#lucky I have 60 fuel or whatever saved up!!!

[villainology]

SHUT UPPPP argenti is sooooo good 😭 im trying to get his lightcone as well, and when I do I really wanna get some eidolons of him 👉🏻👈🏻

[justatiredghost]

The sort of terror Klaus felt on the battlefield was a familiar one. It forced him to swallow the horror as he pretended not to notice the misery and death all around. It was familiar, but it was not something he would ever get used to. Whether it was here in Vietnam or going on missions with his siblings, he hated that he was being forced to kill for someone else. Apparently he could never escape this.

Just like back then, here he focused on the one good things he could do, like protecting those around him. He encouraged his brothers in arms, making jokes even as he swallowed the bile rising in the back of his throat. Surely the battle had to be winding down now, surely one side or the other would have to retreat soon, he just had to hold out a little longer.

As he took a moment to breathe deeply to keep his hands shaking, he glanced at Dave who flashed him a mischievous grin before returning his attention to the battlefield. Klaus didn’t miss how the smile didn’t reach his eyes. There was just as much fear in him as there was in himself but they both dealt with it by laughing, by pretending they were fine. Klaus wanted to reach out, to squeeze his hand, to feel it warm against his own and know that they were alive, but that would have to wait. 

Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. A grenade. No one else had seen it, no one else was going to react in time, so Klaus threw himself at Dave, yelling a warning. He managed to push Dave down behind the safety of the barricade, but he wasn’t so lucky. Something big and heavy crashed into him and the next thing he knew everything was dark.

For a blissful moment, everything was still and quiet, almost peaceful with just a ringing in his ears. Then the full force of the war came back to him in a rush; gunfire, explosions, and, of course, the screams, and it all hurt so much. He was disoriented and confused, a weight on his back, knowing only that he had to get out of there and he had to find Dave. 

The dark tight space brought back unwanted memories, flashes of mausoleums, of a closet in a shitty motel and rope burns on his wrists. He was already worried about Dave and all of it only enhanced his fear, causing him to scramble desperately out from under whatever was on top of him. He was almost blinded by the bright sun and it sent a stabbing pain through his skull. He felt so dizzy as he tried to get his bearings.

There were people moving all around and he tried to call out but choked on dust. He stumbled and someone grabbed his arm, supporting his weight, easing him to the ground. When he got his brain working enough to actually register that it was Dave, a wave of relief washed over him and he couldn’t help but cling to his sleeve. 

Taking a moment to look around, he discovered that apparently he’d been knocked down by a heavy bit of sheet metal that had once been part of the barricade and suddenly he was grateful he only had a concussion to show for it. It was worth it, though, because it looked like no one else had been seriously hurt.

“Stay down,” Dave said urgently as he cupped Klaus’ face, forcing him to look at him. Dave’s hands were shaking.

“Dave? What’s up? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Klaus said because Dave looked so terrified and he couldn’t have that. “That’s supposed to be my job.”

“What can I say? Thought I’d take a turn,” Dave said playing along, although he still looked as shaken as Klaus felt. 

He led Klaus behind a pile of sandbags, pulling him down with him so they were kneeling together well out of the line of fire before he started checking him for injuries, running his fingers over bruises, looking for anything broken. He raised one hand while the other continued it’s wandering. 

“How many fingers am I holding up?” Dave asked.

“Why, don’t you know?” Klaus joked, not particularly wanting to admit that his eyes weren’t letting him focus. “You know, you should really save this for the bedroom. You trying to get me all hot and bothered out here on the battlefield?”

“I like to keep you on your toes,” Dave said, unphased, and Klaus knew he had to be upset. Ordinarily that would be enough to distract him, make him blush. Dave ran his fingers tentatively through Klaus’ hair as if searching for something. Klaus winced as he neared the back of his head, near where the pain was a constant throb. 

“Ow!”

“You have a concussion.”

“Well don’t poke at it,” Klaus exclaimed, pushing his hands away.

“Much as I’d like to continue this little date of ours, I think we’d better get you to the medic,” Dave said.

It was weird, seeing Dave like this. He was usually so chill and laid back, keeping his cool even under the most dangerous circumstances. But right now he looked terrified and his hands were still shaking as he helped Klaus up. They’d been in countless battles but he’d never seen Dave look so rattled. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Klaus said. “I’m the one who nearly got blown up, why are you shaking?”

“I think I’m supposed to ask you that,” Dave said but at least he earned a little chuckle from him.

“No fair, I asked first.”

“Just-- do me a favor and try not to pull anymore stunts like that, okay? I can get out of the way myself.” Dave said. “For a second, I thought--” His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “Come on, let’s just get you to a medic before you decide to try flying again.”

“Don’t worry, it was a one time thing. I’ve satisfied that little curiosity,” Klaus joked.

Dave didn’t leave his side, a gentle, supporting arm around him the entire time. Dave was always gentle, even despite the fact that he was in a hurry. He didn’t even let him go when they arrived at the medical tent. Klaus was grateful for the excuse to maintain contact even around other people. Partly to avoid suspicion if only for Dave’s peace of mind, and partly just because he enjoyed the contact, Klaus played up his injuries a bit, leaning against Dave as if he really did need him to stand until they finally lead them to an empty bed in the corner. 

Chances were good everyone already knew they were together, it was hard to keep secrets when you’re around the same group of people constantly. They were bound to notice the fond looks and fleeting touches that they tried so hard to hide. Still, Klaus certainly couldn’t blame Dave for wanting to keep their relationship on the down low. That was a lesson hard learned even fifty years from now, it could only be so much worse here in the 60s. Thankfully everyone here seemed content to ignore them and he didn’t want to push their luck. 

Even if their tightly clasped hands would be overlooked, they both knew Dave couldn’t stay, especially if the fighting was still going on. Still, he hesitated, dropping down into the chair next to the bed and rubbing at his face.

“Hey, what’s up?” Klaus said, pulling his hand back so Dave would look at him.

“When that explosion went off,” Dave said with a shaky laugh, but there was no humor to it. 

“What’s with all this concern?” Klaus said flippantly, as if he could just brush away all that worry. “I’ve had worse, it was barely a scratch. Usually people don’t worry so much, I bounce back quick.”

“Of course I’m gonna worry about you,” Dave said, his calm charade finally falling away. He seemed to realize he’d gotten too serious and hurried to continued. “Come on man, if something were to happen to you, who am I supposed to jell with? You know all these guys are too square.” 

“Okay, okay,” Klaus said, raising a hand in defense. 

Despite his lighter tone, Dave still looked so shaken. A commotion at the entrance signalled the arrival of more wounded though and he had to leave, but not before squeezing Klaus’ hand, even risking bringing it up to place a quick kiss to his knuckles. 

“I’ll be back. Don’t go anywhere,” Dave said.

“Fine,” Klaus groaned in exaggerated disappointment. “But only because you asked so nicely.”

Dave glanced back at him one last time before disappearing outside. Klaus watched after him for a long moment, feeling more confused than anything. He was always getting into scrapes, no one had ever reacted like that before, looking so terrified. He didn’t really know what to make of it. 

He didn’t have long to contemplate, though, because eventually the nurse came by to bandage him up and give him some painkillers. Blessed, blessed painkillers. He spent the afternoon talking to the medical staff and any other patients that were brought in. Unfortunately, eventually evening came and everyone started settling in to sleep, leaving Klaus with his thoughts. He slept fitfully but the uneasiness of the day’s events made it impossible to really rest.

Since arriving, he’d done his best to bury all memories of his time kidnapped but getting trapped after the explosion had brought it all back much too clearly, fueled by the horrors the war had heaped on top of it all. He thought he’d handled the whole torture thing pretty well at the time. How long had it taken him to finally break anyway? He wasn’t a stranger to pain and he liked to think he wasn’t too bothered about the whole ordeal, but that wasn’t true. 

He’d been afraid, actually afraid, and between his descent into withdrawals and knowing he had truly been abandoned by his family; it left a scar. There was an ache in his chest and he suddenly felt sick again, tears prickling at the corners of his eyes despite himself. Why was he like this? He told himself it shouldn’t haunt him the way it apparently still did and he wasn’t sure why he couldn’t just lock it all away again instead of dwelling like this. 

There was one thing he did know, though. He needed to get high, that would solve his problem nicely. He dug around in his pockets until he found the pill bottle he’d hidden there. It was ridiculously easy to get drugs here. It was apparently the military’s solution to how few bodies they had to order around; just pump the soldiers full of drugs so you could get a few more day’s work from them before they completely broke down. 

He swallowed the pills dry, settling back with a relieved sigh. As his eyes finally began to droop, he remembered he’d already taken painkillers. That might have been a mistake. He was vaguely aware of Dave, suddenly at his side. He hadn’t even noticed him enter. He watched as Dave’s smile slipped, replaced with a look of confusion, and then the concern was back again when he spotted the pill bottle.

“How many did you take?” he asked urgently.

Klaus tried to get his mouth working but he just couldn’t. The last thing he saw before slipping into unconsciousness was Dave leaving. 

-

When Klaus came too, he was still in the medical tent, an IV now in his arm. The first rays of dawn were slowly peeking in through the door flap and, to his surprise, Dave was sitting in the chair beside him. Klaus hadn’t expected him to come back. He’d figured Dave had just had enough of putting up with a junkie the way everyone did. 

Sure, he’d never commented on his drug use before. They’d even used together on occasion, although Dave always took considerably less. Klaus supposed occasional recreational use was a bit different than what he did. Dave knew about the ghosts and why he needed the drugs, and Klaus was usually careful not to take too much and risk endangering the others, he had a responsibility here. 

Still, he’d caught the worried looks Dave gave him sometimes and that usually became anger in Klaus’ experience. There was no reason Dave needed to stick around and put up with Klaus’ shit. Really it was only a matter of time until something like this happened. But if he’d finally wised up, why was he back?

Dave was currently smoking a joint which Klaus was definitely sure no one was supposed to do in here. Not that Dave was a stickler for the rules by any means, but he did tend to follow the sensible ones. His leg was bouncing restlessly, his face half hidden behind an arm as he leaned forward resting on his elbows so Klaus couldn’t read his expression. He must have heard him moving though because he glanced up, straightening at the sight of Klaus awake and gave a strained smile. 

Here we go, Klaus thought.

“Hey, welcome back,” Dave said. “How do you feel?” 

“Oh, just great,” Klaus said. “Fantastic even.” He reached out to take the joint from Dave, but he flinched back.

“Uh, maybe just give it a minute, yeah?” Dave said as way of explaining himself, trying to smile but it looked more pained than anything.

“What’s going on?” Klaus asked suspiciously. Might as well get things moving. 

“Ah, yeah,” Dave took a heavy drag on the joint before dropping it, crushing it under a boot.

“Well that was a waste,” Klaus said.

“You almost overdosed,” Dave said, not even humoring him anymore which shook Klaus. “If I hadn’t come by when I did and gotten the nurse--”

He cut himself off, making a strangled sound as he brought a hand up to scrub at his face.

“Hey, woah waoh woah,” Klaus said in horror. This was definitely not how he’d expected this conversation to go. “What’s going on? Are--are you crying?” 

“I know, way to kill the mood, am I right?” Dave said with a nervous little laugh that broke Klaus’ heart.

“No, come on,” Klaus said as he reached out and grasped his sleeve, trying to stop Dave from turning away. Usually people were angry at this point, he had no idea what was happening. “You’ve already seen me cry enough times, it’s fine. Just talk to me.”

Dave cleared his throat harshly and rubbed at his face again, trying to compose himself. He took a moment to glance around the room too which Klaus suspected was partly to avoid eye contact and partly to make sure no one was watching them. 

“I almost lost you,” Dave said. “Twice. First the explosion, then that.” He nodded to the bottle of pills on the bedside table.

“Why exactly are you here?“ Klaus asked, voice harder than he’d intended. Apparently they were doing this after all. “You stormed off angry when you found the bottle before. Are you here to tell me to stop? Give me some sort of ultimatum?”

“Angry? What?” Dave said, confused. “No, never. Terrified more like. Look, I get it, I really do. I honestly don’t know how you get through most days having to see ghosts, especially in a war zone, and I’m certainly no one to judge. I can’t even imagine how horrible it must be, but I can’t-- I thought you were gonna die on me. I can’t lose you.”

“It’s fine, really,” Klaus said earnestly. “I’m fine. I’m not going anywhere. You don’t need to worry about me.” He felt guilty. It really had been a stupid mistake, mixing the drugs like that. Not that that really sounded like much of a reassurance so he kept that to himself..

“How can I not?” Dave reached out and took his hand, squeezing briefly. “Just-- please try to be a little more careful. I care about you. I want you to be okay.”

Klaus was so used to being around people who barely tolerated him and certainly didn’t care about his wellbeing. Usually they were only interested in what they could get out of him. And the few people who had cared had given up almost immediately. Even his own family barely cared. Not that Klaus could blame them. He spent his life chasing that high not thinking of anything else, the consequences had never matter.

And now here was Dave, caring despite everything Klaus had put him through since they’d met. It was a strange feeling, a little terrifying even and it made him want to be better than he was. He didn’t think he was strong enough to give up drugs, but Dave wasn’t asking him to. He just wanted him to be more careful, to take care of himself. He wanted him to be happy. And when Klaus looked at him, it made him want to try, for the first time in his life. Because it would make Dave happy. 

“That might be a mistake,” Klaus said with a self deprecating laugh. “I’m very good at getting myself into trouble.”

“I was rather hoping I could get into that trouble with you, then we can run away from it together,” Dave said, hint of his usual smile returning. 

“Aw, sweet talker,” Klaus said. Part of him wanted to keep pushing, to warn Dave away, but he knew that wouldn’t work. Dave was too kind. 

“I know you’re never gonna stop pulling ridiculous stunts,” Dave said. “And I’m gonna be right there with you trying to think of ways to make them even more ridiculous. But try to avoid anymore near death experiences, okay? For my sake? And definitely don’t try to jump on any grenades for me when we can both just duck.”

Klaus’ mortality had always been a strange thing for him to think about. He didn’t want to die necessarily, but he knew his life wasn’t worth much of anything anyway. It never particularly mattered if he lived or died so he just never thought about it. It was freeing in a way, he felt invincible and he knew he would until he didn’t anymore. Being in a war zone definitely forced him to reexamine all of that. As did Dave. 

He wanted to be there, with Dave. He wanted to see him smile, to be the cause of that smile. He didn’t know what Dave saw in him, but he saw everything in Dave. He supposed he’d have to develop some sort of sense of self preservation or he was only going to hurt Dave more.

“Fine,” Klaus said, drawing the word out. “I guess I can at least try.”

“Thank you,” Dave said, thankfully grinning now.

“So long as you do the same,” Klais leveled him with a glare and pointed an accusatory finger at him.

