#reduce inventory mistakes

[pancakeke]

other department leads dogpiled my boss in a leader meeting to say our department is ~untrustworthy~ by citing 1 legitimate mistake we made so I'm going through records and listing all the recent shit these guys have done that is flagrantly not allowed and also checking their internal communications jira to note any issues they were fully aware of but chose not to communicate to us so they could hide their mistakes rather than resolving them. die.

[peachcott]

Hi I was just wondering if you plan to reopen your shop sometime? :)

howdy!! yes, absolutely!! i'm so sorry for the delay oTL i expect to reopen in early 2024 (´▽｀)💗 i'm aiming for the first week of jan, but i'm looking into switching platforms (from bigcartel to shopify), so i can't provide an exact date 😭 hopefully i'll have some new designs available too, though!! :D thank you so much for your interest and patience!!

[meospseo]

Maki, Toji, and Freedom

I think the worst parroted talking point in JJK discussions is that "Maki just becomes Toji 2.0". It's an idea that commonly comes up in any discussion or Maki or female characters in JJK about how she was reduced to a facsimile of a dead male character the author prefers.

I think this is a gross misunderstanding and oversimplification of Maki's character arc and does a disservice to both characters. Yes, there are many very deliberate parallels in the manga, textually and sub-textually, that discusses their mirroring. But these are usually from the viewpoint of others or from the manga discussing her abilities and growth.

While Maki does undergo a personality shift after awakening, she does not begin echoing Toji in any capacity. Toji is arrogant, flippant, and selfish; a man willing to kill kids and sell his own son for cash. He is at the end of the day a broken man who threw away all personal relations after the death of someone he deeply cared about.

Maki on the other hand is at first blunt, determined, and brash; a woman who only decided to become a sorcerer to spite her family. although she has moments of levity and kindheartedness, she is still motivated by revenge.

When Maki awakens after losing Mai, the person she cared most about, Maki retreats inward, becoming more distant and bitter, but still equally determined; a woman living with the burden of having killed her own parents.

On a surface level, it's easy to see how Maki acting more emotionally detached mirror's Toji's grief, but it's just that; grief. both of them have lost who they cared about the most and it would be strange not to see them retreat inward emotionally.

The difference is in how they deal with their grief; Toji becomes solely self-destructive, selling his own services and his own son only to gamble it away. he is completely lost without his wife. Maki on the other hand becomes outwardly destructive, desperately trying to honor Mai’s and her own dream to destroy the Zen’in clan. Even with these differences, Maki still continues to grow, expressing remorse over indulging in vengeance. Where Maki makes a mistake and learns from it, Toji dies for it.

These differences exist beyond their personalities, even with the same abilities, they utilize their skill sets in different ways that reflect their personalities. Toji is known as the Sorcerer Killer, he is an assassin and hired killer. In Hidden Inventory, instead of attempting to assassinate Riko outright, he delegates the work to others by putting a fake bounty up to tire down Gojo. Toji doesn’t work for free, he isn’t a man held by ideals like pride, loyalty, or friendship. His true self is an opportunist, and when he deviates from that, he dies.

At least, that’s what he tells himself in his last moments, but his desire for self-affirmation, to completely discredit the apex of jujutsu sorcery and spite the Zen’in clan, says otherwise.

I don't think it's a coincidence, either, that a discussion of Maki's abilities and being shunned by the Zen'in family is immediately followed by Mei-Mei's comment about connections based on money, the same belief that brought about Toji's downfall.

Maki, meanwhile, is a woman defined by strength, both physical and mental. Maki’s determination to spite her family is the core of her motivation for much of the story, it’s what drives her to be stronger. Though Maki is far from dumb, she manages to figure out and counter Naoya’s technique in a matter of moments, she never relies on trickery or plans the same way Toji does. This stems from the fact that Maki has the luxury to rely on others; though Maki desires self-affirmation through internal strength, she isn’t stubborn enough to turn to isolation. Toji meanwhile, is completely alone and forced to fight through unorthodox plans – strength exists merely as a means to an end for Toji, while strength exists as a source of pride and a goal in of itself for Maki.

Freedom is perhaps the greatest line connecting the two stains of the Zen’in clan. Free from cursed energy, free from expectations, free the constraints of a cursed technique. It’s what really, truly motivated Maki in the first place; the freedom to choose what to be, to leave home. Maki refused to live a normal life and fall into a hole serving her family with Mai and instead opted to become stronger.

Toji, meanwhile, is described as a man who escaped fate and broke the chain of destiny keeping the star plasma vessel and the six eyes together.

But Toji’s defiance only shatters others chains, as he never truly escaped the shadow of the Zen’in clan, being haunted by them and the fate of his son in his last moments.

Maki, meanwhile, makes peace with the fact that she can never really make peace, that she can only look forward and keep moving.

Maki Zen’in is arguably one of the best written characters in the series, and to see any discussion or her reduced to “she’s good but Toji 2.0” is disheartening and a rejection of reading characters on even a basic level. Reducing characters to their powers and abilities is literally exactly what the story is actively disparaging in current chapters! When all you can see is someone’s strengths and abilities, you’re dehumanizing them into a monster; and Maki deserves better to be known as nothing more than a monster.

[pixiemage]

These Small Hours

(So basically I saw the little "Sorry, Rancher!" moment between Jimmy and Tango, deemed it cute, and wrote 2k words of the fluffiest fluff that I imagine happens after the clocks are paused at the end of the session. :3)

(Title comes from "Little Wonders" by Rob Thomas)

[This work can also be read on Archive of our Own]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Despite the exposure to the open air, sleeping on the roof of the half-burned woodland mansion was more pleasant than Jimmy had anticipated. The mass of torches ensured that no mobs would spawn nearby, and none could reach them up here from the ground with the way the lower portion of the building had been reduced to nothing but a shell. The sky above was strewn with stars, and even now - late into the night when he should’ve been sleeping - he traced patterns with his eyes, weaving invisible connections between the glimmering dots and trying to remember what few constellations he knew…and what few Tango had taught him on late nights on the roof of the ranch. The only downside, Jimmy supposed, was the chill, which was only slightly alleviated by a few lit furnaces nearby, and he supposed his wings helped a decent amount. But even so, a part of him longed for a warm bed and worn wood walls and a smoky scent on the pillow and familiar arms wound comfortably around him and a warm presence tucked close beside him.

Jimmy sighed softly, adjusting his wings to take some pressure off an aching point near his spine.

He missed Tango, was the truth of it. He knew his soulmate was on the same server as him, not even that far away with how small the map felt this season, but it still felt too far. Especially after the lone, brief exchange they’d had earlier in the rush of the game–

Teasing and bickering across a small stretch of water, Joel killing the cow, Etho spinning the boat around to face him, Tango leaping across the water to get a better view. Then Jimmy had rushed forward, had elbowed Tango aside, had only realized his mistake when he caught Tango’s stumbled, half-wincing landing out of the corner of his eye. He had cast a sheepish smile back over his shoulder, tossed back an apology - “Sorry, rancher!” - and their eyes, however briefly, had met. Tango had grinned, had laughed, had looked almost proud, and then threatened his life with a smile and wink. Then Jimmy and Joel had fled, and Etho had watched them go, and then…

Jimmy withheld another sigh and sat up, rolling his shoulders and his head to dispel the crick in his neck. There was no way he could sleep like this. He eased himself to his feet and crept away from Grian and Joel’s sleeping forms, careful to avoid weak patches of the roof so he wouldn’t make a creak and wake them up. Not that he was doing anything he wasn’t allowed to do. He just - didn’t want to try and explain. It felt private, personal.

