#i wanted to experiment more & not just do what i thought would succeed on ig

[dovesick]

mothman in the glittering night

[whitepassingpocs]

hey, thank you so much for running this blog. i sent an ask here a while back while i was trying to figure out my identity, i really appreciate all that you do for the mixed community. i wanted to share a bit about my experiences connecting with my culture, if that’s okay. i used to really beat myself up and feel invalid, like an intruding colonizer, for being 1/4th indigenous (not to north america). i felt my blood quantum wasn’t enough and that i didn’t have a right to claim my heritage. but i’ve since gone through the steps to connect with my community - finding ancestors registered with our government, joining groups - and everyone has accepted me wholeheartedly. since actually getting out and talking to other indigenous people in real life, i’ve not once thought about blood quantum or thought that i’m not enough. that insecurity and worry just goes away when you feel accepted by your community and you’re solid in your own identity. i have a new appreciation for my culture and ancestors, and i even picked up a new hobby, helping an older woman make traditional clothing, which has been really great. i also used to have a weird idea that if i’m a quarter people who are more indigenous than me would judge me hardcore bc i’m “barely indigenous” - but upon talking to people in the community, i realized that it’s VERY common for people to be a quarter or less, though they don’t consider blood quantum to define your identity like that. even people i know who are incredibly knowledgeable, community experts everyone asks for information/help, people who run social media pages to educate on our culture and have helped out our community so much, would have the same or even have a lower blood quantum than me, though they happen to be more culturally connected bc of the way they were raised. sadly, because of the assimilation and genocide our people went through, it’s actually more rare for someone to have a full or high blood quantum. it doesn’t matter how much or little your blood quantum is, what matters is the way we keep our culture alive by respecting and living our traditions. and in fact, if you have a low per cent indigenous blood and let that bar you from connecting with your indigenous roots, i think that’s letting the colonizers win. they wanted to dilute indigenous blood until there was none of our culture left, and they shouldn’t get to succeed like that. so ig if any mixed indigenous person happens to be reading this and wondering if it’s right for them to connect, respectfully, i think you ought to help preserve your culture and reconnecting can be a very fulfilling experience, so please go for it!

thank you so much for sharing your story ❤️ wishing you the very best!

[shinjaeha]

ipytm ep 3 (thoughts + spoilers)

this is going to be a tough post for me to do bc honestly...this ep just left me feeling so run down. i know that the cast and crew have always strived for realism and authenticity with this series, but this one was just a lot to take in :/ my thoughts are gonna be even more all over the place than usual but idec at this point. having to rewatch this ep again is really fucking hard (even harder than itsay ep 4 bc even though that makes my heart ache, i still feel some sense of satisfaction from the development we get...this just leaves me feeling defeated in every way).

you know the drill: not an analysis, just me ranting as usual bc free therapy (and boy do i need it after this one)!! i had so many feelings watching this ep (esp towards teh but what’s new), so here goes.

we begin with the drama students rehearsing for jai’s new play, and the introduction of the plum wine which will be the recurring motif in this whole ep. the use of the plum wine in this also kind of reminds me of how teh initially disliked coconuts until he started falling in love with oh-aew and started to like them instead...i’m guessing that’s the parallel they’re trying to draw with the plum wine comparison in this.

teh’s having a hard time getting into character (which we already know from last ep was always going to be one of the toughest challenges for him as an actor). his character in the play is supposed to have a sex scene, but he’s struggling with this bc he can’t put himself in his character (akin’s) shoes, so jai ends rehearsals early.

jai gives them all logbooks which he basically wants them to treat as diaries where they’ll write everything they feel/learn and hand it back to him (he’ll be the only one reading them). ngl this already had me feeling kind of yikes (esp now as i rewatch this knowing how everything went down) since jai already has inside knowledge about teh’s feelings on his relationship with oh-aew which he can take advantage of :/ more on that later though...

it’s sad to me that so much time has passed since teh’s argument with khim and he's STILL avoiding her. khim was someone that he respected immensely (and was such a great mentor for him) so it just sucks to see that their relationship has deteriorated so much since the first two eps. teh might have had his reconciliation moment with oh-aew last ep, but there’s still a lot that he’s not ready or willing to address yet.

i understand that teh’s just encouraging jai about his work when he tells him to stop having others comment on it, but at the same time, i disagree with him bc i think it IS important to get other peoples’ opinion about your work. how else will you ever be able to see things from other perspectives if you don’t?

anyway, teh tells jai he’s seeing a play, and jai asks teh if he’s bringing oh-aew...the look on teh’s face is telling enough that things aren’t going great between them (at least on his end). this brings us to the logbook scene, where teh’s homework for the day is to write about the similarities and differences between himself and his character in the play. this gets teh to reflect on how he feels his relationship with oh-aew is changing, or specifically, how oh-aew seems to be changing so much that teh feels like he’s becoming someone else entirely...and does that mean that he still loves him the same?

i feel like this is a fairly common issue with people that have been in a relationship for a while (and this is their third year together now), so i understand how teh might start having doubts. it’s nothing that oh-aew’s done, it’s just that sometimes all these small changes can keep mounting up to the point that they feel much bigger than they actually are. oh-aew’s really just doing what everyone else does, which is grow and change as they get older, but teh’s still stuck in the past trying to hold onto what they used to have instead of evolving with oh-aew. the way teh picks at all these little changes of oh-aew does make me think that he’s self-sabotaging himself. he’s just so afraid and insecure that oh-aew will change so much he leaves him, that he has to nitpick at reasons why oh-aew’s the one that’s growing away from him (though when we watch the whole ep we know that that’s not the case at all). it’s like a ‘if i push him away first, then he won’t push me away’ sort of self-defence mechanism. either way, teh’s a constant overthinker...and he’s always been his own biggest enemy since the start, so it makes perfect sense to me that he would do this to himself here too.

i know that they’ve been together for years at this point, so things are not quite as exciting as they used to be, but it hurts to see oh-aew be so happy about getting an A for his class, and teh be so unenthused about it. oh-aew has to basically beg teh to give him attention and praise. remember when teh used to get so worried when oh-aew did badly in chinese class...and now it’s like whatever to him just bc he’s not tutoring him/they’re not in the same major anymore :((( i know it’s prob both bc teh’s still hurting that oh-aew transferred majors, and from seeing oh-aew succeed while he feels like he’s failing, but still...

also, not inviting him to see the play with him bc he thought oh-aew wouldn’t be interested/oh-aew kept falling asleep whenever they saw plays together ;;; i get the reasoning from both povs, but it still is nice to be asked :(

so one thing i have to say about the progression of their relationship here is that i just feel this huge disconnect from last ep and this ep?? i know it’s bc of the time skip (since it’s a year later basically), but to go from the end of ep 2, where they’re promising to love each other forever, and then to teh feeling disillusioned/as though he’s falling out of love with oh-aew basically right after that?? it’s so jarring. i feel like we lose so much with these time skips bc the transition from ep 2 to ep 3 is never really shown, so there’s this lack of flow there. like we’ve skipped a step entirely and something’s missing. this is the disadvantage of only focussing on one year per ep since there’s not enough time to explore as much character and relationship development when we’re only seeing an hour long snippet of an entire year. it just makes things feel superficial since so much of what we should be seeing is missing...and we basically have to fill in all the gaps ourselves.

okay, back to oh-aew ranting to his friends about how he feels like his relationship with teh is fading away bc they don’t have the same interests anymore, but also wondering if that’s just normal for long-term relationships. bless that boy that came to ask oh-aew for his ig :’) at least he knows that he’s wanted and has options, even if he obv turns him down bc of teh (for now).

plug and mangpong are dating!!!!!!! and mangpong does a horrible job of trying to hide it 😂 sidenote, but i love the way pp delivers lines sometimes (like the “just shocked”), he’s so cute. plug and mangpong’s legs touching...and the wave of nostalgia that came over me (and oh-aew) during that ;;; oh-aew seeing their blossoming relationship would make him reminisce back to his own experience of falling in love with teh...when everything was still so fluttery and new. so when teh texts him about using his car to help jai move, he looks happy. like he wants to rekindle those feelings again too.

that being said, it’s kind of sad to me how even jai shows more interest in oh-aew’s major than teh (when he asks him for his opinion on how to get people interested in his play). oh-aew’s got some good ideas and is more than willing to help (esp since he wants to connect and find a common interest with teh again). also, just bc oh-aew doesn’t want to be an actor anymore doesn’t mean that he’s completely uninterested in it. god, watching this part again hurts bc oh-aew looks so happy and optimistic. he worked so hard to help teh (and jai) only for them to betray him like that. it made me mad originally, but now it just breaks my heart :(

jai’s running acting classes again for his play, and this time it’s a workshop to help them tap into their feelings. it’s like an intimacy exercise where they give one another consent to touch certain body parts. teh is still struggling a lot with this. i think teh craves intimacy, but as he doesn’t feel that connection in his personal life to oh-aew anymore, so it’s difficult for him to draw on his experiences. he can’t even remember the first time he had sex with oh-aew properly anymore. as usual, teh’s too in his own head to just go with the flow and ~feel things (which isn’t new since teh’s had problems with this since itsay), but it’s def something that he’ll need to learn how to do if he wants to become an actor. he’s trying, but the fact that he can’t get to that place makes him feel even more insecure than ever that he might never be able to get there. imo one of the reasons teh works so hard, and is as driven and ambitious as he is, is that he’s afraid that he’ll never be good enough. he puts so much pressure on himself, and the issue with that is that he’ll never be able to live up to his expectations that way.

teh is also very much alone now. oh-aew has his group of friends to talk to about his relationship with teh, but teh just has jai at this point. he’s pushed khim away...and he and oh-aew aren’t communicating effectively (which is also why they’re on SUCH different wavelengths in terms of where their relationship is at), so there’s literally only jai for him to talk to about all his relationship issues. and to me at least, jai seems to have ulterior motives (particularly when you consider that the subject matter of his play is pretty much the same thing that teh’s going through rn). it’s times like this when i do feel kind of bad for teh, but then again, he brought this upon himself the way that he almost always does...and it leaves me frustrated instead.

jai kissing his professor though...also their conversation?? i have QUESTIONS...

that whole interaction with teh when jai catches him spying on him and the professor was SO awkward. idk what it is about teh but i have never encountered a character that has given me as much secondhand embarrassment as he does. when he starts touching the bars and avoiding eye contact i just- why, teh why?????

moving on, i’m thinking there’s prob more to that scene that we don’t know about bc jai’s shifty like that...but it’s purpose is also to shift teh’s perception of jai. before this, he pretty much just saw jai as his friend and mentor, but seeing him kiss someone else pushes him to think of jai in another less platonic light. like the first spark of attraction.

the both of them go to see the mime show (babymime), and i know that the point of this is so teh can learn to just feel and let go the way that the mimes in this play do, but idk it’s just kind of funny to me the contrast between the last scene and this one. 

the leg touching scene again but this time with teh and jai...thanks, i hate it :/// 

teh’s already feeling like he and oh-aew’s interests are making them drift apart, so by connecting with jai, it’s that initial feeling of attraction that he used to feel with oh-aew all those years ago. jai is that cool senior that he respects...he’s goal-oriented and has so much in common with him (in a way that he feels that oh-aew doesn’t anymore), so it doesn’t altogether surprise me that teh latches onto jai in this way. esp when all their conversations revolve around what teh’s most passionate about, and what dreams they’re striving towards in the future.

it doesn’t surprise me bc teh’s affections shifted in a similar way from tarn to oh-aew when he was first starting to realise his feelings for oh-aew too (though at least he and tarn were never officially dating during that time...)

there’s a genuineness to the way teh praises and encourages jai that isn’t there when he’s doing the same to oh-aew :( and that coupled with teh lying to oh-aew about him having dinner with jai while oh-aew is at home, completely oblivious, painstakingly photoshopping his boyfriend’s face on the poster of the play TO HELP TEH instead of doing his own uni work, makes me so fucking upset for oh-aew.

it’s interesting to see how different their personalities are even when it comes to something as simple as the way they read their texts. oh-aew is so ready to accept whatever teh tells him at face value, but teh overthinks everything to the point where he jumps to a certain conclusion in his head about it instead.

but yeah, it’s just really tough to see oh-aew try so hard for teh, only to see teh do nothing back for oh-aew in return. there’s only so much one side can give. it’s the absolute lack of effort on teh’s part to even try to make things work with oh-aew that is the most frustrating thing of all. oh-aew is carrying their entire relationship rn and it makes me feel all “and for what?? why should he even bother??” about it.

sneaking to sit at the river with jai is like this forbidden, new experience, so it just enhances that feeling of attraction that teh is already feeling towards jai. and esp when he starts telling him about his previous relationship with james, the significance of the plum wine, and how jai ended up breaking up with him. since it’s reflective of teh’s own experiences atm (even in how he kind of self-sabotages himself to push people/oh-aew away first), he clearly takes it to heart. and it makes him want to do an even better job since the play is an autobiographical one for jai. not to mention, teh supposedly being the only one that jai told his story to makes him feel ‘special’......and we all know how teh likes feeling as though he’s special to someone. you can see it in how dejected he is when he thinks jai only told him his story bc he wanted him to get into character better, but perks up the moment jai says he actually told him bc teh’s been doing such a good job (and to encourage him). like i mentioned before, teh’s already feeling vulnerable and isolated from everybody else, so hearing any sort of praise (and esp when it’s from someone that he looks up to as much as jai), is going to pull him in.

when they were hiding from the security guard i was like ughhh i know where this is heading and i. don’t. like. it........

the problem is that i know where teh stands on this. like i know that there’s some attraction on his end. but i don’t know where jai stands. is he intentionally manipulating teh’s feelings for his play? is there any sincerity there? i think it’s obvious that he can tell teh is attracted to him from the glance that they share in this scene, but i can’t get a handle on what he actually wants (which i guess is the point of making his character as mysterious as it is but still). and if he can tell, and he doesn’t actually like teh back in that way, it makes the end scene even more yikes imo.

hmmm teh lying in the pool trying to recreate that feeling right before their first kiss when the both of them just let everything go and sank down into the water. that’s how you KNOW the next scene is supposed to be angsty...bc just like how their first underwater kiss had a sense of sadness to it bc they were hiding, their first (on screen) sex scene has that same sense of sadness, only this time it’s bc teh’s using his attraction to jai/his method actor desire to get into character to fuel the sex instead of bc he genuinely just wants to have sex with oh-aew. and if his reasoning for the sex is bc of that, then his task to recreate their first sexual experience will never live up to the actual first time they had sex (when they BOTH wanted it, and there were no other factors involved).

that’s not to say i don’t think teh doesn’t love oh-aew anymore. i think that there HAS to be some level of love still there amidst all of the confusion, but it feels a lot more like he’s testing his love/attraction to oh-aew during this scene (sort of like how he did with tarn in itsay) than a proper ‘love scene’. like he’s trying to reconfirm his feelings, whilst using oh-aew as inspiration for his role at the same time. it makes my heart ache that this is the first love scene we get from them this series, and it’s marred by the context of what we know is going on in teh’s head. like i said, it’s this permeating sadness throughout...and just knowing that oh-aew has absolutely NO IDEA what’s going on with teh and why he suddenly wants to have sex makes it worse. oh-aew’s been trying to make things work, and in his mind, teh spontaneously coming over like this prob makes him think that things are getting better between them since this is also the closest thing to teh showing any sort of initiative to work on their relationship in this ep so far...

and that’s not also taking away how beautifully this whole scene is shot. i’ve always loved the way that teh and oh-aew play and flirt with each other (bkpp’s chemistry is honestly unparalleled!!) so it was nice to see them be kind of playful before they started kissing again (if you ignore how sad this scene really is). i LOVE the inter-splicing between their first time on the beach and the present. the way the score swells, and little moments where you can see their feet and fingers interlocked on the beach. it gives you such a visceral visual (and totally takes me back to itsay days when that sort of imagery was used a lot more). i just hate that since we know the truth, this scene is more uncomfortable than satisfying despite how nicely shot it is.

i wish we got more domestic moments from them. i know their relationship has sort of grown past those initial moments of flirtation, but it truly makes me sad that we don’t get to see more of them as a couple in general in ipytm. moments like this where they’re lying in bed cuddling each other are so few and far between that i always feel like i have to cherish every little fleeting piece of fluff that i can get. even if idek if this can really be called fluff since the context sort of ruins it.

oh-aew’s still got his heart attack bag :’)))

he was soooooo happy when he met up with his friends 😭 but also, how the hell is it possible for teachers to move deadlines up like that. i FEEL that panic... poor oh-aew...