“I suppose it’s only fair,” Dave said, laughing. He leaned forward to give him a quick kiss, glancing around self consciously after. “Now, are you gonna tell me what’s going on?”

“With what?” 

“I know it couldn’t have been ghosts bothering you, you’d already taken painkillers when you went for the drugs.”

“Couldn’t I just be bored?” Klaus asked innocently. Dave was way too observant.

“Come on, talk to me,” Dave said. “We’re in this together, remember?”

“Okay, fine, twist my arm why don’t you,” Klaus grumbled, although he couldn’t exactly bring himself to be annoyed. “So, uh, you remember that first night I showed up?”

“Yeah, of course,” Dave said, scooting closer. “You certainly know how to make an entrance, don’t you?”

“Of course I do,” Klaus winked. “But do you remember how I told you I stole the time traveling suitcase from a couple of assassins who’d been sent after my brother?”

“Yeah,” Dave said, his smile falling as he seemed to guess where this was going.

“They’d kidnapped and tortured me for a day or two before that,” he finished in a bit of a rush.

“Oh Klaus,” Dave said. “I guess that explains the blood and scars.”

He glanced around the room again and seemed to come to a decision because he crawled onto the narrow bed beside him, pulling him against his chest. Klaus gratefully leaned into the embrace, wrapping his arms around him as well. 

“I don’t think anyone even knew I was gone. Well, they probably still don’t know I’m gone,” he said. “I wonder if they’ll ever wonder what happened to me?” 

“You didn’t deserve any of that,” Dave kissed him before pressing his forehead to his. 

“It’s fine, really” Klaus said.

“No, it really isn’t,” Dave said. “I wish I could have been there for you.”

“Then you would have been tortured too, idiot,” Klaus pointed out.

“Woulda made it more fun,” Dave said.

“No, I really don’t think it would,” Klaus laughed.

“Hey,” Dave said, suddenly serious again. “I’m not gonna let you disappear on me. Okay?”

But that was what Klaus was good at. He just slipped away and no one ever thought twice about it. Except Dave. Dave, who was always paying attention, who cared enough to. The only one who actually looked at him and not the disaster he felt like he had become.

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” Klaus asked.

“You don’t have to do anything,” Dave said, kissing him again. 

Klaus knew he didn’t deserve him but, god, now that he had him he’d do anything to make him happy. He wasn’t used to being wanted and he desperately wanted to make Dave feel the way he was making him feel now, like he was treasured. 

“Hey,” Dave said, pulling him out of his thoughts. “I know there isn’t much I can actually do, but if you’re ever upset you know you can talk to me, right?”

“Ugh, talking,” Klaus said. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it’s the Hargreeves specialty to just bottle that shit right up.”

“Well, it’s the Katz specialty to help you loosen the lid every now and then if you need. Or whatever.”

“That kinda got away from you, there, didn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Still. Thank you.” 

They fell silent then, just holding each other close. 

[bigskydreaming]

LOL in all honesty though I’m way too amused by my own Jack Frost joke and its literally from a Bobby/Christian fanfic I wrote like, twelve years ago or something. It was right after Morrison introduced the idea of Christian in his run for purposes of Emma angst, and then they had that Emma solo, and I took that and ran with that fueled entirely by Rage and Spite, as I am wont to do. I now have no idea where said fanfic is, sadly. This was definitely way before Ao3. I think I only posted it on LJ, on an account where my friends list was like....entirely people from an entirely different fandom soooooo probably why that fic never really caught on. Whatever, I write fic more for myself anyway lmao.

It was pretty good though, think it would’ve held up well. The basic premise had to do with Dark Beast, the AU version of Hank from Age of Apocalypse. See, in the comics, when the few survivors of the Age of Apocalypse reality ended up in the 616 reality after it was destroyed, not all of them ended up in the present. Dark Beast, for example, ended up like twenty years in the past. And he didn’t have most of his memories, amnesia from trauma from the cross-dimensional travel or something. Which is when he met a then teenage Emma Frost, who’d just run away from home after everything that happened with her dad and Christian, and she ended up restoring Dark Beast’s memories with her telepathy, so they actually have history in the comics.

So I went with the idea of, okay what if you let Christian have agency in his trauma instead of giving it to Emma, who lbr, has PLENTY of story material on her own. So my premise was that it was Christian who ran away from home and ended up meeting Dark Beast and restoring his memories. And then Dark Beast, who has always been just as obsessed with creating the perfect mutant as Mr. Sinister is, if not more, because he’s like....equally obsessed with proving he’s better than Sinister....well instead of experimenting on the Morlocks, which is what he went on to do in the comics, he looks elsewhere. He never went after Scott or Jean, because he’s also a coward and Sinister scares him shitless, and DB knew damn well there was no such thing as a reality where Sinister hadn’t already called dibs on Scott and Jean’s genes. BUT, Dark Beast also knew from his own reality who all the other most powerful mutants would end up being....years before their powers even manifested in this reality. And since I’m me, of course I wrote it so that like, DB decided to focus on the other one of the 05 destined to grow up to be an omega mutant. 

And so he had Christian, who was young and easily manipulated because Love Me, I Need External Validation, My Last Name is Frost as In My Family’s Credo is What If We’re All Frosty All The Time....he had Christian use his telepathy to like, prompt Bobby into running away before the actual event that led to Xavier and Scott finding him and saving him and him joining the X-Men. Where Bobby of course ‘happened’ to bump into DB, who took him in along with his other young protege Christian, so he could like, secretly conduct experiments on Bobby blah blah you get it. 

But eventually Christian and Bobby fell in lurv and Christian was like what no, this is wrong, bad, not doing this anymore, so they run away together, and then it was basically just me writing them as a mutant Bonnie and Clyde who are gay and do crime together and say like, fuck all the adult mutants who try and manipulate them and other kids like them. Like Xavier, who eventually tried to get Bobby to join the X-Men and Bobby was like lol no, hard pass. Or the Hellfire Club, who eventually tried to recruit Christian except he was like lol no, hard pass. And then they were basically like this Chaotic Good power couple that just popped up here and there fucking shit up in a well-intentioned way that made half the X-Men grind their teeth and the other half snicker, and same with the Acolytes and other various groups. And there wasn’t really anything anyone could do about it because its canon that Bobby’s only real weakness is to psychics and having a world-class psychic as your boyfriend really kinda nips that weakness in the bud. Unless you come up against like, a cosmic-class psychic like Jean Grey, but lucky for them, she just thinks they’re adorable and tends to go whoops, missed them again every time they slip through the X-Men’s fingers.

And ultimately they decided their real mission in life was to rescue really young mutants whose powers manifested early and put them in danger, and make sure they get a chance to grow up without the various factions going ‘we’ll protect you, but only if you grow up to support our agenda and be One of us, shhhh, don’t fight it, just sign your life away on the dotted line, all the cool kids are doing it.’ And also me being me, and it being like 2004 ish? I think? Maybe 2005. Anyway. So my other preoccupation of the time was the Academy X kids so of course we’re talking like Julian and Josh and Cessily and the like, who were all like, adorable little ten year olds at this point in time, but also V. Beyond the Capacity of These Two Hapless Gays to Handle Without Help. Like, apparently omega powers and world-class telepathy do not actually qualify you to effectively parent a mob of young mutant menaces when you’re only 21-22 yourselves, who knew. So they ended up just showing up on the doorstep of one of Emma’s properties, mutant menace mob in tow, as she was the White Queen by now, and Christian greeting her facepalm moment with ‘Hey Ems, remember how you always wanted to be a teacher?’

And then there was this bit where Emma was something like “I’m a bit busy trying to take over the world, darling, try me again after my mid-life crisis.”

And Christian was all: “You can teach and take over the world at the same time, y’know, some of us are capable of this little thing called multi-tasking?”

And Bobby helpfully piped up: “I can pat my head and rub my stomach at the same time.”

Cue Emma’s wrinkled nose and accusing stare at her brother: “What on earth do you see in him?”

But Bobby just turned around and was like: “Umm, for starters, my ass is amazing. Have you not seen it? Here, touch it. Go ahead, you can squeeze it.”

Emma: .....

Christian, shrugging: “Well I mean, he’s not wrong.”

Emma: “If I agree to this idiotic plan of yours will you leave immediately and never come back?”

Bobby, stage whispering: “Tell her we still want holiday visits, so we can be the cool gay uncles who show up and spoil them rotten and thus they love us more than her. But don’t tell her that last part.”

Christian, dutifully: “We want to still come by for holidays so we can be the cool gay uncles who show up and spoil them rotten and thus they love us but no more than you, an equal amount only.”

Emma: “I’m standing right here you imbeciles.”

Bobby, still whispering: “Make sure that includes Easter. I’m pretty sure if I show up in a bunny costume I can make her head explode.”

Christian: “Just to be clear, that includes - “

Emma, a vein in her temple throbbing: “Just give me the children already.”

Bobby, gathering up the kids in a crowd around him, all noisy and giggling and clamoring for his attention: “Okay kids, so here’s the plan. From now on, you guys are gonna stay here in this big old house with Auntie Em!”

Emma, appalled: “Oh. My. God.”

Christian frowns: “Emma, please stop trying to fry my boyfriend’s brain. I’m not going to let you.”

And then the kids swarmed through the door past her into the hallway and there were the sounds of stuff breaking, distracting her for a bit before she like, glared at Bobby and was all: “This is all your doing!”

Bobby, hurt: “Only mostly! Chris and I are a team. A united front. It was a 60/40 split.”

Christian: “Well....”

Bobby: “Okay, 70/30.”

Christian: “You said you were going out to get some waffles to make breakfast in the morning and you came home with waffles, ice cream, and Julian on your shoulders.”

Bobby: “He followed me home!”

Christian: “That’s not how he tells it.”

Bobby, whirling on the ten year old Julian Keller who’s playing a Gameboy and looking entirely unconcerned: “You little traitor.”

Julian flipped him off.

Bobby, scandalized: “He did NOT learn that from me.”

Julian, still not looking up from his game: “Yes I did.”

And that was when Christian started dragging his boyfriend back to their car, before Bobby can get into an actual fight with a ten year old, yelling back over his shoulder at Emma: “Okay, great, thanks so much for doing this, let us know if you need us to bring anything when we come back in a few days with the second batch.”

Emma, distracted and trying to do a headcount: “Yes, fine, be gone already. ...Wait. What second batch? DRAAAAAAAKE!!”

But it was too late as the car is halfway to her big mansion gates by then, Bobby cackling: “Hey, we should totally get a dog. Like a little foofy one.”

Christian, knowing better than to ask but asking anyway: “And why is that?”

Bobby: “Bet you anything I can get her to say “I’ll get you and your little dog too!’”

Christian: “I’d appreciate it for both our sakes if you never do or say anything to suggest to my sister you’ve ever compared her to the Wicked Witch of the West. I mean, not that she’d protest on moral grounds, but she takes her color schemes very seriously. And you do know you don’t actually have to provoke her quite so much...”

Bobby: “Mmmm....agree to disagree. It’s the principle of the matter.”

Christian: “What principle? What matter?”

That was the gist of that scene anyway. Dialogue’s probably different, but you get it.

Ugh, I probably have the whole thing sitting in an old email account somewhere because that’s always been my main way of backing stuff up, is emailing it to myself. Problem is, I think I had a specific fandom email account back then and I don’t know what it is anymore lol. 

[your-dietician]

Best Prime Day, Day 2 tech deals 2021 at Amazon

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Best Prime Day, Day 2 tech deals 2021 at Amazon

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Not a typo: Just $100 gets you a top-rated HDTV! (Photo: Amazon)

This deal seems too good to be true…but it ain’t! Amazon has one of its top-selling TVs, the Insignia 24-inch Smart HD TV — Fire TV Edition, on sale for just $100 for Prime members only!

Instant access to Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, YouTube, Disney+, Prime Video and so much more will soon be yours. Alexa is included in the remote, so browsing will be a snap. Shoppers are just as shocked by the quality of this TV as we are by this incredible price!

“I am honestly very pleasantly surprised with how much I like this TV,” wrote a delighted shopper. “As far as clarity goes, I believe 720p is plenty for this screen size…. I have been very pleased with the Wi-Fi reception of the built-in Fire TV. It actually works a lot better than the USB-plug-in external fire sticks, for whatever reason.”

Shop more TV deals below:

Insignia 24-inch Smart HD TV — Fire TV Edition, $100 (was $170), amazon.com

Insignia 39-inch Smart HD TV — Fire TV Edition, $180 (was $250), amazon.com

Insignia NS-43DF710NA21 43-inch Smart 4K Ultra HD — Fire TV Edition, $220 (was $320), amazon.com

Toshiba 43-inch 43C350KU C350 Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Fire TV, $260 (was $370), amazon.com

Insignia 55-inch NS-55F301NA22 F30 Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Fire TV, $350 (was $500), amazon.com

Sony X80J 55-inch 4K Ultra HD LED Smart Google TV, $748 (was $800), amazon.com

Sony X80J 65-inch 4K Ultra HD LED Smart Google TV, $898 (was $1,000), amazon.com

Best headphone and earbud deals

Story continues

Good thing you don’t already own these — you’d never hear us shouting about what a great deal this is. (Photo: Amazon)

Sometimes, we get really lucky, and a big name drops the price on luxe headphones for Prime Day. Well, this is one of those times! These wireless Sony WH-CH710N Noise-Canceling Headphones are on sale for just $78 — that’s a whopping $122 off! Don’t you feel whopped? Shop now and save 61 percent — this is the lowest price we’ve ever seen on these top-rated cans!

The wireless headphones feature the crisp, clear audio you expect from Sony. Their Dual Noise Sensor Technology blocks out nearly all background and ambient distractions. No humming from your air conditioner or thrum from the washing machine — it’s just you and your music! Any birthdays coming up? These make an impressive gift (they’ll think you spent a fortune).

“The Sony headphones are perfect. They sync easily and the sound is clear,” raved a solace-seeking husband and dad. “The noise-canceling feature is great and often annoys my wife and kids when I can’t hear them. These are very comfortable….The charging is quick and the battery life is very good.”

