#we will only know for certain when ferrari gets their shit together and becomes a competent team

[presdestigatto]

I doubt Charles and Max ever could be friends. Both are too competitive and I feel like Max would stop being too nice to Charles once things doesn’t go his way. I know everyone believes it’s Charles who would hate Max again if they start to fight for Championship again but for me it’s Max, he already showed annoyance toward Charles in those moments.

Hey anon! Thanks for sending something in, but damn, prickly topic. I have some time on my hands now so I’m going to go extra in depth with my thoughts on this

It’s quite difficult to speculate on the future state of their relationship, because we’re dealing with a lot of hypotheticals and we quite literally only know what they decide to show us, publicly. For all we know, they could secretly be besties who text every night. Though, I do agree with you (or what you implied) that they aren’t friends on a personal level right now. Honestly, I think they don’t have much in common beyond racing, if you look at their friends and their passions outside of motorsport. But then again, racing is and has always been a huge part of who they are, it is pretty much the core of who they are right now, and as drivers, Max&Charles are very similar. So outside of racing I don’t think they interact much, but within racing I see their relationship as two people who vibrate on the same wavelength. And that produces, yk, the Maxsplaining and Leclerifying.

As for whether there will be hatred between them if they have a tense title fight, I tend towards not at all, or not to a level that destroys their relationship as friendly colleagues. First, the stakes going into 2024 are simply not equal. If this were Charles and Max fighting for their first title, and only one of them could get it, I would place my bets on a Lestappen downfall. I do agree with you that both of them are crazily competitive, but Max has already won… trice. I’m not saying that this means he doesn’t want to win anymore, but he quite literally doesn’t have much to prove left. He’s just had the most dominant season in the history of the sport, the next step up would be like a complete win whitewash and I’d actually quit watching f1 forever if that happens. I don’t feel that Max is the sort of driver who’s aiming to break records for WDCs held, and I’m basing this off his comments about retirement and being bored at the front this season. From what I’ve seen, Max is a racing nerd. To him, the thrills are just as important as the accolades and that’s significant because he’s already collected a bucketload of accolades. And so I don’t think a 3 time WDC Max would resent Charles for giving him a close title fight. I also feel that from his comments in interviews about acknowledging that “everyone can be stopped”, his ego isn’t as large as some people make it out to be. But I also can’t really think of any recent instances of Max showing irritation towards Charles apart from on the radio in Vegas 23, and the overall race proved that Max does enjoy Charles taking the challenge to him. It’s probably because I don’t follow Max too closely, so feel free to update me haha.

As for whether Max would U-turn on his love-peace-Charles agenda if Charles presented a real title fight to him, ignoring my somewhat shallow Max knowledge, I’d point to Bahrain 2022 as an example that Max isn’t that insecure. It was the first race of the season, the Red Bulls DNFed, Charles won, but they were still all smiles and Max even took the initiative to come up to Charles to chat (on live tv). This ties back to the point above, that the stakes for Max aren’t as high anymore so we see less Mad Max. I’d also add that Max has been very consistent in showing that he sincerely admires Charles’ skill as a driver, I’d go as far as to say that Max respects Charles the most in the current grid. I’m pretty sure you can pick any year from 2018-2023 and Max has done at least one interview in which he praises Charles’ talent. And this brings me to what Max said in 2018 predicting that he and Charles will be “like Hamilton and Vettel, fighting for titles in the future”, which aptly illustrates how Max&Charles are, in my opinion, the most prepared to have a tense title fight without developing personal grudges. People like calling them the reverse Brocedes, I can certainly see it. Circling back to the very first point about them not being friends, they have always been rivals first. They’ve had over a decade of experience going into races and championships and seeing the other as “Max/Charles, who I have to beat”. They’re competitors with a healthy amount of hard-earned respect for each other, and I do believe them when they say that they’ve matured beyond petty rivalries. That is basically the tl;dr of this very long thing.

I don’t see why Charles, who is going into 2024 with the awareness that he’ll have to beat Max to win the WDC, would become resentful of Max in the process. Likewise, I don’t think Max, who has already proven himself, would be mad that his childhood rival who he rates very highly, beat him to a title. I think it’s important that they aren’t friends, as you said, because then there are no expectations or trust to betray and their professional relationship can be maintained.

The only scenarios I see happening where they fall out because of the title fight are if 1) either one of them decides to drive dirty and the FIA turns a blind eye (haha.) 2) they magically regress into their 15 year old selves and Charles shoves Max into the marina in Abu Dhabi in Val D’Argenton 2.0

[myimaginarywonderland]

Predictions about the F1 grid until about 2025:

Max will win the championship this year. I mean, Mercedes is coming back but not good enough to be a threat, Ferrari is a walking shit show and Perez will never even be in contention. This is pretty much guaranteed.

Next year we will actually have a fight between multiple drivers (until a certain point obviously.) If RedBull keeps the performance and Mercedes keeps this improvement to get back to their former self we will have Lewis, Max and George fighting for it. Ferrari is only in that fight if they get ride of Binotto and hire a team principal that can actually reflect and just deflect any facts.

