#i recommend always going for shipping options with tracking

[ultramarine-spirit]

do you have any advice on how to get the wmmap paper dolls books? or is itsuper exclusive merch? sorry for asking i'm just super curious!

Currently the only way of buying the paper doll book is finding it being sold on a second-hand shopping site. When KW Books' (Carrotoon's parent company) official store had just launched, they put some leftover stock of wmmap's limited editions up for sale. I guess that could happen again, but 1. Going by their wording, it seemed like a "just this one time" type of deal; and 2. You would have to buy volume 3's limited edition, which could be way more expensive than buying the piece of merch individually. Also, wmmap's volumes got sold out in like, a couple of hours.

Anyways, the fastest and safest way of buying any rare merch is keeping an eye on reseller sites. I'm not too sure about the korean scene, since I use japanese sites. My go-to site is Mercari, but there's also Suruga-ya, Yahoo! Auctions, Ebay, etc. I recommend Mercari because it's easy to use with proxy companies that help you out with the buying process, such as Buyee (probably the easiest one to use? but there are others like Zenmarket, Treasure Japan, etc. I can vouch for Treasure Japan and Buyee since I've used them several times). I have seen korean and japanese fans selling the paper doll book on Twitter once or twice, but the person most likely won't ship internationally (I asked lmao).

TL;DR: 1. Search for wmmap on reseller sites (using its japanese, korean, chinese, etc., spelling depending on the site you use). The paper doll book is super rare, but I have seen it a bunch of times, so eventually it should reappear; 2. If you can't buy it directly, use a proxy company as middleman (Buyee is pretty reliable, but depending on your country there might be better options from local stores). That's it!

As for prices, it honestly depends on your luck. Sometimes you'll find second-hand merch at pretty fair prices (for books I think anything around $20 USD is worth it, but this heavily depends on your currency's exchange rate), and other times people will ask for a crazy amount of money. Merch that has been opened, used or that has any type of damage will always be cheaper, so sometimes it's best to buy "not perfect" merch. My advice is to also consider the shipping cost and possible import taxes before making any purchases.

Oh, also, I don't recommend buying from Etsy resellers. They always overcharge way too much and I've heard many cases of people not receiving everything they had bought from them.

Wow, that was a long answer...

[hockpock]

Glasses Review - Firmoo

Hello vision impaired friends, I bring you the gospel of Ordering Your Damn Glasses Online

I have previously ordered from EyeBuyDirect (luxotica/lenscrafters'/America's Best in disguise, sorry.) and Zenni Optical ( most well known online provider, A+ would recommend) and have seen lots of ads for free pairs from a competitor, Firmoo. I have too much prescription for the free pair offers to ever work out from ANY provider, but their fun designs put them on my list.

When my current glasses broke, I was dinking around and saw their current promotion is Buy One Get One Free PLUS 20% off lenses and as lenses are the real $$$ I jumped on that like tigger on crack. I am VERY nearsighted with astigmatism and the average pair of glasses from lenscrafters used to cost me $300 minimum.

After much deliberation with a million tabs open and a poll I ignored the results of for Reasons, I ordered a pair of clear frames and a pair of purple steampunk-y wireframes . Two pairs of HIGH PRESCRIPTION glasses for $87 shipped. I could cry, y'all.

Note: I have an up to date prescription and a nifty app that measures Pupillary Distance or 'PD'. you will need both these things accurate to have the best experience buying your glasses online.

I ordered them 9/22, they shipped 9/25, I received them 9/29 with regular shipping. They came well packed - each pair was in a bag made of cleaning cloth material inside a sturdy plastic case and they come in a foil bubble mailer.

Both pairs feel well made, with lots of attention to detail-

however I did not pay attention to detail or pay extra money for the Re-he-heaaallly thin lenses. So the clear ones are slightly too big and I hate the way the nose pieces sit, while the purple ones are a wee bit small across the temple and heavy to boot. I haven't had dents in my nose like this since I was 12.

the website lists their exchange policy as 30 days, the pamphlet that came with the glasses says 60. Either way it was pretty painless to go into my order history and select "exchange". The form I filled out with my reasons for dissatisfaction promised me I would be contacted within 24 hours.

My 'personal Firmoo consultant', 'Karen', emailed me with a code for the full price before discount of both pairs + standard shipping, as well as the usual customer service canned answers about checking the sizing information and did I know I could upgrade the lenses?

Also I could keep the failed pairs 'FOR NOW', here are some places that accept glasses as donations. (mixed messages, Karen, but sweet!)

New friends are April006, round anodized wireframes with a cute dingly gem thing, and Sandy020 , literal tortoiseshell cat eye frames.

This time I used the site's search terms to cut the temple width and earpiece length options down and double checked the weight of the base frames. (14g vs 24g for the round wireframes before my coke-bottle lenses. RIP my nose. )

New order was placed 10/5 and they arrived 10/17 . (last time I checked the tracking estimated arrival had creeped from the 19th up to the 23rd so grain of salt. This may be a tactic to make the order feel like it got here faster or legit delays. In my case there was a federal holiday involved.)

Complete disclosure I'm gonna grab a pair of pliers and take the little dangly off the wireframes. It makes a noise when I move my head and if I don't fold the frames in the right order when I take them off it'll scratch up the lenses. I ain't gonna remember to avoid that, so off it goes.

The Good:

Large selection, Good Quality, Good Communication. Lots of Off the Beaten Path options for internet weirdos. Firmoo p much always has a promotion going.

My wallet is so happy. SO HAPPY. Frames run $20-30ish to start. lenses will vary with your prescription and options.

If y'all want 50% off your first frames and to give me a $10 credit they have a referral program and my code is T4Z8I2. BOGO20 is a better value but it expires 11/01/23.

The Bad:

Not flexible about lens options- you go down one track and pick your options within that. If there was a way to put tinting on a pair of glasses other than blue light blocking I couldn't find it. (in contrast I believe Zenni lets you choose a range of colors and tint depth on any pair, designed as sunnies or not)

You Will Get Emails. Firmoo REALLY wants you to buy more glasses and post about it and tell your friends and HERE THIS CODE IS ONLY GOOD FOR 3 DAYS, GO BUY NEW GLASSES. They are marketing themselves to fashionable young influencers who change styles every month. Unsubscribe with impunity.

like Zenni, this is a company with the majority of it's functionality based overseas. It's cheaper because you're ordering directly from a factory and not paying Luxotica's markups to itself. Customer service is mostly English as Second Language speakers and there may be delays.

Not For Emergencies. I was able to coast on a pair of glasses from a prescription or 2 ago but it's gonna take time for your order to be made and shipped.

Overall I'm very happy with them and will probably order again.

Next time I have spare money I'm aiming at Wherelight because y'all. they are next down on the list of reputable to shady AF but they have the most amazing WTF designs.

[errantsquam]

Singapore Cheap Shipping Ratings

Going to be starting a series of reviews for merch manufacturing 'n stuff from Singapore. Tag is #merch hell.

As always, I go into detail on my process in my newsletter, which comes with free bird facts, so check it out if you haven't.

Introducing: Singapore Couriers

Shipping is expensive, especially overseas to the other side of the world. If you're in Southeast Asia, trying to get a half decent shipping rate for your international buyers is...painful. So, without further ado, here are my reviews:

Singpost

Go-to government mailing service.

Recommended:

- Local: Yes

- International: No

Pros:

- You can use stamps on these, and if you have a grandparent who left behind their huge collection or some free handouts, you can subsidize shipping to be pretty cheap.

- Post offices are everywhere, so it's usually a 5 minute walk to drop off your stuff.

Cons:

- You still have to drop your parcels off since there's no door to door pick up

- International tracking disappears off the face of the earth the moment it hits the destination country, which is not ideal. I sent two acrylic charms to the US, and one to Canada....

One caused my friend to go through the effort of calling his post office and dealing with a lot of customer service hell. Another one went missing. That is a pretty bad failure rate. This awful tracking is also well-documented.

