the Crest Family Day event on Sunday, August 11th, I spoke with Joe briefly and he expressed that he knew that they had community, but it became really apparent after the store announced they were closing and so many people made an effort to tell them how much the store meant to them. To me, Crest felt like one of those special places that would be around forever and I’m very grateful I discovered it after I moved a block away from it sixteen years ago. To their community, Crest Hardware was more than just our local hardware store and we don’t have many places like it left.

If you love a small business, be sure support them however you can while they’re still around.

[pokerobbo]

New Year, New Me...

If you are reading this then I have successfully tricked you into giving a damn about the change process I am undertaking... I hope its riveting.

The purpose of this blog will be for me to provide weekly updates and reflections on what is happening in my life. Some content will be darker than a block of gold chocolate, other content not so much.. Either way; whether you like it or not by reading this you're about to find out a heck of a lot about me!

New years. The time of year when some people signal the end of the holiday period, some people get ridiculously 'lit' in an attempt to leave a 'crappy' year behind and nearly everyone comes up with a list of goals and aspirations that they intend to stick with for the whole year but in reality forget about by the end if January (believe me, I'm the king of that). With that said the following is my list of hopefully unbroken promises.

Get rid of all consumer debt!

Currently as it stands I have around $9800 of consumer debt; to be fair a large portion of that is made up of credit cards that I used when I relocated for my new job in 2019. Apparently furnishing a house can be quite expensive! who knew right? The rest of it is made up of Zip Pay and Afterpay of which I probably could have waited until I had the spare money to purchase.

Before Christmas I felt a bit down and as a result I took put a small loan to buy some things that I thought would provide happiness. I get that habit from my mother. To mask her sadness she used to spend money which worked.. until she wasted thousands of dollars and ran out of money... but thats another story for another time. In hindsight its not a big deal. I make more than enough to pay it off quickly; but that's counter productive to the whole notion of a debt free 2024!

Drop down to 100KG

I have always been a big lad. Genetically my shoulders are quite broad (Thanks Grandpa) and my legs are like tree trunks from my teenage Rugby playing days. I cant count as high as the amount of times I have said "right its time to lose weight"; which usually lasts until driving home from the gym and I see that the Micky D's drive through is open.

In November 2021 before I relocated to Port Augusta from Port Lincoln I was a hefty 142KG. My diet consisted largely of 2L classic choccy milk, Noodle Bento and anything fried... Gradually through making small changes subconsciously in September 2022 I slimmed down to about 132KG. One day in September I decided id had enough. I joined the Gym as a way to get out of the house abit more; then to add the extra pressure I enlisted in the services of a Personal Trainer. We both appreciate and hate him depending on the day. At first I was going to the Gym just when I had sessions but recently I have started going 4 mornings a week at 6:30am (which anyone who knows me will testify that is a massive thing for me. Mornings can get fucked). Long story short I am down to 124KG now with the goal of hitting 100KG by the end of 2023.

Grow PokeRobbo Collectables by 10%

PokeRobbo Collectables is a business I have started. Once I'm clear of consumer debt ill be saving up a decent amount of capital to spend on Pokemon Cards and Video Games with the goal of reselling them. 10% is a modest goal one that should be easy to achieve.

Only drinking twice

Not going to be a hard one as Im not a big drinker. Anyone who has crossed paths with Drunk Alex will atest that he is an absolute blast (or Menace) depending on who you ask..

No Betting.

Ah Gambling. The silent addiction. In my opinion it is the most dangerous addiction because of how easy it is to hide. You see a meth addict or an alcoholic you can instantly tell what's up. Try doing that with a gambling addict. I bet ya 50 bucks you cant.

I've never been one to over indulge in alcohol and I've never even had a cigarette yet alone harder drugs but I have certainly felt the pinch of addiction. In the past my gambling habit has always been something that my friends knew about but only one of them knows the full extent of how bad it got at one stage (we'll call him Rick Hernandez) until now that is.

