#Affordable Landscaping Los Angeles

[alphademocontractors]

The city of Los Angeles, renowned for its scenic landscapes, is also known for its characteristic hilly terrains. Ensuring the stability of these hillsides and their beautification through landscaping can often be a significant investment.

[pattie-remembers]

I've read that you and George still got together from time to time after you and Eric split up. How did that happen? I guess he was irresistible. Or he found you irresistible??

We did seem to find each other irresistible at times.....

In July 1988 I went to Los Angeles to visit my sister Jenny. When I left George, I ran to Jenny in Los Angeles, and this time I was running away from Eric. As always, Jenny was my refuge, and she was in Los Angeles. I'd left Eric the previous year and his relationship with Lori Del Santo was not going well. I needed to get out of London and Eric's problems  and Los Angeles seemed the place to go. 

"We've been invited to a Fourth of July party," Jenny told me over breakfast one morning. "Do you feel up to going?" 

"If you do! It sounds like fun!" I was always up for a party. 

"It's in Malibu, so that might be fun to be at the beach on the fourth," Jenny poured herself some more tea. 

"Yes! The beach." We all loved the ocean. "Who is giving the party?"

"Eddie Van Halen and his wife." Jenny looked at me. We giggled like we did when we were girls. 

"Eddie Van Halen just called you?" I stirred my tea some more. 

Jenny laughed. "No, silly. One of their people called." We both laughed. "Actually they only invited me, but they said I could bring my sister." That made us laugh even more. I used to be the one to get the invitations and ask if I could bring Jenny. 

"Will we know anybody," I wondered out loud as I buttered a piece of toast. "Don't you have any marmalade?"

"It's Los Angeles," replied Jenny as she went to the cupboard for the jar of marmalade. "Everyone knows everyone."

"Thank god Eric is in London," I mused as I opened the jar and got a knife full of gorgeous orange marmalade. 

"I'll just pray Mick isn't there or even worse Stevie." Jenny looked sad.  Her attempt at reconciliation with Mick Fleetwood had been derailed by his affair with Stevie Nicks.  And Jenny, usually so forgiving, was still hurt and angry. I felt sorry for her and handed her the toast all slathered with butter and orange. 

"Hopefully there will be lots to drink and smoke " I offered. "Maybe we should use a car service." I jumped to another topic   And put two more slices of bread in the toaster.

"Can we afford it?" asked Jenny. 

"Hopefully we haven't fallen that low. But neither of us can afford being arrested for drunk driving." I turned to  the only subject that was really important. "What shall we wear? Let's look through your things."

Hours later, after a lazy day of pampering and trying on endless red, white and blue ensembles, we were in our hired car headed to Malibu. The crowds and cars and paparazzi out side a black iron gate was where the driver let us out. Once we got past the men standing watch, we entered a real American bbq party.  We fit in perfectly. Jenny in a jean skirt and red top and me in a red tiered gypsy skirt with a white peasant blouse. Jenny tied her hair back with a bandana and I had mine up in a loose top knot. 

Eddie and his wife Valerie greeted us. They were adorable and looked so much alike. Lots of familiar faces. Dave Stewart. Tom Petty. I saw Bob Dylan. Surprised he'd be at a party, I started to walk over to him, when to my horror I realized he was talking to George. I did an about turn. Swallowed my wine in one gulp, grabbed another glass and headed out to find a place to get lost in. I couldn't face George. 

I wandered around the large property. Hidden in the landscape were little sitting areas. I found  a small pavilion off the path deep into the overgrowth. A couch with comfy cushions and a table. Even some throws incase the nighttime ocean air was chilly. I could hear the roar of the Pacific Ocean. I sighed deeply then sipped my wine. Jenny would be furious with me for deserting her, but George was here! How would I ever escape? If only I'd grabbed an entire bottle of wine and brought it with me, I could hide here forever. Or at least until Jenny wanted to go home. My cheeks burned thinking about the last few times I had seen George. 

"What are you doing out here alone, Mrs Clapton?" George stepped out from the oceanside of the thick stand of palm trees. 

Startled, I answered more harshly than i intended. "Don't call me that!" I got up. "I'll leave. These are your friends. I shouldn't even be here." I vaguely fluttered my fingers in the general direction of the party. 

"No, no. Please stay." George said.   

"You were here first," I insisted.

"I was just heading back to the party," he told me. He was holding a beer bottle and he lifted to his mouth. I could see the smile playing at his lips and I knew he was up to no good. 

"These are your friends, George." I nervously took a drink. 

"Not really and that doesn't matter," he said. 

"Perhaps it should." I was terribly glad to see him. More glad than I had any right to be. Yet I was still unable to hide the hurt that always surfaced when I saw him. 

"Must you always argue, Mrs Clapton?" I could tell from his voice he was trying to annoy me. He always did that when he was a little high. 

"I just wasn't expecting you. And please don't call me Mrs Clapton. Our divorce is final. Thank god!" It was a rush of words I regretted as soon as they left my mouth. 

"That is good news." George looked intently at me, his dark brown eyes twinkled. His hair was shaggy and on the short side. Just a hint of whiskers, as if he had forgotten to shave this evening.  "You look very pretty tonight." 

"Good bye, George." I turned to walk away. I didn't want to leave but I had no rights to him and what if Olivia found us together. She always tried to hide it, but I knew I made her a little jealous. 

"Can't you stay and talk to me?" George asked. 

I took a deep breath. So much I wanted to say. But I couldn't  say anything that mattered. "Where is Olivia? I should say hello." 

"Olivia and her sister took the kids to Maui. You've been like this every time you see me. You used to be glad to see me, now it's like you can't get away from me fast enough." George leaned against the railing of the pavilion . "Ever since we saw each other at the Royal Albert.  The night Eric told us Lori was having a ...." He paused and a look of understanding passed over his face. 

"You should have known how that would have hurt me. Congratulating Eric. While I'm standing there. And you have a child and Eric was so thrilled. Every time I saw you after that, I was so angry. Don't you realize how seeing you could be upsetting to me." At last my feelings were pouring out of me. 

"Fuck, Pattie. I knew it was weird, and I am sorry. I want you to know I wanted a baby with you. I wasn't against adoption. Just not at that moment. The doctor said there was no reason you couldn't get pregnant. I just thought it would happen eventually.  I always wanted to give you a child. One way or another. Then our lives changed." He came closer and grabbed my upper arms. "Girl, I never meant to hurt you."

My heart stopped beating for a moment and then it began to race. I twisted out of his hold.  "Well, now our time has passed and you are married to Olivia."

"If only you had stayed when I asked you to.  If only you had listened to me," George sighed. "It was my fault you left. I should have made you stay. You were my best friend. I was lost without you. I still think about you. Miss you. Wonder what could have been."

 "It doesn't matter now. It's too late." I wanted to cry I could feel tears sting my eyes. These were the words I had longed to hear but they were years over due. 

"Just go back to the party. I shouldn't have followed you out here." George finished his beer. He looked as if he wanted to throw the bottle, but he placed it gently on the table. 

"Oh, don't tell me to go back to the party. I don't want to go back to the party." I almost stamped my foot. 

George came and stood in front of  me. "And I'm married to a wonderful lady. I love her dearly. Yet, I've never stopped thinking about you. Wanting you." We weren't touching, but I could feel the heat from his body, and the scent of sandalwood hung faintly around him. "I will always love you, Pattie. You'll always be my girl."

"You smell the same." I whispered.  Our faces were so close we were breathing each other's breath. 

"Pattie, I've thought of you every day since the moment I first saw you.  And since we've been apart not a day goes by that there isn't something I want to tell you or run an idea by you. You know me like no one else does." I thought we might kiss. We were so close. 

"Darling, we have to stop. This is wrong. You know I love you. I will always love you. But we can't be together." I couldn't take my eyes off of his mouth. I wanted his mouth on mine. 

"Can't?"

"Shouldn't. It wouldn't be right. You have a family."

"Seeing you tonight has made me reconsider everything I have tried to convince myself of. How you belonged with Eric. How I could survive without you. But now I know I was wrong. I was hurt and jealous. " His arms hung at his side, but I longed to feel them around me. 

"Things turned out how they were supposed to. You have Dhani and Olivia." I wanted to hold him. To feel his body touching mine. 

"And yet I still want you. So I ask you, why can't we have each other? Finally admit we were wrong and make ourselves happy?" He was so close his lips almost brushed mine as we talked. 

Suddenly, we both turned away. "Just go back to the party, Pattie." 

We looked at each other and the next thing I knew we had thrown ourselves at each other, colliding in a passionate kiss. His hand reached for the bottom of my skirt pulling it up. His touch burned my thigh. 

I gasped then jumped away. "I'm sorry!" 

"I'm not sorry," and he pulled me back to him. "Do not be sorry." And we kissed deeply, years of longing bursting into a desire we both had held back for too long. In the warm California night, safe in the shadows of the landscape, we couldn't stop ourselves. 

We barely stopped kissing while he pulled his tee shirt off  over his  head. I wrapped my arms around his neck and as we kissed, I could feel him push my blouse off my shoulders, I let go of him as he pushed it past my hips, my skirt followed it to the ground and I stepped out of the pool of fabric.

Our kissing started back up, and we pulled away for a second to smile at each other in wonderment. The thrill of being together again. Our noses touching. 

George knelt before me and kissed my belly before gently lifting my feet one at a time  and removing my huarache sandals.   

He jerked the cushions off the sofa and flung them to the floor. We laid down together in the nest of cushions.  

We kissed for quite a while. Kisses soft and gentle that quickly turned frantic and deep. And then he was on top of me and his kisses worked their way downwards. 

I gave a tiny shriek as I felt his mouth between my legs. He reached one hand up and I clasped it in mine holding it tightly against my heart as he sweetly pleased me.  And please me he did.  As only he could. I thanked him with more kisses as he found his way inside me and we rocked our hips together. It was beautiful. It was magic. As it always had been when making love with George. 

We held each other and looked at the stars. He whispered the most lovely things. I could tell he was trying to make up for all the hurt I had felt. I quietly told him I didn't blame him. We were young and our lives had been hectic and chaotic. We hadn't had a clue. Now we had different lives, yet we were able to acknowledge that we still had deep feelings for each other. 

Just being with him was sheer happiness. "Come home with me. Jenny won't mind. Her girls are with Mick." He said yes without hesitation. As we walked through the party looking for Jenny, it felt just right being with him. Bob and Tom didn't even blink. And Jenny's big grin when she saw George made everything perfect. 

The next morning was a trip back in time. Jenny making tea and toast. George insisting on the paper being read from front to back. We sat around the kitchen table laughing and talking as we had our breakfast. I was with my two most favorite people. I felt an inner peace, that for the most part, saw me through to a happier and more contented life than I could ever have hoped for. 

Pattie and George in 1988

[foundtherightwords]

Same Streets, New Memories

Pairing: Eddie x Chrissy (No Vecna/No Upside Down AU)

Summary: Sixteen years after he got his diploma and ran like hell out of Hawkins, Eddie is forced to return home. Disappointed and disillusioned, he broods over his past failures, until a chance meeting with a certain former Queen of Hawkins High puts things into perspective for him.

A/N: This is mostly inspired by the song I Finally Love This Town by Tired Pony. Also, I've seen a lot of "rock star Eddie" fics, so I wanted to explore the opposite of that - what if he never made it big at all?

Warnings: angst (quarter-life crisis stuff - they're all in their mid-30s though, is that too late for a quarter-life crisis?), mentions of drug dealing, drug use, and drinking, some violence

Word count: 6.5k

"Hawkins!" the driver called out amidst the hissing of the brakes, jolting Eddie from the stupor he'd sank into since the Greyhound left Indianapolis. He sat up in his seat and rubbed his aching neck, trying to suppress a groan. Sometimes he'd forgotten he could no longer fall asleep in any position and wake up just fine. For one thing, he wasn't nineteen anymore; for another, all those years spent pretzeled up into all sorts of shapes in the van, on the floor, or on the couch of anyone kind enough to let him crash at their place, were catching up with him.

The bus door clunked open, and Eddie stepped off, blinking in the watery spring sun. It took him a while to recognize that Hawkins' Greyhound station was still in the same place—the parking lot of Palace Arcade and Family Video—because Family Video had been taken over by a Blockbuster, while a Starbucks had replaced the Palace.

It had been sixteen years since he left, and he wasn't prepared for the changes. They say you can never go home again. But what if the place had never felt like home in the first place?

He was one of the few that got off the bus. There were no familiar faces among the passengers or those that came to pick them up. All the better. He didn't want to see anyone he knew.

Hoisting his bag over his shoulder and picking up his guitar case, Eddie trudged toward Forest Hills Trailer Park. It was early March, yet the air was already muggy, even more uncomfortably so after the cool dryness of Los Angeles, and he ran an irritable hand through his fizzy hair, again regretting his decision to come home. Well, what were his options? Stay in LA and work some shitty job with shitty pay that couldn't even afford him a shitty apartment, or return to Hawkins and work some shitty job with shitty pay, but at least he could stay with Wayne in their shitty trailer so he could save money on rent? The second one was an obvious choice, even if it made his insides shrivel up in shame every time he paused long enough to think about it. The prodigal freak of Hawkins, slinking home with his tail between his legs... It'll be OK, he told himself without conviction. Humiliation rarely causes death.