Conclusion: If you love your customers, please don't use Singpost as a tracked service. Put disclaimers if you really want discounted tracking.

Justship

Newer shipping startup with competitive prices.

Recommended:

Local: Haven't tried, but there are more well known services (like Ninjavan).

International: Yes! Absolutely! But for smaller parcels, only US/UK is supported at the moment.

Pros:

- Really damn good customer service. Quick responses, friendly, and most importantly, *transparent*.

- Lets you set up a spreadsheet for bulk shipping, and provides integrations with storefronts like Shopify (sadly not BigCartel)

- Tracking in the destination country instead of disappearing

- Door to door pickup

- Parcels don't seem to be tampered with much? At least from what I've seen.

Cons:

- At the moment, there is no tracking while the parcels are being delivered to the destination country. So the opposite of Singpost, but still preferable. (However, they have told me they will be looking into it.)

- For smaller parcels like acrylic charms, cheap shipping only works for the US/UK. For everything else, it automatically defaults to the pricing of a higher volumetric weight, which is way more pricey than Qxpress. (Same as previous bullet point, they have told me they will try to support other countries in the future.)

- Door to door pickup is only for 5 or more deliveries. Otherwise, they expect you to drop it off at their warehouse, which for me is pretty far away.

Conclusion: Easily the best service here. Unfortunately they're a bit limited since they're a smaller company, and bulk orders are better, but the consistent quality is good, especially if you want to provide a good service to your customers (who are already paying 11USD minimum).

Qxpress

Cheap mailing service with a lot of existing big boi infrastructure in place.

Recommended:

- Local: There's better, there's worse. Eh.

- International: Yes for smaller batches (<5) or non US/UK countries

Pros:

- Ships damn near everywhere

- Door to door pickup regardless of order size, parcels, etc. They have dropoff stations too.

Cons:

- Tampers with your packages.

Smaller envelopes are safe, but they also paste a shitton of shipping labels over your stuff, some which may have truncated addresses.

Others have reported that they might open and repack larger parcels. Not exactly the best thing for privacy, or stuff in the parcels remaining intact.

- Door to door pickup takes their sweet time. Again, there are also reports of them missing the pickup.

- Doesn't appear to have a convenient option for bulk shipping, but I may not have noticed it?

Conclusion: Comparable prices to the other two, more flexible, but comes with standard shittiness of a large company cutting costs. Only use this for smaller shipments if Justship won't cut it. Your packages won't get lost, but they sure will get fucked with.

Tl;dr Justship is the GOAT.

[myrmyrtheorca]

Can I ask what amiamis shipping cost is like? The ‘to be determined’ is scaring me off from ordering things (first time amiami shopper)

Hello!! I'll try to be as helpful as I can because while I often use AmiAmi I do that almost always in the same way, so I'm not a big expert in cases that go outside my knowledge. So, sorry in advance for my limited experience!

So, first a disclaimer: I use AmiAmi almost exclusively for small merch items like acrylic stands, keychains and cards, so we're talking about very small stuff that can all fit a small package and doesn't weigh much, even if it's a group of items. I limit myself to 4~6 items per monthly order (except for that huge list ready for October which I have no excuses for, I'm bad at saving money) and almost always manage to stay in the lowest shipping prices tier.

Also, I use the (second) cheapest shipping option the site has to offer, which is Air small packet registered (and that's why I say second most cheap, because there's also the unregistered option but I wouldn't recommend that. The difference is 500 yen but at least imo it's an acceptable exchange, because an unregistered package can't be tracked and I'm not trusting my postal service enough)

The "to be determined" is there because the items are in pre-order and they have to be weighed before they send you the bill with the full price of your order. Here are the shipping rates for Europe, which are the ones that apply to me (but you can check this page to check for other countries). This option takes 2-4 weeks to arrive once shipped.

Basically you place your order and choose the shipping method, and once the items have been weighed they'll send you the full bill (and at that point you can change the shipping method you first chose if you want to). I don't know how it compares to other online stores because I've always used amiami for Japanese goods, and there's also to keep in mind the eventual customs fee (which is 10~20€ in my case).

Note: once you place your order it's not easy to have it cancelled if you change your mind, so keep an eye on that.

Overall I like the site, it's trusted and the customer service is responsive enough. I think shipping from Japan will be a pain no matter where you look when it comes to Japanese sites that ship overseas, but again perhaps I'm just limited in my experience so if anyone has alternatives feel free to let me know about them.

[burnwater13]

The Mandalorian, Din Djarin, interacting with the massif's that traveled with the Sandpeople on Tatooine. Images from The Mandalorian, Season 2, Episode 1, The Marshal. Calendar by DateWorks.

Grogu had been surprised to see how well the Mandalorian got along with the massiff’s that the Sand People had brought with them on their travels. He’d never really considered Din Djarin a ‘pet’ kind of person. He was barely a good ‘feed Grogu regularly’ kind of person! You shouldn’t have a pet if you don’t even remember to feed someone you’ve been sent on a quest over. 

He asked the Mandalorian about it when they were all hunkered down for the night. 

“When did I ever forget to feed you?” 

His friend sounded annoyed, but Grogu could hear a little tell tale sound of guilt as well. 

“When we left Gor Koresh behind? Buddy, you’d already eaten three dishes of dung worms and a bowl of broth with krill. That’s hardly forcing you to skip a meal.”

Grogu sniffed at the Mandalorian and turned away from him. Those dishes of dung worms were small and the krill had gone bad. He hadn’t even eaten more than half of it. He wasn’t a human. He didn’t eat like a human. He ate like himself and that’s what he wanted the Mandalorian to honor. 

“Come on. I try to feed you regularly and you turn your nose up at ration packs every time. I didn’t have that option you know. I had to eat whatever my squad leader put in front of me whether I liked it or not.”

Grogu looked at the Mandalorian over his shoulder and sighed deeply. Just because someone was cold and mean and cruel to you didn’t mean you just passed that down the line like it was bowl of hot sauce!

“Kid, I want you eat whatever you want, but I don’t always know what that is. Plus I have no idea how much you want. Two weeks ago giving you a big bowl of broth just produced a lot of burps. So I cut it back to a smaller cup of broth and you seemed to do better with it. Then there was that day you found that clutch of gorgs and you ate them all and then you didn’t want broth at all, but buddy, those gorgs didn’t really agree with your … ah… system. Good thing we were camping outside and not stuck in the ship.”

What! Now he was being scolded because one of his favorite foods anywhere didn’t agree with his digestive track! That was outrageous! What about that time the Mandalorian ate that ‘stew’ at the cantina in Mos Eisley? Grogu didn’t like to tell him that he didn’t need a map or an external sensor set up to find Din Djarin, no matter where he went. He reeked of the spices in that stuff and it was all Grogu could do to simply be polite about it.

“Listen kid, if you spent all your time in armor, you’d smell a little funky too. I had no idea that the stuff Peli recommended was anything but regular Mandalorian stew. It smelled okay. It tasted good. As I recall, you ate some of that stuff too. You don’t hear me complaining about it.”

Grogu shook his head and rolled back over to face away from his protector. They’d had disagreements like this before. They’d have them again. It was to be expected when two people from very different backgrounds and traditions had to spend all their time together, every single day, until who knew when. It didn’t help that they were both stubborn, strong willed, know-it-alls. 

“I understand. I do. You and I are very different people. We just have to make this work until I can get you back to your people, whoever they are. That’s what I’m tryin’ to do. Just get you back to where you belong.”

Wow. He had to go there. Of course he did. Din Djarin with all the sensitivity of a brick being dropped on your toe. Now Grogu knew how the people who raised krill on Sorgan felt when he told them they had to move. Uff. 

“Come on, kid. I didn’t mean it like that. Don’t you want to go back to your people? Don’t you want to do more of that Jedi stuff?”