teh’s in rehearsals again and this time he’s wearing his moon shirt which...i do NOT need those ep 3 itsay vibes rn when i was already dreading this last ten minutes with everything i have in me :((( but anyway, jai’s brought plum wine to class and we know that teh doesn’t usually drink, but he does this time. he tells teh that the taste will change over time (it symbolises the ageing of the relationship process), and teh says it’s a pity he won’t get to taste it next time since jai wants to go abroad to study. then teh tells him he’s worked on the acting exercise and wants to try it out with jai, and i feel like we all knew where it was going to go from here.........

they really had to hammer it in with him missing oh-aew’s call too huh :/

as soon as they started the touching/intimacy exercise again i was just waiting for the catch. even on this rewatch i’m still sitting here chanting “don’t do it teh don’t do it” knowing full well that he kisses jai and there’s no changing that. but then when they cut to oh-aew walking up the stairs with the posters and you hear just how much time he’s sacrificed to help teh/jai on this...sacrificing time EVEN NOW just to go over to their uni to give them the posters when he has a presentation due tomorrow that he and his friends still haven’t finished working on...it’s just heartbreaking knowing what he’s going to end up walking in on.

whether it’s itsay or ipytm, teh’s default state is confusion. so while i think that there’s a certain amount of attraction towards jai there of course, i kind of get the feeling that he’s confusing his feelings of connection with jai (bc of their shared interests and passion) with him falling in love with jai. i feel like his attraction to jai reminds him of what it was like when he was first attracted to oh-aew, and since things have changed so much between him and oh-aew, it’s like he wants to recreate and capture that feeling again with jai (which is also why he wears the moon shirt...he wore that during itsay ep 3 beach scene, which was the moment when the attraction really started to burn between him and oh-aew). he can’t feel that same spark with oh-aew anymore, so he transfers his feelings to jai since, at this point in time, he feels closer to jai than anyone else. instead of growing alongside oh-aew, it’s like he’s choosing to revert back to a time when he was happier.

we know that teh has always been the type of person that will act on his impulses when he feels them. that’s WHY it was so hard to watch...bc i knew while watching that last scene, he was never going to restrain himself or put a stop to those feelings bleeding over into action. and esp not when it could benefit him in some way with his acting too.

in the end, it just makes me so devastated for oh-aew. and i really hope that he doesn’t let this go bc he thinks it’s just teh method acting or getting into character or whatever...i know that teh’s feeling a lot of conflicting things rn, but that’s not an excuse. he really fucked this one up.

the thing is, it’s not that i don’t think teh is capable of acting this way (i’ve seen a few people say that this is ooc for him, but it really isn’t? this confusion and impulsiveness has always been a part of his character from the very start...he was always the one that had the most trouble dealing with his feelings out of the two of them), but the time skips don’t do him any favours bc we lose all those moments that take him to what he’s currently feeling. when we don’t have those moments, then it’s a lot harder to sympathise with him. in itsay, bc we always knew how teh got from point a to point b, even if he did frustrating/silly things, i always understood where he was coming from. i always felt for him. i GOT his struggles, which was why i was always able to empathise with what he was going through. in ipytm, he just comes off as unlikeable bc of how superficial his feelings seem (from what we’re being shown on screen at least).

falling out of love with your significant other/starting to feel things for someone else is obv a fairly common experience, so i don’t blame teh for FEELING like this, but it’s how he treats oh-aew throughout this that doesn’t sit right with me. even if you feel like you’re falling out of love with someone, or that they’ve changed since the first time you fell in love with them, you’d think there’d be some motivation to at least TRY to make things work with them before giving up. we never see that from teh at all. instead, he just see him becoming infatuated with jai (so we barely see teh/oh-aew together in the first place). and while i can see now that a lot of this is due to his own insecurities and inadequacies, it’s also just so disrespectful to oh-aew who's the one that we see putting in all this time and effort (it calls back to their whole “don’t give my time to others” scene in itsay bc we see oh-aew giving so much of his time to teh through helping him out with his play, while teh’s giving that time that should be for oh-aew to jai now). no matter his reasoning, watching teh act that way towards oh-aew does make it increasingly hard to root for him. there’s just too big a disparity in how the two of them choose to act and devote their time to their relationship.

what’s frustrating is that in itsay, teh would fuck up but he would always try to make amends with oh-aew in some way. he would always come forward to try to sort things out after...but there’s nothing here. even after their dinner fight in ep 2, it’s OH-AEW that reaches out to him first (even though it’s teh’s fault that they fought in the first place). where’s that boy that dressed up in his old school uniform in order to talk to oh-aew at his school? or made a whole chinese idioms scrapbook for oh-aew? or gave up his uni admission for oh-aew? i understand that characters and motivations change (and he was obv hopped up on his first love with oh-aew at the time), but it’s just really, really sad to see teh keep messing up and not even try to meet oh-aew halfway with this. yes, you can fuck up, but there are only so many times you can keep fucking up before it starts to look more like a pattern of shitty behaviour than a few forgivable missteps.

another issue is that there’s been so much focus on teh and his flaws that a lot of the time oh-aew comes off as a side character to teh’s story. previously, i understood that since teh was grappling with his sexuality. it made sense that his journey was the primary focus of the plot and character development. but i always felt that there was more room to explore oh-aew’s story (and i thought that we would get a lot more of that in ipytm...esp after ep 1), but it just feels like we kind of skimmed past all of oh-aew’s growth and struggles adjusting to bangkok/uni life so we could turn the attention back to teh again. i just hate that we never get to see more of how oh-aew’s changed in teh’s eyes (other than the surface level things like his hair, new car and major), and that we never get to see more of oh-aew’s life when it’s not related to teh in general. i hope that we’ll get more of oh-aew in the last two eps, but i really don’t know what they’ll give us anymore.

at this point, i don’t even want them as endgame anymore given everything that’s happened in the recent ep. and it pains me so much to say that bc teh/oh-aew are so immensely important to me, but they’re just in such different places in life. and teh esp has so much more growing to do (i think i said this last week too? teh...). oh-aew deserves to be with someone that can see his worth as he is (that won’t cheat on him for one!!). i just want him to be with someone that can make him happy. what i wanted most for them out of this was for the two of them to grow to a better place (together and as individuals), and while i still want that for them as individuals, it’s hard for me to want them to be happy together anymore. at least for the time being.

i’m kind of at a loss for how they’re gonna work through this (and i genuinely want oh-aew to be able to explore his options too...particularly with someone that will actually treat him better than teh’s treating him atm). so at this point it’s kind of looking to me like a break up is inevitable? but i do think it’s necessary  for both of them rn. i feel so heartbroken about it though...like ipytm is actually making ME go through the breakup...breaking up with all my beloved itsay teh/oh-aew memories :((( anyway, i think a break up is also conveniently the best time to put a time skip tbh...so we’ll see if that does end up happening now in future eps.

this one took such a long time to write up bc i wrote like a quarter of this RIGHT after i finished watching the ep (so you can clearly tell which parts were me right after the ep, and which parts were me after i had some time to sit on what happened 😂), but i thought it was best to take a bit of a break. i didn’t rewatch it again until i calmed down a little and sorted out my thoughts some more (though i know this is still pretty messy). but yeah, i’m still very much interested in watching how they things are going to progress from here...but i can’t deny how sad i’ve been feeling after this.

[chrisjake-cp]

History 3 Trapped Filming Diary (full English translation) - Days 1-10

Just before you start reading, a little note of explanation: the author of this diary will frequently use the character’s name when they mean the actor. I have added the names of the actors between square brackets sometimes to avoid confusion. Also between square brackets you will find some words that are implied, so I added them in the translation to make the translation a bit smoother, but they aren’t included in the Chinese text. 

The book’s author will also talk in the first person POV sometimes, refering to themselves as either “I”, “we” or “this little editor 小编”.  So each time you see me write “I”, it is not my own opinion I’m inserting in the text, but the author/editor’s. If I have anything else to add or explain myself, I’ll add it in a note at the end of the text.  

I’ll repeat: I don’t own the book so I can’t post my scans of the pictures that came with every day. So I posted some other pictures of the scenes that were being filmed with each day. These pics belong to LINE TV or Choco Media, or I’ve taken screenshots. 

Day 1-10 under the cut. 

Day 1

The first day of shooting happened to coincide with ‘Li Dong’⁕ but the temperatures of that day soared to 29 degrees. The crew was going sleeveless, but the actors were all wearing sweaters or dress shirts. Tang Yi, who had on the most, was wearing a turtleneck sweater and a suit jacket on top at one point, but he didn’t sweat very much.⁕ Meanwhile A De [Stanley], wearing a shirt and a suit jacket, was [clad] the ‘thinnest’ at the scene. When he got off work and took off his sweaty shirt, the wardrobe department exclaimed: “This shirt is so wet!”

Officer Meng’s scenes for that day consisted of eating from 10 am in the morning until 6pm in the evening. He basically ate from when he got to work until he got off work. All in all he had two large bags of rice and poured 4 liters of coca cola. Junhao [Jake] will start sweating profusely and start flushing when he eats spicy food, so as soon as the director yelled ‘cut’, the crew would immediately pass him a plastic bag so he could spit out the spicy Kung Pao Chicken he was eating.

⁕ Li Dong 立冬 literally means ‘establishing the winter’, so it is some kind of winter solstice in Asian culture. In the Gregorian calendar, it falls on 7 or 8 November. According to the IG stories of some of the cast of Trapped, it was indeed 7 November 2018 when shooting started. 

⁕ Chris apparently doesn’t sweat much, no matter how hot he gets. He says as much in his vlog as well. I envy him, because I’d just be sweating buckets like Stanley. 

Day 2

The first meeting between Tang Yi and Wenhao is also the second time that Chengyang [Chris] and teacher Jiakui [Chen Jiakui, the actor who plays Chen Wenhao] worked together. They cooperated for the first time on a movie. At that time teacher Jiakui served as the movie’s drama teacher. When Chris had gone through make-up in the early morning, he sat alone in a corner with the script. You could easily see that he was conflicted and upset. [For the other movie] teacher Jiakui was Chris’ mentor, but here Wenhao was the target of Tang Yi’s revenge.

In the process of their scenes where they faced each other, the director hoped that Tang Yi could hate Wenhao even more, but Tang Yi’s personality is subdued and calm. So how could he fly into a raging fit and still keep his calm? In a part that was not captured on camera, teacher Jiakui aggravated some lines to make Chris more infuriated. Afterwards teacher Jiakui also said that the role of Tang Yi is not easy to perform. [Tang Yi] is a young mob boss, The hate in his eyes must therefore also carry a bit of youthfullness, which is difficult to experience for normal people in the course of their lives.

Day 3

Today was the first time that Zhaozi arrived on set, and while he was bored waiting for his scenes, Zhaozi started to act as the shop’s clerk to sell suits. Apart from suits, bowties and regular ties, he even managed to sell shoehorns. By oneself, the words just kept on flying out of his mouth which left Shaofei beside him looking dumbfounded (if you want to see Shaofei’s dumbfounded meme-like look, you have to absolutely watch the behind-the-scenes on the DVDs)⁕. [Shaofei] continued to shout “If you buy a shoehorn you get Zhaozi for free with it, please someone take Zhaozi away, Unit 3 can’t stand it anymore.”

Boss Tang was tired, and took a nap in his own shop. ‘Just a little while will do. Shaofei and A De, you two be on the lookout for me, and if the director is coming, remember to wake me.’

⁕ Excellent advice. Please do watch the behind-the-scenes after finishing this book, because a lot of what is written here is visualized in the bts. The bts are arranged per episode though, and not per filming day, but it’s still amazing to be able to see what went on. 

Day 4

The set for the offices of Investigation Unit 3 is actually the office of LINE TV’s Choco Media branch. The contemporary industrial style caused the atmosphere among Unit 3 to be even more lively. 

For Unit 3’s first scene together, the director used a one-shot to have everyone appear on the scene, which meant that the first time all the actors were present, they had to have a ‘chemistry’ test. But apart from the actors, chemistry also had to be there for the whole staff, as the directing crew, the camera crew and the sound crew, really everyone, also had to follow [the actors] along⁕. I still remember that by the 20th take, everyone’s lines ran very smoothly, the shot was satisfactory and everyone was where they were supposed to be. The director and the crew were holding their breath in concentration, and just when they thought they’d succeed, A Zhi [character Zhou Guanzhi, played by Kass Tsai] forgot a line in the very last sentence hahahaha. In the end, this round took 27 takes.

⁕ The author uses a metaphor/reference here. They write 乾坤大挪移 which means something like ‘The Great Shift of the Cosmos’ and is apparently a kind of martial art from a martial arts novel. It consists of 7 increasingly difficult skill levels, whereby the 7th level is almost unattainable. In other words, shooting this one-shot scene required the whole cast and crew pulling off this great cosmos shift, and thus was a big, big challenge. 

Day 5

After we shot the scene where the two idiots from Unit 3 [Shaofei and Zhaozi] got into trouble and received an explosive scolding by Dapao [Shi Dapao, the name of Unit 3’s Captain]⁕, the director told Shaofei that she wanted to add a scene where he sat next to the window thinking about Sister Lizhen, continuing in the same mood [as the previous scene]...Everyone in Unit 3 felt that Shaofei was continuing to set his teeth into a meaningless old case. If there had only been some progress in the investigation...but [Shaofei] not only didn’t find any new leads, but he also got into trouble everywhere. If Sister Lizhen would still be alive, he wouldn’t be like this now...Shaofei really, really missed sister Lizhen. Rather than say that the director added this scene at the last moment, it’s more like she deliberately didn’t tell Junhao [Jake] that she would add this part. 

When they were shooting, the director played the music from the music box through the megaphone and from time to time talked as well, to provoke moody feelings in Jake. In the end Jake grabbed his phone and scrolled through his mother’s Facebook, and to all our surprise Jake started bawling, so much so that even after the ‘cut’ he couldn’t stop, until the director walked over and lightly patted him on the back. To be able to cry like that in a short amount of time, even he himself hadn’t expected that.

⁕ How much fun is it that the name of the Captain of Unit 3 literally means big cannon, when he explodes in anger all the damn time? 😂 I am quite convinced that in the hospital scene where Shaofei tells Tang Yi of his fortune-telling and that only a cannon can strike him down - he uses the exact same wording ‘dapao’ - it’s actually an inside joke and he may not have meant ‘cannon’ literally. 

Day 6

Today’s weather couldn’t be called very fine, and when we were shooting until 3 or 4 P.M., the daylight was almost gone, just when the filming location had large windows in every corner that reached the ground. Our funny director said “Why did the production team run out of light after 3 P.M.? Did they forget to send notice⁕ to the sun?” This caused the crew that was present to not know whether to laugh or cry. But in the end, before the sun got off work, everyone else smoothly finished their job as well.

⁕ the term “to send notice” is quite literal, but the word is indeed an entertainment industry term as well, that means to hire someone for a short amount of time or for a specific show, without there having to be a longer-term contractual agreement. So it could also be translated as “did they forget to hire the sun [to star in today’s scenes]?”

Day 7

It was a day with complicated feelings for Shaofei and little Tang Yi, as Shaofei discovered Tang Yi’s past history. 

Before going to meet the adoptive father of his lover, of course Shaofei had to straighten himself out first and shave his beard to leave a good impression. In the evening, today’s final scene was shot. Before starting filming, the director hoped that [Tang Yi’s] adoptive father could guide little Tang Yi’s mood, because the intensity of this scene needed to bring out the reason why Tang Yi’s feelings for Tang Guodong ran so deep and make everyone feel the warmth that Tang Guodong brought to Tang Yi even more. 

Under the constant conflict of raising [little Tang Yi] through much difficulties, a loud and clear slap came down heavily on little Tang Yi’s face. The silence at the [shooting] site caused the loud sound to be infinitely amplified, and the director and the crew were all shocked. When the ‘cut’ sounded, little Tang Yi instantly started crying, and the director rushed to the room immediately. On every crew member’s face was reluctance and shock. Meanwhile the adoptive father sat with his head down on the sofa, full of remorse. 

An extra tidbit from the same scene: the crew’s love for little gadgets

There are always a few conspicuous toys in front of the director’s monitor. She explained that these were toys that members of the crew who are close to her gave her to alleviate stress. I don’t know which toy is the director’s favourite?

 Day 8

For the setting of the toilets of Unit 3 we actually used the toilets in a department store. Zhaozi, who arrived at the store very early in the morning, was hit on by an older lady who was just coming into work. The lady said: “Aren’t you Zhao Youting [Mark Chao]? You definitely are Zhao Youting!!” Even though Zhaozi went on to deny it, the lady didn’t listen and believed that this handsome guy in front of her was Zhao Youting himself. 

