#(and maybe what opportunities you might be able to MAKE available for yourself)

[dragkingsrule]

How do I get started in drag?

I wish there was one simple answer I could give you, but it’s not a very one-size-fits-all process! This blog isn’t really for advice, but here’s some questions to consider for yourself and learn for your situation:

What do you want for your drag? Do you want to perform in shows, or would you prefer avenues of drag that don’t involve performing on a stage? Try makeup/makeup tutorials, try costuming, try dancing! Experiment and discover what you want for your art!

Is there a drag scene in your area? Go to the shows! Get to know the performers! If you want to do shows, ask them what you need to do to get into a local show!

Are there open shows in your local drag scene? Find them, and find out how to sign up! Open shows are shows that you don’t need to be ‘booked’ for/asked to perform in. They’re ways for performers to get more experience performing and they’re great for getting to know the local scene better. Who knows—maybe you’ll be booked for other shows after performing in some!

[pigeonpeach]

The perfect date!

Prompt: Genshin men and women’s ultimate idea of a date by their standards!

Fem reader

Characters: Diluc, Shenhe, Jean, Cloud retainer, Arlecchino, Kujo Sara, Furina

Jean

Jean ,despite her upbringing and high class education, isn’t very picky. What she values most is the effort and thought put in. To earn her heart is relatively easy. Just be a cute little thing and offer her gifts and flowers to cheer her up. Compliment her and overall just look at her with eye contact and a smile as she chats your ear off about the latest romance novel and how disappointing it was.

For you? Your best shot is to go out of your way to pick her favorite flowers, and dress yourself up enough to show you care then she wouldn’t mind where it was even if it was a picnic. In that scenario you would also have to show thought and care. You can’t just smack a blanket everywhere. You have to pick somewhere the knights are available or with a nice scenery. The tree at windrise is perfect as its already her safe spot. A picnic is actually perfect, Jean is a romantic but there’s nothing more romantic than seeing how you fret about every little detail, like a bird preparing the perfect nest for its mate, she is more flattered by effort than compliments. Even if the food you prepared isn’t the best she can see how you tried. Afterall with enough practice you could prepare it properly in the future. When she saw your effort she was starting to swoon. Keep up the effort and you’ll have her last name in no time.

As for how she’d set up the date? A casual lunch at Good Hunter and a stroll through city to Springvale because the scenery is beautiful and the wind is nice but not too cold. She’ll pay for the meal and you will make up for it by being her entertainment. But she’s also picked that route because the wind can pick uo and get a bit chilly with the lake right next to path, giving her the perfect opportunity to offer you her cloak, just like a true Gentlelady!

Diluc

Oh he’s difficult! Not a romantic, not a small talker, not too expressive, not too friendly either. You basically court him the way you would earn the trust of a feral cat who’s never been pet before. Patience and lots of perseverance. The best way to earn his heart however is to be interesting. Go to the bar when nights are slow and tell him interesting stories. Some new fact you learned? Questions that make you stand out from any other bachelorette looking to score it with him. Like “whats your second favorite color? Whats your first memory? Does his hawk have a favorite color?” I should mention to not get too personal too quick. But overtime he maybe endeared by your odd conversations, you stand out in a pleasant way that has him contemplating those questions.

Now that you’ve finally got his trust you can ask him out! Very likely he will take the reins. Likely a typical restaurant date. He picks you up, pays, coat if your cold, walks you home. He isn’t the most creative.

As for you? Well you still won’t be able to spoil him because he will pay you back no matter what. He doesn’t have expensive tastes. You prepare a nice picnic meal? You want to go on a walk through town and lunch? Unfortunately he doesn’t really like the idea because he knows it will spark a huge rumor and end up with you probably glared at by many a lady looking for his hand. The picnic idea is however novel to him. Just be sure to pick a area clear of monsters. Not that he wouldn’t immediately leap into battle to defend you but that he might burn the grass to much. Then you would have to move. But he secretly adores how persistent you’ve been, trying to provide for him, trying to handle everything. He secretly likes that. Unfortunately he has a serious poker face so you don’t notice that until later.

Shenhe

Out of all of them i’d say she’d be the hardest to romance because she’d struggle to understand when she is inlove. She likes you yes. But is it different than how she likes being around Ganyu or sitting in the grass? Overtime it does become different but it isn’t until Cloud Retainer points out that she is obviously being courted that she recognizes your efforts. So she return them.

Easiest by far because she has no concept of romance or what is romantic like everyone else but rather just that: she likes you. She likes spending time with you. She doesn’t care if you don’t get her enough flowers or you don’t pick a good enough restaurant. What she likes is you and talking to you. You could pick a dingy street vendor for a date and she’d still love it. Really its cloud retainer who would disprove. To earn her approval you must work to prove you’re worthy and trustworthy too. She won’t give her blessing out freely. And what better way for Shenhe to learn about romance than by example? But truly, Shenhe would prefer a date on Jueyun karst. With fresh flowers and a gentle breeze in the warm sunlight. Just talking to you, alone. She doesn’t like restaurants unless its a slow or quiet day but she will put up with it for your sake.

Arlecchino

Obviously she lives for the luxury. She knows time away from the children is scarce nowadays so she books a private booth secluded from the other guests, a luxury restaurant with the finest of tastes. She will ensure you don’t go away hungry or feel uncomfortable. The difficulty is the timing. The reason its best to leave her to schedule dates is because she will already have made time for such occasions. One date st least per month! Unless of course there’s complications or scheduling conflicts. Rest assured she will make it up to.

If you’re planning a date for her it would be best to follow her line and not surprise her with it because again, her schedule. The most she’ll let you do is probably make the reservation, she’ll pay for it simply because she likes to provide for you. Better to just let her because she isn’t going to let the mother of her children pay for dinner.

Cloud Retainer

Oh you want to romance a full blown adeptus? Good luck making it up that mountain alot. Your offerings do not go unnoticed by her, as she enjoys your gifts more than most mortals. She even clears out monster camps herself in preparation for your visits. As cloud retainer how ever she isn’t too emotionally available.

But as Xinyun she is far more open minded to the idea. Recognizing you as her favorite human she will humor your offer of lunch. She does prefer more traditional methods but not to a great extent. For instance, a decent restaurant with high quality food. Especially if it’s a date. You dont have to pick the most luxurious of restaurants but if you do it is a good impression to her. But putting effort into your appearance is also very important too. She doesn’t expect you to pay for her tab but she would appreciate. She will find some way to repay you.. perhaps a invention to help you in some aspect of your life? Or perhaps a kiss will do.

Furina

Little bit of a tsundere. It wasn’t actually that hard to win her heart, but she didn’t make it obvious until you asked her out. Just stick with the fancy stuff, flowers and sweets as offerings. She is very traditional in that regard. But oh Miss Furina is so lonely, the second she saw your gentle and loving smile she practically fell face first and head over heels for you.

Of course high end restaurants are her favorite. Especially for desserts. In fact you could just skip dinner and go to a bakery instead, that’s probably cheaper. If you offer to pay though do be prepared for it. She won’t spend too much since it is your money but the things she buys aren’t too cheap either. But overall the perfect date for her is mostly just.. having someone by her side. It may end up be her window shopping or shopping with you dragged along but she has a great time like. She has a great time with you by her side :> after that point the dates can be anything as long as you’re not taking her hiking through the mountains or something, she might like to go outside the city for a picnic though. Maybe even see the cute otters.