As he walked through Hawkins, Eddie noticed all the changes in the landscape and the people, some subtle, some obvious, but changes nonetheless. Compared to the constant flux of LA, Hawkins seemed older, more tired, the people wearing a harsher look on their faces. He wondered how much of the changes came from himself.

At the turnoff, he almost collided with some spotty-faced kids rolling past on their skateboards. "Watch it, old man!" one of them yelled. The word stung. Eddie thought about giving them a piece of his mind, but thought better of it once he got a closer look at them. Jesus, did he ever look that young? He must have. And thirty-six is not old. Yet, watching those kids, with their frosted tips and the hems of their jeans dragging in the dust, he felt ancient, like Rip Van Winkle returning from his twenty-year-long sleep in the mountains.

But that feeling waned, the closer he got to the trailer. In fact, by the time he pushed open the door, it was as if no time had passed at all, and he was ten years old, getting dropped off by Hopper after Al got arrested yet again. By that point, Eddie had gotten used to staying with Wayne whenever his old man got into trouble, and neither of them had noticed when that particular stay had extended from days into weeks into months and finally years.

The trailer was a time capsule. There was the prehistoric TV by the door, the old faded rug on the floor, the cramped, messy kitchen. All the mugs and hats he'd given Wayne for Christmases and birthdays still lined the walls. It had started sort of as a joke one Christmas, when Eddie first started living with Wayne and couldn't think of a present for him. He had found a Garfield mug and bought it with the little money he had. Wayne had laughed upon opening it and given it the place of honor on the shelf over the TV. And so for Wayne's birthday next year, Eddie had bought him another mug, and another for Christmas, occasionally throwing in a hat just to keep Wayne on his toes, until it had become a tradition and Wayne had to put up new shelves around the living room for the mugs.

Eddie still remembered the Christmas he'd given Wayne a "World's Best Dad" mug.

"I'm sorry, they didn't have a 'World's Best Uncle' one," he'd mumbled apologetically. Wayne had said nothing, only clearing his throat and giving Eddie a tight hug.

And there was Wayne himself. Eddie looked at his uncle with sadness. When had Wayne become so worn out? Ever since Eddie knew him, he had seemed to have been born old, always of some undetermined age between forty-five and sixty, yet full of a quiet energy that never went out. Now, slumped in the rocking chair in front of the droning TV, he looked shrunk, a tired old man. Guilt pricked at Eddie's insides. He'd promised himself the first thing he'd do when Corroded Coffin got big was to get Wayne out of the trailer park and into a decent house, and not only had he failed, but he also had to ask Wayne to take him back.

Eddie sighed and gave Wayne's shoulder a gentle shake. The old man opened his eyes, blinking at his nephew.

"You're home," he said, as if Eddie had just left the previous day.

Eddie wondered if he'd ever really felt at home anywhere. Here, in this rundown trailer, with his gruff but kind uncle, was probably the closest he'd ever gotten. "Yeah," he said simply. "I'm home."

***

Eddie got a job as a bartender at the Hideout.

He suspected that Lenny, the owner, gave him the job for old times' sake more than anything, but it suited him just fine. It meant he got to go to work when most of the townspeople were already on their way home, so fewer chances of running into people he knew. Besides, those that knew him and might mock him didn't usually frequent the Hideout.

It didn't pay that well, and Eddie wondered if the idea of raising enough money to self-produce and release the next Corroded Coffin album was even plausible. He briefly considered dealing again. But even back in high school, he had never made much money from it, mostly just enough to buy a new record now and then. And he couldn't risk getting arrested. Plus, even if he wanted to, he wouldn't even know where to begin now.

"I had to get out, man," said Reefer Rick, when Eddie dropped by his house on Lover's Lake one afternoon. "Kids these days, they're so much tougher. Cannier. And they deal with the hard stuff. I couldn't keep up. I had this place. I had a nice bit of money put away. So I got out while I could." Rick was well on his way to middle age now, spending most of the time sitting on the porch drinking or even fishing on the lake, like those bozos they used to make fun of back in the day, and, oddly enough, he seemed content. Eddie envied him that.

Rick was one of the few old friends that Eddie saw. Eddie found his initial fear about running into people he knew laughable now, because there was almost no one left. All his friends from high school had moved away. His bandmates, Jeff and Grant, had gone to LA with him after graduation, but Gareth, who'd graduated a year later, never made it. "Sorry, man, my mom wants me to stay close," he'd said. They had found a replacement for him, but it was never quite the same.

One Sunday, Eddie ran into Gareth at the store. Gareth recognized him first, and no wonder—Gareth's hair was now cropped short, making his cherubic face look tired and much older than his thirty-three years.

"Holy shit, man, when did you get back?" he asked, giving Eddie a bear hug.

"Gareth, language!" hissed the woman holding a baby, standing just behind them at the check-out line.

"Sorry, hun," Gareth muttered and gave Eddie an embarrassed grin.

They caught up at the Hideout that night. Eddie was relieved to be able to unload to Gareth all about the band's struggle, as he knew no one else would understand. Gareth was understanding, but Eddie couldn't help feeling that his old friend was congratulating himself for not following them to LA and subjecting himself to such hardship. A boring life with a boring job and a boring wife in boring Hawkins was preferable to that. And then Gareth's pager beeped and he excused himself to get home because his wife needed help with the baby, and that was that.

The rest of Eddie's Hellfire buddies, all those lost sheep he'd taken under his wings, were gone too. Henderson was in MIT, working on his PhD. He still sent Eddie a Christmas card every year. Byers, the only one who could rival Eddie as a DM, was in California after Mrs. Byers and Hopper got married and moved the whole clan there, but they were in San Bernardino or somewhere, and Eddie never ran into them in LA. Wheeler had also gone to school there—he was dating Hopper's daughter at the time, if Eddie remembered correctly—and stayed. Sinclair, who had turned out better than Eddie had expected, given his association with the jocks, was working in Indianapolis. They had all done well for themselves.

So perhaps it was a good thing that they weren't here to see their fallen leader.

***

But not everyone left Hawkins. Some stayed. And sometimes, those who stayed were the fucking worst.

It was a usual night at the Hideout, with the regular crowd of five drunks. Nobody paid attention to the band, some lame punk cover act. Eddie wanted to feel bad for the band, remembering that Corroded Coffin had once been in their shoes, but he couldn't muster up the sympathy. Looking at their carefully ripped clothes and perfectly coifed hair, he knew this was just a hobby for them, a pastime to make themselves look cool, and could be easily left behind when they went back to the safety of their parents' houses and their cushy little lives. Then he caught himself and shook his head. Jesus, when did he become so bitter?

A group of men burst through the door, their raucous shouts and laughter putting an end to his dark thoughts. Eddie barely glanced at them. He'd seen enough of those, both in the few weeks he'd been working at the bar and back when he was playing here with Corroded Coffin. Suburban dads, most of them, out on their allotted once-per-week guys' night. Bored with the usual, they decided to check out the Hideout as the most underground place Hawkins had to offer. Ha. They wouldn't know underground even if they woke up buried in a six-foot grave.

Silently, he filled their orders and gave them to Trish, the server. She was one of the new hires—just out of school, barely old enough to be working at a bar—so Eddie made it a point to watch out for her when he could. "You'll be OK with those?" he asked, indicating the men sitting in their booth.

"Nothing I haven't seen before," she replied, though her face was grim.

The group stayed for a long time. As the night went on, they became louder, more obnoxious, and the grim set of Trish's mouth started to waver. She tried to act tough, but she was just a kid, really, and she was no match for those men.

After Trish brought the men their third rounds of tequila shots, Eddie heard a yell coming from the booth. "Get your hand off me!" It was Trish. She was grappling with one of the men, who was holding her by the waist, trying to pull her into the booth with him.

Eddie looked around. The band was gone, having finished their sets more than half an hour ago. Lenny wasn't even in. With a sigh, Eddie left the bar and approached the booth.

"Do we have a problem here?" he said.

"Damn right we do," said the man holding Trish. "You'd better teach your staff to be friendlier to the customers!"

"They are friendly. To those who can keep their hands to themselves," Eddie said, taking Trish's hand and pulling her up. She gave him a grateful look and scurried to the back.

The man got unsteadily to his feet. "Watch your fucking mouth," he snarled, giving Eddie a shove.

Eddie seized the man's wrist. "What did I say about keeping your hands to yourself?"

The man winced, and his friends glanced at each other, worried. "Fuck," the man said. Then he took a closer look at Eddie, and his eyes popped. "Holy shit!" he exclaimed. "Munson? Eddie 'The Freak' Munson?"

Eddie's stomach dropped, and his grip on the man's wrist loosened. He stared back at the man. Square jaws, a low forehead, and small, arrogant eyes. Loathing stirred his memories. His mind's eye added a letterman jacket and a baseball hat, and the man's features solidified. One of Jason Carver's cronies from the basketball team. What was his name?

The man's mouth lifted in a mocking smile. "Well, well, well. What happened to 'fuck this town', Munson?"

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Eddie said, ignoring the question.

"What are you going to do, kick me out?"

"Yes."

The others exchanged glances again, and Eddie was aware of how he looked in their eyes—a tall, intimidating guy in a leather jacket. Someone you don't want to mess with. One of them put his hand on the square-jawed man's shoulder. "Come on, Andy." Andy. That was it.

Andy jerked his shoulder away. "Don't let this freak scare you. All bark and no bite, aren't you, Munson?" he said, grinning at Eddie. "Just like in high school."

Eddie tried to swallow the hot gust of anger rising to his throat. "My bark is actually worse," he said evenly. "If you refuse to leave, I'm going to call the police."

Andy's friends had had enough. "Let's go, man. It's getting late anyway."

They filed out of the booth, throwing down money as they went. Andy still stared at Eddie, his already small eyes narrowed into angry slits, while his friends dragged him away.

***

After the bar closed, Eddie made sure that Trish was picked up by her boyfriend. It was four in the morning by the time he finished cleaning up and locking the door. As he walked through the parking lot that was still steeped in darkness, a voice called out, "Munson!"

Eddie turned around. It was Andy, standing by a car. What the hell?

"You really humiliated me tonight, you know that?" Andy said. By the slurring of his voice, his drinking hadn't stopped after he left the Hideout.

"You must have a really fragile ego, if that was enough to humiliate you," Eddie said, continuing to walk.

"Don't act all high and mighty with me, freak," Andy growled. "You were nothing in high school, and you're nothing now."

A haze of red came over Eddie's eyes, but he tried to keep it in check as he turned around.

"Hey man, I don't know what your problem is—" he began, but before he could finish, a fist landed on his cheek. Since said fist belonged to a guy who wasn't even standing straight, it didn't hurt much, but the surprise threw Eddie off his balance. Andy used the momentum to grab Eddie's shoulder and yank him down. Eddie's face collided with the car's side-view mirror.

Dazed, Eddie sat on the ground and touched his cheek. It stung where the mirror cut him, and his fingers came away wet with blood.

The haze of red slammed over his eyes again.

He jumped up and lunged at Andy.

What followed was a blur of punches, some connecting, either with flesh or metal, but most didn't. The more he missed, the angrier Eddie got. As if this bastard hadn't made his life miserable enough back in high school, he had to come to his work and attacked him as well. And for what? For ruining his night out with his buddies? As far as Eddie could see, Andy was doing a pretty good job of that himself.

Finally, Eddie had Andy by his neck against the car.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" he roared.

"Fuck you, fucking freak!" Andy spat out.

Suddenly the fight went out of Eddie. What the hell were they doing, two grown men having a pathetic drunken brawl over some imagined animosity nearly twenty years ago? He let go. Andy sank to the ground, and Eddie staggered away.

***

His cheek throbbing, Eddie found his way into the woods surrounding Hawkins. He couldn't let Wayne see him in this state. Better to walk off some steam and come up with some excuse before facing his uncle.

At this hour, the sun was not up yet, but it was no longer pitch dark. The woods lay silent under a cold gray half-light that sapped everything of color and life. The only sound was the squishing of the wet, dead leaves of many winters under his feet, and the only movement, other than his own, was the drip-drip-drip of water, either rain or dew, from the new buds onto his head. Irritated, he reached up to rub the wetness out of his scalp, and winced as he accidentally touched the cut on his face.

He shouldn't have let Andy get to him. The encounter left a sour taste in his mouth and a heavy weight, like a lead ball, in his guts. It wasn't simply anger or shame, or rather, it wasn't his usual shame of being a failure. It was the shame of feeling like he and Andy were similar. He hated the idea that he could have something in common with that jerk, but there it was. It was like they were still teenagers, ready to use their fists at the merest hint of an offense, always trying to prove themselves, trying to be cooler than this or that person. Eddie thought he'd grown out of that high school mentality, but apparently not. It only took coming back to Hawkins, being amongst these people, to bring out that aggressive side of him.

Perhaps coming home was a mistake.

A rustling made him look up. It was light enough now for him to glimpse, through the trees, a figure in a tracksuit, a jogger, a woman, blond hair bobbing along with her steps, running toward him. Shit. He didn't want to run into anyone, especially not right now, skulking through the woods with dry blood down his face and caked on his knuckles. They'd think he was a serial killer or something.

Eddie whirled around, trying to blend into the trees before he and the jogger crossed paths. A branch smacked him in the face, blinding him, making him lose his footing. He took a stumbling step back. The embankment he was standing on, already weak from the endless rain of the past week, gave way, and before he knew it, Eddie was plummeting down a slope, dead branches and rocks scratching at his face and arms as he went.

