#working at the jewelry store taught me a lot

[gwyoi]

People who say they can tell between natural and mined diamonds and prefer mined are so fucking stupid and have probably never looked at diamonds as much as I have 😭 99% of the time you can tell what’s lab because lab diamonds are clearer and bluer with less inclusions. Do you know how expensive it is to get a colorless VVS mined??? let alone 1ct +??? Sorry .

[savvylittlecoxswain]

Bobby’s father, Gaston Moch, immigrated from the Canton of Bern, Switzerland at the age of 15 to live with his uncle and work at his jewelry store.

From what admittedly little research I’ve done, it seems that people from the Canton of Bern spoke primarily Swiss German circa the 1890s.

So what if Bobby was taught some of the language growing up, but never formally as it was mostly picked up listening to his father (and maybe his uncle). It was probably a lot of little things, individual words and minor profanities and such. And perhaps Bobby’s father began to teach him when he was feeling well enough while staying in the hospital as a way to keep him busy.

In college, Bobby began taking classes on standardized German when his schedule would allow it and found it to be difficult at the start given the many differences between Swiss German and standardized German. But Bobby is nothing if not stubborn, so he worked at it and eventually picked up a fair bit. He enjoys it because he’ll speak a mix of Swiss German and German when he’s home helping out his father in the jewelry shop, and his father seems to light up whenever they engage in his native tongue.

This leads us to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. What if the UW rowing team were being shown around by a German official and a translator. The German official is speaking as they were shown around the facilities with the translator relaying everything to them. But pretty quickly Bobby realizes that the translator is relaying everything to them, that the official is making particular comments and jokes clearly intended for the translator’s ears only. Bobby is growing more and more agitated, doing his best to ignore the snide remarks.

But one hits a nerve and Bobby speaks up like “umm excuse me what did you just say?” And the translator repeats himself but Bobby is like “nonono I’m talking to that guy” and he points to the official. The translator tells him again, definitely annoyed now and so the boys convince Bobby to drop it. They continue the tour but then the translator begins to go over some important information regarding the upcoming days events, maybe when and where they’re expected show up for a pre-race meeting with officials or something equally important, and the things that he’s saying don’t exactly line up with what the official is telling them. Bobby has to speak up now like this is important. The others try to quiet him but he has to figure this out now before they get disqualified due to whatever sabotage is going on here. He’s trying to convince the coaches that something is going on like “but that’s not what he said! He said ABC but he said XYZ.” And then Bobby emphatically jumps into speaking German, but he’s lowkey stressed so it comes out a heavy mix of Swiss German and standard German gibberish so the Germans don’t know what he’s saying. However, they can tell that he knows what they’re saying and grow uncomfortable, eventually admitting that they mixed up the time of the meeting with a different event even though they could tell by that point that it had been no accident.

From then on Bobby begins paying a lot closer attention what’s being said and the coaches and the boys are regularly looking at him to make sure that what they’re being told is true because now they’re nervous.

[kissmethroughthebone]

Questions to ask myself:

What do I want to have achieved by the end of the summer?

Let's see.... A lot of money invested into my filmmaking equipment to make several horror films and stories before the world ends; a lot of photoshoots, and I'm talking pin-up, 1950's inspired photoshoots, horror inspired shoots... Getting back into modeling entirely. Specifically with a great expensive photographer, ideally the one I worked with on that music cover album a while back.

Not to mention successfully making connections for a good online talk show, modeling, making short films with other actors and actresses, and overall going to galas and fun luxury events!

I want ideally 8 beautiful high quality portraits done of myself that are unique and awe-inspiring that I have to show off to my future generations to come, a few solid flings that set me up for life, and some amazing connections indeed!

And a lot of completed scripts that are in my hands AND grant me all the benefits I desire! And a few reels, acting AND producing and directing all under my belt!

What gifts do I want this summer?

Tennis necklace. Tennis bracelet. Sapphire earrings. Emerald ring and matching earrings. Frankly, a nice collection of any sort of expensive gemstones I like, any time, always.

An expensive and exquisite car, specifically a low rider car, but that's if I am also taught to drive! Specifically one that looks like a sexier version of a 1950's convertible.

An entire film set and studio in my name, in the exact image and ideal way. Plenty of expensive film cameras, high end microphones, lighting and more, and money to invest in all the films I want to produce for myself and have my portfolio jumpstarted.

Not to mention any subscriptions to things like Costco, any high end vitamins and food programs, DoorDash, and a consistent natural hairstylist who knows how to handle african 4c hair. I want luscious hair regardless of the texture, long and healthy!

Well paid, fridge full, having a grand ol' time with each other. Even a personal credit card, to buy as many things for myself in life as I would desire!

I have a music video concept? Consider the photographers and videographers met with and the outfits bought. I have a song? Consider the producers and mixers met with and scheduled into my system. i want to learn to sing or play piano? Here's my instructor, world reknown, and autistic, so he will be patient with me.

I want to know how it feels to have an exquisite shopping experience with a glass of champagne for free, and a nice shiny ring on my hand that I bought at a store and can 1000% enjoy for life.

And if I really wanted to go insane if I had the money.... Rare items. Rare unique jewelry. Crossbred flowers and succulents, and crossbred fruit trees. Show me you love me, make an apple and mango crossbreed that I can have for years and enjoy sustenance off of.

Any social scenes I wish to join, and what for?

Filmmaking networking scenes. I am meeting celebrities and having a fun time as a socialite who is praised for her intellect and wisdom around the film industry. Who can mentor and teach me things. I collaborate with them, and have a fantastic time bonding with them and enhancing scripts even more.

Also collaborating with high profile musicians, who also help me and my friends produce music together and get more well connected in the industry. Event makers, to actually make my city a lot more together, and throw events that raise money for the local schools and the underground art scene to help people flourish. Also befriending other luxury young women with girlfriends could be very nice! The goal getters, the high achievers, the ones who strive for the most out of life, always!

Always!

How would I look with the dates I have?

Vivaciously sexy; either long beautiful braids, or a nice Pamela Anderson style wig. Think of Megan thee Stallion's current wig for her tour, for context. But if I wanna spice it up, a colored white or pink wig if I meet a man in the wild who wants to strike up conversation could be fun. There's always someone looking for a dream girl.

I would go for a siren look. Yet, clean girl. Clear beautiful healthy shiny skin, that's borderline reflective as a Hajime Sorayama painting, and full colorful yet natural glossy tinter lips, with eye catching eyes. An amazing pin-up figure that makes jaws drop, but enough to cover it and look effortlessly good. Loose enough to show I'm a lady, but tight enough to show I'm a woman.

Not trying to seem overly conservative or classy, but not trying to make people think I'm an escort. The perfect fashion balance of someone with money and confidence who walks into any room, in any outfit, and looks exquisite either way.

All of this is claimed to be mine this summer, and so it shall be.

It is all mine, always and forever, god bless and amen.

[shadowsfascination]

The birth of Super Amy

@shadamyheadcanons, another submission via detour because I couldn't upload my art piece. I landed back on several things you used in your previous headcanons, especially this one (which I now see is named 'Heart of Gold' and that accidentally works perfect with this submission). I hope you like it :) Figuring out how to paint her Rose Gold was a pain in the ass. Heads-up: it's a more a small (unbeta-ed) fic than a headcanons xD

Through all the time Amy had spent exploring caves with Knuckles, she managed to gather an impressive collection of (semi) precious stones. She carefully displayed each and every new find in the bookcase in her living room, along with other special objects they’d found.

Once Amy's interest in astrology and tarot readings was sparked, she stumbled upon the use of gemstones in fortune telling. She dug into the matter and discovered that not just the Chaos emeralds, but a lot of gems possess special powers. Eventually, as she grew more and more familiar with the supernatural, she learned how to use and control those powers. That’s how she mastered the power of invisibility and was later granted the power to heal. 

Though Amy was thrilled that she taught herself some cool skills, she kept quiet about her newfound powers. A part of her was even a little scared that her new skills were either mundane to someone like Sonic, or that they weren’t exclusively for her. After all, she wasn’t the only hedgehog with a connection to a gem that carried supernatural powers. Plus, she’d spent years trying to bring a unique set of skills to the team. She enjoyed being able to do things that others couldn’t and didn’t want that to be taken away from her.

When she opened up to Shadow about her new powers, he was not only intrigued, but also impressed by the new skills she’d taught herself. Feeling encouraged by his support, Amy opened a small, glass box and handed Shadow her favorite gemstone, an unpolished, teal-colored sapphire. 

“This was our first find, back in the days when Knuckles and I had just started exploring caves together. It’s a sapphire, my birthstone,” she explained. “I’ve treasured it ever since.” 

Shadow inspected the stone, holding it up against the backlight from the window behind them. “It’s beautiful… The color, it complements the pink of your quills so well…” 

“Aww, thank you, Shadow!” Amy’s eyes smiled the second he looked at her again. ”Although it doesn’t possess a special power, this one has always been special to me…” 

“It’s a bit of a shame you’ve stored it in this little box amongst all the others like it has no special meaning to you, though. Don’t you think?”

Amy bit her lip, contemplating the idea. “Maybe you’re right. Perhaps I could put it on a tiny velvet pillow and place it on my nightstand...” 

Once Shadow’s fingers closed around the gemstone, he bristled. A warm, elusive feeling bubbled up in Amy’s chest as she regarded the stone again. Shadow scratched his chin. Then, he fixed his eyes on the stone again, and Amy felt a little unnerved by the way he continued to stare at the crystal. For a second she feared the gem would somehow gift him with yet another cool superpower, but nothing happened. Amy bit her lip, sighing in relief and feeling silly immediately after. She grinned sheepishly at Shadow. 

“I might have a better idea,” Shadow said. “Why don’t you turn it into a necklace? Like I said, this color is great on you.”

By now, Amy’s cheeks were as pink as her quills. She wiggled on her feet, playing with the hem of her dress. 

“T-thank you,” she muttered softly, and when she looked at Shadow again, his cheeks were a little stained, too. Amy cleared her throat and looked down at her feet. “But… I have no idea how to do that.”

“Leave it to me! I know just the right person for this job, and,” he winked, “I’ll make sure she doesn’t keep this gem to herself.” 