When he reached the edge of the roof, he looked down. He could’ve tried to find a hole in the ceiling and land on the staircase he supposed, but he had attempted that earlier and gotten a sore ankle for his troubles. No, landing in grass seemed like a softer alternative if he somehow managed to bungle this. But he wouldn’t. He could do this. He was a bad boy, wasn’t he? He’d done a few water bucket clutches today already. He could do another. He was getting better at it, in truth, so surely he could do it again?

Jimmy dug a bucket of water from his inventory and took a break, stepping back before leaping from the edge. Gravity took hold quickly and he spread his wings. He couldn’t fly, but he could catch air, and it slowed him enough that timing the water would be easier - and - splash.

He stumbled, staggered, but it was a clean landing. (Despite it being such a small victory, Jimmy grinned. Nailed it.) With a quick cursory glance around to avoid any nearby hostile mobs, Jimmy stowed his water, summoned his sword, and ducked through the trees in search of the coastline that had been stolen from him and Joel earlier that day.

It was empty and quiet when Jimmy arrived. The water was still, Scott’s little cluster of manmade islands aglow in the distance, and the place was easily recognizable from the multiple times Jimmy had come by in the past day. But…it was empty and quiet. The little sandy strip of land that Tango and Etho and the rest of their team had been inhabiting early that afternoon was completely abandoned, the top few layers scraped away with no signs of life as far as Jimmy could see. He leapt across the little river separating it from the land, missing his step and sucking in a sharp gasp when his foot splashed into the water on the other side. He grimaced, shaking out his shoe.

Ugh. That was gonna be a pain to deal with later…

Slowly, quietly, Jimmy circled the little area a few times, his ear feathers flared to catch any stray sounds…but he heard nothing. Nothing but the sea and the wind and the occasional distant zombie or spider lingering off in the trees. Had they left? Had they moved on? Had they deemed the area not worthy and abandoned it even after their showdown against Jimmy and Joel? Jimmy sighed, a quiet and warbled chirp meeting the air and his wings drooping against his back. Oh. Maybe he should have messaged ahead. Of course, he had avoided doing that in the first place in case Tango was asleep and Jimmy’s message woke him up (and his teammates along with him), but it may have been a smarter move than simply sneaking over with no notice in the middle of the night. He cast a glance back the way he had come, the feathers around his ears pinning back against his head. Maybe he ought to go back. Maybe he should just give up and–

“...Jimmy?”

A hand brushed his shoulder, a whispered voice breaking the silence of the night, and Jimmy about leapt out of his skin. The sound that left him was one he was most certainly not proud of, but any embarrassment he may have felt vanished as soon as he whipped around on shocked, unsteady feet.

“Tango!”

And there Tango was, his clothes and hair just a little bit wet but his grin absolutely blinding. He had a hand half-raised and he was chuckling sheepishly, the corners of his eyes crinkled in amusement.

“Sorry, sorry!” He held back his laughter, his words low. “I didn’t mean to spook ya!”

Jimmy gaped at him and blinked away his surprise.

“Where did you even come from?!”

“Uh–” Tango jerked a thumb back over his shoulder toward the water then made a vague gesture toward his feet. “Our base? It’s underground. We dug out a bit of a sneaky-sneaky entrance underwater, but it’s a bit of a pain if I’m being honest. Except, after Martyn came through and dumped a pile of explosives on our heads it seemed like a good idea to get rid of topside entry, so–”

Oh. Oh. Oh, they were just–

“I thought you’d left or something,” Jimmy blurted, his feathers puffing up at the admission. “I didn’t see a base, and I haven’t heard from you since earlier, so I assumed…” He shrugged.

It sounded silly, really, when he said it like that. He sounded clingy almost, but he knew that Tango knew that wasn’t what he meant. In fact, Tango let out another stifled laugh and shook his head fondly, finally closing the gap to wrap a warm hand around Jimmy’s wrist and tug him closer.

“What, you missed me that much?” he murmured, teasing, cheeky, and Jimmy went a bit pink.

“Of course not,” he grumbled, trying to sound nonchalant, but from the way Tango’s grin widened he was doing an awful job.

It wasn’t as if Jimmy tried to hide that fact either. The moment Tango was close enough he all but melted into his soulmate’s space, cuddling close and tucking his face into the crook of Tango’s neck as though he belonged there. He slipped an arm around the blazeborn’s flame-warmed waist and let out a small sigh, the tension in his posture going slack almost instantly.

“Of course,” he amended, whispered, like a secret in the dark, and he reveled in the warm and affectionate little laugh he could feel vibrate through Tango’s chest from how closely they were standing.

“Wanna know the truth?” Tango asked. The fingers still wound around Jimmy’s wrist traced little circles against the skin where he held him. “I miiiight’ve been sneakin’ out to try and find you too.”

Jimmy pulled back just far enough to meet his eyes, his expression alight with curiosity and a flutter of affection warming his chest.

“Were you really?”

Tango grinned at him.

“What, you think I just happened to be outside when you came by?” he drawled. He cocked his head to the side with a sharp little smirk. “Nah, I ditched the guys to try and track down that mansion spot you and your team have claimed. It’s near spawn somewhere, and it’s kinda hard to miss. I figured I’d spot it soon enough. But it seems like you did some sneakificating of your own instead.” He lowered his voice playfully. “I guess you really are a bad boy, huh?” he teased, waggling his eyebrows, and Jimmy went a brilliant shade of red.

“Oh, stop, c’mon,” he whined, shrinking beneath the laughter in Tango’s eyes. “It’s just a team name, innit?”

“No no, I think I like it!” It was obvious Tango was withholding laughter as he carried on. “My soulmate’s a rebel. I think I can dig it. I’m sure I’ve got a leather jacket somewhere you can borrow if you wanna look the part–”

“Tangooo!”

Jimmy’s wings curled forward and he pressed his face back into Tango’s shoulder, if only to avoid the laughter he could see in every inch of his partner’s expression. And Tango did laugh then, bright and barking and echoing just slightly across the water. Jimmy grumbled and buried his face into the fabric of Tango’s hoodie, clearly something he had thrown on for the sake of his late-night escapade. His soulmate was the worst. W-O-R-S-T worst.

When Tango’s laughter finally faded, a calm sort of quiet settled over the pair. The water was calming and the breeze was light and the comfort of being back in Tango’s arms was enough for Jimmy to be so very tempted to drift off right where he stood…but that would be foolish, he knew. Except Tango’s touch along his wrist was soothing and at some point his other hand had come up to rest against the back of Jimmy’s neck, his fingers scratching lightly through Jimmy’s hair, and he was so warm.

“...don’t go fallin’ asleep on me, Feathers,” Tango teased softly. “C’mon, Grian won’t start the timers again until everyone is awake tomorrow. You can bunk up with me for the night, I’m sure none of the guys would mind.”

“Hm…?” Jimmy straightened slowly and it took him a long moment to register what Tango was offering. He frowned and glanced in the general direction of the mansion. “...they’ll wonder where I’ve gone,” he murmured. “Grain and Joel. I can’t - with the game–”

“Jim, c’mon.” Jimmy was pulled gently along toward the edge of the island and he didn’t really have much willpower to turn Tango down. “It’ll be fine. Etho is a super early riser. I’m sure he’ll wake one of us up before the rest of the server is up.”

Jimmy cast one last look back over his shoulder, but when he turned back to Tango, the blazeborn had a sweet, pleading look on his face, his eyes half-aglow and standing out in the darkness of the night.