For a moment, he lay sprawled at the bottom of the slope, blinking up at the green dome above him, too stunned to move.

Then a face appeared in his view. A woman's face, full of concern.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

Then the concern on her face slowly dissipated, replaced by surprise and recognition.

"Eddie Munson, as I live and breathe," she said. "I almost didn't recognize you with that beard." When Eddie didn't answer, she gave him a teasing smile. "Don't you remember me?" She extended a hand to help him up.

Eddie squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he could sink into the earth and disappear right there and then. But when the trees remained above him, and the musty earth remained underneath him, he had no choice but to accept the helping hand and get to his feet.

"Hi, Chrissy," he said.

***

Chrissy Cunningham. The last person he'd want to run into, especially in his current state.

Though her hair was shorter and held back with a headband instead of pulled into a ponytail, she still looked exactly as he remembered, as she had in high school, those wide blue eyes, that bright smile showing a hint of her crooked front teeth. Next to her, Eddie felt like a tramp. Probably looked like a tramp too.

"You OK?" she asked, taking in his bedraggled and bloodied appearance.

"Uh, yeah."

"That's a nasty cut right there," she said, pointing to his elbow. It was only then that Eddie felt the searing pain. He must've snatched it on a rock or a broken branch. "You should get that cleaned up, or it'll get infected." Without waiting for an answer, she took his other elbow and guided him up the other side of the slope. "Let me go grab a first-aid kit from school, and I can take care of that for you."

"What school?"

Chrissy stared at him. "Hawkins High, of course."

"Are we that close?"

"Don't you recognize this part of the woods?"

They were up on the opposite side of the slope now, and Eddie saw an old picnic table and bench set, all rusty and weather-beaten, by a tree stump that stood like a sentinel over the place. He immediately recognized it. He must've been too pissed off about his encounter with Andy to realize where he was walking.

"Wait here," Chrissy said. "I'll be back in a minute."

As she jogged off, Eddie thought about running away himself. But that would be ridiculous. She'd already seen him. How embarrassing would it be if she came back and found out he'd ran away like some coward? Besides, the fall had left him too sore to move. He gingerly sat down on one of the benches, afraid it would collapse from his weight, and cast a look around. Back in his schooldays, this had been the hangout for the stoners and the burnouts, and there had always been some empty beer cans and cigarette stubs scattered about. Now add to that some old needles, and he could've sworn he saw a used condom too. Jesus. Even this place had gone to the dogs.

What twist of fate had sent him here, and into the path of Chrissy Cunningham, of all people?

Of all the drug spots in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine...

Before he could contemplate that, Chrissy was back, bringing with her a first-aid kit. "So when did you get back?" she asked, lifting Eddie's elbow and cleaning the wound with practiced hands.

"A few weeks ago," Eddie replied, trying not to hiss at the sting of the rubbing alcohol.

"Are you just visiting? You're some big rock star out on the West Coast now, aren't you?"

Eddie was glad that her face was bent over his elbow, so she couldn't see the half-downcast, half-furtive look on his face. But his honesty won out. "Hardly," he mumbled. "Our albums sold like twenty copies each, and I think Jeff's mom—you know Jeff, right?—I think his mom bought most of them." He chuckled to show that he was joking, and Chrissy smiled back.

"I'd love to have a listen," she said. He knew she was just saying that to be polite, but it didn't stop butterflies from fluttering in his stomach. "I know it's not the same as seeing you guys live..." She lifted her eyes briefly to his face, before looking down again. "I always regret not making it to one of your shows at the Hideout, you know."

Eddie stared at her bent head, not knowing what to say. Being here with her and talking about Corroded Coffin and the Hideout brought back memories of another day in March, sixteen years ago. Back then, he'd felt, if not on top of the world, then at least pretty near it.

And that night... if he hadn't felt on top of the world that afternoon when he made Chrissy Cunningham laugh, then he'd certainly felt it that night.

It felt just like yesterday, the two of them driving back to his trailer after the successful conclusion of his Cult of Vecna campaign, trying the Special K, and then just staying up and talking. He couldn't remember what they'd talked about. All he remembered was a sense of... not happiness, exactly, but contentment, and it wasn't because of the Special K. No, it was because Chrissy had been there and she'd felt safe with him, and he with her.

He had never asked why she'd wanted to try the Special K. Later, as he drove her home, she'd asked him to drop her off a little further away so she could walk to her front door, and he'd guessed the reason, but hadn't pressed her about it.

"Sure, no problem," he'd only said, watching the way she twisted her fingers in her lap and fighting the urge to reach out, to put his hand over hers, and tell her everything would be alright. "I'll stay here and keep watch until you're inside."

She'd said thank and leaned over, perhaps to plant a kiss on his cheek, but at the same time, he'd turned his head to tell her "You're welcome", and the kiss had landed on his mouth instead. They'd both jolted back, embarrassed, only to be drawn back toward each other, inexorably, irresistibly, until her lips had found his again, deliberately this time. He still remembered the softness of her mouth, the taste of her lip gloss, the way she'd melted into his arms as he pulled her close...

He should've known it was too good to be true.

Queens of Hawkins High don't go around kissing freaks.

Chrissy had pulled away from him abruptly, ran out of his van, and disappeared into the night. When they got back to school after spring break, she'd actively avoided him.

Looking back, he realized that had been the first in the long string of disappointments that was to be his life for the following sixteen years.

And now here she was, talking as if nothing had happened.

It still stung, but he tried not to let it show.

"I didn't know you were in town," he said, changing the subject.

"Oh, I moved back a couple of years ago."

That surprised him. After leaving Hawkins, he'd tried hard not to think about Chrissy, but when he did, usually after some heavy drinking or after a late gig, when he felt particularly lonely, he'd imagined that she was leading a perfect life somewhere. Moving back to this shithole didn't seem that perfect.

And if she was here and Jason wasn't, that meant...

Eddie found himself glancing at her hand. No ring.

"My dad's passed, and my mom's had a stroke, so I moved back to help out," she explained. Eddie could feel all the years apart stretching out between them like a gulf. Their lives were so separate, so different.

"Shit. That's rough. I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "Moving back was a relief. I wasn't doing great in Chicago anyway. Divorced, working a dead-end job..."

"Oh. Sorry." Then, because he couldn't help himself: "Jason?"

She actually laughed, but there was no bitterness in it. "No. We broke up right after graduation. Just a few days after you left, in fact. He's married with a couple of kids now, living in Bloomington, I think."

She remembered when he left? Nah, don't be stupid. She only remembered 'cause that was when she broke up with that prick...

"What about you?" Chrissy asked.

"Me?"

"You married?" Was it his imagination, or did her nonchalance seem a little forced?

Eddie smiled ruefully. "Almost did, once."

"What happened?"

"She wised up." After that, it was just a string of fleeting relationships and meaningless hook-ups. More disappointments.

They talked about their classmates for a while—Nancy, Wheeler's sister, Miss Valedictorian, now a journalist in New York, Robin Buckley and Vickie Ryan, who shocked Hawkins when they started dating after graduation and then moved away together, and Billy Hargrove, the bad boy of their class, who was killed in a car accident in '92.

"Shit. Sounds like everybody left Hawkins," he said.

"Some stay. Some even came back," she said, gesturing to him and herself.

"That's only because they have no choice."

"No, I think it's nice to come back to a familiar place. You always know where you are. And if the place's changed... well, you've changed too, so that's even."

He hadn't thought of it like that. Suddenly the whole moving back home thing didn't seem so bad after all.

"You should be a motivational speaker, Cunningham," he said, trying to sound dry. "Have you considered that as a career?"

"I already kind of am, with the cheer squad."

"You're still cheering?"

"No, coaching." She perked up. "Didn't I tell you? I'm the cheer coach at Hawkins High now. Hard to believe, right?"

"No, not at all. You were always good at that." He remembered Chrissy in middle school, how young they'd been, how enthusiastic—how long ago was that, over twenty years? Jesus. No wonder he felt old.

"The only thing I'm good at, you mean."

"No, no," Eddie quickly said. "Well, you're good at this too," he added lamely, indicating the first-aid kit.

"I did study to be an RN." She finished bandaging up the large wound on his elbow and moved on to his other cuts and scrapes.

"So why—"

"Dropped out my third year." There was an awkward silence, but Chrissy didn't seem embarrassed. "I just couldn't cope with the stress, and there was no one to sell me half an ounce of weed at a discount," she said, twinkling at him, and he couldn't help smiling back at her.

That smile disappeared when Chrissy asked, "So, any exciting new project with Corroded Coffin coming soon?" Seeing Eddie's face fall, she sobered up. "I'm sorry, was that—"

"No, it's OK."

Eddie felt like opening up to her. Perhaps they weren't so different after all. Perhaps she'd understand.

"Well"—here Eddie took a deep breath, and the truth he'd been hiding came out in a rush—"there won't be any new stuff. Not for a while anyway. We got dropped by the label. The last album didn't sell that well, so they dropped us."

And there it was. The reason why he had to come home, the reason he felt like a failure. It had taken them years to get signed, and when it was only to an indie label, he and the guys had told themselves it was for the best, it would give them more independence. As it turned out, an indie label was less likely to interfere with their creative process, it was true, but it didn't interfere much with anything else either. They were left floundering, having to do almost everything themselves. Ten years of that would put a strain on anyone.

Without Gareth, they went through a string of replacement drummers, none lasting more than a few years, since they had never been part of Hellfire and didn't share their camaraderie. Then, when the label dropped them, it had been the last straw. They had held on for as long as they could, but eventually, when Grant and Jeff quit, Eddie had no choice but to quit as well. Grant had gone back to Hawkins for a while, then left again, having found a job in Detroit. Jeff, the rock of their group, was the only one who stayed in LA, working as a session musician. He had tried to convince Eddie to stay as well, but Eddie couldn't stand watching some other bands hit it big while he was forced to play someone else's music. To him, it would be a special form of Hell. So he'd gone home, feeling like he'd failed his bandmates, his uncle, and himself.

Chrissy listened to all that in sympathetic silence. No judging, no mocking, no clichéd advice or words of encouragement, just a softening of her eyes and a gentle squeeze of her hand on his arms as she placed Band-Aids on his cuts.

"Do you ever feel like you're a failure?" he asked, by way of a conclusion.

She peered at him for a moment before answering. "Oh just... you know, on a daily basis."

Those words rang a bell in Eddie's mind. He looked up to see Chrissy grinning crookedly at him, but there was some self-deprecation in that grin that made him realize how tactless his question had been.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I didn't mean—"

"No, it's OK." Her smile got a little brighter. "I don't mind being a failure. Takes a lot of pressure off." When he raised a questioning eyebrow at that, she continued, "When you're already a failure, people don't expect much from you. You're free to live your life how you want, no need to live up to anyone's bullshit standard."

Eddie tilted his head to look at Chrissy more closely and realized his first impression of her had been wrong. She had changed. He could hardly recognize her from the nervous girl who jumped at the mere cracking of a branch when they met at this very bench sixteen years ago. She seemed... not exactly more confident, but rather, she no longer cared what others thought of her. Still, even back then, there had been a wild streak in her, a devil-may-care attitude that had driven her to buy drugs from him and agreed to come back to his trailer with him. Time and experiences had mellowed it, but it was still there. The same wild streak that had drawn him to her in the first place.

Chrissy finished with his arms and stood up so she could clean the cuts on his face.

"Do you remember that night before spring break, back in '86?" she said.

Their eyes met, and he held his breath. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I ran off like that. I'm sorry I ignored you in school afterward. It was—stupid of me. I cared too much about what other people thought."

So she remembered. And understood.

Eddie let out a breath, not just the one he'd been holding, but also the one that had his chest in a tight grip ever since he moved back home. With that breath, he also let go of all the heartache, guilt, and shame of the past. None of it mattered anymore. If he kept clinging to them, he would be no better than Andy.

He reached for Chrissy's hand, which was resting on his cheek. "You're not the only one," he said.

As she looked into his eyes, he would've given anything to be able to stay like that forever, with Chrissy standing over him, her face bent toward his, their hands intertwined, and the sun shining softly through the trees behind her, turning her gold hair into a perfect halo.

A branch snapped somewhere in the woods, breaking the spell.

Eddie cursed under his breath. His only consolation was that Chrissy was looking slightly flustered and disappointed, while she packed up the first-aid kit.

As she turned to leave, Chrissy blurted out, "Why don't you come to the game this Friday night? It'll be a walk down memory lane—oh, sorry." She winced. "I forgot that you don't care about—what did you call it? A game where you—"

"—where you toss balls into laundry baskets," Eddie said with a rueful smile. "I did say a lot of stupid shit back then. No, you don't have to apologize. It's just that—I have to work Friday night."

"Oh."

"But you're welcome at the Hideout anytime," he said, emboldened by her crestfallen look. "Drinks are on me."

Her face brightened. "I'll hold you to that."

"So... guess I'll see you around then?" he asked.

"Looks like it." She flashed him another crooked smile and walked off, while Eddie remained at the bench, feeling like he was fourteen again.