Kujo Sara

She was also not that hard to win over, but it was much harder to tell when she did. But her coworkers knew when they saw how she seemed to miss you when you left, or how you made her smile. But before you know it, she’s asking you out!

Kujo Sara will pick the best restaurant for your tastes, preferably a bit high end, and she will encourage you to eat as much as you like. Don’t eat like a pig though that is a bit off putting to her. She isn’t too great at conversing though, especiallt in non professional environments. Considering how nervous she actually is to be on a date with you too, its a bit hard to be confident in such a unfamiliar situation. Just be patient and sweet. Overtime she’ll get better and more open with you.

[dxckgrxsonx]

could i please PLEASE request: “good girl—that's a good fucking girl." with jason <3

-💌

**

It feels a little like corruption.

Or maybe more like the slow, sticky realisation that something once innocent has stumbled blindly into muddled danger and started to change on a level only one person can see. Like the new normal is smudged in gunpowder fingers and wickedly beautiful green eyes, smart mouth guiding and encouraging and unbearably pretty.

You didn’t stumble into it sightless, naive and stupid. You followed his voice, rough and worn and heated.

Praise can make you do anything and he knows it. Capitalises on it the same way he takes any available opportunity to get what he wants. His mind is beautifully clever, nearly wicked in the way it thinks.

And maybe you are a little stupid after all.

**

Soft blue fabric settles over your lap and you sink your fingers into it, tug at the fluffy edge until it settles just under your chin. Beside you Jason shuffles in close and throws one thick arm over the backs of your shoulders. The tilt of his mouth has alarms tugging and fraying in the back of your head but you disregard every single one, dead set on the fact that he wouldn’t try anything inappropriate at movie night with his siblings.

Not here.

Definitely not here.

The movie starts and Jason circles his thumb on the outside of your knee. The touch is innocent, comforting, wanting. It’s not the first time he’s silently requested gentle, intimate contact before and for half a second you think that’s what he wants.

A soft touch, a reminder that not every press against his skin is going to bring pain.

But you glance to the side and there’s something in his eyes that both captivates and unsettles every nerve caught in your spine.

“No.” You whisper, furiously heaving an elbow into his ribs. “Not here.”

Jason presses a kiss into your hair, just above your ear and answers, “No one will know. Not if you keep your pretty mouth shut and don’t draw attention to yourself. Just be quiet, baby. No one has to know.”

His talented fingers hook into the waistband of your pants and slip into your underwear. Every thought in your head comes apart, fracturing into shimmering pieces when he nudges at your clit.

A month ago you wouldn’t have even considered doing something like this. But Jason has his ways and he’s nothing but persistent in his pursuit of ruining you for anyone else; not that he’d have to try really, after him, no one else comes close anyway.

Words creep into your mouth but before you can speak Jason leans in close,

“Be quiet.” He orders and there's no room for argument, no room for anything other than the feel of his thumb stroking at your quickly swelling clit. “I can feel how wet you are. You might be able to lie to me but your desperate little pussy can’t.”

The pad of his pointer finger circles your entrance then sinks into your cunt and it takes everything you have not to make a single sound.

Jason rewards you by sneaking in another finger and stretching you open, “good girl—that's a good fucking girl."

**

Prompts are from this list.

[eustasscapitankid]

Eustass Kid x Reader | GN! AFAB! Challenge: Kikitober 2024 "Morning" Rating: Mature Warnings: Major Character Death Tags: Hate, Swearing, Revenge, Swearing, Grief, Loss Summary: You never knew how much it would hurt to lose everything. Word Count: 798 ← Previous Chapter | Next Chapter →

Note: This series will include graphic material. As such all chapters will be marked as 18+ regardless of their content.

Once more you find yourself stepping over a threshold. Except it wasn’t into Kid’s quarters, and it wasn’t Kid that you followed through the door—it was revenge. You emerged out onto the small area you called a deck, the cold sting of salty wind hit your face. Just a day ago this familiar feeling made you feel alive. Today it reminds you of the burden you’ve chosen to carry.

Who he is. Sure, you knew he was one of the Yonkos, but if you were being honest with yourself you didn’t know all that much about the man other than his name: Shanks, and the fact that he was missing his left arm. Apparently that didn’t hold him back any. So you needed to find out more. Oh—you also knew he didn’t have any devil-fruit powers. That was good. But what kind of man was he really? You weren’t trying to take him or his crew head on—you needed to be smart about this. The best thing to do would be try to find him alone. To catch him off guard. You need to know more about how he moves and what he thinks if you were going to pull that off.

Where he sails. The obvious piece of intel. You could try to get all of the info on him as a person as you wanted—but it wouldn’t do you any good if you didn’t know where you might find him. The islands to which he regularly sails, does business with, or spends his off time. On the same note you would also need to figure out all the islands that fly the Red Hair pirates jolly roger. This would at least give you a starting place. A list of places that sure you might be able to find him, but more importantly would get you close to people who knew him. Saw him in action. Maybe even heard a think or two from his crew visiting the area.

What he’s up to. You feel like you could safely assume the man’s main ambition: to become the King of Pirates. You can’t imagine any pirate here on the Grand Line wasn’t. Unless they we’re a part of someone’s fleet that was pretty unheard of. Especially for someone considered one of the four great emperors. However, you didn’t know what his current plans were. Was his crew planning anything—or were they after something specific? Headed to a certain island? Again, as helpful as finding out where he sails was—finding out what the group was up to would be imperative in finding an opportunity to get him alone. It might not necessarily be where they were going, but knowing the journey might provide you with some insight as to when you might be able to concoct a plan to find Shanks alone.

About his crew. The captain of the ship might not have any devil-fruit powers himself but his crew was most certainly made up of some people that do. You knew a few things here and there about some people on the crew—like Beckman. But that wasn’t going to be enough. If for some unfortunate reason something went wrong and you ended up facing more of the crew except Shanks… it would be crucial to know who it was and what their devil-fruit powers were (if they had any). Even knowing what kind of weapons they used or how could prove life-saving. As much as you wouldn’t mind reuniting with Kid...you’d rather do so when you could lay your feat at his...feet.

Anything. I need to be prepared for anything.

Everything. Anything. You wanted to be prepared for it all. Of course ideally things would go smoothly. But this wasn’t an ordinary crew, and your target no ordinary man. Being honest with yourself, you weren’t sure you could ever prepare enough. Not that that would stop you. You would just have to do the best you could getting all the intel available to you and make the most of it. If you found an opportunity—you would just have to take it—because you could do all the research, gain all the intel you wanted, but if a perfect opportunity was lain at your feet it was not to be wasted. No amount of research could compete with that.

You stretched your body, arms high in the air as you rose on the balls of your feet and yawned. The cold wind that stung your face brought with it that familiar briny scent. Once his smell faded from this shirt, this would be the only thing you had left. Maybe, when you managed to get a better boat, you’d put a workshop in it.

It’s time to start this little game.

← Previous Chapter | Next Chapter →

[thedeathdeelers]

finally

fluff & angst | juke | 1.9k | ao3

“Come oooon Luke, just one date.” Julie slumps against Luke’s side, head resting on his shoulder as she tilts her face up towards his to better flutter her eyelashes at him, pout already in place.

Luke’s eyes flicker down to look at Julie, only to regret it a moment later. He closes his eyes, jaw ticking, as he grits his teeth in an effort to clamp down on the surge of unwelcome emotions. They’ve been best friends for years and yet his feelings only managed to get stronger, never wavering.

With eyes still closed, he turns to face the ceiling, head rolling against the back cushion on the old weathered black couch.