In 2018 at its worst I was spending roughly $3000 a week on sports betting.. however I was winning so I thought it was okay. Its easy to downplay how much you have spent when you walk away with more than you spent. The fact remains though. I still spent $3000 a week sometimes. Pokies have never been an issue for me. I play them occasionally ( like 20 bucks a time when i go out for dinner) but I have never really been interested by the bright lights.

In 2020 I made the decision to seek some help and also bar myself from over the counter TABs in South Australia and at the time all it did was increase my online betting. I closed all my accounts. I found friends to do it for me. The cycle continues. Until now that is.

I have enough self control that I only ever Gamble once all of my bills are paid and there is food on my table. Although the money I gamble with is my recreational or left over money when I think about all of the things I could do with that money instead its frustrating.

Either way. 2023 onwards no more sports betting.

That'll do for my first post. Ill be posting weekly updates on my progress. I dont take the above very lightly. Ill be taking life one day at a time and who knows... Maybe, Just Maybe we might make it out of 2023 alive!

Much love.

[apwmagazine]

Timeless Frames seeks a $400K loan

Timeless Frames seeks a $400K loan

WATERTOWN TOWN, N.Y. (WWNY) – Timeless Frames is applying for a $400,000 loan from the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency to create a more hybrid model where it makes products but also imports things. Timeless Frames manufactures framed art, mirrors, and picture frames. With 28 employees now the company wants to add 7. In 2019, at Christmas, the company laid off 40 employees after a…

[djbcadventures]

DJBC Holiday Tumblr 22 - Columbus Metropolitan Library Open House

For the first time since 2019, the Main Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library hosted their Holiday Open House, which featured performances, live reindeers, activities for children, and the lighting of the tree in the new Kaufman Plaza, which connects the library to the adjacent Topiary Park in the Discovery District neighborhood of Downtown Columbus. However, the main draw of the event was the Huntington Train, on loan from Huntington Bank, which is way more accessible to the community, than when it was located at Huntington Bank at High and Broad Streets.

We also couldn't help but to pick up a few good reads for those cozy winter nights at home in front of the tree.

The Huntington Train will be up through January 8. The Library will be closed Christmas (December 24-26) and New Year's (December 31-January 2) weekends.

There are a slate of holiday events at many of the 23 branches of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, which encompass both neighborhoods and suburbs. For more, go to http://www.columbuslibrary.org.

[srvrishabh]

What are the important things to consider/revisit in autumn for personal finance?

“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” ― Pablo Picasso

There are numerous factors to consider and revisit now that autumn is upon us, such as the festive season, which is approaching, which can be a costly affair and the transition in weather becoming cold, which will mean spending more money on electricity during a year where energy prices are already at a 40 year high.

In addition, the average household bill will increase to £2,500 a year. However, an ‘energy price guarantee’ has been introduced, which is supposed to last two years, while the energy cap announced by Lizz Truss is in place.

On the other hand, when it comes to festive season purchases, the number of retail sales was higher during Christmas time in both 2020 and 2021, which was 3% in December 2020 and 2% in December 2021 compared to the same period in 2019 (ONS,2022).

Moreover, online sales decreased by 8% compared to the prior December; however, there was still more than a quarter (27%) of all retail purchases, which is significantly higher than in December 2019.

In addition, during a study, in December 2021, 46% of people reported that they felt they would be able to save money in 2022, and 66% revealed that their cost of living had mounted at the end of 2021.

Another factor to consider is how to prepare for the start of university with the cost of livingbeing on the rise and an increasing number of people applying for university, especially those aged 18. In February 2022, according to Ucas, 320,000 had applied compared to 306,000 the previous year. Uca’s findings have also revealed that the number of students accepted on UK university degree courses has decreased since 2021. However, the figure for 2022 is the second highest on record.

The total number of individuals confirmed onto a course is 425,830, a fall of 2% compared to last year, according to data released by Ucas (University admissions service).

According to a survey carried out by ‘The survey, managed by Save the Student website, more than eight in 10 people who took part in the survey said they felt worried about keeping their finances in check, with a typical maintenance loan not keeping up with increasing living costs.

The survey also suggested that four in five had contemplated dropping out of university, with half naming monetary concerns as the culprit.