I think 2024 will most likely be Lewis last season. I think he'll definitely give it another shot if they are in contention next year but I honestly do not see him staying past 2024. I don't think he's out of talent I just think that if he wins his 8th, possible even his 9th championship, there's really nothing for him in the sport anymore. I also think he would be someone to leave thinking that he'll let the younger generation have their turn. I don't for a second think that he'll be done with motorsport but I just think within the next 3 years he'll leave because there's nothing to prove and he might also focus more on other priorities.

Aston Martin will actually become competitive in the next 3-4 years. I think the team most likely to be at the top is actually team. However there needs to be better management. I also strongly believe that with the right car Lance not only has a shot at winning races but also at a championship. If AM where smart they would try everything to get Drugovich a seat so he could replace Alonso in 2-3 years once the car is competitive enough to fight at the front.

McLaren will be a catastrophe to come. The lawsuits from the Indy drivers, the promises they make, the awful way they threat their drivers, it will all come back to bit them in the ass. Hell, I could see Norris jumping ship as soon as shit hits the fan because why should he stay in a burning wreckage? However I think Norris will be the driver that McLaren builds itself around.

Haas will actually become closer and battle at the top of the midfield, maybe even able to sneak an occasional podium. I truly believe we are seeing Haas on the up and not at the end of that road. They won't be a top team but I think they will truly be the midfield battlers.

I sadly believe that Charles will be a lost championship. Unless Ferrari get their shot together, Charles incredible talent and potential will be wasted. He deserves better and I truly hope Ferrari sort it out so we can see him in the championship battle.

I think Mick might become a RedBull driver at some point. If the rumours about him leaving Ferrari are true and he doesn't join AM, I see his best chance alongside Max.

I think once Lewis leaves, Esteban will be put into that Mercedes seat. He's shown talent and I think he would be a great teammate for George. I mean Nyck de Vries has said himself that there's just no real possibility he'll be back in F1 and I don't see any way they get Vandoorne in there when he's contracted with FE for probably at least 2 seasons in my mind.

I think Sergio will be kicked from F1 at the end of next season just like Ricciardo. Both are going to be replaced by younger drivers. They're just in no mans land. They would never be number 1 drivers at any time, the younger gen is the priority and I truly believe that most teams will try to have their Nr. 1 experienced driver and another younger driver to support that driver.

Talking about this I think sadly that will also be Pierre's faith. He's not really a choice for RedBull anymore which is why I truly believe his best shot will be with Alpine. He could be an outside for the Mercedes seat but we all know that the entire focus of the team once Lewis leaves will be on becoming champions with George.

I think Yuki will be stuck at Alpha Tauri for the next 2-3 years if he performs well. I unfortunately don't think he or Alex will be going anywhere any time soon. They're sadly bond to be midfield drivers.

I actually think that maybe, the best candidate for that Ferrari seat alongside Charles might be Guanyu. I personally think Sainz performance until recently has not been that great and I think he will clash with Charles eventually because he expects and demands on equal statues which Charles will at some point fight against (as he should because he's clearly the better driver.) That will lead to a fall out where Ferrari is screwed because unless Mick stays contracted they will have no one with experience to replace Sainz. Guanyu has shown great performances this year (he's also been hit by a ball of bad luck.) He's not really a threat to Charles championship in my mind and I truly think that he would be a great Nr. 2 driver that would consistently score the required amount of points.

I think at the end of 2024/2025 Bottas, Perez, Ricciardo, Magnussen, Alonso and Lewis will all be gone (for different reasons but yeah.) Might be a big shot but yeah I think it's not too far off.

[daviddobrikstuff-blog]

Fitting In - David Dobrik

Blurb- Rylee has been good friends with Zane for a while, but she’s never been around the vlog squad before. Rylee has been a bit hesitant about meeting everybody, mainly because she a huge fan and is really nervous about meeting them. After Zane’s constant begging, she finally gives in and go to hang out with everybody, no cameras this time though. Will she fall for a certain fluffy haired goofball?

A/N- This is my first fanfic so bare with me, I’ll get the hang of it. Enjoy!

Chapter One

    “Come on, pleeeeeaaaassssseeeee? If I ask enough times you have to say yes. Please please pleeeeaaassseeeee?” 

You rolled your eyes as Zane kept on about coming with him to meet his friends. It’s not that you don’t want to meet them, but they’re youtube stars, and you’re...well...not. You’re nervous. Zane is your best friend. He also happens to be a part of the vlog squad on youtube, a group of people that film with the one and only David Dobrik. Who wouldn’t be nervous about meeting them? Zane has been bugging you for the past three months, and you’re getting tired of it.

    “They all want to meet you ‘cause I talk about you all the time! You’ll fit right in and it’ll be so much fun Rylee!” He’s giving me puppy dog eyes now. Seriously, I am done with this. 

        “Fine.”

“You can even be in the vlogs! And- wait. What?”

    “I said fine. I’ll go with you and meet your friends.” I sighed. I knew I would give in eventually.