It was always easier to keep it under control when he wasn’t looking at her.

“I don’t see how me taking her out on a date helps you out in this scenario.”

“She likes you! She’s always talking about how hot you are, and knows we’re best friends — if I manage to set you up with her at least once, she might finally get off my back.”

“And what’s in it for me?” He says, but knows he’ll regret it the second he asks.

continue reading on ao3

“You get to go out on a date! With a rising star at that, who’s pretty popular with most of the guys our age,” Julie grins, seemingly proud of her pitch.

Luke sighs. “I never said I wanted to go out on a date, let alone with Carrie, Jules.”

Julie bumps him side with her shoulder. “You haven’t been on a date in ages Luke, you gotta make yourself available. Test the waters,” she shudders at her words, shaking her head before continuing. “You know what I mean. And this is the perfect opportunity! A win-win for the both of us!” She ends her speech on a bright note, fist pumping the air in front of her in triumph.

He knew that reasoning was coming, knew she’d bring that up again, trying to push him to go out and date even when he’s never shown any interest in anyone.

Anyone other than the oblivious best friend resting against his side.

He swallows back against the lump in his throat, and answers her.

“Julie I said no.”

“Luuuuuke, you don’t even need to look at her! Just one date and I can finally catch a break at work. I’m still the newbie and the b-listers won’t stop picking on me.” Julie shifts against his side, arms coming up to wrap around his bicep. Luke takes in a sudden intake of air at the sudden contact, eyes still squeezed shut.

“Jules…” he grits out, jaw clenched.

“Doesn’t even need to be dinner! You can just walk down the street side by side, maybe get a coffee and just let Carrie do all the talking. She’s good at that,” she adds in a disgruntled tone. “Pleaaaaaaaase.”

Luke can’t help groaning out loud at her pleading, his self-control reaching its limit.

“No.”

“But-“

“No.”

“Luke-”

“Julie!” He snaps, “can you just stop trying to get me to date other women?!” The outburst takes them both by surprise, Julie pulling away from him. Luke immediately regrets his loss of control, repeatedly cursing himself for letting that slip in front of her. He takes in a deep breath, and then another, before allowing himself to lift his head and open his eyes.

He finds julie sitting a few inches away from him, her eyes wide. She looked like a deer caught in headlights, and it squeezed at his heart — he did that.

“I-I’m so sorry Jules, I didn’t mean- it’s been a long week and that just kinda slipped out...” Luke continues to ramble, hand automatically creeping up to rub at the back of his neck as he keeps his eyes fixed on her, carefully watching and hoping to see that expression melt away from her features.

“I’m sorry,” he repeats, bringing his disjointed apology to an end.

Fuck. After years of being able to keep it under control, he managed to fuck up in the most explosive way.

“Julie,” he tries again, gently nudging her with his knee, “please say something.”

She blinks once, twice, then shakes her head, eyes slipping away from his. He watches her as she looks at anything but him, curls sliding down her cheek and obscuring his view, while her fingers nervously start fiddling with the ripped edges of the hoodie she stole from him.

Luke can feel his heart sinking to the floor, cold and heavy, as he realises this might be the first time he’s ever seen Julie this nervous around him.

Avoiding eye contact.

He tentatively reaches out with his free hand, aiming to brush away the curls keeping him from seeing her, but immediately stops when he sees Julie subtly sway to the side and away from him. He curls his fingers into a fist, dropping his hand back onto his lap. Nodding once to himself (and to Julie’s unspoken rejection), Luke lets out a deep breath, and pushes himself to his feet.

“I think I’ll uh- head home a little earlier today. Reg said he wanted to catch the last episode of love is blind, and uh- yeah. I’ll- I’ll see you around, Jules.” He keeps his gaze fixed straight ahead of him, too scared to look down and see Julie still avoiding his gaze — or worse, looking at him with hurt and disappointment. “I really am sorry, Julie.”

He moves to take a step around the coffee table and head towards the exit, only to stop mid-motion when he feels warm fingers wrap around his right hand.

He looks downs to find a familiar hand holding him in place.

“Wh-what did you mean by…by ‘other women’?” at the sound of her hushed voice, Luke’s gaze gets pulled away from her hand as it travels upwards in search of hers-

But comes up short.

She still isn’t looking at him, but she’s touching him, talking to him — that’s gotta mean something, right? Hopefully something good?

Except when his brain finally catches up to him, to the situation at hand, and registers the words that accompanied the voice he treasures most, Luke feels the swell of relief that had subconsciously started to rise up in his chest deflate very, very quickly.

His mind stumbles to catch up, to think of something to say, anything, but any time he tries to blurt out a lie, his lips refuse to budge.

And the longer he stands there in silence, the more suffocating it feels to hold in the truth he’s been guarding for so, so long.

“I-” he starts, before cutting himself off and clenching his jaw. He closes his eyes for a second, taking in a deep breath, and tries again. It isn’t lost on him that Julie’s fingers are still wrapped around his own — it’s strange, actually, how it gives him a very small boost of confidence.

“You’re always trying to set me up with people even though I never asked you to.” Julie’s head finally shifts, whipping up to stare at him with a guilty look in her eyes. Luke quickly continues in an effort to clear the misunderstanding.

“Not that- I don’t mean I’m not thankful- I mean-“ Luke lets out a frustrated huff of air, scratching the back of his head and ruffling his hair in the process. This was impossible.

“I appreciate that you’re thinking of me, and trying to get me to date, but Jules I- I’m honestly not interested in dating any of the girls you- I mean just dating in general. Not- at least…” Luke takes in another deep breath as he averts his eyes, heart pounding in his throat. “Not if it’s not you.”

Luke’s too worked up to take a look at Julie, choosing to focus on the hanging chairs in the ceiling instead. He feels her fingers grow slack, the grip they had on his hand loosening until they’re dropping away.

His hand feels cold.

They stay that way for a few minutes, each passing second more excruciating than the next.

He scared her off with his feelings — he feels too much all the time and music was always a good conductor, but his feelings for Julie have been building up for so long he just-

They exploded out of him.

Did he just mess this up? Did he ruin the perfect thing he had going on with his best friend because he couldn’t keep his emotions in check? Luke’s fingers curl into fists, the anger he felt at himself boiling up — this was just like what he did with his mom; he’s always messing perfectly good situations because he can’t keep his fucking mouth shu-

Luke’s eyes pop back open mid-thought when he feels a light touch on the back of his hand, soft and tentative. His head dips down to stare at his hand, finding familiar fingers lingering nearby. He’s too nervous to look up, to meet Julie’s gaze, and potentially face the consequences of his actions, but he did this and this was Julie — she deserved better.

Taking yet another deep breath, Luke slowly lifts his gaze up, following the path up from her wrist to her elbow, shoulder, and then shifts his eyes across her face until they meets hers.

What he finds there takes him by surprise-

She’s looking straight at him, eyes wide and glistening. They almost looked…hopeful?

Luke’s heart skips a beat, getting ahead of itself as it races towards a conclusion that feels way too good to be true.

“You- you never asked.”

This time his heart doesn’t skip a beat, but several.

His mind goes blank for a moment, unable to process the situation he’s in.

Did she just-

No. No way. She didn’t-

“What?” Luke slowly turns to fully face Julie, who was still curled up on the couch looking up at him.

“You never asked.”

“I-” Luke isn’t usually one to be left speechless, but the girl in front of him seems to be able to do it repeatedly.

Did this mean what he thought it meant?