Amy chuckled, feeling flattered by Shadow’s determination to turn her favorite gemstone into a piece of jewelry just for her. It was an offer too good to decline. “I mean, if you insist… Are you sure? I don’t want to cause you any-” 

“I do insist, Rose. I’ll be more than happy to take care of it.” 

“Then I’ll gladly take you up on that offer. Thanks, Shadow! You’re such a sweetheart.” A nice, warm feeling settled in Amy’s chest. She beamed at Shadow, who, for once, sent the slightest of a smile her way, too. 

“Why don’t we meet up next Saturday at the gym? I’ll give you the necklace, and maybe you could join me for a spar session? I’d like to see those new powers of yours in live action.” Shadow cocked a playful eyebrow at her. 

“Sounds good to me. It’s a date,” Amy said happily, lightly touching his arm before he zapped himself away. 

– – – 

When Amy was on her way to meet Shadow that following Saturday, she felt strangely elated. After changing into her workout clothes and entering the gym, Shadow awaited her inside, waving at her somewhat nervously. In his other hand was a little blue box with a golden ribbon.

“Hi, Shadow!” Amy cheered in her most bubbly voice. 

“This is for you,” he said, immediately placing the gift in the palm of her hand. 

“Awww, thank you! I can’t wait to see it! Although… shouldn’t we wait until after we’re done sparring? I’d hate for it to break during a battle…”

“But… I want to see how it looks on you. Indulge me, just this once.”  Shadow swallowed, staring at her intently. “Trust me.”

“Shadow, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he replied dryly, then crossing his arms and leaning forward, clearly waiting for her to open the gift. 

“If you say so?” Amy shrugged. Carefully, she pulled at the ribbon and lifted the lid of the box. Her unpolished sapphire had been turned into a beautiful droplet-shaped gemstone, attached to an elegant silver necklace. “It’s gorgeous! I LOVE it! I love it so much! Thank you, Shadow!” 

Amy latched onto Shadow and felt him stiffen up at the touch. She backed away and smiled at him.

“Could you… put it on me?” 

“Oh! Yes, of course.”

As Shadow took the necklace from her and stood behind her, Amy’s pulse started racing. With a gentle touch, he lifted her quills with one hand and reached in front of her to put the necklace on. She felt his warm breath tickle her neck as he fumbled with the lock. 

“There,” he said, and Amy wondered if she spotted a hint of relief in his voice. “Turn around. Show me how it looks,” he said, grabbing her hand and spinning her around. Amy’s breath caught in her throat and it felt like her cheeks caught fire. Her heart pounded in her chest like it did when she had an unexpected encounter with an enemy. 

“Whoah! Shadow, what’s with you today?” Amy half gasped, half chuckled. 

“I’m sorry. I’m just… nervous,” Shadow stammered that last word under his breath.

“It’s okay… I think it’s so sweet that you did this for me. Please don’t worry. I love it so much,” she reassured him, softly squeezing his hand. Then, she looked down at her chest and yelped in surprise. Bright light was emitting from the necklace, slowly enveloping her as her feet were lifted off the ground. “What is going on?! SHADOW! What did you do to my crystal?!” Amy yelled in shock.

Disillusioned, Amy stared at Shadow, and Shadow stared back. ‘It’s okay,’ he mouthed, eyes sincere and full of comfort. Amy’s skin began to glow, the usual pink of her quills fading into a shiny rose gold color. She closed her eyes, surrendering to what she finally understood was happening to her. The shock left her body, her soul radiating with warmth as the flame of her true power was kindled- at last. 

Power, confidence, and joy flowed through her veins when she opened her eyes again. Amy smiled, regarding her new appearance. She ran her fingers through her quills, feeling how they pointed upwards and touching the spikes that had grown out of her back. Then, she stretched her arm, opening the palm of her hand, conjuring her hammer out of nowhere. It was twice as big but felt light as a feather.

Suddenly, she locked eyes with Shadow and approached him, elegantly gliding through the air. When she stopped in front of him, her eyes flashed with anger as she pointed at him, hammer lurking threateningly in her other hand. “You!” she hissed at Shadow, who still gaped at her in awe. “You knew about this, didn’t you?!” 

“I did,” he said calmly, looking at the still glowing necklace.  

“Why didn’t you tell me?! Do you have any idea how scary that was?” She bloated her cheeks. 

“I do... What did you think my first experience was like?” 

Amy blinked, stammering as she tried to come up with an answer. “I thought because you were created with all these powers that you… I mean, I don’t know!” Amy dropped her hammer and crossed her arms. “I guess I never gave it much thought…” 

Shadow touched her hand. “That’s alright, Amy. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you…”

Amy lowered her defenses, letting her arms fall to her sides.

“If you’d known, it wouldn’t have worked. I don’t know how to explain... The gem picks you, and it always takes someone else to function as a portal for the power to find its way into you. In Knuckles’ case, that was his father. In Sonic’s case, it was the Doctor, believe it or not. In my case, it was Gerald. And, in your case, it’s me…”

Amy’s eyes widened. Tears welled up, but she swallowed them away.

“I knew this day would come, eventually…” he said in a low, husky voice. 

He swallowed, and Amy suddenly spotted the crown of beads that glistered on his forehead. She curled her fingers around Shadow’s hand, and he laced his fingers with hers. 

“You believed in me,” she sobbed silently.

“Of course I did. I thought I made that pretty clear.” 

Amy chuckled. 

“Rose, regardless of any special powers, you’ve always been special to me. Just because… I don’t know, eh… Chaos, you throw me off my game! I just think you’re amazing…” 

Shadow’s face was flustered when he locked eyes with her again. Amy could see the clumsy, nervous smile he was trying to suppress, but she couldn’t be fooled. Swiftly, she pulled him closer, lifting the both of them off the ground to pull him into a warm embrace. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, rubbing her hands on his back while they spinned slowly in mid-air. 

“Y-you’re wel-welcome,” he sputtered. 

“I think you’re amazing, too…” Amy softly touched his cheek with her lips. Shadow froze at the touch and started coughing until his face was almost as red as her usual dress. She put him down on his feet again, tilting her head in sympathy as he patted himself on the chest. 

He then cleared his throat and straightened his back. “I have a proposal for you.” 

“Let’s hear it,” Amy said, smiling. She couldn’t remember the last time her heart beat this fast.

“I want to spar with you in your super form.”

“Really? You mean that? No offense, but is that a good idea? I mean, I don’t stand a chance when you attack me in your super form…” 

“I brought something for myself, too…” Shadow closed his eyes, smirking as the seven Chaos Emeralds appeared in a perfect circle around him. 

“Oh, you’ve thought this through, mister…” Amy giggled, summoning her hammer again. 

“Guilty as charged,” Shadow proudly admitted. The emeralds circled around him in a blurry haze of color and light until his quills were a bright, glowing yellow and light flared around him. 

“Needless to say, you keep your inhibitors ON,” Amy demanded, swinging her hammer back to charge it with energy. 

Shadow nodded, but then held his hand up. “One more thing,” he said. “If you manage to win from me, I’ll take you out.” 

Amy blushed, accidentally slowing down the energy transmission to her hammer. She blinked, pinching her arm to check if she could be dreaming. 

“I’m being real here. I’d like to go out with you sometime.”

“I’ll give it my best shot, then!” Amy flashed him a confident smile, clenching her hands into fists. She felt elated and energetic, more ready than ever to engage in this battle and not only win this fight, but also his heart. “If we do end up on that date, you’ll have to tell me the story of your first super experience.” 

“Fair enough. You got yourself a deal.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it,” Amy teased, winking at him. He huffed, playfully smirking at her. She’d never seen him smile so much before today. 

“Cocky, I like it… You ready?” Shadow asked, positioning his arms in front of his body in a defending pose.

She chuckled. “Wait! But… what if you win?” Amy asked shyly. 

Shadow smirked. “Then you’ll take me out.”

 

[[I know her dress is green and in the fic it's red. The red was SO butt ugly with the rose gold, and she HAD to be rose gold, so I changed the color palette. Let's just say she buys a new dress for her super form and Tails manages to make a device for her so the dress changes along with her when she transforms. Works for me ;)]]

[noeou]

(not a request) IVE BEEN SO OBSESSED WITH CEO&SECRETARY DYNAMIC WITH AZUL N READER... (totally not bc of business love kdrama or anything)

me too, nonnie! he's got me in a chokehold. if i had to put him in a specific kdrama, he'd one hundred percent be tae-moo from business proposal or lee young-joon from what's wrong with secretary kim... okay i know you said this wasn't a request but, here are some more thoughts under the cut:

ceo! azul who relies on you to pretend to be his significant other during parties in other countries, in hopes of the spoiled heiress' leaving him alone. despite the fact you actually are, things like that you remain professional.

ceo! azul who has made one of his spare bedrooms into your personal one because of how many late nights you both spend working together.

ceo! azul who makes sure to take you to fancy places when on business trips because he knows how busy you can get during them.

ceo! azul who started showing up to work parties, making things so much more awkward than they needed to be. but hey, at least the budget was higher.

ceo! azul who acts like a kid in a candy shop every time you go to your local convenience store together.

ceo! azul who you taught to ride the bus on one of your days off. (yes, he fell. his legs aren't that strong, i know you're not judging.)

ceo! azul who got you both a lot of matching jewelry and outfits, you never know when they'll come in handy.

ceo! azul who got your name engraved in gold on the passenger seat of his personal vehicle.

ceo! azul who secretly is a sucker for documenting things through photographs. (there is a shelf full of binders with pictures dating back to your first year working for him.

[kittyandco]

2, 5, and 9 for your princess kitty SI!! -frankmillerturnonyourlocation :D

@frankmillerturnonyourlocation YAY THANK YOU!!! you might have meant my frozen s/i, but i want to talk about my star wars s/i who is also a princess. and frankly one of my favorite s/is of all time. (she's specifically relegated to the sequels btw and is hux's horrible wife)

2. What is their grooming routine like?

she is known for having a GINORMOUS vanity in her room. it has so many vials and bottles and things on it.

growing up, she was taught that appearance is everything, and that she must preserve her beauty and all costs. she used to have compulsions, but they're fading out. she's grown out of that mostly, since she knows now that she offers more than that. she's learning balance, but she's suffered under that mindset a lot already.

but she still definitely uses it to her advantage where she can. i mean, why not? if that's all anyone's going to see her for anyway... then no one will know what hit 'em. it's fun to lead them on, and she can get bored pretty easily. also, she's just crazy confident (and that's really what makes it work). she has all right to be!