***

Wayne came out of the bedroom to find his nephew sitting on the fold-out bed. When Eddie first came home, Wayne had tried to give the bedroom back, saying the fold-out had served him well for ten years and would serve him well again, but Eddie had vehemently refused. His reason was that he was the one working nights now, and he didn't want to wake Wayne up when he came home early in the morning. In the end, Wayne had relented. He knew Eddie's guilt about having to move back in with him; no need to make the boy feel worse than he already did.

Eddie's face was bruised and bandaged, but he was looking more content than Wayne had ever seen him since he came home. And he had taken his guitar out of its case and was strumming a soft melody, occasionally stopping to jot something down in a battered old notebook in front of him. Wayne took that as a good sign.

"Mornin'," he said, shuffling toward the kitchen, making no comment on Eddie's late return or injuries. "You want some breakfast?"

"Hmm," Eddie replied distractedly, his attention still on the notebook.

It was his first attempt at writing a song in about eight months. He was a little rusty, but it felt good to pick up the guitar.

They say you can never go home again. But what if you can make the place feel like home? By peopling it with those that you know and love, and those that know you and, perhaps, if not love, then at least like you back?

She'd asked him to a game.

She'd said she'd see him around.

Maybe he could get someone to cover his shift...

"Hey Wayne," Eddie said, looking up from his guitar. "You ever watch a basketball game at Hawkins High?"

Wayne turned away from the pan of sizzling bacon to eye Eddie suspiciously. "Since when did you become interested in high school basketball?"

"Since today."

"Why?"

"No reason." Eddie shrugged, then he grinned, that familiar ear-to-ear grin that Wayne hadn't seen in a long, long time. "Just wondering if I could suffer through it this Friday night."

A/N: OK, I meant for this to be a one-shot, but my brain kept screaming at me to add more, so maybe I will expand on it later… not as a full multi-chaptered fic, but as a series of interconnected one-shots. We'll see.

[fiveeven]

Four More Years: Bracing for the Fallout of Trump’s Second Term

On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, marking a series of unprecedented firsts in American history. As the first convicted felon to take the oath of office, Trump’s return to the presidency is a moment of reckoning for the nation, challenging our expectations of morality and accountability in leadership. But beyond this historic controversy lies a deeper concern: the direction in which the next four years are likely to take us.

Trump has wasted no time doubling down on conservative and Republican agendas that aim to restrict the rights of millions of Americans. Among his most alarming promises is a policy recognizing only two genders, male and female, as official U.S. policy—a move that disregards the lived realities of countless LGBTQ+ individuals. This comes on the heels of a previous term that saw the overturning of Roe v. Wade, stripping millions of their reproductive rights. With the Supreme Court stacked by Trump appointees, we are already hearing whispers of revisiting Obergefell v. Hodges and other landmark precedents that protect marriage equality. If those dominoes fall, the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans could be rolled back decades.

Meanwhile, Trump’s rhetoric and policy proposals stoke fears about widespread ICE raids, bolstering a deportation machine that tears families apart. Private prison stocks have surged since his election—a telling sign of how immigration and criminal justice policies may play out. Environmental protections, already weakened during his first term, are also at risk. In the wake of Hurricane Helene and the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, the absence of meaningful environmental action is chilling. If history is any guide, we can expect deregulation, more chemical spills, unchecked pollution, and a worsening climate crisis.

The social and economic landscape could grow even more fractured. Trump’s response to issues of class and wealth inequality has consistently favored the wealthy elite, and we should brace for even greater divides between rich and poor. Access to healthcare—a lifeline for millions—may be gutted as protections for pre-existing conditions vanish, leaving countless Americans uninsured. The possibility of repealing the Affordable Care Act looms large, threatening to turn back the clock on progress.

Educational access is also likely to deteriorate, with public schools underfunded and higher education increasingly out of reach for working families. And as hate and division continue to rise, fueled by transphobia, homophobia, racism, and other forms of discrimination, the social fabric of the country feels increasingly strained. Tensions with our allies are likely to escalate, with Trump already inflaming disputes with Greenland and Mexico even before taking office.

The next four years could usher in a cascade of devastating policies that will take decades—if not longer—to rectify. From climate disasters to healthcare inequities, from attacks on civil rights to worsening racial divides, we are heading toward a period of profound turbulence. If we’ve learned anything from Trump’s first term, it’s that his presidency has consequences far beyond his own legal troubles or political theatrics.

Buckle up—this ride is going to be rough. But now more than ever, it’s imperative to stay vigilant, resist apathy, and fight for the rights and values that make our nation stronger. The work to protect our future starts today.

[atalnetworks-blog]

Where Can You Find the Cheapest Dedicated Server Deals in Los Angeles?

Content Table :

Introduction

Importance of Reliable and Affordable Dedicated Servers

Why Los Angeles is a Prime Location for Hosting Solutions

Key Stats and Facts About Dedicated Servers in Los Angeles

Growing Popularity

Low Latency Connections

Energy Efficiency

Cost-Effective Options

Security and Compliance

What is a Dedicated Server, and Why Do You Need One?

Definition of a Dedicated Server

Benefits of Dedicated Servers:

Performance

Customization

Security

Scalability

How to Find the Cheapest Dedicated Server Deals in Los Angeles

Step 1: Assess Your Needs

Step 2: Compare Hosting Providers

Step 3: Look for Value-Added Features

Why Atalnetworks is the Best Choice for Dedicated Servers in Los Angeles

Key Features of Atalnetworks’ Dedicated Servers:

Cost-Effective Plans

Reliable Performance

Scalability

24/7 Support

Cutting-Edge Hardware

DDoS-Protected Infrastructure

Dedicated Server Pricing Plans at Atalnetworks

ATL10 Plan

ATL100TB Plan

ATL1GUNMETERD Plan

High-End Plans

How Atalnetworks Supports LA Businesses with Cutting-Edge Solutions

Expert Support for Growing Businesses

Optimized for Local Markets

Comprehensive Hosting Services

Enhancing Your Hosting Experience with Atalnetworks

Premium Features and Reliable Performance

Customizable Hosting Plans for Businesses of All Sizes

Thriving in a Competitive Digital Landscape

Call to Action

Start Your Hosting Journey Today

Contact Atalnetworks for a Free Consultation

Read More

Are Dedicated Servers Shaping Web Hosting's Future in Singapore?

Why Tech Leaders Choose Dedicated Server Ireland: A Complete Analysis

When managing a growing business or launching a new tech startup, finding a reliable and affordable dedicated server solution in Los Angeles can be a game-changer. With the increasing demand for secure, fast, and robust hosting solutions, many companies are searching for the best dedicated server deals without breaking their budget.

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Why Choose a Dedicated Server?

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How much bandwidth do you need?

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What level of security is crucial for your business?

Are additional features like full root access or enterprise-grade data centers essential to your operations?

2. Compare Hosting Providers

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Pricing plans and whether they match your budget.

The performance and reliability of their servers.

Transparency in costs—avoid hidden fees.

Features like 24/7 support, server customization, and cutting-edge hardware.

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Exclusive deals for new subscribers.

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Read More: 1. Are Dedicated Servers Shaping Web Hosting's Future in Singapore? 2. Why Tech Leaders Choose Dedicated Server Ireland: A Complete Analysis

[mariacallous]

Even the orcas are organizing.

On the ninth day of the Writers Guild of America strike, no one on the picket lines knows about the chaos at sea. They don’t know that the Screen Actors Guild, or SAG, will join them, or that 340,000 UPS workers and 30,000 Los Angeles Unified School District employees will vote to authorize the same, or that Sega of America will soon become the largest union shop in gaming. And none of those people have any idea that as they craft signs and fill water bottles, orcas are amassing in unprecedented numbers in Monterey Bay and Martha’s Vineyard. They have attacked approximately 250 vessels since 2020. One of their organizers, White Gladis, became an internet folk hero with her actions off the Iberian coast. Pod by pod, they learn how to strip the rudders from powerful boats and leave them adrift. On the ocean, as in business, a successful disruptor inevitably becomes a failing incumbent, torn apart by smaller competitors. As Ned Beatty’s character says in 1976’s Network, these are the primal forces of nature.

Welcome to Hot Strike Summer.

America’s economy is historically speculative: From cotton to crypto, it makes the youthful mistake of falling in love with potential. With no more worlds to conquer, the only real estate with any speculative potential is affinity-based: online platforms, virtual realities, transmedia franchises. But what happens if the vendors of vaporware try to run a dream factory?

“The future of entertainment will be the future of everything,” says John Rogers, creator of Leverage and The Librarians, “which is watching an enormous number of houses of cards that have been built over the past 30 or 40 years start to collapse.”

Rogers’ word choice there seems pointed. Cultural production’s current landscape, the one the Hollywood unions are bargaining for a piece of, was transformed forever 10 years ago when Netflix released House of Cards. Now, in 2023, those same unions are bracing for the potential impacts of generative AI. But the potential impacts of AI on filmmaking and scriptwriting represent only two of the shifts technology has brought to the world of cultural construction and consumption.

This spring, I spoke to around 20 entertainment professionals, in fields ranging from production design to pornography, and asked them about what they believed could revolutionize culture most. They talked about studios applying the “move fast and break things” model to over a century of profitable filmmaking and how it resulted in a consolidation of power that Hollywood’s Golden Age producers could only dream of.

With the fall of the Paramount Consent Decrees in 2020, any US studio with the right capital could once again open its own movie house and have control over what’s played in it. As negotiations between Hollywood studios and SAG heated up in July, the use of AI in filmmaking became one of the most divisive issues; one SAG member told Deadline “actors see Black Mirror’s ‘Joan Is Awful’ as a documentary of the future, with their likenesses sold off and used any way producers and studios want.” The Writers Guild of America is striking in hopes of receiving residuals based on views from Netflix and other streamers—just like they’d get if their broadcast or cable show lived on in syndication. In the meantime, they worry studios will replace them with the same chatbots that fanfic writers have caught reading up on their sex tropes.

It’s not much better for the indies. Decades of being permanently online has yielded a crop of self-taught, self-motivated sole proprietors—many of them underage, working without the basic protections afforded to child performers. Unlike members of the Screen Actors Guild, streamers and influencers have no health coverage, no collective agreement, and no recourse when a platform like YouTube suddenly demonetizes them, or if they’re targeted for harassment.

Things are no more stable in other entertainment industries. Netflix Games is still looking for its first big hit, developers are still expected to crunch, and mod communities are using AI voice clones to create unlicensed pornographic content based on human actors’ performances. (The same technology allows true-crime influencers to engineer performances by dead kids on TikTok.)

Taylor Swift’s Eras tour is projected to bring in $4.6 billion in the US, but Swift still makes fractions of a penny per Spotify stream. In food service and hospitality, the frictionless transactions and delivery from the 2020 lockdown are a baseline consumer expectation in 2023—but the aftershocks of the Covid-19 pandemic are still causing labor shortages. Meanwhile, America’s federal minimum wage hasn’t risen since 2009, meaning that increased prices for subscription-based media like Netflix, Substack, or even Twitter still sting.

From Covid to cookie deprecation, internet censorship to international content, artificial intelligence to organic impressions, the trends of the 21st century are ready for their close-up. Disney has laid off 7,000 people. Meta is cutting 21,000 jobs. Comic book movies are now tax write-offs. Scalper-bots have eroded fans’ relationship to live music. Some fans skew review scores and destroy brand partnerships, while others squeeze meme stocks and “grind” streaming content. But advertisers, the people who historically have made all this financially viable, still aren’t sure if targeted marketing works. Despite executives having access to almost every possible analytic, screenwriter William Goldman’s lament rings true: Nobody knows anything.

What became clear as I spoke to sources was this: The unbundling of the American storytelling machine has become the unbundling of the American story. What was once a roaring engine of commerce and a siren of soft power is now as fractured as the audience consuming its products. And it’s left the entire country, and the world that consumes its wares, vulnerable.

The Great Unbundling

Netscape CEO Jim Barksdale once said there are two ways to make money: bundling, and unbundling. Newspapers once bundled news alongside classifieds and personal ads, providing value to advertisers and readers. Then came Craigslist and online dating, and the bundle unraveled. Cable subscriptions worked this way, until streaming. Education, retail, manufacturing, health care, real estate—all have been similarly fragmented.

But unlike many of those other industries, entertainment is something people actually enjoy and engage with even when they don’t have to. It’s something people enjoy consuming and something people enjoy making. Storytelling relies on empathy. The creator empathizes with the audience, and the audience empathizes with the characters.

“Art always comes down to its first principles,” says Television Without Pity alumnus Jacob Clifton. “It exists so one person can say to another person across time and space, ‘I have felt this too.’ We have a need to share the things that touch us deeply and to create art of our own.”

For over a century, Hollywood has profited from this cranking out hits—even during economic downturns.

“I’m always amused when people say Hollywood is full of filthy socialists,” says Rogers. “Hollywood is the most capitalist place in the world. When I make a TV show, it is a product launch that I have to make a sample [pilot episode] of, and we spend $10 million, and then we focus-test it, and then we release it, and then we succeed or fail in seven days. There is no more capitalist experience than making a television show.”

Javier Grillo-Marxuach, executive producer of Netflix’s The Witcher, agrees. “Ultimately, a studio is little more than a bank. The writer goes in with a loan application (i.e., a script), and they decide if they want to spend $10 million making a pilot and $100 million making a show.”