Julie continues to stare up at him patiently, almost expectantly, as if she was waiting for him to get his shit together and…do something.

Luke shakes his head to shake loose words, any words, and opens his mouth.

“Uh-” no, not that word Luke. It’s hard to focus when she’s staring at him like that. He clears his throat and tries again.

“Julie, do you- will go out with me?”

He barely manages a semi-coherent sentence, his mind still unable to believe this is happening. He blinks once, twice, and just stands there like an idiot, waiting for some kind of answer from Julie.

Hopefully a positive one. It has to be, right? She wouldn’t just say that and then brutally reject him right? She wouldn’t, righ-

Julie stands up, derailing his thoughts.

She’s standing so close in front of him, he can feel her breaths brush against his face. He wants to step back but he doesn’t — it’s almost habit at this point to always have a safe space between them but maybe he didn’t need to anymore?

Luke watches her as she reaches out to hold his hand, slipping her fingers in between his.

She looks up from their conjoined hands at the same time as he does, their gazes meeting.

“I’ve been waiting for you to ask for a long time,” she says, a small smile lifting up the corner of her lips. “I’d love to, Luke.”

Luke isn’t sure what happened next, who moved first, who did what when, but all he knows is that he was suddenly cradling her face in his hands, pulling her closer and closer and closer.

Finally.

[vendetta-if]

Chapter 5 Sneak Peek (Pt. 2)

Hey guys 👋 Here's the next sneak peek for Chapter 5. In case you haven't checked out the first one, which features Jackal, please, check it out here!

For this sneak peek, I'll show a part of the talk MC will have with Luka and Grandpa (with the Aikawas present as well 😆). This is assuming MC decided to give Yvette a second chance and has a love-hate feeling for her.

Full Chapter 5 is now available in early access on both Patreon and Ko-Fi.

[Patreon] | [Ko-Fi]

Uncle Luka claps his hands once. "Alright, I think we're just about done here…" He makes a move to stand up and that's when you remember about the question you've been wanting to ask him since your talk with your mother.

"Wait!" you quickly interject and everyone freezes in their seat. "I had a pretty long talk with my mother when she visited this morning. I asked her whether she regretted everything she did and she said yes, but she also told me that you forbid her from visiting me, Uncle Luka? Is that true?" You fidget uncomfortably in your seat as your uncle sits back down and frowns.

"Did she tell you anything more about it?" he asks.

You shake your head. "No. She just said that you didn't want her to visit me and that she was afraid of what you would do to her if she tried."

"That—" your uncle growls before catching himself from cursing out your mother in front of you. "I gave her a chance, a last chance for her to be in your life. She wanted to still be able to visit you every now and then, sneakily, mind you, because if her fans found out that she has a ${mc_son}, then her career might be ruined. I didn't—and still don't—think that you deserve to be treated that way. For her to come see you secretly as if you're some kind of an embarrassment. I know that as long as the public doesn't know that you're her ${mc_son}, she would never truly be able to become a mother figure to you and I think that might hurt you even more. So, I gave her an ultimatum: Claim you as her ${mc_son} and let the whole world know and she'll be able to visit you freely, or stick to the decision she made when you were born but her career would be guaranteed safe. And you know what she chose…"

She chose her career over me… Twice…

It's such a painful realization that you feel like screaming, bashing stuff, and just lashing out in anger.

Why? Was I not enough? Or was I never the thing she ever even needed in the first place?

But you don't. It's not the time nor the place, so you bury those feelings back down as far as you can as you try to remind yourself that she regrets her decisions and that she already apologized.

Still, you'd be lying if you say that you're not regretting forgiving and agreeing to reconnect with her.

No. Stop.

You gotta stay hopeful that it might lead to something better for both you and your mother in the future. Maybe it's an opportunity to finally heal from these wounds from the past.

There's also the fact that your uncle keeping this a secret from you and him making such a big decision for you. Although, to be fair, you were just ten when he did that and he most likely did that not out of malice. After all, you probably wouldn't know any better, right? Or would've things turned out differently with your mother if he had just let her visit you occasionally? Or maybe, the better question you should be asking yourself is what you feel about all of this now that you know it?

#Uncle Luka made the right decision for me and I'm grateful to him for it.

#Uncle Luka shouldn't have made the decision without asking me, but I'm still grateful.

#Uncle Luka didn't have the right to make the decision without at least consulting me.

* * * * *

"Uncle Luka didn't have the right to make the decision without at least consulting me."

To be honest, you're a bit upset to know that he made such an important decision for you without at least asking your opinion or feeling about it. You know he did that for your sake… But still, it rubs you the wrong way. What if things could've changed for the better? Maybe your relationship with your mother would've been different and not be so estranged.

"Uncle Luka…" you begin as you look for the best words to use to let him know. "With all due respect, I don't think you had the right to make such a crucial decision for me without asking me first. Didn't I have a say about whether my mother should be given a second chance or not?"

Your uncle frowns. "Okay, $!{nick}… First of all, I did have the right to make whatever decision that I thought would've been for your best. Your father appointed me as your guardian in his will. And, I can assure you that she had no real intention of being your mother. She didn't want to risk her career for you. I had a whole conversation with her and I could see that whatever half-assed attempt she was planning to be in your life would only end up in disappointment and pain for you. I was just trying to save you from that," he explains heatedly before lowering his voice as he continues, "You had just lost your father and you were still grieving… It would've most likely clouded your judgment and I didn't want you to make a decision that you'd regret."

"Even if it might've ended in regret… at least it would've been my decision," you insist. "Like when I said yes this morning. I know the potential consequences, alright? And I'm ready to accept them."

“Wait, what?” Your uncle's eyes harden as his head snaps to you and you can also feel Rin and Takashi looking at you curiously, while your grandpa just scowls, his mood darkening from the talk about your mother.

“She said she wanted to try reconnecting with me, rebuilding the burnt bridge—which, I personally feel, has never existed in the first place. And I said yes. But at least I know now not to get my hopes up too high and that I'm ready for another potential disappointment.”

“Oh, so she wants to reconnect now that she's been outed,” he scoffs, shaking his head. “You're too forgiving, $!{nick}. She doesn't know how lucky she is… to have been given so many chances. But you're an adult now, and I promise won't meddle in your decision. I'm sorry if you felt like I stepped out of line…”

He sounds tired and you immediately feel bad. You just unfairly blasted him in front of your grandpa and the Aikawas over your mother who chose her career over you.

"No, it's okay, Uncle… You don't need to apologize," you quickly—and awkwardly—reassure him. "I know you thought it was the best course of action and that you only wanted to protect me… and I appreciate that."

[misc-obeyme]

I'm doing a lot of job searching right now and oh my Diavolo does it suck. I hate that most companies don't seem to at least give you a courtesy email saying they're passing on you.

How do you think job searches in the Devildom would be? How's the job market there? Is it better or worse than here?

I feel like they have an okay job market but I really don't know for sure. Are they gonna count job experience from the human world or only from the Devildom? There's just so many questions I have.

Honestly, I should just ask Solomon to help find a spell to make a literal money tree 🥲

~ Solomon🤍

I can tell you right now that I would be going the money tree route, if that's at all an option.

Job hunting is the absolute worst. You have to apply for hundreds of jobs and then you might get like a handful of responses. It's because they have those stupid software programs now that filter out resumes that don't contain the correct terms they're looking for. Not to be old, but I remember the days when you had to go in person and fill out an application on a piece of paper that you then brought back to someone lol. Okay, that does make me sound super old. Moving on!