ANYWAY, she's been gifted a lot of oils and fragrances and other things, by admirers or whoever, on top of what's in her routine, which is kinda what clutters the surface. she also stores her jewelry on it

SO, she takes very good care of herself. her hair and her skin are big priorities, just like with me!

5. What was the last time they cried, and under what circumstances?

the last time i thought of her crying was in a fic i wrote... it was part of a series i did with a friend. there was a HUGE monster-alien that attacked the planet, and the castle, while kylo and my friend's s/i were visiting... and he rescued her, taking it upon himself to fight the monster almost single-handedly.

in the aftermath, my s/i cried about the idea that she could be loved so deeply. ;w; yes, even by a man like hux. good thing she doesn't have to imagine it.

9. What is their favorite holiday?

her birthday of course--

OKAY BUT BESIDES THAT, i don't have much of an answer, but she does enjoy the holidays on her planet. that reminds me i need to think of more. her planet is entirely made up by me and i've loved indulging in that worldbuilding. i have not really made up any official holidays, though. i'm sure there is one for when our first queen (queen, not king) was crowned. she does get a bit envious because she isn't queen yet... uh, the first order invaded right before her coronation LMAO

Get to know your character

[awakened-human-design]

I WAS A MILLENIAL ON A SPIRITUAL QUEST

How would you like to get started on learning Human Design?

????? what the heck is that ??????

My Story

In December 2017, I was on a call with one of my teachers from the group Trillium Awakening. They asked me for my birthday, time and place of birth, and sent me my Human Design body graph. They talked about how I was a projector, and they were too, how it was a rare type, and that I had a lot of open centers, meaning, I was really open to conditioning from the outside world.

They suggested I check it out and some of its free resources. A small tool too accelerate my spiritual process. Which, by the way, could take up to 7 years.

I *WAS* A 20?Something ON A SPIRITUAL QUEST: 

THE VICTIM STORY

Yikes! This is cool, but heck if I had the time or money for more of that!

I hardly had enough money to pay for our weekly group calls in a women’s circle - that put a price beyond compare - but stretched me, even at the discounted rate they offered.

No one in my family had put money into spiritual or personal development work, while I was knee-deep in the stuff. To be honest, I didn’t really feel like I had a choice.

Doing work on spiritual development was a choice between “This stuff is so expensive. If I do this I won’t have any money and I will die” and “This stuff is absolutely what I need at this point in my life and that the world needs to evolve so if I don’t do this…I will also die.”

So? It was, as one of my teacher’s Marc Gafni would call, an erotic double-bind.

I made the choice to go knee-deep in work towards spiritual evolution.

I left the teaching world and I worked in the “gig economy.”

My resume had 5 different education companies.

I worked between 1-40 hours a week, and spent half of it driving.

For months at a time I did what I loved - working with kids - and had no “boss” to call me to the office.

Sounds good, right?

Finally free from educational institutions, I saw how life really worked in people’s homes. I saw the truth of District public and charter schools, and, no matter where I went, I taught kids in the way that felt good to me.

Of course, not everything ended well, and some parents and classroom teachers asked me to *get out* on the first day! But…the recognition of my abilities as a teacher *direct* and *instantaneous.* The progress of the children showed in their creativity.

Let’s get real though about this so-called “gig economy” that promised millennials freedom. No boss meant no W-2. No health insurance. No retirement plan. No coffee breaks. No co-workers.

The road was lonely.

Between driving to tutor or babysit kids at their home, substitute teach at a random school in Maryland, or attend a retreat in New Jersey, I started to feel less like a teacher and more like a truck driver. I took up bad habits that I never imagined as a yogi. I ate protein bars with more sugar than a Snickers and smoked the more the occasional American Spirit that even listening to Adi Da podcasts could not save me from.

I felt sad - but who else could see me but myself?

Some of my friends from my “previous life” no longer spoke to me. I felt ashamed I had left the active lifestyle I once had of biking, walking and yoga, but I knew I could not afford it. I paid for retreats by offering to cook batch meals for the sangha.

I lived in a basement apartment in a house owned by an electronic musician that hosted bands from all over the country. My next door neighbor was an indie musician as well with a great wardrobe and occasional clothing swaps with her New Zealand friends. My closest friend made her own jewelry and tye-die. Two blocks away from the thrift store! So… Major perk - getting to listen to and play music on the reg. and get free, cute clothes. Major downside - working all the time with hardly enough cash to pay the rent to show for my good deeds, and sometimes looking “woke up like this” and other time looking like I hadn’t changed out of my pajamas.

OKAY…SO WHAT IS THIS HUMAN DESIGN STUFF AND HOW DID YOU LEARN IT

Okay, cool. So back to the start of the story. My teacher gave me a tool and I don’t think I looked at it for two years.

But then …. the covid, the lockdowns, the confinement , and suddenly we all had no where to go, everywhere to be (on Zoom) and time, too much of it.

How was I ever going to ‘be’ someBODY?

I won’t go into the depth of “the lockdown” story because at this point, we all have one.

But lockdown story did not produce the kind of “free time” that one might really hope for, unless, of course, you enjoy “free time” like a character from a Albert Camus novel.

Coincidantalment**, I spent the entire time of “confinement” in two foreign

No exit. Like - am I ever going to get out of this? Am I ever going to escape this like square box my form is trapped inside of, speaking to people in a language no one understands?

Okay. I am going to revisit this Human Design stuff. I am going to learn a language that describes the programming of the human body.

No, this isn’t some weird genetic altering stuff. Au, the contrarie!

A system of empowerment that came along at the right time.

When we are, as David A Temple puts it posed between utopia and dystopia. We are getting the call to know ourselves - NOW - in a progressively globalizing and demanding world. And not just globalizing in terms of “oh maybe this bag of chips I’m eating right now came from a Uyghur death camp and perhaps its made of sawdust.” Okay…maybe that too…but really…Globalizing in terms of the planet - the “PLAN-(N)ET” - has a plan to catch us and we best follow her word…or…else.

TO POPPY-SEED QUEEN CURING HER ADDICTIONS: A HEROINE’S JOURNEY

So I spent…every day of French class, every morning, looking at the transits (both astro and HD), recording my dreams, reading my graph, reading the Cross of the day, the Gate, drawing the iChing…taking a university-levelcourse on iChing…ok…maybe there was some magic involved…and many sleepless nights…and…yes…going down to the depths of the bottom of the bottom…the rabbit hole…the worm hole…the brain hole…you name it…its the the “dark night of the soul “ and there ain’t no batman to help you sidekick robin so you better be the hero of your own story and save the day.

I can tell you. I’ve been there. There’s no going back. 

…..*di di di di*** the song of “why do I like Human Design so much” ***do do do do**….

1- TRANSPARENT AND EASY AS F**** TO LEARN

I like Human Design because it is a very transparent system. If you’ve gotten a reading in astrology or tarot, the “method” or “magic” is usually a little hidden from the person receiving the reading. This is more “Teach yourself your Self” and a reader is more like a guide.

Like a contractor explaining the blueprint of a house from the day it was built. You might not of had the tools to build the house - but you get it. The plan is clear.

It’s not like Enneagram or Myers-Briggs where you take a quiz and find out a type, only to have it change again half-way through your life. Those tools of human development are well and good (but are subjective), and you should use those too. But that’s not what this is.

This system starts with the objective.

And then you have to test it out.

2 - the 100% USE FOR 100%…KIDS

This system, for as weird as the origin story may appear, was built by a teacher. It was built for children and the generations to come.

Anyone who has ever been a teacher (*and hopefully left the profession because they KNOW how the conditioning is happening) for kids under 7 can SEE how easily children and manipulated and cohereced into a “not-Self” program.

They are literally “programmed” to not-love themselves! The sh*t people are paying beaucoup bucks for to *fix* them later in life!

So let’s cut that s-t out before it beings. Let’s raise a generation of kids who don’t need to go to therapy when they grow up to un-do all the trauma that came from their conditioning.

And for you - “grown up” let’s help you re-parent your inner child.

(People always told me I needed to do that. I had no idea how, or the privilege, I felt, to do it.)

Let’s help you learn to “be alone” with your “Self” as you already are - whole.

3 - IS THIS A RELIgION?

Okay, let’s talk religion - if you grew up Christian (like “me” yay****) confirmed in the Christian church…yadda yadda…you probably have SOME trauma from that stuff. Don’t really care if you go to church every Sunday, are a flat-out atheist or extreme right..some body has GOT to say it…

Everything you have been brought up believe is not the meaning of the Christ.

With a little toe-dipping into esoteric Christianity…

The current image of “Jesus on the Cross” is no more than a sacrificial lamb that has you totally tricked into thinking you need to “die” (to the empire) in order to be “saved.”

No. You are a unique balance of light and dark. Although these do move in the 4 directions, they do not always look like a perfect “cross.” More on that later. 

BUT The beauty of it …is also that THERE IS a cross. And you can understand it. And you can be and become your own Christ. 

Your own Savior. And take back the power into your own life.

I don’t care if you can name me every book of gospel or if you tell me that Jesus was a historical figure or in fact never lived and is a myth in our imagination. Or if Jesus is coming back down from the heavens tomorrow so repent your sinners or oh shit maybe the world really *IS* on fire and maybe the highest court in the land (the UN) and now has “Inner Development Goals” and realizing that maybe infrastructure is not just made of things. It’s made of people. Who hurt. Who feel. Who laugh. Who cry. And is telling people that maybe they should consider working on themselves. 

In other words: It’s not just the third world world that needs supported. 

I’m not even sure if this has everything or nothing to do with a guy named Zeus with a big white beard who lives in the sky (although, I have had a couple teachers with big white beards that could compete quite fairly with Grandaddy Marx see “The Stoa” for reference)…but I do know this has everything to do with YOU and your unfolding FATE and DESTINY to live a radical life among the stars.

 Yeah…there. I said it. 

I’m prothetlytizing on the sidewalk sweeties and its time to convert.

Burn me for it. It’s okay. 

Joan was a 5/1. She dressed up as a boy.

They canonized her has a saint. 

Let’s see what the rest of us can do. 