“Please? I’ve missed you. I know we said it wouldn’t be fair to team together again but it’s driving me nuts being on the same server as you and not being near you.” He leaned in to better catch Jimmy’s eye. “You can’t sleep either, I can tell. One night. Clock’s not tickin’ right now. We’ve got time.”

They had time.

Jimmy sighed and let out warbled chirp, letting himself be tugged close to his soulmate again. Their foreheads bumped gently together, their noses brushing, and when they met in the middle in a soft and long-awaited kiss, Jimmy was the one to initiate it.

“...one night,” he returned once they had separated. “Just the one. Alright?”

Tango beamed.

“That’s all the time I need.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Our lives are made In these small hours These little wonders These twists and turns of fate Time falls away But these small hours These small hours Still remain

(A/N: ...approximately 30 seconds after they get into the base, they both receive a message from Scott saying he's glad they've "finally stopped flirting on the shoreline, water carries sound like you wouldn't believe".)

[unseenphil]

The Gumshoe: A homebrew class for Fabula Ultima

Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. He is the hero; he is everything. He must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor—by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world. -Raymond Chandler.

So yeah I made a fatal mistake and got distracted and so started writing a homebrew class that may or may not at some point become part of a larger homebrew "Urban Fantasy Atlas" for Fabula Ultima.

So classes in Fabula Ultima consist of 3 things:

Four questions your character should answer the develop your background,

A permanent bonus or two- generally to Hit points, magic points, or inventory points, the ability to equip certain types of gear, or the ability to undertake long term free form effects like projects or rituals using the ritualism discipline.

5 skills: Some with multiple levels, some without. There should be more levels of skills available than you can get- each class caps out at 10 levels, which means more than 10 ranks of skills.

The gumshoe is designed with urban fantasy campaigns in mind, because detective is such an archetype for the genre, and while you can conceivably build one out of other classes (as for example, I already did) it could probably benefit from a specific class and it'd be pretty easy to ask those questions and make those skills, I think.

So first, we start with the questions:

1: What was your first big case? Do you regret how it turned out?

2: What first made you doubt authority?

3: What incident still haunts you- was it after you started working cases or is it what kicked it off?

4: If a leggy dame wearing a hat with a veil walked into your office right now and begged you for help, would you take the case? Would you admit you were a sucker for doing so?

Gumshoe Free Benefits:

Permanently increase your maximum Hit Points by 5.

Skills:

Down These Mean Streets

When making a check for any kind of investigation or legwork, you can turn failure into triumph. A failed roll on a simple or opposed check will grant you an opportunity, even if you don't find out what you want. For a clock, you'll always fill in one section no matter how badly you roll. This comes at a cost- you'll take damage to HP equal the amount you failed by, either by stretching yourself thin or maybe the opportunity comes by way of someone roughing you up for asking too many questions.

Hip Flask [+3]

You have a trusty flask of some sort of awful rotgut that you always have available. Reduce to the IP cost for producing a Potion with Inventory points by SL, to a minimum of 1. You can sacrifice this ability until the next time you refresh inventory points to reduce damage from a single attack by (5+SL)X10, as the blow damages the flask but leaves you mostly unscathed.

Two-Fisted [+5]

When benefiting from two-weapon fighting, your high roll only counts as zero for one attack, not both. Add SL to accuracy for both attacks.

The City is a Lover [+3]

When you're in a big city, you know how to talk to it, and it talks back. You may ask SL questions about the city or the people who live there, and the GM will answer them honestly.

The Easy Way or the Hard Way

Sometimes the easiest way to get information is to let yourself get worked over. The first time you hit crisis in a scene with an intelligent enemy, gain the faux pas opportunity as they let something important slip. You also gain this opportunity if you're forced to surrender and are captured.

[landgraabbed]

it's been a while since i last shared the game that currently has my attention, and currently that is outward: definitive edition (dev: nine dot studios). this got long, so i'll put it under the cut. the short of it is that i am in love with this game that is catered to freaks like me in every way!

the game was first released in 2019, and the definitive edition including all dlcs came out in 2022, and i'd say this game was on my radar since 2020-2022, but i never really played it until now. i've been enjoying my time with this game, and what a game it is! it makes me feel like most of my favorites do: scrabbling for victories, being forced to get by the skin of my neck, and having to always play past my mistakes. in many ways it reminds me of favorites such as dragon's dogma, morrowind my heavily modded skyrim, and souls games to an extent, but with survival elements added on to it.

to set the stage, this game puts you in the boots of a gender neutral Just A Guy™ who is saddled with debt incurred by their grandmother and is on the verge of losing their lighthouse home. in aurai, actions that damage the community may incur what is called a blood price, meaning a bloodline may have to pay the price of said actions even decades or centuries removed from the action. the first chapter of your adventure sees you attempting to repay a parcel of the blood price on your bloodline by whatever means possible within 5 days, after your hard work was lost in the same shipwreck that nearly took your life. and off you go to do that. you can approach this goal by whatever means you can come up with and you can also fail to do so, and the game will continue. where i am currently, i managed to barely make the deadline and have been exploring the world. there are currently four factions i can approach in order to advance the plot, but i am taking my time to meet all of them before i make a decision. they each are tackling different issues in aurai at the moment, such as the holy mission's quest to fight against the scourge.

the moment to moment gameplay is very engaging to me. it really is a game that anyone who knows me knows that of course it will appeal to me. navigation reminds me of morrowind with npcs giving you directions and a complete lack of quest markers (or even an indication of where you are in the map! you need to orient yourself using landmarks and road signs). combat is brutal and best avoided at most times. you need to manage your inventory and loadout for the climate and your needs, as well as what you expect to encounter in your journeys, where the weight of your inventory is very important. your stats will become burnt (i.e., you will have a temporarily reduced maximum stamina until rest) the more you use them, greatly emphasizing how you're just a rando. there is magic in this world, but you don't start out with mana needed to cast spells and must perform a difficult pilgrimage to the center of the mountain that dominates the landscape of the first area. and even then, you must sacrifice your precious hp and stamina to build a mana pool. the tradeoff: magic has been absolutely fun and op in my experience. the game rewards preparation and knowing when the fuck to leg it most of all. and if you meet your untimely demise, you're not sent to the last checkpoint. instead, the game rolls one of the appropriate defeat scenarios appropriate to your current situation which can be a boon or a curse (and honestly must have been the inspiration to the alternative death system part of this skyrim mod). the game constantly autosaves, so savescumming isn't a possibility. most of all, you wander in a lovely environment to the sound of bangers.

pictures were only edited to add some small grain and are at the native resolution of the steam deck since it's where i've been playing! i do want to look at it on my laptop too. it also features online and splitscreen co-op, but i haven't tried that out. i do hear it's a great way to approach the game. another thing i really enjoyed learning about is the studio's investment in promoting a crunch-free, ethical philosophy to game development, and extending that over their publishing efforts in order to foster the development of more indie niche games developped ethically.

[hermitw]

Yap part II got me thinking about more things uwu (I'm going to assume you've caught up on the reading linked however it will probably make sense if you didn't?

Content warning for SA topics

Cursed energy

Choso

Sukuna

((alternative methods to reduce cursed energy))

In reference to the SA statistics mentioned above (how it affects far more people than natural disasters, etc)

Reducing cursed energy doesn't mean eliminating non-sorcerers. A lot of curses could be avoided just by focusing on sex ed, consent, preventing these things from happening in the first place.

In addition to the weird, gropey curses, there were others from overworked employees, stressed students, and insecure children repeat things like "bento box" and "what time is it" and "no fair" etc.