Grogu didn’t know what to do. Should he sit up and start clapping or should he just grab his stuff and make his way back to Mos Eisley? Peli would never say something that heartless to him. Didn’t the Mandalorian know that he was the only Jedi left? They were all gone. The Empire had destroyed them all and they were chasing him to make sure they got the very last properly trained Jedi youngling. Everyone of his friends. Everyone of his masters. Even the librarian who pinched his cheeks. All gone. Wow. Way to go bounty hunter! Bringing him in cold even when he was warm.

Grogu began to sniff and then he began to hiccup. It was awful. Tears were leaving dirt tracks down his face. ‘Mando’ would probably tell him to just wipe them off and quit obsessing about the bad things that had happened and cheer up. They were on Tatooine. The fire was warm and he was safe, right then and right there. 

“Buddy, I’m sorry. I just want what’s best for you. I’ve never had any kids to take care of before. You’re the first. I’m gettin’ a lot of stuff wrong and for that I’m sorry. I’m not tryin’ to ditch you on someone else. I just want to find the people who know better than me how to care for you. Okay?”

Grogu nodded his head. He wiped the tears away and pointed at the massiff that was snoring loudly near the Mandalorian’s feet. 

“I was here along time ago. My commander introduced me to the Sand People and they taught me the language and that’s how I made friends with the massiff’s. They’re good critters as long as you treat them right. Even when they snore all night long.” 

The Mandalorian laughed a bit and Grogu giggled. Like Din Djarin should talk! He was the Mand’alor of snoring!

“Mand’alor of snoring? Well, if that’s true, I’m honored. Would you like somethin’ else to eat?”

Grogu shook his head and climbed into the bounty hunter’s arms and snuggled against his beskar chest plate. He listened carefully, which wasn’t easy with the massiff snoring away, until he could hear his friend’s heart beat. Then he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of Krayt dragon steaks. Yum.

[cloneficgiftexchange]

clone fic gift exchange: frequently asked questions

this will be linked on the pinned post of the blog, and it is more general, as it’s intended to be used for all clone exchanges i run here in the future, as well as the one that's currently being organized as i’m posting this. if you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out and ask :)

why do i need an email to sign up?

i use a secret santa generator to randomly assign matches, as it's way easier for me and has been very successful in the past, and that requires an email address. i have an email account that i use specifically for fandom things (exchanges, zines, etc), and i highly recommend it for anyone who wants to keep themselves more organized (or doesn't want to give out their personal email!)

can i still join if i only read or write a few clones?

yes!! as long as the common denominator character is on your list, you can absolutely participate! i ensure that everyone has at least one character (usually it's rex) on the list of clones they are okay to receive, so this way if you see who you have and you're like "i don't know/don't like any of the other names here," you can just write for the common denominator. there are several protections i put into place for each exchange in order to ensure the comfort of the participants, and this is one of them.

is there a limit on clones we can put down as ones we'd want to receive?

technically no, but i would advise you to choose no more than six or seven of them. for some people a giant list of potential clones may be great, but for others it may be way too overwhelming. there also may be certain exchanges where the options are limited to a certain number, such as the bad batch.

should i be writing my person's favorite clone?

you can write any of the clones on your person's list. i do not ask for a favorite clone at sign up because i see it as another protection on behalf of the participants. If someone's favorite clone is one that the person who has them isn't really into, i wouldn't want to make anyone feel pressured to write them or bad if they don't choose them. in order to further remove this bias, i place all the clones names in alphabetical order on the prompt document.

what happens if the person who is writing for me breaks one of the rules with their fic (uses ai to write, adds a clone/clone background ship, etc)?

in the event that something like that happens, you are under no responsibility to respond to the fic if you don't want to, and please reach out to me to make sure i'm aware, if i haven't caught it already. at that point, i will reach out for an emergency pinch hitter to take over your prompt, and that fic will be the one put on the masterlist and reblogged, not the one that had broken the rules.

i don't write smut, can i still join?

absolutely!! i myself don't read or write it either, and i make sure to ask about the comfort level of participants regarding smut on the sign up. you can find a whole post i did about that here.

what's the posting situation like?

when the exchange day finally arrives, you'll post your fic on your blog and tag me so i can reblog it here! if you're done with your fic early, i ask that you hang onto it so we can all post together.

other than the exchange day, is there a specific time to post?

since we're all in different timezones, the only requirement i have about timing is that you post at some point during the 24 hour window in which it is exchange day for you. that will be different for someone in australia vs someone in new york, and that's totally fine. i usually don't start tracking people down who haven't posted until the monday after the exchange, and if you're really worried you'll miss it, you can schedule a post to go up at a certain time too. deadlines for sign ups are always in eastern standard time though, simply because that's the time zone i'm in.

[witchercommentcrawl]

The Witcher Comment Crawl Guide to Crawling

How it works 

The Witcher Comment Crawl will provide you with:

An event post with a list of fanworks.

A designated window of time (7-10 days) in which to read, review and comment on the fanworks. (The goal here is to center the community around the same thing at the same time!)

Daily recommendation posts of each fanwork during the event window that contain talking points and ideas for how to start your comment. 

A form for you to submit comments for fanworks where you don't have a social media account or wish to comment anonymously.

Optional achievement badges! You can claim and share your badges wherever you want. Leave a comment on a fanwork, claim a theme-participant badge! Follow a new creator you discover from the Crawl? Claim a badge!

An optional spreadsheet with links and details of all the fanworks. Tumblr feeds go by really quickly and we don’t want you to miss anything! 

An optional spreadsheet to keep track of the number of comments you leave every event, which you can use to claim more achievement badges!

If you don’t have the time or ability to comment during the official event window, that’s okay! Please leave comments even if it’s been a day, a week, or a month after the event has concluded. 

Our ultimate goal is to provide you a list of amazing fanworks so you can leave feedback for the creators and have fun. Read! Review! Comment! Share the love! 💬❤️

Code of Conduct 

We understand that not every canon, character, ship, or characterization and trope will be to everybody's tastes. 

Be respectful and courteous in your comments.

If there is a canon or character or pairing that you don’t like, you are not obligated to read it or look at it. DO NOT leave them a negative comment.

Do not leave unsolicited constructive criticism or critiques.    

Do not leave racist, homophobic, transphobic, etc. remarks in your comment.

Do not leave comments along the lines of ‘I hate this ship but like the art.’

Do not ask the creator for sequels or give the creator unsolicited prompts. We are focusing on the individual fanworks only. If you are interested in more fanworks, look at the creator’s feeds and bookmarks to discover more of what they like and make. 

If the mods discover you have left a hateful or character/ship-bashing comment you will be blocked from viewing the community’s posts. 

Creators are not obligated to reply to comments.

They have already gifted us with their fanwork. They may have any number of reasons why they can’t or won’t respond to comments.

Some creators might not know how to respond to comments and will be too shy to engage. That’s their prerogative. 

Other creators may be thrilled and might even answer any questions you have about their work. You never know what you might learn! Always be respectful when you ask questions in your comments. 

Contact the Community

Your community organizer is @kuwdora. 

You can direct questions to the Witcher Comment Crawl via Asks or send an email to witchercommentcrawl@gmail.com. There will be periodic feedback surveys to gain a better understanding of what you’re enjoying about the event and solicit ideas for future themes and events.

Mod tag: [name] - this tag will let you know when a post has been written or edited by another organizer or contributor. These are folks helping with writing and tagging event posts, commenting guides for the Crawl and more.

Major thank you to @bawdybean @bookscorpion @castillon02 @daerienn @elle-ja-bell @flightsfancy1 @handwrittenhello @inanoldhousewrites @katwritesthings @lovelysailboat @salamanderinspace @spacecores for contributing ideas, feedback, amazing projects, and support to get the event up and running.

[aisu-zeilia]

In light of the planned UPS strike, I'd figure I could share with you guys some ways to make things easier for your UPS store clerks before and after the strike (Source: I fuckign work here)

So first things first, we are not supposed to accept tips, not even during holiday season. HOWEVER, many stores accept gifts, such as cookies, gift cards, chocolates, etc. If you want to give something though, make sure to call or contact the store first to see if it's alright and if any workers have allergies.