OKAY….NOW I’M THE BAD GUY BECAUSE…

This knowledge is not free. So I do charge.

It’s an Interior Science. No one will do it for you.

It takes time. You have to test it out for yourself.

Let me ask you this: If you didn’t have a story before…do you have one now?

Try Human Design. 

My Design - A Poem

I’m a Savior, but not a Saint.

But the crisis is urgent. And the task is real.

There’s a Devil in command, and I’ve trained him to be quiet.

Wearing masks, playing charades, yet we know it’s all a game. 

Yes, it’s all an illusion of MAIA. She’s the goddess. The veil of illusion.

She’s written these words and she’s ended my confusion. 

Her values will break you apart and make you whole again.

Come home, and be your Self. No one else will do it for you. 

————-

 ~*~ b3 @uTh3nTiC ~*~

**Spell check (?) You can send me a French dictionary later

***HD uses Kabbalah, iChing, Western Astrology, and the Chakra system.  

**** For the Americans out there, Labour Day in the rest of the world is May 1st

[meme-loving-stuck]

Why shouldnt I charge you $20+ for each hour of work that commission took for me?

You know what I learned from having a slightly more interactive audience on tumblr? My worth as a skilled, educated artist is WAY FUCKING MORE than I ever imagined.

The amount of times I've had people bitch about my prices, just small shit like buttons/stickers/etc, AND the one time I had someone tag that i "had raised the prices of my commissions when [i] haven't really improved much"... (lol. lmao even) is SO appalling. Even if you're an artist— nay. ESPECIALLY if you're the type of artist to self-hate-dump on your own art!— you all need to learn to respect other artists' TIME and EFFORT. Not even to mention the cost of materials!

Do you know what a middle-management job pays in California? (Where we have very strict labor laws, mind you, and minimum wage is above $15 in many counties.) The cost of insurance, a car, weekly gas? Any idea what the cost of living in California is? How about medical expenses; specialists, orthodontics, and necessary surgeries, chronic pain conditions? Look into it.

No, seriously, look it up. Specialty shops that push sales like Sheikh, Spencers, Icing. Management pay. The minimum hours required. The lack of structured schedules. Then, consider what kind of free time a skilled artist who has to work full-time and only do art on the side actually has for making art for fun. There's not a lot of it! And that's for fun, not for pay.

So, if I can go to my job for 8 hrs straight, do my "easy" retail shit, day in and day out, five days a week and get paid $5+ above minimum wage in my state... and my art requires MORE WORK and EFFORT and MATERIALS than my job— my art is important, it's an extension of myself...

Why shouldnt I charge you $20+ for each hour of work that commission took for me?

Or for each hour it takes to design, print, cut, and laminate (by hand!) each sticker? How long it takes to assemble a piece of jewelry with tiny, finicky tools and precision?

My time is obviously worth that much, if that's what a soul-sucking retail job will pay me to run a store. My current prices don't even touch that above rate btw, and still people have the nerve to complain. Really thinking on it taught me a lesson. If people arent willing to pay my current, fine! I don't have time for a small pile of commissions anyway. Go commission someone else for it, or make it your damn self.

I'm never, ever lowering my prices for doubt of my worth as an artist again. If you see some art you want and can't afford it, shut the fuck up and don't guilt-trip the artist about their rates. It's just insulting.

[house-of-crows]

Many of you know that I collect Vintage Scents. Some of you know that I have "Holy Grail" or "Unicorn" bottles that have been discontinued or reformulated past all recognition. What I hold in my hands tonight is one of those nigh-unobtainable Unicorns.

As some of you may know, I have been chasing a bottle of Joy; or it's 'lesser' flankers; for almost ten years now. Fewer of you know the story behind why. But tonight, through my grateful tears, I want to tell the story.

When I was but a Youngling, I worked at an "upscale" shoe store in a rather upscale outdoor mall; back when those were a new thing in Midwest America. There was nothing I liked better than to peruse our stock; in store and out; and maintain my knowledge of styles, brands, fit, material, and how they were produced. At my height, I could have told you almost anything you wanted to know about where brands held their warehouses and factories, what sort of leather or vinyl was used, stiching vs glued vs both, what brands fit what sort of foot best... I was on every forum, every brand website- And my return customers appreciated the breadth of knowledge.

And then there was the Lady. In all my unfortunate bouts of amnesia and memory loss, her name is the one thing that still escapes me. I could tell you about her home, her incredible closets, the art on her walls... but her name is lost to me. So I simply call her the Lady. She was in her late 80s by the time I knew her, and was born somewhere in-between 1929-1934. (A Lady never reveals her true age and all)

~*~

We met in the middle of a shift, and I was already exhausted by the droves of teens 20-somethings and their petulant mothers looking for prom shoes and wedding heels. Twas the Season. And then I saw Her. Standing all of 5'7", in elegant tango-style pumps, and neatly kept, immaculate vintage Chanel suit over a powdery blue blouse. Her silver-white hair was elegantly done up in a loose knot, and the only jewelry I saw on her was an understated gold wedding band and a pair of drop pearl earrings.

Her voice, up close, was cultured. I never could place her accent, but her tone was modulated, warm, and kind. She never took her upset out on any of the workers in the building, and was always ready to go out of her way to find me to do her shopping for her while she sat on one of the benches. She was everything I ever hoped to become as I age, and I know I fall quite short of her grace and poise... But she was so inspiring.

I found her shoes for weddings. Shoes for evenings out. Shoes for dancing, for walking, for travel, for boating... and while I shopped, we talked. We discussed fashion, art, preferences in style and the difference between being stylish and being fashionable- She taught me so much, and then... a day came when the stress of working a public-side job got to me.

It was only pure luck that she was in the building at the time. It doesn't matter what the upset was, it's been years now- but she was there, kindly but firmly taking my arm and walking me towards the employee room. "Don't come back out until you've had a chance to get it out, and fix your makeup. I'll tell them I sent you, if they cause a fuss." No one did.

And when I'd dried my eyes and had a water, I went back out. And she offered me a job. It didn't pay a lot, but neither did my retail work. She gave me more money for less hours, and at 20hrs/week at 7.25, well~ I was ready to move up even if it was less guaranteed.

She made sure I had access to vehicles, the shops she enjoyed, and her home while someone was there. And while I worked, she taught me, intentionally and not, how to be a person who moved through the world with grace and poise and compassion... even if one was not always KIND. She taught me that Good is better than Nice, before I'd ever heard about Into the Woods or Sondheim.

~*~

I could tell a lot of stories about the Lady. But, what happened at the end of our arrangement is most important. When she exited my life as gracefully as she had entered, she gave me a box, and she quietly wished me a life full of joy. She hugged me, as she'd never done before, and wished me well, before she called me a car and sent me back to my little section 8 apartment.

I opened the beautifully wrapped box at a dinged and scratched up coffee table, on a couch that smelled of dog, and was presented with my first-ever taste of Luxury.

The lovely cream box held a neatly folded vintage Hermes scarf, and a small bottle of Patou's Joy. It smelled like a garden at noon on a summer's day with a breeze running through it, and I cherished it mightily. It made its way with me across the country when I ran from my abusive family for the second time, and on the night I left my husband; moving too quickly in order to pack all my things before my father in law came home from taking him to work-

I caught the edge of the bottle on the shelf, it fell from my hands, and broke on the desk below. I didn't have time to clean it up, or to gather the pieces, or even to cry over it before I was running down the stairs and out the door.

This isn't the same bottle. It's not quite the same bottle or vintage. But what this is is a beautifully emotional, kindhearted, and compassionate gift from someone very dear to my heart. This is a lovely piece of my past returned to me, and all the memories that go along with it, good and bad, and in-between. My little piece of Joy.

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

if you feel like it, pls tell me about your crafting journey? first craft fixation? self-taught, learn from family/friends, videos, classes? subsequent enthusiasms? favorites? proud accomplishments? regrets, if any? stuff you crave trying in the future?

I come from a family, namely my mother's side, of artists and crafters, so keep that in mind. Painters, sculptors, wood workers, potters, quilters, all sorts. As such, all art was actively encouraged.

The first crafty thing I can remember was going to ceramics class with my mom. We would pick out statues we like, paint them with glaze and then have them fired again, or paint them with acrylic paint and take them home. I remember making vases and pots out of play-doh, building cities and towers with Lego blocks, paper mache masks with newspaper and balloons.

When I was nine (so in 1992) friendship bracelets suddenly became VERY popular. I saw a girl in class making them, so she showed me how. My mom saw.mw going through her yarn so I could make my own bracelets, so off to the craft store we went. She bought me 1/4" ribbon, cheap yarn, and a boom of patterns. Hyperfixation launched! A couple years later, while visiting my grandparents, my grandma gave me a couple books of macrame patterns. Hyperfixation evolved! I was using ribbon to make these until I discovered hemp when I was 14 years old. I became very picky about my materials when I was 16, and used the crappy hemp for practice or outdoor items. In my 20s, I started vendoring and doing art trades pretty regularly. That's also when I was introduced to cotton cord that looks and behaves like high quality hemp cord, but is super soft. I was nearly 30 when I learned better methods for creating clasps that don't look like a hot mess. A few people asked how I crochet jewelry because that's apparently what it looked like.

I stopped making jewelry in my 30s due to thr loss of a ligament in my right wrist, chronic pain, and burnout. The last time I tried making jewelry was in 2021, and it was like pulling teeth from a rabid tiger. I have since sold all my supplies, patterns, books, tools, and am very happy about it.

In my early 20s, when I was a uninstudent studying to be an art teacher, I took a watercolor class and Fell. In. Love. OMG I looooooooooooove watercolor painting. Unfortunately, all my paint solidified in their tubes years ago, and have since been tossed. My style is very...flow, dreamscape abstract, and big. I dunnonhow best else to describe it. You can purchase prints and other stuff eith my work though! I'm especially proud of thr two paintings at the top of my page here:

Landscapes and extreme closeups are my preference. Georgia O'Keefe is a major influence on my painting style. I miss painting, but good paint is expensive. I have what I like on my wishlist, so feel free to buy it for me.

Folks familiar with my quilts may see how much my previous work has played a role in my style. My family has mentioned more than once they can see macrame and watercolor in my quilts with how I use color and arrange blocks.