But God, if cursed energy is from negative emotions, then why not address the causes of negative emotions?

Losing sleep and working to death for companies - I think Nanami's time as a salaryman taught him that jobs in general, not just as a sorcerer, are going to prey on the emoloyees' bodies. We all joke about how he looks 45 years old and is younger than Gojo, still in his 20s - the dude doesn't have RCT and the stress of work made him look like that, I swear. If Gojo weren't constantly running RCT, he'd look just as bad I think, maybe even worse.

The problems with jujutsu society in general are that they don't treat the cause, but only address the symptoms as a problem. And that they benefit the most, those who exploit others, often children.

If everyone has a better quality of life, safer environment, then curses would become fewer and weaker. But no one in power would push for that idea.

I want to elaborate a bit on Choso.

He accused Kenjaku of toying with his mother - with such anger - it felt like he was there, aware, watching it happen from his test tube.

And OP mentioned Choso's guilt over the way he involuntarily repressed the original soul when he incarnated into some random guy's body. Choso gained knowledge of the modern world through that, but he isn't aware of anything about him, or his memories. It's like his soul is no longer there at all.

Choso is sensitive. He's very compassionate, emotional, and he is not afraid to change his mind, to admit that he was wrong, or to cry (he had tear stains immediately, like that's an integral part of his being). The only guys I can remember crying & having emotional awareness of themselves are Yuuji, Choso and Panda (though idk what nonfiction Megumi reads and he seems very observant so I wouldn't be surprised if he reads psychology. He was honest with his feelings from the first episode, that he personally didn't want to follow jujutsu regulations and let Yuuji die.) there might be more tbh I'm procrastinating on my 3rd manga read bc I do not want to leave the hidden inventory arc

Anyway, my point is that Choso, Yuuji, and Panda (at least) are the guys who have courage to look within themselves and see how they feel, what bothers them, and let go of things I mean people to move on and break the cycle of suffering. (idk the exact quote but I'm 98% sure it was Buddhist, that if you focus on the pain you'll be stuck in the cycle of it, but if you focus on the lesson you can move forward).

Choso, Yuuji and Megumi feel like they hold themselves responsible for their mistakes (even if they couldn't have known better). I'm getting so off topic, the point is that I suspect

Choso feels the need to justify his own existence (much like Yuuji after the shibuya incident) because his life is a product of rape.

People in his situation suffer from that awareness. They might feel dirty, disgusting, unworthy of human decency or any kind of love. Not to mention that Choso's dad, half of him, is a curse. We all say that Kenjaku is Choso's father, and that's kind of true, but all he did was mix his blood in. Another layer of fucked up when you wonder what the real Noritoshi Kamo would feel about this. I believe that Kenjaku sought out his body specifically to run these abortion experiments. He needed to use blood manipulation for this to work (I'm assuming it also played a role in keeping Choso's mother alive through all of this, because abortions were more dangerous than childbirth with the methods used back then - though maybe it's different with a curse involved).

Still, Kenjaku is considered their parent - no one ever says "🤓 Um, actually" about this. He is granted the role of parenthood despite doing nothing to earn it, except for committing horrid acts of violence for his own curiosity.

It seemed weird, but he is responsible for their existence - the death painting wombs are only there because of what he's done.

It's less weird when I realize this is what certain rape victims have to live with - their abuser being accepted by society, by their family, as the parent. As a title that assumes responsibility, love and care. How sickening.

Yet, the death painting wombs were all locked away in the cursed warehouse - assumed to carry the evil of their father, these objects were feared and placed under a pact. They hadn't even incarnated yet, but were already demonized by the sins of their father. (this phenomenon is seen in real life as well, I don't have the heart to elaborate)

Sukuna

This quote ^ got me thinking that, yeah, when he first appeared it was ugly. He made a horrible first impression. Sukuna came out craving violence, he wanted to lash out, he had anger to release.

Also I read through the lyrics of s(aint), the song Gege chose for Sukuna. It makes a lot more sense now than it did before I had caught up on the manga. It's also interesting that Marilyn Manson was a victim of csa from his neighbor, an older kid who liked to play "prison" (as in, he played this off as a game). This guy went on to kill his dog (that had heterochromia) with poison (sukuna's immunity to poisons). I read his autobiography when I was 15. It was disturbing and I don't recommend it. I doubt any other similarities between mm and sukuna are worth mentioning. The book is called the long hard road out of hell, and Sukuna was inspired by a deity of hell. Both of them are victims of abuse who continue its cycle. I think it also mentioned finding human bones in a graveyard, grinding them and smoking it, just to see what would happen which feels Kenjaku-coded.

[larrysavagebirmingham]

Larry Savage Birmingham About Logistics Challenges And How To Overcome Them

Logistics managers are now more aware of the need to obtain vital information instantly due to the pandemic. Additionally, it encouraged warehouse managers to be proactive in mitigating risks related to supply and demand. Today, machine learning software that analyzes real-time data can help prevent both overstock and out-of-stock. This is similar to IoT sensors assisting transportation businesses in tracking goods throughout the route. So, to learn more, read Larry Savage Jr Birmingham – Challenges That Necessitate The Need For An Organized Logistics Industry to level up your business performance.

Strengthen communication at all levels

A vital component of surviving in business is anticipating logistical obstacles and knowing how to overcome them. You should include improving communication with the participants in your global supply chain in your planning. You might even wish to create connections with far-off logistical companies to increase your marketing reach if your company is local. In order to stay informed about the state of the resources supporting your products and market, it's critical to keep in constant contact with your suppliers.

Establish standards for suppliers and partners

If businesses follow different standards, it could confuse some of them when arranging many deliveries daily with several supply chain managers. Logistics operations are considerably more streamlined and coherent when every service follows the same loading and unloading procedures. Supply chain visibility can also be maximized for all participants in this coordination through smart technology and interconnected electronic networks.

Invest in the right technology

Companies today are also overspending on the latest software and hardware developments due to the quick changes in business technology. Spending less on technology to achieve maximum efficiency is now possible if you use cloud technologies.

If your business is operating on a tight budget, cloud services offer the most economical options. A warehouse might think about collaborating with logistics industry specialists if it needs additional flexibility, scalability, or experience.

Using third-party logistics providers to carry goods to markets is one way for businesses that can't afford to invest in creating a logistics service that makes use of automation, robots, and artificial intelligence.

Reduce warehouse management errors

An infrastructure's likelihood of errors decreases as it becomes more digital through automation or improved access to pertinent real-time data.

Adopting warehouse management software with integrations to new and innovative technologies like 5G, AI, and IoT has become crucial in this century. You can use these technologies to gather and archive important logistics data. 

Proper placement of warehouse inventory products is also crucial to avoid a cascade of disruptions.

Then, to prepare items for delivery, they must be carefully chosen and packed. Incomplete orders and incorrect delivery information are two common order fulfillment mistakes that still happen. Warehouse managers can effectively decrease these errors by using more vigilant supervision and enhanced picking and packing confirmation protocols.

Final thoughts

In the future, meeting customer needs will be the hardest task for the logistics industry. So, improving warehouse structure and layout by analyzing logistics will help you. Lastly, don’t read Larry Savage Birmingham — Know About The Basics Of Stock Options Trading to keep your fortunes thriving.

[emilemily]

I broke my sobriety last week, and I didn’t lose control. I got lightly tipsy while on vacation and I enjoyed it for what it was, but I didn’t go until I was blacked out as I used to do.

I honored my two drink limit and stopped there. I promised so many people in my life that I would never drink again, and that’s where I made a mistake. But I also made a mistake reducing myself to a permanent fuck-up. I messed up by underestimating myself so much.