Zane jumped off the couch, “Seriously?! Hell yes baby get ready ‘cause we leavin’ right fucking now!” He runs off to his room and barges back into the room jingling his keys. I get up and trudge out to his car. At least he’ll shut up about it now. But fuck. I am so nervous. I may be friends with Zane but I’m a huge fan of everybody in the vlog squad.

    “I’m gonna make a fool of myself tonight.” I said fidgeting with my fingers.

Zane laughed, “How? You’ll probably be the most put-together person there, honestly.”

    “I don’t know. I’m sure I’ll find some way to embarrass myself.”

“I promise you can’t do anything worse than anybody else, Ry. You’ll be fine.”

*time skip to the house*

Zane and I finally pulled up to the house and wow. This place is amazing. We got out of the car and walked up to the door. I looked at Zane; he could tell I was nervous now.

He placed his hand on my shoulder, “You’re overreacting, as usual. Just be yourself. You’re awesome and they’re gonna love you. Chill Rylee.”

‘Yeah, chill Rylee.” I repeated in my head and took a deep breath. Zane opened the door and I followed him inside. Everybody was chilling in the living room: Jonah, Todd, Jeff, Natalie, Corrina, Erin, Carly, Heath, Jason, and David. They all look up as we enter the room. Heath gets up to hug me; we’re friends already as well.

“Holy shit you actually got her to come this time.” He laughs as he lets go of me and turns to face the group, “This is Rylee, Rylee, this is everybody.” Erin snorts, “That’s not a very in depth intro,” she gets up and gives me a small hug, “I’m Erin, its nice to meet you. Zane has told us a lot about you.” 

    “All good things I hope.” I chuckle. Todd and Jeff wave from their seats, “You’re really pretty.” Todd says nonchalantly. Zane grabs ahold of me, “Don’t even think about it. Either of you. Not. Happening.” I push him off of me and wave at the boys and the girls as well. David gets up from his chair, “Hi, I’m David.” he holds out his hand and I take it, “Rylee. Nice to finally meet you all.” He smiles before returning to his seat. I sit down between Zane and Heath. Everybody starts talking away, including me. It was actually easy to talk to everybody, and my nervousness soon faded away. 

    Zane puts his hands on my shoulders, “She’s making so much progress! I am so proud of her!” I scoffed, “It’s not like I wasn’t gonna talk to them. I was shy. I’m not anymore. Let it go moron.” Everybody laughed.

    “Hey,” Carly started, “You seem pretty cool, but we only know what Zane has told us about you.” 

“And honestly I’m sure that’s not accurate.” Corrina added.

David spoke up next, “Well, why don’t we play twenty questions? We could get to know you some more.”

A chorus of “yeah’s” filled the room. I shrugged, “Alright. What do ya wanna know?”

    Jeff raised his hand, “Are you single?”

“Ain’t happening.” Heath and Zane stated. I rolled my eyes, “Yes, I’m single.”

“How old are you?” Carly asked.

“Just turned twenty-two this year.” I replied.

“What’s your favorite color?” Jonah piped up. Jason started laughing, “That’s the lamest question you could’ve asked are you kidding me?”

    I shook my head, “Shut up Jason. Jonah, my favorite color is black.”

The night went on as twenty questions seemed to turn into my life story. Most of the questions have been very basic up until Todd asked how long I had been friends with Zane and Heath.

I thought for a moment, “Um, its been like, what, a year or so?” I looked at both of them, them nodding in agreement. “Yeah a little more than a year.” Heath added. 

“How did you become friends with these idiots?” David asked; this being his first question to you since suggesting the game.

I laughed, “Well. We were at a club one night. I was with my friends and those two were there together. My friends and I were dancing and having fun, then these two knocked me and two of my friends down to the floor. Spilled their drinks all over us and everything. We were pretty pissed at first. Then-”

“At first? I would’ve been pissed the whole night AND kicked their asses. You’re telling me you forgave them right then and there?” Jeff interrupted.

    “Don’t interrupt me and you’d know why we forgave them.” Todd laughed and hit Jeff on the shoulder as I continued my story.

“Anyways, I helped my friends get up and we turn to cuss these assholes out, and we see that one of their glasses shattered and both of them had really bad cuts on their hands. Bleeding really bad too, it was really gross.” I chuckled and went on, “Even though it was their fault, we felt bad, so we helped them into my friend’s car and went to my house to treat them in a more calm setting.”

David spoke up, “What? You guys were just like, ‘You’re bleeding! Here, you don’t know us but come in our car and we’ll help you!”

    I shrugged, “I mean more or less, yeah.”

David shook his head and looked at Heath and Zane, “And you two just went with it? They could’ve been murderers!” He laughed.

Zane threw his hands up in defense, “Hey we were drunk and pretty girls were offering to take us home.” “Yeah,” Heath joined in, “Were we supposed to say no?” Everybody laughed.

“Okay, so now that we’ve established these two are way too trusting with strangers and Rylee is more than happy to welcome strangers from the club to her home, continue.” He gestures to me, shooting me a goofy grin.