I'm semi-self taught. My mom didn't teach me how to quilt. I remember watching her, so applied that, what I learned in videos, and I regularly ask her for input. She's a terrible teacher and has little patience, plus we live nearly 3000 miles apart. I helped handquilt a lot of her quilts when I was growing up, so that part I had down.

I took classes for painting and drawing when I was hs and uni. I used to draw a lot, namely portraits and cityscapes, bit now I can barely hold a pencil for more than a couple minutes before my hand just...can't. Ligament removal has that effect. I can paint without issue though! The straight lines combined with the flow of light and color is so pleasing to me. It's like moss on a brick wall with powerlines casting shades with the colors of the sunset reflecting off windows and onto the surface of puddles. Visual poetry. I love that shit.

I dabble in photography, and will never claim to be a professional. Here's a picture I took in 2016, and it is by and far the best photograph I have ever taken.

You can have that printed on a variety of items available under it. Please click the link and scroll down. I'm still in awe that I managed to take this picture. I was in flip flops and went running outside when my husband hollered about the sunset. Grabbed my camera and ran in flip flops, hit a dip in thr sidewalk, and got a case of road rash on my right leg. Bleeding and in pain, I took that picture, and then cleaned tf outta the wound. I had a bandaid over it for a week, but I'm allergic to the adhesive and ended up with a scar from the bandaid. That thing didn't fade for five years! Anyway...

My hope is to learn how to make my own clothes. I love the super wide leg pants I wore in the 90s through 2003. Legs wide enough to fit a body. I can find them anymore, and hate denim, so I wanna make then using cotton. Namely Hawaiian floral prints. Big, bold, loud. Fuck, yes! I need to take a class or two though. I'm the sort that needs their hand held for the first few lessons, but once I understand it...well, y'all have see my work. I also intend to learn applique and thread painting over the next couple years. My ultimate goal is to create a series of mini quilts with portraits of all the Dragon Age companions, foundation paper piecing patterns with symbols from the skill/talent trees in all three DA games, a Dune quilt (I'm a huge fan of the book series, love the mini series, the original film is a lesson in How to Fail, give the recent first film 7/10 stats, and can't see part two until it's on disc because epilepsy is a bitch), paint the bedroom to look like a forest with the ceiling looking like the arm of the milky way and tree branches, and make my own wardrobe packed with prints and colors.

Thank you for asking!

[skydinzeal]

✨I grew up in shelters, garbage was all I had, I spent my weekends alone in empty, crumbled parking lots. I turned pieces of plastic into landscapes of a future incarnation... a better life, where I wasn't me. Most of the photos in my book are from 21 years ago! 🔭🌠💜👽🌠☺️ NAME YOUR PRICE! and I'll ship a signed limited edition of my photography book to you! ✨🌠😭🌠☺️MY FEATURED HANDMADE CREATION of this post is a handguard that can be worn as a bracelet. ✨🌠☺️I got my first BFA in graphics, second in painting, as well as my master's. The metal work I taught myself 12 years after graduating. Do I make a living? Not yet, in fact I've been homeless on and off 10+ years. Still to this day, on a Christmas you can find me shaping silver in frozen subways, surrounded by killers and crackheads. 🌞☺️🧐 Skydin, for many years at NYC's Edgar Cayce Center, taught psychics the nuances on how to better read the future! So much so that visions from future realities made there way into his artwork! Buy Skydin a coffee by purchasing this incredible photographic book!❤️😇 👽🌟🦋👑🌷 Get my book of 95 large photographs that will take you into Future lives! Signed First ed! Http://www.skydin.com/book1.html 🔭🌠💜👽✨ I am still trying to rebuild all my jewelry & art that was stolen when I was assaulted & robbed. I am looking for a quality SPIRITUAL STORE or ART GALLERY to sell my jewelry. I am a rare, tireless entertainer, salesperson and psychic. I have huge social media reach and can work day and night continuously! I don't even need to eat, but there's one thing I won't do and that's be complacent! If you would like to make a connection happen contact me. If it works out I will pay you! . . . . . #abstractart #SPIRITUAL #art #artisan #spiritualfashion #spirituality #consciousness #handmade #ascension #sacredgeometry #Metaphysics #contemporaryart #metaphysicalart #visionaryart #healingart #pleiadian #alienart #paranormalart #psychicart #Newageart #occultart #futuristicfashion #spiritualartist #starvingartist #magical #portraitpainter #portraitartist #fineart #oilpaintings #Spiritualhealing http://dlvr.it/T281lY

[artifactsbeyondtime]

✨I grew up in shelters, garbage was all I had, I spent my weekends alone in empty, crumbled parking lots. I turned pieces of plastic into landscapes of a future incarnation... a better life, where I wasn't me. Most of the photos in my book are from 21 years ago! I was certainly not born with a silver spoon, but I made one! 🔭🌠💜👽🌠☺️ NAME YOUR PRICE! and I'll ship a signed limited edition of my photography book to you! ✨🌠😭🌠☺️MY FEATURED HANDMADE CREATION of this post is a handguard that can be worn as a bracelet. ✨🌠☺️I got my first BFA in graphics, second in painting, as well as my master's. The metal work I taught myself 12 years after graduating. Do I make a living? Not yet, in fact I've been homeless on and off 10+ years. Still to this day, on a Christmas you can find me shaping silver in frozen subways, surrounded by killers and crackheads, well mostly crackheads. I'll never give up on my dream, even if it kills me! In fact when I was recently held up at gun point I said I wasn't afraid to die. But I will never give up on my dream. 🌞☺️🧐🔥⚡ Skydin, for many years at NYC's Edgar Cayce Center, taught psychics the nuances on how to better read the future! So much so that visions from future realities made there way into his artwork! Buy Skydin a coffee by purchasing this incredible photographic book!❤️😇🌟 👽🌟🦋👑🌷 Get my book of 95 large photographs that will take you into Future lives! Signed First ed! Http://www.skydin.com/book1.html 🔭🌠💜👽✨ I am still trying to rebuild all my jewelry & art that was stolen when I was assaulted & robbed. I am looking for a quality SPIRITUAL STORE or ART GALLERY to sell my jewelry. I am a rare, tireless entertainer, salesperson and psychic. I have huge social media reach and can work day and night continuously! I don't even need to eat, but there's one thing I won't do and that's be complacent! If you would like to make a connection happen contact me. If it works out I will pay you! . . . . . . #pleiadianstarseed #alienartifact #futuristic #futurism #aliensymbols #futuristicdesign #ASCENSION #PLEIADIAN #starseed #surrealart #Spiritualart #handmade #handmadespiritual #handmadeart #fantasyart #futuristicart #scifiart #futuristicclothing #futurescapes #abstractlandscapes #dystopia #postapocolypse #childabuse #stopchildabuse #brokenhome #orphans #orphanage #childabuseawareness #abuse #savethechildren

[juminsmysticmc]

So i had been thinking about this for a while and i apologize coz requests are closed and i'm requesting - you can ignore this if you want :) And anyways, I was thinking that what if mc uses up all of her life savings and stuff to buy Jumin a damn expensive luxury watch as his wedding gift since well Jumin already bought her A LOT of things and she wants to give him something. How would Jumin react to it

Jumin x Mc who spent her life savings to buy Jumin an anniversary gift

Hey hey! This request is really cute and I tried my best to write it so that everyone could enjoy it! Please tell me what you think of it!

,,Are you sure that you want to do it?’’ your older brother asked you, also the person that was a bank clerk who was going to give you your life savings for a single watch. ,,Yes, of course,’’ you nodded, looking down at your wallet. Your parents saved money after your birth for important matters like your driver’s license or your school tuition and you kept saving money in that bank account. And after years, all those hard-working hours, birthday presents, and new years money were finally used - for the person you loved the most.

You and Jumin would soon be celebrating your five year wedding anniversary. A lot of things happened in that time and the two of you had good and stressful times. You argued you cried, you made up, you made love. Jumin and your marriage was an exciting one, filled with happiness and love. Your husband showered you with attention and love, as well as presents. Of course, sometimes you had the feeling that he was giving too much and receiving much less than he deserved, but on the other hand, you always remembered that this was the way Jumin got taught to show love. You loving him, making him dinner, or hugging him while taking a nap made him feel so overjoyed that he didn’t want any presents from you. However, you still had the feeling that you should also give him something special, something that would remind him of you, your marriage, and the happiness that was filling the both of you from day to day. ,,Instead of using all your money, you could give him an heir and my son someone to play with,’’ your brother nagged. ,,You are the one who should just give me the money I saved up, not nag at my decisions,’’ you commented, knowing that he was just being considerate. Besides, Jumin and you were already trying, but neither of you was getting stressed over the fact that you were still left without children. ,,Well, here you are. I hope the watch you are going to buy him is surrounded by gold,’’ he gulped, handing you over the money. You smiled one last time before you left the building and entered driver Kim’s car.

With the limousine and your personal driver, you immediately drove over to your favorite jewelry store to pick up your order:  a very luxurious watch. The leather was high quality. It felt comfortable and soft, just like a second skin. Even the box of the watch was a very special one. You really liked the watch you decided on. ,,Just like you requested, Mrs. Han, I am sure that your husband will like it, especially because this is his favorite brand. It’s very elegant,’’ the vendor said, making you smile. ,,I especially like the gravure,’’ you confessed, your finger touching the date of your wedding day around the new watch. This wasn’t just a simple watch, it was way more. The woman in front of you smiled before you looked up and told her that you would like to pay.

A few minutes later, after you let her put the watch back in its package, you let Driver Kim bring you to a cake shop and grocery shopping, where you made sure to buy the last things for your special day for the coming day. Even though it was Jumin, your husband, and it wasn’t the first anniversary together, this evening felt different. You felt excited, scared, and nervous at the same time. However, you knew that Jumin would surely like the present you got him and you were right.

Jumin didn’t even expect a present from you. When you slowly handed him the box at the dinner table, just before the waiter brought you the dessert, he looked at you with big eyes. ,,My love, what is this?’’ he asked you. His right hand was still over your left hand while his dark eyes looked directly into yours. ,,Open it and find out,’’ you chuckled, biting your lips to observe his every movement. Jumin took his hand from yours and slowly opened the package before he gasped. ,,Is this… you bought me a watch? It’s even my favorite brand…’’ he noticed, looking at you with big eyes. He however maintained his cool, just like always, and smiled at you, making your heart grow warm. ,,I really appreciate it. I love it, Mc, I am so thankful,’’ he whispered, his voice was trembling a bit as he slowly took out the watch to look at it. ,,It even has our date on it,’’ he noticed. ,,I’m glad that you like it, Jumin,’’ you told him honestly, finally feeling relieved seeing his satisfied face. ,,But,’’ Jumin mumbled, looking up. ,,The bank called me earlier today. I still couldn’t check the reason - but I guess this was the reason why you withdraw such a large amount, right?’’ he asked you.