I’m so capable of doing whatever I want to do, yet I hit road blocks because I struggle to actually do it. I’m perpetually bored, unfulfilled, and struggling to see the road ahead and what sort of debris is on it.

For three years I abstained from drinking, told myself that if I had one drink I’d go right back down into hell. Rehab programmed into my brain that if I were to relapse, I’d easily end up back in those chairs of the meeting rooms.

But I didn’t. I drank last Tuesday and Wednesday and flew home on Thursday. Had a 20 hour layover in Denver where I could have continued the party and really fucked my life up in numerous ways. But I didn’t. It has been a week and I haven’t had a drink again since.

My therapist believes that some people can become alcoholics completely by circumstance. Enough factors existing at once can create the perfect storm. I do believe he’s right to a degree, but I’m also confused.

When I was at the height of my drinking I would walk into my apartment and take three shots just to warm up from getting off work. I’d go on to easily take 10+ shots during the night, even if I was alone. It became my routine and way of life. A habit I needed to go to rehab for because if I hadn’t I would be dead.

I always bargained with myself by saying I would maybe drink again one day. That helped me feel more in control. It helped me reassure myself that it was all temporary. My therapist said that many people get into the swing of dependency and after a prolonged period of abstinence, they’re able to one day drink again. That’s the mindset I tried to take, even if I didn’t fully believe it.

But why was I so easily able to do so and stick to moderation? Was I ever really an alcoholic, or was I in a routine? What was the meaning of it all?

I’ve been battling some pretty tough cravings today, and realized yesterday what it really is. Thank god for therapy, because I don’t know how I’d cope feeling all of this and not knowing why.

He says that based on what I’ve told him, I spent a high percentage of my life in survival mode. Pretty constant chaos. Because of that, my normal is existing in an environment where people fight constantly, where I’m scared about where my rent money will come from, where I’m constantly unsure of what the next day will bring.

Though he advises against being hyper-vigilant, he recommended that I use my hyper-vigilance to maintain a consistent inventory of what I’m feeling. Because my life is so stable currently and I’m making better money than I ever have, I’m not existing in the chaos to which I am accustomed.

Boredom is and always has been my biggest trigger. Feeling aimless and restless. When things aren’t imploding around me, I don’t know how to relax and enjoy it… so I self-sabotage.

I pick fights with those I love in an “I hate you, please don’t leave me” kind of way. I get cravings to go out and do impulsive things. I start spending in a way that is not sustainable. I shake up my world to create the chaos I don’t even need.

I’m making good money, I’m starting college next month, my bills are paid, I have everything I need. Why is it that the home in which I was raised affects me to the degree that it does? Why couldn’t my parents have been mild-mannered and boring? Why couldn’t I have experienced a normal existence?

And why did that lead me to getting into awful relationships which furthered the extent of the damage? You would think that trauma would lead one to never want to replicate it. But when I’m sitting in a clean house with the bills paid, silently hanging out with my dogs, I get so anxious that my leg involuntarily shakes. I stim and fidget and drive myself insane.

I should be grateful for this stability I have created for myself, for my own drive to get myself out of hell. Why am I instead just as bored as I could possibly be?

Once I drank again, it’s as if I ripped off a bandaid. No more intense cravings and no real interest in doing it again. Until today. Now I’m just thinking and thinking and thinking about how I could really use a fucking drink.

I don’t intend to be sober anymore, but I don’t intend to drink consistently either. Maybe a few times a year. But how do I make that work for my clearly unhinged brain?

I told my therapist that I’m suddenly realizing that I’m not this failure I have seen myself as for years. I can moderate and I can do the right things when I have a mind to.

But what if I don’t have a mind to? Will I ever? It’s hard to say.

I’m feeling extremely heavy with emotion today. The gabapentin is no longer covering everything I’d normally feel, so here I am feeling all of it in abundance. Very tough. I just want to go wild and do tons of things I shouldn’t. I want to cry and scream. I want to run away and join a weird commune.

What direction is my life going in? Where will all of this lead?

If I could just make the shit stop for a few hours I’d be the happiest girl in the world. The anxiety is almost unbearable.

But I won’t go back on more meds. I need to see this through and get through it. I’d rather feel life, the good and the bad, than cruise by with little to no emotion about anything.

Until I adjust, though, ouch.

Refraining from drinking again until I’m in a better frame of mind. Craving that release and giving in is what got me into all this in the first place.

Feelings. Lots of feelings.

I just want to be a normal woman, with the ability to give and receive love normally. With dreams and goals that I take steps to accomplish. With a happy relationship with my family. With a pretty okay mindset most of the time.

Instead, here I am blowing off work that I need to be doing. Agonizing over SOMETHING but being unsure of what that is. Thinking about people and situations that dwelling on doesn’t serve me. Feeling so uncomfortable that I want to crawl out of my own skin.

How am I so confident and aware of my own potential, but so fucking lost at the same time?

Who am I? I used to be pretty sure.

I guess I have to find her again.

Wish me luck as I ride this stupid rollercoaster.

[financialfreedomwriter]

Start a Profitable Wholesale Business with The Wholesale Formula

How to Start Wholesale Business on Amazon

Selling wholesale on Amazon is a popular and viable way for entrepreneurs to start their own online business. It is a bit different from retail arbitrage or private labelling, as you are not sourcing your own products but instead purchasing inventory from a supplier to sell. This model can be less risky than other options as it requires a lower upfront investment but still comes with many of the same challenges, including sourcing profitable products and managing inventory.

To start a wholesale business on Amazon, you must first be approved to do so by the manufacturer or brand that you wish to purchase products from. This is usually done by submitting your business details and a tax ID number, which you can get from the IRS website. Some brands may also require a business license or other documents that verify your ability to do business in your jurisdiction.

Once you have been approved, you can start reaching out to suppliers and manufacturers to inquire about their product offerings. Some will have minimum order quantities that you must meet in order to qualify for discounted prices, while others may require a certain level of buying experience or proof of success with other sellers before they will agree to work with you. It is important to research the catalogs of various suppliers carefully and make decisions based on data, such as average customer reviews, sales history, and profit margins.

In addition to researching the catalogs of various suppliers, you will need to spend a considerable amount of time cold-calling and emailing brands in order to get approval to do business with them. It is important to present yourself as a knowledgeable and professional seller, and to show the brands that you have the experience and expertise necessary to grow their brand. You can do this by highlighting your past experience and demonstrating that you will be able to deliver a high volume of sales to their company.

Once you've made some initial connections with manufacturers and suppliers, you'll want to negotiate the best deal possible. This is where your research and experience will pay off. If you can show the brands that you are a valuable partner, they will be more likely to offer you reduced buy box competition and exclusive selling rights on Amazon.

Keeping your inventory at a healthy level is key when starting a wholesale business on Amazon. Running out of stock will prevent you from making sales and can impact your Amazon rankings. To avoid this, it is essential to track your inventory closely and plan ahead when placing orders with suppliers.

Wholesale selling on Amazon can be a very profitable business model, but it is important to do your homework and prepare properly before making any significant investments. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can minimize your risk and ensure that you are investing in a profitable and sustainable business. By using the tools that are available, such as Jungle Scout, you can ensure that you are maximizing your profits and avoiding any costly mistakes.

Learn more about the Amazon Wholesale Method by checking out The Wholesale Formula Review.

[digantpatel0]

10 Fintech Trends Every Manager Needs to Know for 2022

You must stay current with trends if you lead in the financial sector. As finance moves online, these trends will aid in keeping your company competitive while attracting and retaining top personnel.