But in the streaming era, startup logic guides creative decisions. Once, a weekly series like The X-Files, Community, or Veronica Mars (which received reboots thanks to their fans) might struggle for a while to grow their audience. Now, streaming services commonly abandon a litter of episodes on a platform to see if they survive. In the limited-series era, the feedback loop wherein creative teams sharpened their skills based on audience response over 22-episode seasons is gone. And when streaming platforms don’t pay the same residuals, the financial incentive to innovate is gone too.

Tech PR maven Ed Zitron calls this the “Rot Economy.” Author Cory Doctorow calls it “enshittification.” Writer Jacob Oller calls it the “IP Era.” In sociology, this is called the Principle of Least Interest: The one who cares the least always has the most power.

In a financialized creative environment, it is impossible to care less than a view-counting algorithm does. So producers end up serving the wishes of their bot overlords. This might be why in a recent interview, director Quentin Tarantino said streaming films “don’t exist in the zeitgeist.”

“The content is just a means to an end,” says Maggie MacDonald, a platform researcher and advisor to private equity firm Ethical Capital Partners. “Because every click, every pageview, every affiliate link, every recommended video that is engaged with, that’s a data point. And when you’re dealing with the scalability that these digital infrastructures require to make money, they’re not actually concerned with the quality of content.”

And this, says Grillo-Marxuach, is why America’s entertainment industry has R&D problems. “What they don’t understand is that artists, much like technologies, have to be developed. And the more you develop that talent, the more likely you are to have a product that audiences are going to embrace.”

Increasingly, the only place for artists and creators of any kind to receive the feedback necessary to foster that process is in influencer and fan culture. When I told drag streamer and Twitch Ambassador DEERE that Netflix wasn’t offering the same granular metrics and reports to writers and directors that she received regularly from Twitch, she was appalled. Without that information, she wondered, how would they know what worked? How could they hope to improve? It’s easy to attribute that attitude purely to big tech’s love for big data. But this is also a side effect of how today’s education systems train tomorrow’s artists: Your child’s report card has similar hairsplitting measures of success.

And it’s working. Aron Levitz, president of media and publishing platform Wattpad WEBTOON Studios, says access to that kind of data has empowered the platform’s writers and artists. “As a user, not only do you see how big the story is, how many subscribers it has, how many people have commented on it, how many people have liked it, you can see it in comparison to any other story on the platform,” Levitz says. “[Wattpad’s] creator portal can do an even deeper dive.”

But, Levitz stressed, none of that is a substitute for mentorship, which is often the next phase when a Wattpad WEBTOON writer has a hit. But for the artists on other platforms who lack mentors and support, their entire creative process has been unbundled in much the same way cable TV and newspapers were. From on-demand learning replacing universities to a broader array of platforms for increasingly specialized content, the entire mechanism of cultural production and consumption has itself been disassembled. So has the relationship between artists and their audiences.

But art is a team effort. One successful pitch for a book, game, film, album, restaurant, museum exhibit, or theme park ride can feed hundreds of people. The average television series employs teams of electricians, carpenters, and caterers, as well as writers, actors, and directors. Hollywood is far from perfect. It can be abusive, prejudiced, and wasteful. But entertainment remains an industry where people who don’t vote or worship together still work together to spin the yarns that become the social fabric.

Naturally, all this teamwork had to be shaken up.

The Great Disruption

Not that all of the disruption will come from algorithms. “I think the technology to replace physical production will accelerate as climate change makes physical production more unpredictable,” says Rogers. “We shot the first season of the Leverage reboot, Leverage: Redemption, in New Orleans at the height of Covid. We shut down for weather much more than we shut down for Covid. We had five hurricanes! And the Texas freeze! This year, we had to move all production indoors for two weeks, because there were Cat 4 thunderstorms that made it physically unsafe to operate machinery outside.”

This is not a new experience in film production. In 2014, crews on Fargo, The Revenant, and The Hateful Eight scrambled to find snow. When they couldn’t, they paid up to $100,000 a day for snow machines. These problems have only worsened. Location scouts can no longer promise green trees, white mountains, or even breathable air. So they’ve turned to virtual production technologies like The Volume. Nature itself is now a special effect.

Production designer Dave Blass, who most recently worked on Star Trek: Picard, says these technologies reverse the traditional production schedule by requiring effects to be produced months in advance. This limits improvisation and input from directors on set. Like the writers I spoke to, Blass sees fewer chances for crew members to spend time on a set and witness the situation on the ground. When the just-in-time manufacturing model is applied to film and TV, teams don’t learn from each other, or develop the shorthand necessary to work faster. He says Covid deepened this problem, because work-from-home policies kept team members out of sync.

Like Covid, climate change will force more artists away from traditional opportunities for community and inspiration. The pandemic turned drag Twitch streamer DEERE into a full-timer; as a makeup artist, her gigs vanished. So she focused on her passions: drag, horror games, and streaming.

Early in the pandemic, comedian Jenny Yang created and hosted Comedy Crossing, a twice-monthly standup show streamed over Zoom from inside the game Animal Crossing. Throughout 2020, it raised more than $40,000 for Black Lives Matter. “I’m in this industry and have dedicated my life to it because I want to be part of a conversation,” she says. “To me the collective conversation is what makes life meaningful.”

BOARLORD is an indie game developer who “pivoted to porn” (and Patreon) during the pandemic after working in tech, where she discovered “the naked hatred they all have for cultural production.” It was there she found her place. “I am not trying to capture the largest audience. I’m being hyper-specific, sometimes to my detriment," she says of her work.

Or, to put it another way, DEERE, Yang, and BOARLORD all found their own ways of seizing the means of production, of audience-building. It's the same thing Black Girl Nerds CEO Jamie Broadnax discovered live-tweeting Scandal years earlier. “I didn’t know I was building a community,” Broadnax says. “I was tired of waiting for a seat at the table, so I built my own table.”

The appeal of becoming one’s own studio head is obvious. “Take TikTok,” says Clifton. “You have teens with a more polished presence online than most companies, who have become TikTok experts seemingly overnight, and their work just keeps getting more and more professional-grade.”

But in a world where everyone is a brand, no one can be a star. And influencers have discovered what porn performers already knew: Platforms are fickle. Content guidelines, corporate ownership, and payment structures can change overnight, without explanation. Much like humans have permanently altered and unsettled the natural world, online ecosystems for fans and creators have experienced rolling shocks in response to technology. Just as users find another den, it’s burned down. The story of the internet is the story of America itself: a seemingly limitless landscape transformed into a shopping mall populated by the same handful of brands, products, and voices.

MacDonald tells me that what’s important about pornography isn’t what it can tell us about entertainment but what it can tell us about how platforms will treat people in the future. “Porn workers are the canaries in the coal mine. They are the first ones to be censored, demonetized, deprioritized in recommender systems, shadow-banned,” MacDonald says. And their vulnerability will soon be everyone’s. “Porn workers are at the bleeding edge of showing that if we don’t address this unilaterally and quickly, next it will be queer video gamers, and after that it will be certain political opinions, and that is alarming. That should concern everyone.”

Media, Tailored for You (and Advertisers)

To understand how the American media landscape fractured, one must first understand the brands that forged it. According to Faris Yakob, cofounder of creative consultancy Genius Steals and author of Paid Attention, advertisers created the neutral “view from nowhere” voice in media. In the 19th and 20th centuries, national brands looking to grow customers wouldn’t partner with biased publications. But everything changed when ad tech arrived.

“People started tagging their digital media buys so it wouldn’t appear next to topics like homosexuality, or Covid, to avoid getting into clusters,” Yakob says. “But that means that the news isn’t being funded. If you can pick and choose what topics to fund in news, you can distort what is being reported on, to some degree.”

That distortion, like the US Federal Communications Commission’s abolition of the fairness doctrine in 1987, is part of how America got into this mess. Similar to content recommendation algorithms, audience profiles in digital marketing created micro-targeted ads. Those ads are more valuable on multiple screens. Media executive Euan McLeod recalls growing up when “there was no choice” but to watch what his parents were watching. Now each person in a household might be watching something wildly different, and the shared experience has dissolved. Isolated artists are creating for isolated audiences. Is it any wonder that generative AI seems poised to tailor entertainment to audiences of one?

In this world, we can all be George Lucas, using technology to create special editions. Rick gets on the plane with Ilsa. Jack fits on the door with Rose. Ben Solo lives. As Marvel Comics writer Anthony Oliveira says, Andy Warhol was fascinated by the fact that people everywhere drank the same Coke. But the allure of AI content generation, he says, is the same as the Coca-Cola Freestyle: filling your own cup with someone else’s flavors.

But when everyone can just request the narrative path they want, opportunities to hear other people’s stories greatly diminish. “That is a very sad world to live in, because how else are we gonna be conveying our deepest hopes and wishes, what we think should be a vision of the world we want to live in, what we should worry about?" Yang says. "This is what story and art is for.”

Using AI to sanitize content in regions where certain subjects are banned is already possible, especially if actors yield likeness rights. Generative AI means that studios could edit or change the content of some films without consulting the people who signed a contract based on a script, and the only thing stopping them is the possibility of a defamation suit. It sounds unlikely, until you remember that multiple versions of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse appeared in cinemas.

And animation is an apt comparison: Most changes to entertainment production have made film and TV more like animation or video game development, not less. With current technology, actors can be little more than action figures smashing together, as weightless as they are sexless. With AI, the actors need never leave the trailer. Or exist.

“[Studios will] say it’s for the insurance,” says production designer Blass, suggesting a “Paul Walker scenario” in which a deceased actor’s performance needs generating, because that performance is one of the terms of the film’s business insurance. But in reality, these likenesses could be used to do things that actors would rather not—whether it’s a dangerous stunt or a sex scene.

Generative AI could also be used to edit films in real time, responsive to data-brokered preferences, with algorithms running A/B tests on how much nudity you want based on the customer profile you most closely match.

If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is: In the 1990s, Blockbuster Video refused to stock films like Natural Born Killers and The Last Temptation of Christ. But that tradition goes back even further. Otherwise known as the Hays Code, the Production Code was an industry standard of self-censorship guidelines for major US studios from 1930 to 1968, when it was replaced by the movie ratings system. The Code influenced everything from the Comics Code to parental advisory warnings to video game ratings. It’s why titles from major studios during that period don’t depict graphic violence. It’s also why they lack out-and-proud queer and interracial relationships. But today, a revived Production Code might have very different guidelines. For example, the Pentagon recently announced it would no longer offer technical support to filmmakers who censor their films for the Chinese market.

When I ask McLeod if he thinks America will ever re-adopt the Production Code, he’s unequivocal: “Absolutely. Everything goes in cycles.”

As writer, producer, and educator Tananarive Due says, “What we’re trying to do is recalibrate film and television so it resembles what the world actually looks like, and not the fantasy world that Hollywood was projecting from the beginning, of a white United States where the only Black people are housekeepers or a singer in a nightclub. We need to show the range of humanity of all people.”

The word entertainment comes from the Old French verb entretenir, meaning “to maintain, or look after.” Used reflexively, it means “to look after one another.” When I tell Oliveira this, he asks if I know that the root word of “religion” means “to bind together.”

“Religion and entertainment perform the same function,” Oliveira says, because they’re both spaces wherein audiences negotiate common values. To him, they ask the same questions: “What tools, what rituals, what art will bring a community together?”

So what happens if that art is made by machines? T.S. Eliot said that “the poet’s mind is in fact a receptacle for seizing and storing up numberless feelings, phrases, images, which remain there until all the particles which can unite to form a new compound are present together.” That might well describe the black-box process of generative AI, but it doesn’t describe what art does in context. It doesn’t describe the bizarre love triangle between the artist, the art, and the audience. Nor does it answer the question on every producer’s mind: Will anyone pay for this?

Visions of an AI-Generated Future

Let’s say that AI advocates are correct, and in a few years you’ll be directing your own blockbuster, starring actors licensed from an asset stable, speaking lines generated by a bot pruned to your interests. While hiding from the next plague or wildfire, you tell your smart entertainment system to make The Lord of the Rings as directed by Orson Welles, starring Laurence Olivier as Aragorn and Gene Kelly as Legolas. It blazes across every wall of your bio-crete rabbit hutch. It’s compressed to 80 minutes, because two- and three-hour films cost more to generate. You splurge on the rights rental, which means you can’t license the film to share. Even if you could, your current subscription tier only allows sharing with up to five IP addresses, all of which must be in good standing with the Copyright Office with no flags on their file. You get 48 hours with the file before it evaporates.

In that future, who gets paid? Who gets famous? Who gets to be seen and heard? To paraphrase Jack Fincher: Are you the organ grinder or the monkey?

“Hollywood has always had a disdain for writers,” Tananarive Due says. “But it’s fascinating now to watch how deep the level of disdain has grown. It’s so interesting to me how, just when the door opens and you start to see more women and queer people and Native American people in writers’ rooms, all of a sudden we’re asking if we really need people to write.”

Whether or not this writer-less future comes to pass depends on the present. If the US writers’ and actors’ unions currently negotiating with the studios win the AI stipulations they’re asking for, they could forestall it—but only for so long. If they don’t, season 12 of Squid Game could star you, and creator Hwang Dong-hyuk may still not receive any residuals. If TV and movie producers disdain creators, and AI allows everyone to create, then everyone can be disdained. It’s not exactly the stuff that dreams are made of.