Shop more headphone and earbud deals below:

Echo Buds, $80 (was $120), amazon.com

Apple AirPods Max, $522 (was $549), amazon.com

Apple AirPods Pro, $190 (was $249), amazon.com

Beats Solo Pro Wireless Noise Cancelling On-Ear Headphones, $170 (was $300), amazon.com

Bose Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones 700, $229 (was $399), amazon.com

Sony WF-1000XM3 Noise Canceling Wireless Earbuds, $148 (was $230), amazon.com

Sony WF-SP800N True Wireless Sports In-Ear Noise-Canceling Headphones, $88 (was $199), amazon.com

Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones, $120 (was $200), amazon.com

Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case, $160 (was $199), amazon.com

Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earphones, $145 with on-page coupon (was $200), amazon.com

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds, $149 (was $300), amazon.com

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus, $85 (was $150), amazon.com

Jabra Elite Active 65t Earbuds, $60 (was $100), amazon.com

Best gaming deals

FYI: This RPG features lots of DLC, and at just 15 bucks for three games, it’s a pretty BFD. (Photo: Amazon)

It’s time to join a mayhem-fueled thrill ride — at 70 percent off! In Borderlands Legendary Collection for Nintendo Switch, you’re whisked away to the planet Pandora, where you’ll be tasked with stopping the Calypso twins from getting all the bandit clans together and claiming ultimate power in the galaxy. Shoot, loot and role-play your way through the high-stakes action and collect a whole boatload of gadgets along the way.

This is the Legacy Edition, which includes all three games and DLC (downloadable content), is packed with new missions and stories, and more pillaging and power-ups.

“It’s so awesome to be able to play Borderlands on a handheld system,” raved a delighted gamer. “After about 100 hours in each game so far, All three run silky smooth with no hiccups. The gameplay is just how I remember it on the xbox 360 and I love it. I highly recommend this collection…”

Shop more gaming deals below:

Luna Gaming Controller, $49 (was $70), amazon.com

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (PS4), $16 (was $40), amazon.com

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI (PC), $35 (was $60), amazon.com

Mafia: Definitive Edition (PS4), $20 (was $40), amazon.com

BioShock: The Collection, $15 (was $50), amazon.com

NBA 2K21 (Xbox Series X), $20 (was $70), amazon.com

Godfall (PS5), $40 (was $70), amazon.com

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch), $48 (was $60), amazon.com

Runmus Gaming Headset, $20 (was $43), amazon.com

Madden NFL 21: Next Level Edition (Xbox Series X), $21 (was $70), amazon.com

The Falconeer: Day One Edition (Xbox Series X), $22 (was $40), amazon.com

Outriders Day One Edition (PS5), $40 for Prime members only (was $60), amazon.com

Immortals Fenyx Rising (PS5), $30 (was $60), amazon.com

Best smartphone and tablet deals

Normally we’d never yell “Fire!” in a crowded website, but….”YOU’VE GOT TO GRAB THIS FIRE HD 8 FOR JUST $45!” (Photo: Amazon)

How ’bout another half-price sale? Coming right up! On sale for $45 (was $90), the Fire HD 8 has a brilliant eight-inch HD display and works with Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Music as well as hundreds of social media apps, games, and more. With its 10-hour battery life, this baby supports binge-watching.

“This HD 8 boots up extremely fast. The screen movement is very smooth,” wrote a delighted tablet user. “I own an HD 10 but I like this better because the size makes it easier to hold and maneuver…. I had a concern about the sound quality, but the sound quality is very good. The charge time is fast and the battery holds a charge for a long time.” And the price? Ridiculous.

Shop more smartphone and tablet deals below:

Fire HD 8 Plus, $65 (was $110), amazon.com

Fire HD 10, $80 (was $150), amazon.com

Fire HD 10 Plus, $110 (was $180), amazon.com

Kindle, $55 (was $90), amazon.com

Kindle Paperwhite, $80 (was $130), amazon.com

Kindle Oasis, $185 (was $250), amazon.com

Apple iPad (10.2-inch, Wi-Fi, 32GB), $299 (was $329), amazon.com

Moto G7 Plus, $140 (was $250), amazon.com

TCL 10 Pro Unlocked Android Smartphone, $295 for Prime members only (was $400), amazon.com

Ulefone Note 9P smartphone, $145 with on-page coupon (was $200), amazon.com

Best smart-home deals

Want to turn your dumb home into a smart home? Look to the orb! (Photo: Amazon)

With an all-new sphere design, the fourth generation Echo Dot, marked down from $50 to just $25 (we’ve done the math — that’s half off!) for Prime members only, is a small but powerful smart speaker with a glow-light base that can not only channel Alexa but can also stream tunes from Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Sirius XM and more. It offers clearer, more robust audio quality than earlier iterations. With this dynamo at 50 percent off, there’s never been a smarter time to pair it with another Echo Dot to create amazing stereo sound.

Shoppers love the compact dimensions — just 3.5-inches high — which make it great for smaller rooms. “This is exactly what I was looking for,” said a happy Amazon shopper. “The sound is loud and clear. Now I am able to hear all online stations with no interference. The design is space-saving, with rubber underneath to prevent sliding.”

The Echo Dot 4 comes in Charcoal, Glacier White and Twilight Blue.

Shop more smart-home deals below:

Echo Show 5, $45 (was $80), amazon.com

Echo Auto, $15 (was $50), amazon.com

Echo Show 10 (third generation), $190 (was $250), amazon.com

Echo Frames (second generation), $175 (was $250), amazon.com

Echo Show 8 (second generation), $95 (was $130), amazon.com

Fire TV Cube, $80 (was $120), amazon.com

Fire TV Stick 4K, $25 (was $50), amazon.com

eero 6 mesh Wi-Fi router, $83 (was $129), amazon.com

Ring Video Doorbell Wired, $45 (was $60), amazon.com

Ring Spotlight Cam, $150 (was $200), amazon.com

Ring Stick Up Cam, $75 (was $100), amazon.com

Rexing V1 4K Ultra HD Car Dash Cam, $72 (was $100), amazon.com

Govee Immersion WiFi TV LED Backlights, $49 (was $80), amazon.com

Best work-from-home deals

Whether you’re working from home or just playing around, this Lenovo laptop/tablet’s got you covered. (Photo: Walmart)

Here in Prime time, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is on sale for just $399 (down from $520) — over 20 percent off! If productivity is your game, then this machine came to play (by which we mean work). Its brilliant HD 14-inch LED display makes everything look stellar, from spreadsheets to YouTube videos. And thanks to a speedy and powerful AMD Ryzen 3 4300U Octa-Core Processor paired with 4GB of memory and 128GB of on-board storage, the Flex 5 can handle just about any task you throw at it. The laptop even doubles as a Windows 10 tablet — that’s the “Flex” part.

“Amazing laptop, perfect for my everyday needs,” wrote a delighted Walmart reviewer. “Runs fast, touchscreen is awesome and it’s lightweight and small, making travel easy. Extremely durable. Love the ability to use the Lenovo pen, and the tablet mode is such a great feature. Definitely would recommend, especially for the epic price range. Can’t compare.”

Shop more work-from-home deals below:

AcePC AK1 Mini PC, $140 with on-page coupon (was $190), amazon.com

HP Chromebook 11, $180 (was $260), amazon.com

LifeLong Ergonomic Laptop stand for desk, $60 (was $90), amazon.com

AndaSeat gaming and office chair, $240 for Prime members only (was $300), amazon.com

DamKee Massage Gun, $69 with on-page coupon for Prime members only (was $110), amazon.com

Saiji Laptop Bed Tray Desk, $36 with on-page coupon for Prime members only (was $100), amazon.com

SoQool Laptop Stand, $16 for Prime members only (was $90), amazon.com

Canon Office and Business MB5120 All-in-One Printer, $250 (was $300), amazon.com

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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[remindme2breathe]

Inspired and alone

I just wrote a recent entry about how I made my money. In that I mentioned a patient who inspired me. It’s been a few hours since I posted that and could not stop thinking about this notorious patient... I gotta get it out... I gotta just tell it! 

We will call him Amazon (it’s the first word I saw when I looked up, sorry, I’ll try and be more creative next time). Amazon was about 82 when he landed a spot in my unit of the hospital I worked for. I’ll admit that when I first met him I didn’t think he was any more special then the 60 year old in the next room, to me, a patient was just that: a patient! The hospital I worked at has a wing for the Wealthy, I didn’t work that wing, I worked the ER right next to it. While I saw the druggies, drunks, rape victims and stabbings (the list goes on), just on the other side of the wall lived a land where the patience laid on temperpedic mattresses, had one nurse for every two patients (while in ER you take on about 6-10 depending on who’s scheduled). Everything was different, it was like coming out of a high end store and walking right into the hood! Literally, that’s how different it was. While our waiting rooms had wait times of up to 3 to 4 hours, that wing had a special phone line for these wealthy members to call and announce their arrival, at which point the linens were placed, bed available (not shared), a fruit basket for their guest to enjoy while waiting in their own private living room. Their menu was ridiculous too, ‘ridiculous’ when you compare it to the soupy salt less mashed potatoes, stale graham crackers and watered down orange juice. That wing had dinner options for the guests (up to 2), salmon, some type of roast or something else. Their water came in bottles and water glasses. The patients had to survive on a better quality diet that it typically suggested by the attending Doctor. Their were several perks to being in that wing, one being the awesome accommodations, the second, YOU WAIT FOR NO ONE. There is a Doctor available. Can’t find yours? THEY WILL FIND HIM AND BRING HIM TO YOUR ROOM. On that floor, it was said, that when a Doctor has his patient in that wing, they do not leave (they stay in a designated resting suite) because they have 10 minutes to report. This comes with a hefty membership cost. Back then (2015) I believe I heard someone say it was upwards of a 150K ‘’donation’’. Today I KNOW FOR SURE THAT DONATION IS A LOT HIGHER. 

I had a friend who worked in that wing, she always complained about how BOUJEE her patients are or how demanding their guests are, I just smiled and listened. I kinda knew the feeling but had no desire to fuel her opinions, we all had problems with patients, but this is what we signed up for! While I was standing in her nurses station I noticed how many nurses would go to lunch at the same time, I was shocked. The ER was permitted one at a time, if the day was slow (which hardly happened) you’d be lucky not to eat alone. While I stood there I was noticing other tiny differences. For instance, they don’t have crash carts near by, they don’t have many assistants, in fact I think they had way more records people on the floor then actual nursing staff. As luck would have it someone started Coding. Apparently this didn’t happen often as I looked at my friend and she looked lost, as though she had no clue what to do! I yelled at her to call ER for a crash cart and to call the MD on call. I bolted to the patience room and immediately started my ER shift. Thankfully the patient pulled through and this brought great attention to the response time. Can you believe that floors director had the gull to yell at me for responding! Because it wasn’t my floor! OMG, the nerve! Needless to say she was fired for that among other things, but that’s neither here nor there.  Directly across the hall was patient by the name Prime, first name Amazon (I know, I know! Next time, I PROMISE I’LL TRY HARDER!) who would one day turn into my best friend. 

A few days after that happened I was given an award via the hospital for my quick thinking and whatever else they wrote on it. With that came a gift basket and a sealed envelope. I thought it was quite amusing when they said the envelope is from a patient of the hospital and they were under strict orders not to open it. They suggested playfully for me to read it out loud, to which I kindly declined. On my lunch hour I sat in my car and opened the envelope. Inside was a $25.00 gift card to starbucks <3 and a short handwritten letter from the Prime Family. They said they watched the whole event and were incredibly impressed with my quick response and ability to help. They admitted that although they do not know the family of the man who Coded, that Mrs Prime took it upon herself to let them know who saved their family member. I’ve been told that Mrs. Prime also ripped the hospital a ‘new one’ for its lack of education for the staff- I never bothered to see how that turned out. They left their phone number and ask that I call it because they had some questions for me. Of course that struck a curiosity. What could these people possibly need to ask ME? I waited a few days (no one wants to seem desperate), and oddly enough when the day came, I felt nervous. 

When I called it rang exactly 5 times when a cheerful voice answered ‘Hello, This is Mrs Prime’. WHO ANSWERS LIKE THAT!!! Important people I guess. I said something lame “Hi, I got a letter asking to call?” I had nothing clever to say! REALLY!!! She giggled and said ‘’I didn’t think you were going to call! I’m so glad you did! My husband and I would love to sit and talk to you about a potential position, if your interested”. At that time I was working at the hospital, I had a decent schedule, benefits, and was established, but where there is an opportunity to grow, I will always entertain the idea. She asked if I can come by their home the very next day. At first I was a little hesitant because these are complete strangers, what if they murder me? Or what if they try to get me to play some kinky game? Ewww. Anyway, I went. 

They lived in a very expensive country club in our area. I couldn’t believe it. I fell in love with just the front of their house, as I sat in my car I prayed to be kept safe and to not fk up my words! I felt I took an eternity to walk to their front door, but the walk was nice. They had a tiny river running under the walk path, fruit trees on both sides, everything immaculate! I reached the 23 steps to get up to their front door. I knocked on the enormous steel double doors. A Hispanic woman opened the door with the biggest smile on her face. For a split second I thought of that movie GET OUT, I thought GIRL IS YOUR SMILE SUPPOSE TO GIVE ME THE SIGNAL? WHATS GOING ON! She asked me to come in. Standing in the entry way really made you feel tiny. There was beautiful artwork and busts on custom built cut outs, polished concrete floors- impeccable. I was at a loss for words. The woman walked me towards a grand living room (I bet my living room would fit in there maybe 5 times! No exaggeration). They had an over-sized ivory colored sectionals (ahh, the luxuries of not having small children in the home) with light grey and cream colored throw pillows surrounding a glass coffee table. They had a small marble cheese platter, so fancy these Prime people were! Mrs Prime immediately stood up and shook my hand, and on a recliner was the top of a balding head with a sea of white hairs. She cheerfully said “This is Dr Prime” he reached his old wrinkled hand out to shake my hand, a firm grip. He was not all smiles like his wife, he was more serious. He had CNN on the lowest volume. He was not for chit-chat, he immediately gave me a short background of himself. He said he has been a Doctor for over 45 years, he explained that he became handicapped because of a bad knee surgery that could not be reversed, hence keeping him from all his social activities. He walked at snail speed and used a walker, he was embarrassed and felt like a burden to his family, he didn’t say it directly but I heard him loud and clear. He said he appreciated my professional performance at the hospital and wanted to offer me a full time position in his home. To me this seemed like such a risk! I had kids to take care of! I can’t leave a solid stable job for something that can potentially go bad. I explained my circumstance and said I was flattered and appreciated his interest in hiring me but that I couldn’t risk not having money coming into my home in the event that he fired me for whatever reason. He laughed, the kind of laugh that almost says ‘don’t be silly’. I looked confused because these are moments I only watch on movies, these things don’t happen to me. He said he will have his lawyer draw up a contract and to let him know what I want (yes, this part was a little creepy, there’s millions of nurses who know as much as I do, WHY ME!). I joked and said ‘’Dont play with me Mr Prime! I’ll ask for everything, including your walker! Then what are you gonna do!” Everyone laughed, it was at that moment that I noticed a ‘CLICK’ between all of us. Humor was his way of facing everything, a shield I often used when I’m nervous. He said he noticed that he was putting me in a difficult situation then proceeded to ask me question, “what does the hospital offer you that you feel you can’t let go of?” I said “my insurance, my kids benefit from that”. Then he asked “what about the hours you work, do you like those?” I said ‘’not really but it’s responsibility”. He then said “I WANT TO HELP YOU, and I need you to help me, we both are taking risks, you ready?” The way he delivered his words locked me in, he seemed so absolute and confident. It took me a minute to answer when he said “this is what we will do, give me one week to have my lawyer draw up a contract that will make us both happy. You can then review it and decide at that point, what do you think?” To that I did agree. 