As with the human world, I think having connections is likely going to be helpful in the Devildom. If we're considering an MC looking for a job, I can guarantee they are likely to get just about any job they apply for. Because everybody knows MC and nobody wants to get on the bad side of Diavolo or Lucifer or any of the others.

Similarly, I would suspect that if MC wanted a job, all they'd have to do is ask one of those demons and that demon will be able to find them something pretty easily.

But if we're looking at it without MC privilege, then I think it's probably easier to get a job in the Devildom.

This is going to depend on what you imagine their population to be. But I've always headcanoned that while there are a decent amount of demons in the Devildom, there are far less of them than there are humans. Less competition means more available jobs. Less candidates means less of a need to filter out hundreds of resumes a day. Your resume might actually be looked at by an actual demon, rather than tossed out by the software, you know?

If you're a human, I definitely think human world experience would count. Say you're looking for a job as a barista. I imagine the methods of making coffee in the Devildom are similar to how it's made in the human world. You might need to learn to make little tweaks here and there, but if you know the basics of how to make coffee, that's going to help you perform your job. Any hiring demon should be able to see that!

There might be a bit of prejudice involved in hiring a human, though. If you aren't protected as MC, then demons might not want to hire some random human. I doubt there are equal opportunity employers for humans in the Devildom. I just don't think they ever needed to make laws about that.

For a demon, it might be a little different. Like if prejudice against humans is a thing, they won't have to worry about it. And all of their experience would be from the Devildom, so they might have that as an advantage.

However this is the Devildom. And I don't think you'd necessarily need to settle for the same kind of job that you might get in the human world. By this I mean, you could decide to put your magical skills to use and sell potions or something. Maybe you're really good at procuring unusual ancient scrolls and then make a tidy profit off of selling them. You wouldn't need to apply for jobs like that, you'd be working for yourself. And I guarantee no demon is gonna look twice if you're not paying taxes and instead selling them stuff under the table. (I feel like Mammon is rubbing off on me now.)

But anyway, those are my general thoughts! Job hunting really does suck, but I hope you find something soon! Good luck!!

[athenaholmesartistsguild]

I'm actually posting art again!!!

Here's my Page of Pentacles tarot card that I've been working on for the past few days. I really like how it turned out!!!!

I wasn't all that in love with the border that I had for my other tarot cards. I thought it was a little boring and didn't really go with the ~Yakuza aesthetic~ so I tried something a little different and I think it came out really cool!

So let's talk tarot meanings! All of this will be under the cut since it's a little long

The Page of Pentacles (or yen in this case) typically represents having luck in the material world whether that be with your finances, a new business opportunity, or just all-around being able to live comfortably and be provided for.

The Page has the energy and drive to do all of the hard parts of being successful; after all, achieving any major goal isn't going to be fun all the time. There are times where you're doing something that's tedious, or difficult, even just new and kinda scary. The Page of Pentacles is a reminder that you have the willpower within you to prevail as long as you stick to your plan and go forth with confidence and focus.

Overall, the Page of Pentacles is a card of new beginnings. If you're wondering whether or not now is the time to start that project or make that big decision, this card suggests that now is the time to do it! Make those plans and implement them!

Reversed, the Page of Pentacles appears to lose their sharp focus. Perhaps they haven't put a detailed enough plan in place to achieve their goals, or maybe they've lost sight of the reason they're even working towards their goals in the first place. Now might be the time to take a step back and reevaluate what you want and why. Maybe you've been working too hard and a break would help sharpen your focus?

Unlike other cards in the tarot which indicate outside forces are to blame for your setbacks, the Page of Pentacles reversed suggests that there's something internal-- something within yourself-- that's making it difficult to achieve your goals. Looking at the other cards in your reading may be beneficial in figuring out what, specifically is making progress difficult.

I chose Kiryu in Yakuza 0 because the Page as a tarot card represents someone who's young and is still in the process of learning their suit's gifts. Pages are students and as such, they're still at the very beginning of their journey. While they're full of excitement and drive to succeed, their actions may be clumsy or poorly thought through; they might not necessarily have the wisdom of the older cards in the suit.

I thought this fit Kiryu really well because he just sort of falls into running a real estate business and has to be taught by the people around him to make it successful. He's not very refined due to his personality and also his inexperience, but he still pursues it with that trademark Kiryu zeal.

I chose to depict the moment when he's defeating the different billionaires because that's really when he's embodying being 'wealthy'. There's so much money in the air that he can snatch a huge handful from the sky and fan himself with it. It's such a campish example of opulence.

But I think Kiryu in Yakuza 0 can also embody the reversed aspects of the Page of Pentacles as well. He's sort of bouncing around. He starts as yakuza, decides to be a civilian, then he bounces back to being yakuza. It seems like he doesn't really know what direction he wants to take or what opportunities are really available to him and because of that, his obscene wealth doesn't last.

[connorboyyy]

With this being my third ask (am the one who recently sent about 'slow and steady' and the generations ask lol), I might need to soon give myself a little moniker to myself so I don't have to keep saying 'Oh, I'm the anon who sent X' lol

I'm just a bit curious, but is there anything in particular you'd change about the DBH storyline, characterization, worldbuilding, or smth like that? I'd personally probably change some plot twists or points or completely remove them, but idk tbh lol. One thing I'm almost 100% certain I'd change is the thing with Alice being an android and/or bringing back her concept design. Maybe the timeline, too, because the main game (post-Hostage chapter) takes place within a week, which... feels a LITTLE fast for a revolution and relationship development lol

I really like this game, probably top 3 or at least 5, but yh, just curious :)

(Also, I think I've started to ship Hankcon, and it's a bit off-putting how quickly my brain did that lmao)

You should! You should get yourself a little identifier! Maybe a fun little emoji or sign off/greeting 👀

Oh love this question—listen, I love this game. I think there are a lot of good qualities, but I can also recognize it’s totally imperfect. In MANY ways

First off, I completely agree about the Alice thing. I feel like it was something added just for the sake of being a plot twist and really weakened their story. Not to mention the plot holes it generates that are technically able to be explained, but you have to stretch the narrative to make it do so (for example: how Todd could afford two androids, was Alice deviant or was she just programmed to be more emotionally available to fulfill human’s emotional expectations of a child, etc, etc). It also took away a lot of cool opportunities with Alice and Kara. If Kara had to actually be responsible for finding Alice food on a regular basis or finding her clean clothes or places to bathe. It would’ve been interesting to see how much more Kara would’ve had to venture into public spaces to fulfill Alice’s needs and there could have been a sort of peaceful vs violent route for Kara—whether she chose to tread carefully to get Alice what she needed, or demand it/take it by any means necessary. Not to mention how heartwarming a narrative of a human girl and her android mother would have been—getting to grow older under her care.

Also what you mentioned about the timeline—I agree. It was too short. I think a lot about the depth of relationships the characters could’ve had if they had spent more time. Hell, even just one month as opposed to a week. It really cheapens the effectiveness of any romantic relationship in Markus’ route especially cause it just feels unbelievable.

I also really wish that Connor had deviated because of Hank. Which I admit, is maybe a little corny and definitely a tired old complaint LMFAO And I get why Markus was the one who pushed him there, because he actually pushed him, whereas Hank sort of just watched in awe from the sidelines as he saw signs of humanity in him. (But to be fair, Kara and Markus both deviated without a push from an encouraging individual too, the circumstance just demanded it). But if maybe the story had a longer timeline, maybe they could’ve reached a point where Hank had encouraged it. Or sort of an Alice and Kara deal where Connor deviated for the sake of protecting Hank in some scenario. Maybe if Connor was supposed to report back to Cyberlife to be decommissioned due to how long it was taking him, but Connor knew Hank would be vulnerable to some instance—something like that.