You suddenly felt bad. Was it because he knew the price? Or did you feel as if he noticed that you could barely buy him a watch? ,,I’m happy. I’m going to accept this because you decided to spend your life savings on me,’’ he told you.

,,However Mc, I want you to keep saving money for yourself, and I beg you to not worry about me or about me not being happy because you don’t give me any presents, because this isn’t true at all. My daily present is to see your smiling face, to feel your warm touch, and to be next to you,’’ Jumin told you, taking your hand to give you a kiss. You were touched to tears and nodded. You knew that Jumin wasn’t the kind of man who would feel bad because you didn’t give him anything, but this was still something you had the feeling you had to do and you were happy that Jumin indeed accepted you and didn’t reject it. And the watch was his new favorite possession. Afterward, he bragged about it in the chatroom with a rather blurry picture.

And in every interview, he made sure to mention the watch. It was embarrassing for you, but at the same time, you felt happy that Jumin seemed to like his new watch a lot and his happiness was yours….

ᗰᗩᔕTEᖇᒪIᔕT

21.03.2022 // 21:32 MEST

[reidjumpers]

intertwined

Spencer Reid x Reader

Warning/Includes: None except Spencer Reid is happy and absolutely in love

Summary: Finding the perfect moment was hard, and maybe walking back was a good thing.

Note: We all need fluff in the midst of very sad world today (and as a way for me to escape responsibilities), so enjoy it!

“Morgan,” Spencer’s voice was thick and deafening compared to the silence that had settled before. “I did something.”

Morgan’s eyes were comically wide. His eyebrows shot up in a mixture of wonder and concern. “Okay…”

Silence followed after Morgan’s quiet answer. Spencer stared at him for a little while before he realized he was supposed to explain what he meant. His fingers fidgeted with the hem of his shirt and his knees bouncing underneath the table. He grimaced when his knees accidentally knocked the table, albeit softly, but enough to rattle his coffee a little bit and pushed Morgan’s reflex to steadied their coffees on the table.

“I bought this,” Spencer pulled out the thing he bought out of impulse just an hour and half ago. He wasn’t usually the kind of person who acted on impulse especially if it revolved around buying something other than the necessity, but it only took him one quick glance towards it to be completely enchanted forever.

“Woah,” Morgan’s voice was soft, almost quiet, and Spencer nearly missed it from the loud chatter of the coffee shop behind them. “That’s a pretty ring, Reid.”

Spencer nodded mutely, the ‘I know, right?’ didn’t pass his tongue, but his eyebrows and his eyes worked together to convey the message just enough. He was walking past a nearby jewelry store on his way to the police precinct where the team was staying for the past four days to help them solve a case. It only took him one directionless glance, but the shimmering beauty of a dainty ring with diamonds on its rim and the purple sapphire in the middle made his heart skip a beat and stole away his attention.

It must be magic. Even though he was reluctant to conclude it as one, his mind still failed to comprehend why he had done it in the first place. All he could think about was how enchanting the ring would be on your finger and he would be damned if he couldn’t make it come true. So he bought the ring, without even glancing at the price tag, smiling the whole time until the realization washed through him that he just ransacked his bank account to get you a ring like a bucket of ice water.

“Do you think it’s a great idea?” Spencer timidly asked. He hadn’t thought about it. Well, sure, he planned his life a lot and marriage was something he wanted. But he didn’t know if he was doing it too soon.

“Buying the ring?”

“And proposing.”

Morgan nodded. His face was a little unreadable, which did nothing but make Spencer shift a lot in his seat and his knees bouncing rapidly. His fingers moved and toyed with the abandoned clean tissue on the table and his gaze fixed on it.

“Do you love her?”

“Yeah,” Spencer answered immediately. He dragged the word a little, somewhat perplexed at the question Morgan fired him. The answer was obvious. He knew the answer by heart because it was coming from nowhere but there. He always knew that every inch of his cells was made to love you, even he couldn’t remember the day he didn’t and could never imagine the pain of the future where he didn’t love you.

A genuine smile then blossomed at Morgan’s face. “Then it’s a great idea.”

===

Weekend was the equivalent of quiet and peace. Spencer used to hate it. He thought the stillness and the silence of his apartment was too overbearing. He would try his best to occupy himself with anything — even if it was just reading countless books — just to ignore the silence that stick into his skin like a second layer, forcing out the air out of his lungs.

You taught him that silence didn’t have to be overbearing. It could be a nice way to spend the time and unwinding from the harsh beating of the weekday and the weight of his responsibility. To be bored was a luxury he scarcely could afford and you taught him how to relish in it. Weekends with you have always been a quiet one, a comforting stillness where he could lazily examine the way the sunlight slips through the window.

But even then, sometimes you would forget how to be quiet.

“Are you kidding me!” your shriek graced his ear and halted him from reading. Spencer quietly listened from his designated chair, eyes no longer reading, waiting from other shoes to drop. “This cat tree cost me a fortune and you choose to sleep on the cardboard box!”

There was silence following your rant. Then a quiet, lazy meow answering as if it was mocking you. Spencer bit back a laugh as he lifted his book a little higher to hide his face. Another thing you had taught him was that arguing with a cat had a certain charm and fun in it. Especially when the said cat would answer his arguments with a slow, dragged, and lazy meow as if it was riling you up.

Another rant and arguments between you and Noodle, your cat, filled his walls. As much as he sometimes enjoyed some faux argument with Noodle, he enjoyed being a bystander a lot more. It was both funny and adorable how you could go from scolding Noodle like he was all the source of your life problem to cuddling him and cooing him like he was your knight in shining armor in mere minutes.

True to his words, when he glanced up from his book, he saw you laying down on the couch with Noodle on your lap. Noodle is adorable when he isn’t actively pushing all of the furniture, and you are the beautiful owner. He watched you quietly, didn’t dare to move a muscle in fear to break the magic bubble.

Spencer wanted this to become his forever. The quiet and the chaos of arguments with Noodle. He wanted his walls to be filled with you arguing with Noodle, then cuddling up on the couch to make up for all the words you say to him. He wanted to wake up and found some of the furniture was pushed an inch away from its original place, and caught Noodle stealing some plastic bags.

“Hey, sweetheart?” Spencer called for you.

You turned your gaze to him slowly. Eyes staring at him wide and bright, one that blew him alive. “Yeah?”

Spencer opened his mouth, then closed it again. His mind floated into the ring he carefully hid in his satchel, careful to place it exactly on the spot where you wouldn’t wander around without him knowing. You looked so peaceful and comfortable in his stolen hoodie, the one that you refused to hand back before it stopped smelling like him, and Noodle was peacefully sleeping on your chest.

He shook his head and walked towards the cat tree instead, “Noodle just needs a little bit of push for his cat tree,” he said that instead. He patted the highest spot with enough force to perk Noodle’s attention. “Noodle, come here.”

Noodle immediately jumped out from your lap, his little feet ran towards him. Spencer grinned when he caught your gaping face as Noodle eagerly climbed the spot where had tapped for a scratch behind his ear. He immediately purred as Spencer pet him on the spot he liked, relishing all the attention he got from him.

“What!” you moved from your spot loudly. “How!”

Spencer chuckled, and answering it was just his Reid effect rubbing on Noodle. He liked to imagine it because Noodle just woke up one day and decided Spencer was his favorite human, but he knew deep down it was because he had been feeding him a secret fancy cat treat as a form of bribery when he first met him. Cats are wonderful yet simple creatures, but he wouldn’t tell you that for the fact that the pout on your face was too adorable to be missed, and the adoration swirling in your eyes was captivating.

===

Spencer had thought about it a lot. He tossed in his sleep thinking about how to pop the question here and then. It was a sacred question and he would need the right and pure moment for it to happen. You had been nothing but loving and understanding, and he knew that you deserve nothing less than the best. He could swim the entire ocean and conquer countless mountaintops and still that wouldn’t be enough to convey his love.

So here he was, sitting across the table from you, fidgeting and absolutely nervous at the thought of executing the perfect plan. The Indian restaurant that had become yours and his favorite date place was filled with hungry patrons, and it wasn’t exactly the most romantic spot to pop the question, but it was sentimental and filled with countless memories you woven so carefully and gently with him.

“Baby, are you okay?” your voice forcefully dragged him outside his reverie. You looked beautiful underneath the soft, glowing light of the restaurant. The necklace your sister got you for your birthday was hanging down your neck, glittering underneath the light.

“I— yeah?” Spencer stammered. A little hazed and surprised at you disturbing his train of thought so suddenly.

Frown nestled on your face, eyebrows furrowed together in a way Spencer recognized when you weren’t happy with something. Spencer internally cursed himself, you were supposed to be glowing from happiness. “You look like you’re about to faint.”

Was his nervousness that bad?

“I’m okay,” Spencer let out a half nervous chuckle as you lunged forward to feel his forehead. “See? I’m sorry. You look beautiful, I’m nervous.”

You scrunch your nose at him. “What, never see a pretty person before?”

“You know I don’t do well in the presence of a pretty woman, and you’re the most beautiful one I’ve ever seen.”

“Flattery gets you into places, Dr. Reid.”

Spencer smiled and caught you trying to suppress a growing smile. “The only place I’m heading to is your heart.”

“Has Garcia overfeed you with her romcoms?” you gasped with a giggle following right after.

“She’s not the person that replays 10 Things I Hate About You every weekend and makes me watch it.”

You stuck out a tongue at him and plopped the menu book into your face. He knew that those cheeks would be red like ripe apples in the summer. “I’m thinking about chicken korma right now.”

“Chicken korma it is then,” Spencer took the menu book away from your face, grinning. “And garlic naan.”

Maybe it was just the place.

===

Maybe it was just the place.