Exactly a week later, his housekeeper... no, assistant? no... right hand woman to the Mrs? no... I still don’t know what to call her, it wouldn’t even matter, because I didn’t know then that I was eventually going to take her job. Anyhow, She (oh gosh, we need to name her guys! We will call her Rosa, truthfully, I think her name really was Rosaline, or Rosemary or something like that) called and said Dr Prime would like to see me this evening, I agreed. After my shift I went to his mini-mansion and found him, his wife, and two other men in suites sitting at a round cherry wood dining table. I felt so out of place! Here I am showing up in crocks and scrubs and these people look like their about to have some fancy dinner. The house smelled GREAT! Someone was cooking, I know it wasn’t Mrs. Prime. Anyway, I went and sat across them (talk about feeling like your in the Lion’s Den). One of the men in the suites introduced himself and said he is an Estate Lawyer for the Primes and that he will be reading my contract to me. I have that contract in my possession but its LONG! So I’ll highlight the benefits. 

If I took this employment opportunity I will be required to travel with the family. Certain accommodations will be available for my family in the event that the trip is more then 2 days or out of the Country. I was to receive a Vehicle to be used only for trips that Dr Prime needs to be transported. I will be responsible for all medical equipment and prescriptions in accordance with his personal MD. I am to be available to the family 24 hours a day with no days off (I know, hold on, I’ll explain), If I get sick I am to schedule an assistant and visually be of assistance from my location to ensure safety and organization. I will have access to a Credit Card for any work-related expenses (Pay attention, this gets better). In case of personal family issues, arrangements will need to be made known to Dr and Mrs Prime as soon as possible. In taking this position I will be allotted $1,000.00 in uniforms including shoes a year. This position will require me to overlook a private chef who will prepare breakfast and lunch for Dr. Prime. On Occasion I will need to ready him for social events. In the contract it stated that in case something should happen to Dr. Prime that I will have a year’s pay.  There’s more but this was the gist. I was overwhelmed, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ME!!!!! They covered everything! All my worries were spoken for. I looked at Dr Prime straight in the eye for what seemed like forever. I felt like he was saying IT’S GOING TO BE OK the whole time... I signed. 

I turned in my immediate resignation at the hospital and quickly went to work. One the first day he said to get my car keys, there was a beautiful black Range Rover that was to be called my WORK vehicle. I asked how this was suppose to work? Am I suppose to leave it here? He said no, you take it home, your on the clock 24 hours a day, you need it. OMG!!!!!! Then he said there was fine print that was not included in the contract but that I needed to know about- awww shit! Here we go. He said “my wife and I are snow birds, we will be here 5 months out of the year and the other 7 months we spend it in Vermont. I CANT GO TO VERMONT FOR 7 MONTHS!!! He quickly came in and said “you are only on the clock until I am settled in out there, when the time comes for me to go back, you will pack up everything, ship it, fly with me, and hand over my records to my daughter who lives out there and has an assistant to help me” He informed me that it would be like a vacation and my kids are welcome to go as well since this process usually takes about 2 weeks. He said the car can still be used because I am still on the clock according to my contract. 

Fast forward a few years. Him and I became the best of friends. He was a great debater, I enjoyed out conversations. He was to me what Tumblr is now... my personal therapist. He always had great advice and truly came to care for my family, and my family for his. 

There’s a lot to say about him, and I will eventually. It still hurts to not have him around. Although I stayed fairly close to his children and wife, he is a massive existence that can never be replaced. He was my financial guide, he told me how to make money that can work for me. My job was easy with him, I think the emotional part was the most challenging. Aside from his physical ailment, he suffered with depression and has mentioned not wanting to be around anymore. As a matter of fact, at one point he took some pills he knew he wasn’t suppose to have, they were his wife’s. He was rushed to the hospital, as soon as he was himself again I dropped the bomb on his old ass! What a selfish move! And not that I struggle with my own anxieties, I can understand the feeling, I wish there was more I could have done to help him with that. Side note: no, he didn’t die of suicide, it was natural causes. 

In the end, when God took him home, I was home. It was about 9:30 a.m. when I got the phone call from his house, and it was his daughter crying uncontrollably. I obviously got worried and said IM ON MY WAY, she said “No, It’s not that, my daddy passed away this morning” I dropped to my knees and cried. I remember because I was in my backyard doing yard work with my kids. I remember they hugged me, I was numb for weeks to come. About two weeks later his wife called me to help her with some things. When I showed up, her kids were there too. They all hugged me and cried quietly. Mrs Prime said she needed me to fly with his remains back to Vermont because no one else had the strength to do it. I agreed. Before I left Mrs. Prime said the lawyer was going to contact me in a few days, I cut her off and said “really, I don’t want anything, he was a great friend and you all have been so kind to me” she just smiled and said it again “the lawyer will call you okay”. About 3 weeks went by and a lawyer called to come to his office. When I went he said that Mr. Prime added me to his will and requested a few things for me. 1. My vehicle keys will be surrendered to lawyer for updated vehicle. 2. I will receive pay from the Family Trust for 3 years of the same amount discussed. 3. 2 College accounts have been started courtesy of the Family Trust for my two boys. 4. All bills for my household will be covered by the Family Trust for one year. 5. A letter. 

I was as white as a ghost. I definitely didn’t deserve that! The lawyer handed me a manila folder with a single white envelope that read the following:

MY TRUEST FRIEND, 

I WISH I COULD SAY THAT LIFE IS EASY KID, BUT WE BOTH KNOW IT’S ONLY EASY FOR THOSE WHO REALLY WANT IT THAT WAY. I’M WRITING THIS TO SIMPLY SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR MANAGING TO MAKE ME SMILE AND FEEL ALIVE. FOR NOT TREATING ME LIKE A DYING MAN. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME AND MY FAMILY ENTER YOUR HEART LIKE YOU ENTERED OURS. THANK YOU FOR NEVER LEAVING MY SIDE WHEN I WAS TOO SCARED TO ADMIT IT. I WISH YOUR BOYS SEE YOUR WORK ETHIC AND EMPATHY FOR PEOPLE AND ABSORB THAT. YOU ARE A GIFT! PLEASE TAKE CARE OF MRS PRIME, YOUR CONTRACT IS NOT OVER UNTIL SHE’S GONE. YOU WILL HAVE A FOREVER JOB HERE, AS LONG AS YOU WANT IT. THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS KEEPING ME IN YOUR PRAYERS AND FOR SHOWING ME THAT HONESTY AND NOBILITY STILL LIVES. ILL SEE YA AROUND KID! I LOVE YA!

[emotionallaborunion]

Against "do you want fries with that?"

I don’t usually cross-post between my blog and Tumblr, nor do I usually try to give advice to younger people (unless they ask), but I do want to say this and I know a lot of people who follow me here are younger than I am. So, here’s the contents of a blog post.  

Compiling what I wrote in an impromptu Twitter thread: I saw a tweet that said: "English major = 'Want fries with that?' 🍟. Pick something that will give you enough money to write what you want." (In the interest of discretion, I won't say who wrote this, but you can find out if you go to the thread.) This is bullshit. I have a computer science degree and thus all the money I want and no emotional energy left after work for writing. If I'd majored in English (like 13-year-old me wanted) I wouldn't have gone down the path of lots of money and spiritual/artistic vacuity. (Maybe more like 10-year-old me wanted; 13-year-old me wanted to be an editorial cartoonist and major in sociology or journalism in order to get there. 10-year-old me maybe had the best plan.) I was in debt -- student, medical, or both, at various times -- from September 1997 to January 2017. Now that I'm out of it, I can choose what to do next, so the point here isn't "cry for me". It is: Please do not pretend choosing an economically useful major while telling yourself you can do your important work "in your free time" (imagine all the finger air quotes there) doesn't have a serious, permanent cost. It does. You can never get back the time you spent doing stuff you don't care about for people who despise you. You need money to live, but time is the most precious resource you have because when you lose money, you can get it back; when you lose time, you can never get it back. Me, I didn't even choose computer science for the money (that came later). I thought, at the time, that I'd enjoy it more than I enjoyed writing or playing music. (I didn't enjoy playing music at all at the time, because I spent most of the first 16 years of my life playing classical music not because I wanted to, but because I had a parent who was foisting "what I didn't get to do when I was younger" onto me. I did get over that, but it took me about another 20 years. That's another story.) Anyway, once you get into industry, you realize the real day-to-day work isn't much fun, or that there are fun things about it but not the ones you anticipated, and a whole lot of soul-sucking baggage that's the price of both the fun and the money, but by then the money has you trapped. So if somebody had said all this to me when I was 18 (which they probably did, but I also had a parent yelling at me pretty loudly to be practical so I could support her when she got old (joke's on her, she's old now and I haven't spoken to her since 2014 and never will again)), it wouldn't have mattered -- I thought I was choosing the major that was what I wanted to do most, and I was pretty solidly on the side of telling my peers to do the same, and grieving with the ones who had parents who felt their tuition money was buying them permanent control over their children's lives. I would hate to see someone who doesn't even like computer science, though, choose it anyway because of shaming from people using the 🍟 emoji (and by the way, there is zero shame in working in food service -- someone has to cook for the people who get to spend their time writing), because of middle-class anxiety over the psychic cost of being one of the people their parents or grandparents stepped on to achieve middle-class status. It's one thing to choose it because it seems like the most fun thing at the time, another to hide your light under the barrel of "a stable job, a practical career." So if you're reading this and you're a teenager, choosing a major, or choosing whether to go to college at all, and you want to write or make art: write. Make your art. Put your first energies into those things, build whatever scaffolding you need to in order to keep your first energies there. (And if you change your mind later, that's cool too.) If you de-center those things in your life now, it will never get any easier to center them again. Do what it takes to survive, but never pretend that what fuels your fire is secondary and "real jobs" are primary; know it's the other way around. If you're 28 and in a "good" job and you want to write or make art but you're afraid of losing safety, know it'll never get any easier. So you might as well do it now. If you're 38 and you want to write or make art but you have 2 kids to support, I wish you the best. We -- as in, we adults who've had our dreams beaten out of us -- terrorize kids with a lot of fear-mongering about starving artists and starving musicians. The truth is that artists and musicians have always found ways to survive in a world hostile to art, so long as they're lucky enough to get taught that the shame of not being affluent must be avoided at all costs. (There are a few other kinds of luck that I'll talk about a little later.) Sometimes there's a very strong reason to pick the "I'll make a lot of money, then I'll do what I want" path: medical bills or responsibility for children or parents or both, while living in a society that is vicious towards young, old, sick, and disabled people. But ask yourself: If I'll be able to do The Thing later, when I have X amount of money, can I do it now without the money? And likewise: If I'm afraid to do The Thing now, will having X amount of money actually address the root cause of that fear? Because "I need to have X amount of savings before I do Y" tends to turn into "no, no, I was wrong, I need X*Z amount of savings first". The goalposts never stop moving. When you were 12, maybe you thought all you needed was rent money and enough food to eat. At 25, maybe that turns into a down payment on a house, and at 30, maybe a hot tub in the yard, a nice car, and a vacation home. Centering yourself on what really matters now builds a foundation on which it remains easier to not forget what mattered to you in the face of the distractions capitalism will try to sell you (especially when you spend all day in an office with people who also believe they can buy their way to personal fulfillment). Another thing to keep in mind: even if you are a person who can put in 8+ hours a day at a professional job, then leave and spend 6+ hours on your art (and not sleep much), you don't really know how much time you have before becoming too disabled to do both. Might be 60 years. Might be 1 year. All abled people are temporarily abled, and some of the most common disabilities and chronic illnesses take your excess energy first. Not to mention that chronic stress both from toxic jobs and double-timing tends to trigger any latent predispositions to those illnesses. Especially now, in 2017: there is only the present; stability in the future is a lie. Keep in mind reading all of this, I don't necessarily know the answer or the plan, not even for me and certainly not for you. I'm 36 and still in a job I'm ambivalent about on the best days, and I want to buy a house and adopt kids; renting a room doesn't afford much space for musical instruments or my sewing machine or more animals, much less kids. At this point, I don't have the conviction that the writing and art I want to make are worth delaying those plans for (the plans that more closely resemble the lives of my peers, my college friends and my office co-workers, and have their own appeal). A few months ago I was driving through Iowa and bought a new hardcover copy of Bruce Springsteen's autobiography on impulse. When I started reading it, I loved the writing but I had to set it aside because some uncomfortable feeling overwhelmed me, and a little later I realized it was envy: of people like him and his friends who got to spend their time, from early teens onwards, playing the kind of music they wanted to play. I was playing music when I was a teenager, too, but I hated it, and stopped as soon as I had the freedom to. It took me my entire adult life so far to want to do it again. My other musical hero, John Darnielle, worked day jobs for most of his career. Envy, as well, because I can't seem to find work that isn't primarily emotional labor (even when my business card says "engineer") and that doesn't leave me with much at the end of the day to put into art. So while part of me knows it's not too late, part of me is too busy grieving over all the time I lost to be able to make a new plan. If you're younger, and don't have as many sunk costs, maybe listen to whatever inside you makes you feel the most alive. And if you're older than me, do it too so I'll have more examples to look to. Another reason why the original advice is garbage: yes, Wallace Stevens was an insurance agent. But I suspect that if you look at the writers you like, you'll find more people who can write because they have a partner who financially supports them than you'll find full-time engineers or lawyers who are part-time writers. This is sort of a dirty little secret. The best thing you can do to be a successful artist is major in whatever you want, then marry rich. This doesn't mean you should marry for money. It does mean that "bust your ass doing 2-3 jobs if you want to earn the right to be an artist" is toxic victim-blaming capitalist pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps bullshit, because a lot of the artists you admire got there because someone else worked full-time to support them, not because they moonlighted. The good luck of being loved by someone with money should not be confused with hard work. Aside from economics, something I think stops a lot of younger people from following their vision is belief in scarcity: there are a lot of people who want to be musicians and writers, and many who are more talented than you, so why bother? Even if you make a living off it, you won't be famous. There are too many novels and no one will read yours; too many bands and no one will go to your shows. Sound familiar? It does for me. The more time passes, the more I think that's a seductive lie, too, not because you will get famous, but because that probably isn't what you want anyway. What you do want is time to spend doing the work that makes you feel whole. 'You hold onto Berryman’s line – “It is idle to reply to critics” – and understand that the actual work isn’t the thing you make, but the process that makes it, whose inherent value and dignity is well beyond any debate, because it is an expression of your self and therefore nobody can really judge it.' -- John Darnielle

[riichardwilson]

What Surviving a Rocket Explosion Taught This Veteran Entrepreneur About Never Giving Up

May 8, 2020 9 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Let’s be real for a moment. We are all being hit hard right now. Millions of people have been infected around the globe, hundreds of thousands have died. Many businesses that have been built with sweat and tears over decades are now left for ruin.