AMAZON RETURNS. Oh my god the stories I have about returns. So, there's three types of codes for Amazon returns. If the code is a full shipping label and has a barcode with a tracking number starting with 1Z, then the label needs to be printed out and the item packaged. If it's a QR code with the words "No box no label" underneath, you can bring in the item without packaging and we'll scan the QR code for a label. If it's a QR code with the words "Customer Packed" underneath then you have to bring it in packaged then we can the code to print the label.

Speaking of tracking numbers, all UPS tracking numbers start with 1Z. If it doesn't start with 1Z, then it isn't a UPS tracking number. Please don't ask us to track it if it's not a UPS tracking number.

Always call ahead and ask if a service is available if it's not something like returns or copies. Some stores, especially smaller ones, may not have all the services available. Some don't have mailboxes, some can't do fingerprinting, etc. for whatever reason. Usually they can recommend another store nearby that does.

And now some stuff for customers themselves

In order to give estimates for how much a package will cost to ship we need three things: Weight of the box, Size of the box, and the zip code it's going to. We offer both UPS and USPS shipping options at most stores in America. Idk about outside America.

Speaking of USPS, some stores print individual stamps and sell books of stamps too.

More USPS stuff, most stores can take USPS packages. We cannot however provide a receipt, so if you want a tracking number, take a picture of the label. The tracking number will be below the barcode.

WANNA SAVE SOME MONEY AT UPS??? Great, you can get discounts by being in programs like AAA, AARP, Sears, etc. Again, I recommend checking online for a full list.

WE DO NOT TAKE FEDEX PACKAGES. WE LITERALLY CANT. GO TO WALGREENS OR SOMETHING.

I'll add more as I remember, and I'll definitely remember some since I'm working today and tomorrow, or if y'all got questions lmk.

[cindylouwho-2]

RECENT NEWS, RESOURCES AND STUDIES, November 2022

Welcome to what will likely be my last 2022 summary of the top news, studies and helpful resources for ecommerce (including Etsy), social media, marketing and SEO, compiled since my last update in October. 

The holiday shopping season is in full swing and like many of you, I need to spend the next month working for those customers, so I don’t expect to publish another news update until January. However, you can always follow me on Twitter for breaking news of importance to indie and microbusinesses, and I am also now posting short pieces on LinkedIn, so please follow or connect with me there!  Here’s a list of all the places you can find me.

Best of luck to everyone for the rest of 2022, and let’s hope that the new year brings good news for all of us. 

TOP NEWS & ARTICLES 

The top story for this edition is on Etsy Seller Protection - or more accurately, the lack of seller protection on some orders. While Etsy promises buyers they “... will receive a full refund for purchases that never arrive, arrive damaged, or do not match the listing description”, none of the literature specifies that Etsy thinks buyers deserve a refund even when tracking says the package was delivered. That is, however, what Etsy has been doing for buyers since the new program kicked in August 1 of this year. Sellers should note that if they don’t qualify for seller protection, Etsy is currently refunding the buyer out of the seller’s money, even if tracking shows the package was delivered. There is a long list of things a seller must do to qualify for protection, but the requirement shop owners are complaining about most is the complete lack of seller protection for orders over $250 USD (shipping included). Etsy has forced seller refunds on several orders that tracking shows were delivered, and even on orders still waiting for pickup at the post office. The good news is that Etsy has been refunding most of these sellers once a ticket is opened, but is warning them that this may not happen in the future. Some shop owners were told to insure all orders over $250, but of course most insurance companies will not cover packages where tracking states delivery occurred. I expect there will be some changes to the program in the new year, once Etsy analyzes the data to see how often claims are made, and for what reasons. 

Other important articles: 

Since it comes up in a lot of pieces I post, here is the definition of “marketing funnel”. 

Reminder that American sellers may be getting 1099-Ks from platforms and payment processors for this tax year. 

ETSY NEWS 

Some US Etsy sellers unable or unwilling to verify their bank accounts using Plaid have received a 70 day reprieve that allows them to sell through the holiday season. Were too many US shops going to be suspended otherwise? Or is this an Etsy admission that the technical issues were their fault? 

Etsy will once again update delivery times this holiday season if it believes there is a delay with the carrier, but it is not clear how many different carriers they are doing this for. (Previously it was only USPS.) Note they also offer digital cards on that link, which buyers can give to recipients when the present will arrive late. They put out a second notice a few weeks later, specifically stating that using the “other” option in shipping profiles is not recommended unless absolutely necessary. On that note, they have now introduced a Canada Post “regular mail” option for domestic shipping (oversized lettermail), which was never available before. 

Etsy started showing estimated delivery dates underneath listings on the search page - see my screenshot on Twitter. Even though estimated delivery dates are compulsory in most countries now, a few listings don't show them, so make sure you add dates to your shipping profiles if you want to benefit from this change. At this time of year, displaying speedy shipping can be beneficial, but it likely depends what you sell.

There are once again problems with Etsy picking up tracking in the UK, but Etsy insists this will not affect Star Seller ratings, and they have also supposedly released reserved funds from affected sales for shops with a payment reserve. 

I covered the Etsy 3rd quarter financial report, and the press release mentioned that Etsy is testing “prioritization of Star Seller listings“ in search. Strangely, that wasn't covered at all in the conference call, but sellers have spotted a few tests in the wild, including Star Sellers being used as a filter option. While that has concerned some folks, remember that reviews are already directly part of the algorithm, and Etsy says that violating “any Etsy policies” is part of the Customer and Marketplace experience score. Shipping on time and responding to Messages promptly are both Etsy policies, and were even before Etsy introduced Star Seller. Therefore, all of the Star Seller factors were already in the algorithm. Also remember that the priority placement for free shipping ended very poorly for Etsy 3 years ago, when they admitted that it reduced the conversion rate, and the stock tanked. There's no way they are going to make the same mistake again. Whatever search boosts are given to Star Sellers, they are likely to be minor, if they do become permanent. Very few elements of the algorithm have much weight these days, and it is unlikely that this will have a huge impact on ranking either.

If you use outside sites to check the feedback your buyers leave on Etsy, note that Etsy will be removing that data from its API next year, so those sites will no longer be useful for reading buyer feedback. The official date is not yet set.

Etsy has been pushing Google SEO very hard for the past few months, and the latest is this long article on optimizing your listings. This feels odd, since the company has made it very clear (through their actions) that they prefer organic Google searchers land on its Market pages instead of individual listings or even shop home pages. However, most of the recommendations will also help items rank better in Google Shopping, so maybe this is not so big of a surprise. It’s possible that the changes to Google Images in recent years - which make it more likely that listing pages will be shown as opposed to Market pages - have also spurred Etsy to aim for better listing SEO. After all, if the visitor doesn’t purchase right away, Etsy can then hit them with retargeting ads, which are part of Offsite Ads. 

Etsy garnered media coverage for its announcement of image search (currently only available on the iOS app). Engadget reported that the new feature managed to find similar pieces for sale on the site, while Techcrunch noted that other sites introduced this feature a long time ago. NBC News mentioned it in passing. 

Sellers in Mexico will have taxes withheld from their sales starting January 1, 2023, to comply with new Mexican laws. Providing Etsy with your Registro Federal de Contribuyentes (RFC) identification number will reduce the amount withheld, but note that it apparently takes some time to get an application processed, so don’t wait to apply. 

Etsy will have a new Chief Technology Officer as of January 1 2023: Rachana Kumar will take over from Mike Fisher, who is leaving the company. 

Proving once again that complaints can go viral, a TikTok video complaining about Etsy’s Offsite Ads fees picked up some media attention. Also on TikTok: complaining about buying Kmart products for sale on Etsy.

SEO: GOOGLE & OTHER SEARCH ENGINES 

Moz has updated its Beginners’ Guide to SEO with a wonderful checklist for people new to SEO. The section will also be really useful for those who know a bit about SEO but not enough to figure out what they should be doing first. 

Links coming into your website (aka backlinks) are known to be great for SEO, but the search community has been divided on the value of outgoing links. Here’s a deep dive into the various opinions, the types of outgoing links you want to avoid or treat differently, and why “linking out” is ultimately good for SEO in most cases. 