And don’t even get me started on the way the revolution is handled/public opinion or Markus’ limited romantic options. But I’ll stop there cause this response is already crazy long LMFAOAO

(Welcome to the club. It’s a great ship, they have great chemistry, it’s easy to love ❤️)

[amysubmits]

hey there..

can i please get some suggestions or ideas/advice on how to rekindle or spice up my relationship with my Daddy? my Daddy and I are in a ldr as we live a few cities apart, so we dont get together as often but we do so occasionally. my Daddy says that i have been taking him and his presence for granted for a while now and that he and our dynamic gradually became less and less of a priority to me because i have so much on my plate, he says that for a while now i am either too busy for him or too tired that i dont give him the time and attention and put the effort into our relationship like i used to. he said he is been understanding and trying to overlook that for a long time but its beginning to bother him and he said he had to talk and communicate with me so we can do something about it. I know for sure that what he is saying is true and i just didnt see it until he talked about, i am not making excuses but yes i may have gotten too busy unintentionally but i wanna fix things. but i dont know how to do that while being in a ldr.. we have been together for almost 3 years and this is the first time something like this has happened so i am kind of at a loss on how to be creative in showing him in actions not just words that i appreciate him and that he and our dynamic is important to me like he told me he needs.

Hey :)

My read on this is that it sounds like he used to feel like you were prioritizing the dynamic, but that changed over time. Is that the case? If so, then I'd try to look at what things you've stopped doing since you got busy and see if you can work those things back in, because if losing those things are what has made him feel like less of a priority, then getting back to them is likely to fix it.

If you have certain expectations (rules or similar) that you have been sitting down when you're stressed or busy, it might be helpful to talk to him about that. If you're currently the one deciding when to skip a rule, maybe editing your dynamic so if you feel you need slack, you'd have to ask him for permission rather than deciding that on your own..but then of course you would need to make sure that he had a good understanding of your needs so that he wouldn't be 'forcing' you to stick with rules on days when you really need the slack. Even if you are making the decision yourself and think that is the best way to continue, it might be helpful to discuss what sorts of life events he feels justify skipping a rule and which ones don't.

If you want to do more than that, or if my read on that was incorrect, I'll also share some other ideas for things you might be able to do.

It's a little hard to give suggestions without knowing what your current dynamic includes, but I'll share some other ideas just in case something catches your eye?

See if there are small decisions in your daily life that you could give him control over via text or similar. It might be best to stick with daily or weekly decisions rather than ones that would be random and where he'd have to be able to immediately text back to answer. For example, maybe he could decide how you wear your hair each day, and he could tell you the day before how he wants you to wear it the next day.

Rituals. If there are times of the day where you both make each other available to each other you could use that time for some sort of daily ritual that reminds you of your D/s. Some people do a morning text and evening text where they use their D/s titles, for example. Or even if your schedules don't align well, you could set up a daily ritual that's something like...you're supposed to think about him while you take a shower and then text him to let him know what specifically you thought about that time, just to let him know he's on your mind.

You could look for times when you find yourself feeling indecisive, confused, overwhelmed, etc and try to use those opportunities to seek his leadership and guidance.

Kink or sex-related stuff. Obviously this is going to vary a ton depending on what you guys are into, but if they feel right maybe things like orgasm control, sending him pictures of yourself at set intervals, mutual masturbation or guided masturbation over the phone or video chat, etc.

If he ever mentions things he is struggling with, see if you can think of long-distance aways you could assist. For example, if he says he's tired and low on groceries you could offer to help him make a shopping list or meal plan. In general, when someone has struggles that can often result in an opportunity to serve.

You could ask him some questions to try to gain some insight into what really makes him tick as a dom. Questions like...what are some of your favorite memories where I made you feel really dominant? Or what aspects of my submission bring you the most joy, fulfillment, happiness, etc? Then try to do those things more often. Or ask him if there are any D/s-y things that he's seen that you guys haven't tried yet and see if you'd be open to his new ideas.

You may also check in with yourself and ask if there are any ideas related to D/s that you've been interested in or curious about but haven't admitted to him or haven't had a chance to explore yet...and then share those ideas with him and see if he'd be open to them. Sometimes sharing your own interests/desires can help them to feel your interest.

Hope something in here helps! It's great that you guys are communicating about your needs. :)

[halfcrackedguru]

A Message from the Universe ~ The World at Your Feet

A Message from the Universe ~ The World at Your Feet, Dreamkeeper's Tarot Cards Today's Message from the Universe reminds you to look for and celebrate your progress. It really wasn't that long ago when you were making moves out of fear, maybe even desperation. You have worked hard to put the "lack" mindset behind you and you have done just that. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it will make an appearance from time to time but you have learned many skills and coping mechanisms that will continue to help you when fear-based thoughts and emotions rear their ugly heads. Your efforts have made it possible for the whole world to be placed at your feet. This may indicate travel or preparations for travel but overall, this is not just a new chapter in your story, it's an entirely new book! There are some of you reading this today who have only just begun to realize that you're capable of creating an entirely new life for yourselves. This is your confirmation that you're heading in the right direction. Abundance has nothing to do with bank accounts. It is in the very breath you take and it surrounds you at all times. Resources come in many forms and often display themselves within your tribe and/or community. Do not be ashamed to ask for help, you will be able to return the favor in ways you may not know or understand. Open your heartspace to the love and abundance that is available to you. Keep taking the next best step and check in with yourself regularly to see where improvement and new opportunities might be had. You are on a path of peace and joy so be that peace and joy for yourself and others. Welcome to life after survival mode! TODAY'S CRYSTALS: - Amethyst - Fluorite - Malachite - Jade TODAY'S DECK: - Dreamkeepers Tarot CHECK OUT THIS DECK: - Nightmare Before Christmas Tarot TODAY'S MUSIC: - "Billie Eilish, What Was I Made for" - "Portishead, Glory Box" Thank you! Your tips and donations help to pay for the website and other costs that help me to bring these messages to you :) Shop now Read the full article

[laur1221]

Hi! So my initials are GB, my question is what career path would be the best for me? maybe in which areas should i work to be successful and happy. And here’s your moodboard. Stay safe! 🤍

Hello! Thank you for the lovely moodboard it resonates with me!! So sorry for the delay!

Here is a moodboard on your career:

Your reading:

Your best career paths should provide you with the ability to explore new ideas and passions. Such as being able to travel in your career and communicate with different people (ever thought about international relations, marketing, communications??). I think your ideal career is something that would allow you time for yourself and to be able to push yourself forward without anyone else (maybe some entrepreneurship). I think your career will require you to be very active and forward. You might work really well in business and communications. I think you may work on making a specific product and selling that within your business. Your ideal job is definitely something related to just the individual (you) progressing and leveling up. I think you’ll definitely want to consider working for yourself and working within business in someway. I think you may be resisting some elements of the career path you’re drawn to because you think your career has to be approached a certain way in order for you to be successful. This limiting mindset that I believe is preventing you to see all the opportunities and paths you have available to you! You will find success if you let yourself go with the flow. You’ll feel way more balanced as well. O think you may also feel very burdened by figuring out your ideal career and believe you have to do it all alone which is causing you to take on unnecessary pressure and preventing you from seeing your opportunities fully. I think there is a chance you might find your future spouse within your career and may work with them???