Alternative financing, which can give consumers a way to avoid interest, is a trend you should be aware of. This includes super apps and purchase now, pay later (BNPL) options.

Companies can boost customer retention and create an extra source of income by using embedded finance. Financial services integrated into a product or service increase customer satisfaction and cut costs.

A crucial component of a successful embedded finance approach is product breadth. Distributors can begin by accepting payments before moving on to lending or more complex products to meet customers' more extensive financial requirements.

AI automates processes and analyzes real-time data to assist businesses in making better choices. It lessens human mistakes as well.

This is particularly helpful in professions where human error can result in expensive errors or even fatalities. For instance, manufacturing businesses can monitor output and consider potential mistakes to guarantee a higher level of safety.

Alternative lending can be a lifesaver for business owners needing funding outside of conventional banks. These funds may be employed for company expansion, inventory purchases, or employee hiring.

Compared to conventional banks, these lenders' application procedures are much simpler, and their response times are shorter. No extensive paperwork is required because the complete process is digital.

To control their spending, consumers increasingly opt for purchase now, pay later (BNPL) options. Because of this flexibility, e-commerce companies and retailers see an increase in sales.

Utilizing BNPL services, however, can also raise the danger of debt accumulating. BNPL providers must ensure they have access to accurate job verification data to reduce this risk.

Super apps combine various services to provide users with a one-stop store for all their needs. Customers and businesses greatly benefit from this because it lowers re-acquisition costs by keeping current users on one network.

When, where, and how individuals interact with financial services are all altered by embedded finance. Both financial and non-financial businesses can benefit greatly from it.

China's WeChat is a prime illustration of a super app that houses a variety of services, including payments, e-commerce, and messaging. Similar apps like Paytm from India, Grab from Singapore, GoTo from Indonesia, Zalo from Vietnam, and Kakao from South Korea are already industry leaders.

Additionally, by transforming the data, analysts can gain more information. Additionally, it enhances data integrity by removing mistakes and irregularities.

A digital ledger technology called blockchain can enhance financial management procedures. Transparency in financial services can be improved, transaction costs can be eliminated, and fraud can be decreased.

By utilizing a distributed network of computers, the technology enables users to document transactions in a secure and impenetrable manner. The network's users reach an agreement on each transaction's integrity.

The continued adoption of digital payments has been one of the biggest trends in the finance sector since 2020. Even though contactless payment methods acquired popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, this tendency might intensify in 2022.

Limiting personal contact and stopping the spread of germs is top of mind for many in today's COVID-19 climate. Businesses can benefit from contactless purchases by enabling this.

The traditional bank model is being challenged by challenger banks, which impose transparent fees, provide a better customer experience, and advance technology. They are becoming increasingly well-liked among customers who no longer trust their conventional banks.

They can provide a complete range of banking products and technology to their BaaS customers, which is advantageous for fintech companies that only provide their tech stack and e-money and lack banking licenses.

Without sending customers to conventional financial institutions, embedded finance integrates financial services like lending, payment processing, or insurance into the infrastructure of non-financial companies.

For non-financial companies, embedded finance is more cost-effective, quicker, and easier to implement than construct and buy.

Embedded banking is expanding quickly in various sectors. Lead use cases include retail and e-commerce networks, marketplaces for ridesharing and two-sided meal delivery, and payments for mobile apps.

Through data aggregation, marketing professionals can export, organize, and reformat their marketing data. This procedure is crucial for many purposes, including tracking success and calculating ROI.

[ssj2hindudude]

If Valerie like sweets, is she good at baking (not cooking) just baking.

oh she any good with money?

and about tha…1st and 2nd Gen Potatoes: Where do they place from sting to waste their money on the money scale

Ok, first, she's mainly a connoisseuse, so she mostly likes to taste. But she and Kara have made a fair amount of basic and one or two complex desserts so she has most of the basics down. She can make something simple but to get something up to her standards, she has to actually buy it from a professional.

The girl passed college economics before puberty hit. Pretty sure she knows her way around a budget. Heck, she even did Kara's taxes last year.

As for the others...

Aru: Impulsive af and blows most of her cash on stupid stuff. As an adult she eventually sto- PSYCH, she still does it on occasion and it annoys Aiden and Abha to the point where she's been reduced to allowances well into her 40s.

Mini: On top of everything. Conservative shopper that only buys the necessities...by her definition that means having a medical wing built into their house. The woman has tried to get Priya to wear headgear but she's been using the same phone for over 20 years.

Brynne: Responsible spender everywhere that isn't a restaurant. But if the place sells anything edible, there goes her wallet and the restaurant's inventory. Hira and Ghata can't remember the last time they ate out without the place shutting down for a month afterwards...

Nikita and Sheela: Nikita's mostly the responsible spender and Sheela would regularly go to her for tips. After all, you need to be smart with your resources when making top of the line clothing lines. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop them from spending the price equivalent of ten Gucci bags on a tea set they saw in the mall window.

Kara: Read several books on home management and is now smart about spending. Especially conservative about it because even though the Sleeper gave her whatever she wanted, the man was still intimidating. Valerie still struggles to find her a gift for holidays and birthdays because she never wants anything!

Aiden: Responsible spender and manages the house budget...with help from Abha. He's smart, but only she is able to figure out the accounting numbers during tax season. Luckily, thanks to their combined efforts, they haven't gone bankrupt even with Aru buying limited edition LOTR merch every month.

Rudy: As a king, he has countless advisors giving him financial advice... none of which he listens to because Mini forced him to learn how to manage money with her so he doesn't make the common mistake of dividing his kingdom and causing it to collapse in on itself...also it's just the responsible thing to do! It's best this way. If she didn't keep an eye on his spending, he'd probably be in alleys spending most of the royal funds on straws. What? They were bendy with stripes!

Abha: Like I said, she helps Aiden with the taxes and can handle her money well. She's got a monthly budget with some funds set aside for... important things (and by important, she means The Latest Mystery Novels)

Priya: As crazy as her habits are, she's actually got good street smarts when it comes to cash. We're talking Toph Beifong going through the Fire Nation streets making bank good! While Abha is good at organizing, Priya actually knows how to get a good deal anywhere, including the Night Bazaar! You should've seen her the time she got a flying carpet for a quarter!

Ghata: She tries to keep her spending on the essentials like the good noodle she is. She's like Kara, scared to buy things, not because she's scared of her parents, but because she's trying not to waste money. Unfortunately, she's actually gotten more lectures because she almost never tells them when she actually needs something! She actually went barefoot to school for a week before Hira checked her drawer and found all her socks had holes in them!

Suru: He's still working on understanding the concept of money. No literally, he doesn't get why currency is a thing. Something about how everyone should just get what they need whenever they need it, but I'm sure it's nothing the capitalists need to hear. Let's just say he's still learning.

Sydney: A human calculator (ignore the part where they're a robot). Can calculate prices of anything like the dad from Everybody Hates Chris and can make quality decisions about purchases.

[wil-is-done]

Occupational Hazard

Summary: She made a stupid move and got herself cornered. The monster opened its maw. She tried to summon something, anything, but her gauntlet was on the fritz. A voice called out her name. A shape jumped out in front of her. The monster fired. Everything went dark.

Word Count: 1.184

-

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a repost.

The day started out so great. 

HinoCon was in full swing. For once, Miko and Five got the long end of the stick. All they had to do was moderate a few panels throughout the day, but besides that, they had free reign on the entire convention floor. The biggest gaming convention in the country, and not only were they attending it for free, they were getting paid to be there. Best day ever. 