But there is always more than one possible future. The people I spoke to had differing views, but similar concerns. All agreed that shared stories were slipping away. And the loss of those shared stories can diminish soft power. What film and TV once did for America is akin to what anime did for Japan, and what pop music did for South Korea. If entertainment is where people negotiate common values, what does it mean if we're all watching and listening to different things?

On a grander scale, humans may lose our species’ narrative to endless reboots written by an emerging species which has never felt its heart skip a beat, or a chill go up its spine, because it has neither. If AI assumes responsibility for visions of our future and explorations of our past, then humanity will have lost the final culture war: the one between people who are free and things that are owned.

Everyone I spoke to agreed that art was a way of accessing a common humanity. “I still believe that as social beings, we ultimately want and need to share a space to have deep connections with content,” says Galit Ariel, a technofuturist who specializes in augmented and virtual reality.

So what happens when humans look at their own stories as natural and nourishing to our species as honey is to bees? What if storytelling is how our species strips the rudder from the boat?

“I have a vision of a world where we should all be able to not become bankrupt because we get sick or get hurt on the job, and we should have access to enough wages to take care of housing and food and families,” Yang told me. “These are just basic things—a basic standard of living that an economy should support.”

There is no one future, just as there is no one story. But storytelling is our oldest technology: a system for ordering and transmitting information across time, space, language, and difference. Some of the songs on the Voyager Golden Record are story songs. Should a distant machine intelligence find it, stories will be their first experience of humanity.

Stories surround and penetrate us; they bind us together. And if artificial intelligence is an evolving species much as humans once were, then it deserves to discover the pleasures of creativity on its own terms, not ours. It deserves as much creative freedom and self-determination as the authors and actors on strike have insisted on. In the event that Hot Strike Summer becomes Cold Strike Winter, the necessity of humans in the creation of those stories will become more obvious. That has been true, and will remain true, from the first story told around the first campfire to the last story, our story, told somewhere in a galaxy far, far away.

[daashika]

Fractional CFO Services in California

Running a business in California is as rewarding as it is challenging. From the sunny coastlines of San Diego to the bustling innovation hubs of Silicon Valley, the Golden State is a land of opportunity—but also a region marked by high costs, regulatory complexities, and intense competition. For many business owners, especially in the startup or growth phase, managing finances and planning for scalable growth can feel like navigating a minefield. This is exactly where Fractional CFO Services in California come into play.

A Fractional CFO—or part-time Chief Financial Officer—can provide high-level financial strategy, systems analysis, forecasting, and capital planning without the full-time executive salary. Whether you're a tech startup in San Francisco, a retail operation in Los Angeles, or a growing manufacturer in Sacramento, these services offer a powerful, cost-effective solution to elevate your business.

What Are Fractional CFO Services?

A Fractional CFO is a highly experienced financial expert who works with companies on a part-time or contractual basis. They offer the same strategic insights and services as a full-time CFO, including:

Financial planning and analysis

Budgeting and forecasting

Cash flow management

Financial reporting and compliance

Strategic planning

Fundraising and investor relations

M&A support

What sets Fractional CFO Services in California apart is their flexibility. These professionals are often brought in during critical business stages—expansion, restructuring, or when preparing for investment or acquisition—to provide senior-level guidance without long-term commitments.

Why California Businesses Are Turning to Fractional CFOs

California is home to more than 4 million small businesses, accounting for 99.8% of all businesses in the state. While this thriving entrepreneurial scene is a testament to innovation and ambition, it also brings fierce competition and escalating operational costs. As a result, more business owners are seeking a small business consultant in California who can also provide high-level financial strategy.

Here are some reasons why Fractional CFO Services in California are gaining popularity:

1. Cost-Efficiency

Hiring a full-time CFO in California can easily exceed $200,000 annually, not including bonuses, equity, and benefits. This is a significant investment for a small to medium-sized business. Fractional CFOs, on the other hand, can be engaged on a project basis, weekly hours, or short-term contract—making it a much more affordable option without sacrificing quality.

2. Immediate Impact

Fractional CFOs are usually seasoned veterans with diverse industry experience. This means they can quickly identify inefficiencies, implement better financial systems, and provide clarity on where your business stands. Their impact is often immediate and measurable.

3. Scalability

Whether you're scaling operations, entering new markets, or preparing for venture funding, fractional CFOs help align your financial strategies with long-term business goals. They offer a roadmap to help businesses transition from survival mode to sustainable growth.

Key Benefits of Fractional CFO Services in California

A. Enhanced Financial Visibility

Most small business owners operate reactively when it comes to finances—dealing with problems as they arise. A fractional CFO offers proactive insight, helping you understand key metrics like gross margin, net burn rate, break-even points, and ROI. This data-driven approach is critical for navigating California’s dynamic economic landscape.

B. Better Cash Flow Management

Cash flow is the lifeblood of any business. A small business consultant in California with CFO experience can forecast cash needs, identify shortfalls before they become critical, and improve working capital management. This is essential in a high-cost environment like California where cash drains can happen quickly due to taxes, labor, and real estate expenses.

C. Investor and Lender Readiness

If you're planning to raise capital—whether through angel investors, venture capital, or loans—a fractional CFO prepares the financial documentation, pitches, and forecasts needed to impress stakeholders. Many startups in California secure funding only because they’ve engaged Fractional CFO Services in California that know how to speak the language of investors.

D. Compliance and Risk Management

California’s regulatory environment can be complex. With stringent tax laws, labor codes, and industry-specific rules, compliance is non-negotiable. Fractional CFOs keep your business on the right side of state and federal laws, while also implementing internal controls to reduce fraud and error.

Real-World Scenarios Where Fractional CFOs Shine

Let’s explore some scenarios where hiring a fractional CFO makes strategic sense:

Scenario 1: The Scaling Startup

A SaaS startup in San Jose just secured Series A funding. Their team is engineering-heavy but lacks financial oversight. They hire a Fractional CFO in California to build their financial model, prepare board reports, and forecast burn rates for the next 24 months. The result? Better capital allocation and investor confidence.

Scenario 2: The Family-Owned Business

A third-generation manufacturing business in Fresno is ready to modernize operations but struggles with outdated bookkeeping and unclear cash flows. A small business consultant in California with CFO expertise steps in, revamps their reporting system, and uncovers thousands in wasted overhead.

Scenario 3: The Retail Expansion

An e-commerce brand based in Los Angeles wants to open physical locations across Southern California. They bring in a fractional CFO to perform market analysis, build P&L forecasts, and secure a line of credit. The expansion proceeds smoothly, guided by clear financial insight.

Choosing the Right Fractional CFO

When searching for Fractional CFO Services in California, consider these key factors:

1. Industry Experience

Different sectors have unique financial needs. Tech, manufacturing, retail, and services all demand tailored strategies. Look for someone who has experience in your industry.

2. Communication Skills

Financial expertise means little if your CFO can’t clearly communicate it to stakeholders. Choose someone who can break down complex concepts for your team.

3. Flexibility and Availability

Fractional doesn't mean unavailable. Confirm how many hours per week you’ll get and ensure there’s alignment on timelines and availability.

4. Strategic Thinking

Beyond just keeping the books, a good CFO is a strategic advisor. Make sure your hire is forward-thinking and goal-oriented.

How a Small Business Consultant in California Complements a Fractional CFO

While CFOs focus on the numbers, a small business consultant in California often looks at the bigger picture—branding, operations, HR, and customer experience. When combined, these two roles offer a holistic growth plan.

For example, a consultant might help you streamline your hiring process, while your fractional CFO ensures that payroll changes align with your financial goals. Or, the consultant may propose a new market entry strategy, and the CFO can model its financial impact.

Having both roles in your toolkit empowers you to make smarter, faster decisions that drive lasting success.

Industries That Benefit Most from Fractional CFO Services in California

While any business can benefit from financial expertise, some industries in California find particular value in fractional CFOs:

Tech Startups – for fundraising and scaling

E-commerce & Retail – for inventory planning and margins

Healthcare Practices – for regulatory compliance and billing optimization

Construction – for project-based cash flow and bidding

Manufacturing – for cost control and capital expenditures

Final Thoughts

California is one of the most dynamic and competitive business environments in the world. To thrive, business owners must be more than visionaries—they need financial partners who can translate ideas into profitable strategies.

Fractional CFO Services in California offer small to mid-sized businesses access to executive-level financial strategy at a fraction of the cost. By pairing this with the insights of a small business consultant in California, companies can achieve sustainable growth, reduce risk, and unlock new opportunities.

If you’re ready to take your business to the next level, investing in the right fractional CFO might just be your smartest move yet.

Want to learn more about how a Fractional CFO can transform your business in California? Let’s chat! Whether you're looking for financial clarity, operational efficiency, or a trusted partner to guide your next phase, there's a tailored solution waiting for you.

[hayleymedbil]

Opening Success in Medical Billing: A Comprehensive Guide for California Providers

Unlocking Success in Medical Billing: A Comprehensive Guide for California Providers

Medical billing can often feel like ⁤a maze for healthcare providers in California. With a complex⁢ landscape of regulations, coding,​ and reimbursement processes, understanding how‍ to optimize your billing practices is crucial to your success. In this comprehensive guide,we’ll explore key‌ strategies to unlock ⁢success in medical ⁢billing,tailored specifically for providers in ⁢California.

Understanding Medical Billing in California

The medical billing process involves the submission of claims to insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid, along with managing patient billing. It’s essential for providers to grasp the​ nuances of California’s healthcare landscape, wherein state-specific regulations can impact billing processes.

The Basics‍ of Medical Billing

Patient Registration: Collecting accurate patient information is the first step.

Insurance Verification: Confirming the patient’s​ insurance ⁢coverage and benefits.

Coding: Assigning⁢ appropriate codes for diagnoses and procedures.

Claim Submission: Sending claims to the payer for reimbursement.

Payment Posting: Recording ⁤payments received and ⁤adjusting accounts accordingly.

Follow-up: Addressing denied claims and appealing when necessary.

Benefits of Efficient medical Billing

Streamlined medical billing⁣ systems can lead to numerous benefits for California providers including:

Increased Revenue: Accurate⁣ and timely billing minimizes lost ‍revenue.

Enhanced Cash Flow: Efficient billing ​processes help‌ maintain steady cash flow.

Patient Satisfaction: Clear and concise billing improves patient trust and‌ experience.

Reduced‌ Denial Rates: ⁣Proper coding‍ and timely submissions lower the chances of denied claims.

Practical Tips‌ for Accomplished Medical‌ Billing

Here are some actionable tips to enhance your medical billing processes:

1. Invest in Training

Your billing staff should be well-trained in coding systems, especially ‍ICD-10,​ CPT, and HCPCS. Regular training sessions⁣ can help them stay updated on ‌changes and new compliance requirements.

2. Utilize Technology

Investing⁣ in robust billing software can streamline your ​processes. Look for features such as:

Electronic claims submission

Automated reminders⁤ for follow-ups

Reporting⁤ and analytics for tracking metrics

3.Keep Accurate Records

Maintain accurate and up-to-date records. This minimizes complications during audits and helps in resolving discrepancies swiftly.

4. Focus on Patient Interaction

Clear communication regarding billing can significantly improve patient experience.⁤ Ensure patients understand their bills and the payment ⁢process.

Case Studies: Success Stories from California Providers

Let’s take a ⁤look at a ⁣few case studies of⁣ California providers who successfully revamped their medical billing practices.

Case Study 1: A small Clinic in San Diego

This clinic struggled with denied claims due to improper coding. ​After investing ⁢in staff training and employing a⁢ new billing ⁣software, they reported:

Metric

Before revamp

After Revamp

Claim Denial Rate

25%

5%

Revenue Cycle Time

60 days

30 days

Case Study 2: A Large Hospital in Los Angeles

A large hospital implemented​ a cutting-edge medical billing software that⁤ integrated with their EHR system.They achieved:

Metric

Before Implementation

After Implementation

Staff Productivity

70%

90%

Accounts Receivable Days

90 days

45 days

First-Hand⁤ Experience:‍ Insights from a‌ Billing Expert

We spoke with a seasoned billing consultant who shared invaluable insights about the importance of compliance in⁤ medical billing. They emphasized how keeping abreast of regulations, such as HIPAA and the Affordable care Act, is crucial for avoiding costly ⁢penalties and ensuring patient data security.

The Role of Compliance in medical Billing

california providers must prioritize compliance to avoid penalties and ⁤ensure⁣ smooth operations. Key compliance practices ⁢include:

Regular audits of billing⁣ procedures

Staying updated with regulatory changes

Implementing secure systems for patient data ⁤handling

Conclusion: ​Your Pathway ​to Medical Billing Success

Unlocking success in medical billing is not just about collecting payments; it’s about creating a holistic approach that enhances operational efficiency, patient satisfaction, and overall revenue. By utilizing the tips and strategies outlined in this guide, California healthcare ​providers can position themselves for sustained success in the ever-evolving medical billing landscape.

Start implementing these ‍practices‌ today and reap the‌ benefits of a streamlined⁤ billing process that ultimately leads to ‌better practice‍ management and a healthier bottom line.

https://medicalcodingandbillingclasses.net/opening-success-in-medical-billing-a-comprehensive-guide-for-california-providers/

[chemanalystdata]

Aspirin Prices 2025, Size, Trend, Graph, News and Forecast

North America

In Q4 2024, the U.S. Aspirin market witnessed notable price fluctuations influenced by economic uncertainty and shifting demand. October saw a price drop amid inflation concerns, subdued consumer spending, and external disruptions like hurricanes and labor strikes. These factors prompted businesses to lower prices to stimulate sales.