Does removing low-performing pages help your website’s Google traffic? Maybe, but it isn’t necessarily required. 

Want to buy a used domain name? Here are 3 ways to check if it has a bad history.

SOCIAL MEDIA - All Aspects, By Site

General DeviantArt introduced a new AI art generator that uses images scraped from all over the web to understand requests - and many users of the site are not happy. 

Want to schedule posts on your social sites? Here are 4 options. 

Facebook (includes relevant general news from Meta) Meta’s stock dropped $80 billion (25% of its value) after a third quarter result showing that profit was down 50%. They promptly announced they were laying off 11,000 people, with Zuckerberg admitting he thought the pandemic ecommerce boom would continue.

Instagram If you want to appear on Instagram’s Explore page, first you have to understand how the algorithm works. Remember that the page is personalized, though, so there may be some users who will never see you, due to their preferences and history. 

A list of 28 different tools you can use for Instagram marketing. Most are free or have free versions. 

LinkedIn LinkedIn came out with a report on how to produce the best content for the site, most of it assuming that creators are buying ads there.

Reddit Don’t know much about Reddit? Here are some stats that might help you understand if it is right for your business. “Reddit is the fifth most visited website in the U.S” and “82% of Gen-Z people trust Reddit when learning more about products” are two key facts.

Snapchat Snap’s revenue was up 6% in the third quarter of 2022, but it is worried that Apple’s privacy changes will hurt Snap’s usual strong ad income in the fourth quarter.

TikTok If you want to be found on TikTok, you need to understand SEO on the site. 

“TikTok Shop” allows US users to buy products directly in the TikTok app; it launched in early November. Merchants can participate by invitation only. 

TikTok is using content moderators in each country they have a significant presence in, but some countries get paid far less for the same job, and the job is quite frankly, horrific. Time calls the company out for not supporting its employees. [graphic content warning]

TikTok is accused of tracking US citizens for reasons other than ad targeting. TikTok denies the claim.

Twitter It’s impossible for me to cover everything going on with Twitter lately, but I am sure those of you who care have been keeping up. Hope to have better news soon. 

If you want to do a bit of Twitter promoting without really promoting, consider participating in the Art Advent Calendar December 1-24. Any visual creations are allowed other than NFTs and AI art, and you do not have to be a “professional” artist. Sharing other work you like on the hashtag is a good way to meet people and build community.

ECOMMERCE NEWS, IDEAS, TRENDS (minus social media)

General  Pitney Bowes released a combo printer/scale/rate checker for ecommerce businesses in the US. It currently costs $269 but will eventually go up to $369.

Amazon Amazon said that the holiday season would be slower than expected, which took 20% off of the stock overnight. They also missed third quarter revenue estimates, which never helps. 

Social media posts indicate that Amazon has been cutting back on available space at its warehouses for Fulfillment by Amazon sellers. The company later said it would only affect 6% FBA sellers in the US who had a lot of stock in storage, but one seller pointed out “The problem for me (& many others) is that at an account level, it looks like I have a good amount of inventory, but at a SKU level, my best-sellers are going to suffocate.” The company is also laying off about 10,000 employees, from the retail, Alexa and human resources departments. 

Ads are everywhere on Amazon, making them one of the company’s two largest profit sources. If you didn’t like that article, the Washington Post did a similar one [gift link; should be readable by non-subscribers] just a few weeks later, with an interactive scroll showing how much of an Amazon search page was ads, and how many irrelevant results we get. 

In the continuation of a trend, Amazon is being sued in the UK under competition law. 

US shoppers can now pay with Venmo.

Amazon is testing facial recognition technology as a way of verifying seller identities. They currently use live video chat to do this instead.

eBay A huge glitch starting in mid-October meant that some eBay sellers were not charged final value fees after sales - then eBay charged them all as a lump sum weeks later. 

Sales on eBay were down 11% in the third quarter compared to 2021, but their ad revenue was up. 

An insurance company is suing eBay, claiming it should not have to pay out on policies when criminal activities are involved. This involves the civil suit by EcommerceBytes owners against eBay, regarding the cyberstalking incidents.

Poshmark Sellers can now get their Poshmark earnings faster.

Shopify Shopify had a relatively-good third quarter, although they still lost money. 

In the past few years, almost ⅔ of Shopify sites closed within 12 months. The article includes a decent analysis of this high churn rate. 

The Shop app from Shopify is currently testing a search of all Shopify sites. Will this lead to “search ads”? The company will almost certainly need to expend more effort to weed out scam sites. Also, Shopify sites may end up investing time chasing the app's algorithm in the future, which is always a double-edged sword - if you crack the code to appearing at the top of search, you can become dependent on that traffic.

If you change a page‘s URL/address on your site, customers and search engines won’t be able to find it without you doing a 301 redirect. Don’t make this mistake!

All Other Marketplaces

Depop has added promoted/boosted listings, with the 8% fee only charged when the product sells. They’re also increasing payment processing fees as of January 5, 2023, to 3.3% + $0.45 per transaction.  Note that Etsy has previously stated that Depop has been a drag on its overall earnings, so these changes are not surprising. 

All Other Website Builders Wordpress is very popular, but one of its drawbacks is security. Make sure you secure your site as well as possible.

(CONTENT) MARKETING (includes blogging, emails, and strategies) 

Not sure what I mean by content marketing? This article covers it well, including why you should use it and how to get started. And by the way, content marketing and SEO should both be relied on for the best results.  

ONLINE ADVERTISING (NOT SOCIAL MEDIA OR ECOMMERCE SITES)

An economic downturn can lead businesses to change their advertising strategies and budgets.  Here are 5 mistakes you don’t want to make.

If you use Google Ads, you should also use the Google Ads Keyword Forecast Tool, which predicts what will be trending in the future.

STATS, DATA, TRACKING 

Still trying to figure out Google Analytics 4? These instructions on setting up customer reports might help. 

BUSINESS & CONSUMER TRENDS, STATS & REPORTS; SOCIOLOGY & PSYCHOLOGY, CUSTOMER SERVICE 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday broke sales records in the United States [gift link, Washington Post], with sales up from 2021 throughout the weekend. Cyber Monday was up 5.3%, to $11.3 billion. Note, however, that the numbers are not adjusted for inflation.

IMAGES, VIDEO, GRAPHIC DESIGN, & FREE ONLINE TOOLS

Ever need to copy the text out of a photograph or other image? There are free tools for that (and some paid ones too) [soft paywall; Wired]

MISCELLANEOUS

Google settled the US location tracking claims, for $392 million USD. The company must also make these choices clearer to users.

[marketingprofitmedia]

Helix App Review – AutoCreate Amazon Site Under 60 Seconds

Welcome to my Helix App Review, This is a genuine user-based Helix App review, in which I will discuss the features, upgrades, price, demo, and bonuses, how Helix App can benefit you, and my own personal opinion. This New App Exploits Amazon Loophole For Set & Forget, $487/Day AI Sites With Free Traffic In 60 Seconds!

Are you still searching for that ready made solution that brings passive profits? Helix App is a cutting-edge platform designed to simplify the process of creating professional AI Powered Amazon affiliate websites builder. By leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, Helix App automates many of the time-consuming tasks involved in website development, making it accessible to users of all skill levels. Whether you’re a seasoned affiliate marketer or just starting out, Helix App provides a powerful and intuitive tool to help you build high-converting websites and maximize your earnings.

What Is Helix App?

Helix App is an Autocreation amazon affiliate site builder designed to help users create fully functional websites dedicated to promoting and selling Amazon products Powered By ChatGPT-4o. It simplifies the process of building a professional affiliate website by automating tasks such as product importing, content management, and SEO optimization. Users can choose a niche, select pre-designed templates, and quickly populate their sites with Amazon products, complete with affiliate links. The Helix App caters to both beginners and experienced marketers, requiring no coding skills while offering features like mobile responsiveness, regular product updates, and built-in marketing tools to drive traffic and increase conversions.