My business, Redline Steel, has been forced to pivot massively in order to survive the unexpected storm. But we’ve been through challenging times before. Crisis, trials and setbacks have been unwanted friends of mine for as long as I can remember. 

Here’s the thing: I truly believe that not only can a crisis define you — it can remake you.

On May 3rd, 2012, I was serving my third, military tour in Afghanistan and working out in a gym when a 107-mm rocket exploded about three and a half feet from me. I barely remember the ensuing gunfire and the rescue, but I survived. Shrapnel went all the way through my leg, which led me to six months of physical therapy just so I could walk and move normally again. I had nerve damage in my back and required lumbar block fusion surgery.

Less than 18 months after my injury in Afghanistan, I landed my first magazine cover on Ironman Australia. The gym almost killed me, but it also saved my life. A lot of people would have fear re-entering something that almost ended their life, but I was able to turn that negative experience into a positive career change for me.

I want my failures, trials and painful moments of life to fuel me — not beat me.

Pain will not win

The rocket explosion is a part of my life, but it’s something I don’t dwell on it. I focus on what’s ahead. I couldn’t work out exactly like I used to, but I found workarounds. I had to change my workouts, but I didn’t let that stop me. Instead, I let it fuel my motivation. 

We cannot allow the world to tell us what we can and can’t do. We have to decide this for ourselves.

That is central to overcoming nearly any obstacle, thus, it’s been a core belief of mine for a long time. 

Redline started in a very similar way; with a setup disguised as a setback. I had a partnership that fell apart on the day we were supposed to sign. I had already invested thousands of dollars in attorney fees for the deal. But I pressed on anyway. 

In the military, we call it “Charlie Mike.” We continue on the mission, and no matter what obstacle is thrown in my way, I find a way to work around it. I’ve found that no matter what, if there’s a will, there is a way. 

In other words, I had to develop a will of steel. 

Focusing your energy

When things are out of your control, stay focused on what you can do, not on what you can’t do.  

So what do you do when you have zero control? Because it’s true — sometimes events take place beyond our control, just like what’s happening right now on a global scale. No one expected that we would go into quarantine, that the economy would plummet or that we would rapidly descend into a recession.

But, again, this was nothing new for me. I’d already experienced something similar just 18 months beforehand.  

In November 2018, at the peak of buying season when retailers like mine make or break their year, I had a $70,000 piece of machinery that’s central to my entire production line completely break down. 

It was under warranty, but I didn’t have a backup, and the parts had to be imported, which was going to take more than a month. We ordered another one and frantically worked on solutions, but the orders began to backlog.

Breaking promises hurts the most

We had promised thousands of customers that we would get their orders out by Christmas. And although we did everything humanly possible, we couldn’t meet the timeline for everyone. Customer complaints started to pile up as rapidly as my orders. I was called a fraud and other horrible names I’d never been called, all while we were doing everything humanely possible to solve the issue.  

I was forced to cut off any new sales because we couldn’t fulfill the thousands of orders we already had in a timely manner. This caused a massive budget crunch as the cash flow stopped. Fortunately, I had saved more than three months of operating expenses, but even with that, we were on the brink of bankruptcy. We were very, very close, and I had to pull every dollar I had out of savings to pay payroll and expenses just so we could stay open. I had to sell generators and plasma tables and whatever I could for $500, $1,000 and $2,000 at a time just to make ends meet.

Blood is not always family, and family is not always blood

I’ve learned that the true definition of family is when you’ll do anything for anyone when it’s the least convenient for you.

Two weeks before Christmas, 60 percent of my staff left. This left me crippled. Not only did I not have my main machine working, I lost most of my workforce.  

There were nights when I was driving home late and thought, “If an 18-wheeler comes over into my lane, I don’t know if I’ll move.”  

One thing’s certain: I’d rather go through another rocket explosion than endure the six months of hell that crisis brought me.

But all was not lost. My remaining team showed me who I could really count on. They became my heroes. I learned to put my trust in the team that remained and to show up for them. I discovered who was really there for me when I needed them the most. The people who stayed believed in me; they believed in us. They encouraged me, continually reminding me that we’d get through this. 

My team is my greatest asset

Keeping the core team I kept and losing the other 60 percent ended up becoming one of my greatest gifts. It showed me who has my back and gave me space to improve the rest of my team.  

So fast-forward to the COVID-19 crisis hitting. While I didn’t have to make staff cuts, I knew most of my team was on two-income households, so I decided to offer to cover all my staff’s house payments for the month of April. That wasn’t easy for me because we’re not a venture-backed company sitting on loads of cash. But these people had been there for me, and I wanted to do what I could to be there for them.  

Additionally, as a student of consumer behavior, I realized that Redline had to shift its entire marketing strategy. We don’t sell critical-need products, so we needed to shift very fast and come up with a new strategy. Recently, some of the entrepreneurs I coach have been pivoting their marketing agency strategy to find the opportunity to great results so I know it’s not just me getting lucky. The opportunity is still there, it’s just moved.  

We created a Give Back collection of 17 different products, where we offer a free gift to medical workers and other critical frontline responders who are bravely serving. In about a month, we’ve given over $2 million in product away thanks to this strategy and acquired hundreds of thousands of new customers at an incredibly affordable customer acquisition rate.

Today, I have a stronger staff and leadership than ever before. We are protected by five layers of redundancy so if a machine like that ever breaks down again, we are covered. Plus, we were poised to grow faster and better than ever before. That wouldn’t have happened without the crisis of November 2018.  

With everything America is facing now, business owners need to get comfortable with the uncomfortable and start thinking outside the box. What was working for you before may not work for you now. 

No one wants a crisis thrust upon them, but the benefit of a crisis is that you will find new limits. When I look at some of the most seasoned entrepreneurs, I see that they’ve stepped outside their comfort zones so often and gone through so much in the past that they can bet on themselves to know that they’ll make it through whatever they’re facing. 

Some lasting lessons

1. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable. When the market shifts, pivot rapidly.

2. Never forget — whatever challenge you’re facing can remake you better than ever.  

A quote I love by General Douglas MacArthur is “Americans never quit.” I think that’s as true and relevant for today as it was for any other point in history. It isn’t the season to quit. It’s the season to remake ourselves.

So keep going, my friend. I promise you can get through this. 

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

source http://www.scpie.org/what-surviving-a-rocket-explosion-taught-this-veteran-entrepreneur-about-never-giving-up/ source https://scpie.tumblr.com/post/617588425001975808

[douglassmiith]

What Surviving a Rocket Explosion Taught This Veteran Entrepreneur About Never Giving Up

May 8, 2020 9 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Let’s be real for a moment. We are all being hit hard right now. Millions of people have been infected around the globe, hundreds of thousands have died. Many businesses that have been built with sweat and tears over decades are now left for ruin.

My business, Redline Steel, has been forced to pivot massively in order to survive the unexpected storm. But we’ve been through challenging times before. Crisis, trials and setbacks have been unwanted friends of mine for as long as I can remember. 

Here’s the thing: I truly believe that not only can a crisis define you — it can remake you.

On May 3rd, 2012, I was serving my third, military tour in Afghanistan and working out in a gym when a 107-mm rocket exploded about three and a half feet from me. I barely remember the ensuing gunfire and the rescue, but I survived. Shrapnel went all the way through my leg, which led me to six months of physical therapy just so I could walk and move normally again. I had nerve damage in my back and required lumbar block fusion surgery.

Less than 18 months after my injury in Afghanistan, I landed my first magazine cover on Ironman Australia. The gym almost killed me, but it also saved my life. A lot of people would have fear re-entering something that almost ended their life, but I was able to turn that negative experience into a positive career change for me.

I want my failures, trials and painful moments of life to fuel me — not beat me.

Pain will not win

The rocket explosion is a part of my life, but it’s something I don’t dwell on it. I focus on what’s ahead. I couldn’t work out exactly like I used to, but I found workarounds. I had to change my workouts, but I didn’t let that stop me. Instead, I let it fuel my motivation. 

We cannot allow the world to tell us what we can and can’t do. We have to decide this for ourselves.

That is central to overcoming nearly any obstacle, thus, it’s been a core belief of mine for a long time. 

Redline started in a very similar way; with a setup disguised as a setback. I had a partnership that fell apart on the day we were supposed to sign. I had already invested thousands of dollars in attorney fees for the deal. But I pressed on anyway. 

In the military, we call it “Charlie Mike.” We continue on the mission, and no matter what obstacle is thrown in my way, I find a way to work around it. I’ve found that no matter what, if there’s a will, there is a way. 

In other words, I had to develop a will of steel. 

Focusing your energy

When things are out of your control, stay focused on what you can do, not on what you can’t do.  

So what do you do when you have zero control? Because it’s true — sometimes events take place beyond our control, just like what’s happening right now on a global scale. No one expected that we would go into quarantine, that the economy would plummet or that we would rapidly descend into a recession.

But, again, this was nothing new for me. I’d already experienced something similar just 18 months beforehand.  

In November 2018, at the peak of buying season when retailers like mine make or break their year, I had a $70,000 piece of machinery that’s central to my entire production line completely break down. 

It was under warranty, but I didn’t have a backup, and the parts had to be imported, which was going to take more than a month. We ordered another one and frantically worked on solutions, but the orders began to backlog.

Breaking promises hurts the most

We had promised thousands of customers that we would get their orders out by Christmas. And although we did everything humanly possible, we couldn’t meet the timeline for everyone. Customer complaints started to pile up as rapidly as my orders. I was called a fraud and other horrible names I’d never been called, all while we were doing everything humanely possible to solve the issue.  

I was forced to cut off any new sales because we couldn’t fulfill the thousands of orders we already had in a timely manner. This caused a massive budget crunch as the cash flow stopped. Fortunately, I had saved more than three months of operating expenses, but even with that, we were on the brink of bankruptcy. We were very, very close, and I had to pull every dollar I had out of savings to pay payroll and expenses just so we could stay open. I had to sell generators and plasma tables and whatever I could for $500, $1,000 and $2,000 at a time just to make ends meet.

Blood is not always family, and family is not always blood

I’ve learned that the true definition of family is when you’ll do anything for anyone when it’s the least convenient for you.

Two weeks before Christmas, 60 percent of my staff left. This left me crippled. Not only did I not have my main machine working, I lost most of my workforce.  

There were nights when I was driving home late and thought, “If an 18-wheeler comes over into my lane, I don’t know if I’ll move.”  

One thing’s certain: I’d rather go through another rocket explosion than endure the six months of hell that crisis brought me.

But all was not lost. My remaining team showed me who I could really count on. They became my heroes. I learned to put my trust in the team that remained and to show up for them. I discovered who was really there for me when I needed them the most. The people who stayed believed in me; they believed in us. They encouraged me, continually reminding me that we’d get through this. 

My team is my greatest asset

Keeping the core team I kept and losing the other 60 percent ended up becoming one of my greatest gifts. It showed me who has my back and gave me space to improve the rest of my team.  

So fast-forward to the COVID-19 crisis hitting. While I didn’t have to make staff cuts, I knew most of my team was on two-income households, so I decided to offer to cover all my staff’s house payments for the month of April. That wasn’t easy for me because we’re not a venture-backed company sitting on loads of cash. But these people had been there for me, and I wanted to do what I could to be there for them.  

Additionally, as a student of consumer behavior, I realized that Redline had to shift its entire marketing strategy. We don’t sell critical-need products, so we needed to shift very fast and come up with a new strategy. Recently, some of the entrepreneurs I coach have been pivoting their marketing agency strategy to find the opportunity to great results so I know it’s not just me getting lucky. The opportunity is still there, it’s just moved.  

We created a Give Back collection of 17 different products, where we offer a free gift to medical workers and other critical frontline responders who are bravely serving. In about a month, we’ve given over $2 million in product away thanks to this strategy and acquired hundreds of thousands of new customers at an incredibly affordable customer acquisition rate.

Today, I have a stronger staff and leadership than ever before. We are protected by five layers of redundancy so if a machine like that ever breaks down again, we are covered. Plus, we were poised to grow faster and better than ever before. That wouldn’t have happened without the crisis of November 2018.  

With everything America is facing now, business owners need to get comfortable with the uncomfortable and start thinking outside the box. What was working for you before may not work for you now. 

No one wants a crisis thrust upon them, but the benefit of a crisis is that you will find new limits. When I look at some of the most seasoned entrepreneurs, I see that they’ve stepped outside their comfort zones so often and gone through so much in the past that they can bet on themselves to know that they’ll make it through whatever they’re facing. 

Some lasting lessons

1. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable. When the market shifts, pivot rapidly.

2. Never forget — whatever challenge you’re facing can remake you better than ever.  

A quote I love by General Douglas MacArthur is “Americans never quit.” I think that’s as true and relevant for today as it was for any other point in history. It isn’t the season to quit. It’s the season to remake ourselves.

So keep going, my friend. I promise you can get through this. 

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

Via http://www.scpie.org/what-surviving-a-rocket-explosion-taught-this-veteran-entrepreneur-about-never-giving-up/

source https://scpie.weebly.com/blog/what-surviving-a-rocket-explosion-taught-this-veteran-entrepreneur-about-never-giving-up

[scpie]

What Surviving a Rocket Explosion Taught This Veteran Entrepreneur About Never Giving Up

May 8, 2020 9 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Let’s be real for a moment. We are all being hit hard right now. Millions of people have been infected around the globe, hundreds of thousands have died. Many businesses that have been built with sweat and tears over decades are now left for ruin.

My business, Redline Steel, has been forced to pivot massively in order to survive the unexpected storm. But we’ve been through challenging times before. Crisis, trials and setbacks have been unwanted friends of mine for as long as I can remember. 

Here’s the thing: I truly believe that not only can a crisis define you — it can remake you.

On May 3rd, 2012, I was serving my third, military tour in Afghanistan and working out in a gym when a 107-mm rocket exploded about three and a half feet from me. I barely remember the ensuing gunfire and the rescue, but I survived. Shrapnel went all the way through my leg, which led me to six months of physical therapy just so I could walk and move normally again. I had nerve damage in my back and required lumbar block fusion surgery.