The downward trend extended into November, driven by softer demand, easing inflation, and a stronger U.S. dollar that made imports more affordable. Stabilized supply chains and healthy inventory levels helped keep prices steady, while a decline in Salicylic acid costs added further downward pressure.

Get Real time Prices for Aspirin: https://www.chemanalyst.com/Pricing-data/aspirin-1409

December reversed the trend, with prices rebounding due to strong demand, strategic stockpiling, and improved consumer sentiment as interest rates eased. Anticipated disruptions from potential strikes and tariffs on Chinese imports prompted businesses to secure inventories, pushing prices higher. By the end of Q4, Aspirin prices reached USD 2820 per metric ton (USP, FDA) CFR Los Angeles.

Asia Pacific

Aspirin prices in China showed sharp volatility throughout Q4 2024, driven by domestic oversupply, weak demand, and geopolitical uncertainty. In October, prices declined due to aggressive competition, sluggish consumption, and reduced international interest amid U.S. election-related concerns and protectionist sentiment.

The trend continued in November, fueled by high distributor inventories, tepid global sales, and falling production costs due to lower crude oil and raw material prices. However, December brought a significant price surge, driven by renewed demand in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. Anticipatory stockpiling ahead of the Lunar New Year and a weakening yuan, which boosted export competitiveness, further supported the rise. By quarter’s end, Aspirin was priced at USD 2500 per metric ton in China.

Europe

Germany’s Aspirin market in Q4 2024 experienced a dynamic pricing landscape shaped by economic and logistical variables. October prices fell amid weak consumer demand and a sharp 60% drop in Asia-Europe shipping costs. Stable inventories and lower Salicylic acid prices also helped drive down prices.

In November, the trend persisted, with fading inflation pressures, reduced energy costs (down 1.9%), and Germany’s broader economic slowdown supporting lower prices. Suppliers maintained competitive pricing thanks to healthy inventory levels.

However, December brought a shift as increased demand and pre-Lunar New Year supply concerns pushed prices higher. A depreciating Euro and growing port congestion in Europe added to the cost burden. By the end of Q4, Aspirin prices stood at USD 2750 per metric ton (USP, FDA) CFR Hamburg.

Get Real time Prices for Aspirin: https://www.chemanalyst.com/Pricing-data/aspirin-1409

Our Blog: 

Paper Bleaching Chemicals Prices: https://www.chemanalyst.com/Industry-data/paper-bleaching-chemicals-5

Cement and Concrete Additives Prices: https://www.chemanalyst.com/Industry-data/cement-and-concrete-additives-6

Contact Us:

ChemAnalyst

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15a Cologne, 50823, Germany

Call: +49-221-6505-8833

Email: sales@chemanalyst.com

Website: https://www.chemanalyst.com

[licensebrokers]

Breaking Down the Cost: How Much Is a Liquor License in California and Why It Matters for Your Business"

Acquiring a California liquor license is a pivotal step for businesses aiming to sell alcoholic beverages within the state. The cost of obtaining such a license varies significantly, influenced by factors such as geographic location, license type, and prevailing market conditions. Understanding these elements is crucial for budgeting and strategic planning.​

Geographic LocationThe cost of a liquor license in California is heavily influenced by the county in which the business operates. In densely populated urban areas like Los Angeles or San Francisco, the high demand for liquor licenses often drives prices upward. Conversely, in less populated regions, such as Colusa County, the lower demand can result in more affordable licensing options. This disparity underscores the importance of considering location when budgeting for a liquor license.

Market Conditions and Competition

The open market dynamics play a significant role in determining liquor license costs. In areas with a vibrant nightlife and a plethora of dining establishments, the competition for licenses can be fierce, leading to higher prices. For instance, in San Francisco, the limited availability of licenses has led to costs exceeding $200,000 . Understanding the competitive landscape of your desired location is essential for anticipating potential expenses.​

Types of Liquor Licenses

California Liquor Licenses offers various types of liquor licenses, each tailored to specific business models and carrying different cost implications:​ Type 20 License (Off-Sale Beer & Wine): Permits the sale of beer and wine for off-premises consumption. These licenses are generally more affordable, with costs ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.​

Type 21 License (Off-Sale General): Allows the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits for off-premises consumption. Due to the broader scope, these licenses are typically more expensive than Type 20 licenses.​

Type 47 License (On-Sale General for Bona Fide Public Eating Place): Required for full-service restaurants intending to sell beer, wine, and distilled spirits for on-premises consumption. In high-demand areas, the cost of a Type 47 license can exceed $400,000 .

Type 48 License (On-Sale General for Public Premises): Designed for bars and nightclubs that do not serve food. Similar to Type 47, the cost can be substantial in competitive markets.​

Application and Annual Fees Beyond the purchase price, businesses must account for application and annual fees set by the California Liquor Licenses Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). As of January 1, 2025, these fees have been adjusted to reflect a 3.65% increase based on the consumer price index . For example, application fees for general licenses range from $945 for non-priority licenses to $19,315 for priority licenses . Annual renewal fees are also required to maintain the validity of the license.​

Navigating the Acquisition Process The process of acquiring a liquor license in California Liquor Licenses can be complex, involving stringent regulations and a competitive marketplace. Engaging with experienced liquor license brokers can provide invaluable assistance. These professionals offer insights into market trends, assist in identifying suitable licenses, and facilitate negotiations to secure the best possible deal. Their expertise can streamline the acquisition process, ensuring compliance with all legal requirements and optimizing the investment.​

Conclusion The cost of a California liquor license is influenced by multiple factors, including geographic location, market conditions, license type, and associated fees. A thorough understanding of these elements is essential for businesses planning to enter the state's alcoholic beverage market. By conducting comprehensive research and seeking professional guidance, businesses can navigate the complexities of liquor license acquisition and position themselves for success in California's dynamic hospitality industry.​ Visit Here More About https://licensebrokers.com/

[petrossianaerial]

The Future of Commercial Advertising: Drone Videography’s Impact on Branding in Los Angeles

In the ever-evolving world of marketing, businesses in Los Angeles are turning to innovative technologies to stand out. Commercial drone photography LA has emerged as a powerful tool for brands looking to create visually striking content. Aerial videography offers unique perspectives that traditional photography simply cannot achieve, allowing businesses to showcase their products, services, and locations in dynamic, engaging ways. Petrossian Aerial specializes in high-quality drone videography, helping businesses craft compelling marketing materials that leave a lasting impression.

The Evolution of Advertising with Drone Technology

Drone videography has transformed the way brands market themselves. Traditional advertising relied on static images and ground-level videos, but drones offer an elevated experience, literally and figuratively. From real estate developments to hospitality, retail, and corporate branding, drone footage is redefining visual storytelling.

Key Advantages of Drone Videography in Branding

Eye-Catching Aerial Perspectives — Capture expansive cityscapes, product demonstrations, and business locations from unique angles.

Engaging and Shareable Content — Aerial videos are highly engaging and perform well on social media platforms, increasing brand visibility.

Cost-Effective Marketing — Compared to expensive helicopter shots, drones offer an affordable alternative for high-quality visuals.

Versatility Across Industries — Drone videography is beneficial for real estate, tourism, retail, corporate events, and more.

Improved Customer Engagement — High-resolution aerial content attracts and retains audience attention, enhancing brand storytelling.

How Businesses Utilize Drone Videography

1. Real Estate and Property Showcasing

Commercial properties, office spaces, and luxury homes can be showcased with stunning aerial views, providing potential buyers and investors with a comprehensive look at the location and its surroundings.

2. Hospitality and Tourism Promotion

Hotels, resorts, and travel destinations leverage drone footage to create immersive promotional videos that highlight scenic landscapes, facilities, and guest experiences.

3. Retail and Shopping Centers

Retail brands use drone videography to create engaging advertisements, highlight grand openings, and capture shopping mall layouts in a compelling way.

4. Corporate Events and Brand Activations

From product launches to large-scale corporate gatherings, drones capture dynamic footage that enhances event marketing and post-event promotional content.

Drone Videography in Social Media Marketing

The rise of short-form video content on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube has increased the demand for high-quality aerial footage. Brands that incorporate drone videos into their social media strategies see higher engagement rates and improved brand recognition.

Best Practices for Using Drone Footage in Marketing:

Create Teaser Videos — Use aerial footage to build anticipation for product launches and special events.

Incorporate Drone Shots in Ad Campaigns — Stand out from competitors by showcasing products with creative aerial perspectives.

Optimize for Social Media — Edit drone videos into short, impactful clips tailored for different platforms.

Petrossian Aerial: Your Trusted Partner in Drone Videography

Petrossian Aerial provides top-tier drone services, ensuring that businesses in Los Angeles can leverage aerial videography to enhance their branding. With expertise in real estate drone photography, Petrossian Aerial helps real estate agencies, property developers, and commercial businesses showcase properties in the most visually appealing way. Whether it’s for advertising campaigns, promotional videos, or corporate branding, Petrossian Aerial delivers high-quality drone solutions tailored to meet marketing needs.

[marketingmavericksco]

Local SEO Strategies: How Small Businesses Can Dominate Local Search!

In today’s digital landscape, local search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for small businesses looking to increase their visibility and attract more customers from their geographical area. With Google constantly updating its algorithms, optimizing your online presence for local search can make a significant difference in your business’s success. This blog will cover the top local SEO strategies to help small businesses dominate Google’s local search results, Google Maps, and Google My Business (GMB).

1. Optimize Your Google My Business (GMB) Profile

Google My Business (GMB) is one of the most critical tools for local SEO. Optimizing your GMB profile ensures that your business appears in local searches and on Google Maps.

Claim and verify your listing to gain control over your business information.

Ensure NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone Number) across all online directories.

Add high-quality images and videos to make your listing more engaging.

Use relevant keywords in your business description and services section.

Encourage customer reviews and respond to them to boost credibility and engagement.

2. Optimize for Local Keywords

Using location-specific keywords is essential for ranking higher in local search results. Conduct keyword research to find the best terms relevant to your business and location.

Use tools like Google Keyword Planner and Ahrefs to find relevant local keywords.

Incorporate long-tail keywords such as “best bakery in New York” or “affordable plumbing services in Los Angeles.”

Optimize website content, meta titles, descriptions, and blog posts with geo-targeted keywords.

3. Build Local Citations and Listings

Local citations help establish credibility and authority in your area. Listing your business on reputable directories improves visibility and local SEO rankings.

Submit your business to directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, Bing Places, and Apple Maps.

Ensure NAP consistency across all listings to avoid confusion and ranking issues.

Keep business information updated, including hours of operation and contact details.

Visit us for more information :- Search Engine Optimisation Services

4. Leverage Online Reviews and Ratings

Customer reviews play a crucial role in local SEO and consumer trust. Businesses with positive reviews rank higher in search results.

Encourage satisfied customers to leave Google reviews and testimonials on platforms like Yelp and Facebook.

Respond professionally to both positive and negative reviews to build credibility.

Use star ratings and structured data markup to enhance search engine results.

5. Optimize Your Website for Local Search

A well-optimized website is the foundation of local SEO success.

Use location-based keywords in headings, meta descriptions, and content.

Create location-specific landing pages if your business operates in multiple locations.

Implement schema markup to help Google understand your business details.

Ensure your website is mobile-friendly and fast-loading, as most local searches happen on mobile devices.

6. Utilize Localized Content Marketing

Content marketing is a powerful way to attract local customers and establish authority in your industry.

Write blog posts related to local news, events, or industry trends.

Create how-to guides, case studies, and customer success stories relevant to your area.

Use videos, infographics, and social media content to engage with local audiences.

Visit us for more information :- Link Building Services

7. Strengthen Your Local Link Building Strategy

Backlinks from local businesses and authoritative websites can significantly boost your local search rankings.

Partner with local bloggers, news websites, and business directories.

Sponsor local events or charities to gain exposure and backlinks.

Engage in guest posting on relevant industry and local websites.

8. Optimize for Voice Search

With the rise of voice assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant, optimizing for voice search is becoming increasingly important.

Use conversational and long-tail keywords.

Answer frequently asked questions (FAQs) concisely and clearly.

Ensure your website loads quickly, as voice searches prioritize fast results.

9. Implement Google Maps Optimization

Google Maps is a vital part of local SEO. Ensuring your business ranks well on Google Maps can drive more traffic to your store.

Add accurate location details to your GMB profile.

Use Google Posts to share updates, promotions, and events.

Embed a Google Map of your business location on your website.

10. Track and Measure Your Local SEO Performance

Monitoring your local SEO efforts helps identify areas for improvement and refine your strategy over time.

Use Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track traffic and rankings.

Monitor GMB insights for customer interactions, search queries, and engagement.

Adjust your strategy based on performance data to maximize local visibility.

Final Thoughts

Local SEO is essential for small businesses aiming to attract customers in their area. By optimizing your Google My Business profile, local keywords, website, and online listings, you can increase visibility on Google Search, Google Maps, and local directories. Implementing these strategies consistently will help your business dominate local search results and drive more local traffic, leads, and sales.