Helix App Review: Overview

Product Creator: Billy Darr

Product Name: Helix App

Launch Date: 2024-Sep-09

Launch Time: 11:00 EDT

Front-End Price: $17 (One-time payment)

Official Website: Click Here To Visit FE Salespage

Niche: Tools And Software

Support: Effective Response

Discount: Get The Best Discount Right Here!

Recommended: Highly Recommended

Bonuses: YES, Huge Bonuses

Skill Level Required: All Levels

Discount Coupon: Use Code “Helix5OFF” To Get $5 OFF!

Refund: YES, 365 Days Money-Back Guarantee

>>> Click Here to Visit Helix App and Get Access Now <<<

Helix App Review: About Authors

Billy Darr, Dipanjan Goswami, and Justin Opay lead the software development and internet marketing team that created the Helix App. This business has a solid reputation for producing creative digital affiliate marketing solutions. They have developed multiple successful products and established a loyal customer base of over 20,000 people who regularly use their desktop and online apps.

He has Some lots of launches, including, including Vesta, Ignis, Aero, Halo, Gizmo, Opus, Valor, Apollo, Comet, Gamma, Lynxx, NEBULA, JETT,Opal, ZEUS, Falcon, Sapphire, VEGA, Genesis, Luna, and many others, This seller has a lot of knowledge and has always offered high-quality products at low prices.

Helix App Review: Key Features of Helix App

Create 1-Click Amazon AI-Sites In 60 Seconds

Enjoy The Power Of Human-Like AI

200+ Templates To Choose From

Built-In Point & Click Video Editor If Needed

AutoCreate Amazon™ AI-Sites

Hundreds Of Stock Assets Included For Free

Newbie Friendly Interface

App Works On All Popular Devices

Built-In 1-Click Product Finder

Analytics & Video Tracking Built-In

No Shipping Or Ads Required

No Tech Skills Or Experience Needed

No Physical Products Needed

Biz-In-A-Box Commercial Licence Included

1-Click Share To 100 Traffic Sources

And So much More

Helix App Review: How Does It Work?

All It Takes Us Is Just 2 Steps To Go From $0 To Profits! (And Only 60 Seconds)

Step #1 Choose a Niche

After you get access to Helix. You will have the option to choose from our 175+ sizzling hot niches… Or you can add a new niche. It’s up to you. Helix gives you complete freedom.

Step #2: Activate

That’s it, click one button and Helix AI will do the rest. From creating and optimizing the site for you… To driving thousands upon thousands of clicks for 100% free.

>>> Click Here to Visit Helix App and Get Access Now <<<

Helix App Review: Can Do For You

Exploits Amazon For Traffic & Sales

Perfect For Beginners

A New & Unique Software

Powered By ChatGPT 4.0

A True Set & Forget Solution

Finally Get Real Results

Helix App Review: Why You Must Grab Now

Done-For-You A.I Sites Ready To Go

Get Traffic From 99 Sources In 1-Click

3-Figure A Day Tutorials Included

No Tech Skills Or Experience Needed

Stop Wasting Time Getting No Traffic

No Hosting, Coding Or Domains

The Price Is Going Up, If You Delay You’ll Pay More!

Act Now To Lock-In The Special Discount

Helix App Review: Old Way VS New Way

Helix App Review: Who Should Use It?

Teenagers

College Students

People In Their 20s

Housewives

Stay At Home Dads

Busy People

The Family Man

Old Age Pensioners

Helix App Review: OTO’s And Pricing

Front End Price: Helix App ($17)

The New 2024 The World’s First AI-Powered Amazon Site Builder

OTO1: Unlimited Edition ($147)

THE WORLD’S 1ST And Only Miracle-Bot Powered By Google’s AI & unlimited FREE Traffic and more.

OTO2: DFY Setup Setup ($297)

In this upgrade, our team sets up the software for your customers.

OTO3: AutoPilot Edition ($39)

Your customers will be able to activate all the automation tools within ONYX.

OTO4: 200 DFY Campaigns Edition ($39)

Your customers will get 200 done-for-you proven money-making campaigns that have made us $50,000.

OTO5: Franchisee Edition ($197)

Your customers will get bumped up to 85% across the entire funnel with additional tutorials on how to promote the funnel to make sales.

>>> Click Here to Visit Helix App and Get Access Now <<<

My Own Customized Incredible Bonus Bundle

***How To Claim These Bonuses***

Step #1:

Complete your purchase of the Helix App: My Special Unique Bonus Bundle will be visible on your access page as an Affiliate Bonus Button on WarriorPlus immediately after purchase. And before ending my honest Helix App Review, I told you that I would give you my very own unique PFTSES formula for Free.

Step #2:

Send the proof of purchase to my e-mail “maketingprofitmedia@gmail.com” (Then I’ll manually Deliver it for you in 24 HOURS).

Helix App Free Premium Bonuses

Bonus #1: Get Results In The First 10 Minutes

We’ve Included Exactly What You Need To Start Getting Results In The Next 10 Minutes After You Purchase.

Bonus #2: 10 WAYS WE BANK FAST WITH Helix!

You’ll Discover The 10 Ways We Use Helix To Make More Than A Job Replacing Income Online.

Bonus #3: COMMERCIAL LICENCE

You’ll Also Get a Commercial Licence So You Can Sell The Set & Forget A.I-Sites To Others For $500 — $1,000 Over & Over.

Bonus #4: 10X MONEY-MAKING AI APPS

We Give You 10X Money-Making AI Apps That let us Make $100 — $500 A Day.

Bonus #5: HOW WE SCALE Helix TO 10K/MONTH

We Show You How We Help Our Students Quickly & Easily Scale To $10,000 A Month With Quantum!

>>> Click Here to Visit Helix App and Get Access Now <<<

Helix App Review: Pros and Cons

Pros:

User-friendly interface

Powerful site builder tool

AI-powered traffic generation

Comprehensive analytics

Scalable to accommodate growing businesses

Cons:

You need internet for using this product.

No issues reported, it works perfectly!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Q. Do I need any experience to get started?

None, all you need is just an internet connection. And you’re good to go.

Q. Is there any monthly cost?

Depends, If you act now, NONE. But if you wait, you might pay $997/mo. It’s up to you.

Q. Is there any monthly cost?

Depends, If you act now, NONE. But if you wait, you might pay $997/mo. It’s up to you.

Q. How long does it take to make money?

Our average member made their first sale the same day they accessed Helix.

Q. Do I need to purchase anything else for it to work?

No, Helix is the complete thing. You get everything you need to make it work. Nothing is left behind.

Q. What if I failed?

While that is unlikely, we removed all the risk for you. If you tried Helix and failed, we will refund you every cent you paid… I will send you $300 on top of that just to apologize for wasting your time.

Q. How can I get started?

Awesome, I like your excitement, All you have to do is click any of the buy buttons on the page and secure your copy of Helix at a one-time fee.

Helix App Review: My Recommendation

Helix App is a valuable tool for anyone looking to create Amazon affiliate websites quickly and efficiently. Its user-friendly interface, automation features, and built-in SEO tools make it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced marketers. While it has some limitations, such as limited customization options and dependence on Amazon’s affiliate program, its overall performance and affordability make it a worthwhile investment for those looking to boost their affiliate marketing efforts.

>>> Click Here to Visit Helix App and Get Access Now <<<

Check Out My Previous Reviews: CloudDaddyPro Review, eBSiteMate Review, VidHostPal Review, AISonic Studio Review, AI Tuber Review, and AI Traffic Surge 2024 Review.

Thank for reading my Helix App Review till the end. Hope it will help you to make purchase decision perfectly.

Disclaimer: This review is based on available information and user experiences. Individual results may vary. It’s recommended to conduct thorough research and due diligence before making any investment decisions.

Note: This is a paid software, and the one-time price is $17 .