Shaking my head I recount the rest of that night: patching the boys up, Zane breaking my coffee table, and both of them drunkenly passing out on my floor before my friends and I could even get their names.

    “We reacquainted ourselves the next morning when everybody was sober. Cut to my friends and I realizing it was Zane and Heath and having a fangirl moment, before finally cussing them out for basically running us over at the club.”

Zane and Heath both wrap their arms around me, “And we’ve been friends with our knight in shining armor ever since!” Zane exclaimed.

The rest of the night went smoothly, Heath broke out the alcohol, so everybody started drinking. Well, everyone minus myself, David, and Erin. I eventually found some time to slip out of the house for some much needed fresh air. I shut the door behind me and put my back against the wall. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I’m having fun, but it was getting a little crazy in there. I moved to take a seat on the steps and looked up at the stars. Being out at night alone like this always calms me down. Its so peaceful and relaxing.

I heard the door open and close quietly behind me, but I didn’t look back to see who it was.

“Too bad I don’t have my camera with me, they’re getting crazy in there.”

I laughed. Even if I couldn’t tell by his voice I would definitely know by that sentence alone that its David.

He walked up and sat down next to me on the steps, “Why’d you come out here?”

“I was getting a bit overwhelmed in there. Just wanted a bit of alone time.” I looked over at him, leaning back on my hands.

He looked back at me, “Oh I’m sorry. I can leave if you want. Didn’t mean to disturb you.”

I shook my head, “No David, you’re fine. I meant like I just wanted some peace and quiet. I take it that’s why you’re here?”

He ran a hand through his hair, laughing, “Yeah a little. I also noticed you were missing so I came to find you.”

“Why?” I mentally smacked myself. Why did I ask that? That’s so weird to ask oh my god Rylee what is wrong with you?

He tilted his head, “You’re our new guest and you went missing within the first two hours of meeting us. I was afraid we scared you off.” We both laughed at that.

    I smiled, “Nah. It’ll take more than that to scare me off.”

“I do have a flamethrower.”

“I’m well aware.”

“Would that scare you?”

“If you were holding it? Probably.”

“Hey, I’m responsible.”

“You’re a rich twenty-two year old with a tesla, ferrari, and a flamethrower. Somehow that combination doesn’t scream ‘responsible’ to me. No offense.”

He laughed for a minute, “You might have a point.”

Things were quiet for a few minutes. It wasn’t awkward silence. It was comfortable. I liked it. Suddenly, David broke it, “So, what made you finally agree to come with Zane tonight?”

    I thought for a moment, “Well, I honestly just got annoyed of him pestering me so much. It was really important to him for whatever reason. So I caved.”

He looked at me for a moment, as if trying to figure me out, “Why were you so against meeting us in the first place? We aren’t that bad, are we?” He let out a soft chuckle.

I shook my head, “No no, no. You guys are awesome. Amazing. I’ve been a fan forever.” I looked out towards the road, “I was just nervous is all. It’s weird when you’re not famous and meeting people who are. You think you are just gonna seem lame. And I’m for sure lame as hell, and you guys are so awesome and crazy and I just didn’t want to seem like Zane’s boring friend.”

    He didn’t respond right away so I looked over at him. He was just looking at me.

“What?”

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Excuse me?” I stood up and crossed my arms, looking down at him. He started laughing.

“No, I didn’t mean it like that. But you aren’t boring, Rylee. You fit right in with us.”

I smiled. David is a bigger sweetheart than I anticipated him to be. He returned my smile and stood up, “We should probably head back inside. They’ll notice we’ve been missing for a while soon.” I nodded in agreement and walked back inside, joining the chaos and my new friends.

[junker-town]

How I'd spend Paul Pogba's money

Week 1

My mother sees things as things. Things to be used, things as means.

I say to her, "Being poor is the worst of sins. It is not that the world doesn't care for you, it's that they don't even see you."

"You are naive," she says. "I have six children. I am fortunate (indeed, who can deny it?) and I will stay fortunate (and who can doubt that too?). My riches make me safe. I am greater than any whom Fortune can harm, and though she could take much away, she would leave me much more. Surely my comforts banish fear."

When she bought me my first soccer ball, she put it inside a kicking net so that the kicked ball would always return. I told her that when I became rich and famous that I would repay her by buying her a semi-truck.

Looking at the $130,000 machine with $4,050 worth of gold rims, she said "you always thought that these trucks were the best because they were the biggest."

Starting: $300,000

Total spent: $134,050

Remaining: $165,950

Week 2

I cut off all contact with my mother and the rest of my family. That poor shit is depressing. I don't need that type of negative energy in my life. After the second $300,000 check came in, I realized that I needed to create a "positive vibes only" environment around myself.

In the immortal words of Mr. Burns: "Family, religion, friendship. These are the three demons you must slay if you wish to succeed in business."