The cost of living has had a 14% increase since the previous year’s responses, with a typical student spending £924 a month.

Many students turned to parents or part-time jobs or savings to cover the gap; however, one in 10 students had used a food bank in their last academic year.

In 2020 according to a survey, half of parents with young children were struggling to keep financially afloat because of the ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic, with almost half stating they had spent most of their money. 43% of parents with young children revealed that their household had almost run out of monetary funds compared to 18% of other participants.

In addition, keeping up with rent and mortgage payments is also a concern, with half of parents of young children stating they are concerned about their capacity to make payments, compared to 20% of other partakers. This is according to a survey conducted by the Fawcett Society, the Women’s Budget Group, the Mile End Institute at the Queen Mary University of London and the London School of Economics.

Intellisaving has put together a rough guide that considers the following five crucial factors colder weather, the start of university, how parents can prepare for the beginning of the school year, the festive season and preparing for the next financial year.

Guide on possible actions to take on the essential things to consider this autumn:

How to prepare for the winter season?

1.    Keep heaters and radiators clear

Make sure there is nothing obstructing radiators or heaters, such as clothing on them or furniture, so that that heat can spread

2.    Use comparison websites

Comparison websites are handy to use as you can compare between different providers and see if you are getting the best value for money on your current costs, such as energy provider, and if not, you could always switch, though do make sure to read the small print or enquire with your provider to make sure there are no penalty charges for switching.

3.    Turn off standby appliances and save electricity

Please switch off the lights when you are not in a room, and electrical items are not in use rather than leaving them on standby. Switching appliances off by the plug could save you around £30 per year. You could use plug sockets that can be turned on and off through your phone, to ensure you switch unused appliances off. There is also a cheaper alternative: timer plugs that allow you to schedule when devices should be turned off.

4.    Purchase Eco-Friendly alternatives

If an appliance breaks down and needs to be replaced, replace it with an energy- efficient model to save you some extra pennies. There is usually an EU energy- efficiency rating on the appliance when it is eco-friendly.

5.    Switch to LED Light bulbs

When it comes to light bulbs, Energy-saving light bulbs are the best option as you can cut down on the cost of your energy bills. LED light bulbs cost roughly £1.71 a year to use. And over time, it could help you save approximately £180 on energy bills compared to non-LED traditional bulbs. Energy-saving bulbs also have a longer shelf life than conventional bulbs.

6.    Find out what help you are entitled to

You could be eligible for grants and benefits if you are of state pension age, have a disability, are unemployed or have a low salary, and have been unable to pay your energy supplier.

What you could be eligible for:

o    Personal Independent Payment is for individuals that need extra financial support for an illness or disability.

o    Universal credit is for the unemployed or those receiving a low salary.

o    “Pension credit” is used to increase your pay packet in retirement

o    There are also schemes such as local council tax discounts and a Household support fund; you can enquire with your local council to find out more about the scheme.

o    Households with low incomes may be entitled to assistance with school meals, transport, and uniform through their local education authority.

How to be budget-friendly this festive season?

1.    Make personalised gifts

Making a personalised gift saves you those extra pounds and can also mean more to the person you are giving the gift to than an expensive gift that may or may not be used.

Do you like creating jewellery, why not make bracelets for some of your relatives and friends? Enjoy giving cards during the festive season; why not make a card from scratch?

2.    Limit the number of presents you give

It can be easy to get carried away with present giving as you try to buy a gift for everyone dear and near to you and if you have a long list of people, the cost of the present giving will substantially mount. So why not limit those presents to those who have your back if you run into trouble and make a cake or cookies for the rest you could not give a gift to?

3.    Set up a holiday budget

The first step in controlling your spending during the holiday period is to create a budget. To make the ideal budget, assess how much you spend and have left over each month. And if you save money monthly, include this within your budget. And then plan how much can be put aside for food, decorations, travel and other holiday expenses.

Some consumers save much before the holiday season arrives by saving at the begging of the year for the next season or by present shopping early.

4.    Nothing is more precious than the gift of your time

Sometimes it is impossible to give everyone a gift as much as you might like, so if you’re strapped for cash, why not give the gift of your time, such as walking the dog or babysitting for a relative or friend?