Less than 18 months after my injury in Afghanistan, I landed my first magazine cover on Ironman Australia. The gym almost killed me, but it also saved my life. A lot of people would have fear re-entering something that almost ended their life, but I was able to turn that negative experience into a positive career change for me.

I want my failures, trials and painful moments of life to fuel me — not beat me.

Pain will not win

The rocket explosion is a part of my life, but it’s something I don’t dwell on it. I focus on what’s ahead. I couldn’t work out exactly like I used to, but I found workarounds. I had to change my workouts, but I didn’t let that stop me. Instead, I let it fuel my motivation. 

We cannot allow the world to tell us what we can and can’t do. We have to decide this for ourselves.

That is central to overcoming nearly any obstacle, thus, it’s been a core belief of mine for a long time. 

Redline started in a very similar way; with a setup disguised as a setback. I had a partnership that fell apart on the day we were supposed to sign. I had already invested thousands of dollars in attorney fees for the deal. But I pressed on anyway. 

In the military, we call it “Charlie Mike.” We continue on the mission, and no matter what obstacle is thrown in my way, I find a way to work around it. I’ve found that no matter what, if there’s a will, there is a way. 

In other words, I had to develop a will of steel. 

Focusing your energy

When things are out of your control, stay focused on what you can do, not on what you can’t do.  

So what do you do when you have zero control? Because it’s true — sometimes events take place beyond our control, just like what’s happening right now on a global scale. No one expected that we would go into quarantine, that the economy would plummet or that we would rapidly descend into a recession.

But, again, this was nothing new for me. I’d already experienced something similar just 18 months beforehand.  

In November 2018, at the peak of buying season when retailers like mine make or break their year, I had a $70,000 piece of machinery that’s central to my entire production line completely break down. 

It was under warranty, but I didn’t have a backup, and the parts had to be imported, which was going to take more than a month. We ordered another one and frantically worked on solutions, but the orders began to backlog.

Breaking promises hurts the most

We had promised thousands of customers that we would get their orders out by Christmas. And although we did everything humanly possible, we couldn’t meet the timeline for everyone. Customer complaints started to pile up as rapidly as my orders. I was called a fraud and other horrible names I’d never been called, all while we were doing everything humanely possible to solve the issue.  

I was forced to cut off any new sales because we couldn’t fulfill the thousands of orders we already had in a timely manner. This caused a massive budget crunch as the cash flow stopped. Fortunately, I had saved more than three months of operating expenses, but even with that, we were on the brink of bankruptcy. We were very, very close, and I had to pull every dollar I had out of savings to pay payroll and expenses just so we could stay open. I had to sell generators and plasma tables and whatever I could for $500, $1,000 and $2,000 at a time just to make ends meet.

Blood is not always family, and family is not always blood

I’ve learned that the true definition of family is when you’ll do anything for anyone when it’s the least convenient for you.

Two weeks before Christmas, 60 percent of my staff left. This left me crippled. Not only did I not have my main machine working, I lost most of my workforce.  

There were nights when I was driving home late and thought, “If an 18-wheeler comes over into my lane, I don’t know if I’ll move.”  

One thing’s certain: I’d rather go through another rocket explosion than endure the six months of hell that crisis brought me.

But all was not lost. My remaining team showed me who I could really count on. They became my heroes. I learned to put my trust in the team that remained and to show up for them. I discovered who was really there for me when I needed them the most. The people who stayed believed in me; they believed in us. They encouraged me, continually reminding me that we’d get through this. 

My team is my greatest asset

Keeping the core team I kept and losing the other 60 percent ended up becoming one of my greatest gifts. It showed me who has my back and gave me space to improve the rest of my team.  

So fast-forward to the COVID-19 crisis hitting. While I didn’t have to make staff cuts, I knew most of my team was on two-income households, so I decided to offer to cover all my staff’s house payments for the month of April. That wasn’t easy for me because we’re not a venture-backed company sitting on loads of cash. But these people had been there for me, and I wanted to do what I could to be there for them.  

Additionally, as a student of consumer behavior, I realized that Redline had to shift its entire marketing strategy. We don’t sell critical-need products, so we needed to shift very fast and come up with a new strategy. Recently, some of the entrepreneurs I coach have been pivoting their marketing agency strategy to find the opportunity to great results so I know it’s not just me getting lucky. The opportunity is still there, it’s just moved.  

We created a Give Back collection of 17 different products, where we offer a free gift to medical workers and other critical frontline responders who are bravely serving. In about a month, we’ve given over $2 million in product away thanks to this strategy and acquired hundreds of thousands of new customers at an incredibly affordable customer acquisition rate.

Today, I have a stronger staff and leadership than ever before. We are protected by five layers of redundancy so if a machine like that ever breaks down again, we are covered. Plus, we were poised to grow faster and better than ever before. That wouldn’t have happened without the crisis of November 2018.  

With everything America is facing now, business owners need to get comfortable with the uncomfortable and start thinking outside the box. What was working for you before may not work for you now. 

No one wants a crisis thrust upon them, but the benefit of a crisis is that you will find new limits. When I look at some of the most seasoned entrepreneurs, I see that they’ve stepped outside their comfort zones so often and gone through so much in the past that they can bet on themselves to know that they’ll make it through whatever they’re facing. 

Some lasting lessons

1. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable. When the market shifts, pivot rapidly.

2. Never forget — whatever challenge you’re facing can remake you better than ever.  

A quote I love by General Douglas MacArthur is “Americans never quit.” I think that’s as true and relevant for today as it was for any other point in history. It isn’t the season to quit. It’s the season to remake ourselves.

So keep going, my friend. I promise you can get through this. 

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[laurelkrugerr]

What Surviving a Rocket Explosion Taught This Veteran Entrepreneur About Never Giving Up

May 8, 2020 9 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Let’s be real for a moment. We are all being hit hard right now. Millions of people have been infected around the globe, hundreds of thousands have died. Many businesses that have been built with sweat and tears over decades are now left for ruin.

My business, Redline Steel, has been forced to pivot massively in order to survive the unexpected storm. But we’ve been through challenging times before. Crisis, trials and setbacks have been unwanted friends of mine for as long as I can remember. 

Here’s the thing: I truly believe that not only can a crisis define you — it can remake you.

On May 3rd, 2012, I was serving my third, military tour in Afghanistan and working out in a gym when a 107-mm rocket exploded about three and a half feet from me. I barely remember the ensuing gunfire and the rescue, but I survived. Shrapnel went all the way through my leg, which led me to six months of physical therapy just so I could walk and move normally again. I had nerve damage in my back and required lumbar block fusion surgery.

Less than 18 months after my injury in Afghanistan, I landed my first magazine cover on Ironman Australia. The gym almost killed me, but it also saved my life. A lot of people would have fear re-entering something that almost ended their life, but I was able to turn that negative experience into a positive career change for me.

I want my failures, trials and painful moments of life to fuel me — not beat me.

Pain will not win

The rocket explosion is a part of my life, but it’s something I don’t dwell on it. I focus on what’s ahead. I couldn’t work out exactly like I used to, but I found workarounds. I had to change my workouts, but I didn’t let that stop me. Instead, I let it fuel my motivation. 

We cannot allow the world to tell us what we can and can’t do. We have to decide this for ourselves.

That is central to overcoming nearly any obstacle, thus, it’s been a core belief of mine for a long time. 

Redline started in a very similar way; with a setup disguised as a setback. I had a partnership that fell apart on the day we were supposed to sign. I had already invested thousands of dollars in attorney fees for the deal. But I pressed on anyway. 

In the military, we call it “Charlie Mike.” We continue on the mission, and no matter what obstacle is thrown in my way, I find a way to work around it. I’ve found that no matter what, if there’s a will, there is a way. 

In other words, I had to develop a will of steel. 

Focusing your energy

When things are out of your control, stay focused on what you can do, not on what you can’t do.  

So what do you do when you have zero control? Because it’s true — sometimes events take place beyond our control, just like what’s happening right now on a global scale. No one expected that we would go into quarantine, that the economy would plummet or that we would rapidly descend into a recession.

But, again, this was nothing new for me. I’d already experienced something similar just 18 months beforehand.  

In November 2018, at the peak of buying season when retailers like mine make or break their year, I had a $70,000 piece of machinery that’s central to my entire production line completely break down. 

It was under warranty, but I didn’t have a backup, and the parts had to be imported, which was going to take more than a month. We ordered another one and frantically worked on solutions, but the orders began to backlog.

Breaking promises hurts the most

We had promised thousands of customers that we would get their orders out by Christmas. And although we did everything humanly possible, we couldn’t meet the timeline for everyone. Customer complaints started to pile up as rapidly as my orders. I was called a fraud and other horrible names I’d never been called, all while we were doing everything humanely possible to solve the issue.  

I was forced to cut off any new sales because we couldn’t fulfill the thousands of orders we already had in a timely manner. This caused a massive budget crunch as the cash flow stopped. Fortunately, I had saved more than three months of operating expenses, but even with that, we were on the brink of bankruptcy. We were very, very close, and I had to pull every dollar I had out of savings to pay payroll and expenses just so we could stay open. I had to sell generators and plasma tables and whatever I could for $500, $1,000 and $2,000 at a time just to make ends meet.

Blood is not always family, and family is not always blood

I’ve learned that the true definition of family is when you’ll do anything for anyone when it’s the least convenient for you.

Two weeks before Christmas, 60 percent of my staff left. This left me crippled. Not only did I not have my main machine working, I lost most of my workforce.  

There were nights when I was driving home late and thought, “If an 18-wheeler comes over into my lane, I don’t know if I’ll move.”  

One thing’s certain: I’d rather go through another rocket explosion than endure the six months of hell that crisis brought me.

But all was not lost. My remaining team showed me who I could really count on. They became my heroes. I learned to put my trust in the team that remained and to show up for them. I discovered who was really there for me when I needed them the most. The people who stayed believed in me; they believed in us. They encouraged me, continually reminding me that we’d get through this. 

My team is my greatest asset

Keeping the core team I kept and losing the other 60 percent ended up becoming one of my greatest gifts. It showed me who has my back and gave me space to improve the rest of my team.  

So fast-forward to the COVID-19 crisis hitting. While I didn’t have to make staff cuts, I knew most of my team was on two-income households, so I decided to offer to cover all my staff’s house payments for the month of April. That wasn’t easy for me because we’re not a venture-backed company sitting on loads of cash. But these people had been there for me, and I wanted to do what I could to be there for them.  

Additionally, as a student of consumer behavior, I realized that Redline had to shift its entire marketing strategy. We don’t sell critical-need products, so we needed to shift very fast and come up with a new strategy. Recently, some of the entrepreneurs I coach have been pivoting their marketing agency strategy to find the opportunity to great results so I know it’s not just me getting lucky. The opportunity is still there, it’s just moved.  

We created a Give Back collection of 17 different products, where we offer a free gift to medical workers and other critical frontline responders who are bravely serving. In about a month, we’ve given over $2 million in product away thanks to this strategy and acquired hundreds of thousands of new customers at an incredibly affordable customer acquisition rate.

Today, I have a stronger staff and leadership than ever before. We are protected by five layers of redundancy so if a machine like that ever breaks down again, we are covered. Plus, we were poised to grow faster and better than ever before. That wouldn’t have happened without the crisis of November 2018.  

With everything America is facing now, business owners need to get comfortable with the uncomfortable and start thinking outside the box. What was working for you before may not work for you now. 

No one wants a crisis thrust upon them, but the benefit of a crisis is that you will find new limits. When I look at some of the most seasoned entrepreneurs, I see that they’ve stepped outside their comfort zones so often and gone through so much in the past that they can bet on themselves to know that they’ll make it through whatever they’re facing. 

Some lasting lessons

1. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable. When the market shifts, pivot rapidly.

2. Never forget — whatever challenge you’re facing can remake you better than ever.  

A quote I love by General Douglas MacArthur is “Americans never quit.” I think that’s as true and relevant for today as it was for any other point in history. It isn’t the season to quit. It’s the season to remake ourselves.

So keep going, my friend. I promise you can get through this. 

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[lovelylonelybrenda]

The Nickle Boys: Book Review and my thoughts

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, takes place during the civil rights movement in the United States during the early 60’s. Elwood Curtis had been abandoned by his parents at a young age and left under the care of his grandmother. Elwood was a bright young mind, and very hopeful for not only himself but for his country. His hope was fueled by  the inspirational words of Martin Luther King Jr. Elwood would never miss one of Martin Luther King’s speeches and took everything he said to heart. Opening up his heart to love rather than hatred, despite him dehumanized by people around him.

 Elwood was someone who had craved knowledge and always looked for the opportunity to expand his mind. He had potential that simply could not be wasted, and was recommended to attend summer college classes by one of his teachers. The college summer classes were free, however they were a long commute away. A commute Elwood had been ready to take and find a way around. The lack of money for public transportation or even a car was not going to get in the way. Elwood was ready to endure anything to help him set up a better future for himself. 

Unfortunately for him on his first day, he had hitchhiked with the wrong person. A simple mistake, a random coincidence had led to Elwood getting arrested for a crime he didn’t commit. Or partake in  but was still being  accused of being a complaint in a robbery. 

Pinning a crime on a black person has never been hard especially at this point in time. Because of his age, Elwood was sent to a boys juvenile reformatory school; Nickel Academy. (Whitehead was inspired by a reform school in Florida that had operated for 111 years). Elwood had so much hope, and it made him naive in his current situation. Elwood went in believing that he would still be able to expand his education and get out early through good behavior and his good grades. Only to be bared with the harsh reality of how the Nickel Academy really ran. Young boys were not only worked passed their limits but abused in every sense by the officers working there. Anyone willing to resist would “disappear outback”. 

Elwood's beliefs and outlooks on the world get challenged by not only the academy itself but his biggest clash with reality came from a fellow inmate and friend Turner. Their opposing views lead them exactly where they least expected to end up. The consequences haunting them for years to come. 

When I had first picked up the book and read the blurb it reminded me of the Netflix series When They See us. While both stories take place during two different era’s in time, both of these stories deal with an underlying theme. How a crime could be so easily pinned on these boys with there  being no real evidence. But their skin color seemed to be enough evidence in the eyes of the police.

The simple fact of being black can be just enough to condone black people to a life with hardships. And yes, everyone at one point or another comes across hardships. It's a part of life. No one is denying it, but simply being black can make their life more difficult than the average person.  Difficult in the sense that society has depicted black people as inferior and more violent than the rest of us.  Adding an extra layer of difficulty to prove themselves as valuable and useful members of  society. The average person had enough difficulty proving they are worth something, that they are worth investing in. Now trying to that,  in a society  that has already painted you in a negative connotation for centuries?  Taking into consideration these stories take place in the United States, where we have a  system built specifically to keep people of color away from power and the white man in power.  