But some Category-5 glitch just had to bring the entire bestiary from Beast Hunter World to life. Shit hit the fan real fast after that. The entire city block turned into a warzone. Glitch Techs from other branches had to be flown in. The event made national news. But Miko couldn’t give less of a damn about that. She lost track of Five in the chaos. And this angry Magmasioth jumped out at her out of goddamn nowhere. 

That’s when shit hits a second fan. She made a stupid move and got herself cornered. The Magmasioth opened its maw to fire. She tried to summon something, anything, but her gauntlet was on the fritz. A voice called out her name. A shape jumped out in front of her. The Magmasioth fired. Everything went dark. 

When she came to, the Magmasioth was gone, everything was scorched black, and lying in a crumpled heap a few paces from her was the unmoving body of her partner.

“Five!” 

Her sides screamed in pain as she forced herself to move, but her sides can shove it. Her best friend needed her. 

She was by his side in seconds, despite the pain. Her heart sank as she took in the extent of the damage. It took everything in her to not look away. He’s covered head to toe in cuts and bruises. His right arm was covered in grotesque burns, his gauntlet reduced to burnt pieces of scrap. His armor didn’t even have time to despawn properly. And he’s very, very still. Is… is he…?

Five wheezed. He sucked in air greedily, coughing, clawing back to consciousness. 

“Ah… nerds…”

Miko finally remembered to breathe. He’s alive. He’s alive and that’s all that mattered.

“Oh. Hey,” he said, as if he didn’t nearly die. He took in his burnt surroundings, his burnt arm, and what was left of his gauntlet. “I pulled out the crappy shield again, didn’t I?”

It was not funny, but Miko felt herself laugh anyway. “Kept telling you to chuck it. Now look where it got ya.”

A roar echoed, from somewhere not far enough. They had to get out of the open. 

Miko quickly spotted a possible haven. It was once a coffee shop, it looked like, with the entrance half-collapsed. Good cover should anything attack from the front. It’ll do. 

She really, really wanted to be gentler dragging Five inside, but time wouldn’t let her. She definitely worsened his condition; she just hoped her mistake wasn’t fatal. At least her gauntlet decided to stop being an ass. She’s pretty sure she bought a healing potion a while ago.

“Don’t ever pull a move like that ever again,” she scolded, as she scrolled through her inventory. “Crap shield or not.” 

“It’s part of the job, right?” He tried to smile, even now, while he’s teetering on the brink. For her. It infuriated her.

“No! It’s not part of the job to cover my ass if I do something stupid!” 

Five heaved, and wheezed, and never let his smile leave his lips. “Then it’s… part of being a friend…” 

Miko said nothing. The potion materialized in her hand, and she helped Five drink the concoction, all in silence. The effects were near-instantaneous. Some of the cuts closed up and the bruises vanished. But his arm remained horribly burnt. That healed him, but it’s still not enough. 

Miko opened her inventory again. There has to be some spare bandages she stuffed in there. 

From the distance, a roar. Screams. A tremor shook the dust from the rafters. Miko paused for only a split second before she focused herself on her inventory once more. 

“Miko,” Five said, through hisses and gritted teeth, “there’s still glitches that needs fighting and people that needs saving. Go out there and be a hero. Don’t worry about me.” 

“How could you say that?! I’m not leaving you!” Any other time, Miko would’ve slapped him for even suggesting such a thing. He’s lucky he’s severely injured right now. “I will never leave you!”

His dumb ass thought this was a good time to flash some teeth. “That’s not what you said when I wouldn’t shut up about the new Hitman’s Oath last week.”

Miko bit down her tongue. Her fist struck the floor right beside Five’s head. It was all she could do short of actually hitting him. They stared eye to eye now, deeper than before. She saw his surprise and compassion. He saw the anger, the frustration, the gnawing guilt.

“Stop! Making! Jokes!” Her eyes grew hotter with each word. “Dammit, Five! You almost died! What part of that don’t you understand?!”

“Sorry… just didn’t want you to worry.”

Miko sighed, sitting back. “I should be. I’m the reason you’re like this.” 

“Miko…” His voice was so gentle. He felt bad, she knew it. She almost got him killed and he’s the one feeling bad. “You would’ve done the same for me.”

“But I won’t have to. You don’t make dumb mistakes like I do.” Miko couldn’t meet his eyes. She didn’t deserve to.

“Miko, that doesn’t matter to-”

“Of course it does! You could’ve died because of me! I can’t lose you, Five!” 

She couldn’t hold it back any longer. Tears spilled forth, streaking past her cracked visor, staining her cheeks, slowly pooling on the floor. 

“No, Miko, don’t- why are you crying?”

“Because…! Because I…!”

Miko didn’t think. Didn’t plan. She lunged, and planted her lips against his. 

It was dry. Rough. Bitter. But she didn’t care. She almost lost him. Almost lost the chance. They parted, after a split second and an eternity. She stayed there, burying her face against his neck.

“I… I love you, Hector.”

She felt a soft hand weakly caressing her back, pulling her closer to an embrace. A sigh left her, melting at the touch.

“Love… you… too…”

Miko gasped. Her heart soared. And immediately plummeted as she felt the hand on her back go slack. 

She pulled back. Five’s eyes were closed. His lips left slight parted. His entire body had gone limp. No. No. She pressed an ear against his chest. 

A heartbeat. Slow, faint, but steady. Miko nearly collapsed in relief. A sign of life was better than none at all.

The ground shook. A growl, much, much closer than before. 

Her face twisted into a hateful scowl. Miko shot to her feet and spun, the gauntlet whirring to full power. She felt no fear as she stared down the hungry, glowing eye peeking through the entrance. She came too close to losing Five today. It will never happen again.

“Over my dead body, you glitch.”

-

This fic was commissioned by @/crazedupfrutloop, who wanted Miko and Five patching each other up after a really bad glitch fight, ending with a confession and a kiss. I might’ve fudged up the order of it a bit, but I hope everyone is still able to enjoy it. 

Season 2 hype, y’all!

[3pshippinggg]

How FBA Prep Services Streamline Your Amazon Inventory Management

Effective inventory management is crucial for Amazon sellers who want to scale their business and stay competitive. However, keeping up with Amazon’s strict guidelines for packaging, labeling, and shipping can be a daunting task. This is where FBA prep services come into play. By outsourcing inventory management tasks to experts, you can streamline your Amazon operations and focus on growing your business. In this blog, we’ll explore how FBA prep services streamline your Amazon inventory management, ensuring a smooth and efficient process.

. What Are FBA Prep Services?

Before diving into how these services improve your inventory management, it's essential to understand what FBA prep services are. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) allows sellers to store their products in Amazon’s warehouses, where Amazon handles the shipping, customer service, and returns. However, before products can be sent to Amazon, they need to be prepared according to Amazon’s strict requirements.

FBA prep services include:

Labeling: Properly labeling each product with an Amazon-specific barcode.

Packaging: Ensuring the product meets Amazon’s packaging requirements.

Inspection: Checking for damage, ensuring the correct quantities, and verifying product quality.

Shipping: Coordinating the shipment of your products to Amazon fulfillment centers.

By outsourcing these tasks to a professional service, you can ensure that your inventory meets Amazon’s standards without dedicating internal resources to the process.

. How FBA Prep Services Improve Efficiency

One of the primary ways FBA prep services streamline your Amazon inventory management is by improving the overall efficiency of your operations. Managing inventory on your own can be time-consuming and error-prone, especially when you’re dealing with large quantities of products.