Or an elderly relative might be grateful if you spent an afternoon with them, keeping them company, took them to an appointment or did some housework.

5.    Look out for discounts

Take advantage of Black Friday and other sale periods to buy presents at discounted prices

6.    Make use of your loyalty points

Collect loyalty points every time you shop at a store which you have a loyalty card for and start collecting from the beginning of the year until the end of the year without using your points during the year; once the end of the holiday season approaches, start using your loyalty points towards gifts or food for the Christmas period.

Autumn is the most colourful and relaxed time of the year which shows us how beautiful the life is and lets us slow down to be prepared for the next big challenges in life. Lets embrace this autumn season and ensure that we have followed all the above mentioned tips to be ready to welcome the festive season ahead!

[loancenter1]

Discover top rated Christmas Loans at Loan Center Canada for holiday this year. We offer short term Christmas loans in Canada. With our simple online loan application form, you will get approval in minutes.

[oysterloans]

[reputation2017]

:)

[northernreads]

2021 Best happenings Tag

I got tagged by @petrareads do try and find good things in 2021 so let's try despite it being another rough year, especially the first half

January: January was a blah month the only notable thing was that I tried (again) to make ras malai. It went better than the first time but still not successful

February: Also blah. I got a heart shaped pizza. I buddy read some of the old kingdom books with my boyfriend

March: I got moved to a new department at work against my will. My work is huge and it meant no longer seeing my work friends and it was a really sad and stressful point in my year.

April: I started feeling a little less blah with spring trying to come through. If I remember right I had to start looking for a new roommate. Again. Enter mass amounts of stress. I was working with a good group of people in my new department even though it was temporary

May: Was a really rough month mentally. But I was able to start running again with the weather being better. And this was the month that we took in an abandoned baby raccoon. His name is Jim and he was so cute and sweet. Did you know raccoons can make purring sounds? We cuddled a bunch. I miss him and his lil hands. I also got my first dose of the vaccine right at the end of the month. It was the first time things started looking up

June: was a lot of running and playing and caring for Jim the raccoon and finally getting some warmth. I also hung out with friends for the first time since the pandemic started, we played disc golf

July: I got my second dose. I had a picnic with friends. I was stressed because I found out my landlord was going to sell my apartment and I had no where to go. I ran a lot and spent a lot of time outside when I could

August: I made souffle for the first time. I stressed about being homeless after the apartment I found fell through at the last minute. I finally was able to make plans to see my boyfriend for the first time in nearly 2 years. I went to a baseball game. It was his birthday and our third anniversary.

September: I left my apartment of over 2 years. I moved in with my parents with plans to find a new apartment soon. Then finally, finally, finally. Finally. I saw my boyfriend again for the first time since dec 2019. I missed him so badly. This pandemic has been hell. Literal hell. My life felt like it was getting worse and worse but not seeing him was the worst part. So we explored toronto, ate a lot of food, took a lot of pictures, walked every night, found a park that's ours, went on a ferry to an island, went to the movies, went to museums and art things and parks and ate a lot of cookies and ice cream. we went back to niagara falls, we had a big dinner with my family, we played mini gold and drove go carts and had the best pancakes and looked at fountains and sculptures, and god it was 2 weeks of perfect. I also PAID OFF MY STUDENT LOAN. This was honestly such an incredible moment. 

October: On oct 1 I had to drive him to the airport and it was over. October was looking for apartments and despairing bc there just aren't any available. October was playing with my dogs now that I was living back with my parents again.

November: I read a lot, I worked. It was a blah month. It was a month of waiting for december

December: The first half of the month is a blur, and I don't recall much of it. But I got to see my bf again. So it was another good month. A month of holiday lights, and holding hands, and hotels and hot chocolate, and a fox. Of seeing my family on christmas. Of more toronto exploring, of lots of food including two of the best indian restaurants I have ever had the fortune to try. it was seeing the spider man movie and playing pool and staying warm together, and him winning my dogs over. of mall shopping and skating for the first time in over a decade. of visiting the aquarium and a botanical garden, and walking together and greys anatomy and ringing in the new year together for the first time.