Hope this resonates 💖 thank you for participating!!!

[uniathena7]

Navigate the World of Machine Learning With the Best ML Course Online!

Does it ever feel like the digital world is getting strangely personalized, such that your news feed, shopping recommendations, and even search results are targeted only at you? This isn’t coincidental, it’s the development of Machine Learning. Knowing how to work with and the ability to use Machine Learning in a tech-driven world means more today than it did yesterday.

So, if you are finally ready to explore, then finding the Best Machine Learning Course Online could just be your first step. With so many choices at hand, where do you begin? Let’s break down some basics and look into some of the best online courses to get you started on your ML journey.

What is Machine Learning?

Machine Learning, a subset of Artificial Intelligence, involves developing the ability to make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed. The algorithms in ML use large amounts of data, identify patterns, and use those patterns to enhance performance over time. Because of this ability to learn and adapt, ML is quite powerful and very different from traditional programming. ML is already changing the world and will likely change many more industries, creating new sets of opportunities and challenges in its process.

How Does Machine Learning Work?

Here’s a little more detailed rundown of the core steps:

Gathering of Data: ML algorithms use vast volumes of data. The data, in any form such as text, images, numbers, etc, acts as a learning platform for the algorithm.

Feature Extraction: The algorithm picks out all essential features or patterns from data. It is on these features that the algorithm forms an understanding of the data.

Training of Model: Model training is a process of modifying the algorithm to match extracted features against the desired outcome.

Model Evaluation: A model is run against different data sets to see how well it works. This will help to determine whether the model is adaptable to new, unrecognized information and if it’s applicable in practical applications.

Where is Machine Learning Used?

Imaging and speech recognition: Machine Learning algorithms can now identify faces with high accuracy, finding applications such as phone unlocking or tagging friends in photos. The principles of Machine Learning identically come into play regarding what voice assistants such as Siri and Alexa learn about the commands you have issued about entertainment, traffic routes, or maybe your favorite restaurants in their area.

Recommendation Systems: Companies like Netflix and Amazon utilize ML to examine your history of viewing movies and purchasing, then recommend other movies, products, or songs that might appeal to you. This enhances user experience, boosts engagement, and increases sales in the long run.

Healthcare and Medicine: ML will be able to solve many health-related issues by making it easier to diagnose diseases earlier and more accurately. In this regard, medical images, like X-rays and MRIs, help doctors identify minute signs of illness. Besides, algorithms developed from ML have helped personalize treatment plans for individual patients and enhanced drug discovery processes.

Finance and Fraud Detection: ML algorithms are capable of detecting unusual patterns in financial data and are, hence, incredibly helpful in fraud transaction detection. They are applied in the prediction of market trends and assessment of creditworthiness, thus aiding in making more informed decisions in finance.

Finding the Best Machine Learning Course Online

Now, considering that you know about it, let’s find the best machine learning course online. First and foremost, you must consider your experience level, learning style, and career ambitions when choosing any course. With an array of courses available, you can empower yourself with this Machine Learning Course For Beginners. With this free course, learn about the basic concepts of this technology and develop skills to face a wide range of challenges in ML.

This is one of the Machine Learning Courses because it offers both concise and practical insights into the core principles of ML, touching on fundamental concepts such as overfitting or evaluation. In just 4–6 hours of self-paced learning, you will gain the essential knowledge to excel in this field. Upon successful completion, you will have yourself a certificate from Cambridge International Qualifications, UK, validating your skill and knowledge. Enroll now, and let the life-changing learning begin!

[positivelypositivelypostive]

Learning To Learn from Experience

There are those people who seem to learn from experience and those who don’t seem to learn anything at all. But even for the former group the lesson is rarely all it could be. Typically, we do something, something happens and we experience some consequence. For example, I paint and drop the brush full of paint on my pants. I’m displeased and conclude that I should wear a smock the next time I paint to avoid this happening again. If we pay attention to a contingent relationship between what we do and what happens, we may try to work to avoid the cause if the consequence was experienced as negative or try to repeat it in the future if we experienced it as positive. There is more going on here, however, than most of us realize.

I was having a conversation with a friend who told me of an awful experience she had had some time earlier. She tried to change the light bulb in her bathroom by standing on the porcelain toilet, when it gave way under her and ripped her leg open. She told me how many stitches she had to have and said she learned her lesson. I tried to think of what she learned before asking her. Did she learn not to stand on toilets; on porcelain; not to change light bulbs; not to try and fix things around her house; not to do try to fix anything without enough light; not to do anything without light; not to stand on anything; not to drink so much coffee before attempting to balance herself; etc.. The list of possibilities goes on and on. For her there was only a single lesson to be learned: don’t try fixing things yourself in a house that’s still in construction.

Most of us suffer a naive realism. We act as if the world exists independent of human presence–it is just there the same way for all of us irrespective of how we look at it. And we engage in a single action and presume it has a single consequence. This makes life seem predictable. As will become clearer, however, we give up control to have this illusion of predictability.

One might counter and say, some contingencies are more important than others. If I put my hand in fire and get burned, shouldn’t I learn to keep my hand away from fire? Maybe, maybe not. But, as with the porcelain toilet, it is but one lesson we could learn from the experience. This raises the question of considering which of the many lessons we want to learn. Most of us don’t realize there is a choice. By becoming aware of our choice we have the advantage of coming to know ourselves better. Why this choice and not another? Our choices move us along our life paths. If we realize there is a choice, we can decide where we want to go or we can ignore the opportunity to decide. If we pay attention to these choices we may be able to get to where we want to go faster regarding our personal growth or we may even decide to go somewhere else instead.

The way we choose to understand our past actions or the actions of others, that is, the attributions we make for behavior, influences our future behavior. If I see your gift as a generous gesture, for example, I feel and act differently towards you than if I see it as a “payback,” or as an instance of ingratiation. Social psychologists have researched the importance of the attribution process for some time. What I am suggesting, beyond the important findings that already exist, is that once we realize there are multiple attributions and understandings available to us, it becomes interesting to question why we chose as we did. To continue the above example, Why do I see your action as less than generous when all these other explanations are equally available to me? Do I want to be so untrusting? Experience provides the opportunity for us to learn whatever we want to learn.

I just returned from the train station. I waited until a friend’s train was to arrive. She delayed going to the rest room so we could finish our conversation. Then she headed to the rest room only to find it was now about to be cleaned and the public had to wait. She turned to me and told me she learned her lesson. I asked what that was. She replied, “I shouldn’t buy a lottery ticket today.”

Just think about it: It has been said that experience is the best teacher. If 1)there are always several lessons that could be learned from any experience; 2) we choose which of these lessons we what we want to learn; and 3)we learn about ourselves by considering why we made the choices we made, wouldn’t that mean we don’t have to wait for experience to teach us? Rather, than just grow as a function of learning from our experience, we’d experience our growth as we selected what we wanted to learn.

[gengrasvolvoha1]

Gengras Volvo Cars East Hartford

Fortunately, Gengras can manage his East Hartford-based Volvo dealership from home. Gengras is the dealership's owner and operator. This would imply that Gengras is not just an investor but also actively involved in the operation of the company.Regardless of what has happened, you have been and will continue to be my top priority in all of my prayers and meditations. We promise to always be there for you, no matter how hard things become. On behalf of GENGRAS VOLVO, it gives me great pleasure to extend a hearty welcome to you.