I moved out of my parent's house and into a $1,800 per month (set aside the $21,600 for the year) Riverfront apartment in downtown Detroit with a $2,000 security deposit. Paid $300 to take my cat with me. Apparently she will also cost me $35 a month as well. In ancient times cats were worshiped as gods but the men of today only bow to money. Shameful. I paid the yearly $420 at once on some rich shit.

I joined a cross-fit gym for $150 a month, because I needed to be able to flex both physically and financially. I started drinking more water and flat tummy tea. Then I created an Instagram and Tumblr. One for pictures of me doing rich shit and the other to find random fake-deep Drake quotes to put as the captions of the pictures of me doing rich shit.

The first picture was of me posing next to my plane (Some nights I wish I could go back in life. Not to change shit, just to feel a couple things twice), because of course I bought a fucking plane. A Cessna 182 for $250k, with the fixed yearly costs — inspection, maintenance, insurance, hanger fees, and data subscription— of around $8k. Chump change to stunt so hard. Flight training cost around $11,000. Still rich, but had to postpone going to Whole Foods for the week, it would have cost an extra $11k. Bought three boxes of pizza rolls for $30 instead.

Starting: $465,950

Total spent: $293,350

Remaining: $172,600

Week 3

I spent $11k in Whole Foods for groceries for the week. On the way home, I ran into an old friend, Don Leo.

We sat down for coffee. I told him about my change in fortune and because Modeste can only marry Ernest in fiction (Eveline Hańska married a landowner and then a Count after), Don Leo said "most men confound happiness with the means that lead to it. Money in their eyes is the chief element of happiness."

"But," I said, "money can add significance to things."

"Yes, you seem to believe that."

I thought about what he said for the next few days. Then on Friday morning as he drove to work, I called him. I asked him to look towards the sky. To the space between our world and the abyss of the universe. I paid a skywriter $3,500 to write the words "Broke Boi" so that my friend could see exactly what I thought of him. Then I cackled and hung up on him. Fuck outta here with that broke shit.

Starting: $472,600

Total spent: $14,500

Remaining: $458,100

Week 4

Spent $15k in Whole Foods. I bought an extra item: something called an "Air Plant." I don't really know what it is but I guess life is just as difficult to decipher.Yet, still I live. What am I really but an air plant in the air forest of the world? Insignificant but worthy of love. I took a picture of it and posted it on Instagram (knowing the difference can make all the difference.)

Starting: $758,100

Total spent: $15,000

Remaining: $743,100

Week 5

I bought the typical Nouveau riche things: a $60,000 diamond grill, three white tigers — Kimba, Simba, Hamlet — for $140,000 (yearly grooming cost of $144,000 that I set aside), a few cars: A Tesla X P90D for $138,800, the 2017 Jaguar F-TYPE Coupe for $61,400 — five $900 suits to match — and a Ferrari 599 GTO for $385,000. Of course I put it all on the ‘gram.

Certain people need to tell me they proud of me, that mean a lot to me (sitting on the hood of the Jaguar with Hamlet).

It's more to life than sleeping in and getting high with you (looking down at my phone while leaning against the Tesla.)

May your neighbors respect you, troubles neglect you, angels protect you, and heaven accept you (holding Simba's paws up and making a goofy face behind him.)

You know life is what we make it, and a chance is like a picture, it'd be nice if you just take it (me and all three of the tigers playing on the ground with the doors of the Ferrari open in the background.)

I quit cross-fit and hired a personal trainer who charges $15,000 for a six-week session. I'm too rich to be in a stuffy warehouse with random people training to fight God. Hired a personal chef for $1,000 a month. Paid him for the year.

Starting: $1,043,100

Total spent: $957,100

Remaining: $86,000

Week 6

In my excesses there was an aching emptiness. Born poor, my sudden wealth had freed me from the oppression of poverty, of unbeing. I was a person, intelligent and worthy. Yet, I still lacked purpose. I was no longer an object but being a man came with the problems of what it was to be a man. Each pleasure brought a rising sense of unfulfillment, something even my $2,400 Charlotte Thomas bed sheet couldn't cover up. I hoarded things to set a barrier between me and myself.

I envied the fish in my recently purchased $300,000 shark tank. Born into captivity, they couldn't see their chains, but I, having pulled against the links as a poor child and now, having become having been promoted by wealth to the position of a guard, knew that I was confined to the prison all the same.

Starting: $386,000

Total spent: $302,400

Remaining: $83,600

Week 7

I sought solace in the church. I donated $50,000 for its renovations and gave $100,000 for the medical bills of its member. The priest thanked me but when he said "you've done well by the Lord," I left. He obviously knew too much.

Starting: $383,600

Total spent: $150,000

Remaining: $233,600

Week 8

Bought a $19,990 rose gold Daytona Rolex and took the plane out to Ibiza. I stayed in the Palladium Hotel Don Carlos, all inclusive, for a week at the cost of $1,700.

I spent my days there oscillating between being drunk as hell in the night and saying that I would never drink again in the morning. On one of the nights when I was ordering another five bottles of Armand de Brignac Brut gold (3 nights of this, $100,500 in total), a gorgeous woman, a model named Amina, asked me if I was rich. I said yes. Then, as if by magic, totally unexpected, we fell in love. Life is wild.