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 How You Get the Girl Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

❓ #QOTD If you could get a tattoo today, what would you get (and what's the meaning behind it)? ❓

[ Find my review below. ]

🦇 While coaching East Nashville High's girl's basketball teen, Coach Julie Parker expects passionate players and quick springs; not for the star of her fantasies, ex-WNBA baller Elle F*CKING Cochrane, to show up with the niece she's fostering. Despite being all heart-eyed and tongue-tied, Julie convinces Elle to become her assistant coach, allowing Elle to keep an eye on her niece. Neither expects sparks to fly along with basketballs shooting across the court, even as Elle helps Julie navigate the unfamiliar terrain of dating. Will they continue sitting on the sidelines of their own lives, or finally take a shot?

💜 Dear Anita Kelly. Thank you. Thank you for a story about two beautifully, vulnerably queer women who are so real and authentic and layered. What easily could have been a trope-filled sapphic sports romance is instead a stunning exploration of identity, mental health, and personal growth. Bear with me, bookish bats, as I try to find my words. This story started with Julie's megawatt heart-eyed celebrity crush and a little forced proximity, but it became so much more. Between her queer twin and best friend, Julie always thought she was a little behind in defining her queerness, but there's no timeline, no deadline. She always struggled to find her label, her place (only to realize they're just...whatever!), and it's not until Elle steps into her life and throws her out of her comfort zone that Julie gets the chance to grow into herself. I also adored that Jules couldn't fully pick one label ("15 percent general queer, 10 percent lesbian stereotype. 20 percent ace, 55 percent dumbass.") because identity is in fact a spectrum. She does mention the possibility of being demisexual at one point, which my gf identifies as, and honestly...I don't think I've ever seen a character recognize that as an option before. To say it brought tears to my eyes is an understatement.

💜 In a way, Elle has been stuck in a comfort zone, too, until she starts fostering her niece and coaching alongside Jules. Elle is so patient with Jules, so willing to step back and give Jules the chance to process her own thoughts, recognize her own needs. There's a give and take to their relationship--when one falters, the other steps in to help them find their balance again. There are so many layers to this story--"There's this idea embedded into our culture of getting over things," "Maybe all love is a surprise, followed by practice," "You can be happy and still feel like you don't really know what you're doing."--so much to appreciate in the little lessons these women learned. Together. (If we're keeping track, I cried three times while reading this book: when seeing "demi," at the news clipping, and during Jule's speech. I need more tissues now, thank you.)

💙 There is one topic I wish received a little more attention, namely because it isn't discussed often enough. Elle meets with the school's weights guy, who assumes all the players on the team are girls: "the ingrained hierarchy and immovable binary of most sports." Elle and Julie made a "space for any player who wanted to put in the work, regardless of their identity." Kelly mentions fighting for equality in sports within her acknowledgments, but I do wish we'd seen a little of that fight as a source of conflict within the book.

💙 The story is a bit slow at the beginning, but once it finds its momentum, it GOES. I will say I wasn't aware this was a duology when I grabbed this ARC, but the references to the previous story weren't so heavy that you can't enjoy this one as a stand-alone.

🦇 Recommended to all readers, whether you're looking for a sports romance, sapphic romance, or simply a good book with lots of mental health love. This one is going to stay with me for a long while.

✨ The Vibes ✨ 🌈 Sapphic Ship - Lesbian/Demi 💞 Fake/Practice Dating 🏀 Sports / Workplace / Forced Prox Romance 🏆 Mental Health Rep 📚 Part of the Nashville Series 🏆 Contemporary Romance 🏀 Dual POV 💞 Smut 🌈 Queer Main & Side Cast

🦇 Major thanks to the author @anitakellywrites and publisher @readforeverpub for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

💬 Quotes

❝ Any relationship that’s worthwhile, whether it’s friendship or romantic or sexual, only really works when you try. ❞

❝ But that when it came to identity, when it came to queerness, the whole point was that there were no tryouts. If you were even thinking about it, you were already on the team. That labels weren’t meant to confine, only to bring comfort to those for whom they were useful. That Julie didn’t need to ascribe to any of them, if she didn’t want to. ❞

❝ “You’re not behind on anything...There’s nothing, and no one, you have to track your own life by.” ❞

❝ Maybe all love was a surprise, followed by practice. A step out of comfort zones, followed by hard work. Lurking in all the places you didn’t expect, places that become a forever part of you. ❞

[le-souriant]

#MusicMonday Review - October 2023

#MusicMonday is the hashtag I've been using for quite a while to share music recommendations from up-and-coming artists. Always fresh, and always different, trying to look for trends before they become one. You can check September's review for more music.

This month's music is all about love, and addiction, which may not be far from each other. Go ahead, give it a listen, and reflect, with a word from the artists themselves. 🎧

SweetLipp – Roxy

Take us on a highway drive The moonlight is waiting on the broken tide Let us go where we can sing We are free for the first time

We saw your name in the neon light Rolling with joyful spring And the silence of our minds Oh won't you take us far away Where are hearts can radiate

Our trip begins in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, for a Psych Surf Rock track, complete with a mid song break, about those protective wheels full of memories of a life left behind:

"Roxy is actually about a 30ft RV we bought in Canada to travel from Vancouver to Montreal. We called her Roxy, after a club we always wound up in Van.

There was 6 of us on the adventure and it was the time of our lives. We met amazing people, did amazing things and we were completely wild and free.

We'll never forget it and we decided to write a song about Roxy, the perfect ship that allowed it all to happen."

Futura Boombox & The Midnight Mass – Candelaria

Bésame con esos labios tuyos No seas insensible, entiende mi dolor Cierra esos ojos negros tuyos Y dime otra vez que me amarás

Ya poco a poco olvido tu voz Ahora se que la culpa era de los dos Quisiera ver esos ojos negros tuyos Y escuchar otra vez que me amarás

¡Oh, ya no puedo más!

Next up, from Laredo, TX, a dark Post Punk track in which you end up accepting the fact that she will eventually kiss someone else's lips:

"As a songwriter, we sometimes pull from experience or we draw from stories we hear.

For Candelaria, the inspiration came from stories of people I knew growing up. Some of these relationships were very toxic and others were bittersweet, but all of them shared a longing for connection.

Through the song I wanted to express these experiences and the challenging process of moving on. I wanted to write something that people were going to relate to and maybe find solace in the fact that they were not alone."

The Roster – Where's He Been?

Why try To fight it When it goes away just like yesterday come on

Slow me Quickly Figuring out how you knew all along

Suddenly I knew it all along

From Derby, UK, this Indie Rock song invites us to stop asking questions, or complaining. Do we ever learn?:

"I think the overall seances is about mad and messy nights out and the chaos that comes with it. 😂

I wouldn't say there was a specific incident which inspired the song but more of a generalization of ridiculous moments when you're spannered hahaha"

SCATTERED ASHES – Battles

A story of sorrow A story of shame Broken and hollow Can’t remember my name But you follow me Follow me down...

Never strayed so far afield Trapped inside but you still appealed And now you’re standing there Can’t turn around or you’ll just stare

Let's move to Dublin, Ireland, for another Post Punk track about picking up the pieces of someone you care, who's falling apart. Looking away is not an option:

"Battles speaks of the dire consequences of addiction. Lost in its throes, you begin to shed your own humanity, becoming a slave to both desire and the chaos that accompanies it. Redemption can seem further and further away as you even become unrecognizable to yourself.

It's a sombre meditation on despair and fragility in a finite world, as well as man's capacity for change.

Battles casts a rather acute spotlight on the shame associated with addiction and the long road to recovery, hence the title. It has been an issue for the band in the past, but one that bound us together in a lot of ways."

Anemone – Freebird

Spread your wings and come to me I've made a cozy little place up in the trees

Settle down you don't need to be alone when we're together we fly out the way to the sun

You're a freebird with the color blue but remember you know I'm that color too

Finally, we end up in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, for a folky love song about freedom to go away for a while, and the anticipation to be together again, so happy and strong:

"The song is inspired by a painting my wife made. It's an original painting, and it's in the videoclip of the song.

She's not a musician, but of course she’s my inspiration.