Volvo dealership near me

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Gengras Volvo is the best place to buy a Volvo for a number of reasons. Check out the SUVs, crossovers, and new and used Volvo cars that we currently have in stock. We take ourselves in having the friendliest staff when it comes to local Volvo service shops. The accounting department at Volvo has grown significantly. nearby Volvo dealership We guarantee that as long as Gengras Volvo is on their side, this won't occur once more. The recovery demonstrations by Gengras Volvo will be carefully assessed in light of these conclusions. It would be really appreciated if Gengras Volvo could be invited to a certain social function. If Gengras Volvo could make it to a certain social gathering, it would be very welcomed. As soon as you walk into the Gengras showroom, Volvos will enchant you. Here, we might be able to find a middle ground. The place to go for anything Volvo-related is Gengras Volvo. The benefits of using Gengras on a Volvo last for a very long period. Gengras is currently under the dealership's supervision. Check out this amazing deal from Gengras Volvo. Naturally, all of these benefits are included with Gengras Volvos. The extensive evidence supporting it makes it much more convincing. Maybe there's a lot more room for imagination. Much more must also be taken into account. We need more room before we can move forward with this. Since our retail stores began, our family-run firm in Hartford, Connecticut, has been able to provide services to an unmatched number of customers. Our company and our East Hartford Volvo dealership are happy to offer this service. As you correctly said, we would be happy to receive your call whenever you are in the Hartford area. Discover for yourself why so many satisfied customers choose our dealership as their go-to Volvo dealer. The reason our regulars stick around is because of our spacious waiting area, kind staff, and top-notch service. Don't let this chance to slip away from you. If you accepted my invitation, my heart would race. We sincerely hope you will seize this opportunity in spite of everything you're going through.

This immaculate VW, owned by just one person, is prepared for an exciting adventure. Get in contact with us right now to schedule a test drive. There will be a cap on the number of cars that can be sold at that point. Everything is available here, and confidentiality is not an issue. This place has everything you could ever need. One of the two lots might have a car available right now. To be purchased, at least one of these must be purchased.

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Beyond Borders: The Art of Entering New Markets

The size of your company isn’t crucial for entering the international market. Exploring new GEOs is an integral part of business development. There may be greater demand for your business beyond your local region. If you have a potential opportunity to expand your geographic reach, you should definitely seize it, as it can increase your revenue.

So, why should you enter new GEOs?

Here are a couple more arguments in favor of entering new markets.

In addition to the fact that a new audience means new deals and new profits, it also serves as insurance against various regional factors that can negatively impact your business. This can include tightening tax policies, regional crises, and different natural disasters — if you tend to overthink, you can even come up with many more things that could harm your company. Consequently, by not limiting yourself to one region, you minimize the risks.

Furthermore, in the current landscape where a majority of businesses can operate online (and we assume yours does as well), it would be simply absurd not to take advantage of the opportunity to enter a new market. You don’t even need to establish a physical office.

On the flip side, there is heightened competition. To compete on the international stage, you’ll need to make an effort. For more details on this, keep reading.

Select your path

Needless to say, a strategic approach is crucial before plunging into the turmoil. In this respect, you possess two selections to explore: globalization and localization.

Globalization pertains to the process of rendering your products and content as universal as they can be. While this might seem useful, and could act as a beneficial tactic for corporations with straightforward products or for those on the brink of global outreach. Localization might turn out to better serve your purposes as your international revenue picks up.

Localization brings customization to the forefront by specifically adapting your goods, services, and promotional messaging to cater to unique local markets. Here, rather than resorting to a replicated business framework in each nation, you’ll be required to apply local modifications to your brand and the services you provide.

Nuanced subject

While globalization is relatively straightforward, localization is a more nuanced subject, deserving a more in-depth exploration.

The first step in this process is translating content, though this only addresses the language aspect. If the content is to truly connect with the local audience, it must be adapted beyond mere translation. This necessitates market research to comprehend how the various cultures perceive your brand and utilize your products. 

Accomplishing effective localization means: 

your information will be readily available

your content throughout all levels of the sales funnel will be culturally significant

your purchasing process will be user-friendly

Essentially, you’ll be crafting an excellent customer experience. If customers feel at ease performing the actions you’d like them to, it will proportionately impact your international performance.

An example of McDonald’s campaign in Japan

If you want to reach new GEOs and audiences, maybe it is all waiting for you on Telegram? We’ve prepared some material about Telegram audiences. What are the messenger’s users like this year? How old they are, what they do, and what they are interested in!

Focus on the details

Understanding and appropriately adjusting to local markets is crucial. Beginning with the translation of your website is commendable but remember that it’s only the introductory step…

Consider all the contents related to both marketing and product, including: 

blog posts

login and confirmation prompts

tutorials

native and social ads

customer reviews

application store pages

social media accounts, etc.

Imagine the scenario: a customer is able to interact with your platform effortlessly in their mother tongue but chances upon your company’s blog while looking for upcoming updates and, unfortunately, it’s not localized. The unexpected switch to a foreign language shouldn’t be experienced by the customer. Be proactive about these aspects.

During the cross-examination of all content and customer interaction points, several aspects of localization should be taken into account:

Quality of translation. It should be accurate with correct spelling and grammar while maintaining consistency in terminology and tone.

Technical details. Delivery information, addresses, operational hours, currency, phone numbers, and product availability need localization.

SEO. Local websites need to be optimized with locally relevant and popular keywords.

Imagery. Photos should reflect the diversity, landscapes, architectural nuances, and fashion trends that are relevant to the locality.

Cultural intricacies. These not only impact the text translation and pictures but must also be considered when shaping the brand voice, marketing strategy, and price range to match local conditions. 

Team of experts

Assemble a group that comprises members proficient in the native language and specific to your industry. It’s important that they understand the dialect and the cultural nuances of the specific GEO where your operations will be based. Here are some steps to help establish such a team efficiently:

Identify requirements. You’ll need to carefully understand the specific needs of your project. What communication or knowledge gaps are you trying to address? Which languages are involved, and do you need an understanding of specific dialects or cultural contexts?

Find specialists. Look for team members or external partners who are native speakers of the required languages and have background in the specific industry. Platforms like LinkedIn and job boards, or services like One Hour Translation can be great starting points for your search.

Vet candidates carefully. Just because someone is a native speaker or has industry experience doesn’t mean they’ll be a good fit. Check their specific experience, ask for references, and maybe have them do a small test project to see if they can really deliver what they’re promising.

Set clear expectations. Once you’ve found your specialists, make sure they’re fully integrated into your project. This means giving them clear guidelines regarding what you’re expecting from them, and also welcoming their input, and making sure their expertise is actually used.

Remember, the goal isn’t just to “fill a slot” with someone who “ticks the boxes” — you’re looking for someone who can drive real value with their local knowledge. And that might mean compromising in certain areas. For example, they might not be as experienced in your industry as you’d like, but really excelling in others — they might know the local culture and way of doing business like the back of their hand. It’s about finding a balance that suits your specific needs, and that’s what good team-building is all about.

Conclusion

Digital technologies are enabling businesses of all sizes to penetrate the global market and enjoy benefits such as expanded customer pools, decreased local risks, and discovery of untapped growth potential. To succeed internationally, companies must implement a well-rounded strategy that includes in-depth market analysis, cultural understanding, quality localization, and a focus on customer experience in the targeted GEOs. It’s advisable to assemble a team of experts familiar with these regions, including native language speakers and industry insiders. As the world gets more interconnected, businesses ready to extend beyond their local confines are better positioned to capitalize on future opportunities and diversify their existing models.