I took several pictures of the time we spent together on the island and uploaded my favorite: an image of her half-asleep with the caption "You a real ass woman and I like it, I don't wanna fight it." We partied and enjoyed the kind of love that only good looks and lots of money could bring. Spending a lot of money made me feel much better.

Starting: $533,600

Total spent: $122,190

Remaining: $411,410

Weeks 9 and 10

Amina and I took a tour through Europe ($500 for the flight to London, $3,200 for the tour itself): London, Paris, Dijon, Jungfraujoch, Florence, Montecatini, Pisa, Rome, Venice, Innsbruck, Munich, Boppard, Amsterdam, and Bruges.

In Innsbruck we visited the Thomas Flora. Amina looked at the "Venezianischer Carneval" and I looked at Amina looking at the "Venezianischer Carneval."

"It's beautiful," I said.

She closed her eyes and the world ended. "It is. But I think it would be better if it wasn't expected to be."

I bought the painting for $150,000. I'll put it next to the shark tank. Baller ass shit.

Starting: $711,410

Total spent: $153,700

Remaining: $557,710

Week 11

Spring was near and Amina and I were happy. We took so many pictures for the 'gram that I damn near quoted the entire "Take Care" album — flights in the morning, what you doing that's so important?

Imagine a music video of two outlandishly good-looking people running around in $1,800 DSQUARED2 outfits and drinking from a 30-liter bottle of Boërl & Kroff's Brut that's worth $120,000. That was our entire week. Also, I know some of you just had to look that up that champagne. Broke boys.

Starting: $857,710

Total spent: $123,600

Remaining: $734,110

Week 12

I still felt unfulfilled. The emptiness persisted. Amina suggested that I start investing my money and buying real estate. She said that I needed bigger ambitions. "Aim for the stars and land on the clouds." It's what 4:44 Jay Z would have wanted.

By her suggestion, I hired a real estate developer and put aside a maximum of $150,000 for the yearly salary and $300,000 for renovations of the places that I planned to buy. We went after properties that needed very little, if any work. We bought a $190,000 home by Eastern Market, with a $716 mortgage, then a 990-square-foot single family home by Midtown for $35,000 with a mortgage of $130.

The expenses for the homes were to come out of the $300,000 stash and the profits would also go into that account, which I made separate from my personal one. I would increase the rent frequently, with the stated reason that the area was improving.

Starting: $1,034,110

Total spent: $675,000

Remaining: $359,110

Week 13

Bought a condo on East Jefferson Ave. for $60,000 with a mortgage of $231 and a $100,000 townhome on Pembridge place ($385/m).

Paid a combined $20,000 to a few neighbors in hush money because apparently tigers are loud and aggressive.

Starting: $659,110

Total spent: $180,000

Remaining: $479,110

Week 14

I wanted to build something great. I thought that I should start a company with the name of "Anybody Can Get It, Inc," in reference to my lifelong belief that the sole reason to play sports is to embarrass your opponent. But that would take too much work. Too many moving parts.

So in honor of my mother's philosophy that the riches of materials pales in comparison to the richness of the human as a person, a dust speck in the universe but a universe unto himself, I decided to invest in the people. For my own profits, but in the people.

I invested $200,000 in a web-based solar energy engineering company called "Greenlancer."

$20,000 for the tigers. I should just let the cubs eat these people instead.

Starting: $779,110

Total spent: $220,000

Remaining: $559,110

Week 15

Since Thomas Flora, Amina has been painting a lot. She says that what she wants to do is replicate the beauty that's already in the world. Not to create it, since all beauty exists and has always existed. She wants to paint it as it is.

She says that I don't understand "how odd it is to be made of flesh, balanced on bone, and filled with a soul you've never met."

I bought her an old dialysis center for $120,000 on Conner Street that she could turn into a studio, and gave her $50,000 for redecoration.

Paid another $20,000 for the tigers. Now I know I'm being extorted.

Starting: $859,110

Total spent: $190,000

Remaining: $669,110

Week 16

Invested $150,000 in Realty Commander, a transaction management software for real estate professionals to make the buying of property easier. Also invested also $50,000 in Alfa Jango, a company that helps build the identity of startups with web-based software and application development.

Sold the tigers for $5,000 each and emptied the shark tank. The novelty had worn off, I did not love them. But with the animals gone and Amina spending most of her time in the studio, I find myself more alone than I wish to be.

Starting: $969,110

Total spent: $185,000

Remaining: $784,110

Week 17

Invested $150,000 in Cribspot, a site that helps helps college students and landlords find and manage off-campus housing, in order to prioritize my properties.

Donated $200,000 to Wayne State University, with the understanding that they will work to direct students to use Cribspot to find off-campus housing.

Starting: $1,084,110

Total spent: $350,000

Remaining: $734,110

Week 18

Bought two foreclosed condo homes, both on Seville Road. One for $141,533, the other for $101,023. Added an extra $100,000 to the account reserved for the retail properties for renovation.