Supposedly we, as individuals have a right to choose our own paths and decide how we will impact society, if we choose to. No one talks about how choosing who we want to be is in reality a privilege. The reality is many kids won't ever get to decide what they want to do with themselves and not only because of their race or skin color  will already condone them, but because their opportunity  gets taken away from them. 

Who knows how many future doctors, lawyers or business tyrants the world will never see. And while those are far and few generally, there are far less who will ever come to a realization of their potential. And why? Because they never get the chance to live a life where they have the same resources as everyone else. And yes it is impossible for everyone to have the same exact lifestyle and resources, many kids lack the basic essentials for a basic and proper education. 

Apparently it's a waste for lower-income kids to have access to a basic education system. There aren’t enough funds going into these children's education. The problem lies in how each school gets their fund money. Take New York City for example, the main reason why not all schools receive the same resources is because some schools raise money through Parent Teacher Associations. These schools that receive hundreds of thousands of dollars are no surprise located in the nice part of Brooklyn and neighborhoods in Manhattan. ( Catherine Brown, Scott Sargard & Meg Benner, “Hidden Money: The Outsized Role of Parent Contributions in School Finances'', Center for American Progress, April 2017; Clara Hemphil, “Check Out the country’s richest 50 PTAs (https://insideschools.org/news-&-views/Check%20out%20the%20country%E2%80%99s%20richest%2050%20PTAs%20(19%20in%20New%20York%20City)). This isn’t to say that the blame lies with the parents who aren’t giving money to their children's school, no. This is to help people understand that kids born into financially stable households are already in better positions as opposed to those who weren't as fortunate. There are people who are able to afford spending so much money and invest time into going to these PTA meetings. But there are families who struggle to make ends meet, for whatever reason. They should not be discredited for the effort they put in to making sure that there is food on the table. Who barely manage, so how are they expected to spare thousands of dollars when they can barely spare for themselves? This does open the door for a whole different discussion and I’m already getting sidetracked. But I thought it was worth mentioning seeing as Elwood was in a situation where he was being held back from an education he deserved. Elwood held so much potential, he believed in change and was always looking for different material to further his knowledge. He was limited, as many kids continue to be limited. 

For anyone looking to check out the book, I am going into spoilers because the end deals with an issue that can not be ignored and is an issue still being dealt with. By the end of the book Elwood and Turner were trying to escape, however while running Elwood was shot and killed. Turner was however lucky enough to not get caught or killed like his friend was. Turner is mad about the outcome however because in his eyes he was not worth it. Elwood was, Elwood had goals and ambition. Elwood was smart and Turner wasn’t. Turner wasn’t sure what career path his friend would have gone down, but wherever his friend chose to go, he was certain of one thing; Elwood would have been successful. Would have, if he had not been shot, if he had not been sent to the Nickle Academy. Was it Elwood’s fault? Was it his fault he was so desperate to attend a college course he was willing to hitchhike with a stranger to save himself the walk? Or was it bad luck? And how many kids are denied the opportunities Elwood was denied? Kids like Mike Brown or Trayvon Martin who died far too young and never got to develop their potential. There is no real telling who will create an impact generally but most of us are at least given the opportunity to live and try. Some don’t and I think we forget that. It's not fair to them and especially not to their families. 

The Nickle Boys is a lot to take in, if you pay close attention to what the book is saying. The story is compelling all on its own and you can find things to relate to within the characters. And while I originally didn’t go into this read expecting to analyze or think too much of the book, I couldn’t help it. And I’m glad I picked it up because it gave me both a great story as well as more to think about. Worth the read and definitely worth further analyzing the underlying themes.

[nickelsonbnirmakbf32insuran-blog]

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honda 919 insurance

[newssplashy]

Finance: We drove a new $47,800 Acura RDX to see if the SUV lives up to its impressive reputation — here's the verdict

For many, many Americans, the RDX is their version of a premium wagon and it's dedicated to upscale family duty. But it also promises zesty performance and plenty of technology, given the typical needs and wants of an Acura enthusiast.

The Acura RDX is a critically important compact crossover for Honda's luxury brand in the US.

We borrowed a $47,800 Advance trim-level RDX and put it through its paces.

We came away just as impressed as we often are with Acura vehicles, whose price-to-quality ratio is hard to beat in the luxury space for most owners.

Luxury crossovers are a white-hot segment in the new-vehicle world. Screw up in this realm and you'll pay.

Acura can't afford to screw up because although Honda's premium marque has its loyalists — they're on par with BMW owners — the US-market crossover segment is a battlefield and new combatants are arriving all the time.

Lucky for Acura it has a solid compact SUV that, in its latest iteration, has gotten more solid.

The first-generation RDX landed in 2007, and the made-in-Ohio crossover came with a four-cylinder turbocharged engine, which was an oddity at the time for luxury vehicles. The second-gen hit in 2012, and the four-banger was replaced with a V6.

The all-important compact luxury crossover category demands that Acura keep pace, especially in the US, so for the 2019 model year we have an all-new RDX, tasked with maintaining the 50,000 in annual sales that the previous-gen enjoyed. Besides the engine change, the other major difference is that the RDX is now built on an Acura-only platform (the second-gen was based on the popular Honda CR-V).

For many, many Americans, the RDX is their version of a premium wagon and it's dedicated to upscale family duty. But it also promises zesty performance and plenty of technology, given the typical needs and wants of an Acura enthusiast. This new-gen RDX is also taking some design cues from Acura halo supercar, the NSX, which took home Business Insider's Car of the Year trophy in 2016.

The 2019 Acura RDX starts at about $37,000 for the front-wheel-drive version, but our tester was a $47,800 all-wheel-drive Advance trim level, fully loaded.

Here's how it went.

The 2019 Acura RDX looks undeniably sharp in a "Performance Red" paint job. To my eye, the latest generation of this compact crossover is pushing toward midsize dimension.

The minimalist design of the second-gen RDX is going away, replaced by a more sleek and dynamic exterior. I rather like the fractured belt-line and the painterly slashes of chrome, but they aren't going to be for everybody.

The RDX has good presence for an entry level luxury crossover. The space is very, very crowded these days as SUVs have supplanted sedans as the world's go-to premium choice.

The controversial chrome beak is gone, and the Acura badge has gotten quite large.

The "A" — styled as a precision-instrument caliper — sits at the center of what Acura calls a "diamond pentagon" grill. It looks cool.

So do the jewel-eye LED headlights ...

... Which bear more than a passing resemblance to those on the NSX supercar.

SUV rear ends are usually a weak point, aesthetically, and the RDX's is no exception. There's a lot going on back there, what with all the swoops and indents and those crab-pincer tail lights. Bonus: Dual exhaust!

Our RDX was of the "Super Handling" all-wheel-drive variety, with torque vectoring that sends traction to the wheel that needs it most. This helps the RDX with stable handling and in bad weather and on poor roads.

There's no third row of seats, and thanks to the RDX's larger overall dimensions relative to the previous gen, the cargo pace is now a considerable 30 cubic feet. There's also a power liftgate.

Time to pop the hood and check out that turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant.

Well, yeah, like most four-bangers, it doesn't look like much. But rest assured that the 272-horsepower motor is demonstrably torque-happy with 280 pound-feet of pull on tap. It is also not torque-steer-y in any way.

The RDX can serve up a 0-60 mph dash in about six seconds. Fuel economy is about what you'd expect: 21 mpg city/27 highway/23 combined. I drove around for a week on single tank.

Let's jump inside real quick to talk about the 10-speed automatic transmission, which has four driving modes (Comfort, Snow, Sport + and a default Sport), along with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.

Again, the configuration of controls will be eerily familiar to NSX owners and fans. The PRND buttons aren't what I'd call ideal, but they do the job. The big drive-mode knob, so cool on a supercar, is possibly overkill on a luxury crossover.

OK, let's hop inside for longer! The leather interior is "Parchment."

I always find the Acura's driver's view to be soothing. That's weird, because you're presented with all kinds of buttons, thumbwheels, and a switch on the RDX's steering wheel. And although the analog instrument gauges are old-school, the somewhat complicated center display isn't."

The leather-wrapped steering wheel feels just right, and although purist won't like the electric power steering, I found it to be exceptionally precise. Acura's have always been, in my experience, easy to drive easy and easy to drive hard.

The RDX is no exception. It can't feel as aggressive and BMW X3, but it doesn't want to. And for average, everyday around-town motoring, the feel is impeccable.

To be honest, I gave up on the center display. It has a lot going in and can provide all sort of info and data, however. Anybody who wants to get in there and geek-out will get no argument from me.

Honda/Acura is famed for its interior ergonomics and design, but the brands have been tempted away from simplicity over the past decade. Thankfully, reason has returned. The RDX controls are simple and straightforward. Heated and cooled seats, as well as a heated steered wheel, are great features on the RDX Advance trim.

Personally, I also liked that the engine auto stop/start feature — intended to save fuel and cut down on emissions — can easily be deactivated by pressing a nice, big, easy-to-spot button.

That is some nice wood trim!

The ELS Studio 3D audio system is all Acura — specially designed for the brand and outfitted with 16 speakers in the RDX, including ...

... Speakers in the roof! It sounds spectacular, among the best premium audio systems I've experienced in a vehicle in 2018.

Reminder: the 2019 RDX is bigger than its ancestors. The subtle size increase make the rear seats notably more comfy for passengers. On a side note, getting in and out of the RDX is a breeze — not something one can say about every luxe SUV.

The panoramic moon roof is vast.

Let's talk about Acura's new infotainment system. It's called "True Touchpad" and it uses a high-res center screen that juts from the dashboard and displays a host of apps, along the map, which is nearly always on view.

The smaller right side info can be flipped with the larger left side.

Here's where the magic happens. This touchpad can be used like a trackpad on a laptop, and there are several hard inputs. But you can also simply drop a fingertip to an area of the pad that corresponds to the screen.

It's an improvement over previous versions of Acura infotainment. For example, here's two-screen setup in a TLX A-Spec.

The changes are all about the user interface, which take a bit of getting used to. I got the hang of it in about 15 minutes and liked the system, in particular the comfortable padded wrist rest.

Business Insider's Ben Zhang was less impressed. But he agreed that it's an improvement over what Acura had been installing.

I found the voice-recognition feature to be satisfyingly accurate, and Bluetooth pairing, navigation, and USB/AUX inputs for devices were all successful. There are better infotainment options out there, but given Acura's history, this new True Touchpad approach has promise. Best of all, once you learn it, you can keep your eyes on the road.

Apple CarPlay is available, but not Android Auto yet.

So what's the verdict?

I'd buy one. Seriously, I enjoyed the RDX immensely in the week that I drove it around the Jersey 'burbs and the mean streets of New York City. But I tend to respond quote favorably to Acuras. For whatever reason, I think they combine a high level of luxury and value with legendary reliability and fun motoring that isn't too demanding.

If you just love to drive, something from BMW, Mercedes, or Audi might be more your bag. If you want absolutely bulletproof luxury, then look to Lexus (and be a bit less stimulated by exceptional engineering). If beauty is a must, turn to the Jaguar F-Pace.

But if you desire an excellent premium crossover SUV that will carry a family of four around in style, you'll be hard-pressed to do better than the new RDX.

With my colleague Ben, I agree that the new infotainment system is a work in progress. But it's a big improvement over the previous generation and a step in the right direction.

Acura has a way of being all things to all people, without causing that benefit to render its cars bland. Anybody who prefers to go Sport-Plus mode on the Dynamic selector will find that their luxury SUV can delivery more than a splash of snarl and attitude. (And maybe too much, as both Ben and I detected some harshness in the transmission's friskier shifts.)

The steering isn't mushy, and neither are the brakes. The torque-vectoring through the AWD drive system made the RDX feel genuinely sure-footed and composed when cornering, and the engine isn't cranking so much power that you feel you have to lay off in the curves, to avoid losing control.

Of course, where Acura truly shines is in the quality-to-price ratio. It's hard to obtain a better compact luxury SUV for this kind of scratch. Comparable German brands go for thousands more, similarly equipped. You're buying Acura's commitment to fine engineering and reliability, with just enough zip thrown in to remind you that you aren't driving a Lexus.

Bottom line: the 2019 Acura RDX is a purchase I can recommend you consider — without hesitation.

source https://www.newssplashy.com/2018/07/finance-we-drove-new-47800-acura-rdx-to.html

[hollywoodjuliorivas]