This year mostly sucked but it also had some of the best moments of my life too. Jim the racoon was released by the way and I hope he is living his best racoon life now.

I tag: @just0nemorepage, @alwaysbuythebook @weartheoldcoat @teachingliteracy and @author-of-the-moments

[fancoloredglasses]

B.C.: A Special Christmas (because nothing says Christmas like cavemen)

(Thanks to The Christmas Channel)

[All images are owned by Embassy Video and Creators Syndicate. Please don’t sue me]

Thanks to psychelynx for the suggestion

For those who have never heard of the daily comic strip known as B.C., all you need to know is it’s about a bunch of cavemen in a pseudo-prehistoric setting (that are funnier than the ones in the Geico ads)

(Thanks to CiaraLaS)

The strip, along with The Wizard of Id, were produced by Johnny Hart literally until his death in 2007 (he died at his drawing board), when his grandson took over.

I’ll introduce most of the characters as the review progresses, but there are two in particular I want to address:

The sole female members of the cast didn’t get official names until 2019, where they were named (left to right) Jane and Grace. Given their original names were (and please don’t hurt me; I’m just reporting facts) “the fat broad” and “the cute chick” respectively, I’m surprised it took that long to rename them (in fact, it wasn’t until I did research for this review that I realized they actually had names!)

Now, seeing as when this special had come out, I should use the names they had at the time (and what they were called in the special)...but since I have many female friends (including my best friend, whose name is on my marriage license) who would likely kill me if I did so, they will be called Jane and Grace during this review.

The special starred legendary comedy duo Bob and Ray as the two characters the series focuses on (I’ll point them out later)

(Thanks to Our Nostalgic Memories)

If you would like to view this special, it’s available on YouTube.

We open with Thor (the local inventor, creator of all of the modern conveniences, such as the wheel) observing a pair of ants using a structure that looks a lot like Stonehenge...

This in and of itself isn’t that unusual for B.C., as the animals are a bit anthropomorphic. However, the ants note that the position of the morning star is a bit off for this time of year.

After checking himself, he decides he needs to check his calendar (that he also invented) to see what day it is. Problem is, he loaned it out and can’t remember who has it. So we have a not-at-all convoluted way to introduce the cast.

First up is Clumsy Carp (three guesses how he got that name), who was asleep with his head in the river (maybe he is a carp!), but he doesn’t have it (you’ll start to see a pattern here)

Next up is the Fat ...err, JANE (I should note that she has a bit of a temper and zero patience for the guys’ BS), who’s a little pissed that Thor woke her up, and no she doesn’t have it either.

Next up is the Cute Grace. I’m guessing Thor left with something, but it wasn’t a calendar, since she also doesn’t have it.

Next up is Curls (the sarcastic one) Nope.

Then B.C. (the everycaveman) wanders by. Uh-uh.

Finally we come to Peter (voiced by Bob, and has the ethics of a used wheel salesman), who does indeed have the calendar. When Peter asks what day Thor thinks it is, Thor does some quick figures and deduces it should be the 24th...

If Thor could figure it out in his head, why did he need to look at the calendar?! Also, the first calendar with December wasn’t created until 46 BC. So are we to assume these cavemen are late bloomers?

As Peter kicks Thor out...

...a flower explosively sprouts from the ground. Peter is pissed that a plant caused his home to cave in and rips it from the ground. At that point, Grace wanders by, so he gives it to her. Grace rewards him with a peck on the cheek.

Peter then goes to the cave of Wiley (the local poet, voiced by Ray) to describe how it felt to give things to people. It gave him a revelation...

“There’s a buck to be made here!”

Peter tells Wiley to come up with some sort of bullshit legend they “discovered” while digging for clams that they can hoodwink the others with.

They decide to create a being that comes around once a year. Wiley suggest the being needs “sanitary claws”, so Peter names him Santa (I’ve heard worse reasoning...) When the discussion comes around to what to sell in Santa’s name, Wiley suggests making trees a symbol of the legend. And since this is an annual event, they sell “X amount of gifts to the masses”

Naturally, they call the event X-Mass.