Starting: $1,034.110

Total spent: $342,556

Remaining: $691,554

Week 19

Hired an assistant ($50,000) to act as landlord for the apartments and an investment fund manager ($120,000). Set aside their salaries.

Haven't seen Amina in some time. She wants to have an exhibition for her work and is spending more hours away.

Went to the movies alone, bought a combo meal of popcorn, a Kit-Kat bar, and a medium drink for $1,200.

Starting: $991,554

Total spent: $171,200

Remaining: $820,354

Week 20

Invested $500,000 into Castle, a company whose mission statement is to "to provide intelligent, investor-driven property management to real estate investors around the world." This will be the umbrella that covers all of my real-estate ambitions. We will use our relationship with Wayne State to attract college students to work as stewards and to train those interested as property inspectors.

Starting: $1,120,354

Total spent: $500,000

Remaining: $620,354

Week 21

Invested $250,000 into Detroit City FC because the most rich shit to do is to have a sports team. I go to the games wearing New Balances and terrible blue jeans.

Starting: $920,354

Total spent: $250,000

Remaining: $670,354

Weeks 22 and 23

I begged Amina to take a vacation with me again, but she declined. She was too close to finishing her work.

I don't understand. It was she who said that I needed to think bigger. What have I done but expanded our world? I've built a paradise around us, now and forever: homes, companies, influence, power. We have everything that anyone could ask for, yet she doesn't see me anymore. It's always the paintings. The damn paintings. The ugly things. Deformed bodies, twisted faces, and harsh, violent colors.

All she says is that I don't understand. "It's a matter of the soul and you don't have the eyes for it. All you see is what you see and to you that's everything."

I took the plane back to Ibiza and stayed in the hotel room drinking the finest of champagnes, doing drugs, and watching sports alone for two weeks. I opened several Twitter accounts and spent nights tweeting abuse at everyone who said that Arsene Wenger's time at Arsenal was up. Wankers.

Spent about $70,000. Whatever, I'm rich.

Starting: $970,354

Total spent: $70,000

Remaining: $900,354

Weeks 24 and 25

I didn't go home. Instead, I flew to South Africa for 10 days. I stayed in the Castello di Monte Guest House ($1,800), which included accommodation, meals, and a transfer to the hotel from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. I rented a rifle for $100 and, along with a few professional hunters and several other rich people, I went hunting for wild animals ($3,780 in total).

We were taken to the Lowveld region. A dentist among us, who was after the head of an African elephant, listed off the species that were available in the area: blue wildebeest, buffalo, bush pig, bushbuck, common reedbuck, eland, elephant, gemsbok, giraffe, grey duiker, hippopotamus, impala, jackal, klipspringer, kudu, leopard, lion, nyala, ostrich, red hartebeest, roan antelope, sable antelope, steenbok, tsessebe, warthog, waterbuck, white rhino, Burchell's zebra.

I killed a lioness ($9,700) and took a picture next to its dead body. Uploaded it to Instagram (MORE LIFE. MORE EVERYTHING.)

At lunch the next day, I couldn't eat. The dentist patted me on the back as he left, "They're just animals."

On the final day, we visited Pretoria. I was amazed by the polished wood, stained glass, and tiled floors in the Palace of Justice. The dentist said that it only cost £115,260 to build.

Starting: $1,200,354

Total spent: $15,380

Remaining: $1,184,974

Week 26

Bought some plots of land: $49,000 individually for two on Ashland street, $15,500 for one on Avery Street by Midtown, and a 2,178-square-foot house available by the old Tigers Stadium for $149,000.

There were a few homes included in the Ashland properties, and I had my assistant send a letter letting the residents know that they had two weeks to move out.

Starting: $1,484,974

Total spent: $262,500

Remaining: $1,222,474

Week 27

An article ran in the city's biggest paper, titled "Who is Zito and why is he buying up Detroit?"

The author wrote about my various properties and business investments, tried to find the reasonings behind them, and in the end does an admittedly good job in exposing my relationship with Wayne State. He insinuated that I'm taking advantage of the city when it's vulnerable for selfish reasons. "Zito has no known charity foundations nor has he done anything to help the city beyond to fill his own pockets."

Amina agreed with the author. She suggested that some philanthropy would be good for me as well as the city. "You need to think of others."

The next day I gave $15,000 to the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit. After that, I gave another $15,000 to Kids Without Cancer. Then I gave the same amount to Mercy Education Project. I felt nothing. But I figured it would do well for my image.

Starting: $1,522,474

Total spent: $45,000

Remaining: $1,477,474

Week 28

The paper didn't mention my donations, so I invested $200,000 into another local newspaper under the requirement that they cover me favorably to counter any negative articles that might come from other publications.

Starting: $1,777,474

Total spent: $200,000

Remaining: $1,577,474

Week 29

Went hunting again. This time, an elephant (Don't switch on me, I got big plans). Amina has grown more distant because of this new hobby.

$2,100 for five nights. Elephant trophy: $38,000.