It was a sacred and romantic moment. So the place should be one that screams romantic and unforgettable night. Dining out underneath the glowing lights and dressed in the best piece of clothing one could ever think of. Ones that were stored on the back of the closet and only saw the light of the day on rare special occasions.

Spencer was so sure about it. He ran over the plan inside his head over and over again until he could recite it forward and backwards in his sleep, and god forbid he accidentally recite it in his sleep.

“Not that I’m complaining,” you said with a smile, “But what’s the occasion for this?”

Spencer let out a sigh at your question. You had been giving him a look when he announced he was taking you out somewhere and told you to dress nice, and been scrunching out your nose ever since you stepped inside. It was one of those restaurants that would hurt his pocket a little bit and you were never exactly a big fan of him doing this kind of thing for you.

“Nothing, I just want to take you somewhere nice,” Spencer said with a smile. He shifted on his seat slightly, not enough for you to notice. The weight of the ring on his pocket burning against his skin, banging and screaming to see the light of the day.

You maintain your gaze on him. Fixing and searching for any slips and hidden cracks. Spencer was acutely aware of how easily you were able to read him from all the times you had been spending with him. It was getting harder and harder to hide things from you, not that he had anything to hide in the first place if he were to turn a blind eye from the ring hidden in his pocket.

After some sips of wine and many easy conversations later, your shoulders finally sank down and relaxed. You were glowing underneath the moonlight and the dress you wore was nothing but beautiful. Spencer couldn’t stop staring if he wanted to, his mind was as vast and empty as the sky above with his eyes fixed on you.

He knew that anytime would be the perfect time to pop the question. The breeze was gently caressing your hair, your lips were parted open with laughter, and you were nothing less than beautiful. His hand subconsciously wandered into where the ring laid.

“Sweetheart?” He cleared his throat. It was now or never.

You hummed your answer, a splatter of leftover laughter was plastered all over your place. “Yes?”

Spencer opened his mouth, but no words gracing his tongue. He was too struck at the prominent happiness all over your face, an otherworldly sight his eyes were blessed to see. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Spencer Reid. A lot.”

===

Spencer was pouting. Hard. You were a giggling mess underneath him, pinned against the bed as he persistently trapped you in between him and the bed. Your hands covering his lips from ever touching yours, all of his effort to steal a kiss ended up in vain and he was getting increasingly frustrated and agitated.

“Spencer, please,” you were breathless from all the giggles. “I have to go! Garcia will have my head if I show up late.”

“You can go after I get the kiss,” Spencer’s voice was muffled against your palm. His grip was firm but gentle on your hips, careful not to put all of his weight on you.

“No. No kiss for someone who steals my brownie.”

“Sweetheart,” he whined, pulling his face away from your protective palm. “You always kiss me before you go somewhere without me. How am I supposed to survive if I don’t get any?”

You shook your head and laughed. “Sounds like a you problem to me.”

Spencer squinted his eyes, feeling all the frustration and agitation slowly crept up on him. He had just made a mistake of eating away the last pieces of your brownie. He didn’t mean to, but the weight of the ring he still carefully hid and the haunting thought of your still ring-less finger drove him into nibbling any food in his sight. A habit he had subconsciously picked from you.

There was a hanging silence from the lack of response on his part. You were blinking slowly at him, smiling, then gasping with laughter as his fingers slyly slipped underneath your shirt and poking your side. Spencer was smiling, laughing along with you as you tried to squirm away from his pestering and unmerciful tickles, but alas, you were trapped with little to none exit route.

“Truce, truce,” you were gasping from all the laughter.

“Does it mean I get my kiss?”

“Yes.”

He gently released you from his hold. You gasped, heaving for air and swatted his arm for putting you in such a position. Spencer faux a gasp of pain that did nothing but elicit more giggles from you. It was a harmonious music that he could never get tired of, especially when it was accompanied with tears filled your eyes to the brim and your cheeks were flushed from all of the happiness it brought you.

Spencer watched you gently straddled his lap, eyes beaming at the sight of him and fingers gently cradled his face. He melted right away underneath your touch, an autonomous reflex he developed long ago. Your lips against his were soft and gentle, like your touch, like your soul. A tad bit too mild for a goodbye kiss that will leave him with hours of absolutely no contact as you spent your night with your girls, but he will accept anything that you wished to have in the moment.

“Can I go now?” your thumb gently caressed his cheekbone, voice gentle like a stroke of silk against his skin. Spencer noticed you were all dolled up in your favorite clothes, and he felt a painful tug in his chest at the thought of having to let you go.

“One moment,” he tightened his grip on you slightly. There was a lump forming on his throat that he forcefully disbanded. “I—”

Your phone buzzed on the nightstand and cut him off rudely. Emily’s name displayed on your screen brightly, buzzing and demanding an answer.

“Looks like I really have to go now,” you announced. “What were you about to say, baby?”

Spencer shook his head, smiling. As much as he wanted to keep you by himself, he still had to share you with your girls. He also did not have a death wish to keep you away from the sacred practice of girls’ night out every Friday, thank you very much.

“Have fun. I love you,” Spencer bid his goodbye with one last lingering kiss.

===

Pasta night at Rossi’s place has always been a delightful get together occasion for the team. It was one of those moments where Spencer would sit and laugh, remembering and feeling all the familial love hanging in the air. Night would be nothing but sort of delightful, spur moments of laughter and squeals of delight. Tummies would be full and warm from the carefully crafted pasta that Rossi always handled with a lot of care and love, a gentle hand that filled with love to its brim.

It was family. This is his family.

“Can’t help but to notice it’s still not there,” Morgan took a seat next to him and nudged Spencer’s shoulder slightly. Spencer glanced up only to follow his gaze towards you talking animatedly with Garcia and laughing over something Emily told you.

Spencer shook his head mutely, mulling over the fact that every single of his perfect plans still remained a plan and not a reality. He had been taking you into countless dates and beautiful places, all still pale compared to the beauty you radiated. He was rendered speechless and reduced into a stuttering mess when a slip of moment seemingly came around, his heart aching and words scratching his throat painfully.

“I just can’t find the perfect moment,” Spencer sighed, reaching out silently for the chips placed down freely on the table. The crunch underneath his teeth felt oddly satisfying.

Morgan nodded, eyebrows furrowed together thoughtfully. “Just walk back into the moment where you know you want to, I think you’d finally find the right one.”

===

Spencer Reid and technology don’t get along. There was something about technologies that made him squirm, and indescribable nagging thoughts behind his head that made him squint his eyes and scrunch his nose at the thought of using it. He knows how, he just didn’t exactly find it as enjoyable as the average percentage of the world’s population do.

When you introduced him into video games, he wasn’t exactly thrilled. He spent his childhood burrowed with books and a head filled with knowledge beyond the comprehension of kids his age. But most of all, he never really had any friends that would take him to their house just to lounge around in the living room and spend hours with video game consoles.

He only took it to humor you once, but it soon became a nice way to spend the time with you. He didn’t care about winning, he didn’t even know how to operate things most of the time, but the action of bonding with you through something you thoroughly love and enjoy was more than delightful for him. He would indulge you in countless video games and swallow more losses if it meant to hear you squealing in delight and spending mindless hours sitting next to you, trying to figure out how to get things done.

It was such a shocking surprise then when the TV screen displayed his victory instead of yours, in Mario Kart out of all places. You were gasping towards the TV and he was gaping, unable to believe his own eyes.

“What!” you squealed. “How? How did you beat me with Baby Peach in Rainbow Road?”

Spencer let out a breathy laugh, “I don’t know.”

“That was—” you paused, blinking and taking another glance towards the TV to confirm your sight. “How? Oh my god, Spencer, did you use magic?”

“No,” Spencer shook his head and laughed. He gently placed the console away and pulled you into his embrace as you still basked in your shock and amazement. It honestly felt satisfying and great to finally win once in a game you declare yourself a master, storing it into a box filled with materials to lovingly tease you about. The gentle, rumbling sound of your incoherent babble was a welcomed sensation against his chest, laughter rang throughout his body as you pestered him to reveal his secret.

Then, just like magic, as if a song from the seventh sky fell and graced him with its presence, Spencer knows.

He released you gently as you pointed a finger against his chest, tried your best to look intimidating as you demanded him to share his secret, with a smile tugging at the corner of your lips betraying all of your effort.

“I don’t know,” Spencer fought back with a smile. “I really don’t know!”

“You’ve been secretly practicing behind my back and perfecting your skill!” you accused him and poked his side. “Admit it!”

“No, you’re wrong. But I will tell you something.”

“Which is?”

Spencer took a sharp inhale, taking your hands into his and his thumb gently stroking your knuckles. You look mesmerizing in his old worn t-shirt, even with your hair messy from putting it into a careless ponytail. “I would gladly spend hours winning Mario Kart against you with Baby Peach for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?”

[eulaliasims]

@demigirlandy​ @katatty-main​​ @jsasimmer​​ @episims​​

@deedee-sims​​ I see you guys are eager for more sim facts! :D

Olivia Alvarez

You'd be shocked, considering the way I write her, but Olivia actually has ten nice points.

She hates nicknames (particularly Eileen's choice of Olive)

Her favorite book is Pride and Prejudice

You can see it if you go back far enough in her tag, but her hair is naturally brown. She feels that the blond suits her more!

She loves Euphemia more than anything, but she's very afraid of motherhood throwing off her planned career timeline.

Carlos Suarez-Wolkalski

His abuela taught him how to play piano when he was a kid

He loves acting, but he doesn't want to be a super famous star. All that pressure! He's quite happy with small parts and body-double work. Maybe a few local plays

Besides, he already has local fame--Carlos has been voted the Middleground Gazette's Best Dressed Citizen twice!

He makes most of his own jewelry

He genuinely loves sharing the house with Jack and both their families--it's never boring with so many people around!

Gaius Blanch

His favorite thing to watch on TV is baking shows

Unlike his semi-neurotic twin sister (his words), he's not fussed about 'life plans' or 'figuring things out'--he's just here to have a good time, eat good food, and kiss hot people.

He majored in history!

His first leather jacket was actually a hand-me-down from cousin George. Now leather jackets are his Look(TM).

Gaius's favorite cheese? Havarti.

Theodore

Theodore's programming is a meld of typical Servo programming and the programming used in caretaker androids in Sixam's crèches.