Here’s how FBA prep services boost efficiency:

Reduced errors: Professionals handle the labeling, packaging, and inspection process, significantly reducing the risk of costly mistakes such as incorrect labeling or damaged goods.

Time savings: Instead of dedicating hours to prep work, you can focus on other core business activities like marketing, customer engagement, and product development.

Faster turnaround: By outsourcing to a service experienced in prepping products for Amazon, your inventory can reach Amazon fulfillment centers faster, reducing stockouts and improving your listing’s performance.

When FBA prep tasks are handled efficiently, your inventory moves through the fulfillment process quickly, ensuring that your products are available to customers without delay.

. Maintaining Amazon Compliance with FBA Prep Services

Amazon has strict rules regarding how products should be prepared and shipped to their fulfillment centers. Failure to meet these guidelines can result in penalties, delays, or even suspension of your seller account. FBA prep services help you stay compliant by managing these critical aspects of inventory management.

Accurate labeling: FBA prep services ensure that every item is labeled correctly with the required FNSKU (Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit), eliminating the risk of confusion or delays at Amazon’s fulfillment centers.

Proper packaging: Different products require different packaging types. FBA prep services are well-versed in Amazon’s requirements for fragile items, liquids, oversized products, and more.

Compliance with shipping standards: FBA prep services handle shipping logistics, making sure that your inventory is packed and shipped in a way that meets Amazon’s standards.

By ensuring compliance, FBA prep services streamline your Amazon inventory management and reduce the risk of complications that could disrupt your business operations.

. Cost-Effective Inventory Management

Outsourcing your inventory preparation to FBA prep services may seem like an additional expense, but it’s often more cost-effective than managing these tasks in-house. Here’s why:

Lower overhead costs: Hiring staff and maintaining storage space for inventory prep can be costly. FBA prep services offer a scalable solution where you only pay for the services you need.

Reduced errors and returns: Incorrect labeling or packaging can lead to costly returns and wasted stock. By using a professional service, you reduce the likelihood of these errors.

Optimized storage: FBA prep services ensure that your inventory is sent to Amazon in a timely manner, reducing the need for long-term storage fees.

Ultimately, FBA prep services streamline your Amazon inventory management by helping you avoid unnecessary expenses and ensuring that your products are handled efficiently.

. Improved Scalability for Your Amazon Business

As your Amazon business grows, so does the complexity of managing your inventory. Scaling your business requires more time and resources, which can quickly become overwhelming if you’re handling everything on your own. FBA prep services streamline your Amazon inventory management by providing the support you need to scale without sacrificing efficiency.

Handling large volumes: FBA prep services are equipped to manage high volumes of inventory, ensuring that all items are prepared and shipped in a timely manner.

Supporting product launches: Whether you're launching a new product line or preparing for a seasonal surge in demand, FBA prep services can adjust to your needs, providing you with the flexibility to grow.

Seamless integration with your business: Many FBA prep services offer software and systems that integrate with your existing platforms, making it easy to track inventory, shipments, and performance in real-time.

With the ability to handle larger volumes of inventory and offer scalable solutions, FBA prep services are an essential part of growing a successful Amazon business.

Efficient inventory management is key to a successful Amazon business, and FBA prep services streamline your Amazon inventory management by reducing errors, ensuring compliance, saving time, and improving scalability. By partnering with a trusted FBA prep service, you can focus on growing your business while leaving the logistics to the experts.

For a reliable and efficient solution to your FBA prep needs, choose 3pshipping. Our FBA prep services ensure your Amazon inventory is managed with precision and care, helping you stay compliant and efficient. Contact 3pshipping today to learn more about how we can streamline your Amazon inventory management!

[marketing-13]

Why is Online Delivery Services Essential for Liquor Store?

Online delivery services have become a game-changer, especially for liquor stores. With the rise of e-commerce and shifting consumer preferences, having a robust online delivery system is no longer just an option—it's essential. Let’s explore why online delivery services are crucial for liquor stores and how Holiq’s online delivery solutions can elevate your business.

The Growing Demand for Online Delivery

The demand for online delivery services has surged in recent years. According to a 2023 survey, 60% of consumers prefer to shop online for convenience, and this trend extends to liquor purchases. Consumers want the flexibility to order their favorite beverages from the comfort of their homes and have them delivered quickly. This shift in consumer behavior highlights the necessity for liquor stores to adapt and offer online delivery options.

Benefits of Online Delivery for Liquor Stores

Increased Reach and Sales

Offering online delivery significantly broadens your customer base. By providing a delivery option, you’re not just serving local walk-in customers but also reaching potential buyers who prefer shopping online. Data shows that businesses with online delivery options experience up to a 30% increase in sales. This can be attributed to the convenience factor, as customers are more likely to make purchases when they can do so from their homes.

2. Enhanced Customer Convenience

Online delivery services cater to the modern consumer’s need for convenience. With Holiq’s online delivery features, customers can browse your store’s inventory, place orders, and choose their preferred delivery time—all with just a few clicks. This level of convenience can lead to higher customer satisfaction and increased loyalty. A 2022 study found that 75% of consumers are more likely to return to a business that offers easy and reliable delivery options.

3. Competitive Edge

In a competitive market, offering online delivery can set your liquor store apart from the competition. As more stores adopt digital solutions, having an online delivery system ensures that you stay relevant and competitive. Holiq’s advanced delivery features help you streamline operations, offering a seamless experience for both customers and store staff. This can be a significant advantage in attracting and retaining customers.

4. Efficient Inventory Management

Holiq’s online delivery service integrates with your store’s inventory management system, allowing for real-time updates on stock levels. This integration helps prevent overselling and ensures that you have accurate data on inventory levels. Efficient inventory management not only reduces waste but also ensures that customers receive the products they order without delays.

5. Increased Order Accuracy

Online ordering systems reduce the chances of errors that can occur with phone or in-person orders. Holiq’s online delivery platform ensures that orders are accurately processed and sent directly to your system. This minimizes the risk of mistakes and enhances the overall customer experience, leading to higher satisfaction and repeat business.

How Holiq’s Online Delivery Features Enhance Your Liquor Store

Holiq offers a range of features designed to optimize online delivery for liquor stores:

Seamless Integration

Holiq’s online delivery platform integrates seamlessly with your existing systems, making it easy to manage orders, track deliveries, and update inventory. This integration ensures a smooth transition to online delivery without disrupting your current operations.

Customizable Delivery Options

With Holiq, you can offer flexible delivery options to meet the needs of your customers. Whether it’s same-day delivery, scheduled delivery, or contactless options, Holiq allows you to customize your delivery services to enhance customer convenience.

Real-Time Tracking

Holiq provides real-time tracking for both you and your customers. This feature allows customers to monitor their order status and estimated delivery time, reducing anxiety and improving their overall experience. For store owners, real-time tracking helps manage delivery schedules and optimize routes.

Automated Notifications

Keep your customers informed with automated notifications about their order status. Holiq’s system sends updates via SMS or email, ensuring that customers are always aware of their order’s progress. This transparency helps build trust and enhances the customer experience.

Online delivery services are more than just a trend—they are a vital component of modern retail, especially for liquor stores. By offering online delivery, you increase your reach, enhance customer convenience, and gain a competitive edge. Holiq’s comprehensive online delivery solutions make it easy to integrate and manage delivery services, ensuring that your store meets the evolving demands of today’s consumers.

Experience the power of online delivery with Holiq and transform your liquor store into a more efficient, customer-friendly business that thrives in the digital age. Schedule A Demo with Holiq today!

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