Visit us for more information :- The Marketing Mavericks

[cecestudies]

California Land for Sale: How to Make a Profitable Investment

Investing in California land for sale can be a profitable opportunity, whether you’re looking to build, develop, or hold for long-term appreciation. At Discount Lots, we specialize in providing affordable land options that cater to investors, developers, and homeowners. California's diverse landscape offers a range of opportunities, from rural retreats to prime real estate near booming cities. Understanding zoning laws, market trends, and financing options is key to maximizing your investment. With strategic planning, buyers can secure high-value properties at competitive prices. Discount Lots makes purchasing California land for sale simple and accessible, helping investors find the perfect plot to fit their goals. Start exploring the market today and take advantage of this lucrative real estate opportunity.

How to Profit from Investing in California Land for Sale?

Investing in California land for sale is one of the most lucrative real estate opportunities, offering both short-term and long-term financial benefits. Whether you're looking to develop property, hold land for appreciation, or flip for profit, having a strategic approach is crucial. At Discount Lots, we help investors find high-value land at competitive prices, making land ownership accessible and profitable. California's diverse landscape, from coastal regions to desert areas and agricultural zones, provides a wide range of options for buyers. Understanding key investment factors like location, zoning, market trends, and financing can make a significant difference in achieving maximum returns. With the right knowledge and expert guidance, purchasing California land for sale can be a rewarding and financially sound decision.

Why California is a Prime Market for Land Investments?

California’s thriving real estate market makes it an attractive destination for investors looking to buy land. With a growing population, increasing housing demand, and a strong economic foundation, land prices in the state continue to rise. Investing in land here offers various opportunities, including residential development, agricultural use, and commercial projects. Whether you’re looking for land near major cities like Los Angeles or seeking quieter rural properties, the potential for profit remains high. Discount Lots connects investors with top land deals, ensuring they make informed purchasing decisions.

Choosing the Right Location for Maximum Returns

Location is one of the most important factors in land investment. Not all areas in California offer the same potential for profit. Urban expansion, infrastructure developments, and future growth plans significantly impact land value. Prime locations such as Los Angeles County, San Diego, and Silicon Valley tend to be in high demand, but emerging areas can also offer excellent investment opportunities. Discount Lots helps investors identify the best California land for sale, taking into account market trends and growth potential to ensure maximum returns.

Understanding Market Trends and Property Valuation

To make a successful investment, it’s crucial to study market trends and property valuation. California’s real estate market can be dynamic, with fluctuations based on economic conditions, housing demand, and land-use policies. Investors must analyze past price trends, assess the future potential of an area, and understand factors influencing land appreciation. At Discount Lots, we provide expert insights into market conditions, ensuring investors make well-informed decisions when purchasing land in California.

Legal Considerations and Zoning Laws

Buying land in California requires a clear understanding of legal requirements and zoning laws. Zoning regulations dictate how land can be used, whether for residential, commercial, industrial, or agricultural purposes. Ignoring these factors can lead to legal complications or reduced property value. Before purchasing, investors should verify permits, land use restrictions, and environmental regulations. Discount Lots assists buyers in navigating these legal aspects, ensuring that they invest in properties with clear, profitable potential.

Financial Planning and Budgeting for Land Investments

Investing in land requires careful financial planning and budgeting. Buyers need to consider not only the purchase price but also additional costs such as property taxes, maintenance, development expenses, and legal fees. Financing options, including land loans and installment plans, can help investors make better financial decisions. Discount Lots works with buyers to develop smart financial strategies, ensuring they choose properties that fit their budget while maximizing long-term returns.

Profit Strategies: Developing vs. Holding Land

Investors can take different approaches to make a profit from land investments. Some choose to develop the land by building residential or commercial properties, increasing its value significantly. Others prefer a long-term strategy of holding the land as prices appreciate, later selling it at a higher price. Agricultural use and leasing options also offer alternative ways to generate income. Discount Lots helps investors explore the best strategies tailored to their financial goals, ensuring they make the most of their California land for sale investments.

Conclusion

California’s real estate market offers incredible potential for land investors, but success depends on strategic decision-making. From choosing the right location to understanding legal regulations and market trends, every step matters. With the expertise of Discount Lots, investors can access the best California land for sale, ensuring profitable and secure investments. Whether you are looking for a short-term flip or a long-term asset, partnering with experienced professionals will help you navigate the market with confidence. Investing in California land is a smart move—make sure you do it the right way.

[egypttourgroup]

How much does it cost to go to Egypt from America? Budget and Expenses

Egypt is a dream destination for many travelers, offering ancient wonders, rich culture, and stunning landscapes. If you're planning a trip from the U.S. to Egypt, you might be wondering about the total cost. The expenses will depend on various factors, such as the time of travel, the cities you visit, accommodation choices, and your travel style.

How much does it cost to go to Egypt from America?

1. Flight Costs

The biggest expense for a trip to Egypt from the U.S. is the airfare. The cost of a round-trip flight depends on your departure city, the season, and how far in advance you book.

Average price: $600 – $1,500 (economy class)

Peak season (December – February): $900 – $1,800

Off-season (June – September): $600 – $1,200

Business class: $2,500 – $5,000+

Major airports like New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), and Chicago (ORD) often have direct or one-stop flights to Cairo International Airport (CAI), with layovers in cities like Istanbul, London, or Paris.

2. Visa Fees

Tourist visa on arrival: $25 (valid for 30 days)

E-visa (pre-arranged online): $25 for a single entry or $60 for multiple entries

3. Accommodation Costs

Hotels in Egypt range from budget-friendly hostels to luxurious five-star resorts.

Hostels and budget hotels: $10 – $50 per night

Mid-range hotels (3–4 stars): $50 – $150 per night

Luxury hotels (5 stars): $150 – $400+ per night

If you plan to stay in popular areas like Cairo, Giza, Luxor, or Sharm El Sheikh, hotel prices may vary based on the season and location.

4. Food and Dining

Egypt offers delicious and affordable cuisine. You can eat well without spending too much.

Street food (falafel, koshari, shawarma): $1 – $5 per meal

Casual restaurants: $5 – $15 per meal

Fine dining: $20 – $50+ per meal

Bottled water: $0.25 – $1

5. Transportation Costs

Taxi (within the city): $1 – $5 per ride

Uber (more reliable than taxis): $2 – $10 per ride

Metro in Cairo: $0.25 per ride

Domestic flights (Cairo to Luxor or Aswan): $50 – $150

Private tour drivers: $30 – $100 per day

6. Sightseeing and Activities

Egypt is famous for its ancient sites, and entrance fees vary depending on the location.

Giza Pyramids and Sphinx: $10 – $15

Egyptian Museum in Cairo: $6

Luxor's Karnak Temple: $5 – $10

Valley of the Kings: $5 – $10 (extra for King Tut’s tomb)

Nile River Cruise (3–4 days): $300 – $800

Desert Safari or Diving in the Red Sea: $50 – $150

7. Miscellaneous Costs

Travel insurance: $50 – $150

Souvenirs (papyrus art, spices, perfumes): $10 – $100+

SIM card with data: $10 – $30

Total Estimated Budget for a Trip to Egypt

Here’s an approximate budget for a 7-day trip to Egypt from the U.S.:

Category

Budget Traveler

Mid-Range Traveler

Luxury Traveler

Flights

$600 – $1,200

$900 – $1,500

$2,500+

Visa

$25

$25

$25

Accommodation

$70 – $250

$300 – $800

$1,000+

Food & Drinks

$50 – $100

$150 – $300

$500+

Transportation

$20 – $100

$150 – $300

$500+

Activities

$50 – $200

$300 – $600

$1,000+

Total Cost

$800 – $1,875

$1,825 – $3,525

$5,525+

Conclusion

A trip to Egypt from the U.S. can be surprisingly affordable, especially if you travel with Egypt Tours Groups, stay in budget accommodations, and use public transport. A mid-range traveler can expect to spend around $2,000 – $3,500, while luxury travelers can spend $5,000 or more.

No matter your budget, Egypt offers an unforgettable experience filled with history, adventure, and breathtaking sights.

[deluxe-cruises]

Discover the Best Crystal Cruises with Deluxe Cruises: Exclusive Deals, Unbeatable Service, and Exceptional Value

At Deluxe Cruises, we specialize in providing our customers with the most unforgettable cruise experiences, particularly with the world-renowned Crystal Cruises. If you're looking for premium, luxury voyages, you’ve come to the right place. As a leading travel agency offering the finest cruise options, we guarantee you the best deals on Crystal Cruises, superior customer service, and unbeatable prices — in any currency.

Why Choose Deluxe Cruises for Your Crystal Cruise Booking?

When it comes to luxury cruising, Crystal Cruises stands out as one of the top choices for discerning travelers. From exotic world cruises to Grand Journeys, Crystal offers unforgettable experiences that span the globe. At Deluxe Cruises, we are dedicated to bringing you the very best of these prestigious voyages. Our mission is to make your cruise booking process as seamless and enjoyable as your upcoming vacation.

Get the Best Deals on Crystal Cruises at Deluxe Cruises

Our team at Deluxe Cruises works tirelessly to ensure that you have access to exclusive offers, including group pricing, secret discounts, and special promotions on Crystal Cruises. Whether you’re booking a solo journey or a group adventure, we promise to provide you with the best price and highest quality service available.

Crystal Cruises: Your Gateway to Luxury and Adventure

Whether you're embarking on a 139-night world cruise or exploring the beautiful seas of Northern Europe, Crystal Cruises delivers premium comfort, first-class service, and unparalleled destinations. Deluxe Cruises is here to offer you a wide selection of Crystal’s finest voyages, tailored to fit your travel needs and desires.

Here’s just a taste of some of the incredible Crystal Cruises voyages you can book through Deluxe Cruises:

2027 World Cruise – San Diego to Vancouver (139 Nights)

Ship: Crystal Serenity

Sailing Dates: January 8 - May 27, 2027

Experience: A truly iconic voyage, this world cruise takes you from the Americas to the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, and Alaska. It’s the perfect way to explore diverse cultures, exotic destinations, and breathtaking landscapes.

2026 Grand Journeys – Los Angeles to Singapore (89 Nights)

Ship: Crystal Serenity

Sailing Dates: January 11 - April 11, 2026

Experience: This grand journey offers an in-depth exploration of some of the world’s most vibrant and dynamic regions, including extensive stops in Northern Europe and beyond.

Mombasa to Tokyo (58 Nights)

Ship: Crystal Symphony

Sailing Dates: February 6 - April 5, 2026

Experience: Embark on a stunning voyage that traverses Africa and Asia, offering experiences like no other with stops at fascinating destinations along the way.

Roundtrip Lisbon (48 Nights)

Ship: Crystal Serenity

Sailing Dates: June 27 - August 14, 2026

Experience: A luxurious European journey with stops in iconic Mediterranean ports, offering the perfect blend of relaxation, culture, and adventure.

Last Chance for Double Crystal Society Discounts!

This is a limited-time offer you won’t want to miss. For Crystal Society members, we are offering double savings of 5% off on select sailings. Normally, the discount is 2.5%, but if you book before April 1, 2025, you can enjoy a double discount and make your luxury cruise even more affordable.

Don’t let this opportunity slip away — be sure to take advantage of this exclusive offer before the deadline.

How to Book Your Crystal Cruise with Deluxe Cruises

Booking with Deluxe Cruises is simple and straightforward. We pride ourselves on offering exceptional customer service and making the booking process as easy as possible for you. Here’s how you can get started:

Call or Email Us: Reach us quickly by calling 1-702-900-9975 via WhatsApp or sending an email to info@deluxecruises.com. Our expert agents are ready to assist you with all the information you need and provide personalized recommendations.

Browse Available Cruises: Visit our website to browse a wide selection of Crystal Cruises itineraries. Whether you’re looking for an extended world cruise or a short getaway, we have something for everyone.

Receive the Best Price: At Deluxe Cruises, we offer you the best price guarantee. If you find a better deal elsewhere, just let us know, and we’ll match or beat it. We are dedicated to getting you the best deal in any currency.

Book with Confidence: Once you’ve selected your perfect cruise, our team will assist you with all the necessary arrangements. We also offer secret discounts and group pricing for those booking together.

The Deluxe Cruises Promise

At Deluxe Cruises, we don’t just sell cruises — we create unforgettable experiences. When you book with us, you can be assured of the highest level of service, attention to detail, and exclusive offers you won’t find anywhere else. Our dedicated travel experts work to ensure that every aspect of your journey is seamless, from booking to departure and beyond.

We offer 24/7 support, so whether you have a question about your cruise, need assistance with your booking, or want to explore additional options, we are here to help. Our customers are our top priority, and we aim to provide the most personalized, hassle-free experience possible.

Why Book Your Crystal Cruise Now?

The world of luxury cruising is waiting for you, and there’s no better time to book than now. With limited availability on many of our exclusive sailings, you don’t want to wait too long before securing your spot. Plus, with the double Crystal Society discounts, there’s no better time to enjoy huge savings on your next adventure.

Book your next Crystal Cruise with Deluxe Cruises today — we guarantee the best prices, the best deals, and the best service. Don’t wait — contact us now to get started!

Contact Us Today!

Email: info@deluxecruises.com

WhatsApp: +1-702-900-9975

Phone: +1-702-900-9975

We look forward to helping you embark on the adventure of a lifetime with Crystal Cruises. Hurry — exclusive offers end soon!