Theodore does not require sustenance, but can consume small amounts of food and drink! It is deposited into a capsule stored within his upper chest for later retrieval. He cannot taste in the traditional sense, but has sensors within his mouth that can detect temperature and chemical composition. (This also means that if he licks a rock, he can tell you what it is.)

He enjoys reading novels and is currently working his way through the Greenwich City Library's collection after reading the majority of the books in Middleground's small library.

Theo has a soft spot for dogs and would like to adopt two or three or five.

Contrary to popular thought, robots aren't that cold--Theodore runs a few degrees warmer than a Sim's usual body temperature. In addition to his cooling system, his skin is semi-permeable to let off heat (unfortunately, this can make him susceptible to water damage).

Emilio Suarez-Wolkalski

Emilio had no plan whatsoever when he moved to Applewood beyond 'idk, buy an old cabin and plant a garden'. He's done a lot of hands-on learning (and also watched a lot of SimTube videos about gardening and raising chickens).

He found his hat in a thrift store and has patched it several times

The beard’s not just an aesthetic choice--it gets pretty cold in winter in Applewood! He needs to protect his beautiful face!

His favorite food is grilled cheese, but unlike some Sims, he doesn’t get all preachy about it.

Emilio doesn’t believe in the Watcher; he’s an atheist.

[softprincesso]

✨ HOW TO BECOME A WEALTHY MIDDLE AGED MAN✨

PT.2: Overview to understanding different saving/retirement methods, investments, and forms of income

Pt. 2.2 Overview of Investments

Welcome lovelies to (what I hope will be) a helpful series on gaining wealth and becoming financially literate and independent!

Disclaimer: Check other posts. It's too long to keep typing out.

Now comes (what I believe) is the fun part of money. Making it grow.

Investments are defined as “an asset or item acquired with the goal of generating income or appreciation.” Essentially, anything you purchase with the belief that in time it will be worth more. This includes the entire stock market, cryptocurrencies, art, real estate, jewelry, vintage coins, designer bags, etc. Of course, some of these take more time and each comes with some amount of risk. These variables change according to your strategy as an investor.

✨THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND✨

Begin as a Beginner

Do not overwhelm yourself during your financial literacy journey by trying to learn everything, all at once, while also trying it all out. The thing that creates the most confusion when learning is believing the lie that you can multitask well. Yes, start with a brief overview of the systems and institutions (what we are currently doing in the series) but literally all you need to start is definitions and a gist so that you can comprehend how they connect later on. Learning an entire world that has never been taught to you is going to take time, and I’m talking years. And then, when you think you have something down your going to mess up or read an article about how the stock you saw yesterday for $6 is now $1000 and you’re going to be frustrated (this happens a lot). But, If you want to learn about the stock market, focus on the stock market. Retirement still scares you, focus on that until you master it and have a plan. And for Christ’s (or whatever deity/person/universe you believe in) if you do not have a steady stream of income do not put your last pennies trying to get into crypto (or any investing truly). This is something to start after you have income, a savings, a retirement, and have paid off at least most debts.

Recommended sources to learn more:

Netflix has a great series called “Explained” where (you guessed it) they explain things. While I recommend every episode because you can never learn too much, there are ones specifically dedicated to the stock market, cryptocurrencies, and billionaires each that helps to uncomplicate the history and purpose of each of these things.

✨Let’s get started✨

The Stock Market

“Stock markets are real and electronic exchanges that enable the buying and selling of securities. The most popular include the NYSE, Nasdaq MarketSite, and Tokyo Stock Exchange.” Let me, let you, in on a little secret-the stock market is essentially fantasy football (sorry, my American is showing) but with companies. When you buy a security, you are betting that (in the long run or short run, depending on your strategy) that a certain company will perform well and gain profits, which in turn will gain you money on what you bet. There are two categories of players in the market which include the assets (the football players) and the investors (the betting public). Of the assets you can categorize further by what position they play on the field…

Stocks

Most well-known, but the riskiest. The “star” player that everyone hypes up and takes all the credit. Stocks are fractional pieces of publicly traded companies, and by buying a stock you own a relative size of that company. They are either “paying you” through growth (when their stock price rises) or through dividends (when they send you a piece of their profits directly).

Mutual Funds

Less known but a safer bet than single stocks. Popular among those in middle age. “Mutual funds are baskets of stocks or bonds. They come in all different shapes and sizes, from covering broad stock market indexes to focusing on specific sectors.” When you buy a mutual fund, you are saying that you believe on average that pile of stocks/bonds are going to do well, instead of betting on a single player. Usually they are actively managed by people who are trying to “beat” the market for you. Statistically good for the short term, long term are less effective than ETFs.

Index Funds: a subset of mutual funds that are passively managed and track indexes like an ETF but trade like a mutual fund (once at the end of the day and without reliance of supply and demand)

ETFs

Exchange traded funds. The up-and-coming underdog that’s gaining popularity. These are passively managed baskets of stocks and bonds that track over a specific index like the S&P 500. They work like stocks, being traded throughout the day, relying on supply and demand, while giving a lot of the advantages that mutual funds do. They also come with their own set of disadvantages but are still a great way to diversify a portfolio inexpensively.

Bonds

The reliable bench players you know you can put in to save a game. Great safe bets that can generate a steady income. Bonds work like a loan for a regular person, except for a company. You can loan your money to a company which will pay you a principal plus a fixed interest back every specified period. There are different types which come with different advantages and strategies, so make sure to read the fine print.

Commodities

Tangible goods that go into manufacturing-Gold, oil, metals, corn, soybeans, etc. A good defensive team to have in the game for a hedge against inflation or economic troubles. They trade in a commodity exchange. You can still access them through most brokers.

Source to look into for deeper understanding and questions: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/investment.asp

Easy way to get started quickly:

1. Create a brokerage account: There are lots of accounts to choose from, but I would go for accounts that have zero fees and no minimum, this is starting to become the norm but once upon a time you had to give a minimum investment of $5000 to get started. I personally use Charles Schwab and Robinhood. I love all of the tools and accounts Schwab has and Robinhood is just easy to use.

2. Sign up: this may take a day or two to finalize, especially with banks but it shouldn’t be a big deal

3. Connect a card or account to transfer funds

4. Buy your first security: I would start off with simply looking up beginner investments on google. I recommend either an ETF, index fund, or choose a company that you have an interest in because you will be more likely to keep up on their news

5. Tip: think long term as a beginner. Sure, once you start learning and understanding you can change your strategy to gain more in a shorter time, but this comes with much more risk. Do not be an idiot and sell all of your stock when you see your investment plummet nor sell as soon as you see it go up a little. The best advice for a beginner: Buy a stock and leave it alone (for YEARS)

Property/Real Estate

There are many ways to invest in real estate-you can buy a property, you can invest in a property fund, you can become a landlord,or you can flip a property. Again, depending on the strategy, will change the risk and reward you have taken on. All of these options are usually on the more cash heavy side but can reap a lot of rewards if done right.

Source to look into:

https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/5-ways-to-invest-in-real-estate

Easy way to get started quickly:

1. Buy a real estate ETF or fund, you can just look this up on google or through your brokerage

2. OR you could look into buying a property near you and renting it out if you have that much cash (Make sure to do your research, this can get pretty complicated)

Art

Also considered property but until recently it was incredibly hard to invest in art without significant cash and contacts available. Now, there are platforms like Masterworks where you can buy a fraction of a piece like a stock of Monet and you get the rise in appreciation. However, it still is for those with money already available, I believe you have to invest a minimum of $2500 to get started on MW.

Sources to look into: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/08/fine-art.asp

Crypto

Cryptocurrencies are digital currencies that are not backed by real or tangible assets or goods, but on the trust and value of the people that use them, and supply and demand. They can be traded like stocks on an exchange and are tracked with a digital ledger on the blockchain. The first cryptocurrency was Bitcoin and the rest that have followed are categorized as altcoins (alternative coins).

The stage of cryptocurrencies we are in is likened to the early 90s with the internet. Not a lot people truly understand the blockchain (the vast ledger space which contains every transaction made securely in encrypted “blocks” that are then “chained” together so that if one block is compromised the whole chain shuts it down.) It is decentralized and written simultaneously on thousands of super computers. The beauty of it is that if one ledger on one computer is somehow hacked or wrong the rest of the computers storing the ledger interrupt and either fix it or shut it down. A way to understand it is blockchain is to the internet as bitcoin is to a website, but the internet runs off people trusting the system, blockchain runs off trusting no one.

The currencies that run on blockchain can have a multitude of purposes, but bitcoin was really just the starting solution to fix the problem of trust on the internet. People wanted a secure, anonymous, untraceable way to spend money online, like cash is in the real world. And while for the most part it is just that, it isn’t completely anonymous. Like in the real world if you buy something from Mcd*nalds with cash that transaction is still recorded in their system and through a receipt. Your crypto transactions are recorded in the blockchain, but most people don’t even know how to access the ledger so for now any ill*cit purchases you make are pretty safe.

I HIGHLY recommend looking into a cryptocurrency course or training just because there is so much that goes into it and lots of details that can help you. This investment is incredibly risky and volatile! I only would suggest investing an amount you are completely comfortable to lose ALL of.

Sources to learn more:

https://www.investopedia.com/cryptocurrency-4427699

Easy to get started quickly (Please dear lord do your research first):

1. Sign up on a crypto exchange like Coinbase or Binance, some brokers (like Robinhood) also allow you to trade crypto but it’s a very limited selection

2. Do lots of research!! (I’m going to say it until you get it, and I don’t think you get it yet)

3. Think of it like stocks, if you read up on the coin and its purpose, and think that it’s going to be useful soon or in the future, then invest

4. Tip: the crypto market moves MUCH faster than the stock market and is much more sensitive. In just these last few days (literally hours) bitcoin was trading at $40,000+, the following day, for whatever reason (people got scared, people wanted to sell to get profits, etc.) it will barely hold $33,000. So, invest wisely!

This is very brief list of the main investments. There is still a lot of depth each of these goes into and especially with things like crypto, information changes 24/7. I hope you have learned by now that you should be continually learning as well. Instead of spending your morning looking at your Instagram feed of bum friends, dusty men, and “models” spend it reading the paper and catching up on the market. Follow investors and billionaires like you follow celebrities and see how much smarter you become. At the end of the day winners focus on winning, losers focus on winners.

With love,

O