She's my wife :)"

Listen to them and much more on the complete Playlist:

[modern-day-classic]

Do you have any tv show recommendations?

Oh hello anon!!

TV shows are my absolute fav thing ever so do I have any TV show recs? I ALWAYS have TV recommendations! I've actually been tracking every show I've watched/started but never finished/couldn't get into/want to watch on trello so some of my mates can pick stuff.

But let me give you some options - IDK what you're into so I'll try and do a variety....

Season 1 of Ted Lasso - don't venture past there if you don't want your soul crushed beyond repair

Gilmore Girls.... this is an always in my rotation

Stargate SG1 - I mean this is just a classic

Sanctuary - Helen Magnus and John Druitt aka Jack the Ripper giving all the angsty ship feels, plus Nikola Tesla!

Who's the Boss? - 80's fabulous, deliciousness and young Alyssa Milano, Judith Light and Tony Danza

A Place to Call Home - a delightful, if not heartbreaking at times Australian period drama.... think Downton Abbey but 1950's country Australia

Madam Secretary... Elizabeth and Henry McCord are relationship goals

The Newsroom... hands down THE BEST opening scene to a TV show EVER

The Mary Tyler Moore Show.... this was groundbreaking for it's time and still absolutely hits in all the right ways

Sorry this was a lot.... and I could keep going so if none of these hit the spot, let me know I'll do another bunch!!

[nebulaleaf]

hiii!! i love seeing your collection, do you have any recommendations of websites etc for hunting down p5 merch? im outside the usa so things like mercari arent an option for me unfortunately T_T

Hi! I have many but some might be more or less effective depending on Where outside of the US you are. As I am Canadian, my options are a lot more feasible than say... someone from Europe yk. (god shipping fees are insane)

I will say, a huge chunk of my collection was bought off of Mercari or American Ebay, or American stores like BigBadToyStore and I just wanna make that clear. Two of these sites ship to places outside of the US still, but it's so much cheaper to get it sent to American friend and then over to me.

This got longer than I thought whoops under the cut it goes.

Anyway onto the actual recs. As always I have to shill Myfigurecollection.net. You can sort by the exact figure you're looking for, local currency, free or paid shipping and it's really handy. On top of that you can interact with the sites database or forum features! Make a wishlist or a list of a fave character's merch you want. Track what you've ordered already and when it's expected to arrive or be released from preorder. Find forum posts from your region about people discussing good places to buy from and so much more. It's such a huge and amazing tool for someone into collecting so long as you can get over the UI. Personally I've never found issues with it but I'm used to how older websites work anyway.

(Here is me sorting by European currency. There are so many euro sellers im jealous.)

Pros of mfc:

• Figures are usually in good condition and can even be mint in box. (you can even sort by condition, wow!)

• users are polite and can be negotiated with for a better deal oftentimes

Cons of mfc:

• This is not a site that focuses solely on selling like ebay, it's more like an ad section in the newspaper

• You have to trust who you are buying from as there's no 'insurance' so to speak. If you get scammed, there's no refunds and mods won't help you aside from banning the user, unlike actual buy and sell sites which have policies or insurance.

Next up is Zenmarket. This is a proxy site that allows me to buy straight from japan! What's handy about it is that you can browse multiple japanese sites straight within zenmarket's site. I can pick up items from Amazon.jp, JP Mercari, and Yahoo Auctions and have 'em all in one cart! You can also paste links into a special search bar if you've found a specific item you'd like to buy from a JP site. I personally browse JP Mercari and Rakuma the most. I like second-hand figures and both these places have good deals since they're flea-market esque sites. Yahoo!Auctions I've only bought one thing from, and I haven't had a *bad* experience per se, I just don't like auctions and buyout prices lol. Always so pricey... but I'm sure there's good deals to be had if you're willing to do a bidding battle. Pro tip! Search with japanese terms to get better results.

(Browsing a listing and the main mercari page, unsorted)

Zenmarket hasn't let me down before. They're speedy, and all my stuff has been well packed.

Pros:

• Can get the best base prices buying straight from japan

• Super simple layout and bundling orders is really easy

•Items can be held in their warehouse for 45 days if something happens/you wanna wait before bundling it into a package. You can also pay to extend this time.

•Quick shipping from the warehouse

•probably more lol

Cons

•If you're not american, shipping is gonna be like $30 CAD lol. At least you can fit multiple items in one box...? I got 2 books and several t-shirts without going over the small packet limit. i haven't used zennarket express, but if your shit is very small i think its about 10 dollars cheaper.

• ¥300 yen fee per item batch. So if I get a figure and book from Mercari I'll have to pay a ¥300 fee. If I then add something from Amazon or a different site other than Mercari to my cart, I'll have to pay another ¥300 fee. I don't mind this as its like what. 3 dollars? but if you're buying a lot from all over it can potentially rack up shit. also ppl just dont like fees so it's a con.

I also of course use ebay. I feel like I don't need to get into how ebay works so onto BRAND NEW MERCH CONDITION sitessss

I used to use Aitai Kuji but their selection of stuff is kinda mid these days so I stray from it. I've had good experiences with Ukiyo Kumo but it has a similar problem with Aitai Kuji.

Another site for brand-new merch is Meccha Japan, but holy fuck I hate their shipping and prices. If something becomes low in stock they jack up the price and label it as 'rare' or ultra rare or whatever and I find that irritating. They also use fedex and dhl for shipping which means fun fees woohoo yipee!!! i had to spend over 100 dollars to get my package wrangled from their graaaaaasp!!!!

So yeah, sorry for lame New Merch recs, I don't really buy brand-new figures since P5 hasn't released anything lately. I bought the Hello!Goodsmile mona and joker from BigBadToystore and I think shipping was only 15 usd? I like BBTS but if you're not american they're kinda slow in the shipping department.

I probably have more reccs but I can't think of any so. enjoy this. Anon if you wanna talk more thoroughly about this feel free to dm me! Talking about this stuff makes me so happy it's my lifeblood ♪♪

[serverskilop]

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[creesims]

hey! i adore your smaller apocalypse hide out buildings and wanted some advice - my apocalypse is running off a current eternal winter rather than desert, so outdoor living doesn't work for me. on that note... what do you suggest for housing? getting a little sick of traditional houses

also, what about when families get bigger? feels bizarre having to give my main household a mansion just because they have too many kids >< I started ignoring the rules for that and move spares out as they reach adulthood, but when they have... 5 kids per generation and elders are still around - it gets crowded fast. help! 🤔

I don't play by the traditional Apocalypse rules so I'm not sure what the requirements are, but an enteral winter hood sounds like an interesting challenge for Sims in non-traditional homes

I recommend getting @sunmoon-starfactory All Fired Up mod that adds a warming feature to fires. I once had a Sim living on an empty lot and used that to keep them from freezing in the winter

Tents are handy when I need space for extra Sims, or if the lot only has a small building that I want to use for other things. Hafiseazale converted the ts3 Seasons igloos to work as tents. Building a trailer, bus, or shipping container is another good way to add a shelter for an expanding family. Or throw down some train tracks in the backyard and build a traincar

Business type buildings are really fun to use as housing because it makes you rethink how you'd set up the household. Since there isn't a traditional kitchen/living room/bedrooms setup you get to find ways to convert rooms for those functions. Some buildings that might be good alternatives to mansions: office building, city hall, museum, airplane hanger. You might want to look up tourist spots in midwest cities, the winters are really cold so they're set up for people to stay inside all day. I remember Navy Pier having a food court and shops around an indoor garden, a setup like that would be good for Sims who want a greenhouse area for farming. And Minneapolis has a Skyway system that uses elevated walkways to connect buildings so people don't have to go outside. You could make a few 2 or 3 story buildings on a lot and connect them with walkways so that different generations have their own space

And making bigger buildings into apartments is always an option for keeping multi-generational families together while playing them as separate households. I get overwhelmed when there are too many Sims to keep an eye on so I like to move out offspring once they're adults

Thanks for the ask, that was fun!