Starting: $1,877,474

Total spent: $40,100

Remaining: $1,837,374

Week 30

A feature in the main paper: "Zito, you took my home." It was by a man who died shortly after I kicked him out of the homes in Ashland, and they published a letter from him.

His wife said: "Zito is an evil man. My husband was worth more than all of his money..."

I paid various journalists and outlets a combined $380,000 to publish good stories about how I was making the city better by fixing homes. To write about my solar panels. But people latched on the letter, and their anger intensified when news got out that I was planning on setting up an online video channel for hunting.

Starting: $2,137,374

Total spent: $380,000

Total: $1,757,274

Week 31

The mayor called me into his office. When he finally saw me face to face, he laughed and the universe expanded.

"You're new to this."

"Yeah, but I'm getting used to being rich really quick. For the good and the bad."

"No, I mean, you're a poor kid. You just have money. That's different from being a rich man."

He told me that there's a way, beneficial to the both of us, that we could fix things.

Starting: $2,057,374

Total spent: $0

Remaining: $2,057,374

Week 32

People protested at my apartment building. Idiots. It was within my rights and power to kick anyone that I wanted off of what was my property. I had done nothing wrong.

The city council rejected the protests under the same reasoning.

Yet, as much as I was aware of my innocence, the anger of the people bothered me. But what was I to feel ashamed for? I had worked, as every man should, and had used the money and opportunities granted to me to build the world that I wanted, as anybody else would. I didn't squander my money. I built homes and invested in people. I didn't go out to hurt anyone, I simply asked for what was mine.

Amina thought that I should leave for a few days to let the people cool off. It meant that I would miss her show, but she insisted out of love, or what was left of it.

I bought a first-class ticket ($2,000) to Innsbruck and stayed for three nights at the Hilton ($390). I went back to the Thomas Flora. I wanted to see what I couldn't see, but when I looked at the lines, colors, and prices, all I saw were lines, colors and, prices. I wanted to buy a few of the paintings, but I could hear Amina's voice saying "You don't understand."

Starting: $2,357,374

Total spent: $2,390

Remaining: $2,354,984

Week 33

The mayor's plan was for the city of Detroit to loan me $50 million so that I could build a low-income apartment complex in the plot of land by the old Tigers Stadium. The interest would be at 3 percent for 10 years. I would also have to name the building after the man I kicked out of the Ashland homes. He would handle the legal process to make sure it was approved quickly.

He wanted some perks ($250,000, yearly). I was a poor boy with money, and this is what happens to people like me. But the plan would work. The people would love me.

I accepted his plan to be exploited. We were to announce the agreement in three weeks.

Starting: $2,654,984

Spent: $250,000

Remaining: $2,404,984

Weeks 34 and 35

Amina and I flew to Qatar ($4,000 for flights, $1,010 for five nights at the Four Seasons). She saw my idea and said "every plant and tree will die. Owls will deafen us with incessant hooting. The town's sun dial will be useless. I don't want any part of this project, it's unconscionably fiendish."

I paid $2 million as a down payment, including their flights and the shipping.

When we returned home, Amina left.

I can't think of the boy that I was or the man that I might have been. I have what I have and that's how one knows that he is alive. A man in relation to the things around him.

Even those who protest me, in doing so acknowledge that I exist, and I exist because of what I own. This is how his dust speck shouts out into the universe. I am significant.

Starting: $2,704,984

Spent: $2,005,010

Remaining: $699,974

Week 36

The loan was approved. The mayor and I met again. I asked him what the difference between a poor boy with money and a rich man was.

"One has power and the other pretends to."

I said, "But we are what we pretend to be."

I visited Amina's studio like a wild animal in need of shelter, coarse hair, and soul.

Starting: $50,999,974

Total spent: $0

Remaining: $50,999,974

Week 37

The mayor spoke of the future, as politicians do. He gave the people words worth more than a husband and a semi-truck.

I went up to the podium talked of the past, of regrets, of redemption. Had I been the boy I was before, I would have walked off to the applause. Had I been Amina's love or my mother's child, I would have shook hands and thanked the people for coming.

But I am not them. I could buy the love of the people with an apartment complex, but what love is that? What had I done wrong to begin with?

"In Doha, the summer temperature can sometimes reach up to 122 degrees. When Qatar was awarded the World Cup, they faced the challenge of making the climate suitable for sport. Many ideas were suggested, the most ambitious being to simply block out the sun. Artificial clouds, each with four solar-powered engines. The technology had been developed at Qatar University.

"One of those clouds costs about $500,000 and could cover a soccer field. $50,000,000 would get you 100 of them."

I pulled out a remote from my pocket, "In the words of Mr. Burns, have you ever seen the sun set at 3 p.m.?"

I cackled as I pressed the button. The machines came alive and soon the city was enveloped in darkness. As expected, everything descended into sweet, sweet chaos.

We are what we pretend to be.

Starting: $51,299,974

Total spent: $50,000,000

Remaining: $1,299,974

Week 38

I've been reading a lot in jail. Guess there are still some things that rich people can't get away with. Who knew?

Remaining: a few cigarettes