Now it comes around to describing Santa. There are a few missteps, such as...

 ...before settling on the Santa we all know and love. Now, as to how he gets around, how about a wheel?

Probably not. What about a toboggan? (wait, they have toboggans in prehistoric times?) Finally, Wiley comes up with a sleigh with flying reindeer, figuring the story’s already gone over the deep end anyway.

That night at the campfire, the group buys it hook, line, and reindeer. Peter proposes the X-Mass should be celebrated in 2 days, on December 26th, to allow him and Wiley time to set up shop.

However...

...the boys’ creative minds may have wrought something they no longer control, for as the night progressed...

...Santa dropped off personalized gifts (much better than the gift-wrapped rocks Peter intends to sell) and trees to everyone as they slept, wishing them all “Merry Christmas” (NOT “X-Mass”)

The next morning, as the gift shop opens...

...everyone shows up crowing about the cool stuff Santa left them, then asks what Peter and Wiley got. They stammer a bit about mittens and a sock respectively until everyone suggests celebrating a day early. Dejected, Peter and Wiley head back to their caves and discover...

Peter grabs the long red hat and runs out gleeful. It turns out Wiley had a similar setup in his cave with a pair of red mittens. Wiley calls Peter’s hat a “stump sock” and Peter really likes Wiley’s mittens, so they exchange gifts and wish each other a Merry Christmas (NOT “X-Mass”)

That evening...

So now we’re to assume that not only were there cavemen as late as the birth of Jesus, but they lived near Jerusalem?! This special is all over the fucking place!

Anyway, we get a muzak version of Away in a Manger as the closing credits roll

Merry X-Mass everyone!

[aeroknot]

kinda riffing off the exhausting thought about 2019 only being 2 years ago...

like. every hour i feel guilty for “not doing more.” some of that guilt and shame i think is... more suited to me just needing to take some personal responsibility for procrastination and laziness. but a lot of it is... truly, what i suspect to be undiagnosed ADD that i haven’t learned how to manage yet. and fatigue.

i have to let myself remember the fatigue. to remember - spurred by my flippant comment - that 2020 knocked me on my ass. i know it was truly horrific for the whole world, so i think i downplay my own struggles because of that. i’m alive, i have a home, and i’m not in a depressive spiral— that’s the win, right? i should be grateful. i should be thriving.

but, like... my dad’s cancer came back and hasn’t really budged. my brother was almost stuck in russia— his flights kept getting canceled (not even because of covid— because of bomb threats); he just barely squeaked through the travel bans. my car was repossessed because of an error in renewal and payment instructions given to us by the dealership. so we bought it— just paid off what was left of the lease. 3 months later that car was rear-ended and totaled— when i already barely left the house bc of covid and especially bc of my immunocompromised father. so in the like 10 times i’d left the house in 6 months, i suffered a year-long insurance runaround over a crash that was 0% my fault. a few weeks after the car being totaled, i had to flee my home when raging wildfires encircled it on all four directions of the compass. i cried every day in the hotel room. the fires got within 2 miles of my home, with every sentimental item and art piece of mine inside. my mother was attacked in her own home— broken ribs, broken knee, the psychological trauma. covid closed our family restaurant multiple times— and continues to; we are pouring personal loans from our savings / investments and federal loans into the business to keep afloat. meanwhile all of the election distress and pain of our polarized society was buzzing in the background. and oh, the isolation: i haven’t seen a friend in real life in over a year, and i’m already a very majorly introverted homebody with rejection sensitive dysphoria so i self-isolate. and at christmas i found out my cousin was admitted into long-term rehab for her eating disorders, which i didn’t even know she was struggling with.

and after all that... i am sitting here, beating myself up for art block— and for struggling to re-organize my life— and for being reluctant to go fight the mental health system that wants to tell me i’m overreacting to diagnose myself with adult ADD— and for being afraid to hope for success— and having trouble believing in myself— and overall just berating myself for worrying about my most basic pyramid levels of security needs being met.

it was a hard year. can i let that sink in? can i allow myself some grace?