Advertisement STYLE When Your Greatest Romance Is a Friendship Modern Love By VICTOR LODATO FEB. 24, 2017 Continue reading the main storyShare This Page Share Tweet Pin Email More Save Photo Credit Brian Rea “Is this your grandson?” people sometimes ask Austin when she’s out with me. I love watching her vanity prick up, the way she serenely tilts her small white head and refurbishes her Southern accent to correct them. “No, honey. He’s my friend.” At this point, folks usually smile tightly and turn away, perhaps worried there is more than friendship going on between the old lady and the younger man seated at the bar or strolling through the supermarket, giggling like teenagers. Why we’re giggling, I couldn’t tell you. Often our mirth seems fueled by some deep-celled delight at being together. Friendship, like its flashier cousin, love, can be wildly chemical and, like love, can happen in an instant. When I met Austin, I was in my early 40s and not looking for a friend. I had come alone to this small Oregon town to finish a book. So when a bony, blue-eyed stranger knocked on my door, introducing herself as the lady from across the way and wondering if I might like to come over and see her garden — maybe have a gin and tonic — I politely declined. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story Watching her walk away, though, in her velvet slip-ons and wrinkled blouse, I felt a strange pang, a slow pin of sadness that I suppose could best be described as loneliness. Suddenly I was dashing into the dirt road to say that I was sorry, that she had caught me in the middle of work, but that, yes, I would enjoy seeing her garden. “Not the gin and tonic?” she said. “Sure, that too,” I answered, blushing. And before I could suggest a visit the next week, she said: “So I’ll see you in a few hours, then. Shall we say 4:30?” I had to admire her sense of time. Next week is for someone who can afford to put things off. Austin, in her 80s, surely felt no such luxury. NYT Living Newsletter Get lifestyle news from the Style, Travel and Food sections, from the latest trends to news you can use. Sign Up Receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. SEE SAMPLE MANAGE EMAIL PREFERENCES PRIVACY POLICY “I liked your face,” she admitted later, telling me she had spotted me at the mailbox. As she poured the gin, I told her I had seen her at the mailbox, as well, and liked her face, too. “I wish I had better eyebrows,” she said. “They used to be fabulous.” Her garden was astounding, like something dreamed rather than planted, a mad-hatter gothic in which a lawless grace prevailed. At dusk, the deer arrived, nibbling the crab apple blossoms. We had been talking for hours, slightly tipsy, and then we were in the kitchen cooking dinner. A retired psychologist, Austin had traveled extensively, spoke terrible Spanish and worse French, and was a painter now. She had had two husbands, the second of whom died in this house, in a small bed in the living room. “That’s what I’ll do,” Austin told me. “This room gets the best light.” We turned to the windows, but the light was already gone. That we could be quiet together so soon, and without strain, felt auspicious. “So you’ve run away from home?” she said at one point. From the beginning, there was something about our interaction that reminded me of friendships from childhood, in which no question was off limits. On religion, she claimed to be an atheist. I admitted to being haunted by the ghosts of a Roman Catholic upbringing. She said her sisters believed in hell and worried about her soul. Austin, though, seemed afraid of nothing, least of all death. I said I was still afraid of the dark. “Living alone,” she said. “It can make you funny.” I laughed but changed the subject, telling her I would like to see her paintings. Later, crossing the road back to my Craigslist sublet, I wondered what I was doing. I reminded myself of my plan: hiding out, staying in the dream of the book. I wasn’t here to socialize. After years of work on a single project, I was in the final stretch. I could finish a draft in a few months and head back home. Besides, if I wanted a friend during my retreat, I would find someone my age to throw back beers with. Gin and tonics with an old lady in her garden? That wasn’t in the plan. But there I was the next weekend having dinner with her, and then it was every weekend. Sometimes we went out to a restaurant or hiked in the mountains. Austin’s older friends seemed confused. “Is he helping you with the computer?” one asked. When I first started talking about Austin to my own out-of-town friends, they assumed I had found a new boyfriend. ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story “Austin’s a woman,” I would say. “Besides, she’s in her 80s. She’s just a pal.” Even as they replied, “That’s cool,” I could almost hear them thinking: “Must be slim pickings out in Oregon.” What was perplexing, I suppose, was not that two people of such different ages had become friends, but that we had essentially become best friends. Others regarded our devotion as either strange or quaint, like one of those unlikely animal friendships: a monkey and a pigeon, perhaps. Admittedly, when I would spot us in a mirror, I saw how peculiar we were. This vivacious white-haired imp in her bright colors and chunk-style jewelry sitting with the dark-haired man in his drab earth-tone sweaters and Clark Kent glasses. Maybe I looked like some nerdy gigolo or this elegant woman’s attentive secretary. If we made no sense from the outside, it didn’t matter. We were mostly looking at each other. One night, Austin chatted about her life as a middle-aged wife in academia. “I completely missed out on the wildness of the ’60s,” she said. I told her I had missed out, too. “You weren’t born yet,” she said. “Or hardly.” Often we cooked together, as we had that first night, after which she would show me whatever painting she was working on. At her request, I also started reading to her from my book-in-progress. We gave each other feedback; our work improved. When my six-month lease was up, I renewed it. The novel wasn’t finished. Plus, I couldn’t imagine a better neighbor. Before I knew it, three years had passed. I was writing seven days a week and spending most evenings with Austin. Sometimes she had spells of vertigo now, and when we walked together she held my arm. Often she couldn’t find the right word for something. When she wanted to keep away visitors so she could paint, she hung a sign on her studio door: “Do not destroy.” Soon the headaches came, and more jumbled language. “I need to screw my calls,” she said, meaning she needed to screen them. ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story We laughed, then sobered. Tests were scheduled. Now she is eight months into what the doctors say is a quick-ravaging illness deep in her brain. They say there is no stopping it. A year more, if she’s lucky. Even as I refuse to believe this, I prepare for it. How? By keeping my promise to her. A few months before her diagnosis, Austin had attended a wedding. She showed me a copy of the vows, which had been distributed at the ceremony — a detailed list. I read it carefully, at Austin’s bidding. We were sitting in a car, waiting for our favorite Thai restaurant to open. “I never had anything like that with the men in my life,” she said, pointing to the vows. “We loved each other, but we didn’t have that.” She was crying now, something she rarely did. I took her hand and said, “Well, you have it with me. Everything but the sex.” At which point, the monkey kissed the pigeon. That night, I had an odd realization: Some of the greatest romances of my life have been friendships. And these friendships have been, in many ways, more mysterious than erotic love: more subtle, less selfish, more attuned to kindness. Of course, Austin was going to die long before I did. That’s not what this is about. This, I have come to understand, is a love story. Austin continued to paint for several months more, fractured, psychedelic self-portraits in scorching colors. Her best work. Lately, though, she is tired and hardly leaves the couch. I sit with her, at the opposite end, our legs intertwined. “Read to me,” she says. When I tell her the book is finished, she tells me to read her something new. But whenever I do, she promptly falls asleep. ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story I don’t leave, though. I stare out the window. Austin was right. This room does get the best light. Recently her hair has thinned, but she has a shock of white up front that a friend’s daughter has dyed with a streak of fuchsia. She looks like some punk girl I might have dated in high school. She had a bit more energy the last time I came to visit and said: “Oh, Victor, I had the most wonderful dessert yesterday. Peaches and Connecticut. Have you ever had it?” “No,” I said, smiling. I loved the idea of it. Two things that don’t seem to go together. Monkeys and pigeons. Peaches and Connecticut. Unlikely, yes — but delicious beyond measure. Announcing our 4th Modern Love College Essay Contest. See nytimes.com/essaycontest for details. Victor Lodato is the author of the novel “Edgar and Lucy,” to be published in March. He lives in Oregon. To contact Modern Love, email modernlove@nytimes.com. To hear Modern Love: The Podcast, subscribe on iTunes or Google Play Music. To read past Modern Love columns, click here. Continue following our fashion and lifestyle coverage on Facebook (Styles and Modern Love), Twitter (Styles, Fashion and Weddings) and Instagram. Announcing our fourth Modern Love College Essay Contest. See nytimes.com/essaycontest for details. A version of this article appears in print on February 26, 2017, on Page ST6 of the New York edition with the headline: A Great Romance, With a Friend. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe Continue reading the main story RELATED COVERAGE MODERN LOVE Taking a Break for Friendship (Updated With Podcast) OCT. 1, 2015 COMMITTED JAN. 24, 2017 MODERN LOVE Just Friends? Let Me Read Between the Lines (Updated With Podcast) OCT. 31, 2004 MODERN LOVE Modern Love - Friends Without Benefits JAN. 10, 2013 TRENDING Immigration Agents Discover New Freedom to Deport Under Trump Trump Ruled the Tabloid Media. Washington Is a Different Story. 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For many, many Americans, the RDX is their version of a premium wagon and it's dedicated to upscale family duty. But it also promises zesty performance and plenty of technology, given the typical needs and wants of an Acura enthusiast.

The Acura RDX is a critically important compact crossover for Honda's luxury brand in the US.

We borrowed a $47,800 Advance trim-level RDX and put it through its paces.

We came away just as impressed as we often are with Acura vehicles, whose price-to-quality ratio is hard to beat in the luxury space for most owners.

Luxury crossovers are a white-hot segment in the new-vehicle world. Screw up in this realm and you'll pay.

Acura can't afford to screw up because although Honda's premium marque has its loyalists — they're on par with BMW owners — the US-market crossover segment is a battlefield and new combatants are arriving all the time.

Lucky for Acura it has a solid compact SUV that, in its latest iteration, has gotten more solid.

The first-generation RDX landed in 2007, and the made-in-Ohio crossover came with a four-cylinder turbocharged engine, which was an oddity at the time for luxury vehicles. The second-gen hit in 2012, and the four-banger was replaced with a V6.

The all-important compact luxury crossover category demands that Acura keep pace, especially in the US, so for the 2019 model year we have an all-new RDX, tasked with maintaining the 50,000 in annual sales that the previous-gen enjoyed. Besides the engine change, the other major difference is that the RDX is now built on an Acura-only platform (the second-gen was based on the popular Honda CR-V).

For many, many Americans, the RDX is their version of a premium wagon and it's dedicated to upscale family duty. But it also promises zesty performance and plenty of technology, given the typical needs and wants of an Acura enthusiast. This new-gen RDX is also taking some design cues from Acura halo supercar, the NSX, which took home Business Insider's Car of the Year trophy in 2016.

The 2019 Acura RDX starts at about $37,000 for the front-wheel-drive version, but our tester was a $47,800 all-wheel-drive Advance trim level, fully loaded.

Here's how it went.

The 2019 Acura RDX looks undeniably sharp in a "Performance Red" paint job. To my eye, the latest generation of this compact crossover is pushing toward midsize dimension.

The minimalist design of the second-gen RDX is going away, replaced by a more sleek and dynamic exterior. I rather like the fractured belt-line and the painterly slashes of chrome, but they aren't going to be for everybody.

The RDX has good presence for an entry level luxury crossover. The space is very, very crowded these days as SUVs have supplanted sedans as the world's go-to premium choice.

The controversial chrome beak is gone, and the Acura badge has gotten quite large.

The "A" — styled as a precision-instrument caliper — sits at the center of what Acura calls a "diamond pentagon" grill. It looks cool.

So do the jewel-eye LED headlights ...

... Which bear more than a passing resemblance to those on the NSX supercar.

SUV rear ends are usually a weak point, aesthetically, and the RDX's is no exception. There's a lot going on back there, what with all the swoops and indents and those crab-pincer tail lights. Bonus: Dual exhaust!

Our RDX was of the "Super Handling" all-wheel-drive variety, with torque vectoring that sends traction to the wheel that needs it most. This helps the RDX with stable handling and in bad weather and on poor roads.

There's no third row of seats, and thanks to the RDX's larger overall dimensions relative to the previous gen, the cargo pace is now a considerable 30 cubic feet. There's also a power liftgate.

Time to pop the hood and check out that turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant.

Well, yeah, like most four-bangers, it doesn't look like much. But rest assured that the 272-horsepower motor is demonstrably torque-happy with 280 pound-feet of pull on tap. It is also not torque-steer-y in any way.

The RDX can serve up a 0-60 mph dash in about six seconds. Fuel economy is about what you'd expect: 21 mpg city/27 highway/23 combined. I drove around for a week on single tank.

Let's jump inside real quick to talk about the 10-speed automatic transmission, which has four driving modes (Comfort, Snow, Sport + and a default Sport), along with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.

Again, the configuration of controls will be eerily familiar to NSX owners and fans. The PRND buttons aren't what I'd call ideal, but they do the job. The big drive-mode knob, so cool on a supercar, is possibly overkill on a luxury crossover.

OK, let's hop inside for longer! The leather interior is "Parchment."

I always find the Acura's driver's view to be soothing. That's weird, because you're presented with all kinds of buttons, thumbwheels, and a switch on the RDX's steering wheel. And although the analog instrument gauges are old-school, the somewhat complicated center display isn't."

The leather-wrapped steering wheel feels just right, and although purist won't like the electric power steering, I found it to be exceptionally precise. Acura's have always been, in my experience, easy to drive easy and easy to drive hard.

The RDX is no exception. It can't feel as aggressive and BMW X3, but it doesn't want to. And for average, everyday around-town motoring, the feel is impeccable.

To be honest, I gave up on the center display. It has a lot going in and can provide all sort of info and data, however. Anybody who wants to get in there and geek-out will get no argument from me.

Honda/Acura is famed for its interior ergonomics and design, but the brands have been tempted away from simplicity over the past decade. Thankfully, reason has returned. The RDX controls are simple and straightforward. Heated and cooled seats, as well as a heated steered wheel, are great features on the RDX Advance trim.

Personally, I also liked that the engine auto stop/start feature — intended to save fuel and cut down on emissions — can easily be deactivated by pressing a nice, big, easy-to-spot button.

That is some nice wood trim!

The ELS Studio 3D audio system is all Acura — specially designed for the brand and outfitted with 16 speakers in the RDX, including ...

... Speakers in the roof! It sounds spectacular, among the best premium audio systems I've experienced in a vehicle in 2018.

Reminder: the 2019 RDX is bigger than its ancestors. The subtle size increase make the rear seats notably more comfy for passengers. On a side note, getting in and out of the RDX is a breeze — not something one can say about every luxe SUV.

The panoramic moon roof is vast.

Let's talk about Acura's new infotainment system. It's called "True Touchpad" and it uses a high-res center screen that juts from the dashboard and displays a host of apps, along the map, which is nearly always on view.

The smaller right side info can be flipped with the larger left side.

Here's where the magic happens. This touchpad can be used like a trackpad on a laptop, and there are several hard inputs. But you can also simply drop a fingertip to an area of the pad that corresponds to the screen.

It's an improvement over previous versions of Acura infotainment. For example, here's two-screen setup in a TLX A-Spec.

The changes are all about the user interface, which take a bit of getting used to. I got the hang of it in about 15 minutes and liked the system, in particular the comfortable padded wrist rest.

Business Insider's Ben Zhang was less impressed. But he agreed that it's an improvement over what Acura had been installing.

I found the voice-recognition feature to be satisfyingly accurate, and Bluetooth pairing, navigation, and USB/AUX inputs for devices were all successful. There are better infotainment options out there, but given Acura's history, this new True Touchpad approach has promise. Best of all, once you learn it, you can keep your eyes on the road.

Apple CarPlay is available, but not Android Auto yet.

So what's the verdict?

I'd buy one. Seriously, I enjoyed the RDX immensely in the week that I drove it around the Jersey 'burbs and the mean streets of New York City. But I tend to respond quote favorably to Acuras. For whatever reason, I think they combine a high level of luxury and value with legendary reliability and fun motoring that isn't too demanding.

If you just love to drive, something from BMW, Mercedes, or Audi might be more your bag. If you want absolutely bulletproof luxury, then look to Lexus (and be a bit less stimulated by exceptional engineering). If beauty is a must, turn to the Jaguar F-Pace.

But if you desire an excellent premium crossover SUV that will carry a family of four around in style, you'll be hard-pressed to do better than the new RDX.

With my colleague Ben, I agree that the new infotainment system is a work in progress. But it's a big improvement over the previous generation and a step in the right direction.

Acura has a way of being all things to all people, without causing that benefit to render its cars bland. Anybody who prefers to go Sport-Plus mode on the Dynamic selector will find that their luxury SUV can delivery more than a splash of snarl and attitude. (And maybe too much, as both Ben and I detected some harshness in the transmission's friskier shifts.)

The steering isn't mushy, and neither are the brakes. The torque-vectoring through the AWD drive system made the RDX feel genuinely sure-footed and composed when cornering, and the engine isn't cranking so much power that you feel you have to lay off in the curves, to avoid losing control.

Of course, where Acura truly shines is in the quality-to-price ratio. It's hard to obtain a better compact luxury SUV for this kind of scratch. Comparable German brands go for thousands more, similarly equipped. You're buying Acura's commitment to fine engineering and reliability, with just enough zip thrown in to remind you that you aren't driving a Lexus.

Bottom line: the 2019 Acura RDX is a purchase I can recommend you consider — without hesitation.

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