Actually, Zhaozi passed on the above story [to us], and no one actually saw this older lady. Zhaozi often tells bluff stories with a straight face, but I [this little editor] have my reservations about its credibility. But be as it may, after he was told that he looked like Zhao Youting, Zhaozi’s acting skills immediately leveled up. So okay, whether or not the story was real, we thank this lady ‘from the legends’.

Day 9

Can I call you dad after this hug? 

I still remember the story of a friend coming out to his mother. He said to his mom: “I’m sorry if this thing disappoints you. I don’t dare to ask for your blessing. I just hope that you can show some understanding.” Through a chat message, his mother could only briefly reply: “If your other half is a good kid, I will give you my blessing.”

Many people in a same-sex relationship don’t dare to confess to the older generation and they don’t dare to ask for their blessings. Their only hope is not to be hated. It’s like that facing this society, and it’s the case when facing your beloved family. When Wenhao and Shaofei met each other, Wenhao gave Shaofei a hug. This hug must have carried [Wenhao’s] unspoken blessing. 

No worries, dear father-in-law. I, Officer Meng, will take care of everything (pats on the back). 

Wenhao and Guodong together brings its own hint of romance.⁕ The fighting was very intense that day, so much so that the police dispatched a Quick Fight Force team in concern [for the situation]. 

⁕ The term that the author uses is 腐味 (fuwei, the taste of fu). The first character, ‘fu’ is the same ‘fu’ that is used in terms like fujoshi 腐女子 and fudanshi  腐男子 (which are Japanese) but it’s the same pronunciation for that first character. So the author implies that there might have been something more than friendship going on between Chen Wenhao and Tang Guodong. They imply the same thing later in the book as well (day 60, where the two are called a CP). 

Day 10

A Mei [Stanley] who portrays A De, said that he was the expert in getting beaten [in this drama]. I say that Stanley definitely dedicated himself to taking on that role. Many times his head bumped into the wall and the crew told him to take a break, but Stanley couldn’t stop yelling “no no, hurry up, I’m familiar with it now!”

All the way through the end Officer Meng and Vixen⁕ no.1, A De, cheered each other on before ‘Action!’ [was called]. 

⁕ The word for vixen is ‘fox spirit’  狐狸精 in Chinese. I love that and I could probably write essays on this subject. In classical Chinese literature, foxes were most of the time portrayed as (mainly female) temptresses who seduced males for sex and then didn’t shy away from sucking the soul out of them, kind of like a succubus. If anyone is ever in the mood for some academic literature about foxes in late imperial China, I've got you covered  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3237790-alien-kind

So A De and Andy are constantly referred to as these foxes who want to seduce Tang Yi and snatch him away in front of Shaofei’s eyes. 

[notafraidofredyellowandblue]

My take on Till..

What follows is my personal take on Till Lindemann, without ever having met him but i occasionally like to ramble and it's sundaymorning and i don't feel like doing something useful yet...so here goes (will probably be long) 🌻

My feeling is that Till is one of those people who is absolutely genuine and authentic. A person who others would describe simply as 'Till is Till'. I would bet that if someone who knew him 30 or 40 years ago, would meet him again today, they'd instantly recognize him and what he does and feel he hadn't changed a bit (not necessarily meaning his looks, because obviously those have changed over the years). His character seems to be very true to himself. He still has the boy/young man in him and his likes and dislikes probably didn't change much either.

That's not to say that he is a 'simple' man. He has many facets and several more 'extreme' than the average person-in-the-street. But in every facet he is what he is and pursues it because he is completely into it. Whether it's the dark side that comes out in his lyrics and poetry, the cutting or burning himself in his performance art, going on his own back to nature, boozing, sex, partying with like-minded people, childlike humor; he has no hesitation about any of it, gives himself completely because *he* wants it and enjoys doing it, not to please others, or because they tell him to. His entourage, the people that often travel with him and hang out, will probably cater to his likes and not try to impose their own likes on him.

For people he has to deal with professionally (making music, shooting videos, doing interviews etc), the trick will be to find a way that is in Till's broad scala of 'things he likes' and if you succeed, he'll be easy to work with and do what you want, without even much discussion. If you don't, i think he'll loose interest quickly and before you know it, he's off doing something else, and then you're done.

Imo he doesn't suffer from the idea that many people have when they get older, that they can't do the things anymore they did when they were young, *because* they got older. If Till thought it was funny to try and nick snacks from grocery stores, he still thinks it's funny now, where others would think "well, we were young kids then, but it isn't appropriate anymore". That others feel the need to explain his actions with "then he was an 'angry' youngster, now he is a quirky grandpa", doesn't bother him, but i doubt he himself feels an explanation is needed, it's just the way he is.

All in all very much a 'What you see is what you get' kind of guy.

Flake

I think Flake is the easiest one for Till to relate to, because like him, Flake is an authentic person: Flake is always Flake. Imo Till likes Flake's dead-pan, and selfdepreciating humor. They share a dressingroom and although they seem to be completely different people with regards to how to do a concert and who to invite for the afterparty, their combination works well for both of them. And Flake likes Till as Till and trusts him completely. I doubt even if Flake had a reservation about something Till does or says, he'd feel the need to say it to him.

Olli

There are few pictures or stories about specifically Till and Olli together, there is relatively little info on Olli himself (outside of concerts). I think Till appreciates Olli's calm and straightforwardness and Olli likes Till to work with, but other than that they may not have that much in common. Maybe in this case the age-difference is also a factor being the oldest and youngest in the band; an difference of 8 years may not seem much when you're in your 50's, but it is when you're in your 20's, and if you've known eachother for as long as they have, that often lingers on in the way you see eachother when you're older.

Schneider

Schneider is imo the one in the band who appeals to his 'young dude' side most. They share a sense of childlike or boyish humor (the little video of Till playing with his loose fingernail would imo be something that would amuse Schneider as well). When they did the video of Ohne Dich and Till joked with Schneider to have a threesome with one of the dummies. I think Schneider enjoys this side of Till, but doesn't necessarily understand all aspects of Till. He might joke along about sex or the darker lyrics, because he thinks it's all for fun and for a laugh, and then is a bit confused when Till actually writes the lyrics down and 'means' them. I think Till's performance art is way out of Schneider's comfortzone and even out of Schneider's entire frame of reference. (And i still think that Schneider unfollowed the Till_Lindemann_Official account on IG after the 'BJ under the drumstage' video showed up; not that that account is maintained by Till anyway, and nowadays it's mainly used to plug merch, so maybe that's why Schneider unfollowed).

Paul

Paul is the one (also mentioned this in another ramble post) i think who is most acceptant of the extremer sides of Till, up to a certain point. And when in Rammstein, Paul tries to coax Till to stay within certain boundaries. Paul knows how to get Till to only go as far as Paul thinks is okay, secretly imposing his own way on Till, but wrapping it in a way that Till accepts it and goes along. Till likes Paul, his humor, clowning around with him on stage (and probably off it as well). The one thing I think Till doesn't like is when Paul starts arguing or quarreling and he only tolerates it as long as he doesn't have to get involved himself. Without Paul's meddling the band probably wouldn't be what it is today, and in the end that is appreciated, but during the proces, i think Till rather leaves to have a beer or two (or four) and wait for the Paul-storm to have subsided. Paul has probably mellowed down over the years and isn't as blunt or sharp anymore as in his youth, and this makes it easier to relax and have a good time together, but i don't think Paul would soon join Till's entourage.

Richard

Richard is the one Till has known longest and probably best of the band. They lived together when they were young, went on holidays, shared views on sex and relationships and loved to go partying (even though Richard's vice was always more drugs than alcohol, but that didn't matter in having a good time). They also shared the experience of not having a good childhood, and it was probably of comfort to them both to have someone who understood that. And they are a shared family, having a daughter each with the same woman, and for Richard family is no.1. They also complement eachother in their work. There are loads of interviews where Richard is gushing over Till as a writer, a person, a friend, without even having to be asked (he'll just bring up the topic himself). Richard takes his work very seriously, wants to achieve new things and still argues if someone wants to meddle with his creations, and imo (see Paul) this is the part Till would rather skip and not get involved with; i could also see that Till doesn't really *get* the overthinking/worrying side of Richard. Likewise, i think Richard doesn't *get* some of the extremer sides of Till, like the 'Till enjoys pain' aspect (i think Richard hates Till being hurt, even he does it himself). I do think that over the years though that unlike Till, Richard *has* changed; which isn't necessarily bad, he seems to have his drugaddiction under control and having a young daughter maybe calmed him down a bit. Maybe there is also a bit of a midlife crisis going on (some people over 50 feel they have reached their peak and just want to go on relaxed until their pension, but Richard certainly isn't one of those). Imo this has led to the two not being as close as they once were; i think Richard regrets it more than Till. Richard has mentioned how Till doesn't seem to have a lot time, and with that he probably means one-on-one time. From Till's point of view, Richard is the one who changed his fancies and likes (never directly refering to him in interviews but occasionally mentioning not being into something like yoga or therapy, which have helped Richard a lot over the years).

See...told you it would be long...for what it's worth: which is nothing 🍀

[glossvrse]

TITLE !  chrysanthemum: white

WORD COUNT !  1,669

CHARACTERS !  Hwang Yejin, Hwang Yejun

GENRE !  angst

SYNOPSIS !  In Yejin realizes the harsh reality through the people around her.

AUTHORS NOTE !  Emotional ig

WARNINGS !  crying, cursing

Yejin lays on her bed with a hum, a few cracks coming from her back, a sign that it has been a while since she has finally rested today. She checks the time. 22:03. It's always 22:03 when she checks. "It's like...a signature number." She mumbles to herself, finding comfort within her own voice. She was alone in her room, and it frightened her sometimes. Hwang grew up with so many siblings that she never felt alone. When she was in her old house, peace was never an option, but now it's all she has in her personal life. When she was a child, she appreciated the silence and she always prayed to be alone. Every day she came back from school, she went to her room and immediately began helping her younger siblings out with homework while her older siblings busied themselves with activities from school.

Not only did she put up with their homework, but also their behavior. If she had a dime for every time she heard a dumb question or a "why?", she would be rich enough to get away, buy an island and live her days out on sandy shores.

Now, however, it's different for the girl. She realizes this at 22:03 on her bed, in her room, alone. Yejin wishes she wasn't alone now. She wishes she was at home and using her siblings as a punching bag. She wishes she could go back to the Pythagorean theorem and complain about how her siblings should've paid attention in class. And before the girl knows it, she feels tears run down her face. It isn't the same. She can never go back to the home she knew. She can never feel those feelings again. The realization leaves her terrified.

A knock at her door startles the emotional girl. Quickly, she leans up and dries her eyes on her hoodie. She has been a rock. Unchanging in type, enduring harsh weather, and adapting to new environments. She can't falter. She can't break. Yejin opens the door with a bit of a smile on her face, a contrast to the hurricane brewing within her. She's prepared to see Hyojin asking about which lyric she should use or Mija asking to use the new lip tint she got at the store. But she only sees Hwang Yejun, her brother who is the reason she joined QUARTZ. He's crying, looking up at Yejin with eyes filled with confusion and sorrow. "Yejun?" That's the only thing she can get out. The boy lives with the other male trainees under the company, and their dorms are all the way across the building. However, she shoves her confusion aside and turns to her concern.

"Yejun what's wrong? Are you okay?" She doesn't know why, but she opens her arms. The boy who cowers in front of her runs to her embrace and wraps his arms around his sister. She smells like home and comfort. He realizes how much he misses his mom. He realizes that Yejin smells exactly like what his mother smells like when she hugs him. He breaks down within her arms, sobbing. Yejin extremely befuddled now, doesn't back away. It's almost like she knows he needs this. He needs a hug from home. She needs this too, she knows. She knows her homesick feeling can only be quelled by a hug from home. So she wraps her arms around her brother and embraces him tightly. He's a fragment of home. She's happy he's here and she's worried as to why he is crying. She doesn't know, but suddenly, her feelings come to fruition and she feels the tears she held before her brother knocked fall.

The Hwang siblings cry within each other's arms, not knowing why. The two of them don't know why the other is crying, but they don't care. This feels right. Immense comfort makes way into their hug. They're hugging and sobbing in each other's arms, in the middle of the GLOSS dorms hallways at 22:06. Their worlds feel temporary comfort, and they are in the eye of a hurricane. It's calm, but only for moments. The peace in the eye of the hurricane doesn't put a quit to the windy storms, but it's something that comes with it.

The two calm down later.

Their eyes are red and swollen, but at least they felt moments of peace. Yejin broke the hug first, guiding her little brother to a seat in her room. She closed the door behind her, not caring about it being open while the two were crying. This was her first emotional experience that the others could probably hear. She's been through so many with the other girls that it felt human for her to finally have her moment. Yejin endured so many dilemmas with the others that it almost felt like getting even with them. In a friendly way. She sits on her bed and looks at her little brother, who is directly in front of her, sitting on her computer chair that's facing her bed. Her intense emotions have been aided, and now only concern fills her. "Yejun." Her voice is shaky from the sobbing, "Why have you come here? Why are you crying?"

Yejun looks at her and remembers their deep brown eyes they both have. It's endless, and it's intimidating. He suddenly recalls his mother glaring at him when she was told by the school that he was goofing off. Those pupils were filled with anger, but a different type than just mad. It was anger that stemmed from love. He knew his mother wanted him to succeed and he knew that goofing off was preventing him from acquiring his own potential. The younger boy realizes how much Yejin takes after his mother, her chocolate orbs filled with concern that stemmed from love. "The company. I'm participating in a survival show in the coming months. They say if the viewers vote for me, I'll end up debuting." This caused his older sister to return to her state of confusion. If anybody should be excited about their idol career starting, it was Hwang Yejun. He always wanted to be an idol. In school, he blabbed to his friends about his wants, and at home, he blabbed to his sister about it nonstop. He always wanted to be on stage, and he always had a star personality. Charismatic, fun, charming, kind, humorous. Hwang Yejun is someone everyone wanted to be around in school.

Yejin unintentionally showed her befuddlement. If anything, Yejun should've ripped open Yejin's door with no respect for privacy, screaming about his debut. But he's the opposite. He's sad and broken. Yejun takes Yejin's silence as his cue to elaborate. "They- uh- they had a few preparations they needed to discuss with me about my debut. They said I need to have plastic surgery done, rhinoplasty to be specific. Cosmetic of course." Yejin's confusion doubled. Yejun didn't need it, that's for sure. He has a cute nose. She wonders why they would think of that. "They said I can't debut without it." His voice cracks. "Bullshit." Yejin curses. "They're doing it on purpose. You have a beautiful nose. There nothing wrong with it. Why the fuck would they put that on you?"

"I know it's dumb. But I don't want it to happen 'cause I feel like I'm letting them win." Yejun continues venting. "I feel like I'm succumbing to my own desires and forgetting about my own core beliefs." Yejin understands him. She knows that she wouldn't think twice about getting plastic surgery to save her own ass. She wants to believe that her career doesn't mean that much, but she would be lying. Is this what stardom does to others? Is this the cost of notoriety? Giving your own self away just to pursue your own dreams. The older girl wants to throw up at the thought of thinking this way, but she knows it only to be human. She wishes she could save her brother from his own human wants. But she can't gather the courage to say anything. She watches his chocolate eyes gaze at her like a deer caught in a bear trap. He looks to her for guidance and she looks down on herself, knowing she can't offer anything because they are one and the same. She’d only encourage him and she’s ashamed. When someone offers advice, they usually have a different stance than the person receiving the advice. But Yejin loathes that she can't say anything because she's the same as her brother.

Yejun laughs, his tears falling once more at a slow pace. He begins laughing. His laughter fills the room. Yejin watches her brother as his eyes filled with humor and despair. "Well, I've done it!" Yejun cries out, laughter tumbling from his lips and tears falling from his face. "The great Hwang Yejun has fallen due to his own needs! The great Hwang Yejun has experienced the real human dilemma. He is sacrificing himself for his dreams. It's funny! It's laughable. But if it's so funny, then why am I crying too? Why, Hwang Yejin? Why am I crying?" Yejun stands from the chair and looks to his sister with tears in his eyes. His eyes are a bottomless ravine that no one knows about until they are falling down in it, descending to their own grave.

Yejin feels useless as her brother doubles over with laughter. She feels like she's failed him. Why does she feel useless? Hwang Yejin, a local rock, can't even comfort those who she holds close. How fucking pathetic of her. She stands, feet on the ground, knowing help is futile. There's nothing she can say to her brother. She begins to walk over to her brother and falls to her knees in front of him, holding his hands within her own as his laughter and pain increases. She's sorry. She's sorry. She's sorry. She's hopeless. She's Hwang Yejin and she's experiencing everything she's against.

[twoidiotwriters1]

Written In The Stars LVI (Harry Potter xF!Oc)

A/N: The ending of this chapter... I really did THAT -Danny

Words: 4,376

Warnings: Punches ig 

Series’ Masterlist

Previous Chapter // Next Chapter

Chapter Fifteen: The Final Push.

Hagrid was absolutely crushed after the news, he wanted Buckbeak to live so badly, he couldn't bring himself to keep an optimistic attitude. 

The words of encouragement had soon worn out, and all they could do was assure him that they'd do everything to give him a strong defense.

They were walking back up to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead they could see Malfoy, who was walking with Crabbe and Goyle, and kept looking back, laughing derisively.

"S'no good, Ron," said Hagrid sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that..."

Hagrid turned around and hurried back toward his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief.

"Look at him blubber!"

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening.

"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" said Malfoy. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!"

Harry and Ron both made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first — SMACK!

She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered. Harry, Ron, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again.

"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul — you evil —"

"Hermione!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.

"Get off, Ron!"

With all certainty, Mel would keep that memory as one of the best from her time at Hogwarts.

She was standing behind Harry and Ron, covering her mouth in shocked amusement, pride swelling on her chest as she watched the look of utter fear on Malfoy while Hermione pulled out her wand.

"Wands off, 'Mione!" Mel warned her. "If you attack Malfoy with magic you'll get in trouble. However, as of now... one tiny smack means nothing..."

"You made that up," Malfoy sneered.

"Perhaps," She stepped forward. "Would you like to be the one to confirm it?"

"C'mon," Malfoy hissed at Crabbe and Goyle, rushing towards the dungeons.

"Hermione!" Ron gasped again.

"Wasn't she the best?" Mel snickered.

"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione cried. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"

"We're due in Charms," said Ron clumsily. "We'd better go."

"I've never been more proud in my life!" Mel exclaimed, but a sudden worry caused her to frown. "Well, maybe just once– That time when we rescued Harry with the Ford Anglia... Hey, Erick's gonna love this story!"

She whispered the last thing to Hermione only, who mouthed a 'Don't you dare!' as a response.

"You're late!" said Professor Flitwick when they got to the classroom. "Come along, quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs —"

"Oh, lovely!" She smiled. "'Mione, let's pair–"

She turned around, finding an empty spot where her friend had been standing seconds ago.

"Hey, where's Hermione?"

Harry and Ron turned without slowing down.

"That's weird," said Harry, sitting down next to Ron while Mel sat behind them. "Maybe — maybe she went to the bathroom or something?"

"She would've waited," The girl replied. "I don't see Hermione turning around after just arriving without asking for permission..."

She got paired with Neville, who was glad to have her as his partner, so much that he managed to succeed after the second try. She made sure to congratulate him lots about it. They walked together to the Great Hall, which was lucky, considering Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle arrived at the same time.

They threw menacing looks towards Neville and he squirmed beside her, Mel held each of their gazes while guiding her friend to their table.

"You shouldn't worry about them for now," She told him. "Want advice? Stay around Hermione, I assure you they'll want to stay as far as possible from her."

"Why?" He asked while sitting at the table.

"Hermione slapped him," Mel said gleefully, taking a plate.

"What?" George's voice pipped up from her left. He was sitting in front of her, next to his brother and Lee Jordan. "Hermione slapped someone? Who?"

"Please, tell me it was Ron," Fred said, taking a huge bite of his food.

"Blimey, thanks for the good wishes..." Ron scoffed, sitting next to Neville and her.

"Way better," She leaned on the table and whispered with excitement. "She slapped Malfoy!"

"WHAT?" The three boys exclaimed, Lee Jordan even choked on his pumpkin juice.

"It was by far the most glorious moment of the whole year."

"You're telling me that for the first time ever, you didn't start a fight–" George pointed at her with a chicken leg. "And Hermione Granger was the first to throw a punch?"

"Hell must be freezing," Mel chortled.

"I can't believe it," Neville said. "Where is she right now?"

"Watching her back if she's clever," Fred raised a brow. "I don't expect Malfoy to go and tell the rest of his peers about this, but if they found out, Pansy will go after her."

"And I will gladly glue her arse to the spot," Mel replied.

Fred, George, and Lee Jordan laughed. Ron, Harry, and Neville stared at her with wide eyes.

"You can't," Said Neville. "It would start a war!"

"Don't worry about it," She grinned. "They're all cowards, won't get in a fight they know they can't win."

"Remember what Dumbledore told you," Harry replied. "You can't let your emotions take–"

"I know, I know," She brushed it off with a lazy hand movement. "It was a joke, I'm not going to actively look or start any fights."

"See that?" George turned to his brother. "Looks like the lady's actually starting to act like one."

"Such a shame," Fred shook his head. "Soon enough she'll be made a Prefect and won't be funny at all!"

"Don't be mean!" Mel argued, and she didn't know what offended her most, being called 'not funny' or being called a 'true lady'.

When they arrived at the common room, they found Hermione sleeping the afternoon away, both boys sat on each side while Mel stood in front of them, examining the papers scattered around the table.

Harry nudged her shoulder and Hermione jolted awake.

"Wh — what?" said Hermione, waking with a start and staring wildly around. "Is it time to go? W — which lesson have we got now?

"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," said Harry. "Hermione, why didn't you come to Charms?"

"What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "I forgot to go to Charms!"

"But how could you forget?" said Harry. "You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!"

"I don't believe it!" Hermione wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry? Oh, it was Malfoy, I was thinking about him and I lost track of things!"

"You know what, Hermione?" said Ron, looking down at the enormous Arithmancy book Hermione had been using as a pillow. "I reckon you're cracking up. You're trying to do too much."

"No, I'm not!" said Hermione, brushing her hair out of her eyes and staring hopelessly around for her bag. "I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry... I'll see you in Divination!"

Hermione joined them at the foot of the ladder to Professor Trelawney's classroom twenty minutes later, looking extremely harassed.

"I can't believe I missed Cheering Charms! And I bet they come up in our exams; Professor Flitwick hinted they might!"

"I'll help you study next time we go to the library," Mel patted her shoulder.

They climbed up the divination classroom, sitting together in a small table, a crystal ball right in the middle of it.

"I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term," Ron muttered.

"Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry," Harry said. "I was getting sick of her flinching every time she looked at my hands."

"Well, Glasses, I'd flinch too– they're so skinny and pale they look like a vampire's!" Mel teased, gaining a soft kick on the leg.

"Good day to you!" Professor Trelawney approached them, appearing from the shadows. "I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned, the fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice."

Hermione snorted.

"Well, honestly... 'the fates have informed her'... who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" She said loud and clear. Harry, Mel, and Ron tried (and failed) to keep their sniggers unnoticed.

"Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art," Their Professor continued. "I do not expect any of you to See when first you peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes, so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will see before the end of the class."

They sat for twenty boring minutes in silence, trying to see things that were clearly not there.

"Seen anything yet?" Harry asked them.

"Yeah, there's a burn on this table," said Ron. "Someone's spilled their candle."

"This is such a waste of time," Hermione scoffed. "I could be practicing something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms —"

"Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?" Trelawney walked past them.

"I don't need help," Ron whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight."

The children's guards were down, and they burst out laughing at Ron's comment.

"Now, really!" The woman stood before them in annoyance. "You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!"

Mel watched as Trewlaney got closer to them, examining the crystal ball carefully.

"There is something here! Something moving... but what is it? My dear, it is here, plainer than ever before... my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer... the Gr —"

"Oh, for goodness' sake!" said Hermione, causing the girl to jump beside her. "Not that ridiculous Grim again!"

"I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class, my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane." The woman stood up again, her indignation clear.

"Fine!" Hermione got up and threw her book in the bag with rage. "Fine! I give up! I'm leaving!"

And with that, Hermione moved to the trapdoor, opened it with a hard kick, and disappeared.

Mel turned to the boys and mouthed, 'Never been more proud, I swear...'

"Ooooo!" Lavender exclaimed from her chair. "Oooooo, Professor Trelawney, I've just remembered! You saw her leaving, didn't you? Didn't you, Professor? 'Around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever!' You said it ages ago, Professor!"

Professor Trelawney wouldn't let that pass, of course.

"Yes, my dear, I did indeed know that Miss Granger would be leaving us. One hopes, however, that one might have mistaken the Signs... The Inner Eye can be a burden, you know..."

"The inner eye can also be loads of– Ouch!" She hissed, Harry had pinched her arm.

"Don't make her kick you out too," He whispered.

"Some day Hermione's having, eh?" Ron muttered to them, he looked amazed at their friend's actions.

"Yeah..."

The Easter holidays were not exactly relaxing. The third years had never had so much homework. Neville Longbottom seemed close to a nervous collapse, and he wasn't the only one.

"Call this a holiday!" Seamus Finnigan roared at the common room one afternoon. "The exams are ages away, what're they playing at?"

But nobody had as much to do as Hermione. Even without Divination, she was taking more subjects than anybody else. She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the library the next morning; she had shadows like Lupin's under her eyes, and seemed constantly close to tears.

Ron had taken over responsibility for Buckbeak's appeal. When he wasn't doing his own work, he was poring over enormously thick volumes with names like The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology and Fowl or Foul? A Study of Hippogriff Brutality. He was so absorbed, he even forgot to be horrible to Crookshanks.

Harry, meanwhile, had to fit in his homework around Quidditch practice every day, not to mention endless discussions of tactics with Wood. The Gryffindor-Slytherin match would take place on the first Saturday after the Easter holidays. Slytherin was leading the tournament by exactly two hundred points. This meant (as Wood constantly reminded his team) that they needed to win the match by more than that amount to win the Cup. It also meant that the burden of winning fell largely on Harry, because capturing the Snitch was worth one hundred and fifty points.

Mel was surprisingly well, she found her lessons enrapturing, and since her exams were approaching, Dumbledore decided to give her a break from their own private lessons, explaining that she was doing a wonderful job and she didn't need to be pressured, having more important things to attend.

She tried to help her friends in the meantime, Neville and Hermione especially. Fred and George from time to time, who were (not so seriously, but still seemed worried about it) study sessions for their O.W.L.S– and though she didn't know much, she convinced them to make cards she could use to ask them questions. They didn't want to, but she insisted so much that they ended up accepting her help, and it seemed to be working. Next time she sat down to help them, Lee Jordan and Angelica were also there.

The only person who seemed to not need her help was Erick. He still attended their study sessions but instead of helping he would keep his eyes glued to his own work the whole time, silently taking notes on a notebook Mel had given him as a Christmas present (she'd also given him a nice muggle pen that Erick thought was the best thing to exist) and mumbling incoherent thoughts while turning the pages.

He wanted to be a Prefect, and he wanted to get there as the only, the indisputable winner of his year. When Mel asked him why was he so eager about it, he looked at her with a stare that caused her to shiver as he replied:

"No one messes with a Prefect."

"No one messes with you," She raised a brow. "I've seen the Slytherins of your year, they revolve around you like moths–"

He brushed it off like it meant nothing.

"Worship from some kids does not equal the freedom and power that being made a Prefect would give me."

"Sounds like something a villain would say..."

"Whatever," He shrugged.

The Quidditch final stood before them as the final straw to break everyone's nerves. Erick and Mel cut off their study sessions because they certainly couldn't risk being found together in such a heavy time. Students were almost always fighting each other, trying to attack Harry or Malfoy, or any other members of the teams.

The night before the game passed in a dream-like state. Fred and George had so much energy that they looked like rubber balls jumping from one side to the other, making jokes without stopping.

Mel was laughing a lot, she even thought about sneaking to the kitchens (the twins had given her the directions since her first year) and ask for a bunch of food for her and the rest of her friends to calm them down, but it didn't look like the best idea, she didn't want them to get sick.

The twins were loving the attention, it clearly distracted them from their own worries, but they weren't the only friends she had on the team. Soon enough she sat next to Harry, who looked paler and perhaps even smaller than usual. Mel tried to find the rights words but nothing came to her mind, she sat there until Wood asked the team to go to bed.

People made a fuss when the Gryffindor team entered the Great Hall, they cheered and applauded, the Slytherins throwing insults and all– At least they weren't fighting violently now. Wood refused to eat but urged the rest of the kids to finish their breakfast.

Just as they were leaving, Mel realized she hadn't wished Harry good luck, (it was the first final he'd be playing, after all) and though she could've done it once he was in the dressing room, she saw Cho Chang wishing him good luck from Ravenclaw's table and Harry blushing wildly at this, so she obviously had to do something.

"Harry!" She ran up to him, pushing her words out of her mouth before she could think it twice. "You got this. You'll win. Good luck." She placed a quick kiss to his cheek.

The former redness of his cheeks meant nothing compared to the way his whole face flushed a deep scarlet after her public show of affection. The whole Gryffindor table whistled and clapped, not helping to their embarrassment. She avoided the twins' eyes and made sure not to look at the rest of the students' faces.

Merlin, why was she so impulsive?

She rushed back to where Ron and Hermione were sitting, and Ron stared at her with a smirk.

"You're doing an awful job at keeping your crush a secret."

"Shut it," She hid her face with both hands. "I don't know why I did that..."

She knew, though. But she'd rather die before admitting she was jealous.

"Come on, we should get going," Hermione stood up. "Before people take the best seats..."

"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no — Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the field — WHAM! — nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by — Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina — nice swerve around Montague — duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! — SHE SCORES! TEN–ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Angelina punched the air as she soared around the end of the field; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight —

"OUCH!"

Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.

"Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her!"

A moment later, Fred Weasley chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.

"That will do!" shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between them. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"

"Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty.

"Come on, Alicia!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY–ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

"This is good," Mel assured her friends, though she meant it more for herself. "They only need to be fifty points ahead, thirty more, come on..."

"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession — no! — Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field — THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"

"Nasty rats!" Once again, she was leaning against the edge of the stands. Hermione, used to this kind of behavior, was already holding the edge of the girl's robes tightly.

"THIRTY–ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING —"

"Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way — !"

"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"

Harry suddenly launched forward to one end of the field and Malfoy followed suit. It was just to distract Malfoy, though, cause she caught a glimpse of something golden flying away on the opposite side to where Harry was heading.

WHOOSH.

One of the Bludgers came streaking past Harry's right ear, hit by the gigantic Slytherin Beater, Derrick. Then again —

WHOOSH.

The second Bludger grazed Harry's elbow. The other Beater, Bole, was closing in.

"They're going after him!" Mel exclaimed.

She was about to pull her wand when Ron stopped her, Harry had turned the Firebolt upward at the last second, causing the beaters to collide against each other.

"Ha haaa!" yelled Lee Jordan as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle — Flint alongside her — poke him in the eye, Angelina! — it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke — oh no — Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save — !"

But Flint had scored; there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end, and Lee swore so badly that Professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical megaphone away from him.

"Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So, Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten, and Gryffindor in possession —"

It was a nasty show. Everyone had decided to play dirty, their morals long forgotten after what it seemed the tenth penalty of the hour. The score forty-ten to Gryffindor, only twenty more...

Katie scored next, and then both Slytherin beaters threw bludgers at Wood and got another penalty on their favor, now they were–

"Sixty-ten! Fred Weasley throws a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle out of his hands; Alicia seizes it and put it through the Slytherin goal — seventy-ten!" Lee Jordan continued.

"Any moment now!" Mel yelled over the deafening crowd. "You can do it, Harry!"

Harry suddenly shoot up to one corner, he was so close... so close...

"NO!"

Malfoy had grabbed a hold of the Firebolt's tail and was pulling it back.

"Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I've never seen such tactics!" Madam Hooch screeched.

"BLOODY BASTARD!" Mel was unable to stop herself. "WAIT TILL HE'S BACK ON THE GROUND, HERMIONE'S WILL BE NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT I'LL DO TO HIM!"

"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach. "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B —"

Professor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her finger in Malfoy's direction, her hat had fallen off, and she too was shouting furiously.

Alicia took Gryffindor's penalty, but she was so angry she missed by several feet. The Gryffindor team was losing concentration and the Slytherins, delighted by Malfoy's foul on Harry, were being spurred on to greater heights.

"Slytherin in possession, Slytherin heading for goal — Montague scores —" Lee groaned. "Seventy-twenty to Gryffindor...  Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on, Angelina, COME ON!"

The whole Slytherin team flew out of their way to get her, but Harry rushed over to her, and flew in across and between the girl and the other team, causing them to scatter in the air and helping Angelina to get the clearest shot of the whole game.

"SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor leads by eighty points to twenty!"

But Mel wasn't looking at the celebration, she was staring -completely terrified- at Malfoy, who had seen the snitch.

"HE'S SEEN IT!" She pointed frantically. "GUYS!"

It all happened so fast Mel wished she could've recorded the whole thing. Harry dived forward at an alarming speed, he was getting there, right next to Malfoy, he did a quick movement to push him away and suddenly...

"YES!"

He had it!

Harry had the snitch!

Later most of her memories would be too blurry to understand, but somehow she'd managed to be the first to run from the stands towards the team, push them away from Harry, and held him tightly against her, shouting in ecstasy.

"You did it!" She moved only enough to see Harry's face without breaking the hug.

"I caught the snitch!" He replied just as happy.

"Malfoy's face! And the way you dodged the beaters! And when you helped Angelica!" She said excitedly. "It was so impressive!"

"All the team was!" Then, as if he'd just remembered, he added. "I think your good luck kiss really works!"

He meant that in a friendly way, of course. Perhaps slightly teasing, maybe he was so happy he hadn't even thought of what that meant for her. Either way, her emotions took the best of her a second time that day. It seemed that she couldn't resist when it came to Harry.

Mel pulled him close by the collar and kissed the corner of his mouth.

Harry had moved his face without meaning to do it –taken by surprise by her sudden actions– and the kiss had landed there, startling both children for the fraction of a second. Before Mel could apologize, the rest of the supporters arrived and lifted Harry and the rest of the team on their shoulders, dragging them away.

Ron and Hermione pulled her along to follow where they were taking the team and watched McGonagall cry her eyes out next to Wood, even Percy had forgotten about appearances, jumping up and down and pointing to his brothers proudly. Wood passed the cup to Harry and he lifted it above his head, the screams growing impossibly louder. For the briefest second, Harry caught her eye.

During a terrible moment, she thought he would look away. However, his smile only grew when he held her gaze, he looked like the handsome hero from her fairy tales, tousled hair and flushed cheeks, an absolutely fascinating sight.

Harry was as bright as the sun.

Mel had the feeling that things would never be the same. How could they, when her opinion about everything had shifted overnight?

"Is everything all right?" Hermione asked beside her, probably taking notice of her state.

She replied, a mix of happiness and terror in her voice:

"I think I'm in love."

Next Chapter —>

Taglist.

@tiphareth2018​ @vampiregirl1797​ @siriuslysirius1107​ @celestialhayi​ @mikariell95​ @omiwashere​ @tomshollandz​ @steve-thotgers​ @kylosleftbuttcheek​ @thesuitelifeofafangirl​ @reverse-hxlland​

[theezzywayout]

A LEGIT Way to Gain 1k Followers on Instagram

Nowadays, Social Media has become the primary way to put yourself out there in the world. 

People figure out what type of a person you are by looking at your social media!

So having a good social presence is essential to building yourself (in the eyes of others). 

It would definitely make a difference if you have 100 or 1000 followers

in short, 

It just tells people how popular you are! And in that sense, the number of followers you have gives people an idea of your credibility. 

Whether your a teen who wants to just look good in front of friends, families, or even employers,

OR 

you’re trying to make wealth out of social media, then the one thing you need to remember is gaining your first 1000 followers is the hardest task.

But since I’ve grinded my way to 1200 followers on my @lostwithinnature page, I’ve learned a few things and I’m ready to share with you what you should and shouldn’t do!

( Piece of advice: Follow my account so you can always track what I’m doing to grow on a normal basis :) )

1. Don’t you dare use bots or software!

In short, Instagram isn’t dumb and they’ll figure out your using external help. Within days, you’ll be action blocked and even banned. 

Don’t waste your time, because suppose IG doesn’t figure out you’re scamming the system, the followers you’ll get will be dead accounts that don’t use instagram that much

If you think you’ve found some amazing software that tells you they’ll help you succeed without getting you banned, and you don’t heed my device, 

You’ll figure out the consequences in the long run. You have been warned…

2. Follow for Follow?

Sad truth is that there’s no easy way to get 1000 followers (Trust me, I’ve tried everything), but the fastest way to gain 1000 followers is through follow for follow! No jokes. 

But there's a specific way you should go about this!

Firstly, to get to your 100 followers, you have to follow other people who have just started and are in the same niche as you 

(It’d be much easier if you told your friends and family to follow if it’s a personal account, but most of the time, it’s not, and I know it feels awkward and that you’d prefer to keep your whole Instagram thing a secret…)

Now keep in mind, I suggest to not follow more than 100 people a day and no more than 30 in 2-3 hours, to make sure Instagram doesn’t become sus of you :)

Please make sure to not unfollow people (until you’ve reached at least 500 followers)

Once you’ve gained 100 followers, Congrats! Now, it’s time to do more follow for follow! ...

You have to keep doing this until you reach about 500, but it’s easier to get followers because you seem more credible with 100 followers than you did with 10!

That will take time and expect a lot of up down in followers, it's part of the process, and keep at it! Don’t be lazy! Once you’ve reached 500 followers, now the fun begins!

See you still have to follow for follow but now you’ll be following legitimate people who like your niche! 

What do I mean by legit? 

Well, you clearly can tell the difference between an account that's owned by a business/ bots/ influencers or just genuine people who post random stuff about themselves. 

Why should you follow these specific accounts? 

Well, it’s the real people who actually engage with anything on instagram! Think about it, business accounts, or bot accounts aren’t going to engage because they don’t have the time to, 

But

The normal instagram users will because they’re on Instagram to engage! Not build a following! 

Now don’t expect comments and likes pouring down on your posts after legit people start to follow you, because they aren't desperately waiting for you to post and they don’t even know who you are, 

But 

if the post actually connects to some aspect of their life, then they will engage!

Question!

Why don’t I just follow these “legit” people from the start of my journey? 

Well, imagine you’re on your personal instagram account and suddenly, some random account with 50 or 200 followers follows you, well, you’re not gonna follow them right? 

But Imagine an account with 500+ followers, who has an amazing page (depending on whatever niche, and remember, by 500 followers, you’ll have an amazing page to make you look cool), 

well, 

then you’ll think about following them if their page is about stuff you like and that their posting that specific stuff frequently, and since you think you’ll be entertained by their page, you’ll follow them!

3. Make sure you’re posting some super awesome content! 

From 500 to 1000 will be a fun ride for you, it’ll feel amazing, like you’ve crossed a big barrier! 

But 

Here's the issue, people think they’ve hit a milestone when they reach 500 and start becoming lazy. 

If you want to grow fast, don’t be lazy, and trust me, even though I thought of not being lazy, I still was, so it took me longer to reach 1000 than it should have…

With this, you’ll be at 1000 followers in the fastest way possible!

4. Should I collaborate with other pages to cross promote?

Another way to get followers is by reaching out to accounts similar to your follower size and ask them to do a collab where you post something and link them in the description, it sounds like it should do wonders, 

But it doesn’t, in fact i did it like 5 times but i got maybe 4-5 followers in total from it. So, don’t waste your time…

What about paying money to promote my posts and page?

Well, if you have money, I still don’t think it’s worth it. 

Now, 

suppose you don’t have the time and you need to get followers fast due to some reason, then it would be your only option, but even then, taking the paid path is something I haven’t done and I haven't seen too many people take it either, so try not wasting money

5. How do I know if my content is good?

There is no way of knowing that, but there are some pointers to keep in mind that should keep you away from terrible content!

First off, 

Stick to one niche if not one them. Remember! A jack of all trades is a master of none!

Your posts shouldn’t look weird, In short, if they look like most of the posts in your niche, its in good shape

But why shouldn’t I try something different and be unique?

You could, but right now, my goal is to help you reach 1000 followers fast, so unless that's not a priority, then go for it, 

But

Even when generating unique content, it's better to do such things when you have a bigger following because small timers get looked at as newbies if they try unique things

6. Make sure your captions aren’t too spammy! 

I’m sure you think that by putting in “like, comment, or follow for blah blah blah reasons”, people will follow you, but sadly, people don’t care. They’ll only follow you if the content you post is actually giving them value in some way.

My recommendation for captions is to keep it a random expression or joke that is related to the content in some way. It’s not going to give you better results, but it’ll make you look like an actual person and not some account trying to make you follow them.

After that if you want to do a plugin, I’d advise to go with something like,” Love seeing such content? Follow @”Your Username” to view such content daily” 

And that's more than enough

7. Hashtags? 

They only work if your content is actually good. From my experience with hashtags, unless your content is actually good, they won’t do anything for you, but if it is good, it’ll do wonders!

One more thing! Don’t spam in random hashtags, make sure they are actually relevant. 

And 

don’t use the same hashtags constantly, use a specific hashtag maybe every 3-4 posts or you make instagram think of you as a bot…

8. Geotags?

Nice thing to have, takes you an extra 10 seconds to put in a location, it doesn’t really help in terms of reach, but it makes your content’s overall look more nice to see

9. Stories?

Unless you have the time, which most people don’t, I’d just recommend to share your content in your story and leave it at that, just so can have that colorful circle around your display picture to make you look active

If you have time, have like 10 stories running in a day, and place in a bunch of hashtags in each story, it does work! In my opinion, I don’t think it’s worth it unless you have like 10k + followers, but if you have time, why not :)

10. Algorithm?

In short, IG only has one goal, and that's to keep its users on the platform as long as possible. For that to occur, the users need to be shown content that they will love and engage with. 

How do you know if users will engage with your posts?

You don’t, you have to figure out what posts are liked by the users in your niche by trial and error.

Another important thing is to make use of IG’s newest features much more. For example, right now it's much easier to get a viral post with reels, simply because IG is pushing reels much more.

Keep in mind, that having a lot of likes or comments DOES NOT mean the content will go viral, I’ve been posting all sorts of content to get people to like or comment or share or even all three, but the results are variable. 

But what I have noticed is that if the content is good, it doesn't matter even if it has no likes, comments, or shares, It’ll still go viral pretty easily. 

To determine what content is good, research other pages in your niche and see which of their posts have gone viral

How to do that?

Search for pages in your niche

Click on one (a size of 10k to 50k followers would be preferred)

Scroll down and see what the average likes and comments they get on their posts

Now try to find outliers; the ones with much more than the average likes or comments

 And also the ones with much lower than the average likes and comments

You can repost these to see how they work on your page

BUT these posts will give you an idea of what generally most people like to like, comment and share!

11. Always engage!

Whenever you put out content, make sure you are active 10 minutes before and after. This is to tell Instagram that you’re not a bot.

What do you mean bot?

Well, do you think a normal person would suddenly hop onto instagram, post something and leave right after? No

Try to like posts in your feed like a normal person, comment on some if you feel like it, i’d advise to like around 10 posts, maybe do 1 comment, and then put your content out.

It’s also much likely that the people’s post you liked will hop onto instagram and like yours since you just posted! Karma! But in a good way :) 

I think I’ve gone over most things I could think of, I know most of these things are not what you expected, but it’s true, it definitely isn’t easy to grow, so don’ have that mindset.

It took me about 3-4 months to grow to 1000 followers… it could have been 1-2 months if i didn’t slack off every now and then…

But expect to take it more than a month at least. This is the truth, so don’t believe others when they say you can grow faster. If they show proof, they probably used weird and shady ways to reach 1k followers and it won’t help in the long term…

if you guys have any more questions or suggestions, please comment them down below and I’ll get back to you ASAP, because I’m not the smartest :D, So I may have forgotten to talk about specific things. 

Thankyou for sticking to the end, and hopefully this helps you reach 1000 followers!!!

[greysfanpage388]

The Handmaid’s Tale

The Handmaid’s Tale- season 3 episode 4

This was another amazing episode! 👍 So intense, and the acting and directing was the top notch as always.

*spoiler alert*

So this episode focused on baptism- Hannah’s baptism in the flashback, the communal baby baptism in Gilead and also Nichole’s baptism in Canada. The baptism scenes all intertwined perfectly to create another amazing episode 👍

The flashback of baby Hannah being baptized was a happy one, with June, Luke, Moira and Holly all there for the special occasion. Jokes were being thrown around and everyone was jolly. June looked so happy back then, it’s so sad and heartbreaking to see what her life has become now.

Meanwhile, in present day Gilead- the Putnams organize a post baby baptism party. Oh joy! To quote what Ever Carradine ( who plays Naomi Putnam) said on her IG account- ‘Ain’t no party like a Putnam party.’ First off, I don’t know why would Naomi invite Janine to the party. I mean, wouldn’t she have predicted the trouble that was to come once Janine spots Charlotte/Angela? Yes, Janine deserves not to be left out, but the drama which ensued could have been everted had Janine not been there. Anyways, poor sweet Janine. ❤️ I commented this on the latest IG post of Madeline Brewer who plays Janine, and she liked my comment 😆😘Janine has always been my favorite Handmaid, even up to now. She’s always so optimistic, sweet and kind, despite the adverse circumstances surrounding her. I’m worried for her sanity though, it seemed like after June persuaded her from jumping off the bridge with Charlotte, she transformed into a totally new person, becoming too cheerful and optimistic. I do hope for a happy ending for both her and Charlotte, although I have a bad feeling that Janine might not even make it out of Gilead

:( I hope I’m wrong though. Maddie portrays her brilliantly, and I would love to learn more about her background and who she was before Gilead. Janine being forcibly whacked by aunt Lydia was so painful to watch

:( It was like something broke inside aunt Lydia and she couldn’t control her temper and released all her anger about what Emily did to her on poor Janine. Janine was unjustly paying the price for Emily’s actions 😅 Anyways, I would love to learn more about aunt Lydia’s background too 👌 Apparently we’ll learn of her background in episode 6. I think she did feel genuine remorse for how she treated Janine this episode judging from the way she broke down in private after the scene. Brilliant performance by Ann Dawd!

Also noteworthy are the reactions of the wives and commanders when aunt Lydia was beating the crap out of Janine. It was like they were shocked that Handmaids were being treated this way. Seriously? They didn’t know?

Another noteworthy point- I noticed an Asian wife during the baby baptism ;)

OffMatthew didn’t seem to feel anything when she spotted her baby in the Asian wife’s arms. I’m beginning to wonder if she’s a true loyalist to Gilead.

I loved the poolside scene featuring June and Serena. I love how June seems to be more daring, more in command, more bold in her moves this season. And I love how Serena seems to show her more human side so far this season. ( I don’t know how long will that last though). I liked the preposition that June made to Serena and it was a significant moment when Serena offered June the cigarette lighter and June also lit her cigarette. The pool seems really nice and well maintained, I wonder whether anyone actually uses it? I really hope that June and Serena can become allies and band together against the men of Gilead. 🤞 Serena informing June about how to meet Hannah gave me hope, but I’m still not keeping my hopes up too high. Even Fred seems more human this season, as shown by his interactions with June, but I still really hate him.

Meanwhile in Canada- Alexis is doing a splendid job of portraying a newly freed Emily. Emily seems overwhelmed by the whole reunion with her family and integrating back into her previous life, and I don’t blame her. After all that she had been through in Gilead- her lover being hanged, herself being genitally mutilated and being sexually abused repeatedly, she isn’t the same person anymore.

The writers wrote this reunion so beautifully. It was so raw and realistic. When you reunite with a loved one who had been through a traumatic experience, you don’t expect hugs and happy tears right away. Both Emily and her wife needed time to process the sudden turn of events. I don’t think her wife had moved on, I think she was just overwhelmed. The scene when Emily broke down while reading to her son ( yes reading- she hadn’t been reading for several years) was so touching and heartbreaking. Phenomenal acting by Alexis!

I want to see more about how Emily handles her PTSD while readjusting back to her post Gilead life. I totally understand that she needs more space to adjust to her new life first,thus her staying in the hotel. I also wonder if June reunites with Luke in Canada , whether their reunion will be as awkward. I think it’ll be a similar situation, as June is a totally different person now.

I don’t get why was Luke showing Nichole off to the camera during the protest in Canada ? I think he was purposely trying to get the message across to June if she was watching that Nichole is safe and sound in his hands. June did a good job in hiding her emotions and later bursting out with tears of joy in private. This move of Luke’s might backfire badly as now Serena and Fred know where Nichole is and they are going to try to get her back 😱I hope they don’t succeed!

The final scene of baby Nichole being baptized and Luke and Moira being there with her as her guardians was so sweet 😍

Do let me know what you guys thought of the episode- I would love to hear from you all 😘

[doomedandstoned]

The Wisdom of Sharing

~Bacon's Blog~

I get asked all of the time, "Matt, Why do you share so much information with anyone who asks?" The answer is simple, "I make more money this way." Because, to me, I am genuinely convinced that a rising tide lifts all ships. When I share information with the world, I am putting out positive energy in helping people and helping to contribute towards something that I feel is greater than myself. I know this sounds kind of woo-woo, so I am going to actually break down why I give away so much information. I want you to understand my motivations for this, so built out my thinking into four key points. After all, it builds brand, helps to strengthen relationships, it doesn’t really matter who knows -- and ultimately it’s the right thing to do. This is quite literally the thing that has made an industry as horrifying as music so rewarding to me.

4. Building Brand

So this is the key for me: I love being known as the guy who is super helpful and able to give advice on band stuff. I love that it has led to my friends who un small businesses calling me up for tips. I love that it allows me to positively impact the scene that I love at scale. The thing is, if I didn’t constantly share information and work to preach these principles then I would be a hypocrite and people wouldn’t want to talk to me. However because I have a reputation as the super helpful guy who can guide you around the biz and give you some key tips I am able to generate goodwill around me. I am able to preach to people exactly how I want to be able to help them and take their work to the next level. In other words, sharing knowledge is my brand and without it I couldn’t pay rent. Note that this can impact bands too. If you as a band share your knowledge then you are going to get a rep as helpful dudes which in turn means more people want to help you.

3. Strengthening Relationships

The other reason that I like to share a lot of info is that it builds relationships. There are bands who I’ve been friends with for years who I only get to connect with every 24 months or so, but we are able to maintain a relationship by sharing information and contacts. It means that there is always something of value for us to be discussing and makes sure that we remain close. If you are trying to be a real motherfucker in the world of the heavy underground then bringing those strong relationships is essential. The way that I have found is easiest to do that is to share information and construct narratives around that. I love being able to help people because it means we get to connect on a deeper level. I see a lon of bands have this exact same experience and this is essential if you are out there trying to cause some differentiation.

2. It Doesn’t Matter Who Knows These Tips

I realized this one relatively early on. It doesn’t matter that in many of my videos I explicitly lay out, for instance, how to run a perfect ad. First off, a lot of people aren’t going to act on it. Then furthermore, the people who do will often need my help. But even if someone has it all figured out form the content I create that’s good too because it just means I helped them. Like why should I care that they have a new skill? That’s awesome! At the end of the day, there’s a pretty hard cap to how much money you can make in this business. It’s fucking underground metal. It’s not like you are going to be making millions like Cardi B. So if the goal is to just make a bare living wage playing heavy music, then why are you getting all freaked out over the small chunks of info you have figured out? As one friend of mine once put it, "It’s the smallest slice of pie of the smallest slice of pie." There’s no reason to fight over it. Don’t be a dick.

1. It’s The Right Thing

And this is the one that is kind of corny, but whatever. When it comes down to it, sharing what I’ve learned over the years I s the right thing to do. Could I make more money if I charged for everything all the time? Probably, but I wouldn’t be able to build as many great relationships and grow all these partnerships. When it comes down to it, even if we want to look at it selfishly, I’m trying to do this fo the next fifty years, not the next six months. I’ve been able to work myself into a place where things like rent aren’t concerns, my concerns are ensuring I can have long term growth for my career. The thing that is going to most ensure long term growth for my career is always going to be doing the right thing. So yeah, if you get into something for the love of it then it doesn’t make sense to squeeze people for every penny when you can have a much better time growing together meaningfully.

So I hope I didn’t get too preachy in this one but I thought it was important that I share a little bit about where I’m coming form and why I operate this way. A lot of these tips are going to apply to bands, too – it’s not just a consulting model where building brand, growing relationships, appreciating the reality of the situation and doing the right thing pays off. It just so happens to be the model that I use to make money. If you can’t get behind the basic concepts I outlined in this article then I honestly don’t see how you hope to be able to succeed in this business. The interplay is that direct and you simply can’t afford to ignore it.

Matt Bacon (IG: mattbacon666) with Dropout Media is a consultant, A&R man, and journalist specializing in the world of heavy metal. Matt also co-hosts the Dumb & Dumbest podcast with Curtis Dewar of Dewar PR.

[wonderalwaysland]

Hey, I miss you

You know, what, even tho I started this blog for myself and thought maybe I want ppl to discover it, now I just feel like it’ll become a place where I write letters to you, Dream Boy(actually I find it cringy to call u that all the time, so I’ll just address u as you, as I think one day u might read all these posts, at least I hope so).

I just wanted to talk to you, so I felt like writing this. Actually I talk to  u in my mind as well, not sure tho, if it’s u who replies(ik it’s def me haha but still) I mean I just imagine what u would have replied, even tho idk you yet. But somehow I feel that I know you partly, ig we have something in common after all. There are so many things I’d like to share with u, my little discoveries, songs, feelings etc. And I hope u’d do the same one day. So now having no other way to connect to u other than in my mind and maybe dreams sometimes, I’m writing this letter to you. Btw sometimes I can really feel u beside me, it’s really a strange feeling, but I like it, and sometimes when I think about u or feel u my heart gets warm, I’ve never felt this way before. However I get this feeling rarely this days, compared to before.  I guess it’s because at that time I really needed ur help and support, now not as much, I feel like I’ve become stronger. Thank you for being there for me from the start of this year(it’s around that time I knew u r for real, tho I still have doubts about who u are, not that it matters, I still love u). In my mind or daydreams(?) we’ve been supporting each other, mainly just by being together, sometimes with words too. Actually we had fights too! haha But we are still together as u can see. One day when we meet and become really close, even when we have fights I hope we still will be together. You know, I imagined that we were lying on the bed(even tho we had a fight, I’ll tell u the reason later a bit)and u were holding my arm in urs two. Even though we both felt bitter and sad we couldn’t turn our backs on each other. I thought it was really touching and cute(?). You are dear to me and mean a lot for me, I can’t help but love u actually. And I really don’t want us to hurt each other’s feelings, but it can’t be helped sometimes. However that what makes our relationship grow, even though it hasn’t really started yet. No matter what I hope we will convey our feelings and try understanding each other. Really, I love you, I have never had this strong feeling before, it’s weird for me. I think my love for u is sth that has always been there (is what I want to say, but honestly I’m not sure about it). But I love you now, somewhere deep inside me. But it won’t stop me from doing the things I want to irl while we haven’t met yet. I’’ll be enjoying my life to the fullest(well, to the fullest in my understanding, not sure how full it is in other ppl’s minds). Currently I’m trying to leave my comfort zone for real, step by step, I hope I succeed. And till our meeting I’ll use u as my inspiration as I have many projects I’d like to do. I wrote 2 songs about u actually! but I haven’t composed a melody yet. I’ll take my time with it, but I have an idea of what it’ll sound like ig.

So, the thing I wanted to tell is that these days have been tough n sad a bit. But I feel better rn. I haven’t been feeling like drawing, or I was but I was busy and when I didn’t draw i felt bad about myself ugh. But them I reminded that I don’t have to worry about it and just enjoy my life and current moment. Sometimes I forget that, it’s tough to remember that all the time plus really realizing it takes time too. I gotta be easier on myself. I also wanted to go to a gig in Moscow but I couldn’t find a band that I like or that plays the songs that I like ;( And u know, I recently became friends with Sam. We are exchanging e-mails currently and we had a little falling out ig not sure what to call it tbh. So he’s really kind n sweet, I am happy to have him as a friend. But then I think he was daydreaming a bit too much and used lots of endearments in the mail, so I was conflicted. I def want to be friends with him, but what if he thought of it more than that is what I thought(and it made me sad), and then there is u. Ofc I thought for a bit that he might be u, but I know he isn’t, I’m sure of it somehow. And that was one of the reasons we had a fight with u. So in the end I told him what I thought about endearments and stuff, and I was relieved, I am kind of proud for myself for doing it. But he assured me that we are totally friends, but somehow he was sad for making me feel uncomfortable, it made me sad too actually. But it seems all is better now, he is really a good fellow n he had rough times, so he needs a friend and I am glad to be one for him, I actually need friends too. That’s funny how I have several internet friends and no friends in real life, but I have my cousins and sis, so it’s not that bad plus we’ve become closer, I can’t be happier about that(I can actually lol). But I hope to find some other friends too. Another sad thing was that I was feeling unsure of myself about getting a part-time job, just thinking too much about future, it really makes me worry more than I should. So I say to myself ENJOY CURRENT MOMENT AND tODAY, no overthinking about future, i feel better somehow. 

Yesterday mum and bro returned from football match, and Phil was sad, because my told he’ll quit football now as he doesn’t work enough and isn’t hard-working n stuff. *sigh* Well, my mum is just like this, she wants us to put all our effort n mind into a thing. It’s not really bad but from my experience I can say it’s tough. So I feel sad for my brother. Plus my parents are too much sometimes, dunno how to explain it tbh and it’s not like I wanna think about it rn. But they care and love us in their own way? I just felt deja vu rn haha.

So that’s what i wanted to say here ig. I like thinking about u. I don’t wanna idealize u and I don’t actually, but I feel so much love for u and sometimes when I think about it too much I don’t know what to do. But I often kiss n hug u and just enjoy ur presence <3 xoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxo haha

Sometimes when I can;t fall asleep I imagine lying or hugging u, whatever it feels like at the moment and i fall asleep rather fast. I’ve told u that already but I want to share many things with u, so I often(or not rlly?) talk to u and we are happy or sad together, sometimes u also come to me sad or happy n we feel the same. And I create stories (which I wish to draw\write\animate someday) n usually we are there too! I hope u like fantasy, magic n fairy tales as much as I do. ALright, I gotta finish this letter, I’ll share some songs now. Aslo sometimes I listen to sings and it seems to me u might like them too, but I have no idea rn haha. I love you <3<3<3

[techyblogger]

Guide on How I Found Success with Instagram.. https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/dwpfdt/guide_on_how_i_found_success_with_instagram/

This is not a guide that shows you step-by-step methods in order to make money on Instagram. I will not delve into my actual methods of producing income. Imagine you want to learn how to fish. I am not going to tell you where to fish and how to fish - all I'm doing is giving you fishing bait. This guide is meant to give you my personal ideas behind proper Instagram marketing. If you don't agree with my ideas, that's fine. Go ahead and post below and tell me I'm wrong; however, I have used these basic principles for my own success in Instagram and am looking to help those out who are struggling or just starting their internet marketing journey. Numerous people have contacted me recently in an attempt to pick my brain, but I thought this would be more beneficial. I did not proofread this.

​

Let me start off by saying this - I started working into the world of Instagram in July of 2015. By no means am I some hipster who has been cashing Benjamins since 2011 on IG. Through numerous failed internet marketing attempts in early summer of 2015, I was led to Instagram as somewhat of a last resort. I've had my own personal Instagram account for a couple years, and I knew the app well enough so I thought to myself, "Why not? What's the worst that can happen?" Luckily enough for me, it all turned out pretty well. I learned a lot. Some of them were through mistakes, but some of them were through successes too. I have compiled a list of neat, little tidbits and thoughts that hopefully will help you succeed in Instagram and internet marketing as a whole.

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Pick Your Friends Wisely

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I'm going to start off with this one. Through my journey, I have met many great sites like Kioko Media. I have also met some really, really shitty people. I've had friends who have helped me expand my business exponentially, and I have had "friends" who steal and cheat things away from me.

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Bookmark the Kioko Media Instagram Bot

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There has been several times when consistently checking Kioko Media has saved my accounts. There is a reason to why this is one of the most popular pages on some forums - people post great information here on a daily basis. When Instagram goes through algorithm changes. I think it was in late September when Instagram went through one of the biggest algorithm changes it's ever had. People were losing thousands of accounts, but updated bot settings continued to surface throughout the mayhem. Not only will you stay up to date with Instagram algorithm changes, but you will also discover great methods, ideologies, and theories about Instagram that are a must for any social media nerd.

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Create Accounts That Interest You

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I see this all the time. People give up on accounts, and I just don't get it. Whether you are creating your first Instagram account or your 1,000. Create accounts that you will always be engaged with. Create accounts that you will be passionate about. Create accounts that you will care for on a daily basis. Your accounts are your babies. If you love soccer, create soccer accounts. If you love making money, create luxury accounts. If you love working out, create fitness accounts. It's so simple. If you are a vegetarian, don't create accounts about eating meat. It doesn't make sense. If you don't care enough about it in real life, then you won't care enough about it in social media.

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Create Accounts That You Have a Vision For

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To follow up on number 3, you have to create accounts that you will know how to monetize. I'm not saying that when you start an account you have to have a 10 page business plan, but you have to know in general how you could make money from it. If you are trying to make money, don't set up a non-profit charity page on Instagram. You are a nice person for doing that, but understand you won't make a dime from that. (... unless you are selling shout-outs from it... but that's not the point I'm trying to make here.) Also understand this - just because you love a niche doesn't mean it's necessarily profitable. Just because you are highly interested and engaged with African aardvarks, doesn't mean there is an audience for African aardvark enthusiasts on Instagram (but don't let me kill your dreams).

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Think Outside The Box

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This little tidbit is pretty similar to the previous two, but let's say you still love African aardvarks. While there only might be a handful of people on Instagram that would follow your page and give you love, you can still be creative with the niche and make money. Suppose you create a little fan page for your aardvarks, you can perhaps get some connection with a Zoo and maybe you can workout a deal so you can visit the aardvarks whenever you like. You might not be making money, but you are saving a couple bucks by not having to buy a one-day zoo pass.

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Back on topic, if you have skimmed Im Forums for a couple minutes, you probably have noticed the two big ways people are making money here: selling shoutouts and cost-per-action offers (CPA). There are still more ways you can make money, you just might have to do some digging (like a aardvark. Get it? Because burrows...). Contacting companies, creating your own company, selling clothes, apps, etc, etc the list goes on and on. Nothing works unless you do. Think outside the box and figure out ways to put money in your pocket.

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There Is No Such Thing as Saturation

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It pains me to say it, but... Instagram is not saturated at all. A lot of whitehat people write-off Instagram as "unmarketable" because advertising on Instagram seems to be pretty dull. There isn't really much of a call-to-action on Instagram because you can't place links in posts, and Instagram ads is about 3 years away from being profitable; however, even the annoying niches like fashion, fitness, and luxury are still wide open for opportunities if you know what you are getting yourself into. Sure, there might be a lot of accounts out there in those niches, but if you figure out ways to make your account(s) better, it won't take long before you start taking their followers and their profits (and their women, probably). If you are familiar with the Pareto principle (if not, Google it quick), Instagram is a lot like the 80/20 rule; however, it might be a tad different. It's probably close to 90/10 or even 95/5. Sure, let's stick with 95/5. 95% of the money being earning on Instagram is being made by 5% of the marketers. Most people probably think, "Damn, I can't make any money then. I'll just do Clickbank marketing instead with miniblogs." But if you were smart you would think like this, "What can I do to get in that 5%?"

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Generally speaking, saturation exists to some extent in Instagram and internet marketing. I am aware that contradicts what I just bolded. Sometimes there are too many people doing something, but that shouldn't stop you from doing it if you have the proper vision for success. Most of the niches I am engaged in (fitness, fashion, etc) are pretty saturated, but that didn't stop me from turning a profit.

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It's kind of like the old saying, "If everyone is jumping off a cliff, would you do it?" If you got a cool parachute that no one else has then go jump off that cliff.

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Post Original Content

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Posting original content is always going to be your best bet. Sure, if you are uncreative this might not be your strong suit, but posting original content is a major key to success for several reasons.

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You will stand out from your competition

You will more than likely stay away from IG's violation squad (especially if you are botting)

You will be unique and memorable

You will be happy

Aardvarks shouldn't live in zoos all their life

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Posting original content can be as simple as watermarking images or videos (content you have the right to watermark...maybe). There was a great thread earlier that showed increased engagement rates (comments and likes per photo/video) from simply watermarking their content. Posting original content often is important. All accounts should be posting everyday, if you ask me.

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Too many times I see accounts that post the same reposted pictures again and again. Always assume your audience is half-way educated, at least. They will know bullshit when they see it. If you are going to go with the reposting route, try and find lesser-known people to repost. You can't just go around posting Katy Perry pictures all day and expect your account to blow up (like a firework).

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Always Expand Your Empire

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Too often in internet marketing and life you will be struck with complacency. But as the old proverb goes - complacency is the enemy of progress. I'm not saying you should have thousands of accounts you can't run effectively or with care, but always look for ways to grow your Instagram empire. You should always have more than one cared-for Instagram account. You can always find the time to work on one more account.

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QUICK TIDBITS

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I would advise against buying accounts. It's too easy to recover accounts. If they can't monetize it, you probably won't be able to either. There is probably a good reason why they are selling it. Better safe than sorry. That being said, I have bought accounts before with success; however, I've had more bad experiences with it than good experiences.

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FollowLiker is the best thing we got right now for Instagram account automation. It's not amazing, but it's not terrible. For the price, it's the best you can get. Buy the extended version (with unlimited licenses). It's a good investment. I believe you can buy it here in the marketplace.

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Never fake followers. Under rare conditions is it allowed to fake likes and comments, but never fake followers. There is no use for it. They are deadweight. Also, be aware that some shoutout providers fake their engagement rate with fake likes and comments. I know most people go to IGERSLike for their Instagram panel, but there are also many quality dealers here in the Kioko Media marketplace for followers, likes, comments, etc.

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Aged accounts will always perform better under stress. Accounts that are at least 6 months old do better in automated activities than other accounts will. Instagram will see older accounts and give them some leeway. Instagram will see newer accounts and give them the banhammer.

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Accounts also need to be warmed up. Don't go full-blast right away with liking, commenting, following, etc. Start small and build bigger. I post a good example of this here.

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Always keep a couple tester accounts on hand to test limits, engagement, etc. Make sure these are the same age as your main accounts. Be bold with these accounts. Be crazy with these accounts. They are meant to test and push the limit for a reason.

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Make your own accounts if you can. You will just feel more at home when you do. Buy SIM cards. I think you can currently create around 5 accounts per phone. It could be much more than that but it's not much less. You are very safe if you have a personal account and a business account on the same phone/proxy right away. Make sure you use 3G/4G if you log into your phone with an account that usually is on a different proxy. Also, most phones you can add proxy settings if you prefer to use WiFi.

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Buy a VPS if you are using FollowLiker. I like it better than keeping my computer online all day. I use GreenCloudVPS but you can use whatever suits you.

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Typically you will always be safe with 1 proxy per 1 account initially. When your accounts get older it becomes more and more okay to push that limit. I would never go above 3 accounts per proxy, but there is always some crazy person on Kioko Media saying he's got like 7 accounts on one proxy. It's your call. I use SSLPrivateProxy but they are sometimes unreliable with support.

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I've never seen the point of doing "giveaways" but I could be wrong. I've never experimented with it. My theory is people who sign up for "giveaways" usually don't want to buy anything. But if you can find a way around that, kudos to you.

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You don't need big accounts to be successful with Instagram. You don't need thousands of accounts. Across all of my accounts I'm not deep into the 6 figure following range. That's really only a small loan of a million dollars when you think about it (political humor). My audience; however, is laser targeted, and that's all that matters. Good engagement rate and a following with an open checkbook is all it takes to make money in Instagram.

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Be aware that doing shout-for-shouts (S4S) devalues the credibility of your account. When I see an account doing a "shout-out" I almost always unfollow or ignore that account. Shout-for-shouts are great for gaining followers, but understand that comes at a price. Buying shout-outs instead of trading shout-outs is preferred if you can afford it, just make sure you are doing it from a credible account.

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If you aren't having success with Instagram, don't stress about it. I've bounced around from niche to niche, from offline marketing to Craigslist - when you know, you know. Building a broad awareness and becoming a jack-of-all-trades isn't such a bad thing in Internet Marketing. Using what you know from Instagram and applying it to other things can be very beneficial. The more you know, the better. You need to be laser-focused on a niche to be successful, and if you know from the start that you won't ever be laser-focused in on Instagram, then you might be wasting your time. That's the honest truth.

submitted by /u/PeterMag1 [link] [comments] November 15, 2019 at 04:51PM

[i-amusemyself]

All the asks.

Aaaaah tysm!!!!!

Sunrise or sunset?

Sunset. I prefer the colours and also not being awake so early!

Are you mentally ill?

Yeah I have depression but whatevs

Are you physically ill?

Chronically my dude. I have IBS and EDS type 3

What is the most expensive thing you have bought?

A plane ticket for nearly £1000 lmao! It took me working 3 jobs for over a year but it was worth it.

Do you have a job?

Not atm but I’ll get one in a few months. 

Are you in school?

Noooooo!! I finally finished sixth form in June. I’m finally free!! (I’m so happy I won’t have to see half those people again ngl)

Are you a dropout?

Nah

Are you in college?

Assuming this means uni, then no, but I will be in october.

Introvert or extrovert?

I have?? No idea?? I’m shy af and really quiet but I do like meeting new people.

What do you think when you look at your body?

I don’t really think much at all anymore, which is an improvement tbh. I just sort of see it but don’t process it.

What have others said when they look at your body?

I’ve had a lot of not-so-supportive comments about my body from a lot of people. Most people tell me I’m too thin, that I’m unattractive, that I should get surgery for one reason or another. Idk. I don’t expect much more tbh.

Do you have a particular song that you feel deeply?

Hoo boi I have a whole playlist of songs that mean something to me.

Talk about a time in your life where you have felt most alive?

It was 2, maybe 3 weeks ago now XD I was roadtripping around America with my best friend @only-slightly-dangerous and it was the happiest I’ve ever been. We were care free and the world was beautiful and there were so many new things to see and do. I wish I was back there.

Are you confident wearing a bikini?

Not at all, I’ll avoid it at all costs.

Can you look people in the eyes while talking?

See, I don’t have a conscious issue with it. I don’t mind eye contact that much. But I usually subconsciously end up looking away, especially if I’m thinking deeply about something/trying to remember something.

Has anything terrible happened to you?

Depends on your definition of terrible. But yeah, a couple of things have really fucked me up.

Has anything wonderful happened to you?

I met the best person in my life at the worst time in my life. The chances of it happening were ridiculously slim; I still can’t get my head around it.

Favorite part of your personality?

I don’t know. My patience or my sense of humor?

Least favorite part of your personality?

How easily I become jealous of others. Or maybe my need to be in control. I’m working on both of them though.

Favorite part of your body?

....my legs? I’m told theyre p good?

Least favorite part of your body?

Maybe my face? Maybe my chest. Idk, I don’t critique it often.

Favorite quote?

“The sun will rise and we will try again”. There are others I like, but that’s the first that comes to mind.

Do you have friendships with all genders?

I have a crippling fear of men so most my close friends are with girls. Though again, I’m working on it.

Do you have a good relationship with your father?

I didn’t used to so much, but I think it’s improved a lot over the past few years.

Do you have a good relationship with your mother?

It’s complicated. I don’t really wanna go into it rn

Do you have a good relationship with your siblings?

I don’t have any sibs, kinda wish I did though

Have you ever been hurt physically or mentally by a family member?

Yuuup

Have you ever had a near death experience?

Nope

Do you know anyone who has taken their own life?

Yeah. I used to talk to a girl on here and for months we held a pact of staying alive for each other. But she gave up (I kind of understood though). That was rough.

Have you ever tried to take your own life?

...whatever I answer this with feels like a lie

Biggest lie you have told?

I canny remember lmao

Do you follow any conspiracies?

I haven’t read much into many conspiracies, ngl. But there was something strange about how those twin towers fell down...

Do you believe in a New World Order?

Never heard of it. Gonna google it though.

Do you respect your government and the way your country is run?

Not at all. The tories can kiss my butt. They’re barely human.

Is there currently any strife in your country?

Meh, nothing too bad.

Have you ever been displaced within your country?

Nope, thankfully.

Are your friendships healthy?

The ones I have left are lmao! I’ve been doing a lot of cutting off in the past year, but it seems to have worked out pretty well.

Are you currently fighting with a friend?

No

Are you jealous of a friend? Why?

No. Their achievements don’t diminish my own. I want them all to succeed.

Do you believe in the Illuminati?

As much as I’m here for the meme, I don’t actually know much about it.

Do you think any celebrities are associated with the Illuminati? Who?

See previous.

How can people tell you are nervous?

Um, I don’t know. I try not to let on. Depending on the situation I might ask a lot of questions about it or just be very talkative in general. Also not being able to sit still.

How can people tell you are sad?

I don’t tend to talk as much or with as much enthusiasm. I also tend to “zone out” a lot if I’m feeling really down. Sometimes I’ll just give up on conversations all together and refuse to make any more effort than the other person is doing.

Do you ever express your true feelings?

I...think so. Yeah. I sometimes dilute them when I express them, but I rarely keep a feeling contained completely. That destroys me.

Regrets in your life?

Not standing up for myself more.

Achievements in your life?

I won a couple of things when I was younger (basketball tournaments, painting competitions) also I do well in school ig?

What did people say about you in school?

I mean, I’m sure I never heard all of it. The general consensus seemed to be everyone hated me for being “stuck up” and for doing okay at tests. Idk. 

What did you say about people in school?

Depended on the person lmao! I wasn’t a big fan of many people in my year, but I didn’t really hate any of them as much as they thought.

Is there something you have never told anyone?

yh

Have you committed an illegal act?

I mean, piracy, that’s it.

If you had two days to spend one million dollars how would you spend it?

I’d buy a house somewhere nice, a plane ticket and a holiday. Then I’d give a decent amount to everyone I know. The rest I’d give to charity.

What were your aspirations at age 5, 10, 15, 18?

I cant even remember what my aspirations were yesterday?? I’ve pretty much always wanted to do something to do with science, though it’s varied which parts of it.

Describe your first kiss? Was it how you imagined?

It aint happened.

Growing up were you in a wealthy, average, or low income household?

Low to average I’d say? My mums a single parent but we do okay.

Are you from a broken marriage?

My parents are divorced yah

Have you been raised by a solo parent?

Sort of? Officially speaking yeah.

Do you know both your parents?

Yup

What colour eyes, hair and skin do you have?

Brown eyes, blonde hair and white skin.

Have you abused drugs or alcohol?

No. I’ve drunk when I probably should have just talked about my feelings though.

What languages can you speak?

I speak english and a reasonable level of spanish. I’m also learning danish atm.

Do you conform to your societies standards?

Idk, I guess not.

Do you cry often?

Lmao, a lot more often than most people yeah. I’ve a very emotional person.

Do you tell people what you think of them?

Only the good parts.

Are you comfortable accepting compliments?

Not at all, it always feels like a lie.

Are you comfortable giving compliments?

Oh yeah! If I’m thinking something good about someone I’ll let them know!

Is any mental illness hindering your life?

Depression. It’s a bugger.

Is any physical illness hindering your life?

To a normal person it might seem it, but I’ve just kind of adapted to my illnesses so I can live life as normally as possible now.

Do you keep up with current events?

I try to I suppose. I haven’t so much recently though ngl.

What’s the latest news in the world you have heard/read?

This feels like a test....idk

What have you done today?

Slept, eaten, watched netflix, scrolled through tumblr.

Do you sleep well?

Sometimes

Do you sleep badly?

Sometimes

Have you ever hurt anyone because you were hurting?

Who on earth remembers their past with such clarity?? I mean, it’s possible yeah. But I couldn’t tell you who or when and it’s not something I’m proud of.

Has anyone ever hurt you because they were hurting?

Search me. That isn’t usually the first thing I ask someone when they hurt me.

Have you ever had to end a friendship/relationship? Why?

Yeah, a couple. Especially friendships if people have been more trouble than they’re worth and they’ve become someone who regularly hurts me.

Have you ever stopped someone from hurting themselves?

I’ve talked a few people down from suicide, but I don’t know how many of them are doing rn unfortunately.

Has anyone ever stopped you from hurting yourself?

My best friend.

Do you like your laugh?

I don’t hate it, but I do worry it annoys other people.

Are you preparing for an apocalypse? And what kind?

Lmfao no I’m not prepared for anything!! 

Do you have any funny family stories?

Not really, not that I can remember. 

Are you religious?

Nah

Do you like to watch true crime shows or movies?

Yeah lmao, ngl I love a good true crime show

Are you interested in cults?

...I guess I wouldn’t be adverse to finding out more about them

Would you like to raise a family in your country?

I mean, it wouldn’t be the worst place in the world to do it, but I plan on moving to another country before I consider doing that.

List some things you wanted in your childhood but never got?

I don’t know?? I was just grateful for the things I did have.

Is there a large age gap between you and a sibling?

Lmfao yeah 18 years and counting

Are you from a blended family?

Yup

Do you believe in marriage? Why/Why not?

Yeah I once saw a married person with my own two eyes.

What is the nicest thing anyone has said to you?

“You are my favourite person.”

Do you keep a journal?

In a way? I have a blog that acts as a journal and also a scrapbook

Would anyone be hurt by reading it?

Probably. I think about that a lot.

Do you have children?

Nope

Have you been pregnant?

Nopety nope

List your favorite movies?

In no particular order:

-Deadpool  -My Sisters Keeper  -Mamma Mia    -Hot Fuzz   -The Life of Brian  -The Lovely Bones    -Pitch Perfect 2

List your favorite people?

They know who they are.

Talk about the birthmarks and scars on your body?

Umm, I have a birthmark on my neck which I always think would be cool if it showed how I died in a previous life. 

Do you look after yourself?

Most of the time yeah

Do you put yourself or others first?

I put others first almost all the time. I couldn’t bare not to.

Are you happy today?

I mean,,, I was cut open and zipped back up 2 days ago so I’ve felt better lmao! 

Are you loved?

Contrary to what my anxiety wants me to believe, I think I actually might be by a few people.

[creativityworks-sx]

Inside the mind of Kanya King: Founder and CEO of the MOBO Awards (by Steph Santos)

Original blog post here ➡️ https://www.stephsantos.co.uk/post/inside-the-mind-of-kanya-king-founder-and-ceo-of-the-mobo-awards

Last week, our Media Trust group had the opportunity to pick the brain of the incredibly inspiring Kanya King, founder and CEO of the MOBO Awards. Before anything, I’d really like to thank Kanya again for her time as a lot of what was discussed deeply resonated with me. She started by telling us how COVID-19 has affected prep for the MOBOs comeback scheduled for this November. Soft spoken, with a huge smile and energy so warm and humble it radiated through the screen, Kanya emphasised how the safety of everyone involved is a top priority for the MOBOs.

Whilst this was all very interesting and I love hearing about a successful entrepreneur’s ventures, what I love even more (at least at this early stage of my own life) is studying their mind-set, absorbing their wisdom and formulating a ‘blueprint’. How does a successful and fulfilled mind think? What underlines a winner’s mentality? What are their biggest mental challenges? How do you overcome these? All this is super important for me to understand as I think the correct mind-set is the foundation for building the life of your dreams.

You need to be a problem solver in every aspect.

This is a trait every entrepreneur and go-getter, whether you are just starting out or a long- time CEO, will always have. “We’re used to problems, be creative in solutions and what you do” says Kanya.

Have a strong sense of purpose and believe in yourself, because people will try to get rid of you and write you off.

This is something that anyone who has ever had an idea will experience. I feel it multiplies in intensity the “wilder” the idea seems. Kanya mentioned a careers advisor to whom she once explained her vision and plans, for this career advisor to tell her to be more realistic. That given her circumstances, she should get a job at Sainsbury’s and if she worked hard enough, she could potentially become a manager. “That gave me the drive and ambition to realise who I was destined to become, was who I decided to be. That gave me ammunition. The drive and motivation to succeed”. Kanya isn’t the first person to share that hearing ‘No’ fuelled her drive. I heard the same from Henrie Kwushue in a previous Zoom call, and from multiple individuals who I have encountered at different points of my life.

For Kanya, this didn’t stop even after putting on a successful MOBO’s show. “People started to compare us to conglomerates out there. I thought we’d get the love and support but actually, there were a lot of people trying to get rid of us. That really surprised me. In the end, you get to a state where you don’t ask for permission anymore, you just do what you do, be proud and go forth”. Kanya’s experience is unique in the sense that she was creating a space for black culture, and pioneering the diversity movement in music and entertainment at a time when the conversations were nowhere near as prevalent as they are today. However, the take away message remains. Have a powerful sense of purpose and believe in it. It then becomes very difficult for anyone to challenge you.

Get yourself a team of mastermind friends.

I’d be lying if I said this one hasn’t become increasingly obvious to me on my own journey. I still feel like I am searching for my tribe, so at times life can feel pretty lonely which is also something Kanya touched upon by saying the entrepreneur lifestyle can be “a very isolating existence”. However, when I do find and interact with people I admire and respect, the more my mind seems to expand whether that’s with confidence, ideas and inspiration, new concepts and questions, or often all of these things at once. Not only that, but I find that certain struggles are best understood by people who are or have been in similar shoes, and naturally they’ll advise you based on their experience. It’s a whole process of osmosis, so I was not surprised to hear Kanya frequently circle back to this point.

“You have to find your own mastermind circle of people that you can pick up the phone and get advice, or that you’re just inspired by. Having friends out there who are championing and trailblazing inspires me to up my game and helps me”. There’s a reason social scientists say that you reflect the people you surround yourself with – and that’s because it is true. I’m a product of my environment. Mastermind friends hold you to a higher standard for yourself. “Often when you vocalise [a dream] to someone, people will hold you accountable. Being accountable is really important.”

Another important role that mastermind friends play is that of a trusted impartial counsel. “If you have a buddy, meet up and share. A problem shared is a problem halved. No matter what it looks like out there, no entrepreneur business person gets there alone, it’s all about the team. Have a team around you that are willing to give you honest advice”. Kanya was very open about the realities of being an entrepreneur. “A lot of entrepreneurs might talk about the wins and the successes but there are so many lows. It’s important to realise that. That mastermind network is so important to have otherwise the first challenge you get, you’re tempted to give up.”

Find mentors everywhere.

Kanya didn’t have a mentor when she first started out. She stated that this led her to doing everything you shouldn’t do and making all the mistakes because she had no one advising her. “I didn’t have any track record, I didn’t have any mentors or advisors, I didn’t have any money and I didn’t have connections”. So what did Kanya have? That’s easy. “I had this overwhelming desire to succeed and I didn’t have a plan B, that allowed me to overcome so many obstacles”.

However, if you do have people willing to be your mentors or you can learn from someone, it’s highly advisable. “Mentors come in many guises. You don’t need to have the official title of a mentor to be a mentor”, says Kanya. “Your mentor may be someone you admire and whose journey you can follow”. Mentors can even be someone who you isolate a specific character trait from and embed that into your life. Kanya spoke about her own mother who although advised her to not start her own business (it came from that place of love where they just want you to be safe and secure in life), what Kanya did admire was how hard her mother worked and the resilience with which she navigated her challenges in life. This offered Kanya lots of perspective when faced with her own set of challenges.

There are no shortcuts. It’s hard work so the drive and motivation come from within.

You have to get out there and start. “It’s better to do something than to do nothing. You are far more likely to learn from doing than you are watching”. I felt this one. You can watch every motivational video on YouTube, you can listen to every interview, at some point you will have to DO things too, or all you’ve done is accumulate enormous amounts of theory in your head. I’m guilty of this myself, of failing to move past the research stage. At some point you have to take the leap and become the guinea pig in your own real life experiment. “There are no shortcuts, there are no get rich quick schemes. You need to put in the time and the determination. It helps to do something that you’re passionate about. You’ve got to be 100% motivated in your aims and objectives otherwise you’ll give up”. That’s the non sugar-coated truth from Kanya King.

Also, if you overthink it, you may just think yourself out of it entirely. “I didn’t anticipate half of the challenges I would go on to face and it’s probably a good thing. Had I known all the things I know now, that might have put me off! What I did know is I’ve always had the stamina, always had the energy and always fought hard for what I believe in”. I’m a massive over thinker, so for me it’s best to jump and just trust that I will be able to cross bridges as they come.

A quick summary of the way Kanya’s mind works: believe in yourself even if others don’t, believe in your ability to be a problem solver, surround yourself with similar minds so you can support and push each other forward, anticipate the hard work and commit to making your vision happen. Don’t ask for permission, make it happen.

And on that note – I recently discovered a love for video production and editing alongside photography and music, so anyone wanting to create behind the scenes/tour content when things get back to normal, shout me!

Also, do check out the MOBO Awards IG Live Show, #LowdownInLockdown. Every Friday they have two awesome guests on it.

You can follow Kanya on her twitter (@KanyaKing) and instagram (@kanyakingCBE).

[johnmuffus]

Dropship Profit Secrets Review

Dropship Profit Secrets Review (Kevin Vang Course)

Dropship Profit Secrets is a relatively new course on dropshipping released by Kevin Vang. It focuses mostly on running a successful Google Ads campaign to market your business and products.

Today, we’ll take a look at what the course offers in its content to give you all the knowledge you need before deciding to spend your $497 on it.

With so many courses being released lately and the poor quality standard among many, you should never buy one without a clear idea of what you’re going to get from it. So, let’s read on and find out for ourselves.

Who’s the author?

If you’re currently reading this, the chances are you learned about Kevin’s course from his YouTube channel. He uses it to market this course while releasing your standard dropshipping content.

He isn’t the oldest YouTuber in this niche. He started about a year ago by uploading dropshipping content like most similar channels: researching products, niches, strategies, stories, etc. During that year, there seems to be a break since he stopped uploading content before continuing a few months ago.

Chances are he just took a rest after failing to keep up with his competitors. His channel only has about 3,000 subscribers, and the videos usually get 400-600 views. It doesn’t speak for its content, but it kind of does for his marketing proficiency.

There’s one thing that struck me as “iffy”. His channel only has 3 videos dealing with Google Ads, and they’ve all been uploaded during the last month. Let me remind you that this is the focus of his entire course, so it doesn’t paint a nice picture so far.

Google Ads can be quite difficult, so feeling that he only just started talking about it to market his course makes me doubt a lot. Still, his sales page says his success is owed to Google Ads for letting his dropshipping be profitable, which was something Facebook didn’t accomplish.

Reviewing Dropship Profit Secrets

The course says it’ll teach you the necessary steps to turn dropshipping into your main income stream. It claims to get you rid of all worries regarding what you should sell and how to market those products.

Its sales page suggests it’s tailored for beginners lacking any of the skills necessary to start. It’s also marketed towards intermediate entrepreneurs who haven’t found success with Facebook Ads.

It’s sold as a training detailing all the steps necessary to exploit Google Ads and use it to turn your dropshipping Shopify store into your living.

It currently costs $497, and you can only pay for it with a credit card. That’s odd since there’s an image explicitly saying that you can pay for it with PayPal. However, it’s completely absent from the actual payments page, so it’s probably a let-down for many.

It’s a short course focused solely on Google Ads. As it suggests, you won’t get anything on Facebook, Instagram, or any other social media platform, and that’s to be expected. However, it also skips SEO, which is a significant side of using Google even though it’s not directly tied to Google Ads.

What you get

The course splits its content through 6 modules (called “chapters”), which also break down into sub-sections. It’s still a short course with basic content spread through its 26 lessons, and it’s already a worrying sign since courses like eCom Elites go for less than half and offer 7 times that amount.

The chapters are your standard eCommerce content: creating a store, finding products, knowledge on Google traffic, scaling your Google Ads, and general scaling for your store.

It starts with 4 lessons explaining how you can build your store focusing on a single product. That’s one of the key points of this course: it only recommends a single-product store. People looking to run a full eCommerce with several products will see a significant handicap.

He teaches you how you can build a store focused on conversions and a few tips to boost your sales. A video shows you the structure for the product pages and how to price them. This opening chapter concludes with an explanation of how you can use customer reviews to boost your sales and which app you can use to integrate that function.

The second chapter focuses on researching your products. It begins by telling you which products you should keep at bay, and then he goes into what your “winning products” look like. He also goes into increasing your profit margins and speeding up your shipping times by choosing the right products.

There’s a method for spying on other stores seeing success with dropshipping and how you can use Facebook for that task, but it doesn’t add a lot to what other courses tell you. The end of the chapter gives you some tips for getting unique products from unique suppliers.

The following chapter takes you into how you can get customers using Google Traffic. Again, this is all paid Google Ads. He doesn’t cover anything on SEO or content marketing, so don’t expect any free strategies for marketing on Google.

This chapter studies how you can use Google Trends, using the best keywords (still not SEO), how to run successful campaigns, optimizing your bids and strategies, which keywords to avoid (nope, not SEO), working on your ad copy, and how to place your ads on Google’s first pages.

At least it’s relevant for people using Google Ads, but it’s nothing you can’t find on other courses costing less or even for free through online articles or YouTube.

After that, you get another Google Ads-related chapter that works as a continuation for the previous one. You get 4 brief videos on how you can scale your ads on Google. There’s content on budget optimization, how to improve your conversions, and how to steal customers from your competitors in an ethical way.

It’s not bad content, but it’s more of the same you can get from other courses priced lower. You can work with what you learned, but he doesn’t go beyond the basics.

Finally, Kevin somehow thought that “Taking Over The Market” was a good name for the last chapter and that it was something students could somehow do with what they learned here. Jokes (truthful jokes at that) aside, you get another module with 4 videos.

This time, you learn how you can push your competitors out of the market, some “hacks” for your headlines on product pages, a few tips to help your profits, and a strategy to turn your daily $200 into $5,000.

Bonus content

There are 3 bonuses in this course.

First, you get a one-off call directly with Kevin to discuss your general strategy. The conversation will mostly focus on what products you should sell, taking a look at your store to see what you can improve, and some help when creating ads.

This isn’t necessarily bad, and mentorship calls are a great addition to any course. However, a one-time contact doesn’t count as mentorship, and I really doubt you can answer all your inquiries with a single call.

That’s without saying that I still doubt Kevin’s actual experience. Remember he just uploaded his first 3 Google Ads videos on YouTube right before releasing this.

The second addition as a product finding tool that somehow “should” cost $997. You can use the tool for looking up products through reverse engineering of the stores from your competition. It sounds great and all, but there are several tools available online (even for free) that do the same, and you can spy on your competitors with something as simple as searching on Facebook.

The last bonus is called “Reveal to you how to achieve massive success”, and that’s all you need to know from it. That, and the fact it doesn’t succeed.

Refunds

You can ask for a refund within 2 weeks of purchasing the course as long as you’ve watched less than 40% of its material. It sounds fair enough, but the course is so short that you can reach that percentage without realizing, so be careful.

Earnings “disclaimer”

If you’re still thinking about buying the course after reading this, please, take a look at this disclaimer. No course is a surefire way to get success, and it’s good when authors like Kevin let you know that.

However, this disclaimer seems too inclined towards telling that “you’re not going to make any money”.

Don’t believe me? The second sentence explicitly says that he’s not presenting you with business opportunities. Sure, he may be talking about working directly with him, but he also may not.

Finally, there’s another sentence saying that students agree the author will not “share in” their success. I don’t really know what that means. Why would students have to agree? Is he talking about profiting from their students’ sales? Perhaps he’s talking about not using your success for his benefit, which would contradict the screenshots on his sales page.

Final Verdict

This is a brief course on Google Ads basics, and that’s it. Google Ads isn’t a holy grail for dropshippers, though. They’re a great strategy, but you can’t focus solely on a single marketing strategy.

That’s the problem with this course. You learn nothing on building a profitable store, marketing on FB or IG (which should be standard content in every course), emailing, or SEO. It’s just a (very basic) guide to Google Ads.

It doesn’t really give you any information on running a successful store, and it also avoids giving real insight and depth into Google Ads. The same goes with all sections; the “product research” content still avoids basic and free recommendations like Wish.

Let’s face it: Google Ads is owned by a giant. Almost every successful company uses it, so finding guides, resources, and content for free online is seamless, so why would you pay $497 for the same content –but limited?

A Better Alternative

If you want to start any eCommerce, you want to know everything to run your business by yourself. You need to learn how to set up your store, all the marketing channels you can exploit, and how to grow your business properly.

While you won’t learn that here, you can do so with eCom Elites, and it’ll cost you less about half what this course offers while still providing you with countless content and resources for you to become the entrepreneur you want.

I hope you found this review useful and if you have any questions, please comment down below. I’ll be more than happy to assist you.

Once again, thanks for reading my Dropship Profit Secrets Review and I wish you the best of luck.

The post Dropship Profit Secrets Review appeared first on Only Genuine Reviews.

source https://www.onlygenuinereviews.com/dropship-profit-secrets-review/ source https://onlygenuinereviews.tumblr.com/post/190169915927

[iamyemzi]

#YemziGirl Feature 33 (November) - Caroline Chi-Chi Chinakwe, Stylist, Creative Consultant and Artist from North-West London via Nigeria

#YemziGirl Interview November, Caroline

1. Please describe what you do, where you're from (and your age if you feel comfortable)

C: My name is Caroline Chi-Chi Chinakwe, I’m a Stylist, Creative Consultant and Artist. I’m originally from Lagos Nigeria, but grew up in London and Happy and proud to say I just celebrated my 46th birthday.

2. How did your career begin?

C: I studied fashion design and technology at London College of Fashion (LCF) back in the early 90s. My first job in fashion was working for Nicole Farhi as a quality controller, in the manufacturing department. I found a love for working in manufacturing and went on to work for various suppliers to high street stores as a garment technologist. This was back when we still had a lot of factories in the UK manufacturing for most of the clothing brands, before China and India became the number one destination for apparel manufacturing.

3. What to pull for inspiration for your artwork and client shoots, do trends play a huge role in your work and if so where do you 'discover' them?

C: My inspiration comes from my taste in style, what I would like to see on women and men, what my imagination tells me to create is where I start from. So much has already been done when it comes to fashion trends, styling and art. Trends have been reworked so many times, that I no longer see that as inspiration. The chances are that no matter what you can think of doing, someone else has already done it. What you’re left with is your imagination and creativity. I find inspiration in everyday things I see. When you walk down the street and see things you like, or watch a video, or visit a gallery, the things we like are automatically stored in our heads and hearts somewhere, so when I create an image, whether it be art, or styling, rather than starting again with pulling inspiration, I will want to go back to the stored data of images, I’ve collected over years of just living and use that as my starting point.

4. Are fashion weeks still relevant in 2018?

C: When I first started off in fashion, while at LCF and definitely before social media, fashion weeks were definitely very important, exciting and inspiring. Now not so much so. Social media has changed the way we view fashion, has opened up our access to the industry and those that work in it and run it. The average teenager with a sense of style, but no knowledge of the industry, can set a trend that everyone will follow including the heads of the fashion industry, fashion week has lost its aim and objectives, so what really is the relevance of Fashion week anymore?

5. What's been your greatest achievement?

C: Fashion and style were my first step into the creative industry, but my greatest achievement is where I am now, transitioning from fashion to art. It’s such a leap and challenge and something that I didn’t think I would do, but taking a leap of faith is exciting and has spurned a new energy and passion.

6. You’ve worked all over the world, which spot did you love most?

C: I love working in Africa. I recently did a shoot in Abidjan, working with the talent there and also models from Ghana. That was an amazing experience, shooting in different locations around Abidjan and also travelling to neighbouring city Yamoussoukro, some of my best work have come from this shoot.

7. Tell us your dream shoot - designers, models, photographer, MUA, set design/location...

C: I’ve never thought of this... I’ve never really followed anyone’s career enough to say they would be my dream anything. I’ve loved images I’ve seen over time, but try not to get too focused on what others are doing. But here are people that I have respect for their work and have loved their creativity and of course given the opportunity, would love to work with all of them on a shoot. Designer - Coco Chanel, Model - Naomi Campbell, Photographer- David Uzochukwu, MUA - Pat McGrath and location would be Imo state Nigeria

8. What's next for Chichi the Stylist-Consultant-Artist?

C: I’m so excited and passionate about where I am right now with my creativity. Building on the art and finding new ways to merge it with fashion is very much my focus. I’m still styling and consulting with different brands, but everything will now revolve around the art. I also have a manger/ agent who is amazing and believes in what I’m doing. Doing this alone is such a struggle, so having someone who you can trust and who also supports and believes in your creativity, is everything.

9. What are your 3 tips for succeeding in the creative industry?

C: First, you have to understand your creativity and trust in it. Different people will try and change what you’re doing, but remember that your individuality is what is going to make you stand out and succeed. Second, get out there and network, meet people and talk to them about you and your work, you just never know who you’re going to meet. Third, your business can’t grow without financial investment, so be wise with how you spend your investment, make sure everything is looking right and tight for when you are ready to attract more money.

10. As a busy freelancer and full-time Mum how do you find time for yourself, to unwind, space to reflect on life?

C: I’m lucky to be a freelancer working mostly from home. So, I have time to be a mum and run around for the kids, but also have time to work at my own pace. It’s important to make space for yourself, hang with friends, date and look fab. As a single mother of 3, and selfemployed creative, having your own space where- ever and when-ever you can find it is so important. Sometimes it could just be staying all day in bed and catching up on reality tv, once the kids are out, or just going for a walk. It’s just something I’ve always done and pray to continue doing, the balance of everything keeps me going.

11. You look so good in the pieces that you purchased from our summer sample sale at Soboye, it was a special statement when you said “I want to start dressing like this more.” For you what defines the Yemzi look or the #YemziGirl?

C: I love clothes that are loose and free, nothing too restrictive. I did a modest wear, hijab shoot in Abidjan and I loved how you can be covered, but still feel empowered, sexy and beautiful. The Yemzi collection has pieces that allows me to be this, empowered, sexy and beautiful.

12. And finally what is your favourite quote?

C: I have two favourite quotes, the first is by Sigmund Freud. “Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise” And the second is by Lao Tzu, “The journey of a thousand miles, begins with one step”

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