[upsettingandunfortunateclasshate]

Destitution levels in Great Britain are expected to double in the wake of the pandemic with an estimated 2 million families, including a million children, likely to struggle to afford to feed themselves, stay warm, or keep clean as the recession deepens, according to a study.

The estimates, carried out for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), described “increasing, intensifying” levels of extreme poverty experienced by some of the country’s poorest households in recent years, and highlight a social security system increasingly failing to protect society’s most vulnerable.

Cuts in social security rates over the past decade, together with design flaws in universal credit and disability benefits, as well as the harsh impact of welfare reforms such as benefit caps, were driving sharp rises in extreme poverty even before Covid struck, the study says.

Destitution was most salient in areas of the north-east and north-west of England, and parts of inner London. Over one in every 100 households in Blackpool, Kingston upon Hull, Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nottingham and Salford were in extreme poverty.

The study defines destitution as inability to afford two or more of shelter, food, heating, lighting, weather-appropriate clothing, or basic toiletries over the past month, or a weekly income after housing costs of or below £70 for a single adult or £145 for a couple with two children.

Over half of destitute individuals most commonly lacked food, followed by suitable clothing (49%) and basic toiletries (43%). A third of destitute households reported no income at all. While single people were most likely to be destitute, families – especially lone mothers – were increasingly at risk, the study said.

Helen Barnard, director of JRF, said: “Our social security system should act as an anchor to hold us steady when we’re pulled down by powerful currents like job loss, illness or relationship breakdown. But, right now, our system is not doing enough to protect people from destitution.”

She added: “It is appalling that so many people are going through this distressing and degrading experience, and we should not tolerate it. No one in our society should be unable to afford to eat or keep clean and sheltered. We can and must do more.”

The research was carried out by the Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research at Heriot-Watt University, its third such study since 2015. Around 1m households experienced destitution in 2019, up 35% since 2017, equivalent to 2.4 million people. These rates were likely to have doubled in recent months, it said.

The report will pile the pressure on ministers to commit to maintaining the £20 a week universal credit boost in April – it says it will decide in the new year. But it also highlights long-term concerns over the adequacy of the UK social security system after a decade of austerity and with months of economic recession lying ahead.

A government spokesperson said: “Making sure every child gets the best start in life is central to our efforts to level up opportunity across the country, which is why we have raised the living wage for all and boosted welfare support by billions, including £170m to help families stay warm and well-fed over Christmas.”

Although it welcomed the government’s pandemic measures, including the temporary £20 a week uplift, the study said these were not enough to prevent some people falling into destitution, and the problem of extreme poverty would accelerate if the benefits top-up was not maintained.

The underlying fragility of the welfare system was highlighted by the finding that half of destitute households in 2019 were in receipt of universal credit or had applied for it. The need to repay advance loans taken out to tide them through the five-week delay for a first benefit payment often left people with little to live on, the report said.

It was striking how Britain was increasingly reliant on charity food banks as a “core welfare response” to growing poverty destitution, the report said. “It seems unwise to rely on this voluntary effort to ensure that the basic physiological needs of large numbers of UK residents are met.”

Although around one in five destitute people have complex needs such as homelessness, or drug and alcohol problems, most do not. One in seven destitute people were in insecure work or on zero-hours contracts. Over half (54%) of people in extreme poverty had a chronic health problem or disability.

Migrants, many ineligible for welfare support, were disproportionately likely to be destitute. “That all those present on UK soil during a national (global) health emergency should have access to the basic essentials for survival is the minimum that a rich and human society should undertake to ensure,” the study concluded.

[malkalaila]

St. Patrick’s Day through the years

Every year since the Duke of Cambridge has been made Colonel of the Irish Guards, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge hands out Shamrocks for the troops at Calvary Barracks to pin to their uniform for the St. Patrick’s Day parade. This tradition was started by Queen Alexandra and was later taken on by the Queen Mother and until more recently, before Catherine took on the role, Princess Anne. It’s a staple in the Cambridge’s calendar, though this year the event may be in peril of cancellation to help stop the spread of coronavirus. As of yet, nothing has been cancelled. Either way, let’s take a look back at what Catherine wore. 

2012

2012 was the first year Kate handed out shamrocks and she fittingly wore the color green. This green coat is by Emilia Wickstead and the way the pleats drape is a dream. Her rich brown Emmy London and Lock and Co hat complemented this green beautifully.

Kate’s gold shamrock brooch with the singular emerald in the middle is by Cartier and owned by the Irish Guards; it was loaned to Kate for the occasion She also accessorized with her oval green amethyst earrings from Kiki McDonough, a Christmas present from Will, and her diamond by the yard Tiffany and Co bracelet. 

2013

Catherine was very pregnant with Prince George in 2013 but she still surprised us with a rewear. Instead of wearing this green Emilia Wickstead piece as a coatdress, she ditched the belt and wore it as a true coat over a black turtle neck and black tights. Keeping with the back theme, she wore a black fascinator by Lock and Co, black suede pumps by Episode, and black gloves by Cornelia James. 

Pinned to her lapel once again is the Irish Guards gold Cartier brooch. Other than that, her jewelry was simple; she wore unidentified diamond and emerald earrings. 

2014

In 2014 Kate delivered a new coat to us in, unsurprisingly, the color green. This piece is by Hobbs and it’s belted with a belt that remains unidentified to this day. That fun green hat is by Gina Foster. The shoes and clutch are both by Emmy London and are not green but in fact a very dark gray--I believe it’s actually called carbon gray. 

Kate accessories the look with her two tone Tissot watch, her cushion cut green amethyst drop earrings from Kiki McDonough, and the Irish Guards Cartier Gold Shamrock brooch (I swear its hiding behind those real shamrocks). 

2015

I think this is the only year Kate wore something other than green! There isn’t even a bit of green in sight except those shamrocks. While pregnant with Princess Charlotte Kate chose a coat by Catherine Walker and the same shoes and hat from 2012: Emmy heels and Lock and Co hat. She’s also holding a brown Emmy clutch while wearing brown Cornelia James gloves.

For earrings she chose her citrine tear drop earrings from Kiki McDonough and paired it with the Irish Guard’s gold Cartier Shamrock brooch. 

2017

Kate did not hand out the Shamrocks in 2016 so we’re just right ahead into 2017 and this might be my favorite look yet. Kate debuted a Catherine Walker coat, obviously in green, with green velvet cuffs, pocket flaps, and collar--peeking out of her cuffs is her Cartier watch. Her shoes are Emmy, a different style from previous years as the toe is pointed and there is no platform. Kate had a clutch by Etui--it was a black leather clutch but she was barely pictured with it. Will and Kate jetted off to start their Paris visit after this event and she was pictured holding it during their arrival also. 

The hat is Sylvia Fletcher for Lock and Co, her earrings are Monica Vinader, and again, she’s wearing the Irish Guards gold shamrock brooch. 

2018

Catherine was very pregnant with Prince Louis and chose this green Catherine Walker coat she debuted earlier in the year while visiting Sweden. The collar and cuffs are a lovely black faux fur while her gloves are Cornelia James and her sturdy block heels are a favorite by Tod’s. 

Affixed to the fur collar is the Irish Guards shamrock brooch. Kate is also rewearing her Gina Foster hat with her green tourmaline and green amethyst earrings from Kiki McDonough, earrings which were a gift from Will on the occasion of Charlotte’s birth. 

2019

2019 brought us Kate’s first Alexander McQueen coat for St. Patrick’s day and no surprises, it’s green. Her shoes are a block heel in black suede byGianvito Rossi and the green hat is thought to be Lock and Co. Again, gloves are thought to be Cornelia James. 

As usual, Kate is wearing the Irish Guard’s gold Cartier shamrock brooch and her own green tourmaline and green amethyst Kiki McDonough earrings which were a gift from William on the occasion of Charlotte’s birth. 

That’s all for St. Patrick’s day through the years! As of posting this the parade is scheduled to continue as usual on Sunday but I’m sure the government is monitoring the situation closely and would only cancel if they felt continuing as planned would be